Familiar Double by Caroline Burnes

Harlequin Intrigue #729, October 2003
Genre: Romantic suspense

Fear Familiar is back for another fun adventure! I so love this sleek, black cat and his crazy antics. Most of the time he knows so much more than the humans in the book. LOL

This story finds Familiar in the role of a “stunt cat” on a movie set. When the beautiful stuntwoman, Nicole Paul, is accused of stealing an expensive piece of jewelry, Familiar is on the case. No way does he believe this sweet woman could do something so awful. He’s convinced she’s been framed and he intends to prove it. He lets Nicole’s boss, Jax McClure, share in the investigation. It doesn’t hurt to have a human involved, too.

Jealousies and old hatreds are flying high on this movie set. The last straw is when Nicole’s father is released from prison after serving a 20 year sentence for stealing an expensive and cursed diamond. When he hears that his daughter is now being accused of a similar crime, he’s sure it has to do with the false accusations that left him in a jail cell for all these years.

Nicole, her father, Jax and Familiar set out to find who is behind framing them. The stakes get higher when Nicole’s father is kidnapped. If they don’t crack this case, time could run out on her father’s life. With Familiar playing detective, and a bit of a matchmaker too, things are bound to work out.

This is a quick read that had my hysterical – especially when Familiar gets insulted at his treatment at a local restaurant. Familiar may not actually speak, but he gets his thoughts across  I love this series so much. I only have two books and a novella left in my TBR. I hope Burnes never stops writing these delightful books.

For reading challenges: What an animal reading challenge, a to z reading challenge

I'm also giving it the Socrates' Book Reviews Great Book Alert

Hatchette Book Group Giveaway - The Italian Lover

Thanks to our wonderful friends at Hatchette Books, I have 5 copies of The Italian Lover by Robert Hellenga to giveaway.

The rules are simple...

1) Comment here that you'd like to be entered in the contest. You MUST include a valid email address so that you can be contacted in the event that you are a winner!

2) This contest is only open to residents of the US and Canada. No PO Boxes allowed.

3) The contest ends Friday, February 20th, midnight eastern standard time.

Good luck to all!

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

Genre: Chick Lit, Mystery

Stephanie Plum is back in one of Jane Evanovich’s “Between-the-Numbers” books with her usual crazy cast of characters including the mysterious Diesel and her wacky grandmother.

This time Grandma Mazur finds a huge bag with lots and lots of money in it. She buys herself a RV and heads to Atlantic City to see how long her luck will hold out there. Unfortunately, there’s a little green man who thinks he’s a Leprechaun and claims that the money is his. He follows grandma to Atlantic City with Diesel, Stephanie, Connie and Lula not far behind. When Grandma Mazur is kidnapped, the sparks really start flying and it’s a race against the clock to save her life.

Another great addition to the Plum series. This book had me hysterically laughing throughout the whole thing. I’m usually not a big fan of the “Between-the-Numbers” books, but I do love the Stephanie Plum books. This one was fun and I’m glad she writes these shorter ones. My one complaint, and it’s nothing to do with the writing of this book, is that it’s originally released as a hardcover and I paid $12 for it. The book is only 165 pages and is more like a novella. I feel like I paid close to what I would have paid for a full length hardcover novel. Of course I knew what I was getting when I bought it and still chose to buy it – being a Plum fan – but it still bothers me that they market such a short book as a hardcover. Still…it made for an enjoyable Sunday morning read. I read it in one sitting and I absolutely NEVER do that with any book. So, perhaps it was worth it 

For reading challenges: RYOB, A to Z Reading Challenge

Silent Guardian by Mallory Kane

Harlequin Intrigue #1037, January 2008
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Former detective, Geoffrey Archer’s life is destroyed by the actions of one person – the Lock Rapist. The Lock Rapist is a psychotic serial rapist who takes great joy in raping women, including Archer’s wife. His wife is so distraught after the attack that she commits suicide. The tragic event causes Archer to lose everything he holds dear to him – his wife and his career.

Resa Wade’s life is also turned upside down when the Lock Rapist makes her sister his next victim. As the only one who can identify the madman, Resa is now in the line of fire and has become his obsession. The only one who can save her is Archer, but can he put aside his own feelings of guilt and anger? As Resa and Archer are drawn closer and closer, they ignite their own flames of desire, but they must fight their feelings to prevent the next attack.

This story mixes romance, adventure and suspense all in 250 pages and Kane does it expertly. This is a fast-paced book as it keeps you at the edge of your seat. It’s a totally gripping storyline that will grab the reader’s heart and not let go.

For reading challenge: RYOB

Sunday Salon - Just Chillin' Out!

