Vision in White

Vision in White is the first book in the Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts. From the inside cover flap.~

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts cordially invites you to meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac-the founders of Vows, one of Connecticut’s premier wedding planning companies.

After years of throwing make-believe weddings in the backyard, flowers, photography, desserts, and details are what these women do best: a guaranteed perfect, beautiful day full of memories to last the rest of your life.

With bridal magazine covers to her credit, Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera-ready to capture the happy moments she never experienced while growing up. Her father replaced his first family with a second, and now her mother, moving on to yet another man, begs Mac for attention and money. Mac’s foundation is jostled again moments before an important wedding planning meeting when she bumps into the bride-to-be’s brother…an encounter that has them both seeing stars.

Carter Maguire is definitely not her type: he’s stable and he’s safe. He’s even an English teacher at their high school alma mater. There’s something about him that makes Mac think a casual fling is just what she needs to take her mind off dealing with bridezillas and screening her mother’s phone calls. But a casual fling can turn into something more when you least expect it. And with the help of her three best friends-and business partners- Mac must learn how to make her own happy memories…

The last couple of series by Nora Roberts have been books with a paranormal element. I love paranormal romances, but missed her straight up romances. With Vision in White, Roberts gives her readers the contemporary romance I for one have been missing, not that I don’t enjoy her single title books with hints of mystery.

I loved Mac and her friends. They are all such strong women and as a unit they are unstoppable. Mac has no thoughts of ever getting into a serious relationship. She had seen too many men come and go in her mother’s life, as well as being abandoned by her father when he decided he wanted a new family. Then Carter Maguire comes back into her life. They had briefly gone to high school together, and meet again when Carter’s sister hires Mac’s wedding planning company to handle her wedding. Carter, who had a crush on Mac all those years ago, still finds Mac attractive, and Mac has an instant attraction to Carter. Even though they are as different as night and day, they can’t seem to stay away from each other. Mac, who had never felt like this in her life, gets scared and tries to convince Carter they could never be right together. Mac must decide whether she is a strong enough person to trust and depend on someone other than her 3 best friends.

I really loved Vision in White and look forward to the rest of the books in this series. Bed of Roses is book 2 in the Bride Quartet series and was released at the beginning of November.

***Disclaimer*** I bought this book myself and will buy the rest of the books in this series as well.

Black Friday Just About Killed Me

I really don't know what my sister and I are thinking each year, but we do the Black Friday shopping trip every year. It started out as the only day all year that we could spend time together just the two of us...you know and 50,000 strangers. However, after this year, we both have said it will probably be our last year to do the crazy Black Friday shopping trip.

We started out at Toys R Us with my middle niece. Toys R Us was opening at midnight, and we thought we could get in and out in about an hour or so and still get a nap before heading to Walmart around 4:30 am. Yeah right! When we arrived at Toys R Us, we were in a line that wrapped around two buildings and took us over 20 minutes just to get into the store. However, that really isn't even the best part of the story. We walk into the store and you can barely walk anywhere in the store. We were lucky enough to get all the items on my youngest niece's list, but then we had to wait over 2 1/2 hours just to check out. We did end up making lots of friends while waiting in line, but it was just too crazy for words. Plus the Toys R Us workers kept sending everyone in the wrong direction to check out, which is why it took so very long to get out of the store. So what should have taken about 1 hour turned into almost 4 hours. We dropped Middle off at the house and then headed to Walmart. Walmart was a little bit better, but not a whole lot better. We again managed to get the gifts we were looking for, but had to deal with some really rude people again. Luckily, we really weren't looking for any of the big ticket items this year, so we still had to wait forever just to get out of the store. I know everyone is trying to save money this year, but the rudeness of some people still surprises me.

Now, I'm just trying to catch up on all the sleep I missed while shopping early Friday morning. Also must catch up on my laundry and cleaning around my house. So tomorrow my day will be spent doing laundry, cleaning up the house, and watching the Titans play the Cardinals. Go Titans!!!

I have been reading in the last couple of weeks, and finished reading Vision in White by Nora Roberts and Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead. I plan to post about at least one of these books tomorrow.

Kindred in Death

Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb is the latest book in her popular In Death series. From the inside cover flap.~

In 2060, Lieutenant Eve Dallas searches the nooks of New York City for a dastardly and despicable criminal, in the newest novel by #1 New York Times-bestselling author J.D. Robb.

When the newly promoted captain of the NYPSD and his wife return a day early from their vacation, they are looking forward to spending time with their bright and vivacious sixteen-year-old daughter, who stayed behind.

