Saturday, February 27, 2010

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (02-27-10 edition)

NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:

The Bibliophilic Book Blog is giving away an e-reader of your choice or $150 to a bookstore of your choice. Deadline is February 28.

At Home with Books is giving away 4 gently read books to clean off the shelves. Deadline is February 28. US/Canada only.

Steph Su Reads is having a massive blogiversary giveaway! Deadline is February 28. Open International

Jo-Jo Loves to Read is giving away 5 copies of Black Hills. Deadline is February 28. US/Canada only.

The Review Broads are giving away 5 copies of Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven. Deadline is February 28. US only.
Tif Talks Books is giving away a copy of The Book of Lost Things. Deadline is February 28. US only.

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away a copy of American Rust. Deadline is February 28. US/Canada only.

Ellz Readz is giving away a copy of Willow. Deadline is March 2. US only.
Frankie Writes is giving away a copy of the ARC Linger. Tell 'em nfmgirl sent you! Deadline is March 2. I couldn't see whether it may be US only or not.
Bookin' with Bingo is giving away a copy of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Deadline is March 4. US only.
A Sea of Books is giving away 5 copies of Drood. Deadline is March 5. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is also giving away 5 copies of Black Hills. Deadline is March 5. US/Canada only.
So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away Black Hills (I think there are enough entrants for 3 copies to be given away now!) Deadline is March 5. US/Canada only.

A Circle of Books is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Black Hills. Deadline is March 5. US/Canada only.

Luxury Reading is giving away The Wives of Henry Oades. Deadline is March 5. US/Canada only.

Seductive Musings is giving away a copy of Some Like It Rough. Deadline is March 6.

In Which a Girl Reads is giving away a book of your choice (under $20). Deadline is March 6. International!

Books R Us is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Unnamed. Deadline is March 7. US/Canada only.

Book Soulmates is giving away 2 copies of Hush. Deadline is March 9. US/Canada only.

The Review Broads are giving away 5 copies of Next: A Novel. Deadline is March 12. US only.

Fantastic Book Review is giving away a copy of Before I Fall. Deadline is March 12. US/Canada only.

This is Not My Day Job
is giving away two prize packs: two YA books or a 9 West Kendall Hobo bag. Deadline is March 13.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of Apologize, Apologize. Deadline is March 13. US/Canada only.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away a hardcover copy of The White Queen. Deadline is March 13. International!

Peeking Between the Pages is also giving away 3 copies of Laura Rider's Masterpiece. Deadline is March 13. US/Canada only.

At Home With Books is giving away 2 copies of Magnolia Wednesdays. Deadline is March 16. US/Canada only.

Alaine is giving away 1 of four books! Deadline is March 31. Open International.


*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

What's Releasing (02-24-09 edition)

Available the week of March 1st:

Son of Hammas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

Since he was a small boy, Mosab Hassan Yousef has had an inside view of the deadly terrorist group Hamas. The oldest son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founding member of Hamas and its most popular leader, young Mosab assisted his father for years in his political activities while being groomed to assume his legacy, politics, status . . . and power. But everything changed when Mosab turned away from terror and violence, and embraced instead the teachings of another famous Middle East leader. In Son of Hamas, Mosab Yousef—now called “Joseph”—reveals new information about the world’s most dangerous terrorist organization and unveils the truth about his own role, his agonizing separation from family and homeland, the dangerous decision to make his newfound faith public, and his belief that the Christian mandate to “love your enemies” is the only way to peace in the Middle East.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Teaser Tuesdays (02-23-10 edition)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Today's Teaser:

Obviously he thinks I'm joking or the comment doesn't even register. Most likely the latter, since it appears as if something heavy is on his mind, like he's just discovered that Einstein may have taken a wrong turn somewhere with that relativity stuff.

Beginner's Luck by Laura Pedersen, page 9

Monday, February 22, 2010

REVIEW: Darkness on the Edge of Town by Brian Keene

Synopsis

One morning the residents of Walden, Virginia woke up to find that the rest of the world was gone. Just...gone. Surrounding their town was a wall of inky darkness, casting Walden into permanent night. Nothing can get in, no light, no people, not even electricity or radio or TV signals. And no one can get out. No one who dared to penetrate the mysterious barrier has ever been seen again. Only their screams were heard. But for some of the residents-turned-prisoners of Walden, even the fear of that unseen death can't keep them from trying to escape this living purgatory.