My theme this weekend...doing a bit of everything and just chillin' out! This weekend I read a little, watched lots of TV, organized books, and did the boring house stuff like laundry and grocery shopping.

First TV - There was the return of Lost - I missed that show so much. Then, I "discovered" some other shows like Burn Notice, The Mentalist, and the new show Lie to Me. I'm becoming a real couch potato, but I'm having fun. That's the important thing, right?

Then there was my reading - I'm finished with Silent Guardian by Mallory Kane. This was a Harlequin Intrigue. I've become addicted to this line of books all over again. I'll post a review in the next day or two, but the last two books I read were Intrigues and they reminded me why I love these books so much. I have a ton of them in my TBR. I, also, finished listening to Sofie Metropolis. It's the first book in this series and it's by Tori Carrington. Very similar to the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich. It was enjoyable and I have the next two books in the series in my TBR. I'm currently listening to Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner. Very funny book. I'm not sure yet what my next book to read will be.

As for organizing books, I store my books in those big Rubbermaid tubs. I use the 18gallon ones. I now have 30 tubs filled with books and that doesn't even make a dent in my TBR. I still have so many in the guest room that need to be packed away. I keep the tubs numbered and have a corresponding list in Microsoft Word so I know where all my books are.

How do the rest of you store your books? These tubs will eventually go into my basement. I figure if they are in these airtight bins, they should be safe.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Read Your Own Book Challenge

Yes, another challenge and defnitely the last one I'll be joining - yeah right! LOL Anyway, this one will also help with my TBR mountain. If you'd like to join, click the button above. Here's the details...

The rules for this challenge are very simple…

* 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

And, that’s basically it! You don’t have to create a list beforehand (’cause we all know that our reading preferences change as the year progresses), and you can even read books that come into your possession (that will be yours to keep) during the year!

Some other helpful hints…

- you CAN overlap with other challenges

- eBooks and Audiobooks count AS LONG AS they are from your own collection

My goal is going to be 20 books, although I can do more...I don't want to stress out about this. I'll be posting as I go along...

1. Silent Guardian by Mallory Kane Click here for review
2. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella Click here for review
3. 8 Sandpiper Way by Debbie Macomber Click here for review
4. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich Click here for review
5. A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber Click for review
6. The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci Click here for review
7. Back To School Murder by Leslie Meier Click here for review
8. Maternal Instinct by Caroline Anderson Click here for review
9. The Heart Surgeon's Secret Son by Janice Lynn Click here for review
10. Once Upon A Valentine by Holly Jacobs Click here for review
11. Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks Click here for review
12. Only the Cat Knows by Marian Babson Click here for review
13. The Italian Lover by Robert Hellenga Click here for review
14. The Wyoming Kid by Debbie Macomber Click for review
15. Virgin River by Robyn Carr Click for review
16. Through the Grinder by Cleo Coyle Click for review
17. Even Cat Sitters Get The Blues by Blaize Clement Click for review
18. Jantsen's Gift by Pam Cope with Aimee MolloyClick for review
19. The Tygrine Cat by Inbali Iserles Click for review
20. Murder of a Botoxed Blonde by Denise Swanson Click here for review

Sofie Metropolis by Tori Carrington

Genre: Chick Lit, Mystery

Sofie Metropolis is shocked, to say the least, when just before her wedding she finds her fiance and maid of honor in a very compromising situation...well, more than compromising - they were having sex! Sofie immediately cancels the wedding, although she decides to keep the wedding gifts and the apartment that her parents bought as a wedding present. Sofie's huge Greek family tries to convince her to go ahead with the wedding anyway - after all, boys will be boys. However, Sofie's not having any of it. She is not going to marry a cheat!

Sofie takes a job as a private investigator in her uncle's agency and is more than disappointed at the cases she gets stuck with, everything from finding a neighbor's Jack Russell Terrier to locating a missing neighborhood vampire to chasing down cheating spouses. The cheating spouse case takes a mysterious turn when Sofie's own life is in danger. The secretive Jake Porter comes to her rescue, but can he be trusted? On the other hand, he's hot - does it really matter?

This is a fun comedy in the same vein as Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I listened to the audio version of this and found myself laughing out loud in the car -something I really didn't want to do since people might think I was a bit insane, but maybe I am :) I've always been a fan of Tori Carrington's work and her Harlequin Blaze books are still my favorites, but this is a very promising series. I have the next two books in my TBR and I'm sure I'll get the fourth book as well. I find myself looking forward to seeing what adventures Sofie is going to find herself mixed in next.

