Black 'n' Gold Girl's Book Spot

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! The official start to the NFL football season is almost upon us and the start of the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp today has me pumped!! I love my Steelers , as you can tell from the title of my blog, and was thrilled when the Steelers extended Tight End Heath Miller's contract for 5 more years. He's my favorite player on the team hence the "83" in my blog address ( soooo happy he didn't leave so I didn't have to change that number LOL )! I always seem to gravitate towards the players who get the job done but aren't necessarily the most recognized players on the team (kinda like the underdog hero in books). To me football is about playing your heart out NOT running your mouth off or trying to get recognized. I think Heath is such a good example of a great player, and is someone I wouldn't mind my brother looking up to. What's your favorite sport? What do you think of sports "heroes" today? Are there any worth l...

Tour de Force by Elizabeth White Zondervan Publishing May 2009 336 pages I agreed to review this book for Blog Tour Spot but since the original tour date didn't work out I'm posting a review today. To read more about Elizabeth's book, Tour de Force and where to purchase it check out this post with all the links! http://steelergirl83.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-tour-june-15-19-tour-de-force-by.html Tour de Force is the story of Gillian Kincaide, a ballet dancer with Ballet New York and Jacob Ferrar, the director of the Birmingham Ballet Theatre. As they get to know one another by Gilly agreeing to participate in Jacob's Christian ballet, they both discover things about themselves and they find each other becoming more than friends. A tragic accident threatens their budding relationship and force each one to face what God's plans for their lives. Over all I thought this was an excellent story. At first I was a little afraid that I wouldn't understand all the balle...

My Friend Amy says this: I always think there's a lack of books that are genuinely funny, that make me laugh through the book. It's probably why I so enjoy chick lit. But Christian chick lit lacks that light natural feeling humor and so there aren't many books (apart from Josey and Theodora!) that make me laugh. My Friend Amy asks: Are there some good Christian fiction books that made you laugh out loud and just feel really good about life? My Response: I absolutely love Mary Connealy's Lassoed in Texas series. They always make me chuckle. Since most of the heroines/heroes have children, the mischief that they get into is hilarious. For example, in Book 2 Calico Canyon , the Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse aka Abraham, Isaac, Mark, Luke, and John Reeves put a snake in teachers desk and the results are hilarious...let's just say good ole teach loses her cool and her skirt! This is just one example of the humor that is in each of Mary's books. I have yet to read h...

Michelle Rowen Lady and the Vamp (Immortality Bites, Book 3) Warner Forever April 2008 368 pages If you've been following my blog at all you will know that I've been reading the Immortality Bites series by Michelle Rowen. This series is a paranormal romance collection that is reminiscent of the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I really love this series mainly because I like the main characters Sarah and her boyfriend Thierry . However Lady and the Vamp is the story of Quinn, former vampire hunter and Janie, the assassin of the supernatural with nary a mention of Sarah and her BF. Quinn is in search of the Eye an ancient device that can grant one wish to the person who discovers it, with hopes of becoming human again. Little does he know that Janie, sister to a former vampire hunter acquaintance of his, is also after the Eye with orders to destroy Quinn and all who stand in the way of retrieval of the Eye. What happens in between is sure to please those w...

Menu For Romance ( Book 2 in the Brides of Bonneterre series ) by Kaye Dacus 2009 Barbour Publishing 317 pages I haven't had to buy any of Kaye Dacus's books since I've either won copies or mooched copies from Bookmooch but I will definitely go buy her next release A Case For Love if I'm not fortunate enough to win it. I LOVE her books! Menu for Romance released in July through Barbour publishers is the story of 30 something party planner, Meredith Guidry and her long time friend, Chef Major O'Hara. The problem between the two, is both feel more than friendship towards each other but are afraid to express their feelings. Thrown into the mix is a hunky contractor who may just be perfect for Meredith and Major's worst nightmare. I finished this book in two sittings. I loved all the imagery in the book, I especially loved all the kitchen scenes that made me feel like I was actually there and could taste the prime rib. Wheeew and the relationship between Mere and...

I thought I was going away this weekend but those plans fell through so I was able to watch the second half of Lost in Austen **sigh** it was a gooood weekend ;-) So from that sentence alone you can tell how much I LOVE this movie! Just a warning though, if you aren't open to messing with the story line of Pride and Prejudice you probably won't like the movie at all! This is the best romantic comedy I've seen in a long time. The second half has some VERY unexpected twists and I was getting a little worried at the the end but everything worked out like I wanted. Let's just say I NEVER would have thought to hear the words "Tinky Winky" uttered by Mr. Darcy. If you want to laugh out loud this is DEFINITELY a great movie to watch. If you haven't read Pride and Prejudice (gasp!!!!!) you probably won't get the humor at all. So if you haven't read P&P go read it, then relax and enjoy this great twist on the story!

I finally caved and joined the millions of people who Tweet (is that the correct terminology ... idk ). I'm still getting the hang of it, it usually takes me a month or too to get used to these types of things! Look for my Twitter updates on my blog on the bottom right! I'd love to get a tweet from you!

Hi everyone, if you would like a chance to win a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies please visit this site!!! http://suko95.blogspot.com/2009/07/free-zombies.html

Lost in Austen Part I Okay I'm totally doing everything backwards for the Everything Austen Challenge . I was going to start it off by reading Pride and Prejudice but was in the mood for a movie last night so I watched part 1 of Lost in Austen (I REALLY need to get my own copy)!!! Seriously I just love this movie, I've probably watched it 3x in as many weeks...I know, I have NO life...they should have cast me in the movie as Miss Price. :-P I think we all have dreamt at one point or another what it would be like to meet the characters from Pride and Prejudice (for us girls it was probably Bingham or Darcy) and this movie shows what it might have been like! I have to say though that Mr. Darcy was a TOTAL... snob! More than I ever pictured him to be! The sisters Jane, Kitty, Lydia, and Mary were just as I always pictured them. The mother was more neurotic and annoying than I ever imagined her and poor Mr. Bennet...I felt soooo sorry for him. He was great though, I loved his rat...

Okay I'm a l ittle late to catch on to everything...but I'm finally posting for this awesome Everything Austen Challenge ! I love Jane Austen so it's not going to be a "challenge" for me! Since I haven't read Pride and Prejudice yet this year (I know shocking!!!!) I am definitely making that a part of the challenge! So here's my list of what I'm doing for my part of the challenge! 1. Reread Pride and Prejudice 2. Watch Persuasion (1995 version) 3. Watch Persuasion (2007 version) 4. Watch Pride and Prejudice (1995 version) 5. Watch Lost in Austen...again...but this time write a review!!! 6. Read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies...and hopefully LOL !!! So check back for the next six months and see what I have to say about each of the challenges!

Michelle Rowen Fanged and Fabulous (Immortality Bites, Book 2) 2007 Warner Forever 368 pages Okay so I have a terrible habit when it comes to getting books in the mail, I want to start reading immediately sooo the result of this habit is that I have about 10 books that I'm 5 chapters into! Well today I received Fanged and Fabulous by Michelle Rowen in the mail and I started it...and I'm proud to say I finished it! Fanged and Fabulous is the continuing story ( Bitten and Smitten Book 1 review here ) of newly turned vampire, Sarah Dearly and her 600 year old boyfriend Thierry de Bennicoeur . Since the gossip flies around the club, Haven and throughout the streets of the city Sarah is mistakenly identified as the "slayer of slayers" which causes nothing but problems. She has to deal with both hunters and vampires who want to prove they can catch this tough vampire chick while also trying to find out what her BF's affections really are. Once again Michelle Rowen h...

My Friend Amy asks: What's your favorite Christian fiction book so far this year? My response: Well seeing as Christian fiction is pretty much all I read, I have a lot of favorites but so far this year my favorite has to be A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman ( my review ). I really enjoyed her entire Daughters of Boston series. They are very entertaining with good faith messages as well as TONS of romance and drama! Lizzie was one of my favorite characters (probably because she reminded me of myself a bit) and Brady was one of my favorite heroes...there's nothing like the strong, silent, type to grab a readers attention! I'm really looking forward to reading what Julie writes about next. Please stop by My Friend Amy's blog to see her favorite book as well as other bloggers favorites today!

