It's Monday! What Are You Reading? January 9, 2012

This meme starts at Book Journey!

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Looks like 2012 is starting at a fast pace!  I completed six books and posted four reviews!  Only one giveaway last week but there will be several this week.  As always I posted my regular Friday Pick Giveaway and Saturday Sharing Beyond Books plus back to the Sunday post. 


I did get to visit a dozen or so blogs last Sunday and Monday! Having the extra day helped again. :-)

These were last week's posts plus Winner posts not listed.

• It's Monday What are You Reading? January 2, 2012.

•  Six 2012 Challenge Posts (all six viewable under this link).

• Audio Book Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater; Paranormal Romance - Werewolves; my Rating 4.5. 

• Audible Book Review: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater; Paranormal Romance - Werewolves; my Rating 4.75. 

•  Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway January 6, 2012.  Open Worldwide. Ends 1/12.

• Audible Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth; Dystopia; my Rating 4.5. 

• Sharing Beyond Books #30 Comment Giveaway.  Open Worldwide. Ends 1/13.

• Book Review and ARC Giveaway: 52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You by Brett Blumenthal; Nonfiction, Fitness;  my Rating 4.5. Ends 1/13.

•  Sunday Words of Encouragement January 8, 2012.

Finished Reading:

1. eBook/Kindle

 

The Second Sonata

by Nathan Patrick Hardt

This makes you think as you read.
I will post a review this week.
  Read for the Author.

2. Print

 

52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You
by Brett Blumenthal.

Very easy format.
Review and Giveaway is linked above.

3. Print (+Audible)

 

Bossypants

by Tina Fey

Funny incidents but profane language.
I will post the review and Giveaway this week.
Reviewing for Little Brown and Company.

 4. Print
 

 
Love Engineered  

by Jenna Dawlish

I loved the engineering history.

I'll post a review and Giveaway this week. 

5. Print (Kindle)
 

SCRUMPTIOUS

by Amanda Usen

This is a fun, sexy read.

For review with Author Interview 

on Wednesday 1/11/12.

Read for Sourcebooks.
Product Description
TALL DARK AND DELICIOUS

Joe Rafferty is just as mouthwatering as the food he cooks. But if he thinks he's going to waltz in and take over her kitchen, he's denser than a thick slice of chocolate ripple cheesecake. Marly has invested too much of her life in Chameleon to hand off the restaurant to someone else—especially a cocky-as-all-get-out superstar chef. But there's no denying the man knows how to light her fire. Question is: Can she have the sizzle without feeling the burn?

6. Audible
 

Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1

• UNABRIDGED
• by Kevin Hearne
• Narrated by Luke Daniels

I picked this on Audible because of it's good rating and I liked it a lot. 

I plan to do at least a mini review this week.

Publisher's Summary

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old - when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power - plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish - to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Line Edits/Releases: I completed Kindle formatting for Life After the Undead by Pembroke Sinclair and Print formatting for Silicon Self by Kirtimaya Varma which should go live in 48 hours.

Currently reading:

1. eBook/Kindles
 

Smitten Anthology

I am enjoying these stories.

Reviewing for Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.
Book Description
Publication Date: December 20, 2011
Welcome to Smitten, Vermont.
With the help of four friends, it's about to become the most romantic town in America.

The proposed closing of the lumber mill comes as unwelcome news for the citizens of Smitten. How will the town survive without its main employer? A close-knit group of women think they've got just the plan to save Smitten. They'll capitalize on its name and turn it into a tourist destination for lovers-complete with sweet shops, a high-end spa, romantic music on the square, and cabins outfitted with fireplaces and hot tubs.

But is this manly town ready for an influx of romantically-minded guests?

Country music sensation Sawyer Smitten, the town's hometown hero, wants to help by holding his own wedding there on Valentine's Day. And little Mia's lavender wreaths hang all over town as a reminder that faith can work miracles. Along the way, four women spearheading the town's transformation-energetic Natalie, sophisticated Julia, graceful Shelby, and athletic Reese-get in the spirit by reviving their own love lives.

Join best-selling inspirational romance authors (and real-life BFFs) Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter for an inspiring stay at the (soon-to-be) most romantic town on the eastern seaboard.

One visit . . . and you'll be smitten too.

2. Print
 

A Cold Creek Secret

by RaeAnne Thayne
This was a free gift from Harlequin and I have a 2nd one for giveaway too.

This is pleasant Harlequin fare so far.

Book Description
Series: Cherish | Publication Date: February 2011Just back from a tour of duty, all Major Brant Western wanted was a hot meal and a warm bed. What he didn't need was the stunning socialite in disguise who'd just shown up at his family's Cold Creek ranch. Scandal trailed bad girl Mimi Van Hoyt--aka "Maura"--everywhere she went. But once Brant discovered her secret, how could he turn her away?

