Thursday, June 30, 2011

FF and Book Blogger Hop



Question:

ACK! Your favorite book/movie character just walked into the room! Who is it and what would be your first reaction? You get extra points if you provide visual stimulation.

Answer:

Oh it would be Evanna Lynch playing Luna Lovegood... I love her so much! She has been my favorite HP character since I read book 5, and I love her just as much in the movies. How could you not??


Book Blogger Hop

Question:

What keeps you reading beyond the first few pages of a book, and what makes you want to stop reading a book and put it back on the shelf?

Answer:

I always give a book 100 pages to keep my interest before I set it down and mark it as a DNF. At that point if the main character(s) aren't doing anything to intrigue me, I'm done.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Review - Spring for Susannah


This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Hundreds of miles from home, Susannah faces an uncertain future as a mail-order bride on the untamed Dakota prairie.
When her parents die suddenly, and no suitors call, Susannah resigns herself to the only option available: becoming a mail-order bride. Agreeing to marry her pastor's brother, Jesse, Susannah leaves the only home she's ever known for the untamed frontier of the Dakota Territory.
Her new husband is more loving and patient with her than she believes she deserves. Still, there is also a wildness to him that mirrors the wilderness surrounding them. And Susannah finds herself constantly on edge. But Jesse's confidence in her-and his faith in God's perfect plan-slowly begin to chip away at the wall she hides behind.
When she miscarries in the brutal Dakota winter, Susannah's fledgling faith in herself and in God begins to crumble. Still, Jesse's love is unwavering. Just when it seems like winter will never end, Susannah finally sees the first tentative evidence of spring. And with it, the realization that more than the landscape has changed.
She looks to the future with a renewed heart. Yet in her wildest dreams, she couldn't predict all that awaits her.

My review: 4 stars

Plot: This book started a little slow but picked up quickly. The ending slowed again, dropping off to and abrupt ending that could have been tied up a little better. But all in all, a good plot that kept me interested.

Characters: I could totally feel for Susannah! Here she is married to a complete stranger, not feeling worthy of any live, but receiving more than she wants of it. It took her a lot to open up but when she did the book became so much better!

Setting: I liked how all of the little towns they journeyed to were well described so the readers can picture exactly where the characters are.

Overall: Definitely a sweet Christian romance! It wasn't quite as solid of an ending as I would have liked, but it was still satisfying and one that is worth a try.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

IMM: June 26

Mentioned:

Review - Sleight of Hand


This is the synopsis from Smashwords:


Is it possible to con your way out of hell? Fifty-two year old Daniel Cabrero thinks so and why wouldn’t he? That’s how he spent his entire life. But Jonah his spirit guide has reasons of his own for making sure Daniel pays for all the suffering and misery he’s caused others. Still sometimes people can change, and maybe Daniel can keep his son from following in the same path.


My review: 5 stars

Plot: For a fictional novel, this book impacted me very much. I loved the entire story, from the Daniel's sudden death in the beginning to the emotional ending.

Characters: As much as Daniel was a selfish man, I felt sorry for him from the beginning. I understood him and knew why he felt the way he did. He was a character that was easy to connect with. Jonah, his spirit guide, was also an interesting character that I'm glad we got to know in-depth.

Setting: I liked that the people in the afterlife have the ability to change scenery at will, which made for an interesting span of settings. All of them fit well with the story without confusing the reader.

Overall: I never imagined a fiction book would make me rethink my life and how I live it. This book is so heart-felt and has a message that everyone should read.


I received a copy of this book for free through a blog tour. Because of this, my readers get a special discount to buy your own copy! From now until August 31, you can use the code MX73D to purchase it from only $1.99 on Smashwords! It's a great book, so I highly recommend you take advantage of the offer!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Spring for Susannah blog tour

About this book:

Hundreds of miles from home, Susannah faces an uncertain future as a mail-order bride on the untamed Dakota prairie.
When her parents die suddenly, and no suitors call, Susannah resigns herself to the only option available: becoming a mail-order bride. Agreeing to marry her pastor's brother, Jesse, Susannah leaves the only home she's ever known for the untamed frontier of the Dakota Territory.
Her new husband is more loving and patient with her than she believes she deserves. Still, there is also a wildness to him that mirrors the wilderness surrounding them. And Susannah finds herself constantly on edge. But Jesse's confidence in her-and his faith in God's perfect plan-slowly begin to chip away at the wall she hides behind.
When she miscarries in the brutal Dakota winter, Susannah's fledgling faith in herself and in God begins to crumble. Still, Jesse's love is unwavering. Just when it seems like winter will never end, Susannah finally sees the first tentative evidence of spring. And with it, the realization that more than the landscape has changed.
She looks to the future with a renewed heart. Yet in her wildest dreams, she couldn't predict all that awaits her.


