Monday, January 31, 2011

Teaser Tuesday - February 1

teasertuesdays31

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 
Maybe Rosaleen had laid traps around the bungalow and I'd tripped a wire, moved a blade of grass out of place, walked through a beam and triggered an alarm in her handbag. She was going to tie me to a bed, break my legs with a sledgehammer, and force me to write her novel.
From The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

This final line in the quote just made me die laughing, I loved Misery and seeing this reference to it just endeared this book more to me.

The Book of Tomorrow: A Novel





January Summary

January Summary 

  1.  The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney, read 1/3/2011
  2. Choker by Elizabeth Woods, read 1/3/2011
  3. Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz, read 1/9/2011 
  4. Cross Fire by James Patterson, read 1/10/2011
  5. Never Been Kissed by Melody Carlson, read 1/11/2011
  6. Fatal Judgment by Irene Hannon, read 1/14/2011 
  7. Haven by Kristi Cook, read 1/19/2011 
  8. Awakened by P.C. & Kristin Cast, Read 1/20/2011
  9. Deeper than the Dead by Tami Hoag, read 1/21/2011
  10. Said the Spider by Earle E. Van Gilder, read 1/23/2011 
  11. Little Princes by Conor Grennan, read 1/25/2011 
  12. To Have Not by Frances Lefkowitz, read 1/28/2011
  13. The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern, read 1/31/2011

Review books:8
Library Books:5
Books from my bookshelf:

My reading year is off to a slow start, but I hope to pick up momentum soon.  The great thing about this month is I really enjoyed all the books I read, so I can't complain on that account.

Favorite of the month: Little Princes by Conor Grennan, I just can't say enough about this one.

So how was your reading month?


Challenge Progress:

  • YA Reading Challenge:  4/50
  • Support Your Local Library Challenge:  5/51
  • 100+ Reading Challenge:  13/217
  • 2011 Audiobook Challenge:  1/20
  • 2011 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge:  0/15
  • Cruizin' Through Cozies: 0/12
  • 2011 A to Z Challenge (Titles): 8/26
  • 2011 Reading From My Shelves Project:  0/24
  • Edgar Awards Reading Challenge:  0/6
  • 2011 Debut Author Challenge:  2/30
  • 2011 Ebook Challenge:  3/20
  • Book Bucket List:  0/12
  • 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die:  0/5
  • The Alphabet in Crime Fiction:  2/26
  • 2011 Show Me the Free Reading Challenge:  0/12
Books reviewed from earlier months:

    It's Monday What Are You Reading - January 31

    Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see Sheila at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and join in!

    Books Completed Last Week 
    Reading Now:
    • Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich (audiobook, library)
    • The Lost Saint by Bree Despain (library)
    • The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern
    Next:
    • Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell
    • The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld
    • The Big Show Stopper by Hugh Dalton
    Other reviews completed last week:

    Summary -

    I'm still not up to my optimal reading time, but I'm improving.  It was a week of great books so that counts for something.  I'm almost done with The Book of Tomorrow and it is great as well.

    Best of the week:  Little Princes by Conor Grennan - just an amazing book.


    How was your week?

    Sunday, January 30, 2011

    Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis Giveaway Winner



    The winner of Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis is: Theresa M

    Thanks to all who entered.  The winner has been emailed and has 72 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

    Check out this week's giveaway here. 





    Weekly Giveaway: Little Princes by Conor Grennan

    This week's giveaway features a book I read and reviewed last week, Little Princes by Conor Grennan.  As you know from my review, I loved this book and I was lucky enough to receive an extra hardcover copy of this book in addition to the ARC I read, so I would love to get this book into the hands of one of my readers.  Not into non-fiction, honestly I'm not either, but this book is wonderful, inspiring and a great read.


    Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal

    Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan
    Release: January 25, 2011
    Adult Non-fiction
    Hardcover, 304 pages

    About:
    In search of adventure, 29-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children’s Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.

    Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war—for a huge fee—by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.

