Beauty Dreams

2011-03-26T09:26:00.001-07:00

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazing, I loved every minute of it.
WANT MORE!

View all my reviews

2010-12-08T20:14:00.001-08:00

Born of Fire by Sherrilyn Kenyon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Exceptional. Real. Even better than the first. Syn has tied with Bones as my favorite novel anti-hero. Pick it up and devour it. You will laugh, cry, and love it!

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2010-12-08T19:46:00.001-08:00

Bone Gods by Caitlin Kittredge

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, what can I that hasn't already been said about this book? This book enthralled me to the point that I almost missed my company holiday party.

Although the first half of the book with Jack-less, it didn't matter. Pete is strong, and carried the first half of this book very well. I really appreciated the show of emotion from her regarding her loss of Jack. She hated him, missed him, and cried for him...the way a woman mourns the death of her lover. Her pain radiated from the pages, and although it was heartbreaking, her drive to continue with her life was astonishing.

Jackie is the bad ex-boyfriend that the new boyfriend has to worry about, even after death. His return to the book made me so incredibly happy, that no matter how much crap comes out of his mouth, the way he loves Pete was crystal clear.

Jack and Pete are no walk in the park. Their story isn't this epic story that will go down in history as the most romantic and mesmerizing. What they have is real...raw...dark....but it's love. I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Our newest family member

2010-07-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

The new love of my life - Jacob "Jake".

I cannot finish reading this book.

2010-07-05T17:56:00.002-07:00

It's so annoying. I like the book, it's actually pretty darn good - but life keeps getting in the way. Darn it!

2010-07-05T17:56:00.001-07:00

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sigh...December is so far away.

View all my reviews >>

2010-07-05T17:55:00.001-07:00

Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I did not expect this book to turn out the way it did. It was very good, and such a wonderful love story. I'm definitely going to pick up Born of Fire.

View all my reviews >>

2010-07-05T17:54:00.001-07:00

Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1 by Stephenie Meyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It was aiiight. My daughter liked it. It was entertaining, much like reading a comic book, which I guess was the point

View all my reviews >>

2010-03-16T17:22:00.001-07:00

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
WOW...I love Sonny Flannery.

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2010-03-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

Darklight by Lesley Livingston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Didn't like this as much as the first one. It was so somber, the only highlights of it was Mabh and the few exchanges between Sonny and Fennrys. Anyway, I'll be waiting for the third and final of the Trilogy as anxiously as everyone else. I hope this one has a happy ending...

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Want to Pre-order New Moon? I've done your research!

2010-02-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've done the research, and depending on what you want to get out of the New Moon DVD, or how much money you're willing to spend, here's my breakdown featuring what each store has to offer. Note, these stores are NOT carrying the same movie across town, so if you want different things, I suggest you go shopping that day and plan your trip, March 20 is around the corner.

Walmart: Includes 7 Minutes of Eclipse - $29.96

Target: Includes Deleted Scenes - $29.99

Borders: Includes exclusive medallion necklace on a silver chain—gold side features wolf-pack tattoo design, silver side shows the Cullen crest - PLUS previously unreleased EXTENDED SCENES. - $29.99

Barnes and Noble: 6-part behind-the-scenes documentary; band-rehearsal footage with Muse; music videos from Death Cab for Cutie, Anya Marina, and Mute Math. - $25.19 (LAME, they have this movie as "Horror" - the most horrific thing about it is Jasper's hair)

Best Buy: A free cell phone skin....Lamest. $20.49

So, if you spend a good $140.00 bucks, you can get 7 Minutes of Eclipse, deleted scenes, extended scenes, a necklace, a documentary, music videos, and a free cell phone skin....oh, and don't forget, 5 copies of New Moon.

2010-02-18T19:49:00.001-08:00

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The best way to sum up this book is the following:
Sexy, funny, wild, exciting, daring, and so real in the way we women think sometimes and fight with our inner demons.

Sookie Stackhouse has found her match! The sequel to this book is on my #2 of most wanted sequels EVER. I cannot wait!

View all my reviews >>

2010-02-12T16:25:00.001-08:00

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book took me by surprise. I'm very much Team Cat & Bones, so to read something from their world that wasn't centered around them felt almost as if I was cheating on them.
Surprise, surprise! Spade/Denise are just as wonderful as Cat/Bones in their own unique way.

I throughly enjoyed the character development for these two. In the Night Huntress series, they are portrayed very true to character (based on this book) Spade the brooder, and Denise the widow. However, we got to see their true colors, their motivations, their vices, and most of all, the power they have eventually developed over each other.

One thing I liked was that you do not have to read the Night Huntress series to pick-up this book and love it.

Jeaniene Frost. What a woman. Your women are as sassy as some of us wish we could be, and your men are as delectable as they come. Keep it up, cannot wait for the Mencheres spin-off, which I'm sure will keep me up at night devouring it the way I devoured this book.

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2010-02-07T07:45:00.001-08:00

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I haven't felt quite this way about a book since I read The Hunger Games. I was totally sucked in to this world of plays, stage life, and above all, romance. The faeries childlike and annoying behavior was laugh-out-loud funny. The descriptive set props and scenery were so properly penned that I felt as if I was on stage with Bertie. What I wasn't expecting and absolutely loved was the magic, oh what a world to live in! I caught myself bursting into laughter on several occasions, and bursting into tears in others. This was a riveting read, and for one split second, when I was nearing the end of the book...I panicked. Would there be a sequel? There HAD to be a sequel. The likes of this book demand continuation, and thankfully, Lisa Mantchev is going to deliver - May 10, 2010 we will get the continuation to Bertie's story.Nate, I hope you get your happy ending.

