Me, Myself, I Read (and write)

Ads to You Giveaway Winner: Ebook Apothecary

2012-02-05T02:34:00.002-05:00

Here is a little description of Beth's blog

Here you'll find the ultimate cure for the bored or lethargic brain; fantasy novels, free kindle ebooks and book reviews. Introduce a little magic into your life...

The Ebook Apothecary is a book blog that focuses primarily on Fantasy Novels with the occasional dabble in Romance and Science Fiction. Updated at least three times a week, you will always find new book reviews, giveaways and more at the Apothecary.

Cure your boredom, increase your mental capacity and discover the wisdom of the cosmos. Just a sip is all it takes.

Proud supporter of indie authors.

If you are an avid reader or just the occasional dabbler, head on over to Ebook Apothecary to see what you may find of interest.

Long time no post!

2011-03-28T20:28:00.001-04:00

I have been so busy on my other blogs that this poor blog has been neglected. I decided I needed to rectify that problem this evening. It's not that I haven't been reading, on the contrary I have 5 books going at once right now, one fiction, one Christian Living for review, one non fiction for encouragement, one non fiction for information and one just for fun. Which to pick for today's Teaser Tuesday?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Guess I will pick the fiction book.
Nicolae by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins is one that has been sitting on my shelf for a while. I have read the entire Left Behind series before (at least the core 12), but as soon as the final one was read I never reread them, even though I reread each one as the next one came out, sort of like I did for Harry Potter. Without further ado:
from page 100- "Rayford's eyes popped open. He had not move a muscle. He had no idea how long he had slept, but something had interrupted his reverie."

I am no longer participating in any challenges. I am too busy trying to lose weight and keep up with the weight loss challenges I am involved with, but I am going to try to keep this blog updated better.

Here are the books I am currently reading:

Nicolae by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (3rd book in the Left Behind series)
Transforming Prayer by Daniel Henderson
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Shaping the New You
Sneaky Fitness by Missy Chase Lapine and Larysa Didio
Sesame Street: A Celebration: 40 Years of Life on the Street by Louise A. Gikow

A Christmas Carol Read-a-long

2010-11-20T20:37:00.000-05:00

I found a fun read-a-long at Cyndi's blog, Dog-Eared & Bookmarked

Here is her description of the read-a-long:

Starting Wednesday, November 24th and ending on Friday, December 24th, all Five Staves of Charles Dickens Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol will be read.

Weekly Schedule:

November 24-December 1: Stave One: Marley's Ghost (pages 1-25)
December 1-8: Stave Two: The First of Three Spirits (pages 28-51)
December 8-15: Stave Three: The Second of Three Spirits (pages 51-81)
December 15-22: Stave Four: The Last of the Spirits (pages 81-101)
December 22-24: Stave Five: The End of It (pages 101-106)

The only way I could get this to fit my schedule was to start reading the last week of November. Feel free to read at your own pace, but only comment and blog your weekly responces according to this schedule. I think it will fun to start reading the week of Thanksgiving, it will put me in the the mood for Christmas.

Feel free to grab the picture badge above, just copy/paste the image location. Make sure any, and all, blog posts about this Read-a-Long be linked back to my blog (Dog-Eared and Bookmarked). Also, anyone who does not have a blog may also participate. Please leave a comment to me for each week with any thoughts you have on A Christmas Carol.

Friday Fun November 19, 2010

2010-11-19T19:16:00.001-05:00

Jennifer over at Crazy for Books hosts the Book Blogger Hop. I haven't been posting very regularly on my book blog, have reviews waiting to be posted, but thought I would join in again this week. Here are the rules:

RULES:

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below

In your link, please state the main genre that you review: eclectic, contemp. fiction, ya, paranormal, mystery, non-fiction, etc.

Please do not list every genre you review - if you are review a variety, please put eclectic! The Hop gets jumbled up if the title is too long, so please limit to one genre. I will be limiting the number of characters in the title to ensure the Hop doesn't look messy! Thank you!

Example: Crazy-for-Books (eclectic adult fiction)

NOTE: You no longer have to enter the length of time you've been blogging, but do let us know if this is your first time hopping with us!

2. Post about the Hop on your blog. Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier! In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!). If you have a suggestion for a future HOP question, click here to fill out the form! Thanks!

"Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"

3. Visit other blogs in the Linky List! Make new friends! Follow new book bloggers! Talk about books! Rave about authors! Take the time to make a quality visit! Check out other posts and content, make a new friend! Don't randomly follow someone if you never intend on actually following them! No spamming please! (Please do not leave your link and not visit other blogs - it's just not cool and not in the spirit of the Hop!)

And just as an FYI - this event is not something you should feel that you have to participate in every week. If you want to join in and link up once a month, GREAT! It's up to you how often you participate!

So, have fun HOPPING and enjoy your BOOK PARTY weekend!!!

To answer this week's question, I am so thankful for the family the Lord has blessed me with. I still feel it was the Lord's leading that led me to my husband and gave me the chance for a fresh start after my divorce which was 10 years ago now. I have 3 teenage children and 4 step children. And I have 3 young children when I thought I would never again have the chance of having children again. I am so thankful for each of my girls (all under age 4). In each life (from conception) I have had different opportunities to see the Lord's leading, loving guidance and his almighty hand. I am so thankful for the way he has provided for us.

We really haven't established any Thanksgiving traditions yet. We watch the Macy's parade on TV (something I grew up going to as I grew up in Queens NY). We make a meal, but so far each year there has been a different menu. We don't really get together with any family, mostly because of my husband's work schedule as an LPN working 12 hour night shifts. Even if he has Thanksgiving off, he still was working the day before and needs his sleep.

Now onto The Friday 56, hosted by Freda over at Freda's Voice

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the any sentence that grabs you.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blogor (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

My Friday 56 comes from Eye of the Beholder by Kathy Herman. This series by Kathy Herman follows the Baxter series I was reading over the summer.

"'..The Hamilton's are nice people. I'm glad they decided not to prosecute.' Billy stared at him blankly. ' I do not know that word.'"

My second Friday 56 comes from Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer because I am once again obsessed and finding it hard to put this series down (for the third time in less than a year).

"I gritted my teeth together so I wouldn't start shouting. I didn't want to fight with Edward too."

I just discovered another Friday meme over at A Few More Pages called:

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you feel so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be here at A Few More Pages every Friday.

So...from Eye of the Beholder by Kathy Herman:
"The tires squealed on Owen Jones's black Jaguar convertible as he turned on Half Moon Drive ad again on Barefoot Trace."
Okay, so why was he squealing tires? And should I know who this character is? (This is the second book in the series) The second line mentions a father son talk, so I realize I know the father from the first book. What is going on that is frustrating Owen so much?

And from Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer:
From the Preface: "All our attempts at subterfuge had been in vain."
Knowing from the previous books that the preface holds a glimpse of a scene from with in the book I have a sense of dread and wonder what has gone wrong. Also wonder who they have been deceiving. The Volturi? The werewolves? Someone else? There is just that feeling of suspense that really got me into this book.

Friday Fun November 12, 2010

2010-11-12T02:33:00.001-05:00

RULES:

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below

Example: Crazy-for-Books (eclectic adult fiction)

This week's question comes from Christina who blogs at All About YA Books:

"If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series, do you always start with the first title?"

So, have fun HOPPING and enjoy your BOOK PARTY weekend!!!

To answer this week's question, YES I most definitely start a series with the first book. Years ago I read the Dragon Lance books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I read the Legends trilogy first. I was shocked when I discovered that the Chronicles series took place first. There was so much I understood better after reading Chronicles. At the same time, because I had read Legends first, I knew things that I should not have known about the future of these characters. Ever since then I am so careful to read series in order.

Now onto The Friday 56, hosted by Freda over at Freda's Voice

My Friday 56 comes from Thanksgiving: The True Story by Penny Colman. It is a book I discovered at the library last week after Story Time while I was looking for Thanksgiving stories to share with the children.

"Telegrams and letters poured into the White House. How dare he change the 'hallowed traditional' date! What would happen to all the traditional Thanksgiving Day football games?"

I was not aware that the Friday 56 is now hosted by Freda, so I was still playing by the old rules (having not linked up in several weeks) so my quote was from the fifth and surrounding sentences as I used to do.

On to Friday Finds hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

The only book I have discovered this week is the above mentioned book. I am only on page 48 and I have discovered so much about Thanksgiving that I was unaware of. There is a chart included toward the beginning of the book that shows different claims for the first Thanksgiving. There were many days of Thanksgiving proclaimed throughout the years way back in colonial times, but an annual National day of Thanksgiving took a while to be recognized.

NaNoWriMo: Sign up to write a novel, it's FREE!

2010-10-30T11:26:00.002-04:00

A few months ago I was introduced to NaNoWriMo through this post written by Janet over at Homeschooler Cafe. NaNaWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and the post written by Janet directs to The Young Writers Program. After some research I decided to sign up (for free, always a bonus) to write a novel in the month of November. Writing is to commence on November 1st, which is really really close. I thought I would share this with my readers on both my blogs. I figured readers of my Tots and Me blog would be interested in this for their children (or for themselves). Here is their description of the program:

National Novel Writing Month happens every November!

It is a fun, seat-of-your-pants novel writing event where the challenge is to write an entire novel in just 30 days. That means participants begin writing November 1 and must finish by midnight, November 30. The word-count goal for our adult program is 50,000 words, but our Young Writers Program allows participants who are 17 years old and younger to set reasonable, yet challenging, word-count goals.

The thing that matters most in NaNoWriMo is output. Our high-velocity approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

Make no mistake: you will be writing a lot of strange stuff, and some of it will be just plain bad. But that's a good thing! For 30 days, you get to lock that inner editor in the basement, let your imagination take over, and just create!

As you spend November writing, you can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants of all ages are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel.

In 2009, 167,000 adults participated through our main site, and 35,000 young writers participated through our Young Writers Program.

So, to recap:

What: To meet your word-count goal and write a novel from scratch in one month’s time. You will be able to enter your chosen word-count goal in your profile starting October 1.

Who: You!

You should sign up on the Young Writers Program site if you are:

17 years old or younger participating on your own.
In a K-12 teacher-led class that is participating in NaNoWriMo.
An educator facilitating NaNoWriMo in your classroom.

If you are 13 or older, you can sign up on the main site at www.nanowrimo.org. Just know that you will have to write 50,000 words since the adult site doesn’t allow you to set your own word-count goal.

Why: The reasons are endless! To write freely without having to stress over spelling and grammar. To be able to talk about how cool your novel is any chance you get. To be able to make fun of real novelists who take far longer than 30 days to write their books...

When: You can sign up whenever you’d like to add your name to the roster of budding young authors and participate in the forums. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach your word-count goal by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the celebration begins.

Still confused? Just visit the How NaNoWriMo Works for Young Writers page! If you are an educator, visit the How NaNoWriMo Works for Educators page.

See you in November!

