Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

This is a weekly meme hosted by Knitting and Sundries. Join the fun and post what you got in your mailbox last week!

Only one this week.









1) 187 When Courts Fail - Wade Halverson (Author for review)



















It's Monday What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished last week:

Sadly none. Last week was the week from hell. I'm days behind on blog reading to. I hope next week things will settle down to a workable level.

Books I am reading this week:

Rise Again - Ben Tripp
Once in a Full Moon - Ellen Schreiber



Books to finish this week:

Rise Again - Ben Tripp
hopefully one more as well.

Happy Halloween!!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe night tonight!

Rise Again - Blog Tour October 28, 2010

Rise Again - Ben Tripp (Gallery blog tour)

Product Details

• Pub. Date: October 2010
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
• Format: Paperback , 371pp
• Sales Rank: 157,383

• Series:
• ISBN-13: 9781439165164
• ISBN: 1439165165

Synopsis

A MYSTERIOUS CONTAGION. MASS HYSTERIA. SUDDEN DEATH.

And a warning that would come all too late . . .

Forest Peak, California. Fourth of July. Sheriff Danielle Adelman, a troubled war veteran, thinks she has all the problems she can handle in this all-American town after her kid sister runs away from home. But when a disease-stricken horde of panicked refugees fleeing the fall of Los Angeles swarms her small mountain community, Danny realizes her problems have only just begun—starting with what might very well be the end of the world. Danny thought she had seen humanity at its worst in war-torn Iraq, but nothing could prepare her for the remorseless struggle to survive in a dying world being overrun by the reanimated dead and men turned monster. Obsessed with finding her missing sister against all odds, Danny’s epic and dangerous journey across the California desert will challenge her spirit . . . and bring her to the precipice of sanity itself. . . .

Filled with adventurous human drama—and shocking inhuman horror—Rise Again marks a vivid and powerful fiction debut.

My Thoughts:

I'm still reading this to be honest but I am enjoying the heck out of it. Life has gotten in the way this week and my mind has been elsewhere. I can say from what I've read so far, I really enjoy Ben's storytelling and that's very important to me when reading a book. I have no doubt that I will enjoy the rest of this book and hope to get it finished up in the next couple of days.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• 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!

Here's my teaser this week:

She stared into the mirror. Everything was perfection: green eyes smoldering, cheekbones rouged and accented, lips outlined and plumped. Tonight, even her skin shimmered with something almost magical.

Vixen - Jillian Larkin pg.1 (note teaser from ARC, subject to change)

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

This is a weekly meme hosted by Avis over at She Reads and Reads. Join the fun and post what you got in your mailbox last week!

A couple new books this week:








1) Vixen - Jillian Larkin (B&N book club)
2) Rise Again - Ben Tripp (Blog Tour)















It's Monday What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished last week:

Delirium - Lauren Oliver
187 Pain and Bliss - Wade Halverson

Books I am reading this week:

Rise Again - Ben Tripp
Once in a Full Moon - Ellen Schreiber



Books to finish this week:

Rise Again - Ben Tripp
hopefully one more as well.

CSN Winner!!

And the winner is.....


Mee!!!!

Congrats I will be in touch via email to give you your certificate!

Red Headed Step Child - A Review

Red Headed Stepchild - Jaye Wells (own)

Product Details

• Pub. Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Orbit/Yen
• Sold By: HACHETTE BOOK GROUP USA/LITTLE BROW
• Format: eBook
• Sales Rank: 14,954

• Series: Sabina Kane Series , #1
• File Size: 413 KB
• ISBN-13: 9780316052955
• ISBN: 0316052957

Synopsis

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her---until now.

This time, it's personal.

My Thoughts:

I really liked this book. It has been awhile since I've read a book like this and I had almost forgotten how much I like them.

Right away I knew Sabina would be a character I would enjoy, although I admit at first I wasn't sure if she was a bad guy or good guy. The story is interesting and full of great characters I grew to enjoy and loathe.

But hands down the character Giguhl was the best dang creation ever. I love this character. He's spunky, charming as much as a demon can be, and funny as hell.

I can't wait to read more of this series and must go get the next in the series soon.

Note: I read this as part of a month long read a long started by Melissa at My World...in Words and Pages, and Robyn over at The Bookoholic Zone. It was a blast and I hope to participate in another one.