About the Author
from Wikipedia

Brian Keene was born in 1967. He grew up in both and West Virginia, and many of his books take place in these locales. After graduating high school, he served as a radioman in the U.S. Navy on-board an LPD. After his obligated enlistment ended, Keene worked a variety of jobs before becoming a full-time writer. Among them were stints as a foundry worker, truck driver, data entry clerk, dockworker, telemarketer, customer service representative, repo man, bouncer, disc jockey, salesman, store manager, daycare instructor, custodian, and more. In interviews, he credits this diverse background as the key to the three-dimensional characters that populate his books.

Keene has won two Bram Stoker Awards. One in 2001 for non-fiction Jobs In Hell and one in 2003 for first novel The Rising. He is also the recipient of the 2004 Shocker Award for non-fiction Sympathy for the Devil as well as many small and regional awards. He has been featured in the New York Times, The Village Voice, Publishers Weekly, CNN.com, The Howard Stern Show, Rue Morgue magazine, Fangoria magazine, and participated in a documentary for the History Channel. David Letterman once based a skit on a party at Keene's home.[2]

In addition to being a prolific writer, Keene is also a popular public speaker, and has been invited to speak at a number of libraries, high schools, bookstores, and conventions. He was also invited to speak at the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in 2006 and 2007.

In 2004, The Rising was optioned for film and videogame adaptations. In 2005, City of the Dead was optioned for the same. In 2006, Terminal was optioned for film. Also in 2006, three stories from Keene's Fear of Gravity were adapted in the graphic novel Brian Keene's FEAR. The stories were "Castaways", "Red Wood", and the award-winning "The King, in: Yellow". In 2007, Ghoul was optioned for film. In 2008, the short story "The Ties That Bind" was optioned for film, and it has its world premiere on April 4th, 2009 at the Garden State Film Festival.

In 2004 and 2005, Keene spearheaded a successful Books For Troops program, in which various horror authors supplied free, signed books to American troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere around the world. Keene was honored for this in 2005 by the 509th Logistics Fuels Flight Squadron based at Whiteman A.F.B. in Missouri.


My Thoughts

Robbie and Christy and the other inhabitants of Walden awake one morning to find that the world has gone dark. It isn't merely a case of the sun going dark, but it seems that there is a blackness-- a darkness-- between them and the rest of the world. There are no stars in the sky to be seen, no breeze to blow, no rain falls, and no can enter town. People can leave town, but the sound of screaming soon follows after they pass through the darkness surrounding the town. The darkness also seems to bring out the worst in people, and soon terror fills the streets.

This is my...fourth, I think...Brian Keene novel. The first, Castaways, I was not impressed with. The second book, The Rising, I loved. The sequel to The Rising, City of the Dead, I enjoyed a little less, but still enjoyed. So I thought I'd give this one a shot, while I wait for Stephen King's Under the Dome to be released in paperback.

First let me say that I've read that this book is not a "rip off" of Under the Dome, and in fact was released as a novella before Under the Dome, but has now been released after expanding the story to stretch it out into a novel.

This story just sort of fell flat with me. I keep finding that I enjoy much of his storytelling until he brings in the 'darkside' and black magic and such. Anyone who has read The Rising and City of the Dead is familiar with Ob, and Ob has a part to play in this book as well. I'm tired of Ob. I don't find him creepy. I find him and the lot of them somewhat lame.

And I'm getting tired of the hopeless tone of Keene's stories. They are dark and bleak and I'm left with little hope when the story is over. That's not what I like. I love a happy ending. An ending of possibilities and good things. An ending with a solid closing (I hate when they leave them open-ended. I don't want to imagine how the story might have ended. I like to be told how it did end.)

So this was one of those stories which started out developing all nice and fat, and then just deflated disappointingly for me.



My Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (02-20-10 edition)

NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:
Wrighty's Reads is giving away 5 copies each of Drood and Black Hills. Deadline is February 24. US and Canada only.

Lori's Reading Corner is giving away an ARC of Silent Scream. Deadline is February 25. US only.
The Bibliophilic Book Blog is giving away an e-reader of your choice or $150 to a bookstore of your choice. Deadline is February 28.

At Home with Books is giving away 4 gently read books to clean off the shelves. Deadline is February 28. US/Canada only.

Steph Su Reads is having a massive blogiversary giveaway! Deadline is February 28. Open International
Jo-Jo Loves to Read is giving away 5 copies of Black Hills. Deadline is February 28. US/Canada only.

The Review Broads are giving away 5 copies of Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven. Deadline is February 28. US only.
Frankie Writes is giving away a copy of the ARC Linger. Tell 'em nfmgirl sent you! Deadline is March 2. I couldn't see whether it may be US only or not.
A Sea of Books is giving away 5 copies of Drood. Deadline is March 5. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is also giving away 5 copies of Black Hills. Deadline is March 5. US/Canada only.

*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

What's Releasing (02-17-09 edition)

Monday, February 15, 2010

Mailbox Monday (02-15-10 edition)



Mailbox Monday is brought to us by The Printed Page. In my mailbox over the last couple of weeks I've received:

From Bridget at Readaholic:

Girl on Top: Your Guide to Turning Dating Rules into Career Success by Nicole Williams

Nicole Williams is the tell-it-like-it-is career expert who you wish could fight your work battles for you. But with her ingenious approach-taking the tactics used to land a man and applying them to your career-you'll be able to handle any work situation and come out on top. Here, Nicole introduces twenty tried-and-true dating rules such as "Don't Give Away the Milk for Free" and "Don't Waste the Pretty" and reveals how they can be applied just as effectively in the office. Other strategies include: • Keep It Brief • Don't Bash Your Ex • Have Others Sing Your Praises • Play Hard to Get • Keep the Fire Alive • Be Willing to Walk Away Among other topics, Nicole dishes on how much to reveal at work as well as what to put up with from your boss (and, more importantly, what not to). She tackles everything from having the money talk to leaving them wanting more on a job interview. And sprinkled throughout GIRL ON TOP is fashion advice ("Top Ten Commandments of Style") and checklists to determine if you need to get a life. Nicole's keen insight and candid advice will teach you how to recognize the good guys from the bad, win the kudos of those who matter, and create the career of your dreams.


A Good Talk: The Story and Skill of Conversation by Daniel Menaker

A GOOD TALK is an analysis of and guide to that most exclusively human of all activities— conversation.

Drawing on over forty years of experience in American letters, Menaker pinpoints the factors that drive and enliven every good conversation: the vagaries (and joys) of subtext; the deeper structure and meaning of conversational flow; the subliminal signals that guide our disclosures and confessions; and the countless other hurdles we must clear along the way. Moving beyond self-help musings and "how to" advice, he has created a stylish, funny, and surprising book: a celebration of "the most excusively human of all activities."

In a time when conversation remains deeply important— for building relationships, for relaxing, even for figuring out who we are— and also increasingly imperiled (with Blackberries and texting increasingly in vogue), A GOOD TALK is a refreshing celebration of the subtle adventures of a good conversation.


Received as part of the big giveaway at Bookin' with Bingo:

Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

The Shiksa Syndrome by Laurie Graff

The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson and Martin Dugard

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

Permission Slips by Sherri Shepherd


Thanks so much to both!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (02-13-10 edition)

NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:


A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of How To Not Look Fat Again. Deadline is February 13. US/Canada only.

All About {n} is giving away 5 copies each of Drood and Black Hills. Deadline is February 13. US/Canada only.

The Electrical Book Cafe is giving away 5 YA books. Deadline is February 14. She says it's not "international", but I'm not sure whether or not it includes Canada.

A Sea of Books is giving away 5 copies of Denise's Daily Dozen. Deadline is February 15. US/Canada only.

Jo-Jo Loves to Read is giving away 3 copies of Drood. Deadline is February 15. US/Canada only.

Chelis Shelves is giving away a copy of Future Hope. Deadline is February 15. US only.

Libby's Library News is giving away 5 copies of Denise's Daily Dozen. Deadline is February 17. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of Try Darkness. Deadline is February 19.

The Bibliophilic Book Blog is giving away an e-reader of your choice or $150 to a bookstore of your choice. Deadline is February 28.

At Home with Books is giving away 4 gently read books to clean off the shelves. Deadline is February 28. US/Canada only.

Steph Su Reads is having a massive blogiversary giveaway! Deadline is February 28. Open International
Frankie Writes is giving away a copy of the ARC Linger. Tell 'em nfmgirl sent you! Deadline is March 2. I couldn't see whether it may be US only or not.

*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Delayed Reading

If you happened to notice that The Shack has disappeared from my "What I'm Reading" list on the left, and wonder what happened, "no" I did not exactly abandon it. I'm just "delaying" it. I'm just not in the mood for such a heavy story right now. I feel like reading a "just for fun" book, hence my picking up Darkness on the Edge of Town. And I have an obligation to read Best Bet as well, which I am enjoying. So far it's a light and pleasant YA-style story.

So I'll be back to The Shack at a later time this year. It's merely been "delayed".

Sunday, February 7, 2010

REVIEW: Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger

Synopsis

From the day Cobb and Mary meet kayaking on Maine's Allagash River and fall deeply in love, the two approach life with the same sense of adventure they use to conquer the river's treacherous rapids. But rivers do not let go so easily...and neither does their love. So when Mary's life takes the cruelest turn, she vows to face those rough waters on her own terms and asks Cobb to promise, when the time comes, to help her return to their beloved river for one final journey.

Set against the rugged wilderness of Maine, the exotic islands of Indonesia, the sweeping panoramas of Yellowstone National Park, and the tranquil villages of rural New England, Eternal on the Water is at once heartbreaking and uplifting — a timeless, beautifully rendered story of true love's power.



About the Author

(from www.josephmonninger.com)
Joseph Monninger has published eleven novels and three non-fiction books. His work has appeared in American Heritage, Scientific American, Readers Digest, Glamour, Playboy, Story, Fiction, The Boston Globe, Sports Illustrated and Ellery Queen, among other publications. He has twice received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and has also received a fellowship from the New Hampshire Council for the Arts. His young adult novel, Baby, was awarded the 2008 award for best children’s literature from the Peace Corps Writers. It was also chosen as a top ten book by YALSA, the American Library Association. The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s’ Books awarded Hippie Chick, a young adult novel, a blue ribbon for a top book of 2008.
Joseph Monninger grew up in Westfield, New Jersey and attended Temple University on a football scholarship. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso, from 1975-77. He has been a licensed New Hampshire Fishing Guide and has fly-fished from New Zealand to Wyoming’s Wind River Range. He lives with his wife, Wendy, and his son, Justin, in a converted barn near New Hampshire’s Baker River. For several years his family competed in the New England Sled Dog sprint races and ran a small sled dog business in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Laika and Willow, two sled dogs, live in happy retirement with them.
As a teacher at one time or another at the University of New Hampshire, the Lincoln School in Providence, Rhode Island, The American International School in Vienna, and at Plymouth State University, Joseph Monninger has spent thirty years in classrooms. During the summers he directed academic enrichment programs at Williams and Amherst Colleges. He led student groups on bicycle tours across Europe, sailed the Whitsunday Islands near the Great Barrier Reef, and worked on community service projects in Montserrat, West Indies and on the Crow Reservation in Montana. He has taken a mail boat across the southern edge of Newfoundland and, as a young man, hitch-hiked across the United States three times.
His latest novel, Eternal on the Water, will be published by Pocketbooks in February 2010.

My Thoughts


I received this book as part of the Barnes & Noble First Look club. After the last book through the club (The Postmistress) which I had some trouble getting through, I decided that I was going to be much more careful about which books I accepted as a First Look. So Eternal on the Water sounded like something I would probably enjoy, but had a little trepidation going into it.

That trepidation lasted about two pages, and then I was hooked.

Firstly let me warn you that this book actually begins before Chapter One. I grabbed this book one evening and flipped to Chapter One, started reading, and loved it. Then about halfway through the book I checked into the Barnes & Noble discussion on it, and I found that they were asking how the readers felt about knowing in the beginning of the book that Mary would die. Know? I had sort of figured out that it was gonna happen, but they made it sound as if it had played out in the beginning of the book. What was that all about? I flipped back to the very beginning of the book, and lo and behold! Before Chapter One even begins there was an unlabeled Preface that I had missed, and it did indeed begin with Mary's death. Well, that changed things a little! (So don't do like me and miss the preface!)

The book starts out with Cobb telling the story of the events leading up to Mary's death. He reminisces over the day they met and their life together.

They met when Cobb decided to kayak down the Allagash in an attempt to trace Thoreau's path. Their meeting seems fated from the beginning. They fall fast and hard into love, and their lives are lived fast and easy as they realize that there is a timeclock ticking. Mary is out to lead a full and complete life in an abbreviated amount of time, and she does it quite well. When it is time to leave, she does so with no regrets and a peaceful mind.

You get to know the wonderful support system of extensive friends and family of Cobb and Mary. The student that becomes something of a surrogate son to the childless couple. You feel their love for life and nature and adventure, and you are happy to be along with them on their ride.

I loved this story, tragic as it may be. I thought that the ending was beautiful, and the last 30 pages or so had me boo-hooing much of the time. The way that her family and friends supported her decision to leave this life when she had reached a point where the quality of life was lacking and she was becoming more of a "burden" to those she loved, and her proclamation that it was "time", was touching. There's a soft, ethereal cadence that softened the blow of the harsh realities of the story. I would strongly recommend this lovely tale of love and life and death.



My Rating: 9 out of 10

(Updated 8/5/10: This book has really stayed with me and haunted me since I finished it. Therefore I feel that it should really stand out above many of the other books I have read. So I am bumping up the rating from an 8.5 to a 9. Beautiful story with a haunting ending!)

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (02-06-10 edition)

NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:

Books and Needlepoint is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Unnamed. Deadline is February 11. US/Canada only.

Historically Obsessed is giving away a copy of The Kitchen House. Deadline is February 11. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Absolute Power. Deadline is February 12. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of How To Not Look Fat Again. Deadline is February 13. US/Canada only.

All About {n} is giving away 5 copies each of Drood and Black Hills. Deadline is February 13. US/Canada only.

The Electrical Book Cafe is giving away 5 YA books. Deadline is February 14. She says it's not "international", but I'm not sure whether or not it includes Canada.

A Sea of Books is giving away 5 copies of Denise's Daily Dozen. Deadline is February 15. US/Canada only.

Jo-Jo Loves to Read is giving away 3 copies of Drood. Deadline is February 15. US/Canada only.

Chelis Shelves is giving away a copy of Future Hope. Deadline is February 15. US only.

Libby's Library News is giving away 5 copies of Denise's Daily Dozen. Deadline is February 17. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of Try Darkness. Deadline is February 19.

The Bibliophilic Book Blog is giving away an e-reader of your choice or $150 to a bookstore of your choice. Deadline is February 28.


At Home with Books
is giving away 4 gently read books to clean off the shelves. Deadline is February 28. US/Canada only.

Steph Su Reads is having a massive blogiversary giveaway! Deadline is February 28. Open International


*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration!

Friday, February 5, 2010

2009 List of Books Read

Here is a list of the books that I read in 2009, with a link to my review and my rating. My favorite and most highly-recommended books are in bold:
  1. Invasion by Robin Cook (4/10)
  2. Castaways by Brian Keene (6/10)
  3. The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg (9/10)
  4. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (7/10)
  5. Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea (8/10)
  6. Hot Blooded by Lisa Jackson (6/10)
  7. The Rising by Brian Keene (8.5/10)
  8. Horse Boy audiobook by Rupert Isaacson (8/10)
  9. Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan (9/10)
  10. The Color Purple by Alice Walker (8.5/10)
  11. BoneMan's Daughters audiobook by Ted Dekker (7/10)
  12. The 6th Seal by J.M. Emanuel (6.5/10)
  13. Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell (9.5/10)
  14. The Scarecrow audiobook by Michael Connelly (8/10)
  15. The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell (7/10)
  16. Lori's Song by Lori Foroozandeh (8/10)
  17. Karma for Beginners by Jessica Blank (8.5/10)
  18. Cemetery Dance audiobook by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (7/10)
  19. Daniel X: Watch the Skies audiobook by James Patterson and Ned Rust (7/10)
  20. Mother of the Believers by Kamran Pasha (8/10)
  21. The Juror audiobook by George Dawes Green (7.5/10)
  22. The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran (8.5/10)
  23. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (9/10)
  24. Swimsuit by James Patterson (8/10)
  25. The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond (9.5/10)
  26. City of the Dead by Brian Keene (7.5/10)
  27. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (7/10)
  28. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson (8/10)
  29. All of Me by Lori Wilde (7/10)

WINNER: The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

I'm running a little late on this, but we have a winner for The Heretic's Daughter! The winner is...

