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A Shade of Vampire

A Shade of Vampire, Book 1

by

Bella Forrest

 

A fun, easy-to-enjoy vampire story.

 

This very imaginative tale is told in first person from the perspective of the two main characters and features our world with vampires living in seclusion on a hidden island fortress. The leader of the vampire community, Derek Novak, has been asleep for 400 hundred years since establishing the secret sanctuary. But Derek is scheduled to wake up soon. 

The vampires of this coven leave the island periodically to kidnap humans to use as slaves and their source of nourishment. In preparation for Derek regaining consciousness, his sister and brother kidnap several young and beautiful girls to serve him in his harem, and in doing so, select Sofia Claremont, who was discovered walking along a deserted beach on her 17th birthday after arguing with her best friend, Ben. When Derek awakens, he is taken with the young captive as he fights to control his blood hunger, and eventually, they become emotionally involved with each other. 

The story has interesting characters with unusual backstories. Sofia grew up under difficult circumstances and was taken under the wings of Ben's family. She was falling in love with Ben. Derek was once a hunter of vampires and was "turned" by his father. Derek's older brother, Lucas, has been passed over to rule the coven in favor of Derek courtesy of a prophecy. The island's protection against discovery by the vampire hunters was set in place by Cora, a powerful witch whom Derek wooed to the vampires' side. Cora, dead for centuries, has been succeeded through the years by her descendants, currently by one named Corrine. Ben also reappears to complicate the story further. 

The setting is fun and imaginative. The island itself, known as "The Shade," is kept in eternal night by a spell crafted and maintained by Cora and her family. Prisoners are kept in "The Cells" and slaves in "The Catacombs." A medieval town known as "The Vale" and "The Baths" serve as the meeting, shopping, and social centers of the coven. The members of the first vampire families are known as "The Elite" and live in modern, fantastic tree houses or villas, with the members of the royal family residing in the best of the best – "The Penthouse." 

Mystery, murder, a foiled escape attempt, and romance all serve to spice up this fairly short (152 pages) and quick introduction to the world and characters of this series. I recommend A SHADE OF VAMPIRE to readers of vampire stories.

 

For this and my other reviews, go to Boys' Mom Reads!

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2024-25 Stans NYE PARTY SM Post 1080 x 1080 BBv2.j

Stan’s Blue Note has your New Year’s plans wrapped up

Lower Greenville’s iconic bar, Stan’s Blue Note, is ready to close out 2024 and welcome 2025! Voted Dallas’ best sports bar, Stan’s is known for hosting exciting events with all the best sports along with great food, drinks, and fun times.

Stan’s is your home for holiday fun and games!

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Bowl games are our thing, so we open at 11:00am to watch the competition play out on our screens. The games start when Alabama takes on Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl at 11:00am followed by the Sun Bowl, Citrus Bowl, and at 2:30pm the Texas Bowl in a faceoff between LSU and Baylor.

College football playoffs quarterfinals ramp up on New Year’s Eve with the Fiesta Bowl at 6:30pm. Watch #3 Boise State take on #6 Penn State.

A DJ will keep the mood hopping from 9:00pm-2:00am and food and drinks specials are on tap! Our New Year’s Eve specials include $4.25 domestic drafts (11:00am-10:00pm) and $5 frozen margaritas, Expresso Martinis, house wine, White Claw and Nutril (8:00pm-close). Stan’s will be ready to party all day so stay around for the late-night fun and free champagne toast at midnight.

CRAWL ‘TIL THE BALL FALLS

Want to crawl all night? December 31 you can join us for Barcrawlerz, a Dallas Bar Crawl like no other. Crawl 'Til the Ball Falls features the Best Drink Specials and the Best Bars in Town.

Get your wristband ticket in advance then make the rounds! Stan’s is excited to be one of the select participating bars with Dubliner Irish Pub, Christie’s, Dodie’s Reef, and more. Learn more about the bar crawl and get your ticket here

Stan’s NYE specials continue with $5 Frozen Margaritas, Frozen Espresso Martinis, White Claw, Nutrl and wine. Then let’s toast the new year with party favors and champagne!

