TinasBookReviews

The Sat. Spotlight w/Chrystalla Thoma & Free Download

2012-01-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature shining the light on Indie and debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

CHRYSTALLA THOMA
~Author of Rex Rising~

Hi Chrystalla, welcome to the blog, to start please tell us about yourself.

Hi! My name is Chrystalla and I’m a writer. I am many things, in fact, but in the recent years this has come to be the most important fact about me, the main driving force in my life. I’m Greek Cypriot (native language: Greek), I’m married to a wonderful man, Carlos (who is from Costa Rica) and I live in Cyprus. I’m also a translator, a text editor, an archaeology and paleontology buff, a fantasy, SF and generally action movie fan, an occasional artist (drawing and painting), a good and slightly crazy cook, a cat lover and a bookworm!

What inspired you to write Rex Rising?

The answer to this seemingly simple question is complex. :) I guess the basic premise, the question “what if there was a world ruled by parasites?” came to me after reading a wonderful book called “Parasite Rex” by Carl Zimmer, which examines all sorts of parasites, their lifecycles, and their amazing transformations and manipulations of their hosts. I’d recommend it anytime to anyone interested in science and science fiction.

But of course that wasn't all. The idea for this story came to me long before that, in the form of questions like, “what would a world made up only of islands be like?” and “what if you couldn't trust anyone around you?” and “what if you were on the run and had no idea what your pursuers want from you?” I have about 5 different versions of the story which I ditched before I sat down and wrote Rex Rising.

What authors or books have inspired you or your work?

Apart from the non-fiction book mentioned above, I can’t think of a precise book that influenced me when writing Rex Rising. Of course, my work in general is influenced by many authors, and sometimes I do note their effect on my style and sometimes I don’t. These influences also change. For instance, currently, I’m much into Cassandra Clare’s paranormal series, and I do like her simple and sometimes poetic style.

I read widely in all genres (except horror) and I am sure that I receive influence from all those authors. For example, recently I read a great self published book, The Depths of Deception, by Ian Fraser which is very poetic and also rough, and a wonderful mature YA, Broken Slate, by Kelly Jennings, which has a wonderful YA voice.

Did any major research or travel go into writing your book?

Well, because Rex Rising is science fiction, the science has to work. Therefore I read all I could find about parasites, from their origins to their life cycles, to parasites affecting humans, other mammals, insects, fish etc. I read scientific articles about diseases and parasitism, symbionts and specifically how certain parasites can mesh with the DNA of their hosts and manipulate their progeny. It’s been a great ride.

If you could pick a song that encapsulated Rex Rising what would it be and why?

“Almost over” by Limp Bizkit because it’s the story of a boy growing into a man who’s had a tough childhood and life is still hard, but he’s fighting it and trying to see it through.

Besides writing do you have any other jobs or hobby's?

Currently I work as a freelance translator and text editor, when not writing. Let’s face it, I’m a texts person. As for hobbies, I like hiking in the countryside, exploring ruins of which there’s plenty here in Cyprus, cooking and in particular experimenting in the kitchen, and creating my own covers for my self published books.

Can you share any future plans with us?

I have lots of future plans. :) First of all, I’m working on writing the Elei’s Chronicles series (Rex Rising is Book 1, book 2 is due out end February, and Book 3 Summer 2012). I have an LGBT YA novel in the works as well, and have plans for a Steampunk trilogy based in Cyprus.

Wow- it sounds like your a busy woman! Ill be on the look out for your Steampunk novel. So cool that you live in Cyprus, its on my places to see before I die list. Best of luck to you and the Rex Rising series.

GIVEAWAY

Today for all you readers out there, Chrystalla is offering a free download of Rex Rising on Amazon for Kindle or Kindle PC. Its today only so don't miss your chance to download it!!!!!

Follow- LINK

Rex Rising by Chrystalla Thoma

August 2011-Kindle

In a world where parasites create new human races, Elei leads a peaceful life -- until a mysterious attack on his boss sends him fleeing with a bullet in his side. Pursued for a secret he does not possess and with the fleet at his heels, he has but one thought: to stay alive. His pursuers aren't inclined to sit down and talk, although that's not the end of Elei's troubles. The two powerful parasites inhabiting his body, at a balance until now, choose this moment to bring him down, leaving Elei with no choice but to trust in people he hardly knows. It won't be long before he realizes he must find out this deadly secret - a secret that might change the fate of his world and everything he has ever known - or die trying.

Find out more about Chrystalla on the Web~Goodreads

Meet Tonya~Featured Reviewer for TinaReviews!!

2012-01-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

Hello lovelies!

Today I want to introduce you all to Tonya Speelman, a new featured reviewer at Tina~Reviews. I struck up a reading friendship with Tonya at Goodreads and absolutely adored her reviews. So way back when (last summer) I was contemplating feature reviewers, Tonya was one of the first gals I asked. When she agreed to help out I almost did a back-flip. Yay. Tonya will now be a contributing blogger and will be posting reviews mostly geared towards Inspirational and Contemporary. As Im pulling away a bit from Inspy fiction I wanted a reviewer who could still promote that genre. Also I wanted a reviewer who would concentrate more on "grown up" reads, so yes YA is still big here at the blog, but you will see much more contemporary adult reads between myself and Tonya's reviews.

So to get you all acquainted with Tonya I decided to interview her.

Tonya- its so great to introduce you today! So tell us a little about yourself.

I am the only child of a Lutheran Pastor..I am a SAHM of four, 3 teenage girls and a boy.. Always have a book in my hands.. Love to bake, play board games and just live life with love!

See I knew we had stuff in common, I love to bake, I have one teenager, I always have a book in my hand and I love that beeper thing in the game Taboo....I can drive a person mad with my push the Taboo beeper skills....lol.

Has reading always been a big part of your life?

Always! My parents are avid readers, my dad being a top 50 reviewer on Amazon! I have gotten 3 of my kids hooked on reading too!

What are your top five books ever?

Ooo that is hard! Water for Elephants, anything by Kristin Hannah, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, What Alice Forgot, The Daughter's Walk

OMW- I love Kristin Hannah, she is on my top five queen bee authors of all time list.

Favorite Music?

Im very eclectic, a lil' country, a lil dance, a lot of contemporary Christian!

Yes! Being eclectic makes everything more fun doesn't it. I love a mix of everything too, one of my all time favorites is the band Flyleaf and most people don't know they are a Christian band, I mean if Veronica Roth can write Divergent to one of Flyleafs CDs well then its gotta be good!!!

Favorite Color?

PINK in any shade!!

I think we might be sisters from another mister........

Favorite Movies?

Steel Magnolias is my all time (as my family rolls their eyes)

LOL- that movie is so cheesy but I cry every time I see Sally Field freak out in the graveyard

Coke or Pepsi?

Coke!!! In an old fashioned bottle!

Ill take a fountain Diet Coke with lots of ice and a straw please.

Spaghetti or Tacos?

Tacos!

Edward Cullen or Mr Darcy?

Mr Darcy of course! Vampires aren't supposed to sparkle!

ROFL- Yup Id take Mr. Darcy too.........however I cant help but love Edward and all his sparkles.

What are you reading now?

A YA book by Wendy Mass, 13 Gifts

Best book of 2011?

What Alice Forgot

You know I never got around to reading that one, but its on the TBR somewhere!

Tonya thanks for chatting with me today, Im thrilled to have you on as a feature reviewer and cant wait to read and share some of your reviews.

Tonya will begin reviewing very soon, until then, you can find out more about her and read some fabulous reviews at her Goodreads page!

Shelf Cravings {40}

2012-01-26T08:10:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Shelf Cravings, a weekly dish on all things book. New releases, coming soon, just discovered to the Indie on the Nook...this week Im excited for:

~Coming Soon

Survive by Alex Morel

August 2012 by RazorBill

Jane runs away from Life House, a facility for kids with mental health disorders and addictions. She boards a plane to Montclair, New Jersey, though her destination does not matter—she doesn't plan to be alive when the plane lands. Jane has planned the perfect suicide: she’ll fall asleep on the plane and never wake up. As she’s reaching for her pills in the cabin’s bathroom, the plane hits turbulence. Another jolt, and the engine’s down. The plane crashes into the mountains of Montana, and Jane and a boy named Paul are the only two survivors. What starts out as a death mission quickly becomes a fight for life.

My Life in Black & White

by Natasha Friend

June 2012

Lexi has always been beautiful, but her beauty is taken from her when she goes face-first through a car windshield. Now Lexi has to dig deep to figure out how to define herself. Help on her journey of self-discovery comes from unexpected sources: Ruth, Lexi’s sister, “the smart one” to Lexi’s “the pretty one,” with whom Lexi has never been close; and Theo, a classmate who is still recovering from his sister’s recent death from anorexia.

Purity by Jackson Pearce

April 24, 2012 by Little Brown

Hours before her mother died, Shelby promised her three things-- to listen to her father, to live life without restraint, and to love whenever possible. Those promises were easy to keep when she was younger, but things get tricky when she turns sixteen. Shelby's still-grieving father joins a committee at their church to host a Princess Ball-- a dance where young women pledge their purity (namely, their virginity) to their father's safekeeping until they marry. But Shelby has a Life List-- things she wants to do, to live without restraint like she promised her mother-- and getting married young isn't on it. Waiting until she's thirty to have her first time isn't on it either. But how is she supposed to keep her promise to listen to her father if she refuses to pledge? By exploiting a loophole- by losing her virginity before the Ball. She and her best friend Jonas make a list of potential partners, but somewhere in-between failed attempts at losing her virginity, trying to answer some lingering questions about God, and planning the Ball with her Dad, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her PURITY.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

August 2012 by Harlequin

In Pushing the Limits, two teens, brought together by their court ordered therapist, work together to learn the secrets of their case files, but neither foresaw the shattering consequences of the learning the truth regarding their families or of falling in love.

~Just Discovered~

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

2011-Indie

Thanks to a little scandal on Goodreads, McGuire's novel must be read now- regardless of the whole author vs. reviewer I think its a story worth checking out!

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn't drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand. Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

~Indie Pick for The Nook~

Cycles by Lois D. Brown

December 15, 2011 by Levanter Pub

She remembers things that never happened.
She's a stranger in her own home.
She always knew she was different.
She just didn't know why.
Until now........Renee Beaumont is about to die . . . again.

Its getting harder and harder keeping up with all these fabulous books.....but I think I can handle it!! Im super excited to read Survive and Jackson Pearce always delivers greatness so Purity is sure to be a pleaser or a tick me offer....no clue but I cant wait to find out.

What one looks good to you?

PS- I added the links in title for your own Goodreads page and also Missie- The Unread Reader made my pretty graphic.

And Here is the latest song I've been addicted to:

The End of Normal by Stephanie Madoff Mack

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

The End of Normal

by Stephanie Madoff Mack

December 6, 2011 by Penguin

Hardcover, 302 Pages

Borrowed/Compliments of Library

An explosive, heartbreaking memoir from the widow of Mark Madoff and daughter-in-law of Bernard Madoff, the first genuine inside story from a family member who has lived through -- and survived -- both the public crisis and her own deeply personal tragedy.

Review

I went into this book knowing about the back story and scandal of the Madoff's and with the knowledge that the family was and still is extremely wealthy, so I was prepared to enter into this life of glamour and luxury and knew that things in it would probably seem ridiculous to a non-millionaire like me. I guess what intrigued me to read this was the idea of seeing inside the Madoff scandal through the eyes of the widow and the aftermath of Madoff's decision to end his life. What surprised me though was not the careless use of the money flying everywhere, but the fact that Mack did not focus on the scandal or the suicide at all. The memoir was only focused on her and right from the start she tried to paint herself as someone who didn't portray the woman in this book. Take the truth of who you are out of the picture and I have a really hard time seeing the purpose behind this book besides the fact that you felt obliged to air your in-laws dirty laundry. I might know now that Madoff's mother is a racist greed monger and that his brother dates mean girls......but seriously what insight does that give to Mark Madoff's death?

Obviously without Mack even telling me, I know the man was feeling extremely depressed, overwhelmed and considered suicide to be his only way out. Seeing how he attempted suicide before he actually succeeded in doing it should have sent some type of warning signs to the family. Madoff was screaming for help and it seemed like everyone was too worried about money and the media rather than the mental health of this man. On the day that Madoff actually did kill himself, he was alone with his infant son while Stephanie was in Disneyland with her daughter...spending explosive amounts of money on a vacation she shouldn't have been on. When Mack shares her thoughts on that day its a jumble of jacked up emotions and not a reaction I would have imagined from a devastated spouse. Madoff's decision was wrong and anyone who has been touched by suicide knows along with the grief there is also anger at the pure selfishness of it. But the way the family handled things, Im left wondering if these people have been so corrupted by money that they now have no souls.

Macks memoir doesn't scream heartbreak, she's not the grieving widow, she's more the jilted bride who lost her meal card and had to write a book for some fast cash and throw the Madoff family as far under the bus as she could.....even including the x-wife who had nothing to do with anything. Sounds harsh but that's exactly what I read on each page. There was a painful amount of whining and complaining about fights over how they would spend their next million, how he loved his kids from a previous marriage more than her, how his parents were nice but mean to her and how embarrassed she was after the whole Madoff scandal broke and was unable to use her credit cards for huge shopping sprees. Even after the suicide we still hear all the complaining, the brothers girlfriend who is mean, the x-wife who is meddling, the mother who is gone into zombie-mode and the horror, when Madoff's family (mainly his two oldest children) wanted some of his personal belongings and Mack wanted to keep them all for her own children. What I missed through all this was the anguish or any emotion over losing her husband, so instead of the reaction I thought I would feel (due to the suicide) my overall emotion reading through Mack's lamenting sort of resembled this clip from SpongeBob.

All of the me, me, me really grated on my nerves half way through the book. Mack's constant blame on everyone and everything seriously took away from the tragic act of Madoff's decision which in the end equaled a tangled mess of back and forth blame games, self-loathing, vacations and greed. The real tragedy is not the lack of money or the crap that needs to get divided, its the children Madoff left behind who will grow up without their father. Kids who will never have him to counteract the rumors and the spins on his character. No matter his crime, guilt or innocence, there was an alternative to suicide. Sadly what seems to be his legacy is a selfish family fighting over his watches and an unclear answer to the extent of his involvement with Bernard Madoff. Perhaps had the memoir been sincere and I saw more than a woman concerned with money, I would have felt bad for her. As much as Mack wanted me to see the "normal girl who lost everything", what Im left with is a question: What really happened to Mark Madoff and where in this story did he even fit in?

Rating

While I wouldn't recommend this novel, people who enjoy memoirs might like it. The writing is somewhat choppy with fragmented dialog and Contains: Whining, complaining, groaning and moaning, scandal, irresponsibility, bad parenting, plenty of vacations....and one page about a suicide.

2/5- Memoir-Biography

Tempting Tuesdays- Week 4 & Wrap Up

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Its Vampire time!! Welcome to the last Tempting Tuesdays, a read-along inspired by Some Girls Bite and brought to you by: Jenny at Supernatural Snark, Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight and Missie at The Unread Reader. Today we are finishing up are book talk and its the last week for chance to win the awesome prize pack. Join us...link up your answers today at The Unread Reader.

Chapters 13-Epilogue
Questions provided by Missie at The Unread Reader

Chapter 13 opens with Merit describing her new job routine as House Sentinel. Considering that every job Cadogan House is important in helping to make the house run efficiently, which job do you think you'd like to have (guard, cook, social director, gardener, etc.) and why?

Ohhhh, Id say the social director, I can whip up a mean dish of enchiladas and cupcakes, all the while throwing the best birthday party ever, with fabulous party favors planned months in advance....little girls and moms rave about my princess polka-dot tea parties!!!

In the supernatural world of Chicagoland Vampires, politics seem to play an important role in the way the Houses are run. Now that you've been introduced to the Rogues, do you think it's better for vampires to be a part of a House or to live outside of one.

Part of a house for sure! I like the idea of the whole support system. Even though Merit is cranky with Ethan at times, she still has a network of possibilities, resources and encouragement from her fellow housemates.

After Morgan openly asks to court Merit, she feels betrayed when Ethan commands her to accept for the show of alliance it could bring to Cadogan House. Do you think her reaction was warranted?

Of course! I wouldn't want to be forced into dating anyone, hot or not!! I like Ethan and all but a swift kick to the fragile region might do some good at this point. Merit wears kick-butt boots right?

When Ethan meets with the perpetrator of the murders, were you surprised to discover who it was? If you suspected someone, were your suspensions correct? What did you think of the perpetrator's motive?

So I was shocked that the killer was who it was......(jaw on floor) was I suppose to see that coming???

Killers Motive: Typical catty behavior for greedy, power-lusty vampire types.

What was your favorite/least favorite parts of Some Girls Bite?

Favorites: When Merit defends Ethan, I thought that whole scene really showed Merits character- loyal, honest, fierce and someone to have on your side

Ethan and Merits first almost kiss

Reading through Merits training with Jeff and Catcher

The screaming mermaids or faeries...whoever those party crashers were.

Least favorite: The scene when Merit walks in on Ethan and Amber...(ew............Amber!!)

What do you think is coming up next for Merit, Sentinel of Cadogan House? Will you continue reading this series, and if so, what do you hope to see happen in the next book?

