Mailbox Monday/In My Mailbox 2-15-2010

Mailbox Monday is hosted at The Printed Page or In Your Mailbox at The Story Siren on Sunday. Please stop by those posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week!

Strange Neighbors
by Ashlyn Chase

He's just looking for peace, quiet, and a little romance. . .

Hunky all-star pitcher and shapeshifter Jason Falco buys an old Boston brownstone apartment building as an investment. But when Merry MacKenzie moves into the ground floor apartment, the playboy pitcher decides he might just be done playing the field.

On her own for the first time, she just wants to have fun. . .

Jason seems like the perfect fling, but sexy nurse Merry's not sure she's ready to trust him with her heart. . . especially when the tabloids start trumpeting his playboy lifestyle.

Then Pandemonium breaks loose when the vampire who lives in the basement and the werewolf from upstairs join forces to make it almost impossible for Merry and Jason to get it together. . .(back cover)

(Image not available)

I Love This Bar
by Carolyn Brown


She runs the honky tonk beer joint; she doesn't need a single thing else. . .

Daisy O'Dell has her hands full with with hotheads and thirsty ranchers until the day one damn fine cowboy walks in and throws her whole life into turmoil. . .

He's looking for a cold drink and moment's peace, and finds himself one red hot woman. . .

She's just what he needs, if only he can convince her to come out from behind that bar, and come home with him. . .(back cover)

The Weirdo Deluxe presents
The Silver Key

Somewhere in the United States is hidden The Silver Key. All the clues needed to find it are hidden in this album. The first person to solve the puzzle and find the key gets to keep it, and may win a cash prize of $1,000, plus one additional dollar ($1) for every album sold.

Scars and Stilettos
by Harmony Dust

Nineteen-year-old Harmony Dust is trapped. Thousands of dollars in debt, struggling to get by, dominated by her boyfriend: things can't get worse. . .until someone tells her how much money she can make as an exotic dancer. For the next three years, Harmony lives a double life as Monique, a dancer in a fully-nude strip club.

Scars and Stilettos is Harmony's stark, honest, and ultimately hopeful story of how God found her in that dark, noisy place and led her back out. She has since married, completed an MA in Social Welfare, and now leads Treasures, an organization helping women in the sex trade discover their true worth. (back cover)

You Belong to Me
by Kimberly Nee

A marriage of convenience, to a man she'd only just met, was the only way to protect Brenna McIntyre from the cruel viscount determined to have her no matter what.

The only problem was a most unwilling groom.

The last thing Tony Radcliffe wanted, or needed, was a wife - even if their marriage was in name only. Left without a choice, he relented, but remained determined to keep Brenna at arm's length.

The journey from Ireland to America sparks a desire neither had expected, and one too powerful to ignore, even as the shadow of Brenna's past threatens the peace she's found in Tony's arms. (back cover)

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure
by Allan Richard Shickman

"She began to move warily in a circle as the men tightened the trap, and as they got closer the lioness began to stride and prowl in a circle so small that she almost seemed to be chasing her tail. But she was watching, watching while she turned and snarled, for a weakness in the ever-tightening ring of her pursuers. Then, at the moment the attack finally was sounded--when the men, putting down their drums and torches, charged on the run with their spears -- the lioness saw what she was looking for. One of her enemies was smaller, weaker than the rest. There was a point of the strengthening line that could be broken! Thought merged with furious action and the beast, with a mighty bound of astonishing swiftness, darted toward Zan. Five hundred pounds of snarling fury sprang directly at him with claws bared and fanged mouth open!"

