Contents of blog copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2023
I've been gone a while. I started reading fanfiction to escape and I got sucked in an abyss.

I have no idea if someone else is hosting similar challenges. I just grabbed some of what I have hosted before.

Here's to a happy year of great reading
Jan2023: Not much has changed. Writing a fanfiction now O_o as well as reading but I bought 7 new books in December and hope to get those read soon. Crossing fingers about adding challenges (late!)

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Spring into Horror Read-a-Thon


Spring into Horror
read-a-thon
Starting Line & Updates


starts: Apr 28 at 12 a.m. CST
Ends: May 4 at 11:59 p.m. CST

I'm in a different time zone so I'll be starting 2 hours earlier and on the 27th. Then I'll finish two hours earlier too.


Hosted by Michelle of The True Book Addict at Seasons of Reading.

Twitter: #SpringHorrorRAT

for more information and to sign up, click here. This in only the sign up linky, there will be another for the starting line!

Basic Requirements: read, read, read. You only have to read one scary book during the duration of the read-a-thon. However, that book can be horror, paranormal, thriller, mystery, etc. The rest of the read-a-thon, you can read whatever you want.


I have one book I want to read AND review then my plans are wide open.

In Mint Condition 2013, an anthology edited by Shannon John

~*~ Books Started ~*~

Not sure what I was reading late Sunday night.
When We Met by Susan Mallery
In Mint Condition anthology (scary!)
Cats in Space and Other Places anthology
The One And Only by Emily Giffin
Hearts and Swords by Robin D. Owens


~*~ Books Read ~*~
When We Met by Susan Mallery (contemporary romance)
From Pack to Pride by Amber Kell (shifter)
A Prideless Man by Amber Kell (shifter)
A Prideful Mate by Amber Kell (shifter)
Nothing to do with Pride by Amber Kell (shifter)
Talan's Treasure by Amber Kell (shifter)
More than Pride by Amber Kell (shifter)
Protecting His Pride by Amber Kell (shifter)
Farren's Wizard by Amber Kell (Wizards - scary bits)
Sneakers, the Seaside Cat by Margaret Wise Brown (picture book)
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen (picture book)
Hearts and Swords by Robin D. Owens (paranormal romance)
By the Numbers by Nicole Dennis (contemporary romance)


~*~ Final Results ~*~
Total books read: 13
Total pages:  1,632
Two picture books, the rest had some kind of romance element, only one had scary parts.
Three books started but not yet finished, two of those were short story anthologies and one was very scary!

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Z is for . . .



Zebra!

I tried to go on the Jungle Boat ride to get a picture of the zebras and lions but the lines were so long, they were sending them upstairs. Last time I went through that line, I hurt my knees and didn't want to chance it again.

We had dinner at the Bengal Barbecue and walked through the gift shop nearby.


While, we're over this way, just to let you know. . . . This is the Indiana Jones ride.
taken April 24, 2014 so I'm not sure when "Spring" is
as for the rest of the zebra stuff. . .



These were in the gift shop and were super soft.








Lions, elephants, giraffes, and zebras! um, don't remember seeing tigers.

There were also safari print mouse ears and ear/tail sets but they didn't photograph well.






This was by the register at the Bengal Barbecue.


















Now, I found some Z titles.

An old favorite (part of a trilogy) and wowza! That's not what my cover looks like ;-)
Zinnia by Jayne Castle (Amanda Quick/Jayne Anne Krentz)
1997, mass market paperback

Original cover
Ever since a false tabloid story ruined her reputation and her interior design business, Zinnia Spring has been labeled the “Scarlet Lady” of St. Helen’s. Now, headstrong Zinnia makes a living using her psychic abilities—a highly prized skill that attracts the attention of another planetary outcast, Nick Chastain. The rough-edged casino owner craves what he doesn’t have— respectability—and he enlists Zinnia to help find his father’s
journal and dig up answers to his own mysterious past. Zinnia doesn’t have to be psychic to know what else Nick wants; soon they’re reaching the electrifying heights of ecstasy—and danger. For when a ruthless killer crosses their search, it will take everything in their power to keep their feet on terra firma and survive a deadly trap!




Zero Day by Mark Russinovich
2011, hardcover

Over the Atlantic, an airliner’s controls suddenly stop reacting. In Japan, an oil tanker runs aground when its navigational system fails. And in America, a nuclear power plant nearly becomes the next Chernobyl.

At first, these computer failures seem unrelated. But Jeff Aiken, a former government analyst who saw the mistakes made before 9/11, fears that there may be a more serious attack coming. And he soon realizes that there isn’t much time if he hopes to stop an international disaster.




