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25.4.14

Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2; Demonica #7) by Larissa Ione book review

Hello & welcome!
I hope you all enjoyed your Easter Sunday & if you don't celebrate Easter then I hope you enjoyed your Sunday nonetheless.
As previously promised, this post will be featuring a book review of Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2; Demonica #7) by Larissa Ione. 

**Spoiler Alert: This review may contain references to previous books in the series. For a review on the first book in the series, Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #1; Demonica #6), click here.



So, for those of you who don't know me too well yet, I should let you in on a little secret. You see.. I can be a bit obsessive/compulsive/passionate... about certain things. In this case, we're talking about this series. The second I finished Eternal Rider, I went on BN.com to purchase the second book in this series for my nook ereader. No, I'm not getting paid to say this but my love for quick and convenient access to awesome books is a powerful thing... which has the tendency to evolve into free marketing.

Here is the synopsis you can find on the back cover of the book:

Sexy, powerful, and immortal, Limos is on a crash course with destiny. She’s been marked as Satan’s bride and her jealous fiancĂ© wants her all to himself. The only way this Horseman can keep herself—and everyone else—safe is to keep her distance. But not even Limos can save herself from the secrets she’s kept . . . or resist the seductive allure of one very brave human.
Arik Wagner knows the saying “love hurts” better than most, yet he never thought stealing a kiss from Limos would land him in Hell. Literally. It takes all his military training to survive the demon torture, but once he’s topside, Arik realizes that the agony has just begun. With the Apocalypse looming and Satan demanding his bride, will Arik and Limos surrender to the desire smoldering between them? Or will giving in to their passion unleash hell on earth?

This book starts up right where the first one left off - the four Horsemen (or three Horsemen and Horsewoman) of the Apocalypse are fighting against a prophecy (and time) to prevent their seals from breaking. Really, I mean the Horsemen except for Reseph (aka Pestilence) whose seal has already been broken and is wreaking havoc on all of mankind (and maybe demonkind as well).
In this book, we watch Limos struggle to separate her past from her present and of course, it catches up with her. With Arik around, she is constantly reminded and tormented by her previous choices in life and how they will not just affect her, but those she has come to love as well... most presently, Arik and her brothers.
So basically, this book is full of non-stop drama and holy hell is this full of sexual tension! Like the back cover mentions, Limos is betrothed to Satan and you can only guess how ecstatic he is when Arik tries to lay his moves on Limos (yes I definitely said, "lay his moves" - insert hash-tag 90s kid here). Aside from the torture Arik is put through for simply "stealing a kiss", there is a bit more that prevents Arik and Limos from finishing where that kiss left off upon his arrival back from hell and guys, the wait is more than worth it.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, recommend it, and have just finished reading the third installment in this series, Lethal Rider, Thanatos' story... mostly.

If you like Paranormal Romance or simply hot demons with morals, definitely pick this book up because you will fall in love.


Basic info about this book:

Name: Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2; Demonica #7)
Author: Larissa Ione
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Rating (out of 5): 4.0
Sexual Content: Graphic Sex

Recommend? Yes! But at least start with Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #1; Demonica #6) by Larissa Ione. Book Review here.

Where it can be purchased:

Author's website: larissaione.com/blog/

Alright ladies and gentlemen, I hope you enjoyed this book review! I am working to review a bit more and post the reviews at minimum 1-2 times a week and I should also be throwing in a family Flan Recipe shortly ;)

Hope everyone has had a great week & stays safe this weekend!

Here is where you can find me on the interwebz:

Until next time, I'll leave you with a little True Blood goodness from the first clip tease HBO released for the seventh and final season below... enjoy!




18.4.14

Mid April Updates & Book Lover Swag

Hello there & welcome in!
I hope everyone's April is going well so far! Spring has sprung as "they" say (who are they, anyway?) and even though it's hot as summer in Florida, I hope you northerners are joyous about the warmer weather.
In my previous post, I had mentioned writing a blog post with updates on everything going on lately as well as promising another book review. While the book review will be up somewhere between Sunday and Tuesday of this upcoming week on Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2; Demonica #7) where you can find information on Goodreads about here, this post will be filled to the brim with updates.

Before I [officially] start with my updates, I would like to throw in a quick food favorite:
This Ben & Jerry's new "Core" Ice Cream in Hazed & Confused is absolutely amazing. It's like you're eating Nutella ice cream... but better! In case you can't read the writing well in the picture, this ice cream includes Chocolate & Hazelnut Ice Creams with Fudge Chips & a Hazelnut Fudge Core - Delicious!

