Books 1-3 Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

The interaction between Wrath and Beth is nothing short of lovely! How a woman can change such a hard as iron, body and soul, vampire male.

The way that the author works the action packed fights between the lesser's (slayers) and the Brotherhood and the sensual scenes of Brotherhood life is awesome! Ms. Wards take on the vampire genre makes you want more and more everyday! This book is 4/5 stars!




Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetite. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin.

Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him. When Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world, she must rely on Rhage's protection. Knowing that Mary feels the same intense animal attraction, Rhage must make her his alone...

Lover Eternal was just as absolute as the first book. I find myself saying with every book..."So far this is my favorite book in this series" and that didn't change with this book. I categorically love how totally and completely love the way these monstrous, violent, protective, Warriors fall in love so absolutely.

The other Brotherhood members play a pivotal part in this book and really sets up the next book (Zsadist's book) quite nicely. The author also continues the action packed story lines with the lesser's.. Just like always JR Ward delivers another page turner! This book is 4/5 stars!



Deeply scarred without and within, vampire warrior Zsadist believes that he is unworthy of either compassion or true love. One night a glimmer of hope crosses his path, embodied in the young civilian Bella; yet, true to form, he pushes her away. But when the enemy of their race kidnaps Bella, Zsadist can't rest until he finds her, and once he does, he faces his biggest threat to date as fate grants him one last chance at peace. Ward spins her take on Beauty and the Beast into a raw, gritty tour de force, creating an array of ugliness and beauty, pain and pleasure in a tale that sparks enough plot stunners to keep readers fascinated for years to come. Not for the faint of heart--strong sexuality and stronger language rule here--this genre-bending third novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, following Lover Eternal (2006), is a perfect fit for those who like fast-paced urban fantasy rich in both fury and poignancy. Nina Davis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Again this book is my favorite so far! Zsadist is one bad ass character who finds himself to be unacceptable. Spending decades as a blood and sex slave this warrior doesn't believe that he is acceptable to be loved or even liked, until he meets his one and only, Bella. She is of aristocracy blood and way to good for him. But she falls so deeply and hopefully will find a way to get through to her one true love!

Again in this book the other brother play a critical role in the story line. The story line is very physical and emotional all at the same time. The lesser's a brought more to the forefront, learning more of one slayers tale.

JR Ward again writes a story of love, lust, betrayal, agony, friendship, bonds, vengeance, and loss. It's definitely one not to be missed! This book gets a 5/5 star rating from this reviewer!

The Zombie Chicken Blogger Award!!!

Just needed to say thanks to Lori at http://lorilaws.blogspot.com for thinking about me in giving out this award! I really really LOVE It!


The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all..."


Now I would like to present this award to.....

Evie at http://averageme-bookandmoviereviews.blogspot.com/
Retro at http://retroreduxsreviews.blogspot.com
All the ladies at http://livingbythelist.blogspot.com/
The bloggers at http://livingbythelist.blogspot.com/
and my cous Jana over at http://4ever4alwaysnomatterwhat.blogspot.com/

Thanks Lori for the great award!

R.I.P. Angel aka Crazy4mykids

A great woman passed away on February 24, 2009. I didn't know her IRL but she was part of my online family. You never really realize how attached you can get to someone that you never knew personally. But personal, she was, I knew her kids and her brand new grandbaby, just from conversation. How you can talk to someone so much you feel like you know everything about them. You are completely involved in their lives without being there at all.

Angel suffered with Lupus and suffer she really did. The lupus caused many other problems for her but we recentley were told by her that her lupus was in remission. She passed away in her sleep on the 23rd or very early the 24th. She will be greatly missed by her online family. Be it Coolerparents or BBC she has many people who loved and will miss her greatly. She lived her life by the spoon theroy and I thought that I would share it with you..My other family...My Shelfari family....And my real family...yes that means you Jana!



The Spoon Theory

By Christine Miserandino

My best friend and I were in the diner, talking. As usual, it was very late and we were eating French fries with gravy. Like normal girls our age, we spent a lot of time in the diner while in college, and most of the time we spent talking about boys, music or trivial things that seemed very important at the time. We never got serious about anything in particular and spent most of our time laughing.

