Friday, June 19, 2009

In My Mailbox...


In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.
If you haven't visited her blog, you should!
I missed posting earlier this week, and since my computer is still down at home, I'm going to do 2 weeks of In My Mailbox and post it today...





My Forbidden Desire by Carolyn Jewell
TORN BETWEEN...Alexandrine Marit is a witch in mortal danger. An evil mage craves the powerful, mysterious talisman that supplies her magic, and the only person who can keep her safe is a dark and dangerous fiend called Xia. With his fierce animosity toward witches, he's hardly the ideal bodyguard. Yet as days turn into nights, she can't deny the white-hot passion between them.
DESIRE AND TEMPTATION…
Xia hates witches. They enslave and mercilessly kill his kind. But he's been ordered to protect Alexandrine, who, to his surprise, has a spirit he admires and a body he longs to possess. With the mage and his henchmen closing in, Alexandrine and her protector must trust the passion that can unite them...or risk losing everything to the enemies who can destroy them both.

One Scream Away by Kate Brady
Killer Chevy Bankes is a master of disguise, and just paroled, he's coming after the woman who sent him to jail, the beautiful antiques expert Beth Denison. A set of antique dolls brings Beth into his sight, and inspire Chevy's disturbing crimes as he draws closer to Beth and her young daughter. Chevy sends the dolls to Beth one-by-one and she soon realizes that these antiques carry the same marks as his victims, signaling that the final piece in his collection will be for her.Neil Sheridan gave up his FBI shield five years ago, but his best friend Rick, a cop, pulls him in as a consultant on a case involving a serial killer who is eerily similar to a murderer Neil encountered in the past. The investigation leads Neil to Beth's doorstep, and he is certain she isn't telling him the truth. Neil is the only one who can get through Beth's defenses and, as they grow closer, discover the secrets that Beth is hiding about her fateful night with Chevy.
Drawing In The Dust by Zoe Klein
Brilliant archaeologist Page Brookstone is convinced bones speak, yet none of the ancient remnants she has unearthed during her twelve years of toiling at Israel's storied battlegrounds of Megiddo has delivered the life-altering message she so craves. Which is why the story of Ibrahim and Aisha Barakat, a young Arab couple who implore Page to excavate the grounds beneath their house in Anatot, instantly intrigues her.
The Barakats claim the ghosts of two lovers haunt their home, overwhelming everyone who enters with love and desire. Ignoring the scorn of her peers, Page investigates the site, where she is seduced by an undeniable force. Once Ibrahim presents Page with hard evidence of a cistern beneath his living room, she has no choice but to uncover the secret of the spirits.
It is not long before Page makes miraculous discoveries -- the bones of the deeply troubled prophet Jeremiah locked in an eternal embrace with a mysterious woman named Anatiya. Buried with the entwined skeletons is a collection of Anatiya's scrolls, whose mystical words challenge centuries-old interpretations of the prophet's story and create a worldwide fervor that threatens to silence the truth about the lovers forever.
Caught in a forbidden romance of her own, and under constant siege from religious zealots and ruthless critics, Page risks her life and professional reputation to deliver Anatiya's passionate message to the world. In doing so, she discovers that to preserve her future in the land of the living, she must shake off the dust of the dead and let go of her own painful past.


The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks


The Notebook is an epic love story centered around an older man who reads aloud to an older, invalid woman whom he regularly visits. From a faded notebook, the old man's words bring to life the story about a couple who is separated by World War II, and is then passionately reunited, seven years later, after they have taken different paths. Though her memory has faded, his words give her the chance to relive her turbulent youth and the unforgettable love they shared.





The Cidar House Rules by John Irving
The Cider House Rules is set in rural Maine in the first half of this century. It tells the story of Homer Wells, an orphan who is raised and mentored by Wilbur Larch, the doctor at the orphanage. Dr. Larch teaches Homer everything about medicine. Yet though his capacity for kindness is saintly, Larch is also an ether addict. He and Homer come into conflict, which is typical of many father-son relationships, but in this case their conflict is intensified by their disagreement about abortion. The result is that Homer leaves the only family he has ever known.
Homer's new life provides more excitement than he could have imagined, especially when he falls in love for the first time. But, when forced to make decisions that will change the course of his future, Homer realizes that he can't escape his past.
The Cider House Rules is ultimately about the choices we make and the rules that are meant to be broken.


Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
When Vivi and Siddalee Walker, an unforgettable mother-daughter team, get into a savage fight over a New York Times article that refers to Vivi as a "tap-dancing child abuser," the fallout is felt from Louisiana to New York to Seattle. Siddalee, a successful theater director with a huge hit on her hands, panics and postpones her upcoming wedding to her lover and friend, Connor McGill. Vivi's intrepid gang of lifelong girlfriends, the Ya-Yas, sashay in and conspire to bring everyone back together.
In 1932, Vivi and the Ya-Yas were disqualified from a Shirley Temple Look-Alike Contest for unladylike behavior. Sixty years later, they're "bucking seventy" and still making waves. They persuade Vivi to send Sidda a scrapbook of girlhood mementos titled "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood."
With the scrapbook in hand, Sidda retreats to a cabin on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, tormented by fear and uncertainty about the future, and intent on discovering the key to the tangle of anger and tenderness she feels toward her mother. But Vivi's album reveals more questions than answers and leads Sidda to encounter the legacy of imperfect love and the unknowable mystery of life.

P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahren
Holly and Gerry had the perfect life. Happily married, living in Dublin close to their friends and family, and with a brilliant social life, they had the world at their feet. Or so they thought. When Gerry dies, Holly is devastated. On the eve of her 30th birthday, the man who was her lover, her best friend, her rock, has left her. But Gerry promised he'd always be there for Holly. And he is: his last bequest to her is The List, a bundle of notes which form a monthly mission for Holly to get her life back on track. As the notes are gradually opened, and as the year unfolds, Holly is both cheered up and challenged. The man who knows Holly better than anyone sets out to teach her that life goes on. With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing - and being braver than ever before. Life is for living, she realises - but it always helps if there's an angel watching over you.

Bridges Of Madison County by
Robert J. Walker
tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, living in 1960s Madison County, Iowa, who engages in an affair with a National Geographic photographer from Bellingham, Washington who is visiting Madison County in order to create a photographic essay on the covered bridges in the area.








Seduce The Darkness by Gena Showalter
SHE HAS A BODY MADE FOR TEMPTATION...
AND A KISS TO DIE FOR.

The war between otherworlders and humans changed Earth beyond recognition. It also saved Bride McKells's life. Before, the gorgeous vampire was a target for every fanatic with a stake and a crucifix. Now, she's free to roam the streets -- and desperate to find others of her kind. One man claims to have the answers she seeks. Devyn, King of the Targons, is a warrior and a womanizer, and he makes no secret of how much he wants Bride -- and how dangerous he could be to her in every way.
An avid collector of women, Devyn easily seduces human and otherworlder alike. Until now. Not only does Bride resist him, but she leaves Devyn feeling something entirely new...a bone-deep need bordering on obsession. Her blood is the key to curing a vicious alien disease, but helping Bride uncover her origins will compel her to choose between electrifying passion and a destiny that could tear her from Devyn's side forever.


Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran
Silver-tongued Viscount Sanburne is London's favorite scapegrace. Alas, Lydia Boyce has no interest in being charmed. When his latest escapade exposes a plot to ruin her family, she vows to handle it herself, as she always has done. Certainly she requires no help from a too-handsome dilettante whose main achievement is being scandalous. But Sanburne's golden charisma masks a sharper mind and darker history than she realizes. He shocks Lydia by breaking past her prim facade to the woman beneath...and the hidden fire no man has ever recognized. But as she follows him into a world of intrigue, she will learn that the greatest danger lies within -- in the shadowy, secret motives of his heart.

