Matrimony Winner

Sorry, I totally forgot to post this but the lucky winner of a copy of Matrimony is:

Anita Yancy!!!

Congratulations Anita and thanks to everyone who stopped by. I'm going to try and have a few more contests in the new year so stay tuned. Anita I will be sending you an email for your address and then I will pass the info on to Mr. Henkin.

Lastly, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

Challenges 2009

So be prepared for the longest post about challenges ever! I've been completely lazy and haven't posted about any of the challenges I've been wanting to join...until now. I totally understand if all of those non-challenge addicted people skip over this post :) And without further ado here we go:





I've joined a bunch of new challenges and the first one I joined was the Jackie's New Author challenge. This one will *hopefully* be easy for me and all I have to do is read 25 new to me authors. Next up, I joined Naida's Romance Reading Challenge. I failed this one miserably last year but I also made a list last year. I'm not doing that this time as I like my reading to be more open and not too regimented. I've been reading a lot of paranormal romances so I should be able to finish this one just fine :) And I only have to read 5 books for this challenge.

I joined JKaye's Young Adult, Seconds, First in a Series, and Support Your Library Challenges. AACK! The Support Your Library Challenge will by a synch as I always go to the library and I signed up for only 25 books. The rest of those challenges each require me to read 12 books and I will be listing them as I read them.







Awhile ago I joined both the Series 3 Challenge and the Book Awards Challenge and neither of which have I been working on. Yikes! So here is my post for these as well and I will begin on these starting now :) Once again I'm not posting lists but for the Series 3 challenge I'm thinking on trying to catch up with the Twilight series or the Sookie series by Charlaine Harris. I'll let you know when I decide.




I'm also joining the Themed Reading Challenge which requires me to read only 4 books with a connecting theme...I'm taking the simplest route. I've decided on cozy mysteries for my theme but haven't made a list in keeping with my free spirit mode. Now there are going to be a couple of challenges I join that I actually make lists for and I will be posting those separately later this week. I'm joining the TBR 2009 and the Winter Reading Challenge which I will make my lists up for. Maybe even later today if I'm feeling motivated. I've decided not to officially join the A-Z Challenge as I really don't care if I finish this one but will be doing it in my sidebar unofficially. Just for fun to see how far I can get next year. I really want to join a historical fiction challenge but haven't seen any that aren't open to any time period. Does anyone know if the Back to History challenge is being hosted again in 2009? JKaye, this would be a great challenge ;) (I'm just saying that since you are the challenge queen). I'm considering the Year of Reading Dangerously but that might be overdoing it. Hah! Like I haven't overdone it already :)
Alright, I'm done for now. I'm sure I'll join a few more as the year progresses...I should join one to read more of the classics since I really need to work on that. Thanks to all of the challenge hosts and I'm excited for 2009. Shoot, I just remembered that I joined the 100+ Challenge by JKaye as well. I've read 70+ this year so we'll see if I can improve on that number next year.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

There isn't much I can say about Twilight that hasn't already been said. The book begins with Bella moving to a little town and meeting Edward. She figures out that Edward is a vampire and falls in love with him. Talk about a brief summary but that gives you the main highlights without divulging too many details.
Now for my thoughts: I liked this book. It was a great beginning to this series and I'm glad that I picked it up. That being said I'm not going to rave about it because while I enjoyed it, it didn't blow me away or anything. Stephanie Meyer is a talented author for this being her first book and I'll definitely be picking up her other books. Edward and Bella's story captured me enough that I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I wanted to see them have a happy ever after...I had to force myself to put the book down at times to get things done around my house. The last portion of the book was suspenseful and had me turning the pages trying to see how it would all play out. It wasn't one of the best books I've ever read but it was enjoyable. All in all, a good read especially for a young adult novel and I will be picking up the next book to see how this story continues.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

On a side note: I'm WAY behind in reviews! It isn't looking good folks as I can't seem to stop reading which means I'm falling further and further behind. I have a couple of books that need to be reviewed so I may do some reviews out of order just to get them done. Plus, I have challenges to post about and other blog misc. Don't forget about my contest that is going on until Dec. 29. I hope everyone had a happy holidays and is looking forward to the new year. And thank you to everyone that stops by here and takes the time to comment. It really makes my day to hear from you guys :)

MATRIMONY GIVEAWAY!!

To celebrate the end of my 1st year of blogging (in actuality I've been blogging for a little over a year but close enough) I've decided to hold a giveaway. Joshua Henkin, author of Matrimony, was kind enough to say that he will send one reader a copy of his new book. I just recently received a copy and am excited to read and review it. I received an email from Mr. Henkin urging readers to buy books this year and I couldn't agree more. But what is better than winning a book? Nothing! Matrimony was on some of the best-selling lists and Mr. Henkin has been talking to reading groups all over the place. I'm looking forward to reading and think that you should be too! I'm going to make this contest short, easy, and sweet. To sign up all you have to do is leave a comment. The winner will need to email me there address and Mr. Henkin will send you a copy of his book :) The contest ends December 29 right before hopefully a great 2009.

Stray by Rachel Vincent

I'm working hard on catching up on reviews and this was one of those books that started my review backup because I just couldn't put it down. Stray is the 1st in this series and introduces us to Faythe who is a werecat. Her father is the leader of the Pride, a large group of werecats, and has always kept a close eye on Faythe as she is one of the few female werecats. Trouble is brewing in the sense that two of the females are missing and there are no leads to who has taken them and why. Before Faythe knows it she is caught up in the middle and is trying to find the answers to who has taken her friends. Faythe is a feisty main character with a lot of spunk that had me rooting for her from the beginning. She is also dealing with being around her ex-boyriend who has obvious feelings for her and her overprotective father and brothers. Faythe had her flaws which in my opinion made her all the more likeable.
This book captivated me from the beginning and I was turning the pages as fast as I could. The author gave the reader a fresh twist on the paranormal and I've gotta admit that this book blew me away. I just really enjoyed it can't say enough good things about this book. There were a few scenes that were hard to read but I don't want to share for fear of spoilers. Not enough to take away from the book at all. I'm impressed as I believe that this is the author's 1st book. I've already picked up the next book from the library and am anxious to start it. Great read!
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Be Buried in the Rain by Barbara Michaels

Be Buried in the Rain has been on my TBR list for awhile now as it was mentioned in one of the Yahoo groups I'm in and sounded good so I knew I wanted to read it. I was in the mood for a gothic thriller and this didn't disappoint. Be Buried in the Rain begins with Julie returning to Maidenwood, the place where she spent a few years growing up, to take care of her aunt Martha. Unfortunately, Maidenwood holds nothing but bad memories for Julie and she has very few good feelings toward Martha who terrorized her as a child. Bones of a woman and child have recently been found and thought connected to Maidenwood and before Julie knows it things begin to take omnious turns.
I loved the way that the author was able to create a creepy, atmospheric novel that drew me into the story. The author kept me guessing until the end especially in regards to Martha. Great read, and I'm glad that I am finally able to cross it off my TBR list.
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Dropping By...

I know that Sunday is usually my day to visit everyone's blogs but I'm in Harry Potter withdrawal. Sorry guys but I've got nothing for you. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was amazing and now I am completely drained... will be back when I can think about something other than this series and how it is going to play out in the final book. Heck, I couldn't even think of a title for this post.

