Stuff you really should know...

What do you need to know? Well, for instance, Shmoo turned 20 last Friday. Can't believe that. That's him in the balloon court jester hat. Can't believe we got him to wear that at dinner. Of course, he's already moved past this birthday and is planning the big "I'm turning 21" bash for Las Vegas next year. Let's just say it's hard to keep a straight face much less discuss a trip to Vegas when one of the participants has a balloon hat on his head.

Fortunately, he wants GG and I to go, which I guess is a good thing unless it's only to pay for the whole thing. That can't be the only reason, can it? OTOH, it is a little surprising since Beanie hasn't quite forgiven us for his "family" Vegas bash. Not only did he not get drunk, (Is THAT really necessary or am I dating myself by even mentioning that?) I don't think he bought or drank any alcohol that weekend. Needless to say Shmoo has different ideas for his birthday debauchery party. Thankfully it's a year away and if the college gods are listening it will be just weeks before Beanie (finally!) graduates from college.

Speaking of Beanie... The dear boy is always up to something. His latest shenanigans include a radio show called "Geek say what?" Yes you read that right. GEEK SAY WHAT? The link is to their facebook page. The little darlings in true geek fashion have gone to a whole rash of Comic Con events around the state and have interviews and other geek type stuff up. I believe they also have links to podcasts of their radio show. I'll tell you again... I never know what he's going to do next. He's thrilled that because he's on a radio show he has press passes and doesn't have to shell out for all these events. Wish I'd known that before getting he and his GF the 4-day pass to THE Comic Con in San Diego in July. Who knew?

Beanie called me on Saturday afternoon all excited because Stan Lee walked by him at a Comic Con he went to in LA. *eye roll* He was beside himself with glee. It's a goal to try and get an interview with Mr. Lee. OTOH, he was really looking forward to meeting Adam West and passed that up when he found out West was charging $50 for his autograph. I believe his words were something to the affect "Does he need money for retirement or something?" I reminded him how long ago that original Batman TV series was and how little Mr. West probably got paid.

He also told me how and I'm quoting here, how "freakin' weird" Verne Troyer, the actor who played Mini-Me, in the Austin Powers movies, is. Well duh...

In other news I've just finished re-reading Carolyn Jewel's books MY WICKED ENEMY and MY FORBIDDEN DESIRE. I needed to read something was going to be a sure thing to take my mind off real life stuff and these two books filled the ticket.

Now I'm just looking forward to getting away this coming weekend with my boyfriend. Of course as of this morning GG hadn't made any reservations. Isn't it a rule or something that if you ask your sweetie for a weekend get away you do the planning? Isn't that how it's supposed to work?

What's in the Daily News?

What's in the Daily News? I'll tell you what's in the Daily News!!!

Yep. I'm still channeling songs from GUYS AND DOLLS. Once those tunes are in your head they just won't let go. Any way, you know what today is? Release day.

This is it. INDISCREET by Carolyn Jewel is out. Read Chapter 1. Read my review. Or, you know, go to your nearest book store and buy it. Or go online and buy it. Here's the ebook version at the Sony store.

We had a very busy weekend. I visited my youngest sister and went to her husband's "pinning on" ceremony. Her husband is an officer in the US Air Force and recently was promoted to 'Major'. We spent Friday with her and went to the ceremony and the party afterward. Much fun.

Saturday we had a wedding of someone I know (yes, one of the firefighters) from work. Since we have a fire nearby the ceremony, which was held outside, got partially drowned out by the helicopters filling up with water nearby so they could drop it on the fire. Irony anyone?

Sunday was catching up with chores and I did some reading. Monday it was back to the salt mines and open enrollment for our health benefits.

It seems like forever since I really sat down and went through my feed reader to catch up, but it's really been less than a week. So I guess it's not so bad that there are 254 posts to read. My hope is to stop by and see you all sometime this week. Theoretically speaking. What an optimist I am.

