Author Archive
Great Paranormal Romance: Insatiable by Meg Cabot
Posted by: | Comments
Title: Insatiable
Author: Meg Cabot
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Pages: 464 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Best Book Quote: “Meena,” he said. His voice was a gruff whisper in the darkened gallery. “What are you hiding from me?” Her voice was as throaty as his. “Nothing,” she lied. “I swear.” And then the incredible happened. His mouth came down on hers.”
Move over Twilight because I’ve found a new vampire romance story that I love. Its called Insatiable by Meg Cabot and it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
The Story: Meena Harper is a writer for a highly rated daytime soap opera. Although skilled in her field, she also has another talent: the ability to look at someone and see when they will die. She’s used this gift numerous times to help others avoid danger – too bad it couldn’t be used to forsee this latest dilemna: vampires. You see the corporate suits have decided to write vampires into the soap opera’s storyline. Meena thinks that’s simply ridiculous – why would anyone want to watch a TV show about vampires? I guess it’s a good thing Meena is a writer and not in marketing . . .
At a neighbor’s party, Meena is introduced to Lucien Antonescu, a visiting professor from Romania, who, unbeknownst to her, is really the supreme prince of darkness and the son of Dracula himself. He’s immediately intrigued by her, this young woman who sees the future and can steer people away from certain death. As for Meena, she’s completely surprised that this polished, urbane, beautiful man is so focused on her; she’s completely swept off her feet by his attentions. Then reality sets in when Alaric Wulf, vampire hunter extraordinaire, tells her that her new lover is a super-vamp and she has landed in the middle of a vampire war.
I love a book with great dialogue and that’s what Meg Cabot has delivered in Insatiable. Meena is an independent character with spirit and soul who you connect with immediately. Lucien is brooding and dark after living for 500 years (it’s fascinating to watch Meena bring him back to life). Alaric is an emotionally closed warrior whose mission to kill every vampire on earth is forever altered by Meena and her life-affirming attitude. I think of this book as Twilight on steroids. I won’t give away the ending – you have to read it – but I think (and sure hope!) there is the chance for a sequel. I was so entranced, I read it in one sitting and you know that feeling you have when a good book is over? That’s how I felt when I finished this book – disappointed it was over and praying for a sequel.
This is a great book written by an extremely talent storyteller whose work will undoubtedly re-energize the paranormal romance genre. Tired of vampires? I think not.
About Meg Cabot
Meg Cabot has written over 50 books that span the adult and young adult markets. Her popular Princess Diaries books were the basis for two hit movies. She also writes the fantastic Heather Wells adult mystery series (the first book is titled “Size 12 Is Not Fat”).
Insatiable is her first adult paranormal book.
Sexy Werewolf Alert: True Blood Episode 3 – It Hurts Me Too
Posted by: | Comments
This guy makes me feel all tingly and causes me to think bad things. And when I say “bad” I mean very naughty.
Meet Joe Manganiello, who you may remember from the show One Tree Hill where he played a sexy bartender. In tonight’s episode of True Blood he stars as Alcide Herveaux, a sexy werewolf that joins the True Blood cast to help Sookie find Bill.
Um, Bill who?
Just kidding of course (sort of).
Anyway, last week’s show ended with Eric confronting a werewolf that had broken into Sookie’s home.
Here’s what happened in tonight’s episode:
Top 10 Highlights from True Blood Episode 3: It Hurts Me Too
#10 - Russell Edgington, the Gay Vampire King of Mississippi, suggests that Bill turn Sookie into a vampire if he really loves her. Turns out, Bill’s maker Lorena was the one who suggested that Russell approach Bill about betraying the Queen of Louisiana.
#9 - Tara, who’s never been big on vampires, has an intense sexual encounter with Franklin Mott, the vampire that defended her outside Merlotte’s.
I find Franklin to be extremely creepy and sleazy. He visits Jessica at Bill’s home, taking her the head of the guy she mistakenly killed. Looks like he plans to blackmail her into giving him information on Bill. Hmmn, I wonder what he’s up to.
#8 - Poor Sam. His family is so . . . um, lame. While visiting him at Merlotte’s his father proceeds to give alcohol to Sam’s underage brother and has the nerve to get an attitude when Sam stops him.
#7 - Meet Jason “Barney Fife” Stackhouse! Jason decides it’s his calling to serve and protect. Now would you want Jason running around your city with a gun and a license to use it in the name of the law?
Speaking of Jason, he’s now dreaming of people with bullet holes in their heads.
#6 - Arlene goes in for a sonogram and gets the surprising news that she’s 9 weeks pregnant. She’s shocked because she and Terry haven’t been together that long. However, when she tells Terry about the baby, she lets him think it’s his.
#5 - Sookie, sweet thing that she is, paid for Eggs’ funeral. She and Tara reunite during the ceremony. Sookie tells Tara to move into her home while she’s away in Jackson looking for Bill.