Children from Kindergarten through 12th grade can sign up for the Young Writers program. My husband and I signed up for the adult program which you can access here.

So, needless to say, I will probably not be posting as detailed posts each week for our homeschooling. Pictures take way too long to upload on my computer so there will be a minimum. I do not foresee this affecting our lessons as I will be writing my novel while the children are sleeping. I am really excited about seeing where my imagination will lead me. I wish my girls were old enough to participate.

Would love to know that there are other bloggy families out there who will be participating. Hope to hear from you.

Review: Masquerade

2010-10-28T02:59:00.000-04:00

I was sent a copy of Masquerade by Nancy Moser by Bethany House in order to review it. This story is set in the late 1800's during the gilded age (learned that term from the book, I don't remember learning about it). Charlotte Gleason resides in England with her mother and father. She has always been pampered/spoiled; she has been sheltered from the world. What she doesn't know IS going to hurt her and change her life. Events out of her control make it imperative that she agree to an arranged marriage to an American who is an heir in a very influential family. She resents, objects, resists, but finally heads for America with her maid and friend Dora Connors. Because of her reluctance to be forced to marry to save her family and herself she devises a plan to switch places with her maid. This leaves naive Charlotte to fend for herself in poverty ridden streets of NYC, while Dora struggles to fit in with the elite under constant threat of being found out.

When I first saw the description of this book my mind went straight to The Prince and The Pauper, and I thought it sounded like a neat twist on that story. Rich trading places with the poor. As I was reading I also realized I was recognizing some of the story line from Titanic as Lottie was traveling by ship to America and faced with the dilemma of an arranged marriage to protect against financial ruin. She felt trapped as Rose did and was looking for a way to escape. There is also a scene that the author admits was inspired by a scene in Titanic. I'll let you read it to see if you can figure it out.
I loved the character development in this book. We truly see growth in the two main characters. It did take me a while to get used to having the story told from two points of view (Lottie's and Dora's). Lottie begins this tale as a spoiled rich girl who expects everything to go her way and is quickly brought to reality when she has disaster after disaster happen to her. Dora is shown as the religious one from the beginning and questions the morality of agreeing to Lottie's scheme. She really struggles to come to terms with what they are doing. At first I thought some of the disasters were just too convenient, but then I realized it could very well have happened the way it was written.
I feel the plot moved along very well and I enjoyed the twists.
The descriptions of the clothing and the surroundings were so vivid, I could really see this story come to life in my mind. The historical detail was spectacular. And the author includes some more detail in an appendix.
We see that God doesn't always answer prayer in the way we want or expect. His plan is what is best for us, not what is easiest.
There were times I was frustrated by Lottie's jealousy and self-centeredness, but I guess that fits her character.
I give this book 5 stars. It was a real page turner and the characters have stayed with me, I got to know them and love them/feel for them. That is a true requirement for me to really falling in love with a book.

As I stated I received this book from Bethany House as part of their blog review program. The opinions I expressed were my own.

Friday Fun October 22, 2010

2010-10-22T18:01:00.001-04:00

RULES:

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below

Example: Crazy-for-Books (adult fiction)

NOTE: You no longer have to enter the length of time you've been blogging, but do let us know if this is your first time hopping with us!

2. Post about the Hop on your blog. Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier! In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!). If you have a suggestion for a future HOP question, click here to fill out the form! Thanks!

This week's question comes from Becky who blogs at Becky's Barmy Book Blog:

"Where is your favorite place to read? Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?"

My answer:

I love to read sitting on the couch. The answer used to be in bed to get to sleep. But with the baby in the room I can't have the light on to read. I read in the car and in the bathroom. But sitting on the couch, with out the baby would have to be the best. It has become very hard to read while the baby is nursing now because she has entered the curious, nosy stage.

Now onto The Friday 56, hosted by Tonya over at Storytime with Tonya and Friends

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blogor (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I am reading another suspense book by Kathy Herman, just started the Seaport Suspense Series after finishing The Hunger Games Trilogy. Here is my Friday 56:

A Shred of Evidence by Kathy Herman

"'Well, you ain't gittin' me to help you.' He held open the door. 'You can leave the same way you come in.'"

Teaser Tuesday: Mockingjay

2010-10-13T00:41:00.000-04:00

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!

I'm was a little behind the times as usual, only just recently learning about The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I do have to say having this book blog has really introduced me to a bunch of books I would never had read otherwise. Anyhow, while I didn't have to wait for the conclusion of the trilogy because I started reading it right after Mockingjay was released I am still engrossed in this series, a lot more than I ever thought possible. I am having a really hard time putting these books down. The first two were amazing. Maybe I am preaching to the choir and everyone who reads my blog has already read the books. However if you didn't I would definitely recommend them. I just finished my review of The Hunger Games, the first book, and I will write the review for Catching Fire shortly. Right now, I am a short way into Mockingjay, which is where my teaser for Teaser Tuesday comes from.

page 82, "Now that the flurry of activity leading up to this mission is over, I realize I have no idea what I'm facing on this trip to District 8. In fact, I know very little about the actual state of the war."

Review: The Hunger Games

2010-10-13T00:21:00.000-04:00

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a book I never thought I would be interested in reading. Yet I found myself caught up in the story and towards the end I couldn't put the book down. This book is set in the future, after the destruction of what we now know as America, due to natural disasters and non natural disasters. Out of the remains of the old world a new world called Panem arises which consists of The Capitol and 12 (used to be 13 districts). The districts are kept in line by the mighty hand of the Capitol by Peacekeepers and electified fences and the annual Hunger Games. As a reminder and punishment for an uprising/rebellion almost 3/4 of a century earlier each district is to send one boy and one girl "tribute" to the Capitol each year where they will fight to the death, with only one Victor. The book begins on the day of the "Reaping"-the day where the tributes are chosen at random-and we are introduced to the main character, in whose voice we read the entire book, Katniss Everdeen. We follow her as she volunteers as tribute and journeys to the Capitol with her fellow District 12 tribute Peeta. I really did find myself connecting with the characters. The author brought them to life for me. Even though I had a hard time at first reading it in the voice it was written in, I got used to it. I really thought it was going to be filled with lots of bloody battle scenes, but even though there were a few scenes that were a bit graphic and gory, the remainder of the time in the actual arena consisted of quite a few lessons on survival skills as Katniss kept to herself in order to stay alive, utilizing the skills she learned while hunting illegally in the woods behind District 12. There were a lot of twists in this book enough to keep the reader on his/her toes and it made this book very hard to predict, keeping the suspense level just right to keep the reader reading just a little bit more, a little bit more. The author kept the plot flowing perfectly. Not to mention the surprise ending.
And while there are those few scenes that might bother the faint of heart, I was really pleased to find no foul language in this young adult novel.
The author has quite the imagination and was able to bring this future fictional world to life in all its horrors.
Oh, and there is a bit of a love story being told here which is extremely important to the plot.

This book is definitely a 5 star book.

Fall into Reading Question#3

2010-10-12T03:16:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday and a new question has been posted over at Callapidder Days. Head on over there if you wish to play along. If you haven't signed up for Fall into Reading yet, it is not too late to enter. Just head on over.
Here is this week's question:
Do you eat and/or drink while you’re reading? Or do you keep food and liquids far away from your books?

I had to think for a moment, but then realized I no longer eat when I am reading. Seeing as I am either reading in the bathroom, in bed or feeding the baby more than likely I am not eating. Even in the car I have just been reading. Though I guess I did read during lunch today for the first time in ages, because I just couldn’t put my book down. So to answer the question, I guess, no. Which I guess is good because I would just sit there eating mindlessly.

Fall into Reading Update

2010-10-05T01:58:00.000-04:00

Well I am a little late as I just realized there was a question posed last Tuesday over at Callapidder Days in conjunction with Fall into Reading. I left a comment over at her blog, but thought I would post about it too.

"[She] mentioned in the Fall Into Reading 2010 launch post that every Tuesday this fall, [she] will post a question about reading. Why am I doing this? Well, for one thing, I love reading and talking about reading with others. And for another, I thought it would be a great way to keep Fall Into Reading participants connected throughout the course of the challenge.

So without further ado, here’s your first question, .

What do you think is the biggest obstacle to your reading? What prevents you from reading as much as you’d like?

Here was my answer:

I know I would read more if I was not blogging and hopping around other’s blogs. The main obstacle, however, is the baby not letting me read now while she is nursing. When she was younger I could, now she gets distracted, or doesn’t want me distracted. So when I have free time, like now after the kids are in bed or during naps I am more likely to be found on the computer than buried in a book as I once used to be. I do take my book in the car if I am not driving and get some good reading time usually, but that doesn’t happen very often. The bathroom is a favorite reading place too, always has been.

Now for the update:
So far I have read one book not on my list:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

And I am reading another one not on my list:
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (the 2nd book in the series)

I am in the middle of Masquerade, a book that is actually on my list.

One is in the upstairs bathroom, the other downstrairs. I did take Masquerade with me in the car yesterday as we traveled to the Buffalo Bills game. I know I have to read this one as I received it to review. But I have had a really hard time putting down The Hunger Games series. In fact the last books that were this hard for me to put down were the Twilight Series.

Fall Into Reading

2010-09-22T03:44:00.001-04:00

Well, looking at my book list from the summer reading challenge I realize I need to set more realistic goals. Obviously the baby isn't going to let me get a lot of reading done. And my bedtime reading is not happening

1) because Hannah sleeps in our room and I can't have the light on

2)I am on my blog til all hours.

So I am going to create a whole new list with the books I am interested in reading right now.

1- Masquerade by Nancy Moser

2- Before I Wake by Dee Henderson (thriller/suspense challenge)

3- A Shred of Evidence by Kathy Herman(t/s)

4- Eye of the Beholder by Kathy Herman(t/s)

5- All Things Hidden by Kathy Herman(t/s)

6- Not By Chance by Kathy Herman(t/s)

7- And Then There Were Two by Gilbert Morris (t/s)

8- Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew)

9- The Sign of the Twisted Candles by Carolyn Keene (ND)

10- Password to Larkspur Lane by Carolyn Keene (ND)

11- The Honorable Imposter by Gilbert Morris

12- Queen Esther and the Second Graders of Doom by Allie Pleiter

13- How to Write (and sell) A Christan Novel by Gilbert Morris

14- Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Kathy Kirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff

15- Storm Warning by Billy Graham

I am also trying to finish Harry Potter before the movie comes out

16- Order of the Phoenix
17- Half Blood Prince
18- Deathly Hallows

And last but not least-
19- New Moon (again. It's been awhile since I reread this one. Definitely the movie didn't do it justice)

There, that looks a little more realistic. To see what others are challenging themselves to read this fall or to join in yourself, head on over to Callapidder Days. To be eligible for any prizes you need to be signed up by midnight Sept 24th.

Teaser Tuesday

2010-09-22T00:56:00.000-04:00

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!

