Saturday, November 21, 2009

Thanksgiving Plans

Well folks Thanksgiving is almost upon us.  Are ya like me and can almost taste that juicy turkey, smell those candied yams, and dream of dressing with giblet gravy yet?  YUM YUM YUM  To some that may sound dumb but this is the only time of the year we really eat these dishes thus making them extra special when we do.
 
We always go to my folks house and my sister and I always take covered dishes as well and we just all pig out and sit around and visit for a spell while we wait on dinner to settle then we drag our still rather plump bellies back into the kitchen for all those sweets we know we dont need but ohhhh it's so good any ways!  lol
 
So what do you do for Thanksgiving? Do you usually host at your home that day or go someplace else? Is there a dish you make year after year?
 
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100+ Reading Challenge

Hosted by J Kaye's Blog.  Please sign up with Mr Linky there.


1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

My List of Books




01 The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Yxta Maya Murray

02 Wereling by Steve Feasey

03 Comfort Living (Back to Basics Guide) by Christine Eisne

04 Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

05 Circle of Friends - Book V Heather by L. Diane Wolfe

06 What's My Pee Telling Me by Josh Richman & Anish Sheth, M.D.

07 auf Wiedersehen by Christa Holder Ocker

08 Nailed by Jennifer Laurens

09 Coraline by Neil Gaiman

10 H.E.A.V.E.N. by Nan Becklean

11 A Black Tie Affair by Sherrill Bodine

12 Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter

13 Icons & Idols: Pop goes the Culture by Victor Pross

14 Searching for Tina Turner by Jacqueline E. Luckett

15 Chaucer's First Winter by Stephen Krensky

16 Denise's Daily Dozen by Denise Austin

17 The Twilight Zone: Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? by Rod Serling

18 Captivate by Carrie Jones

19 The Dead Man In Indian Creek by Mary Downing Hahn

20 Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

21 Monster Republic by Ben Horton

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One Lovely Blog Award

Lovely Blog Award
 
Miss Cindy presented me with this pretty award!
 
 


Here are the rules:


1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 10 other blogs you've recently discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I am passing it on to:

That Chick That Reads
Once Upon A Book Case
Bookmark This
The Crooked Shelf
Stop Drop and Read
Sarah's Random Musings
Book Junkie
A Bookworms Thoughts
Libby's Library News
Just Blinded Book Reviews




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Reveiw: Scarecrow Finds a Friend by Blume J Rifken


Scarecrow Finds a Friend by Blume J Rifken
Genre: Childrens Books
Publisher: Whirlpool Press
Pages: 32 pages
Rating: 4.5 / 5


All in all this was a delightful story focused on sharing and caring for others. Little witch has lost her flying ability and the scarecrow helps devise a no fail plan to get it back by using the Thanksgiving turkeys wishbone, but how they came about getting it was a little far fetched I believe.

Scarecrow Finds a Friend sports a nice glossy hardback cover that easily wipes clean and has beautifully illustrated pages which do a remarkable job of diplaying the Autumn Season.

Not your typical bedtime story but a wonderfully illustrated one with a valuable message just the same!

Review Copy provided by author.

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Review: What I love about you! by Carol Casey


Dear Baby, What I love about you! by Carol Casey

Publisher: National Book Network
Genre: Children's/Baby
Pages: 18
My Rating: 5/5

This was an adorable first book for any child. With brightly illustrated pages on thick board-like paper and just the perfect size for little hands to hold. I especially enjoyed the last page of the book having an autograph page so everybody who read the story to baby/child could sign it as a keepsake for the baby/child.

Review Copy provided by author.


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Friday, November 20, 2009

The Friday 56


I thought this would be fun so here goes.  Hosted by Storytime with Tonya & Friends
 
Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST

I did a few extra so it would make some sense. lol

Excerpt from The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel

"This summer my father said I have to be tutored in math. I asked if he'd tutor me, like he does you. But he said no because the stuff you do with him is advanced, and he can't spend time on stuff I should already have learned in my own school."
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Reviews

7th Heaven by James Patterson




Beastly by Alex Flinn




 

Girl On Top by Nicole Williams

Hakim & Terrance Shadow Mystery by Bernadine Feagins
Hearts of Courage by John M. Trippets
How to Lower Your Cholesterol With French Gourmet Food by Chef Alain Braux





Inside Out by Marilyn E Randall





Jack Daniel's Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook by Lynne Tolley & Pat Mitchamore





Killer Takes All - Erica Spindler
Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory





Lenore Noogies by Roman Dirge
Life After 187 by Wade J. Halverson
Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie by Goyer & Fleiss

Never Look Back by Robert Ross



Once Upon A Witch by MacCullough



Redneck Cinderella by LuAnn McLane
Rion by Susan Kearney






Scarecrow Finds a Friend by Blume J Rifken
Scooby-Doo Phonics Box Set - Frances Ann Ladd
Seven by Jacqueline Leo
Shakespeare Ashes by Chris DeBrie
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Spot the Plot by J. Patrick Lewis
Stranger In Paradise by Robert B Parker

Stop It by Sally O. Lee
Sunday's At Tiffany's by James Patterson






Table Manners by Mia King
The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay
The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere
The Circle of Friends-Heather by L Diane Wolfe
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X
The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Yxta Maya Murray
The Magic Warble
The Mudhogs by Dalton James
The Recipe Club by Israel & Garfinkel
The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate
The Temples of Light by Danielle Rama Hoffman

The Truth (I’m a girl, I’m Smart, and I Know everything) by Dr Barbara Holstein



Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich

Wereling by Steve Feasey
What's My Pee Telling Me by Richman and Sheth








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About Me

Under Construction
 
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Awards Won

Under Construction
 
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Review: Spot The Plot by J Patrick Lewis



Spot the Plot by J. Patrick Lewis
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Pages: 36
Genre: Children Books
My Rating: 5/5

 
Spot the Plot was a very fun read and the kids loved it! It has beautiful illustrations and cute whimsy rhymes describing much loved children’s books and you have to guess what the book is! I wished it would have had more rhymes in it though! We were having such fun guessing the books! Also for the books that you may not have enjoyed with your children yet, by reading the cute rhymes about them, it may display an interest for them to have you pick that book up on the next library visit!

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Review: Dark Stranger by Susan Sizemore


Dark Stranger by Susan Sizemore
Publisher: Pocket Star
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 384 pages
My Rating: 3 / 5

Summary: A twist of fate made Zoe Pappas heir to the Byzant throne. Bound by duty and devotion to keep the Empire safe, Zoe is captured while on a secret diplomatic mission and sent to an underground prisoner-of-war camp. In this strange, shadowy place, residents are governed by fellow inmate General Matthias "Doc" Raven, whose powerful magnetism rouses an urgent desire in Zoe. But the intensity of her attraction is matched by her surprise at discovering that Doc has a secret of his own: he is a vampire.

Zoe's presence puts everyone in the camp in danger. Doc knows it, and knows too that Zoe's royal status makes it impossible for her to bond with a vampire. The only way to save her is to help her escape, and lose her forever. But some fires are impossible to quench, even when following your heart is the ultimate taboo....

My Review: Sadly I have to say I had a tough time getting into Dark Stranger. I feel like if I had read Susan’s Prime Series first I could have taken to this one better and enjoyed it more and I am going to do that and reread Dark Stranger again and re-review it.

The characters I think I could enjoy even with Zoe being so shallow. I just really don’t care for her. It’s difficult believing she is heir to a throne. Doc Raven on the other hand was a very likable character with a strong air of personality about himself.

Review Copy provided by publisher.
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Review: The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere


The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Holiday Fiction
Pages: 304 pages
My Rating: 5/5


My Review: The Christmas Secret is a heartwarming story of a young mom, Christine struggling to make a happy life for herself and her two small children, Zach and Haley, overcoming all sorts of obstacles along the way the biggest being her irresponsible dead beat ex-husband!

Christine’s ex is forever trying to make life hard on her by getting child services to keep tabs on her and always trying to get her into court for one thing or another but yet he pays no child support and screams when he cant have visitation.

A good deed done for an elderly lady passed out in Christine’s driveway sets in motion a chain of events that changes her life forever!

I loved this book! A perfect read to get you warmed up for the holiday season!
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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Review: Chocolate: A Love Story by Max Brenner



Chocolate: A Love Story by Max Brenner
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Cookbook
Pages: 144 pages
My Rating: 3/5


My Review: Max really knows chocolate and how to make it oh so yummy! The 65 recipes in Chocolate: A Love Story, make your mouth water just reading the titles! The recipes are easy to follow with fairly simple ingredients you probably have lying around your home anyhow.

The book has beautiful artwork facing each recipe page by Yonathon, Max’s friend from Tel Aviv, which is awesome, but I was a little disappointed there were no photo’s showing you what the completed recipe should look like when done.

Some of my favorite recipes were the Bad Boy Chocolate Pizza and A Therapeutic Chocolate Pot Pie.

