Moving Target and Running Scared Re-read challenge

12/31/2009 09:31:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (6)

I re-read a few books this month. I decided to write about two books on my keeper shelves that I re-read this month. The first two books in the Rarities trilogy. They were both as great as I remembered. They get alot of mixed reviews because they are very heavy on details and the art side of things. I love that though, humanities was my favorite subject in college so I loved all the history technical stuff. the romance is good but in this series the story is more and the romance is more of a sideline.


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Product DetailsMoving Target (Rarities Unlimited Book 1) by Elizabeth Lowell
The troubling message from Serena Charters's late grandmother appears in a package containing four pages of a centuries-old illuminated manuscript -- a strange inheritance that hides many secrets...and has already cost many lives. Seeking answers, Serena turns to Erik North of Rarities Unlimited, a reclusive manuscript appraiser with a passion for the past. Without warning, they are thrust together into the center of a lethal firestorm that rages between two worlds -- one long dead, yet living on in an ancient text, the other chillingly alive and fraught with peril. In the blink of an eye, Serena and Erik have become targets of an unseen and determined stalker as they get closer to shocking revelations about Serena's legacy, the cold murder of an eccentric old woman in the heat of the Mojave Desert...and just how far a remorseless killer is willing to go. And now their only slim hope of survival is to keep moving.

This was my first ever romantic suspense book. I was a late bloomer for romance reading. This is not the first time I have re-read it but I still enjoyed it. It is not as HOT as some of the books I read now, but it has a great storyline. I love books that deal with the art/antiquities world. I will definitely be keeping on my shelf.

Product DetailsRunning Scared (Rarities Unlimited Book 2) by Elizabeth Lowell
In the scorching heat of the Southwestern desert, afrightened old man knows his time is quickly running out ... as the lethal secret he protects can be hidden no longer.Risa Sheridan knows everything about gold -- its mysteries, its allure, its perils. Her boss, Shane Tannahill -- owner of the ultra-successful Las Vegas gambling mecca, the Golden Fleece -- is addicted to the stuff. Now an ancient Celtic piece is being offered to Shane for his collection, with the promise of more to come, and the casino owner is hooked. But though she shares Shane's enthusiasm, Risa is wary -- because something about this particular artifact is mysterious and troubling, something that says "stay away." It is a voice that should be heeded, because soon people are dying all around them. And whether it's an ancient curse that has taken hold of their lives or the simple, murderous greed of unscrupulous adversaries, there is suddenly no place in the surreal, blinding glitter of Vegas for Risa and Shane to hide.

I think I like the first book more than this one, but i still enjoyed this one. If you did not like the first book then you probably will not like this one. It was same style of story and writing just different characters that you meet in the first book.

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Christmas and Ice

12/27/2009 03:41:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (1)

I hope everyone had a great holiday. My family and i are having a bummy day today around the house. It is great. Our holiday was great, and we had a fun time.
I got three books this year and have already finished one of them. Look at what i got :)

Product DetailsIce by Linda Howard
’Tis the season for mistletoe and holly, Santa . . . and suspense. And the gift that keeps on giving is Ice: premier thriller author Linda Howard’s breathless tale of a man, a woman, and a battle for survival against an unforgiving winter–and an unrelenting killer. Oh what fun it is to read.

Gabriel McQueen has only just arrived home on holiday leave from the service when his county-sheriff father sends him back out again with new marching orders. A brewing ice storm, and a distant neighbor who’s fallen out of contact, have the local lawman concerned. So he enlists Gabriel to make the long haul to the middle of nowhere, and make sure Lolly Helton is safe and sound. It’s a trip the younger McQueen would rather not make given the bitter winter weather–and the icy conditions that have always existed between him and Lolly.

But there’s no talking back when your dad is the town’s top cop. And there’ s no turning back when night falls just as Gabriel arrives–and discovers that the weather outside isn’t the only thing that’s frightful. Spotting strangers in Lolly’ s home–one of them packing a weapon–is all it takes to kick Gabriel into combat mode. And his stealth training is all he needs to extract Lolly from the house without alerting her captors. But when the escape is discovered, the heat–and the hunt–are on. And the winter woods are nowhere to be once the ice storm touches down, dropping trees, blocking roads, and trapping the fleeing pair in the freezing dark.

This is the one I have read already. I was not that great. It was an okay short story but definitely would not pay hardback prices for it. I would recommend getting a library copy of this and waiting for paperback, if that. There was nothing that was horrible about it but it was very blah and same old, same old. I would give it a 2.5 out of 5.

Product DetailsCovet (Fallen Angels Book 1) by JR Ward
Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about-his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charge with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option. Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he's good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough- talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. But then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart-and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.

Product DetailsPride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austin and Seth Grahame-Smith
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." So begins PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton - and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers - and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Can she vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you'd actually want to read.

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Truly Madly

12/20/2009 08:23:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (4)

Product DetailsTruly, Madly (Lucy Valentine Book 1) by Heather Webber

Lucy Valentine is as smart as can be, as single as you can get, and so not qualified to run a matchmaking service. But when her parents temporarily step down from the family business, Valentine, Inc., it’s Lucy’s turn to step up and help out—in the name of love.

Plus, her rent is due.