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2010-02-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

Demon Bound by Caitlin Kittredge

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ah...I love Jack Winter....This was a great book. I didn't think I could love the sequel to Street Magic anymore than I loved Street Magic...boy was I WRONG! This book blew me away! I was wondering when Jack and Pete would finally 'fess up and admit their feelings, and WHOA! Was I compensated for my wait or what?
The ending took me by complete surprise, although, with Ms. Kittredge's writing style, I shouldn't have expected any less.
Small little spoiler below.
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I wonder how much time has passed on Earth since Jack's visit to Hell? Has Pete moved on? Has she developed her powers? Will the time apart drive "them" apart? Arrggggg! I can't wait.

View all my reviews >>

2010-02-07T07:42:00.001-08:00

Captivate by Carrie Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow. My heart literally stopped while reading this. I'm still processing the greatness that was this book. No coherent thoughts are available at the moment.
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Why Nick?!

View all my reviews >>

2010-02-07T07:41:00.001-08:00

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book. I loved Jinn, Viola, but really just loved the whole book. This reminded me so much of first love, and how it makes you feel like you can beat all of the odds. Beautiful story from beginning to end, heart-wrenching in some, and so unputdownable!

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2010-02-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm a sucker for a hero. I'm actually watching this movie tonight with some girlfriends. Let's hope it lives up to the book!
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If you read the book and saw the movie, you are probably as disapointed as I am of the drastic changes they made in the movie. Overall, it was not my favorite interpretation of the book, however, it was still a very good movie. I liked the book better, even with the un-happy ending, to me the book showed John's true character and what a real hero he was in and out of battle.

View all my reviews >>

2010-01-28T19:26:00.000-08:00

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Goodreads, you should have an optional 6th star. I'd be willing to pay for it.

Unbelievable story-telling. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and I cried when it ended.
James Dashner has a new fan. I'll be that loon in line at Barnes and Noble asking for an early copy of The Scorch Trials.

This story took me to places beyond my imagination. I never expected to have these feelings about this book. How many times did I pass by it at Target and not look twice? Shame on me! I should have read this long ago, but am glad I didn't, therefore my wait for the sequel won't be as devastating.

Pick it up, read it, devour it. I did.

Epic.

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Two great books in under a week!

2009-11-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

I've been pretty lucky. I received earlier-than-usual copies of Beautiful Creatures and The Seven Rays.
These authors are pulling out all the stops. Mrs. Meyers should be proud of herself. Not only is she compelling the casual NY Times and magazine readers to actually pick up a book and READ, she's really set the bar for these unheard of authors.

Beautiful Creatures was an amazing read. Simple, yet captivating. I loved reading from a boy's POV. I was never a misfit or outcast in high school, so this book really captivated me. The fantasy part of the story was so different, and the southern charm was everywhere. The accents, the food, the scenery - I felt as if I were at home.
Although the book had a lot of characters, they were very easy to keep up with and understand their importance. LOVED the way the chapters were named, and mostly, the dates at the beginning of each, very poignant.
The second half of the book got a little scary and even more suspenseful - I almost had the feeling that a Dark Willow story was brewing. (Sorry, I often use the Whedonverse when doing reviews, can't help it).
***Warning....if you're a sensitive schmuck like me, the last 20 or so pages will have you crying, so keep a Kleenex box handy.
The book ended with many unanswered questions, IMO, so if a sequel is in the works, sign me up!

The Seven Rays was original. Mind boggling at times too. Without giving too much away, make sure you pay attention at the beginning of each chapter - it means something. This book totally took me to places I wasn't expecting. You grow up with Beth. You wonder right along with her "Why her?". There is so much to be explored from this book. So many story-lines that need exploring, and I look forward to Mrs. Bendinger elaborating more on these stories - because believe you me, the name of the book "The Seven Rays" was no accident.

My New Moon Theater Experience

2009-11-21T21:49:00.000-08:00

This is me, telling you what I feel, felt, loved, hated, about the movie. Totally from a Twi-Hard POV.Contains spoilers for those of you who haven't seen the movie. Beware, my thoughts are all over the place given I cannot put myself to sleep...so without further ado....

1. The dream sequence at the beginning was possibly one of the best depictions of Bella's feelings towards her birthday at the start of the book. The word Epic comes to mind when I replay this scene in my head.

2. When Edward first appeared during the dream sequence, we "the ladies" went berserk and started hootin' and hollerin' for the presence Rob P. makes in this scene. That smile just melts my heart, and the way he looks at Old Woman Bella is priceless.

3. "Jasper! No fair with the mood control!" L.O.L. Love Jasper and the way he can say so little yet his words reach you. "Happy....never-mind".

4. A word to the Producers of New Moon...please get your act together when it comes to the hairstylists. Jasper's and Rosalie's hair wig things were WORSE than they were in Twilight. Seriously. That wig that Rob P. didn't want to wear, obviously got handed down to Jackson. Didn't you WATCH the horror that was Jasper's hair in the first one? The reason the boy looks like he's always in pain is because of the dead squirrel/racoon hybrid you guys pile on his head day after day. Did you maybe stop and think the reason why Rosalie's such a biatch is because of the peroxide number you make her wear? I know the bigger budget went towards the CGI wolves, but seriously, spending a couple extra hundred bucks on some decent hair extensions might have made Jasper not go after Bella on her B'day party.

5. What happened to the huge Cullen mansion? It looked like a box.

6. Billie Burke (Charlie) is a hot ladies man. I don't care if he's Bella's dad.

7.It's a tie between Billy Burke and Ashley Greene (Alice) on who portrays their character as if they were coming out directly from the book. Simply put, these two can act.