NEW YEAR’S DAY

New Year’s Day means more of the College Foot Playoff Quarterfinals, and we will have them all. At 12:00pm #4 Arizona State takes on #5 Texas in the Peach Bowl, followed by the Rose Bowl at 4:00pm between #1 Oregon and #8 Ohio State. The evening matchup kicks off at 7:45 pm with #7 Notre Dame facing #2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Stan’s will have domestic drafts on special for $4.25 from 11:00am-10:00pm so get a beer and let’s watch some great football, play some pool, and kick off 2025 with friends.

Stan’s Blue Note, Dallas’ oldest continuously operating drinking establishment, is in Lower Greenville at 2908 Greenville Ave and features an exciting sports environment, renovated patio, and great food and drinks. See all the New Year’s details online at StansBlueNote.com

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Step back in time at The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park in El Paso, Texas, where Old Hollywood glamour will take center stage this New Year's Eve.

Join guests at El Paso's only Michelin Key hotel for a one-night New Year’s Eve celebration. Begin the evening by savoring the New Year over a dinner buffet at the transformed, 1940s-themed Trost Ballroom and Mezzanine from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. 

What's on the Menu?

Start at live marisco station, abundantly filled with bites such as ahi tuna, hamachi, octopus and accented by classic Mexican coctel sauce, verde sauce, or spicy habanero sauce. Then continue the edible festivities to the entrées, which include a cochinita pibil, short rib mole amarillo, pescado zarandeado and more.

Want something different? Then wander to the other stations that will include a salad station, a bread station, and a taco station -- perfect for providing a little something for every appetite. Don't miss the sweet treats that will include decadent crème brulée, cajeta cream puffs, and other surprises yet to be revealed. Following dinner, guests can dance their way into the New Year with a live DJ where a Midnight Balloon Drop will take place with a Champagne Toast.

Attire:

Vintage-inspired attire is recommended but not required.

RESERVATIONS and TICKETS:

Reservations for the New Year's Eve celebration can be booked on Eventbrite.

For guests looking to create an all-inclusive experience, The Plaza offers a New Year’s Eve Room Package. Starting at $499 plus tax for a Classic King Room, overnight guests will receive a welcome VIP amenity delivered to the room: Two New Year’s Eve tickets, which will include the dinner buffet, champagne toast, and grand balloon drop in addition to a New Year’s Day breakfast for two at Ámbar Restaurante. Reservations can be booked through The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park’s direct booking link.

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Assistance Center of Collin County at FlexEtc Help

On Saturday, December 21, 2024, The Assistance Center of Collin County handed out the holidays to 300 local families, distributing the bounty donated by local organizations and individuals that adopted families this season.

Operating out of space gifted for the season by FlexEtc Plano, Hope for the Holidays matches families in need with generous donors who provide gifts from the children’s wish lists and other essentials.

When the Assistance Center needed a home this season, FlexEtc answered the call, donating space for the holiday headquarters, where families drove home with Christmas cheer.

 

About FlexEtc

FlexEtc is a co-warehousing concept started in Los Angeles, that opened in Plano this year after an investment of $16.5 million transformed a former call center into more than 100,000 square-feet of state-of-the-art co-warehousing space. In addition to serving growing businesses, FlexEtc is committed to being part of the community, and is also providing space for Minnie’s Food Pantry this holiday season.

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Remarkable Seventeen “A” Safety Grades in a Row

 

DENTON – Medical City Denton has achieved an “A” safety rating for the 17th consecutive time from The Leapfrog Group, a remarkable and elite accomplishment.

 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

 

“This 17th ‘A’ rating validates our unwavering dedication to patient safety,” says Steven Edgar, CEO at Medical City Denton. “I am very proud of the care that our doctors, nurses and hospital colleagues provide to ensure excellence always in every action, every patient, every time.”

 

Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.  

 

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for Medical City Denton,” says Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to Medical City Denton, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.”

 

Data used to identify Top Hospitals is gathered and publicly and reported through The Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which compares hospitals’ performance on national standards of patient safety, quality, efficiency and management structures that prevent errors, providing the most comprehensive picture of how patients fare at individual institutions. The data collected also enable hospitals to benchmark their progress toward The Leapfrog Group’s standards and measure the care they deliver.

 

ABOUT MEDICAL CITY DENTON

Medical City Denton is a 208-bed, acute care hospital serving the growing communities in Denton, Wise, Cooke and Montague counties. With a medical team of more than 900 physicians, Medical City Denton offers a broad range of services including a Level II Trauma Center, a Primary Stroke Center and an Accredited Cycle VII Chest Pain Center offering advanced open-heart surgery. “A” rated for safety by the Leapfrog Group and Magnet® recognized for nursing excellence.