I think Merit is going to be a kick-butt protector of the Cadogen House....and perhaps down the road may become master of her own house. I cant wait to finish the entire series and hope to see Merit and Ethan become a real couple. I want Morgan out of there, unless of course his character gets much more developed, I cant wait to see where Chloe takes us with these characters.

Its been fun girls!! Read-alongs are the best!

The Sound of Red Returning by Sue Duffy

2012-01-23T12:01:00.000-05:00

The Sound of Red Returning

by Sue Duffy

January 2012 by Kregel

Paperback, 288 Pages

Review Copy

After losing everyone she loves, concert pianist Liesl Bower has nowhere to go but to escape into her music. Searching for the peace she usually finds in her concertos and sonatas, Liesl can't shake the feeling that she is being haunted by her past . . . and by someone following her. When she spots a familiar and eerie face in the audience of a concert she's giving for the president in Washington, DC, the scariest day of her life comes back to her with a flash. It has been fifteen years since Liesl watched her beloved Harvard music mentor assaulted on a dark night in Moscow and just as long since the CIA disclosed to her that he'd been spying for Russia. She had seen that man--that eerie face--the night Professor Devoe was attacked. And now he's back--and coming for her.

On the run and struggling to rely on the protection of CIA agent Ava Mullins and handsome newspaper reporter Cade O'Brien, Liesl learns she is the prey of an underground cell of Russian KGB agents determined to restore their country to its former Soviet might. But what she doesn't know is that she is in possession of something--a piece of sheet music--that Russian intelligence is now frantic to find. Inside that music is a secret code, the hidden transcriptions of her deceased mentor, that clearly identify a Russian mole operating inside Israel's Department of Defense, a mole with enough power and access to execute a daring assassination that no one would see coming.

Thoughts

The first few chapters of this novel are for sure attention grabbing, following Liesel in her backwards memories to present day proved to be a smart, fast paced plunge into the world of Russian spies, government conspiracies and life on the run.

While political thrillers are normally out of my comfort zone, I actually found many elements of Duffy's novel exciting. I loved the way Duffy mixed romance, music and the intense mystery all together creating a intriguing character in Liesel who as a result of the past and present time periods, we see grow as a character. The best aspect is the actual reveal, I love when a book surprises me after I think I've solved it. While this is a great mystery and political thriller, I would only recommend this to readers who enjoy inspirational fiction, as the faith/religious theme is highly present.

Rating

Recommended to adult readers who enjoy thrillers or Inspy fiction. Contains: Murder, Violence and suspense- otherwise this novel is very wholesome.

3/5- Inspy-Thriller
Thanks to Kregel and Liffuse for Review Copy

Enter the Sue Duffy’s Giveaway today and you could win:

* A brand new Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
* The Sound of Red Returning by Sue Duffy

To enter click one of the icons below. But, hurry! The giveway ends on 2/11. Sue will be announcing the winner of the “Red Returning” Giveaway on February 13th on the Litfuse website!

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

GIVEAWAY-Tempest by Julie Cross

2012-01-22T11:41:00.001-05:00

Tempest by Julie Cross

January 17, 2012 by St. Martins Griffin

Hardcover, 352 Pages

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities. But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him. Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Today I have one brand new copy (thanks St.Martins) of Tempest by Julie Cross to giveaway to a reader at TinaReviews. To enter please just fill out form. Open to US and Canadian residents only. Winner will be drawn on Feb 1, 2012

Have you read Tempest yet? Its a fun thrilling ride, dont miss it!

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The Sat Spotlight Featuring Nuayma Jeggels &Giveaway

2012-01-21T10:16:00.002-05:00

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature that shines the light on Indie and debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing:

Nuayma Jeggels
~Author of Raven~

Why Zombies?

by Nuayma Jeggles

It all started when I was watching my brothers play Resident Evil. Thoughts about moral decay, fear, and the sight of those monsters tearing into flesh over and over again whirled in my head, slightly overpowered by ‘what would this person do in such a situation?’ If I would write a story about the zombie apocalypse, what will my characters have to face, have to endure?

I didn't think about that question for a long time, especially when my focus zeroed in on the release of The Fellowship of the Ring movie. In the cinema, staring up wide-eyed at the screen, I knew: I wanted to write a story and I wanted to share it. I only knew that my protagonist would be a violet-eyed girl, but that nearly blank slate didn't discourage me. I wrote.

The world I created slowly formed and slowly changed throughout the years. It became a story about a young girl waking up from a coma that had lasted for nearly nine years, discovering that she wouldn't understand what she felt and that her medieval(ish) world was being populated by the walking dead. And believe me, the zombies truly walked into the novel. That buried thought had finally revealed itself.

Zombies! In Epic Fantasy. But it’s my story, and I wanted to share it with you; introduce you to Shardaie, to her world, to her (numerous) companions, and discover what is really wrong with her …

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Awesome! Thanks Nuayma for stopping by and sharing your zombie inspiration! Here's hoping Raven reaches the hands of all fellow zombie lovers!

Giveaway

Today Nuayma has one eBook copy to giveaway to a reader at TinaReviews. To enter just leave a comment and winner will be drawn Jan 28, 2011.

Raven by Nuayma Jeggels

A girl, a coma, a Plague, and an empty grave.

When Shardaie wakes up, she doesn’t know who she is, why she can’t understand emotions, why she has been unconscious for nearly nine of her thirteen years, or why the dead just won’t stay dead. The only clue to her past is a locket, but the Plague, which finally stretches its unnatural hand to her village, forces her to leave and to learn to protect herself. But everything has a cost: the protection against the undead reveals a secret that Shardaie and her classmates just don’t want to accept, and at the end, Shardaie realises that some secrets shouldn’t be revealed. Secrets have the power to destroy, and the power to change her view on humanity for ever.

Find out more about Nuayma:
Web~Goodreads~Twitter

This Weeks CFBA Book Spotlight

2012-01-20T23:30:00.000-05:00

The Mulligans of Mt. Jefferson

by Don Reid

January 1, 2012 by David C. Cook

Paperback

Review Copy

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun. That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities. But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him. Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

** Thanks to David C. Cook and the Cfba for review copy**

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Mulligans of Mt Jefferson, go HERE.

Review Coming Soon

At The Mercy of the Queen by Anne Clinard Barnhill

2012-01-20T09:51:00.002-05:00

At The Mercy of the Queen by Anne Clinard Barnhill
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Paperback, 464pages

Review Copy/HFV Book Tours

A sweeping tale of sexual seduction and intrigue at the court of Henry VIII, At the Mercy of the Queen is a rich and dramatic debut historical about Madge Shelton, cousin and lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn.

At the innocent age of fifteen, Lady Margaret Shelton arrives at the court of Henry VIII and quickly becomes the confidante of her cousin, Queen Anne Boleyn. But she soon finds herself drawn into the perilous web of Anne’s ambition. Desperate to hold onto the king’s waning affection, Anne schemes to have him take her guileless young cousin as mistress, ensuring her husband’s new paramour will owe her loyalty to the queen. But Margaret has fallen deeply in love with a handsome young courtier. She is faced with a terrible dilemma: give herself to the king and betray the love of her life or refuse to become his mistress and jeopardize the life of the her cousin, Queen Anne.

Review

This is my fourth venture into the world of The Tudors and unlike all the other books I've read, I think this is first in where the author painted the most historically correct version of the appearances and perhaps attitudes of these much famous personalities.

The story is told through the eyes of Madge, cousin to Queen Anne, who has been sent to Henry VIII court. She's young, beautiful and very gullible to the inner workings of the Queen and the things that go on within court politics. Instead of the conniving and scheming Queen history so often portrays of her, Anne is presented as an almost regular woman who is fighting for the reformation and the separation from the Church...basically the woman was just trying to survive in a world were men ruled everything and heads rolled at minor infractions. Having the Kings eye on her was always the best place for Anne's station, although more and more his eye wanders to younger maidens. Anne in a desperate attempt to provide the King a son, hatches a plan to lure Henry into an affair with Madge, however Madge is in love with Charles Brandon and longs to marry him. The thought of giving herself to Henry repulses her and infuriates Charles. But what can they do, they are both at the mercy of the Queen and the King, they have no choices and the outlook as we all know for Anne, does not turn out well. When Henry does take an interest in Madge, she is left with only two choices, bed the King to please the Queen, or suffer the loss of her head for true love.

After reading this novel, Im left with my beautiful minds eye vision of Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry VIII forever ruined......And only because Barnhill did an exquisite job capturing who history says Henry was. An old smelly pervert, who as much as I've read about was a very weak minded King...who had trouble in the bedroom all the while saving face by the many mistresses he fooled around with....basically your typical douche-bag with royal power. With the many varying opinions on Anne Boleyn, I found this book to be my second favorite out of the few Ive read. Fast past plotting, superb storytelling and an all around rich historical read, delivers a favorable win to Barnhill's debut novel.

Rating

Recommended to adult readers who enjoy historical novels or Tudor buffs. Contains: Violence and mild-graphic sexuality.

4/5- Historical

Thanks to HFV Tours and St. Martins for review copy

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

2012-01-19T08:29:00.000-05:00

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

December 20, 2011 by Simon Pulse

Paperback, 212 Pages

Review Copy

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget.
But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someones been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn't seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety. Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

Review

You know what they say about lying now don't-cha kids? That those who do will burn in the lake of fire? That nothing good ever comes from it? Well for the dark lake waters at Pine House, the lie sits quietly waiting to drown its victim......and on this particular weekend, Colin and Hannah.

Ok so lets back up, Hannah and Colin, our in-love teens, are just on the cusp of adulthood, heading off for college in the fall and dealing with the inevitable separation that is to come. Hannah being worried about the long distance relationship thing, wants their last weekend together to be bliss. She wants to say the big I love you and perhaps succumb to the mattress dance. And with all those big decisions, Hannah is feeling a bit overwhelmed and very nervous....she wants to do something special for Colin, but has no idea how to show him she loves him without actually saying it.

When opportunity presents itself, Hannah jumps at the chance to plan a secret getaway. And here would be the Hannah's first warning sign: probably best if you stay away from a creepy lake house when you find its picture and property info on newspaper clippings in your boyfriends attic. {But seriously there is no room for common sense when you live in a fiction story!!} So what does Hannah do...well, she lies to her mom, gets her bff to cover for her and takes off with a unsuspecting Colin. But half way there, when Colin discovers where they are going, a dark cloud descends on him, making the trip weird, awkward and creepy. Hannah is a little freaked out (warning sign number two: always listen to your gut fear...if sunshine boyfriend suddenly looks like the devil, you may want to open the car door and hit the pavement) by Colin's behavior, but like a dandelion in the wind, she blows Colin's behavior off as college stress.

When they finally get to the lake, things are bad right from the start. No electricity, no other houses for miles around and miles of woods surrounding them.....(warning sign number three: when your in an unfamiliar place surrounded by trees and an old creepy house with scary looking boyfriend...might as well save yourself the unavoidable nightmare to come and drown yourself now) The feeling of isolation is immediate and impending doom seeps off the pages, for in what feels like a month, the kids spend the next few days taking photos, swimming in the creepy dark water, sleeping..ALOT and exploring the woods around the house. All the while Colin has spurts of depression, homicidal tendencies and seems to be losing time while calling Hannah some creepy old name. When Colin's behavior turns for the worst (warning sign number four: your boyfriend is now a psychotic freak....you should probably just call the whole weekend off) Hannah will have to fight for her life to get away from him and that house.

I wound up really liking Still Waters, it was a quick read and while the writing in a sense was simple and the character development needed some minor dialog restructure, I found the overall style of Berne's storytelling magnetic. The plot, the creepy factor and tone of the novel, all tied together creating an enjoyable read, that caused me to overlook some of the weaker elements. Due to its abrupt end and dangling strings of unresolved issues- I can only wait with anticipation for the next installment.

Rating

Recommended to mature teens (16-up) and adults. Contains graphic language, mild sexuality, frightening scenarios and violence.

4/5-Ya-Suspense

A big giant thanks to Emma Berne for review copy

Winners

The Winners of Still Waters are:

Parajunkee
Bookish in a Box
Vicky

I will be sending you gals an email today or you can email me your address @willowdust@gmail.com

GIVEAWAY- Enjoy Every Sandwich by L. Lipsenthal

2012-01-18T13:42:00.001-05:00

~In memory of Lee Lipsenthal who passed away last September~

Enjoy Every Sandwich

by Lee Lipsenthal

November 8th 2011 by Crown Archetype

As medical director of the famed Preventive Medicine Research Institute, Lee Lipsenthal helped thousands of patients struggling with disease to overcome their fears of pain and death and to embrace a more joyful way of living. In his own life, happily married and the proud father of two remarkable children, Lee was similarly committed to living his life fully and gratefully each day. The power of those beliefs was tested in July 2009, when Lee was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. As Lee and his wife, Kathy, navigated his diagnosis, illness, and treatment, he discovered that he did not fear death, and that even as he was facing his own mortality, he felt more fully alive than ever before. In the bestselling tradition of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and Tuesdays with Morrie, Enjoy Every Sandwich distills everything Lee learned about how we find meaning, purpose, and peace in our lives. Told with humor and heart, this deeply inspiring book will help readers embrace their humanity, accept uncertainty, and live a life of gratitude—whether they are facing the end now or not.

Giveaway

Today I have two copies of Enjoy Every Sandwich available to all readers!
To enter please fill in form. Winners will be drawn Jan 25, 2011.

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Tempting Tuesdays ~Discussion Three

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Its Time for Tempting Tuesdays! A read-along inspired by Chloe Neill's Some Girls Bite. Join us as we talk delicious vampires and a chance to win sweet prizes. Hosted by Jenny at Supernatural Snark, Missie at The Unread reader, Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight and myself.

Discussion Three~Chapters 9-12
Questions hosted by Books in the Spotlight

Catcher and Ethan share some personality traits. What makes Mallory, Merit, and even us readers attracted to these guys? Would you date/mate with someone like these guys in real life?

I think the appeal is the kick-butt power aspect...and the strong demeanor they both carry....and of course that whole fiction thing. Ill be up front with you all, I am a girly girl through and through...and I like my men strong, sexy, protecting and manly...and a few tattoos don't hurt. What I don't want in a man is some wishy-washy metro-sexual wimpy boy talking about his feelings!! Barf, puke and throw up.

PS- Ok so Ethan may have some metro man in him, but he's a kick-butt vampire so that cancels out wimpy boy status for sure!!

In Chapter 9 we learn of another murder. Do you see any patterns with the previous murder and Merit's attack? Do you have any guesses as to who is responsible and the motive behind the murders?

ARGH! This question is hard to answer because I already read the book, but yes there is for sure a pattern. The murder victims have the same features and the same age-type, so obviously someone out there is targeting dark haired, college aged gals.

The commendation is my favorite moment in the book and a significant event in Merit's life. She has finally come to terms that she is a Cadogan vampire. Were you surprised at all that Merit resisted Ethan's call and that he made her a Sentinel? Do you think she'll do well in this position? Why or why not?

A little bit, I didn't think Merit would have the power she obviously has to resist Ethan, but that just shows you even without being compelled the girl is choosing to be loyal to her house....and has some future skills coming at us. I loved that Ethan made Merit a Sentinel...whether it was because he was out to prove a point to her OR utilize something special he sees in her, I think it was a great power move.

Loyalty is a reoccurring theme throughout the book and much of this series. Why is it so important to Ethan that he needs Merit's allegiance? Is it solely a Master and a Sentinel thing or does it imply something else?

I think its a little of both.....Ethan needs to know Merit will be loyal to the house for the safety of the others and proving he's the master, she's the minion...however I think Ethan sees a spark in Merit and knows he has a gem on his hands, that could in the long run make the Cadogan house very powerful. Not to mention he may or may not have feelings for her.

If you had the opportunity to sit down with Ethan, Merit, Mallory, and Catcher for a bite to eat like in the beginning of Chapter 12, what questions would you ask them at this point of the story?

Catcher if you were in a fight with Gandolf do you think you could take him?

Merit, seriously how much do you eat?

Ethan!! When are you going to upgrade that baggage aka Amber to a finer set aka ~~Tina~~, Merit?

Link up your answers today at Books in the Spotlight and head over to Missie's to grab next weeks questions.

Chatting w/Authors Featuring Elsa Kok Colopy &Giveaway

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Chatting with Authors. Today I have Elsa Kok Colopy author of Pure Love, Pure Life on the blog. Join us for a chat about teens, sexuality and making choices.

Hi Elsa, thanks for stopping by, before we dig in, please introduce yourself to readers.

I’m the youngest of five—four older brothers and me. Yeah, I know. I had to fight for everything. And I was forever trying to prove that I could do everything they could do. I climbed trees, went cliff diving, rode a motorcycle. I’m grateful for that part—I did a lot of cool things trying to keep up with those guys. Of course we’re all grown up now and mostly tamer (though I think I’ll always be the adventurous sort). In addition to all that, I love to write, read and hang with people who make me laugh. I’m crazy about Jesus and very sweet on my studly husband. I have four kids (we’re a blended family). After 12 years as a single parent family, my girl and I blended with my husband and his three children. To round out the blend, we have two pups who run us ragged. It’s a good life.

What inspired you to write Pure Love, Pure Life?

