Love is in the Air

Love is in the Air

Alright, so this is hardly an original idea, but it IS Valentine's Day after all.  So, I've composed my list of favorite couples from the genre of Urban Fantasy... I would include PnR, but for some reason, none of them made the list (nudge nudge, Kate... see what I did there?).

A warning to the spoiler uptight (like me) listing couples from a book or series is always a bit spoilerish.  Most of them are fairly obvious, but there are a some here that are more spoilerish than others, with the relationship developing late in the series or unexepectedly.

10) Lestat and... well... Lestat

The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

Urban Fantasy? Okay, maybe not.  Usually, you'll find this classic series under horror, but to me it is definitely a forerunner to what these days is called Urban Fantasy.  If you haven't read the series I strongly recommend it, at least the first two books. Interview with the Vampire is a great book in it's own right, but it takes on a whole new dimension when paired with The Vampire Lestat. By the end of Interview, you'll hate Lestat like you've hated few literary characters. By the end of tVL, well... try it, you'll see.  As for the couple, Lestat is probably the only meglomaniac that I actually adore.

9) Sookie and Bill

Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris

Yeah, you read that right! Wanna make something of it? I'll be the first to agree that Eric of True Blood is way more yummy delicious, but as far as the books go, I think Bill was always the better match for Sookie. Yes, he f'ed up royally.  But he's spent every book since trying to get back into Sookie's good graces. I have little doubt BILL would do ANYTHING for Sookie.  Eric?  It really just depends on what's in it for him.  I can't remember his name right now, but with regard to the books, I'd choose the were-tiger for Sookie, before Eric.  Sorry, Rene and Sonnie, I call it like I READ it.

8) Elena and Raphael

Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh

Elena is one of those heroines you just love to read about.  In a world where most of her adviseraies over-match her, she still manages to come out on top thru her wit, fighting prowess and her decisiveness. Raphael is a male lead with tremendous gravitas.  Is he Barrons or Curran? No, but he is cut from the same cloth.  Together this is a fantastic power couple.  Besides, I like the pairings that clash with each other.  It makes for heightened romantic tension and energetic exchanges.

7) Kat and Bones

Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost

Yeah, yeah.  A lot of you would rank this couple much higher than me.  The early books in the series were very good, but I think it has been less so of late.  That's neither here nor their really.  Kat is your typical ass kicking heroine and although Bones can rightly be considered a powerhouse, unlike Raphael above, he isn't cut from the same cloth as a Curran or Barrons, even tho I've seen a ton of ladies suggest that he is.  My problem is, when I read these books, the term "whipped" always jumps to mind when I read about Bones.  *Shrug* to each their own ;)

6) ?? and ??

Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant

Last chance.  I withheld the names above in case you haven't read ALL of this series.  If you don't want to be spoiled, stop reading now or skip the rest of this entry. Still here? Fine. It's a little on the creepy side, but all the same Georgia and Shaun are fantastic together.  Some will pick up on the romantic overtones immediately.  Some will only see the familial relationship and overlook the more disturbing current that only becomes in your face in the third book.  Regardless, these two make a great pairing.

5) Toby and ??

October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire

You see the "??" right? You know what that means, don't you? You need to have read all of the series to date to avoid the spoiler.  You have been warned. Okay, I pretty much saw this coming from the beginning although Seanan sure tried to make it seem like it wouldn't go that way. Tibalt is da friggin' bomb yo diggity! Don't believe me? Ask Kate, she'll tell you. Cats friggin rock.  The king of cats? Forget about it. Tibalt is just the right about of billigerence tempered by total reliability. He's one kitty welcome to curl up on my lap anytime he feels like it.

