I just wanted to make note that I will not be posting for the next two or three weeks. Why? It is the end of my very first Graduate School semester and I have a pile of work to do. In other words, final papers to research and write. As a result, I have little time for the internet or for pleasure reading. As soon as the semester is over, though, you can fully expect me to come back hard with a bunch of reviews.

I sort of over-extended myself this semester because I was unsure what I could take on. Unfortunately, that meant having to put aside a lot of books and reviews that I had promised to have done by a deadline, which I am very sorry for. Though rest assured that those books are at the top of my pile and will be done promptly. As soon as the last paper is submitted, I am going to sink back with some Vampire Wine and a book.

The Grass Crown (Masters of Rome, Book 2) by Colleen McCullough (Paperbackswap)
Volume two of McCullough’s triumphant Roman series. The First in Rome (1990) initiated the chronicle of the edgy partnership of new-man-in-Rome Gaius Marius and aristocrat Lucius Cornelius Sulla during the German wars. Here, the calamitous last hurrah of one and the violent pinnacle acts of the other twist through years of Italian wars, expeditions into Asia Minor, domestic trials and brief happinesses, terrible cruelties, and politics, always politics, in which sectors, families, and the famous fight for power–by diplomacy, manipulation, alliances, or the simple art of murder. By now (roughly 80′s and 90′s B.C.) Marius is in his 60s and escaping a “dull” Rome to scout Asia Minor and sniff out the purposes of the barbarian king Mithridates of Pontus. The king will be faced down, and, some years later, Sulla, in a spectacular expedition over the Euphrates, will face him down again. Meanwhile, in the Senate there is a movement to enfranchise the sophisticated neighboring Italians, a movement snapped off by an assassination and a polarizing of ruling powers–and, inevitably, there’s war. It is the overwhelming victory over one of the Italian tribes that brings Sulla his highest honor (the Grass Crown). Surely he is now equal to the great general Marius, now crippled by a stroke and attended by the boy Gaius Julius Caesar Junior, his wife’s nephew. (Yep. The very same.) Marius intends to fulfill an old prophecy- -that he will be elected Consul for a seventh time. The inevitable conflict between Marius and Sulla explodes during an ongoing battle to dilute the power of the Senate elite. There will be a march on an unarmed Rome, screaming grabs for ascendance from an unhinged, dying Marius, and a raving Sulla, plus bloody deaths…and deaths…and deaths. Again, magnificent portraits of real beings. And, again, gamey politics, bright talk, great scenery, and gore.

Slave (Cat Star Chronicles, Book 1) by Cheryl Brooks (Paperbackswap)
Cat is an enslaved warrior from a race with a feline gene that gives him awesome beauty, fearsome strength, and sensuality and sexual prowess unmatched by any other males in the universe. Even filthy, chained, and beaten, he gives off an aura of power and virility and his feline gene gives him a special aura. Jacinth is an intergalactic trader on a rescue mission and she needs a man she can trust with her life. She has spent years pursuing her kidnapped sister from planet to planet. Now her quest leads her to a place where all the women are slaves. “Jack” needs a slave of her own-one who can masquerade as her master. Enmeshed in a tangle of deception, lust, and love, they must elude a race of violent killers and together forge a bond stronger than any chains.

The Vampire Diaries- The Fury and Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith (Paperbackswap)
Elena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired. Stefan: tormented by losing Elena, he’s determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all—whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize that his brother is not his only enemy. Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph? Or can they come together to face one final battle? Collected here in one edition are the third and fourth volumes of The Vampire Diaries, a riveting conclusion to the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Our Hart by Lloyd Lofthouse (From author)

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We have winners for the contest to win one of five copies of To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt…

Out of entries, the winning numbers are:
11, 32, 38, 44, 52

Winners:
chey
Wanda
Joseph Branson
Marlene V.
Gayle Morgan

I am going to email all of you now and request your addresses. Remember, no PO Boxes and no one from any country but the US and Canada. If you do not get my email and you are a winner, leave me a comment here or send me an email at morbidromantic[@]gmail.com. Please send me your address in 3 days or else I will have to choose a new winner in your place. I would like to thank the Hachette Book Group for the opportunity to give out this amazing book.

How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step by Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful by Diana Laurence (Paperbackswap)
Who needs a book on dating a vampire? Well, Bella Swan and Sookie Stackhouse to name just two. They are fortunate to have vampire boyfriends. But what the heroines of Twilight and True Blood don’t have and could use is some advice on getting along with them. Everything they and every other red-blooded American girl (and guy) wants to know about finding a dreamy blood-drinker and keeping him is within How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-by-Step Guide to Loving The Bad and the Beautiful. And who better to introduce mortal readers to the world of dating a 21st century vampire than a few mouth-watering immortals? The cast includes: Ethan, with his aquamarine eyes and supernaturally seductive piano playing. Mordred, classically cruel, dark, and handsome, with a thing for black leather gloves. His entrancingly cute carrot-topped friend Adam, as sweet as Mordred is scary. Gunnar, with his rich, golden hair, and dastardly but delightful knack for getting his way. The experienced and fascinating Colin, with his exquisite latte-colored skin and exotic beauty. The eccentric but gorgeous Aidan, purveyor of ancient magic. And enigmatic Conner, with his deep, dark eyes and protective soul. These undead charmers will win the hearts and minds of readers everywhere, and author Diana Laurence will be their expert guide.

