Blog Tour: Seduce the Darkness by Gena Showalter

Synopsis:
SHE HAS A BODY MADE FOR TEMPTATION...AND A KISS TO DIE FOR.

The war between otherworlders and humans changed Earth beyond recognition. It also saved Bride McKells’s life. Before, the gorgeous vampire was a target for every fanatic with a stake and a crucifix. Now she’s free to roam the streets—and desperate to find others of her kind. One man claims to have the answers she seeks. Devyn, King of the Targons, is a warrior and a womanizer, and he makes no secret of how much he wants Bride—and how dangerous he could be to her in every way.

An avid collector of women, Devyn easily seduces human and otherworlder alike. Until now. Not only does Bride resist him, but she leaves Devyn feeling something entirely new...a bone-deep need bordering on obsession. Her blood is the key to curing a vicious alien disease, but helping Bride uncover her origins will compel her to choose between electrifying passion and a destiny that could tear her from Devyn’s side forever.

I have been on a hot streak lately - reading one good book after another - and this one definitely makes the top of my charts!! Devyn (I love that name) is a completely egotistical, narcissistic & delicious womanizer who likes to "bed" women of all shapes, sizes & races. Bride is independent, capable and thinks she's the last vampire left on earth and has very little tolerance for Deyvn's antics. After a chance meeting, Bride finds out that Devyn has someone she wants so she decides to take someone he wants - after all, it's only fair right? Let the cat & mouse games begin...

During the course of the book, you learn that there is a lot more to Devyn and Bride than meets the eye - including the recently acquired knowledge that Bride's blood holds the cure to a deadly alien disease. (Don't be fooled folks - this may come across as a "bit out there" but it's really very good.)

I loved these characters! They were sarcastic, vain, tough and completely charming. Devyn was so much fun to read about and Bride complimented him perfectly. The dynamic between them is irresistible not to mention Devyn's relationship with his best friend Dallas cracked me up (typical guys). One of my favorite things about this story is the evolution and growth of the characters. In the beginning, Devyn and Bride were perfectly content to live their lives alone, but they come to realize and eventually accept that they need each other more than they ever expected to.

Gena did a great job laying the foundation for this story and then following through. From the prologue (a moment in Devyn's adolescence that explains why he becomes the way he does; you also get sneak peeks at Bride's youth as well) to the climax of the story (which you'll just have to read to find out about). Note: This book is a part of the Alien Huntress series, but it stands on its own. However, now I fully intend on picking up more of Gena's books :)

I give this book ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
♥ Isalys

Undercover Booklover posted a pretty cool interview with Gena Showalter, the author of this series. You should check it out!

*Giveaway*
We have 5 Copies available of Seduce the Darkness by Gena Showalter
Contest ends on July 7, 2009

Rules:

• To enter the giveaway you must leave a comment. Please leave your email address otherwise we will not be able to get in touch with the winners.
• Books will be delivered directly from the publishers so the giveaways are only available for U.S. and Canada residents. No P.O. boxes please.
• Winners will be drawn Tuesday, July 7th at Noon and posted Wednesday, July 8th. The winners will have until Sunday, July 12th to contact us via email with their mailing addresses. If the winner has not contacted us by the due date, we will be randomly choose another winner as this is only fair to the other participants.
• Alternate winners will be drawn by Sunday at Noon.
• Winners will be chosen using random.org!

Ways to earn extra entries:
+1 for commenting on the giveaway post
+1 for being a follower of our blog (you must mention this in your post)
+1 for following us on Twitter (you must mention this in your post)
+1 for comments on other posts throughout the week
(You may reference which other posts you've commented on.)

*Feel free to contact us via email at booksoulmates@gmail.com if you have
any questions*

Good Luck!

