The Luscious Literary Muse

Back From My Hiatus

2009-10-12T17:37:00.000-04:00

Well unfortunately the last few months I haven't been able to read as much as I would have liked to and I definitely didn't have the time to blog. There has been a lot going on. After moving and the holidays there were family issues, crazy work schedules, and then a promotion. Shortly after receiving my promotion I found out that I'm expecting my first child in March 2010. So things have been quite different around here. Now that things have calmed back down I'm back to my usual reading, and now I'll be able to get back to my blogging which I really have missed. I hope that I'll be welcomed back eagerly by many of you since I had only just started when I had to leave for a short time. I hope you'll be patient and understanding as I try to get back on my feet with my blogging. Thanks!

Teaser Tuesday

2009-01-28T00:23:00.003-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to: Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your "teaser" from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given. Please avoid spoilers! My two "teaser" sentences for today are from:

The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett Pg. 396

"By May 1980 the federal agency had confirmed forty-three more cases of Toxic Shock Syndrome, and some commonalities were beginning to emerge. The most striking of these were that 95 percent of the caseswere female, and 95 percent of the females were menstrauting at the time they developed TSS."

Teaser Tuesday

2009-01-13T21:27:00.005-05:00

The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon

pg. 240

"But before I could slide out an end, carefully unfurl it from the rest, snip an eighteen-inch length, and separate three strands, gently, so that the other five didn't knot, I realized that Henry was in the bedroom doorway holding the frame on either side, his face slightly illuminated because he had placed a lantern on the floor at his feet. In a moment he would reach out, put his warm, sure hand on my cheek and run it sweetly down the side of my face and neck."

Mailbox Monday

2009-01-12T21:24:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, where we discuss what books arrived in our mailboxes and on our doorsteps in the past week. Last week I received:

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion through BookMooch.

A-Z challenge 2009

2009-01-07T20:02:00.010-05:00

Figure that I can do one more challenge this year, which should be pretty easy to overlap with other challenges. It's being hosted by Becky of Becky's Book Reviews and you can find more information about the challenge here.

Option A: Read authors A to Z. Commit to reading 26 books theoretically speaking.

Option B: Read titles A to Z. Commit to reading 26 books theoretically speaking.

Option C: Read both authors A to Z and titles A to Z (52 books; this is the challenge Joy created)

Option D: Read internationally A to Z (books representing 26 different countries) (The books could be from international authors (writers from that country); however, it's fine if a book is only set in that country. If need be, instead of countries one could use cities, states, regions, etc. The idea is to use proper place names. If you'd like you could even use a few fictional countries.)

Option E: Read 26 Alphabet books. Embrace your inner child and go visit the children's section!

Becky's General rules:
How strict is the 26 or 52? I know it isn't always easy to find those difficult letters. The thought of finding the X's (for example) might scare folks away. It shouldn't! I'm a merciful host! (Ask anyone!)If you want to give the X's a go... For authors, try to find an X in the first name, middle name, or last name. For titles, it doesn't have to be the starting word. Try to find an X somewhere in a title, and it'd count in my book.Still can't find a book for the letter you need? I'll take your word for it. I've been there. I know. If your library doesn't see the need to order books just because it starts with an X, then I don't blame you for not wanting to special order a book that you may or may not enjoy. You gave it your best, don't feel bad. You can still make this challenge work for you.Don't be afraid to ask for recommendations. Look at the previous site. Ask other participants. Or ask me, your host. I may not have the "right" recommendation for every letter, but working together, I bet you'll find something that interests you.Audio books count in my opinion. If you take the time to listen to books, then that should count towards something.What about rereads? I don't have a problem with rereads. I would hope that you'd want to mix it up a bit and read some new authors, new titles, etc. But I'm not going to require that by any means.What about children's books? Children's books and YA books count along with adult fiction and nonfiction of all sorts. (Poetry and plays too. Short stories count if they're in a collection.) I don't see a need to discriminate between "adult" and "kiddie" books. Even picture books can count if you like. Though try to use them in moderation. I used a few picture books to get tricky letters this year.

I'm chosing Option C: Read both authors A to Z and titles A to Z (52 books total)

My list so far:

Authors
A:
B: Brashares, Ann
C:
D:
E:
F:
G:
H: Harris, Charlaine
I:
J:
K:
L:
M: Moriarty, Laura
N:
O:
P: Picoult, Jodi
Q:
R:
S:
T:
U:
V:
W:
X:
Y:
Z:

Book Titles:
A:
B: Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shoes
C:
D: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
E:
F:
G:
H:
I:
J:
K: Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult
L: Last Summer (Of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
M:
N:
O:
P:
Q:
R: Rest of Her Life, The by Laura Moriarty
S:
T:
U:
V:
W:
X:
Y:
Z:

Mailbox monday

2009-01-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, where we discuss what books arrived in our mailboxes and on our doorsteps in the past week. Last week I received:

An ARC copy of Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein from Doubleday.

An ARC copy of The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon from Christopher Nelson Associate Marketing Director at Putnam.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T22:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2008-12-25T01:22:00.002-05:00

Well it's been a little over 2 weeks since my last post. I got everything moved into my new apartment, almost everything unpacked, the old apartment cleaned, and my Christmas shopping done. My ex bf Brandon and our friend Matt helped me move all of the furniture and the majority of my stuff Dec 13. Then on Sunday I packed up the rest of my stuff at the old apartment and made another trip in my car. One more trip and everything was out. Brandon and I spent last Sunday cleaning and got everything done but mopping and vacuuming which I finished on Monday. Finished my Christmas shopping on Tuesday and wrapped all my presents tonight. Other than that just been having terrible luck. I got a ticket last Sunday on my way home from the old apartment, my windshield wiper blade was broke (now temporarily fixed), my windshield now has a crack, Brandon called me today to say that the window in the old apartment is leaking up by the roof. Looks like the guy above us hasn't shoveled the 10+ inches of snow off his balcony and with the rain, snow, ice, etc and the higher temps today it started melting and leaking through our window/roof. So he called me and woke me at 2pm to tell me this, called the emergency number and they can't do anything until Friday. So he cleaned up what he could and put a bucket under it. Glad none of my stuff was there, water damage is going to be bad enough to the roof and carpet. I'm going to be so upset if for any reason I get charged for this especially since we're lucky Brandon happened to stop by there. Who knows how bad it could have been had he not put a bucket under it and cleaned up what he could. So needless to say I haven't done much reading or anything in the last two weeks. Every free minute has been spent cleaning, unpacking, hanging stuff, etc. I didn't even have Internet until last Wednesday. Going to get back into the swing of things after the holidays are over. Definitely loving the new place though. Sandy seems to like it too. She's also in love with the snow, just don't understand that dog sometimes ha ha. Did a little Christmas decorating, didn't mail out any Christmas cards, and no cookies this year either. I feel like such a slacker, but I know everyone understands. Hope you all have a Happy Holiday, whichever it may be that you celebrate.

mailbox monday

2008-12-08T14:35:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, where we discuss what books arrived in our mailboxes and on our doorsteps in the past week.

Last week I received:

The Glister by John Burnside as an ARC from Adrienne Sparks, Associate Director of Marketing at Doubleday.

I'm Sorry You Feel That Way: The Astonishing but True Story of a Daughter, Sister, Slut, Wife, Mother, andFriend to Man and Dog by Diana Joseph as an ARC from Christopher Nelson Associate Marketing Director at Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam

Review: The Bible Illuminated

2008-12-06T20:44:00.000-05:00

As I previously posted here , thanks to a special opportunity from Lisa Roe, an online publicist, I was given the unique opportunity to review a copy of The Bible Illuminated. First I was given a sneak peek online. However, the online version just doesn't do it justice. The book is set up in a magazine style. It's soft cover, about the size of an issue of Vogue or some other high end fashion magazine. The cover is strikingly beautiful, with the copper embossed writing giving it a high end feel. It makes a great coffee table book, but my only concern is the fact that the cover and pages could break down easily from use or just from sitting around.

Following the magazine format, the text is a running style with no verses (see pictures above), though there are different headers within the text to explain what that paragraph or section is about. There are also different sections highlighted in yellow that draw your attention to that part of the text, and they correspond to the pictures. The pictures are as visually stunning as the cover offering bold, bright colors in a more contemporary style. Many of the pictures correspond nicely with the text, while others still have me confused as to how they applied to the message of the text. The pictures are taken from all over the world, featuring people of all different races, genders and walks of life. For example, Acts of the Apostles starts out with images of a men's soccer team in Sierra Leone where all the members are residents of the Murray town amputees' camp, which is home to victims of atrocities committed during the civil war. I think that this will make it a more universal text drawing in people of all different types.

However, I do have some other concerns. The print is rather small, so I'm afraid older people or people with poor eyesite may have difficulties reading the text. I think that this may be due to them trying to put as much information as they could into this format. At the same, I guess there target audience is more of the young hip crowd that they are trying to get interested in the bible again.

The typical bible layout with numbers and chapters isn't there, so it may be harder to find your favorite verses or parts in the bible. I was also disturbed by some sections that they made sure to highlight, specifically in Ephesians they highlighted "And so wives must submit themselves completeley to their husbands just as the church submits itself to Christ." However, they did not choose to highlight the next section about husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the church. It seemed a little sexist to me. I was also disturbed by a picture in Matthew that depicted a child holding a handgun pointed straight at the camera with "No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." We have so many issues in this country with children being killed with handguns by other children, and then to depict this in a religious piece of work upset me.

Overall, I think that this was a great concept. The pictures and layout will draw in a younger crowd, and maybe renew faith in older generations as well by presenting the information in a more friendly, visually stimulating way. The price is a little steep for a magazine style layout, especially since it is not hardcover which I think would help this piece, but I think that if you are looking for a new approach or trying to get someone younger more interested that this would be a good recommendation.

You can see my preview post for information from the publisher.

Teaser Tuesday

2008-11-25T01:39:00.004-05:00

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls:

Pg. 71

"But as the screaming continued, neighbors started gathering on the street. Some were simply curious. Moms and dads got into arguments all the time in Battle Mountain, so it didn't seem that big a deal, but this fight was raucous even by local standards, and some people thought they should step in and break it up."

Mailbox Monday

2008-11-24T09:17:00.006-05:00

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, where we discuss what books arrived in our mailboxes and on our doorsteps in the past week.