Well, update numero uno is... I am currently a co-moderator over on Goodreads with a group called, "Paranormal Addicts & Newbies (link here). This makes me so happy! One of my goals for 2014 was the put myself out there and really connect with fellow readers and writers. So far, not very much progress has been made, but this is progress nonetheless. Please be sure to scoot on over to this lovely group on Goodreads where we are already working on making many changes to enhance the group experience for members who are readers (and writers) just like us.
For anyone out there curious enough, I used to be an English Lit. major before I switched over to Culinary. Thinking back on it now, I am not sure why I stopped mid-degree to pursue Culinary but if all goes well, I will be starting classes in the fall for continuing my education and hopefully attaining my Bachelors of Arts in English Literature (joy!).

2nd, I am proud to say that I will be attending the RT Booklovers Convention 2014 in New Orleans, LA. 

For anyone unaware of the awesomeness that is RTCon14, it is basically a week-long convention where readers, writers, authors, bloggers, editors, publishers, booksellers and anyone else involved in the book publishing industry unite to talk about what they love most - books! Here is a link to their website: https://www.rtconvention.com/. I will be attending from Monday, May 12 through Sunday, May 18. 
If you will not be able to attend, I would still recommend going to the GIANT Book Fair on Saturday May 17 which opens to the public at 11am. Here is a complete list of all of the 700+ authors attending which includes 100 Young Adult authors and more than 30 New Adult authors as well. 
And if you cannot attend the Giant Book Fair, I will be bringing back some swag from the convention to give away here on my blog! Cannot wait :) But I still hope to see you there!

&&&... just a quick personal update - things are pretty good here in Orlando; work is starting to slow down a bit and we are all finally able to get the sleep we have been craving since January.

Hope everyone stays safe & has fun this Sunday as well - Happy Easter!
You can thank Google images for this picture. I think it's so cute & original with all of the chalk drawings on the eggs!



6.4.14

A little nonsensical blogging & Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione (Lords of Deliverance #1; Demonica #6) Book Review

Hello all & welcome to my blog!

I think that a month is long enough to wait to make a new post, don't you think?
It's been a bit busy here in Orlando what with all of the conventions and what feels like endless working hours but alas, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.. for this month, at least.
I was going to make this blog post chock-full of updates and favorites and what not but I know it's time for a book review.

I would, however, like to point out the the name of my blog has changed from "Jannelle in Wonderland" to "Jannelle Reads". This is mostly because I feel like the focus on this blog will be the books I'm reading/loving and then every once in a while I'll throw in a recipe post. I cook for a living... so naturally I'm going to come home and think, "eff this; I'm not cooking"... or something along those lines. :) Though I do love baking and I don't get to do enough of that at work so baking goodness is probably what you will be able to catch on this lovely blog.

Now, about that book review...

So when I write up my book reviews, I like to write them fresh. That is to say that while the book is still [fresh] in my mind, I like to review it. Once I start reading another book (be it within the same series or otherwise) my mind gets a bit fuzzy... maybe more caffeine would help with that.

Now, the reason I'm saying this is because I might have promised a book review of either Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (The Arcana Chronicles #1) or The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (Blood of Eden #1) and yeah, neither of those will be reviewed in this blog post (sorry?).

If you would like to see my ratings of those books, head on over to my goodreads profile to check it out here.


While you might be able to get away with reading this book on its lonesome and then continuing the series from here, I wouldn't recommend it. This book can be viewed as either number 6 in the Demonica series starting with Pleasure Unbound (Demonica #1) by Larissa Ione or as the first book in the Lords of Deliverance series also by Larissa Ione.

Here is the synopsis you can find on the back cover of the book:

They are here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him. 

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

This book follows two people - Ares (aka War & one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) and Cara, a human with a special gift that allows her to heal animals.
At the beginning of the novel, we find out that Reseph (aka Pestilence and another of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) has had his seal broken. This means that he has turned over to his demon nature and is spreading sickness and plagues around the world while the rest of his siblings are waiting around, worrying about when their seals will break and bring hell on earth (because yeah, that would not be a good thing for humankind). 
In his plot for an impending Apocalypse, Reseph focuses on Ares' seal which involves destroying his agimortus (basically, the thing/person responsible for a seal breaking).
As fate would have it, Cara ends up being Ares' agimortus and has to be guarded since her death can bring on the Apocalypse. Did I also mention that since Cara is a human, the weight of being an agimortus can kill her? In days? Well yeah... It gets real interesting real quick.
If you didn't think that was enough tension, add some of the sexual kind and a brother who is hell-bent on turning you into the evil version of yourself and we have ourselves one heck of a rollercoaster ride in book form.

Like all of her other books, I seriously enjoyed reading Eternal Rider. It has enough action, paranormal intrigue, and enough sexual tension to keep you flipping the pages and aching for the next book in the series (which I purchased promptly after finishing this one).
If you're a fan of Paranormal Romance, definitely give this one a go and don't forget to start it from the beginning with Pleasure Unbound.

Basic info about this book:

Name: Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #1, Demonica #6)
Author: Larissa Ione
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Rating (out of 5): 4.0
Sexual Content: Graphic Sex

Recommend? Yes, but would start with the first Demonica book

Where it can be purchased:

Author/s website: larissaione.com/blog/

So, that's it! Hope you enjoyed my blog post & I will*** be posting up a review soon with the following book in the Lords of Deliverance series, Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2, Demonica #7).

Also, completely unrelated to this book review, I have been obsessed with Frozen's Love is an Open Door. So here it is... you're welcome?

Last but not least, here is where you can find me on the interwebz:
Tumblr: http://jannelleinwonderland.tumblr.com/

Enjoy your night, happy reading, & happy April!

7.3.14

Updates, Semi Book Reviews, and Divas

Well hello there everyone!
Happy International Women's Day & Happy March!
Photo uploaded from my instagram: jannelleinwonderland

I've been meaning to update... really I have.
But I've been sick and trying to make it to work but falling short since I've been sent home twice in the last three days. Bummer.
Anywho! Since my last post, I've been up to some reading and in case you don't follow me on goodreads, here they are (I'll be sure to link them to their corresponding goodreads site):


Funnily enough, 3 of these 5 books are series starters, 1 is the final book in the series and the final one is a continuation within the same series listed above.... Maybe I like immersing myself in a series.. or 2.

I'll be uploading a post within the next week (I'm thinking Monday) with a book review on either Poison Princess or The Immortal Rules as I am currently reading The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa.

I will say that the book I might have liked most was Up From the Grave by Jeaniene Frost. It could be that since it was the last book in the series and I had been waiting -what felt like - forever for it that the "build up" helped. Or it could just be that it was a great book full of everything we have come to love about the series - certain characters and unexpected plot twists - and then ended gracefully. 
I should also add that series finale's for me are kind of love/hate since it's usually one I have been following for a couple of years or so (if I started from the first book's release). I want to know what happens next and at the same time don't want it to end.
This usually involves me buying a book on its release date and avoiding reading it for a month... or 5.

I try to avoid book reviews on any books I have been waiting for (unpatiently might I add)  just to make sure it doesn't influence any thoughts while reading and afterwards but I couldn't help it with this one! The ladies over at Vampire Book Club (VBC) have a great review of it that I wholeheartedly agree with here: VBC's review of Up From the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
They are also who I follow for book recommendations!

Moving along, I thought I should update you all on the Divas del Azucar premiere on MTV tr3s.
Photo uploaded from my instagram: jannelleinwonderland
For those of you unaware, the premiere of this fabulous TV show airs on MTV tr3s at 9 PM on Tuesday, March 11th! I am so proud to be a part of such a fantastic experience involving some amazingly wonderful women and their equally beautiful and out of this world cake creations. 
Avoiding any emotional blogging, I would just like to say how much I love them and am in awe of their hard work, dedication, passion, and love they pour into their work every day.
Now, that being said, go check out their new show! You will not want to miss this world premiere spectacular event.

I hope March treats you well and is full of many new, exciting experiences.
Feeling the love, I would like to leave you all off with this song that makes me feel full of just that - love.

See you soon!



17.2.14

Madelines Conquered: The Hermès Madeline

Hello & Happy Monday!
Can anyone else believe that we're halfway through with February & almost two months into 2014?
OK.. so maybe it's not that big of a deal but to me it still feels as if time is flying by. I have spent it working, reading, cooking, and working a little more.. well, haven't we all?
Anywho, I thought I would get started with my first recipe post of the year (and you know.. ever) so let's get started.
Uploaded from my IG: jannelleinwonderland
I'm a big fan of these French delights and have been meaning to bake them for a while. I even went ahead and purchased a Madeline mold pan that I came across with full intention of using it right away. And while it took me about a year to use, I finally decided to put my specialized pan to good use when I came across this recipe in Cherry Bombe Magazine's Issue No. 2. 
I really think it's a great and simple recipe that both beginners and culinary professionals can cook alike. The only crux here would be that you kind of need this specialized mold pan to transport this simple cookie recipe into a Madeline. 

