Bookspeaks 100 followers giveaway.

If you are like me and are bummed because you have not heard that you won any giveaways from Gratitude Giveaways, there is another giveaway going until December 1st.  Bookspeak is having a 100 followers giveaway.  She has great prize packages.  Head on over and enter. http://bookspeakblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-giveaway-time-again-100-followers.html

I just found out I won an e book, I'm not bummed out anymore. This addition is about three hours after the original post.

REVIEW "Lost in the River of Grass"

Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Sara is on a field trip to the Everglades with 10 students from her school. She doesn't fit in. She is from a family without financial means, and is at the school on scholarship. She feels separated from the other students, and feels like she is looked down upon.


She decides to skip a tour with her classmates and go on a boat ride with a cute boy she met. He was fixing his dad's air boat, and invited her for a ride. His name is Andy.


She tells the teacher she is sick and goes on a fun date with Andy. They get to a small island, eat some snacks and go back to the boat to find that it has sunk into the murky water. Their location is remote, and neither of them told anyone that they were going into the Everglades.


They realize that help would be a long time coming and begin a dangerous trek across the swamp.



I liked this story of survival. I think that it is appropriate for a young audience. There is mild swearing, but the message is great. Each one of us has it within ourselves to survive against the odds

I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley.  It is not scheduled to be published until  March of 2011.  Make sure to mark it and put it on your wish list.





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Giveaway Winners~

I had two contests end at the same time.

My first announcement is from the Interview with Jennifer Laurens.  I am giving away one copy  of "Falling for Romeo" ~  Aik is who was chosen on Random.org

Now for the Gratitude Giveaways.

There are two winners for LeeAnn Setzer's book "Gathered:  A Novel of Ruth".

The winners are~  April X and Dovile

One winner for "You Can Never Get Enough Of What you Don't Need" ~ xlacrimax

and the last winner is for "An Irish Country Courtship"  ~ tanya904.

Thanks to everyone who participated.  Remember to thank Kathy from I am a Reader, Not a Writer for putting this all together.

Have a fabulous day!

100 Follower Giveaway Winners

The day has finally come to announce the winners of my 100 followers giveaway.

They are: 

"Ever" by Gail Carson Levine - Jinky

"The Sea of Trolls" by Nancy Farmer  - Samantha35

Avon Product - Lisa

Winners were chosen using Random.org.  I have email them and I am awaiting a reply.  Winners have 48 hours to respond, if they do not, I will choose a new winner using Random.org.

When I started this giveaway I had 99 followers, now there are 161.  When I get to 250, I will have another follower giveaway.  Thank you for participating.  I wish I had the means to give something to everyone.


FYI - I have completed reading "The Iron Queen" by Julie Kagawa.  It is scheduled to be released in January and I will be posting a complete review then.  Just so you know, I have given it 5 stars.  I don't give out many 5 star ratings, that's how good it is.  Thanks to Netgalley  and Harlequin Teen for making it available for early review.

Review of "Fate of Thorik" by Anthony G. Wedgeworth

Altered Creatures: Fate of Thorik by Anthony G Wedgeworth

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Grand Council convenes to determine action against a powerful leader. But before any consensus can be made, an immense power is unleashed, annihilating their temple and killing the council members inside. Young Thorik Dain's journey to discover who destroyed the council, leads him on an unexpected quest. Struggling to find the truth, Thorik confronts an entirely new world with overwhelming magic, altered beasts, battle-risen undead, and deceivers amongst his closest allies. Weighing upon Thorik's shoulders are his uncle's desire to control him, his mentor's obsession to vanquish the new rising leader, and Thorik's own internal demons of self-doubt. The land's destiny is in Thorik's hands, while his confidence and conviction to his beliefs will define his own fate.  description from Goodreads


I received this book from the author for review.

Anothony Wedgeworth has created a complex fantasy story. I do like this book. However, I felt that it tended to drag at some points and that the history behind the story wasn't explained well.  In some aspects he tries too hard to make it too complex.   He has many great ideas.

Thorik is a num, a humanoid species that lives a quiet and peaceful existence. They follow their religion to the letter and memorize scrolls that were given to them by their historical religious leader.   They have a hard time trusting outsiders.

Thorik helps a stranger, taking him into his home while he heals, against the wishes of his village leader (aka,his uncle). The stranger is Ambriosius. He is the only survivor of a Grand Council where the leaders of the different species came together to discuss a threat to their land. The conference came to and abrupt end when the neutral location was destroyed.

A quest ensues. Thorik and several other nums join Ambriosius to discover who was the traitor who let their enemy know where all of the leaders were at one time. Of course, Ambriosius is blamed.

Ultimately this is a story of good verses evil. A young man learning who to trust and how to lead.

There are more books in the series.  I will read them.  I would like to see where Mr. Wedgeworth takes this story and the ultimate conclusion.



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Interview with Ednah Walters, author of "Awakened" and swag giveaway!

I am excited to be hosting an interview with Ednah Walters.  She has recently published a great  young adult book, "Awakened" it is book one in the Guardian Legacy.