Here is a list of participants on this blog tour:

Readaholic: http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/
Book Series Reviews: http://bookseriesreviews.blogspot.com/
All About {n}: http://www.bookwormygirl.blogspot.com/
Debbie’s World of Books: http://debbiesworldofbooks.com/
Wendy’s Minding Spot: http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/
Anna’s Book Blog: http://annavivian.blogspot.com/
My Guilty Pleasures: http://www.mgpblog.com/
Undercover Book Lover: http://undercoverbooklover.blogspot.com/
Drey’s Library: http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
A Book Bloggers Diary: http://abookbloggersdiary.blogspot.com/
A Journey of Books: http://ajourneyofbooks.blogspot.com/
My Friend Amy: http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
Literary Escapism: http://www.literaryescapism.com/
Horror and Fantasy Book Review: http://horrorandfantasybookreview.blogspot.com/
Temple Library Reviews: http://templelibraryreviews.blogspot.com/
Fantasy Freak: http://fantastyfreak.blogspot.com/
Books Joseph Reads: http://booksjosephreads.blogspot.com/

Tuesday's Teasers 06.30.09

Here are some new releases for you:





Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

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

Here is Vanessa's teaser for this week:

"The phrase he muttered most often under his breath, which Phoebe knew she wasn't supposed to hear. He killed her."
~p. somewhere between 1 and 359 (was rushing, lol) from "The Castaways: A Novel" by Elin Hilderbrand

Here is Isalys's teaser for this week:
"But he was so very wrong, for Pippin had the one thing that could stop Dash, well quite honestly, any man in his tracks. A singularly scandalous red dress..."
~p. 233 from "Memoires of A Scandalous Red Dress" by Elizabeth Boyle

Blog Tour: Devlin Diary by Christi Philips

Synopsis:
From the acclaimed author of The Rossetti Letter comes a dazzling novel of intrigue, passion, and royal secrets that shifts tantalizingly between Restoration-era London and present-day Cambridge.

London, 1672. The past twelve years have brought momentous changes: the restoration of the monarchy, a devastating plague and fire. Yet the city remains a teeming, thriving metropolis, energized by the lusty decadence of Charles II's court and burgeoning scientific inquiry. Although women enjoy greater freedom, they are not allowed to practice medicine, a restriction that physician Hannah Devlin evades by treating patients that most other doctors shun: the city's poor.

But Hannah has a special knowledge that Secretary of State Lord Arlington desperately needs. At the king's Machiavellian court, Hannah attracts the attention of two men, charming courtier Ralph Montagu and anatomist Dr. Edward Strathern, as well as the attention of the powerful College of Physicians, which views her work as criminal. When two influential courtiers are found brutally murdered, their bodies inscribed with arcane symbols, Hannah is drawn into a dangerous investigation by Dr. Strathern, who believes the murders conceal a far-reaching conspiracy that may include Hannah's late father and the king himself.

Cambridge, 2008. Teaching history at Trinity College is Claire Donovan's dream come true -- until one of her colleagues is found dead on the banks of the River Cam. The only key to the professor's unsolved murder is a seventeenthcentury diary kept by his last research subject, Hannah Devlin, physician to the king's mistress. With help from the eclectic collections of Cambridge's renowned libraries, Claire and historian Andrew Kent follow the clues Devlin left behind, uncovering secrets of London's dark past and Cambridge's equally murky present, and discovering that events of three hundred years ago may still have consequences today....

A suspenseful and richly satisfying tale brimming with sharply observed historical detail, The Devlin Diary brings past and present to vivid life. With wit and grace, Christi Phillips holds readers spellbound with an extraordinary novel of secrets, obsession, and the haunting power of the past.
-- Pocket Books

I absolutely LOVED this book! I wanted to post the synopsis written by Pocket Books because I wanted our followers to truly understand all the different elements of the book and different story lines and I felt if I wrote it I wouldn't do it justice. I've been trying to figure out what to write but the only thing that keeps running through my head is "What a GREAT book! What a GREAT book!" You don't need to read the first one (The Rossetti Letter) to understand whats going on, but I sure wish I would have only because this book was soooooo good! I love how the author goes back and forth between London 1672 and present day Cambridge without any confusion. When there are two different stories in one book, like this one, I usually lean more towards one story than the other, but I completely loved both story lines. This book is definitely a page turner. I highly recommend this book!

