Alternative-Read.com

REVIEW: In the Rough by J.B. McDonald | Torquere Books

2009-11-04T15:51:00.000Z

Title: In the Rough
Author: J.B. McDonald
Publisher: Torquere Books
Genre: Contemporary,M/M
Publication Date: August 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60370-779-4
Length: 196 Pages/77500 Words
Format: eBook
Reviewer: WitchGiggles
Alternative-Read.com

Can a man who's never been responsible for himself truly become a responsible parent? After finding out his daughter has been molested while in his ex's care, he's willing to jump through whatever hoops he has to to get and keep custody. Besides dealing with myriad meetings, therapists and job hunting, he has to lance the festering abscess that is his past.

Rich had been abused as a kid and swore he'd never get involved with anyone remotely like his old man; big, easily angered, irresponsible. So who does he fall in "forever" love with? Only the epitome of his dad. So best friend is cool, until Jay begins to slowly pull his life together for his child and Rick is unable to stand back and not risk his heart to help him.

This one deals with a very touchy subject and yet the way past and present unfold within this story is enough to make the heart weep. The "sins of the father" fear, buried anguish interspersed with remnants of wishful dreams and horrific nightmares are alleviated to some degree with the continual hope, strength, and love of a longtime friendship. The sex while not prolific is steamy. There is sensitivity to the issue, the bells and whistle demands of the system, yet it's the endurance of both the love and friendship between the two men in all it's poignant glory that steals it.

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MUST READ! A Minute for Madeleine McCann

2009-11-04T13:00:00.001Z

On 19th May 2007 I posted this message. I now have a new one. Please take a minute of your time for Madeleine McCannand help spread this special message around the world.

A new filmhas been released by the UK’s police organisation for child protection -the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre - aimed at anyoneclose to the person who was involved in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.That person could be a relative, friend, work colleague or neighbour. Whoeverthey are, they have a secret that could reveal what happened to Madeleine.

In order toreach that person, CEOP are asking for the public’s help to share this message virally, via theinternet, so that the message is so widespread it becomes one click away to theperson who knows something about Madeleine’s disappearance. Themessage is then a constant reminder that it is never too late to do the rightthing, to stop keeping this secret and pass this vital information to theirlocal police.

You can viewthe full message which is part of a short film at http://www.ceop.police.uk/

and as you can see it is also above for quick viewing.

If you areonline and part of an online community,youcan help. Post the link on your social networking site, email your friends and colleaguesand encourage them to share the film, blog and Tweet about the film andlink to the website above. Do anything you can to spread this messagearound the world.

The messageis available at http://www.ceop.police.uk/and isin seven different languages – English, Arabic, French, German, Italian,Portuguese and Spanish.

Thisinitiative is supported by Leicestershire Police, Interpol, Europol andinternational police agencies as well as specialist charities and NGO’ssuch as the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC),Missing Children Europe and the UK charity Parents and Abducted ChildrenTogether (PACT).

So, pleasehelp. Take a minute forMadeleineand help share this message around the world.

Thank you

ChildExploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre

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What's On YOUR Desk Wednesday? We want your photo!

2009-11-04T12:05:00.000Z

What's on Your Desk Wednesday?
Below are the details (copy & paste) of how to play;

What's on your desk Wednesday? is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read.com . Check her blog out each Wednesday for the post titled What's on your desk Wednesday?

You can do one of two things or both!

Grab a camera and take a photo of your desk! Or anywhere you stack your books/TBR pile. And no tidying! Add this photo to your blog.Tag at least 5 people! Come back here and leave a link back to your photo in comments.
List at least 5 BOOKISH things on your desk (I'm thinking your TBR pile or books you haven't shelved...) List at least 5 NON BOOK things. (I'm thinking some of some of the more unusual items on your desk/table?) Tag at least 5 people to do the same. Come back here and leave your link, so we can come and visit your blog. Or add your answers in the comments if you don't have a blog.

Feelfree to grab the above picture to place on your site - as a way ofshowing you are participating, and of course to spread the word! Have fun!

Thankyou everyone for taking the time to come here and comment. It's trulyappreciated. I aim to get back to everyone as soon as possible.

Sassy
:)

Here is a photo sent in by author, Jean-Claude Koven. Enjoy! If you'd rather just email your photo -- send to: Sassy dot Brit at gmail dot com -- thanks!

Check out the meme MySpace page and these flickr photos! Your pics will be automatically added -- unless you say otherwise.

Also, please don't feel pressurised into tagging, just do what feels right for you. The main aim here is to have fun with this.

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REVIEW: Na Hiku by A.J. Llewellyn | eXtasy Books

2009-11-03T15:05:00.000Z

Title: Na Hiku
Author: A.J. Llewellyn
Website of Author: www.ajllewellyn.com
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Genre: Gay, Paranormal, Romance, m/m
Publication Date: July 2009
ISBN: 978-1-55487-326-5
Length: 134 Pages
Format: eBook
Reviewer: WitchGiggles
Alternative-Read.com

Kimo and Lopaka have finally rounded up the seven women Pele deems acceptable to guard their three beautiful children's future. That's what Na Hiku means- The Seven. The biggest surprise was in finding out
that the leader of the Council is none other than Paden, who gave up his children to run away with a man who is a Cannibal King.

Paden- now known as Keneti- has kept more than one or two secrets from both Lopaka and Maluhia, but the biggest one will blow both of them away. Can he survive the forces fighting to keep him from talking to
the Council or will they enforce another type of separation?