My Teaser Tuesday this week is from the book I am reviewing for Bethany House, Masquerade by Nancy Moser. It is also the same book MizB shared a teaser from.

p. 53 "The events of the night rushed back to her: cough, Mother, doctor. She last remembered sitting in a chair outside her Mother's bedroom, vowing to stay awake in case she was needed."

Summer Reading Challenge Wrap Up

2010-09-22T00:29:00.001-04:00

Okay, the Summer Reading Challenge 2010 is over. Below you will find my list, the goals I set for myself for this challenge. I fell far short of reaching my goals. I really thought they were doable. I'm pondering what happened that caused this great failure. I know this was supposed to be fun, not a lot of pressure. I really thought I would be able to read the books on this list and write reviews for them. The books I did get read didn't all get reviews. If I start another book before writing my review I can't focus on the previous book well enough to write a decent review.

So, let's see, what did I read this summer. The books in green are the books I successfully read and reviewed. The books in blue are the ones I read but didn't review. The ones in red are the ones I didn't get to.
Thriller/Suspense Challenge:

Seaport Suspense Series by Kathy Herman: (forgot all about wanting to read this series, they will be on my Fall Into Reading Challenge list)

1. A Shred of Evidence

2. Eye of the Beholder

3. All Things Hidden

4. Not By Chance

Other Christian Suspense

5. Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand (finished 6/30)

6. The Last Christian by David Gregory

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer

7. Eighth Grade Bites (finished (6/28)

8. Ninth Grade Slays

9. Tenth Grade Bleeds

10. Eleventh Grade Burns

(Gotta finish reading that series, the 12th grade book should be out now, or soon will be)

Nancy Drew:

11. The Mystery at Lilac Inn (review here)

12. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (reveiw here)

13. The Secret of Red Gate Farm

14. Clue in the Diary

15. Nancy's Mysterious Letter

16. The Sign of the Twisted Candles

17. Password to Larkspur Lane

18. Clue of the Broken Locket

19. The Message in the Hollow Oak

20. Mystery of the Ivory Charm

21. The Whispering Statue

22. Haunted Bridge

23. Clue of the Tapping Heels

24. Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk

25. Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion

26. Quest of the Missing Map

27. Clue in the Jewel Box

28. The Secret in the Old Attic

29. Clue in the Crumbling Wall

30. Mystery of the Tolling Bell

(so much for the Nancy Drew Challenge)

31. Teenage Vampire by Florence Wilson
(All I want to say about this book is that I feel it was a great attempt by a young author (I actually know the girl who wrote this, she lives in my town and is homeschooled/cyberschooled). There were a couple of problems though. Almost the first half of the book appeared to be a rip off of the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer. By the middle of the book she seems to go off on her own plot, the story takes off. However, there are quite a few inconsistencies and mistakes that I feel a good editor should have found. With this I would have to rate this 3 or 4 with looking at my rating system, though partway through the book it was going to get 1 or 2.)
Non-fiction (Didn't get these read for the Spring Reading Thing, or the Summer Reading Challenge, still hoping to get them read with in the next few months.)

32. Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Kathy Kirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff

33. Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child's Education by Raymond S. Moore

34. School Can Wait by Raymond S. Moore

35. The Power of Play by David Elkind

36. Storm Warning by Billy Graham (really need to read and review this sucker)

37. The Baby Signing Book by Sara Bingham

Here are some extra books I read that were not on my list:

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (review here)
Time Riders by Alex Scarrow (review here)
One by One by Gilbert Morris
How to Write (and sell) a Christian Novel (I am halfway through this book)
Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury

Head on over to My Book Retreat to see what others have read this summer. Hopefully others were more successful that I was.

Stay tuned for my initial Fall Into Reading post which will be linked up over at Callapidder Days.

Friday 56: September 17th

2010-09-18T02:57:00.000-04:00

Friday 56 hosted by Tonya, over at Storytime With Tonya and Friends.

Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.

* Turn to page 56.

* Find the fifth sentence.

* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blogor (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.

*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

My closest book is Time Riders by Alex Scarrow seeing as I just wrote a review for it. Here is my Friday 56:

"'No, it's an artificial.' Foster said. 'Grown from engineered human genetic data.'
Liam shrugged; the word 'genetic'meant absolutely nothing to him, but he was reassured by Foster's answer that he wasn't looking at a real child floating like a pickled egg in a vinegar jar."

on to Friday Finds hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

I received my review copy of Masquerade by Nancy Moser from Bethany House this past week and I am looking forward to reading it. It has the feel of The Prince and the Pauper, with places being switched between a rich young lady who wants some freedom and her maid who agrees to go to the man her mistress is pledged to be married to.

When we were at the thrift shop I also found two interesting books
You Be the Jury: Courtroom V by Marvin Miller. There are ten courtroom mysteries for the reader to decide. Just a fun book I figured.

Queen Esther and the Second Graders of Doom by Allie Pleiter.

Review: Time Riders

2010-09-18T02:18:00.000-04:00

I found the book Time Riders by Alex Scarrow on the new book shelf at our town library. I was immediately drawn to the book because I love time travel. My favorite Star Trek episodes (either movie or series) are the ones that involve time travel and Back to the Future is one of our favorite movies. Even with all those silly paradoxes that my mind keeps getting all twisted up in. This book looked very promising.

This book centers around three teenagers who were destined to die in terrible tragedies but were spared that fate by taking the hand of a stranger from the future. When Foster shows up seconds prior to their demise they are given two choices, join him and the agency called Time Riders or die the death they are about to die. Liam, Maddy and Sal choose to follow him and find themselves in a different time preparing to enter training to become protectors of time. They discover they are chosen for certain skills they have. They are joined by one more unique member of their team and begin their training. Before long they notice a shift in time and, even though they don't feel ready, need to discover when the time line changed so they can change it back.

I have to tell you, I had a hard time putting this book down. It was very action packed and suspensful. What is going to happen to the team members left in the field office where the earth they are now on is no where like the one they had gotten used to, the real timeline, while their team memebers are back in time trying find out what went wrong? However, I did feel there were parts of this book that didn't mesh quite right. In their training they go to a certain event in history and prevent it from happening, which changes the future where the other team members are sitting looking for any slight changes. Supposedly the agency uses this time period because the events are "self correcting." The problem I have with this is, if the events are going to correct themselves in the real timeline, why would the prevention of the first act make any changes in the future.

I loved the different scenes/time periods we find the characters in. The reader gets to see quick glances of several important dates in history. Yet I feel the characters could have been better developed. I didn't get that emotional attachment I like to get when I am crazy about a book. Another illogical piece of the plot involves the angency. If there are other teams out and about, why don't they work together to rectify problems, wouldn't they have noticed the change too. Some of the other things I found confusing are just related to the fact that any time travel story is going to end up with paradoxes, so I won't worry about them.

Warning to parents, there is battle fighting in the story with descriptions of some bloody acts. And there is some minor language, nothing too intense though.

I will have to give this book 4 stars, it is a great story but needs some tweaking. I believe there are going to be more books in this series, which I will be greatly anticipating. Hopefully we will get to know the characters better and have some things explained.

I did like the fact that 9/11 plays a role in this book.

Musing Monday and Teaser Tuesday

2010-09-14T02:19:00.000-04:00

MizB over at Should Be Reading hosts both:

and

It has been a while since I linked up to these, so of course at 2 in the morning I decide to play along. Because it is so late I did decide posting together would save some time.

This week’s musing asks…

Where do you buy / get most of your books?

I would have to say the majority of my books come from the library as we just don't have the cash to go out and buy books. I love to read, but to own all the books I read would be crazy. (You wouldn't know I read lots of books the way my challenges this summer have been going, oh well) Besides, we wouldn't have the room to store them. I figure they will most likely be at the library if I want to read them again.
I do, however, find books at the thrift shop occasionally. Sometimes I purchase them for the church library, other times they are for me. Can't go wrong at 10-25 cents a piece. Of course these are all older books. But I have found some great classics this way, great for the homeschool book shelves.
My 3rd source of books, which is only just starting up, is getting them through book review offers from publishers, like Book Sneeze and Bethany House. Once again, they may end up in the church library though.

Now for Teaser Tuesday. This book was found at the library in town (I usually go to the one in the nearby town because it is bigger and their interlibrary loan program and the availability of their books is so much better) It is an intriguing new young adult book called Time Riders by Alex Scarrow. I love time travel books and movies, so I picked it up and I have to tell you, I have had a hard time putting it down.

page 122 "Foster nodded. 'Tonight is special,' he said. 'I always think of this evening as the last one of the "old" New York."

Friday Fun September 10, 2010

2010-09-10T15:50:00.000-04:00

Well, I sort of took a week off, not just from this blog, but from reading as well. I was busy preparing our lessons for our homeschooling journey this year. You can find details of this week's success at my homeschool blog, just click on the button to the left.
I will also be sharing book reviews of the books I read to the girls. These will be on my homescool blog and linked up each week to What My Child Is Reading over at Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns.
However, this is my book blog and it is Friday, so it is now time to link up to Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-For-Books

RULES:

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List at Crazy-For-Books

In your link, please state the main genre that you review: eclectic, contemp. fiction, ya, paranormal, mystery, non-fiction, etc. Please do not list every genre you review - if you are review a variety, please put eclectic! The Hop gets jumbled up if the title is too long, so please limit to one genre. I will be limiting the number of characters in the title to ensure the Hop doesn't look messy! Thank you!

Example: Crazy-for-Books (literary fiction)
NOTE: You no longer have to enter the length of time you've been blogging, but do let us know if this is your first time hopping with us!

2. Post about the Hop on your blog. Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier! In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!). If you have a suggestion for a future HOP question, click here to fill out the form! Thanks!

This week's question/topic comes from: Anne @ My Head Is Full of Books

Post a link to a favorite post or book review that you have written in the past three months.

Here are two links in response to this week's topic. One is my favorite Christian book review, the other is my favorite young adult book review.

Day of Reckoning was my favorite book in the Baxter Series by Kathy Herman.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner was a eagerly awaited book in our house. It is written by Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series.

Now, onto Friday 56 hosted by Tonya, over at Storytime With Tonya and Friends.

Time to go find a book.

The book closest to me was the book we are going to be using for our math curriculum. Count on Math: activities for small hands and lively minds by Pam Schiller and Lynne Peterson.

"Just as children need vocabulary to describe attributes, they also need vocabulary to describe position, direction and relationships. Children will use this vocabulary and the corresponding conceptual awareness when they classify and order materials."

Writer's Workshop: Perfect Picture of Summer 8/31/10

2010-08-31T03:17:00.000-04:00

This is my first time choosing a prompt from the Writer's Workshop prompts that can be found over at Mama's Losin' It. I desire to improve my writing, so I figured this was a great opportunity. Here is the prompt I chose:

What five images paint a perfect picture of summer to you? Put those five images together in a piece of writing.