Zan-Gah: A prehistoric adventure has only begun. Pressed by love for his brother and a bad conscience, the hero undertakes a quest which leads to captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a role of leadership among his people. This dramatic and impassioned story will thrill and deeply move young adults and older readers. They will dream of Zan-Gah at night, and remember it all of their lives! (back cover)

Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country
by Allan Richard Shickman

"Well past the middle of the night Zan felt a shaking of his shoulder as he slept, and then an impatient foot kicking at him. Instinctively grabbing for his spear, he looked up and saw the orange glow of a torch, and as his eyes adjusted to the invading light he recognized his brother's ghastly face. Dael's dangerous brow was furrowed, and the vein of his forehead bulged under the old scar. His teeth were clenched, and his eyes darted nervously back and forth. His every motion expressed a profound agitation, and Zan knew that what he had been dreading had come.
"It is time, Zan. Let us go!"
"Where? It's dark!"
"I want to find where the river comes from."

The volcanic turbulence that shakes Dael's mind carries him to vicious extremes. It is Zan's task to calm his brother and lead him away from thoughts both destructive and self-destructive. But even the paradise of the Beautiful Country will not erase them. (back cover)

Rumor has It
by Jill Mansell

This man doesn't seem to match is reputation. . .

Newly single Tilly Cole impulsively moves to a small town, only to find she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the most desirable man -- irresistible Jack Lucas, whose reputation is beyond bad. Tilly has no intention of becoming another notch on his bedpost. But the thoughtful, caring guy she comes to value as a friend doesn't seem to fit the town's playboy image.

Tilly doesn't know what to believe -- and Jack's not telling. (back cover)

Heresy
by S.J. Parris

Oxford. 1583. The cloistered academic and spiritual home of the most revered scholars in the world. But somewhere within the private chambers of the university, a brutal killer lurks. . .

Giordano Bruno -- monk, scientist, philosopher, and magician -- is wanted by the Inquisition on charges of heresy for his belief in a heliocentric universe. After years on the run throughout Europe, Bruno is mysteriously recruited by Queen Elizabeth I and sent to Oxford on the pretext of a royal visitation. Officially, Bruno is to take part in a debate on Copernican theory; unofficially, he is to find out whatever he can about a Catholic plot to overthrow the queen.

But before Bruno's investigations commence, his mission is dramatically thrown off course when Oxford fellows begin to turn up dead. As he discovers a pattern in the murders, he realizes that he isn't the only one harboring secrets and that no one at Oxford is who he appears to be.

From the gothic manors of the English countryside to the seedy taverns and mysterious bookshops outside the university gates, Bruno's search for clues takes him to places he never knew existed and toward revelations that could threaten the stability of England.

Based on the real-life adventures of Giordano Bruno, this clever and vastly entertaining whodunit is written with the unstoppable narrative propulsion and stylistic flair of the very best historical thrillers. (back cover)

Waking up in the Land of Glitter
by Kathy Cano-Murillo

With glue guns, glitter, twigs, or yarn, the ordinary can become extraordinary. . . especially at La Pachanga. Owned by Estrella "Star" Esteban's family, the restaurant has a rep for two things: good food and great art. La Pachanga brings people together -- even when it looks like they couldn't be further apart.

One ill-fated evening, Star jeopardizes her family's business, her relationship with her boyfriend, and her future career. To redeem herself, she agrees to participate in a national craft competition, teaming up with her best friend, Ofelia -- a secretly troubled mother whose love for crafting borders on obsession; and local celebrity Chloe Chavez -- a determined televsion personality with more than one skeleton in her professional closet. If these unlikely allies can set aside their differences, they'll find strength they never knew they had, and learn that friendship, like crafting, is truly an art form. (back cover)

The Marriage Project by Kathi Lipp (Book Review)

The Marriage Project

by Kathi Lipp

This hasn't been the easiest project for us to implement in our lives. Getting my husband to sit down and read a book has proved to be more challenging than I thought it would. I believe the rewards will be worth it though. We are just getting to the point where we are going to be able to sit down and start planning out our projects. I have already been thinking of some things to do on my own. We are definitely going to an arcade for one of our dates. It seems like we used to do that frequently when we were first dating and I don't know when we stopped. I loved challenging him to air hockey!

