Winners of Tamed by a Laird

We have five Winners of Tamed by a Laird!

CONGRATULATIONS

                   Jake                   Housemouse                   Mitz

                                   Virgina                   Theresa

Winners have been notified by e-mail and have 72 hours to respond with snail mail info or new winners will be picked! 

Thank  you everyone you entered!

AND THANK YOU TO HACHETTE AND ANNA for the books!

The Second Reading Challenge

This second Christmas challenge meme is being hosted by

The True Book Addict

The rules are posted at that site but this challenge is to read 1 to 3 Christmas novels, short stories or books about Christmas lore.  The challenge starts November 26 and runs to December 31st, 2009.

I have some different books I plan to read for this challenge:

1. Holly and Mistletoe by Susan Mallery
2. The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall
3. Exiles from Christmas by Sandra Sooko

2009 Holiday Reading Challenge

This meme is being hosted by All About {n}

The rules are posted at her site but basically the challenge is to read 1 to 5 books which are holiday related - Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.  The challenge starts November 20 and runs to December 31st, 2009.

I always LOVE to read Christmas books in late November and December so I am glad to do this!

Here are the books I plan to read for this challenge:
UPDATED 11/29

1. Christmas Sin by Ed Williams - 11/29 read; review to be posted at YGR.
   
2. Christmas for the Cowboy by Patricia Bates - I won this a month or so ago and realized I could add it!
   
3. Look What Santa Brought by Annmarie McKenna
4. The Christmas Lamp by Lori Copeland

A GREAT WONDERFUL GIVEAWAY! PLUS DONATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH!

Author Nancy O'Berry has a new release that is coming out November 26, 2009.  It is special because all of the proceeds are being donated to Cancer research!

Here is the donation information:

All the proceeds from this book are being donated to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Tidewater fund. If you would like to make a donation or get in contact with them, please use the following website and address:

http://www.komentidewater.org/

119 S. Witchduck Rd., Suite 85

Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Komen’s National Breast Care Helpline:

To speak to someone about breast health and breast cancer concerns, please call 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636).

Breast cancer is a type of cancer where cells in the breast tissue divide and grow without normal control. It is a widespread and random disease, striking women and men of all ages and races. It is the most prevalent cancer in the world today, with about 1.3 million people diagnosed annually. The exact cause of the disease is unknown, and at this time, there is no cure.

But there is hope.

Thanks to heightened awareness, early detection through screening, improved treatment methods and increased access to breast health services, people have a greater chance of survival than ever before.

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure national website, komen.org, offers comprehensive information about breast cancer risk factors, early detection and screening, diagnosis and treatment. Developed in conjunction with the Harvard School of Public Health, the site offers a one-stop resource for all the latest information on the disease.

I saw Nancy's announcement and told her this was wonderful as my own dear mom died of cancer when I was only 21.  She was a young 48.

Nancy offered to do a Giveaway to encourage others to buy the book! Let me give you some info on the book then make sure you check out everything in this GREAT PRIZE PACKAGE below the book blurb!!

STORMY WEATHER

Nancy O'Berry

Mainstream Romance: Contemporary

ISBN: TBA

Cover Artist: Nancy Donahue

Editor: TBA

Word Count: 17,460

Release Date: TBA

Nancy's Red Rose Publishing Link

As a woman, Lauren Phelps has suffered the worst life can throw at her. The loss of her breast, the rejection of her husband, a divorce can she pick up the shattered threads of her life and continue?

Cole McGuire met Lauren Phelps through a mutual friend, his mother. When Lauren took a medical leave of absence, he wondered if he would ever see her again. When she returned to Teague and Marshalls, he made sure she was transferred to his office. Now divorced, he wondered if he stood a chance to woo her.

Can Lauren learn to love again after the storm?

Sounds like an interesting story right? Now here is the prize package that Nancy has so graciously offered!

