A Novel Source

What Are You Reading?!?

2012-01-23T00:29:00.000-05:00

This is my first time participating in Sheila's Monday reading meme at Book Journey. I'm always curious to see what my fellow bloggers and friends are reading and usually add to my already extensive To Be Read lists and piles! So I thought I would join in sharing my reading week.

This past week was kind of slow for me in the reading department. I finished the following books (click on title to read the review)

Getting Dumped by Tawna Fenske

Dead Letter Office by Kira Snyder

Burn Out by Traci Hohenstein

I'm still listening to Eve by Iris Johansen every chance I get. . .I'm dying to find out what in the world happened to her murdered child Bonnie. This story has been going on for over a decade! Tell me already!

This week I will continue reading A People's History of the United States as part of the Readalong hosted by Jill at Fizzy Thoughts and Jenners at Life...With Books;. Only a chapter a week of this classic tome!

This week's reading list~

So far Trigger Point has been an intellectual thriller that I need a Wall Street expert to explain the finer points to me. . .it's good, but extremely intellectual ~ I have to pay close attention to every word or I'm lost in a NY minute!

When a book starts off with When my mother was angry with me, which was often, she said, 'The Devil led us to the wrong crib.' then you know you are in for a heck of a ride! Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal is a memoir unlike any other.

Just received The Rebel Wife in the mail and can't wait to get started! Brimming with atmosphere, and edgy suspense, The Rebel Wife presents a young widow trying to survive in the violent world of reconstruction Alabama, where the old gentility masks a continuing war fueled by hatred, treachery, and still-powerful secrets.

I am so ready for a fun, Southern, sassy read and Diary of a Mad Fat Girl sounds like it will fit the bill! And is the cover simply not too much! Graciela "Ace" Jones is a sassy high school teacher, known in her small town of Bugtussie, Mississippi, for an outsize presence and a mouth to match. But this time that big mouth might get her into big trouble. . .

What are you planning on reading this week?
Any bookish events you plan on attending?

Happy Reading!

Inspirational Sunday: Over the Edge - INSPY shortlist

2012-01-22T20:42:00.001-05:00

For 2011 I was fortunate enough to be a participating judge in the INSPYs for Christian Mysteries/Suspense. We had a superb shortlist of books to choose from. The winner in the Mystery/Suspense category was The Bishop by Steven James ~ review posted here.

Another fantastic suspense from the INSPY shortlist was Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins. For a scary, intense read Over the Edge will definitely take you to the edge and back again.

Do you know anyone who has contracted Lyme disease?

This particular disease is terrifying in scope. I have a relative who became a different person (and not in a good way) after a tick bite, and over two years later is still suffering from the ramifications.

In Over the Edge we see Janessa McNeil's life completely unravel from a tick bite. Her husband is the famous Dr. Brock McNeil, researcher and professor at Stanford University Department of Medicine. Because he asserts that chronic Lyme disease does not exist, his family is targeted in a vendetta to force Dr. McNeil to change his widely-publicized opinion. Because of his opinion, general practitioners and insurance companies will not help those suffering from the effects of this condition. It's all in the patient's head. . .

Now, if you have ever experienced difficulty in obtaining health coverage for a condition or had a doctor tell you that "it's all in your head;" you will know how incredibly frustrating the situation can become - "incredibly frustrating" is in actuality, a complete understatement. Now imagine being the wife of a Lyme disease researcher and becoming the target of a madman bent on destroying the man who believes ultimately killed his family. There you have the makings of a terrific thriller.

I was impressed by the sheer research that must have gone into Over the Edge, Lyme disease and health coverage (does anyone really have a handle on where we are as a society when it comes to health coverage?) Over the Edge has a spiritual message, and it is ultimately what sees Janessa through the process of her life falling apart.

Over the Edge on Goodreads

Authoress Brandilyn Collins

Lyme Disease on Center for Disease Control

Brandilyn Collins has suffered from Lyme disease twice. Her miraculous story can be found here. She is also the author of the Seatbelt Suspense series and Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors. When she's not writing, Brandilyn can be found teaching the craft of fiction at writers' conferences. She and her family divide their time between homes in the California Bay Area and northern Idaho.

Many thanks to the publisher for the complimentary review copy.

Blessings!

Take a Ride With Getting Dumped!

2012-01-19T05:30:00.000-05:00

I have not read a purely entertaining romance novel in quite some time, but Getting Dumped certainly remedied that problem.

J.J. is a marketing pr guru with the City Government until her job is "repositioned" and the only offer close to her current salary and benefits is running heavy machinery at the local dump. For JJ, who operated heavy machinery as a teenager and loved it, the job is perfect. For her accounting on-again/off-again boyfriend, the job is an embarrassment. Then enter the heart-throb male secretary and hottie environmental specialist and that adds up to not 1, not 2 - but 3 sexy men in JJ's life!

With this active fiction novel, available exclusively for Kindle users, there was only one time I was able to choose what happened next. I would have preferred to be able to make more plot choices in this novel as I was able to with Dead Letter Office, but it was fun nonetheless.

I did want JJ to just choose already and quit flirting outrageously with all three hotties, but then how was she to know who the bad guy was? Ah, decisions, decisions! My other major complaint with Getting Dumped is I. do. not. like. cliffhangers. And this one left one helluva cliffhanger!

Getting Dumped is a quick read, entertaining at best and refreshing to see a female protagonist in an unusual job.

Authoress Tawna Fenske on creating active fiction:

Coliloquy's publishing format is so fun and flexible - kind of like being able to pur your ankles behind your head, but without the annoying thigh cramps. I adored choose-your-own-adventure stories as a kid, and it's a thrill to be able to create adult versions with plenty of titillating mystery, laugh-out-loud humor, and the occasional steamy smooch.

Getting Dumped is available exclusively for Kindle users and can be found in the Amazon Kindle Store.

I have an affiliate relationship with Amazon in which I receive a small percentage from purchases made through this link at no cost to you.

Any revenue from my affiliation is cycled back into this blog for postage and giveaways.

Sharing the Love of Reading!

Just the Facts, Ma'am; Just the Facts

2012-01-18T12:53:00.001-05:00

Where did SOPA and PIPA come from and why should I be concerned?
Well, I'm glad you asked. Media companies have been screaming about copyright infringements for years. Enter SOPA in the U.S. House of Representatives and PIPA in the U.S. Senate. Both bills are aimed at shutting down foreign websites that infringe upon copyrighted media. Both bills would potentially allow sites to be shut down because of copyright infringement.

That sounds like a good plan, why is it not?
According to EFF: Defending Your Rights in the Digital World, "a proposal in SOPA will allow the government to target sites that simply provide information that could help users get around the bills’ censorship mechanisms."

Also, service providers could shut down IP addresses due to bogus claims with no oversight at all! The vigilante provision allows "broad immunity to all service providers if they overblock innocent users or block sites voluntarily with no judicial oversight at all. The standard for immunity is incredibly low and the potential for abuse is off the charts. Intermediaries only need to act “in good faith” and base their decision “on credible evidence” to receive immunity."

PIPA and SOPA both would give the Attorney General power to block domain name services forcing sites such as Blogger and Wordpress to become the internet police.

What can I do?

Contact your Senator. Contact your Representative. Insist on No Support for SOPA nor PIPA.
Visit the EFF site and sign the petition Stop the Internet Blacklist Legislation.
Write a Letter to the Editor of your hometown newspaper.
If you have a blog, write a blog post about your feelings/concerns for SOPA & PIPA.
Visit Stop American Censorship for additional ways to help - even if you live outside of the United States.

Stop Censorship!

Dead Letter Office Is Alive and Well

2012-01-18T05:30:00.000-05:00

Dead Letter Office, Parish Mail #1 is brought to us by Coliliquy, digital publisher of active fiction specializing in reader engagement and serial storytelling. What does that mean exactly? Well, during the reading of Dead Letter Office, I was able to choose what I wanted to happen next during key plot changes.

First Line: The dead man smiles at me.

Dead Letter Office takes us into the life of sixteen year old Celia Jane, who moves with her mother from San Diego, CA to New Orleans, LA after Celia's dad dies in Afghanistan. During Celia's first few days in New Orleans she finds a centuries old letter hidden in a tree in her "New Orleans royalty" grandparents back yard. The letter leads Celia, ghost-hottie Luc; witch-friend Tilly; and live-hottie & Sheriff's son Donovan on the trail to solving a modern-day murder.

So how did I get to choose what happened? Why with the handy-dandy Kindle buttons! For example, Celia's first day at her new high school brought her face-to-face with the queen-bee of popularity, Peyton and eclectic witch and social outcast, Tilly. Both invite Celia to do something that evening, which just happens to be Halloween. Each time I read Dead Letter Office I chose a different option - the first time, Celia went to Peyton's party. The second read-through, I chose Celia hanging out with Tilly at her aunt's famous voodoo shop. Both times I read Dead Letter Office I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, finding that being able to choose the next step engaged me deeper into the plot.

Dead Letter Office would be an entertaining young adult paranormal mystery all by itself. With the added pleasure of choosing options throughout the novel, all I can say is I can't wait to read Parish Mail # 2!

Authoress Kira Snyder on active fiction:

My background is in TV writing and computer game design - Coliloquy lets me play in both those worlds. I love TV-style serial storytelling, getting to know characters over time and unfolding a big "mythology" mystery, while at the same time giving each episode a satisfying mystery story that's wrapped up by the end. I'm so excited that Coliliquy is bringing the serial novel back, and into the 21st century.

Dead Letter Office, Parish Mail #1 is available exclusively for Kindle users and can be found in the Amazon Kindle Store

I have an affiliate relationship with Amazon in which I receive a small percentage from purchases made through this link.

Any revenue from my affiliation is cycled back into this blog for postage and giveaways.

Sharing the Love of Reading!

So What Do You Think About Active Fiction?

2012-01-17T21:10:00.004-05:00

What is active fiction? Well, remember those Goosebumps novels we read as kids where you got to choose what happened next? It's kind of like that - only cooler.

Coliloquy, a publisher of active and interactive fiction, launched today with four titles - adult and young adult romance series from award-winning authors and screenwriters, available exclusively in the Amazon Kindle Store.

Coliloquy represents the next generation of digital publishing, taking advantage of new technology to reinvent the way authors and their readers interact with reading and narrative. The new publishing format enables multiple story lines, serials and episodic story-telling, personalized content, in-book engagement mechanics and the delivery of prompts and special or exclusive extras to create a more fluid and immersive story-telling experience.

Multiple what-if story lines let authors and readers explore different permutations of character relationships. TV-like episodes can grow and change, based on reader choices, voting and feedback. Fans can reread a key scene from a different character's point-of-view or unlock new content.

Four titles were released exclusively for Kindle readers today:

A contemporary young adult series about a modern-day witch who must betray everything she knows to save her magic and her forbidden love.

A serialized romantic caper about a woman who loses her job but finds love, intrigue, mayhem, and a new career buried in the unlikeliest of places.

A contemporary southern gothic mystery series about a teenager who discovers a cache of centuries-old letters containing clues to crimes happening in the present day.

A young adult fantasy series about an underachieving teen thrust into an MMO-like world of magical combat, where she must mater her own genetic gifts while investigating her twin sister's suspicious death.

Over the next few days I will be posting my review of each title so be sure to check back. Or, to learn more about Coliloquy visit the website or the Amazon Kindle Store.

I have an affiliate relationship with Amazon in which I receive a small percentage if you use the link above to purchase.

Any revenue from this affiliation is cycled back into this blog for postage and giveaways.

Happy Reading!

First Chapter - First Paragraph: The Hangman's Daughter

2012-01-17T10:36:00.001-05:00

If you've read my last couple of blog posts you will probably realize I'm in a slump with not-so-great books. . .I finally went to my "To Be Read" bookshelves and pulled one down that I'm thinking is going to be a winner - if the first paragraph is any indication. What do you think?

Schongau
October 12, A.D. 1624

OCTOBER 12 WAS A GOOD DAY FOR A KILLING. IT had rained all week, but on this Friday, after the church fair, our good Lord was in a kindlier mood. Though autumn had already come, the sun was shiining brightly on that part of Bavaria they call the Pfaffenwinkel--the priests' corner--and merry noise and laughter could be heard from the town. Drums rumbled, cymbals clanged, and somewhere a fiddle was playing. The aroma of deep-fried doughnuts and roasted meat drifted down to the foul-smelling tanners' quarter. Yes, it was going to be lovely execution.

To participate in First Chapter ~ First Paragraph or to check out some fantastic Tuesday Intro's on other blogs, visit the lovely Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea.

What great books are you reading this week?

The Fire Did Not Ignite With Burn Out

2012-01-16T17:26:00.000-05:00

Pride, envy, avarice - these are the sparks have set on fire the hearts of all men.

~Dante Alighieri

I wanted a quick thriller to read last night while trying to stay awake 'til 11 so I could take my son's girlfriend home, and Burn Out appeared to fit the bill. And although I have a stack of books I need to read, for some reason, I could not find the perfect one ~ does that ever happen to you?