♥ Vanessa

*Giveaway*
We have 5 Copies available of Devlin Diary by Christi Philips
Contest ends on July 6, 2009

Rules:

• To enter the giveaway you must leave a comment. Please leave your email address otherwise we will not be able to get in touch with the winners.
• Books will be delivered directly from the publishers so the giveaways are only available for U.S. and Canada residents. No P.O. boxes please.
• Winners will be drawn Monday, July 6th at Noon and posted Tuesday, July 7th. The winners will have until Sunday, July 12th to contact us via email with their mailing addresses. If the winner has not contacted us by the due date, we will be randomly choose another winner as this is only fair to the other participants.
• Alternate winners will be drawn by Sunday at Noon.
• Winners will be chosen using random.org!

Ways to earn extra entries:
+1 for commenting on the giveaway post
+1 for being a follower of our blog
(Please indicate this in your comment.)
+1 for following us on Twitter
(Please indicate this in your comment and provide us w/ your Twitter name.)
+1 for comments on other posts throughout the week
(You may reference which other posts you've commented on.)

*Feel free to contact us via email at booksoulmates@gmail.com if you have
any questions*

Good Luck!

Here is a list of participants on this blog tour:
S. Krishna’s Books: www.skrishnasbooks.com
All About {n}: www.bookwormygirl.blogspot.com
Jenn’s Bookshelf: http://jennsbookshelf.blogspot.com/
Beth Fish Reads: http://bfishreads.blogspot.com/
Booking Mama: http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/
The Literate Housewife Review: http://literatehousewife.com/
Chick With Books: http://www.chickwithbooks.blogspot.com/
Gimme More Books: http://gimmemorebooks.blogspot.com/
We Be Reading: http://webereading.com/
Book Bird Dog: http://www.bookbirddog.blogspot.com/
Bookin’ with “BINGO”: http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/
My Friend Amy: http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
Books and Needlepoint: http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com/
A Working Title: http://awthome.wordpress.com/
Must Read Faster: http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com/
Shhh I’m Reading: http://shhhimreading.blogspot.com/
Debbie’s World of Books: http://debbiesworldofbooks.com/
The Tome Traveller’s Weblog: http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/
Write for a Reader: http://www.writeforareader.blogspot.com/
A Sea of Books: http://aseaofbooks.blogspot.com/
I Heart Monster: http://www.iheartmonster.com/
Pick of the Literate: http://bookrevues.blogspot.com/
Kingdom Books Blog: http://kingdombks.blogspot.com
Drey’s Library: http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
The Jaydit Reader: http://jayditreader.blogspot.com/
A Book Bloggers Diary: http://abookbloggersdiary.blogspot.com/

Wicked Wednesday Winners ♥

Here are the winners for the giveaways that ended on June 24, 2009

1. BookLover1335
2. Dixie
3. Deborah
4. ScottGal
5. Penney

1. Sue A.
2. Lady Roxi
3. HeatherZilla
4. Kytaira
5. Little Eagle

1. Bridget Hopper
2. FOKXXY
3. Beth
4. Sharon
5. Dina

Congratulations to all the winners :)

They were chosen using random.org. We will be contacting each of you via email and you have until Sunday, July 5th to provide us with your mailing addresses. If we haven't heard from you by Monday, a new winner will be chosen on Tuesday. So chop chop!

If you're interested in more giveaways, don't forget we still have:
The Night Gardener, A Summer Affair and Stand in the Storm
♥
Vixen Manual, I Hate People and How Successful People Think

Blog Tour: My Forbidden Desire by Carolyn Jewel

My Forbidden Desire was an exciting read! It starts off with Alexandrine Marit, a mage (a witch), being held captive by a fiend (a subspecies of demon). Fiends loathe witches because witches enslave and murder his kind, so when Xia, the fiend, is ordered to protect Alexandrine, he's not too thrilled about it. Funny thing is, he needs to protect her against her own father! A father that gave her up when she was only three years old. He's after her for a Talisman she found while searching for him in Turkey. The talisman gives witches the ability to have stronger powers. The talisman is also slowly attaching itself to Alexandrine which makes her extremely vulnerable when she parts herself from it.