As I went to take some of my medicine with a snack as I usually did, she watched me with an awkward kind of stare, instead of continuing the conversation. She then asked me out of the blue what it felt like to have Lupus and be sick. I was shocked not only because she asked the random question, but also because I assumed she knew all there was to know about Lupus. She came to doctors with me, she saw me walk with a cane, and throw up in the bathroom. She had seen me cry in pain, what else was there to know?

I started to ramble on about pills, and aches and pains, but she kept pursuing, and didn’t seem satisfied with my answers. I was a little surprised because I thought being my roommate in college and friend for years that she already knew the medical definition of Lupus. Then she looked at me with a face every sick person knows well, the face of pure curiosity about something no one healthy can truly understand. She asked what it felt like, not physically, but what it felt like to be me, to be sick.

As I tried to gain my composure, I glanced around the table for help or guidance, or at least stall for time to think. I was trying to find the right words. How do I answer a question I never was able to answer for myself? How do I explain every detail of every day being affected, and describe the emotions a sick person goes through with clarity? I could have given up, cracked a joke like I usually do, and changed the subject, but I remember thinking if I don’t try to explain this, how could I ever expect her to understand? If I can’t explain this to my best friend, how could I explain my world to anyone else? I had to at least try.

At that moment, the spoon theory was born. I quickly grabbed every spoon on the table; hell, I grabbed spoons off of the other tables. I looked at her in the eyes and said, “Here you go, you have Lupus.” She looked at me slightly confused, as anyone would when they are being handed a bouquet of spoons. The cold metal spoons clanked in my hands, as I grouped them together and shoved them into her hands.

I explained that the difference in being sick and being healthy is having to make choices or to consciously think about things when the rest of the world doesn’t have to. The healthy have the luxury of a life without choices, a gift most people take for granted.

Most people start the day with unlimited amount of possibilities, and energy to do whatever they desire, especially young people. For the most part, they do not need to worry about the effects of their actions. So for my explanation, I used spoons to convey this point. I wanted something for her to actually hold, for me to then take away, since most people who get sick feel a “loss” of a life they once knew. If I was in control of taking away the spoons, then she would know what it feels like to have someone or something else, in this case Lupus, being in control.

She grabbed the spoons with excitement. She didn’t understand what I was doing, but she is always up for a good time, so I guess she thought I was cracking a joke of some kind like I usually do when talking about touchy topics. Little did she know how serious I would become?

I asked her to count her spoons. She asked why, and I explained that when you are healthy you expect to have a never-ending supply of “spoons.” But when you have to now plan your day, you need to know exactly how many “spoons” you are starting with. It doesn’t guarantee that you might not lose some along the way, but at least it helps to know where you are starting. She counted out 12 spoons. She laughed and said she wanted more. I said no, and I knew right away that this little game would work, when she looked disappointed, and we hadn’t even started yet. I’ve wanted more “spoons” for years and haven’t found a way yet to get more, why should she? I also told her to always be conscious of how many she had, and not to drop them because she can never forget she has Lupus.

I asked her to list off the tasks of her day, including the most simple. As she rattled off daily chores, or just fun things to do, I explained how each one would cost her a spoon. When she jumped right into getting ready for work as her first task of the morning, I cut her off and took away a spoon. I practically jumped down her throat. I said “ No! You don’t just get up. You have to crack open your eyes, and then realize you are late. You didn’t sleep well the night before. You have to crawl out of bed, and then you have to make yourself something to eat before you can do anything else, because if you don’t, you can’t take your medicine, and if you don’t take your medicine you might as well give up all your spoons for today and tomorrow too.” I quickly took away a spoon and she realized she hadn’t even gotten dressed yet. Showering cost her a spoon, just for washing her hair and shaving her legs. Reaching high and low that early in the morning could actually cost more than one spoon, but I figured I would give her a break; I didn’t want to scare her right away. Getting dressed was worth another spoon.

I stopped her and broke down every task to show her how every little detail needs to be thought about. You cannot simply just throw clothes on when you are sick. I explained that I have to see what clothes I can physically put on, and if my hands hurt that day, buttons are out of the question. If I have bruises that day, I need to wear long sleeves, and if I have a fever I need a sweater to stay warm and so on. If my hair is falling out, I need to spend more time to look presentable, and then you need to factor in another five minutes for feeling badly that it took you two hours to do all this.