Forever Lily by Beth Nonte Russell

Forever Lily is a memoir that begins with Beth Nonte Russell traveling with her friend Alex to China. Alex is going to China to bring home the daughter that she is adopting and asks to Beth to go along with her. Before and during the trip, Beth has vivid dreams of living in China in a past life. Unfortunately, once they have the baby Alex begins withdrawing from her and Beth begins caring for the baby instead. And then comes the time when Alex says she can't take the baby and has changed her mind. Beth has a decision to make and this book takes us through her journey as she realized that she cannot leave the baby behind.
Wow! I had strong feelings about this book but it pulled me into two different directions. The journey that Beth takes the reader on, that she actually experienced for herself is amazing. She shares the horrors of seeing the orphanage where the baby was living and hard it was to walk away from the children living there. It is easy to understand how and why she grows attached to the baby and to see the reasoning on why she doesn't want to leave the baby behind. Also the difficulties she faces with Alex are portrayed which was interesting to read about as well.
On the other hand, I had a hard time with this book at the beginning because of our different belief systems (I guess that is the best way to put it). The author obviously believes in past lives and believes that she was from China in a previous life. She shared her "dreams" that she was having and they were very vivid and detailed. I had a hard time reconciling this until I finally just let go. I decided to read the book with more of the opinion that this was her beliefs and even if I was skeptical to just read and enjoy. Once I did that I enjoyed the book much more and found the author's story much more satisfying.
All in all, I enjoyed this story especially as I am a mother myself. The ending of this memoir was immensely satisfying and I'm glad that I gave this book a try. Thanks to the author for sending me this one to review!
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris

Grave Sight was the first in this series and my introduction to Harper and Tolliver who are the main characters of this story. Harper was struck by lightning when she was younger and now can find the dead as well as see the last few moments leading up to their death. She makes a living by going to different places and helping people find answers to different situations involving dead or missing persons. But the missing persons have to be dead for her to be able to do anything. Tolliver is Harper's stepbrother and main support system who accompanies her around the country. Harper is called to a small town where she finds the body of a missing girl but before she knows it she is caught up in a mystery and danger is all around her.
I really liked Harper and thought that her "gifts" as you might call them led to an interesting read. I was wrapped up in this book and thought that it was a fast paced read. On the other hand, one of my dislikes (if you can call it that) was that Harper and Tolliver had a weird relationship. I didn't quite understand where the author was going with it so I'm eager to see how it evolves in the next book in this series. It was just different to be honest and I couldn't quite get a handle on it. I really enjoyed this book and will be continuing on with this series though. I'm a sucker for a mystery with some paranormal thrown in which is what this was. Harris is a fairly new author for me as I've only read one other book by her and I'm interested in reading more of her works.
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young

I'm always up for a mystery so when this book came to me for review I was excited to get started on it. Young is a new author for me and writes a mix of mystery/legal thriller. The story begins with the death of a wealthy, prominent African-American man and takes off from there. Early on we are shown that he is having an affair with another man but is married to a woman hence the term "down low". Before you know it there are a few more deaths and one of the detectives on the case is starting to think that they have a serial killer. Mix that up with four friends that are mourning the loss of their close friend Maya. Maya died from aids that she contracted from her husband who was also having a gay affair. All of a sudden it looks like the serial killer theory is more than a theory and that the killer is targeting men on the down low.
This was an interesting read for me. It started off a bit slow but before I knew it I was sucked into the characters lives and trying to figure out who the killer might be. The author took on the difficult issue of aids and homosexuality. I thought the author did a good job providing a lot of information and some fair viewpoints on the issues at hand. The ending took me by suprise as I didn't have a clue to who the killer was. All in all, an interesting read and I'm thankful to the author for sending me this to review.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Challenges: A-Z Challenge ("Y" Author)

The Sunday Salon - Winter Wonderland

I love the first snow. It makes me want to curl up on the couch with a blanket, cup of hot chocolate, and a good book. Yesterday, J (my fiancee) and I decorated the house for Christmas and set up the tree. Later that night we left the kids with my parents and went shopping for the kids. I always have fun going shopping for the kids but the closer to Christmas it gets is crazy in the stores so I like going earlier better. And then I woke up this morning and everything was covered in snow and it just feels like winter :) My son has already been outside playing and throwing snowballs at the dog. Both of them were eating a little bit of the snow which makes me cringe but I remember doing it as a kid as well. What's the weather like wherever you are? Feels like Christmastime to me...
I'm currently knee-deep into Be Buried In The Rain by Barbara Michaels. I've never read anything by this author but I'm hooked already. She reminds me of Daphne du Maurier as she creates a creepy atmosphere and I find myself sucked deep into it. I'm loving this book so far and am hoping to read a good chunk of it today.
I'm behind in reviews but come back tomorrow to check out my review of Murder on the Down Low. It was sent to me for review and I will posting it tomorrow. I also need to get reviews done for Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris and Forever Lily by Beth Nonte Russell. This week sometime hopefully. I'll be by today to check out all of your blogs but everybody have a great week!

Portrait In Death by J.D. Robb

Portrait In Death is another Eve/Roarke installment that had me engrossed from the beginning. This time Eve is chasing after a killer who has been murdering young people and then taking their picture afterwards. She has bigger problems to deal with though as Roarke is forced to deal with some family issues that he long thought were dead. This is another whirlwind of a murder case that had me engrossed from the beginning. What I really enjoyed about this book though was seeing a softer side of Roarke. I just love the way he and Eve work together as well as the way they depend on one another. It is so sweet!
All in all with this series, I'm loving it more and more the further I get into it. I really enjoy the way the author has made the characters grow and develop throughout this series. If I bought books these would be on my must buy list so I definitely recommend them.
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Thanks to all of you who helped me out with my questions regarding changing the background on Blogger. I found a cute one that isn't too distracting so I hope you will all enjoy. Now I'm going to have to work on my header and get a picture or something with my title. Another day for sure as I have a house to scrub down before Thanksgiving. Hope everyone has a great week :)

Saturday Miscellaneous

I've decided to erase all of the challenges I joined this year from my sidebar for a couple of reasons. One, I'm not close to finishing any more of them. My grand total was 1 completed challenge this year...LOL! Secondly, I was really bad at keeping track when some of them ended so I wasn't sure which ones were still ongoing and which challenges had already ended. Score one for Sam not being organized :) Even though I royally stink at challenges I'm already dying to sign up for more for next year. Aack! And here I thought that books were my addiction. I'm probably am going to join some more challenges and who knows...maybe I'll be more organized this time. Yeah right. Still I had fun this year and challenges were what got me blogging so I'm glad I did it anyways.
In other news, my 5 year old thought it would be a good idea draw a heart (for me) on his carpet with marker. I was thrilled. So I got to scrub his floor today which was fun, fun. At least my house is clean though.
I'm looking to change my background for my blog and have something cute. So all of you that have blogger and have figured out how to put up a cute background need to comment. How is this done? All blogger offers is plain backgrounds and I want something cutesy (I know that isn't a word but it is what I'm looking for).
In book-related news I'm in the middle of a review book called Murder on the Down Low. And I've recently finished Portrait In Death which was good of course. Enough outta me already ;)

The Wild Sight by Loucinda McGary

I'm going to try a new format for this review as I was getting a bit bored and sometimes (scratch that all of the time) have a hard time writing a summary. I hate giving away spoilers but want to make what the book is about understandable. Hmmm...quite the dilemma. Anyways, I'm "borrowing" the summary from the back of the book. Here goes:

From Back Cover:
He was cursed with a "gift". Born with the clairvoyance known to the Irish as "The Sight." Donovan O'Shea fled to America to escape his visions. On a return trip to Ireland to see his ailing father, staggering family secrets threaten to turn his world upside down. And then beautiful, sensual Rylie Powell shows up, claiming to be his half-sister...
She's just looking for the family she never knew. After her mother's death, Rylie finds tantalizing clues that send her off to Ireland to find the man listed on her birth certificate as her father. She needs the truth-but how can she and Donovan be brother and sister when the chemistry between them is nearly irresistible?
Uncoverin the past leads them dangerously close to madness...

My Likes:
I liked the setting and the atmosphere that the author created with this book. She gave beautiful descriptions of Ireland and it is a place that I've wanted to visit for awhile now. The fens where a lot of the action takes place seemed mysterious and a bit scary. I wanted everything to work out for the two main characters which kept me reading until the end. I liked the paranormal aspects that were interspersed throughout the book. I especially found the visions that Donovan had interesting in the end of the novel.

My Gripes:
This is minor for sure but really how many times can all of the characters refer to Rylie as a "wee lass". I know stupid, right but after awhile it began to grate on my nerves. I know she is small already! Aack, but really if that is my only gripe then so be it.

