Another day of funny!

Rather than wait to post this on Friday, I figured I'd go ahead and post this now.

I've found this really funny video on youtube, of a prank this guy played on his girlfriend's kids when it came to Christmas presents. The result is this rather cute and funny video.

Book Review: Can't Say No by Jennifer Greene

Title: Can't Say No
Author: Jennifer Greene
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: 01/10/2011
ISBN: 978142689105








I stepped out of my usual reading habits (which swing towards YA & UF) to check out this reprint of a Jennifer Greene book from NetGalley. I couldn't help but be intrigued by the plot synopsis as well as by the title, which happens to be one of my favorite songs from Oklahoma!. Upon reading it I was surprised to discover that the book was originally printed in the 1980s- if I hadn't known that then I wouldn't have known. The book manages to stay fresh, despite being 25 years old.

After tragedy strikes, Bree Penoyer's feelings of guilt leave her speechless-literally. Tired of always being the good girl and just letting things happen to her, Bree decides it's time to take life into her own hands. She dumps her lucrative but uninspiring career and her sweet but boring fiancé, and escapes to her late grandmother's rustic cabin in South Carolina to find herself again.

Her solitude is immediately disrupted by her new neighbor, Hart Manning, a sexy but arrogant rogue who doesn't seem capable of taking no for an answer. The last thing Bree wants is an affair, especially with a self-proclaimed womanizer like Hart. But she can't deny he arouses her as no man ever has, and when at last she finds her voice, she's very ready to say yes!

This really was a cute read. I'll admit that it isn't the deepest fare out there & some of the coincidences are a little hard to swallow, but it's kind of like a cupcake. You can't fault it for being what it is. I was also surprised to see that I rather liked the character of Hart. He's a stubborn mule of a man (something the author herself admits), but there's just something endearing about him. I do admit that I was a bit disappointed towards the end that we didn't learn more about him & what his past might have held, but there was enough character building to satisfy me & keep the interaction between him & Bree going.

Readers who are frequent readers of romance will find a lot of familiar territory in here & will also find a lot to love. If you aren't a fan of romance then unfortunately this isn't going to be the book that will draw you in. It's good, but it is going to best satisfy those who are fans of the genre. Again, I really have to give Greene props for writing a book that could stand the test of time & still appear fresh- especially with a heroine who works in the computer field, something that has drastically changed in the past 20+ years. It's not many who are able to do that.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Unthinkable by Shirley Duke

Title: Unthinkable (Night Fall)
Author: Shirley Duke
Publisher: Lerner Publishing
ISBN: 076136157X
Release Date: 08/01/2010








The Night Fall series seems to be channeling a multitude of sources in Unthinkable. On one hand it's similar to Goosebumps (as one goodreads reviewer put it) but it also bears many similarities to series such as Fear Street as well as the slew of similarly themed books that abounded during the late 80s & early 90s. And I'm comparing them in a good way.

Unthinkable follows Omar, an aspiring young writer who spends much of his time writing short stories to post on his facebook account. He's already garnered over 1,000 fans & it's a good way to pass the time without Omar having to think about how his father deserted him & the rest of the family. When one of his latest stories- one featuring a girl being strangled in the woods- comes true, Omar's little stories start getting some big attention in a negative way. Then more stories start coming true & the talk shifts even further from public adoration to horror. Is Omar really causing these stories? And if so, how can he make them stop when his writing seems to control his every action?

This story started with a bang, which is a very good thing considering that it's such a short story. The pacing of this is incredibly fast paced & the author does an incredibly good job of keeping the reader interested in the story. Unfortunately that's where the book hits a bit of a snag. While the story is fleshed out enough to make it as a short story, the tale begs for at least another 50-100 pages so it can be complete. Some of the events in the book just happen a little too quickly. Many readers will wish for just a little more time & description inbetween events, just so when the big stuff hits there will be enough time for them to have settled down from the last surprise & so the next big development will have the punch it deserves. (Although I think this was something required by the publisher rather than a decision by the author herself.)

Now don't take that to mean that the book is bad. No, far from it. This story was awesome & as a series in the vein of Goosebumps & other series aimed for a younger audience, this is perfect. Not only is the book short enough for those in that "inbetween" stage (where you want more than a 40 page book but aren't ready for longer stories), but it's also age appropriate for the younger readers. There's death, but no gore or sex. The book's projected age range is 11-18, an ambitious range but one that it does accomplish for the most part. There was enough here to keep someone well out of that age range spellbound so if I liked it then you can be sure that the teens will as well.

This was an enjoyable book to read & something that I know will thrill a pretty wide variety of readers. This is only one book in what is currently a 6 book series with more to come, so to get the wider picture you'll have to get the other books. (Which I am now putting in my "to find & read" list.)

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout

Title: American Vampire
Author: Jennifer Armintrout
Publisher: Mira
Release Date: 03/01/2011
ISBN: 0778328783





If you're wondering if this is a series, I don't have an answer for you. This story in Armintrout's newest can stand alone by itself, but it can quite easily start off a new series in itself. As far as tying into Armintrout's other vampire series Blood Ties, I can't honestly answer that either. There's not enough detail here to determine whether it's part of that canon, but Armintrout could easily declare that it is if she wanted to. What I can tell you is that this was a blast to read.


Welcome to Penance, Ohio - hell on earth! Graf's a vampire, and he loves it. He's free to indulge his every dark, dangerous and debauched whim. Until a road trip takes him somewhere he never expected. Now he's trapped in Penance, a town that no-one has been able to leave for five years. And he's stuck protecting Jessa who's beautiful, tempting...and very, very human! The townsfolk know she's tied to their troubles and don't look kindly on strangers, meaning Graf and Jessa have only each other to rely on. Which is making it harder for Graf to control his desire to devour her...But if he can keep his bloodlust in check, their bond could be the key to uncovering the secrets that lurk within Penance and delivering the town from it's curse.


Where to start? There's so much about this book that was interesting. The premise of a town that nobody can leave or enter would have been able to carry the book by itself, but adding vampires just made it a little bit cooler. (Hey, supernatural creatures make just about everything better!) I loved Jessa's weary acceptance of the life she's had to put up with for the last five years. It made both her previous actions as well as her reluctant attraction to Graf that much easier to believe. I also loved the attention to detail, such as the lack of luxuries in a tiny town cut off from civilization. You really begin to realize how much everyone's cut off when you read about your heroine using homemade soap & getting gaspy over a rare bag of flour.


Also interesting is the mystery behind the bloodthirsty creature (It, not Graf) that's been terrorizing everyone and keeping everyone inside the town. Some might be able to piece together the puzzle midway through the book, but Armintrout still has a few surprises left in her bag of tricks by the end of the book.


I'll admit that the book was a little slow to start, but once you're hooked, you're hooked. I do hope that there's a bit more, even if it's just a short story or a prequel. This really was just that fun to read.


(ARC provided by NetGalley)

December Giveaway Winners!

Tadah! The winners for this month's giveaway are:

Kys: The Flappers

Twimom101: Real Live Boyfriends

Congratulations guys! I've sent each of you an e-mail asking for your snail mail! If you didn't get the e-mail, drop me a line at geniebrownhair *at* hotmail *com!

Friday Funnies: Oldie but goodie!

This is old as a redwood tree and already been proven to be fake, but I can't help but laugh each time I see it! I figured that with my area getting snow, it's appropriate!

A first grade girl handed in the drawing below for a homework assignment.


After it was graded and the child brought it home, she returned to school the next day with the following note:

Dear Ms. Davis,

I want to be very clear on my child’s illustration. It is NOT of me on a dance pole on a stage in a strip joint. I work at Home Depot and had commented to my daughter how much money we made in the recent snowstorm. This photo is of me selling a shovel.

Mrs. Harrington

Book Review: Tempest's Legacy by Nicole Peeler

Title: Tempest's Legacy (Jane True #3)
Author: Nicole Peeler
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: 01/03/2010
ISBN: 031605660X







One of the drawbacks of reading things before publication date is that you know that you'll have that much longer to wait before the next book comes out. And trust me, once you finish the third book in the Jane True series you'll want to start the next one immediately. A lot happens in this book. A lot.

After a peaceful hiatus at home in Rockabill, Jane True thinks that her worst problem is that she still throws like a girl - at least while throwing fireballs. Her peace of mind ends, however, when Anyan arrives one night with terrible news . . . news that will rock Jane's world to its very core.

After demanding to help investigate a series of gruesome attacks on females -- supernatural, halfling, and human -- Jane quickly finds herself forced to confront her darkest nightmares as well as her deepest desires.

And she's not sure which she finds more frightening.

First off, this book rocked. Big time. Not only do we have some resolution to some of Jane's previous issues, but the ending of this book leaves us with the possibility for the plot to go just about anywhere. Jane really comes into her own in this book & it's really, REALLY refreshing to see a heroine who isn't all "gritty grit-grit" or "so tough that she chews up iron pipes for dinner & poops bullets" but doesn't fall into the "I'm going to cry my way to safety & let all the men take care of me". Jane isn't a pushover in this book, but she doesn't fall into that UF heroine cliche. Also awesome are the other women in this book- they kick just as much butt & I can't wait to see Jane interact with them some more. (I'd elaborate on who they are, but I don't want to spoil anything.)

Another thing of note is Jane's interactions with both Ryu & Anyan. Ryu's not taking too well to Jane's reactions in the previous book & it's good to see how Jane responds to Ryu's attempts to woo her back. I'm probably spoiling a little too much when I say that, but I have to say it.

I honestly can't find any faults with this book- I liked what Peeler did with it & I love where the direction is going. Maybe it's a little fangirlish, but it is what it is. And this book is awesome with a side of fun sauce. The only thing I regret about this is that my ARC will expire after a certain amount of time & I'll then have to wait to buy a copy to keep my collection up to date.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)