8. Taylor, Taylor, Taylor...what can I tell you that you haven't already heard? I sure am glad you didn't have to wear that God-awful wig throughout this movie. I was afraid it would get stuck on one of those dirt bikes you were working on. Have you not heard of on the job hazards? Hair nets are your friend my man. Just saying.

9. "I don't want you to come"..."You don't want me?"...."No"....Ugh, that still hurts. Thanks Edward. (1st cry)

10. October. November. December. Ugh, that still hurts. Thanks Edward. (2nd cry)

11. Jessica...."Yeah, those guys look great!" L.O.L. moment.

12. My Favorite Bella/KStew moment? The rain scene with Jacob when she first confronts him. She's actually ACTING and emoting something other than awkwardness. Way to go! I knew you had it in you.

13. Paul is hot. His wolf self isn't as good looking as Jacob's wolf, however, he still looks better than Sam's Yeti-looking wolf.

14. Sam's wolf looks like a Yeti. Didn't know if you caught that bit. It needs to be reiterated.

15. Victoria's hair ROCKED the HOUSE. However, her skin care regime needs to be questioned. Dirt is organic and all, but I'm sure you need a little water in order to get the effect you were hoping for. Just saying.

16. The wolf pack jumping off the cliff? Hot.

17. Victoria jumping off the cliff? Olympic-like graceful.

18. Bella jumping off the cliff? Pathetic.

19. Bella in the water...ugh, that still hurts. Thanks Edward. (3rd cry)

20. "What is that God-awful wet dog smell?" L.M.A.O.

21. "Don't go, please, I'm begging you, please"...Jacob honey, c'mon, get some dignity.

22. Edward's apartment in Rio? GROSS. OMG. He totally let himself go, and it looks like he wasn't even cleaning up after himself. I really wanted a book to explain "his" side of New Moon, since we really have no idea what he did, but this movie gave me CLOSURE. Thanks Chris Weitz, I owe you one.

24. What happened to 23? A rat in Edward's apartment ate it.

25. Damn, those muffins Emily made looked good.

26. Talk about adding insult to injury... Did you SEE the nice shot of the "Virgin" plane flying Bella and Alice to Italy?

27. Alice's Grand Theft Auto. Priceless.

28. Is one of Edward's nipples bigger than the other? All signs point to yes.

29. "I LIED, you believe me so easily" Duh.

30. Dakota Fanning stole the scene. The girl has presence. Excellent casting choice.

31. Ok, so did you laugh when Edward and Vamp Bella were running through the meadow? That was such a Jack-and-Jill-went-up-the-hill-moment. Everyone laughed when this scene played out in both theaters. I hated it. Could have totally done without it.

32. The Volturis were extremely well done on all accounts. Again, Dakota stole the scenes she was in, but they all did a very good job overall. Major creep factor, which was the point.

33. The humans screaming, wow, just like the book. I was waiting to see the lady with the bible, but she never came. Sad. It would have made that scene ever more poignant.

34. The sad puppy dog eyes that Jacob give Bella at the end were heartbreaking. Ugh, that still hurts. Thanks Bella. (4th and last cry)

35. Marry me. Ha! Edward, you have no idea the can of worms you've opened up. You're about to start taking her on play dates in Eclipse, you just don't know it yet.

So cynicism aside, I absolfreakinglutely loved this movie, and the company I had made the experience even better. C'mon June 30th! I'm ready for some Eclipse!

The Clash of the Titans Teaser Trailer! - ComingSoon.net

2009-11-10T20:33:00.000-08:00

The Clash of the Titans Teaser Trailer! - ComingSoon.net

New Moon is only 10 days away!

2009-11-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

10 days until New Moon! I'm so excited. I apologize to anyone around me when I suddenly yell like a fan girl at the top of my lungs and scare the crap out of you!

Updates on my October to-be-read books...

2009-11-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely #2) - TBR
Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely #3) - TBR
Eyes Like Stars: Theater Illuminata, Act I - TBR
Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale - Hated it.
Wuthering Heights (the one with the Twilight-looking cover)- Reading it now.
Hush, Hush - Loved it, 5 out of 5 stars
Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales, Vol. I - Liked it very much 3 out of 5 stars
Storm Born - TBR
Thorn Queen - TBR
Vampire Academy #1 - Fell in love with this book and the entire Vampire Academy series! I didn't get started on any of the other books because I had to go out and get Vampire Academy #2, #3, #4.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

2009-11-05T05:39:00.001-08:00

Amazon.com: Beautiful Creatures (9780316042673): Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl: Books

I just received notification that Amazon has shipped this book to me today. I am so ecstatic! I wasn't expecting it until December, so Christmas has come early for me!

Coming up on Karen's bookshelf!

2009-10-12T18:05:00.000-07:00

Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely #2)
Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely #3)
Eyes Like Stars: Theater Illuminata, Act I
Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale
Wuthering Heights (the one with the Twilight-looking cover)
Hush, Hush
Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales, Vol. I
Storm Born
Thorn Queen
Vampire Academy #1

Relationships and Friendships

2009-09-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

I reconnected with an old friend today. We've been friends for about 15 years. Like any friendship, we've gone through our ups and downs. I must say after my talk with her today, I realized why we've been so out of touch. A Man. Her choices, in my eyes, are not the correct ones, so I must turn a blind eye and just not dwell too much on the past. Reading this quote below, reminded me so much of her, and the reason why I think she has such a hard time with relationships.

