Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Gratitude Giveaways - For Faithful Followers and New Friends

It's time for Gratitude Giveaways! This blog hop celebration was organized by I Am A Reader Not A Writer. The event runs from midnight WEDNESDAY, November 17th to midnight SUNDAY, November 28th and there are over 175 blogs participating! This gives you twelve days to find some great new book blogs and to enter lots of giveaways.

Scroll to the bottom of this post for the full linky list of participating blogs! If the links do not show up, they can be found at this link to I Am A Reader Not A Writer Blog.

I haven't had a follower giveaway for several months and I am very thrilled to be moving up close to 600 followers! If you are not already, I hope you will become of follower of my blog through Email, Google Friend Connect or Twitter. Enjoy Gratitude Giveaway and share with friends! After the event ends maybe come back and check out my other giveaways which are at the top of the blog.

There are lots of prizes on over 175 blogs so get hopping!

Contest Ends midnight eastern November 28, 2010! Winners will be announced hopefully within 48 hours - may depend on the number of entries.

PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE DIFFERENT ENTRY FORMS FOR US/Canadians and International entries. Due to shipping costs I will have gift cards available for the International followers and ONLY the International followers can enter for those giveaways.

I hope you like some of the great series box sets I have for these giveaways.

FOR US ONLY (unless you want to pay any shipping cost over $10.00)

GRAND WINNER Gets to pick ONE Collection set from choices A, B or C.
A. In honor of the last Harry Potter Movie coming out I have a boxed set of books 1-7.

B. Another of my favorite series:
The Sookie Stackhouse Collection books 1-7 by Charlaine Harris! If you haven't read these - they are fun and as I have said before, IMHO, SOOOOO much better than the True Blood TV series.

C. I have not read this series but believe it is popular.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood Books 1-6 by J.R. Ward

FOR US or CANADIAN entries:

SECOND PLACE WINNER gets to pick ONE set from collections 1, 2 or 3 below.

1. The Amish Trilogy by Beverly Lewis

2. Three Christine Feehan books
Dark Celebration: A Carpathian Reunion (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 14)
Dark Curse (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 16) and
Dark Possession (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 15)

Dark Curse (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 16)

Dark Possession (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 15)

OR 3. The Vampire Academy Trilogy

by Richelle Mead

US or CANADIAN

THIRD PLACE WINNER gets to pick ANY two books from these twelve:
A Black Tie Affair and Iron Man 2

To Surrender To A Rogue (Circle of Sin Trilogy)
and
Desire Me (The Legend Hunters)

Alex Cross's TRIAL and One Scream Away

Barely a Lady and Ravished by a Highlander

Barely a Lady (The Drake's Rakes series)

Risk No Secrets and Still the One

These two are ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies)
Soul Catcher and Seduced by the Wolf

US AND CANADIAN ENTER WITH US/CANADIAN FORM
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dG80eUxiVVVxSjF0TUZnVUJudjNzVmc6MA

INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES:

#1 WINNER INTERNATIONAL - Gift Certificate of choice for $20.00
#2 WINNER INTERNATIONAL - Gift Certificate of choice for $10.00

INTERNATIONAL ENTER WITH
INTERNATIONAL FORM

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDFWeDFUejRuVUpMaUZaOTVsTHNkMUE6MA

Comments are always welcome too! HAVE FUN and be thankful.
This event is going to be a monthly giveaway hop so be sure to check back each month. I am proud to be co-hosting January 2011 Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop - watch for the new post on this.

Here is the full list - Give thanks, go forth and enter!

Book Review: Synarchy Book 1: The Awakening by D.C.S.

This book is extremely well written in intensity and flow. It gripped me and kept my interest from beginning to end.
Synarchy Book 1: The Awakening by D.C.S.

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 221 KB
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0039UUBEI

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Product Description
A plan is exposed, centuries in the making and so sinister not even the legend himself could have predicted the depth of its impact on the world. In his lifetime Stefano Terenzio had a merciless ambition for absolute power. Two generations later the shock wave he ignited was still being felt. Now, as the world inches closer to 2012 sides are chosen, families divide and an epic battle begins that will determine whether mankind continues existing in a world of lies or shatters the chains that have held us prisoner since his-story was written.

Shocking yet hopeful, Synarchy slowly unravels the tightly laced reality we have created for ourselves. Blending the metaphysical with conspiracy, fact with fiction, debut author DCS has opened up a world that will force you to rethink everything you believe about your own. The knowledge within provokes the question: do you really want to know?

Review: I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this, especially in light of the second paragraph of the product description. It doesn’t matter that I view this as clear fiction, and not a new realty (think Matrix here). It is really difficult to summarize the story but I can easily say that this is a very entertaining read.

Interestingly the story mixes survivors from Atlantis (who have cool household features), an Italian mafia family (with members who reincarnate in a third generation), the Brotherhood (aka Illuminati), and aliens as a form of god society who would enslave humans.

The mystery from the beginning drew me in. The characters are strong and the good guys (and gals) are likeable and the bad guys (and gals) are nasty mean. The Terenzio family will have to face off with those in control who want to stop humans from moving to another level, the Ascension, which is Book 2. Unfortunately not all the family are united and the upcoming battle for control will pit cousins against cousins and may even pit half-sister against brothers and sister.

Here is a phrase at the beginning of the book that may give you a flavor of how the author’s writing catches attention: “ His violent heartbeat added a menacing soundtrack to the images of his dream as they invaded his conscious state.”

There is a lot going on, with different family sides and support members. It did take me a bit to sort who was who and this book might be more easily read in print than on Kindle. But once I had identified the characters it was fine and the story moved at a quick pace.

I was offered Book Two of this series to review and thought it sounded interesting. Then the author sent Book One as it introduces the opposing characters and sets up the battle to come. I am really looking forward to reading Book Two for review post on November 24.

xxx

This book was received from Pump Up our Book Promotion and the author for an unbiased review.