Her only hope is Xia. Xia battles his emotions for Alexandrine throughout the entire book. He hates her for what she is, a witch, and he hates her for who her father is, which is the same man that enslaved Xia for years. Xia sees Alexandrine is different from any witch he's ever known. She's unselfish, kindhearted, and sexy as hell! He is drawn to her magic and together they go on a rollercoaster ride trying to figure out what to do about her father, the talisman, and the sexual tension between them!

I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were intense to say the least! I loved how Xia was extremely attracted to Alexandrine but was trying to fight it because of who and what she was. He hated her yet wanted to protect her. She also couldn't stand him but found herself falling for him. The plot was interesting and I thought it was pretty cool the story had it's own "lingo". I kept having to refer to the glossary but that was part of the fun!

♥ Vanessa

Author's Website: http://www.carolynjewel.com/
Author's Twitter: http://twitter.com/cjewel

*Giveaway*
We have 5 copies of My Forbidden Desire by Carolyn Jewel available!
Contest ends July 5, 2009

Rules:
• To enter the giveaway you must leave a comment. Please leave your email address otherwise we will not be able to get in touch with the winners.
• Books will be delivered directly from the publishers so the giveaways are only available for U.S. and Canada residents. No P.O. boxes please.
• Winners will be drawn Sunday, July 5th at Noon and posted Monday July 6th. The winners will have until Sunday, July 12th to contact us via email with their mailing addresses. If the winner has not contacted us by the due date, we will be randomly choose another winner as this is only fair to the other participants.
• Alternate winners will be drawn by Sunday at Noon.
• Winners will be chosen using random.org!

Ways to earn extra entries:
+1 for commenting on the giveaway post
+1 for being a follower of our blog
(Please indicate this in your comment.)
+1 for following us on Twitter
(Please indicate this in your comment and provide us w/ your Twitter name.)
+1 for comments on other posts throughout the week
(You may reference which other posts you've commented on.)

*Feel free to contact us via email at booksoulmates@gmail.com if you have
any questions*

Good Luck!

Here is a list of participants on this blog tour:
http://bridget3420.blogspot.com - June 28 review and giveaway
http://booksoulmates.blogspot.com/ - June 28 review and giveaway
http://ajourneyofbooks.blogspot.com - June 28 review and giveaway
www.morbid-romantic.net - June 28 review, giveaway, and Q&A
http://debbiesworld.wordpress.com - June 28
http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/ - June 28 giveaway
http://rannthisthat.blogspot.com - June 28
http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/ - June 28 review, giveaway, and Q&A
http://undercoverbooklover.blogspot.com/ - June 28 giveaway and Q&A
http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com - June 28
http://martasmeanderings.blogspot.com/ - June 28 review and giveaway
http://www.mgpblog.com/ - June 28 review and giveaway
http://www.startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/ - June 28 review and giveaway
http://trinsnook.blogspot.com - June 28 review and giveaway
http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com/ - June 29 review and giveaway
http://www.loveimpossible.com - June 29 review and Q&A
http://seductivemusings.blogspot.com/ - June 29 review and giveaway
http://reviewfromhere.com/ - June 29 review
http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com/ - June 29 review; giveaway
http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/ - review, giveaway, and Q&A
http://reesspace.blogspot.com - review and giveaway
http://carolsnotebook.wordpress.com/ - June 29 review, giveaway, and possible Q&A
http://horrorandfantasybookreview.blogspot.com - June 29 review and giveaway
http://www.myspace.com/darbyscloset - review

Review: Confessions of a Little Black Gown by Elizabeth Boyle

Synopsis:
She spied him in the shadows... and in an instant, Thalia Langley knew the man before her was no saint.

He might claim to be the Duke of Hollindrake's unassuming country cousin, but no man that handsome, that arresting, could be anything but...well, he simply must be an unrepentant rogue. His cat-like grace and power leave Tally shivering in her slippers at the notion of all the wicked, forbidden things he might be capable of doing...to her.

Indeed, Lord Larken is no bumbling vicar, but a master spy there in his majesty's service to find—and murder—a notorious pirate freed in a daring prison escape. Devoted to the Crown, Larken's not about to let an interfering (and not entirely innocent) Mayfair miss disrupt his ruthless plans. Yet how can he be anything but tempted by this lady in a little black gown...a dress tantalizing enough to lead even Larken astray.