I love the way Mr. Llewellyn weaves the history of Hawaii throughout the Phantom Lover tales as well as the mysticism that accompanies that history. The story is colorful, dramatic and full of some very erotic, steamy sex. I can't believe I'm going to say this next part, but I was a bit disappointed that when things were getting a bit dicey instead of expanding on this, the characters resorted to hot, kinky sex. Not saying I don't like hot, kinky sex, but I would have loved to see more in depth depictions of events that were essentially vital to the story. I was left wondering about things that could have been further explored making this a more gripping, expounded story with hot, kinky sex as a side dish. I did however enjoy the read overall (guess it says something for that hot sex) and look forward to the next one.

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REVIEW: THE NIGHT GARDENER | George Pelecanos| Hatchett Books

2009-11-02T12:11:00.000Z

Title: The Night Gardener

Author: George Pelecanos

Website of Author: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/georgepelecanos

Website of Publisher:

Http://www.HatchettBookGroup.com

Genre: Suspense /Thriller /Crime

Publication date: Hardcover August 2006, Paperback June 2009

ISBN: 978-0-316-05650-2

Length: Paperback 372 pages

Format: Paperback / Hardcover / eBook / Audio-book

Reviewer: Lucille P Robinson

http://www.lucilleperkinsrobinson.com

Alternative-Read.com

A story of two young police rookies and an aging detective who connect at a crime scene. Apparently,

 a serial killer chooses victims whose names are spelled the same backwards as forwards and leaves

them in the community garden to be found later.

The story opens with the aging Detective T.C. Cook studying a crime scene. Police officers, Gus

Ramone and Dan Holliday, stand at the crime scene tape to keep out the curious. Time jumps ahead

to a place where Detective Cook has retired without having found the murderer dubbed as The Night

Gardener, Dan Holliday has quit the force, and Gus Ramone becomes the principle character.

We follow Detective Ramone as he works a crime similar to those performed by The Night Gardener.

While Detective Ramone and his partner, Detective Rhonda Willis, investigate the murder, Ramone

seeks out retired Det. Cook and Dan Holliday for consulting. Throughout the story, we follow

Ramone home and become involved with his family life. We get glimpses of what the low-life

criminals do and how they actually work against each other. One might say we get everything in this

novel: the good, the bad and the ugly.

The novel ends with the same scene that opens the story with final prose giving us a glimpse of what's

likely happening around the city at that moment much like the end of a movie would. Since my favorite

genre is crime and suspense novels, I can't find fault with this one. Pelecanos did a good job, writing

this novel much like a movie is put together.

We get scenes from both the detectives' side and the criminals' side. I found T.C. Cook a cop after my

own heart in that he couldn't give up hoping that one day the murderer of those young people would

meet justice and even after his retirement he continued to search for the killer. Dan "Doc" Holiday

seemed to be a weak character; one many people have no patience to deal with, yet he takes over

Cook's life pursuit of searching for the killer even though he keeps his chauffeur business open. Gus

Ramone is like any father who tries to do the best he can with job and family. Overall, a great read.

Author Bio:

George Pelecanos is the author of several highly acclaimed and bestselling novels, including, most recently, The Turnaround and The Way Home. He is also an independent film producer, and essayist, the recipient of numerous international writing awards, and an Emmy-nominated writer-producer for the HBO hit series The Wire. Pelecanos lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with his wife and three children. He is at work on his next novel.

NEW GIVEAWAY! TWO Hachette Books x2winners!

2009-11-02T11:46:00.001Z

This new Hachette Book Group (Christian Titles) giveaway offers a chance for TWO PEOPLE to win a copy of both of these books below:

MIRACLES by Karen Kingsbury draws from five of Karen's most popular books, deliveringreaders a fresh word from God for each week. Each devotion is anexcerpt from one of Karen's Miracle books, selected for the upliftingand strengthening message it offers.

AND

There's More to Life Than Making a Living by Jack C. McDowell, Phil Needham
A significant life has positive meaning and value beyond individualsuccess. It means contributing to the lives of others and showingcompassion. In this book, Jack McDowell shares the six keys to a lifeof significance: Find your calling, learn from your experiences,acquire habits that build character, discover the joy of generosity,build relationships for life, and don't retire. Each chapter containsspecific actions that will help readers master the six essentials.These steps are the harvest of Jack's own experiences and they are, hesays, "the gifts of a providential God to this seeker after a life withdeeper and more lasting meaning."

Giving is man's God-ordainedpurpose. This book will provide encouragement and resources for thejourney to a more significant life. It is a personal invitation todiscover that there is far more to life than just making a living.

HOW TO ENTER?

Become a Google follower AND Comment to say:
1) you follow
2)your email address
so I can contact you if you are the winner!
*This instantly counts as TWO entries--BUT you have to do both!*

If you are already a follower, please let me know! = Extra points!

Apologies but no PO Boxes and USA/Canada only please. These books will be sent to the winners directly from the publisher. Thank you Hachette Book Group for your generous book donations. Your support is greatly appreciated.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE *FULL* AR/ HACHETTE BOOK GROUP GIVEAWAY RULES and to find out more ways to get extra entries!

Good luck!

CLOSES 1ST DECEMBER 2009

More competitions for November will be coming soon! Please do come back and check them out. It is my son's birthday today, so I won't be around much, but normal service will be resumed tomorrow!

Have a great Monday! (Yes, that is possible!)

Sassy
:)

Alternative-Read.com: The "Inside Story" by Sassy Brit and her Gang!
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PRIZE WINNERS: Curse of the Tahiéra...Is your name here?

2009-11-02T11:02:00.000Z

Hello Compers! Here I am going to announce the winner of this great giveaway, Curse of the Tahiéra . I must first thank the author Wendy Gillissen for kindly donating a copy of her book for an AR giveaway.

