Progress is still being made in relation to last week's Sunday Salon.
Winners of "Thanksgiving at the Inn" were Sheila and Esme!!
This week I reviewed Prince Harming Syndrome and The Recipe Club. This week I am listening to "Confessions of a Shopoholic" and reading the ridiculous amount of books I have checked out for my final papers.
Sheila was this week's Guest Reviewer — donating her review of Viola in REEL Life. Please share some book love and visit her at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books.
I lost a follower: ( I feel that I should say a prayer or something. Oh well, back to 31 wonderful followers.
On going bit of fun: Register to win a Kindle!
My "To Do" list for blog related things — not just reading. I finally started making a dent. I accomplished all this throughout the week:
Rewrite/hone my Guest Reviewer 's post.
Create a Privacy Policy
Create a Contest Policy
Create a Review Policy
Rewrite/hone my Mission Post
Create an About Me page
Now for what I want to do this week:
Proofread/Professionalize Review: "A Circle of Souls "
Proofread/Professionalize Review: "A Vengeful Spirit "
Proofread/Professionalize Review: "Audrey, Wait "
This week I discovered Sophistikatied Reviews. I absolutely love Katie's layout and her reviews are definitely worth checking out! Share some book love with Katie at Sophistikatied Reviews (the love name too)!
A couple weeks ago I finally got around to making a Review Policy and Privacy Policy. What do you think? Do you think I need to add, reword, delete, or explain anything else? What do your review policies look like? What about your privacy policies? Remember future administrators, educators, school board members, and parents will be viewing this information so I want to be especially thorough in regards to my privacy policy.
Well, I survived my last fall semester of my undergraduate career. I surprised myself by being able to maintain all of my school activities and keep this blog running. Most of my inspiration comes from the fact that as of now (yes right now, I have three applications out) potential employers will be reading this blog.
Since August 15th, I have read and reviewed 18 books. And I have hosted TWENTY Guest Reviews that are posted as of right now. I'd like to give a big thanks to the bloggers who have made time out of their crazy schedules to be a Guest Reviewer — you have no idea what it means to me. Thank You!
I have received the following awards: Zombies and Chickens Award, Who Loves You Baby, Let's Be Friends, Zombies and Chickens Award (2), Sharon's Rose Petal Award, BBAW Sheila Award, Who Loves You Baby (2), Proximade Award, and One Lovely Blog Award. Thank you for all of these great awards!
I have hosted the following Giveaways: "Sugar Time, " "Thanksgiving at the Inn ", "Mr. Darcy's Dream, " and "The Man Who Loved Books Too Much. "
I have acquired 36 followers. Thank you — it means the world to me!
I created a Privacy Policy and a Review Policy. I also hosted my first Holiday Campaign for Guest Reviews. To date, I have 72 book reviews posted!
In the past six months I have met so many great people and because of these amazing people I have read some amazing books! Thanks to you all!
PS: Picture is of Pippin on Christmas Day — it's Santa Pippin
All contests hosted at Miss Remmers' Review will follow this policy:
Because Miss Remmers' Review has a definite purpose — I offer extra entries in exchange for Guest Reviews. This does not take much of your time, especially if you are a review blogger.
All winning contestants will be notified by email within two days of the winning announcement (if an email was provided).
If I am unable to contact the winner, it is their responsibility to learn of their win. I suggest you do this by becoming a follower. All winners have 52 hours to contact me via email at google(at)gmail(dot)com or a new winner will be chosen (unless otherwise noted)
Any entries posted after the set deadline will not be counted toward the contest. While I will never close a contest early, I do hold the right of extending contest deadlines
I choose winners by putting all the information into a numbered spreadsheet and then having either a resident or student pick a number
All contests are only open to US addresses. I apologize for this inconvenience.
I often have "Quick Giveaways". These giveaways are of random books that I do not plan on rereading or putting in my classroom — I will post what the giveaway is and the first person to email me a Guest Review wins the book. Again, I suggest you follow Miss Remmers' Review in order to be aware of these great opportunities.
