Blog Advent Tour

This is a nice way for the book blog community to celebrate the Holidays.

From Reading Adventures blog:

Each day anyone who wants to participate could take turns sharing a little treat with our friends here in blogland. For example it could be something about a holiday tradition, or a recipe, or a picture of a hot guy dressed as Santa, or a favourite Christmas memory, movie, book, song...anything you like. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas we would like to hear about what your family does during the holiday season, whether it be celebrating Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or anything.

If you want to participate today is the last day to sign up.

I plan on participating by reading what everyone writes and commenting on their posts. For the list of who is participating visit Reading Adventure at Blog Advent Tour.

Isn't the button great. Alex from Le Canape created it for Marg at Reading adventure.

My Home State Authors

OK I have to admit that I did not realize that my home state of Missouri had so many authors living in it. Of course I was aware of Missouri most famous author Mark Twain. I also knew of a few others Suzann Ledbetter, Eileen Dreyer, Emilio Corsetti III and Janet Daley. But I was surprised to find out that Laurell K Hamilton lives in St. Louis County.

I made this wonderful discover because I was thinking about joining J.Kaye's Suspense and Thriller Challenge and I was researching some books under inverted mystery and I came up with the author Rett MacPherson. As I was reading the synopsis of her book Died in the Wool, I found out that the setting was in the town of New Kassel, Mo. So I looked into Macpherson bio and found out that she lives in Arnold, Mo. and that her writing group has Laurell K. Hamilton in it. So I did some more research and found Missouri Romance Writers of America and found some more and one I read The Accidental Demon Hunter by Angie Fox. So I googled Missouri authors and I came up with Missouri Center of Books which state that there are nearly 500 authors currently living and writing in Missouri and the number may be higher because Angie Fox was not listed.

I don't know why I am surprised that so many authors live in Missouri and some of them famous even. I mean it's Missouri. ( I can say this because I born and raised in Missouri. I lived 30 miles outside of St. Louis and have relatives in Southwest Missouri close to Springfield.) I guess I knew there were authors in Missouri, but not so many and main stream authors at that. I don't know why I am so amazed. Who knew?

I guess we never give our home state the respect it deserves.

I guess now I have to see about Illinois Authors. I predict there will be more because of Chicago.

Maybe I should do an Authors In Your Home State challenge?

How many authors are in your home state?

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

(Lizelia Augusta Jenkins Moorer)

Let us give thanks to God above,

Thanks for expressions of His love,

Seen in the book of nature, grand

Taught by His love on every hand.

Let us be thankful in our hearts,

Thankful for all the truth imparts,

For the religion of our Lord

All that is taught us in His word.

Let us be thankful for a land,

That will for such religion stand;

One that protects it by the law,

One that before it stands in awe.

Thankful for all things let us be,

Though there be woes and misery;

Lessons they bring us for our good-

Later 'twill all be understood.

Thankful for peace o'er land and sea,

Thankful for signs of liberty,

Thankful for homes, for life and health,

Pleasure and plenty, fame and wealth.

Thankful for friends and loved ones, too,

Thankful for all things, good and true,

Thankful for harvest in the fall,

Thankful to Him who gave it all.

Happy Thanksgiving

The House on Tradd Street

Welcome to Karen White's Pump Up Your Books Virtual Book Tour.

About the Book:

Practical-minded Charleston realtor Melanie Middleton hates to admit that she can see ghosts—even to herself. But now she’s going to have to accept it. Because an old man she met only days ago has died, leaving Melanie his historic Tradd Street home, complete with housekeeper, dog—and a family of ghosts anxious to tell her something…

Enter Jack Trenholm, a gorgeous writer obsessed with unsolved mysteries. He has reason to believe that some diamonds that went missing from the Confederate Treasury a century ago are hidden in Melanie’s new home. So he decides to turn the charm on with the new tenant, only to discover that he’s suddenly the smitten one.

