I've been reading a very lame book but can't seem to quit simply because, like a bad movie, I have to see the end with a small hope that there will be something that ties all the lack of plot and substance together. I wonder if the writer ever used an outline? There's a ton of gratiuitous sex but nothing substantial. It simply makes the heroine appear as slut. Each male she encounters becomes her next escapade. I suppose reading bad writing is as helpful as reading good writing. I'm hoping that'll I take away the knowledge of what not to do. This is at least what I'm attempting to convenience myself. I'll have to make a note to remember to make the story meaniful and not just colorful.

I've been drowning in school work lately but my Muse decided to drop in and inspire me. I've noticed a pattern. When my brain is on overload she pops in, my Muse that is. I suppose she's a she. I suppose she could be a male. After all, I tend to dream in a masculine point of view. Well as masculine as a female can be. Actually, (really noticed I use that word quite a bit and I really don't like the use of Actually, humph)I wonder if everyone views things in the opposite sex POV from time to time? There I go getting side tracked again. My original thought was that when I get so much on my mind that I can't control it any longer the Muse arrives large and in charge. I'm taking advantage of the visit while still trying to focus on the task at hand. So off I go to ponder the Quadratic Formula for a few hours while the Muse dances ideas around in my head. But I'm a step ahead this time...my writer's journal is close at hand.

Continuing with the Paranormal Romance Genre (as well as the Series Theme), the next series is the oober-hyped Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris. First let me address one issue. As with the Twilight world many people compare the literary works and the visual media with one another. This is impossible to do fairly. No one can visualize exactly what we see in our mind’s eye; therefore, for the avid reader there is no director, producer or script writer that can satisfy our territorial sense of the original work. Because of that, I try very hard to separate the two as individual works and not compare them. That being said, True Blood, the HBO series based on the series is good for its medium, but please don’t base the books on the show. They are similar but there are many, many difference in the two.
Now that I have that out of my system, let me say I was hesitant at first when I read Book 1: Dead Until Dark. I realized it was from all the hype of the television series. Plus I had just finished a very addictive series. I gave Book 2: Living Dead in Dallas a shot just to be fair to the series and the advice of a few people on one of the forums I frequent. I admit it, I was pleasantly surprised. It was just the withdraw that comes from finishing one series and jumping into another.

Charlaine Harris writes with that southern humor I grew up with. The words flow easily and you can hear the twangs and drawls of the southern language as you read through the story. You become so attracted to her characters you find yourself sometimes rooting for the guy/gal you don’t thing you should. However, Harris lets you off easy by making each character both flawed and engaging so you don’t have to feel guilty for it.

The premise of the story starts with Sookie Stackhouse herself. She’s a waitress with the "gift" of being a telepath (not psychic). She’s tried her entire life not to eavesdrop on the residence of Bon Temps but she slips from time to time. This makes the town think she’s not quite right. However, everything changes in Sookie’s world when the Vampires “come out” thanks to the invention of synthetic blood called True Blood. They are marketed as having an “illness” that makes them allergic to sunlight, etc… Sookie saves the new Vamp in town and her world is never the same afterwards.

In the series of nine books, Harris introduces us to more mystical creatures including weres, shape shifters, witches, fae, some serious fang-bangers and a few others. Throughout this world, it isn’t always the supes who are the villains which makes the storyline all the more interesting. There’s a ton of humor, personal imperfections, hot scenes ((blushing)), and characters that you love one minute, hate the next, and love again. It’s a great light read and a wonderful escape from reality.


The books so far include:

Book 1: Dead Until Dark
Book 2: Living Dead in Dallas
Book 3: Club Dead
Book 4: Dead to the World (My FAVE)
Book 5: Dead as a Doornail
Book 6: Definitely Dead
Book 7: All Together Dead
Book 8: From Dead To Worse
Book 9: Dead and Gone

There’s a few short stories as well but I haven’t had the chance to touch them yet. They are as follows:

A Touch of Dead (Sookie short story collection)
Must Love Hellhounds Anthology (short story of Sookieverse)
Strange Brew Anthology
Unusual Suspects Anthology
Many Bloody Returns Anthology
My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding Anthology
Bite Anthology
Night’s Edge Anthology
Powers of Detection Anthology

For more information on these and other works by Charlaine Harris check out her official site. HERE

Once in a while you run across a series that captivates you to the point that your dreams are full of the characters. I’ve found such a series in the Black Dagger Brotherhood. This unique adaptation of vampires brings the paranormal genre to a whole new level. JR Ward has brought this intriguing world so vividly to life that you close your eyes and picture the massive warriors in great detail.



The series centers around a secret band of brothers who defend their race against a society hell bent on wiping the vampires out. The Brotherhood is made up of six of the most damaged, ruthless, but loveable vampires ever. With names like Wrath, Rhage, Zhadist, Phury, Vishous, and Thorment, they exude masculine strength and a “don’t fuck with us” vibe. Both the Vampires and the Lessers fight this war discretely to keep both their existences secret from the human world.

While the storyline follows their fight against the Lessening Society, it also goes in to great detail about both their personal demons and the one thing none of them expected to find, true love. Each book tells the story of a different Brother, their dramatic past that leads up to their “curse” (whatever that may be), and the unlikely heroines that they fall in love with whether they want to or not. But these heroines are anything but plain. They are dynamic enough in their own right to carry the story as well. JR Ward hasn’t set up the perfect Happily Ever After though. These characters are so raw and vivid because Ward allows them to be flawed; hard but compassionate; arrogant but loving. Some of the characters make you want to curse at times while at other times you just want to weep for them.

I have become mesmerized by the enchanting and dark world JR Ward has created and I am counting down the time until the next installment comes out in April of 2010. Here’s a rundown of the books so far:



DARK LOVER   
Book One




Book Two




Lover Awakened
Book Three
Zhadist’s Book (Everyone’s favorite)






Lover Revealed
Book Four
Butch’s Book






Lover Unbound
Book 5
Vishous’ Book






Lover Enshrined
Book 6
Phury’s Story






The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider’s Guide
Book 7 so to speak
A great guide to how JR Ward met the Brothers and how they came to life as well as a wonderful Novella of Zhadist and Bella.






Lover Avenged
Book 8
Rhevenge’s Book












And the much anticipated:

Lover Mine
Book 9
John Mathews
Coming in 2010

I've been a novice reader most of my life. I've never been excited about a book coming out. Usually I'm several years behind. (I have never read Harry Potter) When movies come out I know. When a new song is going to be released I know. But books were not my thing for a long time. Oh how the times have changed.

So I humble admit I have been counting down the days for the fourth book in the Night Huntress Series to come out (which is 2 days away Sqeel) I even prebought it. Never have I done that before but I have next weekend all planned out so I can read...read...read. I have finally found my place in my little nerd world. I knew I'd arrived when a close friend started call me a book hooker. Yes, I confess I'm now a book hooker. I can't have a conversation without talking about one of the many books I have near me these days. I could be doing worse things so I think being a book hooker is just fine with me.

While I'm not reading classic literature, I am enjoying my escape into a great world of make believe that entertains and lets me lose myself safely in the worlds of others. And what better way to spend all that time we wait for others than reading. I love it!

Sincerely,
The Book Hooker

Hello there! I've had the summer off from classes for the first time in I don't know how long so I got bored and started reading one day. That was either a big mistake or the best step ever. I've not been able to put down a book since then. I've found myself drawn to and hopelessly addicted to Paranormal Romance. Not really sure how that happened since I never really liked Romance books to start with but it happened and I'm not going to fight it.

As a lot of us late bloomers to the Paranormal Romance arena, I stumbled on to it by breaking down while fighting insomnia and reading the Twilight Saga. I liked it and at the time it was the best I'd read ever. Then I attempted to make myself read The Host. I picked it up like 4 times before making myself push through the first 4 chapters and then I was hooked.

Then by some odd chance I was surfing through an ebook retailer that had a bundle of these books that looked somewhat interesting and since I had some credit I bought them. Let me just say that we never know that a simple choice make will alter our universe until its too late. Who? What? You ask? An extremely talented writer name Jeaniene Frost and a little series called The Night Huntress Series: Halfway to the Grave; One Foot in the Grave; & At Graves End. I'll go on about them more later. My point with those are simply, I had no idea that there was someone out there who got it. The humor, the action, the romance, and the human side of the paranormal. ha! ha! The series is addictive and I've been waiting to get the 4th one that comes out later this month. I've moved on while waiting to the Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series featuring Sookie Stackhouse. While I'm not a fan of the TruBlood series I've grown to be in love with the world of Bon Temps and its creative inhabitants. (I'll review some of them at some point)

As for now, I'm just getting caught up in the world of paranormal romance. I'll keep you posted on my progress and please feel free to let me know your opinions or even give me some suggested reading material. I love getting lost in the world of make believe where the boogyman is prince charming!

I have nothing profoundly moving to write today. Actually, that's a lie. I have so much to write today but it isn't meant for this place. It's filling the pages elsewhere. I woke this morning with a story in my head. Inspired by reality but taking a life of its own, I've sat this morning and let the story run through me on top the pages of my computer. I'll see where it goes but I am already in love with them. Them who have no names yet but life nontheless.

I feel my mind awake again. Not just me but my mind. The mind that loves to put its self on paper. The mind that loves to create and give life to the images and stories in my head. Yes truly all is write in my world.