Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop

Another great giveaway hop for our faithful readers.....coordinated by Kathy over at I'm a Reader Not a Writer!

If you followed the last hop you know the rules..if not here they are!

Please follow the blog

Leave a comment with favorite Christmas Ornament

Don't forget Email!

Ends on Wednesday Evening at midnight so hop fast!

NOW FOR THE PRIZE!!!!

The Snow Globe

by

Sheila Roberts

OR

Love Finds You in Snowball Arkansas

by

Sandra Bricker

Yes! Two winners! First picked gets choice! So...please let your friends know and then join in on the blog hop below!

Apology!

Sorry there haven't been any reviews or giveaway's lately.... Christmas and finals....not a good mix! My children have taken over the computers and between them and shopping and work...I have had no computer time! But...never fear...will be back this week with a bunch of great reviews about books I think you should read! As well as a few more Christmas book giveaways!

Hope your days are cheery and bright!

Kylie Jean Hoop Queen

Title: Kylie Jean Hoop Queen
Author: Marci Peschke
Publisher: Capstone
Imprint: Picture Window Books
Pub Date: 01/01/2011
ISBN: 9781404859623


This another of Kylie Jean's adventures on her way to becoming a Beauty Queen. This time basketball is her passion and she must learn what hard work and practice can do for you, but sometimes even then you lose. From getting pledges to finding uniforms for her team, Kylie is always on the go and learning something new around every corner.

I really like these little chapter books especially made for girls. This one is another cute chapter in the life of this little eight year old. The illustrations seem to jump off the page and you can't help but smile. I really liked the fact that it was simple enough for the 6-9 year old reader, but still had a little challenge to them. My daughter who is actually 10 but is a struggling reader has had so much fun with these books. Finally a chapter book that isn't way over her head with the amount of pages that gets her overwhelmed, but enough pages that it doesn't seem like a 'baby' book. Wonderfully written and excellently illustrated the launch on 1/1/2011 is going to be a good day with four books of this series coming out!

Marci Peschke is an elementary school librarian in Texas. She is married and has a cat at home named Phoebe. Two kids have graduated from her house and now live on their own. She sounds like a fun librarian with contests and reading events, she really wants children to learn to love to read! According to her profile, she is already looking for more adventures for Kylie Jean.

Another 7 out of 7!

This book was given to me from Capstone via NetGalley for the purpose of a honest review. No other compensation was made and all thoughts in this review are mine.

Splitting Harriet

Title: Splitting Harriet
Author: Tamara Leigh
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781590529287
Release: 11.20.2007 (Available)
Source: Library

Fiction/Contemporary

When a former PK (preacher's kid) learns that the church her father suffered over is about to get a face lift, all those insecurities as an outcast child come back to haunt Harriet Bisset. Add in a couple of gorgeous men and a bag of Jelly Bellies and things just go from bad to worse. Will she resume her previous bad girl ways or can she stay strong in her faith and keep her church available for all members?

This book was an absolute joy to read! Not only did I like the book just as a fun read, but I actually connected with the book on various issues. Like Harriet's church, our family church is having growing pains and I'm in the same place as Harriet. I don't want too much change because we need our older members but without change the younger members won't stay either. I enjoyed seeing how Harriet made sense of everything. The added mystery of love added an extra spark to the book! The story kept me on the edge of my seat as Harriet found herself in one decision after another and wondering if she made the right choice. A very well written drama on the turmoil of growing churches as well as the turmoil of what being forgiven really means.

My recommendation? Read it..it's an older book but it can still be ordered or in libraries. If looking for a good book for a church library, pick this one up!

6 out of 7 thumbs up...

Read from the library...no compensation given for the review...just love of books!

Tom Thumb

Title: Tom Thumb
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Imprint: Clarion Books
Pub Date: 02/28/2011
ISBN: 9780547182032
Author: George Sullivan
Source: HMH via NetGalley

Charles S. Stratton was dubbed Tom Thumb by P.T. Barnum at the age of five and that name stuck with him the rest of his life. This is a biography of Charles Stratton and to some extent that of P.T. Barnum as well. Their two lives became entertwined as Charles became more famous than anyone of the time could have realized. Many people believe he was exploited because of his diminutive size and others say that P.T. Barnum gave him something that he wouldn't have had otherwise, and Mr. Sullivan showed both sides of the story as well as the amazing adventures of Tom Thumb and Company.