Other important info:
Be sure to check contest deadlines!
Be sure to follow contest instructions. Not all contests are as easy as leaving a comment. Entries that do not follow the requirements will be disqualified.
“Ray, I don’t think we’re alone in this house.” My mother held her breath, waiting for my father’s response. They’d just moved into the old cottage that faced the highway. Finding another place to live was probably out of the question.
“Of course not, Alice. The baby’s here, too.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. We, the three of us, aren’t alone. Someone else is here too.”
My father’s shoulders stiffened. “Like an intruder?” His voice filled with a fierce mixture of testosterone and the urge to protect his own.
“No,” she shook her head, trying to explain the recent events to her no-nonsense spouse. “It’s a… presence. And it’s here all the time.”
His brow furrowed. “A ghost?”
She nodded. “Yes, I think so. I’m pretty sure it’s a child.”
He narrowed his eyes. “And how would you know that?
“During the day, when you’re at work and I’m here with Lea, it plays with me. When I’m in the kitchen with the baby, I’ll hear something moving or jingling in the living room. As soon as I go in there to see what it is, the pots and pans start rattling in the pantry. This happens all day long, no matter where I am.” She gazed into my father’s pale blue eyes. “It’s happening so much, I’ve started talking to it, telling it I know it’s there. I think it believes we’re playing a game. And… I can almost see it. Not if I look at it straight on, but once in a while, I’ll catch a glimpse of something that looks like a wisp of smoke from the corner of eye.”
As my father stared hard at her, my mother knew he was working to make sense of all he’d just heard. Yes it was far-fetched, and sounded completely crazy, but it was also the truth.
He rubbed his chin. “Are you afraid?”
“No. It hasn’t done anything to hurt me or Lea, so I think we’re safe.”
Sometime later as my parents were watching television one evening, they heard me babbling in my bed.
My mother sighed. “I don’t know why she won’t go down. Would you go in there and see what she’s up to?”
Dutifully, my father headed to my room and found me sitting up in bed speaking to no one he could see.
“What are you doing?” he asked, scanning the room.
I turned my head toward the doorway. “Talking to my friend.” Though I was just over a year old, I was an unusually early talker.
“Your friend?” he asked.
“Yes.” I smiled and glanced back at the empty space before me.
“Is your friend here?”
Nodding, I pointed directly in front of me. “Right there.”
He drew a deep breath. “Well, it’s time to go to sleep, so tell your friend you can see him in the morning.”
“Okay,” I answered as I lay down.
Over the next few months, the ghostly presence became a part of our little family. Eventually my father began to see it too, hovering in a corner between the living and dining rooms, its diaphanous appearance vanishing whenever he attempted to look at it straight on. If he had any doubts of the ghost’s existence, they evaporated the night he heard my Fisher Price toy xylophone tinkling out a distinct tune. Sure I’d gotten out of bed to strike the multi-colored keys with my wooden mallet, he charged into my room and found me sound asleep. The xylophone was deep in my toy box, well out of reach.
Not long after, as my nearly six-month pregnant mother reclined on the couch one evening, both she and my father saw the apparition hovering in the corner, but this time it appeared to linger longer than usual. It disappeared and a few seconds later, an eerie, cold sensation crawled across my mother’s body and the icy impression of a small hand clutched her foot.
It was the last time they ever saw or heard from the ghost again.
So what about you, readers? It’s one thing to think you may have a ghost in your house, it’s another to see it. Would you rather retain that comfortable distance (and plausible deniability), or would you prefer to confirm its existence with your own eyes?
Lea Nolan writes the kinds of stories she sought as a teen—smart paranormals with bright heroines, crazy-hot heroes, diabolical plot twists, plus a dose of magic, a draft of romance, and a sprinkle of history. She’s holds degrees in history and women’s studies concentrating in public policy and spent fifteen years as a health policy analyst and researcher. She lives in Maryland with her heroically supportive husband and three clever children.
