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Sunday, January 8, 2012

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

Finished Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle
 

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)
 

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)
 
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
 

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
 
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
 
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 2011
Just 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
 
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
 

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.]

Sunday Words of Encouragement January 8, 2012

Today we celebrated Epiphany:...a Christian festival commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi.  Our Pastor's message was: The Unimaginable.  That certainly is an oxymoron because we can not imagine.

How could man imagine a King, a Savior, would be born in a stable as a baby? 
How could the Wise Men know what awaited them when they followed a distant star to bring gifts?

How can we imagine that God loves us so much and gives us grace when we are so undeserving?

As our pastor stated: "You never know what to expect on your journey with God as it will be beyond imagination."
"... Think the unimaginable..." as God's plans are "...beyond your wildest dreams."

Recognize that "what is impossible with man is possible with God." Luke 18:27.

The Video I had chosen for today is not available for embedding.
I hope you will take a moment to visit this beautiful song!
Now That I Held Him in My Arms, by Michael Card.
This describes Simeon's reaction to the infant baby Jesus when he is brought to the Temple.

A Verse for Today:
Luke 1:37 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.

We prayed this morning for faith to recognize that God still does the impossible today in His will, His timing and His way.
I am looking forward to our prayer service tonight.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Book Review and Giveaway of 52 Small Changes by Brett Blumenthal

Who is ready for healthy, happy changes in 2012?

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

  • Paperback: 380 pages
  • Publisher: AmazonEncore; 1 edition (January 3, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1612181392
  • ISBN-13: 978-1612181394
     Genre:  Health, Fitness
     My Rating:  4.5 of 5.0
 


Product Description
Whether as New Year’s resolutions, birthday wishes, or daily promises, most everyone vows at some point to make a major life change. But change is easier said than done, especially when it comes to better managing our wellness amidst the chaos of everyday living. Fortunately, wellness coach and award-winning writer Brett Blumenthal has devised a way to inspire and motivate her readers to live healthier and make positive changes in their lives. Although Blumenthal’s method is not a quick fix, it is a surprisingly simple one: make one small change per week, for fifty-two weeks, and at the end of a year, you’ll be happier and healthier. After all, it is the small changes that are the most realistic, instead of trying to overhaul your lifestyle all at once. 52 Small Changes addresses all areas of wellbeing, including nutrition, exercise, stress management, mental wellness, and even the health of one’s home environment. By guiding readers through these changes at an easy, manageable pace, Blumenthal provides an engaging roadmap to lasting results and “a happier, healthier you.”

Review:
Who doesn’t like to try to make their life healthier both physically and mentally?  This is not a diet book or a “fix” everything book.  It is a book to help you focus on easy steps to healthy and happy changes in your life.  It is set up to motivate the reader to make one step at a time. Not all of the suggestions in this book are new to me and I don't agree with all of them. However, I love the way this is laid out.  The author covers one topic of change for each week of the year. The changes fit into four categories (followed by the image used to identify the area):   Diet and Nutrition (apple), Fitness and Prevention (walking figure), Mental Well-being (half sunny leaf) and Green Living (leaf).

Many of the changes are basics that we have heard before, like the first two weeks which cover drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep.   I have gone through times when I do good on these and then forget or let them slide. But at the end of each week this book concludes with a reminder to follow-up on the previous changes as well as learning the new one.  By the end of the book you have a full checklist that fills a page and can be easily referred to.

As noted I don’t agree with all of the proposals. The author encourages using whole grains, which is debatable, and eating lots of fruit, which I believe needs to be more selective. It would be easy to substitute your own details for any suggestions that you don’t agree with. I really like that it includes more than just diet and fitness as mental health is important too.

The author provides specific suggestions: basic exercises for fitness, lists of foods and recipes.  The reader can add to these, or substitute with their own favorites.  There are also additional resources in the back and on the author’s website. The idea to me is that I, for one, may be more likely to incorporate the new change each week while keeping up with the previous ones on the checklist.  I’m not going to outline all the topics as they are available through the “look inside” feature and I am going to direct you there as part of the giveaway.

I recommend this book if you want to make even a portion of the changes covered. I have already gotten my daughter started to do the program with me.


This will also go towards my ARC, New Author and Eclectic Challenges.

I received the book for review from Amazon Encore.