Book Giveaway~How To Score by Robin Wells

HER LIFE COACH
Museum curator Sammi Matthews isn't just in a dating slump, she's putting men on the injured list. After giving one date a black eye and cracking another's rib, Sammi decides she needs professional help. Enter life coach Luke Jones, who advises Sammi on how to overcome her klutziness. And their phone sessions work! Sammi soon meets a sexy FBI agent who seems to know just what she needs.
IS CHANGING HER LIFE
When his brother Luke goes into federal protection, FBI Special Agent Chase Jones agrees to cover for him. Then Sammi's hot voice sizzles down the line, and the usual "phone only" rule is out. With "Luke" coaching her by day, and Chase dating her by night, Sammi's confidence soars, along with her appeal. Chase falls hard, but how will Sammi feel if and when he comes clean? Chase would rather she break all his bones than risk breaking her heart.
IN WAYS SHE'S NEVER IMAGINED!



About the Contest:
Open to US and Canadian address. No PO Boxes please.
Three winners will be chosen on July 8th.
A special thanks to Hachette Book Group.
To Win:
Leave a Comment with your name & email address
For an added chance, be a follower!
I will notify the winners by email and on my blog on July 9th.
Please respond within 48 hours with your mailing information!

Book vs Movie~ The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

The Notebook
by Nicholas Sparks

Synopsis:
The Notebook is an epic love story centered around an older man who reads aloud to an older, invalid woman whom he regularly visits. From a faded notebook, the old man's words bring to life the story about a couple who is separated by World War II, and is then passionately reunited, seven years later, after they have taken different paths. Though her memory has faded, his words give her the chance to relive her turbulent youth and the unforgettable love they shared.

As teenagers, Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling) begin a whirlwind courtship that soon blossoms into tender intimacy. The young couple is quickly separated by Allie's upper-class parents who insist that Noah isn't right for her. Several years pass, and, when they meet again, their passion is rekindled, forcing Allie to choose between her soul mate and class order. This beautiful tale has a particularly special meaning to an older gentleman (James Garner) who regularly reads the timeless love story to his aging companion (Gena Rowlands).


My thoughts:

I usually enjoy a book much more than the movie. With “The Notebook” I enjoyed the book but the movie remains my favorite way to enjoy such a great Love story. And it never fails, I get to that one certain part and the water works just automatically turn on.
Maybe it’s James Garner, Gena Rowlands, Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams. They bring these characters to life for me. I can’t imagine anyone else playing Noah & Allie. The one thing about the book that I really did enjoy were the letters that were written during their marriage. One of my favorite parts was in a letter that Allie wrote to Noah, it goes something like this:
"You are my best friend and lover. I'm not sure which I enjoy more." To me that is how it should be with any couple, but it's the rare few who actually find it.

For me the book was a roller coaster of emotions. Very few books leaves me laughing & crying within the span of just a few sentances. The Notebook did exactly that.
I would name Noah & Allie as my favorite on screen couple. They have that deep love for each other, they take the good with the bad. They know the other person isn’t perfect, but except them anyway. They can be brutally honest (he calls her a pain in the ass at one point and she calls him a son of a bitch) with each other, and it's ok.
Ok, one thing that kinda completely honked me off about the book was the ending. If you haven't read the book or watched the movie, first answer this...WHY NOT? Then, stop reading, because there are ***SPOILERS***down below....
In the book, it ends with Allie unbuttoning his shirt (and they are 78& 80) like they are getting ready to, well you know... Now I'm all for older people doing the, well, you know, mainly because I hope to be one of them some day, BUT. And here's the big BUT. I DO NOT WANT TO READ ABOUT IT, THINK ABOUT IT OR HAVE IT HINTED AT! Maybe when I'm pushing 80, reading about 80 years old doing, well, you know, will appeal to me, but not right now. That is one of the main things I would change about the book. I much, much, much prefer they die peacefully in their sleep together, because their love lets them do anything.

Another Award! Woot!

Suzie, over at Confessions of a Wandering Heart gave me this award! If you haven't already visited her blog, you should!


This blog invests and believes in the Proximity - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award.



My chosen blogs for this award are:













Thursday, June 18, 2009

Book Giveaway~ Julie & Julia by Julie Powell

Julie & Julia, the bestselling memoir that's "irresistible....A kind of Bridget Jones meets The French Chef" (Philadelphia Inquirer), is now a major motion picture. Julie Powell, nearing thirty and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, resolves to reclaim her life by cooking in the span of a single year, every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Child's legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her unexpected reward: not just a newfound respect for calves' livers and aspic, but a new life-lived with gusto. The film version is written and directed by Nora Ephron and stars Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia.





