Giveaway!!

I've got another giveaway!!

Would you like to win a copy of Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs Miracle that I reviewed in a previous post?

Here is your chance!! I'll take entries until Saturday, October 30th then pick a winner!!!

How to enter:

1. leave a comment (easy, right?)
2. if you follow leave a separate comment, if you don't become a follower then leave a comment
3. share the giveaway on your blog, facebook, or twitter and leave a comment (up to 3 this way) for each one.

I'll use random.org on Saturday evening and choose a winner then you're book will be sent out to you!!

Nicholas Sparks

I met him on Saturday at the WV Book Festival. He was such a neat guy. We met in a room 'backstage', there were oh maybe 30 of us, if that. We had pictures taken, he signed books:

He told us about the filming of the The Lucky One, which started filming last week and will star Zach Effron!

And just stood around and talked for a while. Then we were escorted to front row seating for his presentation. The presentation lasted an hour or so and was very interesting, it was neat to hear how he got inspiration for The Notebook, The Guardian, Message in a Bottle and a few others. I had a great time!!

Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs Miracle

Nothing says Christmas is coming to me like the release of one of my favorite author's Christmas book. Debbie Macomber has such fun stories at Christmas.....not that she doesn't all year long I'm just a Christmas person at heart ;) So I was so excited when I received an email with a offer of an advanced reading copy of Call Me Mrs Miracle for review.

It arrived and I tore into it, ignoring the stack of library books laying here and the baby quilt I need to get finished, sat down and began reading. It sort of has a Miracle on 34th Street feel to it, with the department store in NYC and such but it was all about the spirit of family, love, and Christmas.

The synopsis from her site:
This Christmas, Emily Merkle (call her Mrs. Miracle!) is working in the toy department at Finley’s, the last family-owned department store in New York City. And her boss is none other than…Jake Finley, the owner’s son.

For Jake, holiday memories of brightly wrapped gifts, decorated trees and family were destroyed in a Christmas Eve tragedy years before. Now Christmas means just one thing to him — and to his father. Profit. Because they need a Christmas miracle to keep the business afloat.



Holly Larson needs a miracle, too. She wants to give her eight-year-old nephew, Gabe, the holiday he deserves. Holly’s widowed brother is in the army and won’t be home for Christmas, but at least she can get Gabe that toy robot from Finley’s, the one gift he desperately wants. If she can figure out how to afford it…



Fortunately, it’s Mrs. Miracle to the rescue. Next to making children happy, she likes nothing better than helping others — and that includes doing a bit of matchmaking!


This Christmas will be different. For all of them
 
I read this one in a few hours, I was drawn to see what would happen to Jake with his father and their store. What would happen to little Gabe & his Aunt Holly? Well, let's just say I wasn't disappointed with the results. And I think....it's got me in the mood for Christmas already!!
 
And the book is being made into a movie for TV by HALLMARK CHANNEL. It'll air Saturday, November 27th at 8pm est. It's a sequel to a movie they aired last year too. I missed that one and I'll be out of state traveling the day of the 27th this year but I hope to dvr it and watch it when I get home. It stars Doris Roberts as Emily Merkle (Mrs Miracle), Jewel Staite, Eric Johnson, and Lauren Holly. I think it'll be a god way to officially 'countdown' to Christmas! You can see a clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A77IibjUDM

Thanks to Mrs Macomber, and Alana Signor for the chance to read this one & post my review!!

Slacker

I've been spreading myself out into other areas of my life lately and letting my book life slide a bit. But here is what I've read:

91. The Brethren by Beverly Lewis


92. The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice

93. The Last Jihad by Joel Rosenberg

94. A Widow's Hope by Mary Ellis

95. 1022 Evergreen Place by Debbie Macomber

96. The Thorn by Beverly Lewis

97. A Summer in Sonoma by Robyn Carr

Be sure to stick around I've got another advanced reading copy coming up and I think a giveaway to go with it!!
 
And Julie, I promise I'll get those Carolina books out to you SOON!

87-90

87. Forevermore by Cathy Marie Hake


88. More Than Friends by Barbara Delinsky

89. Take One by Karen Kingsbury

90. Take Two by Karen Kingsbury
 

Book tally update

First of all, Jenn did you get your books?
Second of all, I have copies of the first two books if anyone would like to receive those let me know, I'll send them to the first to comment.
Third of all, what I've read since I last posted in July.

