UPDATE September 2011:

I finally finished this book. I started over and read it from cover to cover in a week. It’s not for the timid. Adam is a bad mutha- shut yo’ mouth. This vampire world is dangerous and scary, and they play for keeps. Taylor keeps the reader engaged and on the edge of her seat, and he delivers without taking the easy way out. As a matter of fact, I was actually surprised by several threads in the story line. And that’s a great thing. By the end, I was pretty much pleased with the resolution. And a little fearful. I will be reading book 2 later this fall, entitled Blood Pressure. Just hoping that it doesn’t raise mine too much.

Check out Bite Marks for the upcoming Halloween season. I guarantee you won’t be letting any little vamps near your house for candy.

Original post February 25, 2010:

This freakin’ book scared the crap out of me.

So much so that I haven’t finished reading it yet.

But you’ll have to check out my review at UrbanBeatzInc to find out why.

And yes, I wrote a review on a book I haven’t finished yet.

Original UrbanBeatzInc Review:

I have never written a review about a book that I have yet to finish, but as the saying goes, there is a first time for everything. I enjoy a vampire read as much as the next mom of a teenage girl. Shoot, I consider myself a vampire series connoisseur, always anxiously anticipating the next book. Until now. I have finally read a vampire book that I have been unable to finish. Mainly because I can’t read it during the day because of my schedule. Reading it before bed gives me these weird, crazy, dreams that have these weird, crazy, vampires in them. And I really need my sleep.

In a nutshell, Bite Marks by Terence Taylor starts out with a horrific murder (and I do mean horrific in the truest sense of the word) of a teenage hooker by a vampire, shortly after her infant son is turned into a vampire. It is on and popping from there. Blood, gore, the history of vampires in New York, and so much more. Taylor has taken the vampire tale and reminded the reader of the monsters they were originally written to be. Adam Caine is slick, sexy, and your worst nightmare. His bite is one that you wish to avoid at all costs.

I got about halfway through the book before I just realized that I couldn’t finish it right now. Normally, not finishing a book is the kiss of death for me as a reader. If I decide to put a book down, it’s because I’m bored senseless, and once the covers are closed, I won’t give that book a second thought- EVER. Except, with Bite Marks, all I can think about is when and how I can finish the book- during daylight hours. I need to read it sitting in the sun with hours to go before I sleep.

Warning: this book is graphic and violent at times. And yet, I still want to finish it.

Oh yeah, and Mr. Taylor used to write children’s programming for television. Um- wow! Talk about making a clean break from your previous writing life.

Most people would find it boring, but I enjoy my time alone in the car. I’ve never been a morning person, and I have to be up and rolling for a couple of hours before I start to get into the swing of things. By the time I get to work, I’m ready for whatever the day brings. It’s kind of refreshing. In the past, I used to feel blindsided by the craziness as soon as I walked into the building. Now, if something pops off at the start of the day, I’m up for the challenge.

The long ride home can be just as beneficial. I get to shake off the shit from the day and not bring it home to my family. By the time I get home, the tension has been released and I’m moving into the Chill Zone.

But I don’t do these drives in silence.

And I’m not listening to a lot of talk radio.

No. I have simply become the Queen of Audiobooks.

I know right?! And I’m not even a senior citizen.

I’ve always been somewhat snobby about audiobooks. I’m a reader. And that means reading words on a page (or in my case in the last six months, on my Nook screen). I always thought listening to books was a cop out.

Except, now, I do it every day. For like three hours a day.

My dilemma is this: can I count listening to an audiobook as having read the book?

I’m having real issues with keeping my reading journal because I don’t believe I’ve really read the book.

Help.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

In the meantime, I’m just happy to be writing and reading/listening.

Happy New Year!

I really want an iPad. I can’t tell you how bad. But I now know how Apple does things (after buying a few of their products)- they introduce the “must have” item and then a few months in, they add more bells and whistles, change the design, and drop the price. They’ll always have early adopters. And when my bank account gets a bit fatter, I may join that crowd. Until then, I’ll wait for the 2nd Gen, and ooohhh and ahhhh over  Gens 3 and 4 until the next big thing comes out. But this post is about the Nook, not the iPad, so let me get to it.

