Giveaway: Thirsty by Tracey Bateman

Enteries for this Novel have a deadline of January 1st so be quick to enroll if this books seems right down your alley here is the link Thirsty Giveaway Entry

you will find all the details at the entry giveaway link and below is just a little description of the book that i was able to get off good reads.

There's no place like home, they say.
"Hello, I'm Nina Parker…and I'm an alcoholic."
For Nina, it's not the weighty admission but the first steps toward recovery that prove most difficult. She must face her ex-husband, Hunt, with little hope of making amends, and try to rebuild a relationship with her angry teenage daughter, Meagan. Hardest of all, she is forced to return to Abbey Hills, Missouri, the hometown she abruptly abandoned nearly two decades earlier–and her unexpected arrival in the sleepy Ozark town catches the attention of someone–or something–igniting a two-hundred-fifty-year-old desire that rages like a wildfire.

Unaware of the darkness stalking her, Nina is confronted with a series of events that threaten to unhinge her sobriety. Her daughter wants to spend time with the parents Nina left behind. A terrifying event that has haunted Nina for almost twenty years begins to surface. And an alluring neighbor initiates an unusual friendship with Nina, but is Markus truly a kindred spirit or a man guarding dangerous secrets?

As everything she loves hangs in the balance, will Nina's feeble grasp on her demons be broken, leaving her powerless against the thirst? The battle between redemption and obsession unfold to its startling, unforgettable end.

sounds interesting and therefore I do hope I can win this if not I will definitely put it in my TBR pile.

30 Books To Movies Challenge

Chase of The Bibliophile's Lounge is hosting his very first challenge, 30 Books To Movies Challenge

Here's what he says:

Goal: To read 30 books that have been adapted into movies and watch said movies

Details:

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

• If you decide to join this challenge be sure to create a post telling others. Also, please make sure you add a link back to this post so others can join in.

• Non-bloggers may enter as well. If you have a blog, please post the review of BOTH the book and movie on your blog, detailing:

a) Your honest opinions of the book and movie

b) Which one did you enjoy more (book or movie?)

c) What do you think is so good about the book for it to have been made into a movie

Make sure you label the reviews with “30 Books To Movies” so it’ll be easier for me to link them.

• Series only count as one entry. For example, even though there are 7 Harry Potter books, altogether they only count as 1 of the 30 books because they belong to the same series.

To join, go to 30 Books To Movies Challenge

Book Review: Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Are you predator or prey?

CLASSIFIED ADS: RESTAURANTS
SANGUINI'S: A VERY RARE RESTAURANT IS HIRING A CHEF DE CUISINE. DINNERS ONLY.
APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.

Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses -- or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Whose playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smiths delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.

My Views: When at the bookstore I had picked up this book cause the cover intrigued me I read the back and wanted to get it but had my hands full of purchases of books I had already had on my TBR list. Little did I expect that a week later my mom and I would make a trip to that bookstore and out of no where she picks it up and says "I am gonna get this book for you!" Yeah my mom and I have that kind of connection! Scarey eh?

Need less to say it reminded me a little bit of Twilight (well the movie/storyline as this week I am starting the Twilight book series I have had for about 2 months now waiting for me)
Although what I thoroughly enjoyed about this book was all the references to other novels/movies the author made! Right down to the main characters name being Qunicie P. Morris same name of the Texan in Stokers Dracula, to references of Mitchells Gone with the Wind and the Musical My Fair Lady to even references of early Ovid works. It was a fast easy to read book at 310 pages with a cliffhanging ending that kinda still has me wondering. I gave this book 4/5 Stars. It is definitely something to read if you want a fast easy entertaining read! Truly lovely this read was, and I look forward to possibly reading it again within later future (possibly).

Until my next review! Happy Reading All!

Book Review: Submission A Novel by Marthe Blau

Submission: A Novel by Marthe Blau


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You'll want to scream,

but you'll be gagged.

You'll want to cry,

but you'll be blindfolded.

You'll want to run away,

but you'll be tied up.

You'll have no way of begging me,

I'll do what I want with you.


Sexual obsession, domination, and dangerous desire drive the story of Élodie, a young married Parisian lawyer who finds herself swept up in a cycle of sadomasochistic lust.


A handsome stranger Élodie meets in court issues her a series of instructions that she feels compelled to follow. He introduces her to sex clubs hidden in dark alleys, toys that enhance physical pleasure as well as pain, and couples whose appetites are as voracious as his. What at first seems out of character for Élodie -- she has a small child at home, after all -- quickly begins to shape her self-identity. As the violence of their encounters escalates, these acts become an addiction she can't bear. But how far can Élodie go . . . and how much of her life will she risk in the process?


