Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Top 5 Books Read in 2009


Lorielle @ Just Book Around has started this meme for your favourite reads of 2009. Once you've done your post go over to the blog and sign up for Mr Linky so that other people can read it.

I didn't get through too many books this year (I'm a slow reader, and I didn't get started until April), but I think these are my favorite 5 books read this year:
  • Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg
  • Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan
  • The Color Purple by Alice Walker
  • Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I can't wait to get started in 2010! I have signed up for so many challenges! Probably too many! Happy New Year everyone!

What's Releasing (12/30/09 edition)

These books are releasing the week of 1/4/10:

Synopsis

A sequel to her bestselling memoir, Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert’s new book is the story of how she and Felipe, the man she met and fell in love with at the end of Eat, Pray, Love, grapple and ultimately make peace with the notion of marriage, long after each of them has endured an ugly divorce and sworn off the institution.






Synopsis

In one of the most buzzed-about debuts of 2009, Daniel Suarez introduced a terrifying vision of a new world order, controlled by the Daemon, an insidious computer program unleashed by a hi-tech wunderkind, Daemon captured the attention of the tech community, became a New York Times and Indie bestseller, and left readers hungry for more.

Well, more is here, and it's even more gripping than its predecessor.

In the opening chapters of Freedom(tm), the Daemon is firmly in control, using an expanded network of real-world, dispossessed darknet operatives to tear apart civilization and rebuild it anew. Soon civil war breaks out in the American Midwest, in a brutal wave of violence that becomes known as the Corn Rebellion. Former detective Pete Sebeck, now the Daemon's most powerful-though reluctant-operative, must lead a small band of enlightened humans toward a populist movement designed to protect the new world order. But the private armies of global business are preparing to crush the Daemon once and for all.

In a world of conflicted loyalties, rapidly diminishing human power, and the possibility that anyone can be a spy, what's at stake is nothing less than human freedom's last hope to survive the technology revolution.

(Well, now I'm adding Daemon to my Wish List!)

Monday, December 28, 2009

Secret Santa Gift Received

I actually received my Secret Santa gift awhile back, but I had committed to not opening it until Christmas. Well, I opened it Christmas Eve, but I think it was near midnight. So...I sorta waited until Christmas!

I opened the box to find several gifts inside!


When I unwrapped the gifts, I found a copy of Dead Souls by Michael Laimo and The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe-- both off of my Wish List! I also got two homemade leather bookmarks. Very nice!

Thanks so much to my Secret Santa Somer of Some Reads! I love all of my gifts, and they were well worth waiting for!

CHALLENGE: Books Won Reading Challenge


Books Won Reading Challenge
January 2 - December 31, 2010

This challenge is hosted by So Many Precious Books, So Little Time. As Teddy explains:
The reason publishing companies supply books for book bloggers to give away is to get word out about the books and create buzz. I feel bad that I haven't read many of the book I have won and want to make an effort to read them in 2010.
Here are the levels:

Honorable Mention: Read 1-3 book you won.
Bronze: Read 4-6 books you won.
Silver: Read 7-9 Books you won.
Gold: Read 10 or more books you won.

The Rules:

1. You must write a review for each book that you read for it to count. If you do not have a blog you can write your reviews on a place like Amazon, Powell's, Chapters, etc.

2.Crossovers with other challenges are okay.


3. Audiobooks count, as long as you won them. As do won e-books.

4. You can change up levels but cannot go back down a level.

5. Make a list of the books won that you plan to read for the challenge. You can always make changes to the list.

I'm going for Gold, since my shelves are filled with books I've won! Here is my current list of books to choose from:
  1. Rooms by James L. Rubart
  2. Julie & Julia
  3. Hate List
  4. The Host
  5. Lost Souls
  6. Absolute Power by David Baldacci
  7. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
  8. Lovely Bones
  9. Shiver
  10. Permission Slips
  11. Suite Scarlet
  12. Terror
  13. Hearts on a String by Kris Radish

    To join in, sign up with Mr. Linky!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

CHALLENGE: Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge

Hosted by Ready When You Are, C.B., The Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge is based on a simple idea--read a book, see a movie based on the book, include both in your review. Whether yours is a book blog or a movie blog, this could be a way to add some spice to your posts, expand your outlook, have some fun. Mostly, have some fun.

You don't have to write full reviews for both the movie and the book. You can write a review of one and then add a brief paragraph or just a sentence or two about the other at the end.