For reading challenge: audio book challenge

Friday Fill-Ins #108

1. Oh, I am so tired!

2. Life changes, big and little.

3. During the inauguration, I cried (I'm such a baby, but it was touching.)

4. Another mortgage bill; are you kidding me???

5. Right now I'd like to be someplace warm.

6. My blender is my favorite gadget. (It's great for my thick and delicious smoothies.)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chilling out and reading, tomorrow my plans include grocery shopping and Sunday, I want to watch DVDs!

Booking Through Thursday

This week's question...

Since “Inspiration” is (or should) the theme this week … what is your reading inspired by?

My answer:

A few things are an inspiration for my reading...

First, I love to escape to another world. Sometimes I just want to "get away from it all" and I can bury myself into another place, sometimes even a different time. It makes me feel good and relieves the stresses of a work day.

Second, I get inspired by reading fellow book bloggers recommendations for books. Reading how a book may have touched someone's life, inspires me to read it.

Third, the books I choose can often be inspired by mood. With a TBR that literally numbers in the 1000's, I have so much to choose from and all my various moods are well covered. LOL

Fourth, the last thing that I can think of that inspires me - is trying to cut down that TBR that numbers in the 1000's. Of course I have to also stop buying and adding to Mount TBR, but that's a whole other story.

In honor of the return of one of my favorite TV shows last night, Lost, a picture of Josh Holloway as Sawyer.

Texas-Sized Secrets by Elle James

Harlequin Intrigue #1052, March 2008

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Mona Grainger’s advertisement for a “Cowboy for Hire” brought more than she bargains for when Reed Bryson applies for the job. The rugged cowboy is exactly what Mona needs to save her land from cattle rustlers, but when the bank threatens to foreclose on her ranch, she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous plot to undermine her promise to her late father to keep the land in the family. It doesn’t help that she is several months pregnant and desperate for the baby’s father not to find out or she could lose everything.

As a former law enforcement officer, Reed is just the person to protect Mona’s land, but can he protect himself from falling in love with his boss? When the bank president refuses to give Mona an extension on her loan and other banks refuse to give her any credit, Pierce is sure there is a conspiracy to destroy the woman. Then, men start turning up dead and he knows Mona is in serious trouble. He vows not to give up until he exposes the truth and saves Mona’s legacy.

It’s been awhile since I read a Harlequin Intrigue but this one gripped me from the first page. It reminded me how much I enjoy these books. The characters and plot are well written and readers will be on the edge of their seats wanting to know how this will end. The conclusion wasn’t a big surprise, but it was like a huge jigsaw puzzle trying to figure out how everything fit together. There were many twists and turns. An excellent weekend read. I know I have others by this author in my TBR and I’ll have to check them out too.


For reading challenge: A to Z Reading Challenge

Happy Tag

I've been tagged by Lissa at Reading Mama

So here are the rules:
Link to the person who has tagged you.
Write down six things that make you happy.
Post the rules, tag six others and let them know you did it.
Then tell the person when your entry is complete.

1. My husband and cats

2. Reading and collecting books

3. Days off from work

4. Going to a tropical island on vacation

5. Chocolate

6. Watching my favorite TV shows

Now it's my turn to tag people. Here are my 6...

Sharon Loves Books and Cats
Pudgy Penguins Perusals
Desert Rose Booklogue
Musings of a Bookish Kitty
The Bookworm
Lesa's Book Critiques

Have fun with this!

Tuesday Thingers

Today's question: Have you ever used the Swap This Book function which can be found on the main page of any book (here is an example of Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter: link shown on book page, what it looks like if you click on the link)? If so, what do you think about it? If not, are there any other swap sites you utilize to exchange books once you are done? What do you do with your books if you no longer want them anymore?


My answer: I've never noticed this function on LT before, but I always swap books when I'm done. Very few books are keepers for me, mainly because of a lack of space plus I never re-read a book anyway. I use Paperback Swap (I love that site) and sometimes Bookmooch (but not often). I used to take them to a UBS, but they don't take the older series books like Harlequins or Silhouettes so I end up putting everything on PBS. Also, it's not a one-for-one trade at the UBS and it is on the PBS and Bookmooch.

Do you belong to any of the book swap sites out there?

Sunday Salon - Baby, it's cold out there!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr..........I can't wait for Spring to get here!!!! Is it here yet? LOL We've actually had temps below 0. I know it's colder in the midwest, but we're not used to that in New York. Of course they are predicting snow for tomorrow. Not much, but enough to be annoying on the roads. Fortunately, I don't have to go anywhere and I can stay home and read.

I had a good reading week. I finished listening to The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinksy. It was very good. I'm now listening to Sofie Metropolis by Tori Carrington. Carrington is another favorite author of mine. I read all their Harlequin books (for those who don't know, Tori Carrington is actually a husband/wife writing team. They are great for a quick, light read.