Not even their worst nightmares could prepare them for the crime scene that awaits them instead. Deena has been brutally murdered in her bedroom, and her body shows signs of trauma that horrify even the toughest of cops, including our own Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who is specifically requested by the captain to investigate.

When the evidence starts to pile up, Dallas and her team think they are about to arrest their perpetrator; little do they know that someone has gone to great lengths to tease and taunt them by using a variety of identities.

Overconfidence can lead to careless mistakes. But for Dallas, one mistake might be all she needs to serve justice.

The only thing I don’t love about the In Death series is we only get two books a year. I’ve loved Nora Roberts ‘s books for years, and love her In Death books written as J.D. Robb best of all. The readers are given another winner in the series with Kindred in Death. Eve Dallas must work on one of the hardest cases in her career. Not only is she responsible for solving the violent murder of a fellow officer’s child, she must block out her personal history to stay focused on her job. As always, Eve had Roarke as her backup for all things work related and personal. With the help of Peabody, McNabb, Feeney, and Dr. Mira, and even Nadine when needed, Eve sets out to find who would want to brutally rape and murder an innocent young girl. When another murder occurs, Eve and her team must work over-time to figure out how they are connected and who is behind the murders. If multiple murders aren’t enough to deal with, Eve is the matron of honor for Louise for her wedding to Charles, which is set to take place at Eve and Roarke’s home. Eve has never felt comfortable with all the girly-stuff, and really doesn’t want to take time to deal with it in the middle of a murder investigation.

I got to see and spend time with all of my favorite characters from the In Death series with Kindred in Death. Normally fans of the In Death series have to wait six months for another fix. Luckily “Missing in Death” is set for a December 1, 2009 release in The Lost anthology. Looking forward to my next fix for the In Death series early(almost like an early Christmas gift).

***Disclaimer***I bought this book myself.

Faerie Fate

Faerie Fate is the debut novel by Silver James. I had Silver email me the back cover blurb, which can also be found on her upcoming releases page on her website www.silverjames.com.

If you could go back, do it over again, would you take a chance to find true love? What if you had no choice?

On her fiftieth birthday, the faerie send Rebecca Miller a thousand years into the past to find her happily ever after with Ciaran MacDermot, Chief of Clann MacDermot, the last Fenian warrior in his line. In the twenty-first century, Becca is old enough to be Ciaran’s mother. In the tenth, she’s young enough to be his bride.

The fae forgot to mention one slight stipulation. The lovers must be bound before the Festival of Light, or Becca will forever disappear into Tir Nan Óg , the faerie Land of the Ever Young. Will they discover the binding words before time runs out and they’re torn apart forever? Or will their eternal love defeat their Faerie Fate?

When Becca goes to bed on her fiftieth birthday, she wakes up in a different century and twenty-five years younger. Ciaran and Becca share a link to each other where they can feel each other’s pain and location, so Ciaran knows where to find Becca. Ciaran must seek help from Niall and his wife Siobhan to help heal Becca, who they find close to death. Neither Becca or Ciaran realize why they are connected or they must be bound before the Festival of Light.

I loved Faerie Fate! I pretty much bumped every book in my TBR pile to read Faerie Fate first. I was lucky enough to win an ARC from Silver’s blog and I’m so glad I got to read this book early. I loved the main characters Becca and Ciaran, and the supporting characters of Niall, Siobhan and Riordan just as much. I especially love Riordan and can't wait to read more about him in his book Faerie Fool. Silver gives the reader very strong characters and a strong story filled with the fae, a touch of mystery and a bit of time travel.

Faerie Fate currently has a release date of April 9, 2010, and I can't wait for the next two books in theTir Nan Óg trilogy, which are Faerie Fire and Faerie Fool.

***Disclaimer*** I won this ARC on Silver's blog, but will be purchasing my own copy in April.

Weekend Update

I have to say that my shopping trip with my grandmother and aunt yesterday was one of our best trips ever. Nannie was able to find the shoes she wanted, picked up all the gifts needed, and even found a couple of fun things to buy too. I found the cutest gray fur-lined boots and they are so very comfortable. Really hoping for cold weather for my shopping trip with my sister the day after Thanksgiving so I can wear my new boots.

All of that being said, I am so very tired today that this is pretty much all I see myself posting today. I have been on the road for 3 days straight and know to make it through this week, I will have to take a really long nap this afternoon. It will have to wait for the end of the Titan's game, on the theory I will stay awake through the game. Hope everyone else has a wonderful Sunday.

Go Titans!!!