Love Fang by Susan Blexrud

Publisher: DCL Publications
Pages: 65

From the Cover: A sexy vampire with an infected fang falls in love with his dentist. Dental drills whir and hearts pound as this unlikely pair struggles to find happiness. Will he come to terms with his 500-year-old guilt and grief? Will she trade her fear for a set of fangs?

Dr. Lauren Marsh has had her share to odd patients, but a patient with an infected fang is a new one on her. But, being the night owl that she is, seeing patients after hours works well for her and she has no problem squeezing John Wright into her schedule.  And he turns out to be great, cute, funny, sexy, and just a little quirky, who could resist?

John Wright has no intention of becoming involved with any women, dentist or not, if only his fang would quit throbbing. When his assistant, Doreen, suggests seeing a dentist, he can only imagine the blacksmith he saw a very long time ago. He wants no part of that, it's nothing he wants to repeat.  But upon meeting Dr. Marsh, the tables turn, and maybe it time he becomes part of the world again.

Forced to deal with his throbbing fang, John realizes an immediate attraction to Lauren who turns out to be better than any prescription.  Lauren is immediately struck by his wit, who even remembered blacksmiths were the local dentistry? Together, they seem a perfect match, but dating a human is almost impossible, especially with the attraction John feels for Lauren. A blood exchange is a lifetime commitment. Can Lauren imagine her existence as a vampire? Can John risk his heart to another woman?

Love Fang by Susan Blexrud is a fun short story and a quick read.  It is uniquely told as the old world vampire meets a new world modern woman.  The ever chivalrous John won't force his ever increase magnetism on Lauren and Lauren isn't sure she's ready for a lifetime commitment to a vampire, even if he's a feast for her eyes and makes her body and heart sing.  And it's been a long time between songs.  She didn't even know that vampires really existed and now one wants to claim her as his.  John has been burned before, so before he commits, he has to know it's for a lifetime, and vampires lead exceedingly long lives.  As Lauren realizes that John is part of her life for better or worse, there can only be one answer.  Ms. Blexrud gives a perfect blend of humor, romance, and action in this short story.  Her book released in print form on February 2, 2010, and is now available on various book sites.  I'll be looking to pick up her other short stories.

I received this short story from Ms. Blexrud as a prize in a contest.  All opinion expressed are my own.

Blue Moon, The Immortals, Book 2 by Alyson Noël

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 284


From the Cover:

Alyson’s Noël’s bestselling Immortals series has been hailed as “addictive” “beautiful” “haunting” and “mesmerizing.” In the second installment, Ever can bring her family back from the dead—but only if she’s willing to sacrifice the guy she loves more than life itself.

Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever’s powers are increasing, Damen’s are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen’s past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...

Ever's life can't get much better, well, that's a lie. She's lost her entire family including her dog, Buttercup, but since she can't undo time, her life is the best that it can be. She really misses her bratty kid sister, but Riley has promised to send a sign from the great beyond, and as yet, Ever hasn't heard or seen anything from her. Sometimes, she wishes that Riley had have stayed, but Ever knows in her heart that it was time for Riley to move on. Even the ghost of a little sister was better than none though.

What saves Ever's existence from being a total nightmare is the love of her life, Damen. He's so patient and sweet, he has loved her for more than 400 years, through many lifetimes of heartache and misfortune. He has watched her died over and over again. But with Drina's death, Ever's life can bloom into an immortal existence along with his.

But, what neither knows is that Drina isn't the only rogue immortal who's infected with hatred and an existence beyond the bounds of humanity. When Roman come into their lives, he is bent on destruction. With the loss of his own unrequited love, Drina, he has vowed that Ever and Damen will be cursed to not know the love both have been seeking throughout history.

In one mighty swoop, Roman turns Ever's life into a living hell. All of her friends are no more, Damen can't remember why she was important to him in the first place, and Summerland has become a mysterious place more baffling than it is beautiful. How will Ever make it right? How will she right Roman's insanity?

Blue Moon by Alyson’s Noël is an excellent addition to the Immortal Series. As we learn more about Damen's existence before Ever, the hardship that was his life before the immortal juice and the orphans that surrounded him to Ever's present day, we discover that a person who isn't perfection. It is only after meeting Ever's incarnation that he strives to achieve what he seemingly cannot have, a life with Ever that could be perfection.

In Blue Moon, just as we think we're going to see their happily ever after, disaster strikes. Roman comes into the picture looking for revenge and achieving it. Ever watches as Damen slips further and further away, as he becomes a person that she doesn't know, as he becomes the superficial teen of her nightmares, and still she loves him. And then he becomes so ill, it's all she can try to do to save him and set things right. But in setting things right, she wonders if their love was ever really meant to be, look what's happening to Damen because she made it possible for them to be together. I highly recommend this book for a great YA read, Alyson’s Noël has brought this story to life, making the reader long to fight for what's right, the eternal love of Ever and Damen. I was captivated from page one, and I'm looking forward to Shadowland where their story continues and I hope, grow. Ever has some redeeming to do. This book is the second in the series and I recommend reading them in order as one book picks up from the pages of the last, excellent story telling!

I picked this book up myself eagerly after reading the first, all opinions expressed are my own.

Ash.Elizabeth is having a Kindle Giveaway!

Ash.Elizabeth is having a Kindle Giveaway!  Woohoo!  Who doesn't want a Kindle??  I would love an ereader!!  If you'd like to throw your spoon into the brew, head on over to:  http://tartitude.blogspot.com/2010/01/kindle-giveaway.html   Comment to enter!!  Contests ends 3/15/10.

Winner of Born of Night

Randomizer has spoken and the winner of Born of Night is............elaing8!  Congrats elaing8!!  Send me your name and snail mail addy, and I'll make sure your book goes out in the mail.  If I don't hear from elaing8 in 48 hours, I'll pick another winner.

Thanks to everyone who entered!!

Happy Groundhog Day 2010!!

The Lore of Groundhog Day goes back for hundreds of years, arriving in America with settlers from Germany and France, going back to the Candlemas (the ending of Christmas with the Candle Mass). There is also the legend that Indians settling in the Delaware area believe that life started and ended with animals. Their ancestors would return in the groundhog or wood chuck. And so the legend was born, in one way or another. In the States, the legend says that if the groundhog sees his shadow, that there will be six more weeks of winter. As long as I can remember, the most infamous groundhog in the States is Punxsutawney Phil, has ALWAYS seen his shadow!


From Phil's own news release from Punxsutawney, PA (http://www.punxsutawneyphil.com/ -- he has his own freaking website)

Phil Says Six More Weeks!

Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd, 2010 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob:

Hear Ye Hear Ye Hear Ye

On Gobbler's Knob on this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2010, Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators awoke to the call of President Bill Deeley and greeted his handlers, John Griffiths and Ben Hughes.

After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers, Phil proclaimed, "If you want to know what's next, you must read my text. As the sky shines bright above me, my shadow I see beside me. So six more weeks of winter it will be."


I, personally, like to remember Groundhog Day with Bill Murray's 1993 classic film, "Groundhog Day" where the main character gets to relive Groundhog Day over and over again until he gets it right. Here's a peek at one of my favorites, Groundhog Day.



And some of my favorite scenes!