Last week I received:

Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley from Alyce at http://athomewithbooks.blogspot.com/

The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson as an ARC through Shelf Awareness

Review: The Smart One and the Pretty One

2008-11-20T11:14:00.000-05:00

My review:
These two sisters, while they look a lot alike, couldn't be more different in personality. Ava is the mousy, smart, practical sister, while Lauren is the flashy, sexy, irresponsible one. Lauren loses her job at the clothing boutique where she works, can't pay her bills, and is kicked out of her apartment. This just so happens to occur around the time that both sisters learn that their mom has breast cancer, bringing both girls back to LA.
Lauren goes to her sister Ava for help with her money problems and Ava, the lawyer, ends up roping her into a contract stating that Lauren won't spend any unnecessary money and work with a debt consolidator to take care of her credit problems. This proves to be difficult for Lauren who is a bit of a shopping addict, especially when it comes to a certain new man in Lauren's life. Lauren constantly reminds Ava of how she doesn't date, dresses too conservatively, and needs to find a boyfriend. While at their parents house, Lauren uncovers a document that their mother and a former neighbor drafted up when Ava was just a kid betrothing Ava to their neighbors son, Russell Markowitz. Lauren decides that more than one form of contract can be binding, and as a way to get back at Ava for the financial contract decides to find Ava's "fiance".
She ends up locating Russell who is twice divorced, incredibly handsome, and just happens to work in the clothing industry. Lauren decides that this just might be what her sister Ava needs. Lauren is a bit of a schemer and finds ways to bring the two sisters and Russell together, often leaving the scene so that Ava and Russell are left alone. Ava believes that Russell has more interest in the sexy Lauren than herself, however maybe Ava is just want Russell wants all along. Maybe underneath it all, Ava really can be as beautiful and sexy as Lauren. Can Russell prove that to Ava? This book is full of laughs and interesting turns. If you are looking for a light read, this is definitely a good one. While a lot of the characters and themes are those that are common in "Chick lit", I think that this book was a new twist. The characters were enjoyable, the story was entertaining, and it was a quick read.

From Publishers Weekly:

In the winning latest from Knitting Under the Influence author LaZebnik, sisters Ava and Lauren Nickerson look a lot alike, but hyperpractical attorney Ava, 29, wears dowdy clothes and holds men at arm's length, while flashy, debt-ridden boutique owner Lauren, a few years younger, goes for the quick romantic fix. Drawn together in L.A. by their mother's illness, they determine to straighten each other out. Soon Ava ropes Lauren onto a budget, while Lauren, having uncovered a playful contract in which their parents jokingly betrothed Ava at age eight to a neighbor's young son, decides to find out if the grown-up two—who are strangers—might indeed make a match. The fact that fiancé-designate Russell Markowitz proves to be twice-divorced presents no obstacle to Lauren, especially after she learns that he works in the clothing industry and might be of assistance in making over Ava. Despite the lightweight premise, moments of real depth combine with witty dialogue as LaZebnik deftly spins each turn convincingly to avoid easy answers.

I'm still alive...

2008-11-20T01:49:00.002-05:00

I know some of you are probably wondering where I've been. I'm still alive. Lately, if it's not one thing it's another. When my ex-bf, Brandon, moved out at the beginning of the month somehow the power cord for the cable modem got packed away with all of his computer stuff. So I had to wait for him to find that before I could rehook up the Internet. Then my laptop proceeded to die (uughhh). There I am typing away on a blog posting when black screen of death appears. Apparently my video card went out. Luckily I purchased the extended service plan when I bought my laptop, otherwise the parts alone would have cost me over $750. So now I finally have my laptop back, Internet is hooked up, and lo and behold it's time for my to go on vacation to Florida to visit my friend Melissa, her husband Andy, and their 13 month old son Colin. They just moved to Cocoa Beach, FL in October and she of course begged me to come visit. Her back yard is literally the beach, so of course how could I say no. So now I'm back home for the rest of the year, sadly no more trips planned. Well I guess I shouldn't say back home, since my home is going to be switching in just a few short weeks. Applied and got accepted for the apartment that I found, so my dog Sandy and I will be moving December 13th. Hoping to move all the big furniture and major items that weekend and then gradually move smaller boxes over the course of the following two weeks since my lease isn't up at my current place until the end of the year. That gives me some time to get everything out, everything cleaned, rugs cleaned, walls touched up, etc without having to run around like a chicken without a head on that final day. I can take my time, deal with the weather and holidays, hopefully without stressing out too much. So I'm hoping that means that next year I can start fresh, get things back on track in my life, and do the things that make me happy again. I'll be majorly catching up on posting and such the next few days and hope to post some pictures from my vacation as well.

Review: Jemima J

2008-11-19T09:29:00.010-05:00

My Review:

Jane Green has created yet another lovable character that many women can relate to. Jemima is overweight, has a job as a writer at a small London paper, has two beautiful and rotten roommates, deserves a promotion, and is desperately in love with her coworker Ben Williams. Jemima doesn't have very many friends and doesn't go out a lot because of her weight. Then the most exciting thing happens at work, they get.. the Internet. Jemima, Ben and Geraldine (another coworker), all start fooling around on the Internet at work one day and start chatting with people on an online social site. Jemima starts up a correspondence with Brad, a handsome LA gym owner. Ben and Jemima's friendship grows and he goes to her for advice as he applies for a new job as a tv news reported. Jemima continues to chat daily with Brad and reinvents herself as JJ. With the help of Geraldine, JJ sends a doctored photo of what she would look like if she lost weight. JJ joins a gym and starts working out, eats less, and manages to lose the weight. In the meantime, Ben switches jobs, now becoming a celebrity tv reporter and hasn't seen the new transformed Jemima. Brad convinces JJ to take three weeks off and to fly out to LA to visit him. The two instantly hit it off, Jemima is surprised that Brad actually is attracted to JJ. However, despite the amazing sex and physical connection it seems like there is just something missing. JJ is left most days alone by herself while Brad goes to work. One day while out at lunch she meets a fellow Londoner and the two quickly become friends, and she makes Jemima realize that maybe what she feels for Brad really isn't love. After a rather unfortunate turn of events, Jemima realizes Brad isn't who she thinks he is. Ben shows up in LA to do an exclusive interview with a top actress. He tries to get in contact with Jemima but ends up always just missing her. However, the two finally meet up in a surprising twist.

While the plot is a great idea, some things bothered me. I loved the story of using the Internet dating, Jemima's transformation, the romance, the twists and turns. However, I didn't appreciate how quickly Jemima lost the weight, her lack of eating, her countless hours spent at the gym. It seemed rather excessive and like it wasn't a problem for her to be anorexic, and no one noticed. I think it kind of took away from the story for me because it just didn't seem natural, most people wouldn't have survived the way she did with that kind of weight loss so quickly. It gives an unrealistic approach on how to lose weight and maintain the lose through not eating and over exercise. She also made it seem like being overweight is due to a "gland problem" or secretly eating an entire box of cookies stashed in your desk drawer. Overall though it was a good book if you can look past those parts. I was just hoping it would be more of a positive story for women as far as body image, though she did end it on a better note.

From Publishers Weekly
Yet another take on the singles scene, and from yet another British writer, this jaunty novel has one slightly new focus--the Internet as a dating device. "Bored, fat and unhappy" Jemima Jones is a hack writer on a small London paper, whose weight precludes both promotion (which she richly deserves, because she's smart) and getting together with the man of her dreams: kind, modest and gorgeous reporter Ben Williams. The Web opens a new world to Jemima, and when she begins an online correspondence with L.A. gym owner Brad, identifying herself as JJ, her friend Geraldine encourages her to send Brad a doctored photo of what she would look like if she were thin. Jemima joins a gym, goes on a diet and even becomes a blonde, preparing to accept Brad's invitation to come to L.A. Lucky JJ: Brad turns out to be a hunk, and the sex is great... but JJ senses that something is wrong. Meanwhile, Ben has become a celebrity "presenter" on British TV, but while the whole country goes gaga over his looks, he too feels that something is missing. By the time several coincidences produce a dreams-come-true ending, readers are fond of plucky Jemima, but somewhat tired out by her adventures. Green's determination to provide texture results in too many scenes that brim with London and L.A. local color, but fail to add verve to the narrative. Outside of Geraldine, who, surprisingly, is both beautiful and a true friend, the other characters tend to be stereotypes: Jemima's roommates, airheads on the make; the predatory female TV producer; the editor who offers Jemima a promotion once she is blonde and svelte. Though the concept is clever and nicely handled, the broad humor lacks true comic brio. (As the online initiated would say: it's not LOL.) Green does, however, capture the nuances and neuroses of the singles scene with a gimlet eye and an uninhibited voice. A bestseller in England, the book should also hook female readers here as they relate to Green's frank comments about body size and social acceptability.

Teaser Tuesday

2008-11-04T02:14:00.006-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your "teaser" from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given. Please avoid spoilers! My two "teaser" sentences for today are from:

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

pg 207

"Instead, a flicker of recognition sppeared in her amber eyes. She was a good dog, just besieged and confused, and when the point of her canine tooth penetrated his arm, she froze."

Quick Update

2008-11-04T02:05:00.004-05:00

Well this past weekend was a busy one. No trick or treaters came to our apartment despite the fact that I had bought 2 bags of candy. Oh well, just means my coworkers and I will have to eat it. Saturday morning was spent moving my ex-boyfriend out of our apartment and into his new one. We got all of the big furniture moved and he got most of his clothes, toiletries, tools, electronics, etc moved out. He just has a few small odds and ends still at my place. Looking forward to moving a bunch of stuff out of my tiny cramped closet into his so that it won't be so cramped anymore and I'll actually be able to find things I'm looking for. Saturday afternoon I took a nap and then headed to my friend Jason's house for a Halloween party. That was a lot of fun. Sunday was spent putting my apartment back together. I got the furniture rearranged, all the carpets vaccumed, laundry done, and a few other things cleaned up. At least I felt productive. Then I spent the evening relaxing. It's a little quiet now but Sandy has been keeping me busy. She's loving all the extra room now. Means she has more room to play, silly dog! My laptop's video card died last Wednesday and I unfortunately didn't have internet access except at work. But with my ex moving out that means that I will be able to put my desktop back on the internet so I'll be able to post more now, especially once I get my laptop back. I've also been looking for a new apartment since our lease is up December 31. Think I found my new place and looking forward to moving out and starting over. Hoping to make that big move December 13th, right before the holidays but still leaving me plenty of time to get moved out and cleaned up. More on that to come in the next few weeks.

