Book Review: How to Run Naked with a Werewolf by Molly Harper

January 8, 2014 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

Down, Boy
Anna Moder has just witnessed a shooting, seen her car pulverized, and rescued a wounded stranger only to discover he’s really a werewolf. And by her recent standards, things are actually looking up. Lycanthropes don’t faze Anna. Doctoring a wolf pack outside Grundy, Alaska, is the closest thing to home life she’s known in years. But hitching a ride to Anchorage with long-absent pack member Caleb Graham that’s a risk. Part of her itches to whack his nose with a newspaper. The rest is trying unsuccessfully to keep her own paws off every delicious inch of him.
The problem is, Caleb employs his lupine tracking abilities as a notquite-legal bounty hunter, and Anna is suspicious of both him and his profession. On the run from her past, with old problems closing in, she’d like to stay far, far away from anybody with connections to the law. Caleb, however, seems determined to keep her close. Are his intentions noble, or is he working a more predatory angle?
Anna’s been dreaming of returning to a semi-normal life, but now she’s experiencing a strange new urge . . . to join Caleb in running with the wolves.

My Gemstone Rating:

The third installment in the Naked Werewolf Series by Molly Harper was another home run. Her characters are always breath taking and falling into the life of Dr. Anna Moder was an eye opener. The only human doctor who made her life the last four years among the Werewolf pack in the Crescent Valley, who in the earlier two books you discover and come to love through the Graham children’s eyes only becomes brighter, and tighter to your heart.

Anna is on the run. But from what or who you have to read to find out. Wolves take the people they love to heart and Anna is no exception as she finds herself in Cousin Caleb’s company traversing all over the Alaskan wilderness, chasing down the lawless illegally and legally. But its Caleb’s warm charm that will draw you through the book with his love and patience Anna will be saved.

There is an extra twist at the end of the book as Molly always seems to toss at you and if you’ve read her Nice Girl’s Series you will be squirming to collect all the dots that she’s mixed into this book as well. Always on a new outlook for the next Harper book I can’t wait to finish shooting this off to you and get on to reading the next book in yet another series of hers.

So to cap things up, there are hookers, handcuffs, and boob flashing promises oh my. Pick up How to Run with a Naked Werewolf and bundle up because your hearts going to secure you to the ever rabbit like Dr. Moder. Caleb is no slouch either, over protective, ever gentle, and truly a gentleman like all the other Graham’s this book is read you won’t be able to put down from cover to cover. It opens with an explosion and goes out running!

WWW Wednesday 1/8/14

January 8, 2014 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

This is another one hosted over at Should be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What are you reading next?

What I am currently reading:

In 1782, during the final clashes of the Revolutionary War, one of our young nation’s most valiant and beloved soldiers was, secretly, a woman.

When Deborah Samson disguised herself as a man and joined the Continental Army, she wasn’t just fighting for America’s independence—she was fighting for her own. Revolutionary, Alex Myers’s richly imagined and meticulously researched debut novel, brings the true story of Deborah’s struggle against a rigid colonial society back to life—and with it the courage, hope, fear, and heartbreak that shaped her journey through a country’s violent birth.

After years as an indentured servant in a sleepy Massachusetts town, chafing under the oppressive norms of colonial America, Deborah can’t contain her discontent any longer. When a sudden crisis forces her hand, she decides to finally make her escape. Embracing the peril and promise of the unknown, she cuts her hair, binds her chest, and, stealing clothes from a neighbor, rechristens herself Robert Shurtliff. It’s a desperate, dangerous, and complicated deception, and becomes only more so when, as Robert, she enlists in the Continental Army.

What follows is an inspiring, one-of-a-kind journey through an America torn apart by war: brutal winters and lethal battlefields, the trauma of combat and the cruelty of betrayal, the joy of true love and the tragedy of heartbreak. In his brilliant Revolutionary, Myers, who himself is a descendant of the historical Deborah, takes full advantage of this real-life heroine’s unique voice to celebrate the struggles for freedom, large and small, like never before.

What I just finished reading:

Beginning ten years after the end of Éire’s Captive Moon, this is the story of how Agnarr Halvardson returns to Éire with the intention of settling there, marrying, and siring sons.