The week before she is to testify at her estranged husband’s trial on drug charges, firefighter Lieutenant Samantha Collins vanishes while combating a warehouse fire, leaving only her helmet behind.

With Sam missing, her mother seeks the help of Florida Omni Search, a nonprofit organization founded by Rachel Scott, whose own daughter, Mallory, disappeared when only three years old. Rachel has worked with law enforcement agencies all over the United States, but she can’t possibly anticipate how terrifying the Sam Collins case will be. Rachel learns of Sam’s husband’s drug operation, and as she digs deeper, not only does the investigator expose Sam’s surprising past, she also uncovers clues that could reveal what happened to her own daughter.

The premise sounded like Burn Out would be a thrilling adventure ride, but what I found was the fire simply did not ignite. I had the kidnapper pegged early on and did not emotionally connect with either Lt. Samantha Collins, kidnapping victim nor Rachel Scott, the protagonist and woman-in-charge. I felt that Rachel was too good to be true and Samantha just was not a smart cookie. All in all the characters in Burn Out simply did not do it for me and the plot was too easily determined.

I really wanted to like the book - the cover initially captured my attention and was the reason I purchased. The idea of a female firefighter paired with a law enforcement officer/drug trafficker/husband & father sounded like a combination that would make the pages sizzle. But, if you are looking for a somewhat similar story-line, I would recommend Iris Johansen's Eve Duncan series.

For varied opinions visit Burn Out on Goodreads.

Happy Reading!

Inspiration Sunday

2012-01-15T13:29:00.000-05:00

I trust your Sunday is as beautiful, sunny and a bit nippy as it is here in the North Georgia mountains. What a gorgeous day for basking in the sun, reading and spending time with the ones you love. May you be showered with many blessings this upcoming week!

Happy Sunday!

Literary Sport: Unmistakably Villainous

2012-01-12T00:04:00.000-05:00

Do you love to read?
Love everything about books and their authors?
Are you a trivia novice or do others run when you have your game face on?

Then join in to play a Literary Sport! This week's contest ends Tuesday, January 17th. At the end of the month, the individual who has the most points for January will receive a $10 gift card to either Amazon or The Book Depository (winner's choice). If more than one player has the same number of points then those names will be thrown into the random.org generator in order for the winner to be selected. Best of luck!

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Literary Sport - Alphabet Trivia Solution

2012-01-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

Those who played the Alphabet Challenge did amazingly well with these questions. . .I must have made them too easy *cheeky grin*

Fifty percent of the players got all 10 answers; 33% got 9 of the questions correct and 17% got 8 correct. You kids are smmmaart!

Next Literary Sport will be up tomorrow - the person with the most points at the end of the month will receive a $10 gift card to Amazon or Book Depository ~ winner's choice.

The Answers:

1. Stephen King seems to create a lot of titles that begin with the letter "C." Which of the following books is NOT written by King?

Charly

Charly was the movie made fromDaniel Keye’s Flowers for Algernon. Asfor the King books, they’re about an evil car, a rabid dog and the worst promdate ever.

2. Kathy Reichs created the character Temperance "Bones" Brennan, a forensic anthropologist who solves crimes in a series of at least twelve books and has had a television series ("Bones") created for her. Which was the first book in this series?

Deja Dead

"Deadly Desire" was thecheesiest title I could come up with, and it turns out there was a TV movie bythat name in 1991. "Double, Double" is a mystery by Ellery Queen and"Deliverance" is the novel by James Dickey that was made into the'squeal like a pig' movie. You know the one.

3. The award for best mysteries of the year is named after the author widely credited with creating the mystery story. What is this award given by the Mystery Writers of America?

Edgar

James Ellroy is the author of,among others, "LA Confidential" and "The Black Dahlia".Ellery Queen (pseudonym for Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee) was the authorof many mystery novels and the editor of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. AndMignon Eberhart was, at one time, known as "The American AgathaChristie". Edgar, of course, is Poe, who created the detective C. AugusteDupin, star of the stories "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", "ThePurloined Letter" and "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt".

4. In Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", which one of these characters was the last to possess the One Ring?

Gollum

Galadriel the Elf, Gimli theDwarf, Gandalf the wizard--none of them were there at the Cracks of Doom withthe hobbits. Gollum was there, bit off Frodo's finger (ring still on there) andfell into the fire. Thus, he was the last possessor of the One Ring.

5. C.S. Forester created this character who starred in eleven books about the British Navy during Napoleonic times.

Horatio Hornblower

Honor Harrington is a creation ofDavid Weber. Harry Harrison is the author of many science fiction novels(including "Deathworld" and "The Stainless Steel Rat").Henry Huggins starred in a children's book of the same name by Beverly Cleary.Hornblower begins his fictional life as a midshipman, and then moves up theadvancement ladder to eventually become Admiral of the Fleet.

6. This author, who served in World War II and was wounded on Guadalcanal, wrote "From Here to Eternity" and "The Thin Red Line".

James Jones

John Jakes writes historicalfiction ("The Bastard", "The Rebels") and fantasy("Brak the Barbarian"). James Joyce was an Irish author best knownfor "Ulysses" and "Finnegans Wake". Joseph Jacobs was a Jewishhistorian who also edited five collections of world fairy tales. James Jonesdied in 1977 and is buried in Bridgehampton, New York.

7. When this author died in 1988, he or she had 105 books in print and was one of the most popular writers in the world. Which author is it?

Louis L'Amour

Linda Lovelace, adult filmactress, wrote an autobiography in 1980, Lois Lowry won the the Newbery Awardtwice for her children's fiction, and Larry Linville played Frank Burns on"M*A*S*H". As far as I know, he never wrote anything. Louis L'Amoursold over 225 million copies of his books.

8. "The Thorn Birds" is a 1977 classic romance novel, telling a story of forbidden love in Australia. It was later made into an extremely high-rated miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward. What is the last name of the author who wrote the book?

McCollough

Carson McCullers wrote "TheHeart is a Lonely Hunter". Frank McCourt wrote "Angela's Ashes".McGruff is, of course, the Crime Dog. Colleen McCullough is an Australianwriter whose mother was partly of Maori descent, and she was given a Doctorateof Letters from Macquarie University.

9. A comic novel by Charles Dickens (his third novel), this 1839 serial contains the wonderfully-named character Wackford Squeers.

Nicholas Nickelby

"Nevermore" is a book byWilliam Hjortsberg (and also the only word Poe's raven speaks),"Nostromo" is a work by Joseph Conrad, and "No, No,Nanette" is a musical comedy of the 1920s featuring the song "Tea forTwo".

10. This Christian allegory by John Bunyan was published in 1678.

Pilgrim's Progress

"Paradise Lost" is anepic poem by John Milton, "The Pickwick Papers" is a book by CharlesDickens, and "Pudd'nhead Wilson" is a story by Mark Twain.

Thanks for playing a Literary Sport!

Inspirational Sunday: A Princess and Her Garden by Patricia R. Adson, Ph.D: Book Review

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end

we become disguised to ourselves.

~François Duc de La Rochefoucauld

Do you have problems saying "no" to requests?

Do you feel like a second-rate version of yourself? That you are doing and being for everyone else except you?

Are you a "Princess to Other People?"

Dr. Adson has created a fable about a princess caring for her garden {her life} until others come along, like parents and partners and expect the princess to care for their gardens. Quite an interesting concept that helps one to realize how easy it is to fall into the trap of caring for others to the detriment of caring for oneself.

A Princess and Her Garden is a fable that reflects the stories of many women-and some men-who learn to put other people's needs before their own, until one day they come to realize they feel lost or unhappy because they have forgotten, or perhaps never learned, how to care for themselves.

The telling of this story is more about the awakening and arrival of you, the reader, than it is about the journey of the Princess. The authors have wisely used their years of counseling and coaching experience to create a guided journal (The Queen of Yourself) that prompts you to reflect and answer thought provoking questions about your childhood, and what you learned about taking care of yourself and others. This unique journaling experience helps you cultivate a new life story in which you love both yourself and those closest to you. Beautiful color illustrations enhance this new edition-a beautiful allegory for reflecting on any stage in life. The included book club discussion questions are designed for meaningful conversation around changing lives.

The perfect gift for people in transition, from new parents to the just-divorced, A Princess and Her Garden is also a welcome story for fresh graduates and newlyweds, and anyone (including yourself) who is learning how to take care of themselves and plant nourishing seeds.

The watercolor illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and worth looking through if nothing else. But the story inside The Princess and Her Garden are worth reading too. I've always been a fairy tale/fable reader - one of my first book collections I can remember starting were fairy tales, so this fable definitely spoke to me. There is a guided journal after the fable that takes you through many aspects of your life to see if you've given up tending your own garden in order to care for someone else's. I liked the journal, but some of the questions were confusing and seemed almost a bit redundant. That might be the idea in order to make it stick how easy it is to get sucked into caring so completely for others.

Now don't get me wrong, the book is not saying "thou shalt not care or tend to others..." Rather it is quite effectively, saying care for others but not to the extent you lose yourself.

At the website you can scroll through some of the illustrations in the book - I highly recommend taking a moment to do that if you are into art at all ~ so incredibly beautiful, detailed and whimsical.

Many thanks to the publisher for the lovely hard-bound copy to giveaway. If you'd like to enter the drawing, please leave your email address in the comments below. This giveaway will end on 1/14/2012 at 11:59 pm. Good luck!

About the Author: Patricia R. Adson, PH.D., has been devoted to helping others discover their best selves for her entire career. A former schoolteacher, Dr. Adson initially taught high school English, and social studies. While pursuing her Master's Degree in education, she began working with children with emotional and behavioral disorders. It was this experience that inspired her – at age 49 – to enter a Ph.D. program in Educational Psychology, where she also received training and licensure as a psychologist and psychotherapist, working with individuals, families, and groups.

Sites of Interest: A Princess & Her Garden | Buy the Book

Publisher: Center of Applications for Psychological Type (CAPT) | Published: November 30, 2011

Genre: Self-Help | 135 pages | ISBN: 978-0-935652-93-2

Many thanks to the publisher for the complimentary review copy and giveaway.

Happy Sunday!

The Temple Mount Code by Charles Brokaw: Book Review

2012-01-08T05:30:00.000-05:00

Each generation will reap what the former generation has sown.
Chinese Proverb

Probably my favorite sub-genre of suspense/mysteries is the historical, adventurous, swash-buckling type that has an Indiana Jones for the protagonist and filled with interesting facts about history and foreign countries. Yes, I admit, I was taken in by most of Dan Brown's books - the last couple being too cookie-cutter for me to really enjoy. So when I received Charles Brokaw's The Temple Mount Code with a quote on the front from Deepak Chopra stating "If you enjoyed The DaVinci Code, The Atlantis Code will take you to a new level of mystery, wonder, adventure, and excitement;" I was thrilled to read this third book in the Lourds series.

In The Atlantis Code, Brokaw introduced Thomas Lourds, the world's foremost expert on linguistics, and a man with a passion. A professor at Harvard, he became swept up in a race to find the lost city of Atlantis,Well and nearly died as a result. Now in The Temple Mount Code, Lourds sets out to Jerusalem to examine an ancient manuscript and decode its secret.

An old friend has summoned Lourds there to study an ancient text that has recently been discovered. But Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also wants the same document. Khamenei and many others believe that the book contains the secret that will allow its owner to rule all of Islam and wage a Global Jihad the likes of which has never been seen before.

Arriving in Jerusalem, Lourds discovers that his friend has been murdered and his apartment ransacked. With the help of Miriam Abata, a beautiful Iranian-American Jewish graduate student, he races against the clock to unearth the dangerous document: Lourds is determined to save civilization while his enemies hope to destroy it.

There is certainly quite a bit of adventure in The Temple Mount Code. Thomas Lourds travels from a significant historical find in the Himalayas to Jerusalem in order to help his friend, Lev Strauss, with an archeological find of epic proportions.

Throughout the book there are many references to Lourds being married to his job. He has left a string of broken hearts and relationships in order to pursue his archeological finds. So, when his friend gets a message to him on top of a Himalayan mountain, it seems rather strange he would leave immediately to assist his friend; however, he does explain his departure by stating his friend saved his life. More importantly, it is another mystery from history for him to solve. This character flaw seems to sum up Lourds - he is shallow and a womanizer, but he is always up for the next mystery.

"You're weak enough to let a friend pull you away from this. {Himalayan find} I didn't think that would matter to you." {Gloria}

Guilt flushed through Lourds, but he didn't say anything. He knew in his heart that it wasn't just the friendship for Lev that was drawing him to Jerusalem. It was the hint of the mystery, all the things that Lev hadn't mentioned, that had pulled Lourds from the temple. (p. 141).

I did not find the plot believable (although, granted, you don't always expect that with these types of suspense/thrillers) but the progression of the book is flawed in several ways. First of all, the characters are one-dimensional, and I could not find a semblance of likability in any one person. Secondly, I found some critical plot points about the lost manuscript confusing and misleading.

