It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday

 

Hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  We share books that we've read over the past week and those we hope to read this week.  

Last Week:

I didn't get a whole lot of reading accomplished this week due to Halloween festivities but I managed to squeeze in:

•  The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

This Week:
I'd like to read some of these suckers:

• Leisl & Po by Lauren Oliver
• The Informationist by Taylor Stevens
• Oh, and I need to reread The Book Thief for Btown Booksters club!

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Mailbox Monday is a touring meme where book bloggers share their bookish acquisitions from the week prior.  It is hosted this month by Savvy Verse and Wit.

This past week I received some fantastic goodies!

The Urban Farm Handbook by Annette Cottrell, Joshua McNichols

The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht (courtesy of Random House)

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn (courtesy of Penguin)

Small Blogs Big Giveaways Winners!!

Thank you to all the 2 900 people who entered to win the awesome prizes!

And the SBBG4 winners are...

The first winner will choose 15 items from the prize list

 Entry #2270desi reilly

The 2nd will choose 13 items after the 1st winner has chosen 

Entry #678sue brandes/katsrus

The 3rd will get 12 items after the 2nd winner has chosen 

Entry #846Martina K

The 4th gets 10 items after the 3rd winner has chosen

Entry #82 LJ Kentowski

The 5th gets 10 items after the 4th winner has chosen 

Entry #4116Orsayor L. Simmons

The remaining books and/or giftcards will be given to our hosts.

And the giftcard winners are...

$25 gift certificate to Amazon or The Book Depository

Entry #4062Kulsuma

$15 Barnes & Noble eGift Card (US & Intl) or Gift Card (US)

Entry #3054Mary Preston

$15 in books from the Book Depository

Entry #4897Maureen

$10 in books from the Book Depository

Entry #355Jeanne

$10 gift certificate to Amazon

Entry #2928Linda Thum

results powered by Random.org

contest powered by Rafflecopter

The winners have 48 hours from the date the email is sent to reply and claim their prizes. If you do not contact me within two days a replacement winner will be selected. NO EXCEPTIONS.

A big thanks to our hosts and all the following featured authors:

Talia Jager | Fiona Lowe | Jenn LeBlanc | Donna Alward| Christy Hayes| Gail Barrett| Lorhainne Eckhart | Sarah Ballance | Sandy Wolters | Hazel Osmond | Bianca Swann | Natasha Blackthorne | Barbara Monajem | Kate Hewitt | Wendi Zwaduk

Latest Review: The Rose Garden

Goodreads Summary:
When Eva's film star sister Katrina dies, she leaves California and returns to Cornwall, where they spent their childhood summers, to scatter Katrina's ashes and in doing so return her to the place where she belongs. But Eva must also confront the ghosts from her own past, as well as those from a time long before her own. For the house where she so often stayed as a child is home not only to her old friends the Halletts, but also to the people who had lived there in the eighteenth century. When Eva finally accepts that she is able to slip between centuries and see and talk to the inhabitants from hundreds of years ago, she soon finds herself falling for Daniel Butler, a man who lived - and died - long before she herself was born. Eva begins to question her place in the present, and in laying her sister to rest, comes to realise that she too must decide where she really belongs, choosing between the life she knows and the past she feels so drawn towards.

My thoughts:
If you're not in a critical mood and looking for a historical romance with an element of time travel (there seems to be lots of time-traveling historicals of late, no?) then this book will fit the bill.  However, some aspects of the book, for example the romance, were a bit far-fetched for me...although I guess I should expect that when there's time travel involved.  I think the main reason why I didn't enjoy The Rose Garden as much as Kearsley's other work is that I've read a very similar premise in A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware and I liked Ware's book much better.  I couldn't help but make comparisons the entire time I was reading (both set in bankrupt historical estates on the Cornish coast).  And while the premises did diverge, the similarity of the books kept me from enjoying The Rose Garden fully.  If you're a Kearsley fan I'm sure you'll like the book for a quick and pleasing read, but I really would recommend Ciji Ware's novel to y'all too.

3.5/5 stars

Friday Hop

The Book Blogger Hop hosted by crazy-for-books.com.  Click on the icon above to be taken to a list of book blogs...it's enjoyable to peruse and you may just find a couple of fun blogs to follow!  This week's question:

 “What is your favorite Halloween costume?

Even if you don’t celebrate, what kinds of costumes do you like?”

I loooooove Halloween and costumes are the best part!  I really can't choose a favorite costume, so I'll show you a bunch of recent favorites instead.  In response to the second question, I like all costumes (especially silly ones) but prefer not to do "sexy" versions of things...much too cold in October to be wearing skimpy outfits!  Ok, recent costumes:

This year I'm going as Denise from the SNL Laurence Welk skit:

Last year we hosted a handmade costume party, and look at this wonderful group shot!

Favorites: campfire (center), Borat (right), Anglerfish (right)

Last year I attended another party and went as the Warhol painting of Marilyn Monroe

Cookie monster and I are wondering "where's Waldo?"

The year before that we had an 80's theme party, my fav costume was my hubby as Tron

80s gal, My Little Pony (me), Tron (hubs), and 80s couple

  Probably my favorite all-time costume (for myself) was when I went as a Freudian Slip.  I wore a slip dress, big mens cable knit sweater, "Hello My Name Is: Dr. Freud" nametag, and I carried around a cigar :)

My "redneck" friend and I

 I can't wait to hear about your favorite costumes!  Happy Halloweenie folks!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fault in Our Stars

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that showcases upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I've been waiting for The Fault in Our Stars by John Green for quite some time now.  It just recently got a (fantastic) cover so now I'm really wanting to get my grubby hands on a copy!

Unfortunately I have to wait until January for my pre-ordered copy - which incidentally will be signed (as are all pre-orders for those interested).  There's no summary out at the moment, all I know is that the book revolves around a girl named Hazel who has cancer.  Here's a video of the author reading the first chapter of the book:

Top Ten Tuesday: Halloweenie Books

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, this week's topic: Top 10 books to read around Halloween

1. The Passage by Justin Cronin (super-scary vampire apocalypse - a Halloween must!)
2. The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
3. The Restorer by Amanda Stevens (graveyards and ghosts abound in this novel!)
4. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (I mean, the creepy cover shows you how Halloween-worthy this book is!)
5. The Walking Dead books by Robert Kirkman (zombies!)
6. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
7. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (zombie love story...awwww)
8. The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey (this one's on my TBR list)
9. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (true history of a serial killer - eek!)
10. Damned by Chuck Palahniuk (13-year-old who wakes up in hell)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday

 

Hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  We share books that we've read over the past week and those we hope to read this week.  

Last Week:

I didn't get a whole lot of reading accomplished this week due to travels but I managed to squeeze in:

• The Traitor's Daughter by Paula Brandon
• To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

This Week:
Hoping to get to:

• The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
• Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
• The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

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Mailbox Monday is a touring meme where book bloggers share their bookish acquisitions from the week prior.  It is hosted this month by Savvy Verse and Wit.

This past week I received two fantastic goodies!

The Taste of Salt by Martha Southgate

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

I'm taking part in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and The Diary of a Bookworm.  

To enter my giveaway the only requirement is to fill out the form with your name, address and email.  If you follow this blog another way: twitter, facebook, or via a GFC/email/RSS subscription you will get another (+1) extra entry for each way you follow.  Up to 3 extra entries!

You have from now until midnight Sunday October 31st to enter.  Now, onto the prizes...the winner will receive the book of their choice from some awesome Halloweenie books:

The Passage by Justin Cronin

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Just fill out this form and good luck!


Also, be sure to check out the hundreds of other giveaways for this hop...click here to be taken to a list of links!  I will use random.org to generate a winner once the giveaway ends and I will announce the winner shortly thereafter!

Small Blogs Big Giveaways - 4th ed.

The Biggest International Bookish Giveaway Online

62 prizes split between 5 winners + 6 Gift Card Giveaways!

Follow the event on twitter

HOSTS, Feat. Authors & Other Giveaways

Organized by: *Reading Romances

* Having Other Giveaways During The Event 

Hosts:

*Can't Put It Down
*The Magic Attic
Bona Fide Reflections
*Laurie's Thoughts & Reviews
My Cute Bookshelf
A Writer's Life With Liz Fielding
No Page Left Behind
*Close Encounters with the Night Kind
*Sweeping The USA
*Frugal Experiments 
Alexa Loves Books 
I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read 
Romance Around the Corner 
Coffee Beans & Love Scenes
So Many Books, So Little Time
*Sexxy Blogger

Thank you to our featured authors:

Talia Jager | Fiona Lowe | Jenn LeBlanc | Donna Alward| Christy Hayes|Gail Barrett| Lorhainne Eckhart | Sarah Ballance | Sandy Wolters | Hazel Osmond | *Bianca Swann | *Natasha Blackthorne | *Barbara Monajem |*Kate Hewitt | Wendi Zwaduk


PRIZES:

GIFT CARDS:

$25 gift certificate to Amazon or The Book Depository

$15 Barnes & Noble eGift Card (US & Intl) or Gift Card (US)

$10 gift certificate to Amazon

$15.00 in books from the Book Depository

$10 in books from the Book Depository

$5 gift certificate to Changeling Press for a book of the winner's choice
(x2) $ 5 gift certificate to Amazon

BOOKS:

* with the option of being signed with Kindlegraph (for the Kindle ebook version).

Angle of Incidence by Christy Hayes (ebook)
Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe (ebook) + signed postcard and magnet
Celestial Sin by Bianca Swan (ebook) + Signed cover flat and customized pen
Concrete Pearl by Vincent Zandri (ebook)
Dark Corners by Liz Schulte (paperback)
Divergent by Veronica Roth (hardcover)
Dodge the Bullet by Christy Hayes (ebook)
Entangled by Authors4theCure (ebook)
Feed By: Mira Grant (paperback)

Fractured Time by Alan Draven (ebook)
Ghost on Black Mountain by Ann Hite (paperback)
Grey’s Lady, Carte Blanche Series Book One by Natasha Blackthorne (ebook)
Guardian Angel by Julie Garwood (paperback)
(x2)Hawthorne by Sarah Ballance (ebook)
Heart of Glass by Christy Hayes (ebook)
Heiress by Susan May Warren (paperback)
(x3)High-Risk Reunion by Gail Barrett SIGNED(paperback)
How A Cowboy Stole Her Heart by Donna Alward SIGNED(paperback)
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (paperback)
(x4) Justice For Emily by Sandy Wolters (ebook)
Misconception by Christy Hayes (ebook)
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (paperback)
Notorious Eliza by Barbara Monajem (ebook)
*Off The Clock by Donna Alward (ebook)
One Night in Milan by Michelle Reid, Kate Hewitt, and India Grey (paperback)
Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James (paperback)
Saving Grace by Julie Garwood (paperback)
(x4) Secret Bloodline by Talia Jager (eBook)
Shoe Strings by Christy Hayes (ebook)
Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil by Barbara Monajem SIGNED(paperback)
Tastes of Love and Evil Barbara Monajem SIGNED(paperback)
(x3) Tempted By Trouble by Liz Fielding (paperback)

The Bitternest Chronicles by Alan Draven (ebook)
The Choice by Lorhainne Eckhart (ebook)
The Commander And The Den Asaan Rautu by Michelle Franklin (eBook)
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (paperback)
The Man Who Could Never Love by Kate Hewitt (paperback)
The Matchmaker Bride by Kate Hewitt (paperback)
*(x3) The Rake And The Recluse by Jenn LeBlanc (ebook)
The Secret Baby Scandal by Jennie Lucas and Kate Hewitt (paperback)
Unforgiven by Sarah Ballance (ebook)
*Waltz of Seduction by Natasha Blackthorne (ebook)
(x2) Who’s Afraid of Mr Wolfe? by Hazel Osmond (paperback)

Wild Justice by Liz Fielding (ebook)

Wild Lady by Liz Fielding (ebook)

Wild Fire by Liz Fielding (ebook)

**Winners:**

We’ll be selecting a random participant to win a gift card for every 1000 entries till we reach 6000!

-The first winner will choose 15 items from the prize list
-The 2nd will choose 13 items after the 1st winner has chosen
-The 3rd will get 12 items after the 2nd winner has chosen
-The 4th gets 10 items after the 3rd winner has chosen
-The 5th gets 10 items after the 4th winner has chosen

The remaining books and/or giftcards will be given to our hosts.

 

**Rules:**

1.Sign up using the RAFFLECOPTER tool. 1.2Read the blog rules to know how to sign up for other giveaways the blogs might be providing.

2.This is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway, but some prizes might be available only to where The Book Depository ships to.

3.You must be at least 18 years or older, or of legal age in your country.

4.The contest will end on OCTOBER 30rd at 12:01 AM EST.

5.Winners will be selected using the RAFFLECOPTER tool and posted on the the next day after the event is over.

5.1The winners will be notified by email and announced on all hosting blogs.

5.2 The winners will have 48 hours from the date they are posted to provide a mailing address. If you do not contact me within two days a replacement winner will be selected. NO EXCEPTIONS.

6.Each blogger/author will be responsable for mailing the prize they provided. No replacements will be made. Your email address will not be saved or used for any other purposes then to contact the winner in the contest for their mailing address.

6.1 The other bloggers/authors are not responsible for other prizes that are not honored, distributed in a timely manner, lost, stolen, or damaged during transit.

7. Prizes are subject to change/cancellation without prior written notice. 8. .The giveaways are in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

Join in the fun and sign up to win big here

Latest Review: The Traitor's Daughter

Goodreads Summary:
Here’s the beginning of a lush, epic, wholly original new trilogy that shines with magic, mystery, and captivating drama.
On the Veiled Isles, ominous signs are apparent to those with the talent to read them. The polarity of magic is wavering at its source, heralding a vast upheaval poised to alter the very balance of nature. Blissfully unaware of the cataclysmic events to come, Jianna Belandor, the beautiful, privileged daughter of a powerful Faerlonnish overlord, has only one concern: the journey to meet her prospective husband.  But revolution is stirring as her own conquered people rise up against their oppressors, and Jianna is kidnapped and held captive at a rebel stronghold, insurance against what are perceived as her father’s crimes. 


The resistance movement opens Jianna’s eyes―and her heart. Despite her belief in her father’s innocence, she is fascinated by the bold and charming nomadic physician and rebel sympathizer, Falaste Rione—who offers Jianna her only sanctuary in a cold and calculating web of intrigue. As plague and chaos grip the land, Jianna is pushed to the limits of her courage and resourcefulness, while virulent enemies discover that alliance is their only hope to save the human race.

My thoughts:
I reeeeally liked this book and thought it set up a fantastic foundation for a series.  I'm so excited to see what befalls Jianna and Rione (perhaps a romance?) and how they will escape the wrath they likely incurred from various parties.  Also, how will all of the arcanists from the Six Houses possibly come together to combat the reversal of The Source?

This book alternated between three different storylines and while all were important to the tale, I was most riveted by Jianna's story.  My only qualm is that I was left sputtering "don't end yet!"  Despite this, I definitely recommend this book to fantasy lovers looking for something a bit different!

4/5 stars.

Winner! Literary Giveaway Hop!

As chosen by Random.org the winner of the Literary Giveaway Hop is:

Katie Baxter!

Congrats to Katie, and thanks to everyone for participating!  Be sure to enter my upcoming giveaways!

Waiting on Wednesday: The House I Loved

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that showcases upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I can't wait to get my grubby hands on The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay which comes out February 2012!

Goodreads Summary:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Sarah’s Key and A Secret Kept comes an absorbing new novel about one woman’s resistance during an époque that shook Paris to its very core. Paris, France: 1860’s. Hundreds of houses are being razed, whole neighborhoods reduced to ashes. By order of Emperor Napoleon III, Baron Haussman has set into motion a series of large-scale renovations that will permanently alter the face of old Paris, moulding it into a “modern city.” The reforms will erase generations of history—but in the midst of the tumult, one woman will take a stand.

Rose Bazelet is determined to fight against the destruction of her family home until the very end; as others flee, she stakes her claim in the basement of the old house on rue Childebert, ignoring the sounds of change that come closer and closer each day. Attempting to overcome the loneliness of her daily life, she begins to write letters to Armand, her beloved late husband. And as she delves into the ritual of remembering, Rose is forced to come to terms with a secret that has been buried deep in her heart for thirty years. The House I Loved is both a poignant story of one woman’s indelible strength, and an ode to Paris, where houses harbor the joys and sorrows of their inhabitants, and secrets endure in the very walls...

Top Ten Tuesday: Titles and Covers

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, this week's topic: Top Ten Books Whose Titles Or Covers Made Me Buy It.  I have to preface this list by saying that I've never really bought a book for the title or cover alone BUT they can definitely help convince me that it's a book I need to own :)

1. Heart, You Bully, You Punk by Leah Hager Cohen (isn't that title amazing - how could I resist?!?!)
2. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (I mean, it's quite a feat to have such a hilarious title)
3. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M. T. Anderson (more like the astonishing title of awesomeness!)
4. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman (I actually read this for a class but I had to include this on the list since the title is so wonderful)
5. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherine M. Valente (both the cover and the title are fantastic!)
6. The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler (the title reaches out and grabs you with this important and moving subject)
7. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (doesn't this automatically make you curious?  How could cake possibly be sad?)
8. Biting the Sun by Tanith Lee (this title conjures up an interesting mental image, no?)
9. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (what a mysterious title :) )
10. A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore (the cover is genius!)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday

 

Hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  We share books that we've read over the past week and those we hope to read this week.  

Last Week:

It appears I was on a bit of an Austen kick last week :)

• The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Taylor Laini
• Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell
• Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale (copy courtesy of Bloomsbury)

This Week:

I'd like to get to these books:

• The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
• The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury (yay Halloween!)
• Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
• The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

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Mailbox Monday is a touring meme where book bloggers share their bookish acquisitions from the week prior.  It is hosted this month by Savvy Verse and Wit.

This past week I received all sorts of goodies!

The Marriage Artist by Andrew Winer (courtesy of Henry Holt and Co.)

MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertshe (courtesy of Random House)

The Traitor's Daughter by Paula Brandon (courtesy of Random House)

The Demi-Monde: Winter by Rod Rees (courtesy of Harper Collins)

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop!

I'm taking part in the Literary Giveaway Hop hosted by Leeswamme's Blog. 

To enter my giveaway the only requirement is to fill out the form with your name, address and email.  If you follow this blog another way: twitter, facebook, or via a GFC/email/RSS subscription you will get another (+1) extra entry for each way you follow.  Up to 3 extra entries!

You have from now until midnight this Wednesday (October 19th) to enter.  Now, onto the prizes....you have the choice between two of my favorite books this year: When She Woke by Hilary Jordan and The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  Just fill out this form

Also, be sure to hop on over to the other giveaways!  See the list here

Waiting on Wednesday: The Killing Moon

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that showcases upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I can't wait to get my grubby hands on The Killing Moon by N. K. Jemisin (author of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms).  Watch for this title to come out in May 2012!
 

Goodreads Summary:
In the city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Along its ancient stone streets, where time is marked by the river’s floods, there is no crime or violence. Within the city’s colored shadows, priests of the dream-goddess harvest the wild power of the sleeping mind as magic, using it to heal, soothe… and kill.

But when corruption blooms at the heart of Gujaareh’s great temple, Ehiru — most famous of the city’s Gatherers — cannot defeat it alone. With the aid of his cold-eyed apprentice and a beautiful foreign spy, he must thwart a conspiracy whose roots lie in his own past. And to prevent the unleashing of deadly forbidden magic, he must somehow defeat a Gatherer’s most terrifying nemesis: the Reaper.