Sun

 WooooHoooo....another winter month almost over and getting closer to spring, which is my favorite season.  From what I have been reading on other blogs, it appears that I am not the only one who has had enough of this cold and snowy winter.  March, at least for me, will probably appear to fly by as I start my pre-op procedures and personal preparations for surgery.  Some days my postings may be either later and/or shorter than usual.

Now to usher February out:

 

BOOKS READ:
  *Among Thieves by David Hosp
  *Doors Open by Ian Rankin  (Gave up on)
  *Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton 
  *False Convictions by Tim Green 
  *Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan
  *A Note from an Old Acquaintance by Bill Walker 
  *Starting Over by Andy Serwer 
  *Sonnets for Sinners by John Wareham 
CHALLENGES PROGRESS:
  *Lisa Jackson Reading Challenge  5/10
  *Awesome Author Challenge  0/3  
  *RYOB Challenge  1/10
  *Romance Challenge  2/3
  * EBook Challenge  1/6
  * Reading From My Shelves Challenge  9/20
  *Suspense/Thriller Challenge  9/12
  *Books Won Reading Challenge  1/6
  *FOMA 12x12  10/?
  *50 Book Challenge starts March 1st
  *100+ Book Challenge 12/100
  *Buck-A-Book Challenge $12/100
  *Reagan Arthur Challenge  1/? 
And for later today, my plans are to RELAX & READ Sunday.  Happy Reading all !!!!

Sonnets For Sinners by John Wareham

Sonnets For Sinners Everything One Needs to Know About Illicit Love by John Wareham (Rating 2)
Welcome Rain Publishers LLC
ISBN 10: 1-5664-5-3
ISBN 12: 978-1-5664-95-0
At the request of The Book Trib, a HC copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis: (from the book's jacket) Illicit love brings, thrill and tumble, intrigues and elations, secrets and lies, broken promises and shattered hearts-then, with a little luck, reflection and epiphany. It's a subject dear to clear-eyed poets, and the impassioned journeys and piercing insights in this subversive compilation will startle even as they enchant. To succumb to the spell of this catechism-and the absorb the wry accompanying analyses-is to know why the New York Times observed, "John Wareham has the cool, clear eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth."
  My Thoughts: Generations of couples have had to deal with this devastating betrayal. The author breaks down the stages of disloyalty into the categories of: Attractions, Fevers, Lamentations, Farewells, Endings and Epiphanies. He has taken 49 poems over time and explore what these sonnets are truly saying and mean in today's culture.
  My Opinion and Rating: And I will preface this by saying that this is my opinion, and my opinion only. Those that are not of the same belief system or who enjoy poetry may have a totally different view. That being said, I did not enjoy and/or like this book due to the aforementioned belief system and the morality that I feel that this society lacks. I also thought that certain people named in this book was unnecessary and, I would think, would cause further humiliation. I felt that those named, should only need to deal with these issues privately, and not be exploited as an example to sell a book of poetry. (Rating 2)

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my HONEST review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold...they are kept by me,

or given to family or friends.