More giveaways!!

2008-11-01T02:15:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Teddy and Hachette Book Group there is another great giveaway! Hit the link over to Teddy's blog here and enter to win a copy of Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst or a copy of Gods Behaving Badly By Marie Phillips! She has five copies of each book to give away. You can look at one of my previous posts for info on Gods Behaving Badly, and here is some info on Lost and Found. The deadline to get your entries in is Tuesday November 4, 2008 12:00 Midnight E.S.T.

A suburban mom, her troubled daughter, divorced brothers, former child stars, born-again Christians, and some young millionaires have all been selected to compete on LOST AND FOUND, a daring new reality show. In pairs of two, they will race across the world to compete for a million-dollar prize. The only question is not only who will capture the big jackpot, but at what price.

Carolyn Parkhurst is also the author of the bestseller The Dogs of Babel.

Want to win a copy of the Heretic Queen?

2008-10-31T05:56:00.004-04:00

For those of who have read my review of The Heretic Queen (or for those who didn't click here) and would love to snag a copy of your own, head over to Booking Mama to read a Q&A session with the author Michelle Moran. Then enter for a chance to win one of two SIGNED copies of the book. This was an amazing book that anyone would love, historical fiction fan or not. The contest will be open until November 14th at 11:59 p.m. EST. This contest is open to those of you with United States addresses only. Good luck!

Sarah's Key Giveaway

2008-10-31T05:44:00.003-04:00

Julie at Booking Mama is hosting another giveaway for Sarah's Key. To enter click here. I've read some really great reviews on this book and Target's Bookmarked reading club has selected it as their latest club pick as well.

The contest will be open until October 31st at 11:59 p.m. EST. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. mailing addresses only. Good luck!

Gods Behaving Badly Giveaway!!

2008-10-31T05:38:00.003-04:00

Julie at Booking Mama is giving away 1 copy of Gods Behaving Badly for every 15 people who enter (up to five copies). To enter click here. This giveaway will be open until Friday, November 21st at 11:59 p.m. EST. This contest is open to U.S. mailing addresses only -- no P.O. boxes

Here is a brief summary of the book:

Summary: Being a Greek god is not all it once was. Yes, the twelve gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London townhouse-and none too happy about it. And they've had to get day jobs: Artemis as a dog-walker, Apollo as a TV psychic, Aphrodite as a phone sex operator, Dionysus as a DJ.Even more disturbingly, their powers are waning, and even turning mortals into trees--a favorite pastime of Apollo's--is sapping their vital reserves of strength.Soon, what begins as a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills. Two perplexed humans, Alice and Neil, who are caught in the crossfire, must fear not only for their own lives, but for the survival of humankind. Nothing less than a true act of heroism is needed-but can these two decidedly ordinary people replicate the feats of the mythical heroes and save the world? -- Back Bay Books

Review: Love the One You're With

2008-10-27T04:13:00.007-04:00

Have you ever run into a former boyfriend or significant other and wondered what could have been? That's what happens to Ellen Dempsey 100 days after marrying her husband, Andy. Ellen, a successful photographer, runs into Leo, her intense first love that broke her heart and who happens to be a journalist. She is immediately taken off guard by the flood of emotions and thoughts filling her mind. She stops into a nearby diner to compose herself, and then suddenly her cell phone rings. It's Leo, wondering if that was her he just passed on the street and he ends up meeting up with her at the diner. They meet briefly, and Ellen quickly catches Leo up to the fact that she is married. They both go their separate ways, but for days after Ellen can't seem to get Leo out of her mind. She's perfectly happy with Andy and loves him, but she wonders what could have happened with Leo. She always had so much more passion with Leo and their romance was a whirlwind one. However with Andy, who happens to be her best friend Margot's brother, their relationship was always slower and more comfortable.

Then Leo calls her up with a job opportunity of a lifetime photographing a famous celebrity. Despite the fact that she knows she shouldn't do it out of respect and love for her husband, she can't pass the opportunity up. She accepts the offer assuming that Leo won't be there, only to find out that he's the one writing the article that the photograph's are for and that he will be at the photo shoot. Ellen continues to question her feelings towards Leo and her own guilt towards Andy, while trying to fight the chemistry between herself and Leo. This intermixed with Ellen's feeling of inadequacies in Andy's family only add to the problems in their relationship when Andy decides that they should move to Atlanta to be closer to his sister and his family. Andy and Margot come from a family with money and Ellen was raised poorer by her father in Pittsburgh and feels inadequate in her new family. Ellen agrees to the move hoping that it will solve her problems with Leo. She quickly realizes that the move is a mistake when she feels trapped and alone with nothing to do and nothing in common with their new friends. Her career was doing great in New York but she finds no drive to get work in Atlanta. Margot finds out about the article with Leo, and quickly becomes angry with Ellen. Margot was there during Ellen's relationship with Leo and subsequent break up and helped her to pick up the pieces of her life. Margot becomes angry that Ellen didn't tell her about the shoot and believes that it has to do with Ellen cheating on Andy. Then Leo calls offering Ellen another job opportunity doing photographs in New York for an article he is writing. This time when Margot finds out about the trip before Ellen leaves, she gives Ellen an ultimatum, either tell Andy or she will. Ellen tells Andy and he quickly becomes angry. He tells her that if she leaves for the photo shoot, not to bother coming back. What will Ellen do? Which man will she choose? The safe loving husband, or the man that she has amazing sexual chemistry with?

I give it a 7.5 out of 10. It was your typical chick lit. You could kind of see where the characters were going in the story and at one point I kind of got sick of Ellen's poor me thing. All in all it was a good book and made me question what I would do in this situation. If you like chick lit then you'd like this book.

From Publishers Weekly A chance encounter with an old flame in Giffin's bittersweet, sometimes mawkish fourth novel causes Ellen Dempsey to consider anew what could have been. Shortly after marrying Andy, Ellen runs into Leo, her intense first love. Leo, a moody writer, has secretly preoccupied Ellen ever since he broke her heart, so after seeing him again, Ellen wonders if her perfect life is truly what she wants or simply what she was expected to want. This scenario is complicated by Ellen's past: the early death of her mother and subsequent disintegration of her family have left Ellen insecure and saddled with unresolved feelings of guilt. These feelings intensify when Andy's career takes the newlyweds from Ellen's beloved New York City to suburban Atlanta. As Ellen's feelings of inadequacy and resentment grow, her marriage begins to crumble. The novel is sometimes bogged down by characters so rooted in type that they, and the story line, can only move in the most obvious trajectory. However, Giffin's self-aware narrator and focus on troubled relationships will satisfy those looking for a light women's lit fix.

Review: The Handmaid's Tale

2008-10-25T11:15:00.010-04:00

In honor of Banned Books week earlier this month I chose to read The Handmaid's Tale, which one of my book groups was also reading.

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead which is a totalitarian state that has replaced the United States. By using the military and assassinating the President and members of Congress, the group that has created Gilead used a coup to "temporarily take power". Slowly people's rights were taken away, but women were affected the most. Women could no longer have jobs, hold property or money, or be educated. Women are used mainly as viable means to produce offspring since the population has dwindled due to declining fertility rates blamed on pollution and abortion. Therefore, Handmaids are given to elite members of society who are unable to produce their own children as a way to increase the population.

Offred lives in the household of the Commander and Serena Joy, a former singer. Her job as a viable uterus is to once a month lay with the Commander in hopes of becoming pregnant. As Offred tells the story of her daily life, flashbacks are used to allow the reader to understand the events leading up to the beginning of the novel. As a Handmaid she is allowed out once a day to go to the food market, always walking as a pair with another handmaid from a nearby household. However, they are always under the watchful eye of the guards and are not allowed to speak more than a few words to one another. Other than that her life is rather restrictive since they aren't allowed to do anything that may affect their fertility. However, she soon befriends the Commander, sneaking away at night to play Scrabble with him. He rewards her with magazines and other contraband, even sneaking her into a secret club. Offred soon learns that people may not be who they seem in this new society and that there may be ways to escape...

This story was well written and the way the story was presented with the flashbacks really kept the book interesting. It is kind of scary to think that our society may lead to something like this since there are a lot of similarities in the book between what caused the United States downfall in the book and our society now despite the fact that the book was written in the 1980's.

From the Publisher
It is the world of the near future, and Offred is a Handmaid in the home of the Commander and his wife. She is allowed out once a day to the food market, she is not permitted to read, and she is hoping the Commander makes her pregnant, because she is only valued if her ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she was an independent woman, had a job of her own, a husband and child. But all of that is gone now...everything has changed.

Library Journal
In this Orwellian dramatization, religion becomes a tool of repression and social control to force women into the roles of stay-at-home wives, domestic staff, prostitutes, or surrogate mothers. They have no rights to their bodies or property and are completely dependent upon men. Those women who have had at least one child find themselves forced into the role of breeding machine, producing children for childless couples. References to 20th-century issues abound, including Agent Orange, abortion, women's rights, and escape attempts to Canada.

Sneak Preview: Bible Illuminated

2008-10-24T01:35:00.011-04:00

Thanks to Lisa Roe, an online publicist, I was given the opportunity for an online sneak peek at an amazing new book: BIBLE ILLUMINATED: The Book: New Testament.

I think that this book is a brilliant new take on the Bible. Today our society is fast paced, technology based, and we thrive on visual stimulation in magazines, ads, etc. I think that this version with its stunning photography and magazine style layout will appeal to the younger generations and get them interested in the Bible again. The text is a running style with no verses, though certain passages are highlighted drawing your attention to these sections. The photography is more a of a contemporary style and really grabs your attention and brings the pages to life.

Here is a sneak peek inside:

I'm looking forward to receiving a copy of this book in the mail in a few days to give you all a review of this amazing book so be sure to check back then.

