Saturday 31 December 2011

Happy New Year



Are you ready to welcome 2012?  Only 6 hours and 30 minutes left EST. 

There's many versions of Old Long Syne, but here's how I'll be bellowing it:

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long syne.
CHORUS:
On Old long syne my Jo, in Old long syne, That thou canst never once reflect, on Old long syne.
My Heart is ravisht with delight,
when thee I think upon;
All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight,
and speedily is gone;
The bright resemblance of thy Face,
so fills this, Heart of mine;
That Force nor Fate can me displease,
for Old long syne.
CHORUS
Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief,
when from thee I am gone;
will not thy presence yield relief,
to this sad Heart of mine:
Why doth thy presence me defeat,
with excellence divine?
Especially when I reflect
on Old long syne
CHORUS
(several further stanzas)



On another note:
‎2011 has been a year of growth for me, the fashion designer, and Kindred Dreamheart.
My label is still a baby, not even a year old yet.
I like to thank everyone who helped make this year a blast!
Here is my End of the year Recap:

32 Garments Designed
25 Garments made
1 Fashion Show
8 Photoshoots
1 Magazine Article
112 Fans on Facebook
16 models
8 Photographers
5 Hair Stylist
6 Make Up Artist
1 Fashion Designer(co-host)
9 Etsy listings
11 Promotional Inquiries (That didn't work out)
4 Custom Orders
70 blog followers
118 blog posts
100 Books Read
35,568 pages read


My resolution is to do even more in 2012!


Have a Happy New Year! 
Remember: Don't Drink and Read. (lol) 
Be Safe. 

In My Mailbox Dec 31 2011


In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Due to the holidays its been kind of hard getting to the library on the days they're open.  But I got lucky one day and caught them.  Also, on the flip side, publishers are taking notice to my reviews and my blog.  Yaaaay.  So this is what I have in my mailbox:

Checked out from the Library:

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)

ARC via Goodreads 1st Read
Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?: Trick Questions, Zen-like Riddles, Insanely Difficult Puzzles, and Other Devious Interviewing Techniques You ... Know to Get a Job Anywhere in the New Economy

ARC en route
The Elite of the Weak: Revelation Special Ops, book 1The Pleasure of Your Kiss


So what's in your mailbox?

Counting down to 2012! Can't wait to see what the new year brings!

Friday 30 December 2011

Coming Soon ~ Secrets, Lies and Love by Roseanne Dowell

Secrets, Lies and Love

by Roseanne Dowell

Coming January 2012!


When Meghan Shelby inherits the family home, she returns to her hometown after a ten year absence. Not only does she find the house is in a rundown, dilapidated condition, there’s a dead body in it. She also discovers a heart-shaped locket with a picture of a man and a journal that reveals secrets and deceit from years ago and learns why her parents never returned.

Featured Friday: Sadiya (Random and Booky)

Feature Friday Meme hosted by RandomAndBooky

On this Featured Friday, I interviewed Sadiya (Random and Booky)

Sadiya is a versatile and very interesting blogger with an excellent taste in music.  (I’m a huge Taylor Swift fan, also).  Her blog has a fun theme for almost every day of the week:
Music Mondays
Top Ten Tuesdays
WWW Wednesdays
Trailer Thursdays
Feature Fridays
Her reviews are refreshing, straight forward and positive.  During our interview, she made me feel like an old friend.   It was a pleasure to participate in this weekly meme.

Interview-
Katrina-Where do you see yourself blogging wise in the next 6 months, and 5
years down the road?
Sadiya- Down the road of blogging? Well I've never really thought about it. I don't really know where I see myself. I'm more of a live in the present person. But I hope my blog will be more popular and just as fun!
Katrina- Do you consider yourself a reader or a writer?
 Sadiya- A reader. I can write. I've been told that I'm good at it, but it's not something I'll do in my spare time. I only write when I have to for school or something of that sort. Reading is more my thing. LOL.
Katrina- If you were shipwrecked on a desert island what 3 books would you want with you?
 Sadiya- Ooh. Tough one. Hmmm. I'd go with Dairy Queen trilogy. It's three books and it's one of my favorites. That book is a realistic fiction, that made me laugh a lot. The characters are so real and the writing style so beautiful, I just can't put it down. I've reread it twice and loved them just as much as the first time I read them.
Katrina- A character you love to hate.
 Sadiya- I think I love to hate Caine from the Gone series by Michael Grant. Caine is basically the antagonist of the main good guy Sam. And he's just plain mean. So I enjoy reading about him while boo-ing away in my head and calling him a jerk. Lol.
Katrina- Have you read a book that you would like to rewrite the ending of?
 Sadiya- The last book in the Alex Rider series, Scorpia Rising. Too many good characters died or dissapeared in the end of it. Alex, the main character, seemed way too depressed and it just wasn't a satisfying ending.
Katrina- What are your thoughts on book trailers?
 Sadiya- I personally love book trailers! I think they're really cool and fun way to promote books. Sometimes they can be really bad and boring but most of the time they're really fun to watch.
Katrina- Peanut Butter or Jelly?
 Sadiya- Peanut butter, no contest.
Katrina- Are you a fan of the Goosebumps series by R.L.Stine?
 Sadiya- Not really. I used to read a few of them in 3rd grade, but they never really interested me.