As I close my eyes and think of summer I see the girls playing outside in the sprinkler. The water is spraying the lawn as the girls hesitantly draw nearer. Drops are falling all around and each one is hitting the ground as the girls are too afraid to have the water fall on them. A little urging gets them nearer, a few drops on the arm, a drop on the face, hesitating again. "It's okay," I reassure them, "Go on, it's just like the rain coming down. Let's get wet and cool down." They walk along the edge, letting a few drops of water splash down on them, laughing and screeching, having a ball. Eventually, they draw closer to the sprinkler itself, getting braver and sillier. Running, but never daring to go over the source of the water, where the force behind the water would drench them. Drench them, as the garden beside us is getting drenched.

A garden with splashes of color just outside my kitchen window. That is what I dream of, that is what we hoped for as we purchased seeds and plants. A garden growing the food we will enjoy as it ripens. A plot of land that began barren and brown was tended to with loving hands. Seeds were planted and watered with the afore mentioned sprinkler and occasionally by the loving hand of God in the form of gentle rain. Okay, sometimes it can also be a drenching downpour, I have to admit it. Either way the gardens, not just ours, but the neighbors' as well, thirstily drank the water provided for them. And seeds began to sprout, growing taller as we watched day by day. In the heart of the summer we look around and see gardens producing crunchy green beans and tender peas nestled in their pods, carrot greens sprout up hiding the color beneath the ground, huge heart shaped leaves keep zucchini hidden from view. A mosaic of shades of green,with little splashes of color dot the landscape. This is the miracle of our food that has sprung up from a tiny seed. We are grateful to have our garden, though as I look out our kitchen window, I am disappointed that our garden doesn't look like the picture in my mind, like the garden down the street with gigantic plants. Yet, it is ours. A supply of bright red tomatoes that are ripening faster than I can eat them.

Beyond the garden, past the chain link fence, the town park beckons the children and I. Evenings, when the day is finally cooling off after a day of sweltering heat, would find us walking through the grass or along the dirt path headed to one of three swing sets, where the girls could gallivant to their hearts content. They would swing and slide til it was time to go for our walk. Taking turns that sometimes only lasted for a few seconds before they wanted to experience something different.

And of course what summer in America would be complete without a Independence Day fireworks display. Time together watching the flashes, sparkles and shimmers high above our heads as we lounge on our blankets in the deepening night.

I end my summer musings with an image that speaks volumes to me. Kick off your shoes and enjoy the feel of the cool grass on your feet. Be free to enjoy the wonders and blessings of summer that the Lord our God has provided for us.

What is the perfect picture of summer for you?

Friday Fun August 27, 2010

2010-08-27T01:53:00.000-04:00

It is Friday again already, I can't believe it. I know I haven't gotten a lot of posting done here on my book blog. I haven't gotten a lot of reading done either. The baby is getting older and is more easily distracted while nursing, so reading while nursing is not quite as feasible. And when I do get books read I do not have time to write a decent review. Did you know it is difficult to write a review for a book after having started another book, at least for me. And it is impossible to wait a week and remember the details and important points I want to include. So, I am sorry I have not been real active here. I plan on rectifying the problem soon, a notebook to write notes down will have to stay within reach. Hoping I can get some more reading done too. Especially because I need to catch up on these challenges I signed up for. Nancy Drew is going a lot slower than what I thought it would. I have found quite a few Christian Suspense books for the Thriller/Suspense Challenge. My list for The Summer Reading Challenge is looking impossible right now. Time to revamp that a bit. We'll see if I can make the 100 book mark by the end of the year. Granted I didn't start any of these challenges at the beginning of the year, because I didn't know about them.

Sometime within this next week I hope to update everything. For now I am linking up with the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy For Books. If you are new here, please know I will be getting back into the swing of things soon. I hope. I am excited because I have my first review copy coming from a publisher soon, more on that later. Let's get this Friday Fun going:

ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 300 links every week!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

RULES:

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List at Crazy For Books blog.

In your link, please state the main genre that you review: eclectic, contemp. fiction, ya, paranormal, mystery, non-fiction, etc. Please do not list every genre you review - if you are review a variety, please put eclectic! The Hop gets jumbled up if the title is too long, so please limit to one genre. I will be limiting the number of characters in the title to ensure the Hop doesn't look messy! Thank you!

Example: Crazy-for-Books (literary fiction)
NOTE: You no longer have to enter the length of time you've been blogging, but do let us know if this is your first time hopping with us!

2. Post about the Hop on your blog. Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier! In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!). If you have a question that could be used in a future Hop, leave it in the comments! Thanks!

This week's question comes from:
Books Are A Girl's Best Friend

Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?

So, have fun HOPPING and enjoy your BOOK PARTY weekend!!!

In answer to the above question:

I have enjoyed looking at some other blogs to see how they rate books. I am still not quite sure the specifics of the way I rate, I am somewhat vague in my thinking here.

If I have really enjoyed a book and would recommend it I give it a 5

If I had some difficulty with following the book or inconsistencies, or just wasn't that fond of it I give it a 4

If I really couldn't follow a book and wouldn't recommend it, I would give it a 3

If I would tell someone not to waste their time I would give it a 2

If I couldn't finish the book it gets a 1

Anyhow, I just clarified the rating system in my mind as I was typing. Need to get that posted on my sidebar, so others will know what my rating means if they read a review.

Now, onto Friday 56 hosted by Tonya, over at Storytime With Tonya and Friends.

Well, the book closest to me is Dr. Seuss's ABC and I don't think it has 56 pages, so let me see what I can find. Since we moved the desk to the living room I am not as close to my box o' books. So we will go with "And Then There Were Two" by Gilbert Morris, this is the second book in the Dani Ross Mystery Series (yes I know I haven't written a review for the first one but lets say right now I would give it 5 stars).

-"I'm doing it because I believe Jesus wants me to. But I do need some help with my investigation of Mr. Denver's accident. If you think of anything that could help me find the truck that forced him off the road, would you give me a call?"

And last but not least, on to Friday Finds hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading

I am looking forward to reading a Christian Suspense book I found at our church library. I processed the book myself a while ago, but at that time I wasn't interested in suspense, so I didn't think any more of it until I saw it in our book return box. I asked the lady who returned it if she had liked the book. Her affirmative answer convinced me I should read it, so after I finish some of the books I have out from the public library I will see how I like it. It is called, "Before I Wake" by Dee Henderson.

Friday Fun August 20, 2010

2010-08-20T23:46:00.001-04:00

Time for some Friday fun:

Jennifer at Crazy for Books hosts Book Blogger Hop.

ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 300 links every week!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

RULES:

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List at Crazy For Books blog

In your link, please state the main genre that you review: eclectic, contemp. fiction, ya, paranormal, mystery, non-fiction, etc. Please do not list every genre you review - if you are review a variety, please put eclectic! The Hop gets jumbled up if the title is too long, so please limit to one genre. I will be limiting the number of characters in the title to ensure the Hop doesn't look messy! Thank you!

Example: Crazy-for-Books (literary fiction)
NOTE: You no longer have to enter the length of time you've been blogging, but do let us know if this is your first time hopping with us!

2. Post about the Hop on your blog. Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier! In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!). If you have a question that could be used in a future Hop, leave it in the comments! Thanks!

This week's question comes from Libraryscatbooks!

How many blogs do you follow?

So, have fun HOPPING and enjoy your BOOK PARTY weekend!!!

So, how many blogs do I follow? My book blog is quite new so I am not following that many yet. After counting I realized I never followed Crazy For Books (oops), guess I need to go do that as soon as I can. Right now I am following 19 book blogs. I am following a lot more homeschooling/mommy blogs that it took a while to scan through them. When I have more time I plan on making sure I have them all. They are now listed on the left side of my blog.

More fun:

Tonya, over at Storytime With Tonya and Friends, hosts The Friday 56.

My Friday 56 comes from "Mommy, Teach Me to Read!" by Barbara Curtis. She is a Montessori teacher who has homeschooled her children (of which she has 12). The quote is actually quoted from reading specialist Toni S. Gould.

At the preschool level they had the free time to learn and to develop an interest in learning. Without exception, they experienced success in learning to read.

Friday Fun August 13, 2010

2010-08-13T02:44:00.000-04:00

Hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy for Books. It's a Blog Hop. Come find new friends to follow who are as crazy about reading as you are. Here are the rules, directly from her blog:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for BOOK BLOGGERS and readers to connect and share our love of the written word. This weekly BOOK PARTY is a chance for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

So, BOOK BLOGGERS!

1. Grab the logo

2. Post about the Hop on your blog

3. Start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 200 links every week!!

In order to add your link to the list, your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews. If your blog does not meet these requirements, it will be deleted from the list.

RULES:

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below

In your link, please state the main genre that you review: eclectic, contemp. fiction, ya, paranormal, mystery, non-fiction, etc. Please do not list every genre you review - if you are review a variety, please put eclectic! The Hop gets jumbled up if the title is too long, so please limit to one genre. I will be limiting the number of characters in the title to ensure the Hop doesn't look messy! Thank you!

Example: Crazy-for-Books (literary fiction)

NOTE: You no longer have to enter the length of time you've been blogging, but do let us know if this is your first time hopping with us!

2. Post about the Hop on your blog. Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier! In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!). If you have a question that could be used in a future Hop, leave it in the comments! Thanks!

This week's question comes from Michelle from Michelle’s Book Blog! (waiting for her blog link!)

How many books do you have on your 'to be read shelf’?

3. Visit other blogs in the Linky List! Make new friends! Follow new book bloggers! Talk about books! Rave about authors! Take the time to make a quality visit! Check out other posts and content, make a new friend! Don't randomly follow someone if you never intend on actually following them! No spamming please! Don’t feel obligated to visit every link! Do what you can. The object is to have fun – not to feel so overwhelmed that you aren’t having fun!
(Please do not leave your link and not visit other blogs - it's just not cool and not in the spirit of the Hop!)
So, have fun HOPPING and enjoy your BOOK PARTY weekend!!!

In answer to this weeks question:
I have a whole bunch of books that I have purchased and never read. I am thinking I will pick a book every now and then so I can read them. They are mostly Christian non-fiction and up on my book shelf in my bedroom. I have an easier time focusing and keeping interest with my fiction books. Plus, I still have my "homeschool" related books to read. Books on teaching philosophies and techniques. Plus books on improving my writing, as it is my dream to write a novel and have it published.
Right now I am trying to get through my books for the Summer Reading Challenge over at Julie's blog: My Book Retreat. I have 32 books left on my list (ouch), plus I have added 8 (which are in addition to the 2 extra I have already read).

No clue how many other books are patiently waiting for my to read them on my shelf upstairs. The books I included in my count are either in the library book box downstairs, on hold at the library, or waiting to be put on hold.

All I know is, with these reading challenges and discovering new books through book blog hopping, I am finding books I would never have come across and "expanding my horizons."

Hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading.

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

As I haven't been posting regularly, my Friday Find is a couple of weeks old. Sad to say in the last few weeks I have found only 2 books over at the thrift shop. I have been concentrating on reading the books I already have, because each time I find a new book, I get interested in it and the books I have lined up to read next get pushed aside. I found the book "The Shack" by William P. Young and "D.A.R.Y.L." by N.H. Kleinbaum, based on the 1980's movie of the same name.

And Tonya over at Storytime with Tonya and Friends hosts Friday 56

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blogor (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

My Friday 56 is again from a Nancy Drew book as it was sitting on the desk because I just finished writing my review.
So, from the "Secret of Shadow Ranch" by Carolyn Keene:
"'Maybe he's hurt,' said Bess as they walked toward the sound. Whines and barks filled the air as the searchers called again and again, but each time the sounds seemed farther away and definitely were coming from the big meadow."

And, hope this is okay, I am going to share a second one, from the book "The Shack" by William P. Young, because technically the books were sitting side by side on the desk in front of me. And this way you know I read more than Nancy Drew.

"Now came the hardest part, waiting. Mack felt like he was moving in slow motion inside the eye of a hurricane of activity happening all around him. Reports filtered in from everywhere."

Review: The Secret of Shadow Ranch

2010-08-13T01:47:00.000-04:00

Finally finished my 5th Nancy Drew book for the Nancy Drew challenge over at Books, Movies and Chinese food. At this rate I will never get these books finished by the end of the year. That's okay though, I am interested in them now, and they are quick reads, so I will continue reading them.
In this story Nancy is now with new friends, no Helen in this book. She meets George and Bess for a visit at Shadow Ranch and it is immediately obvious that somebody doesn't want her there, so something is up, there is a mystery or two to solve. I have noticed that there are usually two mysteries to solve in these books which of course end up being related. In this book Nancy needs to solve the mystery of where her friends'cousin's father is. Is he involved in a bank robbery or is he a victim/hostage? In addition, there is a mystery at the ranch. Who is causing the sabotage and why? And why/how is it connected to the appearance of the "phantom" horse?
I enjoyed this book. The mysteries are getting more involved and it is quite enjoyable trying to figure out who the culprit is. It was pretty obvious especially after the one was eliminated from suspicion. It's the little hints that help Nancy to figure out all the mysteries. I have noticed it is a little tricky to figure some things out, like how they were getting the phantom horse to work because of thinking in 21st century terms and trying to figure out what would have been technologically available several decades ago.
All in all, I give this book 5 stars.

Teaser Tuesday: Shades of Blue

2010-07-28T00:08:00.000-04:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould 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!

My teaser comes from Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury (this is the book I am reading for the

p66 The white wooden marker was visible if someone was looking for it, but otherwise she doubted many people noticed it. ... She stooped down and touched her fingers to the rough-hewn wood.

Musing Monday: July 26th

2010-07-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

MizB over at Should Be Reading hosts Musing Mondays. This is what I was asked to ponder this week.

Do you review books? If so, for who?

If not, have you ever thought about doing so? Why, or why not?

I realize the question being asked probably refers to publishing companies or such, but I wanted to state that I started reviewing when I became interested in Reading Challenges here in blog land. I decided if I was going to read the books I wanted to review them too, so I could share my "thoughts, inspirations and weird ideas gleaned from each book" as I stated at the top of my blog.

As I learned more about blogging and books I discovered that people get to keep free copies of books if they review the books for certain publishers. I joined BookSneeze and thought it would be great if I could get these free books as I could then donate them to our church library if I felt the book was a good book. You know, share the wealth. I have yet to finish the first book I received though because I keep getting introduced to really good books through all these blogs I hop to. I have tried getting a hold of other publishers, but I have never heard back from any of them.

Now, to ask a question. If someone knows the answer I would appreciate if you could contact me in my comments. I have seen that some people review books and then have a copy to do a giveaway with. How do you get those extra books to give away? Do only certain publishers offer that? Just wondering, thanks for your help.

Friday Fun July 23

2010-07-23T01:47:00.000-04:00

Jennifer, over at Crazy For Books hosts Book Blogger Hop

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 200 links every week!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

RULES: (in hopes of simplifying things for everyone!)

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below (be sure to include how long you've been blogging and what genres you review!).

If you have been blogging 3 months or less, please note that you are a NEW blogger!
If you post about the Hop on your blog, please link directly to your Hop post (don't forget to answer this week's question - see below!).

2. Visit other blogs in the Linky List! Make new friends! Follow new book bloggers! Talk about books! Rave about authors! (Please do not leave your link and not visit other blogs - it's just not cool and not in the spirit of the Hop!)

3. Post about the Hop on your blog! Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier!

4. In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!):

TELL US ABOUT THE BOOK YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING!

I am currently reading "One By One" by Gilbert Morris. This is a Christian Suspense/Mystery that will be counted toward my Thriller/Suspense Challenge. The first chapter or so was a little slow, but now I am having a hard time putting the book down. Dani Ross is a detective working for her father's agency and she becomes a hostage, along with 11 others, of someone they don't even know. Supposedly there is one thing they all have in common that they are guilty of that they need to confess.

MizB over at Should Be Reading hosts Friday Finds

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

Definitely hopping around to other blogs has expanded my reading list. I discovered a book called Savannah from Savannah by Denise Hildreth at a blog last week. It is waiting for me here on my desk.

And Tonya over at Storytime with Tonya and Friends hosts Friday 56

My Friday 56 is from The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene.

"Nancy found two pieces of heavy burlap. Bess and George put them in front of the two back wheels for traction. Then they gathered and broke up some brush to make a mat for each tire."

W...W...W...Wednesdays

2010-07-22T02:36:00.000-04:00

MizB as Should be Reading hosts this weekly event. I decided to join in again this week, though a couple of hours late, typical me.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Here are my answers:

I am currently reading "One By One" by Gilbert Morris. It is a Christian suspense/mystery book. I have the second book in the series. Looking at Amazon it looks like there are more in the series but I don't know if I will be able to find them as some of them seem to have newer editions while the last 2 don't. I am seeing 6 books total, not sure though. I know our church library has more books by Gilbert Morris, but I have never read his work before. So far this book is pretty good. According to the back cover she takes over the detective agency for her dad because he is ill. "Then while pursuing a new case, Dani becomes a victim herself. She awakens in a strange place and finds herself surrounded by eleven other people...all clueless as to why they have been brought together."

I recently finished reading "The Mystery at Lilac Inn" my favorite in the Nancy Drew series so far. Only being on book four, I am not sure if I will get all of them read and complete the challenge, luckily it only takes me a day or two to read them. I gave this one 5 stars, here's my review.

Right before that one I finished "Marked" by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. It was quite disappointing. Here is my review, I only gave this one 1 star. I decided not to complete Betrayed as I thought I would last week. I will share why in a separate post.

I will probably read "And Then There Were Two" by Gilbert Morris (the second Dani Ross mystery). And I need to start "Shades of Blue" by Karen Kingsbury for the Christian Fiction Book of the Month Club. Additionally, I really need to start "Storm Warning" by Billy Graham for my Booksneeze review.

Review: The Mystery at Lilac Inn

2010-07-21T00:18:00.000-04:00

This is the 4th Nancy Drew mystery in the series. This story opens, once again, with Nancy and her friend Helen finding themselves in the water after having something to the boat they are in. Not that that is a big deal, I am just trying to keep track of such things. They are on their way to help a friend prepare for her wedding and find themselves involved in a mystery of strange happenings at the inn. A twist in this one is that someone is impersonating Nancy and the reader doesn't know why. How is it related to the strange things happening at the inn? How come it seems that Nancy is involved even before she arrives at the inn and finds out that items are coming up missing?
Nancy was in quite a bit of peril in this book. It took me a while to figure out who was the "villian" in this story. I kept suspecting others. This one definitely is the best so far.
5 stars

Teaser Tuesday: The Mystery At Lilac Inn

2010-07-19T23:40:00.000-04:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould 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!

My teaser:

"Nancy's face remained serious. 'I like him, too. But-well, Helen has a feeling he's at the inn for some other purpose than just helping Em and Dick.'"

p. 106 The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene

Musing Monday: July 19th

2010-07-19T23:17:00.001-04:00

This week’s musing asks…

What does your bookshelf (or, what do your bookshelves) say about you to the people who come into your home?

Well, most of my bookshelves are upstairs and most people wouldn't be seeing them, but if they found themselves upstairs for some odd reason they would see that I seem to be into reading Christian non fiction. This is deceptive, however, because most of the Christian non-fiction books on my bookshelf in my bedroom are unread. I have had good intentions, but my priorities get skewed. I get interested in a fiction book or series of books, and as they are easier for me to read I neglect the ones that may actually be more meaningful in my life.
You would also see that I tend to pick up books I think I might need for homeschooling later on, as I have a full bookshelf of homeschooling books and my girls are only 3, 2, and 3 months.
Another thing you would see is shelves full of Christian fiction. These too are covered in dust, as are the non-fiction books above, I am sure. But they have been read. I used to be one to reread books, but lately I have been reading more from the library. And that is what you would see downstairs. The books you see would show that I do not limit my choices just to one certain type of book. I don't just read Christian fiction, but I try to be careful on my choices. It also shows that I love to read to my children. And it also shows that I am not very tidy/organized, as they are just stacked on the box.

Head on over to Should Be Reading to check out other's Musing Mondays

Review: Marked

2010-07-19T15:26:00.000-04:00

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
In this book, the first volume of the House of Night series, vampyres are all around us in the world, they are not just myths, people really know of them. A tracker will "mark" someone who is meant to join this world, and they become a fledgling, a vampyre in training if you will. This is what happens to Zoey one day at school. Suddenly abhorred by her supposed friends and family (except for her grandma) she makes her way to the House of Night and her new life. Will she survive the Change?
Why is her Mark different?
Is she a freak or destined to a special calling?
Of course, what would a book about teenage life at a school be without the "getting off on the wrong foot/creating an instant enemy" storyline?

I enjoyed the major storyline in this book, it has the potential for something I would love. People being "marked" and going through a change while learning the ropes at the House of Night School. However, this book takes place within a really short span of time. It seems to me that the events that transpired, the relationships that formed and the conflict that happened should have developed longer. Some may comment that it is a young adult book. Well that brings me to two of my major problems with this book and my stating that this shouldn't even be classified as young adult.
There is way too much vulgar language and sexual content present to make me even think of allowing or recommending this book to the target audience (9th grade and up). I will not allow my 14 year old to read this book. The characters are frequently dropping the F-bomb amongst other vulgar language. Ironically, we then read of characters saying things like "poopie" and "easy peasy." And the repeated mention of a certain sexual act is uncalled for.
I actually was trying to give this book a chance, I did read it all the way through. But I continued to have an uneasy feeling about the spiritual references, magic with Native American culture, pentagrams, goddess references. I would have been okay with this as being part of a fantasy world, like Harry Potter and Twilight. While other Christians take issue with these books I feel they are works of fantasy that also had some great morals to teach and lessons to learn, with great writing I might add and just a little childish bad language occasionally. It seems to me that the writers of the House of Night series are out to promote some sort of pagan religion/idolatry, bashing Christianity as they go, while using the vampire theme as it is popular right now. Seems the rituals and spells referenced, etc would be better suited for a book on witchcraft. The authors are constantly bashing/ridiculing Christianity (or the People of Faith). No, they don't say "Christians" but references within the book point to Christianity:
A certain group saying the pentagram is evil p 140
Uncomfortable pews in church p 141
People falling asleep to boring church services

And they are glorifying idolatry
pentagrams stand for wisdom, protection and power p. 140
"I'd never heard stuff like this in church before, and I sure as h--l had never felt so energized there, either!" p148

These are some of the references I remember, but there were more.
Seems they have a bone to pick with Christianity. They state in different ways in different parts of the book, that the "people of faith" want to control everything.