From the publisher: "There is no religious mission behind The Book. We believe that its success will be driven by the fact that this is not coming from any specific faith, religion or church. We are from many faiths, backgrounds, and beliefs; ultimately we are trying to create something for the many and not just for the few. The goal is to drive an emotional reaction and get people to think, discuss and share. It's meant to trigger bigger moral questions that will in turn help people to understand the common heritage between all religions through the Bible's text. We hope people will find the images, design and layout intriguing--intriguing enough to talk about the actual stories in the Bible and what the morals and lessons mean to them. The more you know, the more you can participate in discussions about the world and understand the bigger picture.

The Book, using the Good News Translation as approved by the American Bible Society, will introduce believers and non-believers to a culturally relevant, accessible Bible and will encourage dialogue between people from all walks of life."

Tuesday Thingers: Book Series

2008-10-22T01:12:00.004-04:00

This week's question: Do you collect any series? Do you read series books? Fantasy? Mystery? Science fiction? Religious? Other genre? Do you use the series feature in LT to help you find new books or figure out what you might be missing from a series?

When I was younger I was really big into collecting book series. I had the ENTIRE Sweet Valley High Series, most of The Babysitter's Club series, a bunch of Nancy Drew books, etc. Trust me, my dad hated it because I requested a special bookshelf for all of my collector's books, which he built for me. About the time I hit high school I decided it was time to part with them and I donated or sold them all.

Now I have the Twilight series, which I collected all the books as they came out. Other than that I haven't been into any series lately. With college I didn't have a lot of time for pleasure reading except during the summers and just over the past 2 years have really gotten back into reading full force. Not that I don't like a good series. Usually I just stumble upon a book or two and read them or get hooked on a certain author and read all of their books. However, after reading a few other people's responses to this question this week I've found a few series that I'm interested in checking out. I'm sure LT will help me in this endeavour :)

Wrap up for the Week

2008-10-20T05:11:00.014-04:00

Well this week was all about recovering from my trip to Oklahoma last weekend. I got up on Thursday about 3 pm and was up all night at work, then left work at 6 am for my hour or so drive to Toledo. Rachael, Janna, and I left on Friday Oct 10 at about 8 am from Toledo, OH and were making good time until we hit about ten miles outside of Rolla, Missouri where there was first construction traffic taking us down to one lane, and then a semi that was on fire that had lane cut down once again into one lane with a lot of people taking a bypass. After that we managed to make it to Stillwater, OK home of Oklahoma State University where my friend Dayna is attending graduate school for Entomology. Managed to make it there by about midnight our time (Yep folks that's 16 hours in a car with little sleep). Shortly after that we all headed to Stonewall's bar to grab some drinks with some friends. Ended up passing out at about 4 am only to wake up at 930 am. We all got ready for the day and headed out to lunch, some Halloween shopping, and then to get my tattoo!! After that headed back to relax a little bit before getting all dressed up for a night out on the town in Oklahoma City. Didn't make it to bed until about 6 am that night and then we were back up and at it at 11 am. Stopped by one of the local stores for some OSU gear and a tour of campus. Their campus is just gorgeous, but what do you expect from a school who gets a lots of funds from old oil families? Then back to the apartment for a much needed 3 hour nap. About 9pm Sunday night we decided that instead of leaving at 4 am on Monday as planned that we should just pack up and leave that night. So at about 940pm on Sunday with the car all loaded we headed back onto the road for the trip back to Ohio/Michigan. Fourteen hours later with me driving most of the night through Missouri and Illinois we were safely back in Toledo. It was an amazing weekend that I will never forget. However my lack of sleep all weekend caused me to pass out upon returning home for about 14 hours. I suffered all week for it too sleeping in late. Hoping to get back onto my schedule this week and get back to reading more.

Some pictures from the trip:

St. Louis Arch

Stuck in traffic for an hour in Missouri

My Tattoo. No it really didn't hurt that bad.

The four of us out in Oklahoma City! (L-R Dayna, Janna, Rae and I)

Books I did manage to finish this week:

Books I've started:

I swear book reviews are coming. I'm actually scheduling blogging time this week.

Booking Through Thursday

2008-10-16T11:41:00.003-04:00

Okay–here was an interesting article by Christopher Schoppa in the Washington Post.
Avid readers know all too well how easy it is to acquire books — it’s the letting go that’s the difficult part. … During the past 20 years, in which books have played a significant role in both my personal and professional lives, I’ve certainly had my fair share of them (and some might say several others’ shares) in my library. Many were read and saved for posterity, others eventually, but still reluctantly, sent back out into the world.
But there is also a category of titles that I’ve clung to for years, as they survived numerous purges, frequent library donations and countless changes of residence. I’ve yet to read them, but am absolutely certain I will. And should. When, I’m not sure, as I’m constantly distracted by the recent, just published and soon to be published works.
So, the question is his: “What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?“

I hate to say it, but currently my bookshelf is overflowing onto my computer desk, my car, my nightstand and then there are a couple of boxes in my bedroom. One of my coworkers gave me two boxes of books that she cleaned out from her house because she knows how much i like to read. So that has only added to the piles of books that I've recently bought, checked out from the library or recieved from publishers and giveaways. I'm very excited though because now that the weather is getting colder it will give me more time to read. Especially curled up on the loveseat with a big cup of coffee and a good book. My ideal fall/winter day!

Teaser Tuesday

2008-10-14T20:37:00.004-04:00

Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin pg 173

"And yet, several minute later, after I've brushed my teeth and hair, I am still surprised when I round the corner and see him leaning against the gray wall, looking so ruggedly handsome that I catch my breath. He gives me a half smile, then very deliberately unwraps a stick of gum."

Review: The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

2008-10-09T01:37:00.012-04:00

The Heretic Queen picks up where Moran's other book Nefertiti left off. The book tells the story of Nefertari, who is the niece of Queen Nefertiti. Queen Neferetiti was known as a heretic because her and Pharoah Ankhenaten worshiped a different main god, removed the priests who controlled Egypt's wealth and built a city containing numerous royal likenesses rather than those of the gods.

Nefertari's story is one of romance, strength of character, and of rising to power through political struggles in the Egyptian court. Nefertari is raised in the court of Pharoah Seti I as an unimportant princess alongside of Prince Ramesses II. Nefertari is a quick learner and is greatly skilled in languages quickly picking up the languages and customs of the other kingdoms. When Ramesses is made Pharoah of Lower Egypt at age 17, he weds Iset, the granddaughter of a harem girl backed by Pharoah Seti's conniving sister, Henuttawy, the priestess of Isis. Nefertari realizes that without Ramesses around that she will have no place at court, especially with Iset as his wife and Henuttawy backing her. Nefertari is soon taken under the wing of Pharoah Seti's other sister, Woserit who is the priestess of Hathor. Nefertari realizes that in order to restore her family name and to win the heart of the man she loves that she must leave court and go to the Temple of Hathor for a year. There Woserit educates her in the way to be the future queen of Egypt. Upon seeing Ramesses a year later she quickly returns to court, this time as his wife. However, all of Egypt opposes this union due to her family history as heretics. She realizes that in order to win the hearts of the people of Egypt she must prove to be more than a means of producing an heir. She must show how she can be an assett to the Pharoah politically by using her talent with languages. Can Nefertari overcome her family's past and return her family name to glory? Will the people of Egypt accept her as their Queen or reject her as a heretic leading to civil war? Ramesses II was known as Ramesses the Great and we can see from this story how he became to be known as that. Not only through his own personal accomplishments, but also from the help of Queen Nefertari as a key politcal figure.

This is a beautifully written story that historical fiction and romance lovers alike will love. I never read Nefertiti, even though I've now added it to my list of books, and it's not necessary in order to enjoy this book. Moran's story is full of romance, double crosses, political struggle, and personal strength. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

My score: 9 out of 10.

Congratulations to Devourer of Books + Giveaway

2008-10-09T00:18:00.003-04:00

I'd like to congratulate Devourer of Books on their 100th book review. In honor of this there is a HUGE giveaway on their blog here. There are some really great books as prizes !! The deadline to enter is Wednesday October 15th. There are a number of ways to enter and will be multiple winners. So head on over there for your chance to win in this amazing giveaway.

Mailbox Monday

2008-10-06T20:58:00.010-04:00

Well no new books in the mail this past week but checked out one from the library. Received Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen through interlibrary loan. Read it a few years ago when it first came out, but a couple of my online book groups are reading it for the monthly discussion book so I decided to check it back out again since I enjoyed it the first time.

Just finished The Host by Stephenie Meyer and The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran so those reviews should be coming. I enjoyed both books.

Other than that this past week was very busy and therefore there was a lack of me posting. Work was hectic, I caught a bit of a cold, and then it was homecoming for the college I attended (Adrian College). A couple of my friends, Janna and Dayna, and I headed down for the weekend and got a hotel room. We went out and caught up with a bunch of friends. Saturday we took a walk around campus to see what all the new changes that they had made were. Needless to say it wasn't the way we had remembered it with many departments being switched between buildings and buildings being expanded. And we all just graduated only two years ago! Saturday night we won our game and had more opportunities to catch up with people we hadn't seen in years. Overall it was a great weekend. I'm also looking forward to this coming weekend when Janna, Rachel and I will all be road tripping to Oklahoma to visit our friend Dayna who goes to grad school there. So I may not be able to post anything Friday through Monday because I doubt I will have the time or the internet access to do so. I do hope to find some time to catch up on some of my reading on the drive there and back since it is 14-15 hours one way.

Here are a couple of pictures from this weekend (I'm in the grey):

Mailbox Monday.. a few hours late

2008-09-30T04:47:00.002-04:00

Alright, so my mailbox Monday is a few hours late. For me it is Monday since I work midnights and Tuesday morning is our Monday night. Anyways, Mailbox Monday asks us to share what books we received in the mail the week before. I only received two books in the mail but 3 from the library.

In the mail:
Jemima J by Jane Green
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wells

From the library:
The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen

Wow I Feel Honored!

2008-09-28T21:34:00.009-04:00

I feel incredibly honored to be nominated for this award by Michele at A Reader's Respite. I'm new to the blogging community, though I've always been an avid reader. I've found that many of my fellow bloggers are incredibly helpful, welcoming people. To already have someone nominate me for this award is truly an honor for me, as well as proves my point. It means that maybe I am doing something right so far( even though I just started and am still trying to figure this whole thing out). I learn something new every day and am constantly coming up with new ideas by looking at other blogs. So I'd like to nominate 7 other blogs that I look to regularly for inspiration and new ideas for this award. You can click on the links below to check out these blogs. Well here they are:

1. Booking Mama

2. Devourer of Books

3. S. Krishna's Books

4. exlibrisbb

5. Teddy Rose

6. Bookish Ruth

7. thetometraveller's Weblog

If you'd like to accept and participate here are the rules:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog

2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

Werewolves, Vampires, and a Giveaway.. oh my!!