This sophisticated and captivating novel exudes the sensuality that only the French can deliver.

My Views: The writer comepletely Dominated me with her erotic novel of supposed real and true events. Although there were scenes that seemed elaborate, not completely far fetched but to an extent were in many cases. I felt sad, yet excited along with the main character of this book when I found myself reading her feelings and tried to grasp the idea of what she must have experienced and what it must of been like. Although many of my like friends who are into the lifestyle just saw this book as being no where near like what the real lifestyle is like cause the relationship between D/s is one that is of love in many ways and very different. What some forget is that there are incidents that do happen in the type of fashions, that this book revolves around. To me this book is what I needed and perfect for that easy read that I didn't need to focus on to get the story! I loved the idea that it took me two nights of not so consecutive reading to finish it and I would recommend it to Aanyone in the lifestyle with this note: It's a fictitious story and although based on the authors real life events she has experienced if you are looking for a read that is strictly by the BDSM book and more real than do not pick up this book and expect to come out with a thorough knowledge of the BDSM lifestyle.

Another Note: this book does contain graphic intimate, explicit content so if you don't like erotic novels this may not be the book for you, also it does contain same sex relations, and I realize that some book lovers, might not be as opened minded as some others maybe so I thought I would contain this part in my review!

Until my next read which I yet haven't picked, Happy Reading All!!!
View all my reviews >>

Bound to be Shelfed?

Being an impulsive bookworm I find myself always excited when i see used bookstores/ thrift stores along areas I tend to frequent. Although I have come to realize that I might have thrift bookshelf anxiety with certain books imparticular. Those being books that no matter what store I find myself in they are always at that thrift store and seem to always plague the shelves. So with that in mind I decided to blog about those notorious titles that I ALWAYS see on the shelves in hopes that someone might tell me (if they have read them that is) are there just too many people that have them are are they truly that "TERRIBLE?" that they are bound to be shelfed?
Now in no particular order the list of 15 books I ALWAYS see

1. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
2. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
(I know the idea of the story just never read it)
3. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
4. Beloved by Toni Morrison
5. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
6. Hannibal by Thomas Harris
7. Bel Canto by Ann Patchet
8. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
9. White Orleander by Janet Fitch
10. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
11. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
12. House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III
13. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
14. The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve
15. Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz

I am sure there are others that can be added to this list but these are most of the titles i see notoriously on thrift store shelves that I tend to be leery about at times. So what are the books you see plaguing your stores shelves that you are almost sick of seeing? I am wondering how many books above I have mentioned are on your stores shelves too! LOL

Book Review: Something Borrowed (Emily Giffin)

So much to others surprise, Something Borrowed was my actual first Chic-Lit novel I have ever read. I can't say I haven't read a soap opera novel ever as I remember being like 15 or so and grabbing like the one and only Danielle Steel novel I ever picked up from my mum's bookshelf. I was never really a Danielle Steel fan. I had heard some many women in my chic-lit and other book club sites remark how good "Something Borrowed" was so I decided to give it a try (it looked easy enough to read through). Just some big of info on this novel:

Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé. Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness. Something Borrowed is a phenomenal debut novel that will have you laughing, crying, and calling your best friend.

I gave this book more of like 3-1/2 Stars it was easy enough to read and get through and for being my first chic lit novel I wasn't completely disappointed although while reading this at points I couldn't help but to think "I don't watch soap operas on telly why am I reading this?" Well even though with this in mind I still per-sued on with the reading, I did love the 80's references and all the descriptions to things I remembered growing up to. Such as ie: there is a reference to the show "Threes Company" that I use to love etc.. I can't say this book wasted my time reading although to me it was quite predictable, I found myself almost not ready to finish it the last 20 pages i felt i could have done without, since it was such an obvious ending. When it comes to books though I have OCD once I start it I have to finish it. If you want a quick beach read you might like this tho. I gave it the 3-1/2 Star rating for being somewhat enjoyable and yet very quick to read once you did sit down to start reading it.

Next book on my list is "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro so be expecting a review on this one soon! It's an October read for one of my book clubs and I can't wait to start it.

Until then Happy Reading All!!!

3 4 5 Challenge

So I signed up for a new challenge that was indeed to good to pass up I seen it on Mindful Musings Blog and had to check it out, and viola I signed up you should too!!

Here's how it works.