Challenge Guidelines

1. Select a challenge level:
  • Matinee: one book/movie
  • Double Feature: two books/movies
  • Saturday Movie Marathon: four books/movies
  • Film Festival: eight books/movies
  • Festival Jury Member: ten books/movies
2. Copy and paste the Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge button to your blog. (Optional. If you don't have a blog, you can still sign-up and play along.)
3. Sign up using Mr. Linky. Please list your challenge level in a comment.
4. Get together a list of books/movies that you plan on reviewing. (Optional. You can just see what comes along during the year if you'd rather.

The challenge will begin on New Year's Day 2010 and will last all year. There will be prizes.

You can count this challenge with any other challenges you're doing in 2010.

I'm going to shoot for the Double Feature, but we'll see whether I can surpass that!

CHALLENGE: 2nd Reading Challenge

This challenges was previously hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog, but this year is being hosted by Royal Reviews.

In this challenge you don't only read the second book in a series, but is also refers to the second time you've read an author as well.

Challenge Guidelines:
1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
--Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.

2. There are four levels:

-- Curious – Read 3 novels that are 2nd in a series or second time you've read the author.

-- Fascinated – Read 6 that are 2nd in a series or second time you've read the author.

-- Addicted – Read 12 novels that are 2nd in a series or second time you've read the author.

-- Obsessed – Read 20 novels 2nd in a series or second time you've read the author.

3. Any genre counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the 2nd Reading Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.

I'm going to commit to the "Fascinated" level and do 6 books. Here are the first few on my list:
  1. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
  2. Best Bet by Laura Pedersen
  3. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
  4. Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman
  5. Maximum Ride: School's Out by James Patterson
  6. Lost Souls by Lisa Jackson

CHALLENGE: Audio Book Challenge 2010

Royal Reviews is hosting the 2010 Audiobook Reading Challenge, previously hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog. I enjoy audiobooks when I'm working, so I look forward to possibly completing this challenge! (I've already established that I suck at challenges.)

I think I'm going to go with the "Fascinated" level here and commit to 6 audiobooks in 2010, although I hope to do many more.

Guidelines:

  • There are four levels: Curious – Listen to 3 Audio Books, Fascinated – Listen to 6 Audio Books, Addicted – Listen to 12 Audio Books, Obsessed – Listen to 20 Audio Books.
  • Audio books only.
  • You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
  • Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on or after January 1st count towards this challenge.
So far on my list is:
  1. The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace
  2. Bourne Deception by Robert Ludlow
  3. Hope for Animals by Jane Goodall
  4. Absolute Power by David Baldacci

Poetry Sunday (12-27-09 edition)

As I believe I've mentioned before, I love Ovid. He was erotic and bawdy, and at times he and Petronius can make me laugh (although Petronius was more the "dirty old man".)

This poem is quite long in its entirety, so here I give you just a sampling...


Either She Was Fool...

by Ovid

Either she was fool, or her attire was bad,
Or she was not the wench I wished to have had.
Idly I lay with her, as if I loved not,
And like a burden grieved the bed that moved not.
Though both of us performed our true intent,
Yet could I not cast anchor where I meant.
She on my neck her ivory arms did throw,
Her arms far whiter than the Scythian snow.
And eagerly she kissed me with her tongue,
And under mine her wanton thigh she flung,
Yes, and she soothed me up, and called me "Sir,"
And used all speech that might provoke and stir.
Yet like as if cold hemlock I had drunk,
It mocked me, hung down the head and sunk.
Like a dull cipher, or rude block I lay,
Or shade, or body was I, who can say?
What will my age do, age I cannot shun,
When in my prime my force is spent and done?
I blush, that being youthful, hot, and lusty,
I prove nor youth nor man, but old and rusty.

CHALLENGE: 1st in a Series

This year this challenge is being hosted by Royal Reviews. I didn't do so great last time, so I still have "1st" books that I want to read. So I'm joining in on this one again!

Challenge Guidelines:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
--Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.

2. There are four levels:

-- Curious– Read 3 novels that are first in a series.

-- Fascinated – Read 6 novels that are first in a series.

-- Addicted – Read 12 novels that are first in a series.

-- Obsessed – Read 20 novels that are first in a series.

3. Any genre counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the 1st in a Series Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.

I'm going to go for the "Fascinated" level and read 6 books for this challenge. Here is what I have in mind so far (with links to my reviews as I read each one):
  1. Falling Home by Karen White
  2. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
  3. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  4. Beginner's Luck by Laura Pedersen
  5. Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman
  6. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
We'll see if I do better this time, now that I'm committing to fewer books. Check back in to see how I do!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (12-26-09 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:

Chick with Books is giving away 5 copies of Knight of Pleasure. Deadline is December 26.

Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! is having a big 200 follower contest! Deadline is December 26.
Peace & Quiet is giving away 3 copies of Earth to Table. Deadline is December 27.
Booksie's Blog is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Say You're One of Them. Deadline is December 29.

