Music Monday: Sade

Music Monday is our chance to feature music that we really love. Many writers use a writing playlist to help set the mood and tone of the scenes they are writing. We like to spotlight music from our favorite authors' playlists, but sometimes we just go with our favorite songs.

This week we are featuring a song from E. L. James' Fifty Shades Freed playlist.

Music Monday: Enigma

Music Monday is our chance to feature music that we really love. Many writers use a writing playlist to help set the mood and tone of the scenes they are writing. We like to spotlight music from our favorite authors' playlists, but sometimes we just go with our favorite songs.

This week we are featuring a song from E. L. James' Fifty Shades Darker playlist.

Winner: Fifty Shades Freed Giveaway

Congratulations to 

Jeannie P. 

from Louisiana! 

She is the winner of our Fifty Shades Freed giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered!

RLAD winners are chosen using random.org. Winners have 24 hours to respond to notification. Upon failure to respond, a new winner will be chosen.

Blog Tour: Review, Giveaway, & Interview for Fifty Shades Freed

Fifty Shades Freed

Fifty Shades Trilogy #3

By: E. L. James

Published by: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House

Release Date: January 19, 2012

Format: ePub (Nook)

Source: ARC provided by publisher

Buy it on Amazon or TWCS

Genre: Erotic Fiction

Audience: Mature Audiences (18+)

Explicit Sex & themes of BDSM

**Don't miss the Author Interview and eBook Giveaway at the end of this review!**

My Thoughts:

Oh. My. Fifty Shades. Just when you thought you couldn’t love Christian Grey anymore, a whole new shade of Grey wraps itself around your heart. When we last saw Christian and Ana, they were set to spend the rest of their lives discovering the depths of their love. Ana was sure that they would face his past, and their future, together. What neither of them are ready for is the way his past and their future become mingled together in one messy event after another.



It is so hard to review this book without spoilers. I'm typically very long-winded when it comes to Christian Grey and the Fifty Shades trilogy. This review is going to be unusually short for me because I don't want to spoil anyone. This is definitely a book that you want to experience first hand. What I will tell you is this - everything you've come to love from E. L. James' writing is here. It's a page turner from the very beginning. The writing is simple and direct, and falling into the story is effortless. There is a perfect combination of romance, passion, humor, and drama. Christian will in turns melt your heart and frustrate you to no ends, as will Ana. Their love is volatile. No emotion is felt half-way. There are surprises at every turn. Christian is still learning to deal with his past as well as Ana's inner strength and independence (which she asserts in some really frustrating ways), and Ana is still finding a balance between being true to her inner goddess, accepting Christian's past and helping him move forward, and becoming the woman she was destined to be. While I didn't find Fifty Shades Freed to be quiet as emotional as Fifty Shades Darker was, it still packed a punch. I loved every second not only of this book, but of the entire trilogy. My only question now...Is there life after Fifty?

Fifty Shades Freed Blog Tour

Announcing the Fifty Shades Freed Blog Tour! Visit each blog in the tour for a chance to win an ebook of Fifty Shades Freed by E. L. James. Don't forget to come back to Reading Lark After Dark on January 30th to read my review and enter to win an ebook from us.


Blog Tour Schedule:


Jan 23rd: PA Lupton – Review, Interview, Paperback giveaway

24th: Fiction Vixen – Review and giveaway 
http://www.fictionvixen.com/

25th: Bookish Temptations – Review and giveaway 
http://bookishtemptations.com/

25th: Ja čitam, a ti? – Review (In Bosnian and English) 
http://jacitamati.blogspot.com/

26th: My secret romance – Interview  and giveaway
http://mysecretromancebooks.blogspot.com/

27th: Claire’s Book Corner – Review and giveaway 
http://clairesbookcorner.blogspot.com/

28th: Under The Covers – Review, Character Interview and Giveaway
http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/

29th: The Book Pushers – Review and giveaway 
http://thebookpushers.com/

30th: Reading Lark – Review, Interview and giveaway 
http://readinglarkafterdark.blogspot.com/

31st: My Life One Story At A Time – Review and giveaway 
http://mylife-in-stories.blogspot.com/

31st: ALPHA reader – Review and giveaway 
http://alphareader.blogspot.com/

Feb 1st: SER’s Awesomeness – Review , Guest post and giveaway 
http://samsawesomness.blogspot.com/

2nd:  Bonafide Reflections – Review and giveaway 
http://www.bona-fide-reflections.com/

3rd: Endlessly Bookish – Review  and giveaway 
http://www.endlesslybookish.com

Teaser Tuesday: Fifty Shades Freed & Immortal Rider

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly feature, hosted by 

MizB of Should Be Reading. 

