Aria's Dark Musings...

Jump Start...HELP!!!

2012-05-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

Whenever I sit down and try to write, read, or generally take a breath in the last few months, there always seems to be something (ahem, or someone who is terribly adorable) that seems to get in front of me actually getting anything done. Now, while this isn't a bad thing, it's put a definite cramp in my style.
Here's to a book jump start...and gallantly attempting to finish Paris' story (those of you out there are gasping in horror that it has taken me almost three months to get through this one when it used to take only days, if that!), getting on with the creative flow (and yoga flows!), and re-learning a work life creative multi-tasking balance.
Suggestions anyone?

Tuesday Musings...Who?

2012-01-31T05:13:00.000-08:00

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

Dr. Seuss

Tuesday Musing...A Little Wicked

2012-01-24T06:46:00.000-08:00

"It was a wicked and wild wind that blew down the door to let me in."

Coldpla

Tuesday Musings...Beliefs

2012-01-17T04:59:00.000-08:00

"Live your beliefs, and you can turn the world around."

Thoreau

Book Review....Kitten-Tiger and the Monk by Carolyn Crane

2012-01-13T07:44:00.000-08:00

From Amazon.com (novella from Wild & Steamy):

Sophia Sidway, Mid-City's most dangerous memory revisionist, seek out the mysterious Monk in the wasteland beneath the Tangle turnpike, hoping for redemption...but it turns out that the Monk is not all pious, and the turnpike is not a turnpike at all.

I've been a fan of the Disillusionists Trilogy from the very first words I read (of course, I was introduced to the series by some of my favorite book bloggers) and still can recall to this day the exact moment I yelled and raised my hands .in frustration (the good kind, I think) at the end of Mind Games (book two). I tend to enjoy books I yell at. Come to think of it, I may have yelled at this series more than once...

When I ran across Tiger-Kitten and the Monk, the title threw me off. Shrug. Because I needed it. This may seem a little odd...to NEED. But you didn't hear me ranting after I finished the Double Cross. Just saying.

Tiger-Kitten and the Monk is a short little treat that gives us more insight not only into Mid-City, but the characters we've come to love to hate to love, as well as the Tangle. (Honestly, I still have no idea what exactly it looks like. Even with the insight Sophia lends at the end. Spoilery-ish.)

Entertaining if not too short, the novella focuses around Sophia, the minion (if you will) of Otto Sanchez and the memory revisionist I like most like to yell at. Sophia is seeking out the Monk, the one disillusionist no one knows the identity of (save Packard) who is the ultimate in disillusioning. The end all and be all. And Sophia is tired and done with hurting others as well as herself. Too bad the Tangle (er, road) leads to the one man she most and least would want to see. And maybe she'll get a little more than she bargained for.

Until you may want to rant a little once again.

Where have all the bookstores gone?

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

I love the smell of a bookstore. It may seem odd, or you may wrinkle your nose, but it's true. I love it.

Maybe because I have fond childhood memories of going to the bookstore with my mom and begging for a book. Trading so many sink fulls of dirty dishes just to have that one book that I could sneak read with my flash light...

I love Tuesdays (almost as much as Wednesdays...new comic day!). Walking in, checking out the new release section. Looking for that new book to rush home to read. Or maybe spending a few hours with a hot cup of caffeine in hand, perusing the aisles for new treasure.

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine, woefully sharing my sadness at my local Borders shutting its doors. She shared her sadness as well, telling stories of how she would take her kids there with homemade (and home brought) hot chocolate for hours of fun in the children's section. I made the off handed comment about how great their own bookshelves must look when she dropped the bomb on me.

They didn't go to buy books. They just went for the atmosphere. The free atmosphere. My jaw must have hit the floor faster than if you'd handed me celery with peanut butter (I hate celery, even if you put peanut butter on it.) because she asked if I was okay.

Okay? SERIOUSLY?

Herein lies one of the problems. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure this wasn't the only reason I've lost the main source of my credit card purchases. I'm sure she must have bought a book every other time, right?

Nope. At this point, I bit my tongue all the while my mind was racing. A bookstore isn't just a playroom. They have to make the rent and the payroll. My only hope is that her little ones got an appreciation for books and will carry this tradition on at a library.

And now? I travel a few more miles to get my fix, even if I can get new treasures cheaper on Amazon.

And who knows, maybe there will be an independent bookstore in my future...

Tuesday Musings...Wonder

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

"Wisdom begins in wonder."

Socrates

New Review...Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

2012-01-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

From the back cover....

They're here.

They ride.

The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday...or let it ride...

Immortal Rider

Sexy, powerful, and immortal, Limos is on a crash course with destiny. She's been marked as Satan's bride and her jealous fiance wants her all to himself. The only way this Horseman can keep herself-and everyone else-safe is to keep her distance.

Arik Wagner knows the saying "love hurts" better than most, yet he never thought stealing a kiss from Limos would land him in Hell. Literally. It takes all his military training to survive the demon torture, but once he's topside, Arik realizes that the agony has just begun. With the Apocalypse looming and Satan demanding his bride, will Arik and Limos surrender to the desire smoldering between them? Or will giving in to their passion unleash hell on earth?

Missing your favorite daytime drama? I have the answer for you!

There are no shortages of hot steamy scenes (you know the kind...just imagine your favorite soap hero/heroine accidentally coming out of the shower only to see the one person he/she hates yet secretly longs for and will do anything to protect, even from the nasty mistakes they've made in the past that they've hidden from everyone they love that could now ruin their lives forever?)

You may think that soaps are cheesy, and I admit they can be...however, they are one of my absolute favorite guilty pleasures. Until Larissa Ione.

And I'll tell ya why. Each storyline in a soap somehow ends up repeating itself, even if its only partially. Yep, there's that one evil character who seems to be every one's daddy, and everybody hooks up (well, almost everyone) eventually. And every character has lied and cheated and is keeping secrets. This is where Ione sets herself apart.

Maybe it's the demons. Or the angels. It's most definitely the Horsemen.

Finally, a heroine I can sink my teeth into. Not only do I love Limos in her sassy ways, she has a great big ol heart thanks to her bros. Did I mention I'd love to crash at her pad? Sigh...always a soft place in my heart, those Hawaiian Islands. She's tough when she has to be, saucy when the time calls for it, and lays it on the line when the moment arises. Like any young immortal being, she has made her mistakes in the past. And, just like any immortal being, when you grow up, things catch up with you.

Arik sees the tough side, accepts it, and pushes past it. A tough military guy with connections with the Guardians and super secret military faction. Who gets in a bit of trouble over a little kiss. Scorching hot kiss, but if her only knew how that kiss would make things end up. Or where. Sigh...

There is a nice crossover with the Underworld General Hospital (demons and a hospital? Paranormal Soap Opera HEAVEN!) and we get a visit from some old friends as well as a look into the other Horsemen. Not to mention Harvester and Reaver...

If I had one complaint, it's that Satan himself is the Big Bad but doesn't make much of an appearance...something I'm hoping will show up as the series progresses.

Now, I'm left waiting and totally wanting for Thanatos' book.

Soap Opera? Nah, so much better...

Oh, How I've Missed You!

2012-01-05T05:08:00.000-08:00

The last year has been both a blessing and a curse. Blessings are often accompanied by a few bumps in the road. The view and the journey normally well worth the bumps. Or chuck holes. Or craters.

The injury came just before the bundle of giggles that now gives me a never ending supply of warm fuzzies on a daily basis.

And now, with the New Year comes new beginnings, as well as new challenges. The ankle isn't as flexible as it was before, which makes much of the choreography an incredible challenge. Translation: This bellydancer can't dance in as many shows with her belly sisters as she would like, and teaching is on a break right now. Heartbreaking, but every single day I fight the good fight to get my muse back in her right place. (I love physical therapy. Really.)

The other change? I'm a mom. (Which still surprises me...I mean, they let me take this lil guy home? Aren't they afraid of what I'll do? Are they crazy? The answer is yes, obviously!) Work has taken a back seat to snuggles, spit up, and yoga with baby! Forget trying to read the book a day I was averaging...as you can tell by the frequency of posts over here.

Enter scheduled posts, my shiny new laptop (evil virus claimed old faithful with all my media. I'm still hopeful the hard drive can be saved.), and new wireless router. Let's see how the game turns out.

New Year's resolution...try to not let this page go to waste.

Tuesday Musings For A New Year

2012-01-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

It's a New Year, and each and every one of us seems to filled with the feeling of promise. Promise of things to come, of what we can be, and what we cam do.

In honor of this glorious feeling (the hope of it staying somewhere inside each of us all year long), I give you one of my all time favorite sayings. Which I may have used once before, but it's my party and I'll repeat it if I want to.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams."

Henry David Thoreau

Happy New Year, and may all your roads lead to your dreams...

Book Review: Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

2011-12-02T10:02:00.000-08:00

From Sherrilyn Kenyon's website:

A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed every life had a price. Until the day he finally found a reason to live. In a single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he'd spend eternity protecting the humans he once considered prey.

Orphaned as a toddler, Abbigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief: Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day she meets the man who killed her family: Jess Brady.

Like most of my favorite series, I discovered Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter novels right smack dab in the middle (surprise, surprise). Usually, with a series this long running, there is always the fear of the same old story creeping in, making each story sound somewhat familiar.

Not so with the Dark-Hunters...

One complaint I have is that Retribution seemed the most distant to the Dark-Hunter lore that has been previously introduced. Sundown and Abby's story sets itself in another pantheon with it's roots in Native American lore, with the introduction of the Cherokee 2012 prophecy of Time and Untime. (Which personally, I really enjoy because it reminds me of good memories...but that's another story!) Whether or not the details are true to the actual mythos, I lend to creative story telling. (Think of it like telephone. The details can get changed around depending on how you hear it!)

More sympathetic to the Apollites, we get into Abby's mind and see her perspective on Dark-Hunters. Seen as lethally evil murderers of the family she has been raised by, she sets out to take out as many as she can, with the the help of some demon enhanced abilities.

Until things go from bad to worse. As with most things, it's really all about perspective. You know, that whole there's three sides to every story. One side, the other, and the truth...

Sundown is a sexy cowboy stuck in his ways (gotta love a man who rides a horse. Save a horse, ride a...you get the picture.) to the extent that every syllable that falls from his lips drips with that cowboy way of his...which is addicting, if I do say so myself. Honestly, I worried that I might get a tad annoyed with it, but just the opposite happened. It only added to his character.

As they battled evil and we discover their mysterious past, Sundown and Abby become more and more what I have come to expected from a Dark-Hunter novel. It took a bit for me to warm up to Abby, mostly because she just seemed to flip flop a little too much for me. But, in the end, girlfriend kinda won me over.

At the end of the book, we get a little Acheron action. And of course, Simi. Because, really, a Dark-Hunter novel without Simi (and Ash) is like dinner without barbecue!

While not my favorite Dark-Hunter addition, Retribution definitely filled the hole I've had waiting for some bow and arrow tattoos to show up. (For more Dark-Hunter fun and games, check out the website...)

Tuesday Musings...Dreams

2011-11-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."

Oscar Wilde

Tuesday Musing...Thanksgiving Style

2011-11-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

I decided to make this one pretty simple (which means I may complicate things just a bit, so bear with with me.)

When I began this journey, boy oh boy, never did I realize where I would end up. Books, dance, and whatever else I had going on in my crazy life. Easy, right?

Then, everything went literally crazy. From an ankle injury (that almost completely took away my ability to walk let alone dance), to the passing of my beloved kitty (which broke my heart), to the personal circus we won't even get started on...and then, to the thing I am most thankful for in the world.

My family and its new addition.

So, my words to you today are simple.

Be thankful...and thank you!

Tuesday Musings...Much Ado

2011-07-19T06:09:00.000-07:00

"If it prove so, then loving goes by haps.

Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps."

Hero (from Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare)

One of my favorites (and not just because I love the movie version with Keanu Reeves...sigh). And truly, who hasn't fallen into the trap?

Tuesday Musings...Puppies and Sunshine

2011-07-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

"Love isn't all puppies and sunshine. It makes you scared as hell."

Anya Bast, from Dark Enchantment

Just a sneek peak of my next review ;-)....

Five Things I Love...Tribal Fusion Bellydance

2011-07-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

First, if you have no idea what Tribal Fusion Bellydance is, be sure to visit the page link to get a mini course (not all inclusive, and no pop quizzes!).

1.) Tribal Fusion Bellydance is a style that originated in California. Why is this on my list? Creativity and explosions of art are always to be celebrated! In a time when most schools are struggling with budgets and the arts are the first to be cut, it's a beautiful thing to know that art still has relevance and that this ever evolving art is inspiring dancers to create and explore.

2.) Bellydance celebrates all types of women! Young, old, any and every body type and ethnicity. Anyone can do it! (Don't roll your eyes! If everyone was perfect at something the first time they tried something, how boring would that be? Ugh!) Tattoos, piercings, Pagan, Christian, Buddhist, tall, short...it doesn't matter. All women are beautiful in their own way...I'm not a skinny girl. Curves are celebrated. I'm proud to say I look better in my bellydance wardrobe than most of my everyday and work clothes.

3.) I've to learned to take joy in learning. Especially the first few times..ok, maybe more like the first ten to twenty times...I tried to make my body do what I thought was impossible. I giggled. A lot. Which made it even more fun and enjoyable. There is so much we beat ourselves up over that having this outlook has expanded into other areas in my life.

4.) I dance with the most beautiful, generous, and loving women. The cattiness that is usually so prevalent when some women spend time together is not an issue. It has renewed my faith in so many ways! We help one another, whether its with making our stubborn hips and obliques make that crazy bumblebee walk work, fix a wayward costume piece, or just get a hug when you need it.

5.) Sharing...not only can I share my dance with an audience, students, and even you in some ways, I can share my interpretation and fusion of the style. New music, costumes, influences...there are no rules here.

To Read, Or Not To Read

2011-07-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

It's still there, lurking and waiting. Sometimes, it looks at me with longing. Other times, the feeling generates guilt. I know it's mad at me or feels abandoned.
The It? My TO BE READ pile. Or, as my husband calls it, the collect dust while everything else speeds on by pile.
Truly, I'm not sure the culprit is as simple as a reading slump or as complicated as I have a life changing event coming in a little over two months.
I have a feeling it's a bit of both.
To be honest, I'm overwhelmed with everything I have to do to get ready for my lil bundle of chaotic joy. Even the everyday simple mundane tasks seem overwhelming. (Don't even get me started on the kitchen remodel that keeps getting stalled. Oy.)
So, to get myself out of my slump, I pulled out an oldie but a goodie. Okay, maybe not that oldie.
If you've visited me in the past, you know the love I have for Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series. After a few months of overwhelming (are you sensing a theme here?) feelings, I knew the only thing that could pull me out of this funk was Irial. And Niall. And Seth. And Ash..and Donia...and I hope you get the point.
So, five books later, I've finally picked up something new...partially to help my brain take a break every now and then. I'll let you know how it works!
And, I've decided to let the parts of the brain that can't seem to let go have its own voice on a lil blog I've started. If you want to check it out, great. If not, that's cool. But I hope you'll stop back.

Five Things I Love...Chicagoland Vampires

2011-06-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

Having joined the Chicagoland Vampires train a little late in the game isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it fills that insatiable need for the next book in the series that most people who have discovered these little gems since their inception.

Me, I get instant gratification.

Okay, well, almost.

Because four books in and I am chomping at the neck (or nibbling, depending on whose neck it is) for the next one. Which is out (but, my local bookstore isn't cooperating. Oh, but it will.). And that would be book number four. Yep, still a bit behind. Do you hear me, Borders?!?

So, until I get my hot little hands on it, here are five reasons I love the Chicagoland Vampires and Chloe Neill.

1.) I adore Chicago. Not just because of Wizard World Chicago, which is one of my favorite comic cons...I mean, where else can you hear Joss Whedon tell a room full of people (that your husband illegally snuck you in to...the panel, not the con.) a sniff sniff wipe a tear away little story about an unaired Buffy epi about boots, saving the world, and the one thing you would give your best best Wiccan friend. From the museums to my fave deep dish to the lake front and even the transportation, I feel like I'm there every time I turn the page.

2.) Ethan. Just imagine Beckham with a little Eric from TB. Enough said. Feel free to pause and appreciate...

3.) Story element that makes me keep reading...normally, we don't get choices on the big things that change our lives forever. These moments come up unexpectedly and everything is different, and no matter how hard you try things will never be the same. And then, we have to deal with them. Sometimes, not well. And even then, the emotional roller coaster gives you the ride you'll never forget. Merit's journey usually has me going right along with her...

Most authors don't give this journey enough credit. And I love how Merit deals or doesn't.

4.) The toys. I've always wanted to learn how to use a katana. And drive a sleek sports car. Plus, the wardrobe is to die for (pun? Maybe. Maybe not.)

5.) Did I mention Ethan? Because the sexual steamy tension mixed with those seriously yummy moments of sincerity...oh my...

What do you think?

(For more Chicagoland and Cadogan House, visit Chloe Neill here.)

Tuesday Musings...Graveminder Style

2011-06-07T08:04:00.000-07:00

"Memories. Love. Letting go."

from Graveminder by Melissa Marr

There is something I've always loved about the pacing and wording that Melissa Marr uses in her writing. Anytime I've been in a reading slump, or my brain is on multi-tasking insane mode, I just pick up a little Wicked Lovely, and then everything seems to slow down and get back to, well, not normal, but some semblance of normal...

So far, Graveminder seems to be doing the trick.

Finally, the WINNER of Alien In The Family!

2011-06-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the drawn out anticipation...as many of you may or may not know, I've been slowly recovering from an ankle injury (great for a bellydancer, let me tell ya) while expecting. A family illness pushed everything a little over the edge...

But, on a happier note, the winner is....

Jen B! I'll be emailing you to get your info!

Thanks for all of you who entered! It makes me happy to know that books still make us all turn into silly messes in a bookstore, or that a little Sam and Dean makes our day, and that a good ol comic book still does a little something!!

Here's to all of the Fan Girls out there, no matter what your passion may be!!!!!!

Virtual Book Tour...Review Alien In The Family by Gini Koch

2011-05-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

From Amazon.com:

Super-being Exterminator Kitty Katt and the Alpha Centuri she loves, Jeff Martini, should be finalizing their wedding plans. But that was before she discovered Jeff is in line to become Emperor back on his home world. Kitty knows she is everything a royal family wouldn't approve of, and is bracing herself for the worst. As it turns out, the royal family is just the beginning. Especially when extraterrestrial Amazonian terrorists are determined to start and end Kitty and Jeff's nuptial festivities with a bang.

Not sure if I've ever mentioned this, but I am a true and tried geek girl. And, there are few things that ever give me the chance to voice this little quirk of mine. It's always there, lurking under the surface, waiting to jump up and be noticed. Imagine my giddiness when asked to participate in this virtual blog tour!! I may have blushed....seriously, after I squealed. This book is one of those reads that will kick start your reading rut, at least it did for me!

(Quick note...I'd like to thank a few tweeties, Bells and Collette...for the Martini addiction.)