Can I just say that Ednah is wonderful?  I had fun emailing back and forth with her.  When you read the interview you will see why.  I am looking forward to reading book wo of the Guardian Legacy when it comes out.  I think she is definitely an author to keep on your radar.

The interview is in two parts.  My questions for Ednah, and then she did a character interview.  I had questions for Bran, and he answered.  I love the format used.  Here they are, read, laugh and enjoy!

Part 1: Ednah's interview.

Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

My family/my children inspired me. When I became a stay-at-home mother after finishing college,
I wrote simple children stories and read them to my then pre-school daughters. Those stories will
never be read by anyone else, but they were the starting point for me. Later, when my two older
girls became teens, they wanted something different and Awakened is the result.

Do you have any rituals that you go through before you can sit down to write?

Not really. I write anywhere and everywhere. In the car at carpool while I wait for my kids to get
out of school, by the pool (indoors) or gymnastic arena where they take lessons after school.
By my bed, on the kitchen counter, outside while I keep an eye of my kids while they play,
bookstores. As long as my laptop is powered, I’ll write. If not, I carry a pencil and a notebook to
write scenes as they pop in my head.

What is one thing that you would like your readers to know about you?Nothing. I’m boring. I’m working on Betrayed, book 2, and will start book 3 soon.

I have a 13 year old daughter who loves to write, she always has a notebook with her that she
likes to use to jot her latest story in. Have you always wanted to write, or was it something that
you realized that you loved as an adult?
I used to joke that I’d love to become a writer someday. At the time, I was in high school. I mean,
I read a lot and had an active imagination, but I was the talk geeky girl who was into science. As
long as your daughter has something to say, let her write. Encourage her. Mine are like that,
too. One draws and writes manga stories while the other is into poetry. Whether they’ll become
a writer later in life is their choice.

Is there any advice that you would like to give to writers just starting out?
Write from your heart. Don’t let anything limit you. Trends come and go, so don’t try to
keep up or follow them. Use your imagination and soar.

I will admit to being fascinated by Nephilim. It is the lure that hooked me into reading this book.
Why did you write a book about Nephilim?
Nephilim are cool. Who can resist beings that have superpowers, are part human and part
angel, physically gorgeous and according to theology, can either be ruthless or angelic. Nephilim
heroes and villains haven’t been fully explored, yet they are the children of the fallen angels. If
you believe the Bible, they walked on earth, lived and loved, and were killed during Noah’s flood,
but some were left behind to lead man astray.

In the book you listed several names that can be associated with the Nephilim : Neterus, Devas,
Titans, Avatars, and Nephilim? How did you put together these different names from different
cultures and associate them with Nephilim?
I researched other mythologies and religious beliefs after I was done with the Nephilim. Imagine
my surprise when I learned that in almost every civilization, every mythology and beliefs, there
were beings with super powers, some bad and some good, some fighting for humanity and other
hell bent on destroying it. I brought them all under the umbrella of the Nephilim. But I’m not the
first one to do this. Internet is rife with bloggers who believe all these groups, including vampires
and werewolves, were Nephilim.

I was fortunate enough to attend Utah State University for one year and I know what a great
community it is and how beautiful it is. Why did you decide to set your book in Cache Valley?
It is beautiful, isn’t it? But it is also secluded and perfect for the Guardians. Plus, I live there…lol.
Instead of researching the setting, I just take a drive and get everything I need. I visited Logan
High (Cache High in Awakened) to get my facts straight, talked to students, my daughter
included, about schedules and events. And the trailer park, where Lil and her grandfather stay in
for a few weeks, actually exists, so does the weeping willow and the hotel with a pool.

Part two:  Bran's turn.

Lisa: Hi there Bran. Thank you agreeing to talk to me. Please, have a seat.

Bran (dressed in black pants, shirt and long leather trench coat, straddles a chair
and props his arms across the back): Thanks. Lisa…may I call you Lisa?

Lisa: Of course. I will try to be quick because I know you’re a busy guy. Can you tell
us…me a little bit about yourself?

Bran: I’m a Nephilim, a Guardian. I hunt down and vanquish demons.

Lisa (smiles): I know. But can you tell us more? You know, about your abilities?

Bran (closes his eyes and sighs…why are humans so curious? Maybe a demonstration
might be good): You see that plant over there?

Lisa (looks at he potted cactus plant and nods). Yes.

Bran: Are you particularly attached to it?

Lisa (looking uneasy): Uh, yes.

Bran: (extends his hands toward the cactus, a lazy smile on his lips, eyes daring
Lisa to stop him. Plant grows limp and wrinkly then withers).

Lisa (eyes wide): You killed it!

Bran (rolled his eyes…humans are so melodramatic): No, I didn’t. I drained water
from it. I can mummify a demon in fractions of a second because I have the ability to
manipulate water, a power I inherited through my father. Are you sure you don’t want to
talk about Lil. She’s more interesting.

Lisa (fidgets, her eyes going to the withered cactus plant): Just one question. How did
you know Lil was your soul mate?