Her debut YA novel, CONJURE, book one in The Hoodoo Apprentice Series releases on October 23, 2012 from Entangled Publishing. In CONJURE, three teens discover a mysterious 18th-century pirate treasure and inadvertently unleash a wicked flesh-eating curse. To save her brother’s life and the soul of her unrequited secret-crush, Emma Guthrie must apprentice herself to an elderly Gullah root worker to learn hoodoo magic and break the hex.
Conjure by Lea Nolan Publisher: Entangled Publishing (October 23rd, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 314 pages Series: The Hoodoo Apprentice, #1 Be careful what you search for…
Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.
When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.
Prize:
1 winner will receive an ebook of Conjure, magnet, and a signed bookmark.
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US Only and ends November 10th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
The form must be filled out to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook
Amazon | Barnes & Noble Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here. Don't forget to check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post for today!
From Amazon.com... "It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won't send our boys to fight in "foreign wars."
But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie's radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention--as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.
Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie's broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin's shores. In charge of the town's mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people's secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry long ago gave up hope of ever being in love, yet they find themselves unexpectedly drawn toward each other.
Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town's doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follow's Frankie's siren call into the war, Emma's worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.
Alternating between an America still cocooned in its inability to grasp the danger at hand and a Europe being torn apart by war,The Postmistress gives us two women who find themselves unable to deliver the news, and a third woman desperately waiting for news yet afraid to hear it. "
I really wanted to love this novel. Upon opening it and reading the introduction (see Favorite Quotes), I immediately fell in love with the language and the idea of the novel.
Unfortunately, no matter what I did, I could not connect to the plot or characters. As a result, I was unable to finish this book. Reading became a chore and I found that I was picking up other books to read instead. I did stick to my Review Policy and made it through 100 pages — but I just couldn't go on. I think this has a lot to do with my inability to connect with the story, plot, or characters.
Again, I feel awful because I was so prepared to fall in love with this book. I've heard wonderful reviews! It could be because of where I'm at in my life; what with student teaching and "having" to read books that I don't choose to (such as "All Quiet on the Western Front" etc), maybe I'm just looking for something lighter and more Young Adult-ish. Because of this possibility, I'll be keeping "The Postmistress" for my bookshelves until at a later time I can pick the book up again and see if I missed the excitement due to where my life it.
I do want to say a big thanks to Lydia at Putnam books for sending this wonderful ARC. I apologize for not being able to finish it.
Favorite Quotes: "Long ago, I believed that, given a choice, people would turn to good as they would to the light. I believed that reporting — honest, unflinching pictures of the truth — could be a beacon to lead us to demand that wrongs be righted, injustices punished, and the weak and the innocent cared for" (3). "Every story — love or war — is a story about looking left when we should have been looking right" (3).
For those of you familiar with the concept of my "Quick Giveaways" (the first person to email me a guest review wins the book) — prepare to be excited. This time, due to the fact that I'm MOVING in a few weeks, I have planned a massive Quick Giveaway!
That's right, "up for grabs" this time around are SEVEN books! I have one copy of "The Sleep Lady's Good Night Sleep Tight" by Kim West, one copy of "Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love," one copy of "The Recipe Club," and four copies of "Sweet Treats and Secret Crushes" to giveaway!
If you'd be interested in receiving one (or two... or three...) of these books, all you have to do is fill out the form below and donate a review of your favorite book for me to put up as a Guest Review. The first person to do this (for each book) wins — simple as that. I will be out of town until Monday, but as soon as I get back I will email you if you were the first to request a book. Please make sure that I don't already have a review of the book by looking in the left sidebar.
If you want to receive more than one book (or attempt to) please refresh this page, fill out the form AGAIN, and send in another review.
Reminder: Please read my Contest Policy — at this time I can only afford to mail books to US addresses. I apologize for this inconvenience.
Welcome back for the second part of my contribution to the Harry Potter Extravaganza! Tomorrow the tour continues: full tour details here at Bibliophic Book Blog.
