First the Microwave then the Washing Machine

First my microwave decided it wanted to go to the appliance graveyard followed quickly by my washing machine. I really can't complain too much, since the washer was used and given to me for free and the microwave was 10 years old. However, having both happen within days of one another really was hard to take. Luckily, I found a great deal on a new microwave at Target last night. I went in ready to pay close to $100 for a new microwave and found the one I really wanted on clearance for only $41.00. Woohoo for me! Now hoping I find a great deal at the scratch & dent store for my washing machine. I'm not looking for a top of the line machine, just one with a delicate cycle and more than one water level for washing.

I will be posting a review about Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas soon. I finished it over the weekend and loved it, but with my washing machine drama, Titan's football drama, and visiting with friends, I haven't had a chance to post a review. Currently reading The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks and although it started slow, the story is starting to pick up.

Sweet Surrender

Sweet Surrender is an erotic romance by Maya Banks. From the back cover.~

Under Faith Malone’s deceptively soft exterior lies a woman who knows exactly what she wants: a strong man who’ll take without asking-because she’s willing to give him everything…

Dallas cop Gray Montgomery is on a mission: find the guy who killed his partner and bring him to justice. So far, he’s found a link between the killer and Faith-and if Gray has to get close to her to catch the killer, so be it.

Faith is sweet and feminine, everything Gray wants and desires in a woman, but he suspects she’s playing games. No way would she allow a man to call the shots in their relationship. Or would she?

Faith sees in Gray the strong, dominant man she needs, but he seems determined to keep her at a distance. So she takes matters into her own hands to prove to him it’s no game she’s playing. She’s willing to surrender to the right man. Gray would like to be that man. But catching his partner’s killer has to be his first priority-until Faith is threatened and Gray realizes he will do anything to protect her…

Sweet Surrender was a super hot and sexy story. The attraction between Gray and Faith is there from their first meeting. Of course, Gray tries as hard as he can to keep their relationship from becoming anything but a business one. However, when Faith gets herself into a sticky yet sexy situation, Gray steps in and moves their relationship to a whole new level. For Gray’s and Faith’s relationship to work long-term, Faith must be willing to surrender completely to Gray in every way. If Faith agrees to Gray’s conditions he promises her she will always be taken care of in every way. Sweet Surrender is classified as an erotic romance. I’ve really only read a few book classified as erotic before this one and really enjoy them. They are much steamier than regular romances, but the story is so well developed that the hotter sex just adds another layer to the story. There were a couple of the sexier scenes that were outside my comfort level in Sweet Surrender, but not so much that I couldn’t read them.

I really enjoyed Sweet Surrender and look forward to reading the other books in this series. Sweet Persuasion is currently out right now with Sweet Seduction scheduled for release in October 2009 and Sweet Temptation scheduled for release in April 2010.

Bad Moon Rising

Bad Moon Rising is the latest book in the Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. From the inside cover.~

A stunning and suspenseful new landscape emerges in the thrilling Dark-Hunter world-a world where nothing will ever be the same again…

Fang Kattalakis isn’t just a wolf. He is the brother of two of the most powerful members of the Omegrion, the ruling council that enforces the laws of the Were-Hunters, and when war erupts among the lycanthropes, sides must be chosen. Enemies are forced into shaky alliances. And when the woman Fang loves is accused of betraying her people, her only hope is that Fang believes in her. Yet in order to save her, Fang must break the law of his people and the faith of his brothers. That breech could very well spell the end of both their races and change their world forever.

The war is on and time is running out…

I really enjoyed Bad Moon Rising. I had been waiting for Fang and Aimee’s story from the moment they met. There is some re-telling from other books in the series, but I felt it worked since the re-telling was from either Fang’s or Aimee’s point of view. We also get to see the romance between Fang and Aimee from the very beginning. Since Fang is a wolf and Aimee is a bear, there is a little problem with them falling in love. They fight their attraction as long as possible, but eventually give in to their desires.

Between the romance of Fang and Aimee and the many cameo appearances from the various Dark-Hunters, especially Acheron who is my favorite, Bad Moon Rising is another winner in my book. Both One Silent Night and Bad Moon Rising give foreshadowing to a change in the war between the Dark-Hunters and the Daimon. I look forward to direction future books will take.

One Silent Night

One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon is another book in her Dark-Hunter series. From the back cover.~

Stryker has sent word and is gathering his forces.

While the world carries on unawares, Stryker, who leads an army of demons and vampires, is plotting an all-out onslaught against his enemies-which, unfortunately for us, includes the entire human race.

To avenge his sister, Stryker prepares to annihilate the Dark-Hunters. But things go awry when his oldest enemy returns. Enter his ex-wife Zephyra. Just when he thought nothing could stop him, he’s now embroiled in a century-old war with a shrew who gives new meaning to pain.

New battle lines are being drawn as the Dark-Hunters rally for a final showdown on One Silent Night.

I was so excited to finally get to read Stryker’s book. He is one of my favorite bad boys from this series and I can’t believe I waited this long to finally read his book. One Silent Night is filled with action and romance. Stryker has only loved one woman in his lifetime, his ex-wife Zephyra. However, his father made him give her up and she has never forgiven him. Stryker has also decided it is time to get rid of two of his biggest enemies, Acheron and Nick.

Sherrilyn Kenyon gives the readers another winner with One Silent Night. The romance between Stryker and Zephyra is so sweet, yet very passionate. We finally see how Stryker became the man he is and how the love of one woman, and a daughter he never knew he had, can really change him. Of course, Stryker being Stryker, he will never totally change, but that is one of the reasons I love him. He makes no excuses for who he is.

I also have finished Dream Warrior and hope to post about it in the next couple of days. I can say that I really liked it.

Update to Blog

I plan on posting about at least one of the books I've read over the last couple of weeks. I'm in the middle of Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon(Fang & Aimee's story I've been waiting for forever), and plan on at least posting about One Silent Night, also by Sherrilyn Kenyon tonight. Will try to get a post up about Dream Warrior and Bad Moon Rising on Thursday. Of course, The Biggest Loser is back tonight on NBC, so all post must be done as soon as I get home. The Biggest Loser is pretty much the only reality show I watch any more and I'm so excited that it is back tonight.