But it turns out that Jack’s search has caught the attention of a possibly malevolent ghostly presence. Now, Jack and Melanie must unravel a mystery of passion, heartbreak, and even murder. And they must hurry, for an evil force—either dead or alive—lies in wait…

My Review:

4 stars: The interactions between Jack and Melanie were great. Melanie does not want to admit her attraction to Jack because he does not live up to what her ideal man should be. She keeps comparing him to Marc Longo, who is suave and sophisticated and Jack is just the ordinary guy.

This is considered a paranormal romance, but it is also a mystery. One of the ghosts that appear in the house is trying to show Jack and Melanie the answers they need and the other is trying to keep the answers hidden.

This author puts in a nice amount of humorous interactions between Melanie and Jack as well as with the rest of the characters. This keeps the book fun and lively.

I like how Karen White incorporates the city of Charleston and the restoration of The House into the story. I was able to understand the Charleston way of thinking and the importance of history and antiques are to the characters.

Another thing that stood out to me with this book was that there was no sex scenes. The one part were there was love making; it was alluded to. This was a nice change of pace. Everything implied.

Overall, I found this book to be an entertaining read. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this new series The Girl On Legare Street which will be out in November 2009.

About The Author:

Italian and French by ancestry, a southerner and a story teller by birth, Karen White has moved around quite a bit in her life. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she has also lived in Texas, New Jersey, Louisiana, Georgia, Venezuela and England, where she attended the American School in London. She returned to the states for college and graduated from New Orleans’ Tulane University. Hailing from a family with roots firmly set in Mississippi (the Delta and Biloxi), White notes that “searching for home brings me to the south again and again.” She and her family now live near Atlanta.

It was love at first sight when White first visited Charleston and South Carolina’s lowcountry in 1995. She says it was “inevitable” that she would set several novels in the area, as she did with 2005’s The Color of Light, which Booklist praises as “an accomplished novel about loss and renewal.” Three years later, she returned to the there with The Memory Of Water and, now, to Charleston with The House On Tradd Street. Her love of the southern coast shows no sign of abating. Her next novel, The Lost Hours (May 09) is set in and around Savannah.

Happy Reading

Mailbox Monday

I have received the books form eHarlequin awhile ago. I finally have time to post about them.

Here is the list.

Debbie Macomber

1. Promise, Texas

2. The Manning Brides

3. The Manning Sisters

Susan Mallery

1. Sweet Spot

2. Sweet Trouble

3. Sweet Talk

Linda Lael Miller

1. The Man from Stone Creek

2. A Wanted Man

Janet Tronstad

1. Snowbound in Dry Creek

2. A Dry Creek Courtship

3. A Rich Man for Dry Creek/A Hero for Dry Creek two books in one

I told you I went crazy. I could not resist the 3.00 dollar sell. These are books that I have been thinking about buying for sometime but did not because of the cost. So that is way I could not resist.

I also received Mary Burton's Dead Ringer. I received it on the day that I was suppose to review it. Mary Burton's publicist sent me an anthology of Christmas stories one of which Mary Burton wrote called "Christmas Past" The anthology is called Silver Bells.

I think tomorrow, I will blog about the books that I got at my local library book sell this weekend.

Happy Reading.

2009 Read Your Own Books Challenge

Here is one more challenge that has caught my eye and I think it will be easy for me to do.

Here are the rules for Read Your Own Book Challenge.
* set a goal for how many of your OWN books you’d like to read in 2009
* read from your own collection between January 1st and December 31st, 2009

* you do not have to make a list.

* you can read any book that comes into your possession and you plan to keep it during the year.

*you can overlap with other challenges.

*eBooks and Audiobooks count as long as they are from your own collection.

This is a very easy and simple challenge. If this challenge catches your eye go to Miz B Challenges You for further information and to sign up. Thanks Miz B for creating and hosting this challenge.

Happy Reading

I realized that I forgot to commit to how many books I will read off of my shelf. I will read 50 books off of my shelf. My goal is to read 100 books total for the year, I have already committed to 25 in the library challenge so that would be 75 books and that leaves me 25 books to play with. Just in case Pump Up Your Book Promotions ask me to review any books. Will that is the plan. Let us see if it works.

