Today is release day for Eve of Destruction.

I was able to get my hands on a copy a little bit early (thanks to the fabulous Cici) and I read it last week. I have been waiting for this series since last July when I read the first book (Eve of Darkness (Marked, Book 1)). I loved it. The idea seemed fresh to me – a new twist on Cain and Abel. A new twist on angels and the vengeance of God. How the forces of good and evil aren’t necessarily black and white, but rather shades of grey.

Anyway, Eve of Destruction continues on the journey with Eve getting used to her powers (and dealing with the after effects of a mighty blow, which I can’t tell you about because you need to read the first one. Although they stand alone, I highly recommend you read each of them) and dealing with her attraction for the two brothers. One she is in love, the other she’s infatuated with. This isn’t giving anything away, so I can tell you that. The romance person in me wishes she’d make a clear definition between each of them, but the realist in me can see why she can’t.

I didn’t expect the twist in Eve of Destruction. I would have thought a particular situation would have gone the other way. But, it was brilliant really (this has to do with the brothers rather than the mystery that is going on, btw. I’m trying to be vague because it would be a shame to give anything away.) I did manage to guess one of the bad guys, but only caught the last one slightly before it was revealed.

The class that Eve is training with has all sorts of characters and it is fun getting to know each of them. Ms. Day does a fantastic job of making each one distinct. The reader is able to clearly see each of them and is easily able to differentiate between them.

There’s a very interesting love scene in the book that was handled extremely well. What could have been something slightly off-putting, was very hot. Hot, hot, hot! In fact, this whole book is hot. Hot action, hot suspense, hot guys!

Here’s the official blurb for Eve of Destruction (Marked, Book 2)“:

When you’re learning to hunt demons, homework can be hell…

Class is in, but Evangeline Hollis is far from being the star pupil. She’s struggling to get through the required training to be a full-fledged Mark — one of thousands of sinners forced to hunt demons for God. When her class goes on a week-long field trip to an abandoned military base, passing the course suddenly isn’t just a matter of pride… it’s a matter of life and death. There’s a demon hidden among them, killing off Eve’s classmates one by one.

As the body count rises, a ragtag team of ghost hunters from a cable TV program unwittingly stumbles into the carnage. Now keeping the Mark system secret competes with the need to keep the “paranormal researchers” alive. With Cain on assignment and Abel investigating a new, terrifying class of demon, Eve must fly solo on her hunt to stop a killer before he strikes again.

If I’ve been too vague, then it’s only because you need to read the book. Everything I want to say would give something away. Really, you need to go buy the book and read it. Then come back here and talk to me about it. I’d love to know what you think. I’d love to talk about these books with someone.

I first read this on Angela James’ blog, then Shannon Stacey’s and thought it was fun. I tried asking my 2 (almost 3) year old, but he didn’t really give me much. Just kept answering Mickey Mouse or Hi-5. So then today I read Wylie Kinson and Amy Ruttan’s kids’ answers and thought I’d ask my older two children.

I first asked my 7 year old daughter and then my 9 year old son – separately. Her answers are on the left, his on the right.

1. WHAT IS SOMETHING MOM ALWAYS SAYS TO YOU?
To Listen/That you love me

2. WHAT MAKES MOM HAPPY?
Giving to others/Us listening to you

3. WHAT MAKES MOM SAD?
People who don’t listen to you/Not listening to you

4. HOW DOES YOUR MOM MAKE YOU LAUGH?
Silly faces/Funny jokes

5. WHAT WAS YOUR MOM LIKE AS A CHILD?
Nice/Barely ever got in trouble

6. HOW OLD IS YOUR MOM?
41/41

7. HOW TALL IS YOUR MOM?
Big/Five feet

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOM’S FAVORITE THING TO DO?
Read/Read

9. WHAT DOES YOUR MOM DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT AROUND?
Play with J (#3 child)/Work on the computer

10. IF YOUR MOM BECOMES FAMOUS, WHAT WILL IT BE FOR?
Movies/Doing something really good

11. WHAT is YOUR MOM REALLY GOOD AT?
Reading/Reading

12. WHAT IS YOUR MOM NOT VERY GOOD AT?
Playing outside/I don’t know what you’re not good at

13. WHAT DOES YOUR MOM DO FOR HER JOB?
Work/Fix books on the computer

14. WHAT IS YOUR MOM’S FAVORITE FOOD?
Everything/Tacos

15. WHAT MAKES YOUR MOM PROUD OF YOU?
Listen/Clean up our rooms

16. IF YOUR MOM WERE A CARTOON CHARACTER, WHO WOULD SHE BE?
Bugs Bunny/Bugs Bunny (really? Interesting)

17. WHAT DO YOU AND YOUR MOM DO TOGETHER?
Go places/Spend time together

18. HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR MOM THE SAME?
We have the same colour hair (we don’t)/We like to play games

19. HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR MOM DIFFERENT?
We have different clothes/You have glasses and I don’t

20. HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR MOM LOVES YOU?
You say nice things/You do nice stuff for us

21. WHERE IS YOUR MOM’S FAVORITE PLACE TO GO?
Cruise/Not McDonald’s

22. HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE YOUR MOM?
Up to Pluto and back/To another galaxy and back (this started when I read Guess How Much I Love You to my kids – “to the moon and back” and ever since they’ve had to take it farther!)

