Welcome back to Covers & Cocktails! I took May off because I was traveling for half of the month. If you’re new to the site, welcome! Covers & Cocktails is a monthly feature where I make a tasty drink to celebrate a new release. It’s just as fun as it sounds.
This month, Nalini Singh’s Ocean Light is our drinking inspiration. If you haven’t read Elyse’s review yet, you definitely should. She did a great job capturing our mutual excitement about marine shifters. While I was waiting for my copy of the book to arrive, I reached out to Elyse about drink suggestions. She jokingly answered, “Sea breeze” with the addition of a crying/laughing emoji. Well the joke’s on her because I thought that was a perfect suggestion.
Normally, a sea breeze has cranberry juice and takes on a reddish, pinkish hue. Instead, I wanted to reflect the yellows and oranges on the cover. To do this, I changed the cranberry to pineapple and kept the citrus flavors. Apparently, what I wound up creating is very similar to a cocktail called an aloha screwdriver.
I’m calling the drink Sanctuary for a couple reasons. The underwater base of Ryūjin is a haven for many shifters who want to escape the dangers of humans and the Psy. Singh’s books have also created such an amazing community; she excels at writing comforting paranormal romances full of love and acceptance.
The taste is very tropical with the pineapple, and I love pineapple juice and fruit in general. Unfortunately, I have a slight allergy, which turns my tongue into an itchy, tingly mess. The main reason, though, that I love this drink with Ocean Light is the way it makes me feel. I feel like I belong on a relaxing beach, getting buzzed on sweet cocktails and taking a nap in the sun. And that’s what Singh’s writing does to me. It’s always a satisfying experience worthy of a happy, contented sigh.
And to make you feel even happier, we have a giveaway! Big thank you to the Berkley team because we have five (5) copies of Ocean Light to give away.
Proportions:
4 oz citrus fruit juice of your choice
2 oz. vodka
2 oz. pineapple juice
No directions needed! Just pour into a glass with ice and stir. However, if you want the cute ombre effect, pour your pineapple juice over a spoon after having everything else in the glass.
Modifications and notes:
- For the fruit juice, I find this awesome Mocktails fruit juice by Ocean Spray. I love it and they have other varieties as well.
- My first idea was to use orange juice instead of a blended fruit juice. But then I remembered that I hate orange juice. If you love OJ and want to cut down on sugar, definitely use orange juice.
- Ice, ice baby. I highly recommend filling your glass with ice to keep it cold and yummy.
- Feeling fancy? Add some diced fruit or a cute cocktail umbrella.
Now to the best part! To enter the giveaway, comment below with the title of your favorite Singh romance and why.
Standard disclaimers apply: We are not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Open to US residents where permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18. Keep all tentacles and extra appendages to yourself, unless you receive clear and vocal consent. Please, no eating seafood in the presence of the Black Sea shifters. And most importantly, don’t forget your sunscreen! Comments will close Sunday June 17, 2018 around noon ET, and the winners will be announced shortly thereafter.
Cheers!
WINNER UPDATE!
Below are our five winners. Winners, be sure to check your inbox and spam folders! Thanks to all who commented and participated!
I haven’t read any of the Psy-Changeling books, so my favorite Singh book is probably Archangel’s Consort from the Guild Hunter Series. But I would love the opportunity to get into the Psy-Changeling series!
It’s hard to have a favorite since I love how she has kept the series fresh with new aspects. I lean toward the first book “Slave to Sensation” since it sets up this world and really pulls you into the series.
I loved Silver Silence, because, well…BEARS.
Slave to Sensation because Sascha.
I’m a total Judd and Brenna fan – so I have to go with Caressed by Ice – it’s my favorite reread of the series. Followed by Mercy and Riley and Drew and Indiigo. Hmm I guess I just love the entire Kincaid clan.
While I do enjoy the Psy/Changing books, I’m with @Melissandre, The Guild Hunter books are my series of choice. Elena & Raphael are all kinds of catnip for me, but Archangel’s Blade gives me all THE FEELS.
Angels’ Blood. It was my first Nalini Singh book. My gateway, so to speak. 🙂 I picked it up in an airport and was completely engrossed during a long, rough flight (and I’m a reluctant flyer, so that’s saying something)!
Caressed by Ice (Judd & Brenna) is my favorite reread. Kiss of Snow second and then the novellas (Nate & Tamsyn, Ria & Emmett).
I would have to go with Silver Silence, because I love the way the bears interact.
Erm, I actually haven’t read one yet…ulp. (BTW, it may be the papain in the pineapple that’s irritating your tongue. I heard somewhere that a pinch of salt helps, maybe in the drink?)
I haven’t read this series.
