good new for Gail Dayton fans!

Just got Gail Dayton's newsletter and it looks like a small press is going to pub the third book! Yay! And we only have to wait until July 2007. Can't wait.

*happy snoopy dance*

Oh, going to see Casino Royale tonight. At least that's the plan. Seems to be a pesky weather system out there that's giving us sleet right now.

I'm here

Just busy. Today's my first day off since Thanksgiving. Had a doctor's appt earlier today and then ran errands. Bought some books, although they didn't have Eye of Heaven. They think maybe tomorrow. Oh I want to read it!

Also bought my camera and a Nintendo DS. Going to play some games this afternoon. It feels like we've been spending money left and right, but really, it's been extra cash that's come in, so that's good. I love my new jacket. :-)

Well, I'm off to enjoy the day. Don't let me forget to write up about Janice Kaplan's Looks To Die For, some Robin McKinley that I read, Princess at Sea by Dawn Cook.... Should finish up With Nine You Get Vanyr soon and also Taming the Forest King by Claudia Edwards. So I've been reading, just haven't been posting. Blech. I had a bunch of late shifts these past days, so that's why I haven't posted. Not too good about doing it in the morning most times.

Black Friday

Well, we went out and survived. Actually, I think we were in and out in around 20 minutes at Younkers. There weren't really any other people in the jacket section, so it went fast. Bought a really cute red and white Columbia jacket. I love their Interchange jackets since it really is like getting three jackets in one as the parts are always so nice and actually do work separately.

Finally decided to get the Fuji F30 camera and it goes out of stock at Newegg!!!!! Argh! *grumble grumble* So now I get to wait until it comes back in stock. Hopefully soon.

And I close tonight at work. So I work until 10:30. Yuck. Blech. I will survive. Ah well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving has been nice. It's just the two of us, but we still had a nice meal. Made a large turkey breast and used a lemon-thyme recipe I found in my Cooking Light cookbook. Also had mashed potatoes, marshmallow sweet potatoes and stuffing, etc. So it was nice. And really not all that hard to do.

Oh, and I made a scrumptious pumpkin pie, if I do say so myself.

Looked at ads. We plan to go out tomorrow morning and look at Columbia jackets to replace the one I have. The zipper on the right pocket has broken and it's quite a few years old, so time for a new one. I like these jackets because of the 3-in-1 feature that lets me get a lot of mileage out of the thing. So Younkers has them on sale (and a few other places).

Also going to check out in person another camera. I had had my eye on a Canon one after checking out reviews online, but once I held it, I hated how the zoom was, so that was out of the question. So now to check out a Fujifilm F30. It's gotten good reviews lots of places, so I hope I like it. I hadn't thought about it before since it uses xD cards instead of SD, but the reviews are almost all very positive. Ah, yeah, it's the season yet I'm still buying myself something. :-Þ

Played a little bit with the Wii today, as well as Final Fantasy 12 on the PS2. And thought of things to give as gifts. I keep feeling crafty, so I hope to find time to make stuff.

Meme: In My Bag

So I saw this on McVane (and Rosario too) and decided to bite. So here's my bag with all the contents dumped out. Usually my iPaq is in there too, but I read on it last night so it's still on my nightstand.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting



1. The black bag and silver case is my Sony mp3 player and headphone case. Usually I just have the black bag.
2. Bunch of Trident gum that got dumped to the bottom along with some wrappers and mints.
3. my cell
4. Sample of makeup from Estee Lauder (I think that's the place) that's their lightest shade but still too dark
5. Change and a bill. Usually that's all nice and neat in my wallet there, but I was in a hurry a few days ago and didn't put it in.
6. albuterol. Don't need it often, but I always try to carry it with me.
7. Lotion and hand sanitizer
8. Target receipts. I do there SO much. There are more in my wallet, too.
9. bandaids
10. tampons (just in case, you know)
11. chapstick. The black thing under the tampons is another chapstick, it's on a lanyard, you can see the string there.
12. My work badge on a Fighting Sioux lanyard
13. Work keys with chapstick on the key chain
14. little LED flashlight
15. silver pen that's also a laser pointer and pda stylus.
16. camphophenique that I keep for Nick
17. more lip gloss in orange tube
18. library card and gym card
19. various slips of paper and coupons, most that need to get tossed
20. gum I just bought today. Watermelon flavored. Yum.
21. and my green leather wallet. Very handy and usually all my receipts and money and change are in it. And yes, I'm being honest there.