In the third book of this series, it still seems Kitty can't keep away from the fugliness that seems attracted non-stop to her. From the Wonder Woman wanna be's, to emissaries from other planets, and even royal family members ready to put her to the test (yikes). Thank goodness she has Martini to distract her when she most needs it! (Um, in case you hadn't noticed, maybe just maybe she might get a nice distraction from Chuckie...or Christopher...or Kevin...you get the idea. This works because, hey we are all human *!* enough that we notice others hotness or something we find drool worthy. The key, however, is what you get to take home, ya know?)

Who knew getting engaged would cause intergalactic subterfuge and deadly girl power assassins plus a really colorful light show? (And with all the hoopla surrounding royal weddings, let's just say the timing worked well for me *wink*.)

Just like real life, one things most definitely leads to another. Extraterrestrial Amazonian terrorists leads to intergalactic emissaries of all, er, types, leads to the grandma's and all that family drama, which inevitably should end up in Vegas with all the craziness and twists and turns you can get while not being the Hangover. Which, sadly, didn't really enjoy (the Hangover, not the book!). I can't even imagine the in-law situation...shudders. Also, I want a poof...however, my lil kit and caboodles would most def get jealous.

Love how well Kitty either handles a situation, or, as we all would, doesn't. And to complicate matters even more her best friend, and not so bad on the eyes himself, Chuckie may have the upper hand, in at least a few situations. Which, as imagined, may not go over as smoothly as one would hope.

As much as in the previous two books from this series, this girl got her geek on (see post here) as well as her shop envy on (have you been to Vegas? Window shopping takes on a whole new meaning. However, I prefer Cesar's...just saying.) and her hotness quotient filled. (Screaming orgasms have me rethinking remodeling my bathroom. Shh, don't tell...) Gini Koch has the ability to make cute (I use this term lightly, only because normally the term applies differently in my mind but I credit A Buckeye Girl Reads!) sexy, smart, geek chic all at once.

There was a deeper message hidden in there, as well, and just as in the story telling the message hits, stays with you unconsciously through out all the action packed mayhem that kept piling on. You'll just have to pick up for yourself and take what you will...There was a a few moments that left me thinking, well, heck, what's next...

Martini, you'll always be Martini to me. Just as like Kitty, I may take a look around but always come back to you...(Is it just me, but are some men more like a girl than you are *wink*?)

To celebrate the virtual blog tour, I have been graciously given a copy of Alien In The Family for one lucky person. Click here to enter the geekiness!!!!!!

(Reviewer's note...copy of Alien In The Family provided for review.)

Alien In The Family Giveaway, Comic Geek Girl Style!

2011-05-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

"Never piss off the comic geeks-girl."

If there's anything a comic geek girl loves, it's the ability to happily geek out while enjoying one of her other loves. The two collide, and geeking out occurs...This phenomenon, while rare, is truly an interesting sight to see...or hear.

So, imagine my utter happiness when my favorite amazonian warrior had a reference in one of my new favorite series, "Alien In The Family" by Gini Koch. (Yep, squealing that some might say only my gorgeous golden retriever could hear. But, what can I say?) What can I say, I totally had Wonder Woman Underoos. TMI, anyone? Anywho, in true geek girl fashion, the reference is used and corrected by the other secretly (or not) geek characters to truly embrace the true nature that is Wonder Woman. (Go fan boys and girls!!!!!) Now, where did I leave my lasso? Never mind...

(Side note, the picture above is beautifully rendered by Michael Turner, and is undoubtedly of my favorites...no copyright infringement intended! Check out Aspen comics and get inspired to geek out, too.)

Now, I've always had a thing for Iceman from Top Gun..and Goose...and Slider...and I could go on and on. Hmm...*shakes head* Thanks, Gini *grin* for all the fun times! (Hello, beach volleyball, anyone?)

Down to the business at hand. Up for grabs...a copy of Alien In The Family for one lucky winner, thanks to KLB Virtual Events.