"Women are the worst. They zero in on some guy. Oh boy, he's the one, gotta get me that one. So they do. Then they spend the rest of their time trying to figure out how to change him. Then if they manage it, they're not all that interested anymore, because guess what? He's not the one anymore." — J.D. Robb

My latest reads....a quick overview.

2009-09-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

I blogged a few weeks ago about some books that are on their way to me. They got here, they've been read, and now here's my unbiased reviews in order from worst to best.

Worst Read / Intertwined: 1 out of 4 stars. This book had way too much going on. To read my Goodreads review, click here.

Not Too Bad Read /The Truth About Forever: 2.5 out of 4 stars. It was a mushy little love story about a girl whose father dies. I think the book is very appealing to YA fans, and if I was 10 years younger, I would have absolutely loved it.

Beautiful Read / Shiver: 4 out of 4 stars. Amazingly written. I loved being able to see and hear from both sides of the "coin". Maggie S. wrote a true masterpiece. Something very poignant to me, were the temperature readings at the beginning of each chapter. It enabled me to really feel the suspense over Sam and his inner struggle. Beautiful love story. Don't miss out on Linger, the sequel.

A kick in the gut never felt so good Read / Lament: 4 out of 4 stars. A kick in the gut never felt so good. Another Maggie masterpiece. The moment Luke arrives into her life, Dee is swept away by his "Homicidal Faerie Assassin Good Looks". At first, it seems like this is your typical YA paranormal romance, but it's so way beyond that, I'm embarrased to have even considered it. It's a story about survival, love, and sacrifice. When you have love in the middle, it makes for GREAT storytelling. That's what Lament is, a great story. Don't miss out on Ballad, the standalone sequel to Lament.

Most Favorite Read / Graceling: 5 out of 4 stars. Epic. Liberating. Sensual. Driven. Love. Loss. GIRL POWER. This book is so far beyond amazing, it's difficult for me to write any coherent thoughts beyond 1-word sentences. Po stole my heart. Katsa had both my envy and my respect. This story will go down as one of the greatest Mythical Fantasy romances I've ever read. Don't miss out on Fire, the prequel and standalone, which I read is even better than the first.

Shiver

2009-09-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

My second favorite book for 2009. The author's playlist is below:
1. "The Ocean" - The Bravery (the general thematic song)
2. "Sundrenched World" - Joshua Radin
3. "Run" - Snow Patrol
4. "Cemeteries of London" - Coldplay (hunt scene)
5. "Make This Go On Forever" - Snow Patrol
6. "Matroshka" - Dredg
7. "Underwater" - Vertical Horizon
8. "Star Mile" - Joshua Radin (making quiche)
9. "Set the Fire to the Third Bar" - Snow Patrol
10. "Jeremiah" - Starsailor
11. "Bug Eyes" - Dredg
12. "Everything'll Be Alright" - Joshua Radin (bookstore scene)
13. "Hide and Seek" - Imogen Heap (car scene near end)
14. "A Clock is Ticking" - Snow Patrol (Jack scene near end)
15. "Peter Returns" - James Newton Howard (last scene)
16. "Wake Up, Open the Door, & Escape to the Sea" - Blaqk Audio (ultimate nookie scene)

2009-09-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

Upcoming books that will make themselves at home on my bookshelf....

Items shipping soon:
Delivery estimate: September 8, 2009

Intertwined (Harlequin Teen

The Truth About Forever

Shiver

Graceling

Items not yet shipped:
Shipping estimate: September 8, 2009

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception
Dark Slayer
Devil's Kiss

Items not yet shipped:
Shipping estimate: October 9, 2009

Fire

Items not yet shipped:
Shipping estimate: October 13, 2009

Wuthering Heights

Items not yet shipped:
Shipping estimate: October 19, 2009

The Twilight Journals
Hush, Hush

Items not yet shipped:
Shipping estimate: December 7, 2009

Beautiful Creatures

Items not yet shipped:
Shipping estimate: December 28, 2009

The Dark Divine

Vampires, and how my life has, one way or another, revolved around them.

2009-06-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

I've always had this crazy obsession for the abnormal. I was never one to like watching scary movies - but the thoughts that fear provoked within me, were very interesting. Sometimes I would force myself to watch something scary, just so my imagination would sort of "wake-up". Luxuries weren't a big part of my childhood, therefore, my imagination would have to do. I remember being a little over 7-years-old, staring out my bedroom window, gazing at all of the lights to and from the airport in Puerto Rico. I wished that one of those curiously bright lights was some kind of UFO, who had come to abduct me.(I have to thank ET the movie for that one).

When Joss Whedon created Buffy the Vampire Slayer, my young adult life changed. When the show began on The WB back in 1997, I was fresh out of High School, and watching TV was the last thing I wanted to do. I was too busy hanging out with friends, drinking, partying, and doing what most kids that age were doing. I had gone through a pretty bad break-up with my High School sweetheart, so being at home wasn't an option for me. I didn't want to mope. I remember a friend of mine at the time had started watching Buffy, and was already becoming a fanatic of the show. She would tell me, “Wait until you watch it, you're going to love it” - and she was right, thanks Maria. The witty language, the girl power, the VAMPIRES! Story lines that actually made you CARE about the secondary characters, instead of having these characters act as props to the main star of the show. A television show that would shape my early 20's, and really my adulthood for years to come. I admit I watched the horrible Kristi Swanson version with Luke Perry, and although the only breakthrough actor in that movie was Donald Sutherland, I was very intrigued by what Joss Whedon was trying to portray. A GIRL who could kill vampires. I became a die hard, cry yourself to sleep, stay up all night chatting with the INTERNET fandom, FAN. A Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, and proud of it, no matter how many weird looks I got.