I thoroughly enjoyed this biography of a little person growing up in the entertainment business in the 19th century. Mr. Sullivan did an excellent job of sifting through countless documents and pictures and histories and coming up with this chronological book of events that shaped Charles Stratton and those around him. This biography read more like a book of fiction but with all of the accompanying documents and pictures a reader can come away with a clearer picture of the life of Charles S. Stratton. There is quite of bit of the history of P.T. Barnum and his struggles as an entrepreneur of the time and how he 'fooled' most people most of the time. Although this is classified for the middle school grades, I think those younger than 10 should be able to read this without much help and the topic of the book makes it suitable for adults as well. I'd suggest it for anyone who wants another view of the late 19th century or anyone who is curious about Tom Thumb and his life on stage and on display to the entire world.

George Sullivan has written more than 100 nonfiction books and has probably been quoted in more book reports that wikipedia.

I'll have to give this a 7 thumbs up out of 7. A great addition to your family library!

I was given an e-copy of this book from HMH via NetGalley for review. No other compensation was given and I was not required to give a positive review.

FiremanSaysGottaGo Giveaway Winner 1

Well...sorry it's a day late, but I forgot what date it was! The winner that was drawn using Mrs. Glosser's Random Number Generator is....

#11 kalea_kane Email sent and she has 48 hours to respond with address! Remember Contest number 2 is up on the board and 3 will probably go up tomorrow!

Thanks for reading!

The Vespertine

Title: The Vespertine
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pub Date: 03/07/2011
ISBN: 9780547482477


Source: HMH via NetGalley


Amelia van den Broek is on a mission in Baltimore in 1889 to find a husband at the bequest of her brother. What she finds is a best friend, a hidden romance and a power she isn't sure how it works. When people start to see her as the doer of all bad prophecy instead of a seer, things begin to spin wildly out of a control.
I had heard all kinds of great hype about this book and wasn't sure what to expect. It took me a little bit to get into the book because it is written as if it could have been written in the late 1800's and not current times. Unless you are used to reading this kind of historical fiction, it takes some getting used to, but I actually enjoyed reading it after the initial shock. While the prologue threw me at first, after starting over, I got it(watch the dates)! I really liked the way that Amelia and her friend grew in the book, the other characters weren't as built up as well, and we were left not knowing a whole lot about Amelia's love interest (maybe intentional?). This book will probably one of the most talked about books in 2011, people will either love it or hate it. I actually liked it, very nicely written even if I didn't have my early American dictionary. Definitely will be watching for the sequel in 2012.
I think this would be great for those middle school kids (11-14). Not alot of violence and very mild romance (they kissed). If you are a fan of historical literature you will really enjoy this book. Especially if you like America history stories! There is paranormal activity but in this book those activities do have consequences.
I give it a 6 thumbs up out of 7 (I'd probably suggest a library to-read)

HMC via NetGalley gave me a galley of this book to read for review. No other compensation was made and all comments are solely mine.

In My Mailbox

From Paperbackswap (games or swaps)
Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida
The Tea Rose
So Long, Status Quo
The Great Christmas Bowl

For Review:
House Divided (from publisher)
Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball
My review of Two Tickets
The Price of Trust
Does Chocolate Milk Come from Cows?

From NetGalley:
The Hole in the Wall
My Review
A couple of other ones...but my e-reader is missing at this moment!

E-books
The Flag Keeper (from Author)
My review

I think that's it! What did you get?

The Hole in the Wall

Title: The Hole in the Wall
Author: Lisa Rowe Fraustino

Publisher: Milkweed Editions

Age Group: Middle School

Available: Now

Source: NetGalley

Pages: 280

Imagine being an eleven year old boy and the world around you has slowly changed for the worse in the last few years. He can remember when times were better, but that was before the strip miners started taking away all the land around them. Not only that, but weird things were starting to happen to him that was more than just growing pains. A secret facility, a lost brother and parents that need parenting classes....what more could an eleven year old brother ask for but to start his own investigating!