I loved this book! One of my favorite qualities in any book is if it could make me laugh - and while reading this, if I wasn't giggling, I was trying to unravel the mystery of the missing American pirate that was freed from one of England's most secure prisons.

In the very beginning, the book didn't seem anything out of the ordinary [for a historial romance] but at about chapter 3, it really started to come to life. Tally (Thalia Langley) was such a fun, flirty character who was anything but ordinary. Lord Larken assumed the identity of the awkward and clumsy Vicar Ryder, but was in fact a very dangerous spy. Upon meeting, they both suspected that neither was what they pretended to be so their encounters were attempts to get each other to fumble their "pretenses" and reveal their true selves (which was actually amusing). Their encounters transformed from playing mind games to resisting their attraction and then finally giving in to their mutual passions.

Meanwhile, the truth of the missing American pirate Thomas Dashwell begins to reveal itself taking with it a slew of accomplices that totally catch you by surprise! This story is filled with twists, turns and surprises!

The storyline is a lot to keep up with because so much is going on, but I think it made it all the more fun. There is just a "dash" of the love story between Tally's cousin Pippin and Dash which I cannot wait to read about in Boyle's follow up, "Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress".

I give this book ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

RIP Michael Jackson 8/29/58 - 6/25/09

Yesterday was a very sad day...the world lost a living legend! It was announced at 6:15 EST on June 25, 2009 that Michael Jackson, "The King of Pop" suffered a fatal massive heart attack =(

Michael was not destined to live a normal life. He had a God given talent that propelled him into the spotlight at a very young age and earned him the title of "The King of Pop". He was also eccentric to say the least and those moments earned him the title of "Wacko Jacko".

I personally don't believe that he ever hurt a child...I just think he tried to recapture the childhood that he never had! The media would capitalize on it and turned him into a public monster!

I only hope that people can stop with the cruel jokes long enough to respect and honor him for the talent and humanitarian that he was.

May your soul rest in peace Michael!
Your music and talent will never be forgotten!

Here is a short list of a few of my fave MJ songs:
♥ The Way You Make Me Feel
♥ P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)
♥ Remember the Time
♥ The Girl is Mine (feat Paul McCartney)
♥ Thriller (long version)

What are your favorite songs??

Fresh Friday 6.26.09

Vanessa's Choice:

Quick Chicken Teriyaki

What You Need:

1/4 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1-1/3 cups water

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 cups frozen broccoli florets

1-1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked

Make It!
HEAT dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 7 min. or until cooked through.

ADD water, teriyaki sauce and garlic powder; stir. Bring to boil.

STIR in broccoli and rice; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 min. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. Fluff with fork.

Isalys's Choice:
Chocolate Eclair Squares


What You Need:

2 cups cold milk

2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

64 NILLA Wafers

2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Make It!
BEAT milk and pudding mixes with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP.

ARRANGE 16 wafers on bottom of 8-inch square dish; cover with 1/3 of pudding mixture. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 4 hours.

MICROWAVE chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until melted when stirred. Drizzle over dessert.

Special Extra

Garnish with COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (in a can) just before serving.

Bon appetit!

Thursday's Thoughts 6.25.09...Earn extra giveaway points

Today's quiz is about

1) What are the names of the Owens sisters played by Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock?

2) What are the names of the aunts?

3) What would happen to any man who fell in love with an Owens woman?

4) What song was Jimmy singing the night he died that haunted Gillian and Sally?

5) What tradition was carried out on occasion at the aunts' house?

*Bonus Question: When the sisters went to live with their aunts, what were they promised for breakfast everyday?

Rules:
• All answers must be submitted via EMAIL only to booksoulmates@gmail.com.
Simply post a comment saying that your answers have been sent.
• Each question is worth 2 points for a potential maximum of 10 points.
• The bonus question is worth an additional 5 points for a potential total of
15 points.
• Each point is redeemable for an extra entry in the giveaways
(that's up to 15 extra entries)
• Everyone has until Wednesday, 7.8.09 to submit their answers to this quiz.

