Thursday, February 28, 2013

Movie Review: Hotel Transylvania


Blurb: 
Welcome to Hotel Transylvania Dracula's lavish five-stake resort where monsters and their families can live it up and no humans are allowed. One special weekend Dracula (Adam Sandler) has invited all his best friends Frankenstein and his wife the Mummy the Invisible Man the Werewolf family and more to celebrate his beloved daughter Mavis's (Selena Gomez) 118th birthday. For Dracula catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem but the party really starts when one ordinary guy stumbles into the hotel and changes everything!

Review: Anymore I find myself watching more animated films than regular ones. Go figure! I have no kids, but I am a kid at heart.

Hotel Transylvania has quite a cast doing the voices; Adam Sandler (who sounded more like Steve Carell's Gru from Despicable Me then Dracula), Fran Drescher as Frankenstein's wife and Selena Gomez as Dracula's daughter, Mavis.

The movie is really cute without being childish so parents and kids will have a good time watching this one.

When you compare it to this season's other animated Halloween film (Paranorman) I have to say, Hotel Transylvania comes out on top.

Why?

This movie stays lighthearted and fun. It is really a story of an overprotective father and his coming of age daughter set in a Monster Hotel. Think an animate Suite Life with monsters.

There's nothing to scare you with this film, overall it will make you laugh more than anything. The animation is good without being over the top. The werewolf kids are hilarious to watch when they come to the hotel for Mavis party.

Johnny voiced by Andy Samberg is human, Dracula is trying to hide from the other monsters and he is a hoot, especially as the teenage? love between him and Mavis blossoms, much to dad Dracula's chagrin. Johnny-stein (as he's named to keep the other monsters from freaking out) is really the highlight of the film. His antics bring all the laughs.

Recommended to fans of light monster movies and animated films

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Cover Reveal: An Invitation To Sin

Here's the gorgeous cover of Sarah Morgan's May release for Harlequin Presents!

Isn't it gorgeous!


Book Blurb: Snapped and seduced: there's nothing more dangerous than a restless Corretti... Taylor Carmichael holds one thing precious: the reputation she's spent years rebuilding. Then one encounter with Corretti lothario Luca, a bottle of chilled champagne and a skintight dress and the paparazzi have their shot.

Cool, calm and irritatingly aloof, Luca couldn't care less. Splash his face over the papers-he has bigger fish to fry. But Taylor is fuming. Luca had the chance to halt the press and refused. Well, this time she'll make the headlines work for her:

STOP THE PRESS: BAD BOY LUCA CORRETTI TO WED SCREEN SIREN TAYLOR CARMICHAEL

Preorder: Amazon

Friday, February 22, 2013

Monday, February 18, 2013

Cover Reveal: His Clockwork Canary

Out June 6th by Beth Ciotta

Tell me this isn't one of the hotest Steampunk covers?

I totally want to read this one.

So far no blurb or excerpt, so I'm judging this book by its cover.

Bad me, right?

I don't care!

I love gorgeous book covers.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Audio Book: Like Em Or Hate Em?

I have to say, I can not see the appeal of audio books. Something is lost when a book is read to me.

Why?

My mind wanders.

I have one Doctor Who novel in audio format.

It takes up 6 CDs!

I doubt I'll ever be able to listen to the whole book let alone remember what the book was about.

I've tried short audios, and I'm ok with them, especially if they have a great reader, like David Tennant.

He can read to me any time he wants.

What are your feelings on audio books?

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

CBLS Book Review: Finding Justice


Author: Rachel Brimble
Title: Finding Justice
Publisher: Harlequin Superromance
Publish Date: Feb 5, 2013
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: CBLS Promotions & the author
Book Blurb:  Old friends, new secrets Sergeant Cat Forrester lives by her own set of rules. When her childhood friend is murdered, Cat's world is thrown into chaos. Especially because Jay Garrett—a man from her past—is a suspect, and he needs her help to prove he's innocent. After all they once shared, how can she say no?

The attraction flares between them, and getting involved with a suspect is a huge risk. But the more time Cat spends with Jay, the stronger the tug on her heart. He is the same caring, irresistible man she remembers. Yet she can't let her emotions interfere with the case—solving it is top priority. And as she digs deeper, she discovers Jay has secrets that may jeopardize any possible future together.

Review: Finding Justice is Rachel Brimbles debut novel for Harlequin Superromance and it doesn't disappoint. This book could easily have been published under the Intrigue line, but I'm glad it didn't.

Cat is the kind of heroine you very rarely find in Harlequins where any level of mystery is involved. She's a top notch inspector and there's not a weak bone in her body when it comes to finding a killer. Now when it comes to her personal life that's another story.

I loved Cat and I especially loved how she put the case first, over her blossoming relationship with Jay, a childhood friend that she shared a one night stand with.