    *  A CD that contains pdf copies of not just Stormy Weather, but three more of Nancy's books: Holding on to Hope, Giving in to Charity and Destination Daytona!

    * A Print copy of Having Faith, the first book in the Sweetbrier Series.

AND

    * A Pink Canvas Book Tote with the Stormy Weather cover on it.

Isn't that a GREAT WONDERFUL Package!

Here are the lovely covers!

THANK YOU NANCY!




PLUS for every ten entrants I will pick a winner at the conclusion of the Giveaway to receive a download copy of Stormy Weather provided from me.  International entries will be accepted for these extra Giveaways so please let me know if you are overseas and entering for the extra Giveaway instead of main prize package!  International entrants will be counted toward the "ten" entries but eliminated for the main drawing. 

TO ENTER:

1. Comment here telling me your favorite charity. Please include your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

4. Leave a separate comment for each entry or you'll only be entered once. (This method is used to make it easier to put the entries into the random generator!)

5. Visit Nancy's Blog and leave a comment there and come back and tell me you did.

(Four total entries possible.)

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.

* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.

* This contest will close Midnight (Central) on November 26, 2009. The winner will be randomly selected from all non international entries.

REVIEW- Queene of Light by Jennifer Armintrout

Title:  Queene of Light
Author:  Jennifer Armintrout

Publisher: Mira Books (September 29, 2009)
Genre:  Paranormal (but I would label it Fantasy)
Pages:  384 pages
ISBN-10: 0778326624
ISBN-13: 978-0778326625
Buy Link

Rating: 4.5 of 5




Blurb:  An unimagined destiny an undeniable passion.
In a time not long from now, the veil between fantasy and reality is ripped asunder—creatures of myth and fairy tale spill into the mortal world. Enchanted yet horrified, humans force the magical beings Underground, to colonize the sewers and abandoned subway tunnels beneath their glittering cities.

But even magic folk cannot dwell in harmony, and soon two Worlds emerge: the Lightworld, home to faeries, dragons and dwarves; and the Darkworld, where vampires, werewolves, angels and demons lurk

Now, in the dank and shadowy place between Lightworld and Darkworld, a transformation is about to begin…

Ayla, a half faery, half human assassin, is stalked by Malachi, a Death Angel tasked with harvesting mortal souls. They clash. Immortality evaporates, forging a bond neither may survive. And in the face of unbridled ambitions and untested loyalties, an ominous prophecy is revealed that will shake the Worlds.

 Review:  A unique fantasy setting and a very interesting plot make this an engaging read.

Ayla had a rough childhood growing up on the streets without the love of family or friends.  She is primarily a warrior, often sent on assignment into the Darkworld.  When she is not fighting Ayla is looking for a way to survive as best she can in a very harsh and difficult world.  Her mentor, who is the Queene’s brother, Garret, appears to cherish Ayla but as the story goes on you realize he has a nefarious reason to want her as his mate.

Malachi is a Death Angel who has lost his immortality as a result of his first encounter with Ayla.  Now he is abandoned and alone in Darkworld.  He sets out to kill the assassin who caused his fall.  Ayla and Malachi should want to kill each other on sight, but instead they are drawn by an attraction that neither understands!

I really got hooked into this story right away.  I enjoyed the unique world and the various characters described by the author.  I thought each of the primary characters in the story was defined with uniqueness and developed through his or her behavior.  There was action from the beginning that pulled me in and I felt the story moved along with a good tension. There were times when I just did not want to put the book down!  As the story approached the end I realized that this wasn’t going to finish and there must be a sequel.  I was a little disappointed because I was anxious to see what happened and the end of this book was weakened as the fate of the protagonists, and the world, was left up in the air.

I got the sense the author may have been trying to present a deeper message but I wasn’t in the mood to ponder it out!  Besides, I don’t always need a message to enjoy the read and I did enjoy this.  I will want to read the next book to uncover where the prophecy is headed! Maybe then I'll think on the message.