Ruth Axtell Morren A Man Most Worthy 2008 Steeple Hill 279 pages I haven't read a Love Inspired book for a while so since this week I was a bit short on reading time I decided it was time to read and review one on here. I've read all of Ruth Axtell Morren's books so far and I really have enjoyed each and every one of them. I think she is one of my favorite authors for both the Steeple Hill Love Inspired line and their Women's fiction line. A Man Most Worthy is the story of wealthy, young heiress, Alice Shepard and a not so well to do clerk, Nicholas Tennant who are separated by unfortunate circumstances and are reunited many years later. Alice has to choose to risk her heart again and Nicholas has decide to leave the past behind him. I really liked this story because I got to know the characters when they were very young and then saw what changed them as they grew older. Plus, I always like the stories where the hero grows up and says "I'll show you,...

MaryLu Tyndall The Red Siren: Charles Towne Belles , Book 1 Barbour Publishing 2008 318 pages If you're looking for a Christian romances that are a bit different from the usual, MaryLu Tyndall's books may be the romances to read. She writes terrific pirate love stories and a few of her books even have female swashbucklers...I know...gasp!!!! Her 5th book, The Red Siren is another great story that involves a fiery, red-headed lady pirate, Faith Westcott and a dashing sea captain, Dajon Waite (who can resist a man in uniform...not me)! I can't wait to see what happens to Faith and her sisters in the next book, The Blue Enchantress , which will be released around July 2009. MaryLu does such a wonderful job of describing the sights, sounds, and smells associated with sea and life in a port in The Red Siren , that I almost felt like i was there...it helps if you just come back from vacation and are missing the ocean like I am! :-P Faith is such a strong heroine but I couldn...

Anna Godbersen: The Luxe HarperTeen 2007 433 pages Rumors HarperTeen 2008 423 pages Envy HarperTeen 2009 405 pages Okay, it's official, I have another new favorite author to add to my list...Anna Godbersen. Her historical series, The Luxe is awesome! Since I love history and drama, when I read about these books and saw the beautiful covers I knew I HAD to have them! The first book in the series, The Luxe , published 2007 was so terrific I didn't hesitate to pick up Rumors when I had the chance and was nervously anticipating the release of Book 3, Envy . Thanks to my friend Rachel I was able to get a copy sooner than expected. Since I finished all three books prior to starting up this blog, I never had the chance to post a review until now (I just re-read The Luxe and realized I didn't review it yet). Since I love the entire series so far (book 4, Splendor will be released late...

As you may know last month I went on vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. While there I visited three light houses, the lights at Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras, and Ocracoke Island. The houses at Bodie Island and Ocracoke were closed to visitors who wanted to climb them but the tallest house, Cape Hatteras was open to those brave enough to make the climb! Let me just say I didn't realize I was afraid of heights until I climbed the light and took pictures of the view from the top! The wind was gusting to 15-20 mph and at 200 feet up it's NOT fun! The climb inside the lighthouse was a piece of cake even though it's equivalent to climbing the stairs in a 12 story building, that didn't phase me. But after my legs became shaky from walking around the top of the outside of the light, the climb down was a different story. It didn't help that I had fallen down 3 steps the previous day at the changing station at the beach and was REALLY thinking about what it wou...

Marked: A House of Night Novel P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast St. Martin's Griffin 2007 306 pages ISBN: 9780312360269 This may come as a shock to you but I read yet another vampire novel today...and I loved it, another shock right??!! The author's, P.C. and Kristin Cast are a mother/daughter writing team of the House of Night vampire series that was released in 2007 with the latest book, Hunted released earlier this year. Marked, the first book in the House of Night series is the story of fledgling vampire Zoey Redbird and her transition from human to vampyre and the friends and enemies that she meets along the way. The House of Night is the high school for vampires. I really enjoyed the totally different take on how humans become vampires and all of the angst that comes with being a teenager and a vampire. Not to mention the totally hot vampire Erik! I totally loved how some of the most famous people like Kenny Chesney and Hugh Jackman were vampires... hahaha I can definitely ...