Bran (shrugs): I just did.

Lisa (leans forward): How?

Bran (sighs): I can’t believe I’m about to say this. (Cheeks turn pink). I felt this strong
tag on my psi energy I couldn’t explain and every cell in my body became alive. Sounds cheesy,
but there is no other way I can describe it. So I went to find the source of this power that made
me feel…amazing. When I telepathed her, I knew she was the one.

Lisa (smiles dreamily): That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. What went
through your mind when you realized that Lil knew nothing about the guardians?

Bran (shrugs): I thought she was faking, which pissed her off and the rest you know.
Later, I felt bad for being so mean to her. Before I could apologize, she pissed me off.
(Frowns). I can’t remember what she did. It doesn’t matter now.

Lisa: In the book we get a description from Lil about your first kiss. Can you tell us what it was
like for you?
Bran (cocks his right eyebrow): Is she serious? How can I describe something so
beautiful, so sweet, so mind-numbing? No.

Lisa: Come on.

Bran: No. Next question.

Lisa: Okay. You have one of the most interesting name. Do you know the story behind
it?

Bran : Do you know that most civilizations have written about us?

Lisa (looks confused): Y…eees. But I’m the one asking questions here, not you.

Bran (cocks his right eyebrow…The human has guts, kind of reminds me of my Lil.)
My father named me after Bran, son of Sea-god Llyr…Bran the Blessed…a giant of
man…an honorable man. Of course, you do know he wasn’t just an interesting figure in
Celtic mythology. He was one of us. I think we might be related somewhere down the
line. You know, my water powers, he being son of a sea god and all.

Lisa(nods): You have very different heritage than most, what do you find is the hardest
part of being you? What's the best?

Bran (frowns): The hardest part is having my fellow Guardians look at me and see my
parents. I’m not my mother or father. I’m me, an individual. I’d like to be judged by
what I do and say, not who my parents were. The best part is using my experience to
help the girl I love. Having known the dark side, I know how to avoid its seduction. Lil
will have many challenges ahead of her but I plan to be there for her.

Lisa: Could you tell us what you like to do in your spare time?

Bran(winks): Doing stuff with Lil…and train. Demon-hunting is a full-time job, and so
is being in love with a stubborn girl. But I have several centuries to do both.

Lisa(smiling dreamily): What's one of your favorite memories?

Bran(shakes his head): Of Lil? Those are private. But I can talk about childhood
memories, which includes learning about my heritage from my father, flying with my
little sister, goofing with my brother… before things changed (Bran stops smiling).

Lisa: Your relationship with Lil is complicated, yet beautiful. What's one of your
favorite things to do together?

Bran (grins again, dimples flashing): Lil’s pretty cool and an easy girl to love. As
long as we’re together, she’s happy. We like to teleport to different places for lunch or
dinner. She likes the beach the best. We’ve visited quite a few around the world. We’ve
also dined at some of the best restaurants. (Bran laughs softly) We often don’t have
reservation, but Lil’s power of persuasion makes that problem go away.

Lisa: Can you tell us anything juicy about her we don't already know?

Bran: Oh no, I’m not going there. She’ll kill me if I tell.

Lisa: Come on, just one tinsy little secret.

Bran (sighs, looks up and smiles): Okay. You’re a very curious lady, just like Lil.
She’s very ticklish. Whenever I tickle her she kicks and screams and promises to
vanquish me. But she never means it because afterwards we kiss and make-up. (Bran’s
grin broadened) I think that’s why I do it. Making up is fun.

Lisa (blushing): I am not entirely sure what to think about your brother. It's clear that
you love him desperately though. Can you tell us something awesome about him we
might not know?

Bran (no longer smiling): He’s very protective of our little sister. He and I don’t agree
on many things, but when it comes to her, we’re on the same page. He’d do anything
to protect her. I think we are done here. I have a demon to catch and interrogate. (Bran
stands up, walks to the cactus plant and touches it. The plant quickly returns to its
succulent, healthy state. He glances at Lisa and flashes another smile) Is that better?

Lisa(sighs with relief and stands too): Yes, thank you. Just one more question. Can
you tell us anything about what's next for the Guardians?

Bran (shrugs): We’ll continue what we always do, fight the good fight. I really got to
go now. Nice chatting with you, Lisa.


Thanks to Bran and Ednah.  I had a ton of fun with this interview.  You can see why Ednah is an author and I am a reader.    If you would like to see my review of  "Awakened", click on this link: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/2010/11/awakened-book-one-in-guardian-legacy-by.html

Ednah has kindly donated some swag!    There will be two winners.  She is donating  a mouse pad and pens!
To enter please fill out the form below.  This is open internationally.

Thanks for visiting today.  Have a great Holiday Season.

Review of "Thanksgiving at the Inn"

Thanksgiving at the Inn by Tim Whitney

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I requested a copy of this from netgalley. I wanted to go into the Thanksgiving Season reading a book that was, well... seasonal.