I, also, finished reading Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. Loved it! It was a little different than Patterson's other books, but really a nice read. It is one of the few books I plan to keep (I stopped keeping books a long time ago due to lack of space). Right now I'm reading a Harlequin Intrigue by Elle James called Texas-Sized Secrets and I'm enjoying it. The Intrigue line is another of my favorites and I haven't read any in awhile.

I decided to start a "Socrates' Great Book Alert". This helps me keep track of books I really thought were outstanding this year. So far the Delinksy and Patterson/Charbonnet books made my list.

Hope everyone has a great week and are reading great books!



Seasons Winter Comments And Graphics

Book Giveaway: Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson WINNERS!

I'd like to thank everyone who participated in the Hatchette Book Giveaway for Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. We have our five winners. Winners were chosen using Random.org.

They are........

1. Angela
2. Kim
3. Lady Roxi
4. *Dani*
5. mrs.mommyy

All winners have been notified by email and I'm still waiting to hear from two of the winners.

Congratulations to all winners. I can truly say I loved this book and I hope you all will too!

Socrates' Great Book Alerts

I decided I wanted an easy way to keep track of the books I really felt were special in 2009. So, I'm going to give each book that sticks with me a "Socrates Great Book Alert" award. I'm going to keep track of them on the sidebar of my blog. Please keep in mind that these are just my opinions and other readers might not feel the same way. Sometimes I can just be in a strange mood and a book will strike a chord with me. We all react differently to books. It's purely a subjective thing, but we all know that :)

Sundays at Tiffany’s by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Genre: Fiction, Romance

Jane Margaux had a lonely childhood. Her mother, a Broadway producer, was more interested in her next production than her daughter. Jane’s father remarried and had a new family, which didn’t include Jane. In her loneliness Jane creates an imaginary friend, Michael. Michael is a handsome man who is always there for Jane, making her feel safe, secure and loved. Then, when she turns 9 years old, he leaves. His work is done.

Today, Jane is a grown woman who writes her own theatrical productions. Her play “Thank Heavens” is a huge success. Nobody realizes it’s based on her own childhood relationship with Michael. The play is about to become a major motion picture, but she has major creative clashes with her mother and her current actor boyfriend, Hugh. Hugh expects to be cast in the role of Michael, but Jane has other ideas. In her heart, she knows he isn’t the right person for the part even if her mother disagrees. After a huge fight with both her mother and Hugh, Jane once again runs into her imaginary friend Michael. Jane starts to doubt her own sanity.

This is truly a magical story. Jane and Michael come to life and give readers characters to deeply care about. As the story unfolds, readers will be cheering for Jane to finally win and have a happy, fulfilling life. Michael is a man every woman would love to have in their lives or is he too good to be true? Patterson and Charbonnet do a beautiful job in describing both the setting and developing the characters. It is a story that will stick with you long after the last page is turned.


For reading challenge: A to Z Reading Challenge

Friday Fill-Ins #107

1. Enough with the cold weather.

2. Work causes me to be conflicted.

3. I've been craving chocolate.

4. My cats make me laugh.

5. I wish I could go to the Carribean next week.

6. Vacationing has been on my mind lately.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching up on my TV shows, tomorrow my plans include reading and relaxing and Sunday, I want to go to the movies to see Hotel for Dogs!

The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky

Genre: Fiction

How far would a mother go to protect her child?

This is the dilemma facing divorcee Deborah Monroe. On a rainy evening, she and her teenaged daughter Grace are driving home with Grace at the wheel, when the car hits a man. The man turns out to be Grace’s teacher. He’s still alive, but unconscious. Making a quick decision, Deborah sends Grace home and takes full blame for the accident when the police arrive.

Deborah has a lot on her plate. Besides protecting her daughter, her son is facing a serious medical condition, her widower father has taken up drinking and her unmarried sister is pregnant. Toss in the victim’s wife threatening a lawsuit against Deborah and Grace being so torn by guilt she turns to shoplifting, Deborah has her hands full. When the victim’s brother enters the picture, he vows to find out the truth behind the accident. Deborah is not only scared for herself, but she’s scared for her daughter and what this could mean for the girl’s future.

It’s been a long time since I read a Barbara Delinsky book and this book made me realize how much I’ve missed her stories. This was an audio book that never lost my interest. A few times I didn’t even want to get out of my car until I heard what would happen next. The situation and the character’s actions were all realistic. This is a story that shows all good intentions aren’t necessarily the right thing and could possibly lead to serious ramifications.