About the Contest:
Open to US and Canadian address.
No PO Boxes please.
Five winners will be chosen on July 29th.
A special thanks to Hachette Book Group.
To Win:
Leave a Comment with your name & email address
For an added chance, be a follower!
I will notify the winners by email and on my blog on July 30th.
Please respond within 48 hours with your mailing information!

Book Giveaway~ The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell

Laurie Sandell grew up in awe (and sometimes in terror) of her larger-than-life father, who told jaw-dropping tales of a privileged childhood in Buenos Aires, academic triumphs, heroism during Vietnam, friendships with Kissinger and the Pope. As a young woman, Laurie unconsciously mirrors her dad, trying on several outsized personalities (Tokyo stripper, lesbian seductress, Ambien addict). Later, she lucks into the perfect job--interviewing celebrities for a top women's magazine. Growing up with her extraordinary father has given Laurie a knack for relating to the stars. But while researching an article on her dad's life, she makes an astonishing discovery: he's not the man he says he is--not even close. Now, Laurie begins to puzzle together three decades of lies and the splintered person that resulted from them--herself.


About the Contest:
Open to US and Canadian address.
No PO Boxes please.
Five winners will be chosen on July 22nd.
A special thanks to Hachette Book Group.
To Win:
Leave a Comment with your name & email address
For an added chance, be a follower!
I will notify the winners by email and on my blog on July 23rd.
Please respond within 48 hours with your mailing information!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge!

Beth Fish Reads has come up with a marvelous reading challenge for Sookie Stackhouse fans. It's the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge.

I've wanted to start this series, but was hesitant, since I didn't really care for the HBO series. But I've read some great review so I'm going to do it! Participants have from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010 to catch up on Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire series.


Here's the list:

Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone

To sign up for this challenge, click here.



Book Giveaway~ Hollywood Is Like High School With Money by Zoey Dean

Twenty-four-year old Taylor Henning has just landed her dream job as an assistant at a major movie studio. But when her catty coworkers trick her into almost getting fired, she realizes that the old saying "Hollywood is like school with money" just may be true. The thing is, Taylor wasn't exactly a social butterfly in high school-how is she supposed to do any better the second time around?That's when she meets her boss's popular sixteen-year-old daughter Quinn, and has an epiphany: maybe this teenager can teach her how to use her queen bee tactics to succeed in the Hollywood popularity contest. Quinn comes up with a plan to teach Taylor one lesson a week-everything from "Fake it 'til you make it" to "It's *never* your fault"--and soon Taylor finds herself winning the war against rival assistant Kylie. Until, that is, she's directed to steal Kylie's boyfriend, and something happens that's not in the game plan: Taylor falls for the guy. Now she must do the impossible-- harness her inner mean girl while staying true to herself.


About the Contest:
Open to US and Canadian address. No PO Boxes please.
Three winners will be chosen on July 15th.
A special thanks to Hachette Book Group.
To Win:
Leave a Comment with your name & email address
For an added chance, be a follower!
I will notify the winners by email and on my blog on July 16th.
Please respond within 48 hours with your mailing information!
My review of "Hollywood Is Like High School With Money"
can be found here...

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

One Lovely Blog Award...

Missy over at Missy's Book Nook has
presented me with the One Lovely Blog Award.
Thank you so much Missy! If you haven't visited
her blog, you should, it's fantastic!








Here are the rules:
  1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
  2. Pass the award to other blogs….
  3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I am passing this award on to these bloggers:

Bambi Reads

Books By Their Cover

Obsessive-Compulsivly Ruining My Nail Polish

The Novel Bookwork

Hope's Bookshelf


Monday, June 15, 2009

Yay!


I just received an email from Miriam at Hachette Book Group asking if I would like to host a giveaway for Zoey Deans "Hollywood Is Like High School With Money"!! WooHoo! I don't have any information yet about the giveaway, just that there will be one so check back because everyone needs to read this book! If you didn't catch my review, it's here...



Help Teach A Child To Read

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library