#4 - Bill’s flashback: we see Bill in 1868 going home to see his wife who, of course, thought he was dead. She realizes something’s wrong with him, turns to run from the home, and is grabbed by Lorena. His poor wife, whose son just died of smallpox, is so distraught, she begs Bill to kill her. At Lorena’s request Bill wipes his wife’s memory.
#3 - In order to ensure Sookie’s (and his own) safety, Bill renounces his fealty to the kingdom of Louisiana and pledged his loyalty to the Gay Vampire King of Mississippi.
#2 - Eric gives Lafayette a brand new convertible for being his top seller of V. He attempts to entice Lafayette into selling more V (to his wealthy clients) by promising him lots of money.
#1 - Franklin, who I’m really growing to dislike, visits Tara at Sookie’s house. Although she initially refuses to let him in he hypnotizes her into inviting him inside.
The episode ends with Bill and Lorena having the most eye popping (or is that neck popping) sex I’ve ever seen!
And here’s the funniest line from True Blood Episode 3: It Hurts Me Too:
• When Sam’s dad see’s Merlotte’s he says: “I always dreamed of having my own chicken shack. I’d call it Mickey’s Chicken & Chitlins.”
Question for viewers: Didn’t it look like Franklin, Tara’s vampire one-night stand, was awake during the day? What gives?
True Blood Season 3 Episode 2: Beautifully Broken
Posted by: | Comments
Last week’s episode ended with Bill being surrounded by a pack of wolves. He tells them “I should warn you – I’ve fed.”
This week’s show starts off just how I like my True Blood episodes – with lots of naked male bodies!
Top 10 Highlights from True Blood Episode 1: Beautifully Broken
#10 - Lafayette saves Tara’s life when she attempts to overdose on pills because she’s so distraught over Eggs’ death. Damn I love Lafayette! He’s one of the strongest characters on the show.
And there’s more: accomplished actress Alfre Woodard has joined the show as Lafayette’s mother. Lafayette takes Tara with him to visit her. Get this: one of the aides at Lafayette’s mother’s nursing home is a hot Latino guy named Jesus that (rumor has it) will become a love interest for Lafayette. Yea, I hope Lafayette finds happiness this season – he definitely deserves it.
#9 - Bill meets the Gay Vampire King of Mississippi, Russell Edgington who rides in on a beautiful white horse. Let me tell you, the King lives in STYYLE! His mansion is gorgeous. Okay, perhaps it’s a bit over the top but I have to admire his decorating sense.
Turns out, the K of M played a part in Bill’s abduction. His reason: he’s plotting a few political moves against the Queen of Louisiana and wants Bill to work with him. When Bill refuses he issues a veiled threat against Sookie.
#8 - Sookie and Jessica go to Eric to seek assistance in finding Bill. Eric acts as if he doesn’t know what happened to Bill. He later confesses to Sookie that he lied to her. He tells her that the werewolves that took Bill are part of a werewolf pack that are infused with vampire blood. He decides to help her since the werewolves appear to be targeting her.
#7 - Baby Vamp Jessica seeks advice from Pam on how to dump a dead body that you accidentally kill. It appears that Bill hasn’t done such a good job teaching Jessica how to drink blood from a human without killing it. Oops, did I just call a human, “it”?
#6 - Yikes! Eric actually shows his humanity when Sookie cries over Bill’s disappearance! He says “don’t do that – you make me feel disturbingly human.” He then flashes back to when he tortured a werewolf during what appears to be WWII.
#5 - While at the K or M’s mansion, Bill’s maker Lorena appears. Bill, not happy to see her, light’s her fire.
#4 - Two more new characters appear in tonight’s episode: Crystal Norris (who Jason meets while out on a police call with Andy Bellefluer) and Franklin Mott, a sexy British vampire that Tara meets at Merlotte’s bar. Franklin comes to Tara’s rescue when she confronts two rednecks outside Merlotte’s.
#3 - Jessica and Hoyt are SO CUTE TOGETHER! I gotta tell you, I really like Hoyt – he cares so much for Jessica. also, it’s good to see that Jessica hasn’t lost her touch with humanity since she became a vampire. To be perfectly honest, she’s become a better person since she was turned. If you’ll remember, she was a brat when she was a human.
#2 - Good news: Sam found his family! Bad news: Sam found his family! They’re not exactly the Waltons.
#1 - Oh crap! The guy that Baby Vamp Jessica killed isn’t dead! Or more importantly, he’s undead.
The episode ends with Eric facing down a werewolf that has broken into Sookie’s home.
And here are the:
Funniest Lines from True Blood Episode 2 – Beautifully Broken:
• When Sookie tells Jason that werewolves exist he says: “Bigfoot, is he real too? Santa?”
• Baby vamp Jessica, while spraying air freshner over the guy she killed and talking on the phone with a saleperson says: “Do you carry chainsaws? Okay, how much are they? Um, can I rent one of those for the night?”
Question for viewers: What did you think of Snoop Dogg’s “Oh Sookie” music video after the show?