78. Even Now by Karen Kingsbury



79. Ever After by Karen Kingsbury


80. Pieces of the Heart by Karen White


81. Learning to Breathe by Karen White


82. Fodor's Walt Disney World 2010


83. Always Green by Patti Hill


84. The Preacher's Daughter by Beverly Lewis


85. The Englisher by Beverly Lewis
86. Walt Disney World with Kids 2009 by Kim Wright Wiley

And the winner is.....

And the winner of the three Sherryl Woods books is.:

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1

Max: 14

Result: 6

And the 6th comment was from Jenn

 

Send me your address Jenn (jrasmom@gmail.com or on Facebook) and 'll get the books in the mail to you!! Congrats!!

 

And thanks to all who entered!!

Recent Reads

Quickly on my way to my goal for the year!

45. Sisters by Danielle Steel


46. Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline

47. Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury

48. Summer by Karen Kingsbury

49. Someday by Karen Kingsbury

50. Sunset by Karen Kingsbury

51. Sweet Home Carolina by Sherryl Woods

52. Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sherryl Woods

53. Honeysuckle Summer by Sherryl Woods

54. The Summer Hideaway by Susan Wiggs

55. A Proimse of Hope by Amy Clipston

56. Return to Sender by Fern Michaels

57. Eight Days to Live by Iris Johansen

58. The Lost Hours by Karen White

59. Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts

60. The Wedding Machine by Beth Webb Hart ( don't waste your time on this one!! )

61. Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber

62. Like a Watered Garden

63. Gardenias for Breakfast Robin Jones Gunn

64. Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn

65. Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux

66. Game Over by Fern Michaels

67. Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts

68. Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury

69. Return to Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank

70. Whale Island by Cathy Lamb

71. Queen of Hearts by Judy Duarte

72. The Marrying Kind by Debbie Macomber

73. The Shunning by beverly Lewis

74. The Confession by Beverly Lewis

75. The Honeymoon House by Mary Carter

76. The Reckoning by Beverly Lewis

77. This Side of Heaven by Karen Kingsbury
 
Don't miss the giveaway being offered below!!

It's a GIVEAWAY

Now that I've reviews the three recent books in Sheryl Woods "A Sweet Magnolia Novel" series I've got something for you!!!

You can read my reviews of these three books here, here, and here.

You can enter for a chance to win a copy of these three books of your very own!!

There are a few ways to enter.

1. 
   
   Leave a comment on this post
2. 
   
   become a follower then leave another comment to tell me you did.
3. 
   
   Share this post with others, leave another comment posting the link where you shared.
4. 
   
   this post is open to ANYONE, no matter where you live. :)

That's it, sit back & wait!!! I'll use random.org to draw a winning number on Monday, July 12th.

Good Luck!!

Honeysuckle Summer by Sheryl Woods

This is the third book in the series I began reviewing last month, sorry it took me so long to get this last one posted, things have been hectic around here.

From the author's website:

Her devastating marriage behind her, Raylene Hammond is truly thankful for her best friends, the Sweet Magnolias. They’ve taken her in, shielding her from the world. Then she meets sheriff’s deputy Carter Rollins, and suddenly Raylene’s haven no longer feels quite so safe.

Carter understands why Raylene is trapped inside. He’s even taken to bringing the outside world to her. But with two kid sisters to raise, just how much time can he devote to this woman who's stolen his heart?

Raylene knows Carter is a man worth loving, but she may never be strong enough to accept what he’s offering. How long can she ask him to wait? Maybe they’ll never have more than this one sweet summer.

I really enjoyed this book. To see Raylene begin to come out of her shell and consider love again in her life is inspiring to many I imagine. I love how this is a true romance novel but yet it keeps you guessing in places too.

Happy Anniversary!!

Marriage is not a noun; it's a verb. It isn't something you get. It's something you do. It's the way you love your partner every day.

Barbara De Angelis
American Expert on Relationship & Love, Author
more famous quotes

Today is our 15th wedding anniversary!!!

I promise to get back to the book stuff soon, I've just had no inspiration to blog lately!

Aloha

I'm off to Hawaii on a anniversary trip with my hubby.

I promise when I get back I'll get the review of the last Sherryl Woods book I read.

Along with a giveaway of copies of the first two books, reviewed below.

Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sherryl Woods

Sweet Tea at Sunrise By Sherryl Woods

Publish date May 2010

From the Authors website:

Emotionally-wounded single mom Sarah Price has come home to Serenity, South Carolina, for a fresh start. With support from her two best friends — the newest generation of Sweet Magnolias — she can face any crisis. But sometimes a woman needs more than even treasured friends can provide.