This is a great book for this age group. This book is written in Sebastian's voice and uniquely comes across as an eleven year old. Sometimes things get jumbled up in their heads! The mystery held my attention and didn't give anything away too early. From one suspense (the chickens are missing) to another (there's rumbling cookie dough in my belly) to another (why did he pay so much for our eggs?) there is questions to be answered with each turn of the page. The minor characters are not as well drawn out as the main characters (usually a great thing) but I would have loved to see more about this dysfunctional family. I also loved the way the author brought together the brother and sister team. There is a lot going on but I would highly recommend this book for the middle age kids (8-12) and especially the boys!

Giving this book a 7 out of 7... Great Christmas Present for that age group.

I was given this book through NetGalley for free to preview. No other compensation was given just a honest review was all that was requested!

New Giveaway

Here's another chance to win a book from the FiremanChadSayBooksMustGoGiveaway. This week, the book is Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball (review here)!

Comment to win!

Include email!

Only US!

Comment per entry!

You don't have to be a follower to win...but I will be having more of these awesome giveaway's and as a follower you'll find out quicker!

Ways to Enter..

First Comment - Favorite Christmas Book

Extra Entry - What book should I read during the older book challenge

Extra Entry - Facebook or tweet (with link plz)

Come and Play and Invite your Friends..

The Flag Keeper

Title: The Flag Keeper
Author: Stacy Juba
Illustrator: Larry Drumtra
Publisher: Thunder Horse Press
ISBN: 978-1-453-75305-7

Ages: Children

Source: ebook from author

Elizabeth is a flag keeper for her dad. Every day they take on the responsibility to raise and lower the flag. One day her day goes on a trip for three days and the flag was supposed to take a break. Elizabeth really wants to see her flag flying and after a few mishaps she finally manages it. She longs to learn more about flag etiquette and goes to the library.

What a cute story! It's a bear family so very suitable for younger kids to get into the story but enough content that older readers will have their curiosity stimulated and want to read the whole story. The point as I see it is to teach proper flag etiquette to the young and this book delivers. A very easy to read format, a few long words that are very well explained will not only entertain but teach kids of all ages. I really enjoyed reading it with the girls and they asked a lot of questions. I was very happy that the Flag Facts were included in the back of the book along with the discussion questions to make sure your child understood the story.

I'd have to say go out and get this book if you have children (you can get it from amazon). I think it's very important to teach these concepts and I give this book a TEN (if you've been following my blog I only do 7 out of 7 thumbs up so a ten is very good indeed).

I was given a copy of this book for review by the author. No other compensation was given in return for a good review.

Into the Old World Reading Challenge

Well, I said I wasn't going to do it. No challenges for me this year. But then...I stumbled upon this one! To read books older than 2009 and review them. What a great way to bring back books that may have been missed on the way to get all those great sequels that just came and are coming out. So....in the spirit of the game, here's the beginning of my proposed list of books I want to read in the year 2011! I know there are a ton more out there that I have in my TBR pile...just need to go through them! Good thing I have access to a GREAT library!


The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S Lewis
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Girl With The Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier
The Handmaid's Tale-Margaret Atwood
Harry Potter Series (1st to 7th part)
Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien

About the challenge:
Hosts : Splash of Our Worlds and My Love Affair With Books
Starts: 1st January 2011
Ends: 31st December 2011
Eligible Books: Any books published BEFORE 2009 . All Genres included

Go Here to find out how to start the challenge for yourself? Did I mention there will be prizes?

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball

Title: Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball

Author: Donita K. Paul

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

ISBN: 9780307458995

Source: Publisher

Available: Now

Cora and Simon had worked together for five years, yet it takes a bit of magic to bring them together. They both have tickets to attend the Christmas Ball, but families and trust always seem to stand in the way. Can Christmas be saved for both of them and their families?

