♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Sex, Lies, and Soybeans by Rick Goeld

Sex, Lies, and Soybeans
Rick Goeld

Page Count: 272
Release Date: 1 October, 2010
Publisher: self-published
Source: Complimentary copy provided by author, via LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

Sex, Lies and Soybeans is a sexy techno-romp... with a message.

It takes place in a dystopian future where a variety of diseases have decimated most types of food animals. Soy has become the "go to" crop for protein, and the Soy Industry has become the world's most powerful food consortium. Their long-term goal: dominate the worldwide food market. Their interim goal: saturate the American fast food market. The influential state of Texas is their first target. Lobbyists introduce legislation that would allow the Soy Industry to dominate the Texas fast food market.

But Victoria Blackburn, Chairman of the Texas State Senate's Food and Drug Committee, blocks the legislation. Soy Industry attempts to influence her are unsuccessful, so Plan B is devised: Penetrate her family and twist a few arms—or worse—to change the Senator's mind. Her brother, William, a slacker with an overactive sex drive, is identified as the "weak link" in the family. Sex, Lies, and Soybeans is fast-paced entertainment that mixes outrageous sex, deception, technology, and screeching plot twists with a serious message: What will happen if we become too dependent on genetically-engineered food?

What Stephanie Thought: Sex, Lies, and Soybeans is a novel about manipulation. Manipulation of humans by technology, genetically-enhanced food, and of course, sex. Set in a quasi-dystopian era where meat is scarce as a hen's tooth and paper is unheard of (that frighteningly doesn't seem too far from today), Rick Goeld uses human deception and error to convey an important message about risky fast-food choices.

Charles Ray is just a soy advocate. He wants soy to dominate, and he wants it bad. He's screwing his assistant, "Manta Ray" (haha, pun intended) who characters are led into thinking is his sister (yeah, ew), who's screwing uber-nerd, Blackie. Then there is the roadblock in Charles's ambitions: Victoria Blackburn, Blackie's older sister, who coincidentally is also screwing her assistant... as well as Manta (obviously, there's no penetration). So as you can tell, there is a lot of sex, sex at night, sex standing up, sex between women in a senator's office, going on. Charles thinks he can manipulate Victoria by kidnapping her, because after all, it's her vetoing vote that counts. But his plan does not go so swell because Blackie is clever enough to figure out his ploys before Victoria is severely harmed (though practically raped, would be another story).

The plot is weak and far-fetched, but the Goeld's writing style is easy. And his hidden, well-portrayed message is clear: the human obsession to have the latest and the trendiest can lead to demise. The soybeans (that eventually kill Charles) could represent trans fats. Aspartame. Palm oils.

I'm having a really hard time giving this book a definite rating. I enjoyed it as a quick read; it took me only about an hour and a half to complete. But I'm not sure if I would recommend it. I liked it, but it wasn't particularly good. Does that even make sense?  I want to give it ♥♥♥♥ because it is undeliverable (in terms of sharing with friends or commending as a novel), but I also want to give it ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ because of how well I read it. I can't even compromise because NO I wouldn't recommend it, and YES I would mind re-reading. I'm just giving it ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ but it actually means ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ which is really really weird and does not mean fifteen hearts (dear God no).

In essence, Sex, Lies, and Soybeans is a love story. An extremely sexified (is that a word? Well, it is now) love story that warns the reader of what we has flawed human beings, will go to just to have our ways.

Stephanie Loves: "How can you mend a broken heart?

The words, the title of a song by the Bee Gees, had been looping through Blackie's consciousness for days. He'd been wandering up and down sidewalks, staring at strangers, searching—no point denying it—the face of his girlfriend. Or ex-girlfriend."

Radical Rating: 7 hearts: Not without flaws, but overall enjoyable. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

cupid's got nothing on me ❤

I shouldn't be blogging this late but it would be sort of mean to hold contests and not choose winners. I have a few, from my CSN gift card giveaway, my Follower Love Giveaway Hop and the first winner from my Great Big Romance Giveaway (still open!).

Drumroll please....

 

 Seo won the $25 gift card to CSN Stores. Congrats, girl!!

I had such a great turnout for my CSN contest, I decided to host a mini surprise giveaway just for the entrants:

Jessie H won a $10 gift card to Amazon. Yay, Jessie!!

SiNn won a copy of The Dangerous Viscount from my booklist. Yay, SiNn!!

Stephanie M won a swag pack full of promo goodies. Hurray, Stephanie!!

 Izzy won the $25 Amazon gift card. Way to go, Izzy!!
Jessica won the $25 Barnes&Noble gift card. Woohoo, J!