My September reading list is in limbo. Hopefully it will get done this week as well. I've been doing these lists every month for almost two years. Can't hardly believe that. I really like having the record of my reading on my blog, so I gotta get going on that.

Oh, one last bit of news... Beanie was home last night. He's taken to doing standup on Wednesday nights at a nearby coffee shop on 'open mike night'. He used his zombie material the first time and did pretty well. The second time he used some school and friend anecdotes and told us he pretty much bombed. Then last week, we get a text message that said, "It was amazing! I got 8 big laughs!!!" Last night I found out he was using ME as his subject matter.

He had a wicked gleam in his eye as he tells GG and I that "of course" he embellished and added things to make the material funny, but he said that stuff I did was pretty funny so he didn't have to change reality that much. At this point I'm trying to decide if I should be flattered or offended. He told us a couple of the stories he used and I choked on my diet coke laughing. They were funny, but I want to be emphatically clear, they were NOT true.

Beanie: Mom, you are hilarious.

Me: You didn't think I was hilarious when you lived at home.

Beanie: Trust me I thought you were hilarious, I just didn't let you know.

Me: *eyes narrowed* Didn't let me know?

Beanie: *laughing uproariously* Are you kidding me? If I laughed at you I'd still be locked in the basement.

Me: We don't have a basement.

Beanie: I know. *still laughing*

Me: *horrified* Do you tell jokes about me locking you in closets or something? 'Cuz that's not funny.

Beanie: *laughing too hard to reply*

Okay, I'm stupid. What's so funny about that?

Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel

Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel

At this point it is hardly a secret that I'm a big fan of Carolyn Jewel. The rather surprising thing about my admiration is that Ms. Jewel writes both paranormals and historicals and I relish them both with equal enthusiasm. It never bothers me that an author writes in multiple genres, however, I often prefer one genre or "voice" over the other. That's not the case with Carolyn Jewel's books.

There is a great tag line on her website for this book that brought the whole story rushing back to me in one fell swoop.

Someone tells a lie and a young woman's life is ruined.

That's it in a nutshell. The lie is of such proportions that Sabine Godard cannot stay in England and hope to survive the social consequences of the lie. Even as her Uncle, a revered Oxford scholar, takes Sabine out of the country on the pretext of academic study, Sabine knows he's disappointed in her and that he's not quite convinced she's as innocent as she claims.

It begs the question whether it is better to be reviled or ignored? Ms. Jewel does an excellent job of drawing us into the stifled world that Sabine lives in. It appears at first that Sabine has found genuine contentment while essentially hiding behind a facade of competence, calm and acceptance. She's made peace with the idea that working for her uncle in the world of academia is her lot in life.

Of course, things cannot stay that way. Enter Edward, Marquess of Foye. Sabine has reason to stay as far from Edward as she possibly can recognizing him as one of the close friends of the man who ruined her reputation.

Scorched from a bad relationship, Edward has resolved to stay unmarried until his older brother unexpectedly dies. Left with the family title Edward must now marry. He thinks to take one last trip abroad before returning home to marry someone mature and "safe" that he can settle down with and secure the title.

The one outstanding quality of Ms. Jewel's books are her characters. There is so much detail to their personalities. It's all in the way she includes the smallest details like smells or textures that put you in that time and place. It always makes me feel like I really know her characters as people regardless of the time period or circumstance she puts them. It isn't that I haven't read a story with a similar plot as this, but I gobbled up the book simply because I wanted to spend time with these characters.

Sabine and Edward are both wounded souls. While reading I couldn't help but admire their strength, fortitude and generosity of spirit. These are two people with strong personal values who have each managed to find their own way to deal with the slings and arrows life has thrown them. While as a titled man Edward certainly has advantages that Sabine does not, I couldn't help but feel they were well matched in their strengths.

This was another good read from Carolyn Jewel. If you've enjoyed her previous historicals, INDISCREET will not disappoint. This book is scheduled for release on October 5th.

My Grade = B+

Some stuff I need to tell you...

Nope no July book list yet. I had such high hopes for today too because I took the day off from work and thought... You know I might get to do some fun stuff. No such luck.

I do have a couple of things I want to say about some recent reading though because I haven't had time to do proper reviews and because I don't want to lose the "feeling". Do you ever have feelings that linger long after you read a book? Sometimes I want to exercise more, or cook, or get to work earlier, or make something with my kids or... it can be just about anything. Something will grab me and just not let go.

As I think I mentioned when I first got back from DC I began reading my ARC of INDISCREET by Carolyn Jewel right away. I'm making big assumptions about this writer from the very kind and sweet woman I've met only a few times, but I'm telling you, a lot of stuff is going on in that brain of hers. Her characters are so human and real. She reminds me that a bigger than life dilemma doesn't have to be created when surviving the REAL life stuff is hard enough. I'll be posting this review closer to the release date of the book, but obviously I'm still loving her work.

Another of my favorite writers, Jenna Kernan, had a release this past week. This one is called SIERRA BRIDE. I stopped reading it. The hero was too schizo for me. The heroine too self sacrificing and not in a good way. SL Wendy was 100 pages in and liking it. I put it down thinking maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it because I normally adore Kernan's books.

It took me the better part of a week but I finished TASTING FEAR by Shannon McKenna. Regular visitors to my blog know that she's one of my favorites. Yes, I know that her heros are sometimes what is considered well, jerks. BUT, they are jerks with heart. Anyway, I've vowed I'm not going to apologize for liking the over protective hunky brutes. However this book of 489 pages is actually three books. It was like reading three Blazes back to back. I think I might have liked it better if she'd intertwined the stories more, but I won't swear to that.

Here's the thing. There are three parts, one for each sister, who in turn has her own hero. However, the sisters, who are not biological sisters as they were each adopted, seem exactly the same to me. I also felt that Ms. McKenna was trying too hard sometimes to write in answer to her critics who found her previous heros a bit too neanderthal. I, of course, wasn't one of those people, so making the men more sensitive and the women more independent and self sufficient didn't bother me. What bothered me was the sameness. That bummed me out. GG on the other hand, has just discovered McKenna. Yes, you read that right.

He just finished reading BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and gave it a 'B'. He asked for the next one but sort of backed up a few steps when he saw that the trade size book, STANDING IN THE SHADOWS was hot pink in color. Dunno if that one will get read or not.

My first book of August is THE FIRE KING by Marjorie Liu. Damn she's good. Now her characters...no two alike. Karr and Soria are wonderful. While the book proudly wears a DIRK & STEELE NOVEL on it's cover, in my so very humble opinion it stands on it's own very well. Good book people.

I think that's everything I wanted to get off my chest. Now I have to go get ready to go out. Tonight I'm off to my niece's bachlorette party. I haven't been to one in years. What does one wear to bachlorette parties these days?

I love my niece. Adore her in fact. I'm thrilled and happy for her, but don't you think it's odd she wants her aunt at her bachlorette party? Of course, I'm not saying there aren't some things I could teach her...

The Spare by Carolyn Jewel

THE SPARE by Carolyn Jewel

I just finished reading this gem. This makes my fourth Carolyn Jewel book and I've enjoyed them all immensely. I was giddy when I found this at my local UBS.

THE SPARE, in this case refers to both Captain Sebastian Alexander and our heroine Olivia Willow. Sebastian, the youngest of three sons who has enjoyed a very illustrious and heroic career in the Royal Navy, has just inherited the family title after his brother and his wife were brutally murdered in their own home.

Olivia is the 'spare' guest at a house party the new Earl of Pennhyll, Sebastian, is giving. It's Sebastian's intention to try to kill two birds with one stone. He intends to use this house party to do his duty and choose a bride from among his guests. However, his real focus is to, by any means possible, pry the information out of Olivia's head from the day his brother was murdered.