It is also the story of Aislinn, who was a child in Ragor when the Northmen raided eleven summers prior but is now a working physician in her own right. She spent a year in Bangor Monastery and became a Christian before Cowan and Charis returned to take the children to Cowan’s village in the kingdom of Dál Fiatach and returns there a decade later to finish learning all she can from the monks about their healing practices.

When Cowan brings her a patient, injured and temporarily unable to speak, she can’t help but find the strong, tall man attractive, even if such feelings unsettle her.

Although sparks fly immediately, Agnarr’s idea of wedding Aislinn—the physician who heals him when he is injured—is hampered by many factors, including language and cultural differences. There is also the matter that he is the man who kidnapped and enslaved Charis years before.

What is next..honestly I have no idea ha ha I changed up my reading time line for the month so now I am just looking at everything that was set up and going, “Meh..maybe…” so we will see where the road takes me.

Book Blast: Dream Killers by S.M Blooding

January 8, 2014 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

The Dream Killers

“The Dream Killers” is geared for fans of “Once Upon a Time”. The first season (2013-2014) consists of 6 novellas called episodes. It follows River as he tries to escape the pirate Captain Bo, the guardians of the Sea of Dreams, the runners, the elders, and the master mechanics.

Captain Bo is after the dreamnet that River stole from him. He uses it to capture dreams to power devices for all those who sail the Sea of Dreams. They’re all the Nightmare Realm’s failures. They have no place and no purpose. Some are good. Some are bad. Most are just in it for themselves. Bo doesn’t care what price he has to pay in order to get the net back from River.

The guardians of the Sea of Dreams are also after that net, and all those like it. The nets are dream killers, and the guardian Teandra has sworn to destroy any who hold it.

The runners, elders, and master mechanics are searching for any rogue Dreamlander. They need strange gifts, anything of power they can use to bring down Dreamland and rebuild her in their image.

As River struggles to figure out who and what he is, he also has to protect Bo from the sea’s guardians, the kids he’s collecting from the rabid dreamplanes, and himself from a mysterious force that seeks to send him back to where he came from–wherever that might be.

Each episode takes River, his merry crew, and our set of villains through adventures where we discover nuggets of information that will help the heroes in the main novels (Dreamland Stories – Nightmare’s Dream). Each “Dreamland Story” novel can be read as a stand-alone, but there are tons of compelling nuggets that will be revealed through reading each book, and the supporting stories of “The Dream Killers”.

Graveyard of Dreams (The Dream Killers #1)

My name’s River, and I’m a dream killer.

The Sea of Dreams spat me out without any memories of who was or where I came from. I’ve spent years traveling Dreamland in our gypsy caravan, searching for clues. All I’ve discovered is that the all-powerful elders are collecting people like me—Dreamlanders who don’t fit in.

Then I met a man who sails the Sea of Dreams, the one place all Dreamlanders fear. One touch of those ocean waves could shred the soul. Yet, he’s like me. He can hear the water’s whispers, touch her waves, and watch her dreams. My answers are out there—on his ship, on that sea.

Somewhere out there is the graveyard of dreams.

Dream Killers will be FREE from January 8th to 11th.

Download your copy from Amazon.com

Author SM Blooding

SM “Frankie” Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, and Jack the Bird. Jack has refused to let her to take up the piano again, but is warming to the guitar. It might help that Frankie has learned more than two strings. She’s added a few more Arabic words to her vocabulary, but don’t invite her into conversation yet—unless, of course, you’re willing to have a very . . . slow . . . conversation.

She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Éire’s Viking (Éire’s Viking, #2) by Sandi Layne

January 7, 2014 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

Book two of the Éire’s Viking Trilogy.

Beginning ten years after the end of Éire’s Captive Moon, this is the story of how Agnarr Halvardson returns to Éire with the intention of settling there, marrying, and siring sons.

It is also the story of Aislinn, who was a child in Ragor when the Northmen raided eleven summers prior but is now a working physician in her own right. She spent a year in Bangor Monastery and became a Christian before Cowan and Charis returned to take the children to Cowan’s village in the kingdom of Dál Fiatach and returns there a decade later to finish learning all she can from the monks about their healing practices.

