10. My week – Is it really already the middle of September? Well – my week…. The hot tub is still sitting in the driveway. That pretty much summarizes the past seven days. Not much has happened ;)

9. Months ago (maybe a year ago) K.C. from Smokin’ Hot Books started pimping out Enlightened by J.P Barnaby – a young adult m/m book. I read her review, and then bought the book immediately, but it sat on my Kindle, and got pushed way, way down list. Recently, I noticed J.P Barnaby on Twitter which reminded me of the book, so I decided now was the time to read it!

My full review can be read at Goodreads. I really liked this book – it is emotional, romantic, and well written. As I say in my review, the protagonists are seventeen and sixteen year old boys exploring their sexuality and questioning why they feel this way. And questioning why their church tells them it is wrong. What I liked the most is that their thoughts and actions come across as a teenager. A little immature, a little dramatic, and always a little horny ;) And ending will make you go – Huh? What? Looking forward to book two, Abandoned.

8. Contest winners – There are two people who won my “Take my Books” contest who have yet to come forth to claim their prize. If you name is Kristen or Elizabeth check the winners post out HERE. If I don’t hear from you by tomorrow (September 18th) evening, I will pick two new winners.

7. Cover Alert! Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill, book four in her Chicagoland Vampire series. I love it – and I want Merit’s ass ;) This is one of my “You Must Read Series” – Snarky, action-filled, and sexy…oooh…she gives us lots of sexy men in this series. Start with Some Girls Bite. Hard Bitten releases in May 2011.

6. Tori’s Friday 56 – Scoundrel by Zoe Archer – Blades of the Rose #2 – Releases October 5th.

“Do we really need so many guns Father?” she asked as she was helped aboard by one of the ship’s crew. Turning to watch her luggage being hauled up the side of the ship, she found herself staring at the cannons that poked from the gun ports like lethal iron fingers.

How to play Friday 56.

● Grab the book nearest you. Right now

● Turn to page 56.

● Find the fifth sentence.

● Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.

● Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

● Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Happy Friday!!

5. So I gave you a reprieve from Brandon Flowers last week but did you really expect for it to last? His solo album, Flamingo released this past Tuesday. You all have it right? Is your favorite song Only The Young as well? OMG..that song. I also just got tickets to see him perform in Washington, DC in late November. This time the hubs is going with me so I will have to be on my best behavior…maybe. ;)

4. My blog of the week is Leontine’s Book Realm. I have been going to her blog and chatting with her on Twitter for so long now. I have really come to know her in book terms. Awhile ago when I was reading a Joey W. Hill book, I remember thinking, this is a book Leontine would love. It’s nice I have that book familiarity with her. I trust her opinions on books and her blog is one of the first I visit every morning.

3. True Blood is over for another season. I thought this year had great new characters – Alcide (rawr), “Talbutt”, The King (who is a crispy nugget above…love), and my beloved Franklin. I love that Eric stood up to Godric in the final episode…I hope Tara drives away never to be seen again and Sookie can stay in Fairy land for all I care ;) This Sunday, Boardwalk Empire starts – and it looks good.

2. Kelley Armstrong has a new YA trilogy out next year called Darkness Rising. The first book, The Gathering is out next April. The blurb:

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students — for every grade from kindergarten to twelve. Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya’s determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya’s home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret — and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark

The only Kelley Armstrong book I have read is Bitten – and it was so good. I have no idea why I have never picked her up again.

1. It’s Friday – yay! I’m heading to the Maryland State Wine Festival this weekend. 42 wineries will be there, and for $25 you get unlimited samples. This is one of my favorite days of the year :) I’m also finishing up Double Cross by Carolyn Crane (the first 100 pages are full of win!) and then starting Primal Pleasure by Sydney Somers. Happy Reading.