At Random

Caressed by Night (Rulers of Darkness #2) by Amanda J. Greene

2012-02-29T00:01:00.019-05:00

Today is the release day for Caressed by Night, Book #2 in the Rulers of Darkness series!! A big Happy Book Birthday to Amanda J. Greene!

Dimitri Arsov, the last remaining pure vampire, was thought to be dead for the past four hundreds years. Now, he is back and has a score to settle with the traitor that had tried to kill him centuries ago. But as he waits for his prey to blindly step into his carefully laid trap, his overwhelming hunger for blood is triggered when he saves a beautiful art historian.

Kerstyn Ingmar’s life was normal and straight up boring until the night she is rescued by the dangerously sexy, powerfully mesmerizing, Dimitri. Unable to resist his diamond blue eyes and intense kisses, she is drawn into his world of darkness and closer to her impending doom.

While their desire consumes them, Dimitri is haunted by images of a bloody and deadly future. As his enemies draw near, he must find a way to save his mate from her destiny before fate destroys them both.

My Thoughts:

I read book #1 in the series, Caressed by Moonlight, back in May of last year (see my review here) and I was curious to see if the story would continue on with Dorian and Victoria. Amanda did go in another direction with the series. Book #2, Caressed by Night, is about Dimitri and another big difference is that it is also set in modern times where the first book was historical.

Caressed by Night has sexy and powerful vampires, curses, witches, and love...all with a bit of action thrown in the mix. Dimitri, after geniously faking his own death, knows it's now time to reclaim what belongs to him. He appears to a trusted friend and then sets his plan into motion. Will he defeat his nemisis or will he himself be defeated?

Kerstyn meets a beautiful, blue eyed man when he saves her from danger. She has no idea of the bumpy road that Fate has put in front of her. Is she strong enough to survive in this new and dangerous world?

I enjoyed this book as much as the first. I also think it's fun trying to guess who will be the main character in the next installment in the series.

Just a little word of warning, this book contains some spicy scenes. So I'll say the same thing I did with the first book, if you don't like that kind of thing then you may not want to read this but you'll be missing out on a good book.

I received a review copy of this book, but that in no way effected my review.

Where to find Amanda:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Book Links:

Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Nobles

I’ve Been Tagged!!

2012-02-28T11:17:00.001-05:00

Karla at Book Addict blog tagged me so here goes…

Tag Rules:

1. You must post the rules.

2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create ten new questions to ask the people that you have tagged.

3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.

4. Let them know you've tagged them!

My answers to Karla’s questions:

1.What is your Favorite book ever?

I’m going to cheat and pick two books. So far they are the only books I have read more than once.

-Poison Study (Study #1) by Maria V. Snyder

-Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronté

2.If you had to choose a character of one book to meet in real life, who would it be?

I’m never good at answering questions like this so I'm going to cheat again and say 'pass'

3.If a thief entered your house to steal your library, what book would you try to save and why?

I would try to save as many of my signed books as possible...all the rest can be replaced. If I had to pick ONE book to rescue I would pick signed copy of Poison Study. It is the original first edition hard back and I could probably find another one but there’s more sentimental value to my copy. It’s signed and dated back in ’05 and it was Maria’s first book signing for her first novel. It was also the first signing I had been to as well.

4.If you were a character in a book what type of character would you be?

Hhmmm, I would like my book character to be a determined, kick butt chick

5.Have you found a book that made you cheer for the bad guy to win? Which book was it and why?

Well, there could be a lot…or none. Cryptic much? I think the male ‘love interests’ in a lot of books can be, well, asses but sometimes I find myself still wanting them to get the girl. Other than that, I don’t normally root for the bad guy. I guess it depends on how the book is written. Writers can spin the story however they want. I hope that at least makes a little sense, haha.

6.Who is the worst character you´ve found while reading a book?

Worst as in a bad guy or worst as in worst written? How about I go with a character trait that annoys me? I don’t like when characters are whiney. I understand that, obviously, bad things are going to happen to people in books but I enjoy the read more when there’s minimal whining before they get back up and dust themselves off.

7.Do you choose your books by the cover or the blurb?

Honestly, it’s different with each book. Sometimes I buy it based solely on the cover and/or blurb and sometimes I will pick a book only because a friend said I would like it. And there are the rare occasions where I read the blurb and skim some reviews.

8.Do you have any strange reading habits? if so what are they?

This ties in with my answer for question 7.

Most of the time I will read a book blurb when I buy it but after that I avoid anything to do with the book like the plague. Blurbs and reviews sometimes will give away details and I prefer to know as little as possible about the book so I’m surprised as I read.

9.Hardback, Paperback or ebook?

I like paperback and ebooks…and sometimes if I have a book in both formats I will switch back and forth while reading.

10.Give a list of your top 5 book boyfriends....

I don’t really have book boyfriends. I guess I just prefer to watch everyone fight over boyfriends from the sidelines ;)

Who I am Tagging

I’m not going to specifically tag anyone. Instead I’ll say that if you want to give the questions a whirl, then go for it! I just ask that you add a link to your post in the comments below.

My questions for you

1. What is the first book you remember reading that really stuck with you?

2. What is your go to genre? That one genre that can always snap you out off a book slump?

3. If you’re a blogger, what is your favorite thing about your blog? A certain meme? Your layout?

4. As a blog reader, what attracts you to a blog?

5. If you could get a signed/personalized book from any author who would it be?

6. If you could have any book character as a roommate who would you pick and why?

7. Do you prefer to cozy up and read or read on the go?

8. What is your favorite bookmark?

9. Do you like to set reading goals for yourself?

10. If so, what goals do you have for 2012?

Zombie Movies & Books

2012-02-26T22:01:00.001-05:00

A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, and a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the Last Twinkie and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America.

Everything zombie seems to be popular right now and the movie world is no exception. I have only seen two zombie movies, Zombieland and Zombie Apocalypse. The two movies are very different but also very good. Hubby and I are watching Zombieland for what is probably the fifth time. When I started watching it for the first time, I thought it might end up being one of those movies that you regret spending your time on but it was quite the opposite. This movie never seems to get old and I still laugh out loud at some of the scenes.

Months after a zombie plague has wiped out 90 percent of the American population, a small group of survivors fight their way cross-country to a rumored refuge on the island of Catalina.

Zombie Apocalypse is more action without the comedy and I can't explain why, but I absolutely love that this movie has a zombie tiger!

As for zombie books, well I have only read two...so far.

I have read the first two books in The Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan.

They are good, but they weren't quite the five star books that I was expecting. See my reviews here and here. I do plan on finishing the trilogy and reading more zombie books, for example

Have you seen any zombie moves? Read any zombie books?

"Love, Served With a Twist" Party WINNERS

2012-02-15T11:36:00.000-05:00

It has been a lot of fun partying with you all!

I have picked winners for the three giveaways on my blog.

Just remember, you still have a chance to win if you enter on Wendy's blog! I believe her giveaways are open until February 25th! Her post links are at the top of my side bar and will remain there until the giveaways end.

And on to the winners...

The winner for Shaking It Up by Erin Quinn is...

Robin

The winner for Dirtying It Up by Calista Fox is...

bn100

The winner for Stirring It Up by Mary Leo is...

Sonnie

Congrats to all of the winners!

I will be emailing the winners later today to let you know you won. Then I will be passing your email addresses on to Wendy and she will take care of letting the three fabulous authors who won :)

"Love, Served With a Twist" Party - Stirring It Up by Mary Leo

2012-02-09T22:48:00.000-05:00

The last review & giveaway for our "Love, Served With a Twist" Party week is Stirring It Up by Mary Leo
When sexy world traveler, Max Rosso, walks into With a Twist, the San Diego based martini bar and bistro Rose Cupido owns with her two best friends, she immediately knows she's in trouble. Not only did the mysterious gypsy prophesize that Rose would find true love by Valentine's Day, but the gypsy also warned that this new love must be returned. If it is not returned, all will be lost, including With a Twist.

As Valentine's Day fast approaches, can Max and Rose stir it up enough to find true love, or will his need for freedom get in the way of them having it all?

My Thoughts:

The third and final installment of the "Love, Served With a Twist" novella series is Stirring It Up. This novella is a little more sugar where the first two were sugar & spice.

Rose is the talented, dedicated, and workaholic chef at With a Twist. She doesn't have time for love. But then Max, Jasmine's cousin, strolls into the restaurant after having been away for ten years. Old feelings come back...and they're not all good ones. Rose knows they will never be together because among other things, Max is a roamer, never in one place for long. Will Rose and Max fall in love and fulfill the gypsy's fortune? You'll have to read it to find out :)

Keep reading for your chance to win an ebook of Stirring It Up!

Book Links:
Barnes & Nobles
Amazon

Author Links:
Website
Facebook

Giveaway:

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment for one (or more) of the three "Love, Served With a Twist" Authors

Please include your email so I can contact you.

Winner will be randomly selected on Valentine's Day!

Good Luck! And don't forget to check out Wendy's Stop on the party train for a great review and another chance to win! If you haven't entered to win the first two novellas in the series, Shaking It Up by Erin Quinn and Dirtying It Up by Calista Fox, check out the links at the top of my side bar.

Upcoming Read-a-Thon!

2012-02-08T21:59:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok, I know I am mega early on this BUT I'm excited for Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon in April! April 21st into the 22nd to be exact!

So why am I posting about this months early? One will never know ;) but since it's on my mind, I thought I would list some general RAT (read-a-thon) tips for any first timers out there.

1. Pick books you are 90% sure you will like! There's nothing worse than trying to force the connection to a book during a RAT.

2. If you find yourself forcing said connection then it may be wise to put it down and grab a different book so you don't mess with the flow of the thon.

3. A friend (Wendy at Wall-to-Wall Books) suggested reading Young Adult books, which makes sense because they are sometimes easier/quicker reads.

4. I believe at one point Wendy also said she reads shorter books. I think tho is a good idea too. Finishing more books may keep you motivated to kick RAT butt!

5. Plan out quick prep foods and snacks. You may decide to break up the RAT by cooking meals but if you want to read straight through the 24 hours then having grab and go types of food is always a time saver!

6. Stock up on sugar and caffeine. Unless your body is the energizer bunny you may need something to peel your eyes open and jump start your brain...and what better to do that than candy, coffee, or high sugar soda? I found that brownies and milk is a good snack to pull me through the rough hours.

7. Take breaks. Get up and walk around, dance around the house like a nut, take the dog out, or maybe do some cheerleading for other RAT'ers.

8. Have a friend check in with you and cheer you on...or have them threaten to hold your eyes open with toothpicks (Wendy!!)if you start drifting off.

9. If you are the type tht can't read withy grouch distractions then find a quiet room and throw some caution tape across the door to warn off any brave souls. I try to make sure my hubby is working a full shift during the RAT. Otherwise he tends to say random dribble about every half hour until I start to develop a twitch.

10. Another friend (Kate at Epic Chocolate Fantasy) recommends trying different locations, a coffee shop for example.

11. She also recommends having a lot of music close at hand...which will work nicely since #7 has you dancing around the house like a nut :)

12. And the most important one...HAVE FUN!

If you are a seasoned RAT'er let us know if you have any additional tips.

Hope to see some of you in April :-P

"Love, Served With a Twist" Party - Dirtying It Up by Calista Fox

2012-02-07T22:54:00.001-05:00

We have hit the middle of our "Love, Served With a Twist" Party week!!! Our midweek review & giveaway is for the second book in the novella series Dirtying It Up by Calista Fox

A prophecy whispered in Jasmine Rosso’s ear by a gypsy fortuneteller in San Diego’s Seaport Village leads her to a sizzling night with sexy glass artist Jake Hartnett. But the clock’s running out on the time allotted to fulfill the prophecy, and if Jasmine doesn’t make a true love connection with Jake before midnight on Valentine’s Day, she’ll lose everything she’s worked so hard to achieve this past year...including the trendy martini bar and bistro, With a Twist, that she owns with her two best friends. Worst of all, she’ll lose Jake—the only man she’s ever wanted.