This author usually writes in the Christian Fantasy genre but had previously written romance novels until she learned the dark side had cookies. This book is a combination of romance and a bit of fantasy, but loaded with a whole lot of Christian value. A very quick read, it's is marketed as a novella, but packs a big punch. I really enjoyed this quirky little book. It made me smile and laugh out loud in places. While not believable in all spots, I was okay with that because it made for a very quaint story. Being a shorter novel, it didn't have great character buildup but enough to see the growth in certain characters. The ending was not so neatly wrapped up....left me with a few cliffhangers that I really would have liked to see answered. I know...use my imagination or hope for a sequel next year?

An adult book but a teen would probably like it. I wouldn't recommend as a family Christmas read unless your children can determine the difference between fantasy, fiction and real life.

Ms. Paul is more well known for her Dragon Keeper Chronicles series. She likes to fellowship with fellow writers and has won numerous awards. You can find her at her website.

I give it a 5 out of 7 thumbs up....maybe not rush out and buy it right now, but if you are looking for something a little out of the normal CF genre....pick it up from the library for a nice holiday smile!

I was given a copy of this book from Blogging for Books program. All thoughts contained here are mine and I was in no other way compensated for a positive review!

No Hope for Gomez (guest post)

"No Hope for Gomez!" Birthday Party. Win kindles, iPods, and get free books!

“It's the age-old tale: Boy meets girl. Boy stalks girl. Girl already has a stalker. Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.”

It's hard to believe, but it's been a year since I handed in the final proofs for my weird little book ‘No Hope for Gomez!’ To celebrate this, and the fact that it just became a finalist in 2010's Best Book Awards, I decided to throw an international party. As I’ve had a debilitating fear of throwing parties and no-one showing up since early childhood, I’d be more than delighted if you’d come!


Of course, with every cool, international party comes a gift bag. Here's just some of the stuff attendants will get:

• Exclusive short story collection


• No Hope for Gomez: The Lost Chapters


• Making of Gomez: behind the scenes eBook


• Signed hi-res poster + bookplate

(These are all exclusive items and will not be available again)


Additionally, several lucky attendants will win a Kindle or an iPod!


Oh yeah, you can bring as many friends as you like, just don't bring your crazy uncle who drinks too much and then tries to get me to go to the attic with him to see something wonderful. I've fallen for that before and I don't mind telling you, I came away very disappointed!


Find out how to attend HERE.

The Floating Isalands

Title: The Floating Islands

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Publisher: Random House

ISBN: 9780375947059

Available: February 2011

Trei can not believe his eyes when he first sees The Floating Islands on the ship he has taken from his now destroyed country. The other thing he sees is the kajuraihi and Trei becomes sky mad. His cousin, a girl, shouldn't know how he feels, but she does and has her own madness. Can the two of them together, yet apart, save their world?

This book started out a little slow for me but it wasn't long until I was drawn into another world where men can fly and dragons still roam the land. The main characters were both strong young people, but knew that they had a lot to learn from their elders. Just like many teens, they still didn't know how to trust the adults in their lives, but everyone must make their own decisions and bear the consequences. The imagery of the islands above the earth with it's delicate bridges was fantastic. I could see the boys as they took their first steps to the unknown. The suspense built until the very last pages of the book and I was left feeling good about the book, but yet something is still nagging at me...not sure what it is (actually I do know, but I hate spoilers), but maybe a sequel? I would love that!

This is classified as young adult, as far as language..very clean, relationships...even cleaner, vocabulary and word building....challenging. A middle school youth may have trouble with some of the names and vocabulary, but hey I'm all for dictionaries in every room!

The author has written several other sci fi books (adult). She loves dogs, gardening and cooking and actually two of those three are very much entwined in this book. For more info on Ms. Neumeier you can check out her webpage.

I give it 6 out of 7 thumbs up... If you like science fiction books, you'll want to definitely pick up a copy, not a good book if you are looking for romance and love.

Thank you to Star Book Tours for allowing my to join the arc tour of this book. No compensation was given to me for the review of this book and all ideas expressed are all mine (typo's included).

Gratitude Giveaway winner...

I have been having so much fun watching other blog posts about their winners that I finally realized I probably should announce my winner!! I have won one gratitude giveaway!



Yeah...you really just want me to like announce the winner already I'm sure!!



First off...thank you for following me...I hope you continue and keep commenting and there will be more giveaways in the future...hoping to add some author interviews and author giveaways in the near future. I can't believe I'm at 70 followers already...(getting ready to do a 100 follower giveaway so watch for that too)



And now...

The winner is...Michelle (Rlaw) first part of email. I will send an email and she has 48 hours to respond, or I'll choose another winner. Her comment on Christmas? Tiny reindeer prints!

Again..Thank you all for participating, I wish I had a prize for everyone! Psst...If you were one of the 70 followers as of now, you get an extra entry in the Midwinters' Blog Hop Giveaway!

In My Mailbox

A very good week for my mailbox! In My Mailbox, a weekly meme to see what 's new and exciting in other people's mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. Check out her blog and connect with all the 100's of others also sharing what's in their mailbox!


Okay...
From Paperbackswap (either swap or games)
Monica Ferris Sins and Needles

Paige Shelton Farm Fresh Murder

Kathyrn Cushman A Promise To Remember

Love Finds you in Treasure Island, Florida (Debbie Mayne)

Won in giveaway
From BookChicClub both these books are going to my daughter for Christmas ..they are autographed even!
Shiver
As You Wish

From BlackSheepDances
Three Seconds by Roslund and Hellstrom

For Review:
The Floating Islands
The Art of Intuition

Free book:
Tortured For Christ

And...the one I'm most excited about...already started and love it so far.. is:
Daniel Carter Unwanted (book 1) PDF copy

All links will take you to the books' goodreads page!
That's it for me this week....what's in your mailbox?

Jungle Warfare

Title: Jungle Warfare

Author: Christopher A. Cunnigham

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Available: Now
ISBN: 9781595551474
Source: Publisher

This book is a 22 day devotion aimed at Christians in the sales field. Although I am not in sales as a career choice, I do think that we sell ourselves daily. The author inherited a basic field guide in jungle warfare from his grandfather who served during WW2. The idea is for 22 days take a chapter that includes the field manual battle plan, a verse pertaining to the idea and then a short devotion including a space for your thoughts and prayer. The second section, the field support is like a first aid kit. It answers those questions that many people, not only those in sales, worry about.

The author suggested taking the complete 22 days to read this book. I did not in order to get this review done, but I will be starting over after I finish my current devotion book. It is very simply written in words almost anyone can understand. I didn't find anything earth shattering new to me, but we can always be reminded of the areas in which we fall short and areas to work on. I really like the spaces available for your own thoughts and especially prayer requests. I also liked the 'first aid kit', because it is always good to be reminded of God's message in the times of trouble or need. It was also neat to read the battle plans from the early-mid 1900's.

I think this book would be great for those new in Christ or even those who are looking for a different type of devotion book. Even if you are not in sales there is something there to learn. If you are in sales, then I highly recommend this book to learn how to work without overworking, how to handle the stress and deadlines and other barriers to becoming a successful salesperson. Would also be good for military and history enthusiasts. If you are looking for a guide on increasing yours sales or how to be a top salesperson, this isn't the guide you are looking for.
The author is a lay minister and speaks to sales teams and Christian groups about 'Believing Impossible Beliefs'.

This book gets a 5 out of 7 thumbs up.

I received this book from BookSneeze for review. No other compensation was made and the views expressed are solely mine.

Family Freebie Giveaway

Okay, my husband, the ultra cool fireman, says our fire load is too high in the house. In layman's terms...he means, I have too many books. So, as long as I can afford the postage, my loss is your gain! For every book that comes into my house one or more have to go out. The books I pick to go out will have only been read once (usually because I did a review on them) so they can be ARCS or just recently published.

The first book to be given will be

A Simple Amish Christmas

Vannetta Chapman

Oct. 2010

Read my review here:

Sign up with comments:

The Rules:

USA only (sorry)

One comment per entry method

Include email w/ comment (first comment to tell me you want the book)

Additional entries:

Blog or tweet or facebook contest. (one entry per method)

Find me a cute slogan for this feature

Find me a cute picture for this feature

Tell me what kinds of books you would like to see me review!