Here’s the problem: Lucy doesn’t have the knack for matchmaking. According to family legend, every Valentine has been blessed by Cupid with the ability to read “auras” and pair up perfect couples. But not Lucy. Her skills were zapped away years ago in an electrical surge, and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world? You’d be surprised. In a city like Boston, everyone’s looking forsomething. So when Lucy locates a missing wedding ring—on a dead body—she asks the sexy private eye who lives upstairs to help her solve the perfect crime. And who knows? Maybe she’ll find the perfect love while she’s at it…


Very fun book. Won it from LibraryThing as an ARC, it comes out in February 2010. It is the start of a new series about a misfit in a line of matchmakers. Since this is the start of the series, the romance aspect is still developing fully. But we did meet the hero, Sean, and they make an interesting team. She has a vision of a dead body and solicits Sean's help in finding it, though does not give him any details. No one is supposed to know about her psychic abilities and she ends up outting herself while she is trying to help some people. The ending was great and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
Great light-hearted paranormal, I give it an A-.

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Shifting Plains

12/12/2009 01:07:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (0)

I have another guest review up at Book Binge for the book, Shifting Plains (in the Sons of Destiny series) by Jean Johnson. If you want to see it check it out here. It is a great book, here is a bit about it.

Product Details
Centuries before the time of the Sons of Destiny, a female shapeshifter became the leader of the people of the Shifting Plains...

Tava Ell Var never really knew her mother, but she did know her tragic fate at the hands of a band of cruel shapeshifters-a history set down by Tava's father as a warning about life on the Shifting Plains. But after her father is murdered, Tava encounters a Shifterai warband fighting to rid the Plains of the terrorizing bandits

Shifterai leader Kodan Sin Siin is sympathetic to Tava's suffering, but he's determined to bring the wary young woman to the Plains. Because he knows her secret: She, like he and his men, is a shapeshifter. Once she joins them, he knows that she will see for herself the true fate that awaits her on the Plains, and most of all, lose her fear of his people. And, in time, he knows she will find her place is in their fight-and by his side.

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Thief of Light

12/10/2009 06:52:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (0)

I have a guest review of Thief of Light by Denise Rossetti up at Book Binge here.

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In the subtropical city of Caracole, Erik the Golden is widely known as irresistible-his Voice an instrument of incredible pleasure. But the Voice is a curse as much as a blessing, for once Erik used it to steal a soul, and now he must pay.

Pruella Takimori McGuire is the business manager for the beautiful courtesans of the Garden of Nocturnal Delights. She deals in numbers, not Magick, and when Erik turns his charms in her direction, she sees only vanity, not a golden gift. If Erik cannot use his power to win Prue's heart, how can he truly possess her?

And all the while, a far darker power corrupts the foundations of Caracole-the Necromancer, who feasts on souls. When the Necromancer's hired assassin kidnaps Prue, Erik must harness his air Magick to recover the woman he has come to love more than life itself.

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November reads

12/03/2009 06:33:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (6)

Well, sorry for the late post. Since thanksgiving i have not been online much. A lot going on and my computer is dying so am trying to extend its life as much as I can.
20 books read this month; 12 of them were re-reads

A Bride in the Bargain
by Deanne Gist (B)
The Mountain's Call (White Magic trilogy Book 1) by Caitlin Brennan (C+)
Shadow Dance by Susan Andersen (re-read)
Letters to Kelly by Suzanne Brockmann (re-read)
A Man like Mac
by fay Robinson (re-read)
Mouth to Mouth by Erin McCarthy (re-read)
Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard (re-read)
Mackenzie's Mission by Linda Howard (re-read)
Mackenzie's Pleasure by Linda Howard (re-read)
Bad Attitude by Sherrilyn Kenyon (re-read)
Born to be Bad by Sherrilyn Kenyon (re-read)
Tied Up and Tied Down by Lorelei James (A-)
Bengal's Heart (Breed Book ??) by Lora Leigh (B+)
Very Much Alive (True Destiny Book 1) by Dana Marie Bell (A-)
Beyond the Rain by Jessa Granger (B)
SEALed with a Promise (SEALed Book 2) by Mary Margret Daughtridge (B)
Firedrake (Dragon Knights Book 6) by Bianca D'Arc (B+)
One Bite with a Stranger (The Others Book 1; expanded version of Fantasy Fix) by Christine Warren (re-read)
Fur Factor (The Others Book 2) by Christine Warren (re-read)
Wolf at the Door (The Others Book 4) by Christine Warren (re-read)

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New to me books

11/17/2009 07:45:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (4)

well my birthday was this past weekend, I feel so old. Like always, I told my hubby that I wanted books. He refuses to bookshop for me, with good reason, so he gave me some money and said to go get what I want. I immediately went to my ubs (I love my store, this is their website, if you are ever in the Orlando area and want to go shopping, check it out). and this is what I brought home.

Tied Up and Tied Down by Lorelei James
SEALed with a Promise by Mary Margret Daughtridge
Bengal's Heart by Lora Leigh
Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole
Stand-in Groom by Suzanne Brockmann
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (to replace my copy that I gave my sis)
and I was such a good little wifey that I bought my hubby two books for a fantasy series (The Death Gate Cycle) that he is collecting that he did not have.