A Note from an Old Aquaintance A Novel by Bill Walker

A Note from an Old Aquaintance A Novel by Bill Walker (Rating 5)
Published by iUniverse
ISBN-13: 978-1-4401-3335-0 (HC)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4401-3333-6 (PB)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4401-3334-3 EB)
At the request of Pump Up Yor Book, a PB copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis:  Its 1991 in Boston, MA and Brian Weller and his business partner are invited to an associate's party, a party that he attends out of obligation.  Once there he meets a young, beautiful artist, Joanna Richman.  He knows that he wants and needs to see her again. Brian and Joanna's friendship grow and then there is no denying that they are falling in love.  But how can that be when she is engaged to an older, influential, rich and controlling man, Erick Ruby.  Ruby finds out about their relationship and he is not going to lose her to Brian, a nobody, with a struggling PR production business and a want to be author.  Ruby demands that Brian never see or talk to Joanna again or he will ruin him and his parents.  With a broken heart, Brian walks away, never telling Joanna why, and moves cross country.  Then 15 years later, he receives an email from Joanna.  His past becomes his present. Do people change?  Does true love endure?
  My Thoughts:  I had trouble putting this book down.  I don't usually read romance novels but was pulled in to the plot from the beginning.  The way the author wrote about the thoughts and emotions of all the characters gave this reader the ability to feel those exact same emotions.  Not only between Brian and Joanna but the love of parents and the ugly traits of someone ruthless.
  My Opinion and Rating: This is a tender and emotion packed love story.  At times this reader was laughing and the next grabbing for the tissue.  A contemporary love story that even in certain scenes, the author chose to communicate the true definition of love between two people and allowing the reader to use their own imagination and visuals. Well written !! Fantastic !!  Awesome !! This reader will be looking forward to Mr. Walker's next novel. Highly recommend (Rating 5)

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my HONEST review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold...they are kept by me,

or given to family or friends.

ADDENDUM:

  Stop back on March 27th, when Bill Walker will be a Guest Author.  After reading this phenomenal book, I look forward to his visit and hoping to learn more about this author and when we can look forward to his next project. 

Sat

Talk & Thoughts

 

  Again two major catastrophes have hit.  Two more earthquakes, one in Japan yesterday and this morning in Chile.  Please stay safe to all bloggy friends affected.  My prayers and thoughts, and hopefully yours, are with all our fellow human beings.  So many affected, including those living in Hawaii with warnings of a tsunami.  Do you wonder why this is happening so frequently?  Do you have any thoughts as to why so many horrific events are taking place?  Once again, I am thankful but at the same time feeling guilty, that I sit here safe and doing something I enjoy while others are facing a situation that I can't even begin to imagine. 

Starting Over by Andy Serwer

Starting Over by Andy Serwer (Rating 2)
Published by Time Books
ISBN: 978-1-60320-160-5
At the request of The Book Trib, a HC copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis: (from the book jacket) Bookended by 9/11 at the beginning and an epic financial meltdown at the end, the first decade of this century will surely go down as one of the most difficult in American history. We were plagued by a series of catastrophes and major missteps, from the convoluted presidential election in 2000 to the invasion of Iraq to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, as well as all manner of financial upheavals such as the collapse of Enron, the tragedy of General Motors and the Bernie Madoff scandal. .....Andy Serwer explains how we fell into this national hole and, more important, how we can and will pull ourselves out of it........
  My Thoughts: My forte is not finance but after reading the book's jacket, I thought it would be a somewhat interesting read in learning about the nation's economic status that has touched many Americans in some way. I was also interested in learning when financial experts thought the housing crisis would rebound and the nation's unemployment numbers would turn around. And if there were some factual information that I might not have understood, my son is a financial analyst and knew that he would explain it to me in a way that I would understand. However, there were no questions that I needed to ask and it took me approximately one hour to finish the book. The first ten chapters consisted of one page of a picture from that year and one page, consisting of approximately 80 words, highlighting the main stories of that year. The writer appeared to put a lot of thought into what the last decade should be called as compared to "the nineties". There was a line on page 71 stating one of the reasons for the downfall, which I found to be ironic. It stated "We will never eliminate greed, of course, and a certain amount of if may even be necessary...
  My Opinion and Rating: And this is only my opinion, which could be very different from other readers of this book. I found that the extensive damage of the financial institutions in this country, that took ten (10) years to destroy and crumble, could be conveyed in a book consisting of 85 pages, 13 of those are pictures. And again, this is only my opinion, but I find it ironic that with a book about our economic crisis and a book of this size would be affordable to the average American who has been affected. (Rating 2)

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my HONEST review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold...they are kept by me,

or given to family or friends.

Fri

Hosted by An Island Life http://islandlife808.com/
  From An Island Life: In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
  If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
  My question is:     Morning Person or Night Owl?
     I am definitely a morning person, waking up between 5am-6am.  If for some reason I sleep in, I feel that I have wasted the entire day.

