Stray Affections by Charlene Ann Baumbich

Cassandra Higgins has decided to go to the Collectors’ Convention on her own this year since her best friend Margaret can't make. There she finds a snowglobe containing the figures of three dogs and a little girl. Although it is a bit on the expensive side, she decides that she must have it since it reminds her of when she was a young girl and one of the dogs resembles her own pet when she was young. She can’t resist purchasing this unique globe - even if means wrestling another shopper for it!

But after a strange– “flurrious” as Cassie deems it– moment happens with the remarkable snowglobe, through flashbacks Cassie is reminded of her beloved Grandpa Wonky, the stray she rescued as a child, and the painful roots of her relationship with her mother, “Bad Betty” Kamrowski.

This was a unique and very enjoyable story. Ms. Baumbich definitely has a talent for bringing small town and its inhabits to life. This is a story about relationships, about coming to terms with the past and making the best of the present, but mostly it's about healing. All the characters were well-written and even the more unsympathetic ones were likeable in the end. It did take me a while to get into it, but once I was in, I didn't put it down until I finished it. It was a bit on the predictable side but that still did not take away from the charm of it. This was a very light and quick read and although this is categorized as Christian Fiction, it was not preachy and can definitely be enjoyed by everyone.

GIVEAWAY: I have 2 copies of Stray Affections to giveaway.

As allways, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment (extra entries for follwers, Twitter, sidebars, facebook, etc.).

Rules: This contest is open internationally. Winners will be drawn Friday, September 18.

200 Follower Giveway

I came into work this morning and found a lovely surprise... yep, I made 200 followers today! I'm so excited - but more than that, I am thankful to each and every one of you guys for following my little blog. For putting up with the good reviews and the not so good ones and for leaving me all the comment love.

And because you guys rock so much - I have a little treat... (and yes, I am so snagging this from my besty's over at Book♥Soulmates. For those of you who have stuck around with me (especially in the beginning with those terrible one paragraph reviews) I have a special giveaway to show my thanks and to let you know know that:

Although reading has always been my passion, the fact that I have made such wonderful friends in this book blogging community is a blessing. *tears* Enough of that now, so here goes...... special giveaway for followers only. I won't say what will be in it, but it will be a box full of books and extra goodies that I might want to throw in there. (books will be a mix of ARC's and final prints). Haven't chosen the titles yet, but they will be worth it.

One comment will suffice... if you'd like some extra entries you can get them for posting on sidebars, twitter, facebook, etc. (just leave link) and make sure to add them right there on the one comment. Make sure to leave e-mail address too. Winner will be chosen October 9. OPen internationally. Good luck.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Lucy has been raised by her foster parents - since her biological mother went insane shortly after her birth. Now at 17 she finds herself in quite a predicament... she is pregnant and has just discovered that she is cursed to follow in her mother’s footsteps and succumb to insanity after the birth of her daughter. The only clue is the ballad that her mother passed down to her, which is a more sinister version of the song "Scarborough Fair". With the help of her foster parents and the boy next door, Lucy must use the song as a guide to complete the tasks which need to be performed in order to break the Elfin Knight’s curse that has been inherited by all the women of her family; if she fails, she too will be doomed.

Ms. Werlin’s writing style immediately grabs you and pulls you into an extraordinary world where realism and fantasy blend seamlessly. I can honestly say that there were parts in this book where I was scared to keep reading. The suspense of not knowing what would happen next had me flying through the pages... I just had to know what would happen to Lucy and her baby.

I will forewarn that some elements of the story are not appropriate for a young adolescent audience. There is a non-graphic rape scene and some sexual scenes. The romance is set within "traditional" values and the characters devotion to each other was so innocent and refreshing. I did feel that it dealt lightly with the after-effects of traumatic events such as rape and child abandonment though.