The Amen Heresy by W.H. Muhlenfeld (Won in a contest)
Ex-priest and dyslexic expert of ancient languages, Jack Fisher, agrees to assist an Israeli friend and expert of religious history and is drawn into an unsolved mystery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. His discovery of the true meaning of the Copper Scroll threatens to expose the three religions of Abraham as the monotheistic legacy of an ancient, sun-worshipping pharaoh, Amen-hotep IV. Jack joins forces with Agent Ariel Hadar of the Israeli Antiquities Authority and Sami Salaa, a Palestinian boy of the streets, in an epic struggle for possession of the scroll, and an explosive truth which will upend religious history and shatter the religious legacy of Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Merry, Merry Ghost by Carolyn Hart (Won in a contest)
Introduced in Agatha-winner Hart’s Ghost at Work (2008), the late Bailey Ruth Raeburn returns to earth on a heavenly mission to help a four-year-old orphan in this delightful sequel. Susan Flynn, the matriarch of one of the leading families of Adelaide, Okla., who’s dying from congestive heart failure, discovers she has a grandson after Keith, the child of Susan’s soldier son killed in Iraq, shows up at her door one day not long before Christmas. Susan’s decision to change her will to leave her estate to Keith causes one of her many greedy relatives to ignore the message of the Christmas season. When murder and mayhem ensue, Hart’s ghostly detective gets on the track of a clever killer. Bailey Ruth’s pleasure in her earthly wardrobe, her keen observations of the other characters and her unorthodox but expert sleuthing will engage readers from start to finish.

Girl on Top: Your Guide to Turning Dating Rules into Career Success by Nicole Williams (Won in a contest)
Nicole Williams is the tell-it-like-it-is career expert who you wish could fight your work battles for you. But with her ingenious approach-taking the tactics used to land a man and applying them to your career-you’ll be able to handle any work situation and come out on top. Here, Nicole introduces twenty tried-and-true dating rules such as “Don’t Give Away the Milk for Free” and “Don’t Waste the Pretty” and reveals how they can be applied just as effectively in the office.

Beastmaster: Myth by Richard A. Knaak and Sylvio Tabet (From publisher)
Blessed with an extraordinary gift to commune with animals, yet haunted by his own legacy and tragic past, Dar has become champion of his world and its natural riches. But when an unyielding force of evil and carnage descends upon his gentle existence, he must emerge from a spiritual journey and embark upon a dreadful voyage. Will Dar become the savior Ancor so desperately needs, or will his world be subjected to an evil that leaves no innocent unharmed — human or beast? And when a striking figure from Dar’s past reappears, can she help him salvage his broken spirit?

Decoding the Lost Symbol by Simon Cox (From publisher)
Dan Brown’s new novel once again features Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, this time in the United States, racing to uncover clues and crack codes involving secrets that are perpetuated to this day. But how much of the novel is true and what is pure fiction? Simon Cox, bestselling author of Cracking the Da Vinci Code and Illuminating Angels & Demons, offers the first definitive guide to all the mysteries featured in The Lost Symbol. Based on extensive research, this A-to-Z guide lists the real people, organizations, and themes featured in Dan Brown’s latest novel, explains their histories and their meanings, reproduces and analyzes the symbols themselves, and provides insider knowledge gleaned from years of exhaustive study. From the monuments of Washington, D.C., to the secrets of Salt Lake City and the hidden enclaves in Langley, Virginia, Cox knows where the facts are hidden about the Freemasons, Albert Pike, the Rosicrucians, the Founding Fathers, and more.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of LeapFish Inc. All opinions are 100% mine.

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It only makes sense to combine the different forms of internet information and social media. You should be able to search whole you connect, update while you get up to the second information as it pours onto the internet from millions of sources. Sounds complex? Like the video said, you need real time and multi-media, not a static internet that lags behind when it comes to updated content. It is and it is supposed to be because that is the way the internet is. But with customizations, widgets, and an easy interface, the complex becomes a simple tool at your fingertips to get full advantage from the internet. After all, why be content with the .1% you get so far when you can get so much more from it? It is only going to keep getting more complicated and multi-faceted, so you need a website, a tool, to help you keep up and utilize it effectively. Get on the boat, guys, because we are the new internet.