Then I still hada little money left to get a couple of e-books. I got
Firedrake by Bianca D'Arc
Very Much Alive by Dana Marie Bell

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October reads

11/03/2009 10:07:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (2)

Mystic Warrior (Book 3) by Patricia Rice (B)
The Boys Back Home by Sierra DaFoe (re-read) (A)
Sexy Devil by Sasha White (re-read) (B+)
The Tiger Within by Viki Lyn (B-)
Once a Cowboy by Linda Warren (B-)
What Do You Say to a Naked Elf? by Cheryl Sterling (re-read) (B-)
Laid Bare by Lauren Dane (re-read) (A)
Sweet Restraint by Beth Kery (C+)
Baby.com by Molly Liholm (B-)
The Badge and the Baby by Alison Kent (C)
The Undercover Princess by Suzanne Brockmann (B)
Night Play (Dark-Hunter Book 6) by Sherrilyn Kenyon (re-read) (A-)
Sweet Surrender by Maya Banks (re-read) (A-)
Sweet Persuasion by Maya Banks (A-)
Sweet Seduction by Maya Banks (A-)
Bitten (Women of hte Otherworld Book 1) by Kelley Armstrong (re-read) (A)
SEALed With a Kiss by Mary Margret Daughtridge (re-read) (A)
Surviving Demon Island by Jaci Burton (re-read) (B)
Hunting the Demon by Jaci Burton (B-)

Breakdown
19 reads total; 9 re-reads; 8 from my tbr pile; 2 won from recent contest

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Re-read challenge and Halloween

11/01/2009 06:16:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (7)

Well, I have not posted at all this month. I blame that on my laziness, busyness and lack of desire to review. I have done a lot of re-reads this month and that makes it heard to decide what to review.
We have been having financial difficulties this month so reviewing has taken a back burner. My hubby has basically been out of work for a year now and like many people are struggling to pay bills, but he just got a part time computer job that will give us some regular income!!! yay!
Halloween was a blast this year. I do not post pics as often as i should but I will today.
Oldest was an American Girl (from the book series), Medium was a Fairy princess (costume of her own choosing from her dress up box) and baby was an angel.




We went Trick or Treating last night and the girls had a blast. They were excited that they saw no one else with their costumes on. Though we did see some adorable ones. I was surprised that i saw no other angel costumes, of any age. I guess it is not the fashion right now.



Anyway, I had many re-reads this month (9 of them) so picking what to review is hard. I decided to go with one of my oldest books and i have been saying that I was going to re-read it for years but haven't. I have been going through my books and keep debating over getting rid of this series or not because I am not reading them any more but I was thinking of re-reading all of them and then re-evaluating. But I remembered this being my favorite so I picked it up again.

Product DetailsNight Play (Dark-Hunter Book 6) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Bride McTierney has had it with men. They're cheap, self-centered, and never love her for who she is. But though she prides herself on being independent, deep down she still yearns for a knight in shining armor.

She just never expected her knight in shining armor to have a shiny coat of fur...

Deadly and tortured, Vane Kattalakis isn't what he seems. Most women lament that their boyfriends are dogs. In Bride's case, hers is a wolf. A Were-Hunter wolf. Wanted dead by his enemies, Vane isn't looking for a mate. But the Fates have marked Bride as his. Now he has three weeks to either convince Bride that the supernatural is real or he will spend the rest of his life neutered--something no self-respecting wolf can accept...

But how does a wolf convince a human to trust him with her life when his enemies are out to end his? In the world of the Were-Hunters, it really is dog-eat-dog. And only one alpha male can win.

I loved this book for the characters. Bride (unique name too) is a beautiful woman that is a size 18 and i love when the heroine is not a tiny, petite doll. Because I cannot relate to that (of course I cannot really relate to having a relationship with a vampire or werewolf or anything like that either but I digress), I have never been the smallest. I was always the tallest kid in the class until like sometime in middle school when others started to catch up. So I like that she is not your typical heroine body type. I loved Vane and all the crap he went through but was still a good man. I am really interested in reading Fury and Fangs' stories. The storyline was very good, but my favorite part was the relationship between them. He treated her awesomely and loved her body and self the way she was.
I keep this one at an A. This is still on my keeper shelf and even if I get rid of the rest of the series I will keep this one.

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September Reads

10/02/2009 11:14:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (3)

16 books this month not as good as other months but have been very busy and very tired. My oldest (7 years old) has been going through a waking up in the middle of the night scared phase. So she crawls into bed with me and wakes me up and have to walk her back and get her back to sleep. I feel like I am doing nightly feedings again and not getting enough sleep, so her and I are both tired all the time. Last night i fell asleep really early at 9pm so that was nice, but then got woken up at 2am with her. I hope she gets over it soon.


Skinwalker
(Jane Yellowrock Book 1) by Faith Hunter
Daring the Moon by Sherrill Quinn
The Tycoon's Secret Affair (Anetakis Tycoons Book 3) by Maya Banks
Hunted (book 5) by PC and Kristen Cast
Dying Bites (Bloodhound book 1) by DD Barant (for Book Binge)
Sapphire Dream by Pamela Montgomerie (for Book Binge)
Angels Fall by Nora Roberts
Call Me by Alison Kent
The Heartbreak Kid (sequel to Call Me) by Alison Kent
Tex Appeal anthology
Shameless Embraces by Lora Leigh
The Bride-Finder by Susan Carroll (Re-read)
Skin Deep by Anna J. Evans
Pride by Rachel Vincent
A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban (cute young reader book, pre-teen)

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Re-read challenge The Bride Finder

9/30/2009 06:28:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (7)

The Bride FinderThe Bride Finder (Book 1) by Susan Carroll
Chosen by the Bride Finder, a man blessed with amazing insight, Madeline Breton has come to Cornwall to meet her new husband, the enigmatic Anatole St. Leger. But her dream of happiness soon diffuses in his overpowering shadow. Anatole knows only too well the legacies that to him have been more curses than gifts. But as Madeline embarks on an odyssey both otherworldly and undeniably real, she and her husband fall hopelessly in love--until she sees a haunting vision of murder and a terrifying enemy emerges to threaten both their lives. . . .