Heath and his father have come to run the bed and breakfast left to them with stipulations from Heath's grandfather's will. They must run it for three months, be kind to the tenants and do the chores. If they can fulfill the terms, they will inherit the fortune grandfather left. 


Heath gets to know the tenant's and grows to love them. His father is distant and at times verbally and emotionally abusive. They were estranged from the late grandfather, Heath's dad was not given a share in the profits when the factory was sold, and Heath has no memory of his grandfather. He begins to know and appreciate his grandfather through the eyes of others.



One message that I really liked is not to judge people by their outside appearance. Everyone has a story to tell, everyone has their triumphs and mistakes. Heath learned that the people around him had a lot to offer and teach him, even though by their outward appearance you might not think that they would.  The residents of the Inn also became an emotional support for Heath.



There is a resolution that follows tragedy. The book ends with Thanksgiving day, and looking at what they characters have, rather than what they have lost.



This book is geared to young readers. I think that adults would enjoy it more than the young. As a caution, there is mild profanity. The book runs a little slow in places and may not keep the attention of many young readers.



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Review of "Princess of the Midnight Ball"

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above.
Captivating from start to finish, Jessica Day George’s take on the Grimms’ tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses demonstrates yet again her mastery at spinning something entirely fresh out of a story you thought you knew.   Description from Goodreads.

The book begins with Galen searching for his only living relative, an aunt. He has finished serving as a soldier in a war. He is traveling toward the capital city when he comes across an old lady and shows her kindness. She gives him an invisibility cloak and yarn. Puzzled, he continues on his quest seeking his aunt.


He comes to the city and finds his relatives. His uncle is the gardener for the king. He reluctantly  takes Galen on as an undergardener.  This puts Galen in a position to meet and become friends with the Princesses.  (Galen's first meeting with the Princess Rose is rather comical.)  This puts Galen in a prime position to investigate the strange occurrence of the 12 princesses who wear out their slippers every third night.

I do not remember reading a retelling with the Princesses living under a curse.  I think this element was added by Jessica Day George.  It really worked.  It explained why the Princesses would go every night to an underground realm and dance with twelve Princes.  My heart went out to the Princesses.  They did not want to go dancing, in fact they hated dancing. 

Galen is a very likeable hero.  You can't help but like him and see why Rose fell for him.  He is kind and considerate and has only the welfare of the Princesses as his focus.  Well, he does have feelings for Rose, but that is not his sole motivation.  Galen made the story interesting.  The Princesses although a focus, in my opinion were more secondary characters.

I enjoyed this retelling. I thought about giving it five stars, but something was missing for me. I'm not sure what it was. I do know that I enjoyed my time reading it. This book is classified as YA, but is appropriate for all ages.






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Author Interview with Jennifer Laurens, Review of "Heavenly", and a book giveaway!

It seems like I'm trying to fit quite a few things into one blog.  Nice compact and a little easier to access, maybe?

I am grateful that Jennifer Laurens agreed to do an author interview with me. This is my first one, and it may be a little ragged around the edges.  But I am learning. Jennifer is gracious enough to be part of my learning curve.  Thank you!

I will start off with my review of "Heavenly".

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was pleasantly surprised by "Heavenly". I went into this book not knowing what to expect. It looked like another human falling in love with an immortal book, I do enjoy that genre and I was thinking this would fit into that mold.

I was wrong. "Heavenly" creates it's own niche.

Zoe has a little sister who has autism. Abria is the center of everything. She is very high maintenance. She runs, she doesn't answer so you can find her and she likes to flap her arms. Zoe is a bit embarrassed by her sister. Her brother Luke is a pothead. Zoe has her own problems, she likes to escape by partying. She goes to parties, gets drunk, and hooks up with a cute guy.

Zoe's parents are so focused on Abria that they fail to see the problems with their older two children. The family is in denial.

Enter Matthias. He is the guardian of Abria. One day while Zoe is at the park with Abria, she is texting a friend, looks up and finds that Abria has disappeared. She finds her with a strange, yet comforting, young man. He has saved Abria and brought her back to Zoe.

We come to find out that he is there when Abria is in danger. Zoe and Matthias become friends and Zoe falls in love with him. That is all that I will say on that, because you should read this book.

This story has another layer dealing with the fight of good vs. evil. The consequences that come for our choices, and learning to heal with love.

I am looking forward to reading the two books that follow this one, "Penitence" and "Absolution". (Won't my husband be surprised when he finds out he purchased them for me for Christmas?)  I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who likes a great book!  This IS a good book.

I hope you don't mind me adding a little bit of a personal note.  Sixteen years ago, when my husband and I had been married for a little over a year, he had a younger sister who committed suicide.  I watched a family  struggle, parents drowning in sorrow, and younger siblings left floundering.   Good kids began to party and start a life dealing with addictions. 

This story has a very real  and timely message for youth.