All in all:
A good romance read with some paranormal aspects. I liked it but it didn't leave me saying WOW at the end. Thanks to Sourcebooks for sending me this book to review! And to all of you, let me know what you think about this different format. I'm just test-driving it and will probably try something else with my next review but who knows :)

MY RATING: 3.5 out of 5

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

This is another one of those books that I've been meaning to read for some time. Considered to be a classic, Plath's novel takes the reader deep into Esther's mindset as she battles mental illness and depression. Wow, what a ride it was if I do say so myself. When we first meet Esther she is in New York participating in an internship that she won from a magazine along with 11 other girls. Esther's story switches from the present to the past as she goes back and forth between her memories and what she is presently experiencing. And even from the beginning the reader can sense that something is a bit off with the way that Esther is feeling.
When Esther's internship ends and she returns home you can just feel the downward spiral. Plath describes with such detail and the way she writes just made me feel for Esther the entire time. I couldn't always understand the reasoning that made Esther behave the way she did but I was always rooting for her and hoping that she would be able to get better.
In a previous post, I talked about how I wondered if Sylvia Plath based part of this book on her own life. Once I finished the book and read the afterword I had my answer. A lot of Esther's experiences with depression and mental illness are based on Plath's own experience with depression. I can't even begin to imagine the way that Plath felt writing this book let alone ever hearing it critiqued. This was a powerful story and one I'm glad that I took the time to read. Wow!
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Dark Highland Fire by Kendra Leigh Castle

First, just let me say mmm...mmm...good. This was just the book that I was looking for and didn't even know it. Dark Highland Fire begins with us meeting Rowan and her brother Baustian who are on the run from an evil dragon named Lucien. Lucien wants Rowan to be his wife and won't take no for an answer. Rowan is a demi-goddess stuck on Earth until she can figure out how to defeat the dragons (Lucien included) who attempted to kill all of her family and friends. Enter Gabriel, a wolf shapeshifter, whom Baustian entrusts to watch over Rowan while he tries to distract the dragons. Now you've got a hot (did I say HOT?!) love connection between Rowan and Gabriel that isn't as easy as I've let on. But the fun is just getting there and I just loved this book. I was immersed in Rowan and Gabriel's struggles from the very beginning and just fell in love with this book. Which leads me back to my original statement that apparently I was in the mood for a good romance. I'm not a huge romance fan (usually I lean a bit more toward mysteries) but Kendra Leigh Castle has a new fan in me! I couldn't get enough of this book and was actually sad when I finished it. Now I'm going to have to figure out what else she has written because it seemed to me that this was part of a series...I might be wrong but I'm too lazy to go look right now for this post. Suffice it to say that if you like romances and don't mind a bit of paranormal thrown in then this is the book for you. I loved the paranormal aspects and felt that they added to this book. But then again I really loved everything about this book :) Great read and definitely recommended and enough gushing out of me.
My Rating: 5 out of 5

The Sunday Salon- Classics

Good morning everyone! Today finds me halfway through The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. It is such an interesting book to read especially now that Esther is starting to go down a disturbing path of mental illness. I know that this story is fictional but I've been wondering how much Plath based this book off of her own life. There is a foreword in my copy of the book that talks about Plath's life and as I read the book I feel like there are some similarities. I think when I'm finished I will reread the foreword again. I'm glad that I'm finally taking the time to read this book as I've wanted to read it for awhile now.
In other book-related news, I finished Dark Highland Fire by Kendra Leigh Castle this week for a review book. I loved it!!! I'm not sure if this book just hit me at the right time but I was enthralled with it and I'm not a huge romance person. Awesome book but I think that there was a book before this one that I'm now going to have to find and check out. That's it for me now so I'll check out everyone's blogs later today. Have a great reading week!!

Charley's Web by Joy Fielding

Charley's Web was a suspenseful thriller that kept me turning the pages trying to figure out the ending. Don't you just love those kind of books once in awhile? Charlotte aka Charley is a single mother of two and a newspaper writer who writes a popular but controversial weekly newspaper column. Charley doesn't have many friends and grew up in a dsyfunctional family. She receives a letter in the mail from convicted child killer Jill Rhomer and her life begins to change in unexpected ways. All of a sudden there is someone threatening her and her children and she doesn't have anyone to count on.
This was a quick and suspenseful read where I didn't see the ending coming. The question that was constantly in my head was was Jill really guilty and what kind of game was she playing with Charley? There were a lot of family issues with Charley's family and I was rooting for her the whole time. This was a great read and a new to me author which means I'm adding her other books to my TBR list.
Challenges: A-Z Challenge ("F" Author)
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

7 Random Things About Me Meme

I've been tagged to do this meme and since I never usually do this stuff I thought I would give this one a try. Seems simple enough, right? :)

1. I am a library addict. Seriously, I go to the library probably once a week and currently have a RIDICULOUS number of books checked out. I'll never get to them all and I don't care...I just like that they are there. Add that to the fact that if I didn't have two little ones I would probably spend hours there just browsing through the books.

2. As well as a book lover, I'm a huge Scooby Doo fan. My son loves this cartoon as well and one of my favorite things to do to relax is sit with him and watch a few Scooby episodes. If only we had the time to do this more often...

3. I'm a lousy cook. And handling raw meat grosses me out. But I am still learning and working on getting better. I think that I need to try and sign up for one of those free recipe to my email type things. I AM good at cooking spaghetti though.

4. I only take showers. I do take a bath once in awhile to relax but then I have to turn the shower on to rinse off and wash my hair. This is going to sound weird but baths make me feel like I'm sitting in dirty water...even though it isn't like I was playing in the mud and then decided to get in the tub. LOL! Like I said, weird, I know.

5. I had never seen the movie A Christmas Story until I met my fiance. Now it is one of my all-time favorite movies and I have to watch it each Christmas when it is on for 24 hours straight. Drives my family crazy since I could watch it over and over.

6. I love when it rains. And rainy days put me in a good mood. I love a good thunderstorm and like to listen to the rain while I am curled up with a good book.

7. And finally, I love to waterski. Seriously, I'm not very good at it but when I'm out on the boat it is one of my favorite things to do. And such a good workout for my arms. I usually can only make it over the wake once or twice without falling but I can get up on the 1st try. Such fun and my son thinks it is funny when I fall.

So there you go, 7 things you probably didn't know about me. I'm supposed to tag a few others so I'll tag Jackie at Literary Escapism, Kara at A World According To Books, and Lisa at Books, Lists, Life. Plus, anyone else who hasn't done this one yet. And I'll be posting a review of Charley's Webb soon. Happy Tuesday!

Sunday Salon- Halloween Leftovers

Here is a belated Happy Halloween! Next time I will work on getting the pictures up sooner :)

I'm in the midst of reading Charley's Web by Joy Fielding. Really good so far and my first by this author. I just finished Hex Appeal by Linda Wisdom and found a new series that I will be following. I just posted my review so check it out. I've got way too many books checked out from the library and some review books to get to so who knows what I will read next. I'll be by later to visit your blogs but I'll be watching the game with friends so it will be later on tonight. Happy Sunday!

Hex Appeal by Linda Wisdom

Can we just say that I am a series addict? Hex Appeal was my introduction into yet another series that I am most definitely going to be following. I should start off saying though that 50 Ways To Hex Your Lover is the 1st book in this series and one that I really want to get to now that I've finished this one. I received this book for review from Sourcebooks which is why I read them out of order.
The book features Jazz, a fiesty witch with lots of guts and flare, and her boyfriend Nick who is a vampire. Jazz and Nick are both experiencing nightmares that are pushing the couple apart and it seems like magic is involved. I love strongly developed characters along with good world building which is why I enjoyed this book so much. Jazz has a pair of bunny slippers that have been accused of murder, a ghost that lives in her garage, and a bunch of other bits of magic that make up her world and make this book so much fun to read. I really liked the relationship between Jazz and Nick and felt a connection to both of them from the beginning of the book. This book was a great combination of paranormal romance plus mystery and chick lit tossed into one. My only problem being that I wish I had read 50 Ways To Hex Your Lover first. It wasn't necessary and I didn't have a problem coming into the series without reading it but I can be anal that way sometimes. Now I'm dying to pick up the 1st book and see how it all started.
This author has created a unique series that was fun and interesting to read about. I'm looking forward to the next book and of course picking up the first book as well. I definitely recommend this! I think that I've turned into a paranormal/urban fantasy addict as well :)
Challenges: A-Z Challenge ("W" Author)
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is known as the queen of mystery writers and let me tell you this book really reinforces that notion. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd starts off with Roger Ackroyd's murder which has closely followed the suicide of a woman that Ackroyd was believed to be engaged to. There is a question of blackmail tied into the murders and before too long retired Hercule Poirot is asked to investigate. This book is different as it is narrated by the doctor of the town, James. He works alongside Poirot in a quest to find the true murderer and unravel the mystery.
I love Agatha Christie's work and have a personal goal to read all of her books. This book didn't disappoint and the ending blew me out of the water. I don't know why I ever expected less. She really is the queen of the mystery genre IMO. I really enjoy her books for the atmosphere that she creates along with the mystery. These are just fun books for me to read and I can never figure out whodunnit. Great read and I recommend!
Challenges: Anything Agatha Challenge
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

On another note: I'm thinking about changing my rating scale to an A-F scale or 1-10. What do you guys prefer? I wouldn't be changing until the beginning of next year but I am looking for your opinions. Thanks in advance :)