My other problem with The Temple Mount Code is the way women are portrayed throughout the book. Granted, Miriam is a Mossad agent, Gloria is an intelligent, archeology student, and Alice is a love long lost and married to one of the evil-doers of the novel. But, they all just fall at Lourds feet in sexual abandon, it would seem, on every other page. Not only is Lourds a "man-whore," he does so with little consequence. Sure, fighting the Ayatollah, racing for your life and being shot would be a bit stressful, so Lourds would need a stress-relief, but to have these women act powerless around him really put me off. Although, a redeeming quality of Lourds is that he did step in to save a woman, twice! ~ even at his own detriment.

The book is fast-paced; however, I had some issues with it that kept me from enjoying it as much as I hoped and that keeps me from being able to recommend it. If you've read it, I would love to hear your thoughts. If you haven't and you're looking for a grand adventure I would recommend Layton Green's The Summoner or Timothy Ashby's The Devil's Den.

Many thanks to the publisher for the complimentary review copy.
A tremendous thank you to Jenners at Life...With Books for editing the review.

Sites of Interest: Charles Brokaw | Muhammad/Wikipedia | Buy the Book

Publisher: Tor/Forge | Published November 11, 2011

Genre: Suspense/Thriller | 352 pages | ISBN: 978-0-7653-6069-4

Happy Reading!

2 for the price of 1: Inspirational Sunday on couldn'ts, shouldn'ts, wouldn'ts

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

My middle child has been in love with Shel Silverstein's writing since she was probably 5 years old. She had this one gorgeous 3-book set with a CD of Silverstein reading and during a yard sale at my sister-in-law's house, the books were sold for only a couple of dollars by accident. She was reading the books while helping at the yard sale, went inside to get a drink and my sister-in-law sold the set. I thought my daughter was going to cry for a week. So for Christmas a friend of my daughter's gave her the set again and his book that recently came out, Everything On It. My 17-year old daughter has carried those books with her everywhere since Christmas Day. I can't wait to get my grandson, the Jellybean Sumo Wrestler, into these wonderfully fantastic poems too

Hope you enjoy your Sunday!

Weekend Cooking: Molten Brownie Bites from 400 Calorie Fix

2012-01-07T22:03:00.000-05:00

We never repent having eaten too little.

Thomas Jefferson

I bought the 400 Calorie Fix: Slim is Simple; 400 Ways to Eat 400 Calorie Meals last year at the same time I purchased a subscription for Prevention Magazine (my progressing age is coming out). Since then I've tried many of the recipes and followed the 400 calorie/meal eh, most of the time. The illustrations are great; the meals are planned out with a main course, bread product and oftentimes a dessert. There is a section about eating out and what to get from many of the popular chain restaurants. One thing that surprised me are the quite delectable desserts such as the Molten Brownie Bites below. If you are a chocoholic or even part-time need that chocolate fix - these brownies are perfect for the healthy conscious eater. By the way, I am not a dieter. I love food too much to ever really diet, but this book makes eating fun, easy and healthy.

Molten Brownie Bites

Ingredients:
1 box (20 oz) Ghirardelli Double or Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat over 400 degree F. Coat a 24-cup mini muffin pan well with cooking spray, covering the insides of the cups and the top of the pan.
2. Place brownie mix in large bowl. Beat together the eggs, egg yolk, and mayo in a small bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes. Add to the brownie mix along with the butter.
3. Place the batter in the muffin pan, filling each cup to the top. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the top surface is just cooked and the inside is still soft.
4. Immediately and gently remove the brownie bites from the pan using a tablespoon and serve.

Extras:
These brownie bites are 300 calories per serving. One serving = 2 brownie bites. And these brownie bites are rich so two will probably meet that chocolate craving! A glass of low-fat or fat-free milk will bring this yummy dessert to 400 calories.

Sites of Interest: Prevention Magazine | Buy the Book

Authors: Liz Vaccariello & Mindy Herman, RD

Publisher: Rodale, Inc. | Published: January 4, 2010

Genre: Cookbook | 453 pages | ISBN: 978-1-60529-515-2

The wonderful Beth Fish Reads hosts Weekend Cooking! It is all about sharing recipes, cookbook reviews and anything remotely food related. For more info or to participate, jump on over to Beth Fish Reads.

Enjoy!

January Literary Sport - Alphabet Challenge

2012-01-02T21:29:00.002-05:00

Do you love to read?
Love everything about books and their authors?
Are you a trivia novice or do others run when you have your game face on?

Then join in to play a Literary Sport! This week's contest ends Tuesday, January 10th. At the end of the month, the individual who has the most points for January will receive a $10 gift card to either Amazon or The Book Depository (winner's choice). If more than one player has the same number of points then those names will be thrown into the random.org generator in order for the winner to be selected. Best of luck!

Happy Sporting!

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Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

2012-01-02T14:11:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers | Published: December 1, 2009

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal | 563 pages | ISBN: 9780316042673

The Caster Chronicles were recommended to me by one of the residents at the group home I work. She told me it was her absolute favorite book series ever and I can definitely see the appeal after finishing Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness.

The Caster Chronicles take us into the heart and heat of the South. In the series, Gatlin, South Carolina is located near Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia on the banks of Lake Moultrie. Beautiful Creatures opens with Ethan Wates beginning his 10th grade year. His mother died in an accident just a few months prior and he is being cared for by the Gullah housekeeper, Amma. Ethan's dad spends his days sleeping and his nights locked in the study he shared with his wife and Ethan's mom, writing his book.

Ethan wants nothing better than to get out of Gatlin. He keeps a map on the wall of all the places he wants to visit from the books he reads {and hides under his bed so his basketball buddies don't know he loves to read}. Gatlin is holding him back, smothering him with its small-town gossip and everyone knows all about everyone else. Keeping secrets is not possible in a small southern town.

So when a new girl arrives to school who is quite a bit different from everyone else AND living in the haunted Ravenwood mansion, Ethan is curious about her ~ especially when he realizes Lena is the girl from the dreams he has been having that leave him waking up with dirt in his bed and under his nails.

The Caster Chronicles are a change-up from the normal young adult paranormal books (I believe) in that they are written in first-person from Ethan's perspective rather than Lena's. Ethan's voice was refreshing and real. I could imagine my 15 year old son experiencing similar emotions and feelings if he were to endure Ethan's circumstances.

First Lines:

There were only two kinds of people in our town. "The stupid and the stuck," my father had affectionately classified our neighbors. "The ones who are bound to stay or too dumb to go. Everyone else finds a way out."

The shadowy Gothic atmosphere of Beautiful Creatures is the truest success in this book, from the "haunted" Ravenwood mansion that is the only antebellum home which survived Sherman's march and burning through the south to the Dar-ee Keen and Stop & Shop, the only fast food joint and grocery store anywhere within a 20-minute drive.

Lena, the new girl, Ethan discovers is part of a Caster family that has been around for hundreds of years. When he compares casters to witches, Lena mocks his stereotyping and explains that casters have individual special powers, some can heal, be empathic, create illusions, etc. Ethan handles the news with grace, as his housekeeper, Amma, is a tarot card reader and regularly puts salt on the window sills, protection dolls in his drawers and chicken bones on bracelets.

The book is a bit daunting at 593 pages and drags in a few places, but overall, Beautiful Creatures is a page-turner. The characters evolve throughout this book and the series, with Amma and Marian the town librarian and "Keeper" or librarian for the casters being my favorites. Marian definitely has the coolest job ever! And Macon Ravenwood, the town Boo Radley and Lena's uncle, is a commanding presence throughout the novel:

Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Stop the universe. Undo what was done long before you came along. You are such beautiful creatures. (Macon)

If you're looking for a solidly good read, atmospheric book that gets all the nuances of southern living right and will kick start your reading juices then Beautiful Creatures is for you. And is that cover not just amazing! Reminds me of driving through the moss-laden streets of old Savannah.

About the Authors:

Photo Credit: Vanya Stoyanova

A graduate of Amherst College, where she won the Knox Prize for English Literature, Margaret earned a master’s degree in English from Stanford University and completed coursework for a doctorate in American Studies at Yale University. Margaret was a teaching assistant in Romantic Poetry at Stanford and in Film Studies at Yale. She attended the Creative Writing program of the University of East Anglia, where she was mentored by the Scottish poet George MacBeth.

Website | Facebook |Twitter

Photo Credit: Vanya Stoyanova

Kami has an MA in education, and taught in the Washington DC area until she moved to Los Angeles, where she was a teacher & Reading Specialist. In addition to teaching, Kami was a professional artist and led fantasy book groups for children and teens. She still lives in LA with her husband, son, daughter, and their dogs Spike and Oz (named after characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

Website | Facebook |Twitter

to purchase the book

Amazon | IndieBound | Book Depository

If you like this book you may enjoy:

The Forest of Hands & Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers

I purchased this book for my enjoyment.

Happy reading!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Wishing all of my reading friends and family a wonderful new year with lots of joy, peace and love!

Christmas Literary Sport Winner. . .and the Answers!

2011-12-30T22:10:00.000-05:00

A hearty congratulations to Carol T. and Anne for answering all of the questions correctly! I'm going to have to come up with some even harder questions for you two! In the case of a tie I used random.org and Anne is the winner of the $15 gift card to Amazon.

Many thanks to everyone who participated in the Christmas Lit Sport. I hope you enjoyed the questions.

Christmas Literary Sport Answers:

What Christmas treat is being madeby the cousins, in the story A ChristmasMemory by Truman Capote?

fruitcake

pumpkinpie

mincemeatpie

chocolaterum cake

Which Charles Dickens novel was notoriginally published in serialized form?

BleakHouse

A Christmas Carol

DavidCopperfield

GreatExpectations

Where does the Grinch live?

Mount Crumpit

Whoville

TheMount of Crumps

TheNorth Pole

In which Dickens novel will you find"Little Nell?"

AChristmas Carol

The Old Curiosity Shop

NicholasNikelby

LittleDorrit

In The Lion, the Witch and theWardrobe which of the Pevensie children does NOT get a gift from FatherChristmas?

Lucy

Edmund

Peter

Susan

In the book A Christmas Carol whatwere the names of the two children that the Ghost of Christmas Present showedto Scrooge?

hate& anger

ignorance & want

pain& suffering

fear& death

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer'sStone what does Dumbledore say people always insist on giving him at Christmas?

socks

belts

books

shoes

Which spirit never speaks to Scroogein A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens?

Marley'sghost

TheGhost of Christmas Past

TheGhost of Christmas Present

TheGhost of Christmas-Yet-to-Come

Geraldine Brooks' People of the Bookcenters on a Jewish illuminated scroll called a hagaddah. During what religiousholiday is a hagaddah used?

JewishNew Year

Passover

Hanukkah

Shabbat

What was the name of the ladyScrooge would have married in A Christmas Carol

Belle

Alice

Rose

Daisy

I'm looking forward to lots of new games to play in 2012! Happy New Year!

Inspirational Sunday: INSPY Mystery/Suspense Winner!

2011-12-18T00:54:00.001-05:00

I am so happy to have been a part of judging the Mystery and Thriller Category of the INSPYs for 2011. We had five exceptional books to choose from and I will be sharing my thoughts on each one individually over the next few days. The author who won for this category has over thirty novels to his name, writes the popular Patrick Bowers series and is a sought-after speaker for writers. Steven James received his MA in storytelling from East Tennessee State University and continues to live in Tennessee with his wife and three daughters.

Sites of Interest: Author's Site | Excerpt | Buy the Book

Publisher: Revell Books | Published: July 1, 2010

Genre: Thriller/Christian Fiction | 523 pages | ISBN: 978-0800733025

The Bishop, selected as the INSPY Mystery/Thriller winner, is the fourth book in the Patrick Bowers series. I had not read the previous three books, The Pawn, The Rook or The Knight; but I did not feel that made the reading of The Bishop any less enjoyable. I have since gone back and ordered the first three and his most recent, The Queen, No. 5 in the Patrick Bowers series.

Well, what is so great about Patrick Bowers? He is an FBI Agent raising his 17-year old stepdaughter whose mother passed away shortly into their marriage. He has tremendous integrity, yet makes honest mistakes and missteps in his life that come across humanly raw and very real. Tessa, his stepdaughter, is written by an author who truly knows what it is like to hang around a 17-year old for any significant amount of time. In The Bishop a young woman is found brutally murdered at an animal research facility. While attempting to solve the case before others meet the same fate, Patrick Bowers has to deal with critical personal issues that cannot wait either.

If I had to choose my favorite character out of The Bishop, it would definitely be Tessa. There are several monologues throughout the book where she is attempting to reconcile what she has learned about God, religion and Christianity with what is actually happening in her world. I thought perhaps Mr. James had talked to my own 17 year old daughter to pattern Tessa after, she was that real for me. Her intelligence, maturity, and even her immature actions are so par for that age. Tessa's questions about religion, including Buddhism, were woven into the story line with incredible finesse. And Patrick and Tessa's relationship was painted with a master's brush.