When Cowan brings her a patient, injured and temporarily unable to speak, she can’t help but find the strong, tall man attractive, even if such feelings unsettle her.

Although sparks fly immediately, Agnarr’s idea of wedding Aislinn—the physician who heals him when he is injured—is hampered by many factors, including language and cultural differences. There is also the matter that he is the man who kidnapped and enslaved Charis years before.

Everyone who knows me knows I love a good Viking story, for the historical side and because Loki is my Patron God. I loved the first book in this series Éire’s Captive Moon by Sandi Layne so I was very excited to dig into the second book to see what Agnarr and Charis and Cowan would get up to again.

I can say I was not disappointed.

Once again we delve deep into a wonderfully written story of war, love, loss and dealing with emotions and learning forgiveness. The story is centered mostly on Aislinn and Agnarr and the story that becomes their love. Not only their love but what Agnarrs love for the land that is Ireland. Aislinn was one of the children from the tunnels in the last books, so her family was slaughtered by the raiding party and she held anger to the men from the North, which is fully understandable. However through her faith in her God she is able to slowly forgive.

As with the last book you can tell that a great deal of research went into this book and the blending of the cultures and histories is fantastic. While the one point I didn’t really like was when Agnarr converted ( I won’t give spoiler details as to what goes on.) , I know that is a personal preference. As a reader I fully understand why he did aside from it being one of the points of the stories, how Ireland came to be not taken over but settled, so it makes sense for the actual story and I appreciate that.

Personally for me this was another triumph of work from Sandi Layne and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into the third installment. I love when a book makes me feel like I am visiting old friends and that is how I felt throughout the whole of this one.

My Gemstone Rating:

Teaser Tuesday 1/7/14

January 7, 2014 - Ambrosia 8 Comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Knives stabbing his skull, carving pieces from his head, stealing his-no there was light. There was. ~ 8% Eire’s Viking by Sandi Layne

Auto Insurance

January 6, 2014 - Ambrosia 1 Comment

The holidays are over and I don’t know about all of you but I know some friends who got new cars for Christmas. It seems like a smart idea because the dealers offer some great deals (like everyone else) over the holidays. The only thing that I have noticed most people don’t think about is the auto insurance rates for a new car; they do tend to be higher. However if you want to look for something affordable and reliable check out these auto insurance rates, and see if any fit your post holiday budget.

Musing Monday 1/6/14

January 6, 2014 - Ambrosia 4 Comments

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

I have a rant today I do my rant today is that why can’t there be enough time to READ more during the day? I always try to set time aside to read but sometimes it just does not happen. I get bogged down with work and other projects that I need to do and the book sits unread. I don’t like it but that is life right? Still don’t you ever wish we could have a magic hour or two when life would not bother us and we could just read?

Sunday Salon 1/5/14

January 5, 2014 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

The first Sunday of the brand new year and what a starting week it has been around here. I have gotten one book finished so far and started another, Eire’s Viking. I was really excited to get this one although I have to admit I have not been able to give it the attention that I want yet. I am hoping that Monday I will be able to dedicate time to it because I am going to be slammed down with work stuff again this Sunday. Sometimes being a freelance self-employed person means you don’t get a weekend off like everyone else does, and I am okay with that.

In other news I got a copy of Revolutionary in the mail as well and let me tell you I can’t wait to start reading that one in fact I ended up bumping the three or four other books I had lined up and planned to read in honor of the new fresh shinny book. I know not very fair of me those other books were for my TBR challenge and have been sitting on my shelves for years, but what can I say I am a sucker for the time period and the book looks really good.

I hope that all of my other reading friends out there have a fantastic Sunday and that they are staying warm. I am worried about my friends who are getting cold snaps. It is colder then normal here as well and I have heard we are due a little bit of snow, which people are panicking for and buying staples and essentials. We are talking 1-2 inches of snow here so my brain says “not much nope…no thanks. I am still going to do my shopping and errands as usual.”