I did want to leave you with this passage from the book though - to set up the background a little, it is about Kathi's stepkids, Jeremy and Amanda - Jeremy was 17 and Amanda was 18. They were white-water rafting down the Russian River.

At one point on the trip, the raft hit white water, tossing all the passengers into the river. the guide, used to rough waters, stayed dry inside the raft. AsAmanda and Jeremy scrambled to gather up all the littlest passengers and get them into the boat, the guide told them, "No, adults go in first." this surprised Amand anad Jeremy, ut they obediently got onto the raft first. "If you spend lall of your energy putting those wet, wiggly kids into the boat, you won't have enough energy to get yourself into the raft. you have to get into the boat first." Once they were in the boat, it became easier to help the younger kids into the boat, bringing everyone to safety.

When the situation arrants, you must be willing to get into
the boat first. Yes, your kids need your time and attention. Yes, you must
do your best at work while you're there. But if you don't commit time to taking care of your marriage, not only are you missing out on the joys that a healthy Christ-centered relationship brings, your kids are missing out on the benefits of having parents who are crazy about each other. (Besides, what's the fun of having kids if you can't embarrass them by making out at the mall when they are around?) (p45-46, The Marriage Project)

I am definitely ready to get in the boat!

Please enjoy these Q & A from Kathi:

•Kathi, you talk about a time in your life when your marriage wasn’t all that you hoped for. What were some of the things that you wanted to improve in your own marriage?

Let me be clear – I love my husband Roger, but, this is a second marriage for both of us. I knew the statistics regarding remarriages are pretty bleak. But, I guess we were hoping that we would be the exception to the rule and would avoid all the drama – yeah, not so much… With both of us having two teens, plus both becoming step-parents to two teens, we had our challenges waiting for us.

That is when Roger came up with the watch word for our marriage – “Intentional”. Whatever problems came up we were going to deal with them head on – not avoid them as we both did in our first marriages. The Marriage Project is one of the results of that – being intentional about making it work.

•So, how does The Marriage Project work?

The Marriage Project is like a workout program for your marriage – only with less sweat and more chocolate. You commit to do fun and flirty things for 21 days to raise the temperature of your marriage – everything from flirty notes on the bathroom mirror to more lingerie in the bedroom. It is a little bit of work – and a whole lot of fun.

•How did you come up with the Projects?

We ran 40 projects past 200 couples – most of them at our church in San Jose, CA. The ones that had the biggest impact – usually involving food and sex – stayed, while some of the ones that had the least impact got tossed. That’s how we came up with 21 pretty solid projects that both the husbands and the wives felt were fun and had an impact on their relationship.

• Most couples already may feel overwhelmed, so how can they fit these projects into their already busy schedules?

Roger and I have real lives – lots of kids, little money, and even less time. So we made sure that the projects were as “doable” as possible. Most of the projects take less than five minutes.

• What’s the biggest reason that women stop putting effort into romancing their husbands?

Time was the overwhelming factor for the women – between kids and jobs, home responsibilities and other family, it was easy to let their relationship with their husbands go on auto pilot.

•How about the guys? What are some of the reasons a man may give up on romance?

Surprisingly, most of the men wanted more romance with their wives, but didn’t feel like they were doing it “right”. “Will she be mad if I get her the wrong kind of flowers?” “What if she doesn’t like the gift I got her?” “It doesn’t matter what I do, she isn’t going to like it anyways.” If felt like a lot of the men wanted to do the right thing, but felt overwhelmed by “getting it right”.

•You talk a lot about dating your mate in The Marriage Project. With all of the pressures of the economy, job stress, and family obligations, why do you think dating your spouse is so important?

Dating is what helps us fall in love in the first place. It is the thing that most married couples give up first after saying “I do.” But dating is a great way to take a little retreat from those things that can pull us away from each other. At first you may have to look at dating as a project – setting aside time, money and energy for something (or someone) that is important.

I know that it can be expensive to date, but if you are creative, you can have a fun date for under $20.