 

Medical City Denton is part of Medical City Healthcare. 

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Remarkable Seventeen “A” Safety Grades in a Row

 

DENTON – Medical City Denton has achieved an “A” safety rating for the 17th consecutive time from The Leapfrog Group, a remarkable and elite accomplishment.

 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

 

“This 17th ‘A’ rating validates our unwavering dedication to patient safety,” says Steven Edgar, CEO at Medical City Denton. “I am very proud of the care that our doctors, nurses and hospital colleagues provide to ensure excellence always in every action, every patient, every time.”

 

Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.  

 

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for Medical City Denton,” says Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to Medical City Denton, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.”

 

Data used to identify Top Hospitals is gathered and publicly and reported through The Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which compares hospitals’ performance on national standards of patient safety, quality, efficiency and management structures that prevent errors, providing the most comprehensive picture of how patients fare at individual institutions. The data collected also enable hospitals to benchmark their progress toward The Leapfrog Group’s standards and measure the care they deliver.

 

ABOUT MEDICAL CITY DENTON

Medical City Denton is a 208-bed, acute care hospital serving the growing communities in Denton, Wise, Cooke and Montague counties. With a medical team of more than 900 physicians, Medical City Denton offers a broad range of services including a Level II Trauma Center, a Primary Stroke Center and an Accredited Cycle VII Chest Pain Center offering advanced open-heart surgery. “A” rated for safety by the Leapfrog Group and Magnet® recognized for nursing excellence.

 

Medical City Denton is part of Medical City Healthcare. 

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Kathy Beazley
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Photo credit Enchant Christmas, LLC

Due to popular demand, Classic Christmas by Enchant, presented by Coca-Cola, has announced expanded dates for its immersive holiday experience at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington.

Previously, Classic Christmas ran from Nov. 22 through Dec. 29. Event organizers are extending the magic by adding six additional dates—Dec. 30 and Jan. 1-5—giving more visitors a chance to experience DFW’s premier holiday destination before the lights go out for the season. Classic Christmas will open nightly at 5:30 p.m.

For event days  Dec 30 - Jan 5, there will be two ticket package options available. For those interested in the Admissions + Activities Bundle with unlimited snow slide rides and ice skating, tickets prices will be $25-$35. A general admission ticket will be available for $15-$25 for those who want to stroll and enjoy the lights. Tickets are currently available at ClassicChristmas.com.

At Classic Christmas, guests can immerse themselves in 55,000 square feet of awe-inspiring light sculptures, interactive Coca-Cola-themed displays, and festive activities. Highlights include the dazzling Classic Christmas Ice Rink, a thrilling snow slide, and picturesque photo spots featuring stunning lights —creating unforgettable moments of joy and togetherness. It’s an ideal getaway for families with kids on holiday break, staycationers, out-of-town visitors, and even romantic date nights.

The experience also offers the Classic Christmas Eatery featuring seasonal food and drink, an interactive dance floor grooving festive beats, and the Cinemark Theatre to catch movie previews and classic Coca-Cola shorts.

“We’re thrilled that the response to the inaugural Classic Christmas has resulted in the addition of new dates,” said Michelle Leyva, vice president of marketing and digital for Enchant Christmas, the creators of Classic Christmas. “The updated schedule will offer more opportunities for families and friends to enjoy the magic of DFW’s  largest and best holiday attraction. Since space is limited in order to facilitate the best possible visitor experience, we encourage everyone to purchase tickets sooner rather than later.”

ABOUT CLASSIC CHRISTMAS BY ENCHANT, PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA

  • Nov through Jan 5, 2025
  • Choctaw Stadium (1000 Ballpark Way | 76011)
  • Tickets available at ClassicChristmas.com

ABOUT COCA-COLA SOUTHWEST BEVERAGES

Dallas-based Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages (CCSWB), a company of Arca Continental, is one of the largest Coca-Cola bottlers in the United States. CCSWB produces, markets, and distributes Coca-Cola brands throughout Texas and parts of New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The company employs more than 8,500 associates who operate 7 production plants and 37 distribution facilities, serving more than 31 million consumers. Headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, Arca Continental is one of the largest Coca-Cola bottlers in the world, with an outstanding history spanning more than 91 years. Within its Coca-Cola franchise, Arca Continental serves more than 118 million consumers in Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, and the Southwestern U.S. Arca Continental also produces and markets snacks under the brand names Wise in the U.S., Bokados in Mexico and Inalecsa in Ecuador. For more information, visit www.cocacolaswb.com and www.arcacontal.com.

