REVIEW: The Green-Eyed Monster

Green-Eyed Monster

by Mike Robinson

Published by:  Curiosity Quills Press

Source:  Netgalley

Goodreads Summary:

Martin Smith and John Becker: bestselling authors with ordinary names and extraordinary minds. Rivals since childhood, they live in the same town and are famous for their uncanny similarity in physical manner and literary voice. When one of them ends up dead at the other's home, an investigation is launched into their dark past, revealing a series of troubling stories from their childhood, adolescence and careers, throughout which lurks the presence of an authorial entity with roots beyond our time or dimension – a sinister entity with far-reaching designs.

My thoughts:

I'm really not sure what to say about this book.  The genre was totally out of my comfort zone and I didn't "get" a lot of it.  But I do have to say that the premise was amazing.  These 2 boys are born and alike in so many way, yet they detest each other and hardly talk.  They act and talk beyond their years.  Strange things also happen when they are around.

It's not that I didn't like the book.  I think it was wonderfully written.  It just wasn't my type.  I think my husband would have really enjoyed it though.  I give it a strong 3 stars!

Looking Forward to 2013!!

2012 hasn't been very good to me.  I had 3 heart attacks and spent most of the summer in and out of the hospital.  My son hasn't had a good time of it either.  He was diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder along with agoraphobia.  He is now being homeschooled.  Then came Hurricane Sandy.  We didn't lose our house, but were without power for over a week and had to hop from friends and family's houses for warm meals and warm beds(or floors).  The kids are still traumatized and freak out whenever the wind blows too hard.  

But, I have to be thankful that I am still here and that my kids are healthy and that we have food in our bellies and a warm house to sleep in.  

How was your year in general?  

Winner of the Gift Card Giveaway

The winner of the Gift Card Giveaway Hop is...

Jeanne!!!

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AND THE WINNER IS...

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Entry #163Jeanne

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GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY HOP

Many thanks to  Kathy at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

&

Mary at Sweeping Me

for hosting this amazing hop!

 I thought long and hard about giving away some kind of original gift card, but then  I thought, "what if you don't like that store"?  So I figured I would gift the tried and true Amazon gift card.  I mean, what CAN'T you buy on Amazon?

This giveaway is open to anyone who can receive an Amazon gift card.  All I'll need is the email to send it to.  

The amount I've set is for $10.  I wish it could be more, but then I still have to buy for my own kids.

REMINDER:  This giveaway is for US/INTL hoppers.  And also don't forget to keep on hopping!!

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REVIEW: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The Language of Flowers

by

Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Publisher:  Ballantine Books

Released on:  August 23rd, 2011

Source:  Won

Goodreads Summary:

A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.

The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what’s been missing in her life, and when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

My thoughts:

This book frustrated me.  One minutes I'm routing for Victoria, and the next she makes me angry.  This girl is probably the most "broken" girl I've ever read about.  When I first started the book, I thought the author went into too much detail about Victoria's emotions.  As I read further, I realized that this was necessary.

Each chapter goes back and forth between Victoria's past and present.  I think this was brilliantly done, and you'll have to read it to find out why.

This review is short because I'm in the hospital.  In the end though, I want to convey that this book really makes you think about your own relationships.  A great book!  Oh, and there is a flower glossary in the back of the book that is very useful!

4 stars!!

Finding the Baby Jesus blog tour

Tour Schedule

I am so excited to be a part of this amazing blog tour!

I had the honor of asking Kimball what he loves about the holiday season.

Here is what he said:

1- The smell of pine, nutmeg, and wassail

2- Christmas carols!

3- Setting up my out-of-control, Dickens village lighted-houses mountain scene (with 200+ houses, operational waterfalls, a smoking chimney, clippy-cloppy horse hooves and children singing sound effects, swirling ice-skaters, mountain sledders, a flying Santa, a parade encircling the town church, and two whistling electric trains)

4- Seeing the tree my sweetheart decorates with ornaments from different countries we've visited together

5- Reading the Christmas story from Luke with our friends on Christmas Eve (part of the inspiration for the book!)

6- Staying in our pajamas all day on Christmas

7- Reenie's yam and apple casserole. My mouth is watering as I write this.

8- Observing our tradition of marching downstairs to open presents on Christmas morning to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rendition of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful"

9- The Christmas church service

10- Working for days to build my annual present for my wife (another tradition) without giving away the surprise. And then seeing her open it as the last present.

