Winners!

Happy Friday Everyone (all 5 of you who read my blog haha!)  The sun is shining and after a trip to the library and playing at the park I had my very serious helper sit down to help me with the drawing.  Really, I wish I could just send all of you a copy, wouldn't that be fun?

And the winner of the autographed copy of Heart of Lies goes too....

Kim!  Don't ask about the face, or be offended.  I think he thought his own name was going to be on every paper.


And the copy of Heart of Stone...

Aupreille!

How exciting.  I will need you guys to email me your address, just in case I don't have it.  I hope you both enjoy, they are fun books!

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I have three "Jane Austen Fiction" books that are being released next month that I am going to post about next week.  Hopefully I will have some more giveaways too...so check back!

Autographed Giveaway!

One of my goals for this year was to give my neglected book blog some much overdue attention. Last year was pretty rough for this little blog.  I know this year will end up better.  I've been getting some great books from different publishers for review and I am so excited about the books, and love some of the authors!

To finally get things started on what I hope will become a more regular (weekly or bi-weekly) posting, I have an AUTOGRAPHED! copy of Heart of Lies to give away to a lucky reader!

I thought this book was great! If you love historical romance or historical fiction you will enjoy this book and this series, especially if you are familiar with Anita Stansfield's writing, I think you will like this author!  You can read my review here.

And - just for fun, I'll give away another lucky reader a copy of the first book in the series, Heart of Stone.


So - two winners!  

All you have to do is this:  Leave me a comment on this blog with your favorite historical fiction time period.  I bounce back and forth between times, but I think if I had to pick one it would be Regency (Jane Austen)...does that surprise anyone?

Good luck!  It should be a fun week, the winners will be chosen Friday at noon!

Mockingjay

Mockingjay

Suzanne Collins

3 Stars

390 Pages

Just like everyone else, I was super excited to read this book.  As it so happens I was pregnant and due about the same time that this book was to released.  I told my husband that if I did in fact go into labor on the day it was released that he was supposed to go buy me the book, ASAP after having the baby.  Well, we did have the baby, and he did try to find me the book, but instead of bringing our family a hot dinner one night, a very good friend brought me a new copy of the book instead.  Can I say awesome?!  (My friend for brining me a book instead of dinner, not the book, by the way!)

So – there was so much hype surrounding this book –and with good reason too, I loved the first two books in the series.  They were great, so I was really looking forward to how Collins was going to sum this all up.  However, I am sad to say that I was a little disappointed with the ending.

The story involves Katniss Everdeen, along with her family those of District 12 find themselves in battle with President Snow and the capital for an all-out war.  There is plenty of action in this book, but somehow there is also a lot of nothing going on as well.  Katniss is not the same Katniss from the first book.  Her attitude really bothers me and I wish she would just be normal again.  I suppose I wouldn’t be normal either if this had been my life?

I think the thing that bugged me the most about this book was the ending.  I had to read it and re-read it a few times.  Really – she just caught fire, blacked out and woke up and it was done?  I feel totally robbed by this ending!  I know that Collins is trying to make a point here and make a statement – but this is a young adult book and I think that it crossed the line a few times.  I was really sad that Finnick, after finally finding happiness, was killed at the end.  I was also very disappointed that Katniss never really choice between Peeta and Gale.

Not really sure what else to say about the book.  I enjoyed The Hunger Games.  I recommend that.  I think Catching Fire was so-so, I recommend it, but not whole heartedly, but I don’t recommend Mockingjay, and that makes me sad.

The Lost Hero

The Lost Hero

Rick Riordan

5 Stars

553 pages

I was very excited to read this book – a book with the old kids from Camp Half-Blood, but also a new set of kids for new adventures? Yes, please!

Jason, the hero in this series, wakes up to find out that he has no idea who he is, where he is at, or how he got there!  The story unfolds from there as Jason and his girl friend, Piper and his best friend Leo join forces in a way they never imagined to fight forces they never thought could be real.

Like, I said before, I was super excited to read a book that revisits Camp Half-Blood.  I thoroughly enjoyed the Percy Jackson series.  I found Jason an easy character to love, just like Percy.  I love Leo and his quirts and find Piper very likable.  While the book is lengthy, it doesn’t seem like it and I read it in a very short amount of time.  The action and adventure level seemed just right - as did the down time too.

I think this young-adult novel is perfect for any teenager, or even adult who enjoys magic/mystical creature books.

I am looking forward to the rest of the series and learning more about these “Roman” Gods and after the ending in this book I am waiting on the edge of my chair for book two!

The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid

Rick Riordan

4 Stars

516 pages

The Red Pyramid is the first book in Riordan’s new Kane series. After finishing the Percy Jackson books I was really excited to find out that he has this new series as well.  The book centers around the two Kane teenage siblings; Cater, who grew up traveling with his father, and Sadie who grew up in London with her grandparents.  Pushed together by a series of tragic events, Sadie and Carter find themselves in a world-wind adventure.

The book is very fast paced, I felt like I couldn’t catch my own breath before something else was happening or someone else was trying to deceive the Kane siblings.  I wish that we could have had at least one chapter or two of “background” before they all took off on the adventure.  There is a lot of action, which is great, but in this case it almost made me feel rushed.  I would have liked it if the kids could have had a few more breaks so we could all catch our breath.

Unlike Percy Jackson, The Red Pyramid follows the Egyptian Gods.  I think if you enjoy Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Fable Haven – or any young adult mystical/magic reading then you will overall enjoy this series.  I don’t believe it will be my favorite out of this category, but certainly not my least.  I am looking forward to where book two takes us!

Heart of Lies

Heart of Lies

Irish Angel Series, Book Two

Jill Marie Landis

285 pages

4 stars

Raised on the streets of New Orleans by Dexter Grande, Maddie was taught to beg, steal and cheat her way through life.  As Dexter’s gang dissolves, Maddie moves to the bayou with her twin “brothers”.  The story develops as the twins appear at the doorstep one night with an eight year old girl they have kidnapped and need Maddie to hold hostage.  Against her better judgment Maddie agrees, but trouble soon follows as Pinkerton agent Tom Abbot becomes part of the case.  Tom, who is also working for Laura Foster McCormick, from book one in this series, Heart of Stone.  Maddie begins to question who she is, who her family really is and if she can really trust Tom.

I was excited to hear about the second book in this series being released.  I really enjoyed the first book and couldn’t wait to read more about the sisters from New Orleans.  I think the romance isn’t over the top, but nice, old fashion and clean.  It's refreshing to find books like this, ones I don't have to worry about while reading.

If I had to pick one thing that I didn’t like it would be Dexter’s character.  Landis did a fantastic job making him into a creep and I really shuttered every time he graced the pages.  I was so disturbed at the thought of Maddie taking part of the changing of the kids.  I am glad she was able to find Tom and eventually Laura.  I hope that in the next few book that it will touch on that she has been able to find peace in her life.

The novels and the writing really make me think that if you love Anita Stansfield books, you will enjoy these series.

I'm looking forward to book three. Hopefully it doesn't take a full year to come out!

Everything Meals on a Budget Cookbook

The Everything Meals on a Budget Cookbook

5 Stars

Linda Larsen

293 pages

This book was another great find I picked up one week at our local library. It had helpful ideas and 300 great recipes

I enjoyed this book and look forward to finding one to make my own copy. Like I've said about other budget cookbooks, if you are looking for ways to lower your families grocery budget you can't go wrong with these few books that I've found. Excellent!

Family Feasts for $75 a Week

Family Feasts for $75 a week

Mary Ostyn

5 Stars

304 pages

I always try cook books first from the library before adding them permanently to my own personal collection. This book is one that I would love to add to my own home library.

Mary Ostyn, a mother of 10 children and blogger has great ideas of how to save money. This book was full of ideas that I have started to use with my own family and I have loved each recipe we have tried!

I recommend this book if you are interested in finding out ways to save on your grocery budget, are looking for some new homemade recipes, or just for some great ideas!

Summer Reading

School is finally out for the summer. It seems so late for me from the region that I grew up in, but considering the temperatures here are still only mid 60's I still find myself wearing jackets and convincing myself that it truly is summer.

I do have some great summer reading lists and are excited to get started. First on my list is to finally update my very neglected book blog.

I posted a review of a book from one of my all time favorite series, A Woman of Influence, today, you can find it below, but I have many more reviews on the way.

Hopefully I can get through the list of books to review, the books I have to read and enjoy some nice summer weather soon!

A Woman of Influence

A Woman of Influence

Rebecca Ann Collins

5 Stars

336 pages

Book nine in the The Pemberly Chronicles series.

As I finished the 8^th book in this series, Recollections of Rosings, I was curious to see how Becky Tate’s character would hold up in the next installment of the story. I had mixed feelings of if I really enjoyed her character or not, but promised myself I would place those feelings aside try hard to give her a fair chance in A Woman of Influence.

In A Woman of Influence Becky’s story continues as she finds herself living at Edgwater, a widow and alone wondering what will become of her life. When Becky comes in contact with a girl, Alice, who is traveling and homeless with a son, hiding on her property, she becomes absorbed in her story and helping this woman find and free her husband who has been wrongly accused. While this might be a minor plot in the story it ultimately leads Becky to being reunited with an old acquaintance Mr. Aldo Contini.

Mr. Contini and Becky’s relationship was first established shortly after Becky’s daughter’s death when Mr. Contini was there to offer condolences and relief. I was presently surprised with this reunion of characters and the slow romance that developed and followed. It was a perfect pace for me and my feelings towards Becky’s character.

It’s not s surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed A Woman of Influence. The new “mystery” of Alice and her husband added some substance and some suspense and thrill to a typical storyline. I was pleased with Becky and Mr. Contini’s relationship and how it developed, in a world where lines are crossed daily and in appropriate relationships are many times considered “norm” I was even more delighted that this relationship developed at the right time and place in their lives.

Ms. Rebecca Collins is a wonderful writer and storyteller. She has a knack for writing in Jane Austen’s own voice and developing clean, romantic well developed stories that can be enjoyed time and time again.

I cannot wait for Book 10!