Saturday, November 21, 2009

In My Mailbox

IN MY MAILBOX

In My Mailbox was started over at The Story Siren

Here is what I received this week in the mail....

From PaperBackSwap:
Wolf Tales 1
Wolf Tales 2 (not pictured)
Rogue
Stray
The Vampire Is Just Not That Into You

For Review:
The Circle of Friends - Book 5 ARC(publisher) not pictured
Truly, Madly ARC (B&N)
Knight Pleasure (publisher)
Decoding the Lost Symbol (FSB)
The Ghost, the Eggheads, and Babe Ruth's Piano ARC(author)
The Sweethearts Knitting Club - publisher

Bought:
The entire Immortal Series by Alyson Noel (all signed)
Christine Feehan - Dark Possession

What did everyone else get?

Friday, November 20, 2009

ALYSON NOEL book signing event



OMG! I had so much fun at my first author signing event! I had never been to one before mainly because alot of authors do most of them back east. When I found out that Alyson Noel was coming to our area I about fell over in my chair!!

First of all, let me say that if you haven't read her books, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? LOL...She was the sweetest person and so easy to talk to. I had butterflies in my stomach and they went away as soon as she started talking. She was genuinely happy to meet everyone and she actually took the time to TALK to everyone she met. She gave me wonderful advice since I have been wanting to start writing a book and was willing to take a photo with me! If you ever get the chance to meet her in person, jump on that chance! You will not be disappointed!

WTF? FRIDAYS!

Today marks the day for my first WTF? FRIDAY. In honor of the Christmas season and all those crazy toys out there, I decided to do a post about all those toys that didn't make the cut. Some of the photos might be offensive to some viewers, so I am asking you to please view with caution.

First up:

(Wouldn't it have been better if it came with a wig and a pair of clippers for the kids to do it themselves?)



(I am not even going to ask why they are red filled, eww)



(For all those little one's who want to be mommies young!)



(I will never eat a Sugar Daddy mini candy again!)



(Seriously! Would you buy this for your little girl?! I wouldn't even buy it for a little boy! You would think the kid would be afraid to get near it!



(Poor Wolverine has a problem here.)



(You know, my brother loved Lego's when he was little, but I don't remember this set!)



Stay tuned next week when we continue the list of toys that didn't make the cut for Christmas!

"Last Chance Rescue" by Tracey Cramer-Kelly (BLOG TOUR)


LAST CHANCE RESCUE
Author: Tracey Cramer-Kelly

TOUR DATES

November 9: Chris Redding
November 10: Razlover's Book Blog
November 10: Long Live Chick-Lit
November 11: Diane Craver
November 12: Tory Richards
November 12: Susquehanna Writer's
November 13: Marianne Arkins
November 16: Book Junkie
November 16: Tamela Quijas
November 17: J. A. Saare
November 17: Mary Eason
November 18: Katie Bug aka Domestic Diva
November 19: Reading At The Beach
November 20: My Overstuffed Bookshelf
November 20: One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

Tracey will be giving away an autographed copy of her book "Last Chance Rescue" to one randomly drawn commenter from the tour and an autographed copy of her book to the tour host with the most comments, excluding duplicates or Tracey’s responses.

SYNOPSIS:

When Brad Sievers runs into his old friend Jessie Van Dyke at his high school reunion, little does he know how much it will change his life. When his high-powered advertising career fizzles, he falls into a most unlikely career opportunity -- becoming a member of Jessie's search-and-rescue team. Nothing in his life has prepared Brad for this, but he finds it more fulfilling than a dozen advertising campaigns.

Through dangerous rescues and personal trials, Brad and Jessie become close friends. They share in the birth of her first colt from her rescued horse; Jessie helps Brad when one of his first rescues doesn't make it. When one of their rescue victims turns out to be a fellow soldier from Jessie's Iraq War days, Brad almost loses her to old demons. But when Brad is severely injured in a training accident, Jessie nurses him back to health as only she can. And when she goes missing one night, Brad realizes just how important she has become to him.

Both Brad and Jessie must fight their own defenses to finally let down the walls that will allow them to rescue each other. This is a story about breath-taking action and adventurous lives, and the heart that is behind it all.