I would also like to thank everyone who entered for their lovely comments and of course support!

If you missed it, here is my interview with Wendy Gillissen.

Please do check out the new competitions for this month, which will shortly be posted in the sidebar. Okay, so here it goes. The winner of the Curse of the Tahiéra goes to....

drum roll please...

...

Sorry that is so cruel! LOL

Gonçalo Mil-Homens

Congratulations! Please reply to my email asap (within 48 hours) and supply your name and postal address so that I can forward your information to Wendy Gillissen. Enjoy!

Sassy
:)

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PRIZE WINNERS: Secular Sabotage & Leaning into God...

2009-11-02T10:28:00.000Z

Hello compers! (Competition entrants!) First, I would like to thank all of you who entered this fantastic competition where two people will win both these books:

Secular Sabotage by Bill Donohue and Leaning into God When Life is Pushing You Away by Robert A. Schuller!

I would also like to thank Hachette Book Group for donating these books for an AR Giveaway. Please be sure to check out a new giveaway where two more similar books from Hachette Book Group will be up for grabs! Check out the right hand sidebar for further details, which I will publish shortly.

Finally, it's time to announce the winners. So without further ado the winning names are:

ellybean

AND

rabidfox

Congratulations!

I will let you know you have won and then if you can get back to me upon receipt of my notification within 48 hours I'd appreciate it. Please supply me with your name and postal address and I will forward your details onto Hachette Book Group. Thank you!

Sassy
:)

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REVIEW: Going Too Far - Laura Hamilton Black Lace

2009-11-01T14:00:00.001Z

Title: Going Too Far - Laura Hamilton
Author: Laura Hamilton
Publisher: Black Lace (Virgin Books)
Genre: Contemporary Erotica
Format: Paperback
Length: 257pgs
Reviewer: Angelika Devlyn
Alternative-Read.com

Ten days before Bliss Van Bon is due to go on a three month trip to South America, her friend and travelling companion Rachel, breaks her leg. Resided to the fact that she has to go alone or not at all, Bliss is surprised to hear that her flatmate has a friend, Carlos "Charlie" Garcia, living out there, and he is more than willing to meet Bliss and show her around, which he does. With Carlos she discovers an overwhelming need to please; a side of herself that embraces relinquishment of control and completely trusting a man she hardly knows but can't get enough of.

Along her travels Bliss also meets two Australians, Robbie and Red. Both of them are on a mission against multinational companies and support local businesses that are ecological and environmentally friendly. The conflict arises when Robbie and Red explain to Bliss that Carlos works for just the sort of global corporation they oppose. She is torn. Carlos is kinky, into bondage and is very dominant with her, whilst her eco-warriors have a specialist taste for voyeurism and a ménage à trois of sorts where she has sex with Red whilst Robbie watches. Oh, what to do?

What a fun adventure! This book encapsulates exactly what sort of trouble a single girl travelling alone can get into, by Going Too Far - along with lots of humour, amateur espionage, piping hot sex, and a delicious, mouth-watering finale involving all three men, a video camera and men with spunk. And I mean that in the most American way possible. Of course!

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN! short films: Displaced man & Cockroaches!

2009-10-31T20:30:00.001Z

An encounter with a meteorite displaces a man exactly 91 centimeters away from himself. Very clever!

Skhizein (Jérémy Clapin,2008) from Stephen Dedalus on Vimeo.

Loath cockroaches? You'll love this then!

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HALLOWEEN: A Spooky Finn Excerpt to Fit the Season PG

2009-10-31T10:17:00.002Z

Finn

By Angel Martinez

freewebs.com/angelwrites

Red Rose Publishing

http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=383

M/M Fantasy Romance

Excerpt RATING: PG-13

Finn – Available now at Red Rose Publishing...

Sanity is relative and the world has room for more than one truth.

When Diego rescues a naked man from the rail of the Brooklyn Bridge, he just wants to get the poor man out of traffic and over to social services. He gets more than he bargained for when Finn turns out to be an ailing pooka, poisoned by the pollution of the city. To help him recover, Diego takes him north to New Brunswick where Finn inadvertently wakes an ancient, evil spirit, the wendigo.

While Diego and Finn struggle to find a way to destroy the wendigo before it can possess Diego or kill nearby innocents, Diego wrestles with his growing passion for Finn. Can they succeed in destroying the monster and in navigating a relationship between a modern man and a centuries-old fairy?

*******

A scratch at the door jerked him from his brooding. He stood in the dark, heart pounding, and listened. There. Another hissing scratch, as of fingernails drawn across the wood. He held his breath and eased towards the door, not certain why he tried to walk so quietly. Probably a raccoon or a few leaves.

He flipped on the houselights, porch, side spot, and garage. A hasty scrabbling followed and the retreat of heavy feet down the front steps. Two feet, not four.

"Finn?" The word escaped as a whisper. But Finn would have said something, wouldn't he? Something terrible must have happened. Hurt and frightened, he might not be able to speak.

Diego's hand trembled on the doorknob. Gripped by unreasoning fear, he stood paralyzed. What if it was someone else? Something else? But, dammit, he couldn't let Finn slip away again.

With a low sound in his throat, he rushed to the fireplace, grabbed the tongs and flung open the door. The porch stood empty. He took a step out. The tongs rattled in his shaky grip. He reached back and eased the door shut behind him.

"Anyone out here?"

The wind whipped in a sudden gust, its voice through the porch columns a bestial moan. Movement caught the edge of his vision and Diego spun to his left towards the garage. A pale, naked figure stood just outside the circle of light, staring up at him. Wild, ebony hair twitched in the wind.

