I would like to say that I don’t watch a lot of television, but that would be a lie.

I DVR everything and play them in the background while I work.

Shows that I can’t do without:

Do you watch Being Human?

Are you a fan of the original British version or the newer US series?

Shows I follow that I think I’m going to drop this season:

Series that I want to see but never got around to yet:

There are a few more shows that I catch when my DVR picks them up. Shows like Eureka, Warehouse 13, In Plain Sight, Royal Pains, Criminal Minds, NCIS, Cougar Town, The Mentalist, Doctor Who, Raising Hope, Teen Wolf, Bedlam, The River.

Yes, I watch way too much television. What about you? What shows do you have to watch? What shows do you want to watch but never got around to it? What shows do you watch more of out habit than wanting to really watch them?

Title: A Touch of Crimson

Author: Sylvia Day

Series: A Renegade Angels Novel

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Signet Eclipse

Release date: October 2011

Pages: 368

ISBN: 10: 0451234995

ISBN: 13: 978-0451234995

Rating:  

DESCRIPTION:

Can a love that transcends death survive a war between angels, vampires, and lycans?

An angel with immense power and insatiable desire, Adrian Mitchell leads an elite Special Ops unit of the seraphim. His task is to punish the Fallen–angels who have become vampires–and command a restless pack of indentured lycans.

But Adrian has suffered his own punishment for becoming involved with mortals–losing the woman he loves again and again. Now, after nearly two hundred years, he has found her: Shadoe, her soul once more inhabiting a new body that doesn’t remember him. This time he won’t let her go.

With no memory of her past as Shadoe, Lindsay Gibson knows only that she can’t help being fiercely attracted to the smoldering, seductive male who crosses her path. Swept into a dangerous world of tumultuous passion and preternatural conflict, Lindsay is soon caught between her angel lover, her vampire father, and a full-blown lycan revolt. There’s more at stake than her love and her life–she could lose her very soul…

REVIEW:

I’m a huge fan of Sylvia Day, so when I saw her A Touch of Crimson on the bookshelves, I immediately snatched it up. Isn’t that a gorgeous cover! Angels, vampires and lycans. What more can a girl ask? When I started reading, I had a difficult time getting into the story. I’m not sure if it was me or the story, so I put it away for a few weeks. I picked it back up and finished it in one sitting.

The book was slow to draw me into their world, but I think it had more to do with Adrian than Lindsay.  Adrian was sexy, mastering, and very brooding. I could feel his love and desire to be with Lindsay and ached for him. Unfortunately, I could take or leave everything else. By the end of the book, I warmed up to him a bit more, but he just didn’t catch my fancy the way I had hoped.

Now, Lindsay on the other hand fascinated me. Who doesn’t love a woman who can kick-ass and kill demons and vampires? She knew there was something supernatural about Adrian, but little did she know that he was an angel. Not just any angel, but the leader of the sentinels. Talk about forbidden. She just had to have him. Lindsay acted foolish in danger, risked everything for her friends, and I loved her for it. Her conflict whether to stay with Adrian and the sacrifices she made really touched me.

The sensuality sizzled between Lindsay and Adrian. The story behind the lycans captivated me. The demons were deliciously naughty. Then things started to unravel. The angels’ views of their world felt skewed and very narrow. There was a paragraph or so at the end of the book that tried to make it right, but it was a little too late. There were other aspects of the world building that didn’t work for me either. Parts of the story weren’t resolved. Other parts felt added for dramatic purposes and not needed. Some sections jumped around in places that I had to stop, go back, and re-read to make sense of them. Because of this, I could only give the book 3.5 stars.

If you’re a fan of angels, vampires and lycans, you will want to give this book a try. Since the next book is about the lycans, I do plan to pick it up. But if it doesn’t live up to it’s hype, I won’t be reading the last book in the trilogy.

What do you believe is the most commonly believed superstition? How about the horoscope? Hasn’t everyone read a fortune cookie or turned the paper to the horoscope section just out of curiosity?