Three Different Directions is giving away Dracula. Deadline is December 29.

Steph Su Reads is giving away 2 copies of The Maze Runner. Deadline is December 29.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Imperial Cruise. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away a trilogy of books by Cinda Williams Chima. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away Hate List. Deadline is December 30.

Parajunkie is having a 300 follower contest! Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away an ARC of The Maze Runner. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away three ARCs by Justine Larbalestier to one winner. Deadline is December 30.

The Book Resort is giving away a copy of Witch & Wizard. Deadline is December 31.

Starting Fresh is giving away Knight of Pleasures. Deadline is December 31.

Ellz Readz is giving away a whole lotta books! She has 5 different prize packs up for grabs! Deadline is December 31.

Cherry Mischievous is giving away a "Christmas Hamper" of books. Deadline is December 31.

The Eclectic Reader is giving away to 2 followers their choice from six books. Deadline is December 31.

Library Lounge Lizard is giving away four books each to 3 winners! Deadline is December 31.

Luxury Reading
is giving away an invisible bookshelf with five books. Deadline is December 31.

Literary Escapism is giving away six books to 2 winners. Deadline is December 31.

Ramblings of a Bibliophile is giving away a copy of Boneshaker. Deadline is January 1.

A Circle of Books is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 2.
All the Pretty Pages just opened its doors, and to celebrate is giving away 10 books to a single winner! Deadline is January 2.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook I, Alex Cross. Deadline is January 2.
Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Dear John. Deadline is January 3.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 3.

All About {n} is giving away 3 copies of When Will There Be Good News? Deadline is January 3.

All About {n} is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 3.
Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of When Will There Be Good News? Deadline is January 3.

Luxury Reading is giving away 3 audio book copies of Say You're One of Them. Deadline is January 9.

The Book Butterfly is giving away 5 copies of Scones and Sensibility. Deadline is January 10.

At Home With Books is giving away 5 copies of The Survivor's Club. Deadline is January 10.

Drey's Library is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 10.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 5 copies of Exit Music. Deadline is January 12.

The Tome Traveler is giving away 2 copies of The Burning Land. Deadline is January 18.
In Which a Girl Reads is giving away 6 books to 3 winners: 25 books to choose from! Deadline is January 19.

Mindful Musings is giving away your choice of book! There will be as many as 3 winners! Deadline is January 20.

The Book Rat is giving to 5 winners their choice of one of fifty books. I can't find a deadline listed.

Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! is giving away their ARC of The Maze Runner. I don't see a deadline listed, but I assume that it is probably the end of the month.

*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!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Challenge Update: 2009 End of Year Update

Here is where I stand with the challenges that end this month:

I am ending this challenge with only 1 of the 3 books read. I completed, and really enjoyed, The Color Purple. However I had to abandon The Road-- I had a really difficult time with the writing style, but I will come back and try this book again later on.

So I'm ending this challenge 1/3.

For the 1st in a Series 2009 challenge, I am ending it with 4 of my 12 books completed. Even though I didn't do that great with this challenge, I really enjoyed the four books that I read for it. So I'm considering it a success anyway!

I am completing this challenge 4/12.



The "What's in a Name" challenge wound up being one of my most successful. I completed 4 of the 6 books I had earmarked for this one, and am currently reading a 5th. Unfortunately what with the holidays and everything I hope to get done around the house over the next couple of weeks, I don't see completing the fifth book before the end of the year.

So I am completing this challenge 4.5/6.

This challenge already ended on December 20th, and I am ending it well short of my goal of 18 books, with only 6 completed, 1 abandoned, and 1 that I am currently reading.

I am ending this challenge 6.5/18.




So it's official! I suck at reading challenges! However I read some great books, and enjoyed myself, so I am considering this a success nevertheless!

Thanks to the hosts of these challenges. As you can see, I am trying my hand at way too many challenges again in 2010. See you there!

GIVEAWAY: The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent (international)

Synopsis

Martha Carrier was one of the first women to be accused, tried and hanged as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. Like her mother, young Sarah Carrier is bright and willful, openly challenging the small, brutal world in which they live. Often at odds with one another, mother and daughter are forced to stand together against the escalating hysteria of the trials and the superstitious tyranny that led to the torture and imprisonment of more than 200 people accused of witchcraft. This is the story of Martha's courageous defiance and ultimate death, as told by the daughter who survived.
Kathleen Kent is a tenth generation descendent of Martha Carrier. She is also a natural-born storyteller, and in her first novel, she paints a haunting portrait, not just of Puritan New England, but also of one family's deep and abiding love in the face of fear and persecution.

GIVEAWAY: Win The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Rules (you knew there had to be some):
  • You must be 18 years or older
  • This giveaway I will open up internationally
  • To enter, just comment below. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment, or have it visible in your profile.
  • For extra entries, follow my blog and/or blog about this contest. One extra entry for each. Sidebars are okay.
  • Leave a separate comment for each entry.
  • That's a total of 3 possible entries!
  • Those who don't follow the rules risk being disqualified.
Deadline is January 24, 2010

Good Luck! Ready, Set, Go!

REVIEW: All of Me by Lori Wilde

Synopsis

Can two broken hearts become one?

Attorney Jillian Samuels doesn't believe in true love and never, ever wished for happily ever after. But when a searing betrayal leaves her jobless and heartbroken, a newly inherited cottage in Salvation, Colorado, seems to offer a fresh start. What she finds when she arrives shocks her: the most gorgeous and infuriating man she's ever met is living in her home!

Tuck Manning was a gifted architect who left a skyrocketing career to care for his dying wife. But the life he's made for himself in this quiet town is turned upside down when Jillian appears on his doorstep. Tuck won't go without a fight, and the two resolve to live as roommates until they can untangle who owns the cottage. Yet as Tuck and Jillian's days—and nights—heat up, they realize more than property rights are at stake...and that sometimes, salvation comes when you least expect it.

My Thoughts

Tuck was a dedicated husband and a big name in architecture when his life fell apart with the loss of his wife. Jillian has a reputation as something of an "ice queen". Her lonely childhood spent with a resentful step-mother after losing both of her parents at a young age has left her bitter about love and emotionally reserved. Now Jillian finds herself in Salvation, CO looking for...what else..."salvation". Only when she shows up at the home that she has inherited after the loss of her mentor and substitute father, she finds Tuck already inhabiting it. Both lay claim to the home, and they decide to share the cottage while they sort it all out. And then, well, you know what happens.

This was a cute story. I can't give this story a real "in depth" analysis. I find that most romance novels are mostly "fluff" and predictable, and this one is pretty much what I expected. The writing was easy to read, and there was a decent amount of sexual tension to add some interest to the story. It wasn't quite as engaging as I would have liked. I tend to go for the romance novels that have verbally antagonistic leads, full of verbal banter, and this was a little lacking in that area. Of course, I also tend to go more for historical romance.

So it's a cute story, and I would recommend it for the true romance fan.



My Rating: 7 out of 10

WINNERS: Imposter's Daughter and Any Minute

Well, what with the holidays and all, I'm running behind on announcing the winners of my last two giveaways. So better late than sorry!

The winner of The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell is:

#4 A Bookshelf Monstrosity


And the winner of Any Minute by Joyce Meyer is:

#6 Nancye

Congratulations to the winners! I'll be emailing you for your addresses. Merry Christmas everyone!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (12-19-09 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:

Seductive Musings is giving away 5 copies of Knight of Pleasure. Deadline is December 19.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 3 sets of three books each of the Alex Cross series. Deadline is December 19.

Bibliophile By the Sea is giving away an ARC of Alice I Have Been. Deadline is December 20.

Booking Mama is giving away a copy of Dragon House. Deadline is December 20.

Lori's Reading Corner is giving away an ARC of Down to the Wire. Deadline is December 21.

The Book Resort is really feeling the Christmas spirit! She's giving away a $75 Visa gift card to one very lucky follower! It's easy to enter, and there are a few ways to earn extra entries. So what are you waiting for? Go! Go now! Deadline is December 21.

Radiant Light is giving away 4 copies of The Magician's Book. Deadline is December 23.

Ellz Readz is giving away a copy of Immortal. Deadline is December 23.
Martha's Bookshelf is giving away a copy of Matter of Class. Deadline is December 23.
Radiant Light is giving away 3 copies of Exit Music. Deadline is December 24.

Chick with Books is giving away 5 copies of Knight of Pleasure. Deadline is December 26.

Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! is having a big 200 follower contest! Deadline is December 26.

Booksie's Blog is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Say You're One of Them. Deadline is December 29.

Three Different Directions is giving away Dracula. Deadline is December 29.
Steph Su Reads is giving away 2 copies of The Maze Runner. Deadline is December 29.
Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Imperial Cruise. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away a trilogy of books by Cinda Williams Chima. Deadline is December 30.
Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away Hate List. Deadline is December 30.
Parajunkie is having a 300 follower contest! Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away an ARC of The Maze Runner. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away three ARCs by Justine Larbalestier to one winner. Deadline is December 30.

The Book Resort is giving away a copy of Witch & Wizard. Deadline is December 31.

Starting Fresh is giving away Knight of Pleasures. Deadline is December 31.

Ellz Readz is giving away a whole lotta books! She has 5 different prize packs up for grabs! Deadline is December 31.