Another person interjection, one that is hard for me to write about.  I have a son who is dealing with mental illness.  He started threatening suicide at age six, we have had therapy and psychiatrist appointments.  I don't mention this for sympathy, I want to illustrate my next point. I empathise with the parents in this story, it is easy to become so focused on the child who is struggling and leave the others to their own devices.  This book has helped me see the error in my ways, and I hope to become a better mother because of it.

MOVING ON....

I am excited for the next bit.... my interview with Jennifer Laurens.

Jennifer Laurens is the mother of six children, one of whom has autism.  She lives in Utah with her family, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains. (Taken from About the Author in the back of "Heavenly")

1. How would you describe "Heavenly"?

 A real life book.  A story most people can take something beneficial from.  A gook about hope, faith, family loyalty.  A story with thought-provoking ideas about the handicapped.

2. Who or what inspired you to be a writer?

 My step-father was a writer.  I'd go to sleep with the sound of his typewriter clicking away in the other room... coffee and cigarettes always accompanied his writing time.  Those scents filled the house and signaled that he was hard at work for long hours.

3. Name one thing that you would like your readers to know about you?

 I write what I want to write, and not what's hot.

4. How do you get past "writer's block"?

 Write through it.  Something always ends up changing for the better.

5. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

 Join a critique group.  Let people other than your family (who will always love your work) read your work.  Take their suggestions.  Read across all genres.  Write as much as humanly possible.

I would like to thank Jennifer for taking time out of her schedule and answering my questions.  As I said before, I found her to be a very gracious woman.  I think she is going to become one of the author's on my favorite authors list on the bottom of my blog.  I appreciate her and the books that she publishes for us to read.  (I have added her web page to my author pages in the bottom left, if you want to check it out.)

So.... I will be giving away one of her books.  It was published in 2007.  It is the first book of hers that I read.  If you would like to see my full review, click on this link : http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-of-falling-for-romeo.html

John can have any girl he wants. Jennifer's never been kissed. Everybody thinks he's perfect. She's got issues with pride and jealousy. They were best friends-once. Now, they're playing Romeo and Juliet. Virgin lips Jennifer must have her first kiss on stage with John, the guy every girl in school wants. The pressure and tension build along with each staged kiss. Both are shocked when feelings bloom. Can either tell which kisses are real and which are for show?    ( taken from Goodreads.)

To enter leave me a comment and answer the following requirements.

1.  You must be a follower of my blog. +1 entry
2.  Leave your name and email address.  +1 entry
3. Become a fan of Jennifer on goodreads.  +1 entry.
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/758992.Jennifer_Laurens
4. I just added my Network Blogs widget.  Follow on Networked Blogs for another entry. (I would love to see another picture besides mine posted there!)
5. Please add up your entries for another point.  Up to 5 entries.

I am making this available for US and Canada.  I  am currently doing two international giveaways, and quite frankly, the shipping adds up.  You may feel free to look at my other giveaways and enter there as well.  They are my 100 followers,ending on the 27th and Gratitude Giveaways, ending on the 28th.  Links are found  in the upper right sidebar.

This giveaway will run until  November 28th, 11:59 Mountain time.  You will have 48 hours to respond to my email if you win.  If there is no response another winner will be chosen.  I will be using random.org.

Thanks for joining me and Lauren today.  Wishing you many happy hours of READING!

Review of "Tranquility Initiative" by Joan Meijer

The United States is at war in endless war in Astrakhan. It is an election year. In order to extricate itself from the war President Charles Anderson authorizes the Tranquility Initiative - use of American Anthrax weaponry in Astrakhan. Two of the bombs are stolen from the American base in Turkey and smuggled into New York. One bomb is opened accidentally - which puts the city on notice of the threat. Dr. Cassandra Williams of the CDC and Senator Richland Powell must use every ounce of intelligence to find the terrorists and stop them. Unbeknown to them, a secret White House cell - trying to prevent knowledge of Anderson's use of American weapons is trying to stop Cassandra from stopping the terrorists and identifying the origins of the anthrax.

Description copied from Goodreads.


I received a copy of "Tranquility Initiative" from the author for review through Bostick Communications.

Tranquility Initiative begins at an airbase in Turkey.  A young soldier, Billy Williams, recognizes bombs that are  loaded onto a plane as bombs for germ warfare.  He and Derek Kingsley are under orders to drop the bombs to end the war with Astrakhan.

This is the beginning of an intense and action packed book.  Two of the bombs did not make it onto the plane, they were stolen from the airbase and find their way into New York City.

I have to admit, I like conspiracy theory books.  The people in power will stop at nothing to stop the press from finding out that the United States broke treaty and used germ warfare.  The President, Charles Anderson, is running for re-election, and the men than are surrounding him belong to a secret society.

Meanwhile, the terrorists who have the two missing bombs are seeking revenge for the mass murders that occurred in their homeland by the war and then the anthrax.

Caught in the middle are Cassandra Williams and Senator Richland Powell, who are desperate to stop the senseless killing of more civilians.

This book is a race against time book.  The government trying to cover up, the terrorists trying to terrorize, and then those trying to stop the opposing sides.  It is the set up for a very good book.