#1 rhapsodyinbooks

I'll be emailing you soon to get your mailing information.

Now the tricky part is finding the book. I packed everything up when I painted after Christmas, and still haven't found my "giveaway" books. I've unpacked probably 6-8 boxes of books so far, but still haven't found them. Unfortunately my boyfriend was responsible for packing up the books, and I'm not sure where all of them are located. I'll find them soon!

Congratulations! Of course, since I haven't found my giveaway books yet, there won't be any giveaways until I do. Keep your fingers crossed that I find them this weekend!

In the meantime, don't forget to hop over to my other blog via the button to the right. I'm giving away a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card and a nifty little bookmark for the annual One World One Heart blogging event.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Reading List 2010

Here is what I have so far on my list of books to read/listen to this year. Most of these are already sitting on my shelf:







  • Any Minute by Joyce Meyer (audiobook)
  • Beginner's Luck by Laura Pedersen
  • Best Bet by Laura Pederesen
  • Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
  • Confessions of an Ivy League Pornographer by Sam Benjamin (e-book)
  • Dark Jewels by Lisa Jackson
  • Dead Sea by Brian Keene
  • The Giver by Lois Lowry
  • Godmother by Carrie Adams
  • Hate List by Jennifer Brown
  • Hope for Refuge by Jane Goodall (audiobook)
  • The Host by Stephanie Meyer
  • Hunter by Campbell Jeffrey
  • Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
  • Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn
  • The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
  • The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker
  • Lost Souls by Lisa Jackson
  • Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
  • Maximum Ride: School's Out by James Patterson
  • Obama's Blackberry by Kasper Hauser
  • Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
  • Predator by Patricia Cornwell (audiobook)
  • The Road by Cormac McCarthy
  • Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
  • Showdown by Ted Dekker
  • Simon's Cat by Simon Tofield
  • Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
  • Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
  • Terror by Dan Simmons
  • Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
  • Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
  • Day by Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne
  • Ghoul by Brian Keene
  • The Shack by William P. Young
  • Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin
  • Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon
  • Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
  • The Help by Kathryn Stockett
  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  • Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
  • The Mayo Diet book by Mayo clinic
  • Darkness on the Edge of Town by Brian Keene

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Abandoned Challenges

I am going to go ahead and throw in the towel on a couple of challenges that end this month that I know I have no hope of getting anywhere on. I am just too slow of a reader, and I have too much going on right now. I thank the hosts of the challenges though!

The first to be abandoned is the What an Animal II challenge. I only read 1 out of 6 books on this one. You can find my review of Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment here.








The other challenge I am abandoning is:

The Four Month Challenge Part Two

I only accrued 20 points by reading a single book. You can find my review of All of Me here.







So now I can move on from here, and concentrate on the new challenges of 2010. Let's hope I do better with them!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Mailbox Monday (02-01-10 edition)



Mailbox Monday is brought to us by The Printed Page. In my mailbox last week I got:

Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory Won from Starting Fresh

THE GREATEST PASSION Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country. IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers-until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. So when a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen has a chance to prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure...and that love can conquer all.


When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson
Won from Peeking Between the Pages

On a hot summer day, Joanna Mason's family slowly wanders home along a country lane. A moment later, Joanna's life is changed forever...
On a dark night thirty years later, ex-detective Jackson Brodie finds himself on a train that is both crowded and late. Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly hears a shocking sound...
At the end of a long day, 16-year-old Reggie is looking forward to watching a little TV. Then a terrifying noise shatters her peaceful evening. Luckily, Reggie makes it a point to be prepared for an emergency...


I also got part of the 12-book giveaway that I won from Bookin' with Bingo. Here's what I've gotten so far:

Wildflowers by Lyah Beth LefFlore
More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives by Guy Fieri
The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell
Totally Toned Arms by Rylan Duggan
The Survivor's Club by Ben Sherwood

I also won Bedlam South by Mark Grisham from Jo-Jo Loves to Read


Received for review:

Best Bet and Beginner's Luck both by Laura Pedersen