The Bishop is one of those thrillers that grabs you from the first sentence and does not let go until long after the story is over. There are philosophical questions dealing with animal rights v. human life and the role of God in one's life. This book I would feel comfortable giving to both the regular Christian Thriller reader and the secular Thriller reader - Mr. James deftly tackles the questions about God throughout the novel in such a manner that I felt the very questions my daughter or even I have had were sought after in The Bishop. And if you love a great thriller with a surprising ending - well, you cannot go wrong with The Bishop!

Many thanks to the INSPY's for having me back again this year to judge.

And a huge thank you to the publisher for the complimentary review copy!

Blessings!

A Marriage Carol by Chris Fabry & Gary Chapman: Book Review

2011-12-12T04:30:00.000-05:00

Sites of Interest: First Chapter | Author's Site |

Publisher: Moody Publishers | Published: September 1, 2011

Genre: Christian Fiction/Holidays | 128 pages | ISBN: 978-0-8024-0264-6

Have you noticed how I've been stuck on everything A Christmas Carol lately? And I haven't even been able to watch the movie yet this Christmas season - for shame, for shame! Would you believe that neither Hulu nor Netflix have a good version of A Christmas Carol! My favorite holiday movie and no easy way to watch it...I'm going to have to break down and buy it.

Enough about my problems trying to watch A Christmas Carol - now on to another twist on the original Dickens novel - A Marriage Carol

Marlee and Jacob Ebenezer are on their way to sign divorce papers on Christmas Eve - their 20-year anniversary. Along the way, they are blindsided by a tractor trailer and from there the story takes off. Jacob leaves his wife in the warm car to go find help. The wife thinking he is never coming back goes off to find him or find help. She comes upon a house with a kindly elderly man who helps her look into her Marriage Past, Present and Future.

A Marriage Carolis a sweet, Christmas story that helps us remember to put our lives in perspective rather than jump ship at the first or even second and third signs of crisis. We are shown how one choice - good or bad, has long-lasting affects on not only ourselves, but on the lives of everyone close to us also. Written by well-known marriage counselor and author of The Five Love Languages, Dr. Gary Chapman, the focus of A Marriage Carol is finding hope. Hope for second chances in life, love and happiness.

This novella is perfect for the Christmas story-readers and fans of Dr. Gary Chapman and couples of all ages. This magical story is Christian Fiction; however it does not come across as preachy or self-righteous. A lovely novella for the Christmas season.

Many thanks to the publisher for the complimentary review copy.

Have a happy Monday!

Weekend Cooking: Yummy Ginger Snaps

2011-12-11T23:15:00.000-05:00

There is this one company that makes ginger snaps that I am so addicted to - I discovered them by accident at an IKEA store and since then keep some on hand most all the time. So, needless to say, I am a ginger snap aficionado.

I have tried many different ginger snap recipes and none have ever come close to my addiction cookie. Until now. I came across this cookie at Sensual Sweets and had to try it out for myself. Mmmm, heaven! And my house smells so Christmas-y and yummy too!

Ginger Snaps

Ingredients:
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus a few pinches
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground ginger
Sugar for rolling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare pans by laying them with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar.
Add egg and beat until light and fluffy, then stir in molasses.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Add to egg mixture and stir until just combined.
Use a 1 inch cookie scoop to dip out balls of dough.
Roll each ball in sugar and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Flatten tops of cookies just a tad and bake for 13 minutes, until cookies have spread and tops have cracked.
Cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Inspirational Sunday:

2011-12-11T05:00:00.000-05:00


source: revelment

Have a beautiful day!

Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett: Book Review

2011-12-09T04:13:00.001-05:00

Sites of Interest: Goodreads Author | Author's site

Publisher: Shadow Mountain | Published: October 11, 2011

Genre: Fiction/Holidays | 192 pages | ISBN: 978-1-59038-351-3

Have you ever wondered what Marley's story was in A Christmas Carol?

What brought him in chains to the bedside of Ebenezer Scrooge?

Every Christmas I try to catch a version of A Christmas Carolon the television. It is one of those timeless feel-good movies that must be enjoyed each year. But this year my experience was unique - I considered Marley's view point rather than Scrooge's. What did bring him as the first ghost to visit Scrooge? What compelled him to impeach upon Scrooge the importance of the upcoming visits from the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come? Mr. Bennett has weaved a tale completely around Marley's story and what led him to Scrooge's bedside. The writing pays tribute to Charles Dickens form.

Beginnings:

Marley's death was but a beginning. To those of us still mingling with the living, death may seem quite a terminal affair, yet in its vacuum new possibilities spring forth, not just for those left behind but for the dead as well.

Although Jacob T. Marley was exceptional in drawing me into Marley's experience, there were moments mid-way that seemed to drag a bit.

But the interweaving of Marley's tragic life with Scrooge's was a wonderful concept and Bennett does not disappoint with remaining loyal to the main message of A Christmas Carol

"Remorse is a heavy burden, but in its weight, it has great power to awaken men's souls. There are three realizations people can experience that might give them cause for change. First, remorse for what is gone but might have been in the past. Second, a shocking awareness of where they are in the present. Finally, fear for what will be in the future, should their paths not change." ~the Spirit, p. 99

Bennett does a fine job portraying Marley's point of view, his life and his death. Jacob T. Marley was only 192 pages, but I experienced the haunting of Scrooge in a new, inspired way. If you are seeking a lovely Christmas book to read by the fireside this busy season, Jacob T. Marley will not disappoint.

and don't you just love the cover?

It is with many thanks that I received a complimentary copy.

Happy Friday darling readers!

Free Christmas Reads: a Statler Bros.Original, Victorian Novellas and a Carol for You!

2011-12-07T22:34:00.001-05:00

I have been told that I have schizophrenic music tastes. . .I believe the comment was made as a compliment, but one can never be positive about such things. I do listen to quite a variety of genres but one of my absolute favorites since I was a little girl is Classic Country. My daddy loved the classics and I know I'm dating myself, but he had quite the record collection. As a way to continue to feel connected with my dad (he passed away almost three years ago at the young age of 58); I listen to Classic Country Saturday Night on my local Country station. A long-time favorite of ours was the Statler Brothers. So imagine my delight to discover that Don Reid, one of the original Statler Brothers, has a Christmas book available for FREE, on the Kindle and NOOK.

O Little Town by Don Reid
In a small town at Christmas, three families find themselves muddling their way through the challenges of life: marriage, illness, bad decisions, friendship, faith, forgiveness, and a fifty-year-old mystery.

To download the free version for your NOOK, click here

A Victorian Christmas by Catherine Palmer
A beautiful patchwork of four novellas about love and joy at Christmastime by best selling author Catherine Palmer. These four novellas were previously published in four anthologies—A Victorian Christmas Quilt, A Victorian Christmas Tea, A Victorian Christmas Cottage, and A Victorian Christmas Keepsake. Return to a time when life was uncomplicated, faith was sincere and love was a gift to be cherished forever. Includes author’s favorite holiday recipes.

To download the free version for your NOOK, click here

If you've only ever seen the movie versions of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, what are you waiting for ~ head on over and download your FREE copy of the ebook now!

It is only free for the Kindle - for NOOK users, A Christmas Carol is $0.99.

These days there is an app for just about everything. Even if you do not own a Kindle or a NOOK, you can still download the application to read with your computer. For the Kindle app downloads, click here. For the NOOK app downloads, visit Barnes & Noble here.

Blessings to you and yours this Christmas and holiday season!

Literary Sport: Countdown to Christmas!

2011-12-06T22:13:00.001-05:00

The game is for everyone and anyone who love books, knowledge and a bit of trivia.

The winner of this week's sport will be determined on December 12th.

The form will be available until 11:59 EST, December 11th.

At the end of each month, the individual who has the most points for the month will win a $15 gift card to either Amazon or The Book Depository (winner's choice). If more than one player has the same number of points then those names will be thrown into the random.org generator in order for the winner to be selected at random. Best of luck!

Happy Sporting!

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November Winners

2011-12-04T13:28:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to all of the November winners!

I had a wide variety of giveaways this month which were actually quite fun for me and I hope so for you too!

Heather from Raging Bibliomania won the Common English Bible

Sheila from Book Journey won Key to Living the Law of Attraction

Lovely reader, Margaret won The Night Circus

Lovely reader, Carol T. won the $15 Gift Card from playing A Literary Sport

I have lots in store for December including some holiday themed Literary Sport trivia and signed copies for giveaway. Be sure to check back, enter the giveaways and play along!

Happy December!

Inspirational Sunday: Three Things Every Traditional Christmas Tree Must Have

2011-12-04T12:29:00.001-05:00

For Inspirational Sunday this week, I have a wonderful guest post from Roxanne Hughes Packham, co-author of the blog and book Inspired Design. For those who are preparing to put up the Christmas tree in the upcoming days, this post is a wonderful essay reminding us of the key ingredients for a spectacular tree. I hope you enjoy!

Three Things Every Traditional Christmas Tree Must Have

By Roxanne Hughes Packham, Co-Author of the Hospitality Book: Inspired Design

For Photographs of these ideas and

more for Holiday design, visit www.InspiredDesignPublications.blogspot.com.

I can remember back thirty years ago, as a little girl, getting dressed up with my sister in our matching Christmas plaid dresses, getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner, and posing for pictures in front of our brick fireplace in our first house. I can still remember how excited we were for Santa Claus to come and leave presents, how much fun it was to have our crazy, loud family all together for Christmas. There are so many memories of Christmases past, but mostly the beautifully set tables and decorated trees and presents are the forefront of my memories. Our family is so much fun, and there was always so much laughter, loud and often hysterical storytelling, great food, and mostly an appreciation for our blessings, not material, but the blessing of our family.

Sometimes the decorating during the holidays gets so overwhelming, it becomes more daunting than it does desirable. You must keep in mind that for most people the memories made by Christmas past is the sweet memories that it conjures up time with family, friends, surrounded with textural delights all in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. So keep that in mind when you are breaking out the decorations that you are simply setting the backdrop for memories for family and friends, not trying to get an award for the best tabletop design in the country nor the most amazing tree in the land. Most of our deepest desires for the Christmas Season are to make a lovely, festive memorable day for our nearest and dearest.

Keep the following in mind for your tree: There is no award for the most amazing tree (that I know of), but you will touch the hearts of all who enter your home and enjoy the beauty of your tree because your tree represents your family.

Family ornaments!
This may be funny to some who have more than 25 years of ornaments saved and carefully packed each year. Good for you! Even if you just buy one new ornament per year on a vacation, or special event someone in your family participated in it makes such a story once the tree is fully decorated. I like to take a permanent marker and write the specific event and year on each ornament, after purchasing, in case I forget all the little details. It makes decorating the tree quite a tradition as each person takes the ornaments out of the boxes and begins to reminisce about the event or trip. Even with shiny new ornaments the old ones really give a history for the family and meaning to the tree.

Sparkle!
This might go without saying, but little white lights and colorful red Christmas balls really go a long way in making a Christmas tree look Christmassy! The lights reflect off the balls and the more the better, in my opinion. It is traditional for the tree to be mainly red and green. Since the tree itself is green, invest mostly in red ball ornaments. The more little white lights the better, especially important towards the back. Hang the simple round ornaments way back towards the trunk so that it sparkles all the way through. Don’t just hang the ornaments right on the front of the trees. Remember also to do a topper on the top! If yours broke, or you haven’t had one, use ribbon and make a large loopy bow and stick it almost on the very top. This one you will have to tie to the tree with the bow facing towards the front.

Candy Canes and Bows!
Although I often do themed trees throughout the house, it is always our big main tree that I like to be very traditional, red and green, with all the family ornaments. And, of course, no Traditional tree would be complete without candy canes and bows! Hanging the candy canes on last after the tree is decorated is the easiest, filling in every spot where there isn’t an ornament. They don’t even need a hanger, but can just be set hanging on a branch! Tying bows can be fun while watching a favorite Christmas movie or listening to your favorite Christmas music. While I know sometimes the teenagers have other things to do, they are always glad we took some time to make some more Christmas memories together. Lastly, tie the bows. I recommend something very “red & green” like polka dot ribbon with those colors, or something very Christmas-plaid! Those say Christmas-time more than any other types of bows. You can either tie the bows right onto the candy cane before you hang it, or tie the bows, and use an ornament hanger on it to hang the bow. I find it way too hard to tie the bows onto the tree.

Enjoy your time together this Christmas. Time is the most precious thing there is with loved ones! Bless someone by asking them over for simple coffee and tea, and to enjoy your beautiful Tree. Practice Hospitality, Romans 12:13! Merry Christmas!

Do you have special family ornaments that go up on the tree every year? What is your favorite ornament?

Many blessings this week!

