Month: March 2012

  • Red-Headed Stepchild

    Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane #1)
    by Jaye Wells

    In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn’t really fit in. And being an assassin – the only profession fit for an outcast – doesn’t help matters. But she’s never brought her work home. Until now.

    Her latest mission is uncomfortably complex, and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she’s on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family and some unexpected new talents. Any of these things could be worryingly life-changing, but together, they could be fatal …

    This time, it’s personal.

    I love when I finish a book craving the next in the series. That’s how things go with Jaye Wells’ Red-Headed Stepchild.

    Sabina is Half Vamp and Half Mage. This is a very exciting, well-written book with a fresh new outlook on vampires. The vampires are descended from Lilith’s affair with Cain, so in addition to Lilith’s blood thirst, all vampires also have inherited Cain’s red hair (god marked Cain with red hair after he murdered Abel) and inability to go out in sunlight.

    The book is full of action. Through the book Sabina learns that the things she thought were truth were all lies and she must decide what is true and who to trust.

    This book goes into my favorite books list. This is a really good book as soon as I am done writing this review I am going to start reading book two… The Mage in Black.

  • “fake” kidnapping

    news story

    Teenagers at the Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church in Middletown, Pa., were surprised when they attended a youth group meeting at the church on March 21 and were ambushed by what seemed to be real kidnappers.

    Adults, including an off-duty cop, brandished weapons and put bags over the heads of the children, ages 13 through 18, and forced them into a church van. The group was driven to the home of an assistant pastor, who was presented before the group with a seemingly bloodied and bruised face, according to Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo.

    One of the adults used a real AK-47, though the gun was unloaded, Chardo said.

    If the kid gets forced to go somewhere, that isn’t a “fake” kidnapping, it is a kidnapping.

    Pointing a firearm at a kid who is being kidnapped is assault, regardless of whether or not it is loaded.

    It is a crime. Kidnapping is a crime. False imprisonment is a crime. AK-47, aimed at children and treated like a toy? WTF?!?!

    These people should be prosecuted.

    what would have happened if one or more of the kids had resisted the attack?

    What are your thoughts about this?

  • Concert fun

    My 4th grader had his concert last night. I am adding the videos to youtube and will be sharing them later. Here are some great pictures….

    Hubby’s Mom, Her Wife, S, The children’s Grandma Martin, and W on the floor

     

    Hubby, his mom, and her wife

     

    Mama (My grandmother who is 87, who I take care of) and W

     

    The concert

     

    The Concert

     

    Videos to come later :)

  • Succubus Blues

    Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid #1)
    by Richelle Mead

    When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

    But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid’s life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven’t stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can’t have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy’s life. At least there’s her day job at a local bookstore–free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can’t.

    But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle’s demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won’t help because Georgina’s about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny…

    “Sometimes you wake up from a dream. Sometimes you wake up in a dream. And sometimes, every once in a while, you wake up in someone else’s dream. ”

    “Love is rarely flawless,” Carter pointed out. “Humans delude themselves by thinking it has to be. It is the imperfection that makes love perfect.”

    “Statistics show that most mortals sell their souls for five reasons: sex, money, power, revenge, and love. In that order.”

    Near the end of the book this book actually made me have tears in my eyes. The book is that good.

  • What I have been telling my friends and relatives…

    Recently I tried something new and I think some of my friends and family might feel a bit like I have become a walking comercial lol.

    I always tended to buy cheap detergent because of the cost. About a month ago I bought some Tide Pods. They aren’t something I would normally buy because as I said I go with cost… but I got some… and I can’t see ever getting anything else. They are AMAZING!!!!


     

    detergent + stain remover + brightener in one

    The stain remover in the pod works great. No need to pretreat your wash and it got out stains that I hadn’t been able to get out of my husband’s work clothes before….I am talking about stains that had been through washer and dryer before using the tide pods.

    The Pods dissolve really great and they work in any temp water and in both machine types standard and HE.

    Anyone else try it yet? How do you like it?

    If you haven’t tried it will you?

    What detergent do you use?

  • Midnight’s Daughter

    Midnight’s Daughter (Dorina Basarab #1)
    by Karen Chance

    “My least favorite dead guy had his feet up on my desk.  I hate that.  His boots were probably cleaner than my blotter, but still.  It showed a lack of respect”

    Dorina Basarab is a dhampir-half human, half vampire. Subject to uncontrollable rages, most dhampirs live very short, very violent lives. So far Dory has managed to maintain her sanity by unleashing her anger on those demons and vampires who deserve killing.

    Now Dory’s vampire father has come back into her life. Her Uncle Dracula (yes, the Dracula), infamous even among vampires for his cruelty and murderous ways, has escaped his prison. And her father wants Dory to work with gorgeous master vampire Louis-Cesare to put him back there.

    Vampires and dhampirs are mortal enemies, and Dory prefers to work alone. But Dracula is the only thing on Earth that truly scares her, so when Dory has to go up against him, she’ll take all the help she can get

    People who like the Cassie Palmer series will definitely love Dorina Basarab too. This series includes characters from the Cassandra Palmer series so they tie into one another I recommend reading the cassandra palmer series first so you know all the characters. Warning once you start this book you will not be able to put it down.

    To read sample chapters from Midnight’s Daughter http://www.karenchance.com/midnight.html

  • Oh the joy…

    Oh the joys of living in this area…the house is starting to smell like shit because of all the manure being spread on the fields outside and they aren’t even near done spreading yet.

    You know you are from Lancaster County PA if…..