Mini review:
This book was a sweet Christian romance. I loved how Susannah gradually grew to love Jesse despite their differences. I found it painful to read about her troubles with having children, since I would not want that to happen to me once I am married. All in all, this book is a good read for those who enjoy reading about true love blossoming.

To celebrate her debut novel, Catherine and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have teamed up to give away a Spring For Susannah Prize Package worth over $150!


One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new Latest Generation KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Screen

* Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond (for KINDLE)

To enter just click one of the icons below and then tell your friends! But hurry, giveaway ends on June 27th. Winner will be announced on Tuesday, June 28th at 5 PM (6PM MST, 7PM CST, & 8PM EST) during Catherine's Spring for Susannah Book Club Party on Facebook! Catherine is rustling up some fun for the party - she'll be chatting about the story behind her novel, hosting a book club chat, testing your mail-order bride trivia skills, and giving away some GREAT prizes! Don't miss the fun and tell your friends!

Enter via E-mail Enter via FacebookEnter via Twitter

Monday, June 20, 2011

Review - All the Things You Are


This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Carly Wheeler lives a charmed life. Her motheris a stylist for the soap opera Lovelock Falls, she lives in a nice house, and goes to an excellent private school. But when her mom is arrested and charged with embezzlement, everything starts to unravel. There are shocking stories about her mother's crimes in the local newspaper. Carly's friends start avoiding her. And her stepfather starts worrying about money. How can Carly put her life back together when it feels like she's missing all the pieces?

My review: 4 stars

Plot: I had a hard time getting into this book at first. It started slow and wasn't very interesting, but luckily it picks up soon after and ends well.

Characters: I was really annoyed with Carly's best friend Annie. She was selfish and a miserable person, and I didn't think Carly deserved her as a friend. I did appreciate how their friendship ended up, however.

Setting: I liked that part of the book was both on the set of the show, and in the court room. It helps the reader visualize where the characters are at.

Overall: I liked this book once it caught my attention. It had a good moral to it and an ending that wasn't bad. I do feel however that the ending was cut a tad short.

Friday, June 17, 2011

FF and Book Blogger Hop



Question:

Genre Wars! What's your favorite genre and which book in that genre made it your favorite?

Answer:

I'm starting to lean towards contemporary. I can't pinpoint one book, but I did enjoy All The Things You Are (review coming Monday!) quite a bit.

Book Blogger Hop

Question:

How many books are currently in your To-Be-Read (TBR) pile?

Answer:

Oh goodness gracious. I have no idea. I have over 100 books, which compared to a lot of bloggers is small. In my room however, it's too many! I have multiple stacks: my stack of books to read next, my big box of books to replace with the books I read in my read next stack, and three or four stacks of books in my closet of the remaining ones. It's crazy!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Review - The Mountains Bow Down


This is the synopsis from Amazon:


Everything's going to work out. Time away always makes things better . . .
That's what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, the Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who's hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance.
But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh's vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship's security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh's forensics background points to a much darker conclusion: Somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free.
Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis-handsome Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack-who might not be as arrogant as she originally thought.
And that's only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family.
Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a mystery so daunting that even the mountains might bow down before it.


My review: 4 stars

Plot: I liked the twists and turns of this story. The changes kept you on your toes expecting one thing, then getting another. However, I felt the ending was cut off and didn't resolve any of the problems between Raleigh and other people.

Characters: I really liked Jack! He was constantly cracking jokes and keeping Raleigh at ease. However, I didn't like DeMott in this one. He was rude and a little arrogant to me.

Setting: I appreciated the fact that Giorello tied in the Alaskan scenery with the case, and used to to develop the story.