All in all, as I reread my review, I realize I have changed my original rating,which was a two, to now being one star.

Friday Fun

2010-07-16T19:13:00.000-04:00

Time for Friday fun again.
First, MizB over at Should be Reading hosts

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

I just discovered Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury. HSMomma over at A Little Book Nook posted about the August Christian Fiction Book of the Month Club book. It sounds interesting and I am going to read it and hopefully join in for the discussions. Check out the Book Club here:

Another fun Friday event is The Friday 56 over at Storytime with Tonya and Friends

My Friday 56 is from Deadline by Randy Alcorn, this is a book I finished but have yet to review, which is why it is still close and not back at the library.

"The shekinah glory of God dwelt in the temple. Ezekiel watched it depart. When it was gone, the temple was called 'Ichabod.' In the holy language it means 'the glory has departed.'

Jennifer over at Crazy-For-Books hosts

RULES: (in hopes of simplifying things for everyone!)

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List at Crazy For Books (be sure to include how long you've been blogging and what genres you review!). If you post about the Hop on your blog, please link directly to your Hop post (don't forget to answer this week's question - see below!).

3. Post about the Hop on your blog! Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier!

4. In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!):

RIGHT THIS INSTANT, WHAT BOOK ARE YOU DYING TO GET YOUR HANDS ON (PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE)?

The book I am dying to get my hands on may never even get written, it is Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer. I have read what she has online so far and the story of Twilight from Edward's perspective is so incredibly insightful. However, seeing as this will possibly never be written and published I would have to say I am most interested in getting my hands on the Seaport Series by Kathy Herman. I will probably get all of them out at the same time as the Baxter series was very quick reading. But I have several at home I need to finish first and review.

WWW Wednesdays

2010-07-15T00:31:00.000-04:00

Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading "Marked" by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. This is the first book in the House of Night series. My bathroom also holds Twilight by Stephanie Meyer so it is getting reread a paragraph at a time.

I just finished "Teenage Vampire" by Florence Wilson. I have mixed thoughts about this book. I will be writing my review soon, I hope. This is a debut novel by a teenage writer.

I guess I will be reading "Betrayed" by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast next, yes the 2nd book in the series. That is if the first book doesn't completely turn me off. I also need to get caught up on my Nancy Drew Challenge, so I think I will be reading The Mystery of Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene. Oh, and I also need to start Storm Warning by Billy Graham.

Teaser Tuesday: Marked

2010-07-14T02:08:00.000-04:00

Time again for Teaser Tuesdays, hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading. (okay, technically it is Wednesday, but I fell asleep on the couch watching a movie).

I am currently reading Marked: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. Here is my Teaser:

"I will, Grandma. I love you, too. And thank you for bringing me here," I whispered, breathing in her familiar lavender scent and trying not to cry."~page 50

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould 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!

More Friday Fun

2010-07-09T16:51:00.000-04:00

I have really enjoyed joining in with all the different weekly events MizB hosts during the week at her blog, Should Be Reading. Today is Friday Finds:

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

Definitely joining in with these different hops and events has helped me to find books I never would have found on my own. I have a lot of new books on my TBR list and I may just need to change my Summer Reading list around a little.

Please click on the links for each book if you want to learn more, it is the easiest way for me to share, by linking to the Amazon page.

I am not sure who's blog I found the book Shades of Morning by Marlo Schalesky, but I am now planning to read that book plus Beyond the Night and If Tomorrow Never Comes by the same author.

I am also intrigued by the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast, posted about by MizB.

I also found Watership Down by Richard Adams and The Girl in the Box , by Ouida Sebestyen at the thrift shop this week.

Not sure when I will get to them, but...

Oh, I did pick up the first two books of the House of Night series at the library today.

Another fun Friday event is hosted by Tonya at Storytime with Tonya and Friends

Here is my Friday 56:

For her, I guess. For me. So I'd have "Advantages."

from The Girl in the Box Ouida Sebestyen.

Book Blogger Hop July 9th

2010-07-09T16:08:00.000-04:00

Jennifer, over at Crazy-For-Books hosts Book Blogger Hop.

We are getting to know our Book Blog Hoppers! Please answer the following question in your blog hop post and link to it in the Linky at her site!

This week's question: Tell us about some of your favorite authors and why they are your favorites!

A long time favorite Christian author of mine is Janette Oke. It has been a long time since I have read her books but her stories are quite enjoyable. Well written faith based historical fiction.

A new-to-me Christian author is Kathy Herman. Her suspenseful stories are riveting and I enjoy the way she weaves God's forgiveness and grace through the books. I have only read her first series so far (The Baxter series, of which you will find my reviews under my labels), but I have the second series on my Summer Reading Challenge list, so they will go on hold at the library soon.

I do really enjoy the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, but I am not sure if that would qualify her as a favorite author. I really do enjoy JK Rowling's writing, her style, the way she was able to weave her stories and create such a realistic fantasy world with characters I just adore.

ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a placejust for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 200 links every week!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

DISCLAIMER:
The Hop isn't just for you to throw your link in there and not visit any other blogs. It's all about networking and finding new blogs that are of interest. So, in the spirit of the Hop, try to make some time to visit other blogs and don't post your link if you are not planning on visiting other blogs in the Hop that week. This is a weekly event, so if you don't have time this week, that's fine! We'll see you next week!

If you sign Linky, please share the love and POST ABOUT THE HOP ON YOUR BLOG! How else will anyone else find out about it and come join the party?

Review: The Bungalow Mystery

2010-07-07T13:33:00.000-04:00

This is the third Nancy Drew Mystery in the series. In this book Nancy and her friend Helen Corning get caught in a storm and are saved by Laura Pendleton who states she may need Nancy's help in the near future. Laura is an orphan who is about to meet her new guardian.
In the meantime, Mr. Drew requests Nancy's help in discovering who has stolen bank securities from the local bank. While investigating the security thefts, Nancy is drawn into Laura's dilemma with her rude, scary guardians who state that Laura's parents have left her with nothing.
So here are the mysteries:
What happened to Laura's family's money, her inheritance?
How does the bungalow come into play?
What is it about the Aborn's (her new guardians) that isn't right? Is Laura in danger with them?
How do the missing securities tie in?

I liked this book once I got into it (and past reading Kathy Herman's Baxter Series books). I didn't feel the answers just fell into Nancy's lap as easily this time. There was quite a bit of suspense, even though I did figure out what was going on with the guardians pretty quick (okay they are juvenile books). And Nancy was in some peril. We didn't see Helen very much though.

I would give this book 4 stars.

Teaser Tuesday: Teenage Vampire: Year One

2010-07-06T14:15:00.000-04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading. Here's how it works:

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 are my teasers:

"The rest of the school day was boring, but Derrick met me out by my car, just like he promised. His appearance was darker and different from the Derrick that I remember, but that was just on the outside."

~page 256 Teenage Vampire by Florence Wilson

Musing Monday

2010-07-05T21:55:00.001-04:00

MizB over at Should Be Reading hosts Musing Mondays. Here are this weeks questions.

What are you currently reading? Would you recommend it to others? Is it part of a series (if so, which one)? What are you thinking about it? What book(s) would you compare it to, if any?

I am currently reading "Teenage Vampire" by Florence Wilson. At this point (I am halfway through the book) I would not recommend this book to others. There has been way too much that is a rip off of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga. While the plot is not the same there are way too many details that feel like they come directly from Twilight and some from New Moon. I say "at this point" I would not recommend it because I am finally seeing some fresh original plot show through. At the same time the grammar and inconsistencies make for a difficult read. I will continue to read the book because I want to see what happens and I hate leaving a book in the middle. However, if it doesn't improve I will not read any of the books that are supposed to follow.

Book Blogger Hop

2010-07-04T01:18:00.000-04:00

Jennifer at Crazy For Books has a blog hop going on every Friday -Monday and I just had to join in. I look forward to meeting more people who are as crazy about reading as I am.

ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a placejust for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

This week Jennifer wanted to know the following:

My name and why I started blogging.

My name is Karen and I had already had a blog devoted to the projects my children and I do in our homeschooling (along with other odds and ends). I was then introduced to Reading Challenges and decided I needed a blog that I could devote to my reading and reviews. I love to read and thought it was great that I finally had somewhere I could share my thoughts on the books I am reading. Though sometimes it is hard to find the time to actually blog about what I have read.

I am looking forward to getting to meet others as obsessed with reading as I am. I have already been nosing around others' blogs and have found books I am interested in reading.

Summer Reading Challenge 2010

2010-07-04T00:05:00.000-04:00

Okay, the Spring Reading Thing 2010 is over. You can read my wrap up post here or here. As I was reading wrap up posts I came across a comment mentioning a new challenge, which seems to be similar to the Spring Reading Thing. It is the Summer Reading Challenge 2010 hosted by Julie at My Book Retreat.

Here is my list:
Thriller/Suspense Challenge:Seaport Suspense Series by Kathy Herman:1. A Shred of Evidence2. Eye of the Beholder3. All Things Hidden4. Not By Chance
5. Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand (finished 6/30)6. The Last Christian by David Gregory
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer7. Eighth Grade Bites (finished (6/28)8. Ninth Grade Slays9. Tenth Grade Bleeds10. Eleventh Grade Burns
Nancy Drew:
11. The Mystery at Lilac Inn12. The Secret of Shadow Ranch13. The Secret of Red Gate Farm14. Clue in the Diary15. Nancy's Mysterious Letter16. The Sign of the Twisted Candles17. Password to Larkspur Lane18. Clue of the Broken Locket19. The Message in the Hollow Oak20. Mystery of the Ivory Charm21. The Whispering Statue22. Haunted Bridge23. Clue of the Tapping Heels24. Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk25. Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion26. Quest of the Missing Map27. Clue in the Jewel Box28. The Secret in the Old Attic29. Clue in the Crumbling Wall30. Mystery of the Tolling Bell
31. Teenage Vampire by Florence Wilson (currently reading)
Non-fiction (Didn't get these read for the Spring Reading Thing, hoping to get them read with in the next few months.
32. Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Kathy Kirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff33. Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child's Education by Raymond S. Moore34. School Can Wait by Raymond S. Moore35. The Power of Play by David Elkind36. Storm Warning by Billy Graham37. The Baby Signing Book by Sara Bingham
Here's how you can participate in this Summer Reading Challenge, which will take place from June 21 - September 21.