My mind was made up. After 7 seasons of gut-wrenching story lines involving love, sex, friendship, family and the “abnormal”. I never thought anything regarding Vampires would catch my attention and make me believe anything outside of my Buffyverse.

That of course, was before I read the Twilight series.

These books have captivated me in a way I wasn't expecting. My heart aches to think there will never be anything like Twilight in my life, and much less like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm grateful to have been able to experience these books.

I sign off with my love and happiness.

-K

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Now playing: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - La Traviata (Bonus Track)
via FoxyTunes

Charisma's B'day Feb 15th 2009

2009-02-15T20:23:00.001-08:00

M·A·C Hello Kitty Has Arrived! Shop Now.

2009-02-10T23:44:00.001-08:00


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YouTube - MAC F.A.Q.: Pro, B2M, Palettes, Prices, Organization

2009-02-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

YouTube - MAC F.A.Q.: Pro, B2M, Palettes, Prices, Organization

She's so cute! LOL! This really answered a lot.

The Fun in Homework

2009-01-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

Little C's homework called for him to fill in the blanks with the word "want".
Some of the sentences were:
I [blank] a big rug
I [blank] a big truck
I [blank] a big house....

LOL, are they shaping my kids future or what?

Long day at work

2009-01-13T18:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder why I work so hard. Oh, that's right, to support my fashion, hair, and beauty addiction....LOL, almost forgot there.
Randomness aside, today was the perfect day to try something that always works. I wasn't feeling it in the lipstick department, if you know what I mean. With the colors that I wore today, and the way I styled my hair, I sorta looked overdressed, so putting on a bright set of lips would have really been over the top.

So what did I do? My never fails lip-cipe (er, whatev)....mix a "cool" lipstick along with a "warm" lipstick on your lips, and 99% of the time, you'll have AWESOME results. I tend to start with the warm first, since those colors are darkest usually. Then I appply the cool tone over the warm tone, generally with a lip brush.

It's just one of those things that no one sits down to teach you. I was 19, broke, and only had two "nubs" of lipstick to get me through the day. The mixture turned out to be one of my favorite beauty discoveries. It's been 10 years, and I still do it with lipsticks and lipglosses. Try it, it's fun seeing what color you're going to come up with!

40’s Side Roll in 19 Quick Hairstyles for Your Haircut

2009-01-12T18:06:00.000-08:00

40’s Side Roll in 19 Quick Hairstyles for Your Haircut

I'm really digging this hairstyle. Will have to try it tomorrow for work.

Daisy Fuentes Targets Multicultural Consumer

2009-01-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

Daisy Fuentes is launching her own hair care line. I'm a fan of her clothes and perfume's at Kohls, so I'm definitely looking forward to trying her paraben-free products!

Welcome Talia Crimson!

2009-01-09T17:54:00.001-08:00

Cherry Culture Makeup Cosmetics : Bloom, Eyeko, Juice Beauty, MOR, NYX, Playboy, Splash, Sugar, Tinte and more

2009-01-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Cherry Culture Makeup Cosmetics : Bloom, Eyeko, Juice Beauty, MOR, NYX, Playboy, Splash, Sugar, Tinte and more

I must be getting old. NONE of these brands ring a bell to me at all. I'm having so much fun!

YouTube - Single Ladies ft "Arianna"

2009-01-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

YouTube - Single Ladies ft "Arianna"

All I have to say is O.M.G.

Be superfine in '09! 25% off everything* online.

2009-01-06T19:04:00.001-08:00

BE SUPERFINE IN '09!
SAVE 25% OFF EVERYTHING* ONLINE! USE OFFER CODE MACFF9.

Guys, this is so rare, I hope you take advantage of this. Their new Blonde, Brunette, and Redhead Collections comes out tomorrow. The only thing you cannot use this coupon for is the VIVA GLAM, and they have a lot clearance going on right now getting ready for the new spring collections. Let me know if you got anything! I'm such a beauty whore!

Clumps of Mascara: UDPP has been holdin' out!

2009-01-03T22:36:00.000-08:00

Clumps of Mascara: UDPP has been holdin' out!

I'm so doing this tomorrow.

Because I should be sleeping

2009-01-03T22:32:00.000-08:00

MAKEUPTALK ACRONYMS

Makeup Related Abbreviations
BE/BM = Bare Essentual/Bare Minerals
BNIB = Brand New in Box
CP = Custom Purchase
CCB = Cream Color Base
CCO = Cosmetics Company Outlet.
DDD = Dark Darling Diva
DTB = Dare to Be
E/C = Eye Curler
EOTD = Eyes Of The Day
EDM = Everyday Minerals
E/L = Eye Liner
E/S = Eyeshadow
EOB = Essence of Beauty
FOTD = Face of the day
FFF = Foxy Fair Female
GGG = Golden Glam Girl
GC = Gift Certificate
HG = Holy Grail
IR = Irridescent (Shu uemura eyeshadow)
LE = Limited Edition
LLL = Light Lovely Lady
l/g = Lipgloss
l/s = Lipstick
M = Matte (Shu uemura eyeshadow)
MA = Makeup artist
MAC = Makeup Art Cosmetics
ME = Metallic (Shu uemura eyeshadow)
MUT = MakeupTalk
MMM = Medium Marvelous Mademoiselle
MMU = Mineral Makeup
MSF = Mineralize Skin Finish
OM = Ocean Mist
P = Pearl (Shu uemura eyeshadow)
Px = Prescriptives
PPP = Pale Porcelain Princess
SE = Special Edition
SK = Sonia Kasuk
SIB = Still in box
T/M = Tinted moisturizer
UD = Urban Decay
UDPP = Urban Decay Primer Potion
WnW = Wet 'n' Wild
YSL = Yves Saint Laurent