Overall: I loved this new novel, but I felt the ending was lacking. I'm hoping the next one will solve those loose endings. Still, an excellent book worth taking the time to read.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

IMM: June 12


EDIT:

I realized I TOTALLY forgot to mention my RAK book I received! I got Darke by Angie Sage from Booklady's Booknotes. Sorry!!!

Mentioned links:

Thursday, June 9, 2011

FF and Book Blogger Hop

As an update: I will only be posting reviews Monday and Wednesday now, as I will be posting this post every Thursday night/Friday.








Question:

The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with?

Answer:

I would have to choose Poison, from the book Poison by Chris Wooding. I want to understand her struggle and why she choose her life in the end the way she did!

Book Blogger Hop

Question:

Who is the one author that you are dying to meet?

Answer:

I have to pick one??? Dang. Well I really do love Chris Wooding. But I also love Paul Stewart. So it's a tie.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Review - Between Here and Forever

This is the synopsis from Amazon:

Abby accepted that she can't measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby's life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she'd never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

My review: 4 stars

Plot: This book was all over the place. It started out okay, although I wish Abby would have realized sooner the complications of having Eli help her. There were a lot of shockers towards the end that I felt were only added to increase the drama, so those could easily have been left out.

Characters: I was kind of annoyed with Abby towards the end. She wanted so hard to help Tess, but it was for the selfish reason that she didn't want to step up and become better than before the accident. She began to be more and more whiny to me, and I didn't particularly like her.

Setting: I liked how well the various places were described, from the minor ferry to the major hospital.

Overall: While I didn't dislike this book, I felt the ending was hurried, and stuff was thrown in just for drama, as I mentioned above. Still, a good choice for contemporary lovers!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

IMM: June 5 (two weeks worth)


Mentioned ebooks:


Images go to the Amazon pages.

Thanks for watching! :)

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop!


This week's question:

“Share your favorite post from the last month and tell us why it’s close to your heart!”

My favorite post would definitely be my IMM post. It was my first vlog, and I feel like it went really well considering I felt horrible :)



This week's question:

What are you doing to prepare for an upcoming zombie apocalypse and/or the return of Mel Gibson to the silver screen? (Both of which could be terrifying.)


There's a zombie apocalypse? Dang, where have I been?? I think I'll just stock up on supplies and hang out in my room reading. As for Mel Gibson, I've never been a fan. Sorry dude :/

Join up, and if you're visiting leave a comment so I can follow back! :)

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

May RAK Wrap-up and June wishlist!


Book Soulmates

RULES:
Rules:

• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.

• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)
• Create a wishlist and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wishlist and contact that blogger for their address.
• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!
{Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!
Lets's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!
Thank you Uniflame for pointing that out!! :P

For May I received one book:


From Liz @ The Tealeaf Review

THANK YOU LIZ!!!

I sent out one book:


To Michelle @ Michelle's Book Blog

I would post my entire wishlist here, but it's kind of long, so here's the Amazon link :)

Head on over to sign up!!!

Review - Branded


This is the synopsis from Amazon:

The church spends $1.5 million for every one new follower of Jesus. Apple sells 26 iPads every minute. What is it that makes Apple so exciting and Jesus so boring? What is it that compels someone to bring their iPod everywhere and their Bible nowhere? In a word: marketing. Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy salespeople-people who are intimidated and embarrassed by the word "evangelism" and who show more enthusiasm for their gadgets than their God. What would life look like if we could market our faith like Nike and Apple market their products--sharing relationally, from person to person? Using examples from these and other successful companies, author Tim Sinclair challenges Christians to throw out their casual attitudes toward faith and sign on for a marketing campaign for the Savior. Written with the wit and wisdom of an experienced marketer, Branded peels away the feelings of fear and shows readers how to share their faith in ways that are honest, authentic, and, most importantly, effective.

My review: 4 stars

This is the first non-fiction book I have read in awhile, and I was afraid it would be too dry or boring to finish. I was pleasantly surprised by how refreshing it was! Tim Sinclair uses current analogies to spur Christians into action and sharing their faith in a more personal way. Jesus isn't an object, so why should we treat Him as such? This book incorporates humor and truth to bring Christians to the realization that we need to change our evangelistic tactics.
 
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