Seducing A Scottish Bride by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Seducing a Scottish Bride by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Lady Gelis MacKenzie, daughter of the Black Stag, is wild, adventurous, and ready for marriage. The only problem was, her father would not let her marry. The day Gelis’ second sight made itself known, she was well on her way to being betrothed. Her father, a man of honor, would not sully his name or reputation, but would give his daughter to the Raven. A man, well, a family that has been cursed into darkness throughout the ages. When an old friend of the Black Stag’s calls to claim his price for a debt to be paid, Duncan Mackenzie has no choice to accept the betrothal.

The MacRuari have been cursed, it is said that Maldred the Dire was the reason Castle Dare and its surrounding area must live in darkness. The Raven, Ronan MacRuari had planned not to take another bride after his past two met early deaths. He would not force his curse upon another innocent woman. He did not know that Lady Gelis was a spit-fire and would do everything in her power to make him see that they truly belonged together. To halves of a whole being forced separate by Ronan’s stubborn will, but Lady Gelis on the other hand knew that he needed her, that Dare needed her to bring the light into the land and into the Raven’s heart.

An age old search for the Raven’s Stone brings out the Holders, a band of old wizards that seek to claim back the sacred artifact. With Gelis’ second sight, the past is brought forward and it is not as it has been seen for many years. Where everyone scorned Maldred’s name, there was one who gave him the benefit of the doubt, that alone is almost enough to break the curse… almost.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder is magically triumphant in writing Seducing A Scottish Bride. I love historical romances, especially Celtic ones, and Ms. Welfonder has mingled fantasy and romance together impeccably. There were hints of supernatural elements that took the novel to new heights, Seducing A Scottish Bride is one of those books that as soon as you’ve read the last few words you hold to your chest and sigh. Yeah, it really is that good. 5 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN#0446195294

Trouble in High Heels by Leanne Banks

Trouble in High Heels by Leanne Banks

Jackson James had a troubled, less than perfect child hood, so in his adult years he made the best out of himself by working hard and accomplishing his goals. At the moment he had his CPA license, worked for a well mentionable accounting firm, and has just landed a promotion, corner office and one of the top five cases the company had. With all of this came a hitch, he had to take on the Lori Granger case, Lori Granger could make grown men drool, and do exactly what she wanted. But Jackson had big plans for his future, he wasn’t about to let some rich spoiled brat walk all over him, he was given a job to control her finances and he would do just that. Nothing more… or so he thought.

Lori Jean Granger had a heart of gold and it was huge! She may have been the daughter of a wealthy oil baron, but she felt guilty having all of this newly inherited money while others that really needed assistance had none. Most of the inheritance was given to very worthy charities, others not so worthy but Lori had the best of intentions. While she did spend a small fortune on clothes and dog grooming, she wanted to make a change. She had all of this money so why not do something good with it? If she were throwing it down the drain it would be a different story.

Lori and Jackson clashed from day one, but she had to find a way to get control of her inheritance. Since the newest will had come to surface, her funds were on hold. There was an out, if she married someone then she could access the money, and when she turned 30 they’d divorce, he’d get a good portion, and she could have the rest of the money to do with what she wanted. The thing is, a personal friend really needed some help and Jackson wasn’t about to let loose of the purse strings. Slowly the strings binding his heart closed began to unravel, then she asked him to marry her.

Trouble in High Heels by Leanne Banks is the perfect title for this shining contemporary romance. It was just the perfect book to cuddle under a blanket with to read. Warm, inviting, and moving Banks has really hit the nail on the head. I loved Trouble in High Heels from the very beginning. 5 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN# 0446611743

Flirting with Temptation by Kelley St. John

Flirting with Temptation by Kelley St. John

Babette Robinson has never been able to commit to anything, not relationships, not jobs, nothing. She has had 23 jobs so far, and she was only in her thirties! After getting fired from her most recent job for causing a wheel chair fight among 2 senior citizens, with some help from her Granny Gert, she started the Love Doctor business. Not matchmaking, but mending broken relationships or helping someone find out the answer to the “what if” question. After 6 months, Babette was so proud of herself; until she is commissioned by socialite, Kitty Carelle.