I think she was starting to understand when she theoretically didn’t even get to work, and she was left with six spoons. I then explained to her that she needed to choose the rest of her day wisely, since when your “spoons” are gone, they are gone. Sometimes you can borrow against tomorrow’s “spoons,” but just think how hard tomorrow will be with less “spoons.” I also needed to explain that a person who is sick always lives with the looming thought that tomorrow may be the day that a cold comes, or an infection, or any number of things that could be very dangerous. So you do not want to run low on “spoons,” because you never know when you truly will need them. I didn’t want to depress her, but I needed to be realistic, and unfortunately being prepared for the worst is part of a real day for me.

We went through the rest of the day, and she slowly learned that skipping lunch would cost her a spoon, as well as standing on a train, or even typing at her computer too long. She was forced to make choices and think about things differently. Hypothetically, she had to choose not to run errands, so that she could eat dinner that night.

When we got to the end of her pretend day, she said she was hungry. I summarized that she had to eat dinner but she only had one spoon left. If she cooked, she wouldn’t have enough energy to clean the pots. If she went out for dinner, she might be too tired to drive home safely. Then I also explained, that I didn’t even bother to add into this game, that she was so nauseous, that cooking was probably out of the question anyway. So she decided to make soup, it was easy. I then said it is only 7 pm, you have the rest of the night but maybe end up with one spoon, so you can do something fun, or clean your apartment, or do chores, but you can’t do it all.

I rarely see her emotional, so when I saw her upset I knew maybe I was getting through to her. I didn’t want my friend to be upset, but at the same time I was happy to think finally maybe someone understood me a little bit. She had tears in her eyes and asked quietly, “Christine, how do you do it? Do you really do this everyday?” I explained that some days were worse than others; some days I have more spoons than most. But I can never make it go away and I can’t forget about it, I always have to think about it. I handed her a spoon I had been holding in reserve. I said simply, “I have learned to live life with an extra spoon in my pocket, in reserve. You need to always be prepared.”

It’s hard, the hardest thing I ever had to learn is to slow down, and not do everything. I fight this to this day. I hate feeling left out, having to choose to stay home, or to not get things done that I want to. I wanted her to feel that frustration. I wanted her to understand, that everything everyone else does comes so easy, but for me it is one hundred little jobs in one. I need to think about the weather, my temperature that day, and the whole day’s plans before I can attack any one given thing. When other people can simply do things, I have to attack it and make a plan like I am strategizing a war. It is in that lifestyle, the difference between being sick and healthy. It is the beautiful ability to not think and just do. I miss that freedom. I miss never having to count “spoons.”

After we were emotional and talked about this for a little while longer, I sensed she was sad. Maybe she finally understood. Maybe she realized that she never could truly and honestly say she understands. But at least now she might not complain so much when I can’t go out for dinner some nights, or when I never seem to make it to her house and she always has to drive to mine. I gave her a hug when we walked out of the diner. I had the one spoon in my hand and I said “Don’t worry. I see this as a blessing. I have been forced to think about everything I do. Do you know how many spoons people waste everyday? I don’t have room for wasted time, or wasted “spoons” and I chose to spend this time with you.”

Ever since this night, I have used the spoon theory to explain my life to many people. In fact, my family and friends refer to spoons all the time. It has been a code word for what I can and cannot do. Once people understand the spoon theory they seem to understand me better, but I also think they live their life a little differently too. I think it isn’t just good for understanding lupus, but anyone dealing with any disability or illness. Hopefully, they don’t take so much for granted or their life in general. I give a piece of myself, in every sense of the word when I do anything. It has become an inside joke. I have become famous for saying to people jokingly that they should feel special when I spend time with them, because they have one of my “spoons.”

Reprinted with Permssion, © 2003 by Christine Miserandino

Vampire's Secret by Raven Hart

The second novel of the of the Raven Hart's Vampire series was just as well written and entertaining as the first. William and Jack call together a forum of Vampire's to protect the new world from the "Old World" Vamps.. The Sires..

William and Jack have curve balls thrown at them left and right and don't always take it in such stride that we are used to.

I highly recommend this series to everyone!!! It's spectacular!! 5/5 stars from me! I can't wait to get into Vampire's Kiss!