BOOKS:

1. The Last Chance Cafe by Linda Lael Miller

Romance Reading Challenge 2009

I have found another challenge. It is the Romance Reading Challenge. This one should be easy for me because most of the books I read are romance.

Read on for the rules: (from the bookworm blog)

1. Now, "Romance" isn't limited to steamy Harlequin novels. There is a huge selection of books in this category such as contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance to name a few. As long as the story has romantic love between the two main characters your selection will fit this challenge. The novels do not need to have a happy ending either, there can also be unrequited love.

2. Choose at least 5 novels read them between Jan 1st though Dec 31st 2009. You can change your choices at any time. Crossovers between other challenges are fine

3. Read them at your own pace in 2009 then go to The Bookworm and post the link to your review(s) there.

That is all there is to it. If this is challenge that you might think you would enjoy go over to The Bookworm and check it out.

Happy Reading

The 2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge

Here is another challenge that I am going to try to do. It is Support Your Local Library challenge. I think that I will try to read 25 books from my library.

Here is some information about the challenge below.

There are three sizes of challenges.

The first is to read 12 books from your local library in 2009.
The second is to read 25 books from your local library in 2009.
The third is to read 50 books from your local library in 2009.

You choose which of these challenges is the right one for you.

Here are the rules.

1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start reading your books 2009.
2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009.
3) You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009.
4) When you sign up under Mr. Linky, list the direct link to your post where your library books will be listed. If you list just your blog’s URL, it will be removed. If you don’t have a blog, leave the URL blank. (This time I remember to sign up using the correct link.)
6) The goal is to read 12, 25, or 50 books checkout from your local library in 2009. Please decide which when you sign up and don’t change it.
7)You do not have to decide on your books ahead of time. You can add or subtract from your list during the year.
8) These can be audios, downloads, children’s, and YA.


This information came off of J. Kaye's blog. If this challenge seems like it is one you would like to do or for more information go to The 2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge and sign up.

Happy Reading

Book List:

1. How to Marry a Millioaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks
2. Too Big Too Miss by Sue Ann Jaffari
3. Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan
4. Kitty and The Manidnight Hour by Carie Vaughan
5. The Tsarina's Daughter by Carolly Erickson
6. Vamps and the City by Kerryelyn Sparks
7. What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris
8. The Curse of the Holy Pail by Sue Ann Jaffarian
9. Evil Without a Face by Jordan Dane
10. No One Lives Forever by Jordaon Dane
11. Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas
12. Second Sight by Amanda Quick
13. The Dragon Earl by Jade Lee
14. Uneasy Lies The Head by Jean Plaidy

2009 Read and Review Challenge

Here is another challenge tha seems easy for me to do. It is called the 2009 Read and Review Challenge. It is sponsered by Miz B.

Here are the rules to this challenge.

*Review each book you read between January 1st and December 31st, 2009

*PLEASE keep your reviews clean & respectful ~ these books we read are the hard work of an author, and we don’t need to be mean. Even if you didn’t like the book, please try to find something you can say that would be encouraging to the author.

*Reviews can be as short, or long, as you wish

*You MAY overlap with other challenges

*eBooks and Audiobooks ARE allowed

*If there will be spoilers in your review, please note this in the subject line of your post so that those who don’t want to read them can skip that review.

If this challenge seems to interest you go over to http://readingwise.wordpress.com/read-n-review-09/ and sign up.

Happy Reading

Books:

1. The Last Chance Cafe by Linda Lael Miller

2009 100+ reading Challenge

Before my children wake up and demand my attention. I have a little time to do some blogging.

Once again I have signed up for 100+ Challenge.

Here are the rules or as J. Kaye calls them guidelines:

1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start reading your books prior to 2009.

2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009.

3) You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009. 4) If you don’t have a blog, please join our Yahoo Groups.

5) When you sign up under Mr. Linky, list the direct link to your post where your 100+ books will be listed. If you list just your blog’s URL, it will be removed. ( I was not aware of this guideline. I know I wanted to do this challenge so I signed up without having a direct post to my 100+ list. Wait it gets better. I did it again. I went back to make sure I signed up again and I did not see my name so I signed up again without a direct link. When I scrolled down to comments I saw my comment. How stupid can one person be. I will blame too much stress at work. and that I have to share my computer with a 12 year old. Yuck!)