ABOUT ENCHANT CHRISTMAS, CREATORS OF CLASSIC CHRISTMAS

Enchant is the visionary behind the award-winning World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze, a story-driven holiday experience that has captivated millions across the U.S. and Canada. Since its founding in 2016 by Canadian entrepreneur Kevin Johnston, Enchant has become renowned for producing immersive holiday events that feature expansive light displays, ice skating experiences, live entertainment, and more. Classic Christmas, one of Enchant’s latest creations, offers a nostalgic, community-focused celebration that brings the magic of the season to life all in partnership with Coca-Cola. Enchant’s events are designed to create magical memories for guests of all ages. Learn more at EnchantChristmas.com and ClassicChristmas.com.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM GNC! 

We hope your holiday season is full of friends, family, and great times. And here’s to crushing next year’s goals

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Like It’s Christmas

Winterstorm Village, #1

by

Diana A. Hicks

 

Marvelous enemies-to-lovers romance with a holiday theme!

 

Like It’s Christmas is a new enemies-to-lovers romance set during the days leading up to Christmas and is the first book in author Diana A. Hicks’s Winterstorm Village series. With an engaging main character, a vulnerable leading man, and a close-knit small town that believes in the magic of Christmas, I quickly fell under this story’s spell, and it is the perfect way to kick off some satisfying holiday reading. 

Parker Cruz is the assistant to her father, the mayor, and she plans to make this Christmas season the biggest, best, and most successful ever for Winterstorm Village, which depends on the profits from the holiday tourist trade. But when her father is injured putting the Christmas light up on her house, she finds herself having to work with the deputy mayor and local Scrooge, whom she has despised since high school. Rhett Parker has a secret in his past that has estranged him from his illustrious family, whose ancestors founded the town. All he wants is to make Winterstorm Village prosper through his efforts and not because of his family’s reputation, even if that means cutting back the overly generous budget earmarked for Christmas decorations and activities and annoying the mayor’s spoiled daughter. 

The plot has a nice push-pull, back and forth between the two main characters, and Parker the girl (a differentiation she’s always hated) has a fun posse of girlfriends looking out for her best interests. But I thought the most fun was the townspeople’s traditional belief in love magically blossoming during a holiday snowstorm. When a bad storm hits the village and damages much of the downtown decorations, including the big tree, Parker and Rhett try to capitalize on the superstition and stage a fake relationship, a relationship no one would ever believe otherwise, to keep up everyone’s spirits as they try to recover and salvage the tourist season just until the holidays are over. But will the magic actually prove to be real, and are they headed for their own Christmas romance? 

I recommend LIKE IT’S CHRISTMAS to romance readers looking for a great holiday story to get into the Christmas spirit. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Xpresso Book Tours.

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2025 has much in store for acclaimed lifestyle destination, which draws unique, exciting stores to Southlake 

A new year brings new excitement to Southlake Town Square, which looks forward to 2025 with plans for several brands to open their doors in Southlake’s acclaimed lifestyle destination. Guests will have even more to experience, see and shop in the new year. Southlake Town Square is pleased to provide shoppers the kind of experience they can only find at DFW’s premier lifestyle destination.

"Southlake Town Square is a dynamic blend of tradition and innovation,” said Jason Kasal, vice president and senior leasing director of Kite Realty Group (NYSE: KRG). “As we continue to grow and evolve, we're excited to welcome on-trend brands in demand by our Southlake shoppers while staying true to the charming, timeless character that makes our destination so unique. This perfect balance keeps our community coming back for the newest styles in a welcoming atmosphere.”

Coming to Southlake Town Square in 2025

Brilliant Earth will add sparkle to Southlake Town Square in early 2025, when the brand opens in a 2,277-square-foot space at 218 State Street, near Tyler’s and next to Pressed Juicery. Brilliant Earth is a digitally native, omnichannel fine jewelry company and a global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry. Founded in 2005, the company’s mission is to create a more transparent, sustainable and compassionate jewelry industry. Brilliant Earth’s new showroom in Southlake Town Square will be its first in Tarrant County.