The story flowed smoothly and was fast-paced. The characters were vividly portrayed with each word and the narrator’s voice brought them all to life. It’s a story that will bring tears to your eyes.

For Reading Challenge: Audio Book Challenge

Tuesday Thingers

Today's question: A few weeks ago, someone told me about the Common Knowledge feature of Library Thing. The statistics and basic information can be found through a link at the bottom of any page. Currently there are over 869,540 facts that have been entered. How do they get there? We add them!

It took me a while to figure out that you enter them from the book or author page. When you have a book or author page pulled up, if you look at the left hand side, there are a bunch of links you can choose from. One of them is Common Knowledge. If you click the link, it will bring up a section where you can add facts.

Have you ever looked at the Common Knowledge page, or viewed the history of changes/additions? If you were aware of this section, have you added any information? Do you find this information useful or interesting?

My answer: No, I didn't know about this feature at all. I just checked it out when I read this post. Looks like there is alot of information there and could be very helpful. I'm not sure yet how I'd use it, but I could see where alot of people would want to. I'll have to look at this some more over the weekend. There's so much at LT that I haven't looked at and I really need to do that.

If anyone else would like to join Tuesday Thingers, click the button above.


Thought I'd share some pics of my beautiful kitties...

This is Trini.....











And now Geiger...














and of course Socrates...

Sunday Salon - Starting the year off right!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

One full week of the new year is over and I had a good start. I finished two books, which is right on target for me. I completed Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips and Doggone by Gabriella Herkert. I'm, also, almost finished listening to the audio of The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky. All three books were pretty good, too. So, this is a great start for me.

I just began reading Sunday at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnett. Excellent, so far. Anything with Patterson's name on it is a guaranteed winner for me. If you haven't entered the contest I'm hosting, you should really check it out. Hatchette Books is giving me 5 copies to giveaway. Click here to enter the contest!

Tonight one of my favorite shows begins their season "24". I've really missed this show and I'm looking forward to another great season. Anyone else a fan of this show?

Enjoy the week everyone!

Doggone by Gabriella Herkert

Genre: Mystery

Gabriella Herkert returns with her second book in the “An Animal Instinct Mystery” series. Sara Townley and Connor McNamara were married only six months ago and rarely spent any time together. Theirs was a long distance marriage with Connor being a Navy SEAL stationed in San Diego and Sara being a legal investigator in Seattle. Sara finally gets a chance to visit Connor. Within the first five minutes of her visit, their sexual desires heat up much to the amusement of Connor’s family who is actually awaiting on his doorstep to meet his new wife. Sara is mortified, Connor is frustrated.

Sara throws herself into her latest assignment. A case of a philanthropist’s stolen identity. The only solid clue she has is a black Labrador dog that is stalking her. To make matters even more complicated, Connor’s brother-in-law seems to have a connection to the crime. Toss in Connor’s former vindictive fiancée and Sara has her hands full. With the help of Connor and his team, Sara tries to crack this case but ends up causing more problems for the McNamara family then she ever intended.

This book starts out slow, but I stuck with it and I’m glad I did. Connor is a “to-die-for” hero. He’s the type most women would want on their side. Sara takes a bit of time to warm up to, but she’s a strong character. Connor’s family was wonderfully portrayed. I enjoyed all of them, especially Connor’s brother Ryan. He has the potential to be a strong character in future stories.

The plot was a bit confusing at times and the ending wasn’t much of a surprise to me, but it was interesting watching Connor and Sara unravel all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and solve this one. I look forward to the third book in this series.

Reading Challenges: What an animal, A to Z Reading Challenge

A-Z Reading Challenge 2009

Just what I need...another challenge, but this looks like fun. If you'd like to join, click the button above. Here's the info...

General reminder of what you're signing up for:

Option A: Read authors A to Z. Commit to reading 26 books theoretically speaking.

Option B: Read titles A to Z. Commit to reading 26 books theoretically speaking.

Option C: Read both authors A to Z and titles A to Z (52 books; this is the challenge Joy created)

Option D: Read internationally A to Z (books representing 26 different countries) (The books could be from international authors (writers from that country); however, it's fine if a book is only set in that country. If need be, instead of countries one could use cities, states, regions, etc. The idea is to use proper place names. If you'd like you could even use a few fictional countries.)

Option E: Read 26 Alphabet books. Embrace your inner child and go visit the children's section!

Mention in your comment which option(s) you'll be committing to. Sign ups begin December 1, 2008. (The challenge does NOT start until January 1, 2009, but early sign ups are definitely encouraged!) The challenge closes to new participants on June 30, 2009.

I'm choosing option B - reading titles from A to Z...

A - A Few Good Men by Tori Carrington Click her for review

B - Back To School Murder by Leslie Meier Click here for review

C - Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella Click here for review

D - Doggone by Gabriella Herkert Click here for review

E - Even Cat Sitters Get The Blues by Blaize Clement Click for review

F - Fear Familiar by Caroline Burnes Click here for review

G - The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson Click here for review

H - The Heart Surgeon's Secret Son by Janice Lynn Click here for review

I - The Italian Lover by Robert Hellenga Click here for review

J - Jantsen's Gift by Pam Cope with Aimee Molloy Click for review

K - Killing Bridezilla by Laura Levine Click for review

L - The Lie by Fredrica Wagman Click here for review

M - Maternal Instinct by Caroline Anderson Click here for review

N - Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks Click here for review

O - Once Upon A Valentine by Holly Jacobs Click here for review

P - Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich Click here for review

Q

R - The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel Click for review

S - Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson Click here for review

T - Texas-Sized Secrets by Elle James Click here for review

U - Unbridled by Tori Carrington Click here for review

V - Virgin River by Robyn Carr Click for review


W - The Wyoming Kid by Debbie Macomber Click for review

X - The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge Click for review

Y - The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci Click here for review


Z

Lemonade Award

We won another award! This is the Lemonade Award! Thank you to Desert Rose Booklogue and The Bookworm
for giving this honor to us! The Lemonade Award is for blogs with great attitude and/or gratitude.

Now, I'm going to pass it along to some of my favorite book blogs...

Sharon Loves Books and Cats
J Kaye Book Blog
Wendi's Book Corner
Pudgy Penguins Perusals

Friday Fill-Ins #106

1. It's January; a brand new year.

2. More sleep is what I crave most right now.

3. Cork and wine go together like peanut butter and jelly.

4. Fruits and vegetables are so nourishing.

5. Let us dare to hope.

6. New York is my home.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching up on my TV programs, tomorrow my plans include relaxing and Sunday, I want to go to a local dollshow with my mom if it doesn't snow!

Booking Through Thursday

This week's question:

It’s a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008?


My Answer:

I already posted my favorites at the end of 2008, but these are my "5 star" books...

Stealing Home by Sherryl Woods
Catch As Cat Can by Rita Mae Brown
Larceny and Old Lace by Tamara Myers
Murder of A Pink Elephant by Denise Swanson
A Sexy Time of It by Cara Summers
Strike Zone by Kate Angell
Murder of A Smart Cookie by Denise Swanson
Bitter Sweets by G.A. McKevett
Through A Glass, Deadly by Sarah Atwell
All About Evie by Beth Ciotta
Familiar Lullaby by Caroline Burnes
The Host by Stephanie Meyers
Death By Pantyhose by Laura Levine
Back to Life by Kristin Billerbeck
Their Way Home by Melissa Van Rossum
Familiar Oasis by Caroline Burnes
Paint it Red by Carla Cassidy
Cat Stories by James Herriot
The Tale of Hill Top Farm by Susan Wittig Albert
The Exchange by Inga C. Ellzey
Once Upon a Thanksgiving by Holly Jacobs
Love's Nine Lives by Cara Colter and Cassidy Caron
Demarco Empire by J Lou McCartney
Once Upon a Christmas by Holly Jacobs
Choosing to Be by Kat Tansey (review to come soon!)

It's a mixed bag of books as I read a variety of genres and I'm hoping 2009 will be even better!

Butterfly Award

Kaye from Pudgy Penguin Perusals has given me this beautiful Butterfly Award for "the coolest blog I ever know." Thank you, Kaye! Check out her blog here. It's wonderful!

This is a meme award to be passed on. The rules are:

1. Post the logo on your blog
2. Add link to the person who awarded it to you
3. Award up to 10 blogs
4. Add links to those blogs in your award post
5. Leave a message for awardee on their blog

Just a few of the blogs I really enjoy and want to pass on the award to are:

The Boston Bibliophile
Desert Rose Booklogue
Crazy Book Slut
Lesa's Book Critiques
Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Book Giveaway: Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson - CONTEST CLOSED!

WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY! THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

Thanks to those great people at Hatchette Books, Socrates' Book Reviews will be hosting another book giveaway. This one is for a book by one of my favorite authors, James Patterson. It's his Sundays at Tiffany's book. We have five copies to give away, so that means five winners! If you want to have a chance to win a copy of this book, here are the rules.

1. You must comment here and leave your email address so I can contact you.

2. The contest is restricted to residents of the US and Canada. No PO Boxes!

3. The contest deadline is midnight, eastern standard time on Friday, January 16th.

4. To win an extra chance, blog about this on your blog and link back to us. Please leave me your direct link for the post.

Good luck everyone!

Tuesday Thingers

Today's question: Last week, I asked about your favorite areas of Library Thing, some that you were familiar with, some that you were curious about, and some that you had never really looked at. It was great to look at all the different areas, and I even learned that sometimes it pays to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page . . . I learned that there were links that I had completely missed! Yikes!

One person mentioned that they wanted to learn more about LibraryThing Author. I happened to stumble upon this great page within the site that has some great information on it about LT Authors, becoming a LT Author, and how readers can use the section to learn about their favorite authors, the books they read and what inspires them.

Did you know that there are 1497 authors participating in LT Authors? If you haven't checked it out, head over for a moment and see if you can find out something new about an author! If you don't have time to go snooping, have you ever looked at the LT Author page before? Did you know that it is for authors and readers alike? Have you ever looked up a favorite or new author on LT to see what they read and if they have left any comments or reviews themselves? Have you ever told an author about LT Authors and encouraged them to check the site out?

My Answer: I usually just happened to stumble upon authors I'm familiar with on LT, but I never actually went looking for them. I've never looked at the LT Author page, but it really sounds like a fun page to check out and I'm going to look at it. I haven't encouraged any authors to join LT, but I'm fairly new at it myself and I don't know many authors personally...a couple that I do know are already on LT.

What Kind of Reader Are You?

I saw this on Naida's The Bookworm site and it looked like fun.

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader   You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Book Snob
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Literate Good Citizen
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Sunday Salon - It's 2009!

Happy 2009 Everyone!

Now that the holidays are over and 2009 is underway, I can concentrate on my 2009 reading challenges. I've been looking forward to this for weeks. I started with a book for the What an Animal Challenge (although this started last July, I didn't start until recently). This one ends on June 30th, so I need to read more of these before others. Besides, the book I started with Doggone by Gabriella Herkert is also for my Shelfari January book discussion. It's off to a slow start, but it's beginning to pick up.

I also finished reading Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips for my final 2008 review. That was a great book. Lots of fun! I've decided to be very choosy about the books I accept for review now. Mainly because I want to devote my reading time towards my challenges. I've gathered all my challenge books together and have them all easily accessible to just pick one out when I'm up to the next book. It's kind of like having a mini-TBR amongst my TBR mountain. LOL Hopefully, this will keep me focused on reading what I already have in my TBR - most of these books have been there for years and deserve to be read.

Tomorrow it's back to work with no more off days in sight. I'm sad about that, of course, but life gets back to normal.

Good luck to all of you participating in various challenges and getting your reading goals accomplished this year!

Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

Genre: Paranormal

What happens when twelve Greek gods of Olympus take up residence in the same house in modern-day London? Anything and everything! They are all bored by the mortal world and are aging and becoming weaker as time goes by.

There’s Artemis, goddess of hunting, who has become a professional dog walker. Aphrodite (goddess of beauty) is now a telephone sex operator and there’s handsome Apollo (god of the sun) who is a TV psychic. Against their better judgment, they hire the mortal Alice to clean their filthy house. Apollo is immediately taken with Alice, although she’s not his type at all. She’s mortal, for one thing, and for the other she is a plain Jane type. Aphrodite is more his speed and she’s not at all amused by his attraction for Alice. Apollo and Aphrodite come to blows in a war that effects Alice, as well as the entire mortal world.

It’s up to Alice’s friend Neil to save the day. If the world has to depend on Neil to be their hero, it’s in serious trouble. Neil is a meek engineer who can’t even work up the nerve to ask Alice to be his girlfriend. How will he be able to save the world from destruction? With a little help from the Greek gods, of course.

This is a wacky read with the most amazing variety of characters I’ve read in a long time. Marie Phillips combines laughter, fantasy and a touch of romance to get one story that will live on long after the last page is turned. This is Ms. Phillips’ first book and it was a great one. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Friday Fill-Ins #105

1. The world is crazy sometimes.

2. Have a nice day (to my husband as he left for work) was the last thing I said.

3. I wonder if I can accomplish everything I want today.

4. Pleasant dreams at the end of all things.

5. There's something to be said for quiet days at home.

6. Home is where I want to be.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading, tomorrow my plans include watching DVDs and Sunday, I want to read some more!

Chick Lit Challenge

This is another challenge I've been dying to join and am just getting around to it now.

Back by popular demand, the 2009 Chick Lit Challenge has been expanded for the whole year! From January 1 through December 31, 2009, read at least 10 chick lit books. Books can overlap with other challenges and you can change your list at any time.

I don't use Mr. Linky, but feel free to leave a comment on this post if you would like to participate. You can join any time - this is a laid-back and fun challenge!

To sign up, click on the button above. I'll be back later with my choices, but I know the Shopaholic series will be on there - I've wanted to read those books for the longest time and I have them all in my TBR.

1. The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel Click for review
2. Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand Click for review
3. Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham Click here for review
4. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella Click here for review
5. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella Click for review
6. Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler Click for review
7. The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow Click for review
8. Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler Click for review
9. Flashes of Glory by Elisabeth Lee Click for review
10. The Beach Club by Elin Hilderbrand Click for review

Paranormal Challenge

Paranormal Challenge

This is another I have been wanting to join and just didn't get around to it yet. With only 2 books to read in this one, it should be an easy one for me. I love this genre. Here's the info about it:


I'll try to do the Paranormal Challenge for 2009. I will do it alone, but if you're interested, let me know. I'd love to have some company!

What?
For the challenge you will read books with paranormal aspects - this can be werewolves, vampires, fairies, witches, ghosts, mediums, psychics etc. It's pretty much your pick!

When?
The challenge will start January 1, 2009 and end December 31, 2009.

How?
The goal is to read 2+ books in 2009, that's it. It should be manageable, I'd say

To sign up, click here

Here are my choices....

1. The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux Click for review
2. Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler Click for review

Amateur Sleuth Challenge

Amateur Sleuth Challenge
JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2009
Hosted by Kim at A Novel Challenge Yahoo Group


Here are the rules.

Read 12 books featuring an amateur sleuth.
Each sleuth must have a different vocation or hobby ie shopping, cooking, writing, advice column, crafts store, school psychologist, gardening, remodeling, etc.
Can be first in series or else where.
Can be cross used for other challenges

I joined this challenge last week, but forgot to blog about it.

If you would like to join, you have to be part of the A Novel Challenge Yahoo Group. here

Here's my list...

1. Killing Bridezilla by Laura Levine Click for review
2. Through the Grinder by Cleo Coyle Click for review
3. The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis Click for review
4. Flashes of Glory by Elisabeth Lee Click for review
5. Latte Trouble by Cleo Coyle Click for review
6. Even Cat Sitters Get The Blues by Blaize Clement Click for review
7. The Cat, The Quilt and The Corpse by Leann Sweeney Click for review
8. Dirty Deeds by Suzanne Price Click for review
9. Back To School Murder by Leslie Meier Click here for review
10. Murder of a Real Bad Boy by Denise Swanson Click here for review
11. Murder of a Botoxed Blonde by Denise Swanson Click here for review
12. Murder of a Chocolate Covered Cherry by Denise SwansonClick here for review

Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner

Genre: Chick Lit

Candice "Cannie" Shapiro is stunned when she opens her copy of the women's magazine "Moxie" and turns to the "Good in Bed" column. The column is written by her former boyfriend, Bruce, and it's obviously about her. He proclaims how difficult it was to be in love with an overweight woman. Cannie is more than stunned, she's deeply hurt that a man she loved should do this to her and in such a public venue. Sure, they were on a "break" from their relationship, initiated by her, but this was just cruel.

Cannie is reminded of her less-than-happy relationship with her father, who walked out on her family without ever turning back. She has seen her mother find love and happiness with another woman, but her own feelings of unworthiness come to the surface after reading Bruce's hurtful words. We see Cannie try and get her life back in order by going to a weight-loss program and trying to sell her screenplay. She strives for her own happiness and it's a long, hard struggle.

This story has a crazy cast of characters. Readers will identify with Cannie's very realistic problems that many experience every day. Cannie tackles them with both humor and tears. She will have you laughing out loud one minute and sobbing the next.

I found this audio book easy to listen to and the narrator made the character come to life. This is the first Jennifer Weiner book I listened to and it won't be my last. She is an author that knows how to tell a good story and keep the reader wanting more.

Booking Through Thursday

This week's question:

Happy New Year, everyone!

So … any Reading Resolutions? Say, specific books you plan to read? A plan to read more ____? Anything at all?

Name me at least ONE thing you’re looking forward to reading this year!


My answer...

I joined as many reading challenges as I did so that I would finally get to read books that have been languishing in my TBR for way too many years. That includes catching up on Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, Patterson's Womens Murder Club series, Macomber's Cedar Cove series and finally starting Robyn Carr's Virgin River series. So, I guess my resolution is going to be reading what I have and catching up. I know I have some real treasures already in my TBR. I can't make a resolution to stop buying new books because I know I'll never do that, but I can try and make a real effort to read what's already there.

Happy New Year Everyone!