Other Beauty Related Abbreviations
AHA = Alpha Hydroxy Acid
BHA = Beta Hydroxy Acid
BBW = Bath & Body Works
DC = Discontinued
DHC = Daigaku Honyaku Center
EL = Estee Lauder
HOTD = Hair Of The Day
MB = Mario Badescu
NPOTW = Nail Polish Of The Week
NOTW = Nail Of The Week
PH = Potential Hydrogen
SPF = Sun Protection Factor
TBS = The Body Shop

r/o = read on

MAC Hello Kitty Collection Photo & Information

2009-01-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

MAC Hello Kitty Collection Photo & Information
And again with the freaking cat. I'm so excited for this collection. The little princess was just overlooking my shoulder and she's already asked me to buy her something off this collection!

Watchmen The Movie

2009-01-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

This is # 5 in my must-watch-this-year-movies list.
4 through 1 are coming up soon!

The Pick-It Line

2009-01-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

The Pick-It Line

If you suffer from adult acne, this is a must read article.

Second Annual Temptalia Beauty Awards - Vote For Your Favorites Today!

2009-01-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

Second Annual Temptalia Beauty Awards - Vote For Your Favorites Today!

Make sure you vote! I've used most of the items listed, or at least heard about how fab or bad they are, so it's neat to have names I recognized on this survey rather than sit dumbfounded and vote "other" everytime LOL!

MAC Hello Kitty Pictures and Photos

2009-01-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

MAC Hello Kitty Pictures and Photos

OMG, I am so super excited about this collection! Do I care about the colors? Big Fat NO. But honestly, the packaging is too cute to pass up, so I see myself ordering this as soon as it's available!

No packages in the mail =(

2008-12-29T20:27:00.000-08:00

Sad, sad, sad.....I want my make-up and clothes!

Everyday Minerals

2008-12-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

I just ordered my sample kit from EDM and I am so excited!!!!! I told Sal, the way to keep me happy is to let me have my make-up and fashion fixes. A Happy Wife, makes a Happy Husband.

To MAC or Not To MAC

2008-12-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

I have a new addiction...I have a new love for make-up.
I've been a BE user for about 7 years. Before that, I didn't wear foundation at all, only concealer to "hide" my imperfections. Last weekend, I had my company Christmas party. Since the weather here in Texas has been extremely humid this winter, I chose to spend $$ on make-up that I KNEW would last all night, rather than spend the same amount of $$ on a hairstyle that would only last me for a few hours.
I have very problematic skin. I'm near the big 3-0, so I've had a lot of "hormonal" breakouts these last few months. My regime hasn't changed, and neither have the products I've been using, hence my diagnosis of "hormonal".
Since I'm not very good at applying make-up when I have these blemishes, and I had to look my best, I decided to have "the Best" do my make-up.
I made an appt with my nearest MAC store and was blown away. I've had MAC do my makeup in the past, but apparently I had it done by the w-r-o-n-g person. This time around the visit was enjoyable, and overall, educational. The young lady that worked on my face was not bothered by my acne at all, in fact she said, "Oh girl, we'll get rid of those REAL QUICK". It was awesome, my prayers were answered. My face looked like $1 Million bucks!
Here's a list of the items she used on me:

I'm in love with all of the items that were used, and I actually purchased all of them. Now that my addiction is growing, I think my wallet is going to catch on fire.....LOL! Since I have the hubby's B'day and the princess's B'day to plan, I can't spend too much, or I'll be put in the Poor House! LOL!

Wow, it's been a while!

2008-12-26T19:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in so long, it's amazing that this is still activated. Looking at that picture of me below is kind of creeeepy, since it's over a year old and I was actually looking HOT. LOL! Anyway, I'm making it a point to blog once a week, probably every Friday. Fridays seem like the only day of the week I get to unwind, and I miss blogging so much.
I will be coming up with a top 10 list for the year 2008, just so it can help me remember this MEMORABLE year!

1997 Nimitz High School Reunion

2007-10-22T17:49:00.001-07:00

I attended my 10 year High School Reunion on Saturday. I'm the third one from the left (the tallest one). I enjoyed myself so much, I didn't think I would have as much fun as I did.

Started my new job on Monday Oct. 15th - oh yeah, btw, we finally moved in to our new house on Oct. 1. So far the year has turned out to be a real roller coaster, but worth every second!

We're back from vacation...and it sucks.

2007-05-29T19:24:00.001-07:00

I have to go back to work tommorrow, not very happy about it.
I've put up a Flickr Badge to the left, if you refresh the page, you can view random pictures from our vacation. Enjoy!

It's been a long time

2007-05-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

Geez - I wonder what kind of dust my blogger account has accumulated over the past year and half. Getting this thing to work was really difficult - who could have thought that Google buying out Blogger would be such a big deal? I didn't, until I tried to log in to my Blogger account and it kept kicking me out for not recognizing my Gmail account. Long story, that I actually don't want to rehash, it will just make me mad all over again.

Since I last posted, I had no MySpace, and I had a 2000 Honda Civic. I am now the proud owner of a 1996 Toyota 4Runner and the owner of my very own MySpace account. Honestly, if it wasn't for the many friends of mine who do not pick up the phone and call once in a while, I would have cancelled that damn thing a long time ago. It is so dramatic in there. I can't visit a single "MySpace" page without feeling watched and tracked. To be subjected to people's horrid taste in music is one thing, but when you know the time of day, my IP address, all the way down to what color underwear I have on when I visit your page, makes me very uneasy. I'm trying to stay away from the place, and I remembered I had this account as my sweet escape, so I ran as fast as I could to trusty old Blogger.

