Winner of Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop! 2012

Okay, sorry for the delay in getting the winner up today.  It's been a busy day at work, then I had lots of checking and adding to do to find the winner. :)

Thank you for all the great new followers!  I look forward to chatting with you all.  And please, with all the hoping and visiting, if I missed your blog, leave a comment.  I'll visit you if you comment. :) Thank you!

What was the prize this hop?
For Callista, joining the Elite Guard will give her the means to find the murderer who killed her family. With the sword of her ancestors, she enters the Academy and soon discovers latent powers only heard of in legends. Her uncanny skills do not go unnoticed, and when her first assignment goes terribly wrong, she is saved by a man whose destiny becomes entwined with her own. Soon, she is forced to re-consider who her enemies really are. As her power awakens, she is drawn into a web of deceit that will ultimately shake everything she believes in. With a new sense of her identity, she must confront a dark evil hidden behind an unspeakable secret. This evil threatens to destroy her and the man she has come to love. Will she be strong enough to withstand this power, or will she become the very thing she has sworn to destroy?

And now the Winner!  with help from Random.org

Cherry!  of Cherry Mischievous

Congrats Cherry!  I do hope you enjoy this read.

Cherry has 48 hours from 4:45pm EST on March 23, 2012 to respond.

Freebies & Deals, & for the Nook (7)

Just a few deals this week.

This one is on Amazon, which is going to make me get stranded in the house for several days so I can read these on my computer...

Strata by Stephen Gaskell & Bradley Beaulieu
Amazon Synopsis:
Strata is a stand-alone novella by two Writers of the Future Award winners.

It's the middle of the twenty-second century. Earth's oil and gas reserves have been spent, but humankind's thirst for energy remains unquenched. Vast solar mining platforms circle the upper atmosphere of the sun, drawing power lines up from the stellar interior and tight-beaming the energy back to Earth. For most of the platforms' teeming masses, life is hard, cramped--and hot. Most dream of a return Earthside, but a two-way ticket wasn't part of the benefits package, and a Sun-Earth trip doesn't come cheap.

Kawe Ndechi is luckier than most. He's a gifted rider--a skimmer pilot who races the surface of the sun's convection zone--and he needs only two more wins before he lands a ticket home. The only trouble is, Kawe's spent most of his life on the platforms. He's seen the misery, and he's not sure he's the only one who deserves a chance at returning home.

That makes Smith Pouslon nervous. Smith once raced the tunnels of fire himself, but now he's a handler, and his rider, Kawe, is proving anything but easy to handle. Kawe's slipping deeper and deeper into the Movement, but Smith knows that's a fool's game. His own foray into the Movement cost him his racing career--and nearly his life--and he doesn't want Kawe to throw everything away for a revolt that will never succeed.

One sun. Two men. The fate of a million souls. 

Then Barnes & Nobles has their Free Friday!  If you would like to see what they have listed this week, please stop by the thread.

***Please so remember, many times if it's discounted or free on Nook, if very well could be for Amazon.  So don't forget to check!***

Have you started Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts yet?  No. Well her first book is for 99c On Nook.  I loved this dark gritty UF series thus far.

Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane
Synopsis:
THE DEPARTED HAVE ARRIVED.
 
The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully tattooed witch and freewheeling ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for banishing the wicked dead. But Chess is keeping a dark secret: She owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump, who wants immediate payback in the form of a dangerous job that involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust for a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah. 

This one ended up in my Nook Library online, but not on my Nook.  I was curious as I didn't remember clicking the button on it, but maybe I did and didn't realize it one day playing around.  But I finally got it set up on my Nook as the beautiful cover caught my attention and when I read the synopsis, I liked what I saw.

Glamour (Rae Wilder #1) by Penelope Fletcher
Synopsis:
Rae Wilder has problems. Plunged into a world of dark magic, fierce creatures and ritual sacrifice, she is charged with a guarding a magical amulet. Rae finds herself beaten up, repeatedly, and forced to make a choice: to live and die human, or embrace her birth-right and wield magics that could turn her into something wicked, a force of nature nothing can control. 

Not much from me this week.  Hope you have found a few awesome finds. :)

Movie Review: Red Riding Hood

Red Riding Hood

Released:  2011

Rated:  PG-13

Genre:  Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Romance

Length:  100 minutes; 1hr 40min.