"I know your game," he whispers and he slowly sinks into the cool, clear water, taking me with him as his lips find mine once more. The chill of the Mediterranean is soon forgotten as I wrap myself around my husband.
~Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades Trilogy #3) by E. L. James, pg. 7 ARC copy

*Reading Lark After Dark will be participating in the Fifty Shades Freed blog tour and we will be giving away a copy to one lucky reader! Stay tuned!!!

"Arik sank down on one of the benches, and she got the impression he was trying to look non- threatening. Though with his chest harnesses and gun belt, she didn't think it worked. It did add an extra layer of sexy to him, though."
~Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #2) by Larissa Ione, page 182

*Read Michelle's review of Immortal Rider HERE on Reading Lark After Dark.

Teaser Tuesday: Fifty Shades Darker

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly feature, 
hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

This isn't a new one, but in honor of the release of Fifty Shades Freed this month, which I'm DYING to tease you with but can't, I'm bringing back out Fifty Shades Darker. I also thought it was appropriate that Mr. Fifty himself grace the first teaser of RLAD.

"I believe some retribution is in order Miss Steele," he says softly.

Retribution? Oh shit! I know he's playing - but I take a cautious step back from him anyway.

He grins. "Is this the game?" he whispers. "Because I will catch you." And his eyes burn with a bright playful intensity. "And you're biting your lip," he says threateningly.

~Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James, pg. 345 ePub file

My Book Boyfriend: Christian Grey

We decided that Thursday needed a little pzazz and stumbled on this meme while hanging out at one of our favorite blogs, A Book and a Cupcake. So we took ourselves over to The Unread Reader to see what it was all about and join the fun. The Unread Reader features this meme on Wednesdays, but we figured moving our participation to Thursday wouldn't hurt anything. We'd love it if you'd leave a comment if you participate

in this so we can check out your book boyfriends as well.

My Book Boyfriend this week is Christian Grey from

Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James.

Who is my ideal Christian? Because Christian started out as Edward Cullen, and

Edward will always be Robert Pattinson for me, it just makes sense that Christian also be Robert Pattinson.

Christian's Appearance:

*unruly copper hair

*intense, bright gray eyes

*long fingers

*perfect white teeth

*overwhelming good looks

*the epitome of male beauty

*powerful and urbane

Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades Trilogy #1
By: E. L. James
Published By: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
Release Date: May 25, 2011
Buy it at Amazon
Source: Provided by Publisher
Audience: Mature (18+) Audiences Only
Erotic Fiction Containing Themes of BDSM

My thoughts:
I am rendered speechless, my mind reeling. I have read this story before, and yet I am still overwhelmed by the depth of emotion and staggering thoughts I have about this book. Having just read the last line, I sit here trying to wrap my mind around what I want to say, and my only coherent thought is....Wow! I am not new to this story. I have been a fan of Ms. James for quite some time now. I first read this story as Master of the Universe, a Twilight fanfic. I was one of the readers who eagerly anticipated each new chapter post, craving my next dose of our dear, beloved 50 like an addict craves that next fix. I was one of the readers cheering when we got the announcement that there would be book published, and crying as I read the last line of the conclusion. So why am I left in this state after reading Fifty Shades of Grey? I have only one answer - Ms. James has woven a tale so wrought with emotional undertones and characters that embed themselves in your heart that it is impossible to ever be truly prepared for the ride that this story takes you on, no matter how many times you read it. Master of the Universe fans want to know - Is it really the same story? My answer to you is - Yes, but it is also so much more. To those of you who are new to Ms. James and 50 Shades, I say to you - buckle up your seat belt and get read for the ride of your life! But be prepared, because you will not leave this story without experiencing a whole range of emotions and... 50 shades... of life, love, anguish, desire, and your darkest, wildest fantasies brought to light.

Blog Tour Book Review & Giveaway: Fifty Shades Darker

Fifty Shades Darker

Fifty Shades Trilogy #2

By: E. L. James

Published By: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House

Release Date: September 13, 2011

Buy it at Amazon or TWCS

Source: Provided by Publisher

Audience: Mature (18+) Audiences Only

Erotic Fiction Containing Themes of BDSM

My Thoughts:
Once again, Ms. James has left me speechless and reeling. If you thought you fell in love with Christian Grey during Fifty Shades of Grey, then buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life. Emotions are high, action is packed, and suspense is thrilling in Fifty Shades Darker. Oh, did I forget to mention that it's hot, hot, hot?! While the tone of the intimacy has changed drastically as Christian and Ana work to come to terms with what they need from one another, the loving between these two will leave your windows fogged up. Grab your tissues. You will need them. Ms. James will once again bring you on roller coaster of a ride that will leave you laughing, crying... and begging for more.