I didn't make the best choices as a teenager and it hurt me in a lot of different ways. It took a while to get things straight and for God to get my life back on track. After I finally got it—just how much God loved me—and as I began to really understand his heart on purity, things changed. I started living purity in my day-to-day life. Not to follow rules, but because I started trusting that God knew what was for my best. It changed everything for the good. As a result, I have this deep desire to share this stuff with teens who are in the thick of it. It would be an incredible honor to me to be able to help them figure out what pure living really looks like.

I wonder how many of us (those past our teen years) can say that. I know I wish I could go back and shake common sense into my sixteen year old self. Seeing how your book deals with teens and sexuality- are you involved with the youth in any way?

I've always been involved with youth. I grew up in the camping system and was forever involved in Christian camps as a camper, then as a counselor. I worked with after school programs, day camps and church youth programs as well. I also come from a huge family, so in addition to my kids and their friends, I've always been a doting cheerleader in the lives of my nephews and nieces. I love teens. They are passionate, real and full of the best kind of questions, thoughts and ideas. I think they get a bad rap sometimes… I would love to help them show the world just how radical (in all the best ways) they can be.

That's awesome! I feel the same way about teenagers, seeing them day in and day out, I think they have so much more to offer than what media and society dictates them to be. What do hope that readers walk away with after reading your book?

I hope readers walk away with the understanding that purity is SO MUCH MORE than a white-knuckled grip on virginity. Purity is not just about the things you say “no” to, it’s also about all the good things worth pursuing. I love the idea of teens catching this vision and changing the world as they pour their passion and energy into the good.

What a refreshing approach to purity and for sure beats the message: Virginity is just a right of passage. Its sad how many teens I hear talking about hook-ups and casual sex. As a teen mom and now a mom of three girls (one a teenager), I'm always on the side of purity and encouraging the message of sex being worth the wait....for committed love...... after a masters degree....and not until 30....(lol)

Ok- enough with the heavy...lets talk fun!

What are you reading right now?

I just finished reading the Twilight series. I was curious to see what drew people to sparkly vampires. I like to think the purity element was a huge part of it—how cool is that? I’m also reading Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster and yes, a five month old Reader’s Digest that sits in our bathroom.

Twilight was great! Now just skip Twilight the movie and your thoughts on the innocent love will remain intact....LOL...

Last great movie you saw?

I liked Dolphin Tale. I’m a sucker for cute fish.

What’s playing on your iPod?

Holly Starr. She’s new, young and has an amazing voice. Love her.

Ive never heard of her, Ill have to check it out. Can you share any future projects with us?

I’m thinking about some teen fiction. Cool teen fiction with characters that suck you right in. At least that’s what I’m dreaming of… we’ll see what happens!

Sweet! Cant wait to see what you create. Thanks for stopping by today Elsa, here's hoping Pure Love, Pure Life will reach the heart of a teen who needs it!

GIVEAWAY

Today I have one copy of Pure Love, Pure Life to give away to a reader at Tina~Reviews. I would love to pass this along to a teenager or parent, aunt, grandma- who wants to give this to a teen. To enter please leave a comment. Winner will be drawn Jan 31, 2012.

Pure Love, Pure Life

by Elsa Kok Colopy

Jan, 2012 by Zondervan

When you think of purity, what comes to mind? Perfect behavior? Impossible standards? Everything focused on waiting for that special guy? If so, you're not alone. The good news is purity isn't just a list of don'ts---don't think that way, don't look that way, don't act that way. It's a God-designed plan for a happy life. Honest, humorous, and real, Pure Love, Pure Life provides practical tools to help you navigate the temptations and frustrations you face every day, stories from girls who have been there, and tips on what to do if your pure life takes a detour. Discover a new vision of purity, how you can live it in today's broken reality, and why it's worth the effort.

The Saturday Spotlight featuring Dallas Woodburn

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight a weekly feature shining the light on Indie and Debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

DALLAS WOODBURN
~Author of Dancing with The Pen~

Write On!

by Dallas Woodburn

In 2010, I founded the youth publishing company Write On! Books with the belief that young people need and deserve a vehicle to share their unique voices with each other, and with society as a whole. Our debut anthology, Dancing With The Pen, features stories, poems, and essays by more than sixty young writers in middle school and high school from across the United States and even abroad: Singapore, Canada, and New Zealand.

Write On! Books has a twofold goal: give young writers an outlet for expression, while also publishing exciting, creative work that gets kids excited about reading. Dancing with the Pen is a book for young writers, young readers, and the young at heart. I like to tell young people, “Even if you are not normally a big reader, this book is still for you. Maybe you'll recognize yourself in these pages.” I hope people who read this book are inspired to pick up a pen, step out on the dance floor, and go for a whirl themselves.

The idea to start Write On! Books was sparked within me more than a decade ago, when I released my first book, There’s a Huge Pimple On My Nose: a collection of stories and poems. I was in fifth grade, and the book – and my writing dreams – snowballed in magical ways I had not thought possible. Pimple was reviewed in national media outlets including CosmoGIRL!, Girls’ Life, and The Los Angeles Times. I was interviewed by newspapers and radio shows. I spoke at various writers conferences and book fairs, and the Santa Barbara Book Festival had a “Dallas Woodburn Day.” Perhaps most important of all was the thrill of seeing my own words in print. I felt proud and energized – the excitement of Christmas morning paled in comparison. My self-confidence blossomed. My love of writing intensified. I wanted to be a writer. I saw myself as a writer!

In the thirteen years since Pimple debuted, I have published a second collection of stories; contributed pieces to dozens of magazines, newspapers, websites, and Chicken Soup for the Soul books; written plays that were produced in Ventura and Los Angeles, California; and am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in fiction writing at Purdue University. When I visit schools to speak about my own personal writing journey, I always ask the students if any of them are interested in writing. Usually a few tentative hands raise. In contrast, at the end of my talks when I ask the same question, nearly all the students excitedly thrust up their hands as if trying to touch the ceiling. Many young people tell me they didn’t know kids could be writers. Not only can kids be writers, they can be brilliant writers! They can write imaginative, touching, thought-provoking pieces, as Dancing With The Pen attests. And writing, especially for young people, can create many amazing opportunities.

The mission of Write On! For Literacy, which I founded in 2001, is to encourage kids to discover joy, confidence, a means of self-expression and connection to others through writing and reading. Activities and projects include writing contests, fun creative writing workshops, and an annual Holiday Book Drive that has collected and distributed nearly 12,000 new books to disadvantaged kids. For every copy purchased of Dancing With The Pen, a new book will be donated to Write On’s Holiday Book Drive to benefit disadvantaged youth.

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Wow- what an amazing journey! And a inspiring story to teens and young writers out there. Thanks for sharing those today Dallas and best of luck with Write On!

GIVEAWAY

Today, Dallas is giving away one copy of her book Dancing with The Pen: A Collection of today's best Youth Writing. To enter please just leave a comment. Winner will be drawn Jan 21, 2012.

Dancing with The Pen: A Collection of Today's Best Youth Writing

by Dallas Woodburn and Various Authors

Entirely written by kids and teenagers --features stories and poems written by more than sixty young writers from around the world.

Find Dallas on the Web~Twitter~Facebook

TGIF {26} Must Read 2012 Books~

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

TGIF~ is a weekly event hosted by GReads, that poses a bookish question and lets us wrap up the week.

2012 Must Reads: Which books are at the top of your list that must be read this year (new or old)

Newbies

Oldies

I cannot wait to read Karen Marie Monings Dark-Fever Series....(all of them)

This Week at Tina's!

The Saturday Spotlight Win Catspell
Mini Reviews
Tempting Tuesdays #2
Shelf Cravings
New Design
Tgif

New Blog Design!!

2012-01-12T16:32:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Tina's new look. What do you guys think?

The blog is a bit under construction right now while I work out the glitches and redo everything to my liking...

You will notice that the header now says Tina Reviews...I had Rachel take out Books- I wanted to be-able to have the blog be open for some of the fun organizing projects Im doing this year and various things that go on outside of just books. Of course this will always be a book review blog, but just having the freedom to explore a bit more feels great.

Thanks to Rachel from Parajunkee's View for her fabulous design and for having the patience of a saint. I made her tweak it a few times with colors and fonts, but it turned out lovely and she never got mad at me once for resembling a chimpanzee with all my back and forth...LOL...

Shelf Cravings {39}

2012-01-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Shelf Cravings a weekly dish on all things book. New releases, coming soon or just discovered. This week Im excited for:

~Coming Soon~

Belles by Jen Calonita

April 2012 by Poppy

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

August 2012 by Simon Pulse

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town. Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise

The Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

April 2012 by Balzer and Bray

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, Janelle knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey

January 24, 2012 by Harper Collins

Fate has not been kind to Gemma Hardy. Orphaned by the age of ten, neglected by a bitter and cruel aunt, sent to a boarding school where she is both servant and student, young Gemma seems destined for a life of hardship and loneliness. Yet her bright spirit burns strong. Fiercely intelligent, singularly determined, Gemma overcomes each challenge and setback, growing stronger and more certain of her path. Now an independent young woman with dreams of the future, she accepts a position as an au pair on the remote and beautiful Orkney Islands.

But Gemma's biggest trial is about to begin . . . a journey of passion and betrayal, secrets and lies, redemption and discovery that will lead her to a life she's never dreamed.

~Just Discovered~

Winters Shadow by M.J Hearle

June 1, 2011 by MacMillian

Blake Duchamp... ...He's all that Winter Adams can think of. Ever since their fateful meeting at Pilgrim's Lament. Ever since he looked at her with those emerald eyes. Ever since he saved her life. But Blake isn't all that he seems. There is a strangeness about him, something dark and otherworldly. Something dangerous. In his attic is a secret he would kill to defend, but Winter seems to have a special ability to make him forget his duty. And he is her only protection against the gathering darkness. The only problem is, to protect Winter, Blake must risk exposing her to an even greater danger. Himself...

The 10 P.M Question by Kate De Goldi

September 28, 2012 by Candlewick Press

Twelve-year-old Frankie Parsons is a talented kid with a quirky family, a best friend named Gigs, and a voice of anxiety constantly nibbling in his head: Could that kidney-shaped spot on his chest be a galloping cancer? Are the smoke alarm batteries flat? Has his cat, The Fat Controller, given them all worms? Only Ma, who never leaves home, takes Frankie’s worries seriously. But then, it is Ma who is the cause of the most troubling question of all, the one Frankie can never bring himself to ask. When a new girl arrives at school — a daring free spirit with unavoidable questions of her own — Frankie’s carefully guarded world begins to unravel, leading him to a painful confrontation with the ultimate 10 p.m. question.

So I DO NOT read middle grade literature, however The 10 P.M. Question sounds really good, so eventually Im going to buy or borrow this and give it a chance. All these YA's look excellent. I cant wait to check out Belles and The Unraveling. What one are you excited for?

Tempest~Book Trailer

2012-01-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

About Tempest by Julie Cross:

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps– it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

Tempting Tuesdays~Discussion 2

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Tempting Tuesdays, a read-along inspired by Chloe Neill's Some Girls Bite. Join us for a delicious talk on vampires, hot men and cool ninja skills! Its not to late to jump in, Joining also enters you for a sweet prize at the end.

Some Girls Bite is being Hosted by
Jenny at Supernautral Snark
Missie at The Unread Reader
Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight
and yours truly.

Link up your answers here today and head over to Books in the Spotlight for next weeks questions!

Discussion 2~Chapters 5-8

In what is a make you blush, steamy scene in the book- Chapter 5 has Ethan and Merit sharing a few hot moments after Merit's hunger strikes...that is until Ethan becomes a total cad! What do you think of him so far? Strong, masterful vampire, conceited playboy.....lover boy in disguise?

At this point in the book I think Ethan resembles a powerful master with conceited playboy intentions. Obviously the man is used to getting what he wants and Merit tests that ego of his. Im not sure if lover boy is in Ethan's nature....BUT there is no doubt Merit and Ethan have some pretty hot chemistry....that scene made my toes melt.

Merit and Mallory begin some major training in these next few chapters, resulting in cool Katana Sword facts and Ninja moves. What is the most physically challenging or adrenaline fueled event/activity you have participated in?

Photo Credit: Statesman

Im not into reckless sports or climbing mountains....I have no interest in the outdoors or camping or anything that involves me being out in the wilderness...or jumping out of planes, or flying off some cliff on a cord!

I enjoy morning walks in my Nike's and that's about as adventurous as I get. The most physically challenging activity I've done is trying a Spinning class..and that almost killed me...KILLED ME!! Probably the only thing that could get me to try something scary and daring would be a pack of zombies chasing me into it....

Mallory and Catcher have sparks so intense they almost fly off the page.....what do you think of this cozy couple? Did you like the insta-love between them? Do they add to the story?

Cop

I loved the insta-love with these two, because they broke the insta-love rule...-they are both kick butt wizards...(sorcerers, what have you) and with all that sizzle- magic flying everywhere it was only natural that they would have an intense super charged reaction to each other. I think they give the novel that much needed together couple in the story feel.

Lets talk Bff's....Mallory is hands down a terrific friend to Merit, the girls relationship is real, down to earth and fun....not to mention hysterical. What is your favorite memory or favorite thing to do with your bff? Feel free to share pics!

My bff is a gal named Stephanie, I met her when I was 26 and ever since we've been inseparable. I think we can have a great time doing anything...even just chatting on the phone. I think the best memory I have was a road trip we took together tracking all the places we lived from childhood to adulthood. Or the funniest when we went to a Dinner for volunteers at our school and the lady sitting next to us was talking and spit pieces of food out all over and it wound up in Steph's mouth, I laughed so hard I almost fell over....she however thought it was the worst night ever and almost puked!!! I wish I had taken a picture of her face!

Things are starting to heat up in the mystery department...the set up at Red, Morgan's flirty appearance.... Catchers vague answers......as correlation day gets closer for Merit do you think someone is out to get her...or maybe recruit her to another house? Or PS- feed her some more food...because goodnight this girl likes to eat!!

Yeah, I take back what I said last week about being a vampire, because Merit eats more than a football player!! I want that metabolism!! I think something fishy is going on for sure, my guess at this point is someone has targeted Merit to either recruit her, use her against Ethan or feed her...

LOL!

Link up your Posts Here

Mini Reviews~Featuring The Shadow of Your Smile

2012-01-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

Mini~Reviews...in where I get out a few thoughts on a bundle of books I've read.

The Shadow of Your Smile (Deep Haven)

January 1, 2012 by Tyndale House

Paperback, 384 Pages

Review Copy

Review~

Eli and Noelle Hueston have been married for twenty five years, they are the pillar of a strong couple in the community's eyes...they have raised two successful boys and have made it through the absolute worst...losing a teenage daughter to tragic events. They have strength in their marriage that cant pull them apart....at least that's what everyone thinks. Behind closed doors however, the marriage is a train wreck and the couple is contemplating divorce. Too many silent nights, words unsaid and dreams lost have made both of them shells of who they were. Noelle wants to pursue her lost dreams and Eli is on the verge of an affair. The pain and loss of their daughter reeked a havoc that cannot be healed......

Everything changes in an instant.

After Noelle is in an accident causing head and brain trauma, her memories are all but gone, when she wakes she believes shes a teenager.....gone are memories of losing her parents, her daughter and her marriage. As Noelle pieces back together the small threads of her memory and attempts to reconnect to the man and sons in her life, revelations and truth will finally surface to the top. People rarely get second chances in life and the question this story poses: Will Eli and Noelle take it?

Like many of Warren's novels, I really enjoyed this book, The Shadow of Your Smile is a tender story of what tragedy can do to a family and what forgiveness can do to heal hearts and relationships. Wrap your self in a winter story of love, second chances and moving on......a perfect treat for the hopeful.

Rating

Recommended to readers who enjoy Inspirational fiction. While done with wholesome value, some touchy subjects about infidelity, violence and lying are dealt with.

4/5- Inspy Romance

Thanks to Tyndale for review copy

Composing Amelia by Alison Strobel
September 1, 2011 by David C. Cook

Amelia and Marcus are newly married, crazy in love and livingin LA. Amelia has dreams of becoming a famous concert pianist and Marcus hasdreams of becoming a pastor like his father. When opportunity comes at the sametime for both of them, the decision mentally and physically tears them apart.Being so young in the marriage they make huge mistakes dealing with it and windup separated as they try and work things out. Depression and anxiety spark aburied mental illness in Amelia, while doubt and stress plaque Marcus.

Stobel gives the reader an anchor to hold to with characterAmelia, she did everything right with her balancing act, the questioning of herfaith, her husband, her career, it all worked well to anchor us to that“reality” type struggle that most people go through. Amelia’s issues wereobviously compounded by her mental disorder, which I guess could be construedas a genius way to present wearying Christian thoughts…but even in real life,people deal with the same emotions Amelia was going through minus thedepression and mental issues. That issue aside, Composing Amelia was a lovelyread into the human condition, mixed with secrets, fear, genuine love, the costand benefits of pursing our dreams and the delicate struggle with faith.

Rating

Another for Inspy readers, contains issues on depression and mental health

3/5- Inspy Romance-Contemporary
Thanks to David C. Cook for Review Copy

Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins
March, 2012 by B&H Publishing

This novel was good.
Super good.

Gone to Ground Follows the story of three separate women who because of certain events in their life, all think they know the identity of the Amaryllis, Texas serial killer. Each woman tells the tale of why her "man" is the killer and brings a different perspective of southern life and a unique character dialog that made this murder-mystery a true page turner. When circumstances bring the three together, Gone to Ground became a pure adrenaline read, wondering who was right and who the murderer really was.....and the ending, an all around good shocker.