Quoteable Sunday 1/5/14

January 5, 2014 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
― Dr. Seuss
“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”
― Marilyn Monroe
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
― Bernard M. Baruch
“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
― Oscar Wilde
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”
― Albert Einstein
“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”
― Dr. Seuss
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
― Mae West
“So many books, so little time.”
― Frank Zappa
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
― Cicero
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”
― Robert Frost
“Friendship is born at that moment when one man says to another: “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .””
― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
“Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.”
― Albert Camus
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt, This is My Story
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
― Mark Twain
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
― Elbert Hubbard

Readers Rights

January 4, 2014 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

I found this over at Say it with Books, who found it at the website of Daniel Pennac a.k.a Daniel Pennacchioni. I found it a very interesting read to say the least and I have to say I fully agree with all of it.

1. The Right To Not Read – This is something that I have to work hard to believe.We read for pleasure. Because we love it. But sometimes we forget that there are people out there who wish to not do so.We have to learn to respect this.We have to learn that there are lots of people who do not have the time nor the love for books. Yes, books are wonderful things and personally I don’t think I’d be able to live without them but there are those who might think otherwise.

This is not just something that applies to non-readers-Some of us, book lovers go through ‘reading slumps’ where we simply don’t feel like reading. Do not feel guilty. It’s your right.The right to not read.

2. The Right To Skip Pages – There are two instances where I do this. One, when certain parts of a book feel repetitive and boring-I simply cannot bear to hear the protagonist go on and on about the eye color of that oh-so-swoony guy again. Second, when the book is so good that you simply have to know what happens between Warner and Juliette in Chapter 62. Go on take a peek. It’s your right.

3. The Right To Not Finish – Oh yeah, remember that book where the MC goes on about guy next door with the jet black hair and emerald green eyes that makes her knees go weak while the entire universe is about to blown to smithereens by some freaky meteorite thingy?Feel free to put it on your DNF pile without an ounce of guilt. You do have the right.

4. The Right To Reread – The Scottish author, Ali Smith words this particular right perfectly – “You know when you hear a piece of music once, you haven’t heard it properly, you want to hear it again. A well-made book will reward you in exactly the same way as music does, in that you will understand and love a piece. You’ll feel the cadence and depth of it and hear things in it all the time. If you pay it a little more attention, it will reward you, like all art. Like everything, actually.” So read again. Again. And Again. Until you cannot do it anymore. Remember, it’s your right.

5. The Right To Read Anything – Do you know what my favorite week of the year is? The Banned Books Week.This week celebrates the freedom to read ANY book. Go ahead and buy that censored book, take a peak at your US Weekly magazine or order a bunch of those happily-ever-after romance novels, we promise not be judgmental pricks. It’s your right after all.

6. The Right To Escapism – Virginia Wolf says it best. “These moments of escape are not to be despised. They come too seldom.” So go escape into a book and live your life as a princess,a knight,a bandit and a magician for a few hours. Laugh out loud and cry your heart out – You definitely have the right.

7. The Right To Read Anywhere – In bed, by the pool, in the tree house/tent,in your classroom , in the car(not a great idea if you suffer from motion sickness like me), here, there and anywhere. So what’s the weird-est place you’ve read in?

8. The Right To Browse – Those favorite parts in the book that you are reading right now? Go read that again. Give your buddy a chance to browse and pick out their fave parts too. That’s right-Have fun!

9. The Right To Read Out Loud – The written word has the power to make you hear, feel and to see. Read aloud and celebrate the power of words!

10. The Right To Not Defend Your Tastes – This one is related to Right #5. Sometimes we see that people are attacked for the books that they read. Don’t let anybody’s opinion dictate what you should read-there are no right or wrong books. You should not have to justify to anybody as to why you read a particular book. Read whatever you want and please do return the favor by not being a book snob.

The Purple Booker

Reading is…Bigger on the inside

Book Review: How to Run Naked with a Werewolf by Molly Harper

WWW Wednesday 1/8/14

Book Blast: Dream Killers by S.M Blooding

Book Review: Éire’s Viking (Éire’s Viking, #2) by Sandi Layne

Teaser Tuesday 1/7/14

Auto Insurance

Musing Monday 1/6/14

Sunday Salon 1/5/14

Quoteable Sunday 1/5/14

Readers Rights