Check out Sadiya's interview with me ((click here))

Feature Follow Friday # 2



This meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Q: The New Year is here — and everyone wants to know your New Years Blogging Resolution! What are you going to try to revise, revamp and redo for 2012 on your blog?


I promise to add more pictures of my journey as a freelance fashion designer.  I started blogging to document my journey in the fashion industry.  Many times I forget to take behind the scenes shots at the photoshoots and runway shows.  I will do better next year!


What's your New Years Blogging Resolution?


Top 10 of 2011- Books I’m looking Forward To

This event is hosted by Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books and Confessions of a Bookaholic where everyone can join the fun! You can check out this post for more information. 

Top 10 Books I’m looking Forward To!  
This was a fun list to compile.  Next year looks very promising…bye bye HD-TV hello HBB (hard back book). 

Series that ROCK MY WORLD with a release in 2012:
(Note:  DON'T READ THIS MESSAGES BELOW THE BOOK PHOTOS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE SERIES)

Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #10) by J.R. Ward 
March 27th 2012
 Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #10)
DON'T READ THIS NEXT MESSAGE IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS SERIES:  Don't say I didn't warn you.  Remember the brother that went missing after his pregnant wife was murdered en route to take that chick John Matthew was crushing on home?  Yep, I'm talking about Tohrment!  Well he's back and its time to find him LOVE!!!!

Darker After Midnight (Midnight Breed, #10) by Lara Adrian
January 24th 2012
Darker After Midnight (Midnight Breed, #10)
Sterling Chase is about to get the hook up.  Well its about time.  It broke my heart the way he was always running up behind Elise.  She wouldn't give the poor dude the time of day.  I wonder if his personality will go back to the "Harvard" I once knew and loved.

 

Thirteen (Women of the Otherworld, #13) by Kelley Armstrong
July 5th 2012
Thirteen (Women of the Otherworld, #13)
I hated the cliffhangers on the last two books.  Adam needs to get over the weirdness and age difference and get with the program.

Spell Bound (Hex Hall, #3) by Rachel Hawkins
March 13th 2012
Spell Bound (Hex Hall, #3)

 No offense Archer, but I want to see some action between Sophie and Cal!


Never to Sleep (Soul Screamers #5.5) by Rachel Vincent & Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6) by Rachel Vincent
January 1st 2012 & July 2012
Never to Sleep (Soul Screamers, #5.5)
I haven't read "If I Die", but this series never disappoints me! 

Because I’ve been following far too long to quit now:
Hey, don’t look at me like that.  I know some of you don’t like the following series, but I’ve read this far and I’m NO QUITTER!

Fallen in Love (Fallen #3.5) by Lauren Kate & Rapture (Fallen, #4) by Lauren Kate
January 24th 2012 & June 12th 2012
Fallen in Love (Fallen, #3.5)Rapture (Fallen, #4)

Hidden (House of Night, #10)by P.C. Cast
October 6th 2012
This series made me made because I think it could have ended a couple of books ago; but we shall see what the new year brings.


1 NEW TITLE I've got to check out:
Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer
January 3rd 2012
Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)
Now who couldn't get excited about a possibly biotic futuristic retelling of Cinderella?

7 Honorable Mentions:
Like you, I have no idea if the following's any good.  But I’ll check it out next year because the cover’s pretty and/or I like the synopsis.  Wishing a publisher’ll let me take these babies for a test drive!

Enchanted Again by Robin D. Owens
January 1st 2012
 Enchanted Again (Luna Books)
Magic has a price—and for Amber Sarga it's days and years off her life. Each curse she breaks ages her—and the bigger the curse the bigger the cost, and not only to her. That's why she hides away and has vowed not to get involved again… That's why she hates looking in a mirror…

And then an ill-fated stranger arrives. Rafe Davail doesn't believe in curses—not even knowing that in his family every first son dies young. Amber offers guidance but she won't break the curse. Still, as she grows closer to Rafe and discovers the secrets of their pasts, she wonders if for this time, this man, she should risk it all….
 