First Chapter First Paragraph: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

2011-11-28T23:46:00.001-05:00

I was so fortunate to be able to hear Mindy Kaling's presentation at BEA this past year, and I honestly don't think I have stopped laughing yet! I carried around the small teaser booklet we were given from BEA and pestered everyone I know to "read this funny thing Mindy from The Office said"....after awhile my family got so tired of reading the same "funny" story over and over I think my teaser booklet had help disappearing.

So now you get to listen to me share and carry on about how funny that Mindy Kaling is 'and oh did you read that part or hear what she said there'.....well, let me simply give you a taste of what you've been missing cause she is so so outrageously hilarious!

I don't remember a time when I wasn't chubby. Like being Indian, being chubby feels like it is just part of my permanent deal. I remember being in first grade in Mrs. Gilmore's class at Fiske Elementary School, and seeing that Ashley Kemp, the most popular girl in our class, weighed only thirty-seven pounds. We knew this because we weighed her on the industrial postal scale they kept in the teacher's supply closet. I was so envious. I snuck into the supply closet later that same day to weigh myself. I was a whopping sixty-eight pounds.

Some of the first math I understood was that I was closer to twice Ashley's weight than to her weight.

"Don't be closer to twice a friend's weight than to her actual weight," I told myself. This little mantra has helped me stave off obesity for more than two decades.

My mom's a doctor, but because she came from India and then from Africa, where childhood obesity was not a problem, she put no premium on having skinny kids. In fact, she and my dad didn't mind having a chubby daughter. Part of me wonders if it even made them feel a little prosperous, like Have you seen our overweight Indian child? Do you know how statistically rare this is? It will then not come as a surprise to you that I've never been thin in my life - except the day I was born , when I was six pounds.

To participate in First Chapter ~ First Paragraph, visit the lovely Diane's blog at Bibliophile By the Sea.

What great books are you reading this week?

Have a fantastic Tuesday!

A Literary Sport: Final Round for November

2011-11-28T00:53:00.001-05:00

The game is for everyone and anyone who love books, knowledge and a bit of trivia.

The winner of this week's sport will be determined on December 1st.

The form will be available until 11:59 EST, November 30th.

At the end of each month, the individual who has the most points for the month will win a $15 gift card to either Amazon or The Book Depository (winner's choice). If more than one player has the same number of points then those names will be thrown into the random.org generator in order for the winner to be selected at random. Best of luck!

It's not too late to join in for November as we've only had one round so far....beginning December, there will be lots more opportunities to play!

Happy Sporting!

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A Literary Sport: Banned Books Answers

2011-11-27T22:36:00.001-05:00

The game is for everyone to play, enjoy and perhaps learn a trivia fact or two.

Each question answered correctly counts as one point.

This past week's winner is Carol T.!

1. Which of the following authors has never had hisor her books banned?

· Judy Blume

· Walt Whitman

· James Joyce

· Richard Adams

Judy Blume's young adult novels 'Forever', 'Tiger Eyes', and 'Are YouThere, God? It's Me, Margaret' was banned on charges of sexuality. 'Are YouThere, God? It's Me, Margaret' was said to be 'built around two themes: sex andanti-Christian behavior.' Why, I have no idea. Walt Whitman's 'Leaves of Grass'and James Joyce's 'Ulysses' were banned on sexual grounds.

2. Which book was banned because it portrayedhumans and animals on the same level?

· Watership Down

· Rabbit, Run

· Animal Farm

· Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Eh, only in China….but still!

3. Whichbook was banned in Germany following WWI?

· The Diary of Anne Frank

· All Quiet on the Western Front

· The Communist Manifesto

· The Bible

The Bible has been banned in various schools for being a religioustext, and 'The Communist Manifesto' was banned for political reasons. 'AllQuiet on the Western Front' (originally written in German) was banned by theNazis as it might give Germans the wrong idea about war. Apparently it worked. TheDiary of Anne Frank was not written until after WWII ~ and in my originalquestion there was a huge typo! I put WWII rather than WWI and did not catch ituntil today, so everyone who played gets this point!

4. Which famous novel by Ray Bradbury has both beenchallenged and banned numerous times?

· Farenheit 451

· 1984

· The Giver

· Brave New World

Not only was a book about banning and censoring books banned, it wasalso censored! Publishers removed 'four letter' words before printing-withoutinforming Bradbury of the changes. However, these editions were removed fromlibrary shelves and replaced with uncensored copies when a very annoyedBradbury got wind of them.

5. Which of these books was banned by one schooldistrict because it was a “real downer?”

· Night

· The Color Purple

· The Diary of Anne Frank

· The Bluest Eye

Though all of these books are 'real downers', 'The Diary of Anne Frank'is the only book I know to have been banned as such. 'The Color Purple' wasbanned on religious and sexual charges, and 'The Bluest Eye' was banned onsexual grounds.

6. Which of these books has not been banned?

· I Am the Cheese

· The Three Musketeers

· Go Ask Alice

· The Color Purple

'I Am The Cheese' has repeatedly been suppressed on political grounds,and, in one school district, on sexual grounds: the offending word was'breasts'. 'Go Ask Alice' and 'The Color Purple' were both banned on sexualgrounds.

7. Which book was challenged in 2010 because"it simply causes kids to think even more of things sexual?"

· The Hunger Games

· Betrayed

· The Diary of Anne Frank

· The Curious Incident of the Dog in theNight-time

Challenged in an Alaska school district’s highschool library (2010-2011) because, “It simply causes kids to think even moreof things sexual.”

8. What award-winning book includes two maleEmperor Penguins hatching and parenting a baby chick at New York's Central ParkZoo?

· Ttyl

· And Tango Makes Three

· Penguins of Madagascar

· Busy Penguins

Once again (April, 2011) the award-winning children's book, AndTango Makes Three, tops theAmerican Library Assn.'s list of most frequently challenged books. The bookrecounts the true story of twoemperor penguins at New York's Central Park Zoo who hatched and parented a babychick. The reason for getting it banned? The emperor penguins are bothmale.

9. "SatanicVerses" was banned throughout many countries in the Middle East, has beenblamed for injuries and death to its translators and its Norwegian publisherwas shot and seriously injured. Who wrote "Satanic Verses?"

· Truman Capote

· Salmon Rushdie

· Kurt Vonnegut

· James Baldwin

Many Muslims accused Rushdie of blasphemy or unbelief and in 1989 AyatollahRuhollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa ordering Muslims to kill Rushdie.Numerous killings, attempted killings, and bombings resulted from Muslim angerover the novel.

10. What was the number one banned book for 2010?

· The Hunger Games

· Ttyl

· And Tango Makes Three

· Nickel and Dimed

Myracle's series of books for young adults,about the dramas of three high school friends, Zoe, Maddie, and Angela, arewritten entirely in the style of instant messaging. "These books dealrealistically with young adult lives – the ickyness, the weirdness ofadolescence and the difficult situations lots of teens face," said Angela Maycockof the ALA's office for intellectual freedom. And Tango Makes Three dropped toNumber 2 with the release of the ttyl series.

Reasons given: Nudity, sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to agegroup, drugs.

11. Of the "10 Most FrequentlyChallenged Books of 2010" which one is your favorite?

*Twilight*			14%
Revolutionary Voices			0%
Nickel and Dimed			0%
What My Mother Doesn't Know			0%
Lush			0%
*The Hunger Games*			43%
Crank			0%
*Brave New World*			14%
*The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian*			29%
And Tango Makes Three			0%

So there ya have it. Somesurprises in there?

Have you read all of the above banned books? What do youthink?

Should these books be banned or no?

Happy Sporting!

Inspirational Sunday: "Ima Show You How Great I Am...."

2011-11-27T11:25:00.001-05:00

Be blessed this Sunday,

Saturday Snapshot

2011-11-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

the old railroad bridge just outside of town

In the summer (and even some die-hard water babies of winter) will go kayaking, canoeing and rafting. About a week ago traffic was stopped on our way out of town and I could not figure out why until I looked down at the river......there were 4 deer standing in the water as peaceful as you please. Now that would have been an award-winning photo!

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books. To participate, please visit Alyce's site.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Weekend Cooking: Holiday Spiced Wine

2011-11-25T22:29:00.001-05:00

The wonderful Beth Fish Reads hosts a fantastic weekend meme that helps you get ready for your upcoming week ~ Weekend Cooking! It is all about sharing recipes, cookbook reviews and anything remotely food related. For more info or to participate, jump on over to Beth Fish Reads.

This is such a wonderful time of year for spiced ciders, wines and rums. I love the simplicity of this recipe and how beautiful the presentation can be for a party.

Ingredients ~

1 or 2 bottles of your favorite Cabernet
6 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves (whole)
1/8 tsp allspice
3/4 cup sugar
1 orange (sliced)

Directions ~

Pour the wine into a crock pot and begin to heat.
Add sugar and spices. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
Heat thoroughly but do not boil.
Add sliced orange.
Serve hot and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Enjoy!

Have a wonderful shopping/football/eating leftover turkey and ham weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

There is so much I am grateful for this Thanksgiving that we'd be here til next Thanksgiving if I were to list them all ~ so instead, how about a Top Ten?!?

My Children and Grandson. Their great health, minds, and hearts.
My Darling Boyfriend. He is truly a sweetheart of a man.
My Family. That I can always count on.
Super Wonderful Readers & Friends. I am beyond blessed.
A Book Review Blog that Brings Me Joy & is a Creative Outlet.
Books and the ability to read. Oh my I cannot imagine life without certain books that have "gotten me through a rough patch."
Laughter ~ the deep-belly kind that heals from within.
Unexpected compassion ~ especially from a child or teenager.
The kindness of strangers during the holiday season.
Love ~ ahh, all we need is love, right?

How about you?

What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Guest Post: A Different Thanksgiving Conversation by Karl A. Pillemer, PhD

