Welcome to the Love in Bloom Giveaway Hop created and hosted by Kathy from I am A Reader Not A Writer and Co-hosted by Christin from Portrait of a Book.   Over 100 participating blogs are offering some type of book or book related giveaway.  We are all linked up together so you can easily hop from one giveaway to another. The hop runs from Friday, May 18th through Wednesday, May 23rd.

Up For Grabs:

I am offering a brand new copy of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.  This book is brand new but does have a remainder mark on the bottom.  To enter the giveaway please read the rules below and fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Giveaway Rules:

1.  Must be 13 yrs or older to enter
2.  Open to US mailing addresses only.
3.  Must follow via Networked Blogs, RSS, Email, or the Linky (no more GFC for me…sorry).
4.  All other entries are optional.

The giveaway will run from Friday, May 18th through Wednesday 23rd.  Winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

**Disclaimer: Jade of http://sortofbeautiful.com is not liable for any lost or damaged books once the item has shipped.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Once you’ve entered the giveaway, hop along to all the other stops for a chance to win some more great prizes!

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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My Dad introduced me and my siblings to this movie when we were young.  I don’t know how he came upon it, but I thank him for sharing this with us.  This was such a fun and cute movie and we would watch it over and over again.

Jonathan, trying to find his niche gets fired from a series of jobs.  But he has an artistic nature.  He was happy working at a job where he created mannequins, but was subsequently fired from there too.  One day he sees the mannequin he created in a window display of a flailing department store.  After he saves the owner’s life, She gives him a job doing window displays.  During his night shift, the mannequin he created comes to life, and all sorts of fun, adventure, mishaps, and romance ensue.

This is the first, and only other movie, that I ever saw Kim Catrell in.  And Andrew McCarthy was cute and hilarious.

Estelle Getty played the matronly older boss, and Hollywood (snaps fingers) was a flamboyant hoot!  I still have a copy of this movie and pull it out from time to time.

Anybody else familiar with this movie?

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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Please tell me I’m not the only one watching this show!  I enjoyed and was entertained by Season One, but this season is PHENOMENAL!  It’s so compelling that I can’t tear my eyes away, and I cannot WAIT until Sunday gets here each week.  All the drama, and sneakiness, and scheming, and war strategy is amped up this season. And the mystery of the wolves has me captivated.

Character Run-Down: (Correct me if I’m wrong please!)

House Stark

Rob Stark:

AKA The Young Wolf.  Rob has taken over as King of the North in his father’s stead, after he was beheaded in season one  After the Lannisters killed his father and essentially held his sisters prisoner, Rob has declared war on the Lannisters and so far he’s kicking ass in battle.  He’s captured Jamie Lannister and is holding him prisioner and using him as a bargaining chip.  In the midst of war, Rob has become enamored with young Lady Telesia, who is helping the injured and wounded.  He’s actually kind and rather magnificant, and even pretty cute.  Too bad he’s promised to another as his mother keeps reminding him.

Lady Stark:

The mother of the Stark girls and boys.  I would describe her as sort of a diplomat.  She goes hither and thither trying to help her son negotiate terms, secure allies, and glean information.  This woman is brave, intelligent, and resourceful.  Her children are lucky to have her as a mother as she is fierce in her protection of them.  And often times with her, mother knows best.  She has really rallied behind Rob since her husband died, and has the ability to inspire loyalty in others.  She is a valuable asset to her family.

Sansa Stark:

Poor Sansa.  She is now promised to Joffrey Lannister, the new young king.  At first she was thrilled that she would one day be a queen.  But after realizing her husband-to-be’s cruelty, Sansa is not so happy and is just trying to survive the Lannisters and their special brand of crazy.  She desperately wants to go home, but must put on a brave face and navigate her way as best she can through her current reality.

Arya Stark:

I LOVE this little girl.  She is a survivor if I ever saw one, and probably one of the most clever characters on the show.  She’s not one to lay down and take a beating.  Arya will fight to the death if she has to.  She has a warrior’s spirit and a fierce determination to  survive and see justice done for all the horrible things that have happened to her and her family at the hands of the Lannisters.  She’s very intelligent and a master at blending in when she needs to.  Her fortitude and spirit is admirable.

Bran Stark:

Bran is an interesting character.  After being crippled by Jamie Lannister, Bran frequently dreams of a three-eyed crow, and a powerful wolf skulking the grounds.  But in his dreams he is the wolf.  He can’t help but feel these dreams mean something more and I am inclined to believe him.  Bran has taken over Winterfell in Rob’s absence, and finds himself unseated by Theon Greyjoy, a former adopted son of the Starks.  Bran and his younger brother have escaped with two hands…we think.