PiinkPoodle won the Spice prize pack for making the most comments on my blog during the duration of my 300 follower goal. Thanks and congratulations, PiinkPoodle!!

Now, usually for follower hops, I do surprise contests but right now it's 1. my bedtime and 2. I'm not in the mood. Instead, I'll do a supersecret contest right here (see how this post isn't even tagged with "contest"? See how sneaky I am?) for those who actually are bothering to read this entire post. First person to make four comments anywhere on my blog and email me the links (thestephanieloves[at]gmail[dot]com) gets their choice of a free book from my booklist (which has considerably dwindled ever since I joined Paperbackswap...) or a swag water bottle stuffed with jewelry, magnets, tea, candy, and makeup :)

Congratulations to the winners and a huge fantastic hug to all of my new followers. Love you all!! Happy Valentine's day from me to you ❤
 
Oh, and if you're sour about being single today and are in the mood for a laugh (or, if you're like me and are procrastinating and just ran out of coffee), check out my friend Kris's post at DIK Ladies today. She is fucking hilarious. I love her!

ALSO. To listen to me rant about sex and romance, check out my guest post over at my blog buddy Nanny's site, Getting Naughty Between the Stacks. Sex toys AND romance novels will be given away. Gasp!

one day, those love songs are going to be about me ❤

Dreaming as if.

We're all friends and we're all lovers.

Name: Jared Followill

Age: 24

Location: United States

Status: too variant to determine

♥: the 'do, the hands, the pretty-boy grin, the cigarettes

Stalk him: Kings of Leon official website

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Perfection by Julie Metz

Perfection
Julie Metz

Page Count: 352
Release Date: 18 May, 2010
Publisher: Voice (Hyperion)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by Romancing the Book, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

Julie Metz had a seemingly perfect life—an adoring husband, a happy, spirited daughter, a lovely old house in a quaint suburban town—but it was all a lie. 
Julie Metz's life changed forever on one ordinary January afternoon when her husband, Henry, collapsed on the kitchen floor and died in her arms. Suddenly, this mother of a six-year-old became the young widow in her bucolic small town. But that was only the beginning. Seven months after Henry's death, just when Julie thought she was emerging from the worst of it, came the rest of it: Henry had hidden another life from her.
Perfection is the story of rebuilding both a life and an identity after betrayal and widowhood. It is a story of rebirth and happiness—if not perfection.

Julie Metz offers a stunning and dazzling peek into her past in Perfection with her astonishingly lyrical prose. It is tragic enough that she was widowed at such a young age, after only sixteen years with her beloved husband, Henry. But what she disastrously discovers a mere several months after the devastating loss, is that he was having an affair for more than a year—with none other than her acquaintance and mother of her daughter's best friend, Cathy. Imagine what kind of betrayal you'd feel at that sort of discovery. A man you've loved, a man who's loved you deceiving you like that—and finding out AFTER he's dead. The anger Metz portrays is not malicious, and not even vengeful. It is only full of desperation and the distress every heartbroken woman is apt to feel. However, it certainly does not end there. By sifting through Henry's old email records, Julie yet again discovers, Cathy was not the only one. There were more women before and after Cathy. Yes, women. Women Julie has only once met at social events, women Julie was unaware of in existence, women Henry lightly joked about when he was alive. Women who haven't corresponded with Henry through email that Julie still doesn't know about. 

I was astounded by Julie's courage. After a bit of research, she contacts all the women in Henry's email account, and surprisingly, develops platonic, even friendly, relationships with them. Henry is a common ground for Julie and those women, and after his passing, it was the only place Julie can find true comfort in. It takes an unbelievable strength to get the guts to do that. To face one's fears directly. And for it, I commend Julie greatly.

Perfection is a remarkably personal novel that makes me want to by the end, get to know Julie better. I can't even refer to her as "Metz", I just want to call her Julie! Her story will rather than fill you with pity, bring a sense of understanding and admiration toward her, for her strength, endurance, and unwillingness to give up. She could be your best friend. She could be your sister. She could be your mom or that nice lady who smiles at you every time you see her at the park. She could even be you.

I am deeply impressed by Metz's incredible writing style. Her words have the ability to both depress and delight the reader, making Perfection an unforgettable read in which every single page is worthwhile.

Stephanie Loves: "[Henry and I] had shared some real moments. With effort and patience, I might find something I could keep at the end of all this, though I had an overwhelming urge to throw out all my life with Henry and start over with just Liza, the two of us heading off down a long road to somewhere in an old jalopy, one suitcase rattling in the backseat."

