Tuesday Teaser

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Please avoid spoilers!

Mine:

Scooting her chair back from the desk, she shut the laptop down and switched off her iPod. Heather shrugged on her trenchcoat. Scooping her Colt .38 up from the desk, she slipped it into the trench's specially designed inside breast pocket.

Time to go to Hell.

A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix - started this last night and it was hard to put down!

In My Mailbox

The In My Mailbox meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren! Head over to her blog to see what other bloggers got in terms of awesomeness (i.e. books) this week.

I had a really slow week, but thats ok. I received three awesome books this week that I'm sure are going to delight me!

Desire Unchained: A Demonica Novel (The Demonica Series) by Larissa Ione - Released March 1, 2009

Received this one from PBS, and I am really looking forward to reading it. The cover is pretty hot too!

Pleasure is their ultimate weapon . . . Runa Wagner never meant to fall in love with the sexy stranger who seemed to know her every deepest desire. But she couldn't resist the unbelievable passion that burned between them, a passion that died when she discovered his betrayal and found herself forever changed. Now, determined to make Shade pay for the transformation that haunts her, Runa searches for him, only to be taken prisoner by his darkest enemy. A Seminus Demon with a love-curse that threatens him with eternal torment, Shade hoped he'd seen the last of Runa and her irresistible charm. But when he wakes up in a dank dungeon chained next to an enraged and mysteriously powerful Runa, he realizes that her effect on him is more dangerous than ever. As their captor casts a spell that bonds them as lifemates, Shade and Runa must fight for their lives and their hearts-or succumb to a madman's evil plans.

Unquiet Dreams (Connor Grey, Book 2) by Mark Del Franco - Released January 29, 2008
I also received this one from PBS. Love the cover of this one! Kind of has a Buffy look to it lol


Fueled by a mysterious new drug, Celtic fairies and Teutonic elves battle for turf and power-with humans caught in the middle. As the body count rises, Connor Grey uncovers a vast conspiracy that threatens to destroy not only the city, but the world.

The Lake That Stole Children: A Fable by Douglas Glenn Clark - Released August 15, 2008

I received this thin children's book to review. I will probably get to it later this week. The synopsis sounds good though!

The Lake That Stole Children blends the magic of Disney's Pinocchio with the magnificent quest of Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. It begins with a boy's deep yearning and leads to a grown man's startling discovery. The story begins with a town troubled by a big secret. Children have been disappearing and no one knows why. A fisherman, who lives with his family on the outskirts of town, cared nothing about the town's troubles - until he too lost a son. Following a dangerous search on a nearby lake, the fisherman believes he knows where the children may be and vows to save them. When the town refuses to help in his quest, the fisherman realizes that to save his son he must face one seemingly insurmountable obstacle - himself.

Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story by Carolyn Turgeon

Almost everyone has seen the Disney version of Cinderella. Mom dies, Dad remarries, Dad dies, and Cinderella is left with a step-mother from hell and her two daughters. Cinderella is treated like a slave, until one day her fairy Godmother dresses her like a princess, she goes to the ball, the prince falls in love with her, and they live happily everafter. Well, thats the gist of it anyways.

In Godmother, the story focuses on the Godmother. Lil is a fairy and the elders have seen it to be Cinderella's destiny to go to the ball and the Prince will fall in love with her and yadda yadda yadda. The elders make it Lil's job to make sure it happens. What they didn't count on was Lil falling in love with the Prince herself and going to the Ball in Cinderella's place. She promises Cinderella she will return right after the ball, and they will talk about things that are depressing Cinderella. But when Lil returns to Cinderella, things are not as they should be and Lil is banned from the fairy world by the elders.

Lil finds herself in the human world and try's desperately to get back to her world and her sisters. But she remains for centuries because she still hasn't learned her lesson with Cinderella. Lil works in a bookstore in this life. It's a simple life. Every morning she pulls out the book on Cinderella and remembers, and every night she unbinds her wings in the privacy of her own apartment.

But one day, Lil meets Veronica, a young woman full of life and who loves all things retro. They quickly become good friends, and Lil figures out what she should do in order to return to the world of fairy.