2008-09-27T02:11:00.002-04:00

Werewolves, Vampires, and a Giveaway.. oh my!! For those of you who loved the Twilight series as much as I did, here comes a new story about werewolves and vampires called Tantalize. As described by Book Room Reviews:

"Yes, Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith is another YA book about vampires and werewolves. But, unlike some of the other YA books, it is an imaginative twist on the old tales. Quincie is a senior in high school, but rather than doing the normal teenage things, she is helping her guardian uncle re-launch the family restaurant with a hip new vampire theme. She's in love with her best friend, Kieren, who is a werewolf, and who seems to be afraid to return the affection. When the head chef is murdered in the restaurant before the opening, Quincie's organized life takes a turn when Bradley, a young chef, takes his place. Suddenly, her beloved uncle is ignoring her, other people are turning up dead, and Bradley rapidly becomes the person Quincie can confide in when she realizes Kieren is going to be leaving soon to join a wolf pack."

Book Room Reviews is even doing a giveaway for this book. To enter and find out more information click on the link here for up to 3 entries in a chance to win one of two copies.

Historical fiction giveaway

2008-09-27T01:44:00.005-04:00

If historical fiction is your thing, especially Henry VIII then here is a great giveaway thanks to Book Room Reviews.

The first book is a Brief Gaudy Hour by Margaret Campbell Barnes. As described by Book Room Reviews: "It is the story of Anne Boleyn. Many books have been written about her and I have only read one other which was the very popular The Other Boleyn Girl. That is one of my favorite books and I have to say that Brief Gaudy Hour is just as good. Anne was the infamous love of King Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. Barnes portrays her as a smart and ambitious woman who became hardened after her heartbreak from Henry Percy. Because of her ambitious father and her looks and cunning, she was able to beguile the King and eventually her rise would become her undoing."

The other book is My Lady of Cleves by Margaret Campbell Barnes. As Book Room Reviews describes: "It is one of the few books about Henry VIII’s fourth wife – Anne of Cleves. After the death of Jane Seymour, Henry Tudor, Henry VIII, was urged to take a fourth wife. Unfortunately for Anne Boleyn, there was no love between them and their marriage didn’t last long. Though Anne did win over the English people and eventually even Henry.
My Lady of Cleves portrays Anne through her short marriage to Henry, her annulment from him, Henry’s next marriage to Katherine Howard, and her eventual downfall."

Click on the link here to find out how to enter. There are up to three chances to enter for one of two sets of two great titles!

Fall into Reading 2008

2008-09-25T21:58:00.016-04:00

Well it's time for Fall Into Reading 2008. This challenge is very flexible because you just pick the books that you want to read or plan to read for the fall.

Here's my list of books that I plan to read and review this fall. Of course this is subject to change as I will probably add more or remove some subject to availability from the library and my other sources. For information about Fall Into Reading 2008, as well as lists from other people, you can go here: http://www.callapidderdays.com/2008/09/fall-into-reading-2008-time-to-read.html

My list (Red ones I've read):

-Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende- For my bookworms online book group

-The Queen's Bastard by Robin Maxwell- For my bookworms online book group

-Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen for my cafelibri online book group

-The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood- For my new classics challenge and the cafelibri
group

-Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

-The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

-Zookeepers Wife by Diane Ackerman

-Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman

- Intruder in the Dust by William Faulkner

- Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri - New classics challenge

-The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls- New classics challenge

- Jemima J by Jane Green

- The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

-The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon

- Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier- New Classics Challenge

- Bel Canto by Anne Patchett- New Classics Challenge

-The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion - New Classics Challenge

Review: Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me?

2008-09-25T20:54:00.011-04:00

Sophie Kinsella, the best selling author of Confessions of a Shopaholic, charms with this new story of a woman with amnesia.

Lexi Smart had an entry level job at Deller carpets, frizzy hair, snarly teeth, a crappy boyfriend named "Loser Dave", and a mundane life that would leave anyone wishing for more. The book begins in 2004, the night before her father's funeral when her boyfriend has stood her up and she's out at the bar with some friends. While trying to hail a cab in the rain, she slips and falls.

She wakes up three years later in 2007 to what appears to be the perfect life which she can't remember. She now has a dream job, a designer wardrobe, a total body makeover, gorgeous friends, and an incredibly handsome (and rich) husband, Eric. However, she quickly learns what she thinks is the perfect life, may not be so perfect after all. She can't figure out how the Lexi she remembers from three years ago got to be the Lexi that she is in 2007. Not only that, but she has a secret, a big secret that may be the key to the old her. Kinsella takes an overused plot and makes it her own hilarious, romantic, and touching concoction. This story will have you laughing out loud on this wonderful journey to self discovery. I highly recommend this book. I loved it and only wish that there had been more. I give it a 9 out of 10.

Mailbox Monday

2008-09-22T21:49:00.003-04:00

Here's what I received in my mailbox last week:

My box of books that I won from a Bookfinds giveaway that included these books pictured below:

From Bookmooch:

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

by Mark Haddon

Banned Books Week- Sept 27-Oct 4

2008-09-22T21:07:00.005-04:00

Well it's time to celebrate another exciting week in the literary world. September 27 through October 4 is Banned Books Week (BBW), which celebrates the freedom to read. It is observed during the last week of September each year. Observed since 1982, this annual ALA (American Library Association) event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. This year, 2008, marks BBW's 27th anniversary.

A little background info:

While the majority of the books that are featured during this week are not banned, but merely challenged, the ALA is just one of several sponsors of the week and therefore cannot change the name. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Although they were the targets of attempted bannings, most of the books featured during BBW were not banned, thanks to the efforts of librarians to maintain them in their collections. As posted on the ALA website, "Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature.."

According to the ALA, the top three reasons, in order, for challenging material are the material is considered to be “sexually explicit” contain “offensive language,” and be “unsuited to age group.” Parents are the group that most often challenge a book.

Lists of books:

The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999 (1-100 in order)
(the yellow ones are the books that I've read so far)

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Witches by Roald Dahl
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
The Goats by Brock Cole
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
Blubber by Judy Blume
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
Jack by A.M. Homes
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Carrie by Stephen King
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
Jumper by Steven Gould
Christine by Stephen King
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
That Was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

http://staging.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/top100challenged.cfm

Most Challenged Books of 21st Century (2000-2005)

In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week (September 23-30, 2006), the American Library Association (ALA) compiled the top 10 most challenged books from 2000-2005, with the Harry Potter series of books leading the pack. The 10 most challenged books of the 21st Century (2000-2005) are:
1. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
2. "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
3. Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
4. "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
5. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
6. "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
7. "It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie Harris
8. Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz
9. Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
10. "Forever" by Judy Blume

For more lists of banned books by year, authors, etc click here:
http://staging.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/archive/bannedbooksweek73008archive.cfm#booksandauthors

How many of these 100 most frequently challenegd books of 1990-1999 have you read? Which ones? Which ones haven't you read but want to? I challenge you to read at least one banned book before or during banned book week to help celebrate this event.

The 19th Wife Giveaway at B&B ex libris

2008-09-20T00:34:00.007-04:00

Well Bethany over at B&b ex libris is doing a giveaway. Here are the details as taken from her site so head on over to enter:

The 19th Wife GIVEAWAY BBAW

"okie-dokie book reading peeps! How fun has BBAW been so far??? Well, I have had a blast entering all types of giveaways, and adding tons more of you to my reader, so thrilling to find amazing new blogs that I have never seen before, yay!On to the giveaway. In honour of BBAW I am doing another giveaway!!!Somehow I ended up with two of these, and I only can read one...well I could read both, but how silly is that!!?!? Anyway, so one will be sent out to one lucky commenter.I haven't read it yet, but it seems to be getting rave reviews:the 19th Wife on Amazonthe 19th Wife at Presenting LeonoreHow to enter:1.) leave a comment on below telling me one book from my list that you have read, or would like to read.2.) for TWO extra entries post about this giveaway on your blog and let me know!You will have until the 22nd to get your entries in!!!!Happy commenting to you all!! ps make sure your check out (and enter) my other giveaway too!!!"

2008 BBAW award winners list

2008-09-19T23:39:00.002-04:00

2008 BBAW Awards
Sep. 19th, 2008 at 11:13 AM
As posted by OCD, vampires, and amusing rants, oh my! at http://community.livejournal.com/genrereviews/61183.html

Well, the BBAW awards have all been divvied out, the acceptance speeches made, the tawdry photos from the after party sold to magazines around the world. (Alright, maybe that last part didn't happen.) Congratulations to all the winners! If anyone missed all the presentations and was curious as to how it all played out, take a look:
Best Book Club Blog - Reading Group Guides
Best Design - Bookgasm
Best Nonfiction Blog - A Striped Armchair
Most Eclectic Taste - Bookgasm
Funniest/Most Humorous Blog - Rip My Bodice
Best Kidlit Blog - Well Read Child and Jen Robinson's Book Page
Best Romance Blog - Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Best Name for a Blog - Bookgasm
Best Challenge Host - The Hidden Side of the Leaf
Best Fantasy/Horror/Sci-Fi/Spec-Fic Blog - Fantasy Book Critic
Best History/Historical Fiction Blog - Medieval Bookworm
Best Community Builder - My Friend Amy
Best Published Author Blog - Neil Gaiman
Best Cookbook Blog - Books and Cooks
Best Literary Fiction Blog - Caribou's Mom
Best Book Published in 2008 - The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Best YA Blog - Bookshelves of Doom
Best Community Book Site - Good Reads
Most Chatty - Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin?
Best Thriller/Mystery/Suspense Blog - Bookgasm
Most Extravagant Giveaways - Maw Books
Most Concise - Bookgasm
Best Christian/Inspirational Fiction Blog - Free Spirit Blogs
Best Meme/Carnival/Event - Book Blogger Appreciation Week
Best Commenter/Commentator - Musings of a Bookish Kitty and Rip My Bodice
Most Altruistic Blog - Maw Books
Best General Book Blog - Bookgasm
Best Publishing/Industry Blog - Galley Cat

Let's Talk Blogging

2008-09-17T22:15:00.002-04:00

For one of today's BBAW activities, MYFRIENDAMY, has asked us to

"Let's Talk Blogging!
We've been doing a great job talking about books, but what about blogging? It's half of what we do. What better way to show our appreciation than to share our very best tips. So, today, I ask you to answer two questions in any way you please...

