So Many Books, So Little Time: March 2009

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Interview

I am being interviewed! Havs, over at Nonfiction Book Reviews , is the first person I've been interviewed by about my blog! I am excited! Here is the direct link to the blogging interview.

It's Tuesday, Where Are You?- March 31, 2009

Raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading asks, "Where is reading taking you today?"

"She was still ignoring Irma's babbling ten minutes later when she turned down a street that looked as if the dwellings on either side had been frozen in the 1880s. Old-fashioned street lamps stood like silent sentries of a long forgotten past and highlighted three- and four-story Victorian mansions." (50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom)

Teaser Tuesdays- March 31, 2009

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

My two teasers:

"Nick followed the raspy voice toward the rear of the house and found Jazz in the kitchen standing over a steaming black iron pot on the stove with another pot set on the back burner. He inhaled the scents of ginger root, licorice root, and astragalus with lemon."

~pg 113, 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom

Monday, March 30, 2009

Musing Mondays- March 30, 2009

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about recording your reading…Do you keep track of what and/or how many books you read? How long have you been doing this? What's your favorite tracking method, and why?If you don't keep track, why not? (question courtesy of MizB)

I started tracking back at the beginning of 2008. First I have a microsoft word list of all the books I have in ABC order by title...then I have a list of the books I have read, again in ABC order by title. Then I have a chart that is numbered...it has the title, the author, the number of pages, the dates I start and finish the book, and the rating I give it. I also keep track on Shelfari, and am starting to update on Goodreads and LibraryThing

Mailbox Monday- March 30, 2009

Mailbox Monday: Here's what came in my mailbox this week:

MONDAY

Karma Girl- Jennifer Estep--FrugalReader elephant game

Oh The Places You'll Go!!- Dr. Seuss--FrugalReader (for my kindergarten classroom)

Fun in the Sun-Bobby Lynn Maslen--FrugalReader (for my kindergarten classroom)

Pip and Pog- Bobby Lynn Maslen --FrugalReader (for my kindergarten classroom)

WEDNESDAY

Night Rising (Vampire Babylon #1)- Chris Marie Green--PaperbackSwap

The Forest of Hands and Teeth-Carrie Ryan--won contest on Elizabeth’s Scott’s blog (http://www.elizabethwrites.com/ )

THURSDAY

Time of My Life- Allison Winn Scotch--FrugalReader book ring

FRIDAY

Mysteria Lane- MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, Gena Showalter, & P.C. Cast--FrugalReader Book Ring

Wicked 2- Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie--FrugalReader Book Ring

The Kicker of St. John’s Wood- Gary Wolf--LibraryThing Early Reviewers Member Giveaway

Heartbreak River- Tricia Mills--contest from Juiciliciousss Reviews (http://juiciliciousssreviews.blogspot.com/)

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Award!

I received the Sisterhood Award from Alyce at At Home With Books. I just gave awards to blogs so I'm going to skip that part for now. Thank you Alyce!

Unconscious Mutterings- March 29, 2009

I say ... and you think ... ?

Road trip :: Sarasota

Pool hall :: our first kiss

Extraordinary :: it was!

Jackson :: Michael

Heartfelt :: Love

Wet :: rainy

Strangle :: mad

.com :: aol

Touched :: happy

Insipid :: no idea

The Sunday Salon- March 29, 2009

Not too much here happened this week. We started Spring Break on Friday, so I'm hoping to get a lot of relaxing, and reading, done in the next week!

I finished and reviewed the following book this week:

Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter

Modern Magic by Anne Cordwainer

Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz.

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

I fullfilled items for the following challenges:

Paranormal 999 Challenge: misc., Witches/Wizards/Sorcerers, Vampires, ghosts
A to Z Reading Challenge: O, M, R

Read Your Name Challenge: R

I am currently reading 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom and up next is Excuse Me, Your Soulmate is Waiting by Marla Martenson.

Book Review- Shadowed Summer

I finished reading Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell last night.

From the inside cover:

Summer in Ondine, Louisiana, is always predictable: hot and boring.

Not this one.