Cherry Mischievous is giving away a "Christmas Hamper" of books. Deadline is December 31.

The Eclectic Reader is giving away to 2 followers their choice from six books. Deadline is December 31.
Library Lounge Lizard is giving away four books each to 3 winners! Deadline is December 31.

Princess Bookie is giving away a bunch of books and swag to 3 winners! Deadline is December 31.

Luxury Reading
is giving away an invisible bookshelf with five books. Deadline is December 31.

Literary Escapism is giving away six books to 2 winners. Deadline is December 31.

Ramblings of a Bibliophile is giving away a copy of Boneshaker. Deadline is January 1.
A Circle of Books is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 2.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Dear John. Deadline is January 3.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 3.

All About {n} is giving away 3 copies of When Will There Be Good News? Deadline is January 3.

All About {n} is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 3.
In Which a Girl Reads is giving away 6 books to 3 winners: 25 books to choose from! Deadline is January 19.
The Book Rat is giving to 5 winners their choice of one of fifty books. I can't find a deadline listed.
Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! is giving away their ARC of The Maze Runner. I don't see a deadline listed, but I assume that it is probably the end of the month.

*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!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (12-12-09 edition)

NOTE: I'm running late with the giveaway list, only because all of the giveaways that I did yesterday were for non-book giveaways.

However 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:

Simply Stacie is giving away 3 copies of I Survived a House Fire...I Wish My Stuff Had. Deadline is December 14.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 2 copies of National Parks: Our American Landscape. Deadline is December 14.

Wrighty's Reads is giving away 5 copies of Dear John. Deadline is December 15.

Cheli's Shelves is giving away Decoding the Lost Symbol. Deadline is December 15.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away The Werewolf's Guide to Life. Deadline is December 17.

Wendy's Minding Spot is giving away 3 gently read ARCs to one lucky winner. Deadline is December 18.

Seductive Musings is giving away 5 copies of Knight of Pleasure. Deadline is December 19.
Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 3 sets of three books each of the Alex Cross series. Deadline is December 19.
Bibliophile By the Sea is giving away an ARC of Alice I Have Been. Deadline is December 20.

Booking Mama is giving away a copy of Dragon House. Deadline is December 20.

Lori's Reading Corner is giving away an ARC of Down to the Wire. Deadline is December 21.

The Book Resort is really feeling the Christmas spirit! She's giving away a $75 Visa gift card to one very lucky follower! It's easy to enter, and there are a few ways to earn extra entries. So what are you waiting for? Go! Go now! Deadline is 12/21.

Radiant Light is giving away 4 copies of The Magician's Book. Deadline is December 23.
Ellz Readz is giving away a copy of Immortal. Deadline is December 23.
Radiant Light is giving away 3 copies of Exit Music. Deadline is December 24.

Chick with Books is giving away 5 copies of Knight of Pleasure. Deadline is December 26.
Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! is having a big 200 follower contest! Deadline is December 26.

Booksie's Blog is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Say You're One of Them. Deadline is December 29.

Three Different Directions is giving away Dracula. Deadline is December 29.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Imperial Cruise. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century
is giving away Hate List. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away a trilogy of books by Cinda Williams Chima. Deadline is December 30.

Parajunkie is having a 300 follower contest! Deadline is December 30.
Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away an ARC of The Maze Runner. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away three ARCs by Justine Larbalestier to one winner. Deadline is December 30.

The Book Resort is giving away a copy of Witch & Wizard. Deadline is December 31.

Starting Fresh is giving away Knight of Pleasures. Deadline is December 31.

Ellz Readz is giving away a whole lotta books! She has 5 different prize packs up for grabs! Deadline is December 31.

Cherry Mischievous is giving away a "Christmas Hamper" of books. Deadline is December 31.

The Eclectic Reader is giving away to 2 followers their choice from six books. Deadline is December 31.

Ramblings of a Bibliophile is giving away a copy of Boneshaker. Deadline is January 1.

A Circle of Books is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 2.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Dear John. Deadline is January 3.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 3.

All About {n} is giving away 3 copies of When Will There Be Good News? Deadline is January 3.

All About {n} is giving away 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. Deadline is January 3.
A Bookish Mom is giving away 3 DVD movies: Twilight, Hotel for Dogs and Hairspray! No deadline is mentioned.
The Book Rat is giving to 5 winners their choice of one of fifty books. I can't find a deadline listed.

Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!
is giving away their ARC of The Maze Runner. I don't see a deadline listed, but I assume that it is probably the end of the month.


*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!

Poetry Sunday (12-13-09 edition)

I saw this posted the other day on Flux Capacitor by Maggie May. I loved it, and decided to share it here for Poetry Sunday:

I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance,
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom,
and that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.

-- Dawna Markova

Friday, December 11, 2009

What do you do?

What do you do when you have committed to buying a gift for someone, and you spend time checking their Wish List, picking out something from it, ordering the gift through the mail, wrapping it, packing it, addressing it. And just before you take it to the post office you check their Wish List one last time, and you find that the item is now missing from their Wish List, indicating that they probably have it now?

*sigh*

And I don't even know whether anyone else would like the same gift. So now I don't know what to do with the gift I already bought, AND now I have to come up with a new gift for this person, and FAST!

*heavy sigh*

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Introducing...All of Me by Lori Wilde

Houston deputy district attorney Jillian Samuels did not believe in magic.
She didn't throw pennies into wishing wells, didn't pluck four-leaf clovers from springtime meadows, didn't blow out birthday-cake candles, and didn't wish on falling stars.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

What's Releasing (12-09-09 edition)

Books that will be available December 14 and December 28:

Synopsis

The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. The New Order, as it is known, is clearly trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. But while trapped in this totalitarian nightmare, Wisty and Whit discover they have incredible powers they'd never dreamed of. Can this newly minted witch and wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents--and maybe the world?

(I've been waiting for this one!)


Synopsis

In 1766 Scotland, the laird of the clan, Angus McTern, has everything he wants in life. Although his grandfather lost the family's land and castle in a card game when Angus was just a boy, Angus takes his duties seriously and is respected by all the men and adored by the women. That is, until Edilean Talbot shows up.

Breathtakingly beautiful and born of privilege, Edilean represents everything Angus despises. Still he is as dazzled by her as everyone else is, and he can keep his feelings hidden from her for only so long. When she rejects him he is deeply wounded and, worse, humiliated before his clan. But then the day comes when Edilean needs Angus's help, to reclaim the gold she inherited from her father, which is on its way to America. At first Angus refuses, but her beauty -- and her tears -- so haunt him that he puts aside his pride and decides to aid the heiress. However, when Angus tries to intervene, he's accused of kidnapping and theft. To avoid being prosecuted, he's forced to leave behind all that he knows and loves and escape with Edilean to America. There they will overcome almost insurmountable obstacles as they are pursued endlessly by the man who claims the gold for his own. Despite all that tries to keep them apart, Angus and Edilean also find a love as wild and free as the land itself.

(I think that this cover is absolutely gorgeous, and the storyline sounds fiery!)


Synopsis

A brilliant new work of fiction from the Nobel Prize-winning author of Disgrace and Diary of a Bad Year


A young English biographer is researching a book about the late South African writer John Coetzee, focusing on Coetzee in his thirties, at a time when he was living in a rundown cottage in the Cape Town suburbs with his widowed father-a time, the biographer is convinced, when Coetzee was finding himself as a writer. Never having met the man himself, the biographer interviews five people who knew Coetzee well, including a married woman with whom he had an affair, his cousin Margot, and a Brazilian dancer whose daughter took English lessons with him. These accounts add up to an image of an awkward, reserved, and bookish young man who finds it hard to make meaningful connections with the people around him.

Summertime is an inventive and inspired work of fiction that allows J.M. Coetzee to imagine his own life with a critical and unsparing eye, revealing painful moral struggles and attempts to come to grips with what it means to care for another human being. Incisive, elegant, and often surprisingly funny, Summertime is a compelling work by one of today's most esteemed writers.

(I think that this book sounds really fascinating!)


Also available:

Santa is holding all of my packages...

...and I'm hoping I'll have one of these under my tree Christmas morning! (I had to "borrow" this image off the net. It was too good to pass up!) There's a lascivious double-entendre in there somewhere, but I'm not going there!

I've decided that I am not doing anymore posts of books received (no Mailbox Monday) until after Christmas. Any packages that come in are going straight under the tree. That means just more Christmas day! Then I'll do a post after Christmas about any books that arrived between now and then.

I did receive my Secret Santa gift yesterday! However it went straight under the tree, too. So I don't know what my gracious giver gave, but I want to throw a premature "thank you" their way!

Happy Holidays to all, and I hope you all get everything you dream of and hope for!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (12-05-09 edition)

NOTE: I'll try to post more giveaways later this weekend. I have a family get-together today.

However 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:

At Home with Books is giving away 2 copies of The Dolphin People. Deadline is December 6.
A Wrestling Addicted Mommy is giving away 5 copies of A Centruy of Flavor cookbook. Deadline is December 12.
Simply Stacie is giving away 3 copies of I Survived a House Fire...I Wish My Stuff Had. Deadline is December 14.
Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 2 copies of National Parks: Our American Landscape. Deadline is December 14.
Wrighty's Reads is giving away 5 copies of Dear John. Deadline is December 15.