There was a good mix of personal feelings as well as intrigue to this book and a big plus was how the romance part was there, and at times it sizzled, but it wasn't the focal point of the story, that was left for the mystery of finding their friend Sarah's killer.

Rachel also adds a bit more to the story, having both the hero and the heroines mother as addicts, Jay with drugs and Julia with alcohol. Its not something you usually see in Harlequin romance, but it really humanized Jay. It also took him away from the "Alpha Male" category that most heroes from series romance fall into. He was flawed very much so, and that makes me love him all the more.

As for the whodunit, I figured it out pretty early on, but I'm pretty good at that.

Anyone that likes a good mystery will enjoy this one. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Rating: 5 stars



About the Author: 
Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. She started writing short stories about eight years ago but once her children were at school, she embarked on her first novel. It was published in 2007. Since then, she’s had several books published with small presses as well as securing her first contract with Harlequin Superromance in May 2012. 

Represented by US agent Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency, Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England. And in the evening? Well, a well-deserved glass of wine is never, ever refused…

Connect with Rachel Brimble:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Monday, February 11, 2013

CBLS Book Tours Interview : Rachel Brimble - Finding Justice

Finding Justice
by Rachel Brimble
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Published by Harlequin Superromance
Release Date: February 1, 2013
Heat Level: Steamy
Word Count: 85,000

Available at:
Amazon | ARe | B&N | Harlequin

Blurb:
Old friends, new secrets…

Sergeant Cat Forrester lives by her own set of rules. When her childhood friend is murdered, Cat's world is thrown into chaos. Especially because Jay Garrett-a man from her past-is a suspect, and he needs her help to prove he's innocent. After all they once shared, how can she say no?

The attraction flares between them, and getting involved with a suspect is a huge risk. But the more time Cat spends with Jay, the stronger the tug on her heart. He is the same caring, irresistible man she remembers. Yet she can't let her emotions interfere with the case-solving it is top priority. And as she digs deeper, she discovers Jay has secrets that may jeopardize any possible future together.

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains adult situations and language and may be considered offensive to some readers.

Interview: 

1. Tell us 5 things most readers wouldn't know about you.

- I love to knit
- I have a phobia of bridges
- I regularly eat four jelly donuts from our local bakery in one sitting ;)
- I ‘speak’ for my dog in a stupid voice
- I was rescued by helicopter from a hotel roof during the 2010 French floods

2.What is your favorite genre to read? and what is your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense – although a close second is historical from either the Tudor or Victorian eras. I have attempted a Tudor novel twice so far and abandoned both of them. I just don’t feel confident as I’m writing that period. I’ve just finished third Victorian which will be sent to my agent in the next couple of weeks.

3. What is the most challenging aspect of writing romantic suspense?

The plotting! I LOVE writing romantic suspense but getting the suspense thread and relationship thread right is tricky. I start out with a sketchy plan but it always ends up completely different that I thought at the beginning. ‘Upping the stakes’ is the most important element and I constantly worry about it – I seem to be doing something right, thank goodness!

4. If you could be a character in any of your novels, which one would you be?

I love Cat in Finding Justice – she’s a feisty, hardworking cop who has all sorts of personal problems going on. Yet she manages to balance them and keep her heart in the right place too. I really enjoyed creating her and telling her story. As she’s the star of book one in what I hope is an ongoing series, I intend to keep up with Cat by featuring her as a secondary character in the following books.

5. What is your favorite book?

For a classic – Gone With The Wind

For modern – The Chesapeake series by Nora Roberts or her single title, Montana Sky. Fabulous!

About the Author: 
Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. She started writing short stories about eight years ago but once her children were at school, she embarked on her first novel. It was published in 2007. Since then, she’s had several books published with small presses as well as securing her first contract with Harlequin Superromance in May 2012.

Represented by US agent Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency, Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England. And in the evening? Well, a well-deserved glass of wine is never, ever refused…

Connect with Rachel Brimble:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Follow the rest of the tour: http://www.cblspromotions.com/2013/02/vbt-finding-justice-by-rachel-brimble.html


