Spring's Serentity Starting Line and First Mini Challenge

Well - seeing as it is after 10pm and I am just now getting to the starting post for the readathon this week, I am off to a slow start!  I am already a book behind as I wanted to try to read one book a day!  Oh well, maybe tomorrow will be better. . .

As to what I am going to try to read this week - these are on the list, but they are in no particular order.  It is going to depend on how the mood strikes me.

1. Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend by Linda Wisdom
2. The Silenced: A Novel by Brett Battles
3. Cold Wind (A Joe Pickett Novel) by C.J. Box
4. Reading Lips: A Memoir of Kisses by Claudia Sternback
5. Alice in Zombieland by Lewis Carroll and Nickolas Cook
6. The Baby Planner by Josie Brown
7. Mothers and Daughters: A Novel by Rae Meadows

I also have some books on my Nook that I am hoping to get to read at least one of:

1. Katrina, The Beginning (Royal Blood Chronicles) by Elizabeth Loraine (This is the first in a series of 4 - so depending on how it grabs me I might continue on in the series.)
2. Sudden Moves: A Young Adult Mystery by Kelli Sue Landon


For the mini challenge we are to take at least 3 of the books on our list and combine the first sentence of each into a paragraph, so I am going to go hunt down my books and pull the first 4 that I find.   Ok, I'm back - here goes -

It's the middle of the night.   Petra glanced at her watch. "Oh yeah, just another Saturday night hitting the clubs, watching the dancers, feeling blood stream out of my ears." He set out breakfast on what would be his last day on earth.


Well - that was kind of interesting.  Here are where the sentences are from:

It's the middle of the night.  (Reading Lips)
Petra glanced at her watch. (The Silenced)
"Oh yeah, just another Saturday night hitting the clubs, watching the dancers, feeling blood stream out of my ears." (Demon's are a Girl's Best Friend)
He set out breakfast on what would be his last day on earth. (Cold Wind)

A Thread of Sky Book Party!

RSVP to deannafei@booktrib.com to register and then join them Tuesday, April 26 at 3pm E.T. at BookTrib. You could win one of 10 exclusive BookTrib gift bags filled with goodies including a handmade passport holder from Dollbirdies, a handmade wallet from Dumb Kid Designs and a notebook to record your travels made from recycled materials from Jenni Bick.

It's Monday! What are you reading? (April 25, 2011)

What are you reading on Mondays is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey - 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! 


Currently Reading:  
Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend by Linda Wisdom


Next Up:
The Silenced: A Novel by Brett Battles
Reading Lips: A Memoir of Kisses by Claudia Sternback


E-Book:
Sudden Moves: A Young Adult Mystery by Kelli Sue Landon
Katrina, The Beginning (Royal Blood Chronicles) by Elizabeth Loraine

Next E-Books up:
The Witches Lottery (Enchanted Island Series) by Krystal McLaughlin
Life From Scratch by Melissa Ford
Deadly Errors by Allen Wyler


Bathroom Book:
Surrender the Dark by L.A. Banks


Audio Book
One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, No. 1) by Janet Evanovich

Reviewed Last Week:
Home-Ec 101 by Heather Solos

Children's Books Reviewed Last Week:
That's When I Talk to God by Dan and Ali Morrow


Waiting for Reviews:
Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy)by Lauren DeStefano
Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey

Children's Books waiting for Review:
Little Star by Anthony DeStefano
Pearl's Wisdom by Auntie LuLu
Bug Meets His Friend (Bug's Adventure Series) by K.M. Groshek
Good Night, Little Sea Otter by Janet Halfmann

GIVEAWAYS:
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer - ends May 7
Texas Blue by Jodi Thomas - ends May 7
In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard - ends April 28
Song of the Silk Road by Mingmei Yip - ends April 27

Upcoming giveaways:
Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman
Redeemer by Jeffrey S. Williams
Daddy's Little Squirrel by Kayla Shurley Davidson

READY - SET - READ!

Mailbox Monday (April 25, 2011)

 Mailbox Monday's host for April is Amy at Passages to the Past. In My Mailbox is hosted Sundays at The Story Siren. Please visit these posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week! 

Darkness Follows
by Mike Dellosso


Sam Travis is a man on the brink of despair.