1.It will run from August 1, 2009 to August 1, 2010

2.You may sign up at any point in this time period

3.To complete the challenge, you must read THREE books from one series, FOUR books from another series, and FIVE books from another series

4.You do not have to choose your books ahead of time (but are more than welcome to)

5.You do not have to 'complete' a series (i.e. you don't have to read a trilogy for your three book requirement - just 3 books from the same series)

6.Only books that you read between August 1, 2009 and August 1, 2010 count

7.The books you read may count for other challenges

To join in the challenge with me visit Chic Loves Lit.

I will be making updates to this post as I complete the challenge. Below are the books that I plan to read for the challenge. Books with links (to reviews) are the ones I've completed!

5 Books From A Series (Anita Blake Vampire Series:Laurell K. Hamilton)
1. Guilty Pleasures
2. The Laughing Corpse
3. The Circus of the Damned
4. The Lunatic Cafe
5. Bloody Bones

4 Books From a Series (Twilight Series: Stephenie Meyer)
1. Twilight
2. New Moon
3. Eclipse
4. Breaking Dawn

3 Books From a Series (Sleeping Beauty Triology: A.N. Roquelaure)
1. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
2. Beauty's Punishment
3. Beauty's Release

Book Review: Water for Elephants

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

I personally gave this epic novel 5/5 Stars for me it had everything that I could of possibly needed in a circus tale. I went into this book not over expectant to find a gem but boy did I! I loved this novel and don't have enough good things to say about it! Only thing I will say about this novel that "some" may not like who are animal lovers (I being one of them) it does have some scenes that may disturb those who are truly against animal abuse. Taking this in account I can understand if someone didnt want to read this novel for that particular reason. I do know that circus' esp in the depression era were not precisely known for their animal loving nature, hence why circus' everywhere now are being thoroughly investgated.

Knowing all this I can still say this has become a new favorite of mine and i truly reccomended to anyone who loves reading about the circus.

Book Review: The Reader (Bernhard Schlink)

What to say about "The Reader?" Well I gave it 3 Stars I found it, easy to read at a mere 218 pages and the chapters were short and simple. Although (yes there is a but lol) the book (to me) seemed to drag slightly in the middle and maybe this is because when it comes to books that have trials and legal wording etc..it tends to lose me when it gets too involved with the terminalogy.

The book is about a 15 year old boy who has an affair with an older woman (precisely 22 years older) after falling ill, the woman although vanishes amid their relationship and isn't heard from until numerous years later. It's not until the boy is in his twenties that he sees the woman again not in an intimate matter but standing a trial for Nazi war crimes (as the boy is a law student standing in on the trial).

Now I can't say I am an oprah fan and was kinda leery after finding out it was one of her book club reads but went on to finish reading it none the less. I don't know if I was the only one who felt this way ...but I felt the love between the boy and woman (if love is what you would call it) happened really soon too soon for me to believe (if that makes sense) but then I reminded myself again of course it had to be since it's only 218 pages! lol With this is mind I questioned myself that maybe "love" or what we think is "love" really does happen that fast when one partner is soo much younger than the other meaing ie: 15 year old boys hormones run amok and therefore any older woman who initiates a spark of interest or persuades a boy into a sexually related affair, maybe that in fact does happen quite quickly.

Who knows but those who have been in this sort of love affair or part of one . As side from that along the trial of this book (middle of the book) I found myself being able to set it down and could have more than likely forgotten about it at that point, but told myself its such a fast/small read that i should give it the chance and finish it. The ending to me got better, and kept me interested til i finally did finished the book. All in all I give the book 3 out of 5 stars cause out of everything it was a decent read just not extremely exceptional.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I finally finished the 870 page, 38 Chapter (5th) book tonight, and I feel a huge load of accomplishment not to mention a small curiosity for more! lol I know I am a harry potter glutton! lol

Reading many other reviews about the 5th book and after reading it I tend to agree yet disagree with some! HP 5 was highly energetic and very much detailed and complex for me which really kept me going! Although! maybe it was the 870 pages (136 pages more than HP4) that made the beginning seem to take longer to reach interest? i don't know but once I did reach that point (I mean HP completely boring?! never!) I couldn't put the book down after that point.



I never really was one of those passionate people that read the book first than went to a movie and said "WTF?!!" cause I always took a movie for exactly what it was "A Movie." Now! I find myself saying why didn't they put this part in?!! and where is this part?! All the more reason for being glad to be an avid reader and that there are books to add more clarification to the "whole story" still would of been nice to see all those vivid descriptions put to film but beggars can't be choosers so I am reminded.