I've been reading the Buffy Season 8 comics, and I actually think that's another reason why I came back to Blogger. My good old Buffy Cross and Stake days, where I would stay up until midnight discussing the many levels of the Jossverse, including whether or not Faith deserved forgiveness, and whether or not she would ever earn redemption - Blogger was my escape from the BC&S board, and all those people who disagreed with me at some points. Oh, those were the days. Lil Vamp Me was me screename.
I'm in the process of packing, getting ready to move and Lo' and Behold! I found my Buffy Yearbook with Anthony Stewart Head's autograph! That was 6 years ago! WOW, time flew me by. I still remember it like yesterday:

((The following is a re-enactment, and may or may not be exactly what was said that day.))

"Babe, your birthday is coming up, do you know what you want?" - Sal
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do!" - Karen
"Ok, will it be a purse, a day at the spa, some new shoes?" - Sal
"No, I'm easy. I just want you to drive me to to Dallas, TX, to some hole in the wall comic book store, get me there early enough to beat the crowd, stand under the scorching Texas sun with me, and watch me spend a whole WHOPPING 5 minutes with Giles aka ASH and take my picture with him. Oh yeah, while you're waiting for me to finish drooling over this British man, I want you to spend a ridiculous amount of money on Buffy memorabilia for me. Yes, that's all I want for my birthday! I'm just a peach, aren't I?" - Karen

It's been six years dude, I may have forgotten a few words here or there, but that's pretty much how it went....

Blogger, how I missed you so.

Happy new year!

2006-01-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

New pictures in Flickr below! -------> look!

New years eve at the Emergency room

2006-01-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

Four stitches on his bottom lip.

Feliz Navidad.....

2005-12-12T18:20:00.000-08:00

Hey, check out the Flickr badge to the right, I've added new pictures!!!

Hello all!

2005-11-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone has gotten a great start to their Holiday shopping. If you were wondering about us...well......let us explain. We have been busy being sick, getting our mommy sick, and keeping her from her computer. If you are reading this, it's simply because we are probably knocked out by Children's Motrin, and our mommy is sorting through all of her emails.....all 365 of them.

Love,
Christian and Charisma....oh, and mommy too.

2005-10-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

This is what I'll be feeling like tonight, after the Astros game.

Quiz

2005-10-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

One-by-One, I stole this from you.

7 things you can do:
-Type 65 wpm (I give my IM friends headaches)
-Speak Spanish and French
-Write HTML
-Cook
-Cut Hair
-Get my children to go to sleep without having to bribe them
-Give advice and actually take it myself

7 things you cannot do:
-Stop cursing
-Keep my opinions to myself
-Drive 5-speed
-Roller Skate or Ice Skate
-Stop shopping on eBay
-Juggle
-Stay mad at my husband for more than 1 day

7 things that attract you to other people:
-Nice, thick eyebrows
-Big, strong, hard working hands
-Super short hair or none at all (think Locke from LOST, or even Jack for that matter - yum)
-Long Hair (think Bo Bice, American Idol)
-Big white straight smile
-Self-Esteem
-Attitude - not a bad one, but you have to catch my attention somehow

7 things that you say most often:
-Oh Shoot
-Crap
-What are you doing?
-Christian, NO!
-Charisma, NO!
-C'mon guys, mommy's tired!
-I love you

7 celebrity crushes:
-Jared Leto
-Ryan Reynolds
-Johnny Depp
-Clive Owen
-Michael Vartan
-Roy Dupuis
-Claudia Black

5 Songs I know all the words to:
- 2+2=5 - Radiohead
- Freaks of the Industry - Digital Underground
- My mind is playing tricks on me - Ghetto Boys
- We belong together - Mariah Carey
- Tortura - Shakira

5 Snacks:
- Hot Cheetos
- Plain Popcorn with Louisianna Hot Sauce
- Sunflower seeds
- Wheat Thins
- Cinnamon Bun Pop Tarts

5 Places I'd run away to:
- Puerto Rico
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Pensacola, Florida
- St. Avold, France
- Hawaii

6 Favorite TV shows (CURRENTLY AIRING)...
- Veronica Mars
- Lost
- Desperate Housewives
- Gilmore Girls
- Reunion
- Prison Break

2005-09-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is my neighborhood,nothing but a few broken limbs. --- via Motorola V505, the wonders of MoBlogging.

2005-09-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

It's really hard to type on this phone, but we are ok. I should have my computer up and running tommorrow. Thank you God. --- via Motorola V505.

---Edited from my mother's house. She has power, I DO NOT. It sucks, but at least we're alive and we have 3/4 left of gas on our tanks.

2005-09-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

We are ok as of right now. Looks like Rita is going to miss us by a hair. -- -via Motorola V505

Hurricane Rita

2005-09-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

For those of you wondering about us, we will be just fine. We will be boarding up the windows today, and I'm in the process of filling every container I can find with drinking water. I bought plenty of non-perishable food that will last us approximately a week. I feel like I exagerated a little bit, but I don't care. My family comes first.

The traffic getting out of Houston is horrendous, there is no gas at the gas stations, so there is no point in us leaving anywhere. I ask you all to keep us in your prayers. I can Mo-Blog if my cell phone works, so I will most definitely do that if I have to.

2005-09-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

The happy couple!

2005-09-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

The kids, August 29, 2005 on their first day of school. Aren't they precious?

Katrina, what have you done?

