Christmas Gifts Giveaway

My work life sometimes interferes and eats up my time during the day!  Then DH doesn't always like how much time I spend on the computer at night so "something has to give."  --- Hmmm that is an ironic choice of words - "give", well yes, I'll give but late. 
Sorry this post is too late to get the gifts there on time for Christmas.
Better late than never I usually say!

I have three packages:

#1 Snowman Package - US or Canada Only

A shelf sitting snowman, a green Christmas hand towel, a magnetic notepad, a tin of cookies, a small decorative pillow and two flavored lip balms.  Plus ONE BOOK choice from the CHRISTMAS BOOKS FOR GIVEAWAY.

#2 Moose Package - US or Canada Only

A shelf sitting moose, a white Christmas hand towel, a magnetic notepad, a tin of cookies, a small decorative pillow and two flavored lip balms.  Plus ONE BOOK  choice from the CHRISTMAS BOOKS FOR GIVEAWAY.

 

#3 $10.00 Gift Card for my International Friends Only

TO ENTER:

You must be a follower please.

Leave a comment with three items:

1. The Country you live in.

2. What you expect your temperature to be on Christmas Day.

3. Your email address.

AND FOR US and CANADIAN - Unless you indicate that you only want one particular package, your entry will go in for either.

I won't be in the office for mail on the 23rd, 24th or 27th so this will close at 10PM Central December 27.

Enquiring Minds Want to Know Meme Week 16 PLUS Comment Giveaway

This meme is hosted by Dollycas Thoughts for Thursdays - which are hard for me to make.  The goal is to get to know our fellow bloggers and visitors better. Each week Dolly asks some questions for us to answer and then link up. I am late doing the post but I am trying to to participate as I would like to learn more about blogger and follower friends.

WEEK 16 QUESTIONS

1. What is the present you want Santa to bring the most?

I don't have anything I really want - although if I could get someone to clean up and speed up my computers that would make me REALLY happy.  I am thrilled to be having both our children here and my Dad!
My hubby and I are lucky we are matched.  We celebrated our 25th anniversary on November 30 with an exchange of a card and a candlelit dinner prepared and set by my DH.  I was in the doghouse for not taking pictures.  We have agreed to get ourselves an exercise bike for Christmas because we both need it. :) He'll pick it up so I don't know what it looks like yet.

2. Do you have a big meal on Christmas or just snack all day?

We do have a big meal although I would be just as happy to snack. I believe I mentioned before that my DH is our cook. He tends to cook for an army. :) This year we will be doing breakfast because then my Dad and Stepmom will be driving to have dinner with my sister and her clan.   This morning my DH made breakfast at church for the men's prayer group and wives.  (He does breakfast for eight to twelve men every Tuesday morning.)
Here is the buffet table so you get an idea how he cooks.  From right to left: warm fruit surprise, cinnamon french toast, sausage gravy, ham, scrambled eggs with cheese, biscuits, potatoes, bacon and sausage. I had to stop him or he would have made pancakes too!  Even with twenty people there was plenty left over.

3. Do you read Christmas books this time of year, is there a special one you reread year after year?

I sure want to but the review schedule hasn't permitted that this year.  My fault for having too many books to review.  I thought I would do better going into 2011 but I already have 20 lined up for the first two months.
"Too many books; not enough time."  BUT there is one story we read every year at Christmas and that is the Nativity Story from the Bible- Luke 2:1-38.  We also read with the children "The Night Before Christmas."

Your turn to share.  This week we will do another Christmas book from the Christmas Books for Giveaway.
Rules: a) Must be a follower; b) Share a comment on any (or all) of the three questions above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made by next Friday, December 24 at 10PM central. I probably won't announce the winner until Sunday when festivities have quieted. 

Winner of Enquiring Minds #15 Christmas Decorations

Thanks for all of your great comments on the decorations Enquiring Minds Comment Giveaway.  I will continue to run this as a Comment Giveaway as I like to learn about my followers and am so glad when you share.  I got so interested reading your comments that I initially forgot to create my list for Random.org! 

Congratulations to the Winner:

I will email Nastassia to see if she wants to choose a small book or a gift certificate.