To enter, answer one easy peasy little question...

What makes you geek out? Be it comics, a movie, your favorite new pair of shoes...Leave a comment below, contest ends May 18th.

Good luck, y'all! Open to U.S. and Canada only...

New Review...Dreams Of A Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole

2011-05-06T06:55:00.000-07:00

From the back cover:

He vowed to come for her...

Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives.

She awaits his return...

When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals-unaware that he belongs to their world.

To sate a desire more powerful than death...

Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan's torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared-even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?

Kresley Cole is the genius who has discovered how to utilize the wonderful mind spinning element I like to call the flash sideways. To be able to completely understand exactly what it is to flash sideways, I sincerely hope (and no doubt you have!) had the chance to devour the previous books in the Immortals After Dark Series. Imagine be able to see all the juicy details, going on simultaneously like a picture in picture. (Now, I see the appeal of the whole sport split screen...you know the one, where every single game in the NFL can be seen all at dizzying once detail.) But, this is far better. And more enjoyable!

Starting out, I was a little bit worried. Regin, courageous yet young (!) Valkyrie she is, barges in demanding aid (not just for herself, but she must save her sister Lucia...flash sideways moment!) from the handsome yet dangerous Berserker Warlord Aidan the Fierce. Aidan sees the promise in her, and knows she must be his...but not quite yet. Thank goodness.

As time goes on, the two meet once again, and fall for one another. Just as happily ever after seems in sight, a immortal takes his revenge and Aidan loses his life, but not before promising to come back for her. Then, we get to the nitty gritty.

Someone has been capturing immortals of all kinds, studying and doing unthinkable things...and now, they have Regin. (Hmm, Buffy, anyone? Which is probably why I saw a bit of Riley in Declan!)

And her jailer, is none other than her fierce bersereker, but in this reincarnation, he hates her and all her kind (which he groups together as all evil, no matter their race nor inclination) and would like nothing better than to destroy her will and steal her secrets.

If only her knew what one of those secrets was, hmm?

The key to the flash sideways is to give just enough detail of the other stories to (and this is a deviously delicious plan!) to make you want to go back once your finished for more. I adore Nix and her crazy zany ways, so that is always a fun time!

Declan's inner struggle added to his tortured past lives, making his decisions and actions a constant struggle, while Regin sought only to protect him at the cost of her own heart.

While not my favorite of the series (mostly because it's incredibly hard to pick one over another), I loved Regin's gorgeous hot messiness (her room would give me a heart attack...or serious envy) and the fierceness and dare I say the hotness in which the relationship developed, not only between Aidan and Regin, but also the glimpses we catch of the others in the Lore.

An action packed flash sideways is just what a girl needs every now and then...especially with sparkly goodness thrown in.

Alien in the Family Tour!

2011-05-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

I know, it's not my turn, but there are some other places we can go to join in on the fun!!! Also, I can tell you not only will I have a review but a giveaway!! (And I'm sure you'll want to enter!) So, while I deviously ponder the details, check out these fabuolous stops along the way!!

May 1st with Drens B Spot
May 2nd over at Larissa's Life
May 3rd with Nikki Brandyberry
May 4th at the Order
May 5th with Nancy McGregor
May 6th there's a party going on over Hanging With Bells
May 7th it's time to head over to with Deanna and Chena
May 8th, come hang with comic geek girl (me!)
May 9th go check out Mark of the Stars and see what's going on!
May 10th, the host of our fab tour, KLB has something you'll want to check out,
as well as a little something with Love To Read For Fun

Have a great time checking these wonderful blogs out, and can't wait to see you here!!

(P.S. To any bloggers, if there is a change or anything you'd like to add, just email me!)

Tuesday Musings...with a bit of sweetness

2011-05-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."

From my Dove dark chocolate Easter basket candy...

(Just a little sweetness and words of wisdom...don't worry, the chocolate was celebrated!)