So there you have the contents of my purse.

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding edited by P.N. Elrod

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding with stories by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, L.A. Banks, Rachel Caine, P.N. Elrod, Esther M. Friesner, Lori Handeland, and Susan Krinard.



I'm not really going to do a synopsis. Each story is different, but they all deal with weddings and the supernatural.

Spellbound by L.A. Banks deal with the Hatfield/McCoy rivalry thing with some magic added in. It's rather cute and funny, but sometimes a bit too campy for my taste.

Something Borrowed by Jim Butcher has Harry as best man for Billy and Georgia's wedding (the werewolves, remember?). Things come up and it's up the Harry to save the day. Fun story.

Dead Man's Chest by Rachel Caine is a contemporary that has romance cover model Ian marrying Cecilia Welles on a pirate ship captained by Capt. Lockhart. To say more would spoil some of the fun, but it's a nice Pirates of the Caribbean flavored story.

All Shook Up by P.N. Elrod has an Elvis impersonator with some magic. I skimmed a lot of the story since I really really don't like Elvis. Sorry.

The Wedding of Wylda Serene by Esther M. Friesner was entertaining. It has Wylda Serene getting married in a place where weird things have a habit of happening. Contained Greek mythology and other magical happenings. Fun story, if a bit hard to really explain without spoilers.

Charmed by the Moon by Lori Handeland is about Jessie McQuade and Will Cadotte's wedding. Fun story and makes me want to read the rest of the series that I haven't read.

Tacky by Charlaine Harris has a vampire marrying a werewolf and all the problems that entails. Fun story, though not sure how or if it is connected to her Sookie Stackhouse series.

A Hard Day's Night-Searcher is a Dark-Hunter story. This time it's Rafael Santiago getting together with Squire Celena. Nothing real spectacular here and the romance is a bit unbelievable.

"...Or Forever Hold Your Peace" by Susan Krinard. It says it's a Kit and Olivia Adventure, but that doesn't mean anything to me. If it is, I hope to read more of their books. I rather liked this one. It starts out with a man objecting to the wedding of Lady Emma and Lord Edward, but then running out of the church and dying on the steps. Other adventures ensue as the bride later disappears and Kit and Olivia go after her. I liked this one.

The whole anthology is a quick read and fun. Some of the stories are better than others, but on the whole, I enjoyed most of them.

Possessed by Stephanie Doyle

Possessed by Stephanie Doyle



Cassandra Allen's gift is so uncanny that even the skeptical police now consult her on murder investigations. But when she's called in to investigate a rash of serial murders, her mind is assaulted by a terrifying being from beyond… .

Cass believes the evil force attempting to possess her is involved in the killings. But how? Then she meets Malcolm McDonough, brother of the first victim. He's successful, attractive, unsettling… and he doesn't believe that Cass hears the dead. Yet even as Malcolm denies her claims, he is counting on Cass to lead them to the killer.

Because all the victims have one thing in common--"her."


I grabbed this one Saturday night when we went to Walmart to see the Wii line. I'm really glad I did because it is a great story. Cass is a great heroine and I loved how her gift worked. It's a Bombshell, but there's also a good romance between Cass and Malcolm. The things that keep them apart are valid and I don't think Cass ever did anything TSTL. Which was a very welcome change. I kept waiting for her to, but she never did.

I did figure out who the bad guy was, but only because it was the only person it could be. Just not quite enough other characters mentioned. But since it's a short book, that's fine. It didn't really take anything away from the reading.

If you like a good psychic story, I recommend this one. Makes me want to find other books by Stephanie Doyle. I think I have some of the shelf around here somewhere. I'm really sad the Bombshell line is leaving because they're just now in the last six months or so to come out with some really good stories. Guess I'll continue to pick them up as they come in to work.

We have a Wii!!

And I didn't have to stand in line much for it. We had a bit of fun last night and drove around to look at the lines that were forming at Best Buy, SuperTarget, and Super-Walmart. Long lines. Walmart was selling them at midnight, but there were only going to be 20 there and the line was longer than that. And Best Buy had a line too.

