Wanted: Undead or Alive, by author Kerrelyn Sparks is the 12th installment in the 'Love At Stake' saga, one in which I am DEEPLY invested. So did our leading man and woman hold up the high expectations I've come to put on Sparks? Absofreakinloutley!
Plot:
He's a vampire from the big city . . .Phineas McKinney thought New York City was tough, until he was attacked by Malcontents—evil vampires who consider mortals to be snacks. Saved by the good vampires, Phin swore to devote his now undead life to stopping the Malcontents. He's got his job cut out for him when word comes that their enemy may be hiding in Wyoming. What does a city boy like him know about horses and campfires? Good thing he's got Brynley Jones with him . . . if only she didn't hate every vampire on earth.
She's a werewolf princess . . .Bryn believes vampires are seductive and charming, and that makes them dangerous. So she's more than a little annoyed about teaming up with Phin, even if he is the only bloodsucker able to make her inner wolf purr. But as they hunt down the new leader of the Malcontents, danger threatens . . . and Phineas and Brynley discover a passion that will rock the foundation of their supernatural world.
Phineas has been around in the series for a little while now. Known as Dr. Love, the man's goal in the beginning was to play matchmaker for his fellow vamp friends and overall sex stud to the ladies. What may have started out as a funny joke turned into a title he couldn't shake but one he rolled with anyway. I was really looking forward to reading how Kerrelyn was going to play this out, only because I knew him as a one trick pony for so long. BUT she gave him a major makeover without changing the man we've grown to love for his funny banter and witty jibes with fellow friends. He's been described to resemble a "young Denzel Washington" so it's no wonder the female community have been falling at the sexy man's feet. *fans self*
Bryn was a bit of a shocker for me, she's put off such stay away vibes I didn't really picture her being the one to snag the Love Doctor, but again Kerrelyn works it out and makes the "sparks" (get it? see what I did there?) fly! The country gal and the city boys interactions were hootin' funny at times, yet sentimental during others. These two really come a long way from the first to last pages but it all plays out with solid believability. Had some major City Slicker movie flashback moments but loved every second of it.
With a new set of dangerous issues coming into play this latest book takes a fresh turn that will only help carry the saga along as a whole. You add in some hysterical commercial shoots, vivid countryside detail, well written characters, smexy men, entertaining plot-line and laugh out loud moments and you have yourself another solid hit from Sparks. I love this series and will happily continue on 'till the end that I hope doesn't come too soon.
My one and only little tiny downside is almost no mention of my lovely man-candy-Scottish-beef-cutlet-chiseled-warrior Dougal. [It's a word, yet again I looked it up!] *sighs and makes dreamy eyes* He's been a back burner for too long and I'm carrying the Dougal torch loud and proud people!
Getting 4 and 1/2 'home on the range' Sheep
KD
Wanted: Undead or Alive hits shelves March 27th, make sure to reserve your copy below!
Recently the Sheep got the opportunity to sit down and chat with debut author Keri Lake. Her first book Halos: Somnium was absolutely one of the most intriguing stories I've read to date. Truly amazing work and with the opportunity to dive deeper into her world we took this interview VERY serioulsy. Well, we mixed it in with our usually crazy. Stay tuned until the end because Keri was kind enough to offer up three chances to win a copy for yourself!
We hope you enjoy. The fun starts now!
Katie: Hi Keri and welcome to Sheep. Let's start out by telling folks, who don't know, a little about your debut novel? Keri: Hello and thank you for having me on your blog today! Somnium is the first in the Halos trilogy. Here is the blurb:
A work assignment in Kittery, Maine should be routine for Allie Lynch; nothing more than to prove herself as a brilliant engineer. Instead she finds herself torn between two men: a gorgeous military guard, Colton Briggs, and her devilishly handsome colleague, Drew Costa. To resist temptation, Allie does the only thing she can: she throws herself into her work.
But fate has other plans for Allie. Women are going missing all around her, Allie is struck with a series of life-threatening mishaps, and she becomes the obsession of a local deranged psychopath.