Being stranded in the middle of nowhere in a blizzard was not Mimi's idea of a fun time in the Tetons. Then why was she starting to think this sexy soldier could be more than her shelter from the storm? And the more determined Brant was to protect her and her unborn child, the more she believed that this honorable, irresistible military man was the only man for her.

3. Print
 

Miss Hildreth Wore Brown: Anecdotes of a Southern Belle

by Olivia deBelle Byrd

This author spoke at a Women's Club meeting in December - lots of fun!

She has provided a guest post 

and an extra copy for Giveaway.

This will post on January 18.

Book Description Publication Date: May 1, 2010
While Olivia deBelle Byrd was repeating one of her many Southern stories for the umpteenth time, her long-suffering husband looked at her with glazed over eyes and said,“Why don’t you write this stuff down?” Thus was born Miss Hildreth Wore Brown—Anecdotes of a Southern Belle. If the genesis for a book is to shut your wife up, I guess that’s as good as any.  On top of that, Olivia’s mother had burdened her with one of those Southern middle names kids love to make fun.  To see “deBelle” printed on the front of a book seemed vindication for all the childhood teasing.  With storytelling written in the finest Southern tradition from the soap operas of Chandler Street in the quaint town of Gainesville, Georgia, to a country store on the Alabama state line, Oliviade Belle Byrd delves with wit and amusement into the world of the Deep South with all its unique idiosyncrasies and colloquialisms.  The characters who dance across the pages range from Great-Aunt LottieMae, who is as “old-fashioned and opinionated as the day is long,” to Mrs. Brewton, who calls everyone “dahling” whether they are darling or not, to Isabella with her penchant for mint juleps and drama.  Humorous anecdotes from a Christmas coffee, where one can converse with a lady who has Christmas trees with blinking lights dangling from her ears, to Sunday church,where a mink coat is mistaken for possum, will delight Southerners and baffle many a non-Southerner. There is the proverbial Southern beauty pageant, where even a six-month-old can win a tiara, to a funeral faux pas of the iron clad Southern rule—one never wears white after Labor Day and, dear gussy, most certainly not to a funeral.  Miss Hildreth Wore Brown—Anecdotes of a Southern Belle is guaranteed to provide an afternoon of laugh-out-loud reading and hilarious enjoyment.

4. Audible
 

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf

• UNABRIDGED
• by Molly Harper
• Narrated by Amanda Ronconi

This has been in my Audible Library and it is a recommended book for one of the challenges. :-)

Publisher's Summary

Even in Grundy, Alaska, its unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham,who has been openly critical of Mo's ability to adapt to life in Alaska, has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, its love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, hes worried that he might be the violent canine in question.

If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if hes not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated.

I am again listening to The Listener's Bible NIV read by Max McLean. 
Instead of studying with the Tyndall One Year Bible this year I am studying with Through the Bible in One Year by Alan B. Stringfellow. It is a Study that I used for teaching back in around1989 so I will enjoy it again.
I am at Genesis 27.

Line Edits: I am continuing to work on Smashword and print releases. Then we will be starting with new submissions again.

January - I have 16 total for January, plus added Audibles. Hmmm - four a week may be okay.
I am using NetGalley now so the (NG) means NetGalley.

Scheduled:
1/11 Scrumptious by Amanda Usen with Author Interview
1/13-18 Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop
1/18 Miss Hildreth Wore Brown, Ancedotes of a Southern Belle by Olivia deBelle Byrd with Author Guest Post and Giveaway
1/20 Deeper Water Tides of Truth Series, Book 1) by Robert Whitlow - for Ladies Book Club

Sourcebooks
A Demon Does it Better by Linda Wisdom (Paranormal Romance) by Linda Wisdom

LB&Co
     The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
     The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi
Orbit
(NG) Theft of Swords (Riyria Revelations) by Michael J. Sullivan

Others:

(NG) Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey
Baby, Baby [Family Heirlooms Series Book 1] by Karen Wiesner
Shadow Boxing [Family Heirlooms Series Book 2] by Karen Wiesner

[To be posted - I am setting these up for January interview/feature days since I didn't get them in this year:
These were read and ready for reviews for Authors.
Quest for Magic by Jean Hart Stewart - Read; review to be posted with interview.
Seeing for the First Time (What You See is What You Get) and To See (What You See is What You Get) by Nicole Zoltack - Both Read; setting up author interview with reviews.
Steamrolled by Pauline Baird Jone. Read; review to be posted with author interview.]