But we got up at 7 and headed to SuperTarget at around 7:20 and grabbed one of the last tickets. They had 51 consoles and we got ticket 48. So we didn't have any trouble getting one, but I bet there were lots more at other places who didn't get one.

Nick plans to try out a local game store to get Zelda. We were going to get the Wii there, but we were too far down the waiting list to get one from their first shipment.

Wii Sports is fun, going to go bowl or something.

Wii wishes

I want a Wii. Will I get a Wii? Yes. Will I get one tomorrow? Who knows. People are already in line at SuperTarget, but I really don't feel like sitting in the cold all night. So tomorrow morning it is. So maybe I will, maybe I won't.

I wish...

I wish that I knew what to wish for for Christmas. Seriously, my list is like 7 things long and kinda pathetic. Okay, seriously pathetic.

Went to Best Buy tonight to look at cameras. I'd seen one online that I thought looked good and had good reviews, but once I picked it up in the store, I knew it wasn't for me. The zoom toggle thingy was just in too annoying a place. *pout* I really want a nice small camera.

Also saw game stuff there. We're buying the Wii on Sunday so I looked at games there. We already know we're getting the new Zelda. And I've decided to buy a Nintendo DS with my bonus money. So looked at games for that, too.

Had fun my day off. Watched some tv, played more Final Fantasy 12. All in all, good day. And Nick made supper. meatball sandwiches. Yum.

Eyes of Crow by Jeri Smith-Ready

Eyes of Crow by Jeri Smith-Ready is another book I just finished sometime last week.



For Rhia was bound to the Spirit of Crow, gifted with the foresight of Death's approach and doomed to the isolation of one feared and set apart.

There must always be one whose magic can ease the passage of the people of Asermos to the Other Side. But to be the guide her people require, to truly know the depth of her gift--her curse--Rhia must surrender herself to the wisdom of the Great Forest…and drink deeply of Death itself. And though two powerful men stand ready to aid her, even to love her, the Aspect of Crow demands unthinkable sacrifices from one who walks its path.


I liked Eyes of Crow, though it isn't a perfect book. It follows Rhia from a small child to her as a young adult and deals a lot with her coming to grips with having the aspect of Crow. Smith-Ready certainly put together an interesting world that seems to be set in a future where magic now is everywhere, but once was not. Could be an alternate world, could be our own, but far far in the future. Don't know. But doesn't really matter.

It's mostly a coming of age story for Rhia. We learn how she nearly died as a child, how she knew when people or animals would die, and her fear of her ability. So much of the story is her learning to embrace her aspect and learn to love herself. There's also a bit of romance with Marek, who she meets when she goes to another village to learn about Crow.

All in all, it's a nice story, if a bit slow going at times. There's just not a whole lot of action until the end of the story. No saving the world in this one, but it seems that that might come into play during future books as Rhia's people battle the Descendants (people who believe in one god and think her and her people are savages).

the weekend

yes indeed, today is the day for lots of posts. Guess I'm making up for lost time.

The in-laws came to visit this weekend. We had lots of fun in the two days that they were here. On Friday, we went shopping and had loads of fun. Same thing on Saturday, although we also hit the art museum here. I'd never been there, but it's a great place. We were going to go to the Czech museum to see the Andy Warhol exhibit, but we didn't have the time.

I bought a few sweaters, including this fabulously soft hoodie from the Gap Body store. OMG, it's so soft. I want to get another one. Maybe the red.

Won't get to see them until Christmas, so it was great to visit with them. I think I must have some of the best in-laws ever. They are just so incredibly nice and sweet.

And had today off too to recharge. So that's 4 days off in a row from work. Feels nice. Tomorrow I work a nice day shift, then another day off and then I work the rest of the week. But oh, next week is Thanksgiving week. Which means Black Friday is coming up. Hoo boy.

Oh, and I bought a few books from Samhain:

Strip Tease by Kate Davies
With Nine You Get Vanyr by Jean Marie Ward and Teri Smith
Not Quite Dead by Sela Carsen

And now I'm going to hope that the pain in my abdomen goes away. I'm already mad I couldn't go work out because it hurt. Grrr.

The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson

Well then. I'm finally writing up the review for this book. And yet I'm still not quite sure what I think of it. But what it does do well is uniqueness. There isn't a book quite like it out right now (okay, since it's a March 2007 release, there really isn't anything like it out), I don't think.

