Thursday

Best Books Read in 2009


The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker
Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
The Blue Notebook - James A. Levine
The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton
Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler
If I Stay - Gayle Forman
Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
The School of Essential Ingredients - Erica Bauermeister
Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater
The Chosen One - Carol Lynch Williams
How it Ends - Laura Wiess
Labor Day - Joyce Maynard
Willow - Julia Hoban
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
A Certain Slant of Light - Laura Whitcomb
The Everafter - Amy Huntley

The Everafter by Amy Huntley

Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But is sure of one thing - she is dead. She's alone, in a vast, dark space (a/k/a "is" - because it just "is") - and the only things around her are objects that turn out to be things that Maddy lost while she was alive.

Through some quick thinking - she soon discovers that by grabbing hold of these items, she can re-experience—and sometimes even change—moments from her life.

Her first kiss. A trip to Disney World. Her sister's wedding. A disastrous sleepover.

In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and sometimes frightening truths about her life—and death.

This story was hauntingly beautiful - it was just one of those books that once your done with it, you put it down, and then will think about it over and over again.

I loved Ms. Huntley's take on the after-life. A dark space with objects that you lost and being able to relive those moments - possibly even altering an event... just genius. Through these instances we learn of Maddy's life - her family, friends, boyfriend. You really get to know and love Maddy, and you are saddened since you know from the start that she is dead. There are also some wonderful supporting characters, her boyfriend, Gabe, her best friend Sandra.

But what really made this book fantastic was the suspense - I mean, the pages were flying as I quickly devoured this in the hopes of finding out exactly what caused Maddy's death. How she got where she is? Why she was there? And boy, was I caught off guard with the ending. It was heartbreaking.

This is a haunting but ultimately hopeful novel that makes you appreciate the things we take for granted in our daily lives and will leave you pondering life after death. This was a wonderful debut for Ms. Huntley and one that I highly recommend.

Books Read in 2009

1 Disquiet - Julia Leigh (completed 1/01/09)
2 Christmas Jars - Jason F. Wright (completed 1/02/09)
3 The Reader - Bernard Schlink (completed 1/03/09)
4 The Wednesday Letters - Jason F. Wright (completed 1/04/09)
5 Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts (completed 1/05/09)
6 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon (completed 1/07/09)
7 Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Viera Rigler (completed 1/09/09)
8 Blindness - José Saramago (completed 1/11/09)
9 Secret Vampire - L.J. Smith (completed 1/13/09)
10 Inkspell - Cornelia Funke (completed 1/15/09)
11 Time of My Life - Allison Winn Scotch (completed 1/17/09)
12 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (completed 1/19/09)
13 Life of Pi - Yann Martel (completed 1/23/09)
14 The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker (completed 1/26/09)
15 Ms. Hempel Chronicles - Sarah Shun-lien Bynum (completed 1/27/09)
16 The Thief Lord - Cornelia Funke (completed 1/29/09)
17 Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro (completed 2/01/09)
18 Confessions of a Shopoholic - Sophie Kinsella (completed 2/02/09)
19 No Rest for the Wicked - Kresley Cole (completed 2/05/09)
20 One Fifth Avenue - Candace Bushnell (completed 2/09/09)
21 Upon the Midnight Clear - Sherrilyn Kenyon (completed 2/10/09)
22 One Silent Night - Sherrilyn Kenyon (competed 2/12/09)
23 Outlander - Diana Gabaldon (completed 2/19/09)
24 Confessions of a Former Child - Daniel J. Tomasulo (completed 2/22/09)
25 Playing with the Grown-Ups - Sophie Dahl (completed 2/24/09)
26 M is for Magic - Neil Gaiman (completed 2/25/09)
27 The Mistress's Daughter - A.M. Homes (completed 3/03/09)
28 He's Just Not That Into You - Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo (completed 3/06/09)
29 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - John Boyne (completed 3/07/09)
30 The Host - Stephanie Meyer (completed 3/11/09)
31 Dirty Little Angels - Chris Tusa (completed 3/14/09)
32 Handle with Care - Jodi Picoult (completed 3/17/09)
33 The Side-Yard Superhero - Rick D. Niece (completed 3/19/09)
34 Stardust - Neil Gaiman (completed 3/22/09)
35 Matrimony - Joshua Henkin (completed 3/24/09)
36 Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult (completed 3/28/09)
37 Laura Rider's Masterpiece - Jane Hamilton (completed 3/29/09)
38 Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah (completed 4/01/09)
39 Shoot the Moon - Billie Letts (completed 4/04/09)
40 I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti - Giulia Melucci (completed 4/06/09)
41 The Lake that Stole Children: A Fable - Douglas Glenn Clark (completed 4/06/09)
42 The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane - Katherine Howe (completed 4/09/09)
43 Girls in Trucks - Katie Crouch (completed 4/12/09)
44 The City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau (completed 4/13/09)
45 The People of Sparks - Jeanne DuPrau (completed 4/14/09)
46 One Deadly Sin - Annie Solomon (completed 4/16/09)
47 Jantsen's Gift - Pam Cope & Aimee Molloy (completed 4/20/09)
48 The Late, Lamented Molly Marx - Sally Koslow (completed 4/22/09)
49 The Blue Notebook - James A. Levine (completed 4/26/09)
50 The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton (completed 4/30/09)
51 The Prophet of Yonwood - Jeanne DuPrau (completed 5/02/09)
52 My Little Red Book - Rachel Kauder Nalebuff (completed 5/04/09)
53 The Simplest of Acts and Other Short Stories - Melanie Haney (completed 5/05/09)
54 The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers - Angie Fox (completed 5/08/09)
55 Mother of the Believers - Kamran Pasha (completed 5/10/09)
56 Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris (completed 5/11/09)
57 The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (completed 5/16/09)
58 Burning Wild - Christine Feehan (completed 5/17/09)
59 Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler (completed 5/19/09)
60 A Hint of Wicked - Jennifer Haymore (completed 5/21/09)
61 Mating Rituals of the North American WASP - Lauren Lipton (completed 5/24/09)
62 The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie - Jennifer Ashley (completed 5/25/09)
63 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley (completed 5/28/09)
64 In the Land of Cotton - Martha A. Taylor (completed 5/30/09)
65 Something Borrowed - Emily Giffin (completed 6/02/09)
66 Obama’s Blackbery - Kasper Hauser (completed 6/01/09)
67 If I Stay - Gayle Forman (completed 6/02/09)
68 Marked - P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast (completed 6/05/09)
69 Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson (completed 6/07/09)
70 Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson (completed 6/08/09)
71 Secrets to Happiness - Sarah Dunn (completed 6/10/09)
72 I Love You, Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle (completed 6/12/09)
73 Annie’s Ghosts - Steve Luxenberg (completed 6/13/09)
74 Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist -
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (completed 6/14/09)
75 Wings - Aprilynn Pike (completed 6/16/09)
76 Ghostgirl - Tonya Hurley (completed 6/18/09)
77 The Vanishing Sculptor - Donita K. Paul (completed 6/20/09)
78 Bound to Please - Lillie Feisty (completed 6/21/09)
79 The Devlin Diary - Christi Phillips (completed 6/24/09)
80 Seduce the Darkness - Gena Showalter (completed 6/25/09)
81 Drawing in the Dust - Zoe Klein (completed 6/26/09)
82 My Forbidden Desire - Carolyn Jewel (completed 6/28/09)
83 The Castaways - Elin Hilderbrand (completed 7/02/09)
84 Knight of Desire - Margaret Mallory (completed 7/03/09)
85 How Perfect is That - Sarah Bird (completed 7/05/09)
86 The School of Essential Ingredients - Erica Bauermeister (completed 7/07/09)
87 The Wolves’ Keeper Legend - Silvia Weber (completed 7/08/09)
88 Last Light Over Carolina - Mary Alice Monroe (completed 7/10/09)
89 One Scream Away - Kate Brady (completed 7/12/09)
90 Summer House - Nancy Thayer (completed 7/16/09)
91 Ravens - George Dawes Green (completed 7/18/09)
92 Before I Die - Jenny Downham (completed 7/20/09)
93 Fairy Tale - Cyn Balog (completed 7/22/09)
94 Benny & Shrimp - Katarina Mazetti (completed 7/23/09)
95 The Grand Sophy - Georgette Heyer (completed 7/25/09)
96 Hidden Currents - Christine Feehan (completed 7/27/09)
97 Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story - Carolyn Turgeon (completed 7/29/09)
98 Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick (completed 8/01/09)
99 City of Bones - Cassandra Clare (completed 8/16/09)
100 Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Viera Rigler (completed 8/01/09)
101 Seduce Me - Robyn DeHart (completed 8/03/09)
102 Mr. Darcy, Vampyre - Amanda Grange (completed 8/04/09)
103 Evermore - Alyson Noel (completed 8/05/09)
104 Blue Moon - Alyson Noel (completed 8/06/09)
105 Homer's Odyssey - Gwen Cooper (completed 8/07/09)
106 Fragment - Warren Fahy (completed 8/08/09)
107 The Calling - David Mack (completed 8/09/09)
108 Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater (completed 8/11/09)
109 Summer of Two Wishes - Diana London (completed 8/12/09)
110 Dancing with Ana - Nicole Barker (completed 8/13/09)
111 The Chosen One - Carol Lynch Williams (completed 8/14/09)
112 Dark Hunger - Rita Herron (completed 8/17/09)
113 Uglies - Scott Westerfeld (completed 8/25/09) 

114 Eye of the Whale - Douglas Carlton Abrams (completed 8/18/09)

115 How it Ends - Laura Wiess (completed 8/20/09)
116 The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love - Beth Pattillo (completed 8/19/09)
117 Rose House - Tina Ann Forkner (completed 8/20/09)
118 Undone - Karin Slaughter (completed 8/21/09)
119 Impossible - Nancy Werlin (completed 8/23/09)
120 Fairest of All - Serena Valentino (completed 8/23/09)
121 Labor Day - Joyce Maynard (completed 8/25/09)
122 The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper - Kathleen Y’Barbo (completed 8/25/09)
123 A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray (completed 8/27/09)
124 Going Too Far - Jennifer Echols (completed 8/29/09)
125 Tombstone Tea - Joanne Dahme (completed 8/30/09)
126 Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout (completed 9/01/09)
127 Luv Ya Bunches - Lauren Myracle (completed 9/03/09)
128 The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening - L.J. Smith (completed 9/04/09)
129 Hex in High Heels - Linda Wisdom (completed 9/04/09)
130 Legacy - Cayla Kluver (completed 9/05/09)
131 Ash - Malinda Lo (completed 9/06/09)
132 Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger (completed 9/08/09)
133 Lucan - Susan Kearney (completed 9/10/09)
134 Stray Affections - Charlene Ann Baumbich (completed 9/11/09)
135 The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan (completed 9/12/09)
136 The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks (completed 9/14/09)
137 Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Nick Castellucci (completed 9/16/09)
138 Willow - Julia Hoban (completed 9/17/09)
139 The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (completed 9/19/09)
140 Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink (completed 9/20/09)
141 Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins (completed 9/22/09)
142 Hate List - Jennifer Brown (completed 9/23/09)
143 The Darkest Night - Gena Showalter (completed 9/24/09)
144 The Darkest Kiss - Gena Showalter (completed 9/26/09)
145 The Darkest Pleasure - Gena Showalter (completed 9/26/09)
146 The Darkest Whisper - Gena Showalter (completed 9/27/09)
147 The Peruke Maker: The Salem Witch Hunt Curse - Ruby Dominguez (completed 9/28/09)
148 Another Faust - Daniel & Dina Nayeri (completed 9/29/09)
149 A Highlander’s Temptation - Sue-Ellen Welfonder (completed 9/29/09)
150 Ginger High - Melissa Burmester (completed 9/30/09)
151 Hellbound Hearts - Paul Kane w/ other contributors (completed 10/02/09)
152 Tall, Dark & Fangsome - Michelle Rowen (completed 10/07/09)
153 Skeleton Creek - Patrick Carman (completed 10/04/09)
154 Dying to Meet You: 43 Old Cemetery Road - Kate Klise (completed 10/05/09)
155 The Magician’s Elephant - Kate DiCamillo (completed 10/06/09)
156 Day by Day Armageddon - J.L. Bourne (completed 10/07/09)
157 Oh. My. Gods. - Tera Lynn Childs (completed 10/09/09)
158 The Tudor Rose - Margaret Campbell Barnes (completed 10/10/09)
159 The Return - Victoria Hislop (completed 10/11/09)
160 Ruined: A Ghost Story - Paula Morris (completed 10/12/09)
161 A Certain Slant of Light - Laura Whitcomb (completed 10/12/09)
162 Beastly - Alex Flinn (completed 10/14/09)
163 Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror - Chris Priestly (completed 10/16/09)
164 Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr (completed 10/18/09)
165 Meridian - Amber Kizer (completed 10/19/09)
166 Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen - Susan Gregg Gilmore (completed 10/20/09)
167 Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side - Beth Fantaskey (completed 10/22/09)
168 Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (completed 10/24/09)
169 Hannah: Daughters of the Sea - Kathryn Lasky (completed 10/27/09)
170 Ciao Bella - Gina Buonaguro & Janice Kirk (completed 10/28/09)
171 Hot & Irresistible - Diane Castell (completed 10/29/09)
172 Fallen - Lauren Kate (completed 11/03/09)
173 The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo (completed 11/04/09)
174 Over the Holidays - Sandra Harper (completed 11/06/09)
175 Genesis - Bernard Beckett (completed 11/07/09)
176 To Desire a Devil - Elizabeth Hoyt (completed 11/08/09)
177 Half Broke Horses - Jeanette Walls (completed 11/09/09)
178 The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship - Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel (completed 11/11/09)
179 A Courtesan’s Scandal - Julia London (completed 11/12/09)
180 Perfect Timing - Jill Mansell (completed 11/13/09)
181 Sins of the Flesh - Caridad Pinerio (completed 11/14/09)
182
Thirsty - Tracy Bateman (completed 11/15/09)
183
Viola in Reel Life - Adriana Trigiani (completed 11/16/09)
184 Eyes Like Stars - Lisa Mantchev (completed 11/18/09)
185
Matchless: A Christmas Story - Gregory Maguire (completed 11/20/09)
186
After the Moment - Garrett Freymann-Weyr (completed 11/23/09)
187 The Devouring - Simon Holt (completed 11/24/09)
188 When Autumn Leaves - Amy S. Foster (completed 11/29/09)
189 A Touch of Dead - Charlaine Harris (completed 11/30/09)
190 Home in Time for Christmas - Heather Graham (completed 12/3/09)
191 Knight of Pleasure - Margaret Mallory (completed 12/3/09)
192 It Happened One Night - Lisa Dale (completed 12/5/09)
193 The Everafter - Amy Huntley (completed 12/06/09)
194 According to Jane - Marilyn Brant (completed 12/07/09)
195 The Christmas List - Richard Paul Evans (completed 12/08/09)
196 You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas - Augusten Burroughs (completed 12/09/09)
197 A Kiss in Time - Alex Flinn (completed 12/10/09)
198 A Highlander Christmas - Janet Chapman (completed 12/11/09)
199 A Blue and Gray Christmas - Joan Medlicott (completed 12/13/09)
200 Once a Witch - Carolyn MacCullough (completed 12/14/09)
201 A Better Part of Darkness - Kelly Gay (completed 12/15/09)
202 Deep Kiss of Winter - Kressley Cole & Gena Showalter (completed 12/17/09)
203 The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle - L.J. Smith (completed 12/18/09)
204 Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica Day George (completed 12/20/09)
205 Push - Sapphire (completed 12/21/09)
206 Lament - Maggie Stiefvater (completed 12/27/09)
207 Give Up the Ghost - Megan Crewe (completed 12/29/09)
208 Rion - Susan Kearney (completed 12/31/09)

**the titles without a link - are soon to come**

Books read this year: 208
# of page read this year: 61,326


I was so excited when I accomplished the 100 mark - but to surpass 200 was quite the accomplishment. I've always been an avid reader but 2009 was the year of the book for me. Hopefully this new year will be the same or better.

Happy Reading!

Wednesday

A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

In A Touch of Dead you get five Sookie Stackhouse short stories that Ms. Harris has written over the years and have finally been published together for the first time.

"Fairy Dust" takes place after Dead To The World.
There we meet Claudine and Claude who have asked Sookie for "special" help in order to solve a murder mystery.

"Dracula Night" takes place before Dead As A Doornail.
Eric is throwing a big bash at Fangtasia to celebrate the birthday of the one-and-only, you guessed it Dracula. And Sookie's got an invitation to the fun.

"One Word Answer" takes place after Dead As A Doornail.
Sookie finds out that her long lost cousin is dead and meets some well-known characters for the first time.

"Lucky" takes place after All Together Dead.
Sookie and Amelia are approached by local real estate agent to help him solve a mystery. But this mystery is much more complicated then the girls originally anticipated.

Gift Wrap" takes place before Dead And Gone.
Sookie is spending this Christmas on her own. But when when she finds a naked man on her property and an unexpected guest pays a visit, it just might be a Christmas that is unforgettable.

As a fan of Ms. Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels - this book is a needed addition to your collection. I don't know if you're like me, but there was a time or two where I would start one of the books and feel like.. huh? did I miss something? Now we know why. These short stories fill in some of those gaps no matter how small they were. THIS is what you were missing. I personally never went out to buy any of the books Ms. Harris and Sookie were featured in. With A Touch of Dead, you have them all in one volume and can read them as you are reading all the books or, like me, who is all caught up in the series, can read them all together.

This was a fun, quick read... with a special dose of the Sookie Stackhouse universe we have all come to love. This is a must-read for any fan of the series.

i heart


I know this isn't very practicable and it looks heavy... but BOOK NECKLACES ROCK!!!

Carry on.

Tuesday

400 Follower Spectacular Giveaway


Ok... well, yea, you should have... I mean 400 followers!! Obviously I'm excited - so that means I gotta do something nice for you guys as well.

Once again (as when I reached the 200 milestone), I will be giving away a BOX OF BOOKS to one lucky winner. It'll be your choice of titles from the wide selection that I'll provide (although I will take into account wishlist titles). Some will be ARC's, most will not. The only restrictions to your entries:

This special giveaway is for FOLLOWERS ONLY. Extra entries for posting on sidebars, blog posts, twitter, facebook, All About {n} button, etc. (just leave link). Make sure to leave e-mail address too. Winner will be chosen January 29. Open internationally. Good luck.

Monday

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

Viola Chesterson has been “abandoned” at the Prefect Academy for Young Women in South Bend, Indiana - an all-girls boarding school and horribly far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York - by her parents who are abroad working on a documentary.

She is devastated, sad, lonely - she misses her home, her parents and her BFF's - but most importantly, she can't fathom living with three complete strangers in a new school far away from everyone and everything she's ever known. Luckily for her, she is paired with a great set of roommates, her knack for film-making and a fanciful grandmother, aptly called Grand - she just might be able to survive the year... actually it might just be the best year of her life.

I truly enjoyed this coming-of-age story. It's about leaving your comfort zone, making new friends, and realizing that not everything in this world revolves around you (no matter how hard that seems when you are 14). Viola, who can be spoiled (at times), was spunky, witty and had a great sense of humor. I also enjoyed the aspects of boarding school life - maybe it's because I never went to an all-girls school or studied away from home - but I always enjoy novels where the setting is at a school. The girls and their friendship was also something to savor - they were all very different and I really enjoyed how they came together, supported and helped one another.

This is Viola's story - how she navigates in a new school, new experiences, new friendships, a new boyfriend, and how she follows her dream of making a movie. Although this is Ms. Trigiani's first venture into YA - she mastered it without a hitch. This is a fantastic story for tweens and young adults but can definitely be appreciated by adults just the same. I personally loved it.

Giveaway Results: Dear John and Cleaving Audiobooks

[via A Traveling Journeyer]

and the winners are:

Dear John [audiobook]
Hil'Lesha
Sandy Jay
Rebecca Graham

Cleaving [audiobook]
Booksnyc
Just Mom
Sean

Way to go you guys! Winners were chosen using randomizer.org. I will be e-mailing each of you. You have until Friday to get back to me, if I haven't heard from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.

If you are still interested in more giveaways, check out my giveaways page [here]. More giveaways will be posted this afternoon - so stay tuned.

Manic Monday Recaps (Week 12/28/09)

Had a wonderful holiday? I know I did! Momma got everything she wanted and much, much more. So obviously I'm stoked. It was a bit hectic for me last week so I only posted one measly review. I know that's terrible and I ask that you please forgive me. Just so that you understand how terrible my week was - I was one of those people up at the crack-o-dawn at the mall finishing up my last minute shopping on the 24th (and I blame the hubs for this). See the hubs was working in Washington DC last week and was stranded there until Monday... so I was stuck home with two very inquisitive 2 and 4 year old children that would never understand why mommy needed to buy herself a doll or batman toy - so therefore, I spent my weekend twiddling my thumbs until he got back home and I was able to sneak out and finish my shopping hrmph. So, obviously my major hectic-ness also affected my reading, since I only read 2 books - BOO! But enough of my complaining.

Let me tell you about my cool gifts... because yes, I like to gloat. Momma got the awesome Chamilia bracelet (she really, really wanted) - full of all types of lovely charms. The hubs scattered little bright green boxes all throughout my Christmas tree - can I tell you how EXCITING that was. Each box held 1 - 2 charms. I got several giftcards from my fave - B&N and Starbucks, Macys and the oh-so-wonderful Victoria's Secret. I didn't ask for any books only because I have soooo many right now just staring me down because I haven't had the opportunity to read them - but I still got one that I really wanted - Beautiful Creatures. I also got the Wii Fit! Because momma needs to work out and what better place than at home... right? And well, that's about it. The kids had a fab time when they woke up and found our living room bombarded with gifts. They stopped breathing for a moment or two from the excitement. Needless to say my house looks like a tornado went through it - but I'll let them enjoy the mess until the weekend. And that was my crazy life for the past week.

Here's what I plan on reading this week:



Last week I read the following:
- Push - Sapphire (for those of you who don't know, Push = the new movie everyone is yapping about called Precious) I read the book and saw the movie over the weekend and I really liked both (which rarely happens as I never enjoy a movie after I've read the book)
- Lament - Maggie Stiefvater

I reviewed the following:
- Deep Kiss of Winter - Kresley Cole & Gena Showalter [review/giveaway]

For those of you that won't be back again before the new year - HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR - for the rest of you, I'll be here all week.

Friday

Hoping you

Tuesday

Giveaway: Girl on Top

Nicole Williams is the tell-it-like-it-is career expert who you wish could fight your work battles for you. But with her ingenious approach-taking the tactics used to land a man and applying them to your career-you'll be able to handle any work situation and come out on top. Here, Nicole introduces twenty tried-and-true dating rules such as "Don't Give Away the Milk for Free" and "Don't Waste the Pretty" and reveals how they can be applied just as effectively in the office. Other strategies include:

· Keep It Brief

· Don't Bash Your Ex

· Have Others Sing Your Praises

· Play Hard to Get

· Keep the Fire Alive

· Be Willing to Walk Away

Among other topics, Nicole dishes on how much to reveal at work as well as what to put up with from your boss (and, more importantly, what not to). She tackles everything from having the money talk to leaving them wanting more on a job interview. And sprinkled throughout GIRL ON TOP is fashion advice ("Top Ten Commandments of Style") and checklists to determine if you need to get a life.

Nicole's keen insight and candid advice will teach you how to recognize the good guys from the bad, win the kudos of those who matter, and create the career of your dreams.

GIVEAWAY: I have 5 copies of each up for grabs - thanks to the lovely Valerie at HBG.

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, Facebook, etc.) ; and for putting my spiffy little button on your blog. Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving a comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open to U.S. & Canada residents only. No P.O. Boxes. Winners will be drawn Sunday, January 23.

Monday

Manic Monday Recaps (Week 12/21/09)

It's the last couple of days before Christmas and I plan on getting my shopping done today and tomorrow. I know, I'm a procrastinator. Every year I say how I'm not going to wait 'till the last minute and, well... here I am.

Here's what I plan on reading this week:


I might add a few more, but not sure yet.

Last week I read the following:
- A Highlander Christmas - Janet Chapman
- The Better Part of Darkness - Kelly Gay [review / giveaway]
- Once a Witch - Carolyn MacCullogh
- Deep Kiss of Winter - Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter [review/giveaway]
- Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica Day George
- The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle - L.J. Smith

I reviewed the following:
- When Autumn Leaves - Amy S. Foster [review]
- A Blue and Gray Christmas - Joan Medlicott [review]

I know I'm slacking - but I'm in a festive mood. Enjoy your last minute shopping, wrapping and final details - I'm sure I will. :D

Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter

First... (screeching) Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter in one book!!!! swoons.

That's how I felt when I first heard of this book. Two of the hottest authors in paranormal romance all wrapped up into one deliciously packaged book - featuring two steamy stories that will keep you warm this winter. So, needless to say, I was extremely excited when I was allowed to be part of this book tour.

Kresley Cole's, Untouchable, features the last "un-blooded" Wroth brother, Murdoch. This is the sixth book in her Immortals After Dark series. Obviously, I would recommend that you catch up on the earlier titles so that you know what the heck is going on. But you can still read this as a stand-alone since there is a lot of explaining as to who is who and what is what. For those of you who have read the series, this book more or less takes place at the same time the previous five stories have wrapping everything up quite nicely with the other three Wroth couples.

A little bit about our leading couple: Murdoch Wroth - tall, dark, handsome - brooding vampire - in his mid-thirties. He was a love 'em and leave 'em type in his pre-vampire life. He had a different woman every night - even thought of as a 'manwhore' and has been without a woman for over 300 years. That is until he runs across the stunning Daniela...and suddenly his heart starts beating and he's been 'blooded' to a woman he can never touch, or have. Talk about ironic. Daniela The Ice Queen - is part valkyrie/part ice fey and a two thousand year old virgin to boot. Although she lives in New Orleans with her valkyrie brethren -she is in extreme discomfort with the hot and humid temps. Not to mention she runs the risk of thermal shock if she gets too hot and, if she's touched, even in passing, it is the equivalent of putting her skin to an open flame.

I fell in love with this couple. Daniela only wanted to be loved and touched, she led a lonely existence and fantasized about finding someone to love her. Murdoch could never imagine himself tied down to just one woman - and much less to one he could never touch. The excitement and anticipation over just how they would make it work - made it a quick and exciting read for me.

In Gena Showalter's, Tempt Me Eternally, we are once again thrown into her Alien Huntress series. Here we meet Aleaha Love (known as Macy amongst the AIR team). Aleaha is not the normal AIR agent though - she has a secret - a secret that can be deadly if found out by AIR (AIR = an elite enforcement group devoted to protecting the earth from aliens). For Aleaha can change identity - she can rapidly change bodies from the short, blonde Macy, to a tall, brunette, male, female, it doesn't matter... she can become anyone.