Written In Blood by Sheila Lowe

Claudia is a forensic handwriting specialist who is back comparing handwriting in this 2nd book of the series. I was sent this book for review so I hadn't previously read the 1st book and I'm happy to say it didn't matter one bit. In this story, Claudia is asked to compare the handwriting of late Torg Sorensen to the signature on his will. The will that leaves basically his entire fortune to his young wife and little to nothing to his grown children. Before she knows it, Claudia is drawn deep down into the lies and mystery of this family along with the academy that they own.
I love a good mystery and this didn't disappoint. This book was fast paced and filled with intrigue and it was fun to just let the author lead me where she wanted to go. I liked that it didn't affect me any that I hadn't read the 1st book yet although after reading this I'm definitely going to remedy that. I also thought that forensic handwriting was a different and interesting point of view to help solve the mystery from. With so many mysteries out in the reader world, this was something unique and interesting to read about. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book that she writes.
Challenges:
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

What a perfect read for this time of year! Daphne Du Maurier is a highly skilled author who can draw the reader into the atmosphere of the story she is telling. I'm definitely going to check it out and see what else she has written.
Rebecca begins with a young girl (the narrator whose name is never used) meeting and falling in love with Maxim de Winter. They end up marrying and moving to Manderley. Except the new Mrs. de Winter feels out of place as Maxim was married once before to Rebecca. Rebecca was everything that the new Mrs. Winter isn't. Add to the mix a creepy housekeeper named Mrs. Danvers and an eclectic mix of characters and you've got a great cast. The author creates a creepy atmosphere filled with details that draws the reader into the story. I could picture Manderley by the way it was described.
The story started off a bit slow for me but it was my fault. I needed to slow down and just appreciate the writing and the atmosphere that the author was creating. After that, I was immersed in the story and it didn't let me go. Without giving anything away, the ending of the story took me by surprise. I actually had to go back and reread it as I wasn't quite clear about it. After giving it some thought and thinking back to the beginning of the story, I realized that it was a perfect ending for the story. I ended up really enjoying this book and think that it was a perfect slightly creepy read for this time of the year. I'm glad that I finally read this book and will be looking for more by this author.
Challenges: PBT Challenge (Play Book Tag), LIO Challenge (Lay It On)
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Sunday Salon- Books and More Books

Good morning Saloners! I've been away for a few weeks but am glad to be back and joining all of you once again this week. Last Sunday I was hiking with my kids at a beautiful state park that I used to go to when I was a kid. I haven't been there in years but it was still as awesome as I remember it. Don't you love sharing experiences from your childhood with your own kids? Plus, we hit the pumpkin patch and got pumpkins and apples. Talk about a perfect day! In other non-related news, my daughter turned 1 this week. I can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday....
In book-related news, I just finished Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier last night. Oh man! I love the way this author writes and I kept finding myself having to slow down while I was reading. It isn't one of those books that you need to read fast and in fact it is better if you take your time and enjoy the details and atmosphere that the author creates. I'll be posting a review soon. Now I'm trying to figure out what to pick up next. I'm off to cook breakfast now. Happy reading to all of you!

Edited to add a picture of my beautiful daughter. I haven't shared one in awhile and this is a cute one from today :) And I picked up Written In Blood by Sheila Lowe which is a book that was sent to me to review. Now I'm off for a walk with the kiddos.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this series! And I am kicking myself for waiting so long to read it. The Order of the Phoenix has a different feel to it compared to the previous 4 books as we begin to see a different side of Harry. He's angry that no one believes him about Lord Voldemort coming back and he's angry that Dumbledore hasn't talked to him or let him know what is going on. This is what makes Rowling such an amazing writer. She is able to portray Harry with realistic emotions while still making the reader sympathetic to everything that he is going through. I live in his world when I read these books. And don't even get me started on that evil Dolores Umbridge. Ugh! The things that she did to Harry made me cringe. I flew through this book even though it was 800 plus pages. I love me some Harry Potter :) Seriously though, you've all read these so I'm going to keep this review pretty short. Suffice it to say that I loved this book so much that I had trouble picking up another book as I knew it probably wouldn't compare. I gave it a few days and am now reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. From hearing so many positive things about this book I'm assuming it will be able to fill the big shoes that The Order of the Phoenix left behind. Plus, I was in the mood for a slightly creepy tale. Tis the season!
Challenges: Chunkster Challenge, Lay It On Challenge (Shelfari) PBT (England Tag)
My Rating: 5 out of 5

Kitty Goes To Washington by Carrie Vaughn

In the second book of this series, Kitty is on her own and traveling from town to town doing her radio broadcasts. We are shown the life she leads now that she is without a pack and how she is dealing with it. Kitty gets a summons to appear before a Senate committee in regards to all things supernatural. And before she knows it she is caught up in the midst of a bunch of shady characters.
This book was so much better than the 1st book of this series in my opinion. Kitty is portrayed as a stronger and more confident person than she was in the first one and the changes to her character are realistic ones. She still can be submissive but she has learned to stand on her feet more and that made the book more enjoyable for me. I'm interested in seeing her grow even more in the 3rd book and am now looking forward to reading it sooner rather than later. All in all, I recommend this one!
My rating: 4.25 out of 5

Purity In Death by J.D. Robb

I'm beginning to have a harder time reviewing these books as I read farther along in this series. This review is probably going to be spoiler-heavy so for those of you who haven't read this series or aren't as far into this series: STOP HERE!

Okay in this latest installment Eve is up against something completely new to her. A computer virus is killing people by causing their brain to swell and expand until it basically pops. Gruesome, I know. This was such a strong book in this series because again we see Eve grow plus we also get to see Peabody and McNab's relationship grow. Awwww! I love that these two are together and like their sidestory just as much as I enjoy the main relationship between Eve and Roarke. Robb continues to keep me hooked into the mystery that is going on as well as keeping my sucked into Eve's world. I can just picture this futuristic world that Eve has created. I love going to "visit" because it feels like I get to see old friends with each books in this series. I'm looking forward to the next one but I probably won't get to it for awhile as I have a bunch of other books on my plate. As they say, "So many books, so little time." That's the truth especially when you have a toddling or running (whichever she seems to prefer) almost 1 year old. It is amazing that I can do any reading at all :)
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Sunday Salon- Hot Air Balloons

I'm going to share a story before I get to my reading news of the week. Friday night while I was driving in the car with my kids (we were running a ton of errands) I spotted a hot air balloon. My son had never seen one and he was excited to spot not one but seven balloons flying in the sky. As we were driving towards them we noticed how low they were, and before we knew it we could see the people riding in the little baskets. People were pulling off to the side of the road just to look at these beautiful balloons. I felt like a little kid (I was as excited as my son) counting the balloons and looking up at the people in the sky. It makes me think that I don't take the time to appreciate the little wonders as much as I should. I couldn't remember the last time that I felt so excited over something so little. A lesson learned on not getting so caught up in the everyday rush of life, huh?
Now to make this post book-related, I just finished Purity in Death by J.D. Robb last night. I love this series and am very partial to the characters so it was a good read for me. I needed something easy and enjoyable after finishing The Translator. The Translator was a really moving and powerful book that I think that everyone should pick up. So now I'm reading Kitty Goes To Washington by Carrie Vaughn which is the 2nd in this series. I'm also considering taking Woman In White by Wilkie Collins to work and leaving it there to read on my breaks. Usually I just drag my book back and forth between work and home but I always worry that I will forget my book and having nothing to read on my break. LOL! Wouldn't that just be the pits? Now I'm off to see what everyone else is reading. Hope you all have a great week!

The Translator by Daoud Hari

Oh wow! I'm not sure how to write a review of this book because this isn't the type of book that you say "Oh, that was so good!" How do you label a book about such a difficult subject as a good read? The best word that I came up with to describe this book would be powerful. Daoud Hari's memoir is a powerful book describing the horrors that he has witnessed going on in Darfur. Unfortunately it is still going on right now which is really hard for me to swallow. Daoud tells of his story and how he becomes a translator for reporters as he tries to get Darfur's genocide story more out in the open for all of the world to see. The book was very readable as I believe Dennis Burke and Megan McKenna helped to write it after Daoud told them his stories. Through this book Daoud was able to convey his love for Darfur alongside telling of the horrors that he saw firsthand. I don't usually share quotes but here is a really powerful one that I found right on the 1st page of the introduction:

"I have seen and heard many things in Darfur that have broken my heart. I bring the stories to you because I know most people want others to have good lives, and, when they understand the situation, they will do what they can to steer the world back toward kindness. This is when human beings, I believe, are most admirable."