Kitty Carelle was once engaged to Jeff Eubanks, and left him about a month before their wedding with another man. After realizing that she had made a huge mistake, she made the Love Dr. a proposition she couldn’t refuse. The problem here was, this was NOT going to be an easy task. Jeff was Babette’s ex, the man she still fantasized about, the man that made her break her 3 date rule, the last man she’d been with… a year ago. Babette knew this was a bad idea, she also wanted to see Jeff again and prove to him that she could actually commit to something. Jeff had other plans, he issued Babette a challenge that he knew she would have a hard time completing; no flirting for two weeks, then he would talk to Kitty and she could keep all that money that Ms. Carelle paid her. Too bad that both Jeff and Babette were battling feelings that would NOT be denied.

I just want to throw this in as well, Gert, Babette’s grandmother, along with other elderly ladies and gents in Destin, also wanted to get in on this Love Dr. business, and Babette may have just struck out by falling in love with the clients man, but she would make sure that everyone got what they wished for. Including her, even if it cost her, her 100% satisfaction rating.

Kelly St. John is a new author to me, and with her novel, Flirting with Temptation, I will be on the lookout for more of her books. Witty, touching, and fun loving, there was not a dull moment or any down time at all! I have to admit that it only took a day and a half to read this engaging work of literature, and it was well worth letting the laundry slide for that time! An absolute great beachy contemporary romance for anyone. 5 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN# 044661923X

I like you: hospitality under the influence by Amy Sedaris

You may know the name Amy Sedaris from Strangers With Candy on Comedy Central. In her cookbook/party guide she gives you several useful recipes, hints and ideas for each and every party or get together imaginable. Like her comedy act on TV she brings her wit and snarky attitude to the table in, I Like You.

More than one recipe caught my eye, and I plan on making a few of them for the Holidays. There was one recipe that I found so funny, I have to share it with you. Now, keep in mind they are not all like this, most are standardly written and the hilarity is either in the explanation of how this recipe came about or in which situation to use it.

Gypsy Skirt Steak
Steal some skirt steaks.
Slice thin and rub outside with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place on open fire, turning occasionally. Cook long enough for desired temperature. You will need tongs for this.

Amy tells you how to be the perfect hostess, how to make some simple crafts, and amazing appetizers, dinners, desserts, and drinks that will make your guests want to come to any party that you plan in the future. And she actually tells you the correct way to put on pantyhose. I’m telling you this book has so many things going on, the drawings, the humor, and some “female” advice that you wouldn’t expect to find in this book. I don’t think this would be the best cook book to give to your 70 year old grandmother, because there is a lot of foul language.
After Note: I do recommend to NOT try the pineapple upside down cake recipe, it boiled over the pan I was advised to use and caused a HUGE smoke fire in my oven. 3 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN#0446696773

Blonde Ambition: The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith’s Death by Rita Crosby

Blonde Ambition by Rita Crosby is novel, written by an ex-NBC journalist, and Emmy Award winning journalist. I don’t think this book is even close to winning an Emmy. It was written as if I were reading a much too long, drawn out story in the newspaper. It lacked emotion, and was pretty much finger pointing the whole way through. Now, I’m not saying I’m a Howard Stern fan by any means because I’m not, but I can truly see Ms. Crosby’s distaste for the man. The book in the beginning even toward the middle and fizzling off at the end was mostly about him.