"Dios. Finn." Diego's lungs restarted and he held a hand out at he walked, one careful step at a time, towards the garage. "Stay there, please. Don't move. I'll come to you. What's happened? Are you hurt? Finn? Talk to me..."

He placed the fire tongs on the grass, realizing belatedly how threatening they would look. Finn made no movement towards him or away as he edged closer. The sense of something profoundly wrong escalated with each step. Finn's skin stretched taut across too prominent bones. Dark patches mottled his arms and chest. His eyes, half hidden under his matted hair, stared unblinking from sunken hollows.

Diego stopped out of arms' reach. "Give me something here, Finn. Anything. You're scaring the hell out of me."

Finn's lips stretched into a chill smile, exposing yellow, pitted teeth. Diego staggered back when a wall of carrion stench slammed into him.

Oh, God, not Finn. This thing is not Finn...

The thing's mouth never moved from its obscene leer but as the wind rose, saturated with the stench of decay, it whispered his name.

His limbs leaden and trembling, he stumbled back another step. He had to get away, to run, but his legs wouldn't obey.

Angel Martinez - Erotic Fiction for the Hungry Mind

Finn - Available NOW from Red Rose Publishing

Finn's Christmas - December 10, 2009 from Red Rose!

Lioness on the Knife and Aftermath - Coming Soon from Red Rose

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GUEST POST: WANDERINGS/Brasch: The Scariest Halloween Yet

2009-10-31T02:40:00.031Z

WANDERINGS, with Walter Brasch

brasch@bloomu.edu

Scary Isn't a Kid in a Halloween Costume

by Walter and Rosemary Brasch

            One of the joys of Halloween is to dress in scary costumes and pretend to frighten others, who pretend to be frightened. But with less than two weeks until an evening of trick-or-treating, it's possible there won't be anything scarier than what's already happened in the country.

            We are being told to fear the swine flu virus, and then learn that the vaccine, which was supposed to be available in mid-October, won't be ready for awhile.
            It makes little difference anyhow, since about fifty million Americans don't have health insurance and couldn't afford the cost of vaccinations or treatment.

            The ogres of health reform, also known as Republicans and the insurance industry, have already frightened Americans by spewing lies and hatreds no costumed kid could ever top.
            The teabaggers, thousands of Americans dressed in work clothes but who seem to despise the working class, disgorge even more lies, half-truths, fear, and hatred, along with spurts of poisonous doses of racism and bigotry, since they have to blame someone for their own problems.

            The minority party has long since ceased being the loyal opposition and are now just bitter and venomous cogs in the progress of society. These pseudo-patriot reptiles who have taken over the Republican party have further shown just how disloyal they truly are when they hissed at the President of the United States for winning the Nobel Prize and then cheered that Chicago lost the Olympics bid to Rio de Janiero. The increase of hate isn't likely to level off soon.

            Also not leveling off are unemployment, bankruptcies, housing foreclosures, and the problems caused by increased homelessness, all of which began increasing more than two years before Barack Obama became president. As long as the Party of No, with the assistance of Blue Dog Democrats, can block reform, don't look for an eight-year-old wearing a devil's costume to be the scariest thing around.

            American taxpayers have doled out billions to banks, which have figured out new ways to scam their customers and clients. The taxpayers have also bailed out auto manufacturers who had frivolously spent more than a fleet of drunken sailors while not being able to figure out how to get their own operations in ship-shape competition.

            Americans, who are struggling just to survive, are being tricked by banking, insurance, and investment portfolio executives who are wearing Cheshire cat grins while they continue to reap in millions in taxpayer-provided bonuses for being incompetent and inefficient.

            The fear instilled by the 9/11 attacks led Americans to willingly yield some of their Constitutional rights, while pretending that such laws as the PATRIOT Act would protect them from further harm. The fear of the past eight years that has led to the theft of six Constitutional amendments is scarier than any costumed pirate.

            Frightening is also having a mass media that prefer to do play-by-play reporting on the latest celebrity break-up or coupling, real or imagined, rather than looking into critical social issues.

            Indeed, ghosts, goblins, and things that go bump in the night don't stand a chance of competing on Halloween with the fear that now exists in our country.

            [Walter Brasch's latest books are Sex and the Single Beer Can: Probing the Media and American Culture and Sinking the Ship of State: The Presidency of George W. Bush. Rosemary Brasch is a former secretary, labor union staff grievance officer, college instructor of labor studies/labor history, and Red Cross national disaster family services specialist. The Brasches are syndicated columnists. You may contact them through www.walterbrasch.com]

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REVIEW: Eye of the Storm, Lawyers in Love, Book Five by Ann Jacobs from Ellora's Cave

2009-10-30T20:43:00.000Z

Title: Eye of the Storm, Lawyers in Love, Book Five
Author: Ann Jacobs
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Genre: Romantica/Erotica/Contemporary
Publication Date: June 2009
ISBN: 9781419922473
Length: Novella
Format: eBook
(Read the review of Book Four here!)
Reviewer: WitchGiggles
Alternative-Read.com

When Marcy gets left behind on a small island that's going to be struck by a Category Two storm, there's no way Sam is not going after her. She may be his ex, but he's never stopped loving the woman who has always owned his heart. Trapped on the island together while the storm rages outside, emotions rage inside, but is it enough to banish the nightmare that drove them apart in the first place? Are they willing to let hearts heal?

This one dealt with something I think I always wondered about. And whether or not you can truly get past it and go on. I felt for the both of them as the emotional pull was very well written and simply pulled me right in. I simply had to read to find out the ending. The acuity with which she wrote the two of them was both astonishingly realistic and sensitive.

