Sweet Vernal Zephyr

Succinct Book Reviews
(aka Creating & Whit)

Tuesday Teaser

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read & open to a random page
• Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author

I love Miz B's blog and her Teaser Tuesday's... I just have to take part!

My Tease:
"Embossed in gold, the size of a business card, it simply said, 'Invitation to attend.' On the reverse side was the logo for Incognito, also gold embossed, and a line that read, 'Unleash your darkest desires.'"
~ pg.5 Incognito: Collaring Kat by Madison Layle & Anna Leigh Keaton


I just started this ebook and already have crazy scenarios running through my head!

Spooky Thoughts

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (5)



HALLOWEEEEEEEEEN

It's time for me to think about costumes!

<---- And my favorite contemporary artist, Dan McCarthy!

I love a good reason to dress up, and what better excuse than Halloween?
*Well I guess there is Mardi Gras - Renaissance Festival - Christmas - New Years...*
I also love to torture myself by trying to make the costumes personally - just never seems to turn out how I imagine.
"But this time, this time will be different!"
My Handsome Husband has decided he wants to be a Cowboy Sheriff. Visions of pleather chaps are running through my head. Could I secretly costume him as a hot and hunky cowboy hero from one of your favorite cowboy romances???? and live out a little novel re-enactment? Oh, yes - please! *Leave a comment with your fav cowboy character - more reading for me and fodder for my imagination with hubby!*

BUT what shall I be? What novel heroine is worthy of my re-incarnation?

The supplies at my disposal include:
18" clip in real hair extensions
Body Glitter
Sewing machine
Grommetting supplies
Hair dye in unnatural colors
Paint
Purchasing power! (shoes, accessories, raw materials)

Some flitting ideas:
Saloon Girl - to compliment the Handsome Husband
Little Red Riding Hood - seems a little wussy for me
Mermaid - too much visible flesh
Vampire - done it too many times
Pink Cowgirl - would match my hair & my husband!

HELP ME! Got any ideas? Outrageous suggestions? Crazy costumes?

FRIDAY 56

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (4)

A weekly meme hosted by Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56. * Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.



I'm an animal lover & a helpless romantic making this book just perfect for me! An excerpt from Love is a four-legged word by Kandy Shepherd - pg 54

"She'd suspected there was a sense of humor lurking somewhere under all that stuffiness. But she couldn't believe that Tom O'Brien admitted he watched animated movies."

Page 56 is blank! So I skipped back a page for the above cute little quote. Makes me think of all the nights I would babysit my sister and have to sit through My Little Mermaid! This is Kandy's 1st book, so take a visit and show her some love if this tiny little taste has you interested. Here's the blurb:

Romance is for the dogs

Tom O'Brien is this close to making partner at the hottest law firm in San Francisco provided his newest client doesn't foul thinks up. Brutus has inherited a multimillion-dollar estate from his late OWNER - and a pretty guardian named Madeline Cartwright.

Tom thinks Madeline is a fortune hunter but must maintain the terms of the will to get his promotion. That means keeping both canine Brutus & chef Maddy happy!

He's trying his best to keep the arrangement professional, but with two clients this adorable, Tom's suddenly craving a different kind of partnership altogether...

Teaser Tuesday

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (9)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read & open to a random page
• Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author

I love Miz B's blog and her Teaser Tuesday's... I just have to take part!

My Tease:
"Sarah might not walk on water but her house was a mystery. He saw no reason why he shouldn't pay a neighborly visit and ask what preservatives were used in the wood to achieve the nearly impossible results."
~ pg.5 Magic in the Wind by Christine Feehan


I just started this book/novella this morning so we are pretty much both in the dark as to the circumstances surrounding these sentences! *smile*

FRIDAY 56

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (4)

A weekly meme hosted by Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56. * Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Who can resist reading a book with a leading character named after them? I know I can't. And that is how I came up on this book. An excerpt from Amanda/Miranda by Richard Peck - pg 56

"... It's a game, keepin' ahead of her commandments, but you can't win it."


I read this book as a young adult, seeing it on the shelves of my local library. Now I have a copy of my own that I snagged at a local book exchange!
"Your future lies beyond a mountain of ice, where you will die, and live again." The wisewoman's prophecy disturbs Miranda, a maidservent who bears an uncanny resemblance to her rich and arrogant mistress, Amanda Whitwell. Thrust into a tangled web of lies by Amanda, Miranda watches helplessly as one fateful night, a prophecy once foretold becomes reality... aboard the Titanic.

Tuesday Teaser

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (7)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read & open to a random page
• Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author

I love Miz B's blog and her Teaser Tuesday's... I just have to take part!