    For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life’s work.

    Little Princes is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, Little Princes is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations.


    To enter, simply fill out the form below.  Open to the US/Canada.  Runs through next Saturday 2/5.

    If you can't see the form, you can find it here.






    Saturday, January 29, 2011

    Series Spotlight: Septimus Heap Series by Angie Sage (+ Giveaway)

    As an effort to continue my series spotlight I received a suggestion on Twitter this week to feature the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage (Thank you @GRGenius).  Perfect timing since I just got the first book for my Kindle for free earlier this week.

    I am interested in this series but have never read it, so dear readers, tell me what you think about this series, is it amazing, pretty good or just ok?  Does it lag in the middle of the series and pick up steam again or is it great all the way through?  Your honest thoughts are what I am asking for, for myself and for others who have not read this series.  No spoilers please is all I ask.

    Comment away and I'll giveaway a book of your choice under $10 from Book Depository to one lucky person who leaves a meaningful comment (you don't have to have read the books, just say something about the books, whether you want to read them or would never care to).  Open to anywhere the Book Depository ships free.

    I'm really curious about this series because I am always looking for books to recommend to my 10-year-old who is just about finished with all the Goosebumps books which are his love :)  So would a 10-year-old boy like these books?

    Also through 2/1 you can receive the Magyk ebook free:  Kindle     Nook    Kobo

    So a little more about the series:

    Magyk (Septimus Heap, Book 1) Flyte (Septimus Heap, Book 2)Physik (Septimus Heap, Book 3) Septimus Heap, Book Four: QuesteSeptimus Heap, Book Five: Syren

    Magyk:  The seventh son of the seventh son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a new born girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take this helpless newborn into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus? 

    Flyte:   Following the events of Magyk, Septimus Heap continues his apprenticeship with ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand, and Jenna is enjoying her new life as a princess. But something seems amiss; does the Darke Magyk still linger in this royal preserve? This installment of the exciting adventure series features a few new characters, including a memorable dragon.

    Physik: Silas has only himself to blame for sparking the plot of the third Septimus Heap installment. Unsealing a long-forgotten room in the palace, he accidentally unleashes the formerly inert spirit of malevolent old Queen Etheldredda. Five hundred years of downtime have not mellowed the scheming monarch; in fact, she's now eager to enact a devilish plan to make herself immortal and omnipotent. To neutralize her, Septimus and his allies must go into corrective overdrive. Plot surprises, engaging characters, and snappy wit

    Queste: There's trouble at the Castle, and it's all because Merrin Meredith has returned with Darke plans for Septimus. More trouble awaits Septimus and Jenna in the form of Tertius Fume, the ghost of the very first Chief Hermetic Scribe, who is determined to send Septimus on a deadly Queste. But Septimus and Jenna have other plans—they are headed for the mysterious House of Foryx


    Syren: In this fifth book in the Magykal series, Septimus ends up on a captivatingly beautiful island, one of seven set in a sparkling sea. He's stranded there with his badly injured dragon, Spit Fyre, along with Jenna and Beetle.
    There are some strange things about the island, including a Magykal girl named Syrah, a cat-shaped lighthouse that has lost its Light, and an eerie presence that sings to Septimus—can he escape the persistent call?
    Trouble is also brewing for Lucy and Wolf Boy, who have become entangled with some nefarious sailors at sea, and for Milo Banda, Jenna's father, who is harboring a mysterious treasure chest in his ship's hold.


    Thanks for joining in - I'll draw the winner next Saturday so I'll close entries on Friday 2/4/2011.


    Friday, January 28, 2011

    Book Review: To Have Not by Frances Lefkowitz



    To Have Not
    To Have Not by Frances Lefkowitz
    Publisher: MacAdam/Cage
    Publish Date:March 1, 2010
    Paperback, 300 pages
    Non-fiction; Memoir 





    My Review:
    Another non-fiction title for me, the self-professed fiction-only reader.  But the publicists keep sending these great sounding blurbs out so I seem to be branching out.  And I am glad I am.  I was sucked into Frances Lefkowitz's book, To Have Not from the first chapter.  I think most of us can relate to Frances on some level.  Whether you were rich or poor growing up, I think everyone has a feeling of resignation about some part of their life at some point in their life.