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/
And...here we go!
1. A cup of tea is what I drink when not feeling well.
2. Family and friends around the kitchen table makes a place feel like home. 3. Everything has its beauty if you look deep.
4. NO whipped cream added to the taste of strawberries?
5. Art makes me jealous, I can only draw stick people.
6. LOL I just noticed I forgot where I put my Friday To Do List.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to writing 2 reviews, watching some olympics, quality time with hubby, tomorrow my plans include the usual, laundry, taking care of my mom's bills, computer to do list, reading and Sunday, I want to do nothing but RELAX & READ!

Hosted by Storytime With Tonya and Friends http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com/
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual
     But our friendly freedom fighters turned into foes.
     From Starting Over by Andy Serwer

Thurs

http://btt2.wordpress.com/

Today's discussion:

Suggested by Janet:

I’ve seen this quotation in several places lately. It’s from Sven Birkerts’ ‘The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in an Electronic Age’:
“To read, when one does so of one’s own free will, is to make a volitional statement, to cast a vote; it is to posit an elsewhere and set off toward it. And like any traveling, reading is at once a movement and a comment of sorts about the place one has left. To open a book voluntarily is at some level to remark the insufficiency either of one’s life or one’s orientation toward it.”
To what extent does this describe you?
  I read for a very simple reason.....enjoyment !!!!!  It isn't that I am looking for fullfillment of an insufficiency of life or even orientation toward it.  Some people enjoy movies and/or tv.  Since I was in elementary school, I loved to have a book in hand and escape into a book.  My favorite genre is mystery/suspense but in real life I am a wimp when faced with scary situations.  I believe I have a very vivid imagination and would rather use my own visualization of the books I read instead of say. a movie director's perception.  I recall images of books I read as a child to this day.  Very simple...enjoyment and the love of the written word.

TALK & THOUGHTS

  Today I will not go on my "Thursday Treasure" blog hunt, which can be computer time consuming.  I am behind in my reading and feel that today I am going to dedicate my time to reading.  I am behind due to activities of daily life issues that seem to get in the way of our reading schedules, but such are the priorities of life.  Here in New England this week, we have had days of rain, today too.  Since weather affects the pain level in my back, physical activity will be interrupted due to today's forecast, I will be retreating to my reading chair, with my mug of coffee and hopefully get close to finishing, or if really lucky finishing, my current read.  So have a great Thursday and Happy Reading !!!!

Weds

Before getting to Wednesday's memes I would like to mention something that was in my newsletter subscriptions this morning.

  TO:  J. Kaye:  Who I am sure all book bloggers know.  I want to wish you luck as you start your journey in devoting your time into your passion of writing. Hoping that we all get to review your 1st published book.  Personally, I would like to thank you.  You have been very kind to me and have been an inspiration.  You encouraged me when I questioned if I was ready to start reviewing and gave me the opportunity to be put on your referral list.

  To Rachel:  Welcome and Congratulations !!!!  Home Girl's Book Blog, I am sure, will be a success !!!

Should Be Reading http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/

  *What are you currently reading?

      A Note from an Old Acquaintance by Bill Walker (am enjoying!!! 

  *What did you recently finish reading?
      Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan (awesome....gave it a 5 rating)
  *What do you think you’ll read next?
      Starting Over by Andy Serwer
I am a little behind schedule due to activities of daily life (lol thinking reading should be the priority over mundane chores) but am determined to catch up !!!

Hosted by Bermudanonion's Weblog http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com/
          conundrum   ....solution to my literary conundrum......
      A Note from an Old Acquaintance   page 48
  1. riddle whose answer is or involves a pun
  2. question or problem having only a conjectural answerb. ban intricate and difficult problem

Tues

Hosted by Should Be Reading http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  My Teaser:
No, she hadn't told him the whole story because she sensed, no she knew, it would have discouraged him, and she couldn't bear the thought of that, either.
  From A Note from an Old Acquaintance by Bill Walker   page 114

Hosted By An Adventure In Reading http://raidergirl3-anadventureinreading/
  Its 1991 and I am in Boston with my friend Brian Weller, PR and want-to-be published author.  He has just met a wonderful woman, Joanna, but is there a future with her?