Horoscope is also known as Astrology. There are twelve houses into which the calendar is divided. Each house has it’s own characters and people born between the dates are thought to have the same traits.

1. Aries – 20 March to 19 April -The Ram
2. Taurus - 19 April to 20 May -The Bull
3. Gemini – 20 May to 20 June -Twins
4. Cancer – 20 June to 22 July -Crab
5. Leo – 22 July to 22 August -Lion
6. Virgo – 22 August to 22 September – Virgin Maiden
7. Libra – 22 September to 23 October – Scales
8. Scorpio – 23 October to 21 November- Scorpion
9. Sagittarius – 21 November to to 21 December – The Archer
10. Capricorn – 21 December to 19 January – SeaGoat
11. Aquarius - 19 January to 18 February – Water Carrier
12. Pisces - 18 February to 20 March – Fish

Everyone wants knowledge of the future, don’t they? We have too many names throughout history for this to be a fad:

• Astrology
• Fortune telling by cards
• Horoscope
• Numerology
• Foretelling
• Prophecy
• Clairvoyance
• Zodiac
• Tarot Cards

People have always been fascinated with the unknown. Some consider it superstition, others consider it a science. For hundred of years, people invited fortune tellers to parties to entertain their guests. If someone was able to tell you your future, would you take the opportunity?

I would love to know my future, but I would also be very leery of learning too much. So, yes, it would be fun to play, but not so much in reality.

Thank you for joining me for superstition week! I hope you enjoyed the posts.

Do you hide when a camera is pulled out? I know I do. But did you know that some cultures consider taking their picture taboo? They believe that the image of a person contains some of their life-force. Anyone who obtains the picture of their likeness also acquires a degree of influence over them. Photographers are known as soul-catchers. How creepy!

It’s considered reckless to be photographed with an animal, which may be a witch in disguise.

Others consider pictures good luck. Motorists often fix a photograph of their loved ones on their dashboard to protect them from accidents.

Have you destroyed a picture? It’s bad luck to destroy a picture of someone who is still alive. It could cause them harm.

It’s also considered bad luck to hang a picture on the wall and have it fall.

Have you heard about death pictures? When cameras first came out, it was considered common to take pictures of the dead to honor them.  Photoalbums of the dead. Don’t believe me? Look online. These pictures give me the hebbie-gebbies! I won’t even post a picture here. Nu-uh.

I think pictures can be magical if done right. Some photos are down-right spooky. Have you seen the pictures where there appears to be another person in the image…one who was not present at the time the photo was taken? Some say ghosts, others say over developed film. What do you believe?

I’m not sure I believe any of these, but I’m sure not going to volunteer to pose for any pictures soon.

Good or bad, cats have aways been part of human lives and superstitions.

The first domesticated cat was in Egypt around 3000 BC and revered by everyone. They were held in such high esteem that there was a law to protect them from injury and death. You hurt one, you died. When a cat died, the entire family would morn. Both the rich and the poor would embalm their bodies, wrap them in fine linen, then place them in a mummy case created from bronze or wood (sacred in Egypt for its rarity). They even had a feline-headed god called Bast.

Overpopulation turned the luck of cats around. These furry gods became a nuisance. Alley cats were often fed by poor, lonely ladies, when the witch hysteria took Europe. They became known as a witch’s familiar, often killed along with its owner, and nearly hunted to extinction. Some say that they survived because they had nine lives.

Many people believe black cats bring good luck, but it’s unlucky to have one cross your path. If anyone finds the perfect, pure white hair in a black cat and plucks it out without being scratched, they will find great wealth and good luck in love. Although, another myth says to pluck the white hair may bring you bad luck. The real question is can a person resit plucking grey hairs?

Some fishermen’s wives believed that their menfolk would return safely if a black cat was kept in the house. The price for cats became so high that few sailors could afford them. It’s also considered good luck for a cat to be on board a ship. Anything that means less mice works for me!

No cat which has been purchased will ever be any good at catching mice. That would explain the mice in our house, then.

Some cultures believe if you wash your cat, it will bring rain. Although my cats are facinated with water, if I even think about giving them a bath, it would be a fight. One the cat would win, paws down.

Cats:

• Mummifying a cat and placing it inside a wall will ward off evil spirits.
• A black cat crossing one’s path by moonlight means death.
• A neezing cat is a good omen for anyone who hears it.
• To dream of a black cat is considered lucky.
• A cat at a wedding is supposed to bring good luck.
• It’s bad luck to chase a cat out of the house.
• Drown a cat and the devil will get you.
• If a cat leaps over a corpse, the dead will become a vampire.
• Some believe that black cats carry demons. Others believe they are witches. Some myths say cats are human souls, trapped as punishment for their evil deeds. (I’ve met cats like this.)

Some people wanted to get rid of their cat, but were so afraid of bad luck, they would hire professional feline hit men to do the deed.

King Charles I of England owned a black cat. He treasured the cat so much that he had his guards watch over it 24 hours a day. The day after the cat died from an illness, the king was arrested.

Do I believe the superstitions about cats? I’ve had days when the cat does something so odd, that it’s spooky. How about you? Have your fur babies done anything that you consider suspicious that makes you stare at them and wonder?

Elepahants, the largest land-dwelling mamals on earth, are considered good luck. They symbolize long life and patient strength.

There is even an elephant god in India called Ganesh that bestows riches on those he favors.

Many people used to give miniture charm braclets and brooches of elephants to give the wearer luck.

Make sure all your elephants, including pictures, face the door to attract luck. *Off to turn my elephant around. Yes, I really do have a gorgeous little elephant statue found at a garage sale.*

I’m sure many of you had this on your wedding day, but it’s good luck for a bride and groom to encounter an elephant on their wedding day. My questions is where would you rent one of these for your big day?

What about you? Do you have an favorite animal that you consider good luck?

 How Valentine’s Day came into existence…

The custom of sending special messages and gifts to the ones we love began in the year 270 A. D. The Roman Emperor Claudius was having problems recruiting men to serve in his armies. The men wanted to stay home with their wives and children. Angry that they were more loyal to their wives than to himself, Claudius decided to outlaw marriage!

Couples who were in love searched for someone who would help them get married in secret. A priest named Valentine performed wedding ceremonies for these desperate young lovers. When the emperor found out, he had Valentine arrested and ordered his execution on February 14, the day of the Roman festival of love. Valentine’s jailer had a daughter, Augustine. She was so kind to Valentine during his imprisonment, that he sent a “thank you” message for all that she had done.

An old legend has it that a young girl was supposed to eventually marry the first eligible male she met on Valentine’s Day.

To be awoken by a kiss on Valentine’s Day is considered lucky.

Some people used to believe that the first bird a single woman saw on Valentine’s Day would give her an indication of the kind of man she’d marry.

• If you see a squirrel on Valentine’s Day, you will marry a cheapskate who will hoard all your money.
• If you see a goldfinch on Valentine’s Day, you will marry a millionaire.
• If you see a robin on Valentine’s Day, it meant you will marry a sailor/working man.
• If you see a sparrow, you will marry a poor man and be very happy.
• If you see a flock of doves on Valentine’s Day, you will have a happy, peaceful marriage.
• If you find a glove on the road on Valentine’s Day, your future beloved will have the other missing glove.

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. This is how the phrase ‘to wear your heart on your sleeve’ became known. If you were a young person, this would either be the best week of your life or the most mortifying.

So, did any of these work for you? Do you believe in superstitions? How about love at first sight?

Curious minds want to know…how did you met your special someone?

Everyone’s heard that if you are nervous about giving a speech, you should picture your audience in their underwear, but did you know that there are real superstitions about underwear?