Finding the Baby Jesus by Kimball Fisher

After being forced to wear lederhosen for the annual holiday card picture, twelve-year-old Chris thinks that the least his parents can do is get him the Tony Hawk skateboard he wants for Christmas. But when he recovers the hand-carved Baby Jesus that everyone thought had been destroyed in a fire the year his Grandma died, Chris realizes that some gifts are even more important than skateboards.

When the author had to discontinue a cherished tradition of reading Christmas stories out loud with his family and holiday guests each week in December, he wrote Finding the Baby Jesus. He had been unable to locate enough meaningful stories that could be read in a single sitting with wiggly children.



Praise for Finding the Baby Jesus:

“Tender and true, this warm Christmas tale brought tears to my eyes.”

–Heather Vogel Frederick, author of the much-beloved Mother-Daughter Book Club series and Oregon Book Award winner for The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed

“A touching story that speaks to the importance of family, giving, and the true spirit of Christmas.”

–Matthew Kirby, author of Icefall, winner of the Edgar Allen Poe and the Pen Center USA Literary Awards for Children’s Literature

“Deeply moving. Poignant.”

–Deborah Halverson, former editor at Harcourt Children’s Books and author of Honk If You Hate Me, a Gayle McCandliss Literary Award Winner

"The perfect little book to tuck away with your Christmas things and bring out year after year to read with family. As mother to three boys, I can't imagine a better protagonist than Chris. His typical teenage attitude followed by the softening of his heart towards a friend teaches a poignant and very relatable lesson on the true meaning of Christmas."
–Amazon review

"After I read this short story I felt like I had read a novel--every sentence is packed with action and imagery. I was emotionally connected to the characters, and the story is touching. I didn't see the plot twist at the end coming! A great story to read every Christmas."
–Amazon review

Purchase

Amazon * Smashwords

Author Kimball Fisher


Kimball Fisher writes novels for young readers. He is also a best-selling business author, professional speaker, and management consultant. Some of his past jobs include: sailboat builder, ghost writer (not as scary as it sounds), illustrator, and factory manager (more scary than it sounds). For fun he builds furniture, stained-glass windows, and writing pens.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities (with minors in English, Asian Studies, and Japanese), and a Master of Organizational Behavior degree from Brigham Young University. He and his amazing wife Reenie live in Portland, Oregon, where they have seen pheasants, coyotes, and a bobcat in their own backyard.

Links

Website * Facebook

Book Blast

Enter the $50 Book Blast

Tour Giveaway:
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/26/12

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Tour Schedule: 
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/10/finding-baby-jesus-blog-tour.html

Finding the Baby Jesus Book Blast and Blog Tour

Finding the Baby Jesus by Kimball Fisher

After being forced to wear lederhosen for the annual holiday card picture, twelve-year-old Chris thinks that the least his parents can do is get him the Tony Hawk skateboard he wants for Christmas. But when he recovers the hand-carved Baby Jesus that everyone thought had been destroyed in a fire the year his Grandma died, Chris realizes that some gifts are even more important than skateboards.

When the author had to discontinue a cherished tradition of reading Christmas stories out loud with his family and holiday guests each week in December, he wrote Finding the Baby Jesus. He had been unable to locate enough meaningful stories that could be read in a single sitting with wiggly children.



Praise for Finding the Baby Jesus:
“Tender and true, this warm Christmas tale brought tears to my eyes.”

–Heather Vogel Frederick, author of the much-beloved Mother-Daughter Book Club series and Oregon Book Award winner for The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed

“A touching story that speaks to the importance of family, giving, and the true spirit of Christmas.”

–Matthew Kirby, author of Icefall, winner of the Edgar Allen Poe and the Pen Center USA Literary Awards for Children’s Literature

“Deeply moving. Poignant.”

–Deborah Halverson, former editor at Harcourt Children’s Books and author of Honk If You Hate Me, a Gayle McCandliss Literary Award Winner

"The perfect little book to tuck away with your Christmas things and bring out year after year to read with family. As mother to three boys, I can't imagine a better protagonist than Chris. His typical teenage attitude followed by the softening of his heart towards a friend teaches a poignant and very relatable lesson on the true meaning of Christmas."
–Amazon review

"After I read this short story I felt like I had read a novel--every sentence is packed with action and imagery. I was emotionally connected to the characters, and the story is touching. I didn't see the plot twist at the end coming! A great story to read every Christmas."
–Amazon review

Purchase

Amazon * Smashwords

Author Kimball Fisher


Kimball Fisher writes novels for young readers. He is also a best-selling business author, professional speaker, and management consultant. Some of his past jobs include: sailboat builder, ghost writer (not as scary as it sounds), illustrator, and factory manager (more scary than it sounds). For fun he builds furniture, stained-glass windows, and writing pens.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities (with minors in English, Asian Studies, and Japanese), and a Master of Organizational Behavior degree from Brigham Young University. He and his amazing wife Reenie live in Portland, Oregon, where they have seen pheasants, coyotes, and a bobcat in their own backyard.