187 Pain and Bliss - A Review

187 Pain and Bliss - Wade J. Halverson (author for review)

Kane Silver series book #2

Product Details

• Pub. Date: June 2010
• Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
• Format: Hardcover, 304pp
• Sales Rank: 342,990

• ISBN-13: 9781453519240
• ISBN: 1453519246

Synopsis

Surviving a plane crash that claims the life of his mother, 10-year-old Axle Hunter
suddenly finds himself in the jungles of Thailand, wanders into an opium poppy
field and enters an exotic realm far beyond the familiar--the world of the drug cartel.
Rescued and adopted by Chang So'Ming, commander of the poppy farm, Axle works
the fi elds and trains to become a Thai fighter in the ancient tradition. Axle comes to
embrace the jungle and its people as family, and confronts the savagery of revenge
when called upon to fight for his father's life. "This man was torturing his family.
Axle was not afraid as he drove the blade into the man's neck. The gangster lay on the
floor, choking on his own blood."

Years later, Axle has become a world champion Thai fighter, husband to the beautiful
nurse May and father of his own son. But rival forces seeking to control the So'Ming
poppy empire thrust Axle into a quest for revenge when they murder his family and
burn down his father's compound, and Axle enlists the help of the one man he knows
he can trust: Kane Silver.

My Thoughts:

I read and enjoyed the first book in this series, so when Wade contacted me to see if I'd be willing to review this one, I jumped on it.

There is something very easy going about Wade's writing that keeps me reading. With his books I can just pick it up and delve into the story being told. No worries, no heavy thinking, just relaxing reading.

This is a solid second book. The story was entertaining and engaging. I liked Axle and his story. I found myself hoping for the best for him. Kane and his guys were fun as always. Valentino has to be one of my favorites. He just cracks me up.

I have to say the fighting a big draw for me. Being a fan of MMA, I found the fight training and fights to be very enjoyable. I would've been even happier to see more fights in the book.

I look forward to reading the next in the Kane series.

Author's Website: Wade J. Halverson

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• 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!

Here's my teaser this week:

Kelley Adelman hadn't written this many words since the history final in senior year. Her fingers were cramping up. The buck-a-dozen ballpoint pen left globs of ink in its wake and the police notebook paper was so thin she could read the impression of her words three sheets below.

Rise Again - Ben Tripp pg. 1

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

This is a weekly meme hosted by Avis over at She Reads and Reads. Join the fun and post what you got in your mailbox last week!

Just one book this week:









1) Matched - Ally Condie (Library Thing)

















It's Monday What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished last week:

Red Headed Stepchild - Jaye Wellls

Books I am reading this week:

Delirium - Lauren Oliver
187 Pain and Bliss - Wade Halverson (I hope to get this one started this week)



Books to finish this week:

Delirium - Lauren Oliver

These Things Hidden - A Review

These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf (Netgalley)

Release Date: February 1, 2011 (via amazon)

Product Description (from Amazon):

Allison Glenn tried to hide what happened that night...and failed. The consequence? Five years in prison. Now she's free. But secrets have a way of keeping you caged...When Allison is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult in her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces the whispered rumours every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn - shy, quiet Brynn - who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released, and is more determined than ever to speak with her sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

My Thoughts:

Oh man this book packs a serious punch that left me reeling by the end of the book

This is such a roller coaster ride of a book. It sucks you in by letting you know the main character murdered someone but that's it. You're then left to figure out what you think of her and her situation before Heather drops the bomb on you. Once she does that, she doesn't stop. It's one thing after another coming at you. Leaving you unable to put the book down. I was confused, angry, heartbroken, hopeful, optimistic. A little bit of everything passed through my mind while reading this book.

This book deals with such a serious but relevant subject one that should be discussed more. I don't want to say much more for fear of spoiling. I think Heather did a good job handling it.

This is emotionally charged book that I would recommend to just about anyone. I have yet to read her first book but it's on my shelves. You can bet I'll be making time to get that one read as well.

Author's Website: Heather Gudenkauf

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• 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!

Here's my teaser this week:

It has been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected a cure. Everyone else in my family has had the procedure already.

Delirium - Lauren Oliver pg1 (teaser from arc, subject to change) Release date 2/1/2011

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

This is a weekly meme hosted by Avis over at She Reads and Reads. Join the fun and post what you got in your mailbox last week!