Despite the whimsical cover, this is a truly sad book. I couldn't put it down, I was so drawn into Lil. She is an old woman who keeps living in her past, and you just want to have her over for tea and a nice long chat. If your looking for fairy tales, this isn't the book for you. Sure, its compelling and magical, and full of remorse, but the ending will leave you shocked and wide-eyed. I highly recommend this wonderfully written novel to any book-lover!

Friday Fill-Ins #118

And...here we go!

1. Angel or not, I will still be a Buffy fan.

2. Anyway you need me, any way you want me.

3. As my mother used to say, you're full of piss and vinegar.

4. I need a drink of water after I'm done working out or doing something strenuous.

5. Even in the most crowded of rooms I can find the bathroom.

6. The day they take away my independence is a day fraught with peril.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my daughter's birthday party, tomorrow my plans include sleeping in and Sunday, I want to relax!

The Rogue Hunter (Argeneau Vampires, Book 10) by Lynsay Sands

Since book 11 just was released, I figured I'd best get this one read that's been on mount TBR for months. I love the Argeneau series, but seriously, this one , unfortunately, left me flat.

Here's the synopsis from Amazon: Sands spins off this paranormal romance series debut from her popular Argeneau books (Bite Me If You Can, etc.) with her trademark wit and passion. On a well-deserved vacation from her fast-track job as a lawyer, Samantha Willan is looking forward to hanging out with her sisters at their family's cottage. Rogue Hunter Garrett Mortimer has been sent by the Council to search for an errant vampire who has been biting mortals. When the two cross paths in the middle of nowhere, romance intrudes on Sam's R&R and Garrett's mission. Sands maintains the heart, sass and steam of her other novels, providing plenty of plot-driving backstory, but never letting it overshadow the love and passion. With sexy immortals, strong protagonists and smart dialogue, this series launch is a winner.

My review: Samantha Willan and her sister's are taking a vacation in their family cottage when things start to go astray. Samantha is on the fast track to becoming a partner in a lawyer firm, and when her boss calls her for a favor, Samantha puts a temporary halt to the vacation to help him out. Garrett Mortimer is a rogue vampire hunter who is stationed next door to Samantha's cottage. When he finds he can't read Samantha (read her mind), he is stunned to find out she is is lifemate. Samantha is no where near what he envisioned the past 800 years. She is skinny, clumsy, and flat-chested. But Garrett comes to desire Samantha and soon wants her for his own. The only problem is, Samantha is terrified of bugs, bats, and things that go bump in the night!
Containing the famous Sands humor, the story still left me wanting more as no real background information was given for Garrett. A sliver was given for Samantha, but it was hard to build a character frame of mind without knowing WHO they really are. The mystery portion was thin, but worst of all, there was no happily ever after as there is in most Paranormal Romance. I will continue to read the series, and hope Book 11 is better than this one, as I am a Lynsay Sands fan.

HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD By Charla Krupp - Give-Away!

How Not to Look Old the 15-week New York Times bestseller is now in paperback updated with over 150 new Brilliant Buys!

Charla Krupp knows that aging sucks! So she's here to help. It's every woman's dream: looking hip, sexy, fresh, and pretty--whether you're in your 30's, 40's, 50's, or 60's. Now it's every woman's necessity: looking younger will help you hold onto your job and your partner--particularly when everyone around you seems half your age. It's about making the ultimate "to-do" list of LITTLE beauty and fashion changes that pay off BIG TIME.

Charla Krupp, beauty editor and expert, known for her real woman's approach to looking fabulous, offers brutally frank and foolproof advice on how not to look old.

Another great give-away courtesy of Hatchette Books! Again, they are allowing me to award FIVE (5) Winners will this wonderful book.

US & Canada Only - NO PO Boxes

Just leave a comment with your email to enter - very easy! Easier than finding the fountain of youth :)

Entries allowed until April 26th, Winner announced April 27th.