    (A Note from an Old Acquaintance by Bill Walker)

Mon

Hosted by Just One More Page http://rebeccavoy.blogspot.com/
Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about keeping books.
Do you keep all the books you ever buy? Just the ones you love? Just collectibles? What do you do with the ones you don’t want to keep?
  There is no way I could have kept all the books I have ever read.  I have always dreamed about having a libray room with built-in floor to ceiling book cases and a few very comfortable reading chairs.  If that dream ever came true, my family would never see me, because thats where I would be.  However, even with that, I wouldn't be able to store all of the books.  I try to pass on my books to family and friends that do enjoy reading.  If they feel that a book doesn't interest them, I then donate to different organizations.  I could never put a book in the garbage.  That is just so wrong...to just toss it and not give someone else the opportunity to enjoy it.   I do keep those that have a personalization by the author.

 

Hosted by One Persons Journey Through A World Of Books http://bookjourney.wordpress.com
This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.
  Completed: Great Book...highly recommend 

  Currently reading and hoping to finish this week.

  Mr. Walker will be a guest author here in March !!!!!

Hosted by The Printed Page http://printedpage.us/

  Am so excited about these 2 books that were delivered this past week and can't wait to read!!

 

  From The Hachette Book Group

From Bestseller's World

NOW & THEN

Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan (Rating 5)
Harper-Collins Publishers
ISBN: 78-0-06-154778-2
At the request of the author's friend, a PB copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis (from book's back cover): Anna O'Shea has failed at marriage, shed her job at a law firm and she's trying to re-created herself when she and her recalcitrant nephew are summoned to the past in a manner that nearly destroys them. Her twenty-first-century skills pale as she struggles to find her nephew in nineteenth-century Ireland. For one of them, the past is brutally difficult, filled with hunger and struggle. For the other, the past is filled with privilege.
  My Thoughts: This was definitely not the type of book that I would have picked up for my reading pleasure. I also have to say up front that I misunderstood the synopsis of the plot in regard to time travel, given to me by Mr. Frank Daniels, the author's friend, until I received the book. With all that said and the fact that there was a genuine warmth from Mr. Daniels' initial email for his friend, I was going to try and give this book a fair and undivided attention that I would give books that are from my usual genre of books.
  The main character, Anna O'Shea was likeable and could be identified with, which pulled me into the book from the start. The author initially conveyed the fast paced corporate world of today where personal relationships are ships passing in the night until it's too late to turn back or is it? What about other relationships where bitterness lies instead of forgiveness? Where childhood experiences mold us as adults or should we learn from them? Can love be found in the simple life, do we make our own happiness or do we depend on others? In a split second Anna and her troubled nephew, Joseph, are about to find out! The reader is taken back to Ireland in 1844 when the British ruled and owned Ireland. Do our ancestors mold our futures? Does the saying "history repeats itself" true?
  My Opinion and Rating:(Rating 5) This book was hard to put down. Amazing!! Interesting!! A little bit romance, mystery and history all in one book. The author's writing style, nothing less than phenomenal, in the way she interweaves a gripping fictional plot with non fictional facts of history without boredom. The characters are bigger than life. I had a very hard time putting this book down. I thank Ms. Sheehan and Mr. Daniels for giving me the opportunity to read this exceptional story and I strongly recommend that everyone read this book.

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my HONEST review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold...they are kept by me,

or given to family or friends.

This will be a very short post.  Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  Any special plans today?  Are your Sundays for relaxing or is it hectic like every other day?  I am going to take my own advice today and check off my action items from yesterday's "To Do List" that  I didn't accomplish.  I didn't even open a book yesterday, which never happens.  I carried it everywhere I went but didn't read one page.  Today will be different !!!  I will be posting a book review that I highly recommend everyone read.  It was exceptional !!!  I will be RELAXING and READING !  Hope you find time to do the same.