The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson (blog here)



Here's the back copy that I have on this ARC:

Welcome to Las Vegas Nevada...As you've never seen it before.

Supernatural fantasy has never been hotter, or more dangerous. For there's another world behind the bright lights and nonstop action of Sin City...one where Light and Shadow wage an immortal war for supremacy. But the eternal battle has reached the tipping point, and only one person can change the future: Joanna Archer, heiress, photographer, and vigilante. And no one knows the darkness within better than she does.


So....on to what I think. Well, hmm...I'm not really quite sure about how I feel about Joanna, the main character. The story is first person like most urban fantasy seems to be. Joanna is a pretty strong character, though she's got the usual nasty past that's coming back to haunt her.

The paranormal aspects here are certainly unique. They deal with the Zodiac and the idea of being able to smell the opposition. Pettersson does a very good job of conveying that. There's some romance with an old boyfriend, but not enough to really call this a romance. It's definitely more urban fantasy than anything.

And even though I have such a tough time talking about the book, I did end up staying up late to finish the book. So it definitely held my attention. I'll be picking up the second one when it comes out.

So what's up with me?

Well, a lot, I suppose.

I've been having issues with depression for the last couple months and I finally admitted that it was becoming a real problem and went to the doctor. So I'm back on meds and I really hope that they help. And well, if they don't, I'll explore other options. I don't really like the person I am when I'm not myself. Er, that doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? I must have the most wonderful husband because he's just always there. A wonderful shoulder to lean on even when he's working overtime. Thanks, Nick.

So anyways, my blogging has obviously been affected. Some of it's the depression and some the working full-time, but I really miss everything. And I'm really determined to get it back. I have still been reading, still having opinions on what I'm reading and I'm sure you'll hear it.

And congrats to Kristie on her first day of work. Hope it's going well! Except, where'd her blog go? I just get a blank page. *pout*

And hey, I updated my sidebar. Bet you guys were getting seriously irked at not seeing it change.

Mr. Right Now by Monica Jackson

I've had this book awhile and always meant to get to it. So I did a little while back (okay, quite awhile back. So sue me).



What I don't get is how a paranormal romance involving a psycho ex-girlfriend gets this back blurb:

When three best girlfriends decide it’s time to get married, the first order of business is to find some decent husband material. But looking for Mr. Right is about to lead three nearly-thirty sistahs down a rocky road of matchmaking… Luby Uniquoncie Jones—a career girl on a fast track to success. She prepares for romance like she lands a new account…no nonsense and all business. But can commitment ever become her bottom line?

Danielle Sellers—lucky in looks, but unlucky in love, she has a weakness for sexy bad boys who set her on fire then leave her crying. Now she’s worried that a good man won’t be able to turn up her heat.

Catherine "Cat" Bronson—fine and fun-loving, already has the sweetest guy in the world, but she’s joining this "dating thing" anyway. If she goes too far, she may lose the good thing she’s got.

Soon Luby, Danielle, and Cat have entered dating hell, complete with disastrous set-ups, crazy attractions, and a wild ride on Cupid’s rollercoaster. There may be thrills, and there are sure to be spills, but the biggest surprise will be the truly fine one-in-a-million man who comes along with a heart open to true love…


I think this may be one of the most misleading blurb I've ever read. It's a good thing I actually knew what the book was about before I read the back.

So real info about Monica Jackson's Mr. Right Now. It's about Luby, who's almost given up on men. Luby spots Jake in her apartment hall and it's lust at first site. But he's white and she's not, so she figures she can set him up with Danielle as a better alternative than the usual men Danielle goes for. Well, Danielle is having none of that, but it gets Luby and Jake together. And that's where the paranormal stuff starts to happen. And where the back blurb is uber-misleading. Cat and Danielle are really just secondary characters. It's mostly about Jake and his powers and the power that Luby may have and Jake's psycho ex-girlfriend who now wants to kill Luby for supposedly stealing her man. Does any of that figure into the blurb? Nope.

Anyways, it's not a bad story, but overall, not one that's too terribly compelling. It's a bit choppy at times and sometimes the POV changes from chapter to chapter can be confusing and don't really seem to add much to the story. So it's an interesting idea, but the execution could use some work. So, not mad I spent the time reading it, but ultimately, it's just an average book and I wasn't quite sure whether I really thought the romance between Jake and Luby was really there and that they'd stay together after the end of the book.