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Authors

 

A

 



B
Becklean Nan
Bodine Sherril

C

Casey Carol
Chapman Janet
Cole Kresley

D
Dahl Linda


E

F
Feagins Bernadine

H


K
Kearney Susan


M
Maccagnone Garasamo
Mallory Margaret

N
O
Ocker Christa Holder
O'Donnell JP


P

Q

S

Sands Lynsay
Scott Amanda

U

W


X
Y
Z
Zandri Vincent












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Challenges

 

**Started In 2010 Challenges**













**Started In 2009 Challenges**

Christmas Reading Challenge (Ends Dec 31, 2009)








 
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Jen's Wish List

Under Construction
 
2010 Young Adult
 
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy 6 by Richelle Mead
Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead
Shadowland by Alyson Noel
All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab
Heartless (Pretty Little Liars, #7) by Sara Shepard
Twisted (Pretty Little Liars, #8) by Sara Shepard
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Immortal by Gillian Shields
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Hex Hall (Hex Hall, Book 1) by Rachel Hawkins
My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers, #3) by Rachel Vincent
Shift by Rachel Vincent
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
Gone by Lisa McMann
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu
The Mark by Jen Nadol
The Seeker by Stephenie Meyer
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Strange Fate (Night World, #10) by L.J. Smith
Shadow Souls by L.J. Smith
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Burned by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
Tangled by Carolyn Mackler
I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
Wish by Alexandra Bullen
Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland
Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White
My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey-Fitzhenry, Alyxandra Harvey
Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Silver Borne (Mercedes Thompson, #5) by Patricia Briggs
Bad Blood (Blood Coven, #4) by Mari Mancusi
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Henderson
The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard
The Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor
Other by Karen Kincy
Kiss Of Death by Rachel Caine
Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
Firespell (Dark Elite, #1) by Chloe Neill
Shadow of the Moon (Dark Guardian, Book 4) by Rachel Hawthorne
Fang (Maximum Ride, #6) by James Patterson
Graceling by Kristin Cashore


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Jens Book Talk Giveaways

March 2010 Giveaways
 
 
February 2010 Giveaways
 
 
January 2010 Giveaways
 


 
December 2009 Giveaways
 








November 2009 Giveaways
 






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The Anita Blake Reading Challenge 2010


  Hosted by Book Chick City  Please go there to sign up with Mr Linky.

 

Timeline: 1st Jan 2010 - 31st Dec 2010
Rules: The goal is to read or re-read the entire Anita Blake series in 2010.


Details:

• At present there are 17 books in the series (if you include Micah), with a planned novella, flirt and novel in 2010. I will be including these when they have been released. If you don't want to re-read the books you have already but would like to join in the challenge then start from where you left off. It's that easy!

• If you decide to participate in this challenge please use the links I have set up below with the buttons to post on your sidebar, this way others can find their way back to this post and join in the fun. You can choose either button.

• If you decide to join this challenge be sure to create a post telling others, please make sure you add a link back to this post so others can join in.

• You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

• There will be a place for you to link your reviews, but this is optional.

Anita Blake series in Order:

1. Guilty Pleasures

2. The Laughing Corpse

3. Circus of the Damned

4. The Lunatic Cafe

5. Bloody Bones

6. The Killing Dance

7. Burnt Offerings

8. Blue Moon

9. Obsidian Butterfly

10. Narcissus in Chains

11. Cerulean

12. Incubus Dreams

13. Micah

14. Danse Macabre

15. The Harlequinn

16. Blood Noir

17. Skin Trade

18. Flirt (Jan 2010)

19. Bullet (June 2010)

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Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010


Hosted by Book Chick City  Please go there and sign up with Mr Linky to participate.

Timeline: 01 Jan 2010 - 31 Dec 2010
Rules: To read TWELVE (12) thrillers in 2010


Details:

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront then you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

• If you decide to participate in this challenge please use the links I have set up below with the buttons to post on your sidebar, this way others can find their way back to this post and join in the fun.

• If you decide to join this challenge be sure to create a post telling others, please make sure you add a link back to this post so others can join in.

• You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

• There will be a place for you to link your reviews, but this is optional.

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12




 
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Lynsay Sands/Argeneau Challenge


This challenge is



Here are the guidelines:

1. This challenge is just for the first 9 books in the series. We aren't going to include the Hunter series. I might do that after this challenge.

2. Sign up anytime for the challenge, but your challenge is to be completed by Dec. 30, 2010.

3. If you decide to participate in the challenge, post this on your blog with a link back to this blog so that other people can find their way here to sign up.