Out of a job and feeling worthless, Sam Travis is awakened one night to the sounds of a Civil War battle raging outside his Gettysburg home.  But it's the middle of the night, and the summer's reenactments are long over.  A search for the source brings him to an old journal by a Union soldier. . . written in his own handwriting.

When more of the mysterious writings appear and begin to mimic Sam's own life, his search for the truth puts him on a downward spiral that eventually drives him from his wife, his daughter, and his home -- and into an evil plot that could cost many lives, including his own.

The Final Note
by Kevin Alan Milne


Ethan met and fell in love with Anna during a two-year graduate music program in Vienna, Austria.  On their wedding day, along with "love, honor, and cherish," he  promised to write a song especially for her.

Neither of them are quite prepared for the music to cease and the nails on the chalkboard to begin when life suddenly intrudes on their idyllic world.  As heartache, tragedy, and increased pressure at work begin to erode the feelings that used to come so easily, Ethan questions everything that once seemed unshakable -- his faith, his priorities, and his marriage.

Then, without warning, an accident lands him at Anna's hospital bedside, where he is forced to wait helplessly, with memories and regrets for company.  Is it too late to finish the love song he began for Anna on their wedding day?  In this tale of loss and heartbreak, love and forgiveness, Ethan is about to discover that the final notes have yet to be written.

The Butterfly's Daughter
by Mary Alice Monroe


"Life is more about the journey than the destination."

With a touch as gentle and as beautiful as the butterlies she celebrates, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe delivers a new powerful and compelling novel of self-discovery that mirrors an awe-inspiring event in nature, as four very different women embark on a transformational journey across the United States to Mexico.

The legend of las mariposas -- the beautiful monarch butterflies that every year fly more than two thousand miles on fragile wings to return to their winter home in Mexico -- is Luz Avila's birthright.  She learned of their ways and their mystical powers from the grandmother who was the only family she ever knew.  Now it is her turn, like the butterflies, to make that long, perilous journey.  In order to honor a promise to her beloved abuela, Luz must return her grandmother's ashes to her ancestral village in the mountains of Mexico.  But while this ofrenda, a tradition so old its origins are lost in the mists of time, will mean leaving behind a man who loves Luz deeply, the journey promises to bring deep spiritual meaning to the life of a woman who cannot find her way into the future until she comes to terms with the past.

As Luz slowly makes her way south from blustery Milwaukee in a VW Bug so ancient it has no business on the highway, a series of seemingly random encounters touches her life:  a desperate mother-to-be, even younger than her, fleeing an abusive lover.  An anywhere-the-wind-blows free spirit.  A lonely career woman who is determined to live, really live, for the first time.  It is in San Antonio, however, that a truly startling revelation awaits Luz:  a reunion with a shadowy figure from her childhood.

Together, they cross the border into Mexico, but they also must somehow cross the border that separates past from present, bitterness from love, and truth from lies.  They will honor the memory of another beloved woman by standing in the Sacred Circle to witness the spectacular, glittering river of orange monarchs descend from the sky to return home.  If they can share in this age-old ritual, perhaps they will be able to find their way back to love, and take their place in the enduring cycle of life.

When the Brook Dries Up
by Blondina Howes Jeffrey


Is your relationship with God enough to sustain you when. . .
you lose your job,
your health fails,
a meaningful relationship ends,
or when everything you have worked so hard for slips from your grasp?

When the doors close, prayers seem unanswered, and you are holding on to broken dreams, one has to wonder. . . Does God give His children more than they can bear?  When the Brook Dries Up examines the very foundation of your faith, trust and confidence in God.  In it you will explore the secret to experiencing God at work in your life at all times, and in all circumstances, even when he does not appear to be.

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
by Lola Shoneyin


When Baba Segi awoke with a bellyache for the sixth day in a row, he knew it was time to do something drastic about his fourth wife's childlessness.

Meet Baba Segi. . .

A plump, vain, and prosperous middle-aged man of robust appetites, Baba Segi is the patriarch of a large household that includes a quartet of wives and seven children.  But his desire to possess more just might be his undoing.

And his wives. . .

Iya Segi - the bride of Baba Segi's youth, a powerful, vindictive woman who will stop at nothing to protect her favored position as ruler of her husband's home.

Iya Tope - Baba Segi's second wife, a shy, timid woman whose decency and lust for life are overshadowed by fear.