Thrust into a dark world that she can hardly fathom, Allie must fight for her very survival, open her mind to new realities – and open her heart to the possibility of love. Because both of these men are trouble – but one is a greater danger than she could ever imagine …
Sharon: It just occurred to me that Kittery is in Maine, this wouldn’t happen to be near Castle Rock, Maine? That would explain a lot ? (Yeah, I am a big Stephen King nerd.)
Keri: Not too far off! Kittery is actually south, not far from the New Hampshire border.
Katie: Colton is DAMN sexy with a capital D! Hot diggity dog I loved this man. How did you come up with idea for his character and were there any outside influence that helped formulate this man candy dream boat?
Sharon: Don’t worry Keri, we all get hungry after reading Katie’s man descriptions, that is why we serve Moon Pies *hands tray over* Keri: Mmmmm. Moon pies. Colton actually came to mind after a conversation that I had with my little sister. She does a lot of work on military bases and we chatted about one of the guards at the gates that she thought was kinda cute. Their interactions had me cracking up. I had no idea that after one discussion with her, his character would materialize sometime later that night. Poof! Colton came to be.
Katie: Man in uniform? Winning! I loved the little moments when she would think smutty things in her head. hehehe So what I would too. Without embarrassing your sister to bad how many of these events did she actually take part in? Keri: Hahaha! Hmmm. Thankfully, I don't know all of the details. But I will say we've had some entertaining conversations that inspired some of Allie's thoughts.
Katie: Our leading lady was pretty well fleshed out but can we look forward to with this young gal who's just been thrust into the world of Angels and Demons? Keri: Book two, Requiem, will continue where book one left off with Allie. I can’t say a whole lot, except that there’s more to Colton and Allie’s story. Much more. Her character is a little naïve in the first book, but will evolve as she gets used to the idea that angels and demons walk the earth.
Katie: That's it? That's ALL you'll give us! *bangs head against the wall*
Sharon: *slips pillow between wall and Katie’s head* Don’t worry, she does this a lot ;) Keri:*shifts in seat* Uh…is she going to be okay?
Sharon: What scenes do you find easiest/hardest to write? (fights, sex, dialogue)
Keri: You know, when I’m writing the first draft, it’s always a lot of dialogue. The bones of my books tend to be conversations between characters and from there I add the meat. That’s how my characters begin to develop – I hear their voices *dodges eye contact* everywhere I go and they become more distinct to me over time. Often I’ll have the notes app on my iPhone at hand or a notecard to jot down the conversations, say if I’m in a meeting or something and they decide to distract me with their banter. After that, everything else (imagery, backstory, etc.) just sort of falls in place.
Admittedly, sex scenes are a LOT of fun to write, but not always easy. The trick is trying to keep them original without a lot of purple prose.
Sharon: Nothing wrong with listening to the voices in your head *scoots further away*
Katie: You keep talking to yourself people are going to think you're crazy. Keri: I know. It's already happening. How many times have you passed a woman talking into a digital recorder while sitting in traffic? Yeah. I'm THAT chick.
Katie: Huh, nobody was talking to you Keri! *wonders off*
Katie: How far into the dark side would you like to take these characters and story as a whole in the continued series? Keri: Oh…it’s going to get a whole lot darker. There’s something going on at Seavey’s naval base. Book one was just the beginning.
Katie: What? No other details?! *continues banging head against the wall*
Sharon: No, really. She does this all the time. Keri: *glances at the door* Um. Can I…get you anything Katie? A nice padded room and a white robe with pretty sleeves that tie in the back?
Katie: Oh, I have that set already.
Sharon: *starts singing* “Soft kitty, warm kitty Little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty Purr purr purr. ChaCha”
Sharon: Can you tell us a little about your journey from idea to publication? How different is the story you published from the one you imagined in the beginning? Keri: A lot different! Really, Somnium started out as a short story in my head. I hadn’t planned to commit myself to an entire novel at first, but the more I wrote, the more there was to tell. By the time I finished the book, I thought, wow there’s still more to tell! The idea remained the same – creating a new class of angels, but it has unfurled into a bigger story than I had originally anticipated.
Sharon: If you could pick a theme song to play every time you enter a room, what would it be? Keri: Haha! What a great question. A theme song? Well, there’s one song I could listen to over and over and NEVER get sick of it. Sail by Awolnation. Love love.