6) All books count: children’s, YA, adults, fiction, non-fiction, how-tos, etc. (I won't count children's book as I have to read books to children as part of my job.)

If this challenge seems interesting to you, you can go to J.Kayes blog and sign up. Just remember to sign up with the direct link to your 100+ book list. (He He He )

I guess I will post my books here. God I hope I got this straight.

I can't wait for January.

BOOKS:

1. Rebel in Blue Jeans by Beverly Stowe McClure

2. Messiah Interviews: Belonging to God by Jerry J. Pollock, PH.D.

3. The Last Chance Cafe by Linda Lael Miller

Just Some Random Thoughts

I have been working on my conferences for my preschool class. They went pretty well. I have been working on them off and on for a couple of weeks. I still have to put in some emails and update photos on our online assessment so that the parents can access information when they want. So now that life has settled down a bit I can focus on my books, my blogs, and challenges at least for a little bit. I will become busy again in December when I will be doing things with my daughter's brownie troop.

I am hoping I can finish the 100+ challenge. If I push it and read a lot of romances and cozy mysteries I just might make it. I have four days off for Thanksgiving and have nothing planned, because my husband has to work, but to read. So maybe I can do it.

I have found some challenges for 2009 that I think I can complete. I at least want to read some of the books from the challenges not like Decades 08. I did not read a one. So I have learned to stay away from literature challenges. But the funny thing is this was the challenge that got me excited about challenges and into blogging. But I did not even try to read any.

I have been blogging for about a year now. My books have grown in numbers and I have read some great books. I have enjoyed working with Pump Up Your Book Promotions. I also have come across wonderful blogs and I have enjoyed reading what everyone has written.

After reading everyone's great reviews, I began to doubt my abilities of writing. Everyone's reviews seemed so much better than mine. So a lot of self doubt popped into my head. I even thought that I should stop reviewing. But I am enjoying the world of blogging. So I will keep plugging away in the hopes that I will get better.

What else is going on. My daughter is once again participating in Battle of the Books in Chicago. We are hoping that this year her school will get in the final three or to the stage. Each year they have gotten closer. Keep your fingers cross. If they do make it to the stage, I am not sure if I could handle it. I think I would be pee my pants in excitement and get an ulcer from the tension. But it would be worth it. I will post the book list at a later date.

Well, I believe that is it for now.

Happy Reading.

Dead Ringer: Book Spotlight

I need a mail demon slayer. (I have been reading demon slayer books lately.) The Chicago Post Office demons are at it again. I was suppose to review Mary Burton's new suspense thriller Dead Ringer, but the Chicago Post Office demons decided that they wanted to read the book first. I agreed to review the book in early October, but I never received it. But when I opened my mailbox today, the resent copy was there. So as soon as I have read it. I will post a review. You gotta love the Chicago Post Office demons. At least they like to read.

So instead of a review, it is a book spotlight. Just a little tease to get you excited about this new book which is in stores now or at Amazon .com.

About The Book:

SOME NIGHTMARES.

Beside each body, he leaves a simple charm bearing a woman's name. Ruth. Martha. Judith. The victims were strangers to each other, but they have been chosen with the utmost care. Each bears a striking resemblance to Kendall Shaw, a local anchorwoman … each brutally strangled by a madman whose obsession will never end...

DON'T FADE.

In front of the cameras, Kendall is the picture of stylish confidence. But at night she's haunted by nightmares in which she is young, alone, and filled with fear. Are these memories-or omens? Despite warnings from Richmond Detective Jacob Warwick, Kendall can't stop investigating the recent string of murders. She knows she holds the key to catching an obsessed psychopath-if he doesn't get to her first.

WITH DAYLIGHT

The deeper Kendall and Jacob dig into the victims' backgrounds, the more terrifying the discoveries. For from the shadows of the past, a legacy of evil has resurfaced. Every murder, every moment has been leading to Kendall. And this time, nothing will stop the killer making her his final victim.