Cheli's Shelves is giving away Decoding the Lost Symbol. Deadline is December 15.
Wendy's Minding Spot is giving away 3 gently read ARCs to one lucky winner. Deadline is December 18.

Seductive Musings is giving away 5 copies of Knight of Pleasure. Deadline is December 19.

Bibliophile By the Sea is giving away an ARC of Alice I Have Been. Deadline is December 20.

Booking Mama is giving away a copy of Dragon House. Deadline is December 20.

Lori's Reading Corner is giving away an ARC of Down to the Wire. Deadline is December 21.

The Book Resort is really feeling the Christmas spirit! She's giving away a $75 Visa gift card to one very lucky follower! It's easy to enter, and there are a few ways to earn extra entries. So what are you waiting for? Go! Go now! Deadline is 12/21.

Radiant Light is giving away 4 copies of The Magician's Book. Deadline is December 23.

Radiant Light
is giving away 3 copies of Exit Music. Deadline is December 24.

Chick with Books is giving away 5 copies of Knight of Pleasure. Deadline is December 26.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away an ARC of The Maze Runner. Deadline is December 30.

Bookworming in the 21st Century is giving away three ARCs by Justine Larbalestier to one winner. Deadline is December 30.
The Book Resort is giving away a copy of Witch & Wizard. Deadline is December 31.
A Bookish Mom is giving away 3 DVD movies: Twilight, Hotel for Dogs and Hairspray! No deadline is mentioned.

*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!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

CHALLENGE: RYOB Challenge 2010

OK. I'm joining this challenge, because I NEED to join it. I have so many books sitting on my shelves waiting to be read!

The RYOB (Read Your Own Books) 2010 Challenge is hosted by Reader Challenges.

The rules are simple:
  • Pick a number of books you’d like to read in one year
  • Choose those books from your OWN collection
  • Read them between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010

Some other guidelines for this challenge:

  • Re-Reads are NOT allowed (the challenge is to get more of your own books read that have been sitting there waiting!)
  • Audiobooks & e-books ARE allowed
  • You do NOT need a blog to participate — you can leave comments on this post with your progress
Stay tuned! On January 1st, MizB will add a Mr.Linky here for participants to sign up.

I'm shooting for 40 books from my shelves. This is what I've got on my list so far:
  • Brutal Telling
  • Catching Fire
  • Cousin Kate
  • Darkest Evening of the Year
  • Dead Sea
  • The Giver
  • Godmother
  • The Hate List
  • Hunter
  • The Last Queen
  • Maximum Ride: School's Out
  • The Measure of a Lady
  • Obama's Blackberry
  • The Road
  • Shiver
  • Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
  • A Thousand Splendid Suns
  • The Triumph of Deborah
  • Twilight

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

CHALLENGE: Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge

And as if I didn't already have too many distractions and too many challenges going on, I'm joining in on another. This one looks good, as it consists of the books that 33 different bloggers have deemed the best!

For this challenge (hosted by Reading with Tequila), you choose books off of the 2009 Book Blogger Recommendation List.

The Levels:

Level I - Read 5 books from the 2009 Book Blogger Recommendation List
Level II - Read 10 books
Level III - Read 15 books
Level IV - Read 20 books
Level V - Read 20+ books

The Rules:
  • Challenge will run January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Participants can join anytime throughout the challenge.
  • Create an intro post, linking back to this post.
  • Sign up with the McLinky. Please link to your challenge intro post, not your blog home page.
  • Chose your own books from the list. You can decide to read books only on the Top 25 list or from the entire recommendation list. You do not have to make a list of books before the challenge begins.
  • All forms of books acceptable (audiobooks, eBooks, etc.)
  • Rereads do not count towards the completion of the challenge. The challenge is about discovering books that are new to you.
  • You don't need a blog to participate.
  • Reviews, while always appreciated, are not mandatory.
I'm going to try Level III for 15 books. These are some of my likely choices (with links to my reviews as I finish each):
  1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  2. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
  3. Catching Fire by Suzanne collins
  4. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
  5. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
  6. A Thousand Splendid Suns
  7. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
  8. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
  9. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
  10. Marley and Me by John Grogan
  11. The Giver by Lois Lowry
  12. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  13. The Help by Kathryn Stocket
  14. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Linda Brent
  15. Uglies by Scott Westerfield
And....we're off (well, not until January)!

CHALLENGE: What's in a Name 3

I'm gonna try the 2010 "What's in a Name 3", even though I probably won't complete this year's challenge. Try, try again!

The 3rd installment of the What's in a Name challenge is being hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Here's how it works...

Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
  1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (I'm doing Obama's Blackberry by Kasper Hauser)
  2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House (I'm thinking Dead Sea by Brian Keene)
  3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan (I'm thinking Godmother by Carolyn Turgeon, like "Godfather")
  4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose (I've got Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See)
  5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia (My pick is Winter Haven by Athol Dickson)
  6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher (I'm thinking The Measure of a Lady by Deanne Gist)
The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
  • Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
  • Books may overlap other challenges.
  • Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
  • Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
  • You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
  • You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
  • There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible.
Visit the What's in a Name 3 challenge blog for the full "rules" and Mr. Linky to sign up.

Monday, November 30, 2009

ABANDONED: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Okay. I'm putting this one back up on the shelf for awhile. I just can't get into it right now. The clipped, abbreviated writing style drives me crazy! I will try to pick it up again at a later date and see if I do better with it the second time around. I'm so disappointed! This sounded SO like my kind of book!

GIVEAWAY: Any Minute by Joyce Meyer

Synopsis

Sarah Harper is driven, pursuing happiness in all the wrong places. She wants to do good and not hurt the people she loves, including her son, Mitchell, and her husband, Joe. But her drive to succeed overrides all else.
It's not until she faces a chance encounter with heaven and spends time with the grandmother who prayed for her every day when she was a little girl that she begins to see how her own mother's bitterness created a hole in Sarah's life—a hole she has been trying to overcome for as long as she can remember.
For the first time, Sarah sees that God created her for a special purpose. When Sarah returns to her own life, she is a woman with a mission. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.


GIVEAWAY: Win a hard copy of Any Minute by Joyce Meyer

Rules (you knew there had to be some):
  • You must be 18 years or older
  • Open to US and Canada residents only
  • To enter, just comment below. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment, or have it visible in your profile.
  • For extra entries, follow my blog and/or blog about this contest. One extra entry for each. Sidebars are okay.
  • Leave a separate comment for each entry.
  • That's a total of 3 possible entries!
  • Those who don't follow the rules risk being disqualified.

Deadline is January 10, 2010

Good Luck! Ready, Set, Go!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Poetry Sunday (11-29-09 edition)

In Summer's Heat
by: Ovid (43 BC-17 AD?)
      In summer's heat, and mid-time of the day,
      To rest my limbs, upon a bed I lay;
      One window shut, the other open stood,
      Which gave such light as twinkles in a wood,
      Like twilight glimpse at setting of the sun,
      Or night being past, and yet not day begun;
      Such light to shamefaced maidens must be shown
      Where they may sport, and seem to be unknown:
      Then came Corinna in her long loose gown,
      Her white neck hid with tresses hanging down,
      Resembling fair Semiramis going to bed,
      Or Lais of a thousand wooers sped.
      I snatched her gown being thin, the harm was small,
      Yet strived she to be covered therewithal,
      And striving thus as one that would be cast,
      Betrayed herself, and yielded at the last.
      Stark naked as she stood before mine eye,
      Not one wen in her body could I spy.
      What arms and shoulders did I touch and see,
      How apt her breasts were to be pressed by me,
      How smooth a belly under her waist saw I,
      How large a leg, and what a lusty thigh.
      To leave the rest, all liked me passing well;
      I clinged her naked body, down she fell:
      Judge you the rest, being tired she bade me kiss;
      Jove send me more such afternoons as this!

      Translated into English by Christopher Marlowe

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (11-28-09 edition)

NOTE: I'm still busy, and not doing many giveaways. Additionally I just have so many books already that I need to slow down the flow of books coming into this house before they take me over!

However please feel 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.

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 Latenier Group is having a Mega Contest! They are giving away at last count 30+ books and a $200 gift card to the Apple Store. Tell 'em nfmgirl sent you! Deadline is November 28.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 2 copies of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Deadline is November 29.

Libby's Library News is giving away 5 copies of It Happened One Night. Deadline is November 29.

A Book Blogger's Diary and Erica Bauermeister are giving away 2 copies of The School of Essential Ingredients to one lucky winner! Deadline is November 30.

Simply Stacie is giving away 5 copies of Sex, Drugs & Gefilte Fish. Deadline is December 1.

At Home with Books is giving away 2 copies of The Dolphin People. Deadline is December 6.

Simply Stacie is giving away 3 copies of I Survived a House Fire...I Wish My Stuff Had. Deadline is December 14.

Wrighty's Reads is giving away 5 copies of Dear John. Deadline is December 15.

Cheli's Shelves is giving away Decoding the Lost Symbol. Deadline is December 15.

The Book Resort is giving away a copy of Witch & Wizard. Deadline is December 31.

*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!