NOTE: Answers submitted to this quiz will be applied to entries for
Wicked Wednesday 6.24.09 Giveaway

Wicked Wednesday Giveaway 6.24.09

Hi Everyone!!
Isn't our new blog "look" fantabulous?!
Wicked Wednesday is here again! Yes we know, we're excited too!!

Giveaway June 24 - July 8

Remember you're still in time for our other awesome giveaways:
The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos
A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand
Stand the Storm by Breena Clark

♥ 1st Book up For Grabs ♥

Vixen Manual by Karrine Steffans

Synopsis:
Since she exploded on the scene with her two juicy and impossible-to-put-down tell-alls, readers have wanted to know even more about what makes Karrine Steffans tick. How was she able to meet all the high profile politicians, movie stars, and other celebrities that are her close acquaintances? What skills does she possess to keep men wanting more? Finally, Karrine lays it all out and explains exactly what a woman must do to win over the man of her dreams. With chapters like "Never Let Him See You Sweat,""Flirting,""Encouraging His Manhood," and "Give Him What He Wants," this hot and sexy manual is a must-have for every woman's bookshelf.

We Have 5 Copies Available!!!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥ 2nd Book Up For Grabs ♥

I Hate People by Marc Hershon, Jonathan Littman

Synopsis:
Face it, whether your company has 10 employees or 10,000, you must grapple with people you can't stand in the office. Luckily Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon have written I HATE PEOPLE!, a smart, counter-intuitive, andirreverentturn on the classic workplace self-help book that will show you how to identify theTen Least Wanted--the people you hate--whilerevealing the strategies to neutralize them. Learn to fly right by the "Stop Sign" (nay-sayer) and rise above the pronouncements of the "Know-it-None." I HATE PEOPLE! will teach you how to carve out more time for yourself by becominga "Soloist"--one of those bold individuals daring to work alone or collaborate with a handful of other talented people....while artfully deflecting the rest.

We Have 5 Copies Available!!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥ 3rd Book Up For Grabs ♥

How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell

Synopsis:
The perfect, compact listen for today's fast-paced world, How Successful People Think (derived from Maxwell's previous book, Thinking for a Change) will teach listeners the 11 secrets successful people know. Arranged in an easy-to-follow format, America's leadership expert, John C. Maxwell, will teach listeners how to expand their thinking and achieve their dreams.

The 11 keys to successful thinking include:
Big-Picture Thinking: Seeing the world beyond your own needs and how that leads to great ideas
Focused Thinking: Removing mental clutter and distractions to realize your full potential
Creative Thinking: Thinking in unique ways and making breakthroughs
Shared Thinking: Working with others to compound results
Reflective Thinking: Looking at the past to gain a better understanding of the future.

We Have 5 Copies Available!!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Rules:
• To enter the giveaway you must leave a comment. Please leave your email address otherwise we will not be able to get in touch with the winners.
• Books will be delivered directly from the publishers so the giveaways are only available for U.S. and Canada residents. No P.O. boxes please.
• Winners will be drawn Wednesday, July8th at Noon and posted July 9th. The winners will have until Sunday, July 12 to contact us via email with their mailing addresses. If the winner has not contacted us by the due date, we will be randomly choose another winner as this is only fair to the other participants.
• Alternate winners will be drawn by Sunday at Noon.
• Winners will be chosen using random.org!

Ways to earn extra entries:
+1 for commenting on the giveaway post
+1 for being a follower of our blog
(Please indicate this in your comment.)
+1 for following us on Twitter
(Please indicate this in your comment and provide us w/ your Twitter name.)
+1 for comments on other posts throughout the week
(You may reference which other posts you've commented on.)

*Feel free to contact us via email at booksoulmates@gmail.com if you guys have any questions*

Good Luck!

Tuesday's Teasers 06.23.09

Here are a few new releases:

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

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

Here is Isalys's teaser for this week:
"And given the glances she continued to toss in his direction, she seemed so...willing...to be his friend, perhaps it would be well...prudent...to go along with her, gain her trust and unearth her secrets. Like how exactly she kept that dress up...a rakish part of him whispered."
~p. 64 from "Confessions of a Little Black Gown" by Elizabeth Boyle

Here is Vanessa's teaser for this week:
"Her mouth touched his skin, and then the taste of his blood burst over her tongue, thick and dark and better than anything she'd ever tasted. She pressed her fingers into his shoulder, half expecting him to..."
~p 183 from "My Forbidden Desire" by Carolyn Jewel

Winners for Hint of Wicked Mini-Giveaway

Mini-Giveaway Winners For Hint Of Wicked!!