AWARD TIME

As I stated earlier, my day got off to a late start.  But my routine was the same, only a few hours later.  One blog that I visit daily had not posted her Aloha Friday question yesterday by the time that I signed off, so I headed straight over to her site to see what her question was so I could comment.  With coffee mug in hand and only 1/2 cup down, I started reading her new posts.  Still not fully awake I thought I saw my name.....read it again....and sure enough....my name was there.  It was like winning the gold medal !   Xmas Dolly (http://thenewxmasdolly.blogspot.com) had passed this award on to me.....

Our blogs are so different in content but through emails, we have found that we have a lot in common in "real life".  She has a wonderful sense of humor that comes across on her blog...stop by when you get a chance.  However, I will admit, I am trying to convert her when it comes to reading.  She has promised to read at least one book and post her review on my site....only thing...she hasn't yet said what year that will be (lol).  Now for the criteria:
The rules for accepting this award:
1.Thank the link to the person that gave you the award (I did that immediately).
2.Pass this award on to 15 bloggers you've recently discovered & whom you think are fantastic (since I am a new blogger, I feel that all blogs I follow fall under this category)
3.Contact said Blogs to let them know they've won
4.State 7 Things about yourself!
  1. "Mash" is a nickname I was given by a coworker..it is the first syllable of my last name when pronounced correctly (most people think its because I was a nurse by profession)
  2.  Talking about my name....my sis-in-law, hubby's sister...we have the same exact name first, middle and last name
  3.  I wish I still had my last job...loved it...but had to leave due to medical reasons.
  4.  Hubby and I will be married 29 years in April (day before my surgery) and we were together 7 yrs before (started dating him when I was a senior in high school and then through college)
  5.  While in high school (school trips) I visited Italy, Spain and Africa (what an education !!)
  6.  I usually wake up between 5-6am (thats why I was off kilter today)
  7.  Favorite season is spring. 
Passing this on to (in no particular order):
     Reading At The Beach              Rundpinne   
     Booking With Bingo                 Libby's Library News
     Bermudaonion                          The Crazy Life of a Bookaholic Mom
     Bibliophile By The Sea              Socrates Book Reviews
     Book Chick City                       Peeking Between The Pages
     I'm Booking It                          The Ladybug Lounge
     Crazy For Books                       Books Are My Magical Escape
     One Persons Journey Through A World of Books
ENJOY !!!

Sat

I usually post a lot earlier than I am today.  I got up much later than I usually do and now my routine is off kilter.  I feel like the day is gone and I haven't accomplished anything.  And on days like this it seems that everything goes wrong on top of it.  I get so frustrated and upset with myself that I got up so late.  And to make matters worse, I had a Honey Do List but it was a list for me and I only have one action item crossed off.  Does this happen to you?  Do you have those same feelings?  It is almost time for when my newsletter gets delivered and I didn't want it to be a blank email (lol).  So there will be installments for later today, which consists of the following: 
  1.  An award that I received
  2.  The criteria
  3.  Passing on the award
  4.  Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan review, which a lot of visitors have shown an interest in.
I am sorry for not being organized today. 

FRI

TGIF and a busy day for memes so lets get started, have fun and meet new bloggy friends.....

Hosted by An Island Life http://islandlife808.com
From An Island Life: In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
  My question is:
      (thinking that today's question involves the Olympics, I do not want to duplicate)
Its winter, if you could be anywhere, where would you be? 
  My answer:
Aruba Radisson...our(hubby and me) favorite vacation spot.  Would be on the beach with a frozen Pina Colada and a good book.  Calgon Take Me Away (lol for those that remember)

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/
And...here we go!
1. Johnny Weir, if memory serves me right, was a gold medal athlete.
2. I haven't been watching the 2010 Olympics.
3. And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud is a saying I never heard.
4. If it doesn't hurt anyone, go for it, if you get an urge.
5. Having sweet dreams are a lot better than nightmares.
6. What does it take for people to be kind to each other?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to possibly watching the Olympics with hubby, reading during commercials, tomorrow my plans include doing some housework, laundry, computer & blogging items, reading and Sunday, I want to RELAX & READ!