Yes, Ms. Crosby did mention Anna’s son’s Death, and the circumstances leading to what really happened the day Anna died. But it also spoke too much about the “goodie bag” of medication that Stern carried around, him disposing of evidence, and his feelings about what was or had happened with Anna… he was very flaky. If you want the honest truth, cut the book by 240 pages, publish it in the National Enquirer and maybe someone would buy it. For me, this novel is a mercy book that someone used, although a lot of searching and interviewing performed, nonetheless, it was a way to expose ones thoughts and feelings toward Howard Stern. If it was just about Smith’s death, that would be a different story… not this book. A definite change of title is needed! 2 Hearts

Where There's Smoke, There's Flavor by Richard W. Langer

Where There’s Smoke There’s Flavor: Real Barbecue The Tastier Alternative To Grilling by Richard W. Langer

Richard W. Langer is a genius and my idol. I am a huge BBQ lover, and would do just about anything for a great rack of BBQ ribs. With his novel, Where There’s Smoke There’s Flavor, he includes the right way to make your barbequed meat and even vegetables the most delicious and most decadent possible. I had no idea when smoking that if you put in a pan of water, it would keep the meat moist and tender… that could be my problem.

This is a great book for the man or woman in your life that lives to grill! I can’t tell you how many recipes in here that I am going to try out as soon as I get to the grocery store! Well, I’ll try one out a week because I love the variety that Mr. Langer offers; sweet, savory, spicy. I’m telling you this man has done his research, tried and true. This would be the perfect birthday gift, holiday gift, or the perfect book to add to your cook book collection. The recipes and directions are very easy to follow, and the story behind how the recipes were discovered were entertaining as well… roasting over an open spit and when it begins to snow, they take turns on turning the meat and he hoped the ash would fertilize their ground… well it made for a tasty dinner but not such good fertilizer.

I praise Richard W. Langer, he is now my new best friend with his tasty renditions of the all American BBQ food that is very near and dear to my heart err stomach. You won’t be disappointed. 4 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN# 0316513377

Seeing Red by Susan Crandall

Seeing Red by Susan Crandall

Ellis Greene had lived with the fear of darkness for 15 years now, after her cousin was brutally murdered when Ellis was 14, her life had changed drastically. The man she saw the night of Laura’s murder, was the man she put in prison for 30 years. Hollis Alexander, issued Ellis a threat, “You’ll Pay” and from that day on she lived to a very tight schedule. The boy Nate Vance, was her friend and also a suspect in Laura’s murder, almost everyone believed it was Nate… but it was Ellis’ confession that put Hollis away.

Hollis Alexander is out on parole and is out for vengeance. Nate Vance is back in town after 15 years. Ellis can’t help the rush of feelings she has for Nate and try as he might he can’t disguise his feelings either. Rory, Ellis’ ex-boyfriend is green with envy. And there has been another murder. Ellis and Nate have to work together to get Hollis back behind bars, but there is another factor in the mix…

Nate and Ellis know that the years apart have changed one another, Nate has to keep his life a secret from Ellis no matter how badly she wants to know. Someone is out to hurt Ellis and Nate will risk all that he is to make sure she’s safe. It will kill him when he has to leave this time, but hopefully he can at least tell her good bye before breaking her heart again.

Seeing Red by Susan Crandall is an intriguing Romantic Suspense that will keep you on your toes and turning the pages. There were many references to the past, but sometimes Ms. Crandall would say 15 years then 16 years and I’d soon get aggravated at the timeline, also there was one scene in particular that the electricity was out in the Plantation house, but somehow they ate scrambled eggs by candlelight and the next morning it was said the electricity was back on. Little indifferences like that really catch my eye when reviewing. But besides that it was a great story and the closer to the end you get the more suspenseful it is. 4 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN# 0446178578

Confetti Cakes for Kids by Elisa Strauss

Confetti Cakes for Kids by Elisa Strauss with Christie Matheson

Confetti Cakes for Kids is a great manual for those that are already experienced cake decorators, and it even has a few tips for those new to the art. I really liked the layout of Confetti Cakes for Kids because it gave you step by step instructions, told you what kind of utensils and ingredients you needed before getting started, as well as a few simple recipes for icing and cookies, and even templates.

I thought this was a cookbook that I could use when baking with my son as he continues to grow, but really it’s not. The only thing he could really help do is mix, and decorate a tiny bit. Some of the cakes are very detailed, like the train cake for example. No matter the directions there is NO way I could do this cake at all. On the other hand, the sugar cookie recipe, icings, and a brownie recipe are about as far as I can get with Confetti Cakes for Kids.