4) Anna and Charles

Alpha and Omega Series by Patricia Briggs

Like I said, Kate, I confined this list to UF... deal with it ;) Anna is a very entrancing lead female.  It's hard to make a woman vulnerable in books without making her weak.  Anna is the perfect blend of fragile and assertive, you want someone to be protecting her while at the same time know that she'll manage to take care of herself regardless. Charles' armor is far from the shining variety, but he is a brute of a champion.  He loves Anna with a possessiveness reserved for Alphas and Doms without making you hate his overbearing nature. He can take care of me anytime ;)

3) Kori and Ian

Unbound Series by Rachel Vincent

I can't tell you how impressed I was with Kori in this book.  She's easily one of my all time favorite female leads.  She's gritty, tenacious, brilliant, and selfless. An absolute joy to read about.  Ian was a perfect compliment.  The chemistry these two had was fantastic and was an even better pairing than Liv and Cam in the first book. While I can't wait for book three, I'm really going to miss this particular pairing.  I hope they get a bigger cameo than Liv and Cam got in Shadow Bound.

2) Mac and Barrons

Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning

Whoop there it is! Yeah, I know what you're thinking... Why isn't this number one? Well my friend it is a truly close call. This is a brilliantly conceived and amazingly executed story. You really have to treat the whole series as a single contiguous book.  The amount of growth Mac goes thru is staggering. It's rare to see so much change in a lead character, but the ride is well worth it.  Barrons is the quenticential alpha male. He's bad all the way thru in the best sort of way. The only time you'll think "whipped" with him is if he's brandishing one.  Yum!

1) Kate and Curran

Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews

Did I say it was a close call for the top spot?  Well, it was, but in the end there's no beating the chemistry between Kate and Curran.  The WRITERS a husband and wife team that have dubbed themselves Ilona Andrews capture that magical quality everyone wants to experience in their own relationships.  The banter between these two love birds is uproarious good fun and Curran is every bit as Alpha as Barrons is only with a more honorable side. While Mac and Barron's relationship is dark and wild, Kate and Curran's is just flat out fun.

So there you have it, good reader, my top 10 urban fantasy couples.  Happy Valentine's day!

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting for Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire, book 2 of the InCryptid series. It's expected to be published March fifth.

Cryptid, noun:
1. Any creature whose existence has been suggested but not proven scientifically. Term officially coined by cryptozoologist John E. Wall in 1983.
2. That thing that's getting ready to eat your head.
3. See also: "monster."

The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity--and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and when her work with the cryptid community took her to Manhattan, she thought she would finally be free to pursue competition-level dance in earnest. It didn't quite work out that way...

But now, with the snake cult that was killing virgins all over Manhattan finally taken care of, Verity is ready to settle down for some serious ballroom dancing—until her on-again, off-again, semi-boyfriend Dominic De Luca, a member of the monster-hunting Covenant of St. George, informs her that the Covenant is on their way to assess the city's readiness for a cryptid purge. With everything and everyone she loves on the line, there's no way Verity can take that lying down.

Alliances will be tested, allies will be questioned, lives will be lost, and the talking mice in Verity's apartment will immortalize everything as holy writ--assuming there's anyone left standing when all is said and done. It's a midnight blue-light special, and the sale of the day is on betrayal, deceit...and carnage.

Discount Armageddon, book 1, was funny, interesting, and creative, and Seanan McGuire's series usually get better as they go. Can't wait for this one! What books are you waiting for?

A Character Study - Rose and Dimitri

The day for flowers, hearts and candy is almost here, and it seems that many of my fellow bloggers have romance on their minds. I've been thinking about it too, in bookish terms, of course. One of my favorite series is the Vampire Academy series. I read them in late 2011, one right after the other. The series has everything I love and need in great books - a kick ass heroine, lots of action, vampires, and a great love story. In honor of Valentine's Day, let's take a closer look at that last one, shall we? (Beware of spoilers)

Not Off To A Great Start
Rose first meets Dimitri when he plays creeper around her apartment. He was sent to bring her and her BFF Lissa back to school, and Rose isn't happy about it. She tries to beat him up, but Dimitri is 6'7" and built like a brick shithouse, so she doesn't get very far. But, even in this crazy, amped up situation, Dimitri sees something in Rose that he admires.

"Doing that... protecting her like that - it was very brave." He paused. "Stupid, but still brave."