I don't want to say too much about what happens, because I recommend that you read this book.  I gave it four stars.

Content warning:  graphic violence and profanity. Recommended to adults only.

Gratitude Giveaway

It is the time of remembering the things we are thankful for.  I am thankful for my family.  I am also thankful for books.  I am sharing some of the books that have a meaning of gratitude for me.

I have a wonderful neighbor, she is my friend and my exercise buddy.  She gets me out of the house three times a week and we go to Curves.  She is also an author, and has published a wonderful clean grown up book.  (She has some children's books published as well.) She has also supported me in this blogging endeavor by becoming one of my followers.  Thanks Lee Ann! She has more stories in the works, and I look forward to reading them.  The book is Gathered: a novel of Ruth by Lee Ann Setzer.  I am giving away 2 copies. Lee Ann is graciously donating one, and I am giving away one. (If I ask nicely, I'm sure she'll autograph them too. Hint, Hint Lee Ann)

Join Ruth on a richly-imagined journey from the land of her birth to the Promised Land. Both those who love the old story, and those who've never yet encountered it, will find something that resonates for them in this fresh and engaging tale.

Ruth thought her life was over. Widowed and penniless, she despaired of anything better than poverty and grief, whether in Moab or among her dead husband's people. Following her mother-in-law back to Bayt-Lahm would be less lonely. Ten years among the people of Jacob's Street had taught her the forms of their Law.
Yet Bayt-Lahm turned out to be more than a sleepy village, and its Lord more than the voiceless, powerless statues of Moab's gods. At least one man in Bayt-Lahm had honor and virtue beyond measure. The widower Boaz taught Ruth, and all who met him, what loving the Lord could really mean. Could she bring him to love her, as well?

I will be giving away one copy of the next book.  It is one that has great meaning for me. It is written by an LDS author (aka Mormon) and reminds me to be grateful for what I have.  It is You can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need : The Quest for Contentment by Mary Ellen Edmunds.

How much is enough?

Why does it seem we are always looking for more? In her wonderfully unique style, author Mary Ellen Edmunds suggests that You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need because what you don't need never satisfies. "I can have a house filled with stuff and things, but if it's not what I need, it will never satisfy me, no matter how much I have," she observes. Have you noticed that the happiness we equate with abundance often eludes both those who get what they want in life and those who don't? This eye-opening treasure hunt of a book will help you find the secret to living with contentment.

One final book.  This was the first book that I won in a giveaway.  I am grateful for giveaways.  I have read this book once. It is part of a series, but does well on it's own.  It is An Irish Country Courtship by Patrick Taylor.  It is an ARC. 

Welcome to the colourful Ulster village of Ballybucklebo, where two doctors work hand in hand to mend the bodies and spirits of the town’s diverse and engaging inhabitants. But who is looking after the wounded hearts of the doctors?


All book descriptions in italics have been copied and pasted from Goodreads.

I am doing this as an international giveaway.  In order to enter, you must have a mailing address that I can ship a package to from the United States.  Winners will be picked using Random.org.  You will have 48 hours to respond to my email.  After 48 hours I will pick another name.  You must be over 13 or older  to enter.

1.Leave a comment with your name and email address.  +1 entry (Comments can be found under the links.)

2.  Are you a follower using GFC?  New follower +2 entries and old followers +3 entries.
3. Let me know which, or all books that you would like to be entered to win.

Thanks for entering and look at the links below to go on to the next entry.  Best of luck and have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

While you are here, check out my 100 followers giveaway.  It goes until November 27th
http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/2010/11/100-followers-giveaway.html  On November 19th I will be hosting an interview with Jennifer Laurens and giving away one of her books.  Check back to enter.

Giving appreciation where it is due.... thanks Kathy from I am a Reader not a Writer for hosting this giveaway.  You make it easy for us.  You are appreciated. 

Review : "Awakened" -Book one in the Guardian Legacy by Edna Walters

I entered several contests trying to win this book.  Finally, I gave up and downloaded it onto my kindle for $5.00.

The first thing that you notice about this book is the intriguing cover.  A handsome young man with silver wings and a circle on his chest.  I must admit that it peaked my interest.

Then I found out the book is about Nephilim.  I have had an interest about nephilim for awhile.  I have read a few books, one is "Many Waters" by Madeleine L'Engle, on the subject. I spent a couple of years studying the Old Testament in the Bible, and found them there.  Nephilim to me are one of the unexplained mysteries and I love to read into the insight of others opinions.  Edna also mentions  Neturus (Egyptian), Devas (Buddhism and Hinduism), Titans (Greek Mythology), and Avatars (Hinduism) as associated with Nephilim.  I think I will have some more reading to do! (In case you are wondering, I googled each of the words to find out more.  I wish I had that knowledge at the top of my head, but that's why I have google! ;-) )

Ednah Walter's book is very interesting.  Lil just turned 16 and started to hear voices in her head.  She

assumed that they were ghosts until one begs her to meet him at a tree outside of her trailer.  He is not a ghost, but a handsome young man.  He tells her about a race called the Guardians.  She is a Guardian, and she hears communication through telepathy.