Yesterday I told the HP song Dan wrote to impress me. Today, I'll be giving away hard cover copies of "The Sorcerer's Stone" and "The Deathly Hallows." I'll also be including a CD copy of "The Harry Potter Romance." Simply because I'm proud of my man.:)
All you need to do is fill out the form below and include a link to a review (your own) to be used as a Guest Review. Please review my Contest Policy. Giveaway will end next Friday, October 29th.
"Kim West, LCSW-C, known as The Sleep Lady®, has developed a gentle and effective approach to helping infants and young children learn to put themselves to sleep without letting them "cry it out"—an option that is not comfortable for many parents.
This book, newly revised and updated, tells parents everything they need to know about sleep from newborns up through age five. It helps parents gently guide their young babies into good sleep rhythms from the start, laying the groundwork so that they can learn to “sleep through the night” It gives tips on breast feeding, night weaning older babies, scheduling meals and naps, and helping children discard the “sleep crutches” that make them wake during the night. For older children, the Sleep Lady system helps parents learn when the child is ready to move from a crib to a bed, when to consolidate two naps into one, or how and when to give up naps altogether. It helps parents decide whether, and for how long, to "co-sleep" or "room share," and how and when to move a baby or toddler into his or her own room."
The book "up for grabs" this time is a copy of "The Sleep Lady's Good Night Sleep Tight" by Kim West. If you'd be interested in receiving this book all you have to do is email me at google [at] gmail [dot] com with your address AND a review of your favorite book for me to put up as a Guest Review. The first person to do this wins — simple as that. The review can be one that you've used at your own blog — simply copied and pasted. Once I get an email, I'll comment on this post who will receive this great read. Please make sure that I don't already have a review of the book by looking in the left sidebar. I would also really appreciate it, since I did not review this book, if, after reading it, you sent me your review as Guest Review.
Reminder: Please read my Contest Policy — at this time I can only afford to mail books to US addresses. I apologize for this inconvenience.
"Eternal on the Water" was released on February 16th!
From Amazon.com...
"From the day Cobb and Mary meet kayaking on Maine's Allagash River and fall deeply in love, the two approach life with the same sense of adventure they use to conquer the river's treacherous rapids. But rivers do not let go so easily... and neither does their love. So when Mary's life takes the cruelest turn, she vows to face those rough waters on her own terms and asks Cobb to promise, when the time comes, to help her return to their beloved river for one final journey."
The book "up for grabs" this time is an ARC copy of "Eternal on the Water" by Joseph Monninger. If you'd be interested in receiving "Eternal on the Water" all you have to do is email me at google [at] gmail [dot] com with your address AND a review of your favorite book for me to put up as a Guest Review. The first person to do this wins — simple as that. The review can be one that you've used at your own blog — simply copied and pasted. Once I get an email, I'll comment on this post who will receive "Eternal on the Water". Please make sure that I don't already have a review of the book by looking in the left sidebar.
Reminder: Please read my Contest Policy — at this time I can only afford to mail books to US addresses. I apologize for this inconvenience.
I survived the cold this week. Aberdeen was, according to CNN, the third coldest place in the nation on Friday. Brr! I spent New Years Eve at school attending a jazz dance (which was awesome) and returned to Northern Minnesota the next day. That was a lot of driving. I saw "The Blind Side" with my mom tonight — such an inspiring movie. Wow!
I just finished "Some Girls Are" and plan on writing the review later today (Monday). This week, while I didn't get a chance to formally review anything, I did have two quick giveaways (Congrats to Sharon and Esme), I posted my Privacy Policy, along with my latest Award. I also posted all of my recaps: December Wrap Up, Books Read in Fall 2009, End of Fall 2009, Guest Reviewers, and Hello 2010.
Sandy was this week's Guest Reviewer — donating her review of Hush Hush. Please share some book love and visit her at Pirate Penguin's Reads.
My holiday campaign to collect Guest Reviews ends today (my Sunday Salon was late...) — we acquired 44 reviews! Thanks to everyone who has donated! I will post later today (after I go to bed and wake up again) who won the $25 Gift Certificate.
I gained three followers this week and now have 37 amazing followers. Welcome and Thank you!
This week I am so excited to begin Bloggiesta! I've compiled a Twitter list of all the participants who have Twitter and I'm really excited about it. I spent a lot of time on it so I hope people use it. Overall, I'm just really excited to start Bloggiesta. I'll be starting a day early, as I'll be driving on Friday for five hours and unpacking everything. If you haven't joined in yet, check it out at @Maw Books, there's still time!
From my insane list that there's no way I'm going to finish, I'd like to finish "Girlfriend Material," "Sea Change," and "Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single." My list of books to read/things to do during break:
Read "Inside Out"
Read "Elmer, the Christmas Elf"
Post all the Guest Reviews I've received for My Holiday Book Review Campaign
Finish "The Source of Miracles" (Review)
Read "Lucifer Rising" (Review)
Read "Comfort Living" (Review)
Read "I Used to Know That" (Review)
Read "Some Girls Are" (ARC — Goodreads Winner)
Read "The Van Alen Legacy" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Love You, Hate You, Miss You" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Truly, Madly: A Novel" (ARC — Goodreads Winner)
Read "Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Sea Change" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Jumping off Swings" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Before I Die" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Embellish" (Review)
Read "Gone" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Cracked Up to Be" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "How to Buy a Love of Reading" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Oh.My.Gods." (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Dark Places" (Library — Momma Remmers)
Read "Nothing But Ghosts" (Library — Momma Remmers)
First of all, what does everyone think of the new look?
So I skipped my Sunday Salon post last week because I was overwhelmed with everything going on. While it's only been two weeks, so much as happened!
Bloggiesta was a great success, even with all my technology difficulties. I feel as though I have a strong list of things to accomplish now.
I haven't finished/read a book since I got back to school. It's frustrating. I did, however, review "Some Girls Are, " I created an "About Me " and a "Contest Policy " page, I posted my review of my CSN organizer, and I posted TWO "In My Mailbox" posts (1.9.10 and 1.16.10) . I also posted wrap up posts for Bloggiesta and The Everything Austen Challenge.
In the past two weeks I gained five followers and now have 42 amazing followers. Welcome and Thank you!
This week I'd like to finish "Isabelle's Girlfriend."
My running "To-do" list:
Make a Blogaversary button and link it up in the sidebar
Decide what challenges I'm going to do this year (I know! I'm so behind)
Finish posting all the Guest Reviews sent in from my campaign for reviews
Read through posts to make sure that they are ready to be looked at by perspective employers (every single post) — Make them professional
Look at Reviews for spelling/grammar
Organize Reader (even though I have NO idea how)
Review "New Moon"
Review "A Christmas Carol"
Order bookmarks
Order business cards
Add customized header
Empty Old Reader — Starred Items
Transfer contacts from old to new email address
Add tags/labels to posts
Create a Cheat Sheet
Get rid of "dead" links
Write my Disclosure Statement
Update "Series" (Suggestions on good series?)
Manage Bookmarks (Hot mess! Woa!)
Happy Sunday everyone! What did you accomplish this week?
It's time for Blogoversary Giveaway #2! Just to clarify, you can sign up for ALL of the giveaways — just make sure to donate another review! And — in case you REALLY want to in, here's a hint: the more reviews you donate the better chance you have of winning!
Up for grabs this time around are three ARC copies of "Sweet Treats and Secret Crushes" (out in November).
From Amazon.com...
"When a blizzard threatens to ruin Valentine’s Day, three seventh-grade friends make and distribute fortune cookies to their lonely neighbors—and confront the secrets they’ve been keeping from one another.
Confident Kate doesn’t notice much but the latest gossip, and shy Georgia can’t say out loud what’s always on her mind. They’re joined by observant, careful Olivia, whose epic, single-minded crush on PBJ (real name: Phillip Becker-Jacobs) is starting to frustrate the other two. Using fortune cookies that mysteriously always seem to speak directly to the person who opens them, the three girls try to work together to bring some love to their building, while reminding each other why they’re such good friends to begin with." Just a few quick reminders:
This is only open to US candidates (I'm sorry all my international and Canadian Friends! I haven't received my first paycheck yet and am currently living off the parents! Plus, all these weddings are expensive)
You must be 13 years of age or older.