Create a list of the books you’d like to read or finish during this summer season. There's no minimum and no requirements as to the type of books you put on your list ~ it's all up to you how many you include, and whether they're beach reads or classics or something in between.
Write a blog post with the list of books you want to read ~ and any other summer reading goals ~ and post it on your blog.
Go to My Book Retreat to sign up. She'll have a Linky set up , so you can link up to your own Summer Reading Challenge post.
Read! Work through your list of books throughout the summer. Write reviews if you'd like. Have fun!
Write a wrap-up post at the end of summer to report on your results.
Go back to My Book Retreat on September 21st to link your wrap-up post to the Linky she'll post that day.

Review: A Fine Line

2010-06-24T00:28:00.001-04:00

A Fine Line is the fifth and final book of the Baxter Series by Kathy Herman.

From the back cover: "The city council voted to let Thompson Tire Corporation build a plant in Baxter, threatening the town's quaint culture." Once again there are rumors flying in Baxter. It is believed that the mayor's vote was swayed because of an alleged relationship with Sheila Paxton, the attorney for the tire company, instead of his belief that this plant will help the community financially. Ellen Jones, the editor of the newspaper, once again finds herself a part of the story after Sheila dies suddenly. Will she dig into Sheila's past? Is she in danger if she does? Is she in danger if she doesn't? Who is she in danger from? And what do they want from her?

The other big plot point in this book is the ruined reputation of Mayor Charlie Kirby because of his alleged relationship with Sheila Paxton. Will he and his wife be able to work out their relationship?

This book is one of my favorites in this series (the other being Day of Reckoning). Kathy Herman kept the suspense high throughout the book, right to the end, unlike the last two where the latter part of the book was focused on relationships and reconciliation after the major conflict was resolved. I also loved the way she tied important information from the previous books into this book to tie it all together, as a farewell to characters I have come to know and love. A reminder of what the town has gone through. It was finally in this book I realized that Ellen is the character who has a major role and who ties everything together.

All in all, I give this book 5 stars. I love the sentimentality, the suspense gripping the reader throughout the book, the twists and the way she worked with Mayor Kirby and his wife through their relationship troubles. And the reminder that there is a fine line to guard against going over when it comes to fidelity in marriage.

Spring Reading Thing 2010 Wrap Up

2010-06-23T01:21:00.001-04:00

It's time to wrap up the Spring Reading Thing 2010.

Summer just crept right up on me. In fact, looking at Hannah, and realizing she is 2 months old, is so shocking, I have no idea where these last two months have gone. Furthermore, I can't believe we are almost halfway through this year already. Time really does fly. Why is it that time really does seem to go faster as you get older?

I realize I started this challenge late, but I set my goals and it seems I set them a tad too high. In other words, to answer Katrina's first question posted over at Callapidder Days, "NO" I didn't finish the books on my list and I am a bit upset with myself. I started out strong, I thought. I had changed my list a few weeks into when I started the challenge because I had discovered some different books I wanted to read. I posted about that here. From my updated list, here are the books I did finish.

From the Christian Suspense:

Deadline by Randy Alcorn (which I have yet to review, but I loved it)

Tested by Fire by Kathy Herman

Day of Reckoning by Kathy Herman

Vital Signs by Kathy Herman

High Stakes by Kathy Herman

A Fine Line by Kathy Herman

(the last two books in the Baxter series by Kathy Herman above were not on my list but I couldn't put the series down once I got started. Which is one reason why I didn't finish all the books I planned to read. You can read reviews for all the books in the Baxter series at my book blog, Me, Myself, I Read.

As stated in the update post, I did put Dominion by Randy Alcorn on hold for now as it was just so long and bulky so it was difficult to hold while nursing, which is when I do the majority of my reading.

I did not finish any of the books in my Non Fiction category. I am trying to read Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child's Education by Raymond S. Moore. It is hard for me to get into this book for some reason. I am reading Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Kathy Kirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff , but the second half of the book is not as easy for me to focus on. And I started reading Storm Warning by Billy Graham but then I misplaced it.

I have definitely been addicted to my fiction books. In fact, I started reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer again in anticipation of the Eclipse movie coming out next week. I have also started reading The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, another vampire series my daughter's friends are reading and she decided she would read after finishing Breaking Dawn. Seeing as she is at her dad's this week, mommy helped herself to the books when they became available through the library.

From the Nancy Drew challenge:

The Secret of the Old Clock

The Hidden Staircase

The Bungalow Mystery (I technically finished this one morning of the 21st, so I probably shouldn't count it, but I wanted to mention I had finished it, though I haven't written my review yet)

You can also find reviews for these books over at Me, Myself, I Read.

I realize I had better pick up the pace if I am going to reach my goal for my other reading challenges I am participating in. To see all the challenges I am participating in go here.

I would like to answer some more of Katrina's questions in the remainder of this post.

What was your favorite book that you read this spring? Least favorite? Why?

It is a toss up for me when it comes to picking a favorite book. I enjoyed both Day of Reckoning and A Fine Line by Kathy Herman. I feel, out of the series, these two held the most suspense and kept me glued to the book. Better Late than Early by Raymond S. Moore would have to be my least favorite because of my difficulty in being able to get into it.

Did you discover a new author or genre this spring? Did you love them? Notlove them?

I am so glad I started participating in these reading challenges. I am now addicted to Christian Suspense! I found a great site called The Suspense Zone that lists Christian Suspense authors and the suspense books they wrote. i am looking forward to reading more by Kathy Herman, for starters.

Did you learn something new because of Spring Reading Thing 2010 — something about reading, or yourself, or a topic you read about?

I didn't really learn anything new about myself. Just the same old, same old... Give me a fiction book and I will bury myself in it.

What was your favorite thing about the challenge?

I enjoyed the fact that there was no pressure in this challenge.

Head on over to Callapidder Days' Wrap Up Post to see the list of links to all the other wrap up posts to see how everyone else has done.

Review: High Stakes

2010-06-15T02:38:00.001-04:00

This is the fourth book in the Baxter Series by Kathy Herman. In this book Angie Marks arrives in town as the trial of Billy Joe Sawyer draws near. She has tattoos and body piercings, which causes the locals, who are focused on her appearance, to gossip about her and reject her. She has a hard time finding a job, until Mr Bailey hires her as a live in housekeeper, causing his family to question his judgement. She is in town for a reason that only she knows, but when there are attacks on key witnesses in the murder trial people begin to suspect her involvement just because of her appearance.
When Angie is implicated in a gruesome murder the community feels they were right to suspect her. And because the accused killer has taken her into hiding with him she is unable to try to prove her innocence. At the same time the real killer is out there and she is not safe.
This is a story of looking past appearances and into the heart. Once again, not letting yourself become judgmental of people who are different than yourself. I have to say this was not one of my favorites in the series. The suspense conflict is resolved by the middle of the book and the author then focuses on the mystery of why Angie is in Baxter to begin with. It becomes a story of family reconciliation. I do have to say there is more of a whodunit in the mystery of who really committed the murder. But the way it was resolved seem too convenient, almost unbelievable, and it was almost as if the author wanted to get that part of the story over with and concentrate on the story of Angie. I do like the relationship that developed between Mr Bailey and Angie.
All in all I would have to give this book 3 stars. I did find it ironic that this book was actually listed as a suspense book on the website where I found lists of Christian Suspense authors and their books, while the first books in the series, which I found more suspenseful, were not. The website is called The Suspense Zone.

Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

2010-06-09T14:50:00.000-04:00

Here's another book I didn't have listed as one I wanted to get read by June 20th for the Spring Reading Thing. Fortunately it was a quick read (would have been quicker if I had a print copy, seeing as my computer was going way to slow and would stop responding). Okay, now on to the book.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a novella by Stephenie Meyer. In this story the author shares the story of the newborn vampire army that is being created by Victoria in the third book of the Twilight Saga: Eclipse. The author shares, in her introduction, that she chose to highlight Bree's perspective because she is the one newborn that Bella had a name for and whom we, as readers, have any focus on besides Victoria and Riley. She is also the newborn who lives the longest so we can get the story of the attack through to the end. The story begins with Bree having already been a vampire for several months. It takes place within the week that they will be attacking the Cullens. The reader is introduced to a horde of vampires, some of which we begin to know better than others. We see the precarious lives they lead, the constant uncertainty of survival when you are a being surrounded by others who are out of control, violent and blood-thirsty. Bree becomes close to two other newborns, Diego and Fred, and we see how she tries hard to avoid detection by everyone else in order to preserve her life. This book just expands upon the background story of what is happening in Seattle while the events of Eclipse are taking place. But we do get some of Bree's story in her memories, not a lot though. And we get some insights that bring to light some details that occur in both Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

I really enjoyed this story, but it was depressing to realize Bree was discovering truths about a world she would shortly have no part in. By learning about this newborn vampire world through the eyes of a newborn the reader can see how different and unusual Bella really was after she became a vampire. As I read this book I realized I had compassion for vampires, not just Bree but the others as well. They were being used by Victoria, and instead of just being killed outright for the vampire's nourishment, they were changed with no hope for a future, because one way or another they would end up dead. I found it interesting that Ms. Meyer had the newborns believing things about vampires that everyone who knows anything about vampires probably believed to be true, until reading her version of what vampires can and can't do. One other thing, I don't remember the vampire's skin when exposed to sun being described in quite the same way in the series. Though, as I was thinking about it I realized in the series we get Bella's point of view and she is seeing with human eyes. In the novella we always see through vampire eyes.

I really anticipated being able to see the Cullen family again, even if it was only through Bree's eyes for a short time and the story didn't disappoint. And through Bree's eyes we at last had a glimpse of what was happening at the main battle while Edward and Bella were being attacked by Victoria and Riley.

Very well done. I wish Stephenie Meyer would consider sharing more of the Twilight world through other stories seen through the eyes of other minor characters. Of course I really wish she could finish Midnight Sun because by seeing the story through Edward's eyes we will get glimpses into many others as well.

I give this book 5 stars.

Review: Vital Signs

2010-06-08T00:03:00.001-04:00

Melissa and Blake Thomas are missionaries who have come home after service in the Amazon. Melissa is pregnant with their first child and they wanted to be with family. What they don't know is that they had been exposed to a deadly virus before they left and have now brought it back to their friends and loved ones, who, it is feared, are exposed at their welcome home party. While Melissa and Blake are fighting for their lives in a protected isolation area of the hospital, those who were exposed are under quarantine in their homes.
Due to the hospital not being completely truthful about the disease there is fear and speculation in Baxter and the surrounding communities. This leads to violence by a vigilante group.
One of the people who is under quarantine is the daughter of Jed and Rhonda Wilson, who played a major role in book one and a supporting role in book two. She has given birth, but is unable to be with her children so they are watched by a others.