I loved every minute of it.

Rating

Recommended to readers who enjoy suspense and mystery. Advisory: Murder and graphic details on violence, serial killers, domestic abuse and twisted relationships.

4/5- Inspy-Suspense
Thanks to B&H Publishing for review copy

The Saturday Spotlight with Danyelle Leafty & Giveaway

2012-01-07T10:15:00.000-05:00

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature shining the light on Indie and debut authors. Today I have the pleasure introducing you to:

DANYELLE LEAFTY
~Author of The Fairy Godmother Dilemma: Catspell~

Find her on the Web~Goodreads~Twitter

Hi Danyelle, welcome to TBR's......Please Tell us about yourself?

I have loved language and words ever since I discovered they have the power to transport me to completely different worlds. My favorite types of stories--to read and to write--are fairy tale-type books. There's just something about fairy tales that so perfectly captures human nature and life.

I love learning--especially languages. I hope to be fluent in at least twelve before I die. And I really enjoy making life interesting for the imaginary characters living in my head. ;-)

What inspired you to write The Fairy Godmother Dilemma: Catspell?

Nerissa, the fairy godmother, appeared during a long night in which I was fighting a losing battle with housework. (Having lively children, and many of them, can do that to a person.) I loved her no-nonsense approach to fairy godmothering. Unfortunately, the beginning of her story started much earlier than the place she was at when she appeared. That meant I needed to write books one and two if I wanted to delve into the meat of what would become book three.

That's where Catspell comes in. And because I love fairy tales, especially the more uncommon ones, The White Cat was a perfect inspiration for Catspell.

Did any major research or travel go into writing your book?

I wish! One day, it would be nice to travel around the world and pick up bits and pieces of all the wonderfully different cultures and lands. For now, I do all my research through reading: normal books, fairy tales--both fiction and non-fiction. I also follow some great people onTumblr that post incredible pictures that serve as inspiration as well. Pictures definitely are worth a thousand words. :)

What authors or books have inspired you?

J.R.R. Tolkien first taught me how beautiful language can be. Jane Austen is the Queen of Wit and Propriety. Sherwood Smith showed me how the words on a page are brushstrokes to a real, and vivid world that lives beside our own. Patricia C. Wrede fueled my love for fairy tales. Patricia McKillip combines all of the above into something strange and wonderful. J.K. Rowling proved to me that impossible things can and do happen. And Terry Pratchett is an amazing master of all that is words and human.

If you could cast your book as a movie what actors would play the lead roles?

The model on the cover is absolutely perfect for Nerissa's part, so I would definitely either want to cast her or someone who greatly resembles her. Sean Connery (if he was still acting) would be a perfect dragon. Johnny Depp would be perfect as Pickle-Prick and any number of the cats. Olivia Wilde would make a smashing Mara, while Anne Hathaway would be perfect for Breena. Demi Lovato would be a great Natter. I don't see many movies, so I'm going to cheat and say Jimmy Stewart would make a perfect Baldemar and Danny Kaye could help with some of the cats. Myles, as ever, has me stumped. If I could find someone who could pull off a cross between Bradley Steven Perry and David Henrie who had slightly curly, and very thick hair, that would be him. :)

Any future plans you can share with us?

I'm excited that the whole Fairy Godmother Dilemma series will be out by mid-February. During December, I ran into a few health problems, and the reading and writing community was a wonderful support, so I've got something special planned near the end of February to say thank you. (I'll be able to say more about that as it gets closer.) I'm also happy to say that I've moved on to a new series that will debut with book one: Bitten: a novel of Faerie in Spring of 2012.

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Your movie sounds exciting!! Thanks for sharing that fun info about Fairy Godmother, here's wishing you big buzz on your book and plenty of success in the future.

GIVEAWAY

Today Thanks to Danyelle, I have one eBook copy of TFGD:C up for grabs in Kindle, PDF or Epub editions. This is open to everyone, please just leave a comment to enter.

Thanks!

The Fairy Godmother Dilemma~Catspell

by Danyelle Leafty

Sixteen-year-old Breena never thought anything could be worse than being forced to leave the faerie realm. Then she got stuck with a fairy godmother. But if she has to choose between the two, she’d leave the Faerie Realm over getting bossed about by a faerie with a pointed stick any day. Unfortunately, her attempt to evade her fairy godmother gives her growing pains in the form of fur, whiskers, and a tail. Turning into a cat is the least of her worries, though. The potion wasn't meant to bring out her inner feline, it was meant to put her to sleep. Forever. If Breena wants to make it to her Happily Ever After, she’ll have to accept that sometimes a fairy godmother really does come in handy, after all......

TGIF {25} Book Resolutions!

2012-01-06T10:21:00.001-05:00

Its time for TGIF~ hosted by GReads! A weekly feature that wraps up the week and poses a bookish question:

Reading Resolutions: What are some of your reading goals for the new year?

My entire 2012 resolutions are focusing on organization. The biggest area in books and this blog is less is best. I want my reviews to have quality and lack that sloppy rushed feel. The biggest area is organizing ARC's. Im limiting my acceptance of review copies due to lack of time. I don't want to rush through my books this year, I want to remember what it means to truly enjoy a book and savor it before I hop into the next.

The Saturday Spotlight- Win After the Snow Falls
2012 Wrap Up
Chat with Author Emma Berne- Win Still Waters
Tempting Tuesdays - Part One
For Ella ~ A Tribute Piece
Shelf Cravings
Tgif

Have a happy weekend folks. Ill be reading Haunting Violet and finishing up my first big organize of the year...the kitchen! I've worked on it a little everyday since the first and have purged 204 items!!! Pats self on back. Of course Ill also sneak in a few episodes of my favorite show- almost done with season three!

I couldn't resist..

Shelf Cravings {38}

2012-01-05T10:40:00.000-05:00

**Shelf Cravings has been temporary moved to Thursdays during Tempting Tuesdays**

Welcome to Shelf Cravings, a weekly dish all about books. New releases, coming soon, just discovered and Indie buzz. This week Im craving:

~Coming Soon~

Slated by Teri Terry

May 3 2012 by Orchard

Sixteen-year-old Kyla has been 'slated': all of her past memories erased, her entire personality wiped blank. She has been assigned a new name, a new date of birth and even new parents. The government that did this to her claim she was a terrorist, and that she has been given a second chance. But Kyla knows that the government has been lying. Without her memories, how will Kyla ever find the truth? And if her old self is really and truly dead, then what are the terrifying images that still haunt her dreams?

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

September, 2012 by McElderry Books

In a desert land where serpents made of unbreakable glass fly through the sky and wolves made of only sand hunt within storms, Liyana is destined to be a vessel, to sacrifice herself so that her clan's goddess can inhabit her body... but her goddess never comes.

The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith St. Crow

(Cover Not Final)

August 7, 2012 by Orbit

Emma Bannon, Prime sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn't much help that they dislike each other, or that Bannon’s Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen. In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs.

House of Mercy by Erin Healy

August 2012 by Thomas Nelson

~Inspy Pick~

For generations, the Blazing B cattle ranch has been a refuge for outcast men who want only the peace of a hard day’s work and a good night’s sleep. Beth Borzoi has a big heart for the wounded souls who come to her family’s land. She’s on track to become a top-notch veterinarian, which will save the Blazing B thousands of dollars each year. Then Beth accidentally kills a neighbor’s prized horse. The resulting lawsuit jeopardizes everything: the ranch, the family legacy, her career, and her father’s health.............

~Just Discovered~

After You by Julie Buxbaum

August 25, 2009 by Dial Press

It happened on a tree-lined street in Notting Hill to a woman who seemed to have the perfect life. Ellie Lerner’s best friend, Lucy, was murdered in front of her young daughter. And, as best friends do, Ellie dropped everything—her marriage, her job, her life in the Boston suburbs—to travel to London and pick up the pieces of Lucy’s life. While Lucy’s husband, Greg, copes with his grief by retreating into himself, eight-year-old Sophie has simply stopped speaking.

Desperate to help Sophie, Ellie turns to a book that gave her comfort as a child, The Secret Garden. As the two spend hours exploring the novel’s winding passageways, its story of hurt, magic, and healing blooms around them. But so, too, do Lucy’s secrets—some big, some small—secrets Lucy kept hidden, even from her best friend. Over a summer in London, as Ellie peels back the layers of her friend’s life, she’s forced to confront her own as well: the marriage she left behind, the loss she’d hoped to escape. And suddenly Ellie’s carefully constructed existence is spinning out of control in a chain of events that will transform her life—and those around her— forever.

Garden of Apples by M. Nova

Feb 9, 2011 by O. Media

~Indie Pick~

In a forgotten land, a novice farmer, Adam Prestan, becomes possessed with temptation when he spies the indescribable beauty of an unadulterated wine heiress, Eve Telanis. In the spellbinding world of Eden, purity and courtship reign supreme. Defiance incurs death. Such stringency leaves these romantics seeking liberation from the rules and the key to unlock their emerging taste for one another.

Do they hold the power to siphon love and life from one to the other, or will they be solely responsible for breeding dissension and the demise of many? It only takes one bite. And one bite might just set them free ...

I heart Sarah Beth Durst and cannot wait to read Vessel...seriously this gal has tackled everything from fairy tales to vampires to Goddesses...CANT WAIT!! And Look at that cover for Garden of Apples...that is gorgeous and very well done for an Indie!!

Whats on your list this week?

SC graphic made by The Unread Reader

For Ella~

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hello friends, today I write this post with a heavy heart.

Last week I found out that my friends Dan and Erica received news that their five month old daughter Ella Lanay is suffering from a disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Unfortunately Ella's disease is terminal. As shocking and devastating as this is for the family, Dan and Erica are sharing Ella's story to raise awareness of SMA and asking for prayers and support from friends and family.

I met Erica when I was a sophomore in high-school. I was shy and awkward and she was loud and beautiful. Most of our story's involve road trip debacles, board game nights, 6am kickboxing class (we were crazy) .....New Years party's and of course the time I hit on her husband....well they weren't technically married yet and she loved me enough not to break my arms...and I did get to be in the wedding...so all was forgiven (lol).

Over the years we have kept in touch periodically and during that time I've seen her face too many deaths and heartbreak mingled with much joy and success. And through it all she has always been strong.

Erica and I the night before her big day....

My heart breaks for Erica, Dan and their family. But even with the grief I know is happening, the Hunts have decided to live life with Ella and share in the happiness each day with her brings.

The wisdom and daily postings on Ella's Facebook page, have inspired me to stop complaining about my house, my car, my job and focus on whats important in life....my family, my children and my friends.

Im sharing this with you all today because I want to be a part of sharing Ella's story and offering everyone that reads TBR's a chance to help, by sending your prayers or positive thoughts, or by spreading awareness of SMA. And the most precious, to have a memory of Ella forever.

Ella's Legacy Bags

DH Dream Designs is developing a collection of bags called Ella's Legacy! In an effort to raise funds for Ella and her family a line of bags using Ella's little dresses are being created. These little dresses will be used on the front of the bags to create an outside pocket. A picture of Ella in her dress will be included on the inside pocket of each Ella Legacy Bag.

What a treasure this will be....

You can learn more, see the what the bags will look like, or get the information to order your bag at the following link: http://ellaslegacycollection.blogspot.com/

Follow Ella's story at Ella Lanay Hunt

Some Girls Bite Read Along~ Discussion 1

2012-01-03T07:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first Tempting Tuesdays read-along of Chloe Neill's Some Girls Bite. Today we dive into the world of the Chicagoland Vampires, sexy boy-toys and kick-butt chicks.

Discussion One Chapters 1-4
Questions provided by Jenny from Supernatural Snark

Let’s say tomorrow a “vampire manifesto” as Merit calls it runs in newspapers across the country announcing their existence. How do you think you would react? If you were hesitant to believe initially, what would it take to convince you they were real?

Does the guy who smelled like onions and butts at the gas station the other day count as a vampire?

I would have a really hard time believing that vamps are real...I guess it would take one biting my neck......I like my vamps hot and where they belong, in the fiction realm.

Since being turned into a vampire means complete removal from your former life and a new job serving your House in some capacity, what do you think you would miss most about the life you live now?

My freedom, my kids, my family...oh my gosh I would be a wreck!! Vampires are cool to read about in fiction, but no way would I want to be one, on this subject Im totally *Team Rosalie*

What are your first impressions of Merit and how she’s handling all the changes in her life?

I think Merit is a tough chick, acting like many of us would given the circumstances. I admire her for being able to keep it together (despite her grief) in front of others.

When you first read the description of Ethan, what actor/model/person you know pops into your head as the perfect embodiment of him? Feel free to include pictures ;-)

Well since Ive been on a Sons of Anarchy kick and Im totally in love with Jax, I would have to say Charlie Hunnam would fit Ethan perfect!! He certainly has the best TV tush Ive seen....and *ahem, cough* we do get a pretty good naked Ethan scene here shortly...(wink)

Do you think Merit’s anger at Ethan himself, not the situation, is justified?

Yes. She needs a face to place the anger on, for now in all her sorting the issues out it makes sense to target Ethan. And why not place that anger on a hot sexy vampire....nobody said Merit was dumb....

Be sure to link up your posts over at Jenny's today, our host for discussion one.

Looking for Next week questions...well here they are. Copy them and Next week you will link up here at my blog and find info about discussion three questions. Have fun reading and see you all next week.

Questions for Chapters 5-8

1. In what is a make you blush, steamy scene in the book- Chapter 5 has Ethan and Merit sharing a few hot moments after Merit's hunger strikes...that is until Ethan becomes a total cad! What do you think of him so far? Strong, masterful vampire, conceited playboy.....lover boy in disguise?

2. Merit and Mallory begin some major training in these next few chapters, resulting in cool Katana Sword facts and Ninja moves. What is the most physically challenging or adrenaline fueled event/activity you have participated in?

3. Mallory and Catcher have sparks so intense they almost fly off the page.....what do you think of this cozy couple? Did you like the insta-love between them? Do they add to the story?

4. Lets talk Bff's....Mallory is hands down a terrific friend to Merit, the girls relationship is real, down to earth and fun....not to mention hysterical. What is your favorite memory or favorite thing to do with your bff? Feel free to share pics!

5. Things are starting to heat up in the mystery department...the set up at Red, Morgan's flirty appearance.... Catchers vague answers......as correlation day gets closer for Merit do you think someone is out to get her...or maybe recruit her to another house? Or PS- feed her some more food...because goodnight this girl likes to eat!!!

**Photo Credit- FX-Sons of Anarchy

Chatting with Authors featuring Emma Carlson Berne & Giveaway!

2012-01-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hello friends, welcome to the first Chatting with Authors for 2012! Today Im thrilled to have Emma Carlson Berne author of Still Waters on the blog for a little chat as a part of her Still Waters blog tour.

Hi Emma, welcome to TBR's! So first thing first....please tell us a little about yourself.

Perpetually insecure writer who refuses to cut her too-long hair and prefers jelly doughnuts over custard-filled.

Hello Yum! Jelly filled, glazed, chocolate....give me any donut and Im in someplace called heaven...lol...or big bootie land. Donuts and I have a bad relationship, there deceiving goodness has resulted in a Snap Fitness membership and making 2012 resolutions....Ooops...sorry Emma, getting off track here and Im sure donuts did not inspire your book, hence the question: What inspired you to write Still Waters?

I just love scary stuff. Really, I’m macabre at heart, though I look so harmless on the outside. My mind tends to go to dark places (people are always saying, “how do you think of those things?”). When it came time to write something new, I played around with various, sunnier ideas for awhile before succumbing to my natural impulses.

Epe! And let me tell you readers, Still Waters was amazingly creepy.....On that note Emma, did any major research or traveling go into writing your book?

Does traveling in my mind count? Oh, the joys of staring out my window at the weedy lawn and vacant cottage next door. That was as far as I traveled. As far as research, I just hope the FBI never goes looking at my Internet search history. It even freaks me out.

If you could choose a song that encapsulated Still Waters, what would you choose?

Simon and Garfunkel’s “I Am a Rock.”

lol- that song reminds me of hippies....however after putting it with your book I may never think of it the same...........after listening to it, I got me the shivers.........

Did you always want to be a writer?

Yeess. . .and no. I always wanted to be a ballerina actually, despite having no dance ability or natural rhythm whatsoever. After that came veterinarian, despite hating science and medicine (I just liked the animals.) Careers like writer or editor or librarian always struck me as kind of boring. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized this was because writing and reading were so ingrained, so a part of me, that they were like breathing.

I rarely thought about writing and reading in a conscious way – even now, I still read fairly mindlessly, just sucking up books in huge gulps—trash, literature, biographies, travel, anything, anything at all. If I’m stuck somewhere without something to read, I’m known to go through my wallet and read receipts and the backs of credit cards.

What books or authors have inspired your work?

Well, Stephen King was a huge influence on me growing up (as several people have noted, Still Waters refers heavily to The Shining, one of the great scary books of all time.) And all of my favorite authors from both childhood and adulthood—Beverly Clearly, Lois Lowry, Katherine Patterson, Katherine Dunn, Margaret Atwood, Jane Smiley, Charlotte Bronte, Somerset Maugham, Poe, H.P. Lovecraft. I realize this is somewhat of an eclectic list and that Beverly Clearly isn’t exactly a horror writer. I was inspired by them in the sense that they wrote stories I’ve never forgotten.

