All About the Argenaus

Lyndsay Sands has a long standing series about a vampire family.  Book twenty will be coming out next Tuesday, Feb 18, 2014.  I'm excited to share some fun items with you about the series.

Vampire Most Wanted by Lynsay Sands

An Argeneau Vampire novel

On-Sale 02/18/2014

ISBN:9780062078179 | eISBN: 9780062078094

(http://www.avonromance.com/book/lynsay-sands-vampire-most-wanted)

                Take a road trip with the undead in this latest Argeneau novel by New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands.

For Basha Argeneau, anything is better than facing her estranged family. Even hiding out in sweltering southern California. But when a sexy immortal in black shows up determined to bring her back to the clan, she'll do anything to keep far, far away from the past she can't outrun.

Marcus Notte isn't here to play games—especially not with someone as crazy as the infamous blonde. Asked by Lucian Argeneau to bring her back for questioning, Marcus is determined to carry out Lucian's request—no matter how the seductive little mind-reading vamp feels about it. Basha doesn't mind fighting fire with fire, especially with a hot immortal involved. But if he wants to take her away, he'll have to catch her first.

Sex and the Single Fireman by Jennifer Bernard

Title:  Sex and the Single Fireman
Author:  Jennifer Bernard
Grade:  B
Description from back cover:  The toughest captain on the East Coast, single father Rick Roman has come thousands of miles to San Gabriel to put an end to the "Bachelor Firemen" media hype.  But when a stunning woman he nearly hooked up with in Reno turns out to be a firefighter from his new station, Roman realizes it's going to be tough keeping the tabloids at bay. 

Review:  This is the second "Bachelor Firemen" novel that I have read.  I liked it better than the first.  Although there were a few parts that I would trim out I really liked the main characters.  Both Roman and Sabina seemed like real people.  They had real life problems that were easy to identify with and the conflicts seemed like they were possible and probable.  I'll probably read another in this series. 


I got this book for review because I am an Avon Addict!

January Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the following ladies who won the January giveaway of a copy of How to Deceive a Duke by Lecia Cornwall:  1.  Robin McMillan  2.  Jessica Hartman  3.  Gail Blair.  Thanks Ladies!!!!

Multiple copies for the giveaway courtesy of Avon Publishing!  Thanks!  I love being an Avon Addict!
 

Reading Ruminations - Feb Edition

My husband is absolutely adamant that I am a book addict.  He's probably right.  Even as young as 16 I was reading 300 - 500 page books weekly.  The Ransomville Free Library was 2.8 miles away, an easy bike ride.  I could go on my own  (no car)  and the librarians would let me take out anything I wanted.  I still remember my four-digit library card number (2812) and wonder if it would still work.  I used to go anywhere there were books then and anywhere there are books now.  I caught up today on my google spreadsheet for 2013.  I've got over 120 books on the list.  Since I was so terribly upset with myself for setting a 100 book per month goal for last year (that I didn't reach) I'm not trying this year.  But wow.  I read alot.  Is it to my detriment?  I've been getting all these really great books from Avon Publishing that I'm having to MAKE myself read.  It's disconcerting.  Even when they send me books that I've had on my TBR spreadsheet for a while, I can't bring myself to read them.  I keep falling into rereading oldies but goodies.  I've reread Nora of course.  Elizabeth Vaughan, Patricia Briggs, my new crack Kristen Ashley even some of my eBooks of new authors on my kindle and nook.  Weird.  Book addict that doesn't want new material. 

Three Cookbooks

I've been getting great cookbooks from the Parachute Branch Library for some time now.  When I saw these three were available via interlibrary loan I jumped on them.  They'd come to my attention via the Leite's Culinaria blog I read.  They were giveaways and though I didn't win, I did get to see them, yeah libraries!

1. 
Title:  Hot & Cheesy
Author:  Clifford A. Wright
Grade:  B
Description from back:  A comforting collection of cheese dishes from the James Beard Award-Wining Author. 

Review:  I love cheese.  I grew up in Western New York where if something isn't deep fried it comes with cheese.  Sometimes it is deep fried cheese.  There are two reasons this cookbook did not receive an A rating from me.  One, there were no pictures.  No cookbook, no matter how good should be without pictures.  Not hand-drawn hokey, homey ones either.  We're talking full color photographs.  Two, a lot of the recipes were for things WITH cheese and not OF cheese.  If you look at the sections below you can see just how many of them mention "with cheese."  Disappointing, that.  Some of the tips about cheese in general that peppered the recipes were awesome and useful.  I'll be making or trying over 50 of the recipes in this book and it is well worth it to get it if you like cheese. 

Sections: 
Soups. Sauces & Dips
Fritters with Cheese
Savory Crepes & Pancakes with Cheese
Pies, Tarts, and Quiches with Cheese
Pizzas, Calzones, and Breads with Cheese
Sandwiches with Cheese
Quesadillas, Enchiladas, and Burritos with Cheese
Eggs and Cheese
Cheese and more cheese
Pasta with Cheese
Rice and Polenta with Cheese
Vegetables with Cheese
Meat and Seafood with Cheese
Sweets with Cheese

2. 
Title:  Bean by Bean: A Cookbook
Author:  Crescent Dragonwagon
Grade:  C
Description from back matter:  The bountiful bean - humble yet haute, soulfully satisfying - knows no borders, belongs in all seasons, and revels in a world's worth of flavors, seasonings, and combinations.  In more than 175 recipes, from down-home to elegant, beans become soups, tews, chilies and curries, slathers and salads, burgers - even dessert.  Amazingly versatile, deeply delectable, those supermarket staples, exotic heirlooms, tofus, and tempehs make a bite-by-bite, bean-by-bean celebration. 