A LITTLE ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A little about myself…
I live in small-town Minnesota with my husband, Tim, and our two young children (son, 6, and daughter, 2).
My hobbies include music, Taiko drumming and motorcycling (I’ve been a “biker chick” since I was 16; my current motorcycle is a Kawasaki Vulcan 900). I enjoy outdoor activities of all kinds (downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, water skiing, whitewater rafting, kayaking). I obtained my helicopter pilot license in 2001 and it remains my “first flying love,” although I am slowly pursuing my fixing-wing endorsement as well.
I spend a good deal of my time managing the family motorcycle accessories business (www.LeaderMotorcycle.com).
My writing draws extensively from my experience as an Army Reserve paramedic and exposure to helicopter medevac.

A little about my new release…

Last Chance Rescue (a finalist in the 2009 Indie Awards) is about two people who must fight their own defenses to finally let down the walls that will allow them to rescue each other. It is a story about breath-taking search-and-rescue action and adventurous lives—and the heart that is behind it all.

When did I start writing? How did I decide what to write?

I wrote during high school, and even toyed with the idea of getting a communications degree (I didn’t; I got a business management degree). During my college years I was more interested in music, and sang with different show groups and local bands. Then I got into the beaded jewelry craze. When my son was born, the beads could no longer be left spread out on a table—which meant they didn’t come out much!

By this time I had a half-dozen novels (or, more specifically, parts and pieces of) and I kept having dreams that I felt compelled to write about in the morning. Apparently there were stories inside me that just had to be told!

My writing is heavily influenced by the time I spent in the military and by the medical training I received there. When I became a helicopter pilot, it opened new relationships with some amazing people—and Last Chance really came together after I did some ride-alongs with medevac and search-and-rescue.


When I’m not writing, I read…

I like books with complex, more adult characters (Nicolas Sparks comes to mind); I am particularly fascinated by how a male character may change/be changed by events/situations (a major theme in Last Chance Rescue as well). I like unusual settings, but not to the point of unbelievability (which is why I did ride-alongs with a medevac team before I finished writing Last Chance Rescue). My ‘pet peeve’ is a book with too much ‘headhopping’ (constantly changing points of view).


Three “Must Haves” when I write:

1 - QUIET (easier said than done when you have two young children)
2 - No distractions (i.e., no internet!)
3 - I must be in the mood (I don’t write for a living and don’t want to because I never want it to stop being fun)

Favorite things to do in my downtime:

I am wife and mother to two young children (2 and 6) and I enjoy spending time with them, especially outdoors whenever possible.

I ride my motorcycle as often as I can! I just started taking lessons for my fixed-wing pilot license (an ‘add-on’ to my helicopter license). I play the taiko drums every Saturday morning and sing with my friend’s band when I can. When I can get away, I enjoy skiing (all kinds) and white-water rafting/kayaking.


Purchase Info:

You can get a signed copy directly from me at http://www.lastchancerescuebook.com/order.htm

You can also order from Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Chance-Rescue-Romance-Mountains/dp/1434828476/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1http://www.lastchancerescuebook.com/order.htm


Blog/Web site:

Web site: http://www.LastChanceRescueBook.com
(You can sign up to receive my newsletter, which I send once every 6 weeks or so.)

Blog: http://www.lastchancerescue.blogspot.com/
(I post an average of twice/week.)


What crayon color would you be:

Purple. Because it is royal (I secretly desire to be treated like a queen!) and deep (yep, I know I’m deep…)


Favorite Movie…

Honestly, I’d rather read or write than watch movies (and definitely not TV), and I’m woefully ignorant of actresses (not to mention bad with names). But I would definitely want Richard Gere to be the leading man (he just might be the sexiest (older) man alive…)!


Favorites…

Color: purple (big surprise, huh?)
Food: chocolate (still no surprises…)
Drink: home-made Baileys, hot apple cider and Panera’s mango smoothie


Tracey Cramer-Kelly, Author
INDIE AWARD FINALIST, "Last Chance Rescue"

Please visit www.LastChanceRescueBook.com






Thursday, November 19, 2009

I need a Book Addiction Meeting

Hi!
My name is Amy.
I am a book addict.
I have not bought a book in over 2 weeks.
I have found my strength crumbling.
Tonight, I am afraid I will be jumping off the wagon, not falling.
This is why:


Evidence will be submitted to you tomorrow. Please go easy on me.
Amy-Addicted to Books

THIRSTY by Tracey Bateman (blog tour)


THIRSTY: A NOVEL
Author: Tracey Bateman
Source: WaterBrook Multnomah
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: WaterBrook Press (October 6, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 030745715X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307457158


SYNOPSIS:

There's no place like home, they say.
"Hello, I'm Nina Parker…and I'm an alcoholic." For Nina, it's not the weighty admission but the first steps toward recovery that prove most difficult. She must face her ex-husband, Hunt, with little hope of making amends, and try to rebuild a relationship with her angry teenage daughter, Meagan. Hardest of all, she is forced to return to Abbey Hills, Missouri, the hometown she abruptly abandoned nearly two decades earlier–and her unexpected arrival in the sleepy Ozark town catches the attention of someone–or something–igniting a two-hundred-fifty-year-old desire that rages like a wildfire. Unaware of the darkness stalking her, Nina is confronted with a series of events that threaten to unhinge her sobriety. Her daughter wants to spend time with the parents Nina left behind. A terrifying event that has haunted Nina for almost twenty years begins to surface. And an alluring neighbor initiates an unusual friendship with Nina, but is Markus truly a kindred spirit or a man guarding dangerous secrets? As everything she loves hangs in the balance, will Nina's feeble grasp on her demons be broken, leaving her powerless against the thirst? The battle between redemption and obsession unfold to its startling, unforgettable end.

MY TAKE:

Thirsty is a vampire read but from the Christian perspective. It involves substance abuse and how it can wreck a family, but with love it can come out better in the long run. I found myself wrapped up in Nina's struggle and makes you realize that it can happen to anyone, even someone you love. Even though it is in the Religious section, you don't get the impression of a sermon while reading it. It was well balanced and a captivating read. This was suspenseful and intense, but if you have a teen struggling with substance abuse, I still think they could benefit from this read. Don't expect the Twilight or True Blood aspect of the vampire world when you read this book. Yes, it is about a vampires, but it is also about religion and substance abuse.
MY RATING:



Very Good! Worth Spending Your Money on!


Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Lynsay Sands Challenge REDO

I decided to redo this challenge since there was interest in it, but too short of a time line. So I redid the challenge with a full year for everyone. The rest of the instruction are as follows.


I just love author Lynsay Sands. I love her Argeneau series. So I decided I wanted to re-read the series just for fun. THEN I thought since no one has this challenge going on that I would host it as a reading challenge for everyone. If you haven't read any of these books, you are in for a real treat. Love, vampires and humor all in a book! If you have read the series, go ahead and re-read them and review them for your blog! This is my first time hosting a reading challenge, so I hope I am doing this correctly!

Here are the guidelines:

1. This challenge is just for the first 9 books in the series. We aren't going to include the Hunter series. I might do that after this challenge.

2. Sign up anytime for the challenge, but your challenge is to be completed by Dec. 30, 2010.

3. If you decide to participate in the challenge, post this on your blog with a link back to this blog so that other people can find their way here to sign up.

4. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, list the direct link to your post where your challenge is posted. If you list just your blog’s general URL, it will be removed.

5. When you are all done with the challenge, email me the links to your reviews.

6. If you have any questions, feel free to email me!

Here are the titles of the books in order:
1. A Quick Bite
2. Love Bites
3. Single White Vampire
4. Tall, Dark and Hungry
5. A Bite to Remember
6. Bite Me
7. Accidental Vampire
8. Vampires are Forever
9. Vampire Interrupted

GOTHIC! Ten Original Dark Tales


GOTHIC! 10 Original Dark Tales
Author: Edited by Deborah Noyes
Source: Candlewick Press
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Candlewick (June 13, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0763627372
  • ISBN-13: 978-0763627379
SYNOPSIS:
A lovesick count and the ghost of his brutalized servant . . . a serial killer who defies death . . . a house with a violent mind of its own and another that holds a grotesque secret within its peeling walls. Here are witches who feast on faces, changeling rites of passage, a venerable vampire contemplating his end, and a fanged brat who drains the patience of a bumbling teenage boy. Here too are a flamboyant young novelist in search of a subject more compelling than his own eerie existence and the daughter of a sorcerer fighting to free her lover — and her will — from sinister bonds. Enter the world of GOTHIC!, a celebration of the literary form made famous by such writers as Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe. With chilling stories by: Joan Aiken M. T. Anderson Neil Gaiman Caitlín R. Kiernan Gregory Maguire Garth Nix Celia Rees Janni Lee Simner Vivian Vande Velde Barry Yourgrau

MY TAKE:

When I sat down to read this book, I thought this is going to be all about girls in black and deep depression. Boy was I wrong. These were quick reads that I could imagine repeating at campfires or at a slumber party. My favorite was the first story, but all of them gave you the creepy feelings. Overall it was not a bad book. Some of the stories I thought were dumb, but for the majority of them, it was a great fast read! Perfect for the slumber party for girls and boys!

MY RATING:



Very Good! Worth Spending Your Money on!


*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne


DARK OF THE MOON
DARK GUARDIAN #3
Author: Rachel Hawthorne
Source: Library
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: HarperTeen; 1 edition (August 25, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061709573
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061709579
SYNOPSIS:

I've loved him forever, but he can never be mine.

Brittany is determined to prove herself to the Dark Guardians. And yet she's been keeping a devastating secret: She hasn't experienced any of the intense, early signs of change that mark a Dark Guardian's transformation. The only intense feelings she has are for Connor—and she's kept that a secret, too. But she knows she'll never truly have Connor's love if she's not a Shifter like him.

At the first full moon after her birthday, her greatest fear is realized: She doesn't transform. Brittany is so desperate to become a wolf that she'll go to extremes she never thought possible . . . and put all the Dark Guardians in incredible danger.

MY TAKE:

After reading the last book in this series, I was hoping this series would make a comeback with Dark of the Moon. Boy, did it! I loved this book! Brittany is the tough girl of the group. The smart ass, tough as nails, hates pink kind of girl. She has been in love with Connor for a long time. When it comes time for her full moon for shifting, Brittany doesn't change. She doesn't know why, but is devastated since she has been waiting for this forever. She doesn't know how to tell anyone as well, since she has never really had a close bond with any of the other girls. I found the slow romance between Connor and Brittany wonderful and the writing flowed smoothly. I am so glad the author came back from the last book with lots of juicy writing. There were suppose to only be three in this series, but her site now states that there will be another one. I cannot wait to see what more she has in store for her readers!

MY RATING:


Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!



A new twist on fairy tales!

Now this is my kind of story! LOL...Sorry but I just had to share this!!
Thanks mom for the good laugh today!


Once upon a time there lived a king.
The king had a beautiful daughter,
The PRINCESS..

But there was a problem. Everything the princess touched would melt.
No matter what;

Metal,

Wood,

Stone,

Anything she touched would melt.
Because of this, men were afraid of her. Nobody would dare marry her.
The king despaired. What could he do to help his daughter?
He consulted his wizards and magicians. One wizard told the king,
'If your daughter touches one thing that does not melt in her hands, she will be cured.'
The king was overjoyed and came up with a plan.
The next day, he held a competition. Any man that could bring his daughter an object that would not melt would marry her and inherit the king's wealth..
THREE YOUNG PRINCES TOOK UP THE CHALLENGE.

The first brought a sword of the finest steel.

But alas, when the princess touched it, it melted.
The prince went away sadly .

The second prince brought diamonds.

He thought diamonds are the hardest substance in the world and would not melt.
But alas, once the princess touched them, they melted.
He too was sent away disappointed.

The third prince approached. He told the princess,
'Put your hand in my pocket and feel what is in there.'
The princess did as she was told, though she turned red .

She felt something hard. She held it in her hand.
And it did not melt!!!
The king was overjoyed. Everybody in the kingdom was overjoyed. And the third prince married the princess and they both lived happily ever after.

Question: What was in the prince's pants?



M&M's of course.

They melt in your mouth, not in your hand.
What were you thinking??

YOU THINK I HAVE A DIRTY MIND!