Author Signing: Lisa Scottoline

Tonight I met the talented, wonderful Lisa Scottoline at the start of her book tour for her newest book, Betrayed. This is the second book in her Rosato & DiNunzio Series a spin-off series from Rosato & Associates series. I have not started this series yet but I have read almost all her stand alone novels and love her. She was a delight to meet in person and very genuine. She took time with everyone who came to listen to her talk, which was hilarious, and made you feel special. A great woman and author.

 

 

Check out the rest of her tour if you are lucky enough to live near where she is visiting
Upcoming Appearances:

Saturday, November 29th: Baltimore, MD       Sunday, November 30th: Fairfax, VA       Monday, December 1st: Vero Beach, FL       Tuesday, December 2nd: Houston, TX       Wednesday, December 3rd: Phoenix, AZ       Thursday, December 4th: Eden Prairie, MN       Friday, December 5th: Skokie, IL         Friday, December 7th: Montgomeryville, PA

Countdown to Outlander

Fans of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series have one week left to wait for Claire and Jamie to be seen in all their Scottish glory. However you can watch it free now on Starz.com, ondemand in the US only.  I was relieve that Starz chose to make an original series of this wonderful series than a movie because with the book being over 800 pages a movie would be way to short to do it any justice. 

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

 

 

Claire Randall played by Caitrion Balfe

 

 Jamie Fraser played by Sam Heughan

Dougal MacKenzie played by Graham McTavish

 

 Colum MacKenzie played by Gary Lewis

 

Gellis Duncan played by Lotte Verbeek

 

 Black Jack Randall and Frank Randall played by Tobas Mendas

 



Murtagh Fitzgibbons played by Duncan Lacrouix

 

Outlander on IMDb

Review: The Kraken King Part I: The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster

Review: The Kraken King (Part I: The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster)
By: Meljean Brook
Released April 15, 2014
Source: Review copy provided by NetGalley for review.

The Kraken King is apart of Meljean Brook's Iron Seas Series and is being published as a serial novel in 8 installments. This is my first serial novel, so for others like me we can see if we like this format or not. Every week for 2 months a new installment with be released. Each installment is $1.99 so financially it comes out more than a novel but please visit Meljean Brook's blog for her explanation here.

This story has two very strong, likable characters. I have wanted a story for Zenobia since we met her as Archimedes sister. She is an unique, independent woman who doesn't need a man to fulfill her life but when one as bold and brave as Ariq rescues her she falls quick.  I enjoyed the dynamic that their relationship has. Both have secrets and people they need to protect, yet they are both intrigued by each other and want to uncover the others secrets without revealing their own. They are both very blunt so I enjoyed the dialogue between them. I want to see where their relationship heads.

I won't find it a hardship to order the all the future installments to my kindle. The amazon Pre-order with 1 click button is my new DVR. I want the next installments as soon as they are released if this first installment is anything to go by. This story is just another reason why I love the Iron Seas series and Meljean Brook is one of my favorite authors.

A former smuggler and thief, Ariq—better known as the Kraken King—doesn’t know what to make of the clever, mysterious woman he rescues from an airship besieged by marauders. Unsure if she’s a spy or a pawn in someone else’s game, Ariq isn’t about to let her out of his sight until he finds out…

After escaping her fourth kidnapping attempt in a year, Zenobia Fox has learned to vigilantly guard her identity. While her brother Archimedes is notorious for his exploits, Zenobia has had no adventures to call her own—besides the stories she writes. But when she jumps at the chance to escape to the wilds of Australia and acquire research for her next story, Zenobia quickly discovers that the voyage will be far more adventurous than any fiction she could put to paper…



Book Four in the Iron Seas Series: The Kraken King

            I. The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster

            II. The Kraken King and the Abominable Worm

            III. The Kraken King and the Fox’s Den

            IV. The Kraken King and the Inevitable Abduction

            V. The Kraken King and the Iron Heart

            VI. The Kraken King and the Crumbling Walls

            VII. The Kraken King and the Empress’s Eyes

            VIII. The Kraken King and the Greatest Adventure

Kelley Armstrong's Bitten TV Show

For Kelley Armstrong fans I hope you have a chance to check out "Bitten" on the SYFY channel Monday nights at 8:00PM. It has aired a few episodes already but I have enjoyed them.

It follows Elena Michaels (played by Laura Vandervoort) the first female werewolf who survived the change after being bitten. She really wants to leave Stonehaven and the supernatural behind to have a normal life in Toronto. However, mutts bring her back to Stonehaven and her pack.

Laura Vandervoort is Elena Michaels

Greyston Holt is Clayton Danvers

Greg Bryk is Jeremy Danvers

Steve Lund is Nick Sorrentino

Michael Xavier is Logan Jonsen

 

Bitten on IMDb

Bitten on TV.com

Catching Fire's Final Trailer

I am so in love with this trailer. I am bouncing in my seat with excitement. I just reread Catching Fire to get myself prepared for this movie and now I have been counting down the days. I was really impressed with  Hunger Games and how they suck to the book perfectly. By watching this trailer I can see the exact scenes from the book so I am hopeful they did it again. Jennifer Lawrence makes the perfect Katniss.

 

 

Catching Fire releases November 22, 2013

Books to Movie: Trailers

So many for books I enjoyed reading have been made into movies. Here are the trailers to wet you appetite until they hit the big screen soon.

 

Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT releases March 21, 2014

 

Suzanne Collin's CATCHING FIRE releases November 22, 2013

 

Richelle Mead's The Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters releases February 14, 2014

Review: LUSH (Delicious, #3) by Lauren Dane

Review: Lush (Delicious series, #3)                                   

By: Lauren Dane

Released April 2, 2013

Source: Review copy provided by NetGalley for review.