The Hermès Madeline
Adapted from Cherry Bombe Magazine Issue No. 2 (links below)
Yield: 24 large Madelines

Batter
2 large eggs
150 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
zest of 1 medium lemon (scrubbed/cleaned well)
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour

Beat the eggs and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and worked into the eggs.
Then, add in the ingredients in order as listed above, mixing the ingredients completely into the batter before adding in the next one.
Once all of the ingredients are completely incorporated into the batter, it is recommended to let the batter sit, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
Now, I don't know about you, but I am too impatient to wait so long for these lovely Madelines so I waited a maximum of two and a half hours and they were (I'm assuming) just as delicious!
By the time you've waited all you can, preheat your oven to 390 F for 20 minutes to make sure it has reached our desired temperature.
Fill your molds 2/3 of the way full and bake them for 15 minutes and voila! Yum.

These were my first batch attempts before placing them to bake in the oven
Now, I found that at 12 minutes my Madelines were a bit toasty so I decided to take them out ahead of time. 
For my second batch, I lowered the temperature to 375 F (assuming that my over was a bit powerful) and baked it for 10 minutes. And I will say that this gave me a more desired light golden brown finish on my Madelines than my first batch.

Really, all of this depends on your oven strength. I would recommend preheating your oven for 390 F and just checking it after 8 minutes (since that is roughly the halfway point) and then adjusting the time right after (maybe checking it every 2-3 minutes after the 8 minute mark).

Where can you purchase this magazine? 

Cherry Bombe online:

Hope you enjoyed my first recipe adaptation and be sure to let me know if you attempt it by tagging me and/or Cherry Bombe online! Here is where you can find me:
Tumblr: http://jannelleinwonderland.tumblr.com/

Also, to make sure I leave you with a bang, here is the trailer preview of the commercial promoting Las Divas del Azucar where yours truly will be making some appearances.
Trailer - I tried to place the video in the blog post but that's not going to happen today, apparently, so here's the link! :)
You can also follow the divas online here:
And please be sure to tune in March 11 at 9 PM eastern on MTV tr3s!.

Good night & good luck!



2.2.14

January Favorites - Lifestyle Blog Post

Hello & Happy second day of February!
For all who celebrate the Lunar New Year... Happy New Year!
For any Wiccans out there... Merry Imbolc!
And finally, if you think Superbowl Sunday merits a shout out then... Happy Superbowl Sunday!

Since I have been out of the loop for a bit, I decided to write up a favorites post for January. Now, maybe it's a bit of a cop-out but this blog is supposed to be about the things I love! So, I'm thinking these monthly-ish favorites will be a good thing. :)

First thing's first...
I have a new favorite restaurant in Orlando! Believe it or not, it's located inside the Disney Animal Kingdom resort and it's called Sanaa: Sanaa Restaurant Link
Sanaa is a African/ Indian themed restaurant. They have excellent curry dishes and even vegetarian specialties. Please do yourself a favor and order the "Traditional Bread Service" which includes your choice of 3 Naan breads and a selection of dipping sauces to choose from.
Aside from our Naan appetizer, we also ordered the appetizer sampler for 2 which included Potato and Pea Samosas, Lamb Kefta Sliders, and a choice of Chana Tikki or Seasonal Soup (we chose the Chana Tikki although the seasonal soup was butternut squash soup and I was almost too tempted but my will prevailed in the end).
For the entree, my boyfriend and I decided to share the "choice of 2" to include Butter Chicken and a braised short rib... me oh my was that yummy. I seriously cannot wait to go back!
Below is the picture I took of our uber delicious appetizer... Well, one of them.
Uploaded from my Instagram: jannelleinwonderland
My next favorite "things" of January were these great reading materials..
Darkest Fear by Cate Tiernan | Birthright #1
For a somewhat detailed review on this wonderful novel, click here.
Foodie at heart? This is the magazine for you! Check out the website here.

If you are every curious as to what I am currently reading, you can always check out my goodreads profile here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4516053-jannelle

Numero tr3s!
Now.. this one is special. I promise there's a reason why the number "three" in Spanish was spelled with a number 3 in the middle. :)
The custom cake bakery I used to work at is debuting a new reality series entitled, "Las Divas de la Azucar" and it will be airing on MTV tr3s starting this March! The reason it is on my favorite for January (and say... not March) is because I was sent the video to this just a week or two ago.
For a little preview of what you can expect this upcoming season, click the link below and be sure to watch that video! Click here for an article in pure Spanish and a great video introducing the show

Opened Kit Kat "gift" courtesy of Laura 
When I opened this little gift flown all the way from Japan from my second Mom, Iliana, and her daughter (my second sister). Laura, on their way back from their oriental vacation, I was mentally prepared for the worst.
While I drink green tea on a semi-daily basis, well... I drink it hahaha I'm not eating it! Can I just explain to you how delicious this is? Just a slight bitterness from the green tea and a ridiculously creamy chocolate coating which I am sure is white chocolate... Where can I get these in the states?! This is definitely #4 on my favorites list.