I saw this book on my shelf (mine is the old cover) and it has been one that I have been wanting ot re-read for a while so I grabbed it before I could change my mind. I have only read this book once and it was about 5 years ago. But I kept it for a reason and could not remember why until I read it again. This book brought tears to my eyes at least once. I think I am just that sappy but it did. Them both trying so hard in their own way to make things work and it missing over and over for a while was hard to watch. But reading about how his mother treated him and how he was raised made me cry. Anatole was a great tortured hero. Madeline, of course, was a perfect foil for him.
Anatole's family has psychic powers passed on to them by a sorcerous ancestor. Anatole's gifts (or curse as he sees it) are to see glimpses of hte future but he always ends up seing bad things and cannot change them no matter how he tries, and telekenesis, moving things with his mind. but within his family there are many legends and one of those says that St. Legers can only marry the woman chosen for them by The Bride Finder. If they marry someone else then disaster will occur for them. Anatole reluctantly sends the bridefinder out to find his bride for him, but gives the finder a list of attributes he wants in a woman thinking to pick someone he could live with but not fall in love with. the Finder comes back with a very disillusioned madeline who is not at all what he had in mind for a wife. But then he is definitely not what she had in mind either.
This was written in 1999 and in some ways shows that but not too much, I thought it was a great book and am glad that I finally re-read it. There are two more books about the St. Legers. the next one is Night-drifter and then Midnight Bride. I have Night-drifer and plan to re-read that one too.

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Gentle Rain

9/28/2009 04:28:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (2)


A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith

A Connecticut heiress. A Florida cowboy.

Her secret. His heart.

And the very special family she's come home to find.

I won this a while ago from LibraryThing and never got around to reading it. I started it yesterday and finished it up today and really enjoyed it. It takes place in South Florida on a ranch. Now with me being raised in FL I loved the history and the backwoods (Cracker) culture. It took me a little bit to get hooked but once I was I had a hard time putting it down.
The story is told First person but switches back and forth between Ben and Kara, but it tells you at every section who is POV it is from. I am not a big fan of 1st person but I had no problem reading this one.
Ben is a poor Florida cowboy with a little brother with Down syndrome who he has been taking care of by himself since he was 16. Kara is a wealthy environmentalist who is now set adrift when her parents die and she finds out that she was adopted.
Ben has a unique little ranch that he has built unintentionally around a group of misfits. Most of the people at his ranch have some sort of disability (most mental) and he has made them a home. They all contribute and earn their keep and are productive on the ranch.
Kara has grown up following her wealthy parents around the world as they try to better the environment and learn from various native tribes in South America. She speaks many languages and has a great boarding school education, but dreads the limelight and wants a simple life. When her parents die and she find out that she was adopted, she wants to find her birth parents. When they turn out to be not exactly what she expected she stays to learn more about them. Under a pseudonym, which you know always bites you in the butt later.
The characters were great. Ben and Kara were very believable and the secondary characters were awesome and a lot of fun. I would definitely recommend this to any romance reader.
4 out of 5 stars from me

PS, the bedroom door was closed, so you could also let teenagers read it as well.


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Pride and life

9/26/2009 07:46:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (0)

Well, school is going well as is home, just busy so have not been around much online. I have a fine on my library account and cannot pay it until we have more money so cannot check out any library books. It is killing me, but on the bright side it is forcing me to read from my tbr pile. I spent about four days this week picking up books and putting them back down until I got to this one. Apparently it was what I was in the mood to read.

Pride (Shifter series Book 3) by Rachel Vincent

Here's hoping cats do have nine lives... I’m on trial for my life. Accused of infecting my human ex-boyfriend—and killing him to cover up the crime. Infecting a human is one of three capital offenses recognized by the Pride—along with murder and disclosure of our existence to a human. I’m two for three. A goner. Now we've discovered a rogue stray terrorizing the mountainside, hunting a wild teenage tabbycat. It's up to us to find and stop him. With my lover Marc's help, I think I can protect the vulnerable tabby from both the ambitious rogue and the scheming of the territorial council. If I survive my own trial…

This book picks up where the last one left off. Faythe is on trial by a three person Tribunal to decide if she is guilty of murder or if it was self-defense. One of hte guys on the Tribunal has it out for her and even though they have never killed a tabby before he is pushing for it saying that she is not planning on getting married and having children so she should be treated as a male would be. then things get interrupted by a new tabby showing up that no one has ever heard of and Faythe is the only one that she will talk to.

Good story, definitely looking forward to the next book. good addition to the series.

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The Marquis and The Duke

9/12/2009 10:10:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (4)

I read these last month and wanted to post about them and just got the chance so I am :)
Well, I was looking for new books in my library's catalog and seeing if they had any new Samhain books and came across these two. I do not read historicals often but these two were very good I would recommend them as nice reads, they are not light and fluffy but not really dark either.

Gypsy Legacy: The Marquis PRINTThe Marquis (Gypsy Legacy Book 1) by Denise Patrick

One promise, two pendants…love that was destined to be.

Lady Christina Kenton’s life is turned upside down when her gypsy great-grandmother gives her a pendant, along with a deathbed request—Tina must promise to marry only the man wearing its mate. But Tina cannot bring herself to make the promise, for her late stepfather has already pledged her hand to his long-absent heir.