I can't even give the kind of review that I want because I'm afraid that I will give to much of the book away.

Water for Elephants--Sara Gruen

Water for Elephants is a historical novel by Sara Gruen. The novel centers on Jacob Jankowski and his experiences in a travelling circus called The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.

Set during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Water for Elephants tells the story of a young man who leaves his life as a Cornell University veterinary student after losing both his parents in a car accident and jumps onto a train that happens to house the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. After a short confrontation with Blackie, a bouncer that stops stowaways, and Camel (a limp old worker) promising him a job and an audience with Uncle Al (The Ringmaster) Jacob decides to stay aboard the train. Since his parents have died in an automobile accident, and he has not a home to call his own, he decides to remain with the circus. Jacob is employed as the show’s veterinarian and he faces a number of challenges in dealing with the head trainer, August, while also learning how to function in the hierarchy of the circus and falling in love with August's wife, Marlena.

The story is told as a series of memories by Jacob Jankowski, either a ninety or ninety-three-year-old man who lives in a nursing home.

I actually hope that they make this book into a movie. I don't ask that of many books because it usually dosn't do them any justice. But with this one I think they could stick exactly to the book and keep it under 2 1/2 hours. It would be a pretty low budget but excellent film too if I say so myself.

I loved the book...Evie pleases again. The story of Jacob and Marlena and all of the rustabouts and performers were amazing. It felt like I would have been sitting cross legged on the floor listening to one of his amazing stories from back when he was in the circus. And all I can say is "Uncle Al" got exactly what he deserved!

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

This is the second installment of the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I thought this book was totally action packed and I loved every minute of it. If I didn't have 5 kids and a household to take care of I probably would have read the book in one sitting.

Jace finds out that there is a little more to him then meets the eye and struggles with wanting to know his father and with knowing what a monster his father actually is.

Clary discovers that she has special talents when it comes to runes. She struggles with being what she really is and her "mundane" life. She learns she is much stronger then she has ever given herself credit for.

Jace and Clary still are struggling with the knowledge of being brother and sister. I guess it would totally suck to be in love with your sibling. In a way I hope that they find out that they aren't actually blood related so they can hook up!

Simon, Clary's bestfriend suffers a great deal in this book and has to go through a terrible transformation but dosn't lose the love of Clary or Luke and gains the respect of more then one downworlder and shadowhunter.

Alex and Isabelle learn what true family means and fight to keep it all together. You are reintroduced to Maryse, Robert and Max Lightwood in this book and Alec almost comes out to his parents thanks to one of Clary's runes.

Mangus becomes an intrical character in the story. Many people would have died without his special powers.

I highly recommend this series and absolutley loved this book. City of Ashes is a must read for any paranormal reader. 5/5 stars for me!!

My Jan 8/8 Ink Heart by Cornelia Funke

Meggie’s father, Mo, has an wonderful and sometimes terrible ability. When he reads aloud from books, he brings the characters to life--literally. Mo discovered his power when Maggie was just a baby. He read so lyrically from the the book Inkheart, that several of the book’s wicked characters ended up blinking and cursing on his cottage floor. Then Mo discovered something even worse--when he read Capricorn and his henchmen out of Inkheart, he accidentally read Meggie’s mother in.
Meggie, now a young lady, knows nothing of her father's bizarre and powerful talent, only that Mo still refuses to read to her. Capricorn, a being so evil he would "feed a bird to a cat on purpose, just to watch it being torn apart," has searched for Meggie's father for years, wanting to twist Mo's powerful talent to his own dark means. Finally, Capricorn realizes that the best way to lure Mo to his remote mountain hideaway is to use his beloved, oblivious daughter Meggie as bait!

Boy I don't know why any of you thought this book was slow moving. This is just proof that all of us have different likes and dislikes when it comes to books even though we all pretty much read the same genre of books. Anyway I freaking LOVED Ink Heart and can't wait to read Ink Spell but the library is going to have to order a new book cause whoever has it isn't bringing it back.

The whole concept of being able to read something or someone out of a book is totally awesome and in the same aspect totally terrifying. This book had the happily ever after that I love the majority of the time but I can't wait to see what will happen in the next 2 books.