About Sins of the Flesh

Caterina Shaw’s days are numbered. Her only chance for survival is a highly experimental gene treatment-a risk she willingly takes. But now Caterina barely recognizes herself. She has new, terrifying powers, an exotic, arresting body-and she’s been accused of a savage murder, sending her on the run. Mick Carrera is a mercenary and an expert at capturing elusive, clever prey. Yet the woman he’s hunting down is far from the vicious killer he’s been told to expect: Caterina is wounded, vulnerable, and a startling mystery of medical science. Even more, she’s a beautiful woman whose innocent sensuality tempts Mick to show her exactly how thrilling pleasure can be. The heat that builds between them is irresistible, but surrendering to it could kill them both . . . for a dangerous group is plotting its next move using Caterina as its deadly pawn.

Blogtalk Radio Program with Caridad Piñeiro:
Visit website: Caridad.com.

My Review of Sins of the Flesh

Genre: Fiction – Paranormal Romance
Finished: November 19, 2009
Rating: 3 Stars

Catarina (Cat) Shaw is a famous and talented musician, her love of the cello as much a part of her as her body. When she finds out that she has a brain tumor that will kill her, she elects to take part in a radical gene therapy treatment. The results are not what she has expected. Cat has found that she possesses strange powers such as to be able to chameleon herself against her surroundings. She is stronger, faster, quicker to heal, and also has iridescent blood. When she escapes the medical facility that she is being kept in, private detective forces are hot on her tail with the order to collect her for the violent murder of one of the lab’s doctors.

Enter Mick Carrera, who has been hired to find Cat and bring her back. At first, he is startled to find out that she is not quite human. However, he has a sense of decency that transcends the rather rough job he does. Mick finds himself taking care of her, always cautious, yet at the same time wondering if Cat is really capable of what she is accused of. There is no mistake, though, that Cat is in danger. And if she is not guilty of the murder, why would they be accusing her? What is their goal? What else may they be engineering? And who really did kill the doctor and why? So much mystery begins to swirl around the two that we are pushed into a complex and layered plotline that moves fast and hard, with the action intense, the mystery solid, and the characters defined.

Naturally, as a romance novel, this book has its fair share of hot and botheredness. I am always a bit annoyed when characters come to attraction so early. While I don’t mean to negate the idea of love at sight, but I prefer that romance and passion come as part of a long running evolution of emotion rather than, “is this her in the picture? Hot. I want her intensely and with all of my being.” See what I mean? So, I was kind of put off by that when it happened in this book, yet the author slowed it down from there and let it happen in due time. There was no rush. The romance was redeemed! And, naturally, as soon as the romance began, it was good. The scenes are smoking hot, guys, I mean it.

This was my first taste of the paranormal of this brand. Usually the paranormal is about vampires or witches or some other sort of were/shifting creature. While Cat is part animal(s) and human, she is no shifter. This book is therefore more scientific, sort of ‘man playing God and this is what we get.’ I really enjoyed that this book had a scientific lean while not being too science fiction based, as that is not a genre I particularly like. All in all: good book, hot romance, non-standard characters that actually seem real and with depth, and an all around great mystery with tons of adventure.

Giveaway!!

closed

I have been given the amazing opportunity by Hachette Book Group to give out 5 copies of Sins of the Flesh by Caridad Piñeiro. There are a number of ways you can win this book, each good for one entry each. For each entry, leave me a separate comment. Also, make sure that you leave me a way to contact you if you win.

1.) Leave a comment below telling me that you’d like to win.
2.) Blog about this contest and leave a comment with the links.
3.) Add me on twitter (@morbidromantic) and Tweet this contest then comment with a link to the Tweet or your username.
4.) Stumble this giveaway or my main site and comment with your StumbleUpon username.
5.) Rate my blog at Blogged. Click here or find the graphic on the sidebar under ‘ranks.’
6.) Add my RSS reader here and leave me a comment telling me that you subscribe to my feed.
7.) Comment on and rate (rating is found in the header of the post) any of my previous book reviews and leave me a comment telling me that you have.
8.) Add me to your Technorati favorites: .
9.) Add me on LibraryThing, Good Reads, Shelfari, Book Blogs, or BookBlips and leave a comment telling me where you’ve added me and (if you can), your username/name.
10.) Answer this question: if you were sick and about to die, would you accept a dramatic gene treatment that might alter you forever just to stay alive?

If you do all of the above, you will get ten entries. That’s ten chances to win.

Winners will be selected on 11:59pm EST on December 4th. I will be using Random.org to select the winner. When you win, I will send you an email asking for your physically mailing address, which you have 3 days to respond to before new winners are selected. No PO Boxes. This contest is open to the US and Canada only.

Participating Sites:

http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com

http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com

http://justanothernewblog.blogspot.com

http://bridget3420.blogspot.com

http://abookbloggersdiary.blogspot.com

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http://www.mindingspot.blogspot.com

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http://parajunkee.blogspot.com

http://www.bookwormygirl.blogspot.com

http://www.jmomfinds.amoores.com

http://razloversbookblog.blogspot.com

http://confessionsofaromancebookaddict.wordpress.com

http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com

http://www.cheekyreads.com

http://myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com

http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com

http://mandablogsabout.blogspot.com

http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com

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