What is one thing you wish you knew about blogging when you started or what advice would you give a newbie blogger?

What is your best blogging tip?

I hope a lot of you participate, because I can't wait to see what you have to say. I'm always looking for more tips. As usual, please please leave a link to your specific post and not your general URL. And link back to this specific post. There may be a surprise giveaway for participants. ;) "

Well I'm a new blogger, so there are many things I wish to know and I'm really glad that she has posed this question because the responses (link to the list of blogs that have responded is here http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/2008/09/lets-talk-blogging.html) are very useful right now. I think that one thing I wish I knew was how to find the time every day to sit down and write what I've been thinking about blogging all day. With work, sleeping, spending time with my dog, cooking, reading, etc I've been trying to find the time. Another is where to start. I've been looking at all kinds of other blogs, BBAW is definitely helping with this, for ideas. There are just so many different things out there I don't know what all to include in my blog. So I'm trying new things all the time.

My piece of advice is to look at other blogs for ideas, different activities, and giveaways. It's a good way to network and see what other ideas are out there. Maybe even ask some of these other bloggers for ideas and advice on your own page. I know many of them are more than willing to help out a fellow blogger.

Teaser Tuesday for 9/16/2008

2008-09-17T04:53:00.001-04:00

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
-Grab your current read.
-Let the book fall open to a random page.
-Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
-You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

The book I'm currently reading is The Host by Stephenie Meyer. My two teaser sentences for today are...

"He would never stop them. He was just one among many."

Catching up...

2008-09-17T02:36:00.015-04:00

Well the past couple of weeks have been pretty hectic for me. My laptop was in the repair shop to fix a battery/charger issue so I was without that for the last month. Two weeks ago I broke up with my boyfriend of two years, who I happen to be sharing an apartment with. So needless to say things have been uncomfortable and we've been trying to find him a new place to live. We're still on good terms, just things weren't working out between us with me putting in more effort than him. My reading time hasn't been affected much since I do most of that at work and at the gym, its just kind of hindered my blogging time. I've finished two books (reviews to follow, one below and one coming), The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett, and Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella. I'm working on The Host by Stephenie Meyer right now. My stack of books keeps growing however, so I need to kick it into gear. I'm sure that won't be much of a problem though with the colder weather coming in, yesterday morning when I left work it was only about 50 degrees out. That means it's time for the sweats, a comfy chair, a good book, and a strong cup of coffee. Sounds like perfection to me. On with the review.....

The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett.. missing some magic.

Review from Library Journal

For two decades, Sabine has loved the magician Parsifal and served as his assistant. Theirs is an unorthodox relationship, however, for Parsifal loves men. When Parsifal's lover dies of AIDS, he marries Sabine so that she will be his widow. When Parsifal dies, Sabine receives some surprising news about his will. Believing her husband to have no living relatives, she is shocked to learn of a trust fund established for a mother and two sisters in Nebraska. When his family contacts her, she introduces them to the Los Angeles Parsifal. She then visits them in Nebraska to discover the truth about the man she loved and thought she knew, gaining insight into herself as well. Well written and full of interesting twists, this is recommended for larger collections

My Review- I give it a 6.5 out of 10.

How would you feel "knowing" someone for over twenty years, someone you marry and base your whole life around, to have them die and then find out you know nothing about them? That's what happens to Sabine when her husband, Parsifal the Magician, passes away. She's known Parsifal since the fateful day twenty years ago when she met him while working as a waitress and then became his assistant. Their union is rather an unusual one, with her living with him and his homosexual life partner, Phan, who passed away a few short months before the book begins. However, after twenty years Sabine feels that she knows all there is to know about Parsifal. After his death she finds out from the executioner of the will that Parsifal had a mother and two sisters that are still living in Nebraska. After Parsifal's family contacts Sabine, it's as if the rug has been pulled out from underneath her. She is left to deal with the grief of losing Parsifal, dealing with the discovery that she perhaps didn't know him as well as she thought, and dealing with Parsifal's family and their grief and loss. Sabine is left to pick up the pieces of the life that Parsifal left and becomes part of a family that she is still uncertain of how to accept. While this was a great story plot and really made you consider how well you know the people in your life, I felt that it was just missing some magic. I felt like the story had so much more potential, it was slow in some parts, and some parts were kind of confusing (especially the dream sequences). Maybe it was the stereotypical characters that were hard to like, not in the "they're just a bad person" kind of way, but the "not getting any attachment to them" way. Or maybe it was the movie plot storyline of a woman falling in love with a man who is in love with someone else, in this case another man, and spending the next twenty years standing by his side knowing the love would never be returned.

This was the first book by Ann Patchett that I've read. It was picked by one of my online book groups so that's why I chose to read this one first. Perhaps I'll try another one of her books that has been more highly recommended like Bel Canto or the Patron Saint of Liars.

Giveaway 5 days, 5 books, 5 ways to enter

2008-09-16T20:09:00.003-04:00

avisannschild at http://shereadsandreads.blogspot.com/ is hosting a Giveaway in honor of BBAW.

5 days, 5 books, 5 ways to enter my BBAW giveaway!
In honour of Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW), which officially starts today, and to celebrate my first two months of blogging, I’m giving away five books to five lucky readers! To find out more, click here. Contest ends September 20. Note that any comments on my interview with Shana will count towards an entry in the contest.

Monday, September 15, 2008

5 days, 5 books, 5 ways to enter my BBAW giveaway!
In honour of Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW), which officially starts today, and to celebrate my first two months of blogging, I’m giving away the following five books to five lucky readers:(Click on each book to read my review* except for the last one, which will take you to LibraryThing reviews.)
To enter the contest:

For one entry, leave a comment on this post indicating which of these books you are interested in (you can pick just one or all five or any number in between—just be sure to put them in order of preference).

For another entry, blog about this contest and leave a direct link to your post in the comments here. (If you don’t have a blog, send an email to five friends telling them about this contest. Be sure to cc me at shereadsandreads[at]gmail[dot]com.)

For another entry, leave me a comment with a link to one of your favourite book blogs (with thanks to Caribou’s Mom for this idea).

For another entry, leave a comment anywhere on my blog, except BBAW-related posts. (Any comments on these posts will not count towards an entry.) Each comment you leave will count towards one more entry. Please try to be creative in your comments! Note that any comments on my interview with Shana will count towards an entry in the contest!

For another entry, visit and comment on a book blog you discovered during BBAW and leave a direct link to the relevant post in the comments here (with thanks to Bookroom Reviews for this idea). Be sure to leave me a link to the actual post and not to the blog itself.If you do all five you will receive five entries (or more depending on how many comments you leave)!I will accept entries until Saturday, September 20, at 11:59 EDT. Contest is open to Canadian and U.S. residents only. Five different winners will be picked using Random.org and announced on Sunday, September 21. Please make sure I have a way of contacting you!For links to other great giveaways being held by other book bloggers during BBAW, click here.*I will post my review to The Lace Reader this week!

Here's the link to the page. http://shereadsandreads.blogspot.com/2008/09/5-days-5-books-5-ways-to-enter-my-bbaw.html

Other blogs doing BBAW giveaways!!

2008-09-15T19:47:00.002-04:00

From myfriendAmysblog.com here are more BBAW giveaways:

BBAW Giveaways
This week, there will be over 100 books, and many other delights given away on this blog. More information on that is to come.In the meantime, I know several other bloggers are planning giveaways for the week of BBAW. If you have a contest or giveaway going on, feel free to add a link to your specific post to the Mr. Linky with a brief description of what you're giving away. I only ask that you mention it's a BBAW giveaway. Any links that are not in compliance will be deleted.
1. KristieJ/Katiebabs2. Time Paradox and Gift Card Giveaway3. Anna/OCD, vampires, and rants, oh my!4. Laurie Wood5. http://www.booklorn.com/2008/09/joy-nash-immortals-the-crossing-50-days-50-books-week-5/6. Literary Escapism7. Bookroomreviews(3 winners)8. Jen (Jen's Book Thoughts)9. This Book For Free10. Caribousmom (The Heretic's Daughter- ends 9/17)11. On My Bookshelf12. Rhapsody In Books13. Tara's View on Books14. Tami from Tree Swing Reading15. chartroose16. Loopyloo100 - win a puzzle ebook17. http://rjsbooklady.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/bbaw-gift-card-giveaway/18. Literarily - A giveaway each day of BBAW19. Fyrefly's Book Blog20. Marilyn's Romance Reviews21. Romance Author Buzz22. Romancing the Desert - Sheikh Books23. A Novel Menagerie24. Books on the Nightstand
25. Christine26. Jennifer (Literate Housewife)27. Jennifer (Literate Housewife)28. Caribousmom (Guernica - ends 9/19)29. Apha Heroes: hardback copy of Kushiel's Mercy30. Socrates' Book Reviews31. yasmin32. Aerin33. http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/2008/09/double-book-giveaway-in-honor-of-book.html34. softdrink (Fizzy Thoughts) - books and giftcards35. Cheryl's Book Nook (5 winners starting 9/17/08)36. Monica37. The Sleepy Reader(5 book credits to PBS or BookMooch, ends 9/19)38. Historical Tapestry (Signed Michelle Moran books)39. Book Dads40. c.jean41. Kristina (Kristina's Favorites)42. Sunny (That Book Addiction)43. Nurse Mommy44. Thursday's Thoughts45. ANovelMenagerie46. Presenting Lenore (2 copies Read My Lips - ends 9/19)47. http://1morechapter.com/2008/09/14/bbaw-giveaways-tss/48. Carol Scott
49. Reading and Ruminations (Sweet Love)50. Dawn51. Shauna (Shaunarumbling)52. tanabata (Matrimony)53. Bookish Ruth (Percy Jackson 3 Book Set, ends 9/18)54. Alyce (At Home With Books)55. The Friendly Book Nook (box of books)56. Booking Mama57. Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit)58. Jenn59. http://planetbooks.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/book-blogger-appreciation-week-giveaway-the-art-of-racing-in-the-rain-by-garth-stein/60. APOOO Books61. Sally62. http://shereadsandreads.blogspot.com/2008/09/5-days-5-books-5-ways-to-enter-my-bbaw.html63. Laurie Wood64. Book Club Girl65. Rebecca Reads (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)66. Bow. James Bow.67. Literary Feline (Sweet Mandarin & When A Crocodile Eats the Sun)68. Amber (You Must Remember This Book Giveaway Ends 9/18/0869. Jennifer's Random Musings70.