If you are having an unlucky day, try turning your underwear inside out and your luck will change.

It’s also unlucky to ‘fix’ your underwear while wearing it. Snuggie anyone? You know someone is always watching, right?

But here is one that I’ve never heard. If a bride wears no underwear, it enhances her luck in marriage life. I bet if you ask the males of the species, they would be happy with lingerie or nothing at all.

How about those cursed holes in your socks? Did you know that if you have two or more holes in your socks, it’s considered good luck? And here I threw all my holey socks away.

For the ladies out there, if your slip falls down, it’s said you’re thinking of your lover. But if your nightgown rides up, your lover is thinking of you.

Garters have always been regarded as lucky. If a girl sleeps with one under her pillow on Midsummer Eve, she will dream of her future husband.

Valerian leaves tucked in the underwear is supposed to make you irresistable to the opposite sex. Now where did I put my Valerian leaves? Gosh, I sure hope if anyone tries this that they are not allergic! Ouch!

How about you? Do any of these ring true for you? I accidently wore my underwear inside out one day. You try dressing in the dark. I have to say that I didn’t notice any extra luck.

Thanks for stopping by superstition week.

Children are taught superstitions from an early age by their parents. A hundred years ago, parents used fairy tales to teach children to obey them or else. Have you read the original Brothers Grimm? If I was told those tales when younger, I would still be afraid to this day! In the last fifty years, people have tamed the fairy tales into nice bedtime stories, so as not to scare our children.

You might recognize the phrase ‘Mirror, mirror on the wall’, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. But do you know that mirrors carry a lot of superstitions on their own?

Everyone knows that if you break a mirror, you are cursed with seven years bad luck. But did you know that there is supposedly a cure? Gather the pieces of the mirror and either bury them or throw them in a fast moving stream.

How about these myths?

• Cover all mirrors when a death occurs to prevent the spirit from being trapped
• If harm befalls the reflection, grief will come to the owner
• Scrying -to divine information (The witch in Snow White, anyone? How about crystal balls?)
• Some people in the olden days wore mirrors to deflect the evil eye

Of course, there is always the myth that vampires can’t see their image. But do you know why? Because, reportedly, their soul has already departed. They also predict that if you look in a mirror and don’t see your reflection, you will die soon. I have to say, if I looked in a mirror and didn’t see my reflection, it would freak me out!

Mirrors were also used by the medical community way back when as well. Seem strange? Well, if they couldn’t tell if the patient was really dead (comforting thought), they would hold a mirror under the nose. If the glass fogged, that meant they were still alive.

How about you? What superstitions where you taught when you were younger and still believe even though you know it’s irrational?

Stop by tomorrow to check out superstitions about…underwear?

Writers do a lot of research, and it can take us down some unconventional, twisted and tangled roads.

Do you know how a wake came into existence?

They family would put the body on display for three days to make sure the person was really dead. Apparently, they’ve had times where the person they buried was still alive. Remember, this was before embalming. Some illnesses and poisons can present like death. One reason I love technology.

Anyway, a scary thought is that it happened so many times, people were buried with a string tied to ones wrist. That string was connected to a bell topside. If you woke, apparently, you were supposed to have enough peace of mind to ring the bell and know help would arrive soon. Why would we even think to add a bell to a coffin? Well, people have found scratch marks on coffin lids where the not-so-dead have tried to escape.

The graveyard shift came from the men who would stay in the graveyard at night, shovels at their side, waiting for the bell to ring and dig up anyone mistakenly buried. Talk about yikes!

I’m not sure the bell would be comforting or just plain creepy. The good news is that most people believe this myth is a hoax, including the origins of the name graveyard shift. My thought is that this myth is so wide-spread, there could be some truth to the superstition. What we do know was that this system was invented and used. We also know that it wasn’t in practice for very long either. I’ll leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions.

I’d love for you to come back Sunday and help kick off superstition week.