I’ve been dying for an ereader for some time,  as I’ve been dabbling with ebooks for over a year now (reading and writing). It was finally time to take the plunge. The iPad was out for obvious reasons (price point being the biggie, plus, I know I would spend waaaay too much time doing everything but reading books), and the Kindle, while being the first widely sold ereader on the market, never really rang my bells in terms of looks.

I’m a girl, I like cute things.

I’d been checking out the Nook for a while, especially after they put demos in stores. Once a week, I’d cruise by and play with it. I would stand there imagining myself reading with it in my comfy chair, until the impatient retiree behind me would start breathing hard because he was tired of waiting for his turn. It’s not like he had anything else to do. Anyway, once the iPad came out swinging, Amazon and Barnes and Noble responded by dropping their prices.

Yay me.

So, a month ago, I skipped my happy ass into BN, dropped my debit card on the counter, and walked out with a shiny new toy. Once it was charged, the melee began.

I combed through EVERY ebook category on the website, I played with every feature on the touch pad, and then after making several impulse purchases, I started reading.

I would say that it took me about 30 minutes to get the feel of the thing. Clicking to turn pages was a little weird. But then my story got good, my butt settled into the right spot in my chair, and the next thing you know, time was flying.

And I was hooked on the Nook.  Stop rolling your eyes- you knew it was coming.

Overall, I’ve enjoyed my reading experience on the Nook, and use it pretty much everyday. I even fall asleep reading in bed, just like a regular book.

But one of my favorite things is this tres’ cute Jonathan Adler cover:

So, if you are on the fence about an ereader, I say find one that has the gadgety stuff you like, and then get to reading. There are enough of them out there now, so you definitely have choices. I like having wi-fi and the ability to make impulse purchases away from my computer. That’s just me.  I can buy all the books I want, without crowding out my bedroom and making The Man grimace.

I’ll still purchase my favorite writers in hardback, but for everything else, the Nook will do just fine.

Until I can afford the next gen iPad.

Don’t judge me.

Instead, check out my review of South of Broad over at UrbanBeatz,Inc.

And happy Thursday.

I read That Devil’s No Friend of Mine by JD Mason.

Go to Urban Beatz, Inc for the review.

A good read if you are thinking about losing weight as a New Year’s Resolution.

I don’t make resolutions anymore, but that’s neither here nor there.

My review is posted on Urban Beatz, Inc.

(click thru to post to grab the link)

Happy Thursday.

In the last couple of years, not so much.

I’ve got more free time these days, but I’m reading less than ever. Last year, I only managed to knock out like 34 books? What the hell?

It doesn’t look much better for this year’s total. I haven’t even hit the 30 mark.

Not reading at least 50 books a year is like my personal version of blasphemy.

So decided that in 2010, I’m going to read a book a week. Not a biggie. It used to be my norm. I’m just returning to it.

So I sent my book Jeeves  a tweet (’cause email or calling seems to be so passe’) and asked for some suggestions for upcoming African American releases. Unfortunately, disappointment abounds. It’s the same old debate- They are mostly publishing urban fiction, Christian fiction, and porno erotica because that is what is selling. Not that I have ever purchased any of that.

If you’ve been under a rock and don’t have a clue, check out this open letter to Oprah by Virginia Deberry for a quick education.

And no, I’m not much of a romance reader, but I do love me some chick lit. Ridicule if you must.

So, while I have plenty of contemporary fiction to chose from, I just won’t be able to read much written by African Americans that meets my discerning palate. That sucks for me. And the other Af-Am readers in similar shoes.

So, my list is scrawny, and it has the usual suspects, but I’m wondering what you guys will be reading by Af-Am lit authors next year.

It’s the season of giving.

So give me some titles/authors to check out. Help a reader out.

Another chance to read what I really felt about a book.

Check out my review over at Urban Beatz Inc.

Then I wrote about it over on UrbanBeatzInc,

Click on the link and check it out.