The Zero Game by Brad Meltzer
2004, paperback, kindle, etc. (unread)

Matthew Mercer and Harris Sandler are playing a mysterious game. It’s a game almost no one knows about—not their friends, not their co-workers, and certainly not their bosses, who are some of the most powerful Senators and Congressmen on Capitol Hill.

It’s a game that has everything: risk, reward, mystery, and the thrill of knowing that—just by being invited to play—you’ve confirmed your status as a true power broker in Washington.

But as Matthew and Harris quickly discover, the Zero Game is hiding a secret so explosive, it will shake Washington to its core. And when one player turns up dead, a dedicated young staffer will find himself relying on a tough, idealistic seventeen-year-old Senate page to help keep him alive…as he plays the Zero Game to its heart-pounding end.



Zero Day by David Baldacci
hardcover, 2011

Puller is called out on a case in a remote, rural area in West Virginia coal country far from any military outpost. Someone has stumbled onto a brutal crime scene, a family slaughtered. The local homicide detective, a headstrong woman with personal demons of her own, joins forces with Puller in the investigation. As Puller digs through deception after deception, he realizes that absolutely nothing he's seen in this small town, and no one in it, are what they seem. Facing a potential conspiracy that reaches far beyond the hills of West Virginia, he is one man on the hunt for justice against an overwhelming force.



I've read three of these and would not only read these authors again, I would totally read these books again.


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Y is for . . .



Yummy!

I have three recipes to share with you but I'm not feeling well and am heading to bed hours earlier than expected. I'll try to get a real post up this evening.


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Monday, April 28, 2014

X is for . . .


I have two X title books and two X title series.












First the books . . .

Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
Ender #3, 1991?

The series starts with Ender's Game. If you've seen the movie . . . the book was better. There are five books in the series then another four telling what is happening back home while Ender is off among the stars.

In this book: On the world Lusitania there are now three sapient races-the Pequeninos, who evolved there; Humans, who came to colonize; and a Hive Queen and her children brought by Ender long years ago. But on Lusitania there is also the descolada, a virus deadly to human beings which would spread like wildfire throughout the Stairways Congress should it ever escape the planet.

The Starways Congress decided that The descolada should be wiped out once and for all, and sent a fleet, armed with a planet-destroying weapon, to do it. A fourth intelligence, loyal to Ender and Lusitania caused that fleet to disappear.

On a distant world called Path live a people whose culture owes much to that of ancient China on Earth. They have evolved a caste known as the godspoken, people of superior intellectual abilities who pay a terrible price for their gifts. The godspoken of Path have given their loyalty and service to the Starways Congress. Among the god spoken is a young girl named, in The language of her people, Gloriously Bright. It is to her that the Starways Congress turn with the mystery of the disappearance of the Lusitania Fleet. There is no doubt that Gloriously Bright will discover the answer to the puzzle. The question is, what will she do with the information.



Xone of Contention by Piers Anthony
Xanath #23, 1999, hardcover

A cataclysmic cloud hangs over the enchanted land of land of Xanth. Three courageous couples must venture into the O-Xone, a cybernetic interface between Xanth and our own world, to rescue the enchanted realm from destruction.

After a year filled with harrowing adventures, all Breanna of the Black Wave and her newfound love Justin Tree want is a little time to get to know each other better, and explore the wonders of the enchanted land of Xanth. But their incipient idyll is soon shattered by a stunning discovery. A climatic catastrophe is causing a massive meltdown that threatens to inundate the ancient forests of Xanth.

The only way to avert this dire disaster is to undertake a voyage into the distant mists of the past, to find the moment when this ghastly greenhouse effect began. And the only people who can safely make that journey are those unaffected by Xanth's magic - normal, ordinary humans from our own world.

So Breanna and Justin turn for help to the Demon X(A/N)th (a.k.a. Nimby) and his lovely consort Chlorine. Together, they devise a daring plan. Making use of the O-Xone, a magical computer network that links the worlds of Xanth and Earth, Nimby and Chlorine make contact with Pia and Edsel, a young couple from Earth who are working on a Xanth game, and arrange to exchange bodies with them.


Now for the series . . .

Xanth

The Beginning . . .
A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony
Xanth #1, 1977

Xanth was the enchanted land where magic ruled--where every citizen had a special spell only he could cast. That is, except for Bink of North Village. He was sure he possessed no magic, and knew that if he didn't find some soon, he would be exiled. According to the Good Magician Humpfrey, the charts said that Bink was as powerful as the King or even the Evil Magician Trent. Unfortunately, no one could determine its form. Meanwhile, Bink was in despair. If he didn't find his magic soon, he would be forced to leave....