The next itemsss combined are numero cinco on my January Favorites:
It smells delicious! I don't even like food smells for beauty products.

LUSH! If you follow me on IG, you will know I am LUSH crazy and this celestial face moisturizer and the Eau Roma toner have done wonders for my sensitive skin.
Almost done, number six is a quote I stumbled upon on pixiwoos' instagram. How true is this? 
A link to their IG can be found here! instagram.com/pixiwoos
                                      
Finally, I'll end this post with a song for my seventh and final favorite for the month of January.

Say Something by A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera


What were some of your favorites this month?
♥♥♥












11.1.14

Darkest Fear by Cate Tiernan Book Review (Birthright #1)

Hello again!
Before I start, I think it would be a great idea to link you to some of my social media sites:
I'm having technical difficulties adding their badges to the blog but I should be sorting that out within the next week or so. :)


Busy week this week and getting ready to jump into our Orlando busy season at work so I was really lucky to be able to grab this beauty & read it all in one day.

Now, first I should start and say that Cate Tiernan and I have been in a serious relationship for the past 12 years.. yes, that's right. I should also say that she's not very committed to our relationship, but me? Although I do like to refer to her as the Cliffhanger Queen.... and it drives me crazy... I'm dedicated.
Ever since I read her first Sweep series novel, Book of Shadows, I have been an unwavering fan. I love her tone of voice and she does a great job with character development with the help of all of the truly original magickal elements in her books.
Now, she usually writes about witches. With the Sweep series, it was the Irish lineage witches (at least in direct relation to the protagonist), in her Balefire series, we found our witches in New Orleans and in the Immortal Beloved series, our protagonist comes from an ancient line of immortals (not really vampire... think more witch).
This time, however, Ms. Tiernan has moved on from witches and is dabbling in the world of shifters. And, I really shouldn't even say dabbling, she's head deep in the world and she's doing great at it.

Here is the synopsis you can find on the back cover of the book:


Vivi has known the truth about her family—and herself—since she was thirteen. But that doesn’t mean she’s accepted it. Being Haguari isn't something she feels she’ll ever accept. How can she feel like anything but a freak knowing that it’s in her genes to turn into a jaguar?
Now eighteen, Vivi’s ready to break away from the traditions of her heritage. But all of that changes with her parents’ shocking, devastating deaths and the mysteries left behind. Vivi discovers family she never even knew she had, and a life open with possibility. New friends, new loyalties, and even romance all lay ahead—but so do dangers unlike anything Vivi ever could have imagined.

Vivi is a Haguari. Meaning that she can turn into a jaguar, basically... although it's not that simple and it does take her some practice to get used to the shifting. You see, Vivi comes from a long line of Haguari and it seems to be something she has struggled with since the great reveal when she was 13.
On the day of her 18th birthday, both of her parents are murdered and she is left struggling with the realization that it was not accidental and she could be next.
Finding out her parents had a few secrets while sorting out items shortly after their passing, she follows them to get some answers from a family she was unaware of in New Orleans. Along the way, Vivi's lifelong friend, Jennifer, is moving on and going to college while Vivi becomes closer with her new-found cousin, Mateo, who is Haguari as well and has also suffered the lost of both of his parents.
Spending time in New Orleans with Mateo and his Haguari friends really help Vivi start to cope with her parents' passing and the life she is being forced to make for herself without them.

I don't want to say any more because I think anything after this could be considered a spoiler. I will say, though, that Cate Tiernan did a phenomenal job with the start of this series. It is exactly what is to be expected in the first book of a series- introduction to all of the big players, crisis at hand, and an air of mystery that keeps you wanting more. Add to that a massive cliffhanger and now I am just dying for the second book in this series.

 Basic Info about this book:

Name: Darkest Fear (Birthright Series #1)
Author: Cate Tiernan
Genre: Young Adult Romantic Fantasy
Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)
Sexual Content: References to sex, heavy make out scenes.

Recommend? Yes

Where it can be purchased:

Author's website: http://catetiernan.net/

I hope you enjoyed my review! And please be sure to comment below if you have any questions and/or have any recommendations for any books related to this one that you would like to see reviewed.

Also, below is the song I kind of had on repeat while reading Darkest Fear (which fits in with the book pretty well, if I do say so myself.)

Landslide cover by the Dixie Chicks:
Oldie but a goodie :)

Any book you've been into as of late?

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