•Are there really dates you can do for less than $20?

Absolutely. In fact, we have a list on my website with 20 Dates for under $20.

•What about if you have kids? How can you keep those costs down with the expense of babysitting?

Starting January 15th, we are going to have great ideas on how to date with kids on my blog. You are going to love the ideas that all our readers are contributing!

The Marriage Project
Publisher/Publication Date: Harvest House Publishers, Dec 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7369-2528-0
232 pages

~I was provided a copy of this book for review by the author.~

Friday Finds: 2-12-2010

Here are my finds this week!

Sing Me to Sleep
by Angela Morrison

THE TRANSFORMATION

Beth has always been “The Beast”—that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR

When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK

The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.(from Amazon)

Sound good? Watch the trailer below - you can also win this book right now from The Bookologist!

More Winners

Again - have had to draw some new winners as there were a few who had already won - So

Ecstasy Unveiled - #41 - Lyoness2009 and #63 - Jasmyn

The Swan Thieves - #57 - Tracey

Corked - #28 - Anonymous/KarenK

New winners from giveaways that ended last night:

Countess of Scandal - #46 - bison61, #42 - Lacey, #52 - Anita Yancey, #15 - Booklover1335, #47 - retsbar2go

I am Ozzy (audio) - #11 - scottsgal, #14 - ossmcalc, #20 - K


I will be sending out emails later tonight! Please get me your information before Monday morning - 7AM - or I will need to draw new winners! Congrats everyone!

Countess of Scandal Blog Tour (Feb 8 - 19)

Countess of Scandal
by Laurel McKee

As children, Eliza Blacknall and William Denton ran wild over the fields of southern Ireland and swore they would be friends forever. Then fate took Will away to England, while Eliza stayed behind to become a proper Irish countess.

Years later, Will finally makes his way home-as an English soldier sent to crush the Irish uprising. When he spies the lovely Eliza, he is captivated by the passionate woman she has become. But Eliza's passions have led her to join the Irish rebel cause, and Will and Eliza now find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous conflict.

When Ireland explodes in bloody rebellion, Will's regiment is ordered to the front lines, and he is forced to choose between his duty to the English king and his love for Eliza and their Irish homeland.







Laurel McKee lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a bossy miniature poodle, and loves dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network-even though she doesn't cook.

Participating Blogs:

http://frugalplus.com/ Review, Giveaway 2/8/2010
http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com Review, Giveaway, Q&A 2/8/2010
justanothernewblog.blogspot.com/ Giveaway 2/8/2010
http://myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com Review, Giveaway, Q&A 2/9/2010
www.booksoulmates.com Review, Giveaway, Q&A 2/10/2010
http://thebooktree.blogspot.com Review, Giveaway 2/11/2010
www.froggaritasbookcase.net Review, Giveaway 2/12/2010
http://mom2mycrazy2.blogspot.com Giveaway 2/13/2010
www.mgpblog.com Review, Giveaway 2/13/2010
http://chaoticbookobbsession.blogspot.com Review, Giveaway, Q&A 2/14/2010
http://www.rundpinne.com Review 2/15/2010
http://booksandmakeup.blogspot.com Review, Giveaway 2/15/2010
http://brokenteepee.blogspot.com Review, Giveaway 2/16/2010
http://bridget3420.blogspot.com Review, Giveaway 2/16/2010
http://martasmeanderings.blogspot.com Review 2/16/2010
www.bookwormygirl.blogspot.com Review, Giveaway 2/17/2010
http://www.renees-reads.blogspot.com/ Review, Giveaway 2/19/2010
www.thebookgirl.net Review, Giveaway 2/19/2010
http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/ Review, Giveaway 2/19/2010
http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/ Review, Giveaway 2/19/2010
http://www.madhattermom.com Review, Giveaway 2/19/2010

The Marriage Project by Kathi Lipp - Blog Tour

The Marriage Project

More love, more laughter -- more lingerie.