Hosted by Storytime With Tonya and Friends http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST
"I'll get more wet cloths and try to bring down the fever, although it might have gone beyond cooling'"
     From Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan

THURS

http://btt2.wordpress.com/

Today's question:

You may have noticed–the Winter Olympics are going on. Is that affecting your reading time? Have you read any Olympics-themed books? What do you think about the Olympics in general? Here’s your chance to discuss!

   In the past, I would be glued to the tv watching.  But for some reason, this year I haven't watched that much.  This past weekend I had the Olympics on but the sound lowered and if I heard something that was interesting to me, I would watch.  I think part of it is habit also.  Usually during the week, I have a 24/7 news station on, again with sound lowered, and forget by the afternoon that the Olypics are on.  Another reason I think I haven't been watching is my addiction to reading and blogging.  I will answer the question this way....in the past the Olympics definitely affected my reading time but today its the opposite.  I think another reason I haven't been tuned in is that my current read is a book that I am having a hard time putting down !

**Go to one of your book blogs you visit (each week visit another blog)

**Click on their blog roll/blog lists.
**Find 1-5 blogs that are new to you from that list.
**Visit those new blogs (optional but would be nice...award them with the "Thursday Treasure" icon and become a follower)
**Post on your site the name of the blog you initially visited and the 3 new sites you found.
**Leave a comment here with a link to your site(if you don't have a blog, list your finds here) so others may see the blogs you have found.
  (This is how I found the blogs that I have been following, by clcking on someone's blog roll and my list kept growing.  I read an article that there are quite of few book blogs out there and like books, there are never too many good blogs...how I came to creating "Thursday Treasure".  Would you like to find more good blogs and join in on the hunt.  Fo to my Memes tab and check it out)
  This week my hunt for new book blogs was via Kathy's blog roll at Bermudaonion Blog Site (http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com/)  I found 3 "new" to me sites that I look forward to reading and commenting on in the future.  Thank you Kathy for having these on your list.
          Lynne's Book Reviews        http://www.lynnesbookreviews.blogspot.com
          Bailey's and Books              http://baileysandbooks.wordpress.com
          Michele One "L"                http://micheleonel.blogspot.com/
Have a great Thursday !!!!! 

WED

  Wanted to share a giveaway that I read in one of my morning newsletters BUT you have to promise one thing....that one of the copies is mine (lol)  Karen at Bookin' With Bingo( http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com) is giving away 10 copies.....thats right ....10 copies of Still Life by Joy Fielding.  I started reading her books many many years ago and  was never disappointed that it would be a good read.  So if you like suspense...head on over there BUT don't forget...one copy is mine LOL.
  Also there is a new challenge that I am going to sign up for.  Via A Novel Challenge Blog, she posted about this new challenge that Reading With The Sea is hosting (http://readingwithsea.wordpress.com/challenges)  Its a 50 book challenge, just in case, the 100+ isn't completed for one reason or another.  And they can overlap !!!!!  So I'm heading that way after this post. 
  I will then go on my hunt for new blogs "Thursday Treasure" meme for tomorrow.  If interested in this meme, check out my Meme Navigation Tab for criteria.  Since I don't have any words for Wondrous Words Wednesday hosted by Bermudaonion Blog, I am thinking of checking out her blog roll to find new blogs for me.
  Looks like I have a few puter items to take care of so I better get going, especially since I have been up most of the night, and will probably fall asleep on my keyboard.  I never thought I would say "I wish this surgery was sooner"!!!  Last night was awful...the pain kept waking me up and I just couldn't get comfortable.  Now on to today's meme and then off to take care of business.  Have a great day!!!!