The Bronte sisters are in their own league of creepy and were my favorites as a teenager (what can I say I was odd)....of course Penny the Clown still haunts my dreams making Heathcliff look like a Carebear so maybe creepy isn't the right word........

What are you reading right now?

Right now, I’m rereading Lolita, one of my very favorite books. As an aside, you know you’re a huge nerd when you spend half an hour reading Martin Amis’s scholarly introduction to your brand-new copy of Lolita and enjoying it hugely. It’s hard to believe a dense wordy book about a pedophile could be hilariously funny and highly entertaining, but it is. In more huge nerd-dom, I actually used to read this book with a pocket dictionary by my bed so I could look up all the obscure words I didn’t know. This is my idea of fun.

Any future plans for Emma?

Yes! My second thriller, NEVER LET YOU GO (formerly CLOSER), will be out in Fall 2012. This is a darker tale about a twisted love triangle – it’s a fair bit gorier than Still Waters, and a lot of fun, I think. I just received the printed galleys, which is always a nice treat (“oh wow, it’s starting to look like a book!”)

I cant wait to read your new book in the fall and hope Still Waters gets great buzz this year. Thanks again Emma for stopping by!!

GIVEAWAY!!!

Thanks to Emma and Simon and Schuster, today I have 3 (THREE) signed copies to giveaway to any US-follower at TBR's. Winners must have a US postal address (no P.O Boxes) Please leave a comment to enter. Winners will be announced on my review of Still Waters and notified by email Jan 11, 2012. Thanks and Goodluck!

SURPRISE- This contest has been extended until Jan 17th!! Dont miss your chance to win...!!

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

Hannah can’t wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget. But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit … off. They can’t find the town on any map. The house they’re staying in looks as if someone’s been living there, even though it’s been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety. Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

2011 Rewind and 2012 News

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

Is it really the end of another year? Well let me tell you peeps, 2011 flew by, my kids got older, my butt got a little bigger and blogging once again was a great part of my life. So today I thought I would take the time to recap all the highlights. The reading, the movies, the events.....it was a busy year!

The Books-

There are still so many I need to read from 2011... but out the vast majority of books I did read this year (166) I feel these books shined the brightest...........

YA Top Ten....

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Die for Me by Amy Plum

Divergent by Veronica Roth
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Imaginary Girls by Noma Ren Suma
Recovery Road by Blake Nelson
Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
Where She Went by Gayle Foreman

Adult Fiction Top 5

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

The Other Life by Ellen Meister

Inspy Picks..Top 5

To Die For by Sandra Byrd

Dry as Rain by Gina Holmes

She Makes it Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
Holy Ghost Girl by Donna Johnson (Memoir)

Favorite Indie Book

Planning to Live by Heather Wardell

The Movies....

I Loved...Top 10

Breaking Dawn (minus awful wolves talking part)
Harry Potter-DH-2

Jane Eyre

Larry Crown

Puss in Boots

Rise of The Planet of the Apes

Soul Surfer

The Debt

The Help

We Bought a Zoo

I want my money back.....

Bad Teacher

Red Riding Hood

Season of the Witch

TV- New and Ongoing Shows that I watched and loved.

How I Met Your Mother

Revenge

The Vampire Diaries
The Walking Dead

New Shows I tried and tossed....

An American Horror Story
Ringer

(I had a ton of fun with Netflix this year as well.....Check out the Post to see what new shows I loved and hated)

Book Challenges for 2011

Parajunkee's Vampire- 18/20- SO CLOSE

BHSoulmates Zombies- 6/10 - Almost

BHSoulmates Steampunk- 0/10- FAIL

The Unread Readers Show me the Free- 0/12- Uber-FAIL

Bewitched Bookworms-Audiobook- 122.42 Min/300- Made it to the first level...Woot!

Book Vixens-Nicholas Sparks- 1/10- Blew It

Steel Droppings- R.I.P- 0/2- EPIC FAIL

LOL- So I managed to complete one challenge this year, although my vampire and zombies came pretty darn close. I found out this year that I really love audiobooks...(Die for Me being my fav) and that I shouldn't sign up for so many challenges. For 2012 Im doing Missie's Buy the Cow and one audiobook challenge...hopefully a very doable goal.

Biggest Events- Most Page View Posts

Waterfall Wednesdays- a read along of Lisa Bergren's Waterfall. The turn out was great (30 gals) and Im now committed to doing more read-alongs in the future, kicking off with Tempting Tuesdays a Some Girls Bite Read Along for the month of January.

The Faith and Fiction Round Table-...(hosted by My Friend Amy) was a group of bloggers (including me) who discussed six books over the course of 2011 and then posted thoughts on the discussion. These posts got the most page views this year on my blog with a surprising turn out for my Hell House post (discussing Small Town Sinners) which got over 12,000 page views- the highest post for the year. Now 12 thousand views might be small potatoes for most bloggers but for me and my little corner at TBR's that was huge.

The Saturday Spotlight was a great success this year, I had some really fun posts and Im already booked into Sept of 2012 for Indie authors. Some of my favorites in 2011 were:

Anne Tibbets
Augusta Blythe
Artie Van Why
Helen Laibach

Blog News- Whats Ahead for 2012?

Well first off we have Tempting Tuesdays- the Some Girls Bite read-along in January and some other fun read-along's throughout the year. I will also be participating in a few Faith and Fiction Round Table talks, so plenty of great discussion posts coming up.

In 2012 I have some really great Indie authors being spotlighted and April here at TBR's will be an entire month devoted to Indie authors and the marvelous trend they are making on the book world. I cant wait to share some of these interviews and book reviews with you all.

This month I will also be introducing you all to Tonya, a great gal who will be guest blogging here at the blog occasionally throughout the year.

I also have Rachel, the Goddess of blog design at Parjunkee's View giving me a revamp, so sometime this year TBR's will have a new look.

Im also planning a 1000 follower giveaway- Im so close and the giveaway will be super!

Goals for 2012

2012 is all about organizing- the blog and my life. I really want to simplify things this year and make life more stress-free. Im planning on some major house projects that include some big time purging, a kick-butt garage sale, a huge book clean out and some sweet revamping in the home. While the blog of course will still be an active part of my life, posting here will begin to slow down as I focus on organizing things in my personal life.

January will be pretty busy here along with Indie April...but my overall goal for 2012 is posting Mon, Tues, Thursday and the Saturday Spotlights. Im also debating on blogging about my home organizing adventures, I found an amazing blog (iheartOrganizing) that has given me tons of advice to get started. The first item on the list is the kitchen...(Epe!) But of course things can always change, so who knows what adventures lay ahead in 2012.....I say Bring It!

Hopefully this year will less the stress and de-clutter my life. Thank you to all my readers and friends here at Tinasbookreviews, its going to be a fun year!

The Saturday Spotlight with Carey Jane Clark & Giveaway

2011-12-31T10:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature hosting Indie, debut and self published authors. Today I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

CAREY JANE CLARK
~Author of After the Snow Falls~

Find Carey on the Web~Goodreads~Twitter

The Power ofForgiveness

by Carey Jane Clark

Three years ago,when our family uprooted itself and moved to China, After the Snow Falls was almost finished. While there, and when wereturned home to Canada, my husband and I encountered circumstances that werevery trying. Circumstances through which we had to walk out a lifestyle offorgiveness—not just once but over and over.

During that time,my husband and I learned a great deal and grew stronger as people and in ourmarriage. However, in the midst of this period, I developed symptoms of anallergic reaction. Every evening around dinnertime, my throat and eyes becameunbearably itchy. This went on for at least two weeks. I’d finally had enoughand prayed about it. The answer I received was that I needed to forgive. I honestlythought that I had already forgiven, but confronted with truth, I realized Iwas still holding resentment against an individual. When I finally released theoffense, healing was almost instantaneous.

While we lived inChina, the effort involved in learning the language, homeschooling my threechildren and settling in to life in a new culture prevented me from writing. Whenwe returned to Canada and I picked up the story again, I was afraid at firstthat too much time had passed and I wouldn’t be able to jump into the storywith my whole heart.

But as I read andrevised what I had already written, I discovered a fresh passion for Celia, thecontrolling mother whose life is out of control; Alfie, the misunderstoodfather who can’t seem to find a way to his daughter’s heart; and Caleb, thechild who grasps hold of faith in a personal way and disarms his mother and hisgrandfather by the simplicity of his belief.

I also saw clearlyhow the story needed to resolve itself—that the message I had lived through inthe years that the story lay seemingly dormant was the message of this story:the power of forgiveness.

It has been saidthat holding on to unforgiveness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other personto die. Doctors are now waking up to this fact. In a story broken by CNN thisyear, doctors have even come up with a new diagnosis to explain the physicaleffects of unforgiveness: PTED (post-traumatic embitterment disorder). Theyclaim that bitterness interferes with the body’s hormonal and immune system.

I believe that themessage of After the Snow Falls is a timelyand powerful one, and I hope it reaches many hearts in need of encouragement.

~Thank you Carrie for those inspiring thoughts. I know this time of year is a celebration of family and friends but for some tragedy and heartbreak can be hard to deal with. I hope your novel does reach that certain heart that needs it.

GIVEAWAY

Today, thanks to Carey I have one eBook (format of your choice) of After the Snow Falls to giveaway to one of my readers. To enter please just leave a comment. Winner will be contacted by email Jan 7, 2012.

After the Snow Falls by Carey Jane Clark

In the middle of a soccer drill, in an awful, awkward moment, Celia Bennett's eight-year-old son Caleb lands on his face and chest in the grass. The diagnosis blindsides her, bringing her face-to-face with every parent's worst nightmare. Desperate to save her son’s life, Celia pursues a cure through alternative medicine, but her quest ends in frustration and disappointment. Facing despair, hope walks in on the most unlikely set of legs, when her father returns after a 30-year absence. Can she release pain to embrace hope? Will it make a difference, or is it too late?

Merry Christmas~2011

2011-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year friends. Tinasbookreviews is going on Christmas vacation, I will see you all in 2012, I cant wait to share some new stuff here at the blog. Until then enjoy the holidays, eat lots of holiday treats and love on your family.

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Faves of Twentyeleven - The Covers

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Its day five of Inkcrush's faves of twentyeleven!! Today is all about the covers and there were some great ones this year!

My top ten cover faves were:

Imaginary Girls

Why I loved it: The Colors and obviously the suspended still girl in water. It makes you wonder looking at her, what twisted tale she has to offer. After reading this the entire feel of being suspended made perfect sense.

Wither

Why I loved it-

This whole cover tells a story on its own. I also love the use of the black and purple.

Warm Bodies

Why I loved it- I love the red flying cape- it certainly makes the cover what it is. I also love the thought that the cape is actually brain blood from R's mind as it explodes from his conscious. Of course that's just my take......

Die For Me

Why I loved it- The Dress, the backgound- the whole feel of the picture says seduction, Paris and romance. Besides the dress (which doesn't fit the way Kate dresses) the mood it creates fits the story perfect.

Prized by Caragh O'Brien

Why I love it- The blue flowers and pink coloring, I think it screams I am Gaia and this story is all about me and the beauty hidden beneath my scar.....

Yes I do believe this is not the US cover, but Im going to pretend that it is... because I absolutely love this cover and really want to own Prized in this edition- (Switzerland maybe...?). The Birthmarked cover is similar with the use of the flowers and themed color...LOVE it!

To Die For by Sandra Byrd

Why I love it- Look at those dresses!

I think just the beauty of the colors and creamy skin of the women make this a breathtaking cover. I also think the way the girls are staring explains the relationship perfectly. One who is obviously dominate, while the other is the devoted.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Why I love it- Tricky, tricky, tricky.... yet simple. It took me forever to figure out what was really going on in this picture.....(look close do you see it) Well I didn't until I really focused on her feet.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Why I love it- Please- I want my own circus to hold in the palm of my hand.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Why I love it- A gorgeous use of red, black and white with an eerie almost Gothic feel, yet at the same time has a striking appeal with the flowing hair and shadowing.

Vigilante

Why I loved it- Its very inception looking dont you think. I love the 3D feel and green coloring. Fits the superhero vibe perfect!

And that is all for my faves of 2011......what were yours??

Faves of Twentyeleven- The Random

2011-12-22T08:45:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone...today is day three of Inkcrush's faves of twentyeleven. Its all about random today!
To join in the fun visit Nomes and sign up!

The Random

Fave first sentence

No Favorite sentence but I did love the opening quote in Ashes-

"I tell you the past is a bucket of ashes" - Carl Sandburg

Fave book title

Wither - The title was brilliant, considering the disease that plagued the women withered them away by age 20....not only that but a gals life really wasn't her own once dragged into polygamy or prostitution, most of them mind body and soul- withered until death.....

Fave reading experience (ie: created a great reading memory)

The River of Time Series- (Waterfall, Cascade and Torrent)

Book with the best food in it (made you so crazy-envious-hungry)

Hmmm- No food books that I can think of....

Book with the most sensual weather (made you shiver/sweat)

Die for Me by Amy Plum- everything was sensuous- the rain, the atmosphere, the night, the daytime in Paris.....I loved it

Most embarrassing book cover (feeling sheepish in public or just plain ugly)

Covers in general this year were really great and I don't read the really bad smutty covers so my pickings are slim....however Torrent by Lisa B- gets an honorable mention due to the whole Kmart wig issue on Marcello....(and yes poor Lisa already heard me complain about that wig) good night it looks like a wild animal on his head..(lol).....so when you do finally meet Marcy.....think about this pic instead...;)

Can’t believe you waited this long to read the book (!)

Enclave by Ann Aguirre (Seriously this sat on my shelf for months...Im CRAZY)

Book you'd give your mum/sister to read

The Violets of March- by Sarah Jio

Book you'd give your dad/brother to read

The Priests Graveyard by Ted Dekker

Book you'd like to give your past-self to read

Saving June by Hannah Harrington (so I could gain some sense on my music choices!!)

Book that lived up to (or superseded the hype)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Book you stayed the latest to finish (confess!!!)

When She Woke- stayed up until 3:30am

Book you were *dying* to get your hands on the most

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Fattest brick of a book you read (by page count)

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Killer cliffhanger award

Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

Faves of TwentyEleven- The Scenes

2011-12-21T10:40:00.000-05:00

Today is day three of Inkcrush's faves of twentyeleven. Its all about The Scenes! To join in head over to Nomes and sign up!

The Scenes

Best first chapter

When She Woke- the entire premise is set up in that first chapter, we get present, past and whats coming for the character in those first few twisted hours of waking as a Red person. I was hooked within two pages.

Best Climax

Die For Me- When Kate faces the evil enemy of Vincent's clan. The fight, the drama, the aftermath.....so nail bite-exciting!

Best ending

Torrent- Gabi's long journey and decisions for her life are finally complete. I even cried a bit with the sheer happy of all the characters outcomes.

Best plot twist/revelation (no spoilers!)

When the duo of Enclave go above and discover a world outside of the tunnels.

Scariest/most disturbing scene

Disturbing- When She Woke- After Hannah is released, shes sent to an Enlightenment home. The things she has to do for therapy sake almost made me puke.

Scariest- The Other Life- When Quinn finally realizes what the black spot under the china hutch was...(ohh I got the shivers just thinking about it)

Steamiest scene (or sweetest/sexiest kiss award)

Delirium- Lena and Alex's scene in which they shed their shirts and make-out... Yet the scene was really romantic and sweet too.

Best swoon-worthy moment

Waterfall- When Marcello places Gabi's hands on the wall-stone thing to save her...um wow that was a swoon make me fall in love with you moment!!

Biggest nail-biting moment

Ok so besides the scene in Die For Me, there is a scene in The Violets of March, where we find out what really happened to Esther that cold night on the cliff....EPE!!

And I cant fail to mention the scene in Cascade when Gabi is caught by evil old dude who rips her clothes off with his sword.........

Most Hilarious Scene

Holy Ghost Girl- Most of the book talks about life in a strict religion, however Donna's insights and observations of adults as a young child had many laugh out loud moments to break up the serious stuff.

Most heart-breaking/tear-jerker moment

Heart Breaking- Bitter End- The first time Cole punches Alex in the face, and watching the domestic abuse unfold, while nobody does anything to stop it.

Tear Jerker Scene- To Die For- When Anne Boleyn gets beheaded and the aftercare Meg does for her.

BONUS: favorite meet cute

Faves of Twentyeleven- The Characters

2011-12-20T10:10:00.000-05:00

Today is day two of InkCrush's faves of twentyeleven. Today is all about the characters! If you would like to join in head over to Nomes and sign up with the linky!

The Characters or an Ode to the River of Time Series.....

Favorite female main character

My Favorite gal this year was Gabriela Betarrini from the River of Time Series.....(you can see my character assessment and a pic of who I think could play Gabi here...)

Favorite male main character

Marcello Forelli from The River of Time Series

Best couple

Gabi and Marcello from The River of Time Series (Waterfall, Cascade and Torrent)

Who i so want to be best friends with

Merit from the Chicagoland Vampire Series

Who I fell completely in love with (new literary crush)

Smoke from Aftertime...

Worst (best & baddest) villain

Best-The Evil Father from The Poison Dairies

Best character twist (who you loved then hated or vice versa)

Hated then Loved- Lord Greco from The River of Time Series...he was such a butt in Cascade....however in Torrent I wanted to kidnap him and bring him home with me!!!