Was the last time you flirted with your husband before you had kids?

Do you spend more time on the couch with your wife watching movies or with a bag of chips watching The Game?

Does your idea of a hot date include a drive-thru and springing for the extra-large fries?

What would your marriage look like if for 21 days you put it on project status? Plenty of books describe how to improve a marriage, how to save a marriage, and how to ramp up the intimacy in a marriage. In The Marriage Project, Kathi Lipp shows you how to put the fun back in marriage with 21 simple yet effective projects.

Here are just a few of the results you’ll see when you put The Marriage Project into practice:
- new levels of warmth and tenderness in your relationship
- a deeper sense of security with your spouse
- new ideas to bring fun and flirting back into your marriage

If you haven't given up on the dream of being head-over-heels with your spouse again, The Marriage Project will give you just the boost you need.

Kathi Lipp helps women renovate their life with projects for the soul. She is a national speaker and author who inspires thousands each year to take beneficial action steps in their personal, marital, and spiritual lives. Her wit and wisdom will give you new ways to:

• Avoid settling for less than God’s loving plan for your life.
• Develop new levels of warmth and tenderness with your spouse.
• Return fun and flirting to your marriage.
• Boost your confidence to follow God-given dreams and goals.
• Create an environment of encouragement in your friendships

Kathi is the author of The Marriage Project: 21 Days to Reigniting Your Relationship and The Husband Project: 21 Days to Loving Your Man on Purpose and with a Plan. In addition, her articles have appeared in Today’s Christian Woman, Bay Area Parent, Focus on the Family, Discipleship Journal, and Christian Parenting Today.

Church leaders and women’s ministry directors rely on Kathi to help women move from living out of obligation to enjoying godly passion. She shares her cheerful humor and biblical insights over 45 times a year at conferences and retreats.

Kathi and her husband, Roger, are parents of four young adults and live in San Jose, California. They are members of Church on the Hill where Roger is the programming director of the worship arts ministry.

Renovate your life with a project for your soul!

Purchase Links

Amazon: The Marriage Project: 21 Days to More Love and Laughter
Christian Book: The Marriage Project
Barnes and Noble: The Marriage Project

Reader's Freebies (I loved the 8 Ways to Connect with your Kids!)

Please come back and see my review and Q&A with Kathi on Valentine's Day!

Catch of a Lifetime by Judi Fennell (Book Review)

Title: Catch of a Lifetime
Author: Judi Fennell
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

My synopsis: Logan wanted a normal life. He had been raised in the circus by adoptive parents and ran away at 15. He was a real "self-made man". The normal he is looking for proves to be elusive though.

It starts when Rainbow (an old girlfriend he knew as Christine) drops off a six year old named Michael with a note telling Logan he is Michael's father. Logan is overjoyed to be a father, but does not know how he is going to watch a child and continue his business. As luck would have it, he discovers a young lady sleeping on his boat by the name of Angel. Even though she is naked and her story is weak, with Michael's insistence he lets her stay and buys her some clothes. Well, it turns out that she is a mermaid and Michael had actually rescued her from a shark the day before, so he knows all about her being a mermaid. She seems to be very comfortable and knowledgeable around children though, so Logan asks her to stay and watch Michael indefinitely.

It isn't long before things heat up between Angel and Logan. It starts innocently at Michael's birthday party when Angel sings happy birthday. She forgot that her singing voice can seduce humans - Logan throws himself at her and even though she is enjoying his attentions, she wants to be wanted/loved for her - not because of her siren song. Their attraction does appear to be mutual and they end up spending the night together - Angel has to return to the sea every two days though, or she will lose her tail forever. Logan catches Angel on the beach and discovers that she is a mermaid. You know how well that goes over.

My thoughts: This was a very cute read - I had to get the images of The Little Mermaid out of my head as that is what I kept thinking of though! When I first started reading this, it was hard for me to accept the talking fish, talking birds, a Mer world in the ocean - and I wondered why it is easier for me to accept "vampires, werewolves, fairies" when I am reading about them? So I went back to the book with more of an open mind and enjoyed it immensely. The author has a very creative imagination when it comes to the under-the-sea Mer world and I liked the visuals that I was able to get from her writing. From the sharks and sawfish who were Ceto's guards (Ceto is a sea monster - because there has to be a bad guy!) to the fish who performed for Ceto and lit up her castle.

There are two earlier book in this series - Wild Blue Under about Angel's brother, Rod and In Over Her Head about Angel's brother Reel. You do not need to read it first to enjoy this one - but I bet you will want to go back and read it after because they are such fun!


Catch of a Lifetime
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, Jan 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4022-2428-7
384 pages

Giveaway winners!

I had to redraw some winners from the last set of books as some had already won them and some did not get back to me - so here are the redraws:

Corked - #38 Linda Henderson, #2 Book Dilettante

Seduced by a Rogue - #28 - Busy Bee, #75 - ossmcalc

Sleep No More - #41 Sweet Vernal Zephyr

Cleaving - #6 Wheresmyrain

New Winners:
Ecstasy Unveiled - #27 - Simply Stacie, #47 - Rachie G, #35 - Virginia C., #49 - donnas, #59 - Sue A.

The Crazy School - #22 - Lacey, #14 - LuAnn, #46 - Anonymous/Sheila, #39 - Simply Stacie, #73 - Sandy Jay

Marriage and Other Acts of Charity (audio) - #32 - Lee P, #5 - Lacey, #43 - DCMetroreader

The Confident Woman - #28 - Dawn M., #6 - AmandaSue, #3 - EllyBean, #33 - ossmcalc, #30 - Susan

The Swan Thieves (audio) - #42 - ikkinlala, #1 - Scottsgal, #43 - Lacey

I will be emailing all the winners shortly so check your mail - they will have until Saturday morning to get back to me or I will be drawing new winners.

Thank you everyone who follows and answers all my silly questions to get into the drawings - I have really enjoyed reading some of the stories and tidbits - and getting all the great book recommendations!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 2-8-2010

What are you reading on Mondays is now being hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey - be sure to stop by her blog and congratulate her on being bequethed this great meme! You can hook up with the Mr. Linky there with your own post - but be sure and let me know what you are reading too!

Waiting for Reviews:
1. Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients by Dr. Jeff Hertzberg
2. What Your Mother Never Told You: A Teenage Girls Survival Guide by Richard Dudum
3. 101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle: A Cheeky Book with Tidbits of Advice for a Glamorous Lifestyle by Dawn Del Russo
4. Catch of a Lifetime by Judi Fennel
5. The Marriage Project: 21 Days to More Love and Laughter by Kathi Lipp


Children's Books Waiting for Reviews:
1. Building a Bridge (Pebble Plus)by JoAnn Early Macken
2. Demolition (Pebble Plus)by JoAnn Early Macken
3. Dump Truck Day (My First Graphic Novel)by Cari Meister


Current Audio:
1. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks - My daughter and I have put off going to this movie so that we can finish this audio book. We have 2 CD's left! It is SOOO good!

Read and Reviewed:
1. Hero's Tribute by Graham Garrison - Highly Recommend!
2. Searching for Tina Turner by Jacqueline E. Luckett - Elicited Strong Feelings
3. Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione - Hot Demon + Hot Angel = Hot Hot Hot!

Children's Books Reviewed:
1. Tornadoes by Mari Schuh

Still Reading:
1. Samson's Walls by Jud Niremberg-
2. A Hope and a Future: Overcoming Discouragement by Don Wilton
3. The Swan Thieves: A Novel by Elizabeth Kostova - I think that I might switch to the audio version of this one.
4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
5. Legend of the White Wolf by Terry Spear


New this week:
1. Anything but Normal: A Novelby Melody Carlson
2. Countess of Scandal (The Daughters of Erin)by Laurel McKee
3. Disrupting Grace: A Story of Relinquishment and Healingby Kristin Richburg
4. Forest Gate: A Novelby Peter Akinti
5. The Naughty Listby Suzanne Young


Someday Soon:
1. The Sacred Cipher: A Novel by Terry Brennan
2. The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Yxta Maya Murray
3. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
4. All About Us #6: The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth: An All About Us Novel by Shelly Adina

Ready - Set - Read!

Anything but Normal Blog Tour (Feb 7 - 13)

A Gripping Novel That Showcases the Other Side of Teen Pregnancy:
She was smart, well-liked and about to start her senior year. But now she has a secret to keep hidden and a broken heart in need of healing.

Melody Carlson is able to write to teenaged girls in ways that tap into their greatest hopes, fears and struggles and, through the tales of her beloved characters that quickly become like BFFs, help readers make sense of the confusing and complicated world around them.

This is no less true than with Carlson’s latest release, Anything But Normal:

Sophie is your normal, average high-school girl who attends church and gets good grades. The summer is wrapping up and while she should be counting down the days to the start of her senior year, she’s anything but excited. What Sophie’s in need of right now is a fresh start.

While her best friends are worried about what to wear and the cutest guy in school, Sophie’s got bigger concerns—like the secret she’s keeping about what happened this summer. She’s about to find out that she won't be able to keep things under wraps much longer.

In this page-turning novel, Carlson offers readers a realistic and heartwrenching vantage point into the messy and emotional world of teen pregnancy. Readers can relate with Sophie who just wants to be normal and loved, but now must figure out how to deal with the consequences of what has happened.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Watch for my review coming this week!

Jordan - Book 3 of The Pendragon Legacy - Win it Here!

Jordan
by Susan Kearney

1600 years ago, Jordan was the sole survivor of a ruthless Tribe attack which annihilated his world. To stop the Tribes deadly galactic conquest from continuing, he followed the Tribes to Earth, assumed the name Merlin and assisted King Arthur and his Knights to save Earth. When Arthur died, Camelot fell and Jordan lost his Ancient Staff. Now, over 1000 years later, the Tribes are back and so is Jordan. He’s recovered his Ancient Staff and is again on the trail of the Holy Grail to save Earth and protect the galaxy.

Vivianne Blackstone is a lady with her own agenda. An American businesswoman, self-made billionaire and a fighter from the get-go, she’s confident, capable and a definite type A personality. One of Earth’s brightest and most loyal citizens, she vows to do her part to save the planet when she learns the Tribes are on the move again.

Jordan and Vivianne team up to save Earth and along the way they fall in love. But according to galactic legend, there’s only 1 way to defeat the Tribes: Uniting the Ancient Staff with the Holy Grail. There’s only one catch, Jordan cannot live without the Ancient Staff. To defeat the Tribes and save Earth, he must perish. (author's website)

Giveaway

I have five copies of this book to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books. For your first entry (MUST DO THIS ONE FOR ANY OTHER ENTRIES TO COUNT) do you have a favorite paranormal series to recommend? Oh - and leave your email address.

For additional entries you can sign up to follow (old followers let me know), Twitter or post it on your blog. Each entry must have it's own comment. (Four entries total.)

This giveaway if for U.S./Canada only - no PO boxes and will end Mar 1! Good luck!

Soapbox Sunday

Ok, I know that I can't be the only soap opera watcher out there. To be honest, they are on again, off again for me - but right now the three that I have tuned into over the years all seem to have at least one interesting story line going on - So I am going to throw some questions out there from Friday's cliffhangers.



For those All My Children lovers - When Erica answered the door at the end - who do you think was standing there?



For the One Life to Live lovers - Do you think that Jessica is faking being hypnotized by her "father"?



For General Hospital lovers - What kind of relationship do you think Dante and Sonny will have now that they have found out they are father and son? And who do you think Elizabeth should be with - Lucky, Nikolas (or even Jason)?