It makes you want to do something to help out, doesn't it? Maw from Maw's Books is doing something and is the reason why I read this book. The entire month of September she has devoted to reading and blogging for Darfur. So go to her blog and check it out if you haven't yet. This book moved me enough that I will be continuing to read books on this subject and I already have another book checked out from the library to read next. It will never be an easy subject to read about but it is definitely worthwhile! I'll leave you with another quote that was able to convey the absolute horror of what is going on in Darfur. Just a little background first though: this quote comes after Daoud and some reporters were getting back from witnessing the aftereffects of one of the many battles that go on there everyday.

"Some of the BBC people had to return to Chad, where they were in a medical clinic for three days to recover from what they saw, and smelled, and learned about the nature of what simply must be called evil."

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Moon Called is a great beginning to a new (to me) series that I am hooked on. Mercy is part fae (I think..I'm having a hard time remembering exactly) and can shapeshift into a coyote. She lives next door to Adam who is the head of his werewolf pack and is friends with a vampire. Mercy is drawn into Adam's troubles after his daughter is kidnapped. Ok, there is a brief summary to draw you guys in...now let me tell you what I thought.
I LOVED the world that Briggs created with this 1st story. I just was drawn in and caught up within the book. I didn't want to put it down and I didn't as I finished it within two days. The book is filled with action and suspense and I didn't see the end coming at all. I'll be picking up the next book in this series VERY soon as I can't wait to see what happens next. Great book and thanks to whomever recommended it to me.
In other book related news, I got 2 new books in the mail. It felt like my birthday except my birthday has already come and gone. LOL! I received Forbidden Magic by Cheyenne McCray from Jackie over at Literary Escapism. I knew that it was coming but I didn't know about Written In Blood by Sheila Lowe. I'm excited to read both of them as they both look good but for different reasons. Lowe has another book out (the 1st in this series) that I'm thinking about grabbing from the library so that I can read her books in order. I'm anal that way. So watch out for reviews of these two soon. I finished The Translator yesterday as well so I'll be getting that review up asap. Everyone should read that book IMO. Enough jabbering already from me so get out and read Moon Called if you haven't :)
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5

Sunday Salon - Books!

Eek! I'm late posting for the Sunday Salon today...I've been cleaning and doing laundry like crazy. I had an exciting week this week. I received First Blood in the mail from one of the authors, Meljean Brooks. I haven't read any of his books yet but they are going on my TBR list. Plus it is signed which is awesome in my opinion!! I also won a book from Jackie over at Literary Escapism. She has an awesome site for all things paranormal if you haven't checked her out yet. Anyways, I'm totally stoked about winning another book and this puts me in book heaven.
I'm in the midst of The Translator by Daoud Hari which I'm reading for Maw's Reading and Blogging For Darfur Challenge. I'm just really beginning it but already know that it is probably going to be a difficult read. But some reads are like that and I feel that it is important for me to read and learn once in awhile.
I finished a few books recently. Dance of the Gods and Valley of Silence were the 2nd and 3rd books in the Circle trilogy. I enjoyed both of them but overall thought that Roberts has better trilogies out there. I also read Moon Called by Patricia Briggs which I absolutely loved! I am so glad that I finally got to this because I really enjoyed it. I'll work on getting a review up asap. I've been on a paranormal bent lately mainly because I'm discovering all of these new authors that I've yet to try. My TBR list is skyrocketing! And now that people are reading spooky books I'm in the mood to read a few of those too. Me and my book addiction :) See you all next Sunday!

Dance of Gods and Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts

I'm going to do something different than usual and review two books at once since they are the last two parts of the Circle trilogy. I didn't read these back to back either (I read Moon Called in between these).
Dance Of Gods is the 2nd book and begins Blair and Larkin's story. The chosen six are preparing to go to Geall where the final battle against Lillith will take place. I enjoyed this book much more than the 1st which is why I picked up the last one so soon after.
Valley Of Silence finds the six preparing for the final battle. It is kinda hard to give a synopsis when so much of each book depends on the previous one. The last two books were the strongest of the trilogy. I just don't remember liking the 1st book as much as these two. And I'm usually a huge fan of Robert's trilogies. The Key trilogy was one of my all-time favorites and I've read it twice. I felt like this one was good but could have been better. The ending was bit weak in my opinion...I wanted a little bit more and didn't get it. That being said I still really enjoyed this series but not as much as others by this author. Moira and Cian were my favorite to read about but their story needed a little bit better of an ending. Oh well, these were fun reads for me and now I'm looking forward to reading Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts (I can't remember...is that a trilogy too?).
My Rating for both books: 4 out of 5

Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

In this book we are introduced to Heather Wells who is the size of the average American woman as she puts it. Heather is an ex-popstar turned dorm resident assistant after her mother stole all of her money and she lost her recording contract. Even though Heather has been through a lot she has a positive attitude and a fun outlook on life. But girls are dying at her residence hall and the police think that they are accidental deaths. Heather, on the other hand, isn't so sure though. She begins to investigate and before she knows it the killer is after her as well.
This was a fun, fast read for me that I really enjoyed. Heather wasn't the perfect main character which was nice to read about and you couldn't help but identify with her and certain points in the story. It was definitely a cozy mystery...nothing gruesome or anything like that. It was a good change of pace for me and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series. There was an afterwards when the story was over telling about where the author gets her ideas from books, etc. It really made me interested in reading other books by Meg Cabot and even her young adult ones like The Princess Diaries. More books to add to my evergrowing TBR list, right???
Challenges: 1st In A Series Challenge
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

In other book-related news, Jackie from Literary Escapism is holding a contest every day this week. Today's books is Marjorie Liu's Tiger Eye which I haven't read so I'm really excited. Go over to her blog here to check it out!!! BTW- I go to her blog all of the time if you are interested in anything paranormal or urban fantasy...she always has a book to add to my TBR list as well :)

Sunday Salon- Reading Reviews

Good morning once again to all of my fellow saloners! Is it raining nonstop wherever you are at? It has been raining since yesterday here which makes it kinda gloomy outside but I don't mind. It basically means that I get to read a bit more than I usually do which is nice. And I like to hear the sound of the rain falling because it relaxes me. I'll be ready for the sun if it doesn't stop by tomorrow but for now I am just enjoying it. Now on to reading news and such.

I just finished Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts. This is book 2 of the Circle Trilogy and I enjoyed it more than the first one for sure. I'm excited to pick up the 3rd one which wasn't the case after the first book. I read this for the dragon tag for the book tag group on Shelfari that I recently joined. I've got two more dragon books that I'm hoping to get to but who knows as there are a lot of other books that I want to read as well.

I also recently finished Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot. This is the 1st book that I've read by her and I thought that it was a fun read. Kinda like chick lit meets cozy mystery all mixed into one. Cute for sure! I haven't had a chance to post a review of it yet but I'll try to do it later today. Now I just have to decide what to pick up next. I'm thinking Moon Called by Patricia Briggs because it is due back at the library soon. In fact, it might have been due back yesterday...I better check that out :) Here's hoping that you all are having a relaxing Sunday as well.

P.S.- I won my very 1st book online this week. As soon as it comes in the mail I'll let you guys know what it is. I'm really excited about it!!!

P.P.S.- The picture is of my daughter and her very 1st pair of pigtails. LOL!

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

In the city of Atlanta, magic comes in waves and it is Kate's job to clean up after it. Kate is a mercenary who is caught up in the middle of a mysterious killing that could start a war between the people (vampires) and the shapeshifters. And it all somehow ties into the killing of Kate's guardian. She is on a search to find out who the killer is along with keeping herself safe. This book is the begininning of this series and was an okay read for me. But that sounds like I didn't like it....I did like it. I just thought that it could have been better if it had been fleshed out a bit more. The author did an awesome job of a creating a new and detailed world that I enjoyed spending time. The characters fell a bit flat for me and I wished that she would have gone into more detail in other areas so that we could have gotten to know the main character a little bit better. It was interesting and kept my attention which means I have found another series to keep reading. I'm just hoping that in further books we get to know Kate and her world a bit more. I really liked Curran, the leader of the shapeshifters, so I hope that we get to see him again. Good book overall!
Challenges: 1st In A Series Challenge
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Sunday Salon- Library Love

I can't remember if I've shared my love for the library with all of you but boy do I LOVE to go to the library. It calms me and soothes me to be surrounded by so many books. Needless to say I went to the library yesterday and picked up a few more books to add to my pile. LOL! I have so many books here that I need to read but in my mind I can always use a few more. Luckily, my son likes to go to the library as well. He always picks out a few DVD's (much cheaper than going to a movie store) and books for us to read together. It's a nice time for me so I thought I would share it with you as well :)
In other book-related news, I finished Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall and really enjoyed it. I'm excited to read the next book whenever it comes out and see where the author goes with the story. I sent it to my sister so that she can read it as well. I picked up Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews who is a new to me author. It is interesting so far and I'm really enjoying the world that Andrews has created. I find that I am becoming a big fan of urban fantasy which means I have lots of new authors to check out. Yay! I'm 26 today which means ice cream cake (my favorite), opening season of football (we are all decked out in Bears clothing), and dinner with my parents. It should be a fun and relaxing day with my family and I'm looking forward to it. Don't worry I'll still drop by and see what everyone else is reading.....that is until the Bears come on tonight.

Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall

Sisters Of Misery is Hall's debut novel and is marketed as a young adult novel. We are introduced to Maddie at the beginning of the story who is a girl busy fitting in with the "popular girls" or as they are secretly known, the sisters of misery. Led by Kate, who seems to embody the definition of a mean girl, they are in a group where initiation and hazing rituals are used to get into the sisters of misery. Maddie is at the fringe of this group of girls feeling like she doesn't belong and feels closer to her cousin Cordelia who has just moved into town. And when Cordelia goes missing, Maddie's life gets turned upside down. This novel was filled with suspense and twists and turns. Plus, there is also a little bit of paranormal thrown in there.
I really enjoyed this book and was turning the pages as fast as I could. I don't read a lot of young adult books but didn't feel like this was too young for me to read or anything. It was just good...kept me guessing and wondering how everything would turn out. Hall really created a world that sucked me in....I felt for Maddie because it is easy to remember how hard it is to go against the crowd sometimes. Luckily, I had a good group of friends when I was younger and didn't care what anyone thought for the most part. There is going to be a sequel to this book and I will definitely be on the lookout for it! Thanks to Kensington Publishing for giving me a chance to read this book.
Challenges: YA Challenge
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

1st To Die by James Patterson

To begin this series Lindsay, a lead homicide detective, comes across one of the worst murder scenes that she has seen. There is a serial killer in San Fransico and he seems to be trying to do the most horrific things possible. She has just received some devasting news and now has to follow along the trail of a killer who isn't leaving them much to go on. And then she meets up with the four women who form a murder club intent on solving this killing in any way possible. This is a fast paced book meant to keep the reader guessing at all times. I had a few problems with it though but we'll get to that.
First of all, I've read Patterson before...long before I even started blogging or keeping track of the books that I read. I've enjoyed reading him but for some reason got away from his books. I just wasn't very attached to his characters or the story in this book. I dunno..it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. The last quarter of the story was really good though and I found myself enjoying the rest of the book. Which left me mulling over how to rate the book so that I could be as honest as possible. I've decided to go with a 3.5 since I didn't love or really like the book...but I ended up liking it enough to continue on with the series. I'll give the 2nd book a try and if it isn't better then I'll be dones with this series.
Challenges: 1st in a Series Challenge, A-Z Challenge ("P" Title)
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Sunday Salon- I'm Back!!

Good afternoon all of my fellow bloggers- I hope that you have all been well! I haven't been able to do a salon post for awhile but am excited to be back. Let's get to what I've been reading first. I'm currently reading Sisters Of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall which was sent to me awhile back. It is a YA novel surrounding a group of young girls. It looks like there are some paranormal elements to it but I'm not very far in yet so I'll have to let you know. But the blurb on the back makes it sound amazing so I'm excited to read it. I just recenly finished reading 1st To Die by James Patterson. I'll have a review posted in the next day or two. I'm having trouble rating it as I was kinda detached from this book for most of the story. I'm gonna have to mull it over and decide. I've also read and reviewed Reunion In Death and Gods In Alabama both of which I enjoyed.

In other news, my oldest started kindergarten. I would swear that I blinked my eyes and he turned 5. I keep asking myself how this happened but he is loving it and doing well. Plus he is really excited about learning how to read which is exciting for me :) And his sister has decided to not be out done and has taken her first steps. Needless to say there have been a lot of tears (from me of course) as I see my two babies grow. I also recently joined Shelfari and am joining probably too many groups on there but oh well. I've been seeing people playing book tag though and decided to join in myself. The tag for the month of September is dragons so I picked up a Katie MacAlister book for this. I'm excited about it and thinking that it will be up next. Now I'm off to see what all of you have been reading while I've been gone...or maybe just this week :)

P.S.- I forgot to add that Maw Books is hosting a reading and blogging campaign for Darfur that I am going to be participating in. I urge you all to go and check out her blog...maybe it is something that you would like to join in with as well.

Reading For Darfur- Let's Raise Awareness

Okay, first of all I am a regular visitor to Maw's Book Blog. (and just for you I figured out how to link to her blog :) ) She always is reading and adding to my neverending TBR list. For the entire month of September Maw is going to be reading and blogging for Darfur and now I am too! It's a campaign to raise awareness about the genocide that is going on in Darfur right now! She is looking for anyone and everyone to join her in raising both awareness and money for this more than worthy cause. I know there are a lot of things that are wrong in this world but I can't help but hope that maybe we can make a difference. I'm committing to blogging about this (as you can already see), adding the button to my sidebar (next on my to do list), and reading a book (or two or three) about Darfur. Hopefully even donating some money. I can't help but hope that maybe after reading Maw's post that all of you will want to join in. And I'm giving my best wishes to Maw because she is really doing something amazing here. I hope that it succeeds in the best of ways!

P.S.-I'll be perusing Maw's book posts as she has already read some books about Darfur that I have been interested in reading...if you need ideas this is where I would go.

Reunion In Death by J.D. Robb

In this installment of the In Death series, Eve is up against a very worth foe named Julianna Dunne. Eve was one of the cops who had previously put Julianna behind bars but now Julianna is free and killing again. Julianna has a vendetta against men and is pitting herself against Eve. In this book we get a closer look at Eve, her relationship with Roarke, her past, and everything else that makes up Eve as a person.
This series is definitely becoming a "comfort read" for me. I haven't read a bad book yet and I continue to love the characters and the world that Robb has created. Robb has the ability to allow the reader to really connect with Eve and Roarke as a couple and you can see both the good and bad of their relationship (although there really isn't that much bad....I guess you could say the difficulties that they face together). Needless to say I really liked this book and I felt like I got the chance to see Eve and Roarke's relationship grow even more. Good read and I recommend this series!
Challenges: None, I just felt like reading this :)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Gods In Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

Gods in Alabama is about Arlene, now called Lena, and her promise to God that she made as long as no one finds out that she killed someone years ago. But her past is coming back to get her and now she is about to break her promise and go back to Alabama where she came from. This book keeps the reader guessing from the very beginning. It jumps back and forth from the present and what Lena is going through and the past that Arlene went through. And the entire time that you are reading this book you just wonder how it is going to work itself out. For this being Jackson's first novel, she does a heck of a job keeping you guessing and interested in the story that is playing itself out.
I wasn't sure how I was going to like this book. And the main character seemed to be like a train wreck waiting to happen...but that seemed to be the author's point. I did end up enjoying this novel along with the twists and turns that it took me on. Joshilyn Jackson did a nice job crafting an interesting tale. I will most definitely be coming back for more of this author!
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5
Challenges: Southern Reading Challenge (but alas I'm too late so it doesn't count except for in my own head :) ) and A-Z Challenge ("G" Title)

Three For The Money by Janet Evanovich

What could be more fun than riding along with Stephanie in whatever car that she is currently driving trying to find people who have failed to appear in court and broken their bond agreement. In this installment of the series, Stephanie is on the search for Mo, a candy seller who is beloved by all of the people who live in the burg. It should be an easy case for Stephanie but of course it isn't. This series is brainless mind candy but so much fun to read. I'm sitting in the breakroom at work laughing while I'm reading this and at the same time I am being thankful that I am the only one in there because otherwise I would look like an idiot. But you can't help but laugh at the situations that she gets herself into. Plus add Lula into the mix (who is my favorite character) and it is a wild and crazy ride. I recommend this series because it has been fun to read and hope that the next one is as fun as the first three books.
Challenges: Numbers Challenge
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Reading Update: I'm currently in the midst of Gods of Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson which is really good so far. I'm curious to see where the author is going and I really like what I've read so far. My son starts kindergarten the middle of next week so I've been trying to keep my mind occupied lest the waterworks begin early. That being said I am hoping that I get a good portion of this book read or even finished by this weekend. Of course that would mean that the Olympics don't distract me which they have been. Hope everyone is enjoying watching the Olympics and reading as well :)