All in all, this was a quick read that young and old can equally enjoy. If you like your romances sprinkled with suspense, intrigue and a hint of magic, then this is definitely one you’ll want to grab.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When Clary heads out to a local club with her BFF, little did she know that her whole life would be altered. She definitely wasn’t expecting to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and yielding bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. No body, no blood and it seems that no one in the club can see these kids other than her. This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters. Shadowhunters are warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons.

One of them is Jace, a Shadowhunter, who thankfully is around to help Clary when her world is turned upside down within 24 hours of meeting him. Her mother has disappeared from her home (which is turned inside out) and Clary finds that she is under attack by a creature that she didn’t believe in a few minutes ago... a demon. She can’t go to the local law enforcement and has been turned away by her Uncle Luke. With nowhere to turn she finds refuge with the Shadowhunters. But that is just the beginning of her problems. For one, why would demons be interested in ordinary “mundanes” like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight - enabling her to see Shadowhunters in the first place... normal mundanes are blind to such happenings. So many questions are unanswered and it is up to Clary and Jace to uncover what is going on.

If you’ve seen Star Wars - you might find a lot of similarities in this book. I’m not sure if it’s meant to be seen as fan-fiction, but once I was a couple of chapters in I was having a lot of déjà vu moments. Sure, it was in a different world and there were different scenarios, but in the end it felt like a very familiar plot.

With that said, I still enjoyed this very much. I loved Clary as a protagonist - she was somewhat mousy but at the same time held quite a punch when needed. The dialogue was thoroughly entertaining and on more than one occasion brought a smile to my face. The world that they live in was very neat and I especially liked that it had a dark, gritty feel to it.

Hold on tight to your seats with this one as you become immersed in a world where every mythical creature you thought was fictional is real. From vampires who drive flying motorcycles to werewolves who turn at the full moon.... not to mention an ending that will leave you in shock.

There is romance, mystery, loads of suspense and drama, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. It’ll have you at the edge of your seat and ready to head out and get the next installment in the trilogy.

Giveaway Results: Damas, Dramas; So Into You; Modern Rogue and Summer of Two Wishes

I've been so out of it lately you guys. Forgive me for taking so long to post the winners of these giveaways. I have been having major issues with my computer at home so I'm stuck with only being able to do anything online at work. Hopefully problems will be fixed this week. Without further ado, the winners for the following giveaways are:

Jenny N.

Debs Desk

Anonymous (karen k)

I Heart Book Gossip

Mary Ann DeBorde



Amy

Crystal

Mari

Karen H in NC

Virginia




Andrea

C. A. R.

flip

Cheryl F. (The Lucky Ladybug)

haley




Carlene

Esther

So there you have it. Congrats to all my winners. Winners were chosen using randomizer.org. I will be e-mailing each of you (but if you'd like to save me time and energy feel free to email me your addresses). You have until Friday to provide me with your mailing addresses. If I haven't heard from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.

If you haven't entered already, I also have a giveaway my gently read copy of Labor Day by Joyce Maynard [here], ends 9/11. More giveways will be posted tomorrow and throughout the week so keep an eye out for those.