    Through looking from the outside in to Frances' life I was able to look at my own life and be thankful for things.  Frances did not have an easy life, but she never whines or cries about it.  She does get angry, but I never felt the book was one of those "look at poor pitiful me" books, she mainly is stating the fact of her life with emotions thrown in as well.  Frances takes the hits that life gives her and keeps moving, learning lessons along the way.  I found her life fascinating from childhood to college and then when she moves on to trying to find a career.  I also found her relationships interesting.  The ones with her parents who were anything but typical parents and with her brothers, to the gifted children at her school and then the others she meets through life.

    Frances' writing style is easy-going, I felt like I was talking with an old friend and catching up on her life.  The story of her life flows easily and moves quickly with little lessons interspersed and Frances often taking stock of her life at that point and relating to something in the past.  To Have Not is a fascinating memoir that takes a look at the ordinary, yet not-ordinary life of a child who grows into an adult and still is finding her way in the world.  It was truly enjoyable and I look forward to reading more by Ms. Lefkowitz and I think reading To Have Not has also opened my doors to more memoirs in the future.


    My Rating: 4.5/5.0


    About the Book:

    Poverty has many guises: a lack of money, of course, but it can also be a lack of love or choice, pleasure or safety, faith or confidence or possibility. Poverty seeps into the soul and deadens the spirit. In To Have Not, Frances Lefkowitz reflects on her own life of poverties. A poor white girl from 1970s San Francisco, Lefkowitz tries to escape her upbringing through an Ivy League scholarship, only to realize that upward mobility is not all it s cracked up to be: being a Have Not and not having aren't necessarily the same thing. Crashing headfirst into boundaries of class, race, and sex, Lefkowitz emerges scarred but whole, humor intact. To Have Not speaks to anyone who has ever battled the feeling of being cut off from the world s abundance, and then settled, eventually, somewhere between resignation and appreciation for all they do have.

    About the Author: 
    Frances Lefkowitz was born in San Francisco and moved nine times in seventeen years, mostly within the confines of the city. She attended Brown University on scholarships. Frances has published hundreds of magazine articles and earned two Pushcart Prize nominations. She lives in Petaluma, California.


    FTC Information: I received this book from Lisa Steinke at BookSparks PR for a honest review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

    Thursday, January 27, 2011

    Book Review: Little Princes by Conor Grennan




    Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of NepalLittle Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan
    Publisher:William Morrow
    Publish Date: January 25, 2011
    Hardcover, 304 pages
    Non-fiction





    My Review:
    Why I read this: The publicist contacted me and was very excited about this book.  I don't read much non-fiction but I am interested in books where people test their limits and this sounded like it was one of those.  And I was intrigued about the children of Nepal, I know very little about the country and wanted to learn more.

    How is the novel driven: It's non-fiction, but it reads smoothly like a fictional story.  No lengthly details to bog  you down.  It's written in very down-to-earth language and you feel like you are sitting with a friend while he tells you of his adventures and struggles.


    My thoughts: I was prepared to like this book.  What is not to like?  A story of a man who goes to Nepal and finds his calling to help the children of the country at first in the orphanages and eventually trying to reunite them with their parents.  It sounds wonderful doesn't it?  And it is, but it is so much more.  I was struck with the fact that the author is very open in the beginning that he first went to Nepal to help in an orphanage just to have something to talk about or put on his resume.  Pretty selfish isn't it?  But who isn't like that?  Honestly?