Olivia was severely injured and wounded at the same time Sebastian's brother and wife were murdered. Unfortunately she has been unable to remember what happened because one of her injuries was to her head.

In the wrong hands the missing memory, the old maid village school teacher, and wounded war hero could have been burdened by heavy cliche. That's not the case here. Ms. Jewel has a light hand and presents this story in a very forthright and honest way.

I zoomed through this book devouring it with glee. While I can't say the resolution to all of these questions was a startling revelation, I can say that Ms. Jewel made the most out of small story with familiar plot devices.

I enjoyed this one and will continue the hunt for her backlist.

My Grade = B+

Fan Girl Squeeeeeee!

Carolyn Jewel has up on her website that she's going to be at RWA in DC. Well, at least she'll be at the Literary signing. Guess who is going to haunt her table? Yep, ME!

I'm Ms. Jewel's latest squeeing fan girl. These books are so good I must be among legions. Lucky me, I "met" her last year with SL Wendy and was too dumb to know I was in the company of greatness.

Of course all this gushing aside I will probably be a complete dork and hardly speak when I go up to her table and genuflect at her awesomeness. Nonetheless, I'm excited she will be there.

SCANDAL by Carolyn Jewel

Scandal by Carolyn Jewel

Imagine my surprise as I reached the end of this book to realize that I met Ms. Jewel last year at RWA, not at a book signing. Oh no. I met her in the Lobby of the hotel. It's so odd to see an author's picture and know you had a conversation with them. I did wonder a time or two while reading this if Ms. Jewel had already written it, was writing it or editing it during RWA.

My daydreams aside, I've finished the book. I'm sitting here looking at the cover, touching it and reabsorbing it into my psyche.

First thoughts? Good book. You should read it. How's that for a review?

SCANDAL is character driven, deeply so. It is also a gentle book, which I say with some reluctance because I don't want anyone to misinterpret what I mean by that. Sometimes when I want to read something crisp and quick or *ahem* sexy, if 'gentle' is used to describe it I often take it to mean the book is dull or sweet. While I've read books that I would characterize as sweet, I don't generally go chasing down the book aisles to find them.

That is not what I mean by 'gentle' when describing this book. I'm really telling you what the book isn't. It is not an action packed book. It's not loud or particularly colorful. It manages to be quiet, but stirring. You feel this book as you read it. At least I did, quite a lot.

The former rake, the Earl of Banallt shows up at the home of Sophie Evans, who is widowed and living with her brother. Sophie and Banallt were previously acquainted through Banallt's friendship with Sophie's dissolute husband.

Is it possible for a rake to truly reform? Banallt's previous behaviors are not sugar coated or characterized in such a way that one understands or empathizes about why he was such a wastrel. While the book does provide his back story it doesn't apologize for what he did in the past. He was unrepentant and even boastful of his vices.

Is it possible for a disillusioned widow to trust and love again? A young and impressionable Sophie was swept off her feet and into a scandalous marriage at a very young age. Now only in her twenties she is nonetheless convinced she will live out her days a widow.

Ms. Jewel does a wonderful job of making you 'feel' these characters. While reading it I found myself immersed in the thoughts and conflicts of the characters. I love when that happens. The tension is carefully built and so taut and teeming between Sophie and Banallt that I could hardly take a deep breath a couple of times.

My conclusion? This is a wonderful story. The language and dialogue have a texture of the time period which made the story all the richer for it. If you like Regency period historicals, you'll like this one.

My Grade = B+

What I'm reading right now...

I'm taking a break from DOGS & GODDESSES. It's a little too much for me right now.

I've seen a lot of good buzz around the internet about this book. Thank goodness I was standing next to Nikki in Borders yesterday or I might not have remembered to pick it up.

Last night I decided to break into the new book. It's just plain wonderful and I'm enjoying it very much.

SCANDAL by Carolyn Jewel

(Read Chapter One)