Anyways onto the review all in all a VERY addicting read once you get through the long awaited beginning of when harry makes contacts with the Order patrol/squad that tend to take him to Grimmauld Place! The book went into so MUCH more detail regarding O.W.L.S, Occlumency and explained so much more that the movie tended to leave out as most of the movies do although I tend to believe the 4th movie was one of the worst that disappointed me with the lack of background that was missing but again it's "A Movie!" Needless to say 5 stars from me easily it kept me entertained and I would easily read it again and might do it later on for the Re-Read Challenge coming up this next month through november! lol

Now for a lil more lighter reading my next book started is "The Reader" I have the next two Harry Potter books and am anxious to start them just don't want to find myself in the same situation as before "A Harry Overdose" that it takes longer for me to get into cause after the last 870 pages I just read. lol So I have taken a HP break for the meantime and will start some books my book clubs are discussing! Just until I am reading to finish the HP series (might just be my way of dragging it out a lil longer) hate to see it come to an end! lol

Until my next review Happy Reading All!!!

As the Stack Grows....

As the title states.....Yes! my TBR stack has grown! lol

Today i received "Water for Elephants" which has been on my must obtain list of books. I want to read it already!! Although I am sustaining myself due to the fact that I am on Chapter 11 of the top book Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix.

So far the 5th HP book is pretty good although I still stand by my earlier conviction that the 4th HP book is by far my favorite. So much reading is on my list, can't say that i don' plunge into things when I make my mind up to doing them. I have now found myself amid 2 Book Clubs, at least 4-5 Book Blogs not to mention all the interesting challenges I will be bestowing upon myself. Speaking of Challenges there is a great one starting .....click the link for details!

The Re-Read Challenge

I am sure that my stack of reading is going to get ALOT longer with this new challenge not to mention if my 2 book clubs decide on the books they want to read for September. With one group its a toss up between The Kite Runner and The Graveyard Book I wouldn't mind reading the graveyard book but voted for The Kite Runner beings I can not only get it on paperback swaps site, but it was also on my TBR list. So I might be skipping that book if graveyard is chosen we shall see.

Until then....Happy Reading an Blogging All!!

2009 Yearly Reading List

I was reading a blog I found through another bloggers site that i frequently visit. In the blog "Girl v. The World" she professed for avid bookworms to put down a list of books they would like to read throughout the year, well even though i just got the time to read i figured i would give it a go...what i don't read i can just continue into next year so here goes my list as it is right now.

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire
   
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. Water for Elephants
4. Twilight (Series)
5. A Great and Terrible Beauty
6. I Am Legend
7. The Virgins Lover
8. The Time Traveler's Wife
9. The Book Thief
10. I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell

So far the ones i can cross off my list are #1 just finished it and now into #2 and got nearly 100 pages into it. Water for Elephants is in the mail to me atm. I have the twilight series next to my desk in a book ready to read as well as having a great and terrible beauty, i am legend and the virgins lover obtaining dust on my shelf. As far as the last 3 I am patiently waiting for those to appear available on my paperback swap site so hopefully i obtain those within the next year if i can't get to them this year.

PBS for the avid reader

So as you may know or may not know I am a freelance graphic designer (which i always like to catergorize as a starving artist) and therefore i am always looking for ways to enjoy myself the best i can. So just recently alot of my spare time goes to reading. I had almost forgot how much i loved to read in the past but between a 60 hour work week for nearly 3 years while in college and doing homework, the only books i found my nose in was text ones. So now i have found time to read and along with that I found a GREAT site that i already love called PBS or Paperback Swap!



I definitely recommend this site to anyone who loves books but don't like having to pay the barnes & nobles, high end book store prices! Don't get me wrong i love barnes & nobles (like them much better now that i get coupons from them) just can't always afford the high prices that come with buying "new books." So check them out! You bookworms won't be disappointed :) What a great way to swap books at a cheap price! (click the logo i posted to check out their website)

:: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ::

Harry Potter what can I say? Other than I realize I am not a kid but how can I not love Harry Potter books?
They are absolutely brilliant and i will definitely keep them to read to my future children (if i come to the point of having kids).

I have just finished the thirty-seven chapter, 734 page (4th) book of the Harry Potter set and I cannot say anything bad about the book it has everything! It was a complete page turner and so easy to read!

I think my favorite parts easily of this book is the dark intricate scenes and detail the book goes into, to keep the reader involved. Overall my favorite Harry Potter book by far! I have now just started the 5th book Order of the phoenix and although I have already seen the movie for the Order of the Phoenix I have heard from many that the movie doesn't do justice to the book. So we shall see! All in all I give this book 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone especially those kid at heart types like me!

Until my next review Happy Reading All!!