Best kick-arse female

Deuce from Enclave

Best kick-arse male

Four from Divergent

Broke your heart the most

Adam from Where She Went

Favorite pet/animal character award

Besides that cat in The Iron Queen..I have no clue......

Best YA parents award

The Betarrini's ( Gabi and Lia's parents) from The River of Time Series

Favorite sibling relationship

Kate and Georgia -sisters from Die for Me by Amy Plum

Favorite best friends/friendship award

Anne Boyeln and Meg from To Die For

Best/worst character names

Best-Finley Sinclair from There You'll Find Me

Worst- Tris from Divergent- and only because I kept rhyming it with piss.

Bonus: best love triangle

So many of them...however my favorite tangle me up in a big messy ball was Gabi-Marcello and Lord Greco from Torrent!

Faves of Twenty Eleven- The Books!

2011-12-19T12:04:00.000-05:00

So this week Im joining in on InkCrush's fun event faves of twentyeleven! This will be a great way to share my faves with you. To find out more info check out the faves post and you can join in daily this week.

The Books

Favorite book read in 2011

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Im not sure yet how to even review this novel. My hero Alice is an author I've kind of vowed not to review and only because it intimidates me to try and put words together about my favorite author...I have to say though, this is probably the novel of her career, it was a beautiful and exquisite read.

Most Powerful Book

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

By far the most infuriating, thought provoking, blood boiling, controversial book I read this year...yet at the same time had the most powerful message of hope and self worth a woman can travel.

Brilliantly funny

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

Oh my goodness talk about funny chemistry and laugh out loud dialog! Jenny B. has a personality that sparkles through her writing.

Best ache-y, heart-breaking, tear-jerker read

There You'll Find Me by Jenny b. Jones

LOL- well I guess I had a thing for Jenny this year......
Tragic loss, emotional stress, faith issues, dramatic romance...vampire actors!? Its all there and I loved it. Jenny has an amazing voice that captures the YA audience with an honest and uncheesy look at the issues they face.
(Second up: Where She Went by Gayle Forman)

Most Beautiful Story

Dry as Rain by Gina Holmes

A story about forgiveness and second chances....I had a really hard time in the beginning grabbing a hold of the idea that I could like a character who cheated on his wife. However Eric wound up stealing my heart and my forgiveness.

Delicious rainy day comfort read

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Ok- so maybe this book isn't comforting....BUT it is a delicious read and perfect for a gloomy rainy day. I heart Lauren Oliver and cannot wait to carry on with the series.

Adrenalin-fuelled, unputdownable award

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Holy Smokes! I loved Divergent and read it in one setting! Action-packed, fuel pumping dystopia. What more could we ask for in our drooling aftermath of Hunger Games mania.

The Beautiful Prose award

The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

This was such a gorgeous story. The details and writing gave the story a feeling that placed me on the beach and transported me back to the 1940's... I could hear the water, smell the breeze and feel the romance.

Most atmospheric and vivid setting

Die For Me by Amy Plum

I adored this novel. I actually read it and listened to it on audio...and the second time through made me like it even more. I loved the Paris setting, the french flair of the book and the whole setting of delicious art and warm coffee.

I-so-want-to-go-there award

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Not that tunnels and meeting freaks is my thing....but I think in the end where the characters are would be cool to see. A world full of danger and drama...I could handle that for a few hours.

Most Original and Imaginative

To Die For by Sandra Byrd

So we all know who Anne Boyeln is right?...But what if she wasn't the evil cad history tends to make out of her? What if she truly loved Henry and was a woman of unfortunate events. Sandra's look at a much more compassionate Anne truly touched my heart and presented a story of friendship and love.

Best under-appreciated, hidden gem book

Class Collision by Annette Mackey

I loved this book! Mackey's story was full of mystery, drama and tragic suspense. Even with its lovely writing and soft but addicting story, I've seen this book fly under the radar this year! I hope more of you pick this up and give it a try.

I-had-no-idea-i-would-love this-so award

Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

I like zombie books, however what I don't normally read is adult PNR and shiver me timbers, Sophie's book just blew my socks off, be it the steamy romance, hot Smoke or just Cass and her kick-butt self- I wound up loving the story!!

Most Haunting Story

The Other Life by Ellen Meister

Imagine if you could slip through a crack in your wall and wake up in a life that could of been.....but never knowing if it was real or the madness taking over your mind. This book was so good and haunting in the sense of mental illness creepy that it left me with the chills...

Outside my comfort zone but gosh how i loved it

You Know When the Men are Gone by Siobhan Fallon

Outside of my comfort zone by means of short story compilations.... I listened to this on audio and found it to be one of my favorite reads of 2011. Every story offered insight to military life without a bunch of political agenda. The storytelling was genius and easy to break down into hour daily listens over the course of a week.

Series that I’m loving

The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

I LOVED this series!! And Im looking forward to jumping into Bloodlines....while these were a tad bit mature in the sexy department for YA novels, I did enjoy Mead's writing style and have considered trying her adult novels.

Always Recommending this Book Award

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

I have recommended this book to bloggers, readers, my friends, family, the librarians, all the moms in my kids schools...along with every teenager I talk to about books. I loved this book so much that myself and some other fabulous bloggers got together and did Waterfall Wednesdays, a read-along which turned out an amazing 30 participants and a great book discussion.

Completely awesome premise award

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

This book had a cleaver and shockingly good premise, while Girls was a bit slow building and odd to say the least, the writing and layout of the story proved to be pretty brilliant when it all came together.

Would make the best movie

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

A zombie with a heart...a zombie who eats brains and gains a conscious.....R turned out to be a true little gem this year in a vast array of zombie books. I know this would make an excellent movie....Im looking forward to seeing what they do with this on the screen.

Want to re-read already

Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Vampires and Unicorns....whats not to love? I actually read this in Ebook format so Im excited to read my newly bought edition sitting on the shelf. Now to just have Sarah come over for coffee and sign it...that would be AWESOME!

The Saturday Spotlight Featuring Anne Tibbets & Giveaway

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature at TBR's celebrating Indie and debut authors. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

ANNE TIBBETS
~Author of The Beast Call~

Find Anne on the Web~Twitter~Facebook

The Bella Syndrome

by Anne Tibbets 2011

I have a confession to make: I have not read the Twilight series. Shocking! I know, right? Here I call myself a Young Adult author and I haven’t read any of the most popular paranormal romance teen series since…since…I don’t know when…

Pathetic.....I’ll take my flogging To Go.

Anyway, with that confession out of the way, let me tell you why. First, my best friend’s mother is in love with Edward. This would be perfectly acceptable except my best friend is in her forties, and her mother is in her sixties. So, somewhere out there in the world there’s a sixty-ish year old widow with an Edward pillowcase, an Edward doll, an Edward throw blanket, an Edward poster behind her bathroom door, and a dog named Bella. I know this because I was with my best friend when she bought half of those items. I found this a little creepy. So, my first impression of Twilight was that Edward was the world’s most perfect man, er, vampire, enough so that a grown woman could lose her senses over him. Call me skeptical, call me cynical, call me a total drag, but I found this very hard to believe. It made me suspicious.

So in my heightened state of curiosity I made a critical error, I watched the first Twilight movie, before reading the book. BIG MISTAKE. It’s one of my cardinal rules, it’s something I preach to my children and any child who asks me my opinion on whether or not the movie of a book is better or worse…The book is ALWAYS better. Right? So why I decided to rent Twilight one lonely night while my husband was out of town is beyond me. Stupid. Needless to say, I didn't much like the movie, for one rather large and glaring reason.

I hated Bella.

Forget liking Edward, who to me, was a bit too stalker-ish for my taste, but I could not for the life of me figure out what he saw in Bella. Okay, so she smells good. What is he, a dog?

The sole purpose for his obsession is because she stinks well? Oh, and he can read minds, but he can’t read hers? Is that right? I seem to have blocked the details of the movie out of my mind in an effort to erase the experience from my memory. But, I press on: this guy lives for over a hundred years, has literally thousands of women to choose from, and he picks the sulkiest, most depressed, un-colorful, expressionless blob of a girl he could find?

“No, no!” my best friend protests. She’s read all the books along with her mother, and though she doesn’t have any throw pillows she’s definitely in Camp Edward. “Bella is better in the books. You understand her more. She and Edward are soul mates.” Really? How can Edward tell? Certainly not from looking in her eyes and seeing the love and emotion come pouring out, or did I miss something?

So the movie ruined me. After that, I had no desire to read the books, no desire to see any more of the movies, no desire to have anything to do with vampires, except buy a funny tee shirt I like to wear at writer’s conferences that reads, ‘Buffy Killed Edward.’ Still, in all truth, I owe the movie Twilight a debt of gratitude.

Why, you ask?

"Angel Who"!

Because during my ranting and raving over how much I disliked Bella, and my reasons why, I happened to mention that I wrote a book with the anti-Bella - The girl who isn’t obsessed with her boyfriend -The girl who doesn't need to get saved every fifty pages -The girl who isn’t afraid to stand on her own two feet, and fight, even physically fight if necessary, for what she believes in.

And my friend actually said, “And why isn't it published yet?” Well, because it was sitting in my desk drawer collecting dust and I hadn’t really tried to sell it. Drum roll please…AND – that brings us to The Beast Call. Now, it’s no Twilight. But, if you leave a comment and your email address at the end of this blog post, I will gladly send you a Smashwords.com coupon code for a FREE copy of The Beast Call. I’d love to hear what you think about my main character, Dray. Let’s see how she stacks up. And just on another completely separate note: I send my respect and apologies to Stephenie Meyer. Because without the mediocre movie version of, I’m sure, her very decent book, I would not be where I am today. So, thanks for that.

LOL, I think Twilight has affected all us readers and writers in different ways. Meyer's certainly created a teen genre all her own for the lovers and created the anti-Bella movement for the haters. Ill respectfully disagree that Bella cant hold her own, by the end she turned into a really well rounded gal. But I will agree with you 110% that Twilight the movie was a huge turd!! Thanks Anne for stopping by today and for your generous giveaway.

GIVEAWAY

You heard it folks, anyone who comments on this post gets a Ebook copy from Smashwords!
Please leave a comment and your email to enter.

The Beast Call by Anne Tibbets

Seventeen year old Dray is no ordinary human. But possessing a magical capability to talk to animals in a land where magic is feared, is dangerous. When Dray's adventure hungry brother leaves the family farm to join a rebel militia, Dray follows him, but as Dray discovers her natural warrior capabilities, and word of her magical talents are discovered by the rebel General, Dray becomes an intricate part of the revolution, and the evil King Nuro would like nothing more than to see her destroyed.

Twilight photos courtesy of BeyondHollywood.com

Some Girls Bite- A Read Along!!!!!

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

TEMPTING TUESDAYS

If you take a twenty-seven year-oldgrad-student-turned-vampire with a penchant for sarcasm, add it to the drama ofbeing turned without permission, then factor in an arrogant but absurdlyattractive Master vampire who's unused to having his buttons pushed, what doyou get? Well, I'll tell you. You get Chloe Neill's Some Girls Bite, the first book in her hugely entertainingChicagoland Vampires series!

The lovely Jenny at Supernatural Snark, Rummanah at Books inthe Spotlight, Missie at The Unread Reader, and I are going to be hosting aread-along for Some Girls Bitestarting January 3rd and running every Tuesday through January 31st, and wecannot tell you how excited we would be if you guys would join us! For those ofyou who are unfamiliar with how a read-along works, fear not, it's really easy.

Head over Jenny's and Sign up using the linky (we'd love it if you could grab a button and do ashort post announcing your participation to help spread the word), buy orborrow a copy of Some Girls Bite, andtake a look at the questions for chapters 1-4 listed over at Jenny's today as well. Those five questions will be discussed over at Supernatural Snark to kickoff the event on January 3rd. Simply put a post together wherein you answer thequestions and then come here to link up your answers so that everyoneparticipating can hop around, read, and comment like a giant virtual book club.Fun right? Right ;-)

Below is the schedule for the event so you can follow along.The second five discussion questions will be posted here on my blog- on the 3rdso you'll have plenty of time to answer the questions before we all post againon the 10th.

January 3rd - Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)

January 10th - Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina's Book Reviews)

January 17th - Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in theSpotlight)

January 24th - Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at TheUnread Reader)

January 31st - Special guest post by Chloe Neill and ourgrand prize giveaway!

Everyone who signs up for the read-along and participateseach week will be entered in our grand prize giveaway, with the winnerannounced on each of our blogs on the 31st. The prize pack (pictured below)includes a Sentinel 04 t-shirt, a copy of the second book in the series Friday Night Bites, and a copy ofChloe's newest release in her young adult series Charmfall. In addition to the grand prize winner, two additionalwinners will also receive copies of Charmfall.

International participants: The giveaway is open to you aswell (as long as The Book Depository delivers to your country), though we willbe substituting the t-shirt and Charmfallfor the next 2 books in the Chicagoland Vampires series after Friday Night Bites, so you will receive Friday Night Bites, Twice Bitten, and Hard Bitten.

If you're not familiar with this series, it's an adult urbanfantasy series, but I beg all of you wonderful readers who typically stick toyoung adult fiction exclusively not to write this one off. It's ripe withromantic tension (think Rose and Dimitri in VampireAcademy) and has loads of humor, and I honestly cannot recommend it enough!Have I convinced you yet? No? You need more?

SOME GIRLS BITE

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactlyglamorous, but it was Merit's. She was doing fine until a rogue vampireattacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by anotherbloodsucker-and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make herthe walking undead.

Turns out her savior was the Master vampire of CadoganHouse. Now she's traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at aHyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan "Lord o' the Manor"Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, hehas centuries' worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude- andservitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan's attitude are theleast of her concerns. Someone's still out to get her. Her initiation intoChicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war-and there will be blood.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTERS 1-4

1. Let’s say tomorrow a “vampire manifesto” as Merit callsit runs in newspapers across the country announcing their existence. How do youthink you would react? If you were hesitant to believe initially, what would ittake to convince you they were real?

2. Since being turned into a vampire means complete removalfrom your former life and a new job serving your House in some capacity, whatdo you think you would miss most about the life you live now?

3. What are your first impressions of Merit and how she’shandling all the changes in her life?

4. When you first read the description of Ethan, whatactor/model/person you know pops into your head as the perfect embodiment ofhim? Feel free to include pictures ;-)

5. Do you think Merit’s anger at Ethan himself, not thesituation, is justified?

GRAB THE BUTTONS:

Please feel free to grab a button for the event and we lookforward to having you join us in January!

My Year Long Affair with NetFlix

2011-12-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

So I have had Netflix forever....but never really taken advantage of its online streaming. This year I decided I would catch up on TV shows that Ive never watched but have heard tons of people gasping and fawning over. Ill tell you this year I have had moments of wanting to kick myself for not watching these shows when they aired... to moments of wanting to scratch my eyes out due to the awfulness I was exposed to.....

....so here's the good, the bad and the ugly.

The Good

Lost

Watched Jan 11'- July 11'

Out of all the shows this one took me the longest to get through and was by far the best show I've seen.....ever! When Lost ended I cried....CRIED. Even though Kate was a butt-bag, I was sad it was over. Lost had one of the best emotional endings for TV I've seen. I was a tear-soaked wreck!! JACK I love you.

Sons of Anarchy

Talk about a surprise. I didn't think I would like a show about a motorcycle gang and despite Jax knock me down good looks this show has a kick-butt story-line. As of now Im only on season 3 but I've enjoyed every episode.

Friday Night Lights

I never gave this a chance when it was on TV, only because I hate football movies. But I loved this show like it was warm cupcakes. I think I cared so much about the characters that everything made me cry....even the first episode with Jason Street got me all emotional. I want the Taylor's to live next door to me and I want Tim Riggins over for dinner.....

Army Wives

So this almost made it into the bad pile because Army life is not like what is portrayed in this show....and Joan irritates the crap outta me.

However I couldn't help but be addicted to all the dramatic and cheesy story-lines going on. Claudia Joy and Pam's drama make the show worth watching...and Stefan the Vampire shows up for about 5 episodes as a boyfriend to one of the characters. Im not sure if this show is over or not, Im ok with the way it ended and cant really see how they can drag it out anymore.

The Bad

Felicity

I know, I know I hear you all gasping!! But hear me out.....

I really liked season one, thought it was great and LOVED the season finale. Season two was ok, despite Felicity's terrible haircut, I understood the dynamics of her character and for the most part liked it. Then comes season three and by this time I want to punch Julie in the head so she will just leave the SHOW already and Felicity becomes a feminist and everything turns into crap and then that crap turns into season four and everything just went somewhere into outer space. All that nonsense her and Ben went through so he could follow her in the end just to cheat on her??? That was dumb and had no point.

I really like JJ Abrams shows but that whole end with Ben, the abruptness of Noah and Elena and the time travel malarkey............Not GOOD.

The Ugly

Brothers and Sisters

This show was TERRIBLE...like puke terrible. Bad acting, bad plot and when you break it down to its pure essentials its just a show that gives Sally Field as many dramatic breakdowns as possible in a one hour episode.....oh and whats her name, Ally McBeal- she also gets a chance (every episode) to realize that her political views are stupid, matter of a fact all the republicans featured in the show are complete dumb asses who either lie, cheat or steal, while all the democrats are level headed, honest (HA!) for the people type of people......whatever!!! I stopped watching this turd after season 2.

