Lilacs for Laura - Dianne Miley

I am going to attempt another review. Please note and bare with me because I'm not very good at doing them; however, I felt this author and her book deserving of one.

Just for a warning, I may give out "spoilers". I try not too but they often just slip out of me in my enthusiasm over a story.

I've been in a very bad reading funk, having difficulties connecting and concentrating on books and authors I generally devoured. If one looked at my "normal" monthly reading, they'd witness a dramatic drop. What is my "normal" monthly read? 15-20 books (I'm lucky now to read three books a month).

Well, "LILACS FOR LAURA" snagged my complete attention, despite having to read the ebook on my desktop (sadly one of my boys ran a magnet over my ereader's screen, and the hubs can not fix it) and risk eye-sore from the brightness of the screen but I simply could not disengage myself from reading more of the plot, storyline, and characters.

I've been eyeing Dianne's books for a while now. The beautiful cover of this one catching my attention with the gorgeous display of light lavender lilacs. Lilacs hold a very fond meaning to me for they remind me of my grandmother who was always my staunchest support and my hero.

Then there was "ROSES FOR RACHEL". Is it lame to be attracted to books where the heroine shares your birthname, along with the same spelling?

Dianne succeeded beautifully in making the reader interact with her characters. You simply can not help loving her grandmother (she made me cherish and miss mine all over again!), or cheering her mother on when she put the nasty gossiper in her place (yeah I raised my fist with the "You tell 'er"). She even made me want to take a cast iron skillet to Jake's face.

Brett was a total keeper. It was nice to see a man who held such devotion to his mother (especially with her Italian temper, I have an Italian step-father in law so I'm well aware of their tempers) and such hard worker.

Some may say Laura came off at weak but not so to me. She was not as spunky as I like in heroines but she really didn't let too much walk over her. The situations she dealt with and shouldered in the story to perserve her family made the story all more compelling and yes believable. When an author gets you that involved with the story and characters, you know you have a keeper.

Then there is the character with my namesake. Yeah, she's the side character in this story (but gets her own story which I'll have to get sometime soon if the hubby is willing and the fiances let me).

For an inspirational romance, a genre I have not read before, I would highly suggest this story to others and will be gladly be suggesting this books to my fellow book lover friends and more!

New place

The other day I had a visitor of the four-legged kind. Heh, I must have made quite the impression. I had just finished making pizza snacks for my boys and the neighbor's kid (seems like he's right at home here oh joy), the hubs just came home from working on someone's computer and had the door right open to let in the breeze, when I looked outside to see this black and white fur on the porch.

I was on the couch folding laundry when I jumped up going "Shelby's loose." Yeah, loser that I am learned the named of our one neighbor's Siberan Husky. My nickname for her is gorgeous. Next thing I knew, she was in the house heading towards me.

The neighbor said she was friendly, that the worst she'd do was knock you on your ass and lick you. Well I wasn't sure what my fearless killer Warlock (toy dachund) would do. Yeah he was use to playing with a big black lab mix...

So I get up, meet Shelby half way, and took her collar to bring her back to her masters when her mistress was at the door. She's apologizing "I'm sooo sorry about this. She just shot out the door." We assured her that it was fine.

Hell, I don't mind a gorgeous creature like that visiting me. That's where she was heading. She's always welcomed, and she ignored Warlock's yipping.

The boys started their new school yesterday. I was surprised that they took them that day. Today was day two there. Newport only had two kids of milk: white and chocolate. Emerson had four: white, chocolate, pink, and skim. I was like Holy Shite!

I was more worried about Harlen making friends.. so when he said "I sit between two friends" I was happy. So I asked Austin... He was telling me about two people. Then I asked "So any cute girls." Austin thinks a bit and goes "Nooo."

So I go "Ahh, still loyal to Trinity eh?" Trinity being a lil blonde from Newport that he said is his girlfriend. He says so blase "So far." I laughed my ass off. So I turned to my oldest who sat beside me "So any cute girls?" It took him a minute to think before going "No."

Yes, I'm a terrible mother.

The Viewing

First things first, I did NOT break down in the funeral home. There were moments, times during it all while hearing people talk about memories of my papaw that I wanted too. I swallowed the tears, put a smile on my face, and foraged through. There were so many people I never knew. Many I knew the names from conversation grandma, grandpa and Duane had around me. Now to see the faces after so many years. People my mom and uncles knew.