Jay Collings, now the Marquis of Thanet, returns to England after an eighteen-year absence to honor a promise to a gypsy who once aided him, only to discover he must break his vow in order to secure his inheritance. The last thing he wants is a wife chosen by the father he despised.

Tina’s gentle strength touches Jay in ways no other woman has. And, unknown to them both, she holds the key to Jay’s promise and his inheritance. But just as their fragile relationship begins to take root, the legacy of her gypsy blood brings danger to their doorstep.

Jay and Tina’s destinies may be entwined—but will they live long enough to fulfill them?

I liked the characters they were engaging and the storyline kept me interested. I liked the mystical element in these, it appeals to my love of paranormal. Enjoyed this very much so I rushed to the second one.



Gypsy Legacy: The Duke PRINTThe Duke (Gypsy Legacy Book 2) by Denise Patrick

He doesn’t need a wife. She doesn’t want a husband. Destiny’s not listening.

As children, Brand Waring, heir to the Duke of Warringham, and his brother were kidnapped and sold to a plantation in the West Indies. Now Brand is back to wreak vengeance on those responsible for his brother’s subsequent death. The last thing he wants, or needs, is to be distracted by an instant attraction to a flighty Society belle.

Felicia Collings has found it easy to refuse every marriage proposal, thanks to a ring left to her by her gypsy great-grandmother. Reportedly it will lead her to the man whom she is destined to marry. To her relief, the ring has been blessedly silent on this issue. Until Brand recognizes it, and sparks fly.

In spite of himself, Brand finds himself drawn to the beauty, and to the wounded soul reflected in her eyes. At his gentle hands, Felicia begins to learn what it means to be cherished and loved.

Then the past rears its head to threaten their fragile happiness. As Brand begins to doubt whether vengeance is as sweet as a lifetime with Felicia, he finds himself racing to save them both from not one cold-blooded killer—but two.

You meet Brand in the first book but he quickly sails off again so you do not see much of him. i liked this book better than the first, it had more suspense in it and Felicia had issues that brand had to deal with and i love watching a strong hero be gentle with his lady. Very good stories. There is one more book still to come in the series, her brother, the Earl.

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August reads

9/03/2009 10:46:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (7)

Sorry i have not been around, school and kids are running me ragged so I have not been online. And I racked up a fine on my library account so I cannot check out books from the library which totally sucks (no money to pay the fine at the moment). But on the bright side, I forces me to read from my tbr pile, which is a good thing. The thing that just irks me is the waiting lists that I have been on where I was like 110thin line for the book and now i am 10th and am probably gong to have to re-request it once I get my fine paid and start over on the list. oh well. I have plenty to read.
Moviewise, Hubby and I have been making our way through the Robin Hood BBC series, and really enjoying it. We watched a strange movie last night called Blueberry Nights. It was slow but interesting. Good cast, Jude law, Norah Jones, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz. I was expecting a movie kind of like Elizabethtown, but this one was kind of like that but not as good. Norah Jones met Jude Law in a cafe that he runs and they become friends. she leaves to travel and "find herself" and meets Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz along the way, who teach each her a different lesson and then she ends up back in NY with Jude Law and more of a solid person instead of the basket case she started out as. interesting but a little slow. 3 out of 5

Well, here is my reading list for this month, 25 books for August.


Hot Pursuit
(Troubleshooters Book 14) by Suzanne Brockmann
Inferno (Tales of the Were book 2) by Bianca D'Arc
Animal Instincts by Gena Showalter
Outcast (Cat Star Chronicles Book 4) by Cheryl Brooks
The Marquis (Gypsy legacy Book 1) by Denise Patrick
The Duke (Gypsy legacy Book 2) by Denise Patrick
Obsidian Prey by Jayne Castle (review for Book Binge)
Huntress anthology (reviewed for Book Binge)
Kill For Me (series book 9) by Karen Rose
Demons Not Included by Cheyenne McCray (review for Book Binge)
Vision in White (Brides Book 1) by Nora Roberts
Out of the Dark by JoAnn Smith Ainsworth
Don't Tell (series book 1) by Karen Rose
Ghostland by Jory Strong
Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson
Salt and Silver by Anna Katherine
Hara's Legacy (Resonance Mates Book 1) by Bianca D'Arc (re-read)
Davin's Quest (Resonance Mates Book 2) by Bianca D'Arc (re-read)
Jaci's Experiment (Resonance Mates Book 3) by Bianca D'Arc (re-read)
Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen
I Can See You (series book 10) by Karen Rose
Branded by Fire (Psy-Changeling Book 6) by Nalini Singh
Laid Bare by Lauren Dane
At Love's Command (Brothers in Arms book 3) by Samantha Kane
Love Under Seige (Brothers in Arms book 2) by Samantha Kane (re-read)

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Kill For Me and Karen Rose

8/13/2009 04:37:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (0)

Kill For Me by Karen Rose

Five teenage girls have been murdered. One survived, and only she can reveal the secrets of a disturbing ring of people who kidnap and sell teenage girls on the black market. But those responsible for the crimes will do whatever it takes to maintain her silence.

Susannah Vartanian and Luke Papadopoulos have both sworn to stop the murderers for their own reasons. Susannah, the sister of the hero in SCREAM FOR ME, suffers from a mysterious past that is connected to the sinister black market. Luke is an investigative agent and a computer expert who refuses to let another child predator get away.

Susannah and Luke are instantly attracted to each other, but their troubled pasts prevent them from immediately acting upon their feelings. The case will lead them to the shady realm of Internet chat rooms, where anyone can mask their identity. As Susannah and Luke draw closer to the criminals, they discover a chain of deception so intricate they don't know who to trust. Susannah and Luke find comfort in one another's arms, but the killers are ruthless and determined, and will take extreme measures to insure their anonymity and keep their business intact.

Wow, this is an intense book. I started it on Saturday and then I woke up Sat. night/Sunday morning like at 4 and could not go back to sleep so I decided to go read and could not put it down to try to go back to sleep, it was so engrossing.

Well, you definitely have to read Scream for Me before you read this one, it continues on with the storyline. Ms Rose has a great Related books page on her site here that gives a diagram and maps out how the books are related and what characters are in each book including secondary characters that you see in other books, cool stuff. Though she does need to update her site a little.

Okay here is a really cool part of this, guess who I got to meet on Saturday? Karen Rose!!!!! I found out on Thursday that she was doing a book signing at my book store on Saturday and I had to go. She is a very nice lady. We talked some about being a teacher and about her books. it was very fun.

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Stolen Heat contest

8/12/2009 07:30:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (0)

stolen heat
enter contest
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buy book
elisabeth naughton

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Sexy Nerds

8/10/2009 08:29:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (2)

One of my absolute favorite hero archetypes is the sexy nerd. I married one and some of my favorite books have nerd heros. But I have not read a good nerd hero story in a while and when I was reading the Liquid Silver Newsletter I was reminded of them from this article by Michelle Lauren.


Hot Hero Archetype: The Sexy Nerd
Once upon a time, the heroes I read about in mainstream romance novels fell into two categories: The Playboy or the Jock. Nerds were either sidekicks or impotent foils to the hero. They generally weren’t considered “leading man” material, in fiction or in film. However, in 1987 something happened to change my mind.
Two words: Patrick. Dempsey (a.k.a. McDreamy).
In Can’t Buy Me Love, Dempsey plays Ronald Miller, a high school student obsessed with astronomy and with winning the heart of the most popular girl at school. After seeing him in his infamous car washing scene I knew I had to rethink my opinion of nerds.
That was the day that “geek” took a new meaning to me: sexy. So, why exactly are nerds sexy? Let me count the ways.

Top Four Reasons Why Nerds Are Sexy:

1. They have great imaginations.

Lewis from Revenge of the Nerds said it best: [After making out with his sorority girl crush Betty] “Jocks only think about sports; nerds only think about sex.” Combine this with the fact that many “nerds” are quick learners, and you have the perfect recipe for passion.

2. They might secretly be superheroes.

Think about it. Peter Parker, Clark Kent, Bruce Banner, Hiro Nakamura – all nerds. Coincidence? I think not.

Okay. So in real life, this doesn’treally apply. However, in fiction this possibility opens up the door to unique plot twists and character development.

3. They have better sperm.

Seriously. A 1985 study conducted by researchers led them to the conclusion that “brainy men do have better sperm.” This study was later referenced in a December 2008 paper by London scientists whose findings concluded what I’ve known all along: intelligence is sexy.

4. Intelligence.

Romance depends on more than animal attraction. A true “happily ever after” relies on the hero’s ability to connect with the heroine on an emotional and intellectual level.
Happy Reading!
- Michelle Lauren

Now can anyone give me some recommendations of good nerd heros. I need to get a nerd fix and my hubby is out of town.

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Inferno

8/09/2009 06:13:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (1)

  • Inferno
Inferno by Bianca D'Arc

A forbidden union forged in love-and tempered in hellfire.

One last task and Megan will be free of the debt of honor owed by her family. Spying on Dante, a powerful vampire with questionable friends, sounds simple enough. But her mission is complicated by the fact she's got something every vampire wants-tangy, powerful, werewolf blood.

It's easy to capture his attention. The hard part will be getting out with her heart -- and soul -- intact. Not to mention her life, thanks to a crazed bomber.

Dante isn't the kind to forgive or forget easily, especially the grudge he holds against werewolves. Still, he is instantly drawn to the injured lone wolf in his care. When he and his friend Duncan treat her wounds, they discover something that marks her as much more than she seems.

The mark is a neon sign warning to be careful, but Dante can't help himself. He wants her and nothing will stand in his way. Not her species. Not his. Not the strange woman who keeps trying to kill him.

Not even the magical poison in Megan's blood...

This book comes after Lords of the Were and is Dante's story. It is helpful to read that one first because some of the characters are in this one, but it is not imperative. These two books are also related to Sweeter than Wine and the Brotherhood of Blood Trilogy. She seems to list them like Lora Leigh does her Breed books, they are related but she lists them separately. Maybe because it is not imperative that you read them in order outside of their own series. Anyway, very good story.
It starts off with Megan getting her final orders before her family debt of honor is paid. She is to spy on a vampire named Dante and report back on his movements. As soon as she meets him there is an instant attraction. Which works in her favor in getting close to watch him. He figures she is up to something so keeps her close until he can figure out what she is up to. As they spend time together he sees that her heart is good and hopes that he can trust her but then they find out the hard way that her blood has been poisoned to vampires and that Dante is not going to let her go easily. And Dante's recent past comes back to haunt him with his dealings with Patrick Vabian.
Great storyline. It moved the series storyline along but I do not think it would be that hard to follow if you have not read the other books. The story kept me very engaged and the love scenes were hot (as always :). Like Sweeter Than Wine, there are some menage scenes, but it is still an MF story.
I love Ms. D'Arc's books and will read anything she writes. I cannot wait until Grady's Awakening come out.