BBAW giveaways info

2008-09-15T18:32:00.003-04:00

The Official BBAW Giveaway List

If you follow along for the festivities of BBAW at My Friend Amy, you will find many chances to win LOTS of goodies! Like what? Well have a look below. All of these things will be given away between September 15-19. There will be a huge variety of ways to win them and giveaways will be announced constantly throughout the week. So be sure to check in often!A HUGE thank you to Hachette Book Group, Penguin Group USA, Harlequin, The B&B Media Group, Shera of SNS Blog Design, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, Catherine Delors, Pamela Binnings Ewen, Andromeda Romano-Lax, Ceceilia Dowdy, Sormag, Book Club Girl, Savvy Verse and Wit, Cafe of Dreams, Fashionista Piranha, and Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?.

Daily Raffles:
Monday--Books and Chocolate sponsored by My Friend Amy and Hey Lady! Whatcha' Readin?Tuesday--Books and Going Green sponsored by My Friend Amy
Wednesday--Books and Coffee sponsored by My Friend Amy
Thursday--Books and Charity sponsored by My Friend Amy and Fashionista Piranha
Friday--Books and Movies sponsored by My Friend Amy

Win a Book Club Girl Hostess Survival Kit!
Do you find it's your turn to host book club and not only do you not know what to serve but you don't know what books to offer up for the next month's selection?! Let Book Club Girl come to your rescue with the Book Club Girl Hostess Survival Kit.One lucky winner of the kit will receive:
* A basket of cheese, crackers, cookies and wine for up to 12 people
*5 great book group books to vote on for your group's next pick. And Book Club Girl will then donate 12 copies whichever book is chosen for your entire group to read.
* 12 Book Club Girl mousepads to give out as party favors that night
* 12 Book Club Girl bookmarks to mark everyone's favorite passages
* 12 Book Club Girl coasters to protect your coffee table from all those wine glasses!
TWO SORMAG Goody Bags containing books and more!

A Special Pamper Me Basket from Cafe of Dreams!
From Avon Foot Works~ Inflatable watermelon shaped foot tub~ 3.4 FL oz Watermelon Cooling Foot Lotion~ 3.4 FL oz Watermelon Exfoliating Foot Scrub~ 12 count Watermelon Effervescent Foot Tablets~ An ARC of So Long At The Fair by Christina Schwarz~ A variety of Hot Chocolate and Tea mixes

A pre-made blog template from SNSDesign!

A Subscription to Poetry Magazine from Savvy Verse and Wit!

BOOKS
Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen
The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax
John's Quest by Cecelia Dowdy
Confessions of a Contractor by Richard Murphy
Acedia & Me by Kathleen Norris
The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer
Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley
A Tale Out of Luck by Willie Nelson with Mike Blakely
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson
An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken
Exit Music by Ian Rankin
The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik
Gunmetal Black by Daniel Serrano
Isolation by Travis Thrasher
The Miracle Girls by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt
Every Freaking! Day With Rachell Ray by Elizabeth Hilts
Dewey by Vicki Myron
The Shiniest Jewel by Marian Henley
Keep the Faith by Faith Evans
The Book of Calamities by Peter Trachtenberg
A is for Atticus by Lorilee Craker
After the Fire by Robin Gaby Fisher
Mike's Election Guide by Michael Moore
War as They Knew It by Michael Rosenberg
Fixing Hell By Col. (ret.) Larry C. James
Wild Boy: My Life with Duran Duran by Andy Taylor
The Last Under-Cover: The True Story of an FBI Agent's Dangerous Dance with Evil By Bob Hamer
Border Lass by Amanda Scott
Insatiable Desire by Rita Heron
Hungry for More by Diana Holquist
Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee
Trespassers Will Be Baptized by Elizabeth Emerson Hancock
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Trish Ryan
Never Surrender by General Jerry Boykin
Dream in Color by Congresswoman Linda Sánchez, Congresswoman Loretta Sánchez
Beyond Belief by Josh Hamilton
Cobain Unseen by Charles R. Cross
Doing Business in 21st Century India by Gunjan Bagla
Branding Only Works on Cattle by Jonathan Salem Baskin
Launching a Leadership Revolution by Chris Brady, Orrin Woodward
How to Hear from God by Joyce Meyer
Knowing Right from Wrong by Thomas D. Williams
Pope John Paul II: An Intimate Life by Caroline Pigozzi
Pure by Rebecca St. James
He Loves Me! by Wayne Jacobson
So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore by Wayne Jacobson and Dave Coleman
Move On, Move Up by Paula White
The Rosary by Gary Jansen
Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
Right Livelihoods by Rick Moody
By George by Wesley Stace
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
Hollywood Crows by Joseph Wambaugh
Dead Boys by Richard Lange
The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters by Lorraine Lopez
Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky
With Endless Sight by Allison Pittman
Harlequin Titles: To Be Announced

Many other blogs are giving away books and prizes for BBAW as well! You can see the links to all of these giveaways here.Interested in gaining entries into the daily raffles? Post this complete list on your blog with links and you'll earn two extra entries!

BBAW appreciation week award presentation info

2008-09-15T18:30:00.001-04:00

BBAW Awards 2008 Presentation Schedule
Did you notice there are are a lot of BBAW awards? I sure did! So to make it easier on us all, and so that every blog nominated can enjoy the spotlight, these awards will be presented Wednesday morning through Thursday night at the following blogs. These blogs were asked to host because they jumped in early with their support for BBAW and because they are awesome.

Wednesday Morning
Age 30+: A Lifetime in BooksBest Meme/Carnival/EventBest Commenter/Commentator
Booking MamaBest DesignBest Book Club Blog

Wednesday Evening
Caribou's MomMost Humorous Blog
My Friend AmyBest Publishing/Industry Blog
Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holicBest Name for a BlogBest Challenge Host
Literate HousewifeBest Community BuilderBest Author Blog
APOOO BooksBest Book Published in 2008
Bookroom ReviewsBest Book Community SiteMost Chatty
Book-a-ramaMost ConciseMost Extravagant Giveaways

Thursday Morning
My Friend AmyBest General Book Blog
Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holicBest Romance BlogBest Kidlit Blog
Literate HousewifeBest Fantasy/Sci-fi/Horror/Spec-fic Blog, Best History/Historical Blog
APOOO BooksBest Literary Fiction BlogBest Cookbook Blog
Bookroom ReviewsBest YA Lit Blog
Book-a-ramaBest Thrillers/Mystery/Suspense Blog
Caribou's MomBest Non-fiction BlogMost Eclectic Taste
The Friendly Book NookBest Christian/Inspirational Blog

Thursday Evening
My Friend AmyMost Altruistic Blog

I won!

2008-09-08T13:33:00.002-04:00

Well I won my first book giveaway, the Back-to-School Book Bonanza Giveaway! Thanks to Jocelyn and the BookFinds team for this great giveaway :). I'm totally excited and can't wait to get my hands on these books. To see the post click here: http://bookfinds.com/blog/?p=670 . I'm also excited because I never win ANYTHING and I'm really hoping to get my blog's name out there for others to read. However, now it's time for me to head off to bed. Mondays are always a rough day for me and sleep. The weekends throw off my whole midnight shift sleep schedule. So off to bed, more to come later.