2011-11-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

Have I told you lately how much I enjoy this "job?" Well, it's not really a job per se ~ I guess some might call it more of a hobby. But blogging to me is so vitally important to well, everything. Having the chance to review books I would probably have never read otherwise has broadened my reading repertoire and enhanced my life in so many ways. But I think the best part of blogging, what I love the absolute most is the people I meet through blogging. My blogging friends, publicists, authors and fellow readers have brought such joy and insight to my life and I wanted to say thank you. So ~ Thank you friends. I am eternally grateful and thankful for you in my life.

~~~

As you read through this wonderful guest post allow the message to truly resonate within you. I hope that during the Thanksgiving feasts with your family you will take the opportunity to apply the directives issued below:

A Different Thanksgiving Conversation: Eight Questions to Ask Your Elders

By Karl A. Pillemer, Ph.D.,

adapted from 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans

A famous picture by Norman Rockwell shows beaming grandparents serving turkey to a crowd of smiling extended family members. This idealized image represents reality in this way: Thanksgiving  is one event that traditionally brings the generations together. So what’s a good way to spend this precious intergenerational time?

Here’s one you may not have thought of: How about asking your older family members to give the younger ones advice for living? I’ve spent the past six years conducting a research project in which we asked older Americans: “What are the most important lessons you’ve learned that you would like to pass on to young people?” The results were fascinating, and yes, you can try this at home! So I’m proposing that we all use Thanksgiving to ask our family’s elders to share their wisdom.

Why try it? Because it’s an interesting and enjoyable thing to do. Younger people have a lot to gain by seeking the life wisdom of older people. We can take advantage of years of lived experience,  perspectives that defy contemporary “common sense,” and experiential knowledge that comes from having been tested in almost every type of stressful situation. Have they been married for 50 years? Ask them what makes a marriage work. They raised a family, so ask them their advice for raising children. And don’t forget to ask their advice about aging well!

On this holiday, we can all be thankful that our elders are so full of wisdom, and willing to share.  Below are some  “conversation starters” to use around the dinner table this Thanksgiving. While you’re digging into your turkey and mashed potatoes, you can profit from  the valuable lessons that those around you have have learned first-hand over their lifetimes.

What are some of the most important lessons you feel you have learned over the course of your life?
Some people say that they have had difficult or stressful experiences but they have learned important lessons from them. Is that true for you? Can you give examples of what you learned?
As you look back over your life, do you see any “turning points”; that is, a key event or experience that changed over the course of your life or set you on a different track?
What are some of the important choices or decisions you made that you have learned from?
What would you say you know now about living a happy and successful life that you didn’t know when you were twenty?
What would you say are the major values or principles that you live by?
Have you learned any lessons regarding staying in good health?
What advice would you give to people about growing older?

I hope you will give these a try. We do sometimes ask older people for their life stories, but it can actually reach deeper and be more rewarding to ask them their advice for living.
This is how knowledge for living was once transferred; the experience of interlocking lives, intertwined over generations, was passed along and remained alive in the telling. This wisdom exists in people you know, right here, right now. And it’s your for the asking this Thanksgiving.

And if you learn something valuable from an elder, or your own family elders would like to share their advice, you can add it to our website Share Lessons to Win and be entered for a chance to win $100 Amazon gift card, now through December 4th!

Karl A. Pillemer, Ph.D - Karl Pillemer is a professor of human development at Cornell University and Professor of Gerontology in Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College. An internationally renowned gerontologist, his research examines how people develop and change throughout their lives. He has authored five books and over 100 scientific publications, and speaks throughout the world on aging-related issues.

After a chance encounter with a remarkable 90-year old woman, Dr. Pillemer decided to find out what older people know about life that the rest of us don't. His quest led him to ask more than a thousand older Americans their advice for living. He asked about all the big issues - love, marriage, children, work, happiness, avoiding regrets.

This 6-year project led to the book: 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans, published by Hudson Street Press in November 2011.

For more information on the The Legacy Project, please visit the blog: The Legacy Project
like The Legacy Project on Facebook,
and follow author Karl Pillemer on Twitter.

And if you have the chance, I strongly encourage you to check out the website above and read the story of how the project came into fruition. When I first heard about the The Legacy Project I had to share it with my 1st daughter (JellyBean's mom) because she has a "Nanny Boopee" and a "Papa" on her Dad's side she will see for Thanksgiving who will be perfect to ask these questions of ~ and she's a sociology major!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving feasts! Spread the love, share the wisdom of generations, and laugh the past away.

Many blessings,

Inspirational Sunday: The Common English Bible & National Bible Week

2011-11-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

National Bible Week is observed annually in the United States during the week of Thanksgiving. It has been celebrated every year since 1941 and gives the U.S.a chance to "raise awareness of the Bible's importance and relevance to our nation as a whole, as well as in the lives of individuals."

I am thrilled to be participating in the Thank-You-Come Again-I Promise Blog Tour that kicks off today and continues through the end of January ~ an appropriate season for the Common English Bible tour. Have you heard of this translation? Seen it? Used it?

I had the privilege of snagging a copy at the International Christian Bookseller's Trade Show in Atlanta a few months ago and this translation is phenomenal. Below are just a few tidbits about the Common English Bible:

Known for being built on "common ground;"
The Common English Bible is the work of 120 biblical scholars from 24 denominations in American, African, Asian, European, and Latino communities;
More than 500 average readers in 77 groups field-tested the translation;
With the internet and technology of today, the Common English Bible was translated and completed in less than four years;
The Common English Bible is sponsored by the Common English Bible Committee, an alliance of five publishers that serve the general market, as well as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (Chalice Press), Presbyterian Church (USA) (Westminster John Knox Press), Episcopal Church (Church Publishing, Inc.), United Church of Christ, (The Pilgrim Press), and The United Methodist Church (Abingdon Press).

"When we say 'built on common ground,' we mean the Common English Bible is the result of collaboration between opposites: scholars working with average readers; conservatives working with liberals; teens working with retirees; men working with women; many denominations and many ethnicities coming together around the common goal of creating a vibrant and clear translation for 21st century readers, with the ultimate objective of mutually accomplishing God's overall work in the world; in essence, helping Bible readers live on common ground," says Paul Franklyn, PhD, associate publisher for the Common English Bible

This translation has been written on the same reading level as the USA Today; and while I love reading the USA Today and can comprehend even the Wall Street stories, it is a trillion times better to be able to comprehend my Bible....even the more obscure passages!

Here is a taste of what I've been reading these past few months:

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I'm gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.

Proverbs 12:18-20 Some chatter on like a stabbing sword, but a wise tongue heals. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who plan evil, but there is joy for those who advise peace.

James 1:13-18 No one who is tested should say "God is tempting me!" This is because God is not tempted by any form of evil, nor does he tempt anyone. Everyone is tempted by their own cravings; they are lured away and enticed by them. Once these cravings conceive, they give birth to sin; and when sin grows up, it gives birth to death. Don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above. These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all. He chose to give us birth by his true word, and here is the result: we are like the first crop from the harvest of everything he created.

Genesis 1:1-5 When God began to create the heavens and the earth - the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God's wind swept over the waters - God said, "Let there be light." And so light appeared. God saw how good the light was. God separated the light from the darkness. God named the light Day and the darkness Night.

The publishers have graciously provided a copy of the Common English Bible for a lucky reader. To enter for the Bible, please leave your email address in the comments below and answer the following question: Have you seen, heard, or used the Common English Bible yet? The winner will be chosen using random.org. Contest ends on Saturday, November 26th at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be announced on Sunday, November 27th.

a fresh translation to touch the heart and mind
Notable Links ~
Common English Bible Website
The Bible is now on Twitter!
"Like" the Common English Bible on Facebook and receive three gorgeous calligraphy Bible verses that are high resolution downloads

Blessings,

Saturday Snapshot

2011-11-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Jellybean had his first pony ride today ~ on the very same pony his mom and aunt and uncle rode when they were wee ones! Of course he had a little bit of help from his sweet mama. . .

And here he is hanging out in my favorite reading chair

He was not feeling all that well today as he had a bit of a stuffy nose; however, he was still all smiles for the camera. Would you believe he is only 4 1/2 months old! But he must be the most darling baby in the world....do all grandparents say that? He is busting out of his clothes . . .not only is he a chubby cherub, he is almost as tall as I am - literally! I have a feeling by the time he is 2 he will have surpassed my 5 foot 1 inch height.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books. To participate, please visit Alyce's site.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Happy Saturday,

Weekend Cooking: Spicy Chicken & Rice Soup

2011-11-18T22:50:00.001-05:00

The Spicy Chicken & Rice Soup is the best for colds, sore throats, stuffy noses and general just-don't-feel-great-all-overness. There are 2 secret ingredients, creole seasoning and lots of love.

It is also probably one of the easiest recipes so if you're feeling icky or need a quick, home-cooked, healthy meal, this is perfect.

Spicy Chicken & Rice Soup

Ingredients:

32 oz. chicken broth (I use Swanson Organic - has no MSG, no hormones, 99% fat-free & tastes pretty....I sound like a commercial don't I!)
2 cups of water
4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices
3 celery stalks, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 tablespoon of creole seasoning (add more if really congested, but be forewarned, the seasoning catches up with you)
2 cups minute rice
2 cups of cooked chicken, cut in bite-size pieces (I typically buy a rotisserie chicken that is already prepared which makes this recipe ready in about 30 - 45 minutes)

Directions:

In a stock pot add chicken broth and water on high heat.
Add carrots & celery to broth.
Add creole seasoning.
Once broth is boiling reduce to simmer.
Simmer for approximately 15 - 20 minutes until carrots have softened.
Remove from heat - add rice - and cover for 5 minutes.
Remove cover and add lots of love.
Enjoy.

Daughter No. 2 is now vegetarian and she has a vegan friend who hangs out at the house quite a bit. I can easily prepare this soup for the whole family without altering too much - I simply use vegetable stock in one pot and do not add the chicken. Everything else is the same. It also works great with brown rice - I like it, although my first daughter does not - says it tastes different. I think she just made it different.

Let me know if you try this when a family member has a cold and if it helps! It's our first line of defense around here!

Happy Saturday!

Banned Books Week Literary Sport - A Wee Bit Late

2011-11-17T23:39:00.000-05:00

Do y'all ever work really hard on something and then have it simply not come together correctly and have to scratch the whole project? Well, that's what happened with me and A Literary Sport during Banned Books Week. For the life of me, I could not figure out what I was doing wrong and why the Google Document would not attach itself into my post....I worked long and hard and hard and long....researched the problem but could not even figure out how to "word" the problem so Google would recognize it! Oh what a frustrating time!

And then, this past week, the angels smiled upon me, sang Alleluia's and provided me with the answer....55+ days later....but who's counting?

So, because I worked so hard on those questions and because I do want to bring back A Literary Sport...I give to you Banned Books Week Literary Sport ~ Good luck!

In honor of Banned Books Week, I'm bringing back A Literary Sport....with the focus on banned books. I am grateful to my mother for not restricting my access to books when I was growing up. I remember being at the library when I was eight years old trying to check out books that were bigger than me so I could make them last longer. I don't know if I really understood what I was reading, but my mom did not ever say "that book is too old, too bad, too _____ for you." I have done the same with my children, and they've all grown up to be fantastic writers and love the written word. Even my 15-year old son has finally discovered the joys of reading!

The game is for everyone and anyone. The winner of this week's sport will be determined on November 25th. The form will be available until midnight EST, November 24th. The winner will be chosen from random.org if there is more than one person to answer all of the questions correctly. At the end of each month, the individual who has the most points for the month will win a $15 gift card to either Amazon or The Book Depository (winner's choice). Best of luck!

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: Book Review

2011-11-16T20:13:00.001-05:00

from Goodreads ~

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

I have struggled back and forth with what I wanted to say regarding The Night Circus and what I did not want to say; however, I knew I just had to say something at least.

I read in a magazine somewhere that The Night Circus is "Harry Potter for adults." It is not.

It is magical realism at its best. A dream-like state throughout the novel that captures one from the first paragraph:

The circus arrives without warning.
No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. (p. 3)

There are moments The Night Circus shines as bright as the silvery slip of a moon you imagine hanging over the midnight show. For example the imagery of the magic used to create the circus illusions are so achingly beautiful, I longed to jump into the pages myself and be a participant.

One of my favorite magical tents was the "The Pool of Tears"

The sign outside this tent is accompanied by a small box full of smooth black stones. The text instructs you to take one with you as you enter.
     Inside, the tent is dark, the ceiling covered with open black umbrellas, the curving handles hanging down like icicles.
     In the center of the room there is a pool. A pond enclosed within a black stone wall that is surrounded by white gravel.....
     Memories begin to creep forward from hidden corners of your mind. Passing disappointments. Lost chances and lost causes. Heartbreaks and pain and desolate, horrible loneliness.
     Sorrows you thought long forgotten mingle with still-fresh wounds.
     The stone feels heavier in your hand.
     When you drop it in the pool to join the rest of the stones, you feel lighter. As though you have released something more than a smooth polished piece of rock. (p. 282)

But....

The epic romance that is hailed to occur between Celia and Marco - well, I just did not feel it. It may just be me. Perhaps I am simply not a magical, romantic-y girl - but I simply could not connect with either main character and the "love" each had for the other. It felt contrived, forced. Rather than the characters slowly building a love for each other that is "shown" to us through actions we are "told" through the statements of the characters. (and that's not true...I am a magical, romantic-y girl...love, love, love that stuff!)