Breaking Bad

More like breaking my head....Ill admit the first episode was really good....and then I watched the second and it was the same episode...and then when I got to episode 9...I was still on the same episode and got really bored.

Shows I Tried and gave up on in about five minutes..........

One Tree Hill- Oh this was bad....so so bad!! Take a bunch of 30 year old actors and make them pretend there in high-school. Oh wait its already been done before it was 90210 without basketball.

Wildfire- more like wild turds....awful acting, bad plotline, the only thing good about this show was the horse.

And there you have it my year long Netflix fun.

What have your favorites been?

Chatting with Authors- Featuring Megan Rix

2011-12-14T09:06:00.001-05:00

Today on Chatting with Authors, Im welcoming Megan Rix author of The Puppy That Came for Christmas, a memoir on the struggles of infertility and the love of animals.

Hi Megan! Welcome to TBR's, today I would like to ask what a day of writing looks like for you.

My day starts early - usually at around 6 but occasionally 5.30am. Ian gets out of bed and our two dogs, Traffy and Bella, jump on (if they’re not already there.) Traffy’s the star of my first memoir 'The Puppy that Came for Christmas' and Bella’s our latest addition and just one year old.

Ian brings me up a mug of coffee before he leaves for work and if it’s still dark outside (like it is now) I usually do some longhand writing in bed while the dogs snooze if I’m lucky and play boisterously on the bed if I’m not.

Coffee drunk I take Traffy and Bella to the river which is close by.

We usually walk there for about an hour and meet up with dog and human friends. When we get back we all have breakfast and then I get down to writing at my desk in front of the computer.

Currently I’m working on 3 different books: ‘Traffy at Two’ (working title) my second memoir, ‘Cat Magic’ (written as Ruth Symes – it’s the fourth in the Bella Donna series of children’s novels – the first three have just been sold to China – can’t wait to see them in Chinese!) And last but not least - my first children's novel written as Megan Rix, published by Puffin, and coming out in the summer of 2012. It’s called ‘The Great Escape’ and is about 3 pets who narrowly escape death in World War 2 and cross the country meeting Winston Churchill on the way (he was a huge cat fan) to be reunited with their evacuated owners. I loved doing the research!

I swap between the books as the mood takes me. Sometimes I set myself targets like writing 1000 words a day. I think targets are good to have for motivation - but at the moment my deadlines are all looming so I don’t have time to think I'm not in the mood today - I just have to get on with it!

At around 12-00 we're all usually getting a bit stir-crazy so we head off for another walk - usually in the opposite direction along the river bank.

And then I'll do a few more hours of writing in the afternoon while Bella and Traffy have a snooze on the bed. (Very occasionally I'll join them and it’s heavenly!)

I stop writing for the day any time between 4 and 6pm when Ian comes home from work. I don’t usually do any writing once he's back as it's nice to have some family time before it starts all over again the next day!

That sounds like a busy and fun day! Thank you so much Megan for stopping by today, I loved the book and wish you the best of success in your writing career. Merry Christmas!

Author Bio~

Megan Rix was born in London and lived in America, Singapore and New Zealand before marrying and moving to the East of England. When not writing she can be found walking by the river with her dogs, Traffy and Bella, who are usually in the river. She also writes children's books as Ruth Symes: 'The Puppy that Came for Christmas was such a personal story that I chose to write it under a pseudonym. But when it came out I was so excited that I went around telling everyone about it."

Find out more about Megan at Goodreads and the Web

Shelf Cravings {37}

2011-12-13T09:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Shelf Cravings, a weekly dish on all things book. New releases, coming soon, just discovered and on the Nook. This week Im excited for:

~Coming Soon~

Home Front by Kristin Hannah

January 31, 2011 by St. Martins Press

From a distance, Michael and Joleen Zarkades seem to have it all: a solid marriage, two exciting careers, and children they adore. But after twelve years together, the couple has lost their way; they are unhappy and edging toward divorce. Then the Iraq war starts. An unexpected deployment will tear their already fragile family apart, sending one of them deep into harm’s way and leaving the other at home, waiting for news.
When the worst happens, each must face their darkest fear and fight for the future of their family. An intimate look at the inner landscape of a disintegrating marriage and a dramatic exploration of the price of war on a single American family, HOME FRONT is a provocative and timely portrait of hope, honor, loss, forgiveness, and the elusive nature of love.

A Grown-up kind of Pretty

by Joshilyn Jackson

January 25, 2012 by Grand Central

A GROWN-UP KIND OF PRETTY is a powerful saga of three generations of women, plagued by hardships and torn by a devastating secret, yet inextricably joined by the bonds of family. Fifteen-year-old Mosey Slocumb-spirited, sassy, and on the cusp of womanhood-is shaken when a small grave is unearthed in the backyard, and determined to figure out why it's there. Liza, her stroke-ravaged mother, is haunted by choices she made as a teenager. But it is Jenny, Mosey's strong and big-hearted grandmother, whose maternal love braids together the strands of the women's shared past-and who will stop at nothing to defend their future.

The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

January 1, 2012 by Amulet

Anna and Abel couldn’t be more different. They are both seventeen and in their last year of school, but while Anna lives in a nice old town house and comes from a well-to-do family, Abel, the school drug dealer, lives in a big, prisonlike tower block at the edge of town. Anna is afraid of him until she realizes that he is caring for his six-year-old sister on his own. Fascinated, Anna follows the two and listens as Abel tells little Micha the story of a tiny queen assailed by dark forces. It’s a beautiful fairy tale that Anna comes to see has a basis in reality. Abel is in real danger of losing Micha to their abusive father and to his own inability to make ends meet. Anna gradually falls in love with Abel, but when his “enemies” begin to turn up dead, she fears she has fallen for a murderer. Has she?

Touched by Cyn Balog

August 2012 by Delacorte

Nick Cross always listens to the voice in his head. Because if he doesn't? Things can go really, really wrong. Like the day he decided to go off script and saved a girl from being run over . . . and let another one drown. Trying to change the future doesn't work. But this summer at the Jersey Shore, something's about to happen that Nick never could have predicted. He meets a girl named Taryn and finds out about the Book of Touch. Now the path that he thought he was on begins to shift . . . and there's no way to stop things from happening. Or is there? In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he's about to discover--or the choice he will be forced to make. .

Hope Springs by Kim Cash Tate

June 2012 by Thomas Nelson

~Inspy Pick~

Janelle Evans, still reeling from her husband's sudden death two years ago, has come to Hope Springs to help care for her grandmother who is battling cancer.

Becca Anderson is certain that her ministry in St. Louis is about to take off. Yet God seems to be calling her husband to pastor the same church in Hope Springs that his father and grandfather pastored. Neither woman wanted this small town to be home. Pushed out of their comfort zones, Janelle and Becca both realize that healing in their hearts, their families, and the two churches is needed. But neither expects all God has planned as hope springs in the most unexpected ways.

~On the Nook Indie Read~

iFeel by Mariisa Carmel

August 11, 2011 by CreateSpace

One hunts to destroy her. The other hunts to protect her.
She desperately tries to find herself among the midst of emotional chaos. What happens when an unknowing Empath meets a pixie who wears leather, a Snitch who is repulsive and a brethren of burning Angels who can literally light your soul on fire? A whole lot of emotional turmoil and one love story ignited. But love doesn’t come easy to this reluctant Empath, according to her, falling in love would be like pointing the Patriot Missile right at her head. But when she meets Justinian, a fiery Seraph who adopts the task of protecting her life the one terrifying emotion she is running away from suddenly becomes the most empowering in her life.

My bookcase is going to explode with all these new books coming out, the selections just keep getting better! Im so excited to read Jackson's new one! Home Front sounds like an emotional tornado, one that Im looking forward to due to the fact that I myself have lived through an Iraq deployment. The Storyteller promises to sweep me away in its magic. Touched and Hope Springs while very different both offer storys of discovery and iFeel is playing on the Nook right now which is proving to be good so far.

SC Graphic created by The Unread Reader

25 Days of Jubilation!

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

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Today its TBR's turn on the 25 days of Jubilation. A Christmas celebration hosted by some groovy gals. So in honor of the season and the giving spirit Im sharing my top five Christmas movies with you all and giving away a special treat at the end of the post.

Tinas Favorite Christmas Movies

A Christmas Story

This is my number one favorite! We watch this every year on that 24 hour marathon on TBS or TNT..(whatever one...). Its on usually at least for 6 hours while I wrap presents and bake Christmas cookies. Its kind of like its not Christmas unless I see it at least once. I can quote the entire movie, its pretty hilarious.......

"I said the mother of all swears...The F- dash dash dash!!!!

Elf

How can you not like this movie? Will Ferrell is so funny, it doesn't matter that I've seen this 5000 times, it just gets funnier everytime I watch it. At some point I want to work up the courage to answer my phone and ask people what their favorite color is.

Comfort and Joy

So this is probably the cheesiest most corny movie ever....but I absolutely adore it. Its the classic what if story but I really loved the acting and entire feel of the movie. I even bought this movie so I could watch it every year...even though its on Lifetime 20 times throughout the season.

Die Hard

My favorite 80's action movie and it takes place on Christmas. What more could you ask for? A young hot Bruce Willis celebrating the season with a psycho killer. Classic!!!

Its A Wonderful Life

Ill admit while this is one of my favorite movies ever, I rarely watch it. Its kind of almost to sad. I only have a handful of black and whites that I enjoy and this one is by far done very well. Who can watch this and not get swept away by Stewart's performance?

GIVEAWAY

So today Im giving away one of my favorites and you get to choose. Up for grabs is a DVD copy of

Elf, Die Hard or A Christmas Story. This open to everyone including international as long as the Book Depo delivers. To enter just fill out the form.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

The 25 Days of Jubilation continues!
Be sure to visit the rest of these awesome blogs
to see what they have in store for us!

Tuesday, December 13th:
Heidi at YA Bibliophile

Wednesday, December 14th:
Jess at Gone with the Words

Thursday, December 15th:
Lisa at Lisa Is Busy Nerding

Friday, December 16th:
Jen D. at Not now…I’m Reading!

Saturday, December 17th:
Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner

Sunday, December 18th:
Andrea at The Busy Bibliophile

Monday, December 19th:
Karis at YA Litwit & Sarah at Workaday Reads

Tuesday, December 20th:
Katelyn at Katelyn’s Blog

Wednesday, December 21st:
Ruby at Ruby’s Reads

Thursday, December 22nd:
Jac at For Love and Books

Friday, December 23rd:
Asher at Paranormal Indulgence

Saturday, December 24th:
Nikki at Books Most Wanted

Sunday, December 25th:
Merry Christmas!

The Saturday Spotlight with Lisa Darling and Giveaway!

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature hosted by TBR's that shines the light on Indie, debut and Ebook/Kindle authors. This week Im excited to introduce:

LISA DARLING
~Author of The Heart of War~

Find Lisa at: Web~Goodreads~Blog~Buy the book at Amazon or B&N

First I'd like to thank our hostess for having me heretoday, it's a pleasure to be here. Second, when I contacted her I asked, as I always do, if there wereparticular topics of interest to her readers. Like most writers I suppose, Ihate to just go in 'cold' and try to whip something up off the top of my head.If I can get a starting point then I'm great. Tina was kind enough to reply that perhaps I should write about whatinspired me to write the "OF WAR" series and who I'd like to see playthe major roles in a movie.

People have been asking me that last one for a while butI've never been given space to blog about it. So I think I'll take thisopportunity to tell you a little bit about the story, the major players in the"OF WAR" series and then we'll find out who the lucky stars are. I've been interested in and writing about Greek Mythologyfor over twenty years. I was introduced to it way back in high school in1984—yes, The Dark Ages, I know. Itcaptivated me right off the bat and, to tell you the truth, it made me feel asthough I'd found some missing part of myself. No, I'm not Greek. Several yearsago I started writing about or using Ares God of War in my stories. He started out as a minor character, someonein the background but, over time, he grew to a major character and one of mymost beloved characters of all-time. This is the guy that readers either outright HATE or they LOVE to hatehim. Either way, they couldn't getenough of him so he became an absolute goldmine for me as well as being a verylarge part of my life.

Ares, being Ares, was never 'the good guy'. He was never 'the hero'. He tried very hard. He really did. Many timeshe came through in the clinch but more often than not he ended up doing thewrong things for the right reasons or the right things for the wrongreasons. So one day, we got to thinking(the Muse and I); what if Ares fell in love? Not in lust as he so often did and was so outrageously good at but reallove. What would happen to him then? Theidea kept rolling around and rolling around and rolling around in my head untilI wanted to give it a shot but knew it was a loser off the bat. If we wrote the story we'd have to do it fornothing more than our own amusement. Who was ever going to buy Ares as thehero? The REAL Ares, not somewatered-down pansy version of him but the real deal hot-tempered, stubborn,mean streak a mile wide, sexy as hell…the whole nine yards. The idea was too wickedly delicious to pass up. We sat down and started to write.

We needed a woman. Duh. At first MagdalenaMacLeod was this hot 23 year-old chickie who happened to wash up on the shoreof Ares' island. That lasted allof…oh…fifteen minutes, I guess. In myhead, Ares started to yawn and I heard the song 'Hey Nineteen' play in myhead. Yes, some little chickie was nevergoing to be enough to hold his interest for long. We needed someone else,someone wiser, bolder….with…life experience….we needed an older woman. A mucholder woman than is usually portrayed in these types of books. Maggie MacLeod became Alena MacLeod a 245year-old half-fey half-human woman. She is the daughter of a warrior. In order to remind people that she was olderwe gave her gray hair and eyes. I thinkolder women are sexy and I don't mean the ones you see on the TV pushing 'agedefying make up'. I mean REAL olderwomen, those who wear their gray hair as a badge of pride and honor, who knowthey earned every laugh line and aren't afraid to let them show. Othershave disagreed, they don't like her because she has gray hair. To each theirown I suppose. All I know is when she formed Ares stopped yawning, Steely Danstopped playing, and we went full-tilt-boogie down our merry little path.

We have lots of bad guys in the "OF WAR" series…tons actually. There's: Zeus, the Father who loathes Ares but will use him at any turn he possibly can. Apollo, the Brother who also loathes Ares and never hesitates to stick it to him. Aphrodite, the Ex-Lover who's so jealous of the love Ares and Alena share she can't see straight. Cernunnos, the Husband of Alena whom he kidnapped when she was quite young. Raven, Son of Ares and Alena who's true destiny is yet to be revealed but he is one angry young man. We have a few others in there as well. Now that I have, hopefully, piqued your interest…let's talk about that movie.

A lot of people suggest Gerard Butler or Hugh Jackman orEric Bana to play Ares. The two of themwould be excellent choices but I don't really care about the third. However, in my head, since 1995 or so, Ares hasALWAYS been Kevin Smith .That man burst on the scene and stole my heart. I never really got it back. So, personally, I can't ever even imagineanyone else bringing my version of Ares to life. RIP Kevin Smith.

On to Alena. She's a sticky one. I really don't know who would be good atportraying her. Do you have anysuggestions? Liv Tyler was tossed aroundby people but she's not old enough, at least not for my tastes. Even though we didn't write Alena with anyoneat all in mind, somehow, if I could have the above, I wouldn't mind seeing LucyLawless give it a shot....I think that's far enough removed from 'Xena' so as not tobe an obstacle. Then again…Marcia Cross isn't a bad choice either.

Zeus…personally I can't really see anyone else pulling thisoff…

If I could really really really have whomever I wanted forApollo the role goes to….

Brad Pitt….oh Gods I LOVE "Troy" While we're 'shooting for the stars' here, Raquel Welch would make a stunning Aphrodite. Not to mention Susan Sarandon would play well opposite Sir Ian McKellen to make an excellentHera. We could make Tim Robbins Hades or Poseidon.

We need someone toplay Eros, how about….Matt Damon?

Last but never least,we need a hot young man to play Raven. I have no idea who this juicy stud isbut he's got the part if he wants it. Ifyou know who he is please let me know!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks Lisa for stopping by today! How fun to see your actor choices for the book. Im all for Matt Damon playing all the roles!! Best of luck to you and The Heart of War novels.

**Team Matt**

GIVEAWAY

Today Lisa is giving away one Ebook (version of your choice) copy to a reader of TBR's. To enter just leave a comment and a winner will be drawn Dec 17, 2011.

TGIF {23}- Book to Movie

2011-12-09T08:20:00.000-05:00

Tgif is a weekly meme hosted and created by Ginger at Greads. This feature lets us wrap up the week and also poses a weekly question pertaining to blogging, books and what have you. This weeks question is:

Book to Movie: Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

The Best....No Way I can Pick just One

The Stand - based off Stephen King's The Body.

This was my first grown up movie at age 11- in where I thought I was cool laughing at all the funny parts, but actually didn't understand any of it until I watched it years later in my 20's...oh well though, it was still good. I had my first celeb crush (River Phoenix) and then later at 13 watched The Lost Boys and was determined that Keifer Sutherland was the most evil guy on the planet!