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REVIEW: Gettin' it On,Lawyers in Love, Book Four | Ann Jacobs | Ellora's Cave

2009-10-30T20:36:00.000Z

Title: Gettin' it On, Lawyers in Love, Book Four
Author: Ann Jacobs
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Genre: Romantica/Erotica/Contemporary
Publication Date: 2003
ISBN: 9781843606017
Length: Novel
Format: eBook
(Read the review of Book Three here!)
Reviewer: WitchGiggles
Alternative-Read.com

Coming from a place called Bone Gap,Texas where the population is smaller than most indoor theaters, Casey Thompson is relying on her "bad girl" roommate to help her get rid of the last thing plaguing her bid for freedom- her virginity. Besides, her job as a personal trainer should provide plenty of opportunities to find the right man to help get that problem solved; shouldn't it?

The one thing Craig McDermott doesn't want getting around the office is the fact that at his age he's not an "experienced" man. Though he's not sure now why he decided to wait and has his eye on that cute personal trainer at the gym to help him fix that little problem. He just has to figure out how to keep her from figuring out he hasn't a clue what he's doing; so maybe a bit of research is in order.

I have to say that to date this one is topping the list as one of my favorites. Ms. Jacobs took what could have been a total comedy of errors and with gentle humor, wit, grace and a lovely style turned this into a fine tale of looking for experience and finding love. I liked the fact that she explored in depth both sides of the issue- both male and female emotions- and made me appreciate that sometimes even the guys need understanding. Kudos. But I gotta say that for beginners, these two got into some hot, sweaty, fun sex.

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REVIEW: Mastered, Lawyers in Love, Book Three | Ann Jacobs | Ellora's Cave

2009-10-30T19:46:00.000Z

Title: Mastered, Lawyers in Love, Book Three
(Part of the Enchanted Anthology pictured above)
Author: Ann Jacobs
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Genre: Romantica/Erotica/Contemporary
Publication Date: 2003
ISBN: 9781843606246
Length: Short
Format: eBook
(Read review for Book Two!)
Reviewer: WitchGiggles
Alternative-Read.com

A barracuda in the courtroom, Sandra Giancone needs a man who can unleash her passions by taking control in the bedroom. Maybe that's something a best friend can help with. Rocky Delgado has wanted to do more than be a friend to Sandra for years, but wasn't sure she could handle his desires. Then a "slip of the tongue" gives him the hope that she may be just what he's been looking for.

I liked the humor and wit applied to the telling of this tale of finding what you need under your nose. The sex was hot, the characters all too human, the story though short well rounded, but perhaps could have been a little longer to explore the relationship more in-depth. It was still a fun read.

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REVIEW: In His Own Defense, Lawyers in Love, Book One by Ann Jacobs | Ellora's Cave

2009-10-30T19:12:00.001Z

Title: In His Own Defense, Lawyers in Love, Book One
Author: Ann Jacobs
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Genre: Romantica/Erotica/Contemporary
Publication Date: June 2003
ISBN: 9781843604372
Length: Novel
Format: eBook
Reviewer: WitchGiggles
Alternative-Read.com

Kristine has an agenda,but when she meets her legal eagle opposition it becomes a different kind of battle and she's not sure where the battle lines are drawn. Determined to do what's right becomes a question of what is when passion explodes between her and Tony. Now there are not only his questions,but her own which she must find the answers to.

Never has a woman discombobulated Tony Landry the way one look at Kristine has. One problem- she's made it very clear how she feels about his kind of practice. He's got one question for her- what happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? Now he has to prove himself-to her.

The premise for this is a good one, but I think it could have been taken a bit deeper than it was. Even with the Happily Ever After endings that were so popular (and still are) there were opportunities to make this a more in-depth book that explored both characters. I did like the fact that neither were willing to give up without a fight for what they wanted and that this is about more than just a goody two shoes and a scuzzball. There is a lot of character in this one with great sex as well.

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A Story From The Grave

2009-10-29T00:50:00.006Z

Stieg Larsson was a political journalist and graphics specialist for 20 years at a Swedish news agency. He also actively belonged to an organization called Expo, dedicated to fighting fascism and racism in Sweden and Europe. It’s said that he and his partner Eva Gabrielsson lived under constant threat from right-wing/neo-fascist violence. Larsson died of a heart-attack in 2004, a few months before the Swedish release of the first of three novels dedicated to the unusual character Lisbeth Salander.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg Larsson
Viking Canada, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-670-06901-9
465 pages
Hardcover
Crime/Mystery

Buy now from Amazon.com
Buy now from Amazon.ca

Lisbeth Salander is a 24-year-old bisexual, super-intelligent, violent, social and moral deviant who is a ward of the court. She also happens to be one of the top three computer hackers in Sweden. It’s through this capacity, employed by an investigative and research company, that Lisbeth meets Mikael “Kalle” Blomkvist, a recently disgraced investigative reporter (in the financial industry) who’s involved in two very interesting projects.

Blomkvist is seeking revenge on an industrialist named Wennerström, and, in exchange for much needed dirt on the man, he has also agreed to investigate the disappearance of one Harriet Vanger forty years ago.

Vanger vanished from a secluded island compound owned by her powerful family. A body was never found, there are no witnesses and no evidence of a crime exists: the problem appears to be identical to the “locked-room murder mystery” that crime-fiction buffs love. And the only thing Harriet’s uncle, Henrik Vanger, will say with any conviction is that he fears she was murdered by someone in his own family.