Life Is But a Dream by Brian James
March 27th 2012
Life Is But a Dream
Alec and Sabrina are crazy in love. Problem is: Sabrina’s really crazy.

Sabrina, an artist, is diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her parents check her into the Wellness Center. There she meets Alec, who is convinced it's the world that's crazy, not the two of them. They are meant to be together; they are special. But when Alec starts to convince Sabrina that her treatment will wipe out everything that makes her creative, she worries that she'll lose hold of her dreams and herself. Should she listen to her doctor? Her decision may have fatal consequences.
The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass
April 24th 2012
The Selection (The Selection, #1)
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
All That Bleeds (Etherlin, #1) by Kimberly Frost
January 3rd 2012
All That Bleeds (Etherlin, #1)
As the last heiress of the House of North, Alissa knows that striking up a secret friendship with a half-vampire enforcer is dangerous, but Merrick is a temptation she can't resist. But when Alissa is kidnapped, Merrick proves that he will do anything to protect the woman who tempts him with her very existence.

The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Paranormal Investigator, #1) by Jillian Stone
February 28th 2012
The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Paranormal Investigator, #1)
In the gaslit streets of Victorian London, phantoms rule the night, demons dance till dawn, and one supernatural detective dares to be seduced by the greatest power of all. . .
He's The Man With The Magic Touch
A master of deduction, seduction and other midnight maneuvers, Phaeton Black is Scotland Yard's secret weapon against things that go bump in the night. His prodigious gifts as a paranormal investigator are as legendary as his skills as a lover, his weakness for wicked women as notorious as his affection for absinthe. But when he's asked to hunt down a fanged femme fatale who drains her victims of blood, he walks right into the arms of the most dangerous woman he's ever known. . .
She's The Devilish Miss Jones
Pressing a knife to his throat--and demanding he make love to her--Miss America Jones uses Phaeton as a willing shield against the gang of pirates chasing her. As deadly as she is, with a derringer tucked in her garter, Miss Jones is not the vampiric killer he's been staking out--but she may be just what Phaeton needs to crack the case. As the daughter of a Cajun witch, she possesses uncanny powers. As a fearless fighter, she can handle anything from Egyptian mummies to Jack the Ripper. But when an ancient evil is unleashed on the world, she could be his only salvation. . .or ultimate sacrifice.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
June 12th 2012
For Darkness Shows the Stars
Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.

But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s PERSUASION, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.
Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe
January 10th 2012
Destiny's Fire
It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.


Here's my wrap-up for the year!
100 Books Read!
35,568 pages read!
118 posts this year!


My goal for this year was 90 books so next year I'm bringing that up to 110!
So What are you looking forward to in 2012?


Fashion Forward Fiction Friday (2)

Join me every week, where I judge books by their "fashionable" cover!
Violet In Private (Violet, #3)From a distance I thought she was wearing boots.  Up close I see it’s just socks, but the ensemble is still Hot.  I want the whole look.   In middle school, I went through a “Clueless” phase.  This book reminds me of those days.   Alicia Silverstone was my idol.  I wore supper short pleated skirts, socks with pumps, and a button down like this one, and said things like “as if”.    My socks were always white, so I’m definitely digging the purple ones.  Those shades and hoop earrings, hair blowing in the wind…”SUPER STAR”.  Oh yes I would go grocery shopping in this!  No, scratch that, I’ll go to the library in this!  Who wears short skirts?  I wear short skirts.  Lol.
  
This “ Fashion Forward Fiction Friday” feature was brought to you by this book:

Violet In Private (Violet #3)

by

The return of Violet, the not-so- confident model…Violet Greenfield knows she’s supposed to be a super-confident nineteen-year-old because she’s done runway shows in New York and internationally. But now that she’s finally headed to college, she’s afraid she’ll turn back into that girl who blended into the walls in high school. Vassar is just two hours away from New York City––her friends in fashion think she’s crazy to stop modeling now. And her old friend Roger is there...but things have been weird ever since they kissed. The real question is if she’s not going to be “Violet on the Runway” anymore...who is she?


I think I'll be checking out the Violet series now! 
She has a classic flare that I like on a cute cover.  
So what's you stylist pick?

Thursday 29 December 2011

Top 10 of 2011- Book Villains

This event is hosted by Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books and Confessions of a Bookaholic where everyone can join the fun! You can check out this post for more information. 

Top 10 Book Villains!