Sexy Travis McDonald may be exactly what Sarah’s battered self-confidence requires. The newcomer is intent on getting Sarah to work at his fledgling radio station...and maybe into his bed, as well.

Sarah has learned not to trust sweet words. She’ll measure the man by his actions. Is Travis the one to heal her heart? Or will he break it again?

I tell you those Sweet Magnolia's are one protective bunch, as soon as Travis starts showing an interest in Sarah they begin making phone calls, threats, inneundos, anything to protect her. Do they protect her? Perhaps. This book shows how living in a small town can be when you're trying to date someone, begin a relationship ~ personal or business ~ with someone when you're an outsider. They can get protective, nosey, and downright bossy sometimes. If you've read the first book in this series, don't stop there, follow along with Sarah's story in this one to see if she can get over the hurt and emotional abuse she's still recovering from to give Travis a chance at being a employer, a friend, and more!

I really like this series and if you like a chance to read these first two books in the series be sure to stick around, I've got two brand new copies of them to giveaway here!!

Home in Carolina by Sherryl Woods, a review

From the authors website

There’s no place like home, especially if it’s Serenity, South Carolina. For Annie Sullivan, though, the homecoming is bittersweet. She’d always envisioned a life there with her childhood best friend, Tyler Townsend. But Ty’s betrayal has cost her the family and the future they’d once planned.

For Ty, losing Annie was heartbreaking. Still, he can’t imagine life without the three-year-old son whose mother left him for Ty to raise. Ty wants it all — Annie, his child and the future he’d dreamed about — and he’s back home in Serenity to fight for it. But getting Annie to forgive and forget may be the hardest challenge he’s ever faced. With the stakes so high, this is one game he can’t afford to lose.

I absolutely loved this book, it reminded me alot of Debbie Macombers style of writing just set on a different coast. This small town atmosphere is just the kind of thing I love and I could envision this town perfectly, thanks to Sherryl's descriptive writing!

Even with the issues Ty & Annie face, from residing in a small town and everyone knowing your business, to the betrayal that she's reminded with everytime she sees his little boy, Annie has a hard time staying away from her childhood friend. And from worrying about issues she suffered from in the past, Ty worries about her life if he spends too much time with her.

Grab a glass of sweat tea and come see what happens in this quaint town of Serenity, where the Sweet Magnolias live, and be prepared to want to read the next two titles which are released in May & June!

Book Review

I was sent three books by the author Sherryl Woods to review a few weeks ago. I have to apologize now for not getting these reviews up earlier. With the death of my husband's grandfather & then having two sick kids all last week and trying to get ready for our trip coming up I haven't taken the time to sit down and write these out.

Nor have I taken time to submit interview quesitons to the author!! Now can I honestly admit I don't know what to ask her? I used to dream of being a journalist adn doing interviews, actually my dream was to be a famous author, funny how now I'm reading her books & have the opportunity to interview her and I'm at a loss! Good thing I didn't follow through on my career path, huh?

Okay, okay I need to do the review(s) I'll put those in another post since I've rambled on and on I think!

Exciting news!!

I've been approached to read three titles (it's a series) that haven't been released yet for review here. Not only do I get the books ahead of everyone else, I get to interview the author to put here too!!  And I've got two copies of the first two titles to give away here to lucky readers too!!

So be sure to stick around , the reviews are coming up soon!!!

100 book Challenge ~ 2010

These are the books I've read so far for 2010. My goal is to read between 135-150 books this year.

1. The Sweetheart's Knitting Club by Lori Wilde


2. Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury

3. Round Robin by Jennifer Chiaverini

4. Ford County by John Grisham

5. The Sunflower by Richard Paul Evans

6. Brides for Brothers by Debbie Macomber

7. The Marriage Risk by Debbie Macomber

8. The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans

9. A Creed Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller

10. At Home in Mitford Jan Karon

11. A Gift of Grace by Amy Clipston

12. Echoes by Robin Jones Gunn

13. Whispers by Robin Jones Gunn

14. Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

15. Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn

16. Why My Third Husband will be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline

17. Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky

18. Blood Game by Iris Johansen

19. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

20. Redemption by Karen Kingsbury

21. Remember by Karen Kingsbury

22. Return by Karen Kingsbury

23. Rejoice by Karen Kingsbury

24. Partners by Nora Roberts

25. The Art of Deception by Nora Roberts

26. Cindy and the Prince by Debbie Macomber

27. Some Kind of Wonderful by Debbie Macomber

28. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

29. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

30. The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

31. Reunion by Karen Kingsbury

32. Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater

33. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

34. House Rules by Jodi Picoult

35. Fodor's Maui 2009

36. Maui Revealed The Ultimate Guidebook by Andrew Doughty

37. Plain Pursuit by Beth Wiseman

38. Top Maui Restaurants From Thrifty to Four Star by James & Molly Jacobson

39. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

40. Fame by Karen Kingsbury

41. Forgiven by Karen Kingsbury

42. Found by Karen Kingsbury

43. Family by Karen Kingsbury

44. Forever by Karen Kingsbury

A review....