I haven’t read any of her novels (yet!)
I would have to say that mine is Archangel’s Shadows, mainly due to the chemistry between Ashwini and Janvier. She is such a strong, tragic character and he is so very respectful of her boundaries. Not to mention the fact that the horror that shadows her is not the specter of sexual abuse that is all too often the default mechanism for creating a tragic backstory for a female character.
I do not know i this counts as an actual entry, but I haven’t read any of her novels yet, though I have come across her name and reviews more times than I can count. After reading Elyse’s review of “Ocean Light” I suspect that “Silver Silence” is now in my future ….
Archangels Consort was my first Singh novel, so I will say it is my favorite due to its status as a “gateway book”. <3
Caressed by Ice all the way
I have read all of her books including the contemporaries and I’m so excited for a new one! But wow, hard to choose. I would say either Skavevti Sendation because it was first and will always be dear to my heart, or Caressed by Ice bc I just adored Judd so much.
Oh my, autocorrect fail. Slave to Sensation obviously. Wow.
Rock Hard because of the phenomenal character growth. I loved how patient Gabriel was with her!
Heart of Obsidian!!!
Oops I forgot to state why I love Heart of Obsidian, the love Kaleb had for Sahara for so many years!!
The Guild Hunter series because Illium, Aodhan, Dmitri, Venom, Nassir,Jason, Galen, Elena, Raphael. Need I say more?!
The world-building is TOP NOTCH! The characters incredibly engaging. I am very fond of them. Illium is my favorite.
I’ve been seeing Ocean Light being reviewed on a number of blogs and it’s been getting great comments. I hadn’t read anything by Singh so I decided to purchase the first book in the series to try, but haven’t finished it yet. So I guess the answer to which is my favorite of her books would have to be Slave to Sensation.
That is a difficult question! I’m going to say Wild Embrace because it has three stories I really like, but it’s very close (including her rockstar and NZ series).
Hard to choose only one– I guess I’ll say Heart of Obsidian because it’s 4:45 on a gray day in June. Could have been Caressed by Ice or Hostage to Pleasure in another day or hour or season. I do hate Blaze of Memory, so that’s consistent. This exercise is kinda revealing, cuz I like the books I like because of their angsty, badassed heroes, but the book I hate? Dev is a total douche-nozzle.
I’m a huge Guild Hunter Series fan! I’m currently rereading the series. I have such a hard time pinpointing a favorite. I’m torn between Angels’ Blood (the one that started it all!) and Archangels’ Shadows (were we finally see Ashwini give into sexy Cajun Janvier). I’m already on a countdown until the end of October for the next book. I’d love to have a new series from Ms Singh to drool over!
I still like Slave to Sensation best, but Mercy’s book was also great (Branded by Fire) and I love the bears in Silver Silence.
It is a toss up between “Caressed by Ice” (love the strong and serious Arrow) or Silver Silence because .. BEARS!
Gotta go with Caressed by Ice.
Slave to Sensation.
I really love Sasha and Lucas, and it the first book of hers that I read. Archangel’s Legion and Heart of Obsidian come very close to pushing Slave to Sensation to the side, though.
I am a huge Guild Hunter fan. It’s hard to pick one as a favorite. I guess I’d vote for Angel’s Blood since it was the start of the series. But I loved Legion and Blade and Storm and . . .
Hmm, I’ve read and re-read enough times that it’s hard to pick a favorite. But one of my absolute favorites is Shards of Hope, exploring the effects of loss of Silence on the Arrows.
Oh good, it does say romance, not book. So, Flirtation of Fate. I liked Kenji’s vulnerability, and how he manages to talk about things in spite of everything – so often often the cultural trope of making the woman uniquely vulnerable seems to be played up, and while Nalini Singh’s books have a lot more variety than most (and this seems to be increasing) this still is there. This is so unlike my experience in relationships it’s a little grating. They come across as partners. It’s great.
My favorite is Lord of the Abyss. I loved the strength of the heroine and the hero’s disregard for her lack of beauty.
I love the Guild Hunter books!
I will forever love Slave to Sensation best. I found that one randomly at Borders books based off the spine (I was on a Berkley Sensation kick at the time) and the cover snagged my attention. I think it took maybe twenty pages to hook me, and I cried reading the last chapters. Keeper!
I think my favorite is Tangle of Need, because it was so different from the fated mates idea, and a friends-to-lovers story.
Hardly original, but who cares? Angel’s Blood because it was my gateway to Ms Singh’s writing. Angels who weren’t religious but dangerous and deadly instead? Sign me up! Also Rock Hard for all the feels. Loved the acceptance and growth.
Not related, but HABERDAY! 😀
To Sarah, I mean. 😐