Meet a Witty Smart Mouthed Heroine in Witch Craft by Caitlin Kittredge
Posted by: | Comments
Witchcraft by Caitlin Kittredge is the fourth book in the Nocturne City series and definitely my favorite. The character of Luna gets more interesting as each new novel joins the series. She’s one tough chick, but considering she’s a werewolf, that only seems to make sense. In this latest installment, Luna is the head of the new Supernatural Crimes Squad in Nocturne City which requires her to be a super bad-ass she-wolf hellion. Unfortunately, the people in Nocturne City aren’t too happy about the fact that supernatural beings live there; they’re even less pleased with the fact that they have a police squad solely devoted to taking care of supernatural crimes.
Nonetheless, Luna has a job to do. So when a mysterious fire (obviously supernatural in origin) burns with intense heat and incinerates the occupant of the house, it’s Luna and her squad that are called in to investigate. The cops at the scene aren’t too happy to see her and then, to make matters more difficult, a totally sexy ATF agent, Will Fagan, joins the investigation.
Luna is at first a bit annoyed with him but he finally wears her down to the point where he becomes an integral part of the case. Just in time too because more burned bodies show up and a secret is discovered that could put the whole of Nocturne City in the hands of some very disagreeable witches.
With Witch Craft the author has written an unrelenting non-stop action story that has you wishing you could take a break for just a minute, but there is no way you’re going to put it down until the very last fulfilling moment. Plus the love triangle between Luna, Will, and Lucas – her nemesis from earlier books – has you wondering who’s finally going to “get lucky” throughout the whole book.
Luna’s piercing repartee actually had me jotting down notes of things I wanted to remember to say at a later date. One of my favorite lines was Luna’s quip to Will that he needed to move his “penis replacement” car before she had it towed. I can’t remember how many times I’ve wanted to say something like that to a few guys who got in my way.
Although some people may find Luna a bit too harsh I found her refreshingly and equally irritating to everyone – she’s an equal opportunity smart ass. I was pleased to find a female character that says exactly what she’s thinking. After all, it is not called urban fantasy for nothing.
It’s BAACK! True Blood Season 3 Episode 1: Pack of Wolves
Posted by: | Comments
I’m so excited! Tonight’s episode of True Blood Season 3, Episode 1 was AWESOME!
To recap the cliff hanger from last season: Sookie and Bill are sharing a romantic dinner together when Bill pops the question and asks Sookie to marry him. Sookie is flustered and goes to the bathroom to calm down. While there she decides to tell Bill yes, she’ll marry him. Sookie returns to their table only to find Bill gone! Bill has been kidnapped by someone in black gloves with a silver chain.
So, without further ado here are the Top 10 Highlights from True Blood Episode 1: Pack of Wolves
#10 - Bill is kidnapped by “The Fuck You Crew” (their words, not mine) who hold him captive in the back seat of a car (by binding him in silver chains) while drinking his blood. But they’re a bunch of amateurs and Bill eventually escapes.
#9 - Baby Vamp Jessica mistakenly kills a man. She apparently bit him a bit too deeply. She’s pretty distraught over this and decides to turn him. Doesn’t look like it worked but you never know.
#8 - Jason has a “hard” time dealing with his murder of Eggs, Tara’s boyfriend. Although he’s a serious horn dog he’s unable to perform when he picks up two women at Merlotte’s bar.
#7 - Sam is still trying to find clues to his past.
#6 - Ah ha! We learn that Eric is behind Bill’s kidnapping. He was concerned about Bill’s ability to link the Queen of Louisiana with the selling of vampire blood to humans.
#5 - Poor Tara. She’s so distraught over Eggs that she tries to kill herself.
#4 - Bill, still weak from being kidnapped and bound in silver, enters the home of an ill elderly lady. He’s apparently overcome with hunger because he decides to attack her, something totally against Bill’s nature. Fortunately, he doesn’t hurt her and erases her memory after feeding from her. He even gives her some money, telling her that it’s from her son.
#3 - Sam dreams that BILL MAKES A PASS AT HIM! And in Sam’s dream, he’s TOTALLY interested in kissing Bill full on the mouth! Say what? My mouth was open in awe the entire time.
#2 - Eric has a NIICE butt! Tonight we saw Eric’s fully naked backside! Yikes he looks good!
#1 - Bill, on his way back to Bon Temps, is surrounded by a pack of werewolves! The episode ends with him baring his fangs at them.
And here are the Three Funniest Lines from True Blood Episode 1 – Pack of Wolves:
1. Eric, on being interrupted from having sex with his new Fangtasia dancer says: “Sookie, meet Yvetta, from Estonia. Yvetta, meet Sookie, from here.”
Jason, when Hoyt expresses concern about picking up two women, says: “If you and I are going to be roommates there’s a certain amount of pussy overflow you’ll have to deal with.”
Pam, upon entering Sookie’s completely trashed home said: “Now why’d you have to go and kill that maenad – she’s a terrific decorator.”
Question for viewers: What Was Your Favorite Scene From Episode 1?