This is the third book in this wonderful series by Lauren Dane. If you are new to this series I would recommend reading the Brown Siblings series to get the full experience of the Delicious series for the characters overlap. This series deals with a core group of 4 best friends that call themselves ‘Delicious’. The characters relationship make a wonderful mixture. Lauren Dane makes me wish I could be at the dinner table with them all or in a backyard BBQ. They would be a blast to hangout with.

This book starts with some events that already happened in “Tart” but now told from Mary and Damien’s point of view. I remember reading “Tart” and being excited for this new development for Mary. Damien is a sexy drummer that is friends with Adrian Brown and invited to Adrian and Gillian’s wedding and instantly Mary and Damien have sparks. So in this story a one-night stand turns into much more.

I truly enjoyed how Damien took resonsiblity for his way of life being a rockstar and how many women had been in his bed. He goes Mary’s speed in this budding relationship. Mary is understandably wary that Damien could change for her, if she is even worth it. They change and grow together and it was a pleasure to read.

The rest of the Hurley family was awesome to meet. They own a ranch and work it when not on tour. I like how that keeps them grounded. Mommy Hurley is and amazing woman. I love her especially when she meets Mary’s mom. Great scene!

Delicious Series

1.      Cherished Anthology “Sway”
2.      Tart
3.      Lush

USA Today bestselling author Lauren Dane delivers a second serving of sexy in her new Delicious novel, in which taste and temptation make up a sweet recipe…

Mary Whaley has her hands full running a successful catering company and overseeing her supper club. She has everything she ever wanted—or so she thought. When she meets ridiculously hot and very dirty rock star Damien Hurley at her friend’s engagement party, the attraction she feels is overpowering—and she isn’t about to deny herself.

 Damien is used to a hard and fast life. He and two of his brothers started a band when they were fresh out of high school—then they hit the big time and stayed there. He’s also a legendary madman on the stage and in the bedroom. But when he meets Mary, something clicks, and the bad boy starts thinking he may have finally found something good.

 What begins as a series of fleeting trysts soon gets much more complicated. Damien can’t figure out why Mary doesn’t want more from him. And before long, it’s Damien who wants more from Mary. But it turns out Mary is no stranger to celebrity news, and he’s got a very big job ahead of him: proving that he’s worth more than a one-night stand…

Cover Love: Nalini Singh's Archangel's Legion

Nalini Singh released the cover of her up coming release of the Guild Hunter series "Archangel's Legion" on October 29, 2013 on her blog. Elena loves quite fierce with her crossbow and beautiful wings. I am so excited this is an Elena/Rapheal novel.

 

Angels are falling from the sky in New York, struck down by a vicious, unknown force.

Vampires are dying impossibly of disease.

Guild hunter Elena Deveraux and the Archangel Raphael must discover the source of the wave of death before it engulfs their city and their people, leaving New York a ruin and Raphael’s Tower under siege by enemy archangels.

Yet even as they fight desperately to save the city, an even darker force is stirring, its chill eyes trained on New York…and on Raphael. Rivers of crimson and nightmares given flesh, the world will never again be the same…

Review: The Host Movie

I was so excited to see Stephanie Meyer’s The Host on the big screen this weekend. I am a huge fan of the book and still am. The movie does a good job trying to fit a long book into a 2 hour movie. For me the thing that made the book so special for me was all the emotions Wanda was experiencing for the first time. She made connections that I loved, that the movie did not have.

Wanderer did not make friends with the other humans in the cave. No time to make those powerful connections. There was no sweet, old Walter. Lily and Wes did not get to start a relationship. Kyle never left the cave and brought back Sunny. All of these relationships were special and tugged at my heart strings. Therefore, I felt a lot less connection to the movie than I did reading the book.

The caves were amazing, exactly how I thought they would look. I loved all the actors and actresses, they did an amzing job. I liked how they did Melanie's voice.

There were some scenes I wish they included. The soccer game is fun in the book but also shows the humans are not just surviving, they are trying to have fun still. There was also a scene when Wanda, Ian, and Jared are at a hotel and see two Soul parents with a human child. It shows hope for the human race.

In my opinion, if you have not read the book and see the movie you might not understand what all the hype was about. If you read the book, like me, you might like seeing the world come to life on the big screen but thought is was missing something. Personally, I filled in the parts they missed in my head so I still enjoyed the movie. Now Stephanie Meyer needs to finish the sequel so we can have another book and movie.

Divergent Movie Update

Veronica Roth announced that Divergent now has its lead man FOUR. Theo James has been casted as Tobias 'Four' Eaton. Theo James on IMBD

Veronica announced on her blog

"Recently I saw Theo James' screen test with Shailene Woodley, and I was sure within seconds: this was ‘Four,’ no question. Theo is able to capture ‘Four’s’ authority and strength, as well as his depth and sensitivity. He is a perfect match for Shailene’s incredibly strong presence as Tris. I’m thrilled!"
 

Check out EW.com article on the announcement.

 On March 11, 2013 Veronica announced other casting new on her blog.

Maggie Q has been cast as Tori.

She plays Nikita on the CW.

Maggie Q on IMBD

 

 

Zoe Kravitz has been cast as Christina.

She played Angel in X-Men: First Class.

Zoe Kravitz on IMBD

 

 

 

Ansel Elgort has been cast as Caleb Prior.

 He is new to the acting scene.

Ansel Elgort on IMBD

Here is my previous post about the movie 

Movie Monday: Divergent October 22, 2012