Sign up with Mr Linky at My Overstuffed Bookshelf

Here are the titles of the books in order:

1. A Quick Bite

2. Love Bites

3. Single White Vampire

4. Tall, Dark and Hungry

5. A Bite to Remember

6. Bite Me If You Can

7. Accidental Vampire

8. Vampires are Forever

9. Vampire Interrupted



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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge



There are four levels:

--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

--Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.

--Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.

--Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels.




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Giveaway: KNIGHT OF PLEASURE by Margaret Mallory


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.

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.



KNIGHT OF PLEASURE by Margaret Mallory! I have 5 copies to giveaway thanks to Hachette!
 
Entry deadline is December 20, 2009

Just fill in this FORM and leave a comment below letting me know you filled in form. Good Luck to all!

Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win
 
No P.O. Boxes
 
Prizes will be sent directly from publisher!
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Giveaway: Rion by Susan Kearney


Marisa Rourke is a beautiful, fearless telepath who tames dragonshapers on Earth. Rion is a tall, dark, and sexy space explorer whose home planet is a galaxy away. The attraction between them is undeniable, but Rion is hiding a desperate secret that will change Marisa's life forever.

Marisa's gift is the only way Rion can communicate with his people, enslaved by a powerful enemy. He knows that kidnapping her is wrong, but saving his planet is worth sparking the fiery clairvoyant's fury. Yet hotter-and more explosive-is the psychic bond growing between Marisa and Rion. Could their passion be the key to freeing Rion's people? Only if he and Marisa can discover how to channel their desire . . . before a vicious enemy destroys them all.

Visit Susan on her website
 
Enter to win Rion by Susan Kearney! I have 5 copies to giveaway thanks to Hachette!
 
Entry deadline is December 20, 2009
 
Just fill in this FORM and leave a comment below letting me know you filled in form. Good Luck to all!
 
Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win

No P.O. Boxes

Prizes will be sent directly from publisher!

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Review: The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate


The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate
Publisher Downtown Press
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 352 pages
My Rating: 5/5



Rebecca's father drops a bombshell on her on his death bed. She has a sister! Apparently her father had a fling when she was a baby which led to a pregnancy he chose to ignore until now.

Rebecca has always wanted a sister, and her mother regretted never being able to give her one right up until her death, so all kinds of mixed feelings are fluttering around inside Rebecca including anger at her father, sadness because he is dying, joy that she has more family, and emotions she cant even begin to realize at the time.

This was an amazing and heartwarming story and my first by Melissa Senate! I had a really hard time doing anything until I completed it because it was very hard to put down! The characters I fell in love with because they were so real and I felt like I was involved in the story somehow.

I totally recommend The Secret of Joy for anybody looking for a light and fun read. Just have plenty of time because you will not want to stop reading until the last page has been read!

Review copy provided by publisher.



 
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Review: From Darkness To Light by Lynn Christopher Roby


From Darkness To Light by Lynn Christopher Roby

Publisher Outskirts Press
Genre: Biography, Non-fiction
Pages: 138
My Rating: 3/5

My heart goes out to Lynn as she shares her struggles of alcoholism and the ruptured aneurysm that almost took her life in From Darkness to Light. She is a true inspiration of a lady who would not just sit back and give up on life or her desire to help others and displayed as such when she gave up a secure job to begin a new career as a yoga instructor and business owner of Holistic Healing.

While I can basically understand Mrs. Roby’s message to us in her biography, From Darkness To Light,  I must say it was a little confusing to me at times. She begins talking about her aneurysm and then jumps back to when she became an alcoholic and then even farther back to when she first meets her husband and back up to present day again.

I found myself many times having to go back and reread a lot so I could tie together the events and occasions, but once I did I found a remarkably strong willed lady and a wonderful story of courage.

Review copy provided by author.






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Monday, November 16, 2009

Winners of Kitty & the Midnight Hour and The Gate House



Congrats to all the winners!  Please send me an email with your shipping address within the next 36 hours or I will have to draw more names.  :(


Please put contest winner in the subject line so I can quickly grab it.

Please remember no PO Boxes are allowed!




Wendy

Confessions of an Overworked Mom





HODGEPODGESPV 

Cheryl F. (The Lucky Ladybug) 

Kaye 

Maria

SandyM204



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Sunday, November 15, 2009

2009 Holiday Reading Challenge



Hosted by All About {n}

Challenge will start Friday, November 20 and will end Thursday, December 31.

You can read anywhere from 1 to 5 books for the challenge.

I read 3



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