Angie (Nice Mommy, Evil Editor) was interviewed by someone, then offered to interview four other people (I was 5th in line so missed out), one of which was Jaci Burton. Then Jaci played along, answered Angie’s questions, and offered to interview four people. I was the last one in line for that one, so Jaci sent me some questions. Here they are:

1. If you could only eat one thing over and over again every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Whatever would make me lose weight the fastest and still taste great! Since I expect you actually wanted me to list a food item… um… man, this is hard! I think I’d have to say movie theatre popcorn (the actual stuff from the theatre, not Orville’s). It’s got fibre, so it’s kind of good for me, if I don’t think about the calories in the butter (real) I have to have on it. Plus, I’m assuming I can drink whatever I want, because you know I’m going to get thirsty with all that popcorn.

2. If you had to choose one age from 1 to your current age to live the rest of your life, which age would you choose?
30 – absolutely no question, it was one of the best years of my life and a year I felt good about just about everything. Although, as I say that, I’m not sure I’d really want to do that. Each year is different form the other, but they’ve all brought me here. Probably not supposed to get philosophical with the questions though.

3. If you could retrieve one favorite item from your youth, what would it be?
My smaller size? Is that an item? OK, I’m not even sure I have a favourite item from my youth. I still have my teddy bear, or rather my kids have it. I did just find a picture of me in my Peter Pan getaway boots, so maybe those. I really liked those.

4. What is the naughtiest thing you¹ve ever done?
Let’s just say it involved Baja, Mexico, and copious amounts of margaritas and leave it at that. This is, generally, a PG blog.

5. Would you rather eat a bug or wear an outfit to work that was 2 sizes too small for you?
I’ve already eaten a bug (or at least I think that’s what a witchety grub is *shudder*) and since I work at home… sure I’d wear an outfit 2 sizes too small for me. Who’s gonna know? It’s not like I have paparazzi peeking in the back window. Of course, if I worked outside of the home, I’d probably eat the bug. Is it bbq’d? Sauce?

Thanks, Jaci! I had a lot of fun answering these questions.

If you want to be part of the interview fun, follow the instructions below:

1 Post ‘interview me’ somewhere in your reply. I’ll do like Angie did and take the first 4 people who post. I’ll choose questions just for you (no, they won’t be the same ones I was asked).

2 Be sure to include your email address (which is required to post on my blog anyway) so that I can send you the questions.

3. You will update your blog with the questions and your answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will get to ask them five questions.

This meme is courtesy of Gwen Hayes

1. Eggnogg or hot chocolate?
Hot chocolate with Espresso Vodka…. or homemade egg nog once a year.

2. Letter to Santa?
- Dear Santa,
I’ve been really good this year (well, mostly) so I’d like to ask for a very special gift this year. That my kids will give me peace and quiet over the December break, with minimal arguments. And that they will learn what Christmas is really all about.
Love, Michelle

3. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
Sometimes it’s a mixture of both. Depends on how big the presents are.

4. Colored lights on your tree/house or white?
White and blue on the house (one bush has a coloured net) and white on the tree.

5. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope – we don’t need it

6. When do you put your decorations up?
Outside starting around December 1st, inside, bit by bit, after that.

7. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
My Wild Drunken Yams

8. Favorite holiday memory as a child:
Whenever my Nana and Papa (maternal granmother & grandfather) were with us for Christmas. Especially the year they gave me my Teddy Bear (I was 3 and it was actually for my birthday, but that’s December 26th so close enough). I still have that bear. Or, rather, my kids do now.

9. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
That he’s skinny for most of the year and only fattens up for Christmas or ?

10. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No, but the kids are allowed to open one gift each (as both dh and I did as children), usually they get to open pj’s from my MIL.

11. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Preferably on my own, but usually with the kids “helping”.

12. Can you ice skate?
Definitely, I played Ringette as a child and then women’s ice hockey.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
The teddy bear mentioned above. Any gift that the giver has really thought about.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
The birth of a King.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Pumpkin pie and/or plum pudding with hard sauce.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Eating our way through the appetizers on Christmas and/or New Year’s Eve (depending where we are for each one, it’s usually one or the other). I make a ton of different appetizers and, starting early afternoon, they get laid out a few at a time until they are all out. Then we just graze our way through the day and night, refreshing as necessary, as people drop in and out visiting. There is no proper dinner that night. It’s not really needed.

17. What tops your tree?
A gold star.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yum!

I’m not tagging anyone, but if you drop by and want to do this on your own blog, leave a comment and let me know and I’ll come visit you.

Antonia Pearce tagged me…The rules:

Tell seven random and/or interesting things about myself. Get five blog buddies to play, too and link to their blogs. Don’t forget to post the rules.

7 things I dream about…

1. Not being worried about finances

2. Writing, there are never-ending stories in my head

3. Finding an agent & selling to NYC

4. To write faster and better. Increase my overall productivity. (I’m stealing this from Antonia)

5. Driving a Hummer

6. Being a better mother

7. Being more confident in who I am and what I do (whether it be writing, singing or just life in general)

Those are my top seven dreams for the moment. The order varies from time to time. LOL

I’m not going to tag anyone – if you want to do it, go for it. If you don’t want to do the meme, why not just tell us what you dream about?