Links

Website * Facebook

Blog Tour
November 23rd to December 21st

Tour Schedule

Blast Giveaway:

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 12/21/12

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Imperfectly Beautiful $100 Book Blast

Imperfectly Beautiful by Diony George


At 1:30 am, in New York City, Regan Wright is ripped out of a sound sleep with a jolt - her heart thuds in her ears and her face feels flushed. Straining to hear anything out of the ordinary, she fumbles to turn on the bedside lamp. Nothing seems out of place. Suddenly her stomach twists in knots - it's her identical twin, Rebecca. Something is terribly wrong...

Though twins, Rebecca and Regan couldn't be more different.

Independent and outspoken, Regan chose a high-profile career as a fashion designer in New York City. Despite her hard-earned success, Regan’s become disillusioned by the glamour and the glitz. She’s tired of coming home to a lonely penthouse apartment welcomed only by her cat and has all but given up on ever finding “Mr. Right.”

Steady and reliable, Rebecca chose to be a wife and stay-at-home mom. From the very first moment she met James Conrad—tall and muscular with eyes as blue as a cloudless sky—she was captivated. Married and four children later, Rebecca’s life is not what she expected. Her marriage has lost its shine and her sweet babies have become challenging and often unappreciative children.

Both Rebecca and Regan must discover, a higher power has the answers to what matters most, but when a serial killer strikes nearby, and his victims look eerily similar to the twins, will it be too late?

Praise for Imperfectly Beautiful

“5 Stars! Great Novel-Romance with Suspense. Captures your attention from the very beginning...then difficult to put down...A good solid read!”

-Booklover, amazon review

“This was a great book. I could relate to Rebecca and the trials she was going through with her marriage and her children. I feel this way at times too. I liked the suspense and it was enough to keep my hooked…” 

-K. Neilson, Utah

“I enjoyed the development of the characters. Lots of dialogue took me right into the everyday lives and struggles of each person. The underlying story of the unsolved murders of women who look like the twin sisters simmers through out the chapters until it finally boils over into an exciting ending! I recommend it!”

-J.T. Bolla, Washington

Purchase

Amazon * Autographed Copies

Author Diony George

Diony George is a wife, full-time mom of seven, grandmother of two, and a published author of uplifting women’s fiction and inspiring nonfiction. She is also a regular contributing writer for Deseret Connect and FamilyHow. Originally from Alaska, she currently lives in Salt Lake City with her family. Besides writing she loves to read, especially romantic suspense, bake, sew and craft.

Her current fiction WIP, Inside the Heart, is based around the kidnapping and disappearance of four-year-old Emma and is slated for release in Feb 2013. Her next nonfiction book, Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away will be released by Cedar Fort, Inc in July 2013.

Links

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Goodreads * Amazon

Book Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 11/29/12
*You need not enter your twitter name for each entry. Simply enter it for the first person you follow and leave the others blank.

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Weekend Plans?

I would like to live through you for the weekend.  Any exciting plans?  I will probably be home in my pajama's.  We were hit with Hurricane Sandy last week, and then the nor'easter this week.  I've been sick since before the hurricane and I can't shake it.  

My daughter is moving into a new apartment but I can't go see it because I can't be that far away from my hospital, for fear of another heart attack.  I had 2 heart attacks over the summer and still have a lot of chest pains.  My daughter lives just north of Albany, NY and I am on Long Island in NY.  

I'm hoping to finish the book I'm reading.  It is called Sneak by Evan Angler.  I'm halfway through and have no idea what I'll read next.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  Even a genre would help.

Anyway, have an amazing weekend and be safe!

HAVE IT YOUR WAY GIVEAWAY: $200 ANY WAY YOU WANT

Welcome to Jenn's Blah Blah Blog's November Have It Your Way Giveaway!

Jenn's Blah Blah Blog, Dishin With Rebelle, Contest for That, and Pink Ninja Media

want to offer one lucky person the chance to win Anything You Want Valued Up To $200!

Thanks to these following bloggers for helping make this event possible,

Mom Knows It All, MamalDiane ~ Keeping it Simple, Best Mom Reviews, The Frugal Batavian, CountingToTen, Cotton Ridge Create, Frugal Mom Eh! Swank Savings

What's Up - Contests, Giveaways, Promos and Deals

With this giveaway, the winner can choose however they want to spend $200.  Maybe it's Paypal, a gift card to any store, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, or you can even choose an item that is $200.  That item must include the shipping in that $200 though, so don't go over!  $200 MUST INCLUDE SHIPPING!
 Dates: 11/05/12 at 12:01 am EST until 12/06/12 at 12:01am EST Open Worldwide, must be 18 or older to enter.

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Disclaimer: This blog is not responsible for shipment of prize, nor did I accept any form of compensation for promoting this event.

REVIEW: Up Dog and Up Cat by H.J. Hutchins

Up Dog

by

H.J. Hutchins

Published by:  Annick Press

Source:  Netgalley

This is an adorable book for very early readers.  There are maybe 2 words on each page, and the word "up" is on every page.  The pictures are so cute, but I would have added more color.  Children love color.

Up Cat

by

H.J. Hutchins

Published by:  Annick Press

Source:  Netgalley

Another cute book for the early readers.  The cat gets into all kinds of mischief throughout the book.  There may be a couple of words that an early reader can't read, but there are very few.  There could have been more color in this book also.    The words are large and easy to read.  

I would recommend these 2 books for very early readers.  They're very cute, even just to look at the pages.

REVIEW: The Color of Snow by Brenda Stanley

The Color of Snow
By:  Brenda Stanley
Publisher:  Tribute Books
Released:  June 1, 2012
Source:  publisher in exchange for an honest review


Brenda's Bio:  Brenda Stanley is the former news anchor at her NBC affiliate KPVI in Eastern Iadho. Her writing has been recognized by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, the Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Brenda lived for two years in Ballard, Utah, within the Fort Duchesne reservation where the novel is set. She and her husband live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.

Facebook  Twitter  Website  Goodreads

Summary:  Can a troubled young girl reenter society after living in isolation?

When a beautiful 16-year-old girl named Sophie is found sequestered in a cage-like room in a rundown house in the desolate hills of Arbon Valley, Idaho, the entire community is shocked to learn she is the legendary Callidora--a baby girl who was kidnapped from her crib almost seventeen years ago and canonized in missing posters with portraits of what the fabled girl might resemble. Authorities soon learn that the cage was there to protect people from Sophie, because her biological father believes she is cursed.

Sophie is discovered after the man she knows as Papa, shoots and injures Damien, a young man who is trying to rescue her. Now, unsocialized and thrust into the world, and into a family she has never met, Sophie must decide whether she should accept her Papa’s claims that she is cursed and he was only trying to protect others, or trust the new people in her life who have their own agendas. Guided by a wise cousin, Sophie realizes that her most heartbreaking challenge is to decide if her love for Damien will destroy him like her Papa claims, or free her from past demons that haunt her mind.

My Thoughts:  Wow, I think this is one of the best books I've read this year.  I laughed, cried, and got really pissed off!

     This book changes from past to present, but not too fast.  This story is told by Sophie, or Callidora, her birth name.  It is the story of her life as she lives with a curse that was put on her family.  Stolen by her father at 2 days old, Sophie is hidden away for years from her mother;'s family and society as a whole and also to avoid hurting anyone with the curse.  It tells how and why she is kept out of the public eye, and also how she tries to forge friendships along the way.

     You know a book is good when you feel and display the same emotions as the characters in the book.  There were a few parts that really pissed me off asking myself, "Hasn't this girl been through enough?"  It was one of those books that kept me awake until 4am.  The only thing negative I have to say about this book is that it could have been more descriptive.  I wasn't really seeing the faces or bodies or clothes the characters were wearing.  The same with the landscape.  I was halfway through the book before I could picture in my mind what this one landscape looked like.  But, as I said, that was the only negative throughout the whole book for me.  What made me sad was the fact that Sophie doesn't realize how much she is loved.

**IMPORTANT**

There  are sensitive situations in this book.  I don';t want to give this away but, in my opinion, this book would be best suited for ages 18+.

I give total and complete praise for Brenda Stanley!!

1/2

Feature and Follow Friday

This weekly post is hosted by 

Parajunkee

and 

Alison Can Read

Q: What book do you think would make a great Halloween movie? Please explain in graphic detail of goriness…

My answer:

I think I would have to say Nightshade.

For the simple fact that Jacob wasn't enough werewolf for me. lol  I'm on a huge werewolf kick right now and this is the first book that I thought of.

FOLLOWER APPRECIATION GIVEAWAY

I've been trying to think of a way to purge some of these books I have laying around.  Then I saw that Heather at Red Headed Bookworm was having a follower appreciation giveaway.  I asked if I could steal her idea and she was happy to oblige.

So this is what I'm going to do.  Every month I'll pick 4 books for the winner to choose 1 from.  There may be some of the same books or they may be completely different.  They may have been read by me already or they may be brand new, never opened.  I am sorry to my international people but this will be US only.  I'll be offering gift cards in future giveaways that you will be able to enter for.

So, without further ado, here are the choices for this month:

The Technologists 

by Matthew Pearl

Goodreads Summary:

The acclaimed author of The Dante Club reinvigorates the historical thriller. Matthew Pearl’s spellbinding new novel transports readers to tumultuous nineteenth-century Boston, where the word “technology” represents a bold and frightening new concept. The fight for the future will hinge on . . .
 
THE TECHNOLOGISTS

The Good Father

by Noah Hawley

Goodreads Summary:

An intense, psychological novel about one doctor's suspense-filled quest to unlock the mind of a suspected political assassin: his twenty-year old son.

Born to Darkness

by Suzanne Brockmann

Goodreads Summary:

As the New York Times bestselling author of the Troubleshooters series and a “superstar of romantic suspense” (USA Today), Suzanne Brockmann has an acclaimed history of taking readers’ breath away with her novels of hot passion and high adventure. Now she takes her talent for sexy, action-packed storytelling in a thrilling new direction: forward—into a future, both fantastic and frightening, that only the brilliant Brockmann could envision.

Thieftaker

by D.B. Jackson

Goodreads Summary:

Boston, 1767: In D.B. Jackson's Thieftaker, revolution is brewing as the British Crown imposes increasingly onerous taxes on the colonies, and intrigue swirls around firebrands like Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty. But for Ethan Kaille, a thieftaker who makes his living by conjuring spells that help him solve crimes, politics is for others…until he is asked to recover a necklace worn by the murdered daughter of a prominent family.

Suddenly, he faces another conjurer of enormous power, someone unknown, who is part of a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of power in the turbulent colony. His adversary has already killed—and not for his own gain, but in the service of his powerful masters, people for whom others are mere pawns in a game of politics and power. Ethan is in way over his head, and he knows it. Already a man with a dark past, he can ill afford to fail, lest his livelihood be forfeit. But he can't stop now, for his magic has marked him, so he must fight the odds, even though he seems hopelessly overmatched, his doom seeming certain at the spectral hands of one he cannot even see.

The winner may choose 1 title from the above choices.  US only.  The giveaway will end on 10/21/12 at 11:59pm.

Again, thank you so much for following!

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A HUGE Thanks to Viari Rose

I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to html, but Viari Rose came to my rescue and made my button for me!  I'm so grateful to you!  Thanks again!

Need help with my site please

I am so technically challenged.  I would like to put a button on my site with the html code so others can grab the button.  I have no idea how to do this.  I have an image, I just don't know how to add the html code and box to the website.  Am I even making sense? lol  Does anyone know how to do this?  I would be so appreciative.

Lauren

My review is featured on Edelweiss!!

If I weren't disabled, I would be jumping up and down right now.  I am a huge fan of Jennifer McMahon's books.  As I was browsing the review copies one day, I saw that her new book(due out in 2013) was available for download.  I read the book within record time and sent in my review of the book.  I was just informed that my review is featured on Edelweiss under the title's name.  It is probably not a big deal, but for a tiny little book blogger like me, it's huge!!  Here's the link:

http://edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com/ProductDetailPage.aspx?sequence=2&group=search&keywords=the+one+I+left+behind&searchContext=&searchOrgID=&searchCatalogID=&searchMailingID=&sku=006212255X

Thanks for looking!!

How do you heat your house?

We rent a small house that uses oil for heating.  I just spent $500 on oil that MIGHT get us to December.  I wish the landlord would allow us to put in a wood burning stove or something of the sort to offset the amount of oil we use.  My sister heats her whole house with a wood burning stove.  One tank of oil will last her the whole winter and then some.  How do you heat your home?  Did you install a wood burning stove or something of the sort?  How much did you pay for it?

FREE BLOGGER OPP

  

  FREE Blogger Opportunity! We will be giving away $200, in their Have it your way event! How will this work? Whatever the winner wants, the winner will get! Kindle Fire, PayPal Cash, Amazing, Wal-Mart, Target! Who cares, they get just what they want! Blogger get FREE Facebook llink with the option to purchase additional links! About the event

• Prize: Whatever you want up to $200 (shipping included) Do you want a Kindle Fire? Maybe an iPod, hummm maybe gift card to Target, oh wait Paypal cash? We don't care we want you to have it your way! So let the games begin, and let's have some fun with this one!
We're celebrating the lunch of Pink Ninja Media and we would love for your to join us!
• November 5, 2012 and end on December 5, 2012
• FREE Facebook Link - With Announcement Post
• Winner will receive $200 anything they want - if they choose a product shipping is included in the $200.
• Additional links will be $2 - Daily Votes $3 - Paid links will be moved up on Rafflecopter.
• Sign up HERE

The Smallest Book You've Read?

I'm wondering how small of a book you've ever read and then reviewed.  I just found 2 books and they can't be more than 10 pages each.  I think the smallest I've read and reviewed is like 50 or 60 pages.  So, what's the smallest book you've read?

REVIEW: Island of Lost Girls

Island of Lost Girls 

Author:  Jennifer McMahon

Published by:  William Morrow Paperbacks

Published:  April 22, 2008

Source:  Bought

Island of Lost Girls is about a girl that is kidnapped by someone dressed as a rabbit.  Rhonda has just come home from college and is reuniting with her first love Peter.  Everything goes horribly wrong when Rhonda witnesses the kidnapping.  Throughout the book, Rhonda does everything she can to help find the little girl.

Island of Lost Girls is the 5th book I've read by Jennifer McMahon.  It is definitely one of my favorites.  The book, like all of Jennifer's books, switches from past to present.  Other books switch constantly and I get confused, but this one was perfect.  It was quite a surprise who the criminal winds up to be at the end.  I got a sense of the characters pretty early on in the book.  It is told in Rhonda's point of view and there were times when I became Rhonda in my mind.  That's when I know the book was written well.  One thing I didn't like were the nicknames.  Rhonda was Ronnie, and the kidnapped girl, Ernestine, was Ernie.  Yuck!  I don't like to write about the plot very often because then I would have to take notes and I wouldn't enjoy the book as much.  I like to tell more about how I felt while reading it and how I related to the characters.  I really have to say again, you really need to read at least one of Jennifer's books.

Kindle Paperwhite

Okay, I'm a little infatuated with Kindles.  My husband surprised me with a Kindle keyboard when they first came out and it was my prized possession.  I downloaded books like crazy and I loved it.  Then the Kindle fire came out and I desperately needed  it.  My husband bought it when we got our tax return. It was the awesomest thing.  I downloaded even more books onto this one and carried it everywhere I went.  I let my kids download some games and they too loved it.  But lately, I'm not liking it so much.    I like to read at night and could read for hours.  But when I read from the fire, the battery only lasts a few hours.  And that's with the wifi off.  And since it's a touchscreen, I'm forever wiping the screen clean.  My eyes get weary when I'm looking at the screen for a long time and it lights up the whole room when the lights are off.  So now I'm looking at the Kindle paperwhite.  The lit screen is totally new and doesn't cause eye weariness.  The battery can last for up to 8 weeks on one charge when it is used for 30 minutes per day.  Yeah, who reads for only 30 minutes? lol  I have money saved up on my Amazon account, but they're saying I won't get it until mid November. We called around to different stores and they haven't even gotten a shipment yet.  So do I preorder one on Amazon and wait over a month or do I keep an eye out for stores that have them?  I'm like a kid in a candy store when it comes to these things. lol  Does anyone have one yet?  What are your thoughts?

Welcome October!!

I look forward to October and November.  They are my favorite months.  The leaves are falling, pumpkins get picked, the breeze picks up, and the cozy sweaters come out.  I woke up this morning and froze.  I had only a sheet on and windows were open.  5:30am is probably the coldest time of the day.  What is your favorite part about autumn or what is your favorite season?