I kept the smile on my face despite I didn't want too. My cousin was there with her little one, my uncles, my brother and his woman was there, so wasn't my little brother James.

Yeah I was a little bit of a wallflower, plastering myself at the wall. Papaw looked like papaw though thinner and paler. They had put an afghan that grandma had crocheted with him which I thought appropriate. His medals was by his head. I finally got to see them.

He always wanted to show me those medals, but they were buried beneath so much stuff that he could never find them. Then mom found a picture of him and grandma, about months before grandma died. The picture had to be roughly over ten to even eleven years old. That was in the casket with him.

Since when grandma died (my oldest was just a baby), mom had put a picture of him in the casket with her because she was so excited about being a great grandmother. Well I wanted a picture of my three boys to go with him, he always got them neat things for Christmas. He never really got to know Gabriel but by then he was already diagnosised with Alzheimers.

He thought the world of my oldest. They always called him either Half Pint or Hard Luck because when he came back from the hospital, our area got hit with a massive tornado and for the first three weeks of his life out of the hospital was without electric. Half Pint because he was soooo tiny.

I couldn't help but think of my fond memories of him. Grandma and Grandpa practically raised me when I was a baby while mom and dad worked. I remember how I always loved going and staying the night there.Then how I always wanted to go grocery shopping with him as a child. We'd be in line, and he'd tell me to pick out a candy bar. How when my dad was a prick, refused to pick me up from work, I could always rely on him to do so. He was my staunch defender, he and grandma.

What was neat, I got to meet the woman who introduced my grandma and grandpa. * watery chuckle* I loved hearing her say "Alice was a shy country bumpkin. The two was so very shy."

It just makes me miss my grandma all over again. I know that his physical body is gone,, and that his spirit is with grandma over looking me and the boys, it's just the holidays and life in general won't be the same without him just there.

Since grandma's death, family just seemed to ravel, like the glue had gone out, Grandpa was that thread that kept things from drifting too apart. Now that he's gone, it makes me wonder how far it'll deteriate.

Immortal: The Crossing - Joy Nash

Finally, awesomely, won Nash's latest Immortal book. You'd swear when I seen the package with Joy's name on it, that it was Christmas or something. I was that excited!

What's even more funny, that I won another of her contests for the books. Since all I really need is one signed copy, not that I love Joy any less, but I really wanted someone else who loves her books and this series to win a copy, so I asked if she didn't mind drawing another name.

She told me in a chat (after complimenting my screen name visionary_druid Squee!) that the girl who won it appreciated what I did. Hopefully that'll add to the good karma. I know it made me feel immensely good.

Alright, I'm "suppose" to do a review on the book. I "suck" badly at reviews; I generally give spoilers in it. So, take this little area right here as a warning that there might be spoilers, read the rest at your own risk if you haven't read the book yet:

Manannan mac Lir, the son of a Sidhe mother and god father Lir, and the world's top musician. Then you have Artemis Black - a witch that has both death and light magic and an interesting blood lines in her ancestry.

She's really not the type of girl that he generally falls for; however, he finds that he simply can not resist her natural temptation and loses all control. Mac senses no evil in her, just this desperation that she won't gallingly confide in him.

He risks so much to help her achieve whatever it is that's compelling her... even willingly follow her into one place his life-magic is reputed to have no real effect, a place that before he'd never dream of venturing, to a place that he'd have a huge handicapp... To Hell

My belated b-day gift from an art friend!

My friend Silent Torture on Y! Gallery and Deviantart did this picture for me as a belated b-day gift! She asked me what I'd like drawn, and well, my mongrel elf (he has drow, shape-shifter, human - that's just from his mother, and demon from his daddy) Ancallin Grave

Here's the caption that went along with it:What time was it? Morning, maybe? Hells, what day was it?

And more importantly, what the nine hells was the green liquid in the glass vial?

Ancallin turned the small, nondescript piece of glass between his forefinger and thumb, watching the liquid slosh against the edges. He was pretty sure whatever it was in there wasn’t harmful. It didn’t bubble and when he uncorked the top, no rank smell emitted from it. Some leftover juice from a spell or incantation or charm…

Or stomach medicine, hells, he had no idea. There was no marking, etching, nothing to give a clue as to the content’s purpose. Anca would have, at this point of sleep-drunkness, downed the liquid in one gulp, just to see what it would do, but some fear that it was a leftover transmutation potion gave him pause. The green color made him think of frogs, and he really didn’t want to be a frog and catch flies with his frog tongue and hop around on his frog legs.

Hm. Frog legs.

Gods, he was hungry. When had he last eaten?

‘Maybe I’ll mix it with something,’ his head suggested. ‘See if it explodes. Hm. That’d be an awful mess. I’d have to clean it up. Hm.’

This, he was sure, was why the gods invented labeling.

~*~Happy Birthday to ! Belated... anyway... >> This is her character Ancallin. She wanted a picture of him "cutely disheveled" as he gets while working in his magic room.The blurb is my doing... I have no idea if that's how Anca thinks while sleep drunk... That's how I think while sleep drunk.

'Nother done

So another year has passed for me. I have to say on-line and off-line friends had made it one of the best I've had in a long while, especially the week leading up to Sunday. I had some of the very best presents...

Hubs took me to Borders to pick out a book for my b-day present. I managed to weasel two which he said one was from him, the other was from the boys. I got Roxanne St. Claire's latest Now You Die and Shayla Black's latest book (I couldn't resist!)

My friend Keeshe wrote me a fun fanfic between myself and my favorite character in the Dark-Hunter series (Dev Peltier). It's posted on here. While reading it, I had a HUGE smile on my face and giggled at some parts.

The next day or perhaps the day after I was surprised with yet another fanfic written for my birthday between myself and Dev. This one from my dark-hunter chat cronie and friend Stormee. Pfft, DO NOT LET HER LIE AND SAY SHE'S NOT A GOOD WRITER!! Again, I had this large smile on my face and giggled at parts.

I had LOTS of b-day wishes. Just wanted to say to those who gave me wishes a big and heartfelt THANK YOU! Each and every one of them brought smiles to my face.

The night before "the day" I was in the dark-hunter chat with Alex and the rest of the crew. Alex let chat stay open for a half hour more in honor of my b-day! When it struck midnight she was the very first to wish me a happy birthday. Now that just rocked!

I got woken by a call by my mother to wish me a happy birthday. This year she didn't send me a card and money because times are rough for her. She's only working three days a week at her job while the rest of the time she's taking care of my grandfather who is temporary staying with her.

To those who don't know, my grandfather has Alzheimers and he's a handful. I really don't know how she and my step father handles it. He's very needy and can't do anything himself. So you can imagine the stress and rough time she's having. But I was glad she gave me a call. Then she grilled me about the move.

Then Joann called me, from work, to sing me happy birthday. Of course there had to be something to dampen the day. The soon to be ex-landlord hunted down the husband at his parents. He and his step dad were building something for me to give to my friend for her b-day/christmas gift.

Literally the ass started harrassing him when the hubs and his father put the jerk into his place. So we're renting a Uhaul truck to get the rest out of the place, putting in Mike's garage until our new place is ready for us. I want to completely wash my hands of the ass. I do hope karma turns around and bites him hard on the ass. He deserves it.

And no, I really did not hear any well wishes from my in laws. I was at the mother in laws briefly, but that's okay. You know I'm use to it. They'll make a big production of the hubs on the 16th and go "Oh I didn't know it was her b-day the seventh" or "I completely forgot it was her b-day the seventh" when they remember their daughter's husband's b-day the fourth. *shrugs*

The hubs took me to Applebees for my b-day dinner. The man was smart and DID NOT TELL THE WAITRESS IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY! I went to the bathroom, came back to clapping. I was like "Oh he better not". The look I gave him if he did seared. But he didn't (thank the goddess), it was for an eighteen year old's b-day.

My cake was one of those strawberry cheesecake in a shooter glass.

Today I had an art friend asked if I wanted a b-day drawing. Aww wasn't that sweet.

Birthday surprise

I just have to say that I have some of the awesome-ist, cool, thoughtful friends in the world. So my birthday is literally right around the corner, on Sunday. I've had about three b-day wishes on myspace alone, two being authors.

Then Keeshe has been wishing me a happy b-day everyday until it actually is. She started a change reaction in chat when she wished me one. Then everyone's like "Happy B-day Rao"

Even my friend J-chan wished me an early b-day (her's being today which I gave her an early happy bday wishes and left er a message about wishing her birthday wishes.)

Keeshe wrote me a birthday gift. I so lubs it. Dev Peltier belongs to Sherrilyn Kenyon..but I thought to share it with everyone!

After a long day which fell into an evening of chatter with her friends and rp mates, Rao felt exhausted but pleased. Another day of her kids in bed actually sleeping and another day she was not harassed by her husband. It was a miracle really. Now if only that could continue for the rest of eternity, everything will be great. Oh and a million dollars will come in the mail without any strings attached.

But no one was truly that lucky. She'll just take what she can get.

A good night sleep for one. Which she hopes is exactly what she'll get tonight. Opening the door to her bedroom, she noticed the lights were off and it was definitely dark. The light from the outside filtered in from behind her, casting a long shadow to the bed. There was a bare leg on the bed. She could see a color of tawny flesh above the sheets. That.. is not her husband's leg. She blinked and rubbed her eyes under her glasses. Did she walk into the wrong room? She looked over her shoulder then back into the room. No, Rao was in the right room.

Her gaze followed the leg up into the shadows, while her eyes adjusted she saw more form. More male form. That was definitely not her husband! There was someone naked or perhaps semi naked in her room. The first thing she imagined was to call the cops to protect the boys.. But what if the person was dead? Damn it, the sheets be ruined!

A low moan came from the bed. A male moan.

Yeah, that isn't her husband. He doesn't sound half as good as that. It drew a shiver down her spine and that sensation is rare.

Alright.. There is someone on her bed, naked or semi naked, alive. Now what? Her gut said to call the cops. But this was Newport, Cops coming on time from a call would be like the second coming.. Nothing. If only she had a bat. With the kids to bed, she could take care of this. She could. She hoped. "You better not attack.. I'm five feet of wild cat." She muttered as her hand reached for the light switch. Be prepared...Be prepared.

The lights flared on and she squinted to avoid the sting of bright white until normalcy returned. Her eyes went back to the bed and her jaw dropped to the floor. "Nooo..." She gave in shocked awe. This was not possible. There was a naked god on her bed.

Naked and.. Were those handcuffs? Oh but he was naked. Perfect body, from gold mane down to large but handsome bare feet. Even his toes were nice! Her gaze moved around and up and down, losing track of them even, because there was so..much of him! He was big but in a good sexual deviant lusty way. A man like this does not exist here in Newport! Did she fall asleep at the computer? If she did, she sure as hell is a sauna, wasn't going to wake up!

"Oh goddess." Breathing was becoming difficult.

A flash of dark ink snagged her attention, it came from his arm as it seems he was slowly becoming conscious. One step closer, she recognized the tattoo. Double bow mark. Only one person, blond, gorgeous, and with that mark. Devereaux Peltier. Or as everyone calls him Dev.

But that is not possible. Far far from possible. Impossible. But thoroughly naked and handcuffed to her bed. Her brows went up as she stared, alarmingly. How could this happen? She must be dreaming. She pinched herself quickly, this time to be sure. Nope, just a bit of sting but the vision did not leave her bed. She had a naked man on her bed who does not truely exist. But it didn't stop her from looking her fill.

Another step in, Dev's leg moved, pushing at something white and folded. A letter. Ah-ha! An explanation! She dove in and snatched it up even though her fingers were wanting to brush over those beautiful legs instead. That will have to wait for now. She opened it with a simple yet familiar handwriting.

Dear Rachie,
Don't ask how. Just enjoy. OH, and your hubby will be gone for the rest of your life as.. Missing. So sorry. But here is a nice Dev to cheer you up. He's all yours.

Love, Your ever evil diabolical sister
Keeshe

P.S: The key to the cuffs are on the desk. Do everything I know you would do and then some. <3>

Her eyes peered over the paper when she heard more movement from the bed. Seems Dev was becoming fully awake. His eyes seemed drowsy but that was sure to fade as they stared. Turning slightly, he settled onto his back, drawing one legs up to gain her full scrutiny. "So." He deep voice causing flutters into her belly. "Five foot of wild cat..? I'd like to see that."

Smiling, Rachie tossed the paper away as she thought to her next new move. "You will."

A full smile came to his handsome lips. "I also hear its your birthday."

"It sure is." Then she pounced.

Dev belongs and copywritten by Sherrilyn kenyon. Keeshe just knows he's my favorite of her series!