    Then something changes, the children creep into Conor's heart and begin to bless him as he helps out in the children's home.  As Conor learns more about the civil war in the country and the people that take the children from their parents to a life of slavery, you see Conor change and then he wants to help change the country and the children.  The story is gripping.  I had a hard time putting it down.  I wanted to know what challenge Conor would get through next.  Would he find the children, would he find the parents and just what could he do in this poor country where children are taken from their parents with the guise of helping them find a better life, but in reality are sold into child slavery.

    Through fund-raising and sheer will, Conor accomplished most of his goals with his friend Farid and help of others with other organizations in Nepal.  He started a non-profit, Next Generation Nepal to help these children, to start his own home for them and with the help of others he is accomplishing his goals still to this day.  It is just a marvelous tale of things happening for him and the children at just the right time.  Of course there are trials, but Conor grows and learns to accept things as they happen.

    And the book is not only about his journey to help the children of Nepal, but it also has glimpses of his personal life at the time.  I loved every aspect of this book and I hope Conor Grennan writes another book as he continues his plight to help these children and parents in Nepal.  I love that this book opens up this struggle to the world and we as readers can see what is going on and find ways to help as well.  The book is inspiring, uplifting and just amazing.  I already know it will be one of my top reads of the year.

    My Rating: 5.0/5.0


    About the Book:

    In search of adventure, 29-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children’s Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.


    Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war—for a huge fee—by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.

    For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life’s work.

    Little Princes is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, Little Princes is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations.
    About the Author: 

    ***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  I do not receive money for my amazon links since I live in NC (something about some law), so they are up purely for my readers to have a place to check out the book.***

    Wednesday, January 26, 2011

    Book Review: Fatal Judgment by Irene Hannon

    Fatal Judgment (Guardians of Justice, Book 1)Fatal Judgment by Irene Hannon
    Publisher: Revell Books
    Publish Date: January 1, 2011
    Trade Paperback,  330 pages
    Romantic Suspense, Christian, Guardians of Justice Series #1





    My Review:
    I will admit I am a fan of Irene Hannon since I first read Against All Odds last year, but I have to say that Fatal Judgment just blew me away.  Tight suspense, great romance and strong characters made this book shine and made it hard to put down.  I'm not even sure I can do this book justice, it was really amazing.

    First I'll start with the plot.  Diving right into the action, the book starts with Liz's sister being shot in Liz's home.  What looks like a domestic dispute gone wrong turns into something much more sinister.  Because Liz is a judge, the U.S. Marshal service steps in to protect Liz until the threat is determined.  This brings Jake Taylor back into Liz's life.  This does not make Jake too happy, but he will do his job no matter what.  Liz was Jake's best friend's wife and he always thought of her as a cold fish of sorts, but as Jake gets to know Liz he finds she's not who he thought she was.  The plot continues to thrill right up until the last page as the Marshals and the local police try to figure out exactly who the threat is.

    Second is the characters.  Ms. Hannon is a natural with developing characters.  I love how the layers of Liz and Jake are slowly peeled away and we learn about them little by little, their past, their brief history and how they start to interact with each other.  I also enjoyed the look into Jake's family who will be featured in the later books in the series I believe.  I love seeing how families interact and the Taylor family is very interesting.

    If you are looking for a great romantic suspense, I can't recommend this book enough.  I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in the Guardians of Justice series and I am sure that Fatal Judgment will go down as one of my favorite books of the year.  It definitely reminds me of all the reasons I really enjoy romantic suspense.  All the elements are there and it's amazing to read and hard to put down.

    My rating: 5.0/5.0

    About the Book:
    U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward Liz haven't warmed in the five years since she lost her husband--and Jake's best friend--to possible suicide. How can Jake be expected to care for the coldhearted workaholic who drove his friend to despair?
    As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, his feelings slowly start to change. When it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life--and his heart--are in mortal danger.

    Full of the suspense and romance Irene Hannon's fans have come to love, Fatal Judgment is a thrilling story that will keep readers turning the pages late into the night.

    About the Author (from Amazon.com):
    Irene Hannon is the author of more than 25 novels, including the CBA bestsellers Against All Odds, An Eye for an Eye, and In Harm's Way. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier award, and the Reviewer's Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine. She lives in Missouri.

    Website


    **Available January 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group**

    ***I received this book from Revell Books for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  I do not receive money for my amazon links since I live in NC (something about some law), so they are up purely for my readers to have a place to check out the book.***

    Waiting on Wednesday - January 26


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

    Secrets and Shadows: A 13 to Life Novel
    Secrets and Shadows (13 to Life #2) by Shannon Delaney
    Release: February 15, 2011
    Nothing's simple when you run with werewolves. Jess Gillmansen thinks she's seen it all but her eyes are about to be opened to even more danger and a reality far more paranormal than she's suspected. With Jess' realization that the Rusakovas' mother is still alive and imprisoned, the group's choices become harder and trust more important. Lines are drawn and relationships change as the broken Rusakova family struggles to reunite to free their mother - and those who Jess thought to be normal people show themselves to be much, much more...
    I'm in the middle of 13 to Life so I am excited that this one is releasing so soon.  I can't wait to read more of this series.

    So what are you waiting on this week?

    Tuesday, January 25, 2011

    Book Review: Never Been Kissed by Melody Carlson

    Never Been Kissed: A NovelNever Been Kissed by Melody Carlson
    Publisher: Revell Books
    Publish Date: January 1, 2011
    Trade Paperback,  216 pages
    Young Adult, Contemporary, Christian





    My Review:
    Never Been Kissed is a very interesting YA novel.  Like Anything But Normal that came out last year, it has a very important message to teenagers.  In fact it's one I haven't even thought about but will now make sure my boys understand what to do and what not to do when sending emails, facebook and text messages (if I ever get them cell phones, they are only 5 and 10 now).

    While dealing with a powerful subject the book also feels real.  What girl who is about to turn 16 hasn't embellished a little bit about that first kiss if they haven't had it.  What girl is not trying to fit in with an "in-crowd" and what girl hasn't told lies to make herself seem better.  Poor Elise gets caught up in something over her head, but I like how Ms. Carlson showed just how she dealt with it, from making mistakes along the way to making apologies where necessary.

    I enjoyed watching Elise grow as a character.  She starts the book as a typical teenager, not a care in the world besides fitting in and getting kissed, but she ends the book learning valuable lessons and going forth from there on with her life.  Ms. Carlson has a way with creating characters that feel real and feel like the every-girl and Elise is a great example of this.

    Never Been Kissed is a quick read, but one that will stick with you for awhile.  I can see appeal in this book for people of all ages.  Great for teens, great for parents, great for all those in-between.  Never Been Kissed has a lesson for all of us in this information age and is packaged in a very entertaining way.

    My rating: 4.25/5.0

    About the Book:
    New School = New Chance for That First Kiss Summer is ending, and for once that doesn't seem like such a bad thing to Elise. She's hoping that starting fresh at a new high school will turn her first-kiss prospects around. New guys, new friends, and a new lease on life.
    What she wasn't counting on was all the new pressure--to hang with the right crowd, wear the right clothes, and date the right guy. Just when it seems she's on top of the world, everything comes crashing down. Could one bad choice derail her future?

    About the Author (from Amazon.com):
    Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than 200 books, including Just Another Girl and Anything but Normal. She recently was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, Notes from a Spinning Planet series, and Finding Alice. Melody and her husband live in Oregon.

    Website
    Facebook


    **Available January 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group**

    ***I received this book from Revell Books for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  I do not receive money for my amazon links since I live in NC (something about some law), so they are up purely for my readers to have a place to check out the book.***

    Teaser Tuesday - January 25

    teasertuesdays31

    Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

    • Grab your current read
    • Open to a random page
    • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
    • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
    • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 
    The moment Riley reached the truck she kicked the closest tire, imagining it to be Beck's head.  It was a stupid thing to do because now her foot ached like the rest of her.  Her anger wouldn't make a bit of difference.

    From The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver (out February 1)


    The Demon Trapper's Daughter