What I've Been Doing

I spent most of this last week alternating between reading some new (and old) books and working on my own writing. I found some re-released books by some of my favorite authors and thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

I found Lori Fosters' Buckhorn Brother's series entirely by accident when I was looking a movie for my husband. It was just my luck that the store I was in had one copy of each of the four books in the series. I'd never seen the stories before (they were re-released just this month) and from what I understand, after doing a bit of further research and from Lori's note to readers at the beginning of the books, a fifth and related title is going to be re-released later this year (Casey).

After spending more than a month strictly reading only paranormal romance novels it was nice to read an easy-going contemporary romance. Not that the Buckhorn Brother's are easy-going men because although they may appear to be they are anything but, but the stories were so well written that I just breezed through them. I really like all of the men (Sawyer, Morgan, Gabe and Jordan - and the books are shown in that order) and I am happy that they have added to my library.

The other series that I found this week, and again this is one that I truly enjoyed, was the MacCafferty's series by Lisa Jackson. This series kept me interested through each of the books, and kept me wondering what the next twist would be and if the mystery involved throughout the four books would ever be solved. I loved watching the MacCafferty boys realize the mistakes they'd made when they were younger (and dumber) and do everything that they could to make both themselves and their respective ladies blissfully happy. And when it came to Randi... I'm glad that the truth came out, the mystery solved and I was especially happy that Striker got the girl. The whole series just makes me smile and sigh.

When I didn't have myself wrapped up in the books of these series I fell back on one of my favorites - today that leaves me with Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

As for working on my own writing? Well I finally seemed to have recovered from a spell of writer's block and have spent most of the last two days frantically typing. Ideas started flowing into my head in a downpour late friday night and they haven't stopped yet. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a substantial amount of work done in the next couple weeks... If I do, well, let's just say I'll be a happy, happy woman!

The Things We....

The Things We....

See on the news.... This week in Calgary, Alberta there was a hit and run accident that involved multiple vehicles. The entire thing was caught on video tape which was given to the police, who were able to catch the driver, and it was put up on the internet by the photographer (for a short time). The entire incident caused quite a ruckus for the city and most of the province too.

In the movies... I went to see '300' this last week and I was pleasantly surprised. I usually don't like the 'ancient war/warrior' type movies such as 'Troy' or 'Alexander' but I liked this one. When I watched 'Troy' and 'Alexander' about the only thing that I did like were the actors (Brad Pitt and Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie). In '300' the story was good, although somewhat predictable, the videography (is that a word?) was really good, the effects were well placed and appropriate, and the actors were perfectly cast. As I said I was surprised that I liked it as much as I did, for something to do, I'll post more specific comments and thoughts on this movie at a later time.

On TV... We've entered that spring lull before the May Sweeps where re-runs reign. I just want to point out that while not my favorite time of year, especially since I'm dying to know what's going to happen on my favorite show, I do enjoy watching the re-runs because nearly every episode of the shows I adore have parts that I could watch over and over again! But let me tell you, I can't wait for the sweeps to start, no matter that when the sweeps end the season is over. Ah, oh well, somethings are too good to last.

In Books... Books are on of my passions; I like movies, TV and other things, but books, ah sweet heaven, books are my love. To escape the everyday and become part of worlds that hold mystery, magic, danger, passion and love, it's something that not every one understands, but for those that do it's a wonderful world. You'll come to see, I'm sure that I can go for ever on this, my favorite subject, so for now that's all I'll say!

Do... Everyone is different, everyone is unique, everyone does different things that make them happy. Some days people are the same or share their passions. Other days we are all strangers. Most days we can't understand each other and sometimes we don't even try. Regardless, the things we say, do and believe they make us who we are and we are all special.

--LDFerris, March 2007--

Book Review: JR Ward LOVER REVEALED

Review: LOVER REVEALED by JR Ward

Lover Revealed, 455pgs
JR Ward
Penquin/Onyx Books
March 2007
ISBN: 978-0-451-41235-5

From the back cover: Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world--to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers...

Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him....

The Brotherhood is back and they are fighting mad. With all the changes within the vampire world, the battle with the lessers is adapting as well. In this book, the war takes another drastic turn... for the better! For the past months Butch has been on the fringes of the war. Daytime investigations, 'crime scene' workings, and being on-call to help the Brother's around when someone is hurt; he's become depressed and disappointed that the Brothers won't allow him to do more.

When the story begins we find him in the current local watering hole, Zero-Sum. After coincidence brings him to the aid of a civilian vampire under attack by the lessers, Butch is captured and tortured by the fore-lesser. When the Omega appears to examine the captive, Butch discovers that there are somethings in life that he is afraid of. After the Omega taints him, Butch is left as the proverbial Trojan horse for the Brotherhood to find and save. Vishous is able to track him because of the incident in the Pit where he forced Butch to drink some of his blood. Upon finding him, the Scribe Virgin appears and instructs V on what needs to be done to save his friend.

Nursed back to health by Marissa and Vishous, Butch and Marissa are able to talk about the issues that have plagued their non-relationship to date. As a result they realize that they might have a chance at being together after all, only to have circumstances stand in their way once more. After his release from Haver's hospital, Butch comes to the quick conclusion that while he may be physically fit and restored, not all is as it was when a quick fight with some lessers comes to an unexpected end-for the lesser. This gives him just one more thing to worry about.

Meanwhile due to his discovery of Marissa's relationship with Butch, Havers kicks her out of their home. Left with no where to go and no one else to turn to, Marissa shows up at the compound seeking the aid of Wrath, Beth, and the rest of the Brotherhood. Quickly enveloped by the warmth and love of both Beth and Wrath, Marissa settles in to take stock of her new situation. Upon discovery that Butch is recovering from another battle with the lessers, Marissa insists on seeing him. With her at the compound and Butch at the Pit they realize they couldn't avoid eachother, even if they wanted to and try once more to make things work between them.

Things go well until Marissa needs to feed and due to the fact that he's human she must feed from someone else. Dropping once more into a depression of feeling like less than adequate, Butch ends up once more at Zero-Sum where he proceeds to get thoroughly drunk. Vishous takes him home and Marissa comes to the Pit to take care of him. In that moment they take a major step in their relationship that neither is fully prepared for.


One thing leads to another, several plot twists and hair pulling moments later and readers of the latest Black Dagger Brotherhood book are left with a warm and fuzzy feeling surrounding their heart and a numb, awe-inspiring sense of dread as to what could possibly happen next in the series....

Once more JR Ward has written a story that is fresh and exciting, and keeps it's readers on the edge of their seats throughout. Since the conception of the BDB, the Warden has enthralled her readers with a world where vampires reign and evil truly exists, all with a backdrop of modern-day Upstate New York. The series has caused a movement in the vamplit world and a vast number of 'cellies' will agree with me when I say that this book is just one more reason why everyone should read and love the Brotherhood. Now we have only to wait for next installment in the BDB series, Lover Unbound, which continues the story from Vishous's POV and comes out this October.