The Valley of the Soul by Tamara Siler Jones

Tamara Siler Jones is definitely getting put on my must-buy list. Well, actually, she was there the first time I read her first book. And the second. And now the third. I bought this at the beginning of the month when it first came out, but didn't read it until last night because I knew it would be good. Something to be savored. And yes, I was right. Unfortunately, there isn't anything quite like her books and after reading it, you want to go out and devour more. And there just aren't more. Sad.



In the mage wars, Dubric Byerly risked his life–and sacrificed the woman he loved–to catch magic’s darkest killers. Those battles are long over–and the monsters Dubric hunts these days are nothing more than men. Until now. A recent string of grisly crimes has Dubric and his pages scouring the countryside for clues that hint at the worst: that history’s most murderous mage has come to Faldorrah.

As Dubric’s hunt leads from secrets locked behind sanatorium walls to a hidden cache of souls preserved in fluid, other lives are shaken: a young woman given a power she doesn’t want, a young man inheriting a legacy he can’t understand, and a father fighting for his memory of a daughter who may already be lost. In the hardscrabble village of Quarry Run, the dark ghosts of the past have come calling–and the battle for the future begins....


The Valley of the Soul starts out not too long after the events of the previous book. In that one, many people were deeply affected by those events and we see more about how they are dealing with it all. Otlee, Lars, Dien, Maeve, and many more all show up in this story too.

Dubric and his men are called in to investigate a series of sheep mutilations, but when they find a mage mark on some, Dubric realizes that they must quickly find out who is behind it, before it is people who are killed.

There are so many different storylines and threads that are interwoven into the story, yet all the people are so distinct that I never found myself confused. I loved learning more about the history of the world that Jones has built and it only fuels my desire to read more stories set in it. I don't want to really spoil the story by telling more about it, but if you like fantasy, this is a must-read. I just loved it. Loved it loved it loved it. It's dark, occasionally quite disturbing, but oh so compelling.

Concert goodness

Went to see Godsmack. Very good show. Am now very tired. Good night.

I need more time

in a day. Just isn't enough time. I've declared tonight as off limits to FFXII. Need to spend some time with the husband. I've been neglecting him. And the laundry. And I need to make chocolate chip cookies for work tomorrow.

There are a few books that I've been meaning to get as ebooks, but won't until I finish up Mel's book.

No Rest For the Wicked by Kresley Cole
The Spider Stone by Alex Archer
Strip Tease by Kate Davies

I also really want to read Linda Lael Miller's newest, but don't feel like paying trade price for it. I hope it comes in to the library or work.

DH got a new computer (okay, the guts are new) and spent last night getting it up and running. So now I get his old ram for my computer, but er....need to clean that area off so he can actually get to my case. it's a bit piled high. Perhaps I will clean it tonight and give you all before and after pictures. it's pretty bad. But I'll have 2 gigs of ram when it's all done. Nice.

Godsmack concert tomorrow. Yay! Swiping their first cd from my brother was how I really started listening to rock. So it'll be fun to see them live.

And argh, anyone else HATE political phone calls? Ooph. Thank goodness it'll all be done next Tuesday. And yes, I will be voting. No, I won't tell you how. :-Þ

My accent

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: North Central

"North Central" is what professional linguists call the Minnesota accent. If you saw "Fargo" you probably didn't think the characters sounded very out of the ordinary. Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot.

The West
The Midland
Boston
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The South
The Northeast
What American accent do you have?
Take More Quizzes



Yup, I'd say it's probably right on.

Oops

I seem to have gone away from my blog. Bad me. Blame it on FFXII. As in I played it most of the day Tuesday (though there was a nap in there since I'd stayed up waaaay too late the night before reading and finishing The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson. Still thinking about what I think of that book, too.). Then I have had to work a few more closing shifts than usual, so that time is sucked up.

I really don't like working a closing shift. Then I don't see Nick much because by the time I get home, he's getting ready to head off to bed. And I'm still not really that tired and ready. Ugh. But what can you do?

but FFXII is really cool. And Basch has this wonderful voice. I just love it.