1. Book Lady
2. Pookie
3. Barb
4. ThroughTheHaze
5.HoldenJ

Congratulations to all the winners!

If you're interested in more giveaways, don't forget we still have:

Bound To Please By Lillie Feisty, To Beguile a Beast by Elizaneth Hoyt,
When the Time Comes by Paula Span (Ending June 24)

♥

The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos, A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand,
Stand the Storm by Breena Clark

Manic Monday...Check this out :)

For all you Twilight fans out there, Mattel has a treat for you! Introducing, the newly made-over Barbie & Ken starring as Bella & Edward...

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb. Twilight has quickly become a worldwide phenomenon developing a strong core base of dedicated fans who are drawn to the story of a Romeo & Juliet style romance between the mortal Bella and the vampire Edward. Who better to capture the young star-crossed love of these two characters than Barbie & Ken? Edward is luminescent with a shimmering complexion and trademark gold eyes. Bella doll sold separately."

You can pre-order them today at Toys R Us.

Honestly guys, what do you think? Would YOU buy them? Did Mattel do a good job of capturing the essence of Bella & Edward? And what will they come up with next?

We'd love to hear from you so lay it on us...

Review: To Beguile A Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt

Elizabeth Hoyt's "To Beguile A Beast" is the third book in the "Legend of the Four Soldiers" series. I had never read any of Elizabeth Hoyt's books, but decided to read it as it's one of our current giveaways...and I'm glad I did :)

This is the an adult take of the classic Beauty and the Beast tale. Sir Alistair Munroe is a scarred (physically & mentally) recluse who has resigned to living a lonely life in his castle in the wilds of Scotland. One rainy night, a beautiful woman and her two children appear at his doorstep claiming to be his new housekeeper. He is unpleasant, unwelcoming and uninterested, but she is stubborn and persistant. Due to the increment weather, he allows her and the children to stay the night but demands that they be gone by morning. However, she is determined to stay. She is not just adamant about wanting to be the housekeeper he so desperately needs (and clearly doesn't want), but she simply cannot go back to the life that she fled so she needs to make this work for the sake of her & her children.

She becomes fascinated with this man. His hideous appearance is all the more endearing when she begins to learn about the man beneath the scars. And he is besotted with her. Is she there just to tempt him? Is she there to remind him of the future that he dare not hope for? Before long they begin to enjoy each other's company and find themselves falling headlong into a passion that neither one can resist. All the while this is happening, his home is cleaner and he finds himself with renewed focus on his life's work. In addition, he gets a lead that the traitor that caused him to sustain his injuries may have been discovered. All seems to be falling into place until...

Helen's children are missing and are nowhere to be found. Her past has caught up with her and now Alistair is caught up in it as well. She has no choice but to reveal the real reason she came to land on his doorstep. She is the former mistress of the Duke of Lister and he is the father of her children (Abigail and Jamie). He will stop at nothing until his "possessions" are returned to him. She cannot go back to a loveless life as another man's ornament. With Alistair's help she must confront her "demon" in order for her to get her children back.

I literally read this book overnight. You find yourself caught up in the woe's of the sad and lonely Alistair Munroe and begin rooting for him to find love beyond the scars. By the same token, you want Helen to find the love she craves as well as a good father figure for her children (who you cannot help but love). The love that develops between these two characters is gradual and makes it all the more rewarding when it finally does happen...not to mention that Hoyt did not hold back on the passion either!

This is a charming story of blind love, passion, pain, fear and self-discovery. There is a definite fairy tale quality to the story, but will it have the fairy tale ending as well?