A few months ago I told you about this new site I had found that gave bloggers books to read for FREE as long as said blogger agreed to post a review on their site and one other site. I've had my book for a while & just made myself skip a trip to the library so I'd run out of books and read this one. Not that I wasn't looking forward to reading this one I was, I just have this weird library fetish going on LOL!!

I received Plain Pursuit by Beth Wiseman. This is the synopsis from her website.

When Carley Marek takes a hiatus from her job, she leaves Texas and visits her friend, Lillian, in Amish Country, Pennsylvania. Carley isn't there long when she meets Lillian's charming-but shunned-brother-inlaw, Dr. Noah Stoltzfus.

When Lillian's stepson is stricken with a life-threatening disease, Noah is forbidden to intervene, but he resolves to do whatever it takes to save the boy's life. Carley finds herself caught in the middle of her feelings for Noah and her loyalty to Lillian. And to further complicate matters, everyone around her is talking about God--a God she doesn't know and who appears to be punishing her for her past mistakes.

When her hiatus is up, Carley must make a life-changing decision: stay and face the path that is set before her, or flee and leave the only love she's ever known.

I was looking forward to reading another book set in Amish country, why this setting has been speaking out to m so much lately I'm not sure. I don't know if it's the fascination of their way of life, the things they do without that the rest of us would simply never think we could do without. Maybe it's the way their faith really comes out, makes me question my faith, whether I'm doing all I should be as a Christian. Or maybe it's the inevitable 'amish' recipes that are always in the back of these books? *Smile* I'm not sure but I'm going to keep reading.

If you want to read a simple, uplifting story, this is it. Follow Carley as she struggles with issues from her own life as she struggles with recent events in her life. As she adjusts to living with Lillian in Amish country, just doing without the everyday things one is used to. To being caught in the middle when Lillian's stepson becomes gravely ill. To learning to live her life again once she returns home. The author has such a way with her words, I could picture myself driving up to that big beautiful farm house, I could smell the homemade bread Carly went on and on about, or hear the cows mooing in the field outside!

As I mentioned I had read some previous books set in Amish country, but it was nice that the author included a small glossary of Amish 'words' in the front of the book for any reader who wanted to verify them.

I absolutely loved this book!! Be warned,  it is part of a series and this is the second one, normally I don't like to read them out of order. I don't think this affected any of the story in this one and I plan to look for the others at my library!

Titles 33-40 for 2010

33. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah


34. House Rules by Jodi Picoult

35. Fodor's Maui 2009

36. Maui Revealed The Ultimate Guidebook by Andrew Doughty

37. Plain Pursuit by Beth Wiseman

38. Top Maui Restaurants From Thrifty to Four Star by James & Molly Jacobson

39. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

40. Fame by Karen Kingsbury

How are you doing with your reading goal for the year?

More titles

So yes, I've been busy reading. Obviously, I've not been busy blogging. I'm such a bad blogger sometimes that I don't keep up with these things! Then again, all what 2 of you who follow me will forgive me, right? ;)

Here is what I've read this year, added to my previous list.
9. A Creed Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller


10. At Home in Mitford Jan Karon

11. A Gift of Grace by Amy Clipston

12. Echoes by Robin Jones Gunn

13. Whispers by Robin Jones Gunn

14. Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

15. Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn

16. Why My Third Husband will be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline

17. Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky

18. Blood Game by Iris Johansen

19. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

20. Redemption by Karen Kingsbury

21. Remember by Karen Kingsbury

22. Return by Karen Kingsbury

23. Rejoice by Karen Kingsbury

24. Partners by Nora Roberts

25. The Art of Deception by Nora Roberts

26. Cindy and the Prince by Debbie Macomber

27. Some Kind of Wonderful by Debbie Macomber

28. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

29. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

30. The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

31. Reunion by Karen Kingsbury

32. Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater