♥♥♥♥♥♥: How to Marry a Rake by Deb Marlowe

How to Marry a Rake (The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor spinoff)
Deb Marlowe

Release Date: April 19th, 2011

Publisher: Harlequin

Page Count: 288

Source: Complimentary copy provided by author, via Romancing the Book, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!)

Miss Halford's Marriage Campaign

Back from Europe, heiress Mae Halford has mended her heart after her friend Stephen Manning's rejection. Looking radiant and full of confidence, she's ready to find herself a husband!

Only, the first man she bumps into at a Newmarket house party is Lord Stephen himself! When the two find themselves covertly working together to find a missing prized racehorse, romance blossoms. But can Mae believe that Stephen has changed enough that their adventure will lead to the altar?

What Stephanie Thought: What I love most about historical romance is how it's set in a completely distant era, yet how passion and love are both still conveyed in the same way we all know best. Harlequin's How to Marry a Rake is a perfect example.

Though Deb Marlowe's writing style is not particularly enchanting, the emotions she delivers from the deepest of her characters' hearts is what makes her stories worth swooning over. Mae Halford, the female protagonist, faces an imperative problem: the man she swears to herself, she's totally over, is suddenly, maddeningly, breathtakingly back in her life. But this time around, she's not going to let him get to her head, oh no. This time, Stephen Manning is going to fall head over heels for her.

The plot itself is theatrical that way, and paired with the mystery of figuring out who stole Newmarket's most prized racehorse, Pratchett, is an overall light and enjoyable read.

Some parts are a little slow (and I feel, rather unnecessary), but most of it is fluffy and very feel-good. Mae and Stephen's chemistry is witty and scalding at the same time, though I do wish their characters had been developed a little more heavily. The characters are not relatable; however, fortunately, their situations are. The ending is predictable, but it's a happily-ever-after conclusion that's bound to leave all romantics sighing and readers with wishful tears in their eyes.

Stephanie Loves: "Mae didn't understand what a misery a life shut out from all good society could be. Stephen did.

He knew all about the horrible loneliness. How, when the world forgot you, you began to lose yourself. He'd seen his mother fad away in isolation and exile, through no fault of her own. He'd be damned if he'd see the same thing happen to Mae." 

Radical Rating: 6 hearts: Satisfying for a first read, but I'm not going back. ♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: The Wild Soccer Bunch: Diego the Tornado by Joachim Masannek

Diego the Tornado (The Wild Soccer Bunch #2)
Joachim Masannek

Release Date: April 15th, 2011

Publisher: Sole

Page Count: 166

Source: Complimentary copy provided by LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

Fabio, the son of a famous Brazilian soccer player, wants to join the Wild Soccer Bunch. But Fabio's father has other plans. He makes his son play for the Furies, one of the best youth club teams in the country. The Wild Soccer Bunch is devastated, but Diego has a different plan. He turns the Wild Soccer Bunch into a club team and challenges the Furies to a game! Can the wild Soccer Bunch survive the game? Can their friendship endure the test?

What Stephanie Thought: I was always that second grader who would never be found without a book in hand, so today, I definitely advocate youth and middle-grade reading.

The Wild Soccer Bunch is a children's series from Germany that's creating a sensation around the world, thanks to its universal message about friendship, determination, and teamwork. With endorsement from Landon Donovan, it's the type of series kids who love to read will enjoy, but more importantly, the type of series kids who don't love to read, will enjoy as well.

Life isn't fair in Diego the Tornado when Fabio, son of a world renown soccer celebrity, comes to town. The Wild Soccer Bunch desperately wants him on their welcoming team, but his father won't allow it. This is both troubling for the team itself, since Fabio on any other team would be a threat to theirs, and to each individual player, for the loss of Fabio as a friend.

Tested by the stresses of betrayal and heavy losses, the Wild Soccer Bunch attempts to stand strong, and come out in the end, as cooperative as they once were.

I enjoyed the message portrayed by Joachim Masannek for kids. Essentially, he tells a story, through the funny, relatable character of Diego, the team's left forward, of the importance of stepping up as a leader and of sportsmanship. Children of all elementary ages will learn the values of self-acceptance and honest competition in this wildly popular and entertaining series. As a soccer lover myself, I really loved reading about the dilemmas of the sport. It's true that winning isn't everything when it comes to soccer; kids will understand that the rules of the game are clearly defined by the unity of the team itself, not the level of success.

Radical Rating: 8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

❤author: Laina Turner Interview and Giveaway!

❤ Today, as part of a NURTURE Virtual BOOK Tourz™ blog tour, I will be hosting debut author, Laina Turner with an interview. Laina will be telling us all about herself, her new book, and her passion for writing -- wrapped up with a great giveaway.

Are you ready for this? Let's get started ❤

❤ Welcome to ¡Miraculous!, Laina! Will you please share a short bio with us and tell us a little about your books?

I am a businesswoman, mom, author, professor, and a major supporter of shopping. I have an undying love for shoes and coffee, which is why I created my main character and alter ego Presley Thurman in by novel, Stilettos & Scoundrels. While she enjoys her day job, my passion is writing, and I spend lot of time writing my fiction or working on her social website for women, Chiczofrenic.com. I currently live in Indiana with my family, and am always writing something, whether it’s for blogs, articles, business journals and books, or ideas for my next novel. I am continuously doing what I love which is writing or drinking coffee.

❤ What inspired you to write your first book and then how did you get published? Tell us your call story.

I have been writing since I was in 2nd grade but I never really finished anything. I would get about half way through and decide it was crap and scrap it. However, when I got to my late 30’s I realized I wasn’t fulfilled and needed to go after some of those dreams that were always on the back of my mind. Stilettos & Scoundrels was the product of that decision.

After a lot of thinking and research I decided to self publish and formed my own publishing company called Five Seas Ink. I now am not only publishing my own books but have a few other authors as well. It’s been very exciting.

❤ It sure sounds like a thrill! Describe your writing in three words.

Fun, entertaining, imperfect.

❤ What's the most interesting comment you have ever received about your books? 

“Did you mold Cooper Sands after me?” from a guy I knew. I hadn’t.

❤ Just a coincidence :) What's next for you?

I am currently working on the sequel to Stilettos & Scoundrels called Handbags & Hooligans. It will be out in the fall.

❤ Where can you be found on the web?

My website, www.lainaturner.com.

❤ Thanks so much for being here with us today, Laina! I can't wait to read Stilettos & Scoundrels. Good luck to you and your future writing endeavors!

Giveaway!

❤ Thanks to Laina's tour publicist, NURTURE Virtual BOOK Tourz™, one lucky reader will win their very own print copy of Stilettos & Scoundrels. To enter the giveaway, all you need to do is comment on Laina's interview or ask Laina a question that hasn't already been asked. No need to follow my blog -- though it is always appreciated :)

This giveaway is open internationally and will end on June 31st sorry, I forgot there was no June 31st. June 30th, 2011 at 11.59 EST. Good luck!

❤,
Stephanie!

i hate people

Unfollowing. I will never understand why people do this. I realize there are people who follow my blog just because of bloghops. But there are also beautiful fabulous spectacular people who follow my blog just for the heck of it (Lord help them). If you're one of the latter people, this message totally isn't directed towards you.

I work hard to keep my blog updated and my readers happy. I check for comments, make posts that aren't JUST reviews, and try to interact with everyone as much as I can. I recently changed my giveaway rules so entrants don't have to be followers via Google Friend Connect because to be honest, the number of followers a blog has is not directly correlated to its readership. It takes one click of a button to "follow" a blog, but it takes a daily visit to truly keep up with it. I know, because there are a bunch of blogs I read on a daily basis, even if I'm not following them on GFC.

But then it's like, if you already are following, why would you take the extra step to unfollow my blog? It's not the follower count I'm concerned about, but knowing someone would deliberately press a button to unsubscribe to my sweat and tears is a cold slap in the face. Does my content annoy you? I really don't post that often. Does it offend you? Obviously, you're a little anal about anything that isn't completely kosher/virgin/chaste. Do you just hate having a long list of random websites on your "Blogs I'm Following" list that my blog happens to be on? Well, you're an asshole for following a random blog in the first place.

Every time I lose a follower, I'm like this

Bitch, you ruined my day





I'm going on a rant about this because it's not one or two followers I've lost. Ultimately, I've lost about twenty or thirty. It's hard to keep definite track, as I gain followers every day too (love you all!!), but people do unfollow regularly, I've noticed.

Thank you to the loyal followers, the ones who always keep coming back for more.

Fuck you I'm sorry to the straying followers who couldn't seem to endure what I offer. I hope you'll find what you're looking for elsewhere.

❤ I can't force every visitor into signing a contract saying "I PROMISE TO NEVER UNFOLLOW THIS BLOG, EVER" (though it would be nice). As a blogger, I'm assuming you won't leave me alone with just my words for company. It saddens me because the worst part is, most of the unfollowers probably don't even know how much their simple actions hurt me.

Ultimately, this is how I react to those lost readers

But it's no use because they're already gone.

❤author: Stacey Joy Netzel Interview and Giveaway!

❤ It's my pleasure to welcome author, Stacey Joy Netzel to the blog today. Stacey, will you please share a short bio with us?

Wisconsin native Stacey Joy Netzel fell in love with books at a young age, so for her the graduation to writing them was natural. A member of Romance Writer's of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers (WisRWA), she credits her parents for encouraging her dreams of becoming a published author, as well as the very talented friends she’s made in WisRWA since joining in 2004. Her books have received numerous 5 Star reviews from reviewers and readers alike, and her Christmas anthology, Mistletoe Rules, took 1st place in WisRWA's 2010 Write Touch Readers' Award. An avid reader and fan of movies with happy endings, Stacey lives in Wisconsin with her husband and three children, a couple horses and some barn cats. She works part-time as a travel agent, and in her limited free time she enjoys gardening, canning, and visiting her parents in Northeastern Wisconsin (Up North) at their cabin on the lake.

❤ Tell us about your books.

My most recent releases, Trust in the Lawe and Shattered Trust are both set in my favorite state of Colorado. Since I can’t live there, I like to live vicariously through my characters. Both books have suspense to go with the romance, and Shattered Trust is the result of the author (me) really connecting with her secondary characters, twins, Justin and Jordan, while writing Trust in the Lawe. I just had to tell Justin’s story. I’m happy to say Jordan’s adventure, Shadowed Trust, is currently in edits.

❤ They sound fascinating! I, as you know, read Shattered Trust and absolutely loved it! Readers, you can find my review by clicking here. Stacey, when and why did you begin writing?

This answer is so boring, but it’s the truth. I started writing in high school because I loved reading so much and had all sorts of ideas for my own stories. I was very shy and loved the idea of my heroines being brave enough to do all the things I wanted to but couldn’t.

❤ What inspired you to write your first book and then how did you get published? Tell us your call story.

I quit writing for a number of years as life took over, began again in ’96, and became serious about getting published in 2004 when I finished my first book and joined Romance Writers of America. That book remains unpublished, but there may be a day it gets resurrected. My ‘call story’ consists of my critique partner Donna Marie Rogers and I submitting our connected stories to The Wild Rose Press in 2007 and receiving an email that they’d been accepted for contract. We were thrilled, and in Sept. 2007, our small town anthology Welcome To Redemption hit the shelves! It’s no longer available from The Wild Rose Press, but you can still purchase it at book retailers such as Amazon and Borders. Currently, we’re working on sequel stories in the series; the four novellas that originally made up the book will soon be rereleased with the sequels.


❤ Sounds like a dream come true! How much of your actual life gets written into your fictional stories?


My very first book was based on my summers working in Colorado on a ranch resort, but with LOTS of fiction thrown in. Since then, little things from my life affect my writing, like incorporating some negotiation training from my job into a few scenes in Shattered Trust. A book I’m currently submitting to agents begins with a real life experience where I was left behind in Italy by my brother and sister. They came back for me and our vacation continued without incident. In my book, my heroine isn’t so lucky. Um, no, wait a second…she gets a happily ever after with a sexy movie star…I take back the unlucky comment. LOL.


❤ What are your biggest motivations for writing?


Nothing noble or inspiring here; I just love to write!


❤ Best type of motivation, if you ask me. Which books, do you think, have most influenced your life and your writing the most?


I can’t really name any one book or author. I guess it’s been romance books in general. I don’t mind crying a little, but I’d better get that happy5 ending or else. Same with movies — can’t stand when someone dies at the end. I get enough of real life in my real life, thank you.


❤ Well put. What books are on your nightstand right now?


There are always books from The Wild Rose Press on my Nook because I really enjoy the quality of work they publish; Tempting Adam by Jill James being one of them. Fellow WisRWA member Jean Barrett’s new release Not Without You is one I can’t wait to read! Harlequin Intrigue author Carol Ericson has a great new Brothers in Arms series that launched this March with Navy SEAL Security.  And most recently, I’ve enjoyed Haunting Jordan by PJ Alderman, Cattitude by Edie Ramer, and Sparring Partners by Leigh Morgan.


❤ What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? 


Finding time and being creative after work, without taking too much time away from my family.


❤ Easiest?


Falling in love with my characters.


❤ And the most rewarding?


Finishing a book and liking the end result.


❤ Describe your writing in three words.


Sensual. Heartwarming. Hopeful.


❤ What’s the most interesting comment you have ever received about your books?

I’m not sure this qualifies as ‘interesting’, but I was thrilled when this was sent to me the day after a friend and fellow RWA member bought my Christmas anthology, Mistletoe Rules:  “Good morning,  Well, is this your fault or mine? I bought your book to read on the airplane next week, but started the first pages at a stop and go light driving home after the meeting. I FINISHED THE BOOK YESTERDAY. Now I have to find another book.”


❤ That's hilarious! And a very kind comment too. What's next for you, Stacey?


Finish edits for Shadowed Trust, which should get a late 2011 or early 2012 release date.


❤ Where can you be found on the web?


www.StaceyJoyNetzel.com is my website. Check it out for listings of my books, my blog, contest info, and a free read! Be sure to take a glance at the FUN page for my favorite TV shows and movies. I’m also at Facebook too, if anyone wants to follow me there.


❤ Before we conclude this interview, is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?


I’d love to hear from readers what “hook” are you an absolute sucker for?  Secret baby, amnesia, friends who fall in love, etc.  And what ones are you completely sick of?

Giveaway!

❤ Stacey has been kind enough to offer a copy of Shattered Trust, either an electronic or print copy -- winner's choice -- to one lucky reader! I know all you guys will enjoy this one; I read it and love it! You can read my review of it here. 


To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment answering Stacey's question, or ask her a new one of your own. No need to follow my blog, though it is appreciated :) Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you when you win!

Contest ends June 1st, 2011 at midnight EST. Open INTERNATIONALLY but you must be a US resident to be eligible for the print copy.


❤ love!
Stephanie x

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Teen Cuisine by Matthew Locricchio

Teen Cuisine
Matthew Locricchio

Release Date: October 1st, 2010

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

Page Count: 207

Source: Complimentary copy provided by FSB Media in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!!)

Renowned chef Matthew Locricchio's Teen Cuisine is a one-of-a-kind cookbook that introduces adolescents to more than 50 mouthwatering recipes. For beginning cooks and seasoned chefs, its step-by-step instructions feature fresh, nutritious ingredients and show-stopping dishes made from scratch.

What Stephanie Thought: When it comes to food, most of my experiences go like this:

Somebody: Hey Stephanie, you like to eat, right? Are you good at cooking?
Me: No, no. I can't be good in every room of the house!

But seriously. Considering I'm the kind of person who could burn a caesar salad, most people would not come to me first (or at all) for food catering needs. Which is why when I saw this cookbook that clearly states it is for neophytes, I knew it was perfect for me.

Many of the recipes featured in Teen Cuisine are indeed a very innovative way to get kids to enjoy their time in the kitchen. The four recipes I tried out (California-style pizza, Alabama Festival Shrimp, Po-Boy Sandwich, and Slow Cakes) ended up fantastic: easy-to-follow, orderly, and most importantly, tasty. 

I wish the recipe instructions would have had more pictures. For a beginner's cookbook, this one isn't as effortless as it leads on to. I would have loved progressive images to keep track of where I was while cooking, sort of like in origami or other craft books. 

Also, easy cooking does not necessarily mean healthy cooking. Though a lot of the recipes call for "whole-grain" and "fresh" ingredients, it is evident by the foods themselves, such as the Max Mac and Cheese and Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza, that these are not exactly heart-healthy selections. I'll admit I'm sort of a nut about these kinds of things. The recipes are super, yes, and even better, simple, but if you closely watch what you eat, Teen Cuisine's greasy choices may not be ideal for you.