2005-09-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Houston - Boy, am I proud of us right now.

It's so devastating to hear all these stories about people with no food, and no water. Babies running around without shoes or diapers. My soul was broken yesterday when I heard a particular story that hit close to home, about a man and his wife.

I have donated about 10 trash bags full of clothing - women's, men's, and children's. My employer is also taking donations of food, diapers, and cleaning supplies. I'll probably clean out my pantry tomorrow night for that; right now, I'm exhausted...and I feel so bad for feeling exhausted. I have a roof over my head I can call my own, these poor people can't.

My motto for the rest of the year

2005-08-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get."

I'm tired...

2005-08-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I've been a bad girl. I've been super-busy at work, on top of that, trying to get the kids into private school (I refuse to split them up), and still losing weight (woo hoo) has kept me fom blogging lately. I managed to get my kiddoes into a private school that won't break my piggy bank all the way, so I'm excited about that. It's comforting to know that you don't have to be rich to provide a decent education for your children.
I'm so glad for my Time Warner DVR - I've been able to record all Veronica Mars episodes and watch them at my own convenience. It is truly a remarkable show. It's SO Buffy, without the Supernatural, it's great. Sal even enjoys it, and he was an avid Buffy-hater when I was all into it, all 7 years, LOL.

Cibby, you stole this from One by One and now I'm stealing it from you....

The OTP MEME

1. Number One OTP that is truly THE ONE TRUE PAIRING (withstanding the test of time and fandom whoring): John/Aeryn - Farscape, Nikita/Michael - La Femme Nikita

2. Your OTP today: Susan/Mike - Desperate Housewives

3. Baby’s first OTP: Jem(Jerrica Benton)/Rio - Jem and the Holograms (ya, that's right)

4. That Rare Pairing that you Love: Veronica/Logan - Veronica Mars

5. OTP that you’d go to bat for in Wank Situation: Luke/Lorelai - Gilmore Girls, Cordelia/Angel - Angel, Brennan/Shalimar - Mutant X

6. Number One Anti-OTP, the pairing you hate with a fiery passion: Jason/Courtney/Liz /Carly/Robin- General Hospital, Buffy/Angel - BtVS

7. Character you pair off with almost anyone: Mr. Sark - Alias (He's my man-whore)

This is for rapid fire first OTP that comes to your head for each fandom, don't cheat!
Stargate: Don't watch it
Atlantis: Don't watch it
Firefly: Mal/Inara
The X-Files: Mulder/Scully - like duh
Star Wars: Han Solo /Leia
Crossover: Nikita/Mr.Sark (That's only if Michael NEVER existed, OK?)
Other: Van/Billie - Fastlane, Irina/Jack - Alias

Finding Nemo

2005-08-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Well aren't my men just so cute?

Slumber Soiree for Sexy Sluts

2005-08-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of the month again, for all of my girls to get together on a Friday night of swimming, drinking and partying. We’re all pretty burned out on the Houston Club scene right now – if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. We’re just going to relax and catch up. Gossip and flames are a definite, along with some tasty appetizers, courtesy of whom else but me? I love my girls, but they are some bad cooks. Have a great weekend all! I’ll be at chicachics' little girls' party tomorrow, hopefully not too hung over!

Trying to stay strong

2005-08-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine has lung cancer. She recently began her radiation and chemotherapy treatments at the MD Anderson Cancer Center here in Houston, TX. It's so difficult to see such a strong and overall healthy person, diminish into what they used to be. Her spirit, her laugh, her smile, and her will to live, are all still there - but her strenght is giving away. She offered me a muffin today, and if this had been any other day - she would have swallowed that muffin whole. The way she was sitting in front of her computer today, it was as if the computer was working on her, instead of the other way around. She's trying so hard to not be cranky and moody, that it feels to me that she's really just letting go. It really pisses me off when bad things happen to WONDERFUL people; especially wonderful people that I happen to love.

She has showed me a whole new way of looking at life - without us knowing that she would have to take her own advice soon after.
This person has helped me out when I thought no one could. She has lifted my spirits with such small gestures, and I can't even seem to bring myself up to talk to her about her disease. I don't know what to say except "I'm sorry," and to me that's so useless - it's a useless waste of two words. Yes, I am sorry for what she's going through. I feel like if I tell her "I'm sorry," I really have no words to tell her. I really feel like saying, "you know, it sucks that you're sick" and "it sucks that to make you healthy again, you have to feel like shit for a few months." How insensitive is that? I'm angry, I'm sad, and most of all, I am sorry - but, I can't tell her this, can I?

2005-08-02T20:51:00.000-07:00

This is my babies and I at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cookoff 2005.

2005-08-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Saret and I, on her birthday at some Mexican restaurant off of Westheimer. The food wasn't half bad, I was just happy to be spending the day with one of my favorite people. This picture was taken Friday, March 11. Since then, she's given birth to a beautiful baby boy - Let's call him A.J. He is such a breath of fresh air amongst the nastyness going on in this world.

Trying something out here...

2005-08-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

Who knows what I really was thinking about when I took this picture. When I was younger, I used to always hear what a great model I would be because of my height and all. Well, I guess you can say that in this picture, I was tipsy, and seriously thinking about Cindy Crawford...now if I could only have the mole in the right spot, instead of underneath my bottom lip.. LOL!

I don't know what's going on here

2005-08-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

I act like I've never used Blogger before. It was my first means of public speaking. 4 years does a lot to someone, and to a service obviously. I'm still learning my way around, so just be patient with me, please.

Ha ha ha...yes, I'm here

2005-08-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, so like I'm here. Playing around and making someone else do something for ME for once.