And that's probably the largest complaint I have with the entire novel - it progresses through the dialogue rather than actual character action or development. I so wanted to fall in love with the characters but it was difficult to become emotionally involved with the story as I could not connect to really anyone - no one was "real."

I take that back - the largest complaint is that we're told to expect a "fierce competition," battle to the death. I think somewhere in the beauty of the magical tents, I missed the competition. Celia works diligently from inside the middle of the circus performing her feats of wonder while Marco performs from afar in London. Not only does this make for difficulties falling in love, but the "fierce competition" is well, simply just not there.

Erin Morgenstern deserves numerous accolades for her inventive descriptions of the magical tents, dinners and creativity the magicians were able to incorporate into the circus. For the beauty and imagination of the circus alone The Night Circus wins all around. For character development and love stories, you may want to look elsewhere.

Please tell me what you thought about The Night Circus ~ did you read it? Love it? Hate it? Why? What do you think of the cover? Which one do you like better ~ the man & lady or the clock that plays a figurative role in the book?

Also, would you like my gently read Advanced Readers Copy? Please leave your email address in the comment section along with which cover you prefer. I will give away The Night Circus ARC on November 30th. Entries are closed at 11:59 p.m. on November 29th.

Erin Morgenstern's site is worth the few moments to check out - even the name is whimsical and unique "erin's emporium of discount dreams and well-worn wonders" She is both artist and writer, living in Salem, Massachusetts. Her flickr.photstream can be viewed here. Her life appears to revolve around copious amounts of red wine, tea and fairy tales ~ now that is what I call living!

A billion thanks to the exceptionally kind rep at Doubleday who had mercy upon me at BEA

and sent me a complimentary copy of The Night Circus.

Enjoy Your Day!

First Chapter - First Paragraph: White Masks by Elias Khoury

2011-11-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

The first book I read that was translated and published by Archipelago Books was My Kind of Girl (review here). I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the translation and the title so my expectations for White Masks is high. The first couple of paragraphs did not cease to capture my undivided attention and drag me deep into the storyline of the murdered stranger in Beirut. Keep an eye out for my review coming soon!

This is no tale. And it may not be of particular interest to readers, as people these days have more important things to do than read stories or listen to tales. And they're absolutely right. But this story really did happen.

The truth is that it didn't happen just like that. One morning, I saw in the paper a short piece entitled "Dreadful murder in the UNESCO district" and, don't ask me why, but whenever I see the word "dreadful," the word "wonderful" springs to mind. So the phrase stuck in my mind like this: "Wonderful murder in UNESCO." My eyes skipped from this "wonderful" crime to a photograph of the victim: a man in his fifties, with traces of bruising on his chest and puncture wounds to his face. I didn't linger over the picture - the terrifying visions that fill my nights are enough for me, I don't need new nightmares. Although I tried, I couldn't place the man's name, but I seemed to remember that I had come across him somewhere. Turning finally to the note printed alongside the photograph, which was very brief, I read the following: "The corpse of an unidentified man has been found in the UNESCO district of Beirut, near the Habib Abi Shahla statue, bearing gunshot wounds, abrasions, and bruises. According to the forensic pathologist's report, death occurred three days earlier."

What do you think? Does this one capture your attention?

To participate in First Chapter ~ First Paragraph, visit the lovely Diane's blog at Bibliophile By the Sea.

Happy Tuesday!

Inspirational Sunday: Law of Attraction

2011-11-13T12:43:00.001-05:00

I love Jack Canfield's books. I have listened to his motivational audiobooks, read just about everything that has his name on it and follow his website. Now he truly appears to be an optimistic life force - someone you just want to stand near and soak up his energy.

I have this small guided journal put out by Jack Canfield and D.D. Watkins that I keep near my bedside and work on periodically. It's called Jack Canfield's Key to Living the Law of Attraction and so much of it makes perfectly good sense.

For Inspirational Sunday this week I would like to share with you one of my favorite passages from the book:

Each one of us is born with a unique life purpose. We are all here for a reason, and we are all here to serve each other. We are like individual cells in a body, each of us performing our own unique functions and collectively serving the being as a whole. A life of purpose is not only a true expression of who you really are-it is your gift to the world-and the world needs what you have to offer. When you are living your life "on purpose," you will find greater fulfillment and joy in all that you do. The universe will support you in all of your endeavors when
So, you must take the time to look deeply within yourself and identify your own personal mission and purpose in life. This is best done through quiet contemplation, prayer, and meditation, but there are a few things that you can do right now to get started. You can begin by internalizing the fact that there are no accidents, and that you are indeed here on the planet for a reason. You have a purpose in this life and in this world, and your contribution matters. (p. 41)

That last line gets me every time - I can just hear a booming voice telling me "your contribution matters, now get out there and do something!" This book can always lift me up whenever I am feeling down or like what I am doing is simply going nowhere.

So, in honor of Thanksgiving coming up and because I just appreciate you so very much, I would like to give away a copy of Jack Canfield's Key to Living the Law of Attraction. Please leave your email address below if you'd like to be entered. I will choose the winner with the help of random.org on November 22nd. All entries must be submitted by November 21st, 11:59 pm EST.

Thank you for your readership. Have a beautiful Sunday.

Happy Haulidays Contest with Chronicle Books: If I Win, You Win & Books for Soldiers Wins!

2011-11-09T00:55:00.002-05:00

I was thrilled to receive the Chronicle Books email today notifying me of the 2nd Annual Happy Haulidays Contest. This year there is an even better addition to the event - not only will a lucky blogger and one of his or her commenters win, but the winning blogger also wins $500 worth of books for a charity of her choice. Now how cool is that?

So be sure to leave a comment below just in case A Novel Source is the lucky winner...I would love to win $500 worth of books for myself and an additional $500 worth for one of my readers and a favorite charity. What a beautiful Christmas that would be!

I thought a lot about the charity I would want to win the books, and it's a tough decision. There are so many needy organizations that need our help throughout the year but especially during the holiday season. I work in a group home for teenage girls and have found that they cherish every book I bring in to them - rarely do they ever get a new book. And the spanish-speaking girls never get books in Spanish unless staff go out and buy them. I thought about choosing where I work, but I take books in once I am done with them and other bloggers have been incredibly gracious and kind by donating their extra books to the home too. So, I've got the girls covered.

The organization I am choosing is Books for Soldiers. This non-profit pairs up individuals or groups with soldiers stationed overseas who then send care packages of books to the soldiers. From the little I've read around the blogosphere and heard from returning soldiers, these men and women truly appreciate every book given and pass each around from person to person. My dad served our country for 24 years in the Marine Corp. Four of my five uncles have served - all have seen combat. My daddy was a voracious reader and I believe he would choose to be a part of this organization if he were still around. In his place, I hope to be able to win the books for Books for Soldiers and provide a platoon with some brand-spanking new books.

I spent a lot of time this evening shopping on the Chronicle Books site, dreaming and wishing. In the end, my total hit $499.43 - pretty darn close to the $500 limit! And the books I chose run the gamut from children's to cookbooks to embroidery and fiction. Let me show you what could be yours if you leave a comment and A Novel Source is chosen as the Hauliday winner:

1001 Ways to Save the Earth: $9.95

Gratitude Journal: $14.95

Whip Up Mini Quilts: $24.95

Origami: $12.95

Guitarmaking: $40.00

One Love by Cedella Marley: $16.99


Watercoler Postcards: $19.95


Decorate: $35.00


My Future Listography: $16.95


Mom's One Line a Day: $16.95

One Line a Day: $16.95


The Wishing Box: $22.95


Baby Bib Embroidery Kit: $19.95


Cupcake Kit: $19.95

Correspondence Cards: $13.95


Soduku/Medium-Hard: $6.95


Soduku/Easy-Medium: $6.95

Sunday Soup: $19.95


Beach House Cookbook: $24.95


F in Exams: $9.95

Memories for My Grandchild: $19.95


Apartment Therapy: $27.50

Moleskin Notebook: $19.95


Moleskin Weekly Planner: $18.95


Milk & Cookies: $24.95


Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site: $16.99

Join me in this wonderful contest offered by Chronicle Books

To enter on additional blog sites participating please click here.

Leave a comment below and if I win it - a random commenter wins - and Books for Soldiers wins!

Have a Happy Wednesday!

My Kind of Girl by Buddhadeva Bose: Book Review

2011-11-07T20:53:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Archipelago Books | Published: November, 2010

Paperback | 138 pages | ISBN 978-0-9826246-1-6

Genre: Literary Fiction

There is a sweet, and I do mean sweeeet, non-profit publishing house called Archipelago Books that is in the business of translating and publishing great works from around the world. My first book from them is a short novel translated from Bengali by Arunava Sinha.

The story line is simple - four strangers meet in a train station. The train has broken down and will not arrive until the following morning so the four men decide to pass the time by telling each other a story. There is a government bureaucrat, a contractor, a doctor and a writer. Surprisingly, the topic chosen is unrequited love. The scene is set so beautifully and the writing evokes the chill of the night air.

A pair of newlyweds try to enter the first-class waiting room but when they see the four men hunched over they turn unto themselves and leave back into the cold night. This departure precipitates the men's talk of love:

"I was wondering how long such days last for them." Now the Delhi man laughed out loud. "Is that anything to wonder about? Don't we all know the answer?" "Afterwards, all of us know it, " spoke the lean-faced book lover, "but at the time none of us does. For instance, can those two even imagine how short-lived it all is? Can they imagine that they will not continue much longer exactly this way? That is the most amazing part of this amazing illusion."

The "amazing illusion." That could have been an alternate title for the book although My Kind of Girl fits just as well too.

Ahh, to express the beauty in the simplicity of the four stories shared by the men - how each loved someone unashamedly in his youth. We all have stories of the one who got away - it may have happened when you were 15, 25, or 35 or beyond, but it is a universal condition we share. How interesting it is that an author in Bengali was able to write from a man's perspective and yet capture all the same feelings that I have felt about the one who got away.

"The memory remains. Ultimately only the memory remains, nothing else."

Final Thoughts
There is a light-hearted tenderness to My Kind of Girl. At times there is a devoted passion expressed through the characters and in turn the devotion turns to a tender first love. The travelers are as different as can be yet their stories of a great love lost bring them together for one cold long winter's night.

Archipelago Books is a not-for-profit press devoted to publishing excellent translations of classic and contemporary world literature. In their first eight years, they have brought out over seventy books from more than twenty languages.


Buddhadeva Bose

Buddhadeva Bose was born in Bangladesh and grew up with his grandparents. His mother died shortly after giving birth to him and his father spent the next year wandering and in mourning. Bose has been called the greatest poet and writer of Bengal in the 20th century. He was vibrant, exuding energy and tireless in writing. He published 160 titles in his lifetime and so far 200 titles have been published total. His greatest novel is considered to be Tithidore of which the same translator who translated My Kind of Girl is now working on translating Tithidore. I cannot wait to read that one too!

Happy Monday!

Inspirational Sunday: Review of What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care?

2011-11-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Inspirational Sunday is to honor the many different forms of religions found across the world and the literature that comes from said religions. Anyone with an inspirational post to share is welcome ~ this could be a free download, a great quote, a review of an inspiring book or memoir - anything that moves you that you would love to share with everyone. Please link up to your specific post and not your blog home page.

Publisher: New Growth Press | Published: October 1, 2011

Genre: Christian Life | 160 pages

Book Description from Goodreads~

Tired of Trying to Win Approval and Escape Rejection? Peer pressure, codependency, shame, low self-esteem these are just some of the words used to identify how people are controlled by others opinions. Why is it so important to be liked? Why is rejection so traumatic? Edward T. Welch s insightful, biblical answers to these questions show that freedom from others opinions and genuine, loving relationships grow as we learn about ourselves, others, and God. This interactive book includes questions for individual or group study and is suitable for teenagers and young adults.

The book description describes What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care? as suitable for teenagers and young adults. While this is true, I also found the book to be helpful myself. The book revolves around three main questions:

Who is God?
Who am I?
Who are these other people?

We all struggle with rejection in some form or another - some appear to have such high self-esteem that the opinions of others never touches them and then there are those who struggle to get through the day because of a harsh word said. I probably fall somewhere in the middle. Reading this book helped me to put the opinions of others into perspective. It is God's opinion that matters - not my neighbor's, not my co-worker's, not even that of my boyfriend or my family. I need to look to God for my self-worth.

I like that this book concentrates on God's love. The world needs more love ~ focusing on loving others rather than judging others:

....It goes back to loving others more than needing them. There is something about love that crowds out our painful self-consciousness. You can't have one in your heart when the other is there. Consider the needs of others more than you consider your own, and guaranteed, the fear of other people will no longer suffocate you.

What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care? is a book that a new believer can read through and comprehend easily. A veteran believer can read this book and have his or her faith injected with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. Teenagers and young adults can read the book alone or as part of a small group and have a life-changing experience before adulthood takes over. An excellent resource for anyone wanting to "answer the big questions in life."

After graduating from seminary in 1978, Ed went on to study at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he received a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology (Neuropsychology) in 1981. He currently serves as counselor, faculty member and director of the School of Biblical Counseling at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation and as professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary.

Ed is deeply devoted to his wife, Sheri, and his two daughters and their husbands, all of whom live close by in the Philadelphia area. The family has traveled yearly to the west coast to visit relatives and enjoy water sports at the beach.

Many thanks to The B & B Media Group for the complimentary review copy.

Happy Sunday!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T15:40:00.003-04:00

Inspirational Sunday

2011-10-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

Darling Readers I have been wanting to begin my own meme to share with the blogging community for some time now. I kind of knew what I wanted to do but needed just the right oomph to kick it off with! I wanted to do something a bit different that I have not come across so far in the book blogging community, and I think I've hit upon just the right combination.