2009 Reading List (cont.)

65- Something Borrowed - Emily Giffin (6/01/09 - 6/02/09)
66- Obama’s Blackbery - Kasper Hauser (6/01/09)
67- If I Stay - Gayle Forman (6/02/09)
68- Marked - P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast (6/03/09 - 6/05/09)
69- Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson (6/06/09 - 6/07/09)
70- Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson (6/06/09 - 6/08/09)
71- Secrets to Happiness - Sarah Dunn (6/09/09 - 6/10/09)
72- I Love You, Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle (6/11/09 - 6/12/09)
73- Annie’s Ghosts - Steve Luxenberg (6/13/09)
74- Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (6/13/09 - 6/14/09)
75- Wings - Aprilynn Pike (6/15/09 - 6/16/09)
76- Ghostgirl - Tonya Hurley (6/17/09 - 6/18/09)
77- The Vanishing Sculptor - Donita K. Paul (6/19/09 - 6/20/09)
78- Bound to Please - Lillie Feisty (6/20/09 - 6/21/09)
79- The Devlin Diary - Christi Phillips (6/21/09 - 6/24/09)
80- Seduce the Darkness - Gena Showalter (6/24/09 - 6/25/09)
81- Drawing in the Dust - Zoe Klein (6/26/09)
82- My Forbidden Desire - Carolyn Jewel (6/27/09 - 6/28/09)
83- The Castaways - Elin Hilderbrand (6/29/09 - 7/02/09)
84- Knight of Desire - Margaret Mallory (7/03/09)
85- How Perfect is That - Sarah Bird (7/04/09 -7/05/09)
86- The School of Essential Ingredients - Erica Bauermeister (7/05/09 - 7/07/09)
87- The Wolves’ Keeper Legend - Silvia Weber (7/08/09)
88- Last Light Over Carolina - Mary Alice Monroe (7/09/09 - 7/10/09)
89- One Scream Away - Kate Brady (7/11/09 - 7/12/09)
90- Summer House - Nancy Thayer (7/13/09 - 7/16/09)
91- Ravens - George Dawes Green (7/17/0 - 7/18/09)
92- Before I Die - Jenny Downham (7/19/09 - 7/20/09)
93- Fairy Tale - Cyn Balog (7/21/09 - 7/22/09)
94- Benny & Shrimp - Katarina Mazetti (7/22/09 - 7/23/09)
95- The Grand Sophy - Georgette Heyer (7/24/09 - 7/25/09)
96- Hidden Currents - Christine Feehan (7/26/09 - 7/27/09)
97- Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story - Carolyn Turgeon (7/28/09 - 7/29/09)
98- Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick (8/01/09)
99- City of Bones - Cassandra Clare (7/27/09 - 8/16/09)
100- Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Viera Rigler (7/30/09 - 8/01/09)
101- Seduce Me - Robyn DeHart (8/02/09 - 8/03/09)
102- Mr. Darcy, Vampyre - Amanda Grange (8/04/09)
103- Evermore - Alyson Noel (8/05/09)
104- Blue Moon - Alyson Noel (8/06/09)
105- Fragment - Warren Fahy (8/07/09 - 8/08/09)
106- The Calling - David Mack (8/08/09 - 8/09/09)
107- Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater (8/10/09 - 8/11/09)
108- Summer of Two Wishes - Diana London (8/12/09)
109- Dancing with Ana - Nicole Barker (8/13/09)
110- The Chosen One - Carol Lynch Williams (8/14/09)
111- Dark Hunger - Rita Herron (8/17/09)
112- Uglies - Scott Westerfeld (8/17/09 - 8/25/09)
113- Eye of the Whale - Douglas Carlton Abrams (8/18/09)
114- How it Ends - Laura Wiess (8/18/09 - 8/20/09)
115- The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love - Beth Pattillo (8/19/09)
116- Undone - Karin Slaughter (8/20/09 - 8/21/09)
117- Impossible - Nancy Werlin (8/22/09 - 8/23/09)
118- Fairest of All - Serena Valentino (8/23/09)
119- Labor Day - Joyce Maynard (8/24/09 - 8/25/09)
120- The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper - Kathleen Y’Barbo (8/25/09)
121- A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray (8/25/09 - 8/27/09)
122- Let the Great World Spin - Colum McCann (8/26/09 - working on it)
123- Going Too Far - Jennifer Echols (8/28/09 - 8/29/09)
124- Tombstone Tea - Joanne Dahme (8/30/09)
125- Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout (8/31/09 - 9/01/09)

for #'s 1-16 [click here], #'s 17-37 [click here], #'s 38-50 [click here], and #'s 51-64 [click here]

I haven't updated this list since June - so yea, I figured now was as good a time as any. Considering I only read 73 books last year - I think I'm working on a pretty good pace to where I'll definitely double that amount this year. Yay me!