Katie: Shut. The. Front. Door. That is my favorite song right now! Has a distinct dubstep feel to it. Love it! Let's play it for Sharon! PS- Make sure to blast it!
Sharon: Um…I don’t care for it, but I blame that on my A.D.D. (bwahahaha!)
Katie: If you could have one date with anyone from past or present who would it be and why?
Keri: Dane Cook. Hands down. Not only is the man sexy as hell, hut he's funny too and would make for such an entertaining evening.
Sharon: What would Katie and I find in your DVD and CD player at home, you know…if you left a window unlocked and we happened to stop by while you weren’t home… Keri: Ha! You’d have to dig through Elmo and Disney princesses, thanks to my kids, but you’d find anywhere from 300 to The Crow. As for music, you’d find Metric, Paramore, The Black Keys, Pearl Jam, Muse, Arctic Monkeys. The list goes on…
Katie: Again, I freaking love you Keri!
Sharon: Brandon Lee…le sigh…great taste in music! All our Disney movies are put away now.
Katie: How many men would make your top 5 of "smoking hot beef cake" list?
Katie: Yeah, but if you have them at the same time…it's a loop hole. *winks*
Sharon: This is why I hang around Katie, she has the best ideas!
Keri: I have to agree…I like the way you think, Katie.
Katie: What can I say, it’s a gift!
Katie: Where can people find you in the coming months? Keri: Chained to my computer, editing my next book. But if you wanna say hello or chat you can find me here: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keri-Lake/179797882071933
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kerilake
Website: www.kerilake.com
Katie: And now it's time for our world famous rapid fire round. Just answer with the first thing that pops up. Here we go!
Katie: Missing finger or Missing thumb?
Keri: Finger…gotta be quick with the space bar.
Sharon: Feathers or Scales?
Keri: Feathers
Katie: Fire Ball or Avalanche?
Keri: Fire ball
Katie: Cowabunga or Geronimo?
Keri: Geronimo
Sharon: Bigfoot or Yeti?
Keri: Yeti
Katie: Stomach tattoo or Back?
Keri: Oooh, definitely the back.
Katie: Now what would you think is a sexy back tattoo?
Keri: You know, I really like the phoenix tattoo from my book. But if I had to choose another…I actually have a thing about tigers. I’d probably say a black tribal tiger with yellow eyes. Yum. In fact, this may show up in future writings ;)
Sharon: I am surprised she didn’t say sheep…
Sharon: Meat or Seafood?
Keri: Seafood
Sharon: Got a favorite? Keri: I know, this is where I’m supposed to say that I like wicked lobster, right? Hehe. Actually, I L.O.V.E. crab legs. Mmmmm.
Katie: Crab legs! YUMMY!
Katie: Arm Wrestle or Slap bet?
Keri: Arm wrestle
Sharon: Hot fudge or Caramel?
Keri: Hot fudge
Katie: Coke or Pepsi?
Keri: Coke
Katie: YES!!!! See? LOVE Keri.
Sharon: Well, at least she loves The Crow
Sharon: Mad scientist or Mafia boss?
Keri: Mad scientist baby!
Katie: Cliff diving or Parachuting?
Keri: Parachuting
Katie: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us Keri, would you like to add anything before we wrap? Keri: Just that I really appreciate the opportunity to interview on your awesome blog! I’m toiling away on Book 2 of the Halos trilogy and just completed the first draft of a new series – a bit edgy, set in gothic Detroit. Follow my blog for details on release.
Katie: We will be keeping a close eye for both of those, thanks for coming to chat and bringing us some well written man candy! Keri: Thank you ladies, this was so much fun!
***GIVEAWAY***
If you'd love a chance to win an ebook of Halos: Somnium make sure to list each of the following in the comments below.
1. Your Email Address
2. If you were stuck in Allie's shoes, daily driving past a hunky military gate guard, what would you do to get their attention? (And guys who enter just reverse this scenario.)
3. Do you follow our blog? If so get double entries.
This contest is open to everyone. One US winner will also get some Sheep swag just for the heck of it! Ends March 25th.
Transplanted to Mars, a Civil War vet discovers a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter a princess who is in desperate need of a savior.
You ever been to a movie where the audience claps at the end?John Carteris that kind of movie. Non-stop action, stuff blowing up, humor, smexy hero, beautiful heroine and romance. This movie has it all. Having never read any of the books in this series I went in with no expectations so maybe that is why I was able to enjoy it so much.
this was a kick ass scene!
If I had to describe it I would say it was a cross between Star Wars (yes, I went there!), Raiders of the Lost Ark, Thor, Avatar and Somewhere in Time (the awesome time traveling romance that starred Christopher Reeve). Matter of fact, there were some scenes in John Carter that seemed like they were taken right out of these movies, almost like Easter eggs Disney put in for us. I thought the special effects were great, but then again, I am not a CGI snob <G>, and the story was fabulously clever (remember I haven't read the books and had never heard of John Carter before)
if anyone finds a breeder, call me!
I went with my husband and 10 year old daughter and fun was had by all. Be warned, if you take your child they will want a Mars Pug dog (term I got from author Dani Harper). Also be warned your husband will want a Mars princess of his own. To be fair she was beautiful and great with a sword. But don’t worry ladies; there is enough half-naked John Carter to keep you satisfied too! Don’t let the Disney label scare you away. It may be family friendly, but there is plenty of heart stopping suspense and just the right amount of angst to connect you to the characters have you rooting for them.
hey, look at those bodies...they work out!
Don’t listen to the nay-sayers, if you like this type of movie then you will leave happy. This is pure entertainment that everyone can enjoy. Yes, it is all that and a bag of chips
21 Jump Street, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller stars Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Dave Franco and Brie Larson. This is what pure comedy entertainment is all about! I LOVED this film from beginning to end.
Plot:
In the action-comedy 21 Jump Street, Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are more than ready to leave their adolescent problems behind. Joining the police force and the secret Jump Street unit, they use their youthful appearances to go undercover in a local high school. As they trade in their guns and badges for backpacks, Schmidt and Jenko risk their lives to investigate a violent and dangerous drug ring. But they find that high school is nothing like they left it just a few years earlier - and neither expects that they will have to confront the terror and anxiety of being a teenager again and all the issues they thought they had left behind.
First off this is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a very long time. It is well written and the jokes are so expertly delivered that I rode the Jump Street wave with gusto and glory as I got swept up in the seas of raunchy humor and outrageous laughs. It's rated R for a very good reason so those with teenage kids should use some good judgement before allowing the under 18 crowd to sit through this. Graphic images and drug use also abound.
Now on to the review! We start out with Jonah and Channing in high school back in 2005, one a typical jock and the other a typical nerd and what totaly different lives they lead. But after joining the police academy these two decide to team up for their mutual benefit and both excel at the academy. Through the course of the film you witness as the two forge a male bond that's truly heartfelt and hysterical at times. I do love a movie that can portray the many levels of complex friendship men have and this one does it extremely well.
Our duo joins up with a small group of undercover cops who are forced back into High School. The team quickly learns that while six years may not have seemed so far away, today's youth has made many changes. The once popular jock is now the loser and the dorky kid is now hanging with the "in" crowd, and with the tables turned the two have to take on new roles in order to stop a new teen drug that's killing people at an alarming rate. The jock and the nerds unite which only adds to the overall banter of the film. Channing surprised me with his acting ability and certainly moved up a notch in my own personal book.
Wonderfully acted by our main leads and supported by an equal secondary cast including James Franco's little brother Dave. You get a few cameo appearances from the alumni of the original 21 Jump Street cast but I wont say who or when you see them appear. But I will say I was shocked by one and totally did NOT see it coming! The film never forces the comedy but lets it take the natural progression and realism that only a truly classic tale can achieve. Mixed in with some action and suspense the film delivers audiences the full spectrum of emotion and more. You will laugh often and hard for sure, I walked away completely fulfilled and wonderfully satisfied.
A must see for folks that enjoy a well written comedy that has its emotional moments yet never takes itself too seriously. Going back to high school has never been this much fun!
Easter is coming! Time to fill those baskets with chocolate and zombie stuff! Here are some cool ideas. The last two have nothing to do with Easter, I just thought they were cool <G>
If you want this, just click on any link and search for it!
The Darkest Seduction, by author Gena Showalter, is the ninth book in her 'Lords of the Underworld' series. Gena is a solid writer who you just can't live without in the PNR world. I'm a big fan of her writing and this series as a whole. That being said TDS is a tad too long and a little drawn out in the start, it picks up midway but getting to the good stuff was an ordeal.
Plot:
Possessed by the demon of Promiscuity, immortal warrior Paris is irresistibly seductive—but his potent allure comes at a terrible price. Every night he must bed someone new, or weaken and die. And the woman he craves above all others is the one woman he’d thought was forever beyond his reach…until now.
Newly possessed by the demon of Wrath, Sienna Blackstone is racked by a ruthless need to punish those around her. Yet, in Paris’s arms the vulnerable beauty finds soul-searing passion and incredible peace. Until a blood feud between ancient enemies heats up.
Will the battle against gods, angels and creatures of the night bind them eternally– or tear them apart?
Paris, oh how I love thee. Let me count thy ways...Paris is The lord of Sex, and damn he's one sexy-male-muscle-of-beef-cake-goodness. (I swear that IS a word!) If it's not clear from the first two sentences let me spell it out. I. Love. Paris. So after all the grief he's recently been going through I was eager to jump right in and get going with his story. Unfortunately instead of jumping right in to the deep we ended up wading around in the shallow pool and not getting anywhere, minus the piña colada and floaty I might add. Once the first hundred pages are sorted out things gradually pick up and then we get to the meat of it all. But it was a bit distracting, and somewhat taking away from our main plot is the back and forth with other side stories building up.
Case in point: Galen and Legion was entertaining enough, and I did enjoy those parts, but so much was going on with a goddess of selflessness of that it was more an annoying distraction than anything. You then get Kane and his capture/struggle, which leads to some Horsemen activity, maybe not awful to read about but more another sidetrack to the main plot than anything. Now we have more going on with William the Dark which was nice but again, let's get to the good stuff, folks!
Leading lady Sienna was never that interesting for me in previous stories, as the betrayer to the Lords I really didn't hold much love for the backstabbing chick. But as we get into the whys and hows of it I did come around with her, and by the end the twists and turns have become a total game changer. Talk about some wow moments. You get those but it's a long time coming!
The overall plot could have used a lot of streamlining which would have taken the story to another level in my opinion, but that being said this is still a nice edition to the saga. And as always Gena delivers the heat and passion like no other, her books are so jam packed with vivid detail and colorful characters it's hard not to love it.
If you're a fan of the series you do not want to miss this, no matter what else it's truly one of the best written saga's you'll read. Building up to a spin-off series taking place with Zacharel and the Angels in coming months, I'll be getting my copy when it's available and sticking with Gena in the months to come.
Getting 4 'just rip my cloths off already Paris!' Sheep
Recently I Smell Sheep attended Image Expo in Oakland, CA. Among the many authors, actors and artists we spoke with was the decked-out booth for publishing house Archaia. This talented group was kind enough to hook the Sheep up with a few hardback comic books for review, the first of which is below:
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152- an Eisner Award Winning comic book series written and illustrated by David Petersen. David originally had an idea, "What if mice had their own secret society?" and that's what started it all. Now a group of mice protect the borders of their civilization and help others travel between settlements.
In Fall 1152 Saxon, Kenzie and Lieam, three of the Guard’s finest, are dispatched to find a missing merchant mouse who never arrived at his destination. Their search for the missing mouse reveals much more than they expect, as they stumble across a traitor in the Guard’s own ranks and a plot to overthrow the Guard itself.
Digging into his love of animal stories and medieval roleplaying games, David created a fantasy adventure world of cloaked, sword-wielding mice who protect the common mouse against threats of predator, weather, and wilderness. The stories are released as a collection of mini-series available as individual comic issues first, and then collected into hardcover volumes.
This is a story for young and old as both can find something very special between these vivid pages of wonder. Absoutely breathtaking artwork with a story both compelling and engaging. If you're looking for something that's got a lot to offer and a tale you can walk away from with something learned then grab this comic book.
Mouse Guard can be purchased at comic stores and booksellers or use the link at the bottom of this post.
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