Jon Snow:

Jon is the bastard son of the now deceased Ned Stark.  He left Winterfell and joined the Night Watch.  Jon is intriguing to me as he is too young and too cute to have sworn an oath to never bed a woman.  Jon is extremely focused on his duties and quite a powerful warrior. He has found himself in many a dangerous situation, but always seems to finagle his way out of them.  Currently he is being tempted by a Wildling woman, and is now surrounded by Wildlings and in danger again!  I wonder how he’ll work himself out of this one!

Theon Greyjoy:

This dude has thoroughly pissed me off.  As a boy his father went to war with the Starks.  He was either taken or given to the Starks during this time and was raised as one of them.  They considered and regarded him as family.  So when he went to his real father on behalf of the Starks to ask for their allegiance and a fleet of ships, he ends up betraying the Starks and conquering Winterfell in Rob’s absence.  What a sniveling, sneaky little snot he is.  I hope he gets his just due.  Rob has vowed to end him himself and I want to see that for his deceitfulness and cruelty.

This is the summary of House Stark.  Join me next week as I profile the Lannisters.  I’m so intrigued by this show, like a true book nerd, I will be picking up the books and reading them.  I’m sure they are full of details they can’t cover in the series, though they are doing an amazing job with it.  If you haven’t been watching this show I implore you to catch up.  Watch the first season on Netflix and then catch up on the second.  You won’t be disappointed!

Game  of Thrones airs on HBO every Sunday @ 9:00 PM!

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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In this explosive follow-up to Something on the Side,two of the original members of the Big Girls Book Club have started a new chapter of BGBC in Richmond, Virginia. The same rules apply here: You must be at least a bodacious size 14 to join. . .

Living in the plush suburbs, thirty-seven-year-old Egypt has it all–almost. She’s happily married to Rashad, but there’s one thing missing. They want to start a family. Enter her sister, Isis, who’s moved into Egypt’s McMansion with dreams of starting over. There’s just one hitch: before her sister married Rashad, he was Isis’s man for ten years. Isis thought she was over him, but the close quarters are creating doubts. She’s ready to leave until Egypt and Rashad ask her for a serious favor. And Isis can’t say no–even if the price might be way too high for them all.

Meanwhile, Loraine–Egypt’s boss and one of BGBC’s newest members–may be in the running for her sorority’s next national president. But Loraine has secrets that could ruin her if they ever see the light of day. Now these book lovers are about to learn that drama can follow you wherever you go–and that big girls do cry.

My Thoughts:

As always Carl knows how to bring the crazy just the way I like it.  And with friends and family like the folks in this book, who needs enemies?!  Desperate to have a baby, Egypt asks her sister Isis, who also happens to be her husband’s former girlfriend, if she would be their surrogate.  This is all kinds of wrong off gate, but Isis agrees.  Not because she wants to help her sister, but because she has designs on using the baby to win Rashad back from her sister, despite her ongoing relationship with Tony, a married man.  Lorraine is torn between divorcing her husband and trying to work it out while her gay best friend Jerome thrives on ‘turning out’ married men.  Unfortunately his behavior has finally caught up with him when he’s stalked by one of his former paramours who gave up his wife and family for him.

This book is told from four POV’s.  We get the story first hand from the sisters Egypt and Isis, and best friends Loraine and Jerome.  Each chapter presents a different POV and this is one of the things I love about Weber’s work.  He knows how to hook you on his characters and he will have you longing for more at the close of each chapter.  And just when one story line starts heating up, you’re plunged into the mind and world of another, and you will be just as fascinated.

All of the characters in this book are tragically flawed, treacherous, or just down right trifling.  Perhaps the most manipulative and scheming character is Isis and I loved to hate her.  She does nothing for anyone without an ulterior motive, and is a master at manipulating a situation until it benefits her.  She’s sneaky and scandalous and cares nothing for anyone but herself.  But it was this strong, unwavering will that defined her personality, and even though I can’t stand her, her character was well done.

Wildly entertaining and morbidly fascinating, when it comes to high stakes and drama, Carl brings it every single time!  I really can’t get enough of his books and I am dying to get my hands on the next in this series.  Although this book is the follow-up to Something on the Side, it can be read as a stand-alone.  If you get these books (which you should), be prepared for surprises, upsets, and downright insanity.