Hosted by Should Be Reading http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/
 *What are you currently reading?
     Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan    
  *What did you recently finish reading?
     False Convictions by Tim Green (Rating 4 out of 5)
     Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton Rating 4 out of 5)
 *What do you think you’ll read next?
     A Note from an Old Acquaintance  A Novel by Bill Walker (he will be a Guest Author on this blog the end of March)
    
      


  
   

Tue

NEED YOUR HELP:  It has been brought to my attention from one of my visitors, that my page is very slow in loading.  I was wondering if anyone else is having this problem, and if you are, could you please notify me.  I am not sure what or why that would happen, but if it is, I will try to figure it out and fix it.  I am sorry for any inconvenience.  Thank you Diane for letting me know.

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
     My Teaser:
"What are you hding for?  What have you done?  What are you smiling about?'
     From Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan   page 132

Hosted By An Adventure In Reading http://raidergirl3-anadventureinreading.blogspot.com/
  I have just returned to Boston, from a vacation to Ireland, to learn that my brother (fictional...character in book ) has sustained life threatening injuries from a car accident and being transported to a local hospital.

Mon

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Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about a reference material.
Do you keep reference books on your shelves at home? What’s your first port of call when you need information – the internet or a book?
  99% of the time it is Google.  I do, however, have a very old dictionary for those rare times that a computer is not booted up.  I remember as a child when my parents purchased "The Encyclopedia Britannica" and feeling lucky to have all that knowledge in the house at our finger tips instead of having to go to the library.

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This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week
Finished last week:
  Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton
  False Convictions by Tim Green
Hope to complete this week:
  Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan
  and start
  A Note From An Old Aquaintance by Bill Walker

Hosted by The Printed Page http://printedpage.us/
  The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker (won from Booking With Bingo)
  Waking Up In The Land Of Glitter by Kathy Cano-Murillo (requested review from The Hachette Book Group)

 

P.S.

Am doing a little remodeling of my sidebars....moving items around...and adding a new addition or two.  Hope this does not cause anyone an inconveience or a GPS recalculation lol.

FALSE CONVICTIONS

False Convictions by Tim Green (Rating 4)
Grand Central Publishing
ISBN 978-0-446-40152-4
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a HC copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis: (from the book jacket) Tormented by death threats and assassination attempts, Casey investigates a prosecution apparently rife with lies. From the judge, the lawyers. the jury, to the police, she traces a web of corruption surrounding the destruction of one young man. But in all the chaos, Casey's hardest challenge may be just staying alive.

  My Thoughts: Casey Jordan, Texas attorney, beautiful and famous since having had a movie made about her and a recent case that she won. Enter Robert Graham, handsome, philanthropist and founder of the Freedom Project. The offer is one million dollars for her firm and all she is to do is exonerate 2 felons, within a year, who have been convicted wrongly. Sounds easy enough! But as she obtains details for her first case, of a man who has been locked up for twenty years, unsavory facts are surfacing, and not about her client. How do politicians, judges, police officers and even the "mob" tie in to this old case? How is it that she is arrested for falsifying evidence? And is Robert Graham really who he says he is?

  My Opinion and Rating: This was the first book by this author that I read from a long list of previous novels. I personally enjoy when a book has chapters that are just a few pages. I find myself thinking "just one more chapter" and read the next 7 or 8, and this book was just that. The suspense was gripping, and at times, fast paced. The characters were intriguing and came to life with the author's writing style. The ending left this reader quite disappointed though. The book was thrilling until the seemingly unrealistic finale. However, I gave this book a rating of 4 stars for the overall riveting plot.

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my HONEST review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold...they are kept by me,
or given to family or friends.

Sun

Want to say thank you to all that stop by and visit and to wish you a very special ........

Hoping that you are surrounded by all those that are special to you and hold a special place in your heart !!!  Have a great day and try to treat yourself also....and do what book bloggers love to do......READ & RELAX Sunday !!!!!

To my hubby, 2 sons and their girlfriends...who I consider my daughters....I LOVE YOU !!!!