BOBBI BROWN LIVING BEAUTY - Give-Away

Bobbi Brown began the trend toward natural-looking cosmetics with a simple philosophy: Women want to look and feel like themselves, only prettier and more confident. Today, top editors at elite fashion magazines--including In Style, Vogue, Allure, and Harpers Bazaar--revere her, and celebrities and millions of regular women throughout the world swear by her beauty advice. Now Bobbi Brown has written THE book redefining beauty for women over 40, BOBBI BROWN LIVING BEAUTY. In this refreshing look at beauty and aging, Bobbi offers specific makeup tricks for a stunning face--showing how makeup can solve most of the flaws that many women go under the knife to fix. In fact, the right makeup can create an even skin tone, lift the cheeks, plump a smile...even take years off any woman's face. The key is to use makeup to enhance each woman's best features and showcase her natural beauty. With step-by-step makeup instructions and quotes from beautiful women like Marcia Gay Harden, Vera Wang, Susan Sarandon, and Lorraine Bracco, Bobbi Browns natural, celebratory approach to aging will enlighten and inspire women everywhere.

Our good friends at Hatchette Books are allowing me to award this book to FIVE (5) Winners!

Remember, Only US and Canada - NO PO Boxes!

Contest will be open until April 15th, Winners announced on April 16th. Just leave a comment with your name and email to win! What could be easier :)

Waiting on Wednesday

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Prey by Rachel Vincent
Publication Date: July 1, 2009
Mira Books

SOMETIMES PLAYING CAT AND MOUSE IS NO GAME...

Play? Right. My Pride is under fire from all sides, my father's authority is in question and my lover is in exile. Which means I haven't laid eyes on Marc's gorgeous face in months. And with a new mother and an I-know-everything teenager under my protection, I don't exactly have time to fantasize about ever seeing him again.

Then our long-awaited reunion is ruined by a vicious ambush by strays. Now our group is under attack, Marc is missing, and I will need every bit of skill and smarts to keep my family from being torn apart. Forever.

I absolutely LOVE this series and cannot wait to get my hands on this !!

What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

Leave a comment with either the link to your own "Waiting On" Wednesday post or just your answer (if you don't have a blog).

Crouching Vampire, Hidden Fang by Katie MacAlister

What happens when your groom leaves you right after the wedding and is several continents away from you? You speak to him directly with your mind but if he blocks you out, you cry yourself to sleep and eat lots of ice cream.

Pia Thomason cries herself to sleep every night. Her husband wants nothing to do with her and even when she projects her thoughts to him, he shuts her down abruptly. Pia is a chubby, middle-aged woman who recently found herself the new Zorya and married to two men. One of those men is a vampire, and the other a member of the Brotherhood, which Pia found herself to be a member of since becoming Zorya. A Zorya can see and interact with ghosts and help them find their way to their eternal rest, or Ostri as Pia calls it. The vampire council wants to see Pia as soon as possible, but all Pia can think about is her broken heart and why the Dark One, Kristoff, doesn't want her.

Kristoff is a Dark One, a Moravian vampire. Pia is his Beloved, and he cannot live without her, literally. Every time she beckons him with her mind, he blocks his thoughts from her. Pia expressed desire for one of Kristoff's friends, Alec, a few months ago and Kristoff would rather die than get in the way of Pia's path to true love. But Kristoff really is dying since he can't feed from anyone but Pia, unbeknown to her. When the council brings Pia to him, he collapses before her.

Once Pia feeds Kristoff so he can function, she confronts the council on the way they've treated him. They are keeping him prisoner, and bring many accusations against Pia as well. Pia made a deal with the Brotherhood, for the release of reapers that the council is holding so that she can terminate her position as Zorya. After much discussion, the council decides that Pia and Kristoff must find out whom the mole is that is feeding information to the Brotherhood about the Dark Ones. If they succeed, all the charges will be dropped.

Pia and Kristoff complement each other perfectly. Pia is an out-spoken woman who knows what she wants, and she wants Kristoff. She uses her wiles to garner his attention, not knowing she had it months ago. Kristoff is a possessive Dark One with a deep secret that he does not want to share with Pia, lest he lose her. The two set off fireworks like the Fourth of July! When intimate or arguing, they are made for one another. Witty with a splash of romance and a dark puzzle to unravel, CROUCHING VAMPIRE HIDDEN FANG is a sure-fire hit!

Crouching Vampire, Hidden Fang by Katie MacAlister will be released on May 5, 2009. Pre-order yours today!

Sail Audio Book Winner!

Thanks to our good friends at Hatchette for giving this away! Sail by James Patterson in Audio book goes to :

DOTTIE

Thanks to everyone who entered. I've sent Dottie an email. If no reply within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.