Iya Femi - the third wife, a scheming woman with crimson lips and expensive tastes who is determined to attain all that she desires, no matter what the cost.

Bolanle - Baba Segi's fourth and youngest wife, an educated woman wise to life's misfortunes who inspires jealousy in her fellow wives. . . and who harbors a secret that will expose shocking truths about them all.

40
by Travis Thrasher


Nine months shy of his fortieth birthday, music producer Tyler has started to experience horrific hallucinations.  At first, he thinks it's the stress of his job, but the hallucinations continue until they culminate at a concert in Chicago.  There he is approached by an older man who tells him he's going to die on his fortieth birthday.

The man claims to be an angel named Matthew, and he gives Tyler enough evidence to convince him he's telling the truth.  The problem is that Tyler doesn't know what to do with the information.

Tyler's doubt and confusion about Matthew's prediction turn to anger, both at God and those around him.  As he begins to exhibit destructive behavior patterns, he befriends Ellis, an internationally known DJ.  Tyler is scared that he really is about to die.  He's scared for his sanity.  He's scared that if he does die, he's not going to Heaven.  He also soon becomes scared of Ellis, who is wild and opens up a door of temptation to Tyler.

As Tyler begins falling into a downward spiral of fear and confusion, he reaches out to a pastor named Will, and tries to right his wrongs with some of the important people in his life in a desperate attempt to find peace before his fortieth birthday.

America Pacifica
by Anna North


In the not too distant future, eighteen-year-old Darcy lives on the island of America Pacifica -- one of the last places on earth that is still habitable after North America has succumbed to a second ice age.  Education, food, and basic means of survival are the province of a chosen few, while the majority of the island's residents struggle under the thumb of a mysterious dictator whose regime is plagued by charges of corruption and conspiracy.

To Darcy, America Pacifica is simply home -- the only one she's ever known, made bearable by her loving though enigmatic mother.  But when her mother doesn't come home one night, Darcy is forced to go on a quest through the dark underbelly of the island to find her, learning along the way the disturbing truth of her mother's role in Pacifica's early history, the far-reaching influence of its egomaniacal leader, and the possible plot to murder some of the island's first inhabitants -- including her mother.

White Sleeper
by David R. Fett and Stephen Langford


When Arkansas experiences a wave of rare fatal diseases, the CDC sends disgraced doctor Dave Richards to investigate, and he knows this is the case that could save his career.  When he teams up with FBI agent Paula Mushari, Richards thinks he may have found the person who can help him find the answers.  But as they dig deeper, they begin to get a sinister glimpse into what they are dealing with -- a vengeful sect, led by the son of a late white supremacist, intent on  destroying a nation.  As Richards fights to save his job, he and Mushari must race against the clock to prevent a plague of catastrophic proportions.

The Hidden Gifts of Helping
by Stephen G. Post


"Everyone stumbles on hard times.  After all, no one gets out of life alive.  Today, even those who had considered themselves protected from hardship are being touched and their lives changed by volatile economic markets, job uncertainty, and the increasing isolation and loneliness of modern life." --From the introduction

Research has revealed that when we show concern for others -- empathizing with a friend who has lost a loved one, mowing the lawn for an elderly neighbor, or volunteering to mentor a school-aged child -- we improve our own health and well-being and embrace and give voice to our deeper identity and dignity as human beings.

In this moving book, Stephen G. Post helps us discover how we can make "helping" a lifetime activity.  The Hidden Gifts of Helping explores the very personal story of Post and his family's difficult move and their experience with the healing power of helping others, as well as his passion about how this simple activity -- expressed in an infinite number of small or large ways -- can help you survive and thrive despite the expected and unexpected challenges life presents.

Post's story is intertwined with supporting scientific research and spiritual understanding.  This book can become your companion and guide to the power of giving, forgiving, and compassion in hard times.

The Hidden Gifts of Helping will leave you with the unshakable feeling that the world can be a good place, if we act to make it so.

In the Heat of the Bite
by Lydia Dare

Chivalry is far from undead. . .

Matthew Halkett, Earl of Blodswell, is one of the few men in the ton who can claim to be a knight in shining armor -- because that's precisely what he was before being turned into a vampyre.  When he spies a damsel in distress in the midst of a storm in Hyde Park, his natural instinct is to rush to her aid. . .