HERE IS MY GIVEAWAY - FOUR WINNERS total.
To encourage others who are interested, I am doing this giveaway: I will give a print book to TWO US or Canadian followers and I will give a Kindle or Nook version to TWO International followers who will commit to try the program with us. I will either set up a post or a google group so we can share our progress and encourage each other. Please only enter this giveaway if you are willing to Try the program and participate in the group for eight weeks...hopefully longer.  Others who get the book will be welcome to join in the encouragement!


TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:
1. Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you found there OR check the Look Inside feature and tell me a chapter that interests you. This is required for entry.
Please note the special commitment requirement above and WITH YOUR COMMENT YOU MUST TELL ME IF YOU ARE US/CANADA OR INTERNATIONAL SO I CAN PUT YOU IN THE RIGHT LIST FOR CHOOSING THE WINNER.
2.  For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3.  For two 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.
(Four total entries possible.)

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on January 13, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
The WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on January 14. 
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.
Here are other Giveaways if you want to try elsewhere to win this book:
  • http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/2012/01/book-review-52-small-changes-by-brett-blumenthal.html
  • http://mylittlereviewcorner.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/52-small-changes/

Sharing Beyond Books #30 Comment Giveaway January 7, 2012

Hello - We're back to Welcome to Saturday Night! I had a strange but oddly productive first week of 2012. How about everyone else?

Thank you for commenting last week.


About two thirds of us get reading slumps. The solutions make sense - pick up a book you really want to read; pick up and re-read a fav; ask for recommendations for MUST READ books; push through even if little bit of reading; watch movies/comedies; or allow a little time to pass. I agree with Heavensent1 that you can get a review slump and you really have to push through on those!

Only half of us received books for holiday gifts but an additional four got gift cards. It was great to read what books you got, wanted or bought with the GCs.  Mixed blessing - gives me more ideas for the TBP (to be purchased) list. I spent sometime picking up some free Kindle books like Linda K.

~~~~

The Winner from SBB #29 comments is: #6 Pol. (I love when newbies win!) There are still 9 'love' books to pick from, 3 Christmas choices and 2 Summer titles below. Pol please choose a book from the remaining Love Books List for Giveaway or remaining Christmas Giveaway Books, the one summer book below OR pick from the ARC box and let me know your choice, your address and a choice of bookmarks by completing the WINNER FORM.
Or if you are International then pick smaller book for mailing or GC credit.

WEEK #30 Questions

Q1. This week Mamabunny13 asks: 1.  Do you watch reality tv, if so what type of reality show (competition, talent  etc.) do you like?? 
A:  Nope - not me. Our daughter used to watch American Idol... does that count? But once or twice I saw some apartment living reality and it was too much (melo)drama for me!  
I had no idea what I would do for an image for this till I spotted this cartoon! LOL. No offense to those of you who do like reality TV.

Q2. Here is my question- Did you make any New Year Resolutions?? Share one if you would like... or if you are brave. :-)

A:  This year I did not officially make any resolutions. However, in place of resolutions, I am implementing the changes in 52 Small Changes so I will be making changes all year long! [If you would like to do this too - keep your eyes open for my Review with Giveaway!]

~~~~
Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask.  Input suggestions in this Suggested Question FormAt the end of each month I will draw from the suggestions I used the month before and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions but some of you others might want to get in a question or two as we have a few people submitting most of the questions so far.  Either way - it works for me. :-)  I welcome more questions. Remember they don't all have to be book related. I'm going to be asking some other questions soon! 

Your turn to share:

1. Do you watch reality tv, if so what type of reality show (competition, talent  etc.) do you like??


2. Did you make any New Year Resolutions?? Share one if you would like... or if you are brave. :-)

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the remaining  Valentine and "Love" books or the remaining Christmas Giveaway Books - there are still about 12 books available plus 2 left in the Summer titles to choose from. Also I have added the Review and ARC Box now.

My copy is a paperback from 2006
with a different cover.


A Summer Affair (Calhoun Chronicles) 
A Summer Affair (Calhoun Chronicles)
I love Susan Wigg's historicals!



SBB Rules: a) Must be a follower; 
b) Share a comment on any (or all) of the two/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 Friday, January 13 at 10PM central.

Winners of Carrie Goes Off The Map and Three-Day Town

CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNERS!
Thank you to all who entered.
Flash Winners were announced at the original giveaway on the Rafflecopter Form.  
Spav and Aik. 



Glitter text

Marianne

WINNERS please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form so I can mail the books out.  Please reply within 72 hours! 

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