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

Happy Halloween

I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween.

Don't steal all the good candy from your children.

And may your nightmares not be too scarey.

Sam' Quest: The Royal Trident

Welcome to Ben Furman's Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour.

Samantha "Sam" Costas and Prince Buznor "Buzz" are back in another adventure. Sam goes back to the world world under Mile High Mountain; when the Crimson Crystal begins to glow. It indicates that Buzz is in trouble. When she finds Buzz, they have to go save King Kaylan. He is being held by the Pax, a new kind of enemy. The friends find the Originators, the keeper of the Crimson Crystal and the savior of the Awokian people. They end up helping the Originators in their defense against the Pax.

Sam's Quest: The Royal Trident is the second book in the Sam's Quest series by Ben Furman. I found to be just as enjoyable as the first book Sam's Quest for the Crimson Crystal if not more enjoyable.

I did have one problem with this book. I did not like that Sam's parents die. I feel that this is similar to other Young Adult fantasy I have read. Furman should have taken a risk and kept the parents alive. The parents could have moved to the farm so that Sam could for to the innerworld when needed.

Overall, I found The Royal Trident to be a good, fun and exciting adventure. I liked the new creatures that Furman incorporated into the story. Some of the creatures are the lenkas who are transparent water creatures and the Paxs which are the villainous big insects with a two-headed leader.

Sam is one tough cookie even if she does not see herself that way. She is able to handle herself very well in the final battle of the book. I can't wait for my daughter to read this series, because I believe that Sam is a good role model for her. I look forward to more of her adventures in the innerworld.

About The Author:

Ben R. Furman, former FBI counterterrorism chief, has drawn on this experience to write about high-tech terrorism, chemical, biological, and nuclear threats, and transnational criminal cartels. During his career he investigated kidnappings, extortions, bank robberies, led SWAT teams and was the FBI counterterrorism chief assigned to address threats against the United States by terrorists of all stripes. He also writes fantasy adventure novels with positive messages for the young adult, juvenile market and is the Rexus CEO, a corporation that conducts international corporate investigations involving industrial espionage, internal theft, business due diligence and background screening. You can visit his website at http://www.blackhawkpress.com/.