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Book Promo: Identity Crisis



Identity Crisis by Grace Marshall
Reclusive romance novelist Tess Delaney is the alter ego of Garrett Thorne, bad-boy brother of business tycoon Ellison Thorne. When Tess is nominated for the Golden Kiss Award, Garrett recruits PR specialist, Kendra Davis, to keep his secret and be Tess for the awards despite their mutual animosity. But when Tess is stalked by a rabid fan, an identity crisis is eclipsed by a battle for survival, and Tess Delaney, the woman who doesn’t exist, just might understand Kendra and Garrett’s hearts even better than they do.
Available from:
http://www.xcitebooks.co.uk/Book/7769/Identity-Crisis.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B2PLCOK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00B2PLCOK&linkCode=as2&tag=lucyfelthouse-21
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B2PLCOK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=lucyfelt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00B2PLCOK
Other links will be added here as they become available: http://gracemarshallromance.co.uk/books/identity-crisis/
*****
Excerpt:
Garrett felt like a naughty teenager as they sneaked out the back door, through the gate of the privacy fence and down the alley. He wore a shapeless track suit with the black hoodie pulled up over his head and a scruffy pair of Converse sneakers that weren’t exactly meant for dancing. And Kendra, well she hardly looked ratty, in his opinion. She wore low rider jeans, and where they weren’t hugging her body like a second skin, they were full of threadbare, flesh revealing holes. The black sweat top she wore was cut short enough to show a tantalizing flash of her navel and hips bones when she moved just right. It slid off one shoulder to reveal the thin lacy strap of a red bra. She wore all of her russet locks tucked up under a leather beret. Her fashion statement was topped off with black ankle boots. She looked very, very dangerous. And hot. Of course she didn’t need to dress the part for either, he thought. He was already certain on both counts.

‘You live a little closer to The Boiling Point than Dee does.’ She took his hand and nodded to where the alley T’ed with the street, and then gave way to the park on the other side. ‘She never goes there, of course. Well she did once, but that was just for Harris, then he hated it.’ She giggled. ‘God I wish I could have been there for that.’

‘Am I going to hate it?’ he asked.

She shook her head. ‘Probably not. You’re much more of a bad boy than Harris is, or is that all an act?’

The long line of shiny chrome Harleys out front of the squat cinder block building gave Garrett the first clue that this was not Dancing with the Stars. Kendra waved them away absently. ‘The Boiling Point’s not really a biker bar, but it’s kind of the warm-up act, I suppose you could say. Lots of bikers start off here before they head on to their usual haunts. Makes for an exciting mix. Later in the night there are almost no bikers. But there are always lots of interesting people.’

Any other time, Garrett would have been up for meeting interesting people, but tonight he couldn’t imagine anyone interesting him more than the woman on his arm. He paid the fee at the door and a surly man the size of small house with fire-engine hair and a scruffy beard stamped their hands with a red ink TBP.

Inside a live band had just begun to play to a full, but not yet crowded house. ‘The place gets raided from time to time,’ Kendra said. ‘I don’t know what all goes on. I just come here because it’s interesting.’

‘A good raid and us carted off to the police station will really give the press something to talk about,’ Garrett observed.

‘Don’t worry,’ she yelled to be heard above the band’s bass-heavy version of Highway to Hell. ‘They just got raided last week. They’ll be good to go for a while now. We can relax and enjoy ourselves.’ She pulled him onto the dance floor. ‘Best dance while there’s room. In a few hours it’ll be a real tit squeeze.’

Kendra Davis was just as stunning dark and dangerous as she was golden and romantic, as she was naked in his kitchen, and she definitely knew how to move on the dance floor. But it made Garrett more than a little nervous that he wasn’t the only one who seemed to be noticing the way the woman could shake her booty. He thought about asking her to try not to draw to much attention to herself, but he wasn’t even sure it was possible for Kendra Davis not to draw attention.

The place smelled of leather and beer, and sweat. Already there was a thick haze of pheromones invisible to the eye, but everyone there breathed them it, gave them off and reveled in the dark anticipation of what the night might bring. The look in Kendra’s eyes was bright and wicked, like she would do anything, try anything, like all the boundaries were suddenly negotiable.

And fuck, as amazing as she was like that, as much as he wanted to lose himself in the place, in the experience, there was no way he could keep from thinking about who might be watching her in that crowd, about who might be waiting for just the perfect opportunity.

As though she were reading his mind, she pulled him to her with a hand curled around his neck and spoke against his ear. ‘Oh would you relax, Garrett. Do you really think this is the kind of hang-out Tess Delaney would frequent?’

Then she slid both arms around his neck and let him pull her into a deep, hungry kiss. When it ended with an aggressive flick of his tongue, she offered a throaty giggle. ‘Marking territory, are we?’ Before he had a chance to respond, she returned the favor, plunging her tongue in deep, and tightening a fist in his hair to pull him closer.

He moved a hand to the small of her back and gave her the full frontal rub-up, enough to be sure she knew she’d gotten his cock’s attention. ‘You see where this is leading if you keep that up?’

She pulled away and gave his crotch some breathing room as the music settled into a heavy metal beat that filled the dance floor with lots of heavily booted bikers and their spandex and leather women. Garrett was surprised to find more than a few men in pressed jeans and designer polo shirts bellied up to the bar in the mix that looked like it was probably mostly low-brow. He wasn’t the only man who looked like he’d just come from a work out at the corner gym and Kendra’s shredded jeans seemed to be the fashion statement of more than a few women among a smattering of Goth and grunge and plain old red-neck jeans and tee-shirts with baseball caps.