Be careful what you wish for... in book 38 for the puns are alive and well!
Board Stiff by Piers Anthony
Xanth #38, 2014

"I'm actually a smart girl who would make any man an excellent wife. But no man sees that. No man is interested in my mind or personality, just my whatevers. So here is my wish: I'm board stiff. I want Adventure, Excitement, and Romance.”

So begins Piers Anthony's 38th Xanth novel, in which Irrelevant Candy, looks at her reflection in the water of the shallow well and sees luxuriant midnight black hair to her breathtakingly slender waist, matching dark eyes in a lovely face. A torso coming yea-close to absolute perfection. She was man's desire. That was part of the problem.

And in the shallow magic of a wishing well, she asks her wish to be granted. Something happens. A sudden whirlwind surrounds her, lifting her up and ripping off her clothing. She is changing, somehow. Then she falls flat on the ground.

Literally. She has been transformed into a flat, stiff board with two knotholes for eyes.







This one needs a warning. This is a sex series with a great storyline. Sure it is NSFW but on top of that, it is male/male ... male/male/female ... male/male/male. There are also retellings of sexual assault/torture, entitled people, bullies, scenes of light BDSM, emotional back stories, and happy-ever-afters.

Oh, and cowboys! Lots of Delicious Cowboys.

I'm counting this as an X because the club is a supporting character
The Xxchange is a meat market, not exactly the kind of place one would expect to encounter the love of their lives. Yet something about the raunchy club fires a passion and longing in the men of Love in Xxchange, freeing them to reach for their deepest desires.

Even if it's only a quick stop in the place, the experience is one that will alter them forever—and even fulfill the dreams they never knew they had.
There are nine books in the series. Yes, you could read just one of them but the characters show up in all the books and there is an underlying story that starts in book one and continues to book nine (then an offshoot into another series).

Book 1:  straight m/m *snicker* Chance goes to the Xxchange because he's lonely only to find out the club is filled with Pretty Young Things and he wants nothing to do with them. Rory's new in town and stops by for something to do.

Chance and Rory have a hot encounter right there but what happens the next day when the ranch owner (Chance) is interviewing for new hands?

. . . and to tell you more than that would lead to spoilers. Let's just say I enjoy the whole series ;-)




copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Happy Monday on Sunday



Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Don't forget to link up your list



~ here are the new books in my house this week ~

The Mane Event by Shelly Laurenston
Pride stories, mass market paperback (hardcover 2007)

Christmas Pride: How come all the good-looking ones are insane? That’s what runs through NYPD cop Desiree “Dez” MacDermot’s mind the minute she hooks up again with her childhood buddy, Mace Llewellyn. It isn’t just the way he stares at her with those too-sexy gold eyes-as if he could devour her on the spot. Or the six-four, built-like-a-Navy Seal bod-o-death. It isn’t even that he sniffs her neck and purrs, making her entire body tingle. It’s more about that disconcerting, shifting-from-man-to-lion thing that unhinges her…and makes her want more. Mace likes making Dez crazy. In fact, he likes her any way he can get her-in bed, on the desk, here, now, again. Together, they’d always been trouble, but Dez has no idea just how good trouble can feel…

Shaw's Tail: Brendon Shaw, hotel owner and lion shifter, has seen better days. He’s been beaten, had a gun to the back of his head, and had to be rescued by a Pack of shape-shifting wolves. He didn’t think he’d survive the night, much less find the woman of his dreams. And he never thought the woman of his dreams would have a Tennessee accent and wear cowboy boots. Once he sets his sights on her, the predator in him is ready to pounce and never let go. Ronnie Lee Reed is ready to change her life, and New York City is the place where any girl-even one who runs with a Pack-can redefine herself. First order of business: find a mate, settle down, and stop using men for sex. Even big, gorgeous, lion-shifting, oh-my-what-big-um-paws-you-have men. Then again…


Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-el, illustrated by David Huyck
picture book, 2014, hardcover

Maximilian is a prince who loves to talk: No topic is too small, no story too boring. Max's brothers are the opposite--the less said the better.

When the king and queen go on a trip and leave the brothers alone, the 3 princes put a spell on Max that limits him to speaking only 9 words at a time. The brothers are delighted: peace and quiet at last!

But when a fearsome dignitary arrives, they realize the true value of their brother's insatiable need for information.

Noodle's Knitting by Sheryl Webster, illustrated by Caroline Pedler
picture book, 2010, hardcover

Noodle loves the snuggly softness of soft balls of pretty wool. She even knows all the special words knitting requires: Knit one, purl one, knit two together!

So when Noodle finds a ball of wool, she knits and knits and knits ... until Noodle knits herself into a whole lot of trouble!




Cats in Space anthology
Science fiction, 1992, mass market paperback

Authors include Robert A. Heinlein, David Drake, Anne McCaffrey, C. J. Cherryh, Ursula K. LeGuin, Fritz Leiber, and A. E. van Vogt.








~*~*~*~*~

I haven't received any review books, won any contests or received any books as a gift. I have added several to my ereader, most were even free.

added to my ereader: (kindle app, html, etc.) ~ I find out about free/discounted ebooks at amazon mostly from Pixel of Ink. I do go through the Top 100 at amazon once in a while. I'm getting better at pinning my new ebooks, 2014's books




What are you Reading?

A weekly Monday meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Post what you read last week and what you're planning to read this week then link to Shelia's post. Then visit others and be prepared to add to your TBR pile!




Finished:
A Bit of You by Bailey Bradford
In My Arms Tonight by Bailey Bradford
Where There's a Will by Bailey Bradford
Chaps and Hope by Bailey Bradford
Ropes and Dreams by Bailey Bradford
Saddles and Memories by Bailey Bradford
Spot the Difference by Sean Michael
Fences and Freedom by Bailey Bradford
Three's Company by N. R. Walker


Books stacked by my reading chair:
The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber returned to library, unfinished
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
. . . and about 6 unread library books



Started in 2013 but not finished until 2014:
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries (on page 34/384)
Pegasus by Kate O'Hearn (on page 44/384)
Dragonwriter edited by Todd McCaffrey (on page 42/271)
Mischief and Mistletoe, anthology (on page 312/402)
Jockeys and Jewels by Bev Pettersen (ebook - 21% read in 2013)
Home for the Homicide by Jennie Bentley (on page 18/284 + Home-Renovation and Design Tips)




Happy Reading!

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Saturday, April 26, 2014

W is for . . .


Whales and Water!




I forgot about our whale watching trip, which could have gone here, and took this picture at Disneyland so I'd have something for W. :-)









My hair was plastered to my head and my shirt was so wet, you couldn't tell it was wet until I took off my jacket and turned to the side. Jeanette was behind me, she still got splashed. Her jeans were one shade darker almost all over. My jeans were just as wet but were black and you couldn't tell.

Good thing it was the last ride we went on, it was close to 10 p.m.!

Here are a couple more Disney water pictures. . .
Mark Twain paddle wheel boat and the canoes in the water around Tom Sawyer's Island. And a fountain

This is a picture of Alcatraz Island and the water is the San Francisco Bay. (forgot this one when I did vacation - I have seal pictures)













Why yes, that is a child up on the patio roof. We use to have the slide up there. Yikes! Now we just use it to jump off.

We moved into our house during May and as I was overwhelmed at the amount of boxes to still unpack, I was staring outside. Outside at a sparkling pool. One I wanted to me in.

Hey M? Why don't we have a pool party for Memorial Day?

Mostly family but some friends too came over. Twenty-one years later, we still do it.





One of the nieces is married now and lives out of state. She and her husband were in town for some reason and staying at his parents. He made plans to go surfing with friends he hadn't seen in a while and mentioned it to her asking if she wanted to come along. "No, I'll be at Aunt Gina's for the Memorial Day party."

It was such an every year occurrence, she forgot to mention it to him! We teased him for a couple of years about not wanting to come. 


I have way more W titles than I can post here and spent way more time than I should have trying to decide which ones to tell you about. I give up. I've posted thoughts on some of them and just left links.



A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas ~ series review
The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima ~ reviewed
Water Witch by Deborah Leblanc ~ reviewed
Wind Chime Point by Sherryl Woods ~ reviewed
White Sleeper by David R. Fett ~ reviewed


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Friday, April 25, 2014

V is for . . . (picture heavy)


Vacation!

All of this was crammed into one week and isn't everything we did. M's at work, he'd remember everything we did.

Other vacation spots? The beach house, Yosemite, Lava Hot Springs, Yellowstone, San Diego, Mexico(cruise), Bryce and Zion, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon . . . .







Whale watching and this was exciting as it got. I did spend time at the back of the boat. I've been on several cruises and wasn't expecting to get seasick.














This is the J. Paul Getty Museum as seen on the way up. Lots of neat things inside, most I don't remember what they are anymore. There are also beautiful gardens.









This is at the Griffith Observatory. The family is a fan of Douglas Adams. (The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is a book in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "increasingly misnamed trilogy")

Daughter hamming it up

Yikes! Son is six feet tall!

San Diego Wild Animal Park



This cemetery is small but beautiful and is near a LOT of businesses. Many workers enjoy lunch here. There are also several famous people buried here.

Don Knott, Marilyn Monroe, Walter Matthau, Ray Bradbury, Dean Martin and many others. Hugh Hefner has a plot near Marilyn Monroe.









 And Judi. I don't know who she is but I love the eptitath . . . What a party it was














Here we are at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and once again, Sam is hamming it up.


I don't believe anything needs to be said here ;-)

This is Marie Tussaud working on a new figure.

Captive audience :-)

I have no idea what I'd actually say to her if I ever got the chance!


















We walked right by but didn't walk around inside to see all the artwork in the cement and by the time we came out of the wax museum, it was all blocked off.








We did walk around to see some of the stars.

















Whew, that was a busy four days!


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Purrsday and U is for . . .


I found out that I have way more U titles than I thought. Some still need to be read.












Unlikely Friendship by Jennifer Holland
47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom

Unlikely Friendships documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways. A cat and a bird. A mare and a fawn. An elephant and a sheep. A snake and a hamster. The well-documented stories of Koko the gorilla and All Ball the kitten; and the hippo Owen and the tortoise Mzee. And almost inexplicable stories of predators befriending prey—an Indian leopard slips into a village every night to sleep with a calf. A lionness mothers a baby oryx.

Ms. Holland narrates the details and arc of each story, and also offers insights into why.

These are the most amazing friendships between species, collected from around the world and documented in a selection of full-color candid photographs.



Under Orders by Dick Francis
hardcover, 2006

"Sadly, death at the races is not uncommon. However, three in a single afternoon was sufficiently unusual to raise more than one eyebrow."

It's the third death on Cheltenham Gold Cup Day that really troubles super-sleuth Sid Halley. As a former champion jockey Halley knows the perils of racing all too well-but in his day, jockeys didn't usually reach the finishing line with three .38 rounds in the chest. But this is precisely how he finds jockey Huw Walker-who, only a few hours earlier, had won the coveted Triumph Hurdle.

Halley's quest for answers draws him even deeper into the darker side of the race game, in a life-or-death power play that will push him to his very limits-both professionally and personally.

If I remember correctly, this is the third book with Sid Halley as the main character. Dick Francis usually doesn't didn't do that.


Unicorn Point by Piers Anthony
Apprentice Adept #6, 1989, hardcover

The combined magic and technology between the parallel worlds of Phaze and Proton is not enough to save the planets from a conquering invasion. Only Mach and Bane--robot and wizard, linked between worlds--have any chance of stopping this threat.

This is a series best read in order, for understanding of the world(s) as well as a clearer picture of the storyline.



The Unexpected Dragon by Mary Brown

This 1999 Science Fiction Book Club edition is 852 pages and included three full length novels.  "Pigs Don't Fly," "Master of Many Treasures," and "Dragonne's Eg."

If I remember correctly, Dragonne's Eg is the first book in the series. I purchased this edition because I thought it was a backlist book and I wanted everything by Mary Brown.





 An Unlikely Countess by Jo Beverley
Malloren World, 2011, mass market paperback

Prudence Youlgrave is out to marry above her station and secure a happy life. Catesby Burgoyne is out to continue his noble family's good name. When fate pushes them together, they are married-but this inconvenient marriage of convenience quickly turns into something much more...

first book in the series




The Untamed Bride by Stephanie Laurens
Black Cobra Quartet, 2009, mass market paperback

A bold, beautiful woman with a scandalous past and a battle-hardened, sinfully wealthy, completely unstoppable man who must join forces to fight a deadly foe known only as the Black Cobra—and who must also confront the dangers of the heart . . .

first book in the series




Until Tuesday by Luis Carlos Montalvan
A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him
nonfiction/military, 2011, hardcover

Seventeen years of service. Two tours of duty in Iraq. A highly decorated Captain in the Army. Traumatic brain injury, cracked vertebrae, PTSD.

Luis had about given up hope of finding a dog that he could work with. Tuesday was about to wash out of the program.

Fabulous book.



as well as . . . .
Unwelcome by Michael Griffo
An Uninvited Ghost by E.J. Copperman
The Unlikely Wife by Debra Ullrick
Under the Dome by Stephen King

and many more


On to the cats!














just a place to share the cute/funny/weird pictures I find while surfing....when I should be doing a whole range of things ;) Don't forget to head over to The True Book Addict because Michele has a meme going. With links and everything!

Not sure these need any words. Enjoy




copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014
Disclaimer

In accordance to the FTC guidelines, I must state that I make no monetary gains from my reviews or endorsements here on Book Dragon's Lair. All books I review are either borrowed, purchased by me, given as a gift, won in some kind of contest, or received in exchange for an honest review.