- Dimitri, Vampire Academy

Love Is In The Air
It's obvious that Dimitri isn't like most guys. Sure, he likes big boobs and a pretty face, but what he is really attracted to is a girl's character. He must respect her before he can love her. And, in his mind, you can't have one without the other. Strength of character is paramount to Dimitri. And, he finds it in Rose in spades.

"I can't do it by myself," I whispered.
"You can," he said. There was a tremulous note in his voice. "You're strong—you're so, so strong. It's why I love you.” 

- Rose and Dimitri, Shadow Kiss

Rose is looking for someone her equal. She's an amazing fighter, she shirks authority when the situation calls for it, and above all else, she is dedicated to protecting her charge. I don't think Rose could be with someone who didn't feel the same way.

"I'd never met anyone else who took being a guardian so seriously, who understood all the life-and-death consequences... We might get lonely sometimes. We might have to put our fun on hold. But that was the way it had to be. We understood each other. Our lives would never be easy."

- Rose, Vampire Academy

True Love Never Runs Smooth
As is always the case, there's trouble in paradise. In the beginning, Dimitri puts the brakes on things between them because he's afraid his feelings will impair his judgment. It's a sound argument. It you were in a life or death situation and you could save a co-worker or a lover, who would YOU pick?

"If I let myself love you, I won't throw myself in front of her. I'll throw myself in front of you,"

-Dimitri, Vampire Academy

But, in the end their love wins out and they decide to try and find a way to make it all work. Until he gets turned into a bad guy and Rose makes the agonizing decision to kill him since that is what he would have wanted. Can you even imagine that? I know I can't. Yet, Rose gives it the old college try. It's not her fault that her stake misses the mark.

Happily Ever After
Rose and Dimitri make it through almost certain death (on both of their parts), and other potential love interests to end up together in the end. I think it's that aforementioned strength of character that leads them through the rough stuff, and a deep seated and everlasting love for one another to sustain them. This is my favorite bookish couple in books. Who is yours?

Home!

Sorry that Monday's have been quiet! 

I was on vacation! 

My family and I took our bi-annual yearly trip to Disney World. 

While we were gone, I surprisingly had a lot of reading time! I managed to catch up on a few books that I have been wanting to read.

So when I left I was reading: 

A 4 out of 5 book for me.

When I finished that, I moved onto the much anticipated:

Which earned my first 5 our of 5 stars of 2013. 

And on the plane on the way home I started: 

Which I had to read before I saw the movie. 

The book was only a 3 our of 5 but I still plan on seeing the movie!

What about you? What have you been reading???

~M

Friday Favorites: Actors

  Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of our favorite things.   We all talk a lot about books on our blogs, but what about other things we like? Friday Favorites is a meme hosted by Epic (Chocolate) Fantasy that gives book bloggers a chance to gush about something other than novels.   This week's topic is 'Actors'     I like Sandra Bullock in general but one of my fav's is her and Ryan Reynolds in The Proposal  

Image Source     Katherine Heigl in The Ugly Truth, 27 Dresses, and Life As We Know It And of course Gerard Butler is a cutie in this one.

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  Julia Roberts in some of her older movies like Runaway Bride, Stepmom, Pretty Woman, and Erin Brokovich  

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  Emma Stone in Easy A and Zombieland I can't even tell you how excited I am that there's going to be a Zombieland 2!!  

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  Liam Neeson in Taken and Taken 2  

Image Source     The Rock in Walking Tall The Rock & Seann William Scott in The Rundown  

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    And last but certainly not least... Anna Kendrick & Skyler Astin in Pitch Perfect  

Image Source   Who are your favorite actors or actresses?   Thanks for Reading! GReep Jen

I Spy

I spy…

I wanted to be a spy when I grew up. I saw myself being trained in Spy Bootcamp, in the middle of nowhere... maybe somewhere in the jungle. Me, crawling through bushes and jumping from tree to tree.  I didn’t really see myself killing people, just kicking them hard enough to knock them out.

I think it’s Bond’s fault. And Spy Kids, I adored that movie. I was the same age, I totally saw myself doing that. Plus the gadgets and I imagined myself being super smart. Okay, I totally imagined myself as some sort of wonder child. Being able to do three different courses at the same time. Yeah, I am a dreamer.