But not every woman needs to be rescued. . .

Weather-controlling witch Rhiannon Sinclair isn't caught in a storm -- she's the cause of it.  She's mortified to have been caught making trouble by the imposing earl, but she doesn't need any man -- never has, and is sure she never will. . .

But when Rhiannon encounters Matthew again, her powers go awry and his supernatural abilities run amok.  Between the two of them, the ton is thrown into an uproar.  There's never been a more tempestuous scandal. . .

Going Cowboy Crazy
by Katie Lane

Faith Aldridge wants answers.  Bramble, Texas, is the only place she can find them. . . as well as Hope, the identical twin sister she never knew she had.  But the townsfolk reckon that shy city-girl Faith is really her long-lost sister Hope, back in Bramble at last.  And they're fixin' to do whatever it takes to heat things up between her and Hope's long-time flame, Slate Calhoun.

But Slate's no fool.  The woman in his truck may look like Hope, yet the way she feels in his arms is altogether new.  He's determined to keep this twin in his bed -- and out of his heart.  Trouble is, the real Hope is headed home, and she's got her own designs on Slate.  If Faith wants to avoid heartbreak, she'll have to show a certain ruggedly handsome cowboy that this crazy-impossible love is worth fighting for.

Ripe for Pleasure
by Isobel Carr


The League of Second Sons

A secret society of younger sons, sworn to aid and abet each other, no matter the scandal or cost. . . Their fathers and brothers may rule the world, but they run it, and when it comes to passion they refuse to accept second best.

London's most sensual former courtesan, Viola Whedon, is incapable of being seduced -- she does the seducing.  Until she meets Leonidas Vaughn.  Her salacious memoirs have made her the target of half the lords in England, and Vaughn is the only man she can turn to.  When he promises to protect her -- and to make her beg for his touch -- the alluring beauty finds both offers impossible to refuse.

Leonidas Vaughn secretly believes Viola possesses a fortune given to his family by the King of France.  So the strong and sexy Vaughn charms his way into Viola's life. . . and her bed.  But when their arrangement is consummated, he'll experience pleasure far beyond his wildest fantasies -- and realize his heart may need the most protection of all.

The Guardian
by Margaret Mallory


The Return of the Highlanders:  Book 1

Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies.  But all their trials on the battlefield can't prepare them for the greatest challenge yet:  winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

Passion Ignited

After years of fighting abroad, Ian MacDonald comes home to find his clan in peril.  To save his kin, he must right the wrongs from his past. . . and claim the bride he's long resisted.

As a young lass, Sileas depended on Ian to play her knight in shining armor.  But when his rescue attempt compromised her virtue, Ian was forced to marry against his wishes.  Five years later, Sileas has grown from an awkward girl into an independent beauty who knows she deserves better than the reluctant husband who preferred war to his wife.  Now this devilishly handsome Highlander is finally falling in love.  He wants a second chance with Sileas -- and he won't take no for an answer.

Face of Danger

by Roxanne St. Claire

She's a risk taker playing a deadly role. . .

He's a rule-follower fighting to keep her safe. . .

Together they're facing a killer who could be anyone, anywhere, anytime. . .

Private investigator Vivi Angelino loves living life on the edge.  But stepping into the shoes of a movie starlet to bait a serial killer isn't just a thrill, it's a ticket to the big time for her fledgling security firm.  As long as a certain risk-averse FBI agent stays out of her way -- and out of her fantasies.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colton Lang isn't above using his well-worn rulebook to stop Vivi's latest walk on the wild side.  Yet when they learn her client is involved in something far more insidious than bad acting, Vivi and Colt must work together despite the electrifying attraction arcing between them.  For each new clue is bringing them closer to a high-profile crime with a dark and deadly truth at its core. . . and a cold calculating murderer with nothing left to lose.

What books came home to you last week?

Spring's Serenity Read-a-thon (April 25 - May 1)

I decided to sign up for this week long read-a-thon since I will be reading anyway. Hoping this will encourage me to maybe read a little more than usual - Or, if I have to choose between Spring Cleaning and Spring Reading, it will let me choose Spring Reading without too much guilt. 