This summer, Iris is fourteen. This summer, she doesn't have to make up spooky stories for excitement. Because a real one falls right in her lap.

Years ago, before she was born, a teenage named Elijah disappeared. All that remains of him are whispers. Until this summer. A ghost begins to haunt Iris, and she's convinced it's the ghost of Elijah.

What really happened to him?

And why, of all people, has he chosen Iris?

This is a cute story. I would say its mostly innocent, until you get to the end. The mystery in here was great. I pretty much figured out what happened to Elijah by the time I got to the end, but I definitely didn't predict the "why". I really enjoyed the way the author wrote the story. She used southern language that made it seem very real. This was a quick fun read.

I gave this story a 3/5.

This book fullfills items for the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: ghosts

Thanks to GoodReads for sending me a copy of this book!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Contests- March 27, 2009

Steph Su Reads is giving away a copy of Wuthering High and The Scarlett Letterman, both by Cara Lockwood. The contest ends on April 13.

Blogging Award!

I received the Premio Dardos Award from Mo at Unmainstream Mom Reads. This award acknowledges the the values that every blogger shows in his or her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day.
The rules to follow are:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I am choosing:

Book Review- Revelations

I just finished reading Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz.

From the inside cover:

Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question:is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When an ancient place of power is threatened in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high, the battle is bloody; and through it all, Schuyler is torn between duty and passion, love and freedom.

This is the thrid book in the Blue Bloods series. I enjoyed reading it, but not as much as I enjoyed the other two. For some reason, I had a hard time connecting with Schuyler in this one. I felt much more warmth towards Bliss. This is the right amount of romance and mystery- enough to make me want to keep reading. And there are some twists at the end that I definitely didn't see coming. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, The Van Alen Legacy.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fullfills the requirements for the following challenges:

Paranormal 999 Challenge : Vampires
A to Z Reading Challenge: R

Read Your Name Challenge: R

Food 4 Thought Friday- March 27, 2009

Food 4 Thought Friday

Breakfast: What is the last thing you ordered on-line? A pair of shoes! I had a pair in gray that I loved so I ordered the same ones in brown, but they only a had one that was a half-size smaller. Hopefully they'll fit!

Lunch What is your favorite dessert at a restaurant? I love chocolate molten cakes from Chili's!
Dinner What is the funnest game you have played recently? Rock Band on the Wii
Midnight Snack What job(s) did you have while in high school/college? In high school I worked at Target and in college I worked at Disney during the summer
Recipe of the Week (instead of your recipe for life what is it just for the week?) Only 4 days til Spring Break...only 3 days til Spring Break...only 2 days til Spring Break...only 1 more day til Spring Break...its Spring Break!

Friday Fill-In- March 27, 2009

1. In a hole in the ground there lived a cute little bunny.

2. I haven't gotten out of my pjs yet today but that ain't no matter.

3. After dark the rain began to fall again, just like it does so often during the summer in Florida.

4. I let go from the hold of the Spanish galleon.

5. There was a hand in the darkness, and and comfortingly, it was Kory's.

6. Accidents ambush the unsuspecting, people.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching March Madness games, tomorrow my plans include drafting my fantasy baseball team and Sunday, I want to no I have to, go work a shift at The Great Movie Ride so I am still eligible to play softball!

Friday Finds- March 27, 2009

Here are my finds for the week:

Briar Rose- Jane Yolen

The True Story of Hansel and Gretel- Louise Murphy

The Diary- Eileen Goudge

Disquiet- Julia Leigh

Fade Out- Rachel Caine

Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story- Carolyn Turgeon

Five Minutes More- Darlene Ryan

Before I Die- Jenny Downham

The Chosen One- Carol Lynch Williams

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Book Review- Modern Magic

I just finished reading Modern Magic by Anne Cordwainer.

From the back cover:

John and Liz Prospero come from a long line of magical renegade hunters. John's one of the strongest sorcerers his family has ever produced. Liz is a sport, born without magic. Which one was lucky?

You'd think Liz at least could live a normal life. But for a Prospero, confronting renegades is normal. Wherever she goes, her magical heritage follows, and it usually brings danger along for the ride. Oh, and don't forget keeping half her life secret from all her friends.