But now I know I will probably never become a spy. My arms aren’t strong enough, so I can’t even do a stupid handstand. I am not super flexible, splits would probably kill me. I have never held a gun in my life, not sure how I would respond to them. I have held a crossbow, let’s not talk about that. And knives are just not an option. I am a pretty decent runner, so maybe I could be a spy scout. Or drive around in a van following people. I could totally do that. So that would make me a sidekick… but everyone knows sidekicks always end up in trouble and get kidnapped. So… no thank you. Unless I am a sidekick to a totally hot spy, who will save me from the bad guys and fall in love with me. Thinking about it, I would probably be a very good spy-wife. Screw sidekick, I would be a kick ass spy wife. I would totally be supportive of him not being home a lot and having a secret weapon space somewhere in the house. Though I imagine, a spy-guy would probably find me pretty boring.

So let’s just stick to spy-books and movies. Because there are some pretty cute ones out there! These are a few spy-books I liked:

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by (Gallagher girls #1) - Ally Carter 
From Goodreads: Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her? 

The Recruit (Cherub #1) - Robert Muchamore
From Goodreads: CHERUB agents are all seventeen and under. They wear skate tees and hemp, and look like regular kids. But they're not. They are trained professionals who are sent out on missions to spy on terrorists and international drug dealers. CHERUB agents hack into computers, bug entire houses, and download crucial documents. It is a highly dangerous job. For their safety, these agents DO NOT EXIST. James is the latest CHERUB recruit. He and his sister were recently orphaned, and James has been in a lot of trouble. But he is brilliant in math. And CHERUB needs him. After one hundred days, the grueling training period is over. But the adventure has just begun.

Model Spy (The Specialists #1) - Shannon Greenland
From Goodreads: Teen genius Kelly James is in a lot of hot water. A whiz with computers, she agreed to help her college RA, David, uncover some top-secret information. After all, she doesn't have many friends and David has always been nice to her. It doesn't hurt that he's supercute and irresistible, too. All she has to do is hack into the government's main computer system. But a few hours later, her whole life changes. She is caught and taken in for questioning, only this isn't your run-of-the-mill arrest. Rather than serve a juvenile detention sentence, she accepts the option to change her name and enlist in a secret government spy agency that trains teen agents to go undercover. As if that wasn't overwhelming enough, she discovers that David works for this agency as well! And before she even begins to understand what is going on, she's sent on her first mission as an undercover model. And who better to partner with than David himself!

Heist Society (Heist Society #1) - Ally Carter
From Goodreads:When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.


Sooooo, who can introduce me to some new spy  books? I am in desperate need of some spy-entertainment!

Friday Favorites

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of our favorite things.

We all talk a lot about books on our blogs, but what about other things we like? Friday Favorites is a meme hosted by Epic (Chocolate) Fantasy that gives book bloggers a chance to gush about something other than novels.

This Friday's Topic is:

Food

Okay, I'm just gonna lay it out there: I'm a foodie. I'm one of those people that LOVE to eat. You know the type: they eat as a hobby. Yeah, that's me! And while I could definitely stand to lose a few pounds, here are a few foods I could never give up:

Olive Garden's Chicken Alfredo:

Okay, before you say anything I KNOW it's not real Italian- because I've been to Italy, and nothing in America can compare to real Italian food. However, Olive Garden does make some delicious fake Italian pasta!

Chinese Angel Crabs:

These appetizers are simply AMAZING! Cream cheese and crab meat all wrapped up in soft wanton shell, what's not to love?! But I'm REALLY picky about where I get my Angel Crabs. I like less crab meat, more cream cheese. If it's too crabby, I'm not digging it!

Gelato:

So, you think ice-cream is the best thing ever invented? You're wrong. Italians showed us up with their Gelato. It's like ice-cream, but a ZILLION times better. Unfortunately  the only time you'll get the real thing is if you go to Italy.

Sour Cream:

Honestly, I could put this fattening stuff on anything and everything. It just makes food taste better!

So those are some of my favorite eats! What about you?