Recommendation:  If you enjoy romance, this re-tale could be for you.  Or if on TV one day, and nothing else to do, check it out.

Synopsis:
Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men.  She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons).  Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie's older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village.  For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice.  But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life.  Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), to help them kill the wolf.  But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them.  As the death toll rises with each moon...

My Thoughts & Summary:
Valerie has grown up with a dark young man, and has fallen in love with him.  Valerie and Peter decide to run away together, when there is a death in town.  The victim of the werewolf is her older sister.  Valerie then learns her parents have arranged her to marry Henry; a richer young man in town.  The two men silently fight for Valerie's affections, while hunting the werewolf who now is attacking people in their village.  Then trapped by the werewolf one night, Valerie learns she can hear him talking to her in her mind.  Now the mystery becomes which person in town is the werewolf, and wants Valerie the most.

I don't know what I was expecting.  Maybe a more scary take or story on the werewolf.  It was there, and we were constantly wondering who the werewolf was, but the main story line seemed, to me, to be a romance.  Which man would Valerie pick to spend her lasting days with.  I think I was wanting something more, something else, even though this was an okay watch for me.

My husband got through this movie with me.  He was okay with it.  I was okay with it, something to kick back with.  One thing I think that kept us going was wondering who the wolf was.  We kept guessing, as every person was made suspect in our eyes by their unknowing, or knowing? actions.  And the mention of brown human eyes.  Dang!  The whole town had brown eyes! LOL!

This is, to me, more a love story than a horror story.  It's a remake of the Little Red Riding Hood with a romantic twist.  Oh, you have a few little fight scenes and some blood too.  But interesting twist at the end, with Little Red, and the pieces fit together when I found out who the wolf was.

Looking Forward To...(93)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

The Janus Affair

Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #2

By:  Tee Morris & Philippa Ballantine

Due Out:  May 29, 2012

I enjoyed reading the first book with Eliza and Welly, er Wellington. ;)  Eliza caught my eye with her obsession with explosives.  Love that!  This is a wonderful steampunk read, with fun characters.  Looking forward to seeing where these two go, and what troubles they fall into.

Synopsis from Authors Site:

Evildoers beware! Retribution is at hand, thanks to Britain’s Best-kept secret agents!

Certainly no strangers to peculiar occurrences, agents Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are nonetheless stunned to observe a fellow passenger aboard Britain’s latest hyper steam train suddenly vanish in a dazzling bolt of lightning. They soon discover this is not the only such disappearance…with each case going inexplicably unexamined by the Crown.

The fate of England is once again in the hands of an ingenious archivist paired with a beautiful, fearless lady of adventure. And though their foe be fiendishly clever, so then is Mr. Books…and Miss Braun still has a number of useful and unusual devices hidden beneath her petticoats.

Flash Fiction Friday (42)

Dottie over at Tink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate you post your story on Friday - 350 words, give or take.

I have to thank Blodeuedd at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell for introducing me to this fun meme. I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with every week, but I'll give it a try from time to time.

The Image This Week:

(Image by IruLana from DeviantArt.com)

Story By:  Melissa

Okay, this is Part 7.  Sorry to keep it going, so I finished it, mostly. ;)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

Phoenix narrowed his eyes on Cerine, "Times up.  What have you told them, Cerine?"

Liam piped up in a relaxed tone, "I was just about to ask Cheyenne to marry me."

Phoenix spun to face Liam, eyes glowing, "What!  I will not hear of it.  Not with the likes of you!"

Cheyenne's jaw fell open, and she gawked at Liam for a moment, letting his comment sink in.  He had been talking about being a team.  Was he really going to ask or just trying to get to Phoenix.  Cheyenne jumped to her feet, "I'll marry who I damn well wish!  You have no say in my life!"

"You are here, in my home, my world, one of my creatures.  You will do as I say."  The tone was cold as ice and a growl of stones falling rumbling down a mountain side.

Cheyenne had enough, "No!"  was all she got out before feeling the slam of power to her chest, throwing her chair backward, flipping it and sending her sliding across the marble floor.

Liam jumped and ran to her still form, picked up her head holding it to his chest and whispered to her, "We will get out of here.  I can help you, but they will all rot here.  I won't help them.  They have become bitter crazy trapped here.  Listen.  Listen and stay with me.  I want to take you home, my home, in the woods.  Lush greens hide the city in the mountain side.  The crystal lake reflects the blue sky and spacious homes.  There is a lovely little stream I use to sit by.  I want to take you there, to have your hand after these years."