I got a couple more this week to be added to the ever growing TBR pile.



























1) Low Red Moon - Ivy Devlin(contest win)
2) Hate List - Jennifer Brown (bought)



It's Monday What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished last week:

Getting There - Gerry Boylan
These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf

Books I am reading this week:


Red Headed Step Child - Jaye Wells (I so want to skip ahead and finish this one, I am being good and sticking to the schedule tho)
Delirium - Lauren Oliver

Books to finish this week:

Delirium - Lauren Oliver
Red Headed Step Child - Jaye Wells

Getting There - A Review

Getting There - Gerry Boylan (publisher)

Product Details

• Pub. Date: July 2010
• Publisher: Synergy Books
• Format: Hardcover, 368pp
• Sales Rank: 588,907

• ISBN-13: 9780984387922
• ISBN: 0984387927

Synopsis

In 1973, after a shocking event turned his life upside down, Luke spent his youth hitchhiking along I-75 between Florida and Michigan, meeting an extraordinary cast of characters, surviving the dangers and tragedies of the road, and falling in love.

Fast-forward thirty years: Luke now struggles to reconcile the boy he was with the middle-aged father he's become. And he wonders whether it's wise to trust the young hitchhiker he's picked up on his latest road trip.

My Thoughts:

This was an interesting read, if maybe a little long. The story parallels between 1973 and 2003. Luke is driving his daughter to college, while at the same time reliving his past spent hitchhiking in 1973.

This isn't one persons story. Instead is several stories weaved together like a patchwork quilt. It blends the stories all together, stitching each piece together in there proper place. The story builds itself up at a slow and steady pace. I guess like you would think a hitchhikers road trip might be.

If you like stories within a bigger story, this book might just be up your alley.

Author's Website: Gerry Boylan

CSN Giveaway!!

That's right, I've got another great giveaway opportunity for my followers. This time around up for grabs is $75 (doesn't cover shipping) to choose something from any of the fantastic CSN stores.

Maybe put it towards a nice Drop Leaf Table

Or maybe some nice New Office Furniture

Whatever you choose, it's bound to be a wonderful item that you will enjoy.

Rules:

Leave a comment with a way to contact you.


Contest is open until Oct 22 6pm PST.

Winners will be contacted by email and will have 72 hours to contact me.

Boneshaker Audiobook - A Review

Boneshaker - Cherie Priest (own) audiobook

Narrated by: Will Wheaton and Kate Reading

Product Details

• Pub. Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC
• Format: Paperback, 416pp
• Sales Rank: 13,592
• Lexile: 840L What’s This?What’s This?

• ISBN-13: 9780765318411
• ISBN: 0765318415
• Edition Description: Original

Synopsis

In the early days of the Civil War, rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike brought hordes of newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. Anxious to compete, Russian prospectors commissioned inventor Leviticus Blue to create a great machine that could mine through Alaska’s ice. Thus was Dr. Blue’s Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine born.

But on its first test run the Boneshaker went terribly awry, destroying several blocks of downtown Seattle and unearthing a subterranean vein of blight gas that turned anyone who breathed it into the living dead.

Now it is sixteen years later, and a wall has been built to enclose the devastated and toxic city. Just beyond it lives Blue’s widow, Briar Wilkes. Life is hard with a ruined reputation and a teenaged boy to support, but she and Ezekiel are managing. Until Ezekiel undertakes a secret crusade to rewrite history.

His quest will take him under the wall and into a city teeming with ravenous undead, air pirates, criminal overlords, and heavily armed refugees. And only Briar can bring him out alive.

My Thoughts:

I can't believe I've waited this long to read/listen to this. It was amazing!!

I loved the cast of characters and we got a little bit of everything. Strong female roles, ignorant rebellious teenager, quirky air captains, crazy bad guys, and some rotting zombies thrown in for fun. I think Lucy would have to have been my favorite of the characters tho I did have a soft spot for one of the air captains as well.

Boneshaker is full of crazy, dangerous adventures and Cherie did a great job of bringing her Clockwork Seattle to life. All the machines and gizmo's she created were neat and I wish I could see some of them myself.

I can't wait to read more about the Clockwork world Cherie has created. Thankfully Dreadnought is out now and I have that waiting on audio as well, so at least I won't have to wait long.