Books in this Series:

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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When a down-on-her-luck Divorcee

Nell Dysart’s in trouble. Weighed down by an inexplicable divorce and a loss of appetite for everything, Nell is sleepwalking through life until her best friend finagles a job for her with a shabby little detective agency that has lots of potential and a boss who looks easy to manage.

Meets a determined-to-dominate Detective

Gabe McKenna isn’t doing too well, either. His detective agency is wasting time on a blackmail case, his partner has decided he hates watching cheating spouses for money, and his ex-wife has just dumped him…again. The only thing that’s going his way is that his new secretary looks efficient, boring, and biddable.

They find out that falling in love can be Murder…

But looks can be deceiving and soon Nell and Gabe are squaring off over embezzlement, business cards, vandalism, dog-napping, blackmail, Chinese food, unprofessional sex, and really ugly office furniture, all of which turn out to be the least of their problems. Because soon, somebody starts killing people. And shortly after that, they start falling in love…

My Thoughts:

Nell is recovering from a divorce and to help jump start her life she takes a job as a secretary with the McKenna Detective Agency.  From here all manner of hell and utter craziness ensue.

I have to say while the story was somewhat interesting, there was a bit omuch sharing going on for my taste.  As a passing fling, Nell sleeps with Riley McKenna to kind of prove that she can still feel.  But after sleeping with Riley, she pursues something more serious with his cousin and partner Gabe.  Nell’s sister-in-law, Suze Dysart, catches her husband cheating and gets a divorce.  Soon after she starts sleeping with Riley but before that, there was an experimental kiss shared between Nell and Suze.  To top it off, Nell’s son and Gabe’s daughter meet and fall in love with the intentions of eventually marrying.  So wayment…if Nell and Gabe get married (that is certainly where its headed), and the offspring marry each other, and Nell and Gabe have a kid, then the son and the daughter will share a sibling.  Eeeuuuww.  It’s just too much.

There was also a whole lot of characters to try to keep up with in this one and the mystery really didn’t add much to the story.  The women spent an insane amount of time talking about and discussing China.  If I had to read about another damn dish I was going to toss the book at my wall.  This coupled with Nell trying to control Gabe and change everything in his office without his consent worked my nerves.  At first the battle of wills was interesting to see, but then it just became tiresome.  The only redeeming character in this book is Riley.  He’s sweet and caring, but also strong and protective.

I’ve heard good things about Jennifer Crusie’s books, but I think I should have started with a different book because I’m not that impressed with this one.  To be fair I’ll probably give her another shot, I just hope I pick a more interesting, and less infuriating story.

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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It’s that time again! And I love me some Black Thursday! Anywho, this vid is so well put together that I had to share with you all.  I do love this every other week meme.  I always find good videos and I never get tired of discovering new ones.  This one is edited by D Tenshi.  Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: All images, clips, and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer and Summit Entertainment. No copyright infringement intended.  Editing is by D Tenshi.

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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I adored Dragos of the Elder Races series by Thea Harrison and was therefore anxious to get into Tiago’s book Storm’s Heart, and I have to say it did not disappoint.  Tiago is ancient and formidable and has the power TO CALL THE STORMS!  Yes the power of thunder and lightening courses through his veins and I was enamored!  He used to be a God and after reading his story, I can understand how anyone could fall at his feet in worship!  Meet Tiago!

Profile:

6′ 4 inches tall
250 lbs with barbed wire tattoos
Short Black hair
Wyr Sentinel
One of the Oldest Wyr still alive
Former God
Head of Dragos’ Army
Wyr form is a powerful Thunderbird
Can call the storms
Can harness the power of thunder and lightening

 

Brown skin, strong hawkish features and a sensually shaped mouth that more often than not looked like it could cut through concrete.  She had always thought he was a proud aloof man with the longest legs and the sexiest moves she had ever seen. pg22

     The monster’s blazing gaze fixed on her.  Tiago started toward her, and the avalanche came down.
The dark-haired Vampyre nearest Tiago moved to attack so fast he was a blur.  If Niniane had been human, she might have missed it.
Tiago’s enormous fist pistoned.  He punched the Vampyre, whose body shot through the air nd slammed through a wall.  Tiago kept moving forward.
The other two Vampyres attacked.  Tiago grabbed one.  He spun on his heel and threw the Vampyre into the stairwell.  With a wicked slash of fangs and talons, the third Vampyre leapt on him.  Crimson blood spurted from wounds that appeared on Tiago’s face and neck.
A blinding white-hot sear of flame flashed out of Tiago’s eyes.  Every light in the hall exploded as the lightening bolt struck the third Vampyre in the chest.  The Vampyre flew back fifteen feet and slid on the ground to lie motionless.  Thunder exploded in a rolling boom.  It sounded like a rocket launcher had been fired in the hall.  All the, Tiago continued to plow toward her, an unstoppable juggernaut. pg 98-99