The Spring's Serenity Read-a-thon is being hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict. It is going to run from 12:00am Monday, April 25 through 11:59pm Sunday, May 1. There is going to be a few prizes and a couple of mini-challenges throughout the week.  So, since you are all going to be reading anyway - come out and join the week long read-a-thon!  My challenge to myself is to read a book a day next week.  Visit the sign-up post at The True Book Addict for more details.

The Friday 56 (April 22, 2011)

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join in the fun go to The Friday 56.

 Rules:

• Grab a book, any book.
• Turn to page 56.
• Find any sentence that grabs you.
• Post it.
• Link it here.

 "You will trip over in your haste if you are not careful, woman.  Your mouth discharges words like diarrhea." (The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, p56)

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: A Novel
Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow, June 29, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-06-194637-0
280 pages

Home-Ec 101 by Heather Solos (Book Review)

Title: Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living
Author: Heather Solos
Publisher: Betterway Home

Home-Ec 101 by author and One2One Network Member Heather Solos shares tips and tricks for tackling the everyday challenges we find in the home.



Heather's advice is easy to apply and is written with the same witty style and attitude readers love on her blog, Home-Ec101.com. Charts, tips, sidebars and "Dear Home Ec 101" letters cover offer the tools you need to keep your home clean and in good repair.

The perfect manual for college grads to the more seasoned homemakers, this book has something to offer everyone. From the simplest how to's (ever meet a 20 year old who can't pre-heat an oven?) to how to be a fabulous host at your housewarming party, Heather's advice is relevant for homeowners and apartment dwellers of any age.


My thoughts: Let's start with the cover - who doesn't like this cover. Even though I wasn't alive in the 50's, it makes me think of an easier time, when family and home were really the center of life.  But past that, this book really would be a wonderful gift for anyone.  From the new high school or college grad getting ready to move out of the house, to the newlywed who has to start living with a spouse, or to the new parents who have the added responsibility of a baby. 

I don't fall into any of these categories and still found much in this book that I could use.  Growing up, I had 2 older sisters who did much of the cooking and cleaning.  By the time I was a teenager it was just my parents and myself and before I graduated high school my father had passed away so it was just me and my mom.  There isn't a lot of cooking and cleaning needed with just two people.  Many of the skills that I needed to run a home I had to learn after I moved out on my own.  They were learned because of necessity. 

I knew that I was going to like this book when she started out in the introduction stating "Going out is fine when it's a choice rather than an avoidance factor."  This cracked me up as I sat looking at the toys strewn so densely on the living room floor that you have to tiptoe to get through it!  She also clarifies the differences between cleaning, organizing and sanitizing.  My daughters have a hard time understanding that organizing is not cleaning!  (Yes - they are getting a copy of this book!)

As far as the cleaning goes, it is the largest section in the book.  It starts with the basics as to what the differences in cleaning supplies are to actually breaking down the chores by day, month, season - always with a sense of humor and without making you feel like a "dummy."  From there, laundry is tackled with a nice section on what to use to treat common stains.  It also gives you some quick fixes to minor garmet repairs.  And I would be remiss if I didn't add that the letters she includes from readers of her blog are hilarious! 

The last two sections cover minor home repair and cooking.  I generally leave the home repair to my spouse, but am going to keep this section handy so if (when) he gives up on something, I can come in an amaze him with my knowledge .  The cooking section I truly love.  Even after being away from my mom's house for 25 years, I still feel like a novice in the kitchen.  Now that my kids are of an age that they need to start learning, there are times I feel like I am learning right along with them.  She approaches the cooking like she has the other sections.  She breaks it down to the basics, talking about different basic things everyone should have in the kitchen, to explaining the difference between slicing and dicing and common cooking terms.   She even tells you what you should always have on hand in your pantry, and I can say mine looked pretty good!  By the way, did you know that you can tell whether your baking powder is still good by adding 1 t. to 1/2 C. of water?  If it is still active, it will bubble - otherwise, it is time to replace it.  This is the kind of neat tips that you get from Home-Ec 101. 

If you can't tell by my raving above, I really enjoyed reading this book and am going to enjoy sharing it with my daughters and their friends!

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from One 2 One Network in exchange for my review.~

Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living - Cook it, Clean it, Fix it, Wash it
Publisher/Publication Date: Betterway Home, Apr 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1440308536

240 pages