#1- Vanessa Lattimore form Trina by Darrell Debrew.  I finished reading this last night and I don’t think any villain can cut a betrayal wound as deep as your own mother.
Trina (DC Bookdiva Presents)
#2- The "REAL" Jace from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.
#3- Neferet from House of Night series by  P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast. 
#4-He-whom-we-do-not-speak-of aka he-who-shall-rename-nameless and Level 7 from The Vampire Huntress Series by L.A. Banks.
#5- Who/What the children were hiding from in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
#6-Victoria from the Twilight series.
#7-Sabine Campbell from My Soul to Seal by Rachel Vincent.
My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers, #4)
#8-Dragos from the Midnight Breed Series by Lara Adrian.  

#9- the archangel, Azrael, from The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff.
The Space Between
#10-The whole twisted dysfunctional family in Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon takes the cake! 
Don't Breathe a Word


So who were your top 10 VILLAINS in 2011?

Trina by Darrell Debrew

Trina (DC Bookdiva Presents)Trina by Darrell Debrew

Publication: January 31st 2011 by DC Bookdiva Publications
Format: ARC Paperback

My rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Murder chose Trina at age fifteen when her mother's boyfriend attempted to rape her. After serving time in prison, Trina is adopted by a retired FBI agent who trains her to become one of the deadliest paid hit girls the agency has seen. With a thirst for killing, Trina soon becomes a Homicidal Hydro Killer with a vicious appetite for her next hit. Things are good until she can't execute her very last assignment. Things change. Maybe for the best; maybe not.

I won this book ARC, and it deserves more than 5 stars.



I picked up this book with a biasness that was not in its favor. I had predetermined opinions about urban fiction; yet Trina prevailed over every last one of them. I am forced to apologize and admit that I was wrong. I applaud Darrell Debrew for not using the stereotypes of this genre as a selling point. He took a more profound exploration into the legal system, as well as the mechanics of a serial killer, that allowed the reader to see both sides of the story. The author’s legal familiarity begs to compete with shows like Law and Order, CSI, Blue Bloods, and First 48. The unlikely source of comic relief was in the defense attorney.

Never since the movie “Set It Off”, had I cheered on the criminal. Trina was a very likeable character. Don’t get me wrong, Trina truly was a homicidal maniac that lacked moral fiber except between her brother. Not all her kills were justified; yet the execution was magnificent. She had misguided emotions due to her relationship with her mother and abandonment and misdirected via drugs, sex, and contracted killing. At the end of the day, she had to find peace within.

All the scenes were realistic, however larger than life in the composition of it all happening to one person, but that’s what makes the perfect action novel. This book was not predictable, thus holding my attention and keeping me in suspense. This book was a nonstop adrenaline rush. I would be an advocate for seeing this novel transition to the big screen as a motion picture. All I ask is that the director splurges on the budget. My favorite part is when Trina used a M16 with a M203 attached to take out one of her pursuers. Instead of the rifle, she used the grenade launcher to blow the vehicle sky high. (I’m an armorer and can appreciate that kind of stuff.) A B-rated move just wouldn’t do that scene justice.

Needless to say, I was thoroughly entertained.

Debrew had the courage to address the common and rarely written about issues with some mothers and their daughters; the disturbing reality of seemingly normal couples using the foster system for adverse reasons; a corrupt justice system; from hustling to avoid underlining issues; and the toxic concoction of the human being that comes as a result of it all.

Trina is an unexpected jewel among urban fiction thrillers. I encourage everyone to take this uncensored exploration into the mind and life of the Homicidal Hydro Killer, Trina!



Wednesday 28 December 2011

Top 10 of 2011-Book Boyfriends


This event is hosted by Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books and Confessions of a Bookaholic where everyone can join the fun! You can check out this post for more information. 

Top 10 Book Boyfriends!
Hey, hey now I’m a married woman, so I can’t elaborate too much on why these guys are my top ten.  So if you’re familiar with these gentlemen from novels and “you know what I mean” just give me a nod; and say “Amen” to the literary geniuses to brought these characters to life and into our hearts forever.  Here you go (on no particular order):
  
#1- Gideon from  







#5- Jeremy Danvers from Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld Series:
No Humans Involved (Women of the Otherworld, #7) (There's 13 books total in this series, but he really shined in "No Humans Involved".)


#6- Jean-Claude from Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Series.


#7 & #8- Dante Brown and Scamz from Eric Jerome Dickey's Thieves' Paradise:
Thieves' Paradise


#9- Adam Hauptman from  Mercy Thompson Series.


#10- ALL THE VAMP MEN FROM MIDNIGHT BREED SERIES AND BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD!



*GASP*  When I started this list I thought I wouldn’t get able to get to 10!  Now I can think of waaaay more names to add that’ll take it way over 10!!!  
OH, my gosh!!!!  Does that make me a book slut?