Radical Rating: 9 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

❤ follower love giveaway hop!

Okay I've been very very bad. Usually I put together prize packages for bloghops, but this one sort of slipped! I'm not even going to use my usual bloghop format.

For everyone's sake I'll just make it simple rather than silly. I'm giving away two $25 gift cards.

One for Amazon

and one for Barnes & Noble.

The rules? Be a follower. I love all my followers and would love to have new ones. You ALL are beautiful, wonderful, fabulous, and magnificent. Sorry I couldn't put something cool together. But please understand that life often gets in the way :)
Anyone who follows me on Twitter (@lovestephaniexx) gets one extra entry.

To complete your entry, you must leave a comment on this post with your email address and Twitter username (if following). I will be verifying whether people are following or not. 

If you love romance books, please consider checking out my Great Big Romance Giveaway also. The requirements are simple; it's a comment contest, which means all you have to do is make comments (as many or as little as you like) throughout the blog.  I appreciate and encourage reader/blogger comments in general, keep in mind :)

I've a $25 CSN gift card giveaway going on too. Enter if you desire!

what would i do without ❤

Me: You know what the best part of flying is, besides takeoff?

Him: What?

Me: Soaring through the clouds.

Him: Jesus Christ.

Me: What?
Him: That's so profound.

Me: Well, with twenty-four hours in a day, I've got to put my mind on something. It's that kind of stuff that makes me smile.

Him: Aw hell no.

Me: [giggling profusely]

Him: Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen you frown.

Me: Is that...a bad thing?

Him: No. I think you're beautiful. 

And that's what being loved should feel like ❤

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Message to Love by Liz Arnold

Message to Love
Liz Arnold

Page Count: 348
Release Date: 12 May, 2010
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Source: Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

Audra Wakely's father has been seized by Spanish authorities and imprisoned for sympathizing with Cuban rebels. Raising the money to bribe officials, if necessary, she sets off for Cuba to rescue her father. She doesn't bargain on the interference of any U.S. officials—that is, until she meets Rollins McBride.

Lt. Rollins McBride of the newly designated U.S. Naval Intelligence service is assigned to track Audra on her journey. He's to arrest Greg Wakely, a U.S. citizen, for treason and gun smuggling. His mission and his heart are taken by surprise by the feisty beauty who sets a stubborn path toward finding her father and proving he isn't a traitor—no matter what or who gets in the way.

SIZZLE, SPICE, AND INTRIGUE!

The Spanish-American War is set ablaze in Message to Love.

What Stephanie Thought: I was really impressed by this book's complex plot. Brimming with accurate details from the late 19th century era, it is a romance full of both suspense and danger.

Audra's journey begins in her comfortable and rather privileged home in the United States. Fresh out of her preparatory school and innocent as can be, she meets Rollins, a dashing but overly confident lieutenant who claims to be on a "mission" to watch over her in her father's absence. 

Self-sufficient and inexorable, Audra doesn't want his assistance. But Rollins still insists, and before he or she know it, they fall in love. There are several extremely passionate scenes in Message to Love—Audra and Rollins's love is certainly intense, and certainly real.

Trouble brews when sleazy Jasen Angler (long-time property rival who's recently bought almost everything Audra has left to her name) follows her to her trip to Cuba. She's in search of her father, and she doesn't need him. Or Rollins for that matter. But they both come anyway. Turns out, Jasen and some other corrupt officers have been planning to take advantage of Audra—and her fortune.

Then she discovers that her life—her life as she knew it—is not what she thought it was. And that Rollins, the good guy, the lover, isn't who he says he is.

The ultimatum offered to Audra is that she is to choose either her father's life or her first love's—the type of decision neither you nor I would even consider to make. As a happily-ever-after romance, however, all ends well: the bad guys perish and the good guys (Greg and Rollins) survive. I thought it ended rather abruptly, but other than that, Message to Love is a  sweet, adventurous read. It's slightly slow-moving, but that's because of the exquisite detail Arnold offers. I definitely recommend it to all historical romance lovers—especially those who appreciate a little love-making.

Stephanie Loves: "'Death is no place to linger, my friends,' he offered. 'The fortunes of many men are lost in the wind because they live in the vicious grip of death's power. Exile, self-recrimination, revenge. It causes it all. It is a tragic fame to live in death.' He downed the last of his liquor. 'This, a soldier knows the best. Death is no place to stay.'"

Radical Rating: 7 hearts: Not without flaws, but overall enjoyable. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