On her first mission to intercept an invasion of the deadly Schon, her team is surprised when instead of the expected Schon, a group of beautiful and golden-skinned Rakan emerge. Chaos ensues and only Aleaha is left standing. Breean, the leader of the Rakan, is only looking for a safe planet for his people to live in. For his race is peaceful and have had to leave their planet and their females behind because of a deadly virus which caused the female to "eat" the male population (caused by, once again, those pesky Schon). Breean's only recourse is to imprison the AIR team in order to use them in the negotiations to be allowed to reside on Earth. But Aleaha has no intentions of letting her friends remain prisoners, she must fight against the desire she feels for the leader and form a plan to help them escape.

If you've read the previous Alien Huntress novel, Seduce the Darkness, you might be thrown off a bit, because this story actually takes place before that one... so you're left wondering why they keep talking about a Schon ship landing... when you know that already happened, but anywho... once you get the time frame right, you understand and truly enjoy this story. Aleaha and Breean were fun, flirty and had some great dialogue. I loved the push and pull between them. Breean was looking for submissive (what his race is used to) and Aleaha would not let herself be a pushover. They were a great match.

Once again, Kresley and Gena have not disappointed. This is a wonderful anthology featuring two wonderful stories that can definitely be treasured... not to mention savored. For lovers of romance, paranormal/fantasy, this is a gem that you won't want to miss out on.

This book was provided for review by Pocket Books.

GIVEAWAY: 2 copies are up for grabs.

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, All About {n} button, Facebook, etc.) Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open to U.S. residents only. Winners will be drawn Sunday, January 10.

Fall Into Reading 2009 Wrap-Up

The Fall Into Reading 2009 Challenge was officially over yesterday. Here is my original post with my "hope to read" titles - I only read two of those... gosh, I suck. I always set aside books but then something I've been "needing" to read comes along... and well, so much for pre-planning. Here are the final titles I used for the challenge.


1- The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening - L.J. Smith
2- The Peruke Maker: The Salem Witch Hunt Curse - Ruby Dominguez
3-
Hellbound Hearts - Paul Kane w/ other contributors
4-
Ginger High - Melissa Burmester
5- Skeleton Creek - Patrick Carman
6- Another Faust - Daniel & Dina Nayeri
7-
Dying to Meet You: 43 Old Cemetery Road - Kate Klise
8- The Return - Victoria Hislop

9- Tall, Dark & Fangsome - Michelle Rowen
10-
The Magician’s Elephant - Kate DiCamillo
11- A Certain Slant of Light - Laura Whitcomb
12- Ruined: A Ghost Story - Paula Morris
13-
Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror - Chris Priestly
14-
Oh. My. Gods. - Tera Lynn Childs
15- Beastly - Alex Flinn
16-
Hate List - Jennifer Brown
17-
Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout
18-
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen - Susan Gregg Gilmore
19- Willow - Julia Hoban
20-
Legacy - Cayla Kluver
21- Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side - Beth Fantaskey
22-
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
23-
Hot & Irresistible - Diane Castell
24- Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
25- To Desire a Devil - Elizabeth Hoyt
26- Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
27- A Courtesan’s Scandal - Julia London
28-
Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr
29- Sins of the Flesh - Caridad Pinerio
30-
Thirsty - Tracy Bateman
31 - Hannah: Daughters of the Sea - Kathryn Lasky
32- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo
33- Matchless: A Christmas Story - Gregory Maguire
34- Perfect Timing - Jill Mansell
35- After the Moment - Garrett Freymann-Weyr
36- Over the Holidays - Sandra Harper
37- The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship - Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel
38- Meridian - Amber Kizer
39- Half Broke Horses - Jeanette Walls
40- Ciao Bella - Gina Buonaguro & Janice Kirk
41- Home in Time for Christmas - Heather Graham
42- Knight of Pleasure - Margaret Mallory
43- Genesis - Bernard Beckett
44- Fallen - Lauren Kate
45- The Christmas List - Richard Paul Evans
46-When Autumn Leaves - Amy S. Foster
47-A Blue and Gray Christmas - Joan Medlicott
48-A Better Part of Darkness - Kelly Gay

And there you have it. As always, this is a fun challenge that I look forward to joining again next year.




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