My Tease:
"He flinched a little, and for a split second, almost so fast she missed it, there was a flash of pain in his eyes, a peek into the abyss he tried so hard to hide. Tears stung her eyes and she struggled with the crazy urge to throw her arms around him, offer up her body and soul just to make him feel better."
~ pg.27 Unleashed by Jami Alden


God I love this cover art! (I might be slightly biased since the love of my life has a handsome baby face, brown eyes, brown hair, long eyelashes... *sigh*) I received this book as a surprise extra with a signed cover flat. It was snuggled in a box with many other sexy books. ARC: Release date October 2009

The suspense on this book is awesome! I thought I had it all figured out after chapter one, I was sweeping my kitchen and didn't even realize I was going over the mystery in my head until I said "Ah HA!" right out loud! My hubby asked what was up and I told him my whole convoluted theory & he told me there was no way I had it figured out, he was right ;)

FRIDAY 56

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (4)

A weekly meme hosted by Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56. * Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I've found a gold mine at my local salvation army. They have paperbacks at 90% off cover price! AND the stock rotates frequently... so about once a month I can't help but stop by and pick up as many paranormal finds as I can! One of my lucky treasures is waiting in my desk drawer for me to find time to read it. An excerpt from The Secret Life of Laszlo, Count Dracula by Roderick Anscombe - pg 56

"Uh-huh?" he murmured, nodding his head slowly and staring at me all the while with that devilish, mischievous glint in his eyes.


I haven't even cracked this book yet but the cover blurb got me interested.
A brilliant and erotic retelling of the Dracula myth, here is a very different Dracula—not a monster, but a man, struggling to resist his evil impulses—a serial killer who cannot stop himself from killing again and again and again.

Free Reads

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (1)

Attention Bibliophiles!


Rebecca over at
has complied an awesome listing of FREE READS!


Whether you have a kindle or just internet access, click the link to indulge your literary lust.

>^..^< Click Me! >^..^<

Thanks Rebecca!

Tri Omega Mates
Series by Stormy Glenn ~ Click on the pics for linkage!


Secret Desires: Tri Omega Mates #1
How do you answer a handsome cowboy when he asks if you want to take a ride on his horse, especially when he guarantees that it will be a wild ride? For Leyland the answer is simple: Hell, yes! But what if his cowboy already has a lover?


Forbidden Desires: Tri Omega Mates #2
Gregory had been waiting for over six years for Ryland to grow up so that he can claim him. When he finally does claim him, Gregory learns that by doing so, he has endangered Ryland's life. Ryland is a Tri-Omega and needs two mates to keep him grounded and safe. And he hasn't found his other mate yet.

Hidden Desires: Tri Omega Mates #3
Thomas is driving across country when he discovers Micah, a human that smells like dark chocolate and summer rain. He knows immediately that Micah is his mate, but before he can claim him, he has to get his sexy little butt out of trouble.


Stolen Desires: Tri Omega Mates #4
Cary is a tri omega. Without two mates he will die, so he’s excited when he finds his mates, Ryce and Saul. But what happens when Saul refuses to claim him? Could Saul really be as cold hearted as he seems or is he hiding a dark secret?



Cover Art: Inconsistent font usage & graphic elements

Paranormality: Werewolves & magic

Sexuality: M/M/M, Graphic but not vulgar

Review:
Personalities within the central 3 person relationship are consistent throughout the series. Example, the tri omegas always giggle. I thought this would be a negative aspect and make me feel like the stories were cookie-cutterish, but the personality similarities throughout the mating couples are explained with supporting werewolf lore.

I enjoyed this series for it's attention to emotional interaction within a 3 person relationship. The dynamics were believable. Family, acceptance, loyalty are all strong themes throughout. I found myself anticipating the next move and sometimes not getting it right!

I did get slightly lost in Forbidden Desires, but I also did not follow the reading order.

Oh, and the sex - simply hot. Emotionally and physically enticing. The creativity of positions and attention to real life details paints a mental picture fit to steam your computer screen!

If you want to read a little more from Stormy Glen's werewolf world, pick up Menage Amour 86 Tasty Treats Anthology featuring Man to Man: Donovan and James are mates. The problem? Donovan isn't gay and James is in the closet, but they can't keep their hands off each other.

Warning: Blatant drooling over uniformed male hotness ahead!
I love men in uniform staring in my dark urban fantasies. Even better if they have a little bit of the bad boy in them...

My husband and I went to the New York State Fair Saturday. We tend to go every other year. It is nice to see the animals and get a chance to people watch.

This year we happened upon the New York State Troopers Exhibition. They were demonstrating rappelling techniques.

Rappelling: the controlled decent down a rope.



Apparently the NYS Troopers have a special team, the Special Operations Response Team, trained in this sort of stuff.

Apparently you have to be smokin' hot to be on this team. Dimples optional.

These guys have obviously done this little rappelling demo numerous times. They had quite the witty banter going back and forth. Sexy & a sense of humor? Take me now.

After forcing my husband to stand in the sweltering sun for the duration of the demonstration, I gathered my courage and asked them to pose for a group picture. Talk about flustered!

The tall one asked if anyone was going to be in the picture with them? "Nope, just you guys."

I took the pic on my cell phone - how lame? Wait, it gets lame-er.
Said, "Beautiful guys." and hurried away in a flustered rush... ...while shutting my phone.

Dum Dum Dum

Do you know what that means? That means I never hit the save button on my phone and do NOT have the photographic evidence of the butterflies that were in my stomach!

OMG. My husband, of course, thinks it is hilarious. I am not quite so entertained. But I do still have a couple of horrible shots of the tower they were jumping off of. The group shot most likely would have been blurry anyway, I was so jittery. Yeah - so no real loss, right? Right. *sigh*

Lucky for YOU I found a the publicity shot above of the same exact team I oggled, so you can enjoy the butterflies too (though they feel much more intense in person.)

Grainy cell phone pictures of the 50 foot tower. Look: the trooper is climbing down the side of the tower up side down. They did the cutest little flips to invert into that position & in synch... now I wonder what else they could do in synch. *wink* Now there is fodder for my imagination while I read my next book... these men will be featuring in my dreams for weeks to come.

Tuesday Teaser

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (7)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read & open to a random page
• Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author

I love Miz B's blog and her Teaser Tuesday's... I just have to take part!

My Tease:
"I had to find a way to visualize a target for my wolf. I struggled to believe that my wolf could bite the night itself."
~ pg.115 Harlequin: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel by Laurell K. Hamilton


Had to take a breather before moving on to this next book in the series... but now I am all sorts of sucked in again! Last night my hubby fell asleep on my shoulder while I read in bed, awww. :) Working my way through the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series for a second time.

Friday 56

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (3)

A weekly meme hosted by Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56. * Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.


Somehow I am lugging around TWO hardcovers this week! I guess that will cut down on the reading while driving during the commute - way to hard to hold a hardcover open with one hand. *wink* BUT the closest book is in my desk drawer here at my graphic design job. Here is an excerpt from Media Sexploitation by Wilson Bryan Key - pg 56

Through subliminal appeals and reinforcements of these fears, some consumers can be induced into buying almost anything.


I'm not sure where I picked this book up. Either I stole it from my father's personal collection OR I picked it up at the college library book sale. A real eye opener to anyone not educated in the advertising field. Do you realize just what manipulative jack*sses us graphic designers are? *evil grin*

Have you been traveling with me on my journey through the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series by Laurell K. Hamilton?

Anita's story has been the focus of frequent Tuesday Teaser's and Friday 56's. Even a few stand alone posts, I think.

With the final page of Dance Macabre read (for the second time), I find myself reflecting back on this series. According to various reviews and comments, it seems Anita is either loved or hated by the readers - but it is an evolutionary relationship.

Ms. Hamilton starts out gentle and suggestive in Guilty Pleasures. The sexual undertone ebbs and flows in a haunting dance with a slight dark and violent undercurrent. The pressure grows with each book as emotional webs are woven, tangled & cut.

By the time you have progressed to Incubus Dreams the sex and violence has become a giant crashing tsunami, flowing over the reader over and over again, stealing your breath until you are left stranded parched on the beach with 2 stark pages of epilogue.

Incubus Dreams and Dance Macabre both were crazy rides for me. By this point in the series I am emotionally invested in the characters. I would have enjoyed these books more if they were each divided into 2 and written at a slightly slower pace.

Warning: Emotional outburst ahead

One paragraph to wrap up INCONSEQUENTIAL loose ends and summarize past events is cool for an epilogue. But 2 pages with brief summaries of important events?! I want to read the story, dammit, not make it up in my head. *deep breath, in, out, in, out*

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE this series. It just frustrates me sometimes. I mean, geez, I freakin' dream about Nathanial and Jason! Um, yeah... let's keep that on the DL, huh?

READING ORDER
13) Micah
~~ current bookmark ~~

Side Notes: May or may not be influenced by my first read through the ENTIRE series to date (Guilty Pleasures - Skin Trade)
• Anita's learning curve makes me grind my teeth at night.
• Feels way more like a thriller with graphic sex and violence and less like a drama with integral supporting characters and emotions.

Outstanding Romance Blog

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (1)

Oh my! ... sweet vernal zephyr has been awarded the Outstanding Romance Blog Award! Many, many thanks to Teddyree over at The Eclectic Reader!


Look at how lovely it is. Beautiful job JennJ!

Outstanding Romance Blog Award

This award originated from JennJ at Sapphire Romance Realm who said:

I have been wanting to start up some new blog awards to give out to blogs that I love to visit and that are big romance supporters. So this one is for those outstanding blogs that keep me coming back day after day and that avidly and passionately support Romance Novels and are not afraid to show it!!!

There are no rules for this one I only ask that you would to post where the award originated and who gave it to you when you post it to your own blogs.

Tuesday Teaser

Posted by Sweet Vernal Zephyr comments (12)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read & open to a random page
• Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author

I love Miz B's blog and her Teaser Tuesday's... I just have to take part!

My Tease:
"Nathaniel, my submissive Nathaniel, was stepping up to bat. He was showing the most dominant person in my bed that he was a force to be reckoned with. Why tonight?"
~ pg.154 Danse Macabre: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel by Laurell K. Hamilton


Working my way through the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series for a second time. This book is almost too much, the action never stops! I feel the need to catch my breath but never get the chance. It is overwhelming at times but means you are always thinking about the story even when you are not reading it... what will happen next?

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