With each song the band played, the dance floor became fuller and fuller. The strobe light flashed and the disco ball bathed the floor in sparkles as people rocked and strutted and sweated, and it became more and more difficult to tell who was dancing with whom. Garrett was about to grab Kendra by the hand and reel her back in so they could stay connected when a biker in a ZZ Top tee-shirt that smelled like an ashtray and looked like it might have been painted across his bulging pecs managed to slide in between them, turn his back on Garrett, and focus his full attention on Kendra. And suddenly all Garrett could see was his broad back.

‘Kendra,’ he called, but his voice was drowned out in the roar of Def Leppard. And that might have been okay if the man hadn’t been so fucking big. Kendra was certainly entitled to dance with whomever she liked. But he couldn’t see her. He fucking couldn’t see her! Not even her feet between the man’s shuffling boots. ‘Kendra!’ He called again. Louder this time. That at least got the man’s attention, but when he turned to see what Garrett wanted, and he could see beyond the biker’s bulk, Kendra was not there! The woman the man was dancing with had cropped blonde hair and a leather bustier several sizes too small.

‘Kendra!’ Garrett called out, louder this time, shoving his way past the biker, who pulled the blonde to him protectively. Frantically Garrett scanned the burgeoning crowd on the dance floor, scanned the women with hats. There were cowboy hats, police hats, even a few stocking caps, but there were just too many people, too many lights, too much noise. In his mind he could only think of Razor Sharp’s horrid email and Kendra’s response to it. Why the hell hadn’t he forced the issue? Why the hell hadn’t he made her tell him why she was so upset, made her tell him about the stalker Dee had mentioned. And fuck! Why had he let her talk him into bringing her here?

*****
Grace Marshall lives in South England with her husband and the growing gang of hooligan birds who frequent their feeders. When Grace isn’t busy writing something sexy and romantic, she’s busy digging in her ever-expanding veg garden or walking across the British countryside. She finds inspiration outdoors in nature, and most of her best story ideas come to her while she’s walking or gardening.
Grace is the author of the fast paced, quirky Executive Decisions Trilogy  published by Xcite Romance. The first and second novels in the trilogy are out now.

Grace Marshall’s alter-ego, K D Grace, writes critically acclaimed, best-selling erotic romance. Whether it’s sexy romance or romantic sex, between The Graces, there’s a story for you.

Find Grace here:

           

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Lyric Videos? WTF

I have to admit, lyric videos have me a little perplexed. I mean, why spend money on something, when you're likely to be making another video?

It just doesn't make good sense, but then again, it gives your fans something to look at until the real thing comes along.

Case in point: Lady Antebellum's Downtown



But some are a bit more involved like Matchbox Twenty's She's So Mean



So what do you think? Cool or a waste of money for the band?

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Intriguing Reads

Here are two books I've been contemplating buying from Carina Press, well three, if I get book one of The Magnocracy Series.

Vacant Graves: 

Description Book two of The Magnocracy Series Donovan Schist's current job was supposed to be an easy one: grab Phoebe Mosey before pimp and murderer Stanny Slash does, and drag her back home to Ohio--kicking and screaming if necessary. But when a blazing river halts their steam train in the middle of nowhere, the veteran turned detective starts to wish he had stayed in New York.

 With a homicidal Stanny hot on their trail--maybe poisoning Stanny's man was a bad idea--Donovan needs to get Phoebe out of Juniper Junction fast. Even if that means taking a few jobs for some quick cash.

He doesn't expect to find a mining company on the brink of war with a union, or bloodthirsty strike-breakers itching to use a steam tank and other weapons he hasn't seen since the War of Southern Secession. Or that underneath it all lies something much darker--an unspeakably diabolical conspiracy... For more Donovan Schist mysteries, check out Cruel Numbers.



Getting Skinny:

Owning a restaurant is as crazy for Nicky Landry as an alcoholic owning a bar. But despite having to cram herself into a body shaper to look decent in a dress, life is pretty good. She's throwing the party of the year for her graduating doctor boyfriend, Rob, who she's sure is going to propose--until his new girlfriend shows up at the party.

After ordering Rob to get his stuff out of her house and get lost, Nicky finds him faceup with her expensive Chroma knife sticking right out of his cheating heart. As the prime suspect, Nicky is in hot water. And no matter how hard she tries to clear her name, her problems only mount. She's convinced she can solve the murder--if only she can figure out the identity of the skinny person seen walking away with Rob after the party. Getting "Skinny" won't be easy for Nicky, but she never imagined it would be life or death...