Random Shot: Ice cream anyone?

Well, it's Random Shot time. I've decided to post these every so often if I manage to catch something on film that interests me. I was walking along when I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw a squirrel sitting on a railing. He had something in his hands and he looked like he was munching away! I took a picture from a distance, but I still couldn't quite make out what he was holding. I crept a bit closer, figuring he would scamper away. Nope. He stayed put. I came closer still, as close as I dared and still he didn't move---except for his jaws! Lo and behold, he was eating ice cream. Or the last remnants of it. This squirrel was enjoying himself with a frozen treat and he wasn't about to stop just because a nosy human was in his business...lol...Ahh...the adventures of the urban squirrel...

Toodles, y'all!

Book Review: Game by Barry Lyga

Book Two

I've been a fan of Barry Lyga since I read his second book, Boy Toy. it is about the sexual abuse of a young boy by his teacher. It was so amazingly good. I learned he was writing a fairly big book on a serial killer. He appears to be a through researcher on the subject matter he he writes about, so I couldn't wait to see what he was going to do with this topic. I wasn't disappointed. The first book in the series, I Hunt Killers is excellent. Game is the sequel and once again, I was a satisfied customer. It picks up where I Hunt Killers left off and takes so many spins and turns. The first book had so many heart pumping moments. Game deepened the story. Check out the description...

Billy grinned. "Oh, New York," he whispered. "We're gonna have so much fun."

I Hunt Killers introduced the world to Jazz, the son of history's most infamous serial killer, Billy Dent.

In an effort to prove murder didn't run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo's Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz's door asking for help, he can't say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple--and its police force--running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer's murderous game.

Both the stakes and the body count are higher in this suspenseful and unstoppable sequel from acclaimed author Barry Lyga.

Lyga makes each character so unique.  The main character, Jasper Dent aka Jazz is white and his girlfriend, Connie is black. I don't know if the author had/has a black girlfriend, but he captured the whole black girl feel perfectly, especially the angst many of them have about their hair. I may be confusing this issue with what happened in the first book since the story meshes together so seamlessly.

This is not just the story of the exploits of a serial killer, but how those exploits affect his son and their relationship; how this killer thinks he is and tries to be a good father in his own perverse way. A very creative premise.

On one of my visits to Lyga's site, I recall seeing a picture of how thick the manuscript for this story was before it was published. In book two, he leaves us at a critical juncture. I'm licking my chops to learn how it all ends in book three.

Game released April 16, 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Toodles ya'll!

Happy National Lobster Day!

Today is National Lobster Day. We think of this succulent meat as a luxury today, but it wasn't always so. In the 1800's, lobster was considered peasant food! It was so plentiful,  people in New England just picked them up off the beach during low tide and the wealthy served them to their servants several times a week. Can you imagine?

Lobster Salad

Lobster Roll

What you may want to imagine are all the wonderful ways you can serve lobster: the classic lobster roll, lobster salad, steamed, grilled, a lobster bake...I can see the steam wafting off the hot corn now...Have I wet your appetite?...I bet my friend Patty, who's a lobster aficionado, has plans today for a lovely meal. If nothing else, there's always Red Lobster...Lol...Enjoy!

Toddles, y'all!

New Release: Tidal by Amanda Hocking

Amanda Hocking keeps the books coming. The self-published wunderkind is engrossed in her newest series. Her third book in the Watersong series released June 4. Learn more about her and her other books by going here.

Toodles y'all!

Book Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Book One

The Eternity Cure is the second book of the Blood Eden series by Julie Kagawa. I haven't read her Iron Fey series, but I'm in love with this one. It's bloody good---literally! Take a peek at the description from Goodreads:

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

The description doesn't even begin to touch what goes on in this novel. I thought the first book, The Immortal Rules was good, but the author upped the ante with this one! She deepened the story and took the reader through dark and bloody (there goes that word again!) twists and turns. The story was pretty violent, but it wasn't gratuitous or superficial. Every fight, wound and death was necessary to tell the tale. Kagawa even managed to intersperse a romance among the heavy, dangerous action. 

Each character was so unique and well fleshed out. I loved them all---with the exception of Stick. He's well-written, just a guy you love to hate. You'll see...lol...Jackal, the savvy, but dangerous vampire, could be so drool and funny...I laughed out loud more than once at his words of "wisdom." The author excels at world-building. She blew my mind by the ending, but of course you'll have to read it yourself to find out.

I'm ready for book three. I can't wait to keep reading this story. I think the rights were bought to adapt it to a movie, but I'm not sure. It would be awesome as a film. Boys will love it for the action and girls will eat up the romance. Awesome, I say!

The Eternity Cure was released April 30. 2013 by Harlequin Teen.

Toodles, y'all!

Book Two