John always knew he was expected to become a warrior, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. Working all day and fighting crime nights and weekends can wear a guy out. Especially with magical crime rising sharply, and fewer sorcerers willing to take on renegades.

One man has a plan to bring sorcery and modern justice together, but can it work? Does it go too far, or not far enough? How can anyone decide, when no one knows what the problem is?

John and Liz each play a pivotal role in finding and defeating the underlying villains, during a decade of adventures which transform modern magic in the U.S.A.

I don't really know what to think of this book. It spans 11 years and goes back and forth between the two main characters, Liz and John, a brother and a sister. I didn't really connect with the characters though. The story had a lot of action in it but for some reason, it didn't keep me hanging. All of the action throughout the years tied together in the end, and the villain was someone I definitely didn't suspect. The ending left me thinking that there might be a possible sequel but I'm not sure I'd read it. I think the story needed a touch more humor and warmth to get me hooked.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fullfills items in the following challenges:

Paranormal 999 Challenge: Witches/Wizards/Sorcerers

A to Z Reading Challenge: M

Booking Through Thursday- March 26, 2009

The opposite of last week’s question: “What’s the best ‘worst’ book you’ve ever read — the one you like despite some negative reviews or features?”

Ok, its not the BEST, but I enjoy reading books by VC Andrews. Everyone gives them such a bad label. And while, yes, they aren't deep books, I find the entertaining :)

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Wednesday Wordle- March 25, 2009

Here is a screen shot of my Wordle for the week (Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from words that is seen on my blog)

Waiting on Wednesday- March 25, 2009

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Easy on the Eyes
by Jane Porter
Publication Release Date: July 22, 2009

From Amazon.com:

At 38, Tiana Tomlinson has made it. America adores her as one of the anchors of America Tonight, a top-rated nightly entertainment and news program. But even with the trappings that come with her elite lifestyle, she feels empty. Tina desperately misses her late husband Keith, who died several years before. And in a business that thrives on youth, Tina is getting the message that her age is starting to show and certain measures must be taken if she wants to remain in the spotlight. It doesn't help that at every turn she has to deal with her adversary--the devilishly handsome, plastic surgeon to the stars, Michael Sullivan. But a trip away from the Hollywood madness has consequences that could affect the rest of her life.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

It's Tuesday, Where Are You?- March 24, 2009

Raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading asks, "Where is reading taking you today?"

I am in New York City, a not mundane-only city. (Modern Magic by Anne Cordwainer)

Teaser Tuesdays- March 24, 2009

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Please avoid spoilers!

My two teasers:

" 'You don't have to take notes. Most people outside of Massachusetts don't even celebrate it, but Grandma Nomi always goes a little overboard because an ancestor was involved.' "

~pg 135, Modern Magic by Anne Cordwainer

Monday, March 23, 2009

Book Review- Oh My Goth

I finished started and finished Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter yesterday.

From the back cover:

Jade Leigh is a nonconformist who values individuality above all else. She has a small group of like-minded Goth friends who wear black, dabble in the dark arts, and thrive outside the norm. They're considered the "freaks" of their high school. But when Jade's smart mouth lands her in trouble -- again -- her principal decides to teach her a lesson she'll never forget.

Taken to a remote location where she is strapped down and sedated, Jade wakes up in an alternate universe where she rules the school. But her best friends won't talk to her, and the people she used to hate are all Goth. Only Clarik, the mysterious new boy in town, operates outside all the cliques. And only Mercedes, the Barbie clone Jade loathes, believes that Jade's stuck in a virtual reality game -- because she's stuck there, too, now living the life of a "freak." Together, they realize they might never get back to reality...and that even if they do, things might never be the same.

This was a cute, quick read. It was a YA paranormal, but not in the normal sense. I really enjoyed the ending. It was realistic (as realistic can be), and Jade and Merecedes seemed to learn their lesson. My only complaint is that I wish it was a little bit longer so that I could see more of what happened later in the end.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fullfills requirements for the following challenges :

Paranormal 999 Challenge: misc.

A to Z Reading Challenge: O