Please review my Contest Policy if you have any questions.
If you're new to Miss Remmers' Review you may not be aware of my Guest Reviews. This used to be a recurring event every Wednesday, but I ran out of reviews a couple months ago. These Guest Reviews are vital to exposing my students to different reads. Please look in the left side bar to make sure I don't already have a review of the book you choose. It's SUPER simple — just put the original review link in and I'll do all the work. If you don't have a blog but have a review — please email me the review at google at gmail dot com.
Please remember that these reviews are meant to benefit struggling or reluctant high school students (specifically 9th graders) so pick an awesome read!
Monday morning, the day after I spent all that time updating my Mac, I get an email from the Tech Center saying my PC is fixed. Well you can just imagine, I am so excited. I go pick it up, start it, and it works great! EXCEPT, my enter key is missing. MISSING! I make a phone call and they tell me it was missing when I brought it in, but if I'd like, I can bring it back in and they'll see if they can fix it. My initial reaction is this: "You've had my computer for three weeks and it's had a MISSING enter key and you didn't just think, 'hm, maybe we could fix this for her'!" Ok, not a big deal, I'm still breathing. So I continue working on my Mac — I have a paper due Tuesday morning at noon. I'm up until 5am on Tuesday working on it, I go to bed, get up at 8am and continue working on it. Ten minutes before class, I save the document to a flash drive, take said flash drive to my newly fixed PC to print it on my HP printer — and, Oh My Gosh, they deleted WORD from my computer!
It was a rough day.
Anyway, my last final was on Tuesday and I've officially finished my last week of finals (until grad school). Wow. I don't know how I managed it with a broken computer — but I did it. I got home yesterday and am enjoying every minute of it. I plan on getting a lot done during break in regards to catching up on some reading and enjoying my life a little — it was a very rough semester. Below, you will see a massive "To-Do" list in regards to break.
Again, sadly, due to finals week, I didn't get around to reviewing anything for the second week in a row (gasp! gasp!) But, I spent five hours on Saturday listening to "Confessions of a Shopaholic" on my way home to Northern Minnesota and I will finish "The Source of Miracles" tonight (my review is coming up tomorrow). I did post my review policy, please check it out (feedback is appreciated). Plus, I had a quick giveaway of "Mr. Darcy's Dream" that Joanne won!
Gina was this week's Guest Reviewer — donating her review of And Tango Makes Three. Please share some book love and visit her at Book Dragon's Lair. .
My new holiday campaign to collect Guest Reviews has been a great hit — we've acquired 43 reviews! Thanks to everyone who has donated! Campaign ends January 4th and is open to absolutely everyone!
I gained one follower and now have 31 amazing followers. Welcome and Thank you!
Like I mentioned, I am so excited to be home for break. I plan on spending a lot of time reading and doing blog related things to recuperate before next semester. My "To Do" list for blog related things — not just reading:
Finish "The Source of Miracles"
Finish listening to "Confessions of a Shopoholic"
Read "Merry, Merry Ghost"
Read "Inside Out"
Read "Elmer, the Christmas Elf"
Read "Lucifer Rising"
Read "Comfort Living"
Read "I Used to Know That"
Read "Death Beauty"
Read "The Man Who Loved Books Too Much"
Read "Some Girls Are"
Read "The Van Alen Legacy"
Post all the Guest Reviews I've received for My Holiday Book Review Campaign
"Eternal on the Water" will be released on February 16th!
From Amazon.com...
"From the day Cobb and Mary meet kayaking on Maine's Allagash River and fall deeply in love, the two approach life with the same sense of adventure they use to conquer the river's treacherous rapids. But rivers do not let go so easily... and neither does their love. So when Mary's life takes the cruelest turn, she vows to face those rough waters on her own terms and asks Cobb to promise, when the time comes, to help her return to their beloved river for one final journey."
Beautifully written — "Eternal on the Water" is one of the most wonderfully sounding novels I've read. The words flow together like poetry. The dialogue and narrative draw readers in with almost a musical intonation.
It was the beautiful language that kept me reading this novel. I honored my Review Policy and read the first 100 pages, but at 101 I had to put this book down. While slow and overly descriptive, the plot was intriguing and, unlike other books I abandon, I do wonder what happened to Cobb and Mary. But the lack of character development or overall characterization really slowed the plot down.
The first flaw in characterization was the perfect characters. Neither Cobb nor Mary had a character flaw. Both characters are present as the epitome of gender perfection. Cobb always knows what to say and is the perfect boyfriend Mary is stunningly beautiful inside and out. The entire beginning of the relationship (obviously up until page 151) is picture perfect, flawlessly romantic, and utterly unrealistic.
Bottomline: As a result of said levels of perfection, the characters and overall novel were boring. As a reader, I was unable to relate to the characters or the plot.
However, like I said, "Eternal on the Water" was written beautifully; if you're looking for a wonderfully worded novel full of descriptors — check out this book.
Favorite Quotes:
"We have to be in a universe, on a continent, in a country, in a state, in a county, on a river, in a small yellow boat. Long odds... A thousand coincidences that arranged themselves so that we would meet. And then, of course, you have to be attracted to each other... . You never expect to see it, but you've heard it's out there and it might just be a legend. But you keep looking for it anyway" (34).
"This is who I want to live, with this woman, with friends, with food, and with fires" (49).
"It's a beautiful story. It makes me want to date you for another day at least" (53).
"Don't spit into heaven. Don't tell the gods your plans; they'll only laugh" (55).
"If the sun blew up and I had ten minutes to do live, I would do push ups because time passes really slow when you do push ups."
"A rich man is in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone — Thoreau"
"That's the whole thing with teaching, isn't it? You never know when you nudge someones boat if it won't change them in an important way."
As a young girl, Solis Burkes is raped at the hands of ruthless school bullies-an incident that haunts her into young adulthood. Then she meets Nacio, a strikingly handsome man who seems to know everything about her-including the painful past Solis hasn't told anyone about. But what Solis doesn't know is that Nacio has been with her every step of the way, protecting her ever since that fateful episode.
It's a destiny he's been working up to for the last 257 years.
Now, as Solis enters a dark world of vampires, voodoo, and passion, she'll need all the protection she can get. Unbeknownst to her, those responsible for Solis's rape have returned. Connected to the evil voodoo Priestess Aldicia, they'll stop at nothing in their plans to spew violence and mayhem throughout the city. And an old family feud dating back centuries puts Solis first on their list of targets. But not if Solis can unravel the clues fast enough, and inflict her own brand of revenge... "
The book "up for grabs" this time is a copy of "Embellish" by R.L. Sloan. If you'd be interested in receiving "Embellish" all you have to do is email me at google [at] gmail [dot] com with your address AND a review of your favorite book for me to put up as a Guest Review. The first person to do this wins — simple as that. The review can be one that you've used at your own blog — simply copied and pasted. Once I get an email, I'll comment on this post who will receive "Embellish". Please make sure that I don't already have a review of the book by looking in the left sidebar. I would also really appreciate it, since I did not review this book, if, after reading it, you sent me your review as Guest Review.
Reminder: Please read my Contest Policy — at this time I can only afford to mail books to US addresses. I apologize for this inconvenience.
The purpose of this blog is to inform reluctant readers of great literature that will get them passionate about reading.
I accept review copies from authors and publishers and I love to participate in blog tours, host contests and interview authors. As a first year teacher, my time is limited; because of this, I am not able to accept every book offered.
All my reviews are original and honest. I have never been compensated and all of my thoughts are my own.
Types of Genres I enjoy: While Young Adult and Adult literature is my main focus, I do accept and review some middle grade and children's titles. I am partial to fantasy, paranormal, chick-lit, romance, historical fiction, literary fiction, anything that addresses social issues, mysteries and thrillers.
I do not prefer to read a series out of sequence. If you have a review request that is part of a series that I have not read, I will ask that you provide a copy of each of it’s predecessors. This will allow for a more effective review, all reviews of the series will be posted as well.