Book Love

As busy as I have been lately, I have still been collecting books like crazy. I'm pretty sure that I've stated before that I am not usually a book buyer. Unless I am at Goodwill and buying books for dirt cheap...that is just to much for me to resist. Anyways....I went to visit a relative of mine and came home with two grocery sacks filled with books to borrow and read. Lovin it!! Here is what I got and let me know if you have read any of these:

• Critical Mass by Steve Martini
• Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts (turns out that I actually own a copy of this so I will be returning this one unread)
• Suzanne's Diary For Nicholas by James Patterson
• The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum
• The Attorney by Steve Martini
• My Losing Season by Pat Conroy (plus she said that all of this author's book are REALLY good so I am adding the rest to my TBR list if I like this one)
• 1st To Die by James Patterson
• The Simple Truth by David Baldacci
• Riptide by Catherine Coulter
• Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
• A Price For Everything by Mary Sheepshanks
• Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy
• Evening Class by Maeve Binchy
• The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
• Echoes by Maeve Binchy

Plus I have a bunch of library books checked out that I need to get to:

• Undead and Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson
• The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
• Shadow Game by Christine Feehan
• Reunion In Death by J.D. Robb
• The No. 1 Ladies Detective by Alexander McCall Smith
• Gods In Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

How in the world am I going to read all of these books especially the library books before they are due? Aack! But it is such a good feeling to have plenty of choices and be surrounded by books :) I'm in the middle of Three For The Dough by Janet Evanovich which is a ton of fun to read. I'm always giggling while I'm reading these books. I'm off to blog hop and then put my nose in a book!

Book Reviews

Because I am 4 reviews behind I am going to catch myself up all in one fell swoop. Sorry if they are a bit short and you can always email me at samantha.1020@yahoo.com if you have any questions for me about a certain book or just leave a comment. Here is a few reviews of what I have been reading:

34. Seduction In Death by J.D. Robb- Another mystery involving Eve and her hubby Roarke. I can't even begin to explain how much I enjoy these series. It is a treat for me to pick up these books. In this book, Eve is trying to track down possibly two killers who are drugging and killing young women. I really liked the side story with Peabody and McNab and felt that it added to this book. This wasn't the best in the series but it was still pretty good so I gave it a 4 out of 5 rating. I already have the next book in this series checked out from the library :)
Read for the A-Z Challenge ("S" Title)

35. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher- I have been reading a lot of series books lately. This is a fairly new series to me (I'm only on #3) but I am really enjoying it. I love Harry and am always rooting for him to come through. In this installment, Harry is up against an unknown someone who has been stirring up ghosts and causing all sorts of trouble for Harry. This was a good book and I felt like he developed into an even more likeable character. The ending was bittersweet for me but also made me want to read the next book sooner rather than later. I ended up rating this one a 4.25 out of 5.

36. Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie- The second book in her Psychic Eye series has Abby involved with the mafia. She has major relationship issues with Dutch and is trying to help Dutch's old partner in a serial rapist case. It all adds up to be a fun read that kept me guessing to see how Abby was going to get herself out of it all. I did guess one part of the ending but it didn't keep me from enjoying the rest of the book. I will keep reading this series and see where it goes from here. I rated this one a 4 out of 5.
Read for A-Z Challenge ("L" Author)

37. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton- I've been hearing a lot of differing opinions on this series with you either like or don't like Agatha. Apparently I like Agatha because I really enjoyed this first book. I know, I know....like I need another series to start reading but whatever. In this 1st book, Agatha moves to Cotswalds and then decided to enter into a baking contest in order to try and fit in with her neighbors. Except she buys her quiche and later it is found that it has poisoned and killed the judge of the contest. This was a very simple mystery but it still drew me in and kept me wrapped up within it wondering what kind of trouble Agatha was going to get into next. And I liked her as a main character. I rated it a 4.5 out of 5 and am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Read for the 1st In A Series Challenge

I am officially on book #38 for the year which is Three For The Money by Janet Evanovich. I am looking forward to a few good laughs and a visit with Grandma Mazur. I've got a ton of books checked out from the library that I need to get to. Plus, I should probably buckle down and read a few books for my challenges but....we'll see. I really just enjoy making the lists anyways. It is going to be a busy few weeks as we buy my oldest his very 1st school supplies and go to backpack night. He is going to have to start with a bedtime again which I am sure that he is not going to be thrilled about. Oh well...that is just the way the ball rolls sometimes, right? Well, I'm off to take my daughter on a walk and get some fresh air and exercise. Hope to talk to you all very soon :)

Go Cubs Go!

I've had a pretty laid back weekend which has been really nice. We grilled out and then played softball in the backyard. I'm knee-deep into Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton. I really have enjoyed this book so far. It is very laid back and a definite cozy but still I am enjoying reading about Agatha. More reviews will be coming soon. Tomorrow is going to be a fun day as I'm off to Chicago on a bus trip to see the Cubbies play. Hence the title of this post. :) I'm ready to have a few beers and a hotdog or two. It was a stressfull and emotional week for me.
My oldest baby is five and I registered him for kindergarten this week. I got tears in my eyes just looking at him in his brand new Spiderman backpack. What am I going to do when he actually starts school? Plus, we had to go to the doctor for a physical which meant four shots! Very traumatic to say the least. But all is well now and he is very excited for school. Think of me tomorrow cause I'll be singing Go Cubs Go!

Drop Shot by Harlen Coben

Drop Shot is the 1st in Coben's Myron Bolitar series. I've read Coben previously but never any books relating to this series. It was a nice, suspenseful read. This author is the master of keeping the reader guessing. It is fun for me to let him lead me down a winding path of questions, suspense, and excitement. And quite frankly I have not read a bad book by this author yet.
Myron is trying to figure out what really happened to a girl that has been presumed dead for years...but now she might be alive. There all kinds of twists and complications that make this story suspenseful. A strong book and a great beginning to a new to me series...I'm anxious to continue on.
Challenges: 1st in a Series Challenge
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I'm The Vampire, That's Why by Michelle Bardsley

This book was hot, hot, hot!! I'm fairly new to the paranormal romance genre and this is the 1st book that I have read by this author. The book was about a mother who is turned into a vampire and the changes that she has to deal with. To be honest, I couldn't figure out how this would realistically work. Especially with the main character being a mother. But I let the author take me for a ride and really enjoyed the book. It had me laughing at times and there were some very steamy scenes between the main characters. The ending was a bit weak but overall I really enjoyed this book! Can't wait to get to the next book in the series.
Challenges: A-Z Challenge ("B" Author)
My rating: 5 out of 5
In completely unrelated news...my baby is this close to walking. Yikes! I can't keep up with her, hence, I keep falling further and further behind....yada, yada. I feel like I keep saying that I'm going to catch up but life keeps getting in the way. So I'm not going to worry about it and we will see what happens. I'm reading Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie. It's the 2nd book in her psychic eye series. Good so far but I'm not very far along. I still need to review Drop Shot (Coben), Seduction In Death (Robb), and Grave Peril (Butcher). I WILL get there. ;0) Until next time....

Sex, Murder, and a Double Latte by Kyra Davis

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a fun read! Sophie, the main character, is a mystery writer who is caught up in a mystery herself. It seems that someone is reinacting the scenes from one of her novels and the police think that she is crazy. This book read like a chick lit/mystery which at times had me laughing out loud. I really liked Sophie and am going to have to check out the other books that this author has written. Sorry that this review is so short but I read this awhile ago and am now having trouble remembering exactly what I wanted to write about. :) Oh well.... On another note I have been buying books left and right. For some of you that isn't anything new but for me this is unusual. But I found out that my local thrift store sells books for dirt cheap (0.88-1.39) and I can't seem to help myself. Loads of fun if I do say so myself. Still working on catching up with reviews but I will get there...talk to you all soon.
Challenges: A-Z Challenge ("D" Author)
My rating: 4.25 out of 5

Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton

How in the world did I get so far behind? And where did the time go? Aack! This is going to be a very belated review but I'll do the best that I can. Aunt Dimity's Death would probably be considered a cozy mystery but it isn't your typical mystery. There isn't a killer and the mystery of the story pertains to what happened to Aunt Dimity in her lifetime that is still haunting her after her death. I loved the atmosphere that the author created for this story. It sucked you in and made you feel like you were there. Because the mystery portion of this book was on the lighter side and combined with the atmosphere it gave the book a slower pace. The author still was able to keep the reader interested in the story that she was telling while slowly revealing pieces of Dimity's life. I enjoyed this story and am going to continue on with this series. It was a nice change of pace for me! I promise to try and catch up with reviews and challenges posts in the next week. :) LOL! We'll see how that goes....
Challenges: A-Z Challenge ("A" Author)
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Back Soon!