Lil begins training as a guardian.  She has a hard time fitting in with her guardian peers and making friends in the human world.  She and her grandfather moved around quite a bit and just settled into Cache Valley, Utah.  She doesn't feel like she if fully accepted anywhere.

Bran is part guardian and part demon, he also has a hard time finding acceptance.  They meet, they become friends and they are connected.  They accept one another and of course, romance blooms.

There is much more to this book than romance.  This book also is about a war between the guardians and the demons.  I think there is something for everyone in this book.

I gave it four stars and I look forward to reading the rest of the Guardian Legacy.

To celebrate the release of "Awakened" on Kindle.  Edna Walters has posted a giveaway that runs until November 18th.  The offerings are pictured below the link. Click on the link and enter!





http://ednahwalters.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

Review of "Big Bouffant" by Kate Hosford

"Ponytails and braids! Ponytails and braids! I don't see anything but ponytails and braids! This class needs some fashion. This class needs some fun. I'll find a hairdo to impress everyone." Annabelle doesn't want the same boring hairstyle that all the other girls have. When she spies a picture of her grandma, she has the perfect idea: a big bouffant! But how can she make her style stand up? And will her classmates really be impressed with her daring 'do?    description from Netgalley

Annabelle is tired of the same old hairdo's. All of the girls have ponytails and braids, she wants to be different.

She sees a picture of her grandmother with a bouffant, and decides it is the hairdo for her. She experiments with a variety of ingredients to come up with the perfect do, but her efforts don't work out to well. She needs help.

At first the kids make fun, but she becomes a trendsetter.

I love this story of independence. I think it is great to teach children to think for themselves and not do what everyone else is doing.

The author use prose that is easy for children and flows well.  I received a copy from Netgalley for review.  This book will be released in April 2011. I gave it 4 stars.

Review of "How to Take the Ex Out of Ex-boyfriend"

How to Take the Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend by Janette Rallison

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

-book description from Goodreads
Boyfriends are supposed to be loyal, caring, and handsome. Giovanna's boyfriend, Jesse, has perfected the last two. But when her twin brother, Dante, runs for student body president, Jesse doesn't support Dante, choosing to campaign for his opponent instead. Shouldn't the fact that Jesse is Giovanna's boyfriend count for something? So Giovanna dumps Jesse and becomes Dante's campaign manager. But as the political debates heat up, Giovanna begins to regret breaking up with Jesse, and realizes that maybe her decision wasn't the political strategy she should have used . . . .




I liked this book, but Giovanna was a little too dependant / emotional for me.



Giovanna is her brother's, Dante, campaign manager for Student Body President. Her boyfriend, Jesse, is his opponents campaign manager. In a tiff, Giovanna publicly breaks up with him. After a string of bad dates, she realizes that she gave up what she wants most, Jesse.


High school is a tough time, and it is easy to imagine the awkward situations that teens get themselves in to.  This book is a cute read, there are funny things that happen in this book.  It was an OK read for me.  Not my favorite, but definitely not bad. 




View all my reviews

Winners for the Eye Glasses Giveaway

Thanks to everyone that entered.  I have added up your entries and I ran them through Random.org.

The winners are:

Necklace #1  is Ambur

Necklace #2 is jhitomi

Necklace #3 is Jessica

Necklace #4 is Emily G

Necklace #5 is Carol W

The winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to respond.  If there is no response, a new winner will be chosen.  Thanks for entering!

New Posts

I was looking at my last post and realized that I haven't posted in a few days.  I have been on this blog updating and scheduling posts, but not updating my home page

I am reading, and reading, and doing more reading.  Finding new contacts to get up to date books to write about.  Thanks Ambur from Burning.x.Impossibly.x.Bright for letting me know about Netgalley.  I have added her button to my blog roll, check out her blog!

I am excited.  Next week on the 19th I will be posting an interview with Jennifer Laurens and giving away one of her books that was published in 2007.  I reviewed it about a week ago. It is "Falling for Romeo".  I also will be participating in the Gratitude Giveaways that start on the 15th.  Both of those giveaways will run until the 28th.  There are 180 blogs participating.  I know I will be busy looking at each blogs giveaways and entering more than an few.  I am #91 on the list, be sure to check back next week and entering my giveaway.

I still have my 100 followers giveaway running until the 27th.  I have as of today 110 followers of this blog.  That is fantastic.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

Have a great week end.  Keep reading, I will.

"Morgan Brothers" Historical Romance Series by Nancy Parra

I like to spend time on Goodreads, getting great recommendations from an active community of readers.  I am a member of a group dealing with clean romance.  One of the members of the group mentioned Nancy Parra.  I had not read any of her books before and my local library did not carry them.  Amazon has a great selection of used books and I snagged these three. This is a series, each book spotlights one of the Morgan Brothers and the lady who stole his heart.