My Thoughts:

This is an interesting series, the three novella's all run parallel to eachother. They overlap a little but for the most they are happening at the same time. So to me it's a series, 'with a twist'.

Dirtying It Up follows Jasmine, part owner of 'With a Twist', as she struggles with a gypsy's fortune along with her friends. She has to find love and have it returned before Valentine's Day. This is where Jake, and his reputation, come in. He recently returned from Italy and just the thought of him gives Jasmine the warm and fuzzies...well it's probably more like hot and bothered. But regardless, she doubts he would ever feel the same about her and even if he did, would she just be another notch on his bedpost?

Dirtying It Up was another good (and hot) Valentine's read. Keep reading for your chance to win an ebook copy.

Book Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Nobles

Author Links:
Website
Blog

Giveaway:

To enter, all you have to do is comment with your email.

Winner will be randomly selected on Valentine's Day!

Good Luck! And don't forget to check out Wendy's Stop on the party train for a great review and another chance to win! If you haven't entered to win the first book in the series, Shaking It Up by Erin Quinn, check out the links at the top of my side bar.

"Love, Served With a Twist" Party - Shaking It Up by Erin Quinn

2012-02-05T23:02:00.001-05:00

Today's party is all about Shaking It Up by Erin Quinn

Daisy L’Amore is faced with impossible choices. A prophecy given a year ago has Daisy and her two best friends racing the clock to find love before midnight on Valentine’s Day or they will lose everything they’ve worked for, including With a Twist, the martini bar and bistro the three of them own. A crystal heart and a gypsy’s words guide them, but love has a way of making its own rules, and Daisy is afraid to break them.

Romeo Corazón is shaking up Daisy’s world, but will the transformation he brings to her life be the downfall of everything she values? Or will falling in love with the wrong man make everything right?

My Thoughts:

Shaking It Up is a fun and spicy Valentine's Day read about three friends who own a martini bar/bistro. A year ago they were drawn to a gypsy's stand where she foretold their future and warned them that they must find love before the next Valentine's Day or lose everything. That potentially catastrophic date is closing in...and fast!

This particular installment of Love, Served With a Twist is about Daisy, the bartender for 'With a Twist'. She is torn between sexy, bad boy Rome and seemingly nice guy William. Can one of these guys really be her future or will she miss out on love and lose everything her and her friends have?

I really enjoyed reading Shaking It Up and ironically I read this while drinking a glass of wine. It's not quite a martini but it was still fun to curl up with a good book and my friend, Moscato ;-).

Keep reading for your chance to win an ebook of Shaking It Up!

Book Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Nobles

Author Links:
Website
Blog

Giveaway:

To enter, all you have to do is comment with your thoughts on Valentine's Day...are you pro or con? Is it a special day or is it a Hallmark holiday just there for stores to make more money?

Please include your email so I can contact you if you win.

Winner will be randomly selected on Valentine's Day!

Good Luck! And don't forget to check out Wendy's Stop on the party train for a great review and another chance to win!

"Love, Served With a Twist" Party

2012-02-03T21:47:00.000-05:00

You're Invited!

Hosted By

Wendy @ Wall-to-Wall Books

Jen (me) @ well...here ;-)

What

"Love, Served With a Twist" Party

Wendy and I will be reading the three novella's in the Love, Served With a Twist series and posting our reviews on the same days (listed below). We will be linking our posts and will each be hosting giveaways for the featured novella!

Two Blogs x Three Novella's = 6 Chances to win!! Don't miss out!

When

February 6th featured review/giveaway will be Shaking It Up by Erin Quinn

February 8th featured review/giveaway will be Dirtying It Up by Calista Fox

February 10th featured review/giveaway will be Stirring It Up by Mary Leo

Why

Well, why not? Who doesn't like a good party?

Blind Date, Checkmate & A Bite's Tale: A Furry Fable by Veronica Blade

2012-01-30T22:45:00.000-05:00

Blind Date, Checkmate by Veronica Blade (Novella)

Goodreads Summary:

Should a woman who’s unable to forget her first love give “happily ever after” one more try?

Shelby Winters’ one great love went sour. If she can’t feel that way about a guy again, why bother? When Shelby’s best friend sets her up on a blind date with Logan, the guy who broke her heart, he pursues her relentlessly, forcing her to make a choice: give her heart what it’s always desired and risk total devastation or shut Logan out and lose her only shot at happiness. To Shelby, it’s a lose-lose situation. Or is it?

My Review:

Blind Date, Checkmate was a little predictable but still a nice light read that would make for
good lunch time or waiting room reading. The characters are likeable for the most part. Shelby
was insanely stubborn but I suppose she had good reason to be. Can she get over the past and fall in love again? Logan is a writer and a ladies man who has seen the err of his ways. But is he too late to reclaim his first and only love?

A Bite’s Tale: A Furry Fable by Veronica Blade (Novella)

Goodreads Summary:

A Cinderella who spends her nights as a wolf. A prince with a taste for blood.
Seventeen year old Cydney struggles against her werewolf nature, trying to keep everyone around her safe. No way will she risk exposing the beast at the prince’s ball, no matter how her two cousins try to persuade her. Even as she attempts to get on with her life, Cydney can’t forget the boy she loved three summers ago — or what she did to him after losing control.

Turned into a vampire to save his life, the prince refuses to live up to his royal duties. He just wants to find the girl he loved and lost...the werewolf girl who bit him. But his father, the king, commands him to attend a ball where he must choose a wife. Can he find his Cinderella before he's forced to marry another? He doesn’t even have her real name, much less a glass slipper.

My Review:

Let me just say that I definitely saved the best for last when reading these two novellas! I loved A Bite's Tale and as much as I liked Blind Date, Checkmate, it pales in comparison. Don't get me wrong, I was sucked into Blind Date as well, but I simply could not stop reading A Bite's Tale until I had finished. I'm not huge into gushing about books but let me just say that if you like Young Adult Paranormal Romance, then what are you waiting for? Go get it!

A Bite's Tale is a captivating story about Cinderella and a Prince, but it's more than that. It has a little bit of everything, from werewolves, vampires, witches, and warlocks to love, heartbreak, anguish, threats, and promises.

**I received both of these novella's for review but that in no way effected my review(s).

This Month on RAK

2012-01-27T14:11:00.001-05:00

I participated in Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) in December and January.

What's RAK you say? Well, RAK is Book Soulmates brain child. The idea of RAK is to pay it forward by randomly sending people books/ebooks from their wishlists.

Go to Book Soulmates Blog for more information

or to sign up.

I did not receive any RAK's in December but I did receive one this month.

Wendy from Wall-to-Wall Books sent me Feed (Newsflesh Trilogy #1) by Mira Grant

I also thought I would share a couple of the goodies I received outside of the RAK program.

I won a few awesome things from Cheryl Rainfield through her twitter/blog contests back in December. Keep reading if you're curious what I won.

First up is a space pen. This pen is supposed to be this magical creature that will write upside down and even under water. The first thing that came to my mind is 'how can it write underwater if paper isn't waterproof?'

**ponders to self**

AH HA, I can write on myself! So I turned hand into a canvas to experiment a little. It was pretty awkward fitting my hand in the container (which was filled with very cold water...not smart on my part) and attempting to write on it. But I managed. And my handy dandy waterproof camera was there to catch the action first hand.

These are the signed goodies I won

And last but certainly not least, my shiney new Kindle Touch!

Thank you again Cheryl & Wendy!

Blog Theme Song

2012-01-26T17:45:00.000-05:00

Wendy at Wall-to-Wall Books came up with a theme song for her blog and ~~dared~~ challenged her readers to do the same. Click here to see her theme song post or to link up if you do your own post.

It took me a while to settle on a theme song. I'm a big movie buff so I figured it would be appropriate to pick a movie theme song. I (eventually) decided on the theme song from the Footloose. I love both versions of the movie and song. Kenny Loggins is the original singer but I decided to add the remake by Blake Shelton to this post.

And instead of Footloose, I'm calling it Bookloose so everytime you hear footloose in the lyrics just replace it with bookloose. Just for fun, I've included the lyrics (with my changes) below the video.

"Footloose" now Bookloose ;-)(originally by Kenny Loggins)

Ooooh-oh-oh
Ooooh-oh-oh
Yeah
Ooooh-oh-oh
Ooooo-oh-oh
Ooooo-oh-oh

I Been working so hard
I'm punching my card
Eight hours for what
Oh, tell me what I got
I get this feeling
Times just holding me down
I'll hit the ceiling
Or else I'll tear up this town

Tonight I gotta cut loose, bookloose
Kick off your Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut bookloose

You're playing so cool
Obeying every rule
Deep way down in your heart
You're burning yearning for some
Somebody to tell you
That life ain't passing you by
I'm trying to tell you
It will if you don't even try
You'll get by if you'd only

Cut loose, bookloose
Kick off the Sunday shoes
Oo-wee Marie, shake it, shake it for me
Woah, Milo, come on, come on let's go
Lose your blues, everybody cut bookloose.

Ooooh-oh-oh
(Cut bookloose)
Ooooh-oh-oh
(Cut bookloose)
Ooooh-oh-oh
(Cut bookloose)
Oooooooooh

We've got to turn you around
And put your feet on the ground
Now take a hold of your soul

I'm turning it loose

Bookloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut bookloose
(bookloose) bookloose

Kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut, everybody cut
Everybody cut, everybody cut
Everybody cut, everybody cut

(Everybody) everybody cut bookloose

Raised by Wolves (Raised by Wolves #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

2012-01-26T08:51:00.000-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped.

My Review:

Raised by Wolves is yet another reason why I love werewolf books! It’s a great book with werewolves (of course), an unruly teenager, and the bonds between them. There are a lot of power struggles which makes for an exciting story line.

Bryn has literally been raised by wolves after a traumatic event takes her parent’s lives. She has managed to stay out of the deep seeded werewolf politics…until now. She has something in her sights and in order to obtain it she has to open herself up to everything she has been so careful to avoid. Can she handle the pressure or will she pay the price for stepping out of line?

An arc of this book was given to me by Tirzah from The Compulsive Reader but that in no way effected my review. She was overloaded with review books and decided to pass some along to others. Thank you again Tirzah!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

2012-01-25T05:56:00.002-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

My Review:

My thoughts. Oh my. Well. I love it and I hate it. Ok hate is a strong word so we'll go with I love it and I dislike it.

I love the detailed descriptions of the circus and everything within it. I wanted to be one of the red scarf crew who followed the circus around, experiencing the magic, and writing about it to capture the enchantment in ink.

Overall the story is interesting BUT I felt that the pace of the first 2/3 was horribly s l o w. I’m sure not everyone feels that way but it really drove me bonkers for a while and I had to force myself to sit down and push through. I think it may have been better for me if I had expected it to be a slow read but I didn’t.

Another thing that I disliked was that the story jumped forward and back in time A LOT! I have a bad habit of not reading dates, notes, or well anything at the beginning of chapters. I just like to read through books and not have to stop and write up a timeline. Ok, I really didn’t stop and write up a timeline but honestly I think it may have helped ease the confusion at times.

Overall, I don’t think I got as much out of the book as I could have because of the pace and because of the story bouncing around in time. I might decide to reread it someday when I want a slower read and will be able to take it in more of the details.

Stephen Prosapio Guest Post & Giveaway

2012-01-23T22:44:00.000-05:00

GUEST POST

Stephen was kind enough to stop by with a creative guest post. Here's what he had to say:

Publishing Headlines for 2012

Here are some headlines I see coming this year in the publishing industry:

Simon & Schuster Admit Snooki Deal a Mistake

--In unrelated news, they announce the publishing of “The Happy Marriage Handbook” by Kim Kardashian

Stephen King Reveals he is, in fact, the devil!