Sign up for our giveaway and read it for yourself to find out :)
*Aren't I just the woyst?* LOL

I give it ★ ★ ★ ★

PS: My only criticism is the cover art. The artwork itself as well as the colors are beautiful, but I don't feel that they truly depict the characters, particularly Alistair. He is a man facially scarred and the man on the cover has a perfect face. I think the man on the cover should have a "Phantom of the Opera" quality to him or at least have part of his face shadowed. Just a thought...

Free Book Friday! 6.19.08

Mini Book Giveaway!!

Hint Of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore!

June 18 - June21

One Weekend Only!

Hi All! We've decided to try something new this weekend and see how it goes.
The lovely Ms. Anna from Hatchette has generously allowed us to giveaway 5 more copies of Hint of Wicked!!
Can you believe how lucky we all are?!

We have simple rules for this Mini-Giveaway:
Just post a comment telling us you're interested in the giveaway!
That's it...
(Don't forget to write your email!!)
We will choose the winners Sunday night and post it on Monday :)

Isalys's Review of Hint of Wicked

Hint of Wicked was a rollercoaster! Jennifer Haymore takes you on a ride through a particularly tumultuous time in Sophie, the Duchess of Calton's life. After mourning the loss of her husband for over 6 years, she decides to move on and marries her deceased husband's friend & heir, Tristan. During a night of passion with Tristan, Garrett returns (unannounced) demanding his life and his wife back! However, Tristan will not let her go without a fight (he was tired of loving her from afar)! Now Sophie is stuck between her two husbands; her first love and her new love. What's a girl to do?

I really enjoyed getting to know Sophie's character. She was loving and endearing, but incredibly strong and protective of those she loves. I am a huge fan of period pieces and I especially love it with the heroine isn't just another piece of decoration. The plot was complicated and intricate enough to keep you enveloped in the story. One of my favorite features of this book was that Jennifer jumped right into it without wasting too much time in setting up the storyline. At first, I was concerned that the story would lose steam along the way and to my pleasant surprise it didn't...it was a definite page-turner! It doesn't wrap up until the very end and even then, it leaves enough of an opening for the sequel (that I'll now be waiting anxiously for come April 2010).

In addition, this book also offers quite a bit of heat too! I think Jennifer did a great job at narrating the love scenes without getting too raunchy. It was just enough to make you blush :)

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good, well-written historical romance!

Wicked Wednesday Winners 6.17.09

Winners for giveaways ending June 17, 2009

1. A Stationary Addict

2. AmandaK
3. JemScout425
4. ElainG8
5. Joemmama

1. Sheila DeChantal
2. Zia
3. Texas Heartland
4. Wendy
5. Bargain Girl

1. JD
2. Belinda M
3. Mindy
4. Light House Sandy

Congratulations to all the winners!

They were chosen using random.org. We will be contacting each of you via email and you have until Sunday, June 14th to provide us with your mailing addresses. If we haven't heard from you by Monday, a new winner will be chosen on Tuesday. So get to it ladies :)

If you're interested in more giveaways, don't forget we still have:

Bound To Please By Lillie Feisty, To Beguile A Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt, When the Time Comes by Paula Span (Ending June 24)
♥
The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos, A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand, Stand the Storm by Breena Clark (Ending July 1)

Fresh Friday 6.19.09

Isalys's Choice:

Pepper Jack Enchiladas


What You Need:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onions (about 1 medium)

2 cups enchilada sauce, divided

6 oz. Velveeta Pepper Jack Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into thin slices

12 corn tortillas (6 inch), softened (see Tip)

Make It!
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Cook and stir meat and onions in large skillet on medium heat until meat is browned and onions are tender; drain. Return meat mixture to skillet. Add 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce; mix well.

SPREAD 1/2 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Spoon 1/4 cup of the meat mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-sides down, in baking dish; top with the remaining 1 cup enchilada sauce and the Velveeta.

BAKE 20 min. or until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted.

Vanessa's Choice:
Rocky Road No Bake Cheesecake

What You Need:

3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

3/4 cup JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows

1/3 cup chopped PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts

1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)

Make It!

MICROWAVE 1 of the chocolate squares in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and milk in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Gently stir in whipped topping, marshmallows and peanuts. Coarsely chop remaining 2 chocolate squares; stir into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into crust.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until set. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Bon appetit!