Thanks to Secret Santa!

Most of you know from my blog that I do love to give gifts! But I like to get them too - who doesn't?

I am pleased to share the great gifts I got.

Secret Santa was hosted by the lovely Kate at The Neverending Shelf.  My first gift came in the first week of December from Ivy at Ivy Reads.
She sent me two books from my Wish List.
Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1)
by Cassandra Clare

                                                        and

A Vote of Confidence (Sisters of Bethlehem Springs, The)

by Robin Lee Hatcher

Thank you Ivy!!

Audio Book Review and Giveaway: The Reversal by Michael Connelly

An engaging courtroom, legal thriller.
The Reversal by Michael Connelly read by Peter Giles

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Abridged edition (October 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607886480
• ISBN-13: 978-1607886488

     Price:  Hardcover $13.99    Kindle $12.99  Audiobook $19.79
     Genre: Legal Thriller
     My Rating:  4.25 of 5.0

Product Description
Longtime defense attorney Mickey Haller is recruited to change stripes and prosecute the high-profile retrial of a brutal child murder. After 24 years in prison, convicted killer Jason Jessup has been exonerated by new DNA evidence. Haller is convinced Jessup is guilty, and he takes the case on the condition that he gets to choose his investigator, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch.

Together, Bosch and Haller set off on a case fraught with political and personal danger. Opposing them is Jessup, now out on bail, a defense attorney who excels at manipulating the media, and a runaway eyewitness reluctant to testify after so many years.

With the odds and the evidence against them, Bosch and Haller must nail a sadistic killer once and for all. If Bosch is sure of anything, it is that Jason Jessup plans to kill again.

Review: I really enjoyed this legal thriller although there were some slower portions.

It has been a number of years since I read a Connelly book featuring Detective Harry Bosch and I had not read the previous works which introduced Harry’s half-brother, Defense Attorney Mickey Haller.  I liked the presentation of the story through both of these characters, alternating on scenes in the courtroom with Haller and the investigative work through Bosch.

Haller uses his skills and expertise as a defense lawyer to try to anticipate and prepare the prosecution to withstand the defense to be presented. Bosch uses his determined investigative skills to come up with the witnesses needed to present the prosecution’s case. Many witnesses have retired, moved or are dead. Harry manages to find witnesses, some who were not even used in the first trial, to piece together the crime after 24 years.  There would not have been a chance for the case without Harry finding the main witness, Sara, the murdered girl’s sister.  She was only 13 at the time of the murder but she was the eye witness who identified Jessup as the killer.  Harry also finds a key person to counter the defense’s attempt to discredit Sarah.

During the trial Harry helps to oversee the secret surveillance of Jessup’s movements who has been released on his own recognizance.  This adds some action suspense into the story.

This story is not high in criminal action but rather intensive in court procedures and legal machinations.  I have never practiced criminal law and have only handled a couple of jury trials in my years of practice. Nonetheless I really liked the courtroom scenes and preparation strategy sessions, as did my husband who listened to the story too.

The narration is pretty straight forward with only a few modified voices, particularly the abrupt sharpness of Bosch and the imitation British accent of the defense Attorney.  There is not a real attempt to present the female voices other than slight intonations, but that worked fine for me. Some of the procedural portions were a bit slow and I don’t know if they would have been easier to skim in print. Since I often multi-task when listening to audio books, those scenes did not really bother me or make the audio book tedious.

The plot and legal detail are engaging enough to keep the book moving to a very interesting, if not completely resolved, ending.  Anyone who likes details of criminal investigation and all the details necessary to present a murder trial, as well as of the accompanying court procedures, will enjoy this book.

THANK YOU TO HACHETTE FOR PROVIDING TWO AUDIO CD BOOKS FOR GIVEAWAY.
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. Tell me if you like courtroom procedure books, TV shows or movies and let me know if you have a favorite.
Please leave your email!

2.  Two extra entries: Visit the Author Website and tell me something you found there of interest.

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

4. For three entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Seven total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL!

THERE WILL BE TWO WINNERS!

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

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

* Limit one win per household.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on January 2, 2011.
The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.