-- “I always knew it!” said Mitt Romney

Stephanie Meyers Announces New Series: ForeLight

-- It’s about a zombie defrauded of her home who falls for her mortgage lender. It’s deemed much more realistic than Twilight.

George W. Bush Novel Published…by TOR.

--Some claim it’s autobiographical, others call it fiction. It describes a war which was won by the good guys rather easily.

Barack Obama Announces the Publication of his Newest Book: The Audacity of Choke: -- It describes how “hypothetically” to destroy all medical innovation in less than 4 years.

Amazon Announces: ePublishing Was All a Hoax

-- The Big 6 Publishing companies release a joint statement: “We told you so!”

JK Rowling Announces She’s Running for Queen

-- The royal family agrees to step down in exchange for digital rights to the Harry Potter series.

Ravenous Mob Lynches Prosapio!

-- Having offended thousands with his fake headlines, author’s home is stormed in a fashion similar to Dr. Frankenstein’s castle. Dying author’s last words: “I just hoped to offended EVERYONE equally!”

Thank you for stopping by Stephen! My favorite 2012 headline is the ePublishing hoax.

To learn more about Stephen, you can find him at the below links.

Website

Twitter
Facebook

Goodreads

If you would like to see my review of Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum click here.

GIVEAWAY

Comment on this post with your email address for the chance to win one of the below prizes.

1st Place - ebook copy of Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum (US/International)

2nd Place - Signed Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum Bookmark and Postcard (US only)

Winners will be randomly selected

Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio

2012-01-23T15:23:00.000-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

Zach Kalusky, host of Sci-D TV's Xavier Paranormal Investigators, is ecstatic when he's given the opportunity to explore the most haunted site in Chicago for a Halloween Special: Rosewood Asylum, a place long made off-limits by the local government, plagued by decades of mysterious fires and unexplained events. It's Zach's dream investigation- but there's a catch: the network forces Xavier Paranormal Investigators to partner with the more dramatic-but less ethical-Demon Hunters. Now, Zach must fight for both his show's integrity and his team's loyalty while trying to protect his own secret: that he, himself, is possessed.

My Thoughts:

Competing and conflicting paranormal investigating TV shows unwillingly join forces to investigate Rosewood Asylum. The property and the surrounding town have a disturbing past. During their time there, the heads of both shows do nothing but butt heads. Zach wants to legitimately solve the mystery of Rosewood Asylum by looking into its past while Bryce wants nothing more than to boost the ratings of his show.

I’ve seen my share of ghost hunting shows and this book reads like a behind the scenes look at one of those shows. Along with the ghostly mystery, Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum also has a few small twists that keep you intent throughout the story. I also enjoyed the interesting and sometimes changing dynamic between the characters.

Stephen Prosapio will also be releasing a sequel to Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum titled The Atchison Haunting.

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for a guest post by Stephen Prosapio and your chance to win an ebook of Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum!!

Cover Reveal - Eternal (A Holloway Pack Story #0.5) by J.A. Belfield

2012-01-17T10:00:00.006-05:00

Today I'm doing a cover reveal for Eternal (A Holloway Pack Story #0.5) by J.A. Belfield but I also wanted to include the other Holloway Pack Stories in the order they were written. This is also the recommended reading order. Each title is linked to the Goodreads page for each book

Darkness & Light (A Holloway Pack Story #1)

Jem Stonehouse, a housewife with a neurotic husband bent on keeping her in line, dreams about werewolves in, what she believes, is a bid to escape boredom.

Sean Holloway is a werewolf, living a charade within the human race, whose mind drifts to a bond he shares with a woman he hasn't met--at least, not in this lifetime.

Apart, the two are safe but live unfulfilled lives.

Together, they'll become prey to rival packs just as they have been for hundreds of years.

When their worlds collide, and not for the first time, instinct takes over. Dreams become reality. Futures are uncertain. To keep history from repeating itself, Sean must teach Jem about his heritage, convince her of her role, and win her love.

Can Jem accept her destiny before it's too late, or is her inner wolf buried too deep to save her future with Sean?

See my review of Darkness & Light here

See a previous guest post where Julie talks about Darkness & Light

Marked (I think this one would be considered 1.5 but it can be read before or after the two prequels) is one of three stories you will find in Into the Unknown

In Marked, Darkness & Light’s Sean Holloway is on a mission—to find the perfect gift for the woman of his dreams. When all conventional choices turn out to be the wrong ones, each failed attempt convinces Sean his self-imposed task is impossible. But in the world of the Holloway Pack, anything is possible if it can be kept a secret.

Instinct (A Holloway Pack Story #0)

Werewolf Sean Holloway treats the village marketplace like a sexual buffet, though his charm does little to win over his latest entrée of choice. Whether because of Jem Stonehouse’s unique scent, her headstrong nonchalance, or the fact he is forbidden to see her by his pack’s rules, Sean wants her.

When Jem is nothing but flippant toward his advances, he pursues her with vigour, stealing moments alone with her without a libido-driven agenda.

The new and heady experience for him drives their relationship beyond romantic interest, and straight toward love.

That is, until Jem learns the truth about Sean’s heritage. Knowledge of the existence of werewolves leads to only one outcome: death.

In this prequel to Darkness & Light, we are taken back in time, to the very beginning of Jem and Sean’s love-across-the-centuries relationship.

Did it end there? Or did Sean defy his own pack to save the woman he loves.

And without further adieu...the cover reveal and blurb of Eternal (A Holloway Pack Story #0.5)
The story will be released in July 2012

An unmarried woman living in a house of men breeds hearsay and lore. If only the villagers knew the truth.

It’s not Jem Stonehouse’s marital status that brings unwanted strangers to town. Rather, it’s that she is the only female werewolf in existence — a prize to any pack.

Sean Holloway, the love of Jem’s life, has gone to great lengths to protect her. As a new attack becomes imminent, Sean realizes he must take greater measures with Jem’s safety or risk losing her forever.

His first task must be to marry her, but a force greater than the largest werewolf stands in his way.

Her mother.

If you're interesed in learning more about J.A. Belfield and her writing you can find her at the below links.

Website
Blog
Twitter
Goodreads
Publisher's Website

Poison Study (Study #1) by Maria V. Snyder

2012-01-14T08:47:00.001-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison…

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear…

My Review:

This is a reread but Poison Study will always be my ‘it’ book. I read it when it was released way back when (ok, it really wasn’t THAT long ago…just a few years) and even though it was not a genre I would have normally considered, I ended up loving it. It got me back into reading and I have not stopped since.

Since I read this long before my book reviewing days I wanted to give it some well-deserved attention this second go around.

I ended up loving Poison Study and a lot of the characters as much as I did when I read it years ago. And I think this is only the second book I have ever reread…Jane Eyre being the other.

Maria V. Snyder builds a captivating and unique tale that draws you in. The smooth writing and vivid descriptions hold your attention and makes Poison Study a book you will not want to put down.

It’s a story about Yelena who has a rocky past and present to say the least. She was forced to do something and is now paying the price. She accepted her fate only to be given a thread of hope to grasp on to. She’s offered the chance to become a food taster. But only after passing…well surviving a deadly test.

Click here to see my initial post on Poison Study

To learn more about Maria V. Snyder and her books check out the below links

Website

Blog

And don't forget to check out MVS's latest release Touch of Power

Blog Award

2012-01-13T08:34:00.001-05:00

The Liebster award (“Liebster” is the German word for friend or love) originated in Germany.

A big thank you hug goes out to Tiffany at TRH87 Books for giving me Liebster Blog Award!

In accepting the Liebster Blog Award, the recipient agrees to:

Thank the person who gave them the award and link back to that person's blog

Copy and paste the award to their blog

Reveal the 5 blogs they have chosen to award, commenting on their blog to break the news!

Hope those people in turn pay it forward by accepting and awarding "The Liebster Blog Award" to bloggers they would like to honor.

I'm going to pass this award on to:

Wendy @ Wall-to-Wall Books

Sometimes having a blog can be a lot of work, but somehow Wendy manages to maintain THREE! She definitely deserves an award for that alone!

Kate @ Never Bake in Black

Kate has a brand new feature called 'Stars of…' be sure check it out!

Hodo @ Wandering Thoughts of a Certified Bibliophile

Hodo is new to the blogging world so I wanted to give her a little bit of encouragement

Krista @ The Dust JACKet

This is a brand new New Year’s Blog and the latest blog that I’ve followed.

Julie @ J.A. Belfield’s Blog

Along with being a great author, she also has an awesome monthly blog feature called The ‘What If’ Game that I always look forward to.

A Taste of the Nightlife (A Vampire Chef Mystery #1) by Sarah Zettel

2012-01-13T06:05:00.003-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

Welcome to Nightlife, an eatery where the inventive fare is guaranteed to satisfy even the most discerning paranormal palate…

Charlotte Caine isn’t called “the Vampire Chef” because she’s a member of New York’s burgeoning undead community—she just cooks for them. With her vampire brother Chet, Charlotte runs Nightlife, a Greenwich Village restaurant that specializes in “haute noir” cuisine for humans and their paranormal companions. While it isn’t a bona fide smash yet, the city’s most influential food critic is coming in for a bite, and a glowing review could mean that Nightlife will hit it big with the after-dark crowd.

The night finally arrives when Charlotte notices the food critic slinking in the door. She wants everything to be perfect…but of course that’s the moment when a drunk patron decides to cause a scene, cast a spell, and almost burn the building down. A five star review doesn’t seem in the offing, especially after the patron turns up dead in the doorway with fang marks in his neck. With the restaurant at the epicenter of a paranormal turf war, Charlotte needs to figure out who killed her customer, before all the bad press puts Nightlife out of business for good.

My Review:

A Taste of the Nightlife is what I would call a culinary themed paranormal mystery, that’s a mouthful I know but that’s the best way I can describe it!

Chef Charlotte Cain and her brother Chet own Nightlife, a restaurant that caters to daybloods (regular people), nightbloods (vampires), and other paranormals. The restaurant and inevitably the owners get into a heap of trouble when a fight breaks out and later when a dead body appears in the restaurant. Chef Cain realizes she needs to launch her own investigation before her restaurant fails under the pressure. Of course in doing so, she gets herself into even more trouble. Can she solve the mystery before losing her dream and livelihood?

I adored the food related aspects of the book as well as the mystery and paranormal aspects. It's a great combination and I’m looking forward to seeing what trouble the characters get into in the next book.

Let Them Eat Stake (A Vampire Chef Mystery #2) is due to release on April 3, 2012.

The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman

2012-01-12T14:42:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit behind on my review so please don't mind the occassional review of a christmas book :-)

Goodreads Summary:

Mark your calendar. It's the Christmas Cookie Club! Every year on the first Monday of December, Marnie and her twelve closest girlfriends gather in the evening with batches of beautifully wrapped homemade cookies. Everyone has to bring a dish, a bottle of wine, and their stories. This year, the stories are especially important. Marnie's oldest daughter has a risky pregnancy. Will she find out tonight how that story might end? Jeannie's father is having an affair with her best friend. Who else knew about the betrayal, and how can that be forgiven or forgotten, even among old friends such as these? Rosie's husband doesn't want children, and she has to decide, very soon, whether or not that's a deal breaker for the marriage. Taylor's life is in financial freefall. Each woman, each friend has a story to tell, and they are all interwoven, just as their lives are.

On this evening, at least, they can feel as a group the impulses of sisterly love and conflict, the passion and hopefulness of a new romance, the betrayal and disillusionment some relationships bring, the joys and fears of motherhood, the agony of losing a child, and above all, the love they have for one another. As Marnie says, the Christmas Cookie Club, if it's anything, is a reminder of delight.