I enjoyed this book and had trouble once again putting it down, but as I read I felt there were some parts that didn't mesh together really well. The addition of the vigilante group seemed out of place and not quite believable. And the second half of the book, after the resolution of the conflict with the vigilante group, was devoted to restoring relationships between fathers and children. I don't think I will list this book as a suspense book for that reason. However, the author showed how single, seemingly isolated events in peoples lives can be used in the big picture that God is creating, even though we can't see it at the time. Focusing on how, as the Bible states, " ... we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
I would give this book 4 stars.

Review: Day of Reckoning

2010-06-07T02:07:00.002-04:00

This is the second book in the Baxter series by Kathy Herman. I could NOT put this book down, the story was extremely riveting. I give this book 5 stars.

The events in this book are instigated by an event that took place 5 years prior. According to the back cover of the book, "Many felt betrayed by fourth-generation textile magnate G.R. Logan's sudden decision to close the plant and move the operation to Costa Rica in order to hire a cheaper workforce. The unemployment that followed triggered hard times for this close-knit community. And somebody means to make Logan pay."

That "somebody" is obvious from early in the book, this is no whodunit story. The perpetrator in this story kidnaps G.R. Logan's daughter and her best friend, and nobody but the reader is aware of who did it. The FBI is again involved and tries to piece together who kidnapped the girls and why, using poems he leaves around town or sends to various people. He does this for two reasons: to make G.R. Logan squirm and to the notoriety he seems to be getting a high off of.

In this book we see the dangers of letting anger and resentment stew inside. Whether the anger comes out or is left within it is an ugly thing, which is what the author is trying to show with all the horrific acts that the perpetrator commits. In Kathy Herman's first book of the series we see the importance of God's forgiveness in our lives. In Day of Reckoning we see our need to forgive. Extremely Biblical lesson as if we do not forgive others God will not forgive us. It is important to realize we can't let anger and bitterness take hold, no matter how bad the wrong is that was committed against us. The perpetrator in this book takes his anger to the extreme, but even those who keep it inside have it eating away at them. I was a little shocked at the deeds Ms. Herman allowed her antagonist to commit when it came to the ghastliness of his acts. And to add to the creepiness of it, we see him going about his daily life with no one the wiser and then return to his home to terrorize the girls some more.

Here is part of a character's testimony that really stuck out to me in this book. "I want everyone who's listening to understand: If you're living with bitterness, a giant is growing inside you. If you don't slay it, it can get big enough to kill your joy, your purpose, your hopes, your dreams... and maybe even someone you love." Ms. Herman does a great job showing the importance of forgiveness and not giving way to bitterness. This is definitely not your happy go lucky, every thing will turn out all right book. Though, we see how God will use all things to His purpose, even though the characters can't see it right away, just like in real life. Definitely some twists I wasn't expecting.

Review: Tested by Fire

2010-06-02T17:44:00.001-04:00

Wow! I just finished the book "Tested by Fire" by Kathy Herman. I noticed this book on the church library shelf where I take the girls to playgroup. Figured it would fit into my Thriller/Suspense Challenge.

I highly recommend this novel. There is suspense and mystery, there is mercy and forgiveness skillfully meshed into the storyline. This book introduces the reader to many important people living in the small town of Baxter. As stated on the back cover of the book, "A bizarre houseboat explosion rocks the close-knit community of Baxter to its core." A terrible event that takes the lives of the family who are assumed asleep on the houseboat at the time of the explosion. At first it appears to be an accident, but suddenly evidence is brought to light pointing to the possibility of murder. One of the first characters we are introduced to is Jed, the best friend of the father/husband of the family killed in the explosion. He takes it upon himself to learn the truth.

This is a close-knit community as stated and everyone wants to know what happened. They want to see justice done to the extent that there is a lot of judging and assuming going on. Because of this we see the importance of knowing all the facts, the importance of letting God be in charge of the vengeance, or lack thereof. We see God's mercy and the power of His forgiveness, not just toward the main characters, but to others in the town with their own personal experiences and conflicts. I found myself growing to really like the characters in this book, even the ones who at first seemed to have no redeeming qualities; they have become real to me and I feel that is a mark of a good story.

If it weren't for having to take care of children I wouldn't have put this book down. The story had me in it's grips from the beginning and I needed to see what would become of the characters I was getting to know and love.
I can't wait to read the remaining books in the series set in the town of Baxter.
I give this book 5 stars!

Review: The Hidden Staircase

2010-05-31T21:02:00.000-04:00

I have to say I liked this book better than the first book in the series (The Secret of the Old Clock) that I posted about here and here. In this adventure Nancy is approached by her friend Helen to help solve the mystery of a "ghost" who is scaring her great aunt and great grandmother in their home with lots of "strange happenings." At the same time Nancy is warned that her father, who is involved in some legal work involving property sales and the railraod, is in danger. It is up to Nancy, with the help of her friend, to figure out who is getting into the house and how, but also to figure out if there is a connection between the warning about the danger her father is in and this "haunted" house.

In this book we find out that Nancy has a... boyfriend?, but he is mentioned, they go out for the evening and get back home in less than a page and we never hear about him again. In other words, the same problem I found in the last book is still evident here. Parts of the story that seem to come and go way too fast. The actual mystery about the haunting of the house was quite intriguing. This book definitely kept me trying to see if I could figure out how someone is getting inside and around this house. A decent amount of suspense is present too. I enjoyed trying to figure out how both mysteries would mesh together. The one thing that bothered me personally was the continual mention of the intruder as a "ghost" by Nancy, when you know as she goes around looking for hidden passageways she doesn't feel she is dealing with a ghost.

I would rate this with 4 stars and I am looking forward to reading more of these mysteries.

Review: The Secret of the Old Clock

2010-05-30T14:55:00.000-04:00

Well, I finished my first book for the Nancy Drew reading challenge. The Secret of the Old Clock is a quick read, as I figure all the books in the series will be. Nancy finds herself drawn in to a search for a will when she becomes acquainted with two elderly sisters who are the guardians of a little girl Nancy witnesses almost being run over by a moving truck. Along the way, as she searches, Nancy discovers others who are acquainted with or related to the gentleman who has passed away. They are all in need of some financial help of which the gentleman has promised them they would receive. But his last will and testament leaves everything to another family. Is there a later will? That is what Nancy sets out to discover.

Out of 5 stars I would rate this book a 3. The way the story moved along it seemed there were too many coincidences, where the information Nancy needed just seemed to fall into her lap. There were scenes of minor conflict that seemed to be resolved way too quickly. At times a scene would just be introduced and next thing I knew that part of the story was over with out a lot of detail. Toward the end of the book we finally were introduced to some suspense that helped to move the book to its conclusion. Definitely could tell this book was not written recently. So proper and polite. Though it would be great if kids these days were as respectful to there parents as Nancy is to her dad and to others she meets. All in all I would recommend this book, especially if you are looking for a quick read. It is a great introduction to Nancy Drew and if you are looking for something for your children to read you won't have to worry about foul language, etc.

Giveaway: The Last Christian

2010-05-28T02:37:00.000-04:00

I am excited to share a book giveaway that I found out about through a link in the Suspense/Thriller reading challenge I am currently involved in. This book sounds really interesting. I will not attempt to describe it myself, just go to A Few More Pages to see the description and review, and to sign up for the giveaway.

Spring Reading Thing

2010-05-11T02:35:00.003-04:00

Okay, so Lindsay over at Bytes of Memory clued me in on this "challenge." Once again, starting late, but the beauty of this challenge is I can choose which books I want to read and change my list if I don't think I will make it. I am so glad it is not too late to join this challenge! And of course these books will count toward the 100+ challenge. As I only have a month and a half to read these books I can get a idea how many books I will be able to read each month so I can pace myself for the rest of the year. Here is my list of books I hope to read by June 20th (and I would sure love to know how everyone is able to get images of the books they are reading in their post, if anyone could give me a heads up):

Christian Suspense (also for the Thriller and Suspense challenge):

Deadline by Randy Alcorn
Dominion by Randy Alcorn
Last Light by Terri Blackstock
Night Light by Terri Blackstock

Non-Fiction:

Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Kathy Kirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff (need to finish this one)
The Baby Signing Book by Sara Bingham (also one I need to finish)
School Can Wait by Raymond S. Moore
Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child's Education by Raymond S. Moore
The Power of Play by David Elkind (also need to finish)
Writing Stories: Fantastic Fiction from start to finish by David L Harrison

Nancy Drew: for the Nancy Drew Challenge:

The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene
The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene
The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene

I have an updated list here

So there you have it. If you would like to join me in this challenge just head on over to

Here’s a brief recap of how to be a part of Spring Reading Thing 2010:

Make a list of books you want to read (or finish reading) this spring. Your list can be as long or as short as you’d like. (Also, feel free to modify your list during the challenge if it’s not working for you.)

Write a blog post containing your list and submit it to the Spring Reading Thing post.

Get reading! The challenge goes from today, March 20th, through June 20th, 2010.

Check out other participants’ lists and add to your own to-read-someday pile!

Write a post about your challenge experience in June, telling us all about whether you reached your goals and how the Spring Reading Thing went for you. But remember: this is a low-pressure challenge that should be fun. As long as you do some reading this spring (and enjoy it!), that’s good enough for me.

2010 Reading List

2010-05-10T02:16:00.014-04:00

I know this year is almost half way gone, but I am determined to make a go of these reading challenges. I am not sure what blog I was on when I saw a great idea for organizing the reading list, but I am going to borrow the idea. All of the books on the list will count toward the 100+ books challenge. A "T/S" after the title refers to the Thriller/Suspense Challenge, while a "ND" after the title refers to the Nancy Drew Challenge. After I am done updating January through April (I am having trouble remembering everything I read) I will also post the date I finished each book I list. There will be a separate post for any details I share about each book or review I write, and the title will be a link to the post.

January-April:

1) The Scarlet Lady: Confessions of a Successful Abortionist

2) The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

3) The Duggars: 20 and Counting by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar

4) Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

5) New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

6) Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

7) Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

May:

8) The Secret of the Old Clock (ND)- 5/15/10
9) The Hidden Staircase (ND)- 5/17/10
10) Deadline (T/S)- 5/27/10
11) Tested by Fire (T/S)- 6/2/10
12) Day of Reckoning (T/S)- 6/4/10
13) Vital Signs - 6/6/10
14) The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner- 6/08/10
15) High Stakes- 6/11/10
16) A Fine Line(T/S)- 6/19/10
17) The Bungalow Mystery (ND) 6/21/10
18) Beguiled (T/S)
19) The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites
20) Teenage Vampire
20) Marked: A House of Night Novel 7/17/10
21) The Mystery at Lilac Inn (ND) 7/20/10
22) Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury
23) One by One by Gilbert Morris (T/S)
24) Time Riders by Alex Scarrow
25) The Clue in the Diary (ND)
26) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 10/4/10
27) Masquerade 10/5/10