Inspirational Sunday is to honor the many different forms of religions found across the world and the literature that comes from said religions. I realize Sundays are not necessarily everyone's day to celebrate or worship; however, it is a day that does not have several memes attached to it already, that I know of. So Sundays will now be devoted to something inspirational - it could be a free download, a great quote, an inspiring book or memoir - anything that moves me to the depths of my soul that I would really love to share with you, my devoted readers. I hope you will join me in this endeavor. So without further ado ~ my (two-fold-for-today) Inspirational Sunday:

AND.......Tyndale is offering a free download of the New Living Translation Bible App for your smart phone, iPod, or iPad for 48 hours only beginning Sunday, October 30th at 12:00 a.m. CST. If you are familiar with YouVersion.com then you know how easy the site is to navigate. The NLT App provided by Tyndale is supposed to be similar to the YouVersion.com site. Having access to a special verse on my iPhone while I'm out talking to strangers would be so helpful, especially when I'm in one of those in-depth debates about a particular aspect of the Bible and I cannot recall the verse! That is so incredibly frustrating and takes the wind right out of my argument!

For download instructions visit the site here.

Happy Sunday!

Saturday Snapshot

2011-10-29T22:04:00.000-04:00

The sun setting as seen from my balcony in Dana Point, California

Hope you are having a fantabulous weekend!

Happy Saturday!

First Chapter - First Paragraph: Fare Forward by Wendy Dubow Polins

2011-10-25T22:45:00.000-04:00

The concept of this novel intrigued me from the moment I saw the cover to the reading of the description....I've not seen any reviews of Fare Forward other than the blurbs on the inside cover, but this book sounds like one of those that will stay with you long after closing the final page ~ I trust it will live up to my expectations!

The ice cold surrounds me and, finally, I let go.
Salt water rushes into my lungs, and its weight pulls me down, deeper--into the infinite blue space. The crushing pain is gone because I've left my heart behind, and, this time, I'm not afraid, because I know he's with me.

To participate in First Chapter ~ First Paragraph, visit Diane's blog at Bibliophile By the Sea.

Happy Tuesday!

The Devil's Den by Timothy Ashby: Book Review

2011-10-19T00:35:00.000-04:00

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Publisher: CreateSpace | Published: April 12th, 2011

Paperback | 502 pages | ISBN: 978-1456545246

Genre: Suspense/Thriller

I have not been accepting any review requests for awhile now as my to be read bookshelves (yes, it is plural ~ no typo) has simply gotten out of control. So when my new favorite author, Layton Green referred Timothy's book The Devil's Den for my perusal, I hesitantly agreed. I will admit that am I glad I did!

This past week I was out of town flying across country on one of those four hour flights....Normally, I read a book off my iPad but I was tired of hanging out at the ATL runway with "all electronic devices stowed away while we prepare for takeoff"....and wait...and wait...cause we're like 6th in line to take off! So anyways, I got smart and took an actual book - yes, friends, a real, live book, on the plane. Then I couldn't put it down!

I have not read much of anything from the post-Civil War into the 1920's - '30s. The Devil's Den was a suspense/thriller set in the 1920's - 30's. It starts out with a veteran of the Civil War being horrifically murdered at the site of Gettysburg in June, 1923 - sixty years after the war has ended. Veteran of the French War, Seth Armitage of the Bureau of Investigations (precursor to the FBI) is sent by the corrupt Director of the BI, William J. Brooks. The book reads like a virtual Who's Who of History with William J. Brooks, Attorney General, Harry Daugherty, President Harding, J. Edgar Hoover, and even Charles Lindbergh!

I have always enjoyed a suspense/thriller which includes historical facts and this book was chock full of anecdotes - did you know that Hoover's mother worried about him eating a healthy lunch every day? And when Lindbergh started his flying business he was so poor he could not afford parachutes?

Timothy Ashby was more than thorough in completing his research on The Devil's Den. If I have any complaints to make it is that Armitage, although a smart lawyer and BI Agent, he was incredibly naive! Although that added to his charm factor too, but after awhile I wanted Armitage to be as smart as I was about the mysterious deaths surrounding the original Civil War veteran's death.

And then his love interest, Peggy Stewart! I was actually impressed that a man wrote the love scenes with such controlled passion, yet sexiness and taste. But she had the same problem as Armitage - she, too, was incredibly naive.

Book Summary from Goodreads:

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, June 1923. Weeks before the 60th anniversary reunion of the Civil War’s climactic battle, an elderly Union veteran is murdered on the battlefield. Seth Armitage, an agent of the newly formed Bureau of Investigation (forerunner to the FBI) is assigned to the case. Armitage, a Virginian and grandson of Confederate soldiers, has recently finished an undercover assignment within the Ku Klux Klan which made him question his southern heritage. Armitage’s investigation leads him to Peggy Stewart, daughter of a deceased Union veteran who was a comrade of the murder victim. Peggy introduces him to another old soldier, a double amputee and war hero who served with both her father and the murdered man. When this man is also brutally killed, Seth realizes that someone is trying to silence a group of veterans who served together during the Civil War - a dwindling band that shares a terrible secret. Seth and Peggy start a tempestuous love affair. With her help, Armitage discovers a modern conspiracy in the highest corridors of power in Washington DC that will use any means to keep buried the crime that took place 60 years earlier.

My final thoughts:
As The Devil's Den was Mr. Ashby's first novel in what I hope to be an on-going BI series focusing on Agent Armitage, I imagine the good agent will grow and develop as a character. If you're looking for a slightly different suspense/thriller I recommend checking out The Devil's Den. The writing is sharp, the plot is excellent and moves forward in a manner that carries the reader late into the night.

The Devil's Den is the second book to be reviewed in the RIP Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

Happy Wednesday Darling Readers!

Undercover by Beth Kephart: First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

2011-10-18T21:35:00.000-04:00

I love Diane's First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intro Meme! What a fantastic way to tempt you with lines from a book I am currently reading! I hope you will join along or jump over to Diane's blog at Bibliophile By the Sea to check out some other great blogs participating.

My "firsts" come from Beth Kephart's Undercover. I've always wanted to read one of her books after reading There's a Book's review of The Heart is Not a Size last year.... with time constraints, reading piles, etc. I'm finally getting around to one of Ms. Kephart's first young adult novels.

Once I saw a vixen and a dog fox dancing. It was on the other side of the cul-de-sac, past the Gunns' place, through the trees, where the stream draws a wet line in the spring. There was old snow on the ground that day, soft and slushy, and the trees were naked; I had my woolen mittens on. I was following the stream, and above and between the sound of the stream was the sound of birds, and also nested baby squirrels. The foxes, when I found them, were down by the catacombs, doing a slow-dance shuffle. Standing upright, I swear, palm to palm, with black socks on, red coats.

At school I didn't tell Margie about the fox dance, or David, or Karl. I didn't even tell Mr. Sheepals, in science, because it was what he'd call a non sequitur. My fox-dance story was an animal-kingdom story, and this was two years ago, second semester, eighth grade, when we were stuck on photosynthesis.

What a beautiful picture! I can see it in my mind - I can even imagine the song the foxes would be dancing to ~ something slightly haunting, lyrical - perhaps Sinatra? What do you think?

Happy Tuesday Lovely Readers!

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin; Illustrated by James Dean: Book Review

2011-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Pete the Cat's Site

Publisher: HarperCollins | Published: March 1st, 2010

Hardbound | 40 pages | ISBN: 9780061906220

Genre: Children's Picture Book

This has got to be one of the most adorable children's books I have read! The Jellybean is in love with this book - and he's only 3 months! The brightly colored illustrations, the rhyming and silly phrases that Pete the Cat sings as he is enjoying life, loving his shoes - no matter the color they change, and simply being cool. The message in this book reminds me of the popular Don't Sweat the Small Stuff books; however this one is a lot more colorful and groovy! The premise is while Pete the Cat is walking down the road he steps into different things such as a pile of strawberries and a puddle of mud. The red strawberries and brown mud turn his white shoes the color of the pile or puddle he steps in. This book is fantastic to read to toddlers learning their colors, babies who love having someone read to them, children who need to know life is not all bad and adults who need the same message.

I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Eric and James Dean at the 2010 SIBA Trade Show. They reminded me of two big kids at heart with a love for people. If you ever have an opportunity to meet them, jump at the chance!

With the hardbound version of I Love My White Shoes comes a free download available from HarperCollins Publishers. Anyone from the youngest to the oldest would get a kick out of hearing the audio-version of the Pete the Cat books - all available with the download.

This is my first time participating in Kid Konnection although I often read Kathy from BermudaOnion's Kid Konnection post on Saturday's. Kid Konnection is a weekly feature hosted by the wonderful Julie at Booking Mama. To participate or read other amazing reviews for children and young adults check out Julie's Saturday Kid Konnection feature!

Have a most wonderful weekend!

Saturday Snapshot: The Jellybean is now a Sumo Wrestler!

2011-10-08T00:29:00.000-04:00

the Jellybean in his daddy's glasses

don't you just want to gobble him up...it does not get any better than this!

A smile from the Jellybean, a coo from his sweet sweet face is enough to get one through the day!

My darling little grandson is not so little but is too, too darling....the big debate this Halloween is will he be a Sumo Wrestler or a Bumblebee! Would you believe he is only 3 months old! And of course he is the most precious baby the entire world over...and I am not the least bit biased!

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by the lovely Alyce from At Home With Books. To learn more or join in, please visit her blog here.

I hope you have a most enjoyable weekend!

A Wee Late to the Party....

2011-10-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

Image Credit: Sanctuary by Melissa Nucera

but I showed up! That still counts right? I participated in R.I.P. last year and had lots of fun discovering new blogs and fantastic scary books....I don't know why I've procrastinated so long in joining this year....perhaps life has just gotten in the way - boo!

No worries; however, I still have time to jump in I do believe. The review I posted this morning should count towards my first R.I.P. VI suspense/thriller book and I'm going to love going through my tbr piles to pick out more thrillers and horror novels to get through by the end of the month. I also plan to watch a scary movie in order to participate in Peril on the Screen.

A tremendous thank you to Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings for hosting R.I.P. once again....six years in a row! What a fun way to celebrate Fall and Halloween by reading books in the following genres:

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

My goal is to read three additional books, and include the review posted this morning which will put me in the Peril The First Challenge. I'm a die-hard procrastinator but I do my best work in crunch-times....although reading could hardly be called work, now could it?

If you haven't joined the party, well, what are you waiting for?!? And if you have a recommendation for a Suspense/Thriller/Gothic/Horror/Supernatural book - old or new that you think I should read and review, let me know! I'm also seeking recommendations for black & white classic gothic or horror films - the new stuff is too gory for me! I'm so weird in that I can read all kinds of stuff but watching it on the screen just creeps me out!

Happy Fall Days!

Primacy by J.E. Fishman: Book Review

2011-10-07T11:53:00.001-04:00

Author's Site

Publisher: Verbitrage | Published: September 1st, 2011

Hardcover | 384 pages | ISBN 978-0983380900

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Are you an animal lover? Do you buy products that say "No animal testing used in the production of this item?"

Tens of thousands of monkeys and apes suffer in animal testing labs. If just one of them could speak, what might it say and whose interests would it threaten? from Goodreads

Primacy is suspense-filled novel and unusual love story. Liane Vinson is a research scientist for the largest and most secretive animal testing facility in Farmingdale, Long Island. When she discovers that two bonobos (twins) she has been working with can speak - literally talk in human words, the race is on to save the twins from the sociopathic owner of the lab, Axel Flickinger. The stakes are raised when Axel removes the voice box of the male bonobo. Liane takes it upon herself to rescue Bea, the female bonobo before Axel can do any further damage to her. Liane gets help breaking into the facility to bust Bea out from an unlikely source - the protesters from FAULT "Folks Against Unnecessary Lab Testing." Once Liane has Bea, her neighbor and love interest, veterinarian Mickey Ferrone comes to her aid while Liane comes up with a plan to get Bea out of the country and back to her home in the Congo. Chases abound while Liane and Mickey are pursued by the folks from the lab, FAULT as they see Bea as a tool to parade in the media, shadowy government entities and other unknown forces. Oh, and the love story ~ well obviously Liane and Mickey but there's the FAULT leader, Corey, who comes into the picture from Liane's past, but I believe the love shared between Bea and Liane is the precious piece to behold.

The plot was fast-paced and interesting enough to hold my attention long into the night. I wanted to be sure Bea made it home! The sideline characters were the ones who I found to be most intriguing - Dikembe Kasa, the bushman who while trying to support his family made one wrong decision that had far-reaching effects; Henley Pulsipher, secret-agent man for the Dept. of Agriculture - who knew the Department of Agriculture even needed secret agents? He tracks Bea from Long Island to the northern tip of New York to the Congo, facing his own internal battles as he goes. And Bea - she was heartbreaking, she was inspiring.

The action scenes were thrilling and had my heart racing to see what would happen next. The side story about Liane's mother dying could have played a more integral part; however, Mr. Fishman was juggling so many questions and issues already with animal testing and rights, the book would have been a lot longer. I can see how her mother dying could have brought up more questions about is it right for us to use animals for medical testing or medical parts? All-in-all, Primacy was an enjoyable read. The research he must have done into animal testing and animal rights is phenomenal and shows! I look forward to his next endeavor, whatever it may be! And to find out if Bea makes it home to the Congo, well, you'll just have to read Primacy!

Oh, and as an aside - this is probably one of the best covers I have seen for a suspense/thriller in a very long time! Kudos to the publisher!

The Bonobo: The bonobo has a lifespan of 40 years in captivity. It is endangered and is found only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The discovery of the bonobo is credited to a German anatomist in 1928. Along with the common chimpanzee, the bonobo is the closest extant relative to humans. The species is distinguished by long legs, pink llips, a dark face and tail-tuft. In the last 15 years the Congo has experience two wars, each having a major impact on the bonobo population. The World Wildlife Fund believes as few as 50,000 are alive. For more information please go to friendsofbonobos.org.

Recent animal rights issues - where do you fall on the subject?

Should animals be treated as equals to humans?
Should animals be experimented on to test a product's safety?
Should animal body parts be implaned into humans?
If animals don't have duties or obligations, can they have rights?
How should overcrowding or overpopulating of animals be addressed?

J.E. Fishman's literary background includes serving five years as a book editor at Doubleday, where he edited the works of NFL superstars Jim Kelly and Ronnie Lott. He founded The Bedford Book Works Literary Agency (later sold to Dystel and Goderich Literary Management), where he represented dozens of writers and personalities, including Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Kweisi Mfume, then head of the NAACP.

Fishman, 49, is a lifelong nature supporter, is a former trustee of the Eastern New York Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and the North Salem Open Land Foundation.

An animal lover, he owns two horses, two dogs, a cat and a pond full of fish. He resides with his wife and daughter in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.

Primacy is the first read in my R.I.P. VI Challenge!

Happy Friday Lovelies!