Saturday, December 13, 2008
Last Day - Katie Reus
Hope everyone has a great weekend! I know it's a little early but my Internet access will be sketchy during the holidays so in case I don't get to say it later, Happy Holidays!! I'm leaving you with a few of my favorite pics! Sadly I don't have pics of Hugh Jackman with less clothing, but it really doesn't matter. The man is beautiful! As always, it was fun being on the island :)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Favorite Couples - Day 2 - Katie Reus
I was going to blog about my favorite heroes, but decided to do favorite couples instead at the last minute. Anywho, these are couples I could read about over and over again. In each choice, I believe each individual is equally strong and neither seem to outshine the other because of individual strengths. I like that because I think that’s the way real life relationships should be. Partners working together.
1. Michael Stirling and Francesca Bridgerton from Julia Quinn’s When He Was Wicked. The depth with which he loved her made me tear up on more than one occasion. His love for her was never in question and I loved seeing her grow into her feelings for him.
2. Eve Dallas and Roarke from the In Death Series (J.D. Robb). I don’t think I need to explain why.
3. John Medina and Niema Budock from Linda Howard’s All the Queen’s Men. Apart from the sizzling tension between them, both care about and are willing to die for their country. (And, they’re both pretty bad ass.)
4. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice. I’m not a fan of modern day misunderstandings, but this couple is a classic. I try to read this book once a year.
4. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice. I’m not a fan of modern day misunderstandings, but this couple is a classic. I try to read this book once a year.
5. Valerius Magnus and Tabitha Devereaux from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Seize the Night. I believe this is the first Kenyon book I read. (I read my first one this year and have since devoured quite a few so it's hard to keep track). Valerius is so damn lonely it broke my heart. And Tabitha, the twin sister of his mortal enemy’s wife is the most unlikely person to rock his world, but she certainly does. Both characters have strong personalities and tough exteriors, but equally soft sides they don’t show the world. If anyone deserved happiness, it was these two.
Any other favorite couples out there? Anyone love these couples?
My Books - Day 1 - Katie Reus
I’ve already done my ‘about me’ day so I hope y’all remember! In case you need a reminder, the only thing you need to know is that I think Hugh Jackman is all sorts of sexy (after my hubby of course), and chocolate is definitely one of the major food groups.
Everything and the Moon, Julia Quinn. Boy falls in love with girl at first sig
ht. Meddling fathers break them apart. Seven years later, boy has a chance at love again. Too bad he has a very, very difficult time convincing girl that he’s the one for her. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he offered her a position as his mistress instead of his wife. Hmmm, ya think? I’d never read a story about love at first sight until this and Ms. Quinn did an excellent job making it believable.
Pursuit, Elizabeth Jennings. This was an action packed story I couldn’t put down. As a fan of Lisa Marie Rice (Ms. Jenning’s erotic pen name) I wasn’t sure what her non-erotic writing would be like, but she definitely didn’t disappoint, making this one of my picks. Both characters are wounded, and you just can’t help but cheer them on. I love the way Matt courted (yes, I’m using that word) Charlotte from afar for months without ever saying a word to her. Be still my heart. Their story was incredibly romantic and I loved that when they met he didn’t have more than a couple bucks to his name (maybe I’m exaggerating a little).
Raintree: Haunted, Linda Winstead Jones. Second book in the Raintree series, this was my first book by LWJ and I fell in love with her voice. The only reason I started this series was because Linda Howard wrote the first one. Thanks to the DIK ladies recommendations I’ve been reading a lot more paranormals, but this is the first one that’s stuck with me. Gideon and Hope are both equally bad ass. Sure, Gideon can control electricity and talk to ghosts, but Hope can definitely hold her own! I love it when she threatens to kill him (after some crazy ‘spontaneous’ orgasms he inflicts on her)
Midnight Angel, Lisa Marie Rice. A modern day beauty and the beast story. Seriously can’t go wrong with that. Former Navy SEAL Douglas Kowalski is scarred (literally, not figuratively) by war. He knows what he looks like and he assumes no beautiful woman would ever want to be with him. Hi
s first meeting with Alegra broke my heart. After hearing her play the harp at a function, he’s mesmerized. He’s already having a hard time adjusting to the civilian world and the way people avert their eyes when meeting him. When they’re first introduced he shakes her hand, not realizing she’s blind. He’s dying inside that she’s staring at his chest, not even willing to look him in the eye. When he speaks though, her head snaps up at the direction of his voice and he realizes she can’t see. This was a smoking hot story, but also incredibly sweet.
Midnight Run, Lisa Marie Rice. Yes, I’ve got two books by Ms. Rice going to the is
land with me. (Well, technically three if you include Pursuit). This book is simply hot and that’s why I’m taking it. Hot sex and likeable characters. This is my ‘go-to’ book on a rainy Saturday afternoon. There’s a previous connection between Bud and Claire that neither are aware of until later in the book, (he’s the cop who saved her when she was a scrawny, fifteen year old hostage years ago) and it solidified their whirlwind relationship for me. I believe in fate and since I’m a total romantic, this book worked on all levels.
It’s damn near impossible to pick six books to take with me, especially since I’ve discovered so many new authors this year, but here are my current island books:
All the Queen’s Men, Linda Howard. John Medina *sigh* I don’t know what to say about this man. He’s the kind of hero you either love or hate. And I LUV him. He left Niema alone for five years, giving her time to grieve for her dead husband (a death which he inadvertently played a p
art in). Always in the background, he had people looking out for her, making sure she was okay, but he hadn’t allowed himself to see her. When they got the chance to work together again (thanks to his not so subtle boss), her seduction is on. I totally fell in love with him during their first meeting since her husband’s death. She’d only known him as Tucker five years before (though she was fairly certain it was an alias) and when they reconnected, he blurts out his real name at the shock of seeing her. For a man whose life is cloaked in secrecy and deception, I loved this real side to him. When he decided to claim Niema, he didn’t do a half ass job. She was his, and that was it. Gotta love those alphas. I think the real reason he’ll always have a special place in my heart is because this is the book that introduced me to romantic suspense AND to my favorite author. (Linda Howard fan girl right here!)
art in). Always in the background, he had people looking out for her, making sure she was okay, but he hadn’t allowed himself to see her. When they got the chance to work together again (thanks to his not so subtle boss), her seduction is on. I totally fell in love with him during their first meeting since her husband’s death. She’d only known him as Tucker five years before (though she was fairly certain it was an alias) and when they reconnected, he blurts out his real name at the shock of seeing her. For a man whose life is cloaked in secrecy and deception, I loved this real side to him. When he decided to claim Niema, he didn’t do a half ass job. She was his, and that was it. Gotta love those alphas. I think the real reason he’ll always have a special place in my heart is because this is the book that introduced me to romantic suspense AND to my favorite author. (Linda Howard fan girl right here!) Everything and the Moon, Julia Quinn. Boy falls in love with girl at first sig
ht. Meddling fathers break them apart. Seven years later, boy has a chance at love again. Too bad he has a very, very difficult time convincing girl that he’s the one for her. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he offered her a position as his mistress instead of his wife. Hmmm, ya think? I’d never read a story about love at first sight until this and Ms. Quinn did an excellent job making it believable. Pursuit, Elizabeth Jennings. This was an action packed story I couldn’t put down. As a fan of Lisa Marie Rice (Ms. Jenning’s erotic pen name) I wasn’t sure what her non-erotic writing would be like, but she definitely didn’t disappoint, making this one of my picks. Both characters are wounded, and you just can’t help but cheer them on. I love the way Matt courted (yes, I’m using that word) Charlotte from afar for months without ever saying a word to her. Be still my heart. Their story was incredibly romantic and I loved that when they met he didn’t have more than a couple bucks to his name (maybe I’m exaggerating a little). 
Raintree: Haunted, Linda Winstead Jones. Second book in the Raintree series, this was my first book by LWJ and I fell in love with her voice. The only reason I started this series was because Linda Howard wrote the first one. Thanks to the DIK ladies recommendations I’ve been reading a lot more paranormals, but this is the first one that’s stuck with me. Gideon and Hope are both equally bad ass. Sure, Gideon can control electricity and talk to ghosts, but Hope can definitely hold her own! I love it when she threatens to kill him (after some crazy ‘spontaneous’ orgasms he inflicts on her)
Midnight Angel, Lisa Marie Rice. A modern day beauty and the beast story. Seriously can’t go wrong with that. Former Navy SEAL Douglas Kowalski is scarred (literally, not figuratively) by war. He knows what he looks like and he assumes no beautiful woman would ever want to be with him. Hi
s first meeting with Alegra broke my heart. After hearing her play the harp at a function, he’s mesmerized. He’s already having a hard time adjusting to the civilian world and the way people avert their eyes when meeting him. When they’re first introduced he shakes her hand, not realizing she’s blind. He’s dying inside that she’s staring at his chest, not even willing to look him in the eye. When he speaks though, her head snaps up at the direction of his voice and he realizes she can’t see. This was a smoking hot story, but also incredibly sweet.Midnight Run, Lisa Marie Rice. Yes, I’ve got two books by Ms. Rice going to the is
land with me. (Well, technically three if you include Pursuit). This book is simply hot and that’s why I’m taking it. Hot sex and likeable characters. This is my ‘go-to’ book on a rainy Saturday afternoon. There’s a previous connection between Bud and Claire that neither are aware of until later in the book, (he’s the cop who saved her when she was a scrawny, fifteen year old hostage years ago) and it solidified their whirlwind relationship for me. I believe in fate and since I’m a total romantic, this book worked on all levels. Until tomorrow!!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Day 3 - Wave - The Boyz
Today I thought I would end my stay on the island with a gift - something I share with the regulars on my blog every Friday. Enjoy the boyz
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Day 2 - Wave - My Heroes
Today I want to talk about my Heroes. I had a debate with myself over what qualities I was looking for in my "literary" heroes and I decided that they had to be characters that would make any woman get up in the morning, they would be warm, brave (not necessarily in the traditional sense) and they had to be both vulnerable and strong. If they were good looking that would be a bonus. So here's my list of heroes in no particular order
First up is tiny, perfect Heller Whitting (or Hell) from Heaven Sent 3: Hell is a great character who never let his small stature get in the way of making demands and getting what he wanted, and what he wanted was Brent Rose, his unlikely love interest in the band. Hell is the flamboyant keyboardist with lavender hair who commanded both his audience and Brent, who never stood a chance in the game of love.
Next is Lord Drake, a mercenary in The Mercenary's Tale by Lynn Lorenz. He is both strong (as would be expected of a mercenary) and vulnerable. This character fell in love with his trainee, Ansel, against his better judgment, and after he lost him in a firefight he could not move on with his life because of grief. The tenderness between the two men, culminating in the scene when Drake searched for Ansel on the battlefield, and eventually found him as he lay dying among the bodies of men and horses and held him for hours afterwards, really moved me.
Detective Sean O'Brian from The Assignment, another strong but vulnerable character (is there a pattern here?) is my next hero. Sean is the supposed beta in the relationship with his partner, Detective Nick Valenti, but his size is deceptive. I think that Sean's personality is the key to the success of the book as he plays a dangerous role, emotionally and physically, in their undercover assignment.
Jake Taggart from Bareback is next. Jake had a perfect life as a foreman on a ranch in Arkansas and everything is proceeding according to plan until another cowboy, Tornado, forces him to admit that he could love someone - another man. This is such a powerful book about the human condition and how we as people always manage to screw up, despite good intentions. Jake experiences many emotions on the way to happiness as he has to deal with betrayal and learn how to forgive. I think that Jake is one of Chris Owen's best characters and every time I read this book I love Jake more.
Keiran Hareldson, the draegan lord from the series of the same name, is my next hero. Keiran is the new leader of the draegans, a race of dragon shapeshifters. He has to rebuild his race and make his people believe that they can win a war that has been raging for over 100 years. When he falls for a human, Gaige Rizik, who infiltrated the draegans in order to betray him, it makes his job even more difficult. How he deals with his love for Gaige, his people's distrust of the newcomer, and his own fears that he will be found wanting as a leader when he is tested, made him an extremely complex and charismatic character.
Captain Simon Hollister and Prince Payton Townsend: These characters from J.L. Langley's newest book, The Englor Affair, are two of my favourites from her Sci Regency series. Simon is commanding, gorgeous and has all the qualities that any woman would look for in a hero but unfortunately he only has eyes for men, and one man in particular, Prince Payton Townsend. Payton is smart, great looking, enterprising, and loves Simon even if that love means he has to give him up. They have to deal with murder and mayhem and overcome all kinds of nasty surprises and fit in some hot love scenes in between a potential nuclear meltdown, and still manage to stay on top of everything with not a hair out of place.
Well there you have it - my current heroes - all of whom are gay. I guess that says that I have a quirk in my personality because none of them would be attracted to me.
First up is tiny, perfect Heller Whitting (or Hell) from Heaven Sent 3: Hell is a great character who never let his small stature get in the way of making demands and getting what he wanted, and what he wanted was Brent Rose, his unlikely love interest in the band. Hell is the flamboyant keyboardist with lavender hair who commanded both his audience and Brent, who never stood a chance in the game of love.
Next is Lord Drake, a mercenary in The Mercenary's Tale by Lynn Lorenz. He is both strong (as would be expected of a mercenary) and vulnerable. This character fell in love with his trainee, Ansel, against his better judgment, and after he lost him in a firefight he could not move on with his life because of grief. The tenderness between the two men, culminating in the scene when Drake searched for Ansel on the battlefield, and eventually found him as he lay dying among the bodies of men and horses and held him for hours afterwards, really moved me.
Detective Sean O'Brian from The Assignment, another strong but vulnerable character (is there a pattern here?) is my next hero. Sean is the supposed beta in the relationship with his partner, Detective Nick Valenti, but his size is deceptive. I think that Sean's personality is the key to the success of the book as he plays a dangerous role, emotionally and physically, in their undercover assignment.
Jake Taggart from Bareback is next. Jake had a perfect life as a foreman on a ranch in Arkansas and everything is proceeding according to plan until another cowboy, Tornado, forces him to admit that he could love someone - another man. This is such a powerful book about the human condition and how we as people always manage to screw up, despite good intentions. Jake experiences many emotions on the way to happiness as he has to deal with betrayal and learn how to forgive. I think that Jake is one of Chris Owen's best characters and every time I read this book I love Jake more.
Keiran Hareldson, the draegan lord from the series of the same name, is my next hero. Keiran is the new leader of the draegans, a race of dragon shapeshifters. He has to rebuild his race and make his people believe that they can win a war that has been raging for over 100 years. When he falls for a human, Gaige Rizik, who infiltrated the draegans in order to betray him, it makes his job even more difficult. How he deals with his love for Gaige, his people's distrust of the newcomer, and his own fears that he will be found wanting as a leader when he is tested, made him an extremely complex and charismatic character.
Captain Simon Hollister and Prince Payton Townsend: These characters from J.L. Langley's newest book, The Englor Affair, are two of my favourites from her Sci Regency series. Simon is commanding, gorgeous and has all the qualities that any woman would look for in a hero but unfortunately he only has eyes for men, and one man in particular, Prince Payton Townsend. Payton is smart, great looking, enterprising, and loves Simon even if that love means he has to give him up. They have to deal with murder and mayhem and overcome all kinds of nasty surprises and fit in some hot love scenes in between a potential nuclear meltdown, and still manage to stay on top of everything with not a hair out of place.
Well there you have it - my current heroes - all of whom are gay. I guess that says that I have a quirk in my personality because none of them would be attracted to me.
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