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July reads and my library

8/01/2009 08:27:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (7)

This month was a pretty good month 26 books including 7 re-reads. But alas my summer is almost over and that means I have to go back to work and cut down on my reading, sad stuff. But I got Hot Pursuit by Suzanne Brockmann from the library yesterday and am starting that today so things are very nice at the moment.
I was talking to Casee about Hot Pursuit she said that she was waiting for it from the library. Now i get a good portion of my books from the library because I am blessed with my library system. It is awesome and the more people that I talk to about their libraries makes me appreciate mine even more. I can have up to 20 requests at a time ( but starting today they are lowering that to 10), they will deliver free to my house if I so choose or I can pick them up at a branch, the get tons of romance and lots of copies of the bigger names. I also just discovered that I can check out ebooks from them as well. the titles are all ones that have been released in mass market but is another option instead of waiting to get the book. So far they have like 350 romance titles. Exciting. I will say that I live in a very populated county so I think that has a lot to do with it but I think it is also very well run and organized. I will hate it if I ever have to move out of county.
Women of Catawba
by Hilda Stahl Winds of Catawba by Laurie StahlMaverick by Lora Leigh
Hard and Fast by Erin McCarthy
Ashes of Midnight (Midnight Breeds book 6) by Lara Adrian
Kissing Midnight by Emma Holly
Breaking Midnight by Emma Holly
Burning Wild by Christine Feehan
Storm Glass by Maria Snyder
Breath of Fire by Tammy Kane
Deadly Desires by (Riley Jensen Book 7) by Keri Arthur
Secret Life of a Vampire (Love at Stake book 6) by Kerrelyn Sparks
Promises Revealed (Promises Book 4) by Sarah McCarty
Burn by Linda Howard
Hidden Currents (Drake Sisters Book 7) by Christine Feehan
Forbidden Nights with a Vampire (Love at Stake Book 7) by Kerrelyn Sparks
Double Play by Jill Shalvis
Lords of the Were by Bianca D'Arc (re-read)
Sweeter than Wine by Bianca D'Arc (re-read)
Mates anthology by by Sean Michael, Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga
My Wicked Enemy by Carolyn Jewel
Psy-Changeling series (books 1-5) by Nalini Singh (re-read)

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baby party pics

7/31/2009 11:15:00 AM / Posted by Kris / comments (4)

I realized I never posted pics from the baby's 1st birthday party. She totally demolished her cake, it was awesome.

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July re-read Psy-Changeling books

7/30/2009 05:02:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (2)

For the re-read challenge for July I decided with the release of Nalini Singh's newest Psy-Changeling book, Branded by Fire, I needed to re-read the rest of the series. I noticed when I read the last book and was reading different people's reviews, I was getting the people's names mixed up. So I picked these for this month. Great books to re-read the stories and characters are wonderful. These are best read in order because they build on one another and the characters pop up in each book. Here is the order and my brief opinion about each.
If you want to see what everyone else read this month here they are.


Product DetailsSlave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling book 1)
In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation"- the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was....

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion-and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities-or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation...

Awesome start to the series. Enough background knowledge so you are not lost, but not so that it dragged. Very well told story.


Product DetailsVisions of Heat (Psy-Changeling Book 2)
Used to cold silence, Faith NightStar is suddenly being tormented by dark visions of blood and murder. A bad sign for anyone, but worse for Faith, an F-Psy with the highly sought after ability to predict the future. Then the visions show her something even more dangerous-aching need...exquisite pleasure. But so powerful is her sight, so fragile the state of her mind, that the very emotions she yearns to embrace could be the end of her.
Changeling Vaughn D'Angelo can take either man or jaguar form, but it is his animal side that is overwhelmingly drawn to Faith. The jaguar's instinct is to claim this woman it finds so utterly fascinating and the man has no argument. But while Vaughn craves sensation and hungers to pleasure Faith in every way, desire is a danger that could snap the last threads of her sanity. And there are Psy who need Faith's sight for their own purposes. They must keep her silenced-and keep her from Vaughn...


I liked this one alot, it gave a different Psy perspective and Vaughn is just sexy. Well of course all of them are, but Vaughn just fun to watch.

Product DetailsCaressed by Ice (Psy-Changeling Book 3)
As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now a defector, his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins—cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna…

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted—and had her mind violated—by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives…


I was glad to see Brenna find happiness and love after her ordeal, she deserved it. I was glad that she was not miraculously better, I hate when stories do that. She had a lot she needed to deal with and I was glad watch Judd help her.

Product DetailsMine to Possess (Psy-Changeling Book 4)
Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed...and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead. Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life--the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows... Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past...or lose everything that ever mattered.

I remember really liking this one the first time around, but the second time not nearly as much, Tally got on my nerves. It still must be read for the series sake, but did not enjoy it as much.

aHostage to Pleasure (psy-Changeling Book 5)

Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy--cool, calm, emotionless...at least on the surface. Inside, she's fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper's embrace.

DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard's rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian's agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules...

Loved it. What is not to like. Had been waiting for Dorian's story, the shifter who cannot shift and was so excited to see him get his mate. Ashaya was a very intriguing character especially with her relationships with her sister and her son. I loved seeing Dorian with her son and wished i could have seen them interact a little more.

Now I cannot wait to read Branded by Fire.

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Dragon's Heir review

7/26/2009 06:52:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (1)

Forgot to add this to my June list. But how do you count this? it is a collection of 6 novellas I guess it would just count as one really long book. I posted about this book a while ago for Ms Dafoe and wonderfully enough I ended up winning a copy, yay!





The novellas in this collection are:
The Dragon's Daughter
Dragon's Heir
Dragon's Desire
Dravidian
The Dragon Prince
Double Dragon



Djarera. The dragon planet. A world of passion and politics where the Southerlins, hereditary rulers of the dragon kingdom, struggle to maintain peace among the hot-blooded clans…
For decades, the two most powerful dragon clans have been at each other’s throats over one very important question: who will get to marry the Dragon Queen’s daughter? Determined to end their feuding, Melgara sends the two young princes to Earth where her daughter has grown up in hiding, ignorant of who she is.
But when two sexy, shapeshifting dragons start vying for her affections, Lara Southerlin finds herself in a wholly unexpected predicament. On the one hand there’s Darrek Hausther, dangerous and dominant and darkly handsome. On the other, there’s the red-headed Rand Aurorea, strong and sweet-tempered and willing to defend her to the death. The one who wins Lara’s heart will be heir to the throne -- while the other will be banished forever.
Or will he? With the appearance of the charismatic rebel Zendar, life becomes even more complicated. And when Melgara herself goes unexpectedly into khef, the dragon mating frenzy, a new contender for the throne arises, threatening the survival of all four clans.

This first four novellas are about Lara, the Queen's Daughter and the last two are about Lara's brother. I will say that if you do not like mm scenes then do not get this book, the family seems to have a knack of getting men to sleep with men.
I have a hard time saying anything else about the storyline because if I talk about anything other than the first story, it givesaway what happens in the first story. The book starts out with two dragon shifter men from rival Djarera families, Derrek and Hausther, going to Earth to try to claim Lara. Whoever wins her will be the Consort to the next ruler of their people.

The last two stories are about Lara's brother, Kevan. Since these are kind of separate and happen like 18 years after the first four, I can tell you how these start. Kevan knows that he is different than his mother expects. Now that he is of age, he is expected to pick a wife and have an heir. But he has a problem, he does not like girls, he wants a man of his own. So to get away from the pressure he goes to Earth and ends up meeting Cal at a club who he is instantly attracted to (who also looks just like him, is this a case of narcisism?). But now what is he going to do, he is still expected to produce an heir. Are you seeing where this is going with the identical not-twin thing?

My biggest issue with this book was how easily the Earthlings (? for lack of a better word) accepted the shifters. They shifted to dragons in front of her and she accepted that way too easily. I thought it was ironic how it ended with that group. Then later with Lara's brother when he shifted in front of his Earthling, it was accepted awfully quickly.
My only other issue was the love at first sight thing. Which with them all being short stories originally separate, I know that it moves the story along quicker to the love scenes and the rest of the story if they fall in love on sight, but that has never been a favorite theme of mine because I like watching the relationship develop to love. Lust at first sight I can understand, but love at first sight, I do not.

I enjoyed the stories, even with my issues and the love scenes were very, very hot. This was a good collection. Six stories about 400 pages for a good price. Here is the Changeling Press site for it if you are interested.

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Hidden Currents and a Winner

7/14/2009 08:12:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (2)

The winner of the Catawba giveaway is

Nath


Product DetailsHidden Currents (Drake Sisters Book 7) by Christine Feehan
From afar, Sheriff Jackson Deveau has always loved Elle Drake, the youngest telepath of seven sisters. After a long time away she’s finally returning home to the small coastal village of Sea Haven. But someone has been following Elle, someone who doesn’t want her to make it back. And when Elle fails to arrive, her disappearance strikes fear in the hearts of everyone who loves her. Now it’s left to Jackson to uncover the mystery of Elle’s vanishing, and rescue her from an unseen danger. But Sea Haven is no longer safe for anyone, and it’ll take the powers of all the Drake sisters and their men to survive the coming storm.

Wow, this was a bang ending to the series. My only regret is that we did not see more of Elle before her captivity, but maybe that is not a bad thing because we see the new her and do not dwell on the way she used to be.

Elle is captured by a very self centered psychic who has decided that Elle is his mate and will be his. Elle is abused during that time that he has her and that section is semi graphic so many have criticized the book because of it but I do not think it was too much or detracted from the book. I guess I just don't have as delicate sensibilities as some.

The book is about her coping with what has happened to her and her connection with Jackson. I am glad that she is still trying to deal even at the end of the book, because that is not something that is going to be "all better" in a couple of weeks. It will be something that she and Jackson will deal with for the rest of their lives, it will get easier but there will still be issues.

All of the major ends have been tied up and I thought this was a great ending to the series. I have heard that she will be doing Ilya's family next but I will wait and see how those are. I am glad that i collected these book.

I would definitely recommend this series.

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My baby is 1

7/10/2009 09:32:00 PM / Posted by Kris / comments (5)

My little baby turned one today. I promised I would post pictures so here they are
Reminder: Book giveaway here



Here is Hubby with the birthday girl.







Isn't she cute!!!!!









Me and my little baby girl.
They grow up way too quickly.










I also have been meaning to post these pics as well. About a month ago my family went to the Magic Kingdom for the day (except the baby she stayed with my parents) and we had a blast. With the exception of the the Stitch ride, NOT kid friendly ride. Anyway here are some pics we took. When we got pictures with the princesses, the girls especially Medium charmed the photographers into inviting us to stay for a shoot with all three princesses together. Normally it is one princess at a time, but she turned on the charm and had them wrapped around her finger.












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