Genres I don't usually pick up: I normally do not read non-fiction, memoirs/biographies or science-fiction. But, if you feel that a particular book would be beneficial and interesting towards reluctant readers — I'd be willing to consider it. Currently I do not accepting e-books or pdfs for review. I do occasionally accept self-published books.
When I accept a novel to review: It does not guarantee that I will write a review. While I strive to complete each book, if I find myself unable or unwilling to finish it, I will not force myself to read. I truly believe that reading should be enjoyable — if the book I am attempting to read becomes a "chore," I will put it down. I do promise to read 100 pages of each book accepted for review before putting it down. If I do not finish a book, I always pass it on (unless the provider of the review book asks me not to) in, what I call, a "Quick Giveaway." I simply give the book to the first responder with a Guest Review. An example of a Quick Giveaway. If you do not want a book to be passed on, please tell me before hand or I can make no guarantee that it won't be handed off to another reader.
While I try to only accept review books I think I will like, I cannot guarantee that the review will be positive, but it will be fair. I don't take pleasure in negating someone's work, but my reviews will be my honest opinion. My reviews include a synopsis of the novel (generally provided by Amazon or the publisher's website) and my personal thoughts about the book. How long will it take for a review: I try to read the review titles that I receive in a timely manner but I do have time constraints. If the book is an ARC, I will try to review the book in the month surrounding its release date, in most cases before the book is released or shortly after. If the book is already released then it may take me anywhere from 2-4 months to read and review it.
Note of Clarification: Review if I do not plan on keeping the book in my classroom. If this is not something you want, please tell me before hand — just in case. Also, I love hosting giveaways or Author Interviews — if this is something you'd be interested in, please let me know.
Traffic Details: According to Google Analytics, I receive about 200 visitors a day and generally have 10 to 15 comments a day. This blog is not particularly meant to generate huge amounts of outside traffic. This blog is meant to introduce reluctant young readers to different novels. During the school year my students visit this blog daily and will contribute to the reviews listed. My students will use this blog as a reference when looking for a "good book to read for fun."
If you're interested in knowing a bit more about me — please visit my About Me page.
Disclosure: All of the books I receive for review are provided by the publisher or the author. I do not expect, accept, or receive monetary compensation for my reviews.
I'm thrilled to be part of the Half-Blood tour. I just finished this book and it is incredible! One of my favorites of this year. My review can be found here.
You can follow the rest of the tour, hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene by clicking here.
A lot of people have asked what exactly is a Hematoi and how in the holy Underworld do you pronounce it. Good question. I, myself, have a hard time pronouncing it. So let’s break out the nifty pronunciation key.
Hematoi — HEM-a-toy A Hematoi, also known as a pure-blood, is a descendent of two demigods. They are not the child of a god and a mortal, which is a demigod. And don’t let their comfy, elitist sort of life fool you. They do use half-bloods, a child of a Hematoi and a mortal protect and serve them, but they are not defenseless by any means. Most, but not all, just feel that fighting is kind of below them.
Being a child of a two demigods, they’re chalk full of aether—the essence of the gods. A Hematoi can wield control over one of the elements: air, water, fire or earth. They can be just as fast and as strong as a half-blood. Their compulsions pack a powerful punch. If a Hematoi suggested that you go play in a street? You’d happily go play in the street.
Why are the Hematoi in such a position of power? Well, it can be summed up pretty easily: their blood is pure. Relationships of any kind with a half-blood, besides a professional kind, are absolutely forbidden. There is no ands, ifs or buts there. The half-blood usually bears the brunt of punishment if they break the big no touchie policy. And we aren’t talking a smack on a wrist or shame. We’re talking indentured servitude.
So in the world of gods and their many offspring, Hematoi are at the top of the food chain. Well, there is one exception but that’s a story for a different day.
Half-Blood by Janenifer L. Armentrout Publisher: Spencer Hill Press (October 18th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 281 pages Series: Covenant #1 The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
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