Together, Blomkvist and Salander sift through the history of an extremely dysfunctional family until they stumble upon something so terrible it could destroy everyone involved.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo reads like two stories in one: the struggle of Kalle Blomkvist to put his shattered life back together, and the character study of Lisbeth Salander. Both of these stories are hung on the mystery represented by Harriet Vanger. Yet, none of this is true, and the author spells it out quite clearly…

Stieg Larsson was adamantly opposed to violence against women. This is what the book is about. The novel is full of such violence and explores, quite controversially, the role of the victim. Second, each part of the book begins with a statistic regarding violence against women in Sweden. Third, the original title of the book was Men Who Hate Women. Fourth, and this is my own opinion, Larsson also uses the book to highlight the casual regard many Europeans have for sex. He doesn’t make a noticeable statement about this; one must question each sexual encounter in the book to arrive at the conclusion that the author is trying to point something out. What that something might be, I’ll leave for you to decide.

I just hope you don’t think, like one critic of the book, that the sex scenes are gratuitous. Nothing in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is gratuitous: this is well-written fiction with very strong messages. I suspect some rather abrupt transitions and questionable grammatical choices are the fault of the translator, not the author. And even though the narrator is too often noticeable in the story, the novel is an international best seller for a reason: the messages contained within the covers of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo resonate with the reader.

Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2009

#REVIEW: Dark Obsession - Fredrica Alleyn #Blacklace

2009-10-29T00:41:00.005Z

Author: Fredrica Alleyn
Publisher: Black Lace (Virgin Books)
Genre: Contemporary Erotica
ISBN: 9780352345240
Format: Paperback
Length: 252 pgs
Reviewer: Angelika Devlyn (18+)
Alternative-Read.com

With her boss, Martin Wells, retiring in three years, interior designer, Annabel, is told to take on client, Lady Corbett-Wynne, single-handedly in order to get in practice for when she will take over the whole business. Embarking on her first solo adventure, Annabel discovers that beneath the delightful dinner parties and the lavish splendour of Leyton Hall the wealthy aristocratic Corbette-Wynne family and their loyal subservient staff are a façade for what is really going on.

Crucially, the characters in this book work wonderfully together as an upper class, sexually deviant ensemble. Young lovers, the Honourable Crispian and his stepsister Tania, have an insatiable appetite for each other and anyone else they can involve. Their philandering father, with a fetish for being dominated, has a penchant for riding not just the horses but willing female stable grooms. The Lord's frigid wife is, unbeknown to him, not immune to the sins of the flesh when the right person comes along, namely Sir Mathew Stevens, who has a way to charm even the most coldest fish out of her knickers, giving the Lady Corbett-Wynne a taste of what's missing in her life. While amazed, Annabel takes it all in her stride and is willing to have a go at anything new, which in her case is just about everything. How could her life ever be the same again?

This story is filthily rich in detail, intense and infused with a sense of fun and these are defining qualities of an outstanding tale, which quickly puts Dark Obsession in a class of its own. A very naughty read, just what I'd expect from Fredrica Alleyn and Black Lace! I'll definitely be checking out more of this author's work. Who'd of thought one family would have so much fun?

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#REVIEW: The Gift of Girls - Chloe Thurlow

2009-10-28T23:10:00.006Z

Author: Chloe Thurlow
Publisher: Nexus (Virgin Books)
Genre: Contemporary Erotica / BDSM
Format: Paperback
Length: 220 pages
Reviewer: Angelika Devlyn (18+)
Alternative-Read.com
Find me on Erotic Flash Fiction, too! (18+)

When Magdalena Wallace lands a job as an intern with Simon Roche's accountancy firm she is given a fair amount of responsibility with his accounts, including his passwords. Whilst moonlighting at a part time evening job in a casino, she meets Sandy Cunningham, and upon discovering that his winning streak is not luck at all, but a well thought out gambling system, she finds herself doing anything to get the insider details.

Unfortunately, gambling online during office hours and not sticking to the system's policy of stopping when she makes a loss means Magdalena must try another way to recoup her losses. In desperation she borrows money from the accountancy firm. Of course, she loses everything and her borrowing now stands as embezzling. Repentant, Magdalena confesses all to Simon, including that she hasn't the money to pay him back and will do anything to sort it out between them as long as it doesn't involve the police. Not surprisingly, Simon comes up with the perfect solution. Well, she did express a willingness to do anything and that is just what she gets when she becomes his slave in order to redeem herself.

The transition from 'a quick work time gamble' to a serious offence is very believable and well written. Simon is a wonderfully dominant character, who ultimately is out to dominate Magdalena for his own purposes. Magdalena is full of self doubt as to whether she can cope with what she has taken on even though the matter is out of her hands. As we follow her on her journey of submission and discover the true meaning of what it entails to be one of girls inside the Black Spires mansion, in which the most powerful and rich businessmen meet, we see that there is so much more to her new way of life - and indeed this book - than at first it would seem. Superb take on one woman's plight for redemption, and her struggle to submit far beyond that of which she ever thought herself capable considering her sheltered upbringing. We see how she adapts to the demands of being a gift under her new Master's orders, of which she is at first shocked by and then relishes in. Chloe Thurlow's story is top notch and will get you in the mood to agree to anything just to get a slice of what Magdalena has, whether or not you are that way inclined.

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"I Do". An anthology in support of marriage equality GLBT #REVIEW

2009-10-27T11:38:00.000Z

Title: "I Do". An anthology in support of marriage equality
Authors: Various, see below
Forward by Alex Beecroft
Edited by Kris Jacen
Publisher: ManLoveRomance Press (MLR Press)
ISBN: 978-1-934531-70-9
Publish Date: 2009
Format: eBook
Length: 307 pages
Reviewer: Sassy Brit
Alternative-Read.com

"IDo" is an anthology in support of marriage equality. Not only do 100%of the proceeds go to the Lambda Legal fund, to help in their fightagainst the passing of California's Proposition 8 (a vote to make onlya marriage between a man and woman legal), but you also get twentyerotic stories of love and commitment from an elite and popular list ofM/M, F/F and GLBT writers. Now that's putting your money where itcounts!

Included is a table of contents which provides a heatrating for each story - sweet, spicy, or scorching - so you can godirectly to your favourite type. Talking of favourites, I would love tomention all twenty stories, they really are all very good, and here aresome thoughts on a few.

When Nicole's car breaks down, she turnsto Maggie, the owner of Bellweather Inn, where memories are made, asthe two women make the most of a chance meeting in Making Memory by Lisabet Sarai. A tender f/f read, where sparks fly. And I'm not talking spark plugs.

Afterthe death of his wife, Gloria, Richard is having to deal with severingpast connections. Luckily for him, love finds no bounds in the guise ofa patient and understanding, Neil. A sad, yet heart-warming story ofone man's insecurities and his struggle to learn to love again. Andthis time it feels so right in Swansong by Sharon Maria Bidwell.

Joe,once an unemployed drop out from a council estate in England, has a newfuture as a soldier in the disciplined military world of the FrenchLegion. But is he running away from what he is - what he hates abouthimself - straight into the arms of Sergent Roux? Perhaps now he willstop fighting against what he really wants in life. Code of Honour by author Marquesate, is a wonderful tale which makes you wonder how far Joe will go just to prove to himself he is a man.

In Tango and Temptation,author ZA Maxfield, writes about Gabriel Aimar, who is selling himselfas a time stepping Tango Master. Xander Farmington and his fianceerequest Tango lessons in preparation for their wedding, and out goeseverything Gabriel has tried to hide as he pours out his heart and soulon the dance floor. But he is not the only one who at first is puttingon a show, hiding his true self from the world. How should he play this- Slow…slow…quick-quick-slow…?

They say a happy trick is agenerous trick, but when handcuffed to a bed and the police walk in onecop, Rusty Donaldson, has a trick of his own up his sleeve. When onedoor shuts another one opens, or should that be, when one cuff opensanother one shuts? Great fun for an unlikely couple awaits you withthis story, The Mistake, written by P.A. Brown. Not so much amistake, but a blessing in disguise, if you ask me. This cop iscertainly not as "Rusty" as his name leads you to believe.

Afew lines about these tales is really not enough to fully portray thesensitivity, love, vulnerability, and adoration the couples in thesestories show for each other. It's a big book, which covers a variety offlavours with elements of conflict, emotion and surprise to keep youflicking through the pages at top speed.

From a fairytaletheme, to the contemporary lives of two housemoving lovers, we take astroll down Sodomite's Walk, meet the stars of Landseer Studio, havetea with the not-so-silly, Aunt Queenie, and envisage snowy scenes in The Ice Queen,by Erastes. Incidentally, the latter will warm the cockles of the mostcoldest of hearts. This selection of well-written stories is for a goodcause, and like many of the characters, this book is well worth gettingyour hands on.

Includes stories by ALEX BEECROFT, CHARLIE COCHRANE, FIONA GLASS, JEANNE BARRACK, P.A.BROWN, ERASTES, TRACEY PENNINGTON, CLARE LONDON, SHARON MARIA BIDWELL, LISABET SARAI, STORM GRANT, MARQUESATE, LEE ROWAN, ZA MAXFIELD, MOONDANCER DRAKE, MALLORY PATH, EMMA COLLINGWOOD, ALLISON WONDERLAND, JERRY L. WHEELER, ZOE NICHOLS AND CASSIDY RYAN

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Dewy's 24hr-Read-A-Thon-2009: Sum up!

2009-10-26T12:25:00.000Z

I STAYED UP until 3.00am (although I read in bed from 1.30pm) then I slept until 6.00am and read in bed for the rest of the morning. Bliss! LOL

This update is a little late, but when Sunday 12.00 noon (the end of the read-a-thon) came around, I couldn't come online as I had lots of things to do. Gosh, I felt guilty enough! LOL

Weekends are very busy for me, but I do thank my husband for taking me seriously and giving me time alone for much of Saturday, by taking my son out for about six hours! I will catch up on comments and visit anyone who was kind enough to cheer me on over the coming days. It's actually school holidays here now, so my online schedule is going to be a little (lot!) messed up. Anyway, here is the closing Read-A-Thon challenge, which confirms how I got on, what I read, and answers a few questions that may help next year's read-a-thon.

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

Around 1.00am, when I would have normally been tucked up in bed asleep. It was breaking the barrier that was tough! LOL

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

I think James Patterson writes easy reads and because the chapters are very short, and always leave you hanging on for more, it's easy to rush through. Also, I know it's a matter of personal preference, but John Grisham books always seem to be fast paced and entertaining reads. Short non-fiction books break up large reads. Audio books. Are they allowed? I read/listened to two when I was unable to sit down on account of family and household responsibilities etc. They are good to keep going, and also keep you awake!

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Can't think of any. I think all the staff did a wonderful job.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

This was my first Read-A-Thon, so I don't have anything to go by, but I did like your mini-challenges. A great way to have a break.