I get that the book is ideas for kids’ cakes, but I was expecting a book with easy fun recipes that you could do WITH your kids, this was definitely not that. I did learn what tips to use and how to do a process called flooding with royal icing and sugar cookies that will come in handy. I think, as I said before, this book is for those that already are decorators or those that have a very good imagination and love to create. Elisa Strauss is very good at what she does, and with these recipes it shows off her talent. 4 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN# 031611829x

Talk of the Town by Sherrill Bodine

Talk of the Town by Sherrill Bodine

Rebecca Covington was well known for her gossip column in Chicago’s Daily Mail newspaper. All seemed right in her world, designer clothes, the single life dating much younger men, and having the best job in the world. That is until someone else bought the newspaper and wanted to put a more “reality TV” type spin on it. She had been replaced by the younger girl, Shannon, and was given the choice to either except termination or work in the Home and Food department writing 2 recipes a week. Deciding that she would do whatever it took while trying to get her ‘real’ job back, she was about to find out how much work this new position actually was.

David Sumner is now the new CEO and from the moment he laid eyes on Rebecca Covington he felt sparks shimmer between them. He has been mourning his late wife for years and fears that Rebecca is the one that can get him out of this funk. She is witty, bright, and dead sexy for someone in her mid forties. But he’s her boss and has no business mixing in pleasure. David can’t help his feelings… there is more to Rebecca than meets the eye.

Rebecca and Shannon are not the best of friends or even friends at all, it is a cut throat business being a journalist and Rebecca is going to have to work double hard to prove she’s just as good as her younger competition. Rebecca has not had such an easy life, and when it seems that Shannon keeps leaking secrets or the public finds out more about her personal life that the readers will think differently about her, she remains her fabulous self and adding her own flair to the recipes. Her heart is on the line, and that is not something she’d give away to just anyone. But David Sumner is drop dead gorgeous… but soooo off limits! Or could he be the man that will hurt her so deeply that she has to let go of any fleeting thoughts of love?

Talk of the Town by Sherrill Bodine is a great read for the 35 and up crowd, it is fun, lively, and dramatic. For me, as a 25 year old I felt the book was written for the more sophisticated palate, for those women that have worked their butts off only to be replaced by someone younger. Sherrill Bodine portrays her character as a lady who knows what she wants and do whatever it takes to get what she deserves. Strong women, lies, and love… Talk of the Town, it’s on a book shelf near you. 4 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN# 0446618588

No Regrets: The Best, Worst, & Most #$%*ing Ridiculous Tattoos Ever by Aviva Yael, P. M. Chen

No Regrets: The Best, Worst, & Most #$%*ing Ridiculous Tattoos Ever by Aviva Yael, P. M. Chen

No Regrets by Aviva Yael and P.M. Chen is an album of sorts, showcasing the best, worst, and most ridiculous tattoo’s ever hence the title. Aviva and P.M. say they had traveled the world looking for tattoo’s that they could put into a book after discussing the idea one night. I’m not sure if they actually traveled the world because the picture quality is not consistent, either they didn’t use the same digital camera more than twice, used disposable cameras, or maybe used a camera phone. I’m not going to say “I know for a fact,” because really, I wasn’t there and can’t judge that.

Now, the captions beneath the tattoo’s for the most part were hilarious. More than once I laughed out loud, I have a strange sense of humor, but my husband didn’t seem so amused after I showed him the picture and caption that tickled my funny bone. No Regrets, is a book that will only appeal to those that are tattooed and may even have a bad tattoo themselves. Yep, I’m one of those people that has a bad tattoo, not filthy or anything like that, just something I had gotten as a kid that I now totally regret. Do I think that I would pull this book off the shelf again to look at? No, I highly doubt it. Would I give this to a tattooed friend? Only if they have a weird sense of humor, besides that then, no I wouldn’t.

No Regrets, is hard to give praise to the authors because there is only a foreword, and just a little basic description about how the book came to be. The rest is made up of pictures and snarky comments, not really a whole lot of work in that, especially if they really didn’t take all of the pictures themselves. I give this book a 3 out of 5.