If you want to read an excerpt of Dead Ringer check out Mary Burton's website.

After reading the excerpt, It seems like it will be an intense read. I want to learn more about the relationship between Detective Jacob Warwick and news reporter Kendall Shaw. I hope that this will be a I can't put this book down read.


About The Author:

Mary Burton confesses to a baking addiction and a fascination with the people who hunt serial killers. The former is genetic. The latter began during the twenty years that the Southside Strangler, D.C. Sniper and the Hampton Roads killers stalked her home state of Virginia. These killers terrorized residents and claimed twenty-six victims before their capture

Why did they kill? What demons drove them? How did they choose their victims? Burton’s questions led to inspiration and the USA Today best selling author began developing the characters whose horrific assaults would drive the plots of her romantic suspense novels I’M WATCHING YOU and DEAD RINGER.

Her commitment to realism in her writing has led to eye-opening interviews with local law enforcement, forensic seminars and the firing range. She is a graduate from the Henrico County Citizens Police Academy and attended Sisters in Crime’s three day Forensic University program.

Born and raised in Richmond, Mary Burton is an avid cook as well as baker, and even volunteered as a kitchen assistant at a local culinary school to hone her skills. When not writing and researching she can be found hiking, doing yoga and playing with her miniature dachshund puppies, Buddy and Bella. Currently, she is working on her next novel.

You can visit Pump Up Your Book Promotions to find reviews of this book, interviews with Mary Burton and guest blogging done by Mary Burton. You can also visit Mary Burton's Website for further information about this book.

Goddess of Spring by P.C. Cast

Carolina Francesca Santoro, known as Lina, owns Pani Del Goddess bakery. A trendy bakery in Tulsa, OK. After meeting with her accountant, she finds that she owes the IRS a large amount of money.

Lina has an idea on how to save her bakery. Going through cookbooks to develop the idea, she comes across an Italian Goddess cookbook. It seems to have the perfect recipe for idea to save the bakery.

As Lina follows the recipe, she conjures up the goddess Demeter. She has a plan of her own. She proposes that Lina exchange souls with her daughter Persephone, the Goddess of Spring. During the 6 months that they will be in each other bodies,Persephone will pay off the IRS dept threefold and Lina will give the Underworld some order and soothe the souls who are asking for a goddess of their own.

Lina meets Hades, the handsome, sexy, brooding Lord of the Underworld. Hades causes sparks to be ignited in Lina's Heart. But can the God of the Underworld love a mere mortal woman.

3 Stars: I liked it.

I like the fact that Lina is a woman in her forties. It is not her body that causes everyone in the Underworld to love her but her soul. What a nice message in a society that is obsessed with looks.

The reason I did not give it 4 Stars was the ending. I don't want to give to anything away, but I felt that P.C. Cast left too much to the imagination, instead of telling us what happens in the intervening years with Persephone, Lina, Hades and the bakery. I am afraid to say too much. I don't want to spoil the ending if anyone wants to read it.

I will read more in the Goddess Summoning series. I enjoyed this take on romance. I also want to read the Partholon series which is also by P. C. Cast.

Which cover is your favorite? Hades or Persephone?

Happy Reading

A New Rating System

Some one a while ago posted that I needed to have a rating system. I have been thinking about some type of system since. Something I like and also can convey what I mean. Waking up too early and unable to go back to sleep it came to me. I think that it will work for everyone.

5 Stars Awesome: Life was put on hold to finish it. Stayed up to late to finish it.
4 Stars I loved it
3 Stars I liked it
2 Stars Finished it, but it took forever to read.
1 Stars Unable to finish it

It is very rare for me to not finish a book. So if you see one star, you know that it was a bad book for me. I have found that a book I do not like; it takes forever for me to finish it. Even if I do not like a book, I have to see how it ends. There have been times when I have read the ending without reading the middle. Maybe I well give a book one and half stars if I do that again.

I hope this help everyone.

Happy Reading