The Christmas Cookie Club is about the paths Marnie and her friends have traveled, the absolute joy they take in life and love despite the decisions they've regretted, the hard choices and amends they've had to make, and the sacrifices along the way. Ultimately, The Christmas Cookie Club is every woman's story. As you read about Marnie and her friends, their struggles and triumphs, what makes them laugh and what has made them cry, you'll see yourself and some of the ingredients of your own story. Celebrating courage and joy in spite of hard times and honoring the importance of women's friendships as well as the embracing bonds of community, Ann Pearlman has written a novel that speaks to us all

My Review:

That is a very long book summary so I’m not going to add to it. I’ll just give you my opinion. Each of the 12 women has their own chapter but their stories are interlinked. It felt as though there were too many characters and I spent part of the book struggling to follow who everyone was. The Christmas Cookie Club also has a bit more heartache than I like in my Christmas novels. Each woman has their own troubles and although there were some silver linings it wasn’t enough good to outweigh the bad. I know that not every book has to be ‘happy’ because life isn’t always happy but I like a little more cheer in my holiday reads.

I was talking to a fellow blogger (Wendy @ Wall-to-Wall Books) about this book and my review. She suggested I say who my favorite character is and why. Well I could take the easy road and say that my favorite is Marnie because she is the head cookie bitch and you learn that she is sometimes the glue that keeps the group together. But I’m not going to say that because I really don’t have a favorite. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. I’m not sure if it’s the writing style that I didn’t resonate with me or if it’s the fact that I haven’t experience the things they have.

I did think it was neat that the author included the recipes for each of the cookies. A recipe and a short history of some classic baking ingredients were given before each chapter. I think that including all of this information at the beginning of each chapter really threw off the flow of the book. Because of this, I ended up not reading any of that extra information. I might go back and read it separately but to me, it would make more sense to have all of the same information, but add it at the end of the book.

A Fun New Project

2012-01-09T11:24:00.000-05:00

BJ from Dark Side of the Covers ( @bjdarkside ) posted a tweet about a present she received for Christmas, here’s what she said…

“Got the coolest gift ever from my Dad tonight – box of quotes he’s been collecting for 20+ years. Inspiring. Think I’ll start one of my own.”

What an awesome idea! And it inspired me to start my own box as well…ok technically I don’t have it physically started but I have started thinking of quotes to include.

Books are a big part of my life so I will definitely be including quotes from some of my favorite books. Here’s a few I have come up with…

· “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

· “I think the very word stalking implies that you're not supposed to like it. Otherwise, it would be called 'fluffy harmless observation time'.”
― Molly Harper

· “He's like that with everybody. Don't take it personally. Some people were just born with a pinecone shoved up their butts.
In Cooper's case, it's lodged sideways.”
― Molly Harper, How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf

· “Don't knock the power of a pest," Leif said. "Persistance and stubborness can be useful in many situations.”
- Maria V. Snyder, Storm Glass

· “Nothing says you care for me better than offering to torture my enemies."

He grinned. "No sense doing things halfhearted. And to think, some girls have to endure listening to poetry.”
- Maria V. Snyder, Outside In

· “Food that walked and talked, that was us. McPeople.”
- Charlaine Harris, Dead as a Doornail

· “One can never receive enough love, nor, can they give enough. Love is the one thing we can never have enough of, nor, give too much.”
- Caedem Marquez, A Boyfriend Before Christmas

· "I'm Chase." he said.

"Kind of an ironic name for a werewolf." The observation slipped easily off my tongue. The boy didn't blink. In fact, I was beginning to doubt that he'd blink once since I'd come into the room. "Werewolves do a lot of chasing." I explained.

"And your name is Chase. Hee."
— Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Raised by Wolves (Raised by Wolves, #1))

These two book quotes are from Poison Study & Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder. They are a little spoilery if you haven’t read the books.

· “Yelena, you've driven me crazy. You've caused me considerable trouble and I've contemplated ending your life twice since I've known you." Valek's warm breath in my ear sent a shiver down my spine.

"But you’ve slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.”

“That sounds more like a poison than a person,” was all I could say. His confession had both shocked and thrilled me.

“Exactly,” Valek replied. “You have poisoned me.”
- Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

· “He made a weak attempt to look innocent, but I knew better. "Should I guess how many concealed weapons you have or should I strip search you?"
"A strip search is the only way to be absolutely certain." Valek's deep blue eyes danced with delight.”
- Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

Some general quotes about books…

· “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
- Marcus Tullius Cicero

· “When we read a story, we inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls. What is to happen next will take place within the four walls of the story. And this is possible because the story's voice makes everything its own.”
- John Berger, Keeping a Rendezvous

· “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.”
- Walt Disney Company

· “These are not books, lumps of lifeless paper, but minds alive on the shelves. From each of them goes out its own voice... and just as the touch of a button on our set will fill the room with music, so by taking down one of these volumes and opening it, one can call into range the voice of a man far distant in time and space, and hear him speaking to us, mind to mind, heart to heart.”
- Gilbert Highet

I’m a pretty laid back person most of the time so the next few quotes are about rolling with the punches so to speak…

· Que Sera Sera - Whatever will be, will be

· C'est la vie - Such is life

· Hakuna Matata – It means no worries for the rest of your days, It’s a problem free philosophy…you know you’re singing that right now ;-)

General Life quotes

· “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”

– Albert Einstein

· “And in the end it is not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.”

– Abraham Lincoln

· “Life is a blank canvas, and you need to throw all the paint on it you can.”

– Danny Kaye

· “Carpe diem” - Seize the day

· Wag more, bark less

And two miscellaneous quotes

· “I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”
- Robert McCloskey

· “To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place…I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
- Elliott Erwitt

A Boyfriend Before Christmas (Finding Love 1) by Caedem Marquez

2012-01-04T13:41:00.000-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

Rachel McDaniel loves being a single, 29-year-old co-owner of a chocolate shop. But when Rachel's aging mentor, Mama Bird unexpectedly decides the workaholic youngster needs a boyfriend before Christmas, Rachel must decide what she really wants in life: a man or her thriving career.

The quest for love will send her into hilarious situations. In the end, Rachel will find out if it is her time to love or if she will have to wait.

Told with humor and compassion, this book will make you laugh and cry.

This is a novelette of 60 pages.

My Review:

Mama Bird and Rachel are great characters. They are co-owners of a chocolate shop (yum!) and they have such a sweet relationship. Rachel is close to my age so it was easy for me to relate to her and Mama Bird is a wise woman who is determined to get what she wants...a boyfriend for Rachel.

I read A Boyfriend Before Christmas over a lunch break at work. I was giggling and grinning like the Cheshire Cat....and hoping no one would walk into the break room! Haha.

Image from: holdsitfromfloppin.blogspot.com

This is cute story with chocolate, good looking men **wink**, humor, heartfelt moments, and an unexpected twist.

It is pretty short though and I was left wanting more! With that said, I will definitely be reading Life, Love and the Pursuit of Chocolate the second in the Finding Love series.

Friends With Benefits - Movie Review

2012-01-04T13:22:00.000-05:00

Description & photo from IMDB (International Movie Database):

Jamie (Mila Kunis) is a New York head-hunter trying to sign Los Angeles-based Dylan (Justin Timberlake) for her client. When he takes the job and makes the move, they quickly become friends. Their friendship turns into a friendship with benefits, but with Jamie's emotionally damaged past and Dylan's history of being emotionally unavailable, they have to try to not fall for each other the way Hollywood romantic comedies dictate.

My Thoughts:

I like romantic comedies but I was a little hesitant to watch this movie because I'm not a huge fan of Justin Timberlake.

On a whim, I ended up renting it when a friend and I had a movie day and figured I would let her decide if we watched it or not. She wanted to watch it and we both ended up loving it! It really is a good movie with a lot of laugh out loud moments and also a lot of sweet moments. I ended up watching it again that day after hubby got home from work since he wanted to see Mila...eerr the movie...no, really it was Mila lol!

So if you're looking for a somewhat guy friendly chick flick, maybe check into this one.

My 2011 Stats

2011-12-30T08:59:00.000-05:00

The nice thing about Goodreads.com is that it tracks your stats every year. I thought it would be fun to list them here…and I made some pretty charts :-)

2011

- Read 72 books (these numbers include novellas)

-19 Five Star books

-45 Four Star books

-6 Three Star books

-1 Two Star book

-1 One Star book

-Read 17,451 pages

This is a big jump from previous years…

2010

-Read 36 books

-Read 11,095 pages

2009

-Read 11 books

-Read 5,205 pages

2008

-Read 34 books

-Read 14,397 pages

2007

-Read 35 books

-Read 13,781 pages

2006

-Read 35 books

-Read 13,457 pages

Giveaway Winner

2011-12-30T07:44:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic and book filled Christmas!

Have a happy and safe New Year!

And now for the winner...

LilMissMolly, Congrats! I will be emailing you shortly!

Giveaway

2011-12-22T12:41:00.001-05:00

Part of the Christmas in July, in December Challenge (hosted by Wall-to-wall Books) is to have a giveaway for a Christmas book. I decided to giveaway the below books. They are all used copies and you can see that the top two have some creasing, but other than that they are in good condition.

A Gift to Last by Debbie Macomber

Christmas in Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber

Wolfsbane & Mistletoe by Charlaine Harris, etc. (Anthology)

To Enter:

-Comment on this post and include your email address

-International entries accepted

-Contest closes December 29th, 12pm (EST)

-Winner will be selected via Random.org

Book Must Haves-Cover Love

2011-12-16T12:53:00.001-05:00

Book Summary:

Caitlyn, a telepath, lives in a world where all paranormal talents are illegal. She is on the run from government ParaTroopers. When Caitlyn falls for Alex, a Normal, and discovers dangerous renegade Paranormals, she must choose between staying in hiding to protect herself or taking a stand to save the world

I read Scars by Cheryl Rainfield (see my review here) and loved it so I can't wait to get my hands on Hunted! Based on the cover alone you know it will be a gripping tale!

Released yesterday

Book Summary:

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

I am a big fan of Maria V. Snyder so I'm looking foward to this one!! I have it preordered and I'm hoping **fingers crossed** to get it soon!

Releases December 20, 2011...next week!!

Book Summary:

There's something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

I saw this book on Buried in Books blog. I'm not usually into historical or steampunk books, but this book sounds interesting. It is also based in Philadelphia which is a bonus for me since I live in Pennsylvania! Is it July yet?!

Releases in July 2012

2012 Challenges

2011-12-16T07:33:00.002-05:00

My first 2012 challenge is a Rainbow Book Cover Challenge. I know a lot of people have done this one as a monthly challenge but I don’t read enough books for that so I’m going to do it over a year. Link up and grab my button if you would like to join me.

This is a ‘create your own’ challenge. You can decide which colors to include in your challenge, here are some ideas to get you started…

Red, magenta, pink, orange, peach, yellow, green, aqua, teal, blue, indigo, violet, white, and black

Some may be difficult, but I’m going to try for all of them.

- - -

Tiffany over at Fantasy Reads is hosting a 52 book challenge for 2012. I’m participating but I’m going to tweak this challenge a little. I want 26 to 35 of those books to be ones I currently own…well ones that I own as of the end of 2011 since I’m getting some books for Christmas! This challenge could be tough with my twist!

- - -

And last but not least, I want to do a Series Finisher Challenge. I started a lot of series in 2011 so I would like to finish 10 of those. Some of them only have two or three books released (so far) in the series so my goal is to be current with them. Here is a list of already released books that I’m thinking of reading for the challenge (I already own the bolded books), but the list may change if I decide to work on other series…

A Stroke of Magic (Magic #2) by Tracy Madison

A Breath of Magic (Magic #3) by Tracy Madison

By Magic Alone (Magic #4) by Tracy Madison

Dark and Hollow Places (Forest of Hands & Teeth #3) by Carrie Ryan

Caressed by Night (Rules of Darkness #2) by Amanda J. Greene

Werewolves Rule (Rule #2) by K.C. Blake

Outside In (Inside #2) by Maria V. Snyder

The Vampire Next Door (Strange Neighbors #3) by Ashlyn Chase

Desires of the Dead (Body Finder #2) by Kimberly Derting

The Last Echo (Body Finder #3) by Kimberly Derting

My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers #2) by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers #3) by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent

If I Die (Soul Screamers #) by Rachel Vincent

Bad Behavior (CONduct Series #2) by Jennifer Lane

Siren Song (Blood Singer #2) by Cat Adams

Demon Song (Blood Singer #3) by Cat Adams

Claimed (Blood Lust #2/Preternaturals #1) by Zoe Winters

Mated (Blood Lust #3/Preternaturals #1) by Zoe Winters

Save My Soul (Preternaturals #2) by Zoe Winters

Betrayal (Haunting Emma #2) by Lee Nichols

Surrender (Haunting Emma #3) by Lee Nichols

My Favorite Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy #2) by Annette Blair

The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Accidental Witch Trilogy #3) by Annette Blair

Chick with a Charm (Babes on Brooms #2) by Vicki Lewis Thompson

2011 Challenge Wrap up

2011-12-13T06:04:00.003-05:00

I was very ambitious with my challenges this year. Here’s how I managed with each of them.

A-Z Title Challenge – The challenge was to read books that started with every letter of the alphabet. I did great with this in the first half of the year but dropped the ball in the second half.

Challenge = Incomplete

A – Awakened (House of Night #8) by P.C. Cast
B – By the Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
C – Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega, #1) by Patricia Briggs
D – The Dead Girls’ Dance (The Morganville Vampires #2) by Rachel Caine
E – Evermore (The Immortals #1) by Alyson Noel
F – Fallen (Fallen #1) by Lauren Kate
G – Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine
H – How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf #1) by Molly Harper
I – Inside Out (Inside Out #1) by Maria V. Snyder
J –
K – The Kitchen Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy #1) by Annette Blair
L – Lucy in the Sky by Paige Toon
M – Must Love Dogs by Claire Cook
N – Nocturne by Syrie James
O –
P – Portal (Portal Chronicles #1) by Imogen Rose
Q –
R – Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
S – Strange Neighbors (Strange Neighbors #1) by Ashlyn Chase
T – The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton
U –
V – Vampires Rule (Rule #1) by K.C. Blake
W – The Werewolf Upstairs (Strange Neighbors #2) by Ashlyn Chase
X –
Y –
Z –

New to You Series Challenge – The challenge was to start 10 new series. I ended up crushing this challenge and started 27 new series.

Challenge = Complete

1. Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega, #1) by Patricia Briggs
2. Fallen (Fallen #1) by Lauren Kate
3. Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine
4. Portal (Portal Chronicles #1) by Imogen Rose
5. Evermore (The Immortals #1) by Alyson Noel
6. Inside Out (Inside Out #1) by Maria V. Snyder
7. How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire (Love at Stake #1) by Kerrelyn Sparks
8. The Werewolf Upstairs (Strange Neighbors #2) by Ashlyn Chase
9. How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf #1) by Molly Harper
10. The Kitchen Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy #1) by Annette Blair
11. The Body Finder (The Body Finder #1) by Kimberly Derting
12. A Taste of Magic (Magic #1) by Tracy Madison
13. Witches of Santa Anna
14. Caressed By Moonlight (Rulers of Darkness #1) by Amanda J. Greene
15. Kept (Blood Lust #1) by Zoe Winters Novella
16. Darkfever (Fever #1) by Karen Marie Moning
17. Vampires Rule (Rule #1) by K.C. Blake
18. The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth #1) by Carrie Ryan
19. My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1) by Rachel Vincent
20. Blood Song (Blood Singer #1) by Cat Adams
21. Darkness & Light (Holloway Pack #1) by J.A. Belfield
22. Blood Drive by Traci Houston
23. Deception (Haunting Emma 1) by Lee Nichols
24. Blonde With a Wand (Babes on Brooms 1) by Vicki Lewis Thompson
25. Bound By Blood (The Garner Witch #1) by PA Lupton
26. Therian (The Bloody Crescent #1) by Roxanne Kade
27. With Good Behavior (The CONduct Series #1) by Jennifer Lane

That is a lot of unfinished series, so I’m sure you can guess what one of my 2012 challenges will be!

New to You Author Challenge – The challenge was to read books by 25 authors that I’ve never read before. I hit this one out of the park by reading 50 new authors.

Challenge = Complete

1. Patricia Briggs
2. Lauren Kate
3. Rachel Caine
4. Julie Anne Peters
5. Imogen Rose
6. Alyson Noel
7. Claire Cook
8. Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
9. Syrie James
10. Rosy Thornton
11. Kerrelyn Sparks
12. Ashlyn Chase
13. Molly Harper
14. Annette Blair
15. Heather Davis
16. Kimberly Derting
17. Dave Conifer
18. Vicki Lewis Thompson
19. Toni Leland
20. Samantha Jillian Bayarr
21. Tracy Madison
22. Laura Barnholdt
23. Amanda J. Greene
24. Samantha Sotto
25. Zoe Winters
26. Karen Marie Moning
27. K.C. Blake
28. Carrie Ryan
29. T. Lynne Tolles
30. Patti Berg
31. Donna Alward
32. Traci Houston
33. Jennifer Echoles
34. Patricia McCormick
35. J.A.Belfield
36. Cat Adams
37. Ashley Lynn Willis
38. Teresa Medeiros
39. Cheryl Rainfield
40. Rachel Vincent
41. Paige Toon
42. Lee Nichols
43. Heather Helper
44. Janet Evanovich
45. Jennifer Lane
46. Roxanne Kade
47. PA Lupton

48. Linda Cunningham

49. Sabrina James

50. Robin McKinley

Overall 2011 Book Challenge – This one is a little tricky, I originally challenged myself to read 83 books in 2011. At around book #40 I realized this wasn’t going to happen so I adjusted my challenge to 50 books.

Challege = Readjusted & completed

January
1. Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega, #1) by Patricia Briggs
2. Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega #2) by Patricia Briggs
3. Fallen (Fallen #1) by Lauren Kate
4. Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine
5. The Dead Girls’ Dance (The Morganville Vampires #2) by Rachel Caine
6. By the Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
7. Portal (Portal Chronicles #1) by Imogen Rose

February
8. Evermore (The Immortals #1) by Alyson Noel
9. Inside Out (Inside Out #1) by Maria V. Snyder
10. Must Love Dogs by Claire Cook
11. Awakened (House of Night #8) by P.C. Cast
12. Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
13. Nocturne by Syrie James

March
14. The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton
15. How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire (Love at Stake #1) by Kerrelyn Sparks
16. The Werewolf Upstairs (Strange Neighbors #2) by Ashlyn Chase
17. How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf #1) by Molly Harper
18. The First Patient by Michael Palmer
19. The Kitchen Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy #1) by Annette Blair
20. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
21. Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

April
22. Strange Neighbors (Strange Neighbors #1) by Ashlyn Chase
23. The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf #2)by Molly Harper
24. Wrecker by Dave Conifer
25. A Werewolf in Manhattan by Vicki Lewis Thompson
26. Deadly Heritage by Toni Leland
27. The Apothecary by Samantha Jillian Bayarr
28. A Taste of Magic (Magic #1) by Tracy Madison

May
29. Witches of Santa Anna Novella Series by Laura Barnholdt (there are 9 novellas but they are quite short so I'm counting them as one book towards my goal)
30. Caressed By Moonlight (Rulers of Darkness #1) by Amanda J. Greene
31. Kept (Blood Lust #1) by Zoe Winters Novella

June
32. Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto
33. Darkfever (Fever #1) by Karen Marie Moning
34. Vampires Rule (Rule #1) by K.C. Blake

July
35. The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth #1) by Carrie Ryan
36. Somber Island by T. Lynne Tolles
37. Wife for a Day by Patti Berg
38. Soulless by Gail Carriger
39. Honeymoon with the Rancher by Donna Alward

August
40. Blood Drive By Traci Houston
41. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echoles

September
42. Blood Song by Cat Adams
43. Cut by Patricia McCormick
44. Darkness & Light by J.A. Belfield
45. Lucy in the Sky by Paige Toon
46. Scars by Cheryl Rainfield
47. Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros
48. The Dead Tossed Waves (The Forest of Hands and Teeth #2) by Carrie Ryan

October
49. The Calling by Ashley Lynn Willis
50. My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1) by Rachel Vincent
51. The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper
52. Deception (Haunting Emma 1) by Lee Nichols
53. Blonde With a Wand (Babes on Brooms 1) by Vicki Lewis Thompson
54. Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich

November
55. Bound By Blood (The Garner Witch #1) by PA Lupton
56. Therian (The Bloody Crescent #1) by Roxanne Kade
57. With Good Behavior (the CONduct heroes #1) by Jennifer Lane
58. Sunshine by Robin McKinley

December

59. Small Town Girl by Linda Cunningham

60. Secret Santa by Sabrina James

61. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (this one is a reread)

How did you do with your 2011 Challenges?

Small Town Girl Blog Tour

2011-12-12T04:26:00.000-05:00

This tour is hosted by A Tale of Many Reviews

THE BOOK

(Summary from Goodreads.com)

When Lauren Smith begrudgingly returns to the small Vermont town where she grew up to arrange for the sale of her late grandmother's old farmhouse, she has everything she's always worked for. Lauren drives a Mercedes. She's engaged to one of the most powerful businessmen in the country and wears a three carat diamond ring to prove it. She lives in a penthouse on Central Park West. Yes, Lauren has everything she considers important. She is smugly prepared for any eventuality in dealing with these country people so Lauren isn't surprised when the hot water isn't working at the old house. No problem. She simply looks in the phone book and calls the local plumber.

The moment Caleb Cochran steps through the old screen door to fix the hot water, the glittery facade that masquerades as Lauren's life begins to crumble around her. Though she tries hard to deny their mutual, magnetic attraction, Lauren is finally forced to reevaluate her focus and come face to face with her true self. “Small Town Girl” is a story of emotional maturation and the recognition and triumph of true love even in the face of repeated denial and awkward timing.

MY REVIEW

The book summary is a good description of the book. Lauren is very vocal about being ashamed of her hippy parents. Because of that she has always dreamed of a future in the city and full of glitz and glam. Her fiancé has given her all of this. She thinks she has the perfect life and fights for that life even when faced with her past...and the yummy Caleb. Which path will Lauren choose? And will she regret it?

Caleb is a small town boy and proud of it. Although he is instantaly attracted to Lauren he doesn't appreciate the way she puts down his lifestyle. Sparks fly between the two but will it go any further than that? There's also the not so small issue of the flashy diamond on her finger.

I was into the story and found myself wanting yell at some of the characters and shake some sense into them! This was an easyand fun read and I enjoyed it.

THE TOUR

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Click here to view the Small Town Girl Tour Schedule... An * means an eBook giveaway at that blog. A ** means Grand Prize giveaway stop.

GRAND PRIZE

To be entered in the grand prize drawing, all you have to do is comment on every tour stop and then enter the giveaway at the last stop.

If you think this sounds like a book for you, I've included a link to Amazon

Secret Santa by Sabrina James

2011-12-11T14:10:00.000-05:00

This book is part of my Christmas In July, In December Challenge hosted by Wendy at Wall-to-Wall Books.

Book Summary:

Noell, a hopeless romantic, just knows that her gifts have to be from her senior crush! And geeky Froggy thinks the game is the perfect way to get super-popular Celia to fall for him...except she thinks his gifts are from Jake, the school's resident bad boy, and starts to crush on him! Romantic mishaps abound, but all is revealed the night of the Winter Dance, where there's more than one surprise waiting under the mistletoe.

My Review:

I was on the hunt for Christmas reads at my local used book store and came across Secret Santa. I was interest by the title and cover alone. I know, I know, don't judge a book by it's cover...but it really is cute, haha. The back of the book doesn't include a description, only this...

But that didn't stop me, I scooped the book right up without reading any description. It turns out this is a Young Adult Christmas book which is not what I was expecting. I've never read a YA christmas novel but I have to say, I did enjoy this one. It is a light and fun read and it gave me some of the warm and fuzzies that you would expect from a holiday read.

Secret Santa is about a high school that decides to have the entire student body participate in a secret santa exchange. Well, as you can guess, that creates quite a bit of drama among the high schoolers. Many of them see it as a chance to express their feelings to those special crushes. As the back cover suggests it's a tangled web of gift giving. So many emotions are also caught in that web.
Will feelings be hurt, or are there holiday kisses in the future?

Blogger Award

2011-12-11T13:31:00.000-05:00

My friend Wendy at Wall-to-Wall Books gave me this award.

Thank you Wendy :-)

The rules are:

1. List seven things about yourself.

2. Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers.

My Seven Things:

1. I watch too much TV...right now my addiction is Christmas movies!

2. I'm a technology nerd, I love having the latest and greatest in cell phones, etc.

3. I own more books than I could read in 10 years...yes, I have a problem ;)

4. I spoil my dog because he's like the kid I'll never have

5. I love driving around and seeing houses lit up with Christmas lights!

6 & 7. I'm somewhat of a walking contradiction. I love traveling with hubby but I'm so much of a homebody. I'm sometimes shy and sometimes outgoing depending on the situation and who I'm around.

Who I'm passing the award on to:

I could come up with 15, but I think I'm just going to list a few newer blogs that deserve some blogger love.

1. Winged Reviews

2. TRH87 Books

3. Books to Remember

4. Tanna Rae Reads

5. Behind a Million and One Pages

The CONduct Series Blog Tour & Giveaway

2011-12-04T23:08:00.003-05:00

The CONduct Series Blog Tour is hosted by A Tale of Many Reviews

THE WINNER

The winner is...
JABelfield

Thank you to everyone who entered!

THE BOOKS

(Summaries from Goodreads.com)

With Good Behavior (The CONduct Series #1)

In a world gripped by organized crime, family dysfunction, and dim hopes of redemption, can true love persevere? For Sophie Taylor, a beautiful psychologist who lost everything when she violated an ethical boundary, and Grant Madsen, a handsome naval officer who sacrificed everything to protect a loved one, finding that love may carry an unbearable cost.

Starting their lives over in Chicago, both are fighting influences from their family and running as fast as they can to escape the past. When their paths cross outside the parole officer's door, the attraction is instantaneous. But a hidden connection may not only shatter their fledgling love, but prove deadly to them both.

Bad Behavior (The CONduct Series #2)

Grant Madsen’s got issues. He’s still battling his Mafia family and doing everything possible to keep his loved ones safe. With the cruising season coming to an end, he has to find another job soon or he’ll rejoin his father in prison. And he’s trying to convince his rebellious teenage nephew to stay away from their criminal relatives (you can imagine how that’s going). But worst of all, Grant’s parole officer has mandated that he attend therapy.

The only saving grace is that they’re couples sessions with his girlfriend, Sophie Taylor, a fellow parolee who’s struggling with a few issues of her own. Sophie desperately hopes her past with Grant’s brother won’t destroy her future with him. There’s a sleazy professor at work who revels in sexually harassing women in the psychology department. And her father still hates Grant.

Their psychologist has his work cut out for him.

When Grant’s ruthless father hints at a plot to get out of prison, Grant must use everything he’s learned in therapy and beyond to try to stop him. It’s a race against time -- and a race to rescue Sophie from the Mafia’s clutches once again. But this time McSailor and Bonnie refuse to play victims. This time the cuffs are coming off.

MY REVIEW OF WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR

With Good Behavior is a book about fate and romance, misfortune and the mafia. It's about two good people who get into bad situations and end up in prison. Once released they have to make the best of the hand they were dealt but it won't be easy. They cross paths but will their chance meeting bring these two together? Can two ex-cons stay out of prison long enough to restart their lives?

I enjoyed reading this book. One aspect that stood out to me is the deep connections between a lot of the characters. The relationships feel deep and real. There are touching moments, fun banter, and some action.

THE GIVEAWAY

Omnific Publishing has been kind enough to offer an ebook of With Good Behavior OR Bad Behavior as a giveaway for each blog stop. To enter for this stop see the below...

-To enter you must comment with your email AND book choice of With Good Behavior OR Bad Behavior
-Following is NOT required
-Open Internationally
-Must be at least 16 years old
-Must enter by December 13, 2011, 11:59pm EST
-Winner will be chosen on December 14th

THE GRAND PRIZE

There will be a grand prize drawing at the last tour stop. The winner will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to Amazon or Barnes and Noble

To be eligible...
-You must comment on every stop on the blog tour
-You must enter to win at the last stop on the tour

**Please note, you can only win once on this blog tour.

THE TOUR

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Click here to view The Conduct Series Tour Schedule...

2011-12-02T09:00:00.001-05:00

I participated in Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) again in November. What's RAK you say? Well, RAK is Book Soulmates brain child. The idea of RAK is to pay it forward by randomly sending people books/ebooks from their wishlists.

Go to Book Soulmates Blog for more information

or to sign up.

I did not receive any RAK's in November but

I thought I would share a couple of the goodies I received outside of the RAK program.

Tiffany @ Tiffany's Book Blog was my book fairy in November. She sent me

Forbidden Magic (Magic #1) by Cheyenne McCray

and

Seduced by Magic (Magic #2) by Cheyenna McCray

Thank you Tiff! Hugs!!

- - -

I won a signed copy of Bound by Blood (The Garner Witch #1) by P.A. Lupton

from Karla at Book Addict

See my review here

Thank you's to the P.A. Lupton and Karla :-)

- - -

I received some awesome Strange Neighbors series swag from Ashlyn Chase

Thank you Ashlyn :-D

- - -

I also won three signed bookmarks from @SurvivorsSeries on Twitter

Thank you @SurvivorSeries :-)

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

2011-12-01T14:59:00.000-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

There hadn't been any trouble out at the lake for years, and Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts. Vampires never entered her mind. Until they found her.

My Review:

I have mixed feelings about Sunshine so I’m going to try to decipher my thoughts as much as possible without spoiling anything.

I’ll start by saying that the story line is very interesting. Sunshine is a baker at Charlie’s and is known for her creative inventions. She lives in a world where Others aka supernatural half-bloods and full bloods are acknowledged but not very welcome. Dark Others (vampires) are all evil and everyone knows that if you’re caught by the Dark Others you DO NOT come back. When Sunshine needs a few peaceful minutes she decides to drive out to the lake. She thinks she is safe, but boy is she wrong.

I like Sunshine’s character and the baking aspect was a fun addition. I also like that the author painted the vampires in a bad light. They are scary, evil, and very much unnatural ‘beings’…I like it!

Now on to some of the nitpicking. The author gives us a lot of background on how things came to be with the Others which is good, but the information was given at a bad time. There are a couple places where you know something is about to happen and then all of a sudden you’re getting the background information. In my mind, I was ready for that action to happen and I ended up glossing over the background information because I was already thinking about the coming scenes.

Sunshine is a stand-alone book but it leaves some unanswered questions. It almost feels like there should be another book. It doesn’t end on a cliff hanger but I like my endings to be tied up a little more.

Don’t let my nitpicking stop you from reading this book. I did enjoy more aspects then I mentioned, I just cannot list them without spoiling the book.

Therian (The Bloody Crescent #1) by Roxanne Kade

2011-11-28T11:01:00.000-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

All Amberlyn Darksky has ever wanted is to be normal. But what if normal is everything supernatural and legendary?

Amber has never been ordinary. She has a gift, the ability to see memories through simple touch, and for her it’s a curse. Especially when she has to relive her mother’s death, the night she was born, through her father’s eyes. Leading a sheltered life for years under his constant watch has her yearning for freedom and her acceptance into Cyprus Falls University gives her just that.

She is immediately plunged into a world of true love, heart ache, seduction and horror. With a deepening affection for Tayelon Cree, whose sparkling hazel eyes leave her breathless, and the undeniable allure of Lucard Colbaine, who seems to be immune to her gift, can she accept what either of them represent in her life? And what about the steely eyed vampire who invades her dreams? When the blackouts and nightmares begin, Amber fears the pain that rips into her soul and threatens to destroy her. Before long she is faced with the truth of her destiny, as well as the devastating secrets that surround the people she holds dearest; dark secrets that will truly change the course of her very existence. Amber doesn’t know if she has the strength to accept the hand fate has dealt her. She will have to fight as hard as possible to remain human while the beasts inside her rage to take over

My Review:

When I first started reading this, it seemed like it was going to be set in the past (Keep in mind I don’t usually remember what is in the book summary by the time I read a book). I think the beginning was a little slower for me because of that…and because my hubby was home and kept talking to me, lol. I was glad when the story moved to and stayed in more modern times.

I enjoyed reading Therian. It has some loveable characters and some characters that I’m still undecided on whether they’re good or bad. Only time will tell as this is the first book in the series. I’m very interested to see where the author takes the story.

Just as a side note, I love the bloody crescent moons at the beginning of each chapter!

Bound By Blood (The Garner Witch #1) by P.A. Lupton

2011-11-20T22:00:00.000-05:00

Goodreads Summary:

FBI agent and psychic, Brianna Reece, descends from an ancient and powerful bloodline of witches, only she doesn’t know it. But now that legacy has come back to bite her—literally. In the shadows of night in Denver Colorado, a serial killer is hunting women, and FBI agent Brianna Reece is hunting the killer. Unlike any case she’s worked before, Brianna can’t ignore the prickling at the back of her neck when she glimpses the resemblance she shares with the victims. The investigation begins to touch even closer to home when it is revealed that all of the victims were also psychic. Complicating matters further, Brianna is captivated by the FBI’s prime suspect Nathan Donovan. Though she senses he is hiding something from her, the attraction she feels for him is compelling, and unlike anything she’s ever experienced. Through a chance twist of fate, Nathan learns of Brianna’s ancestry and is forced to divulge secrets to Brianna that will change her life forever. When she learns that the killer is an evil vampire, and he’s now set his sights on her, Nathan alone holds the key to awakening her dormant powers. Now he must race to teach her how to control her emergent gifts before she becomes the next victim

My Review:

I just finished this book and let me just say that I am very glad to find out that it is the first in a series!! I think Bound By Blood is a mix of Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy. There is a romance aspect but there is a lot more happening as well. In addition to the romance there is FBI, vampires, witches, edge of your seat action, unexpected twists, great characters, and a scene that literally had me laughing out loud!

Before she realizes what's happening, Brianna is in a heap of trouble. She is tracking a killer but she soon becomes the target. She is strong willed and quick witted but will that be enough to keep her alive?

Nathan is used to getting his way, but will he get Brianna? And can he help protect her from a killer?

This book will be going on my favorites shelf and I will be anxiously awaiting the next in the series!

Movie Fun - The 80's

2011-11-15T10:04:00.001-05:00

I'm an 80's baby and growing up I would watch a lot of movies with my mom. Some great movies came out in the 80's and I still watch a lot of them to this day. So I thought I would do a flashback post and list some of the ones I have seen.

**All of the titles are linked to www.imdb.com (International Movie Database)

1982
Grease II
Porky's

1983
National Lampoons Vacation

1984
Footloose
Ghostbusters
Police Academy
Revenge of the Nerds
Romancing the Stone
Sixteen Candles
The Karate Kid

1985
The Breakfast Club
The Goonies

1986
Big Trouble in Little China
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Little Shop of Horrors
Pretty in Pink
Stand by me
The Karate Kid II

1987
Baby Boom
Dirty Dancing
Mannequin
Overboard
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
Spaceballs
The Princess Bride

1988
Beetlejuice
Hairspray
Twins
Who Framed Roger Rabbit

1989
Ghostbusters II
Lean on me
Road House
Troop Beverly Hills
Weekend at Bernie's
When Harry Met Sally

What are your favorite 80's movies??

Review Shorts - Post 2

2011-11-09T21:38:00.001-05:00

Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich

Goodreads Summary:

Hank Mallone knows he's in trouble when Maggie Toone agrees to pretend to be his wife in order to improve his rogue's reputation. Will his harebrained scheme to get a bank loan for his business backfire once Maggie arrives in his small Vermont town and lets the gossips take a look?

Maggie never expected her employer to be drop-dead handsome, but she's too intrigued by his offer to say no . . . and too eager to escape a life that made her feel trapped. The deal is strictly business, both agree, until Hank turns out to be every fantasy she ever had.

My Review:

This book reminded me a little of Wife for a Day (see my review here) in that in both stories are of women who are ‘hired’ to act the part of a wife. The women in both stories are strong and snarky and the men a bit cocky. The stories are definitely different but the similarities just stuck out to me. I very much enjoyed both books but I think Wife for Hire edged out ahead of Wife for a Day because I had a very hard time putting it down to go to bed. I was up until midnight reading and that is VERY unusual for me.
Since reading this book, I have stocked up on more of Janet Evanovich’s singles.

Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

Goodreads Summary:

Abigail Donovan has a lot of stuff she should be doing. Namely writing her next novel. A bestselling author who is still recovering from a near Pulitzer Prize win and the heady success that follows Oprah’s stamp of approval, she is stuck at Chapter Five and losing confidence daily. But when her publicist signs her up for a Twitter account, she’s intrigued. What’s all the fuss?

Taken under the wing of one of her Twitter followers, “MarkBaynard"—a quick witted, quick-typing professor on sabbatical—Abby finds it easy to put words out into the world 140 characters at a time. And once she gets a handle on tweets, retweets, direct messages, hashtags, and trends, she starts to feel unblocked in writing and in life. After all, why should she be spending hours in her apartment staring at her TweetDeck and fretting about her stalled career when Mark is out there traveling the world and living?
Or is he?

My Review:

I actually read this one over a month ago…shame on me for not reviewing it until now!

I loved the fresh and rather modern perspective that the author brings to the table. Goodnight Tweetheart takes place in the now with a blossoming twitter friendship. Its unique in that most of the book reads like a conversation on Twitter. It’s funny, and cheeky, and emotional. The main twist was a tad predictable but that didn’t take away from the book at all.

My one gripe would be the fact that a lot of movies are referenced. I caught some of the references, but a lot of them went over my head. Albeit, that’s mostly from my movie inexperience and it really has nothing to do with the book being bad.

Review Shorts

2011-11-09T21:20:00.001-05:00

I’m a little behind on my reviews so I decided to do some Review Shorts aka short reviews in order to catch up. I will be doing two posts of Review Shorts. This first one will be for books I read during the Read-a-Thon last month.

Deception (Haunting Emma #1) by Lee Nichols

(read during read-a-thon)

Goodreads Summary:

When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.

After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life

My Review:

This book is a mixed bag when reading it for a read-a-thon.

On one hand, it is smooth writing. I was sucked into the story from the beginning and didn’t want to stop reading! It made the time pass quickly!

On the other hand, it ended with a small twist that made me want to continue the series instantly…but alas I didn’t have book number two! The story was stuck in my head and I had to take a short break before jumping into another book. This of course speaks volumes for the book itself. I love books that stick with you but it just was not the best thing during a 24 hour read-a-thon haha.

Next in the series is Betrayal

The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper
(read during read-a-thon)

Goodreads Summary:

A confection of a novel, combining big city sophistication with small town charm.

When her mother moves them from the city to a small town to open up a cupcake bakery, Penny's life isn't what she expected. Her father has stayed behind, and Mom isn't talking about what the future holds for their family. And then there's Charity, the girl who plays mean pranks almost daily. There are also bright spots in Hog's Hollow - like Tally, an expert in Rock Paper Scissors, and Marcus, the boy who is always running on the beach. But just when it looks as though Penny is settling in, her parents ask her to make a choice that will turn everything upside down again. A sweet novel about love, creativity, and accepting life's unexpected turns.

My Review:

This is a very good read-a-thon book. It’s an easy and light young adult book. It was interesting reading about the different styles of cupcakes as well as the story surrounding The Cupcake Queen shop. The larger print also made it easier to read. ;-)

Blonde with a Wand (Babes on Brooms #1) by Vicki Lewis Thompson

(started during read-a-thon and finished later that week)

Goodreads Summary:

Sexy witch Anica Revere has one rule: never under any circumstances get involved with a man before telling him she's a witch. Still, what's one silly rule? Especially when the guy in question is as cute as Jasper Danes. But when Anica and Jasper have a spat, she breaks an ever bigger rule of witchcraft and turns him into a cat. Bad news for him. Worse for her...

My Review:

It took a little for me to get into this book in the beginning, but that could be because I started it after about 12 hours or so of read-a thon’ing. If you read it and agree that it starts a bit slow then I’ll recommend that you stick with it, it's worth it. This is a fun, witchy book with interesting characters and a couple of unexpected twists

Just a note: There are some sizzling scenes in this book.

Next in series is Chick with a charm.

December Challenge

2011-11-07T21:11:00.001-05:00

I decided to participate in the Christmas in July, in December Challenge hosted by Wall-to-Wall books.

The challenge is to read and review christmas books in December and host at least one giveaway for a christmas book. Sounds simple enough, right?

Below is a quick list of Christmas books I have on my shelf that I may or may not be reading/reviewing next month. I'm a big mood reader so we'll see how many I actually get to :)

The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman
Let's Be Jolly by Janet Daily
Happy Holidays by Janet Daily
To Santa With Love by Janet Daily
Wolfsbane & Mistletoe by Charlaine Harris
Making Spirits Bright by Fern Michaels
Christmas at Timberwoods by Fern Michaels
The Dangers of Mistletoe by Theresa Alan
Christmas Wishes by Debbie Macomber
Small Town Christmas by Debbie Macomber
A Gift to Last by Debbie Macomber
Christmas in Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber
Must Love Mistletoe by Christie Ridgeway
Secret Santa by Sabrina James
Let it Snow by Lauren Myracle
Icing on the Lake by Catherine Clark
Western Skies by Nora Roberts...this one may not be a Christmas novel but it has a wintery cover so I'm counting it ;)

ebooks
All She Wants For Christmas by Jaci Burton
On a Snowy Night by Debbie Macomber
The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber
That Holiday Feeling by various authors
Unwrapping Christmas by Lori Copeland
All I Want For Christmas is You by Lisa Mondello

I had to stock up a little before doing this post, haha!

2011-11-04T22:16:00.001-04:00

I participated in Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) again in October. What's RAK you say? Well, RAK is Book Soulmates brain child. The idea of RAK is to pay it forward by randomly sending people books/ebooks from their wishlists.

Go to Book Soulmates Blog for more information or to sign up.

A Stroke of Magic (Magic #2) by Tracy Madison

RAK from Danielle at Chaos Coffee and a Bookshelf

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica #1) by Beth Fantaskey

RAK from Anna at Anna’s Book Blog

Undead and Unwed (Undead #1) by MaryJanice Davidson

RAK from Cassie at Bailey's Dark Fantasy

I received the below books outside of the RAK program,

but really they are still random acts of kindness so I wanted to include them.

Cheryl Rainfield was nice enough to send me a signed copy of her book, Scars

I won the three books below from Donna at Eve's Fan Garden

Beauty Dates the Beast (Midnight Liasions #1) by Jessica Sims

The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlmann

A Most Dangerous Profession (Hurst Amulet #3) by Karen Hawkins

Amaranth (The Resistance Trilogy #1) by Rachel Wade

I won a signed Copy of Amaranth from Rachel Wade's webiste

Raised by Wolves (Raised by Wolves #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

From Tirzah at The Compulsive Reader, Tirzah has a backlog of review books so she was passing some along to others who would be able to review them.

I won a Barnes & Nobles gift certificate from Wendy at Wall-to-Wall books and bought the two below books.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Ashfall by Mike Mullen

Hugs and Thank Yous to everyone who sent me a book!!

Until next time...

200 Follower Giveaway Winners

2011-11-04T06:09:00.002-04:00

Before I announce the winners I thought I would list all of the books you chose as either the best book you’ve read in 2011 and/or your favorite book read in 2011.

If you’re thinking of what to read next, maybe you want to consider reading one of these books.

Top voted book is…

Divergent by Veronica Roth (6 votes)

Runner up books are…

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning (5 votes)
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (3 votes)

Wolves of Mercy Falls Series by Maggie Stiefvater (2 votes)

Five Flavors of Dumb by Anthony John (2 votes)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (2 votes)

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins (2 votes)

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (2 votes)

And these all have one vote and are in no certain order…

Song of Fire & Ice Series by George R.R. Martin

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Books by DeeAnn Gist

The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts

Personal Demon Trilogy by Lisa Desrochers

Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn

The Mortal Instrument Series by Cassandra Clare

Random Magic by Sasha Soren

Hush, Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick

Pemberley Variations

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova

Green Angel by Alice Hoffman

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

If I Die by Rachel Vincent

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Dearly Departed by Lia Habel

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Clarity by Kim Harrington

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Does the Noise Inside My Head Bother You? By Steven Tyler
Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Panza de paianjen by Cella Serghi

This Burns My Heart by Samuel Park

The Childe by C.A. Kunz

The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane

The Cleaner by Paul Cleave

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson

When Rabbit Howls by Truddi Chase, Robert A. Phillips, Jr.

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

The Gift (The Bite Before Christmas Anthology) by Lynsay Sands

- - -

Now on to the winners!

The 1^st place winner is…

CHEY!!

Congrats Chey, you’ve won the below items! I will be emailing you shortly, please respond within 48 hours.

The 2^nd place winner is…

ANNAOFSOCAL!!!

Congrats Anna, you’ve won the below items! I will be emailing you shortly, please respond within 48 hours.

Congrats again to the winners! And a big thank you to all of my readers!!

A Tale of Two…make that Three Bloggers

2011-11-02T21:23:00.003-04:00

Just a warning, this is a bit long winded ;)

Hubby and I took another trip to Central New York about a month ago

(I’m very late posting my pics, shame on me!)

We met up with Wendy at Wall-to-Wall books and her husband and did a little bit of
winery hopping and went to a cute gift shop.

Two of the wineries

Hubby and I then checked into a cute little motel that looked more like a bed & breakfast. There was even a resident cat that hung out around the motel (outdoors). The whole set up was very charming. After checking in hubby made a phone call so I decided to sit outside on the lawn chairs. The cat came with me and hopped on my lap wanting attention. I gave her a quick scratch secretly hoping she would get down if she didn’t get the attention. I don’t mind cats but at the same time I’m also not a huge fan of cats I don’t know. Well she hoped down alright, but not before biting my wrist! She didn’t break skin or anything but I was still surprised. I satt there and then was bit by a mosquito…all within less than a minute. So I mumbled to myself ‘forget this, I’m going inside’. From that point on, this cat was deemed Devil Cat! I mostly tried to stay away from her, haha.

Along with Devil Cat, we also had a bit of a spider problem in our room. Every evening we would get massive spiders in our room…ok I may be over exaggerating on the size a little but they were between quarter sized and half dollar sized. One of the evenings we were laying on the bed watching tv and I went to the bathroom and when I came back I was 2 feet from the bed and I stopped in my tracks and said to hubby ‘get out of the bed’. He was confused but he got up. One of those spiders was on the bed right where I was laying, EEKK! I was totally creeped out! We had to pull all of the covers off the bed and shake them out before I would lay back down!

I know I just concentrated on the two bad parts at the motel but I decided to not bring up the name of it because even though it wasn’t a perfect experience, the owners were very nice. They were telling us about the area and also suggested some less touristy places to eat that ended up being fabulous! The room was also nice with great ambiance.

On to other parts of the week...

We visited more wineries, took a tour of one of the wineries, scoped out some waterfalls around Cayuga Lake, found some good places to eat, went to the Corning Glass Museum, and got to make glass pumpkins at the glass museum. Well technically all we did with the pumpkins was pick the colors and blow the air into the slug but it was still neat seeing the process up close!

Waterfalls

Corning Glass Museum

Glass Pumpkins
My pumpkin is darker so I cheated and used a flashlight to make the color more visible :)

On our last day in New York, we met with Wendy, her daughter Ashley (Fictionista blog), and Ashley’s main squeeze. We had coffee, checked out some waterfalls in the Watkins Glen area, and had a nice lunch at a lakeside park.

Wendy and Ashley…You can tell they are mother and daughter because they are
standing exactly the same and I bet they never noticed it, haha!

This was our beautiful lunch time spot

It was great to see Wendy, Ashley and their significant others! I'm sure we'll head to New York again to see them!

We also went home with a nice collection of wine! We're still new to wine drinking so we are experimenting with sweets and semi-sweets for now.

Thanks for reading :)

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop Winner

2011-11-01T07:38:00.000-04:00

Before I announce the winner, I thought I would share some of my favorite entries.

**Please note that the drawing is completely random so me liking these entries does not affect who is chosen as the winner.

FUNNY

Krysykat said… My favorite prank hmm.. one year my friend and I dug a trench in her yard next to the walkway going to her porch, when everyone was trick-or-treating she'd hid in the trench in a brown dusty slicker and I'd cover her with dirt, grass and leaves so everytime someone was going to the porch she'd jump up and

Zoey said… Two years ago my friend dressed up like the Joker. We went to a party and I decided to play a prank on him so I sneaked behind and spillt fake blood over him. But then he turned over and I found out that he was a complete stranger, just dressed the same way as my friend!

Kathy said… I had my first date on Halloween night when I was sixteen. But that was actually the least memorable part of the evening. My mother had dressed up as an orangitang and her mask kept falling down so that she could not see. Then grandma and I both went racing for this house that gave huge chocolate bars, didn't realize there was a ditch and ended up on our butts in the grass. No wonder the poor guy never went out with me again -- he must've thought we were nuts. But despite how *bad* all of this might sound, we all laugh about it now.

Ananda said… I am from Europe and we don't celebrate Halloween at home:( I know, it sucks..If we did I would surely dress up as a mermaid, though it would be pretty interesting to see me "walking" in that thing..LOL

Katie said… My favourite memory is of trick or treat-ing with my best friend. We decided to 'trick or treat' her house but her parents had run out of candy. Instead, her Dad presented us with 'magic apples' which turned out to be apples wrapped in silver foil. We were not very impressed!

Reading Addiction said… We all went trick or treating in the rich section of town (they handed out WHOLE candy bars!!), we went to this one house, my grandparents neighbor no less, and they gave us stamps. Yes, postage stamps. It was the last year we stopped at their house. Really? What are a bunch of kids going to do with stamps? LOL

Roxy said… We don't really celebrate Halloween here in South Africa. There is no trick-or-treating etc. but my family loves Halloween and we always make an effort at this time of year. My fav memory would have to be Halloween 2009. It was my grandfathers last time celebrating with us and he always got into the spirit of things! He loved making scary ghouls and monsters for us to decorate our home with :) and he was an extremely talented man! He made a huge "life-size" Frankenstein's monster and we dragged the thing around our neighbourhood. We'd place it st our neighbours's front door, ring the bell and hide in the bushes to see their reaction when they opened to find this monster waiting for them!! LOL It was the best!

CUTE

Mommy2Noah said… One of my favorite Halloween memories would have to be the year that my son went as a vampire chef! He was 2 at the time and carried a spatula everywhere! People thought it was hilarious!

Debbie said… My son has special needs. One year I made him a knight costume with real "chain" mail. I needed a flashlight and batteries, so we ran to the store quickly before trick or treating. Every man that saw him, stopped him, and told him his costume was awesome. He was so happy that halloween. He wasn't able to trick or treat at more than a couple of houses, but he was so happy, it was his best halloween.

Melora said… One Halloween i remember was when I was 4 or so years old, and dad and I were going around the neighborhood trick r treating when we realized that a cat was following us around. I have a big soft heart for cats, and so does dad, so we paid attention to it at first and figured it would head off when it got bored. Nope, it followed us the whole night so we adopted it and called it Pumpkin in honor of the holiday!

Vinci said… My fav. Halloween memory is when my two boys and their friends went trick and treating and our cat followed them to every house to make sure they were safe or something. so cute. It was so cold and icy weather too. Even "Muse" the cat went for the fireworks too. What a loyal cat, eh. the boys still talk about their amazing kitty.

Ashley said… My favorite memory would have to be last year's Halloween. I went as the Big Bad Wolf and my four year old sister went as Little Red.

Brookea said… My favorite halloween memory is staying in because the weather was bad and watching horror movies with my dad :)

And now to announce the winner…

LINDA KISH

Congrats Linda!!!

I will email you shortly and you will have 48 hours to respond with your information and book choices.

Halloween Fun

2011-10-31T08:22:00.000-04:00

As part of my Spooktacular giveaway, I asked you what your favorite Halloween experiences were so I thought I’d share my favorite experience(s) as well as my Halloween fun this year!

I loved trick or treating as a kid, but my favorite memories were in my teen years. My uncle has a decent amount of wooded land behind his house so he used to set up a Spook Walk every year. He would set up displays, have people scattered around to scare everyone who walked through, and in the middle of the walk he would stop by a fire and tell scary stories. I was enlisted to help a couple years and had a blast. One time I was a vampire in a coffin and I would sit up and scare people. The other year I had fun jumping out of a dark spot on the trail and again scaring people. Do you see a common theme there? ;)

More recently my husband and I have bounced back and forth between our place and our neighbors place on trick-or-treat night and we just hang out watching trick-or-treaters. Well this year we had a small Halloween party to go to so I decided to go all out. I donned a black robe and painted myself up to become…

The Grim Reaper…MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
**please forgive the grainy cell phone photos :)

Hubby decided to go a different yet no less scary route…

I wanted to have a grand entrance so when we pulled up to their place I told my husband to go in and tell them I was still messing with my makeup and I'd be there in 10 minutes. Then I went around the back of the house and stood at their sliding glass door and stared into the kitchen where everyone was hanging out. I was there for about 5 min then they started to notice and I really scared some of them! Mission accomplished!! Haha!! I probably looked something like this

The host of the party came up with some creative food choices.

Tapeworms, severed fingers, brain punch, scabs, edible ashtrays, a cat litter box, and corny turds.

And here’s me eating some of those tasty tapeworms…

That's all I have for my Halloween fun but don't forget, today is the last day to enter the Spooktacular Giveaway! Just scroll down for the post or click on the image in the right column.

AND Thursday (Nov 3rd) is the last day to enter the 200 Follower Giveaway! Also linked to the image in the right column.

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

2011-10-23T20:41:00.000-04:00

This giveaway hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, I Am A Writer and The Diary of a Bookworm

What's up for grabs...

The winner will get to pick TWO of the below books:

-Paperback of Dracula
-Hardback Snow White, Blood Red
-Hardback of Warm Bodies

To Enter...

-Leave a comment letting me know your favorite halloween memory or best halloween prank and don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you.

-Following is NOT required
-Open Internationally
-Must be at least 16 years old
-Must enter by October 31, 2011, 11:59pm EST
-Winner will be chosen and emailed on November 1st
-Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email

Good luck and don't forget to check out the other blogs participating in the hop!

RAT Update & End of RAT Questiones

2011-10-23T08:01:00.000-04:00

Updates

RAT Start Time: 8 am Saturday
Current Time: 8 am Sunday

WE'RE FINISHED!!!!!!

Books Finished:
Deception by Lee Nichols
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper

Pages Read:
Deception - 310 pages
Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper - 65 pages read
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper - 242 pages read
Blonde with a Wand by Vicki Lewis Thompson - 237 pages read

854 pages read

End of RAT Questions

Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hours 21-24

Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Deception by Lee Nichols
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper

Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
More cheerleaders in the last 3-4 hrs

What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Most everything

How many books did you read?
Almost 3

What were the names of the books you read?
Deception by Lee Nichols
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper
Blonde with a Wand by Molly Harper

Which book did you enjoy most?
Deception

Which did you enjoy least?
I couldn't get into Nice Girls Don't Date dead men. I think I will like the book but it's not a good RAT book

If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
Volunteer for later hours

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Very likely

Thank you again to everyone who stopped by to visit or to cheer me on! And a big congrats to everyone who participated!

Until next time...

RAT Quick Update

2011-10-23T00:23:00.000-04:00

Update:

RAT Start Time: 8 am Saturday
Current Time: 12:20 am Sunday

Books Finished:
Deception by Lee Nichols
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper

Pages Read:
Deception - 310 pages
Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper - 65 pages read
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper - 242 pages read

617 pages read so far

I'm excited that I won the Book Title Mini Challenge :o)

And I'm surprisingly not tired.

Let's DO THIS!!!!!!

;)
Happy Reading RAT'ers!!

RAT Mid-Event Update/Survey

2011-10-22T20:29:00.000-04:00

Update -
WE'VE HIT THE HALF WAY MARK!!! WWOOOO HHOOO!!! :)

RAT Start Time: 8 am
Current Time: 8:30 pm

Books Finished:
Deception by Lee Nichols

Pages Read:
Deception - 310 pages
Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper - 65 pages read
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper - 125 pages read
500 pages read so far

Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now?
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper

2. How many books have you read so far?
I finished one and started two others

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
I'm not sure what I'll be reading next, probably Blonde with a Wand by Vicki Lewis Thompson

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Kicked hubby out of the house ;) Ok really I just encouraged him to work today

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Hubby is home now and tends to be chatty at just the moments that I don't want him to be...I'm attempting to ignore him, hehe

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
I don't think I have been surprised by anything, I pretty much knew what to expect

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Maybe post the reader list a little earlier

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
I can't really think of anything to do differently

9. Are you getting tired yet?
I was bored earlier, but I switched books and now I'm back on track.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
Drink a lot so you have to pee a lot...sounds a bit odd, but it gets you off your bum ;)

Mini Challenge

2011-10-22T17:26:00.000-04:00

I'll admit, I'm going through a bored patch. I don't know if I'm not into the book I'm reading or what. Anyway to break up my time a little I decided to do the book title challenge. I came up with two sentences using book titles.

Across the universe, beyond the darkness, they hunger.

Strange Neighbors howling at the moon, dancing with werewolves.

I also wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who has been stopping by and showing their support! It is very much appreciated!

RAT Update

2011-10-22T14:48:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick update:

RAT Start Time: 8 am
Current Time: 2:45 pm

Books Read:
Deception by Lee Nichols - Just finished this and of course it ended on a cliff hanger!

Pages Read:
Deception - 310 pages

Next up is: Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper

Happy Reading to my fellow RAT'ers!!

RAT Mini Challenge

2011-10-22T09:19:00.000-04:00

Our first Mini Challenge is to take a picture of something that relates to your book...whether that means recreating a scene or just something that reminds you of a character.

I'm reading Deception by Lee Nichols and the book talks about Urns so here's my version of an urn...

Read-a-Thon Intro Post

2011-10-22T08:42:00.000-04:00

As requested, here are my intro questions

1)Where are you reading from today?

Pennsylvania, USA

2)Three random facts about me…

-I'm a technology junkie
-I have the cutest dog ever :)
-I love trying new things

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

More than I could possibly read ;)

4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?

To have fun and read around 4 books?..maybe 3...we'll see

5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?

Make sure you take breaks

My Read-a-Thon Preparedness

2011-10-21T22:54:00.000-04:00

I started collecting all of my goodies and books together and this is what I've come up with so far.