Review:  Again, what's with NO PICTURES.  Admittedly, pictures of beans aren't exactly amazing fodder but it's a COOKBOOK!  Preparing for the zombie apocalypse my family has been changing our eating habits to include more beans and less meat.  I was expecting a bit more.  I guess even James Beard award winners have a hard time finding exciting things (description above notwithstanding) to do with beans. I liked the "Beginners Beanery" as before I married Mark I'd only had canned green beans, Bush's baked beans and kidney beans.  Now that I've tried others there were a few recipes that I'll probably try.  Think three.

Sections: 
Bean Basics
Hummus, Where the Heart Is
Soulful Simmer
Cool Beans
Chili Weather
Superior Stews, Companionable Curries
Bountiful Bean Bakes, Comforting Caseroles
Home on the Range
Beans and Grains
Sweet Beans

3.
Title:  Crazy Sexy Kitchen: 150 plant-empowered recipes to ignite a mouthwatering revolution
Author:  Kris Carr with Chef Chad Sarno
Grade:  DNF
Description from flap:  In Crazy Sexy Kitchen , the woman who made prevention hot is now making it delicious!

Review:  Loved the pictures.  This is the only cookbook of the three that included them and they were beautiful.  But...my food and eating philosophy is simple.  I eat what I want that tastes good.  When the zombie apocalypse comes I may have to eat roots and dirt and tree bark or insects but I don't have to right now and I'm not going to.  If I'd seen the subtitle I probably wouldn't have picked the book.  I'm not a revolutionary especially when it comes to food.  The pictures drew me but the philosophy kind of ticked me off.  So, no recipes from this book. 

Sections: 
Wecome to the Wellness Revolution
Crazy Sexy Diet & Lifestyle Philosophy
Preparation
Kitchen Know-How
Crazy Sexy Recipes
Magnificent Menus

The Red Diary by Toni Blake

Title:  The Red Diary
Author:  Toni Blake
Grade: C-
Description from back cover:  Prim and proper Lauren Ash has a secret side no one else sees: she records her sexual fantasties, in intimate detail, in a very personal book meant for her eyes only.  When hired hand Nick Armstrong finds the red diary he's shocked...and aroused.  Never before has he come across anything so private - or so sensual.  And, given the way the Ash family has hurt his, he soon begins to see this as a potent weapon for righting an old wrong.  Wouldn't it serve the haughty Lauren right if he used her own fantasies to seduce her, make her fall in love, and then break her heart?  But there's much more to Lauren than Nick expects, and before he quite realizes it, he's opening himself- and his heart - to her.  Can Nick let go of the past and surrender to Lauren, body and soul? 

Review:  The book opened with a fantasy.  It was relatively tame and satisfyingly short.  Lauren Ash has only had three lovers but everyone in her life believes her to have many.  Her best friend is very sexual and has many sexual experiences and because Lauren spends time with her people think she is similar in her sexual past.  The fantasies were similar all throughout the book. 

Lauren Ash was too insipid in the beginning of the book.  It seemed as if every person in her life completely overrode her constantly.  Her father was a philanderer, the company partner was slimy, her best friend was obnoxious.  She changes throughout the book, for the better, but the change seemed insincere.  I really didn't like her all that much. She was so clueless when it came to Nick it wasn't funny. 

Nick Armstrong was not a hired hand.  He was the owner of a successful painting business and creepy as all get out.  He was by turns petulant and pissy and I wouldn't have had a thing to do with him.  The fact that he kept breaking into Lauren's house to read her private diary freaked me out.  He never explained it or let his admittedly small conscience make him stop.  I understand that he felt Lauren's father had contributed to his family's misfortunes but he didn't let a little thing like having an intimate relationship with someone stop him from going through with a revenge that wasn't all that complete. 

I read the whole thing and finished it.  It felt a lot like a first time writer although I know Toni Blake has been writing and been published since at least 2000.  Lori Foster is quoted as saying "Heart-stopping sensuality."  I'll admit that the fantasies were but the rest of the book was awkward and not particularly well-written. 

Midnight Man by Lisa Marie Rice

Title:  Midnight Man
Series:  Midnight
Author:  Lisa Marie Rice
Grade:  B
Description from Amazon:  Interior decorator Suzanne Barron's new tenant is the most dangerously sexy man she's ever met.  Navy Commander John Huntington, a former SEAL (aka Midnight Man) works best under cover of darkness.  When killers come for her, Suzanne knows she can turn to only one man.  John will guard and protect her body.  But who will guard her body against John?

Review:  I really liked the Protectors series by Lisa Marie Rice.  With one SEAL, one Delta Force operator, and one Marine Force Recon Sniper these were really hot with really alpha heroes and great intrigue or suspense.  This book was very much like one of the Protectors.  I felt that the conflict was totally appropriate and that how John handled it was very much like how Linda Howard heroes handle conflict.  The book was pretty steamy.  Also, it was free at Amazon!  Bonus!  Recommended.