Hachette Book Group
ISBN# 0446582077

For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper

For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper

Zoey Addler had just finished shoveling her parking space when her neighbor, Lips of Sin, aka Dante Torelli, a very sexy FBI Agent, whips in claiming it for his own. He was supposed to be guarding Zoey’s so called sister and her boyfriend from the mob. When Dante made no motion to move, Zoey was mad as all get out, then she saw a strange man running from their apartment building with her little niece, Pete stuck under his arm. Without thinking twice she jumped in Dante’s Beemer and was about to get the ride of her life. Car chases, getting shot at, and falling in love were definitely not on Zoey or Dante’s list of things to do that day. But fate is funny like that!

With the story of Zoey and Dante, there are also other characters that play a pretty significant role. There are two elderly Indian sister in laws that have no sense of direction and their eye on opening their restaurant. What they didn’t expect was to find two babies in the back of the Hummer that they stole. Ok, so this has to do with the same kidnapper of Pete, earlier that week Neil stole Savita and Pratima’s grade A saffron, and they were staking him out, they even stole his Hummer without realizing that Pete and Neil’s little boy were in the truck. These little old ladies have no idea what they’ve messed up and mixed up, but in a way have saved little Pete’s life.

Dante and Zoey were as opposite as day and night. Zoey with her silly multi-colored reindeer hat and Dante with his super neat clothes and demeanor. Zoey and Dante must stick together and find Pete before Tony the Rose or one of his mobster goons gets a hold of her, because if Pete falls into the wrong hands, bad bad things will happen. It’s bad enough that someone has set Dante up and he is being laid blame for all of this mess, someone on the inside has betrayed the FBI and Dante is truly fighting for both his and Zoey’s life.

Julia Harper writes a cute contemporary romance novel that is easy to follow and lose track of time when reading it. Julia also writes historical romances under the name Elizabeth Hoyt. It is kind of like a breath of fresh air when reading her contemporary’s but in all honesty I’m a huge fan of her historicals that are much more detailed. If you’re looking for a cute flirty read with lively characters, you may really enjoy For the Love of Pete. 4 Hearts

Hachette Book Group
ISBN#0446619183

Crystal and Lady Vampire's Christmas Contest!!!

Crystal and Lady Vampire’s Christmas Contest!!!!

My good friend Lady V. and I have decided to do a contest for Christmas, she’s such a great gal and I’m glad she agreed to do this with me! So here’s the details: The contest will run from Monday 15 to Sunday 21 and winners will be announced Monday. YES, I said WINNERS!! Lady V. is giving away 3 print books, and I am giving away 5 Ebooks that I purchased from Total E-bound for this contest. The books are:

Lady V’s Goodies:
PRINT-"I'm Dreaming of some White Chocolate" by Rhea
PRINT-"The Knight Before Christmas" by Jackie Ivie
PRINT-"If Only in My Dreams" by Wendy Markham

Crystal’s Goodies: PDF’s
Bad Boy Cowboy by Carol Lynne
Fantasy Man by Summer Jordan
Hunting Diablo by Ellie Tremayne
Secret Santa by Jamie Hill
Vows of a Vampire by Ann Cory

See anything you like? WELL, to be entered to win all you have to do is answer this question: If money were no object what would you buy for yourself or someone else for Christmas this year?

If you don’t answer the question you’re not eligible to win. NOW, for extra entries, you can visit Lady Vampire’s blog at: http://www.blogger.com/www.ladyvampire2u.blogspot.com%20 and follow the directions there, then visit her myspace page for another entry: www.myspace.com/ladyvampireslair, and my blog will also have another place for comments http://www.bookreviewsbycrystal.blogspot.com/ . See right there are 4 ways to get your name in the hat! Lady V. will pick her winners and I will do the same on Sunday evening and announce the winners the following Monday. EASY EASY EASY! All you have to do is answer the question on the myspace page or blog and that’s it! From Lady Vampire and myself, we wish you a wonderful Holiday and hope you enjoy our first collaborative contest!