Giveaway winner announced on: December 7, 2010

Have fun!

A Simple Amish Christmas

Title: A Simple Amish Christmas


Author: Vannetta Chapman

Publisher: Abingdon Press

ISBN: 9781426710667

Available: now





Annie had left home and became a nurse even though it was against everything her faith believed in. She wasn't happy and wanted to return home but didn't know how she would be received. When the call came that her dad was hurt, she rushed home even though she knew she may never be able to practice again. After meeting Samuel, things became even more confusing because he was nothing like she remember him. Will things turn out so she can have the simple Amish Christmas she had been longing for?

This is a very sweet and simple love story. I really loved how the characters all interacted with one another. There were enough side stories weaved in that rounded out the book. There was even a bit of teasing and that we don't always see in these books. The Pennsylvania Dutch that was used in the book was nicely done and although there is a glossary for the words you may not know, I found that I could figure most of them out myself. I felt myself drawn into the Amish faith and the simplicity of their ways not only through the descriptions of their houses and decorations but also through the simple way of Ms. Chapman's writing.

This is not a meat and potatoes type of book, if you are looking for depth, it's not here. If you want a simple love story that will warm those winter nights, stop here.

There is a discussion guide in the back of the book that will be a great help for book clubs.

There were a few unanswered questions in the book that were never neatly wrapped up by the end. Maybe a sequel(s)? This would make a good book for family reading night.

This is a debut novel for Ms. Chapman and even though I have a big nagging question at the end of the book, I'll be on the watch for another of her books!

This books gets 5 out of 7 thumbs up. I wouldn't run out and buy the book, but check it out from the library or get it from a friend for those cold winter nights.

Provided to me by NetGalley, I was not otherwise compensated for my views on this book.

Katie Woo

Title: Katie W0o (Katie Saves Thanksgiving)

Author: Fran Manushkin

Illustrator: Tammie Lyon

Publisher: Capstone

ISBN: 9781404763675

Publication Date: Available

Age Group: 5-8

Source: Bloomington Public Library

Katie Woo is a cute 6 year old in the first grade. She has a ton of adventures and in this book, she just so happens to help save Thanksgiving. As in our area, snow is often possible during the season and a power outage isn't out of the question. Katie learns to help others and saves Thanksgiving in the process.

I love these Capstone books. This one is so age appropriate and could be read by a beginning reader with a little help. This is especially great for the young reader who has older siblings and are reading series, they can now have their own series to collect. Like the other Capstone books I have reviewed, this one has discussion questions, a glossary, a recipe and a website to go and meet Katie and her friends online. Katie is a very cute Asian/American and I can't wait to have my daughter read more of these great books! The Thanksgiving book even teaches a bit about the first Thanksgiving before diving into the adventure.

The author lives in New York and writes with the help of her two cats and Katie is a more mischievous version of her great-niece, Katie Woo.

Another 7 out of 7... rush out and get this to share with your little reader for Thanksgiving!

I was given nothing in return for this review. Book provided from local library.

Big Bouffant

Title: Big Bouffant

Author: Kate Hosford

Illustrator: Holly Clifton-Brown

Publisher: Lerner

ISBN: 97800761354093

Source: NetGalley

Released: 4/1/11

When Annabelle starts school all she sees is ponytails and braids and she wants to be different! She sees a picture of her grandma with a bouffant and that starts a wild ride into an interesting hair tour.

This is a very cute book that will leave you chanting "A bouffant is all I want" and making it rhyme. Okay, so that's all the girls and I could do for days after reading! A word of warning, the scene where Annabelle tries to make her own bouffant could lead many mothers in search of the shampoo, but everything works out. While this won't take the place of your favorite mom and daughter book, it does have a place as a book of laughs. I can't see any boys wanting to read this, although yes even the boys have bouffants! The pictures of bouffants could lead many grandparents and great grandparents in search of their favorite family relative with the amazing bouffant. What a great way to teach your girls a little family history.