     The thunderstorm rolled over Chicago in a matter of minutes.  It blanketed the city with heavy, sulfurous black clouds, a deluge of lashing rain and flashes of jagged lightening that split the sky, followed by rolling sonic booms that rattled skyscrapers.
The predator hurtled through the storm.  When his huge wings rose and hammered down, the sky roared in response and the earth shook.
He ignored his pursuer.  In flight, he was the one who was faster, his powerful body streamlined for slicing through the air.  He was also the creator of the storm.  It fulminated around him while hurricane-force winds buffeted the one who fought to follow.  The storm blew that one behind. pg. 160

My Tiago is being played by Maksim Chmerkovskiy, the gorgeous professional dancer from Dancing with the Stars.  Niniane thinks he looks like a meaner version of The Rock…but I couldn’t help but picture someone who looks more like Maks and I have no regrets as he’s quite a fine specimen of man.

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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Why I Love Wednesdays is a weekly meme created and hosted by Alexis of Reflections of a Bookaholic. Each week she posts a Why I Love Topic that she answers. If you would like to participate head on over to her site for the topic and the image. This week’s topic:

Bookish Gifts:  Book Themed Jewelry

I came across this:

Harry Potter Book Bracelet

and this:

Hunger Games Necklace

and I covet these lovely and fun pieces of jewelry.  I think they’re brilliant, beautifully made, and a fun way to show off your love for a great book series.  The creator of these pieces is Manditaaknfv and her deviant page is HERE if you want to check out his work.  Unfortunately it looks like she’s recently left the book jewelry business though.

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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He’s a Wyr warrior, a god of storms. She’s the heir to the Dark Fae throne. But desire will bring both to their knees in this all-new Novel of the Elder Races.

During the rule of her murderous Dark Fae uncle, Thistle “Tricks” Periwinkle found sanctuary among the Wyr in New York. Her ethereal beauty and sparkling personality won the hearts of the public, but after her uncle’s death, there are those who don’t want to see her ascend to the throne.

Able to wield thunder and lightning, Wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries. His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the Wyr’s best weapons. And he’s sent to protect Tricks when she’s almost assassinated in Chicago.

Soon, both Tiago and Tricks will fall prey to the stormy hunger that engulfs them—a passion that will shake the very foundation of all the worlds…

My Thoughts:

In the second installment of The Elder Races, we meet the ancient and powerful Wyr Tiago.  Tiago, a former God and massive Thunderbird, can call the deadliest of storms and harness the power of thunder and lightening.  His powerful disposition coupled with his gentle concern made me fall head over heels for him and his story.

When Faerie Niniane, aka Tricks, moves to claim her rightful throne among the Dark Fae world she’s been hiding from for 200 years, she is attacked by her own people and disappears off the grid after her attack was filmed and posted on the internet.  Made aware of the attack, the Wyr, her longtime friends and family, send Tiago to search her out and protect her until she has made a safe transition to the throne.  But neither could anticipate the undeniable attraction they have for each other, nor the battle of wills that will ensue.

The Tiago, Niniane pair is a fun one because he’s so huge and formidable while she’s a tiny faerie who loves to be frou frou and is into all things pink and girlie.  But what I love about Tricks is that she’s also very lethal and has been trained by Wyr to protect and defend herself.  I love a heroine who can accept help, but knows how to take care of herself.

Tiago is a towering mass of raw power and beauty.  While Tiago reeks of fierceness and determination, it was his dogged loyalty and sincere vulnerability that endeared him to me most.  I love a brute of a man who is also caring and sensitive.  It always makes for a sexy combination.  And did I mention he could call the storms?  Okay yeah!

Overall I really enjoyed the story.  While some parts could have moved a bit at a faster pace for me, I was thrilled with the characters and the plot.  I’m anxious to pick up the next book and I’ll continue with this series.  If you haven’t started it yet, then go ahead already!

Books in this Series:

©2012 Sort of Beautiful. All Rights Reserved.

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