Flower Child will open in the spring, serving positively delicious vibes in Southlake Town Square. Chock full of nourishing goodness, the restaurant’s made-from-scratch menu caters to all lifestyles, from vegetarian and vegan, to meat-eating and gluten-free to keto and paleo, with a customizable menu of bowls, wraps, salads and a variety of mix-and-match veggies, grains, fruits and healthy proteins. Flower Child will be located on Main Street in a 4,100-square-foot space across from the The Container Store.

FP Movement, the activewear from Free People, arrives in late 2025 in a 2,134-square-foot store near Free People in Southlake Town Square. FP Movement offers performance-ready activewear, beyond-the-gym staples and a hand-picked assortment of nourishing supplements and elixirs from Free People, the specialty clothing brand for women who live free through fashion, art, music, and travel. Since 2012, FP Movement has set new standards in performance-ready activewear, offering fashion-forward pieces designed for yoga, hiking, running, skiing, surfing, racquet sports and more. 

ALO Yoga will open in late 2025 in a 5,465-square-foot space on Grand Avenue East near Kendra Scott as part of ALO Yoga’s mission to inspire mindful movement and create community. The luxury activewear brand, born in California, has a studio-to-street ethos and features a celebrity-favored range of activewear, loungewear and accessories for women and men designed to be comfortable, contemporary and trend-forward. 

New and Open Now

Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café, the ultra-popular restaurant brand specializing in sweet and savory crêpes, waffles, salads, hot drinks and more, is now open at 228 State Street in a 2,651-square-foot space near Tyler’s and the new Brilliant Earth. The brand is on a mission to “Revive the Art of Eating Crêpes” one crêperie at a time and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Markham Fine Jewelers opened in November to help shoppers capture their moments of joy with personalized shopping experiences that celebrate every relationship and occasion. Home to world-class brands and designers including Omega, Breitling, Tag Heuer, De-Beers, Tacori, Simon G, JB Star, Mikimoto and John Hardy, Markham Fine Jewelers offers bridal and fashion jewelry, as well as luxury timepieces. The store is located in a 7,000-square-foot space at 101 Grand Avenue on Southlake Boulevard near Trader Joe’s. 

Tommy Bahama, an island-inspired lifestyle brand that defines relaxed, sophisticated style in men’s and women’s sportswear, swimwear, accessories, footwear and home furnishings, is now bringing its signature style to Southlake Town Square. The brand celebrates the island life in a 4,398-square-foot space located at 160 State Street in Southlake Town Square, between Williams Sonoma and Athleta.

Splendid opened the doors to its new home in Southlake Town Square in September with its first DFW-area location and second in Texas. Based in Los Angeles, Splendid has evolved from the simple quest to produce the perfect tee into a meaningful mission to uplift women by helping them feel their absolute best. The brand creates women’s clothing that is effortlessly put together, looks great and feels even better to wear. Splendid’s new home in Southlake Town Square is a 2,169-square foot space at 324 Grand Avenue West located near Johnny Was and Sephora. 

About Southlake Town Square

Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in Southlake, Texas, Southlake Town is a 130-acre, open-air, mixed-use development that boasts more than 130 specialty retail shops and restaurants, including Apple, Tesla, Madewell, lululemon, Aritzia, Nike, Anthropologie, Trader Joe’s and EVO Entertainment; an upscale urban Hilton Hotel; offices; city and county government buildings; a U.S. Post Office and residential brownstones. To learn more, please visit SouthlakeTownSquare.com or call 817-329-5566. Connect socially with Southlake Town Square online via its Facebook or Instagram.

About Kite Realty Group Trust

Kite Realty Group (NYSE: KRG), a real estate investment trust (REIT), is a premier owner and operator of open-air shopping centers and mixed-use assets. The Company’s primarily grocery-anchored portfolio is located in high-growth Sun Belt and select strategic gateway markets. The combination of necessity-based neighborhood and community centers, along with vibrant mixed-use assets, makes the KRG portfolio an ideal platform for both retailers and consumers. Publicly listed since 2004, KRG has over 60 years of experience in developing, constructing, and operating real estate. Using operational, investment, development, and redevelopment expertise, KRG continuously optimizes its portfolio to maximize value and return to shareholders. For more information, please visit www.kiterealty.com.

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