Carrie- Based off Stephen King's Carrie

Ok...so I have a thing for Stephen King movies. Anyways this movie scared the craps outta me, especially at the end after everyone is dead and Carrie's hand comes out of the grave and grabs that dark haired chick...I think I might have peed my pants a little..... not to mention this had the greatest movie quote EVER..........."There All Gonna Laugh at You"

Never Let Me Go- Based on Kazuo Ishiguro's NLMG

Despite that give me a razor so I can slit my wrists feel- this movie was done almost perfect to the novel. Of course many details and dialog were left out for movie sake, but the overall feel was to a tee.

The Notebook- Based on Nicholas Sparks The Notebook

Rarely does it happen (looking at you Lord of the Rings) that I like the movie better than the book, but this movie was done so well!! I actually thought the screenplay worked better than the original story and brought it to life....and the ending of course made me sob for about a week.

The Worst-There's So Many.... but I'll Narrow it down to 3

The Time Travelers Wife- Based off Audrey Niffenegger's TTTW

So if you've never read this novel you could probably watch this bizarre little movie and try and wrap your head around Henry and Claire's complicated love story. Or you could be like me who read The Time Travelers Wife and know that a movie (at least this turd) shouldn't have been made. While the casting was perfect, they left out HUGE chunks of the story, discarded characters, changed major plot lines and completely jacked up the ending, which made the story so cheesy compared to the haunting worthy end in the book version.

Twilight- Based on Stephenie Meyer's Twilight

Oh yes Twihards- I went there! Because this movie really sucked, from the terrible acting to the awful makeup and the almost blue film color- everything about this movie (except for the soundtrack) blew chunks. Granted it was really low budget, so the director worked with what she could, but all the eye blinking, bad contacts and bad acting just took Bella and Edward into cheesy cult classic territory.....OR better yet an episode of Mystery Science Theater. Try watching this after you see Breaking Dawn and you'll know what I mean. The actors and directors have gotten much better as time progressed.

My Sisters Keeper- Based on Jodi Picoult's MSK

Cameron Diaz as the mom!!! Are you kidding me?? This movie was stupid and really didn't go along with the book at all, except for the law suit, which was the entire book anyway....and what the crap did they do to the brothers character and the ending, yeah lets not even talk about the terrible crock of nonsense they pulled and took away from the total piss you off shockers that Jodi is so known for.

The Saturday Spotlight with KC Neal win Pyxis
Review- When She Woke
Shelf Cravings
Why Buy the Cow?
Tgif

Well bloggies~ Im off to have a great weekend! Im hosting a cookie exchange Silpada party (come on over ..:) and getting some things done around the house. Ill be reading and starting season 3 of Sons of Anarchy...oh my gosh season 2 was crazy!

**Team Jax**

Why Buy the Cow- 2012 Challenge

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Why Buy the Cow? is a challenge hosted by The Unread Reader & Reading the Paranormal.

The goal: to read free (legal) downloaded ebooks from Amazon, B&N and Smashwords and places like that.

This and my audio challenge will be the only ones I do for 2012 and this page is where Ill be keeping track of my progress.

My goal: The Penny Pincher = 24 books!!

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Shelf Cravings {36}

2011-12-06T09:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Shelf Cravings, a weekly dish on all things books: New releases, coming soon, just discovered and on the Nook. This week Im excited for:

~Coming Soon~

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

May 2012

Seventeen-year-old Gene struggles to survive in a society where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. When Gene is chosen to participate in the government-sponsored hunt for the remaining humans, he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow hunters whose suspicions about his true human nature are growing.

The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

May 1, 2012 by Marshall Cavendish

3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life.

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food. Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus. While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

May 1, 2012 by Bethany House

Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks Kate to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance, takes a leave of absence from her job as a social worker, and the two of them set off. Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man her grandmother has hired to renovate the house. From the first moment she meets Matt, Kate can't help but be attracted to him--he's got a combination of good looks and charisma that draw and tug at her. But she knows there's zero chance of a romance between them. Matt's in love with his dead wife, and even if he weren't, Kate realizes that she's way too ordinary for him. For Matt Jarreau is no ordinary guy.............

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

February 2012 by Flux

I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Davis. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That’s how rumors of rape started.

Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone’s on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger-forcing me to make a terrible choice.

~Just Discovered~

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

October 1, 2011 by Sourcebooks

Eva Ward is a modern woman thrown back three centuries to 1715 only to find that might be exactly where she belongs. There she finds true love with Daniel Butler, but the discord surrounding Hanoverian King George plunges the lovers into a world of intrigue, treason, and love.

~Indie Read~

Minor Adjustments by Rachel Anderson

August 8, 2011 by Cedar Fort

Chicago businessman and bachelor Devon Pierce is completely unprepared to be the guardian of Australian four-year-old Ryan Caldwell. But Ryan's solicitor, Stella Walker, won't take no for an answer. Little does Devon know this "minor" adjustment will grant him a future he never expected to have. Told in a fast-paced, poignant, and witty style, Minor Adjustments will take you on a journey of humor, growth, romance, and love.

So last year I read this book called Crossing by Andrew Fukuda and was blown away by the story, the writing and the quiet quality of Andrews storytelling...needless to say I cannot wait until his book The Hunt is released in May!! And while all these books look fantastic (Dear The Other Life ARC- please find me!!) Im absolutely in heaven listening to The Rose Garden on audio right now.

On my iPod today...

**SC Graphic Created by The Unread Reader.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

2011-12-05T10:45:00.000-05:00

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
September 13, 2011 by Highbridge Audio
Audiobook Edition
Length: 10Hrs 49 Min
Narrated by Heather Corrigan
Review Copy

Plot Line~

Hannah Payne has grown up in a world despite its justice system, very similar to our own, with the same technologies and advances in medicine that most Americans are accustomed to. The biggest difference is politics: a religious sector "The Trinity" cabinet has been added to congress to provide new faith elements to the law and criminals are no longer jailed for crimes but undergo a new procedure called Chroming, a process that dyes the skin a color to match the severity of their crime. Yellows are misdemeanors, Reds are murder and Blues- the sexual deviant- rapists and child molesters. After Chroming, the individual is held for 30-60 days under the constant scrutiny of video cameras that air everything to the national public and then released into society to survive on their own. Many of the Chromes once out face brutality in many forms, from racial slurs and no service, to being beaten and raped. Yellows can get by pretty easy, Red women face daily danger of rape and being trafficked as their skin is a kinky commodity....Blues however have it the worst, most of them do not survive very long- they are found dead, discarded and thrown in trash cans.

Raised under the religious fist of her parents, Hannah has accepted the rules, the faith and the world as it is, with her only sin being a few hidden desires to be a dress maker, Hannah seriously lives in an isolated perfect bubble...that is until Aiden Dale changes her life.

In her twenties, when Hannah begins working at a local church, she meets Pastor Aiden Dale-a beloved, popular televangelist who sparks hope in the people and makes the eyes of his wife shine. He's handsome, charismatic and young and Hannah is hopelessly in love with him. During the months of working together and the ridiculous charged sexual tension between them, Aiden avoids being alone with Hannah at all costs, until the inevitable catches up with him and leads them into to a scorching, torrid affair. The affair eventually leads to a pregnancy, one that Hannah knows cant happen. Aiden has made it clear he will never leave his wife and Hannah being an unwed mother knows she will be abandoned by her family and church, facing this all alone, she decides to have an abortion, an illegal practice in Hannah's world due to the overturned Roe Vs. Wade. After the abortion Hannah gets caught and is charged with the murder of her unborn child, during the trail she refuses to name the father or the abortionist, which only further makes her look guilty to the jury and in the end adds to her sentence: 16 years as a Red, the punishment shadowing the original idea of a woman scorned from Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.

The story begins with her awakening and as she walks the reader back through her affair and the choices she made, we also get to journey with her into a hostile and unknown future. From the shelter she is sent to by her parents who use techniques called "Enlightenment" to reform women, to the people who want to hurt Chromes, to the group who wants to protect them, Hannah embarks on a journey that will test everything she knows about faith and freedom and will bring her face to face with evil, racism, religion and self-discovery in a heart pounding journey of hope.

Review

I was a tangled, absolute mess of emotion when I read When She Woke. I found the content provocative and charged with political and intense religious commentary. A story that made me think, gasp, unnerve and piss me off. The whole issue with the Chroming was in itself brutal, as a reader I was disturbed that this type of procedure would be a punishment, yet at the same time I have no compassion for rapists and child molesters and while I know that was the angle the author wanted me to see, I still even in the end never felt bad for the Blue people, hence my tangled web of emotion. I also had a queasy time getting though Hannah's Enlightenment phase, that was horrendous and very hard to read, the evil and therapy masked by scripture and the person doing it was surely a spawn of Satan.

What was compelling about this novel was Hannah herself and seeing the world through her eyes, as Hannah grew, I grew with her, questioning the same things she did, making her a fascinating character to me, not only because of her incredible strength but her honest and raw vulnerabilities. Even struggling with her faith after the Chroming, her immediate reaction is to defend that which she was raised in without seeing the other side clearly. But these are the things that help Hannah grow and not until much later in the story does she discover what her faith and what religion will be like in her life. Hannah doesn't see her courage at first, as readers we see how that courage transforms her and brings to the surface the Hannah she always was and the woman she will become.

Despite its -insert lesbian scene for added shock value so we can touch on every social commentary possible- I found the story brilliant and unlike anything I've read before. I don't think an author has ever conveyed such deep religious stereotypes and presented them in a way to me that did not offend or make me have a knee-jerk reaction to defend my own faith. Jordan wrote about it in a way that blamed the people and not the religion and she also gave glimmers of light to counteract the zealots and nut bags using religion for the evil they were doing. Even though the strongest positive came through an Episcopal to counteract the Evangelical negatives, I saw tiny threads of genuine goodness through the use of Hannah's father, through a woman who saves Hannah and the maturity both Hannah and Aiden glean about God by the end. An absolute must read for lovers of Dystopia or readers who long for thought provoking, blood boiling emotion, sure to result in powerful discussion and after thought.

Narration

When She Woke was narrated by Heather Corrigan, who did an amazing job bringing Hannah's story to life. Her voice was perfect tone and pitch for the drama and changing themes in the novel. Her accents were fabulous and I found myself completely awed by the story and spent most of the ten hours hiding in my car, the bathroom and listening at night when the kids went to bed. One of those cant stop listening its so good audios.

Rating

Recommended to adult readers only. I've seen this mistaken for YA and please note it is not for young readers. When She Woke touches on mature topics including: Infidelity, adultery, sexuality (mild-graphic) strong language, abortion, social commentaries, freedom issues, rape, human trafficking, racism, hate crimes, homosexuality and a huge emphases on religion-Christianity being the main focus and shown in a negative and positive light.

5/5- Dystopian

Thanks to publisher and Audio Jukebox for Review Copy

Whisper Stories in My Ear Challenge~ 103/300

The Saturday Spotlight with KC Neal and Giveaway

2011-12-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature showcasing debut, Indie, self-published and authors who specialize in Ebook publishing. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

K.C. NEAL

Author of Pyxis. Find out more about K.C at Web~Goodreads~Twitter

Q&A

Hi K.C, welcome to TBR's...to begin please tell us a little but about yourself.

I’m the author of Pyxis: The Discovery, the first book in the YA fantasy Pyxis Series. I work full-time as a Medical Writer, so fiction writing happens evenings and weekends. My background is in science and health, but I always wanted to write books. Pyxis is my debut novel. I live in Idaho with my husband and our dog, Oscar. My husband writes and records music, so we’re often each in our own worlds, writing stories and songs. We wrote a song together last year, which was very cool. I have a whole new respect for songwriters!

What Inspired you to write Pyxis?

I wanted to write YA, but knew I wasn’t going to write a paranormal book with any of the usual creatures. And that wasn’t because I was trying to be different; I really didn’t think I was clever enough to put a new spin on vampires or werewolves or fairies. I’m not really sure where the idea for Pyxis came from, but the first seed of the story was the pyxis box with the bottles full of mysterious colored liquids that influenced people’s emotions. I thought the story would center around the potions, but it grew into something much larger.

Did any major research or traveling go into writing your book?

I wish I could travel to research my books! Maybe someday. :) Most of the research I did was for the terminology. The word “pyxis” came from the research. And I had to find terms like “convergence,” “hypercosmic realm,” and “pyramidal union” to describe the concepts in the story.

If you could choose a song that fit the mood of your book what would it be and why?

I actually made a mix in iTunes with songs that represent different emotional spaces within the story. Mason’s song for Corinne is “Strange and Beautiful” by Aqualung, a really beautiful, haunting song. If you’ve read Pyxis, you should check out the lyrics of this song--they couldn’t be more perfect for how Mason feels about Corinne.

What authors have inspired your work or you personally?

Orson Scott Card definitely made an impression on me. I read Ender’s Game for the first time a few years ago, and looking back I think that book may in some way have inspired me to start writing novels. I love sci-fi, and Ender’s Game just blew me away on so many different levels.

Whats on the horizon for K.C Neal?

Alight: The Peril (Pyxis Series Book 2) is my main project right now, but I also have plans for some bonus material to accompany Pyxis. It may be published with the book as a special edition or on its own, I’m not sure yet. It will include the prologue to Pyxis, so you’ll get to see what happened between Corinne and Mason before he left for Africa. It also will have Corinne’s journal entries, as well as a section from Mason’s point of view. I hope to publish both Alight and Valence: The Battle (Pyxis Book 3) in 2012.

Thank you K.C for stopping by and answering all my questions!! I cant wait to read your book. Best of luck with book two and three.

GIVEAWAY

Today, thanks to K.C, I have one ebook copy to give away to a reader at TBR's. Is all you need to do is leave a comment. This is open to everyone and winner will be drawn Dec 10, 2011.

Pyxis by K.C Neal

Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason. Things take a strange turn when she uses her late grandmother’s food dyes for a bake sale, and her customers suddenly find her irresistibly alluring.

Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same dreams of a dark force that consumes everything in its path. Pursued by shadowy figures and a crazy woman with secrets from the past, Corinne must find out who her grandmother really was. In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she is destined to protect this world--and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free.

TGIF {22}- Writing Reviews

2011-12-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

Tgif is a weekly meme hosted and created by Ginger at Greads. This feature lets us wrap up the week and also poses a weekly question pertaining to blogging, books and what have you. This weeks question is:

Friday, Dec. 2nd - Writing Reviews 101: What's your process for writing book reviews? Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

First and most important because I read very fast and can let my reviews pile up, I always take some notes. At least some pivotal or emotional thoughts I had while reading that I can build on when I actually sit down to write out my review. My reviews are a process, plot, what I thought and would I recommend it?

There are many times when all the things I want to say are in my head but when I go to write it, I lose all those thoughts....so lately I've been using my voice recorder on my iPhone to capture those ideas so I don't forget them later. Its funny listening to myself but it really helps out.

The Saturday Spotlight- Win Carny
Review-Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield
Shelf Cravings
Mini-Reviews and Giveaways
Tgif

Have a safe and fun weekend friends. Im baking Christmas cookies with the kiddos and getting some last minute shopping done. And Im totally still getting over the shocking end of The Walking Dead mid-season final.....I didn't see that last thing coming......

Mini-Reviews {14} featuring Heaven is for Real-Kids and Giveaways!!!!

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Mini-Reviews- In where I get out a few thoughts on a bundle of books I've read.

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

January 11, 2011 by Delacorte

Bought-2/5- YA-Fantasy

Oh me...oh my...try as I might, this one just didn't fly....

Ok so my rhyming may never go down as timeless, but this book robbed me of some time that Ill never get back. Not that it was bad, it was just... Meh.

Alluring as time travel romance is for me, the instant love, make out in 2 seconds flat cliches, really turned this book sour in about three chapters. Lackluster characters, writing that felt to young and girly- call me crazy but even this helpless romantic couldn't see past the fluff. Perhaps it was the speed of lightening plot developments or just a too juvenile feel, Timeless in the end did not work for me.

Past Perfect by Leila Sales

October 4th 2011 by Simon Pulse

Review Copy-4/5- Ya-Contemporary

Holy Adorable!! That's really all I can say about this book.

Chelsea, a very likable character introduces us to the world of summer vacation and working at a job she loves. Big problem though, shes trying to get over her X, Ezra...and guess who shows up the first day of work with her??

Past Perfect was seriously just a fun read. A few hours of shameless sweet, Im sure you wont get a lot of in depth emotion out this one, but its great for a clean-fun (sometimes sad) quirky story of girl gets over guy and has a kick-butt summer to boot.

GIVEAWAYS

Heaven is for Real for Kids by Colton Burpo

November 8, 2011 by Thomas Nelson

Review Copy- 3/5-Inspy-Children

Based on the best selling book Heaven is for Real, Colton Burpo shares his story to even younger readers about his account seeing Heaven. With easy to understand dialog and adorable illustrations, I enjoyed reading this cute story to my toddler. This is certainly a novel you can share with preschool age kids and today thanks to Thomas Nelson I have one brand new copy to share with one of my readers.

Gods Promises for the Teacher by Jack Countryman

September 6th 2011 by Thomas Nelson

Review Copy-3/5- Inspy-Devotion

This was a super sweet and pretty devotional gift book. I found it simple and reassuring with timeless quotes and scripture. This is perfect for a teacher or friend that you would want to pass along a devotional type book to. Today I have one of these pretty little gems to pass along to one of my readers.

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To enter for either of these books is all you need to do is leave a comment and which book you would like (or both) to win. Two winners will be drawn (one for each book) on Monday Dec 5, 2011.