Busy, busy. I must apologize but I will be back soon...I HAVE been reading but haven't had a chance to do any reviews. Plus, I have a few challenge posts that I need to do. Talk to ya soon :P

Sam

The Sunday Salon- Absent

Sorry that I have been away for the past couple of weeks...I guess that is to be expected as I adjust to working full time rather than going to school. It has definitely cut into my reading time as well :( but what can you do? I HAVE been reading though which is always a good thing. I recently finished Aunt Dimity's Dead by Nancy Atherton. I'll try and get a review up later today but suffice it to say that I loved the atmosphere that the author created with this novel. I'll be continuing on with this series.

I've picked up a new to me author and am reading Sex, Murder, and a Double Latte by Kyra Davis. It's really good so far and I'm trying to fit in reading time whenever I can. It makes me giggle and the mystery has drawn me into the story so hopefully I'll be able to read this afternoon. It's a gloomy, rainy day...the kind of day I love where I can curl up with a good book. I've always loved a good thunderstorm :) I'm off to catch up with all of your blogs-happy reading!!

The Sunday Salon- Reading Phases

Good morning and Happy Sunday to all of my fellow bloggers! Unfortunately, I'm not reading as much as I would like to be but life interferes at times. I'm glad to say that I am loving my new job and everday there is something new. I'm kept busy at all times which is a must for me because with boredom comes a longing to be reading (and not doing whatever I should be doing). I finished and reviewed Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey which I enjoyed. It was a fun read for me which is something that I needed. I have picked up Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton. I have heard such good things about this series and I'm glad that I finally picked the first one up. I'm not very far in yet but I really like what I have read so far. Have any of you read this series yet??

I've also joined a few more reading challenges. I have come to the conclusion that I just like making lists for these challenges. And they inspire me to read more out of my comfort zone which is always a good thing. I did finally finish my 1st reading challenge ever which was the Spring Reading Challenge. But I haven't posted about it yet. Maybe later this afternoon after I am done checking out all of your blogs. For now I leave you with the above picture that is adorable to look at (my son is #8).

Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey

The story starts with Nicki Styx almost dying....she is brought back to life by a sexy ER doctor. But now she sees dead people and the trouble doesn't end there. These spirits want her to do different things for them but one of the spirits is out to harm Nicki. Add in a few more twists and turns and you've got a recipe for a fun read!
I really enjoyed this book and need to look into if this author has written a sequel or not. The author leaves it open enough in the end that she could make a sequel but I haven't heard anything about a second book. I think I will go check out the Barnes and Noble website and see what I can find. Back to the book though...it was a really good book and I enjoyed reading it. Nicki was a fun character to spend time with and had her fair share of faults and strengths. All in all, this turned out to be a good read and I recommend!
Challenges: A-Z Challenge ("G" Author)
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Betrayal In Death by J.D. Robb

This is an overdue review but here we go! In the next book of the In Death series, Eve is dealing with a killer for hire. The problem is for once she knows exactly who the killer is but doesn't know why he is killing the victims or who has hired him. The only clear connection seems to be Roarke. Of course this is going to cause major problems for Eve but she continues to grow in this book. I love the way Eve interacts with other characters in the book. Robb (Nora Roberts) paints a very realistic picture of Eve and allows for the reader to connect with Eve. This book was read for pleasure as I love to read this series and find the books to be a relaxing way to spend the evening. This one was just as good as the rest of the books in the series so far. I'm looking forward to the next book for sure!
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5

The Sunday Salon- Not Enough Reading Time

Good morning everyone! I think my title to this post says it all. There just isn't enough time to read sometimes, is there? That being said I am flying through Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey. This is fun and easy read for me with some paranormal aspects thrown in the mix. I'm really liking it so far. The main character is very strong and sassy. I'm also reading Boone's Creek by Katherine Neff. This is unusal for me as I don't usually read two books at once. Now that I am working full time though I am reading Boone's Creek at lunch on my breaks. I like the break between the two books. Does anyone else break up their reading like this??
I've recently finished Betrayal In Death by J.D. Robb. I need to get my review up but I've been too busy. I'll catch up soon enough. Now enough talking. I've got a bunch of library books that I REALLY want to read but they are going to be due soon. I hate when that happens. Got to get to reading and blog hopping. Everyone have a good Sunday!

Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

In Ill Wind, the author takes us on a thrilling ride. Joanne has an interesting job: she's a weather warden. This basically means that she helps to control the weather so that the weather doesn't destroy Earth and everyone living on it. But now she is running for her life and doesn't know who to trust. This story was filled with twists and turns as Joanne tried to figure out what to do to make things right. The author slowly gives us the reasons as to why Joanne is running as well as giving us background on what led up to cause all of this.
This was a good story that had me intrigued from the beginning. I loved the "new" take on the weather and thought that it was fun to read about. The author kept the pace fast and I became engrossed in this story. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending BUT now I'm interested enough to read the next book sooner rather than later. I keep wondering what the author will think up next :)
Challenges: Spring Reading Challenge, A-Z Challenge ("I" Title)
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Sunday Salon- New Beginnings

I wonder how many of you think of Sunday as a new beginning....a new week is starting so maybe a fresh start as well. I'm going to admit that I don't always look at it in this way unless I have had a particularly bad week. Then I do. But today is a new beginning for me and I thought I would share it with you and then I'll talk about what I have been reading.

I'm graduating today with my elementary education degree. I've been going to school for what seems like forever! I'm really excited if you can't tell. And I would say that most certainly qualifies as a new beginning!! Add to the fact that I also landed a full time job teaching preschool (I start on Tuesday) and you could say that this is going to be a week full of beginnings. Just had to share!

Now on to what I have been reading. I have been working on a book that I received for review. It has a good concept (I think...) but the writing isn't pulling me in at all. For all of you who write and review books, what do you do when you don't care for the book that you have been given to review?? The author sent me this book so I really want to like it. But I am having a hard time getting past the way she writes. It is like she switches between past and present tenses whenever she feels like it. And the writing doesn't seem to have a flow to it. Needless to say I am struggling. I also picked up Betrayal In Death by J.D. Robb because I needed some brain candy. It most certainly is doing the trick and I am flying through it. I'm not going to say any more because you all know how much I love this series.

Happy Mothers Day to all of my fellow Mom bloggers!!!!!

P.S.- Go Cubs go! I got to go to the game yesterday and it was AWESOME! What a Mother's day/graduation gift for me!

Medical Mystery Challenge

Here is my list for this challenge as well with alternates/extras :) (I went ahead and changed my list up a bit)

Death Du Jour by Kathy Reichs
Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell
The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

Extras/Alternates
Critical by Robin Cook
The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
The Society by Michael Palmer

Chick Lit Challenge

And the challenges just keep on coming :) This will most definitely be a fun one for me! Oops, I forgot to mention that I just need to read 3 off of my list.

Here is my list of possibilities:

• Bitter Is the New Black by Jen Lancaster


• Tales of a Drama Queen by Lee Nichols


• The Undomesticated Goddess by Sophie Kinsella


• Cocktails For Three by Madeleine Wickham


• Sushi For Beginners by Marian Keyes

Southern Reading Challenge

My goal today (if you haven't noticed) is to update my blog with all of the new challenges that I have joined. Then I plan on standing back and going "Aaaaaaack" because I am most assuredly over-extending myself. But it is all in fun so who really cares? For this challenge I had to pick only 3 books written and placed in the South. I added a few extra for just in case measures :)

• Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen


• Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson


• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt


• The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson


• The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue

Non-Fiction Five Challenge

I joined this challenge awhile ago but I don't think that I posted about it. Or made my list now that I am thinking about it. I made a list of possibilities to choose from for this challenge just because it seemed a bit more flexible. If you haven't joined this challenge yet then come on and have some fun!
Here is my list of possibilities:

• Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond


• The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court


• Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah


• I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg


• Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa by Peter Godwin


• Under The Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer


• Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller