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** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Hi, I'm Elle. I'm based in Auckland, New Zealand. I'm the mother of two young adults, the wife of an entrepreneurial gamer and the Queen of Unfinished Projects. This blog will contain poems, short stories, possibly photos and book reviews if you're lucky, and my thoughts on a variety of topics. Hope you enjoy it. |
 "Beauregard and the Beast (Dreamspun Desires Book 88)"  I’ve included the details for Evie Drae’s Release Week Giveaway at the bottom! You can win a personalised signed copy of the book, a $100 Amazon gift card and some author swag. Read on! Adam Littrell is an MMA fighter who has earned the nickname The Beast and he’s known for being surly and never so much as even smiling for his fans. Bo Wilkins is his new live-in personal assistant. I really liked both characters. I loved the singing and the creative non-swearing, in particular. As he bent to pick up the throw pillows they’d tossed off the couch, he belted out the opening lyrics of “Hot Patootie, Bless My Soul” from Rocky Horror. Complete with Meat Loaf’s high-pitched hoot at the beginning. Bo’s head materialized around the corner like a prairie dog popping out of its hole. His hands covered his ears. “You promised.” From the blurb, I was expecting the conflict to arising from Adam’s difficult nature, and the fact that he can’t be distracted in the lead-up to defending his championship title. Still, despite the confusion muddling his ability to think, he knew Bo was right. They had a professional relationship that couldn’t be tainted by all the dirty, sexy things he wanted to do to Bo. To do with Bo. Hell, they couldn’t even do the un-sexy things his brain kept conjuring up. Like having Sunday brunch and laughing as they reminisced over their adventures the night before. Or curling up on the couch and reading together. Or snuggling in each other’s arms for an afternoon nap. The distraction issue was hinted at for a while, but eventually it seemed that Adam just wasn’t that worried about it. In regards to Adam’s personality, apparently that’s a ‘public persona’ that his father created for him, and the real Adam is sweet, silly and thoughtful. That kind of sets the scene for the whole book. Bo and Adam are both lovely guys. Really sweet. The whole book is kind of sweet. With a really nice level of humour. “Bo, I know we’re not at the ‘I’ll help you hide the body’ stage of our relationship, but have we at least reached ‘feign ignorance’?” Adam grunted when Kyle bucked beneath him. He repositioned so his body covered Kyle’s, did some sort of scissor-kick with his legs, and three seconds later, Kyle was on his stomach with both arms trapped behind his back. “Because there’s a distinct possibility I’m gonna murder this son of a bitch.” Hearing Adam insinuate they were at any stage of a relationship sent a giddy wave through Bo’s belly. He grinned. “My loyalties are with you, boss. Just tell me where to find the shovel.” The author’s style was very easy to read. Overall, it was the kind of sweet, easy read that makes a great holiday read. Personally, I wanted a bit more conflict, but I’m happy to recommend this for those who like a lighter read. Now, I promised you a giveaway, didn’t I? To celebrate the release of Beauregard and the Beast, author Evie Drae is giving away a personalised signed copy of Beauregard and the Beast, a $100 Amazon Gift Card, and an assortment of author swag to the grand prize winner. The runner-up will receive a personalised signed copy of Beauregard and the Beast and an assortment of author swag. You have until 26th August to enter, with winners being announced on August 27th. You can enter here: https://promosimple.com/ps/e886/b. Good luck! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. |
| Make a list of five things you wish you could be a master of. Be sure to explain why you chose what you did. ~ "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" Singing. I love to sing, but I suck at it. I'd love to be able to sing along to the radio or warble a little tune whenever, without worrying about damaging the ears of the people around me. Okay, I'm not really ear-damagingly bad, but I'm not good either. I don't tend to sing in front of anyone except family. It'd be cool to be able to sing along with my dad too. None of his daughters can sing. I'd love to be able to do karaoke too. I was a huge Singstar fan, because it was basically karaoke in the privacy of my own home where I couldn't embarrass myself.  Sign language. I've always wanted to learn another language, and sign language in particular. I actually think it should be taught in schools. I definitely think that when children are given an option to learn a language in high school, sign language should be available at a choice. It never is. I had a choice of Japanese (which I took), French or something else. I can't remember what the third option was. Spanish? I dunno. My kids had the choice of German (which Jayden took), Japanese (which Caitie is taking), Maori and Spanish. New Zealand has three official languages - English, Maori and sign language. Why the fuck isn't sign language an option for kids to learn at school? It fucking sucks. heyxie  signed us both up for sign language classes when I was pregnant with Jayden, but unfortunately I got a job that was on at the same time as the classes and I couldn't afford to turn down the job.  She did the course by herself, and she couldn't even get the cost of mine refunded. It sucked assballs. I can sign my first name, and that's it. But yeah, would love to master this. I should really take some lessons. Why the fuck not?Hey, does anyone know why English speaking countries don't use the same sign language?  That seems insane. If I learn New Zealand Sign Language, I can't communicate with deaf Americans. I might be able to scrape by with British or Australian deaf people, but even they speak a different sign language. Why isn't there one international sign language? It seems like there was a major opportunity missed there...I feel like 'time management' or 'money management' should be skills I want to master. They're certainly skills I need to master. I mean, let's face it, those are the two skills that would make the most difference in my life. Followed by the skill of parallel parking. But ugh. There are funner things out there.  Guitar. As a child/teen, I learned the piano, the guitar and the flute. I particularly liked playing the flute, and it's such a pretty sounding instrument when played well. [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] I owned a tin whistle too, which my dad bought me.  I think it was at a folk music festival we went to. I don't know what happened to it. It might be in my flute case. Anyway, as much as I like the flute and and the tin whistle, they're not very social instruments. Well, the tin whistle might be in Ireland, but not here. Jethro Tull got away with playing the flute in rock songs, but... Anyway, I grew up with my dad playing guitar. He'd take it everywhere, and we'd end up at all these social gatherings, with everyone sitting in a circle listening to Dad play or singing along with him. I know that's kind of a 'growing up in the rural countryside' thing, and it's not the same in the city, but it still kind of is. If someone can play guitar at a backyard barbecue, it changes the whole dynamic. If you're interested, I can play three chords on a guitar - A, D and G.  Also, we have two child-sized guitars in this house (neither of which are in tune), and I will one day inherit my dad's 1963 Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean guitar.  Dancing. This comes under the same heading as singing. I love to dance. I'm forever dragging Steve up on a dance floor to dance with me. Or I'll dance with my kids or random strangers, or by myself, whatever. But I suck at dancing, even worse than I suck at singing. I shuffle from foot to foot. I know, you're probably thinking 'If all you do is shuffle from foot to foot, I don't get why you love it.' Me either, but I do. I'd love to be able to dance properly. Not ballroom dance or ceroc (both of which I've had lessons in at one time or another) but just grooving down on the dance floor. That'd be awesome. I actually struggled for a fifth skill after eliminating time management, money management and parallel parking. I considered writing and poetry skills, photography skills and wine appreciation skills, but I kind of like learning those and I'm not sure I'd want to skip the fun of learning and shoot straight to mastering them. Recognising birds by sight and song. As someone who loves bird photography, it'd be awesome to be able to recognise them all on sight. I can do the common ones, but it'd be cool to be able to be able to identify them all easily. And I love listening to birds, but can't identify many other than the tui and fantail by sound. There you go! What skills would you like to learn? |
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