5. How many books did you read?

2 Audios
3 Print books
4 eBooks
= 9 books in total!

6. What were the names of the books you read?

I Am Legend (S.F. Masterworks) - Richard Matheson - (Audio)
Finished Thaw - Fiona Robyn - I was already on page 180/271
Where Angels Fear to Tread (Penguin Classics)- E. M. Forster (192 pages)
The Awakening (Dover Thrift) - Kate Chopin - (128 pgs- eBook)
The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Primary Phase (BBC Audiobooks) - Douglas Adams - Finished (Audio)
The Purloined Letter (Tale Blazers)- Edgar Allen Poe - Finished
Crystal Skulls: Emissaries of Healing and Sacred Wisdomby Marion Webb-De Sisto (177 pgs)
Crystal Companions: The Use of the Mineral Kingdom within Modern-Day Metaphysics Marion Webb-De Sisto (161 pgs)
The Fifth Horseman- James Patterson - almost finished at the time of the read-a-thon came to a close. Finished now.

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

That's difficult! I loved Thaw by Fiona Robyn, but I was so pleasantly surprised by The Awakening by Kate Chopin, I'd have to go with that.

8. Which did you enjoy least?

I just can't say. I was lucky to enjoy all of them. Really!

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

N/A I wasn't.

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

Definitely will do it again, if I can. And would consider being a cheerleader now I know what to expect.

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Dewy's 24hr-Read-A-Thon-2009: 9 hour +

2009-10-25T01:09:00.000Z

I'm still here! Feeling tired now, but enjoying this back-to-back reading! Here is an update to let you know what I've been up to. Hope audio books count since I needed something to 'read' when it was not possible to just sit down and do so, plus they keep me awake when I feel my eyes drooping!:

Books marked with *1001 Books means that they count towards my 1001 Books to read before I die challenge, which can be found here.

I am Legend - Richard Matheson - Finished (Audio)
Finished Thaw by Fiona Robyn - I was already on page 180/271
Where Angels Fear to Tread - E. M. Forster (? have to check! Pages) *1001 Books

The Awakening - Kate Chopin - (approx. 427 pgs- eBook)*1001 Books
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams - Finished (Audio) *1001 Books
The Purloined Letter- Edgar Allen Poe - Finished. *1001 Books

Just picking out the next book - I'll keep you posted! Going to get a strong coffee in the hope it keeps me awake! Either The Time Machine (*1001 Books) or the 5th Horseman (nice short chapters!)...decisions, decisions.

What are you reading?

Sassy
:)

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Dewy's 24hr-Read-A-Thon-2009: Mini Challenge 2

2009-10-24T20:07:00.000+01:00

For this challenge (click for rules here) I have to visit a friend's blog and take a look at their reading list. I chose Erotic Horizons - here are her choices:

Ryder's Wife - Sharon Sala
Roman's Heart - Sharon Sala
Royal's Child - Sharon Sala

Horizons - Mickie B. Ashling

What A Dragon Should Know – G. A. Aiken

It’s not how good you are, It’s how good you want to be – Paul Aden

Then for the challenge I have to mix up the titles and create my own book, with blurb.

New Title:

Want To Be A Royal's Good Dragon Child Wife?

A rich king turns up in a small village and announces a competition in which the winner will be granted a place to live in his far away castle, with all the riches they could dream of. But there's a hitch! The winner must agree to marry the King's son, who has been turned into a dragon by a wicked witch. Only one girl's love can save him and lift the spell, but how long will a marriage like this last and is there anyone out there willing to take the chance?

LOL Madness I know, but I don't want to spend too much time on this - I must get back to reading. I'll give you an update soon!

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Dewy's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: MINI CHALLENGE #1

2009-10-24T16:44:00.000+01:00

Over @ Barts Book Shelf is the first mini challenge of which I am entering. Since I need the break (and to wake up) I grabbed a few I thought would work and came up with this:

By the light of the moon the office night watch rage of bees and mist

By the light of the moon | the office | night watch | rage | of bees and mist
Dean Koontz | Ricky Gervais | Terry Pratchett | Wilbur Smith | Erick Setiawan

OK Must dash! Have fun everyone, back to reading for me. Don't forget to check out my previous post and my tweets! Catch me on Sassy_Brit

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Dewy's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: I'm here! Where are you?

2009-10-24T12:12:00.000+01:00

I have to make the family some lunch (quick sandwiches -- LOL) so, I am to start by listening to I Am Legend (S.F. Masterworks) by Richard Matheson on my iPod as I busy myself in the kitchen. Hope that counts! (Check out the fantastic vampire cover!)

After that, the family are going out, and I am going to be left to my own devices until they return later this evening. Which is nice!

I've loaded up my eBook reader, Winston, with lots of classics of which I think might be best to read later on to give myself a variation of reading formats.

Books on eBook Reader include many that are on my 1001 Books to read before you die reading list, which will help with my 1001 books Challenge. Details of that can be found in the sidebar on the right if you are stuck for something to read! LOL

On the eBook Reader:
The Time Machine - H.G. Wells
The Turn of the Screw - Henry James
The Invisible Man - H.G. Wells
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carol

The Awakening - Kate Chopin
Adieu - Honore de Balzac

The War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells

Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe

Aesop's Fables

That should keep me going well into the night. Later I will come back and let you know what I am reading when I am able to sit down and pick up a book. I have a list of print books, and also a list of other books on my computer to read. I am hoping by keeping the formats varied, I'll not get too fed up with one way or the other! :)

For those that are also playing along I can't stop by now, but I will come and visit you to see how you are getting on, shortly.

Bye for now!

Sassy
:)

Alternative-Read.com: The "Inside Story" by Sassy Brit and her Gang!
~http://www.twibes.com/group/READERSandREVIEWERS~Chat and Promo Group~WHAT'S ON YOUR DESK WEDNESDAY? Book Blog Meme!~We are actively seeking staff!~FaceBook~LibraryThing~AmazonUK~GoodReads~
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