Stephanie Loves: The recipe for California-style pizza (link courtesy of the amazing Pioneerwoman). Think California Pizza Kitchen or what I like to call sun pizzas! Yummm.

Radical Rating: 8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥: Cosmo's Steamy Sex Games

Cosmo's Steamy Sex Games
Cosmopolitan

Release Date: July 1st, 2007

Publisher: Hearst

Card Count: 240

Source:  As a Babeland affiliate, I received one free box of Cosmo's Steamy Sex Games in exchange for an honest review (thank you!). I was not paid, compensated, nor sponsored in any way to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are purely my own

ARE YOU READY TO PLAY?

WHAT'S INSIDE: Twelve sizzling, couples-only bedroom games, complete with fun, easy-to-use tear-out cards. Heat up your mattress action with these challenges:

• The Sexy Scavenger Hunt

• Dirty Truth or Dare

• Finish the Fantasy

• Titillating Trivia

• Call of the Wild

...AND MORE!

 PLUS  The perfect, handy box to store these red-hot games in... so you can play them over and over again.

What Stephanie Thought: Cosmopolitan is hands-down, my favorite magazine (YES, it even beats Fitness and Interview; they would be runners up, however) which is why I was eager to get my hands on Cosmo's Steamy Sex Games. I will admit, my love for Cosmo is probably directly correlated with my love for sex... but to me, Cosmo is way more than just a sex magazine. It's a health, beauty, self magazine that knows how to make you feel your best and your partner pretty damn good too.

That being said, I am slightly disappointed at how this box of cards doesn't do the magazine justice. Many of the "sexy" suggestions attempt to be flirty and risqué, and almost all of them fall flat. Out of the 240 cards, I'd say only about 40 were really original. The rest, I could have easily come up with myself.

Here's an example I laughed at from the Dirty Truth or Dare segment: dare — I'm a sexy stranger at a bar. Pull out your best on-the-prowl tricks and try to pick me up for a one-night stand. First of all, can you say awkward? Can you imagine roleplaying a "sexy stranger in a bar" in your very own bedroom? Would you use make-believe the alcohol too? Let's say you and your partner both really inventive and could imagine the fantasy clearly (something I still can't do with a straight face); too bad it's too creepy of a scenario to continue with.

A lot of the cards in the box are annoyingly repetitive. I came to a card from the Titillating Trivia section I liked a lot: What's the kinkiest thing we've ever done together? Get the answer right — We act out your lusty wish. Get the answer wrong — We act out my lusty wish. I mean, that's really creative and it's a win-win situation. Either way, you get to have fun sex! However, this was the next card in the deck: What's my all-time favorite sex act? Get the answer right — We get to do your favorite act. Get the answer wrong — We get to do my favorite act. I soon discovered with dismay that there were at least two more cards that went on like this, just with slightly different wording. Who is Cosmo trying to fool? They're all the same thing, just with "sex act" replaced by the words "sex position"!

The book isn't a complete letdown, though. Like I said earlier, there are lots of clever ideas available. In particular, I enjoyed the Kama Sutra section because it has imaginative positions with diagrams and descriptions to guide you along. 

I was entertained by this book for a fun night, I'll admit, but I feel I would get sick of it after a first skim of all the cards. This is mostly due to the fact that many of the games aren't even steamy, but also because all the activities are cute, playful ways to get to know your partner. If you're already intimate with your partner (which I am), this one might be sort of a bore.

Stephanie Loves: "Late-Night Lust

For Her: Set the alarm for 2 am (with the volume low). When the alarm goes off, catch it before he totally wakes up. Then light the candles and place them around the bed. Roll him onto his back, hold onto his member, and move your hand up and down. Then shimmy down and take him in your mouth, sucking very gently until he's completely hard. When he's moaning in pleasure, move back up, rub some lube on his member, and put him inside you.

For Him: Make slow, sweet, dreamy love to her. Then blow out the candles and wrap your arms around her as you both drift off to sleep." — a card with A Night of Naughty Adventure (card five) that I find so romantic!

Radical Rating: 6 hearts: Satisfying for a first read, but I'm not going back. ♥♥♥♥♥♥