Author's website: Cherie Priest

Behemoth - A Review

Behemoth - Scott Westerfeld (Ebook from publisher) ***NOTE this is book 2 of a series, synopsis and or review may contain spoilers***

Product Details

• Pub. Date: October 2010
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
• Format: Hardcover, 496pp
• Sales Rank: 17,343
• Age Range: Young Adult
• 
  

• ISBN-13: 9781416971757
• ISBN: 1416971750

Synopsis

The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first if not more. I love the characters and the world is simply amazing. This books takes the characters to Istanbul. A neutral territory or is supposed to be. But danger lurks all around the city.

I have to say I love this world. It would be so neat to be able to fully envision it in my mind. All the Clanker machines and Darwinist creatures sound so very cool. I have my own made up vision of them but man what a treat it would be to walk into a museum somewhere and actually see one of them. I will say the illustrations are just as awesome as the story and I'm so grateful to have them to help my imagination along.

We get introduced to what the eggs were hiding in the first book and my minds sees them as a cute little gremlin. You know the lovable ones from the movie before they got all mean and nasty. I wonder just how big of a role he will play as the story unfolds. I have a feeling it will be an important one down the road.

Needless to say, I can't wait for the next book.

Author's Website: Scott Westerfeld

Wicked Appetite - A Review

Wicked Appetite - Janet Evanovich (own)

Product Details

• Pub. Date: September 2010
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover, 320pp
• Sales Rank: 601

• ISBN-13: 9780312652913
• ISBN: 0312652917

Synopsis:

Life in Marblehead has had a pleasant predictability, until Diesel arrives. Rumor has it that a collection of priceless ancient relics representing the Seven Deadly Sins have made their way to Boston's North Shore. Partnered with pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, Diesel bullies and charms his way through historic Salem to track them down - and his criminal mastermind cousin Gerewulf Grimorie. The black-haired, black-hearted Wulf is on the hunt for the relic representing gluttony. Caught in a race against time, Diesel and Lizzie soon find out that more isn't always better, as they battle Wulf and the first of the deadly sins.

My Thoughts:

This was a quick and fun read. A little bit out there but that's what made it fun. I am a Diesel fan as well so it was fun seeing him some more even if he's a bit different that what I thought he was. The book is chocked full of zany, crazy, slightly off the wall characters and animals alike.

Sometimes you just need a book that's just fun. No pressure, no expectations, just fun. This book fit the deal and I look forward to see what may happen next

Author's Website: Janet Evanovich

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• 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!

Here's my teaser this week:

"I thought you hated him."

She shrugged. "That was before you turned him into the ugliest cat on the planet. Besides, I'm a sucker for stuff like this."

Red Headed Stepchild - Jaye Wells pg. 154

Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball

Risa Green is hosting a great Mother-daughter contest over at her site called "What would you wish for?" You could win a signed copy of her book or even a $250 shopping spree! Head over to her site to check out the rules and get yourself entered!

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

This is a weekly meme hosted by Avis over at She Reads and Reads. Join the fun and post what you got in your mailbox last week!

Just one this week:




1) The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball - Risa Green (publisher)


It's Monday What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished last week:

Venom - Jennifer Estep
Wicked Appetite - Janet Evanovich
Boneshaker - Cherie Priest (audiobook)

Books I am reading this week:

Red Headed Step Child - Jaye Wells
These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf

Books to finish this week:

These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf
Maybe Red Headed Step Child - Jaye Wells

I did finish one other thing this week not book related, I wanted to share:

I crochet a little bit. I finished this blanket for my son today and it only took me 4 years lol. Actually I got bored a couple of years ago and stopped crocheting and thanks to Alea over at Pop Culture's Junkie, I got the bug again. Now that I'm done with this, I have decided to try a new to me pattern. We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck.

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much Giveaway!!

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is coming out in paperback on October 5th and the Author Allison Hoover Bartlett and her publisher have generously offered up two copies to my readers!

Synopsis

In telling the true story of book thief John Charles Gilkey and the man who was driven to capture him, Journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett explores the larger history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages.

Let's make this a little more interesting than my usual email for entry contest.

To enter just answer this one question:

If you could own any rare book, which book would you choose?

Remember to leave a way to contact you in your comment as well.

Contest ends on October 30, 2010 at 6pm PST