New Classics Challenge

2008-09-03T04:43:00.004-04:00

New Classics Challenge August 1, 2008-January 31, 2009

Joann from Lost in a Good Story is hosting the New Classics Challenge.
Heres how she explains the challenge:
Deb from the A Novel Challenge yahoo group posted a link to this list of Entertainment Weekly's list of new classics, what they call the best reads from 1983 to 2008. I loved the list - many of my recent favorites are on it so I'm intriguedto see what some of the ones I haven't read yet will be like.
So the challenge rules are:
1) Copy the list and bold the titles that you have already read.
2a) Choose at least 6 other books from the list , read and review them between August 1, 2008 and January 31, 2009.
2b)Come back here and post links to your reviews.
3) In January 2009, cast your vote for which one of the 100 books on the list is your favorite (and write a post on why). The winning book will be sent to a lucky winner chosen by the scientific method favored here in the blogosphere, i.e. names in a hat. Other contests are very probable too, I have some ideas, but they need planning.
4) Have fun! :-)
THE LIST
1.The Road , Cormac McCarthy (2006)
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling (2000)
3. Beloved, Toni Morrison (1987)
4. The Liars' Club, Mary Karr (1995
5. American Pastoral, Philip Roth (1997)
6.Mystic River, Dennis Lehane (2001)
7. Maus, Art Spiegelman (1986/1991)
8. Selected Stories, Alice Munro (1996)
9. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier (1997)
10. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami (1997)
11. Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer (1997)
12. Blindness, José Saramago (1998)
13. Watchmen, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (1986-87)
14. Black Water, Joyce Carol Oates (1992)
15. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers (2000)
16. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (1986)
17. Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez (1988)
18. Rabbit at Rest, John Updike (1990)
19. On Beauty, Zadie Smith (2005)
20. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding (1998)
21. On Writing, Stephen King (2000)
22. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz (2007)
23. The Ghost Road, Pat Barker (1996)
24. Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry (1985)
25. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan (1989)
26. Neuromancer, William Gibson (1984)
27. Possession, A.S. Byatt (1990)
28. Naked, David Sedaris (1997)
29. Bel Canto, Anne Patchett (2001)
30. Case Histories, Kate Atkinson (2004)
31. The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien (1990)
32. Parting the Waters, Taylor Branch (1988)
33. The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion (2005)
34. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold (2002)
35. The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (2004)
36. Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt (1996)
37. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (2003)
38. Birds of America, Lorrie Moore (1998)
39. Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri (2000)
40. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman (1995-2000)
41. The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros (1984)
42. LaBrava, Elmore Leonard (1983)
43. Borrowed Time, Paul Monette (1988)
44. Praying for Sheetrock, Melissa Fay Greene (1991)
45. Eva Luna, Isabel Allende (1988)
46. Sandman, Neil Gaiman (1988-1996)
47. World's Fair, E.L. Doctorow (1985)
48. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
49. Clockers, Richard Price (1992)
50. The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen (2001)
51. The Journalist and the Murderer, Janet Malcom (1990)
52. Waiting to Exhale, Terry McMillan (1992)
53. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon (2000)
54. Jimmy Corrigan, Chris Ware (2000)
55. The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (2006)
56. The Night Manager, John le Carré (1993)
57. The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe (1987)
58. Drop City, TC Boyle (2003)
59. Krik? Krak! Edwidge Danticat (1995)
60. Nickel & Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)
61. Money, Martin Amis (1985)
62. Last Train To Memphis, Peter Guralnick (1994)
63. Pastoralia, George Saunders (2000)
64. Underworld, Don DeLillo (1997)
65. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1993)
66. A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, David Foster Wallace (1997)
67. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini (2003)
68. Fun Home, Alison Bechdel (2006)
69. Secret History, Donna Tartt (1992)
70. Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell (2004)
71. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Ann Fadiman (1997)
72. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon (2003)
73. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving (1989)
74. Friday Night Lights, H.G. Bissinger (1990)
75. Cathedral, Raymond Carver (1983)
76. A Sight for Sore Eyes, Ruth Rendell (1998)
77. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)
78. Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)
79. The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell (2000)
80. Bright Lights, Big City, JayMcInerney (1984)
81. Backlash, Susan Faludi (1991)
82. Atonement, Ian McEwan (2002)
83. The Stone Diaries, Carol Shields (1994)
84. Holes, Louis Sachar (1998)
85. Gilead, Marilynne Robinson (2004)
86. And the Band Played On, Randy Shilts (1987)
87. The Ruins, Scott Smith (2006)88. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby (1995)
89. Close Range, Annie Proulx (1999)
90. Comfort Me With Apples, Ruth Reichl (2001)
91. Random Family, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc (2003)
92. Presumed Innocent, Scott Turow (1987)
93. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley (1991)
94. Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser (2001)
95. Kaaterskill Falls, Allegra Goodman (1998)div>96. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown (2003)
97. Jesus’ Son, Denis Johnson (1992)
98. The Predators' Ball, Connie Bruck (1988)
99. Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman (1995)
100. America (the Book), Jon Stewart/Daily Show (2004)

At least six books I'd like to read (I'm sure I'll read many more of these) are:

1. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier (1997)- It's been sitting on the bookshelf since
the movie came out.

2. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (1986)

3. Bel Canto, Anne Patchett (2001) - Currently reading her book The Magician's
Assistant.

4.The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion (2005)- Read good reviews from
someone in one of my book clubs.

5. Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri (2000)- Reading for a book group later
this year.

6. The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (2006)- Another book on my TBR list.

Teaser Tuesday

2008-09-03T01:59:00.003-04:00

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your "teaser" from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given.
Please avoid spoilers!My two "teaser" sentences for today are from:

The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett. Page 234

"It was made out of teakwood, painted with red and yellow diamonds. The inside was lined in cool blue satin."

Book Blogger appreciation week!

2008-09-02T13:22:00.004-04:00

While I've always been an avid reader, I'm just now starting to blog about it. So while this is all new to me, I know many of you have been doing it for years. I came upon a new exciting event for those of us who do book blog, so I'm helping to spread the word. I copied this from myfriendamy's blog (http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/2008/08/book-blogger-appreciation-week.html):

Book Bloggers: You work hard. You read books, you write reviews, you maintain relationships with your readers, publicists, and authors. You are constantly running to the post office to mail your giveaways and participating in carnivals to help boost traffic. You sometimes want to faint when you see the size of your TBR pile, but faithfully you read. And you do it because you love it. Book blogging is for most a hobby. But it's a hobby that takes a lot of work and time. It's a labor of love.

I've been blogging for three years but only really got into book blogging in the last year. I have found, without a doubt, that book bloggers are the kindest, most open minded, and supportive group of bloggers on the internet. With book blogging, it's about community and a love for the written word.

The Readers: We love you! You don't have a blog, but you read our reviews and share your thoughts with us. You enter our giveaways and click on our Amazon associates link. We do this for you and appreciate your readership. We hope you'll join in the fun and festivities of BBAW! (we'll have a special contest just for you!)

Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Acknowledging the hard work of book bloggers and their growing impact on book marketing and their essential contribution to book buzz in general, I am excited to announce the first Book Blogger Appreciation Week. Think of it as a retreat for book bloggers and a chance for us to totally nerd out over books together. And of course, shower each other with love and appreciation.

Register: In order to experience the maximum impact of the week, I invite you to register your participation (just like a retreat)!
To register, just send an email to bookbloggerappreciationweekATgmailDOTcom with your blog url and what you consider your niche...i.e, general book blog, classics blog, personal blog with a healthy dose of books, YA books blog, etc. Then, add one of the two buttons at the bottom of this post to your sidebar. If you are a reader (no blog) just send an email announcing your plans to follow along.
Why bother? If you register, you will be added to a book blog directory which will exist long after this week is over. Additionally, you will receive one raffle entry into the daily giveaways during BBAW here at My Friend Amy.

Awards: Oh yes, there will be awards. The Oscars of Book Blogging. :) Nominations start next week.

Spread the Word: If you are excited about this idea like I am and the other book bloggers who are helping, please consider writing a post on your blog announcing this event and inviting other book bloggers and readers to join.

Help Wanted: If you have a talent for designing buttons (like those below) and would like to donate some of your time and skill to me, please email me personally at mypalamyATgmailDOTcom.

Review: Certain Girls.. not so certain..

2008-09-01T22:09:00.004-04:00

Publisher: Atria; 1 edition (April 8, 2008)

ISBN: 0743294254

Hardcover: 400 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Following the story collection The Guy Not Taken, Weiner turns in a hilarious sequel to her 2001 bestselling first novel, Good in Bed, revisiting the memorable and feisty Candace Cannie Shapiro. Flashing forward 13 years, the novel follows Cannie as she navigates the adolescent rebellion of her about-to-be bat mitzvahed daughter, Joy, and juggles her writing career; her relationship with her physician husband, Peter Krushelevansky; her ongoing weight struggles; and the occasional impasse with Joy's biological father, Bruce Guberman. Joy, whose premature birth resulted in her wearing hearing aids, has her own amusing take on her mother's overinvolvement in her life as the novel, with some contrivance, alternates perspectives. As her bat mitzvah approaches, Joy tries to make contact with her long absent maternal grandfather and seeks more time with Bruce. In addition, unbeknownst to Joy, Peter has expressed a desire to have a baby with Cannie, which means looking for a surrogate mother. Throughout, Weiner offers her signature snappy observations: (good looks function as a get-out-of-everything-free card) and spot-on insights into human nature, with a few twists thrown in for good measure. She expends some energy getting readers up to speed on Good, but readers already involved with Cannie will enjoy this, despite Joy's equally strong voice. (Apr.)

My score: 7 out of 10.

I became a big fan of Jennifer Weiner in the last year when I first read Little Earthquakes, then The Guy Not Taken; Stories, In Her Shoes, Goodnight Nobody, and Good in Bed. I loved the first 4 books, but when it came to Good in Bed, it was hard for me to get into at first, but then I began to like the characters and got drawn into it. The book Certain Girls, which is a follow-up to Good in Bed, was much the same way. I never really got into the story until about 2/3 done with the book, yet wanted to know what happened for the sake of it. I don't know why this book just didn't seem to draw me in the way her other books did. I'm not usually into "chick lit" books, but quickly got drawn into her other books. This book covers a lot of similar topics as her other books: women dealing with weight issues and society's perceptions, family dynamics, humerous sibling disputes, love and relationships. I don't know if it was the characters, the storyline, the way that Cannie's character seemed overprotective, or the way that some of it just didn't seem realistic. A lot of the conflict between the daughter, Joy, and the mother, Cannie, seemed fake and not realistic to me. The use of alternating first-person voices in each chapter, switching between Cannie and Joy tends to get very confusing, as it gets hard to follow as to just whom is speaking.

Review: The Gargoyle

2008-09-01T20:35:00.006-04:00

Publisher: Doubleday (August 5, 2008)

ISBN-10: 0385524943

Hardcover: 480 pages

Amazon.com description

An extraordinary debut novel of love that survives the fires of hell and transcends the boundaries of time.

The narrator of The Gargoyle is a very contemporary cynic, physically beautiful and sexually adept, who dwells in the moral vacuum that is modern life. As the book opens, he is driving along a dark road when he is distracted by what seems to be a flight of arrows. He crashes into a ravine and suffers horrible burns over much of his body. As he recovers in a burn ward, undergoing the tortures of the damned, he awaits the day when he can leave the hospital and commit carefully planned suicide—for he is now a monster in appearance as well as in soul.

A beautiful and compelling, but clearly unhinged, sculptress of gargoyles by the name of Marianne Engel appears at the foot of his bed and insists that they were once lovers in medieval Germany. In her telling, he was a badly injured mercenary and she was a nun and scribe in the famed monastery of Engelthal who nursed him back to health. As she spins their tale in Scheherazade fashion and relates equally mesmerizing stories of deathless love in Japan, Iceland, Italy, and England, he finds himself drawn back to life—and, finally, in love. He is released into Marianne's care and takes up residence in her huge stone house. But all is not well. For one thing, the pull of his past sins becomes ever more powerful as the morphine he is prescribed becomes ever more addictive. For another, Marianne receives word from God that she has only twenty-seven sculptures left to complete—and her time on earth will be finished.

Already an international literary sensation, The Gargoyle is an Inferno for our time. It will have you believing in the impossible.

My grade (0-10 with 10 being good)= 9.5

Though somewhat graphic in the beginning when describing the burns that the narrator suffers, this book was a terrific read. The story and characters were incredibly captivating and the stories that Marianne Engel wove drew me deeper and deeper into the story. I could hardly put it down. This book is definitely different from anything I've read before. It is deeply moving and shows that love knows no bounds, including through hell and back.