Cheyenne looked into Liam's bright blue eyes, "You mean it, really?  Marriage?"

Liam smiled, "Yes, I want to share my favorite spot with you.  Feel those pouty lips on mine, forever."

Phoenix grabbed Liam's shoulder, picking him up and pitching him across the floor.  Liam landed hard in the corner.

Cheyenne felt the fury burn in her, the fury that would fuel her sun magic since there's no sun present.  Phoenix reached for her, pulling her to her feet.  "We.."

Cheyenne hit him with a flame ball, one with as much of her sun and human magic in it as she could muster, in this dark city hidden below the pond.  Phoenix stumbled back a few steps releasing her from his grasp.

He smiled to her, "You are one of my descendants.  Long lines have passed, but still one of mine.  You can't hurt me with my own powers."

Cheyenne jumped back a step.  The sword jabbed through Phoenix's chest.  He had taken Liam for granted, to be a weak human.  But there was something more there.  Cheyenne didn't care what it was; she loved him, and would marry him in his home.  Phoenix slid to his knees showing Liam in his glory.  "A team.  A couple."

"There was more than your powers in there." Cheyenne growled through gritted teeth to Phoenix.

Cheyenne beamed a smile to Liam then turned evil eyes to her mother. "Thanks for all the help."  She said, full of sarcasm.

Cerine was standing looking stunned, at the lifeless form of Phoenix.  "I... I... I couldn't fight him.  I tried years ago, and was punished.  I couldn't match him."

"Well, we did."  Cheyenne turned to Liam.  "Now, how do we get out?  What do you have up your sleeve?"

Liam smiled his all-knowing smile, "Love, you know me all to well."

Cheyenne huffed, "Maybe not well enough?" and cocked and eyebrow.

"Alright.  Elf.  Earth elf.  Happy?"

Cheyenne nodded.  "We'll get through the rest as we go.  I know enough.  Now, getting out."

Liam walked up to Cheyenne slipping his arms around her waist, "Sun fuels Earth, to live.  And you do that to me.  We feed each other.  You need to shine, and I love basking in the rays.  Together we'll swim through the water and through the barrier above.  I can take care of the stones holding the barrier."  Then winked.

Cheyenne slipped her hands up Liams muscled chest, over his shoulders and around his neck, taking in the feel of him, with her, "And what about this place you are taking me.  Out in the middle of the woods?  Hidden by the mountains and lush vegetation.  Can I be...me?"

"Yes, I'm hiding you away in the woods."  his teeth gleamed as his thin lips spread into a wide smile, "And you can be you, through and through.  No hiding what's inside, what or who you are."

Cheyenne's eyes flicked to the side dropping her head, "Maybe one dragon flying over head?"

Liam raised her chin to have her eyes locked on his again, "Yes, one dragon flying overhead.  A beautiful warrior to have on our side.  If she wants to come with us."

Both turned to look at Cerine.  "Yes.  Yes!  To walk through grass again!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

825 words, and finished. Not the best, but had to close it out.  I felt it was going to long and getting to difficult to keep up with changing pictures. :)

Hope you enjoy! Thank you.

Book Blog Chat (25) Schedule

Well, Robyn and I are addicted.  You all were right.  I don't, and talking to Robyn she doesn't, want to stop reading these books.

So our next book pick to chat is:

Magic Bleeds
By:  Ilona Andrews
Synopsis:
Kate Daniels cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to deal with-especially if they involve Atlanta's shapeshifting community. 

And now there's a new player in town-a foe that may be too much for even Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family.

Schedule
Stop 1 ~ April 5, 2012 ~ End of Chapter 17, 178pg
Stop 2 ~ April 12, 2012 ~ End of book.

Do you think you'll join us?  I know there are many of you who have already read the book, but you could join us for the concluding chat of the book.

Cover Release: Tempest's Fury

Yes, I'm late in getting this cover shared here.  But I did it to remind you of the book... okay, sounds like a lame but potential excuse.  That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!  lol.  Well, I've got it here for you know.

I love this series.  It's fun and makes me laugh.  I have the last two books here and haven't been able to get back to it with all the review books.  I need to get back to this series as I miss it!

I love these covers!  They are cute and so much going on in them.  Another magnificent addition to the series!

Tempest's Fury 

By:  Nicole Peeler