There is an underlying moral story here...don't follow the crowd, which many little girls need to learn early so they can develop their own person and not be a copycat!

Just don't get mad at me when your daughter wants to give your son a mullet after reading this book!

This book gets 6 out of 7...the messy scene kind of scared me!

I received this from NetGalley to review for Lerner at no cost for an honest review. All thoughts are mine and I received no other compensation.

In My Mailbox (2)

I love looking what every0ne gets every week! Of course, my reading list seems to grow and grow... This weekly meme is hosted by The Story Siren...check it out! But onto to my list..

Bought:

My daughter and I both loved Evermore...so onto books 2 and 3 of the series! I really wanted Hush Hush or Beautiful Creatures....but she talked me into these! Really twisted my arm too!

For review:

Jungle Warfare

From Swaps:

Isn't this the cutest picture?

Won (BookTrib)

and from NetGalley:

Big Bouffant

Kylie Jean Blueberry Queen

The Iron Queen

That's it for this week....here's hopin' your mailbox is full of fantastic books!

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair

photo © 2008 Monterey Public Library more info (via: Wylio)













Title: The Betrayal of Maggie Blair


Author: Elizabeth Laird


Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt


ISBN: 9780547341262


Available: April 8, 2011


Source: Net Galley

Maggie Blair is accused of being a witch. If it was the 21st century all would be fine in the world, but in 17th century Scotland that accusation can bring imprisonment and most often death. Even if she does escape, her family and their Presbyterian faith will lead her to the same fate. Maggie faces many tough decisions in the course of these pages and none of the choices can lead to good....or can they?

Words can't explain how I felt about this book. This book is well....awe inspiring. With all of the paranormal books available for teens out there, I thought this would be another vampire/undead sort of book. I was wrong! This is the history they don't normally teach about in school or in church. Although it was a little slow at first, it really picked up around page 30 and I couldn't put it down. A word of warning for tender hearted, there is a little blood, not so detailed but I could definitely imagine what was seen, heard and smelled. This book has so many realistic scenes that it came to no surprise that the author, Ms. Laird, actually has a real link with the characters in her genealogy. As with many well written suspenseful books, this one kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering just how we got to this point and how were we going to get out.

Ms. Laird who is actually an author from the U.K. has many young adult books on her wall of fame. I, unfortunately, have never read any. That will soon be remedied! She loves to travel and has traveled quite extensively throughout her life and those travels figure quite widely into her books (she was even once chased by a rhino). She has a website and a blog so you can find out even more about this very talented author.

This book gets a 7 out of 7 thumbs up from me, but a word of warning for those who squirm at the thoughts of injustice done to those who deserve far better, there is a bit of blood and gore.

This book was provided to me free of charge from NetGalley. I received no other compensation for this review and all thoughts contained within are all my own!

Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington

Title: Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington
Authors: Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss
Publisher: Summerside Press
ISBN: 9781609360009
Publication Date: Available
Source: Purchased


When Rosalie's fiancee failed to return from WW2, she was sad, but also relieved. She wasn't sure she loved him enough to commit. In a strange twist of coincidences she meets one man that turns her stomach because of his profession, a reporter by the name of Kenny Davenport. Not trusting the true side of Kenny, Rosalie is sure to avoid becoming Rosie the Riveter at all costs. But will it cost her true love as well and can she get over the grief of knowing she never told Vic the truth?

This is definitely historical romance at its best! This particular series (the postcard, Love Finds You) started last year and has current and historical stories. This one is by far my favorite. This era of our history seemed to come alive under the penmanship of Ms. Goyer and Ms. Fleiss. Even if you have no idea what our women went through in the states during that era, this book will teach you. The research that must have went on in this book is amazing.

The authors do have a contest on their website that I stumbled across. Visit Tricia Goyer's site and enter to win Rosie stuff and to meet one of the authors.

I would let my 10 year old read it (well, if she liked those mushy love stories).

A very high 7 thumbs up out of 7.

I did not recieve any compensation for this review.

A Night in Santa's Great Big Bag

Children's Book Review

Title: A Night in Santa's Great Big Bag

Author: Kristin Kladstrup

Publisher: Viking

ISBN: 9780670011650

Available: Now

Source: Library

This is a very cute secular Christmas story on the happenings in Santa's bag. Lamb, who belongs to Louis, unexpectedly hitches a ride in Santa's bag. While traveling all over the world, he befriends the other toys and tries to help them make the transition to his world better! The dilemma is how will Lamb get back to Louis? I'd tell you...but really....you should read the book!

I really like this book. Lamb is a lovable character who all kids will fall in love with and maybe just pull out their beloved stuffed animal. I highly recommend this book to fill those cold winter nights while getting ready for Christmas. It would also make a cute Christmas Eve story while getting out the stockings.

7 thumbs out of 7

All thoughts and views are entirely my own. No compensation given.

Gratitude Giveaways

MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!

What a better way to snuggle under the covers during this cold weather than to read your own free copy of..

This book is two heartwarming tales of two couples (past and present) finding romance under the mistletoe. Both authors are very accomplished writers and have many credits to their names!

NOW THE RULES!
Contest begins today, Wednesday the 17th and will continue until Sunday the 28th.

Mandatory Entry

Because this is a follower contest you must be a follower to enter. If you would like to include a favorite childhood holiday story, please do so! Make sure you add your email address in the comment box along with your name and story. If I can't reach you....you can't win!

One extra entry is available if you tweet, blog or post to facebook this contest! In the comments, please leave me the site (tweet) that you posted.

US only please

The following linky list is all of the other over 180 participants in this giveaway! Plenty of reading material for the upcoming holidays! Thank you so much to I am a Reader, Not a Writer for getting this all together.

Who Is Jesus.....Really

Title: Who is Jesus....Really

Authors: Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett

Publisher: Moody

Pub. Date: 1/1/2011

ISBN: 9780802487674

Source: NetGalley

This is a non-fiction book aimed for the college level person. It is a series of books (small) that are primarily set in a coffee house and have a dialogue pertaining to the title. In this volume, they are debating the historicity of Jesus. Was he a real man? Does history back up his life? There are several 'characters' in various stages of belief. From the strong believer to the atheist and they get together to debate the issues as they see them.

This wasn't exactly what I thought it would be when I started. I actually found myself cheering when the believers were able to bring a point across to the non believers that made them stand up and take notice. There is a lot of historical examples found in this book and it would make for a great go to guide when coming across to skeptics who want to know how Jesus fits into history. It is written simply enough that I believe it would be a great book for even a Jr. High youth group to dive into and learn how to defend their faith without giving up or getting angry. If you are looking for a more in depth analysis of who Jesus is, I would suggest "The Case for Christ", but for a beginning look at dialogue this is an excellent start.

As of this review, there are 2 other books in this series and "Is the Bible True...Really" is actually the first book. The other book is "Did the Resurrection Happen....Really". I am looking forward to January so I can share these books with my daughter's youth group. I hope they will open up a dialogue and dive deeper in their beliefs.

Josh McDowell himself was once a non believer and has since become a well respected author and speaker on the truth behind Jesus and looks to teach youth the the truth.

Dave Sterrett speaks for Probe Ministries and teaches Christ centered living at conferences, schools and churches.

6.5 thumbs up out of 7....pretty close, but I wish there would have been a dictionary for those 'big' words that not all college graduates may even know.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley for an honest review. This review is my own words and thoughts. No other compensation was given.

Gratitude Giveaway

Stay tuned...

Tomorrow will be Gratitude Giveaway hosted by I am a Reader! I will be having a giveaway for ...well...something booky! Check out I am a Reader, Not a Writer for more than 180 other giveaways!

In My Mailbox 1

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. I wasn't going to do a meme, but I have so much fun looking through other blogs and adding to my TBR list, that I thought I'd try this for awhile. So...for this week, here's my IMM!

I bought:

I won in a giveaway (giveawaygal)

From the library:

And from Netgalley:

Vespertime

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair

thx for dropping by!