    Your idea of Chicken Pot Pie has nothing to do with a pie and you can’t figure out why people might think it would.

    Your driving lessons involved learning to avoid horse droppings.

    You know at least 5 euphemisms for animal manure and at least 4 of them involve food.

    You know how to cook, but not without butter.

    You’ve ever missed school for the first day of deer season… but didn’t get in trouble.

    The following words mean something to you: Fire Hall Wedding, Chicken and Waffle Dinner, Fire-police, Wooly Bear, Whoopie Pie

    You spend at least 30 minutes every summer day complaining about New Jersey drivers.

    You don’t understand why people would ever want to see the Amish.

    The local Post Office used to be a single-family home and they close between noon and 1 for lunch.

    You have ever ended a sentence with “a while”.

    You do not giggle when you see the following signs: Lititz, Intercourse, Blue Ball, Bird-in-Hand

    You cannot buy beer and wine from the same store.

    Park City has nothing to do with skiing for you.

    Agnes 1972 means something to you and you can tell stories about it.

    You pronounce Lancaster in “Burt Lancaster” differently from Lancaster in “Lancaster, PA”.

    You personally know many people with the name: Lapp, Lantz, Stoltzfus (or Stoltzfoos), Zimmerman, Zook

    Iced Tea for you is sweeter than Pepsi.

    You know someone who repairs gasoline-powered lawn mowers, but is forbidden to own one.

    You think Fasnacht Day and Groundhog day are national holidays.

    You know that eggs are either white or brown… and you have a preference.

    You think the Mississippi is just a tad wider than the Susquehanna.

    You know who James Buchanan was.

    You can pronounce “Ephrata.”

    You don’t have to be told what Shoo Fly Pie is.

    You go to the store when the milk is “all”.

    You think orange traffic cones are the natural foliage surrounding Route 30.

    You have an uncontrollable urge to buy bread and milk when you hear the word, “snow.”

    You know the only way to make good fastnachts is to cook them in LARD.

    You live within two miles of a plant that makes potato chips, corn chips, pretzels, candy or ice cream or that packages turkeys, beans or bologna.

    You do things “once,” as in, “I’ll go check in the back room once.”

    You can stop along the road to buy fruit, vegetables or crafts on the “honor system.”

    YOUR turkey has “filling,” not “stuffing” and most certainly NOT “dressing.”

    You know that chicken corn soup from a firehouse is the most perfect food on earth.

    You say things like, “Outen the lights,” “I’m calling off today” and “They’re calling for snow.”

    You’ve heard of distelfinks and hex signs.

    Red Beet Eggs makes your list of top ten favorite foods.

    You pronounce “Suite” as SUIT, not SWEET.

    You say you’re going out to the shed “AWHILE,” instead of “FOR AWHILE.”

    You only buy your beer and soda by the case.

    You think the roads in any other state are smooth.

    You know the Penn State cheer. (WE ARE…PENN STATE!)

    Hearing horses clopping down a paved street doesn’t bring you to the window to see what’s going on outside.

    You prefer Hershey’s chocolate to Godiva.

    You consider Pittsburgh to be “out west,” and you know the fastest way to Philly is the Turnpike.

    School closings due to snow take the radio stations half an hour to finish because just about every town has its own school district.

    When someone says 1972, you think, “Agnes,” and when someone says 1979, you think, “TMI.”

    You call sloppy joes “barbecue.”

    You think Medium Rare equals Well Done.

    When it snows, they put cinders on the roads instead of sand.

    You only own three spices: salt, pepper and ketchup.

    You have ten favorite recipes for venison.

    Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

    The local paper covers National and International headlines on one page, but requires six pages for local sports.

    You think the start of deer hunting is a national holiday.

    You remember fondly days of youth known as, “Snow Days.”

    Words like: gumband, buggie, hoagie, chipped beef, scrapple, actually mean something to you.

    The verb “to be” is useless: “Does Fido need out?”

    You know what a Turkey Hill is . . .
    . . . and you’ve ditched school to hang out there.
    . . . and they’re the only place that sells your favorite beverage.

    You’ve corrected all the errors while watching Witness. (The movie)

    “Dinner” and “supper” are different concepts entirely.

    You reocognize “Twin Kiss” and “Freez and Frizz,” knowing that Dairy Queen is a pale imitation.

    Dutch Wonderland is neither Dutch nor much of a Wonderland.

    WGAL is the source of all local celebrities and they create quite a stir when they shop in the supermarket.

    The Green Dragon ain’t no Chinese restaurant.

    Three words: Red Beet Eggs.

    You say the correct pronunciation LANG-kist-er instead of the mispronounced Lan-CAST-er, and LEB-en-in instead of the equally incorrect Leb-a-NON.

    You can give directions to Intercourse with a straight face.

    Know that Wilkes-Barre is pronounced “Wilks Berry.”

    Can pronounce “Knoebels.”

    Can pronounce (or spell) “Schuylkill.”

    Live for summer, when street fairs signal the beginning of funnel cake season.

    You know the expression, “Hey naw! Watchya dewin’?”

    You ask the waitress for “dippy ecks” for breakfast.

    You refer to putrid animal manure smells as “Guud Country Air”

    You’ve never referred to Philadelphia as anything but “Philly.” And New Jersey has always been “Jersey.”

    You refer to Pennsylvania as “PA” (pronounced Peeay).

    You know what a “State Store” is, and your out of state friends find it incredulous that you can’t purchase liquor at the mini-mart.

    You not only have heard of Birch Beer, but you know it comes in several colors: Red, White, Brown, Gold