Samantha Herrington is determined to prove to her father, the owner of a big city newspaper, that she can write more than laundry tips and sewing advice. She is a serious reporter and bets she will find her front page story in Amesville, Wyoming. Instead, she finds a cranky cowboy whose overbearing protection and passionate kisses keep her from that goal.
Honor is everything to Matthew Morgan. He owes Big John Herrington his life. To pay off the debt, he must watch over the man's only daughter for the space of one summer. It is a situation Matt regrets immediately.
Sam's search for a story brings mayhem and murder, but even worse, her innocence unravels the steel bands that have protected Matt's heart. Can Matt see her safely out of Amesville before he loses his heart? Or is love their true destiny?

Samantha heads to Wyoming to find the story to make her name.  She wants to let her readers of her newspaper column to know what life in the West is really like. She wants to do this before her upcoming wedding, before she becomes tied down. She wants to interview the "soiled doves" in the local saloon.  She has a stereotypical view of life out West.

Matt owes Samantha's father a favor and agrees to watch over her as she has her adventure.  Matt has no idea of the degree of commitment he has tied himself to.  Samantha is a very independent, stubborn woman.  She gets herself in the middle of a story that leads to murder, and he has to be there to protect her and save her from herself and her curiosity.

They don't count on love.  I gave this book 3 1/2 stars.

Brianna McGraw ventures out West to find and rescue her brother from bandits who will sell him illegally to the highest bidder. Separated after they were orphaned a few years ago, Brianna has worked hard as a librarian to save money for the trip. But when she arrives, she realizes she has to somehow come up with a thousand dollars to buy him back. She then sees a wanted poster with a sufficient reward and decides to become a bounty hunter, accomplishing two good deeds at once--bringing a criminal to justice and saving her brother.
Trey Morgan's renegade days are long over. He is at home on his ranch, tending to his cattle, when Brianna appears and arrests him. He is more amused than concerned, wondering how she thinks she's going to drag him 900 miles through the mountains.
To his surprise, Brianna proves over and over again that she is intelligent and strong enough to make the long and grueling trip. While he quietly observes his beautiful captor, his discomfort grows when she begins to win more and more of his respect and admiration.
Soon, the threat his beautiful captor holds over him is not so much in the pistol she wields, but the lasso she has firmly fastened over his heart.

I liked this story.  Bri is not your typical bounty hunter.  She is pretty, cultured and a librarian.  She gets her information on wilderness survival from books.  She traverses the country side by the maps that she studied.  She is feminine with a tough side.  She is on a mission.  She must save her younger brother from slave labor in the mines.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Trey falls into her trap.   He sees a beautiful young woman on his property and goes to investigate.  He did not see her taking him prisoner coming.  He ends up crossing the country side "trussed up like a turkey" so she can collect the bounty on his head.

I liked the humor in this book.  It is short and sweet, I read it curled up on a cold and rainy day.  I gave the book four stars.

Lana Tate dreams of the day she can leave Wyoming and live in a more civilized place like San Francisco or New York. Since her mother died her father has been paralyzed with grief, and Lana must sing in the saloon just to earn enough money to make it through the winter. She worries that if she doesn't find a way out of Wyoming soon she will die there just like her mother.
Taggart Morgan watches the reward for the capture of the legendary wild stallion grow until it reaches two thousand dollars. Lana learns of the reward and sees it as the answer to her dreams. The amount is more than enough to get her and her father to San Francisco, where she can finally live her dream of becoming an opera star.
Taggart expects competition for the stallion, but he never suspected that a delicate but determined young gal would be the one to stand between him and his goal.
The competition heats up as Lana and Taggart butt heads. Finally, when they see that neither can capture the horse alone, they team up. If they work together they can both accomplish their goals and go their separate ways. But the closer they get to their goal, the less important it seems, as these two hearts learn that love can make even impossible dreams come true.

There is a fourth book in the series, called Wyoming Wedding.  I don't have a copy of the book, but maybe I will in the future.

Review of "Nighlight" by the Harvard Lampoon

I tried to talk myself out of writing this review.   I really like the saying from "Bambi", "if you don't have nuttin nice to say, don't say nuttin at all." This book is a parody of  "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer.  I will admit to liking "Twilight".  I have read all of the books and even watched all of the movies that are out.

"Nighlight" is stupid.  I didn't find it very funny, just stupid.

Belle is a controlling, vain, out of control young woman.  She believes that every man that she meets is in love with her.  She meets Edwart at school and decides that he is a vampire, so she tries to mold him into the character of a vampire.  After all, he did save her from a snowball.

Edwart suffers from anxiety attacks and to put it bluntly, he is a major wimp.  He thinks that Belle is role playing all of the vampire stuff and plays along.

There is a vampire in this story, I won't tell you who he is in case you decide to read the book.  He is over the top as a vampire.  The vampire prom is "stupid".  I think stupid is my favorite word of the day.

I gave this two stars.  If you want to read this book, I hope you like it better than I did.

100 Followers Giveaway!

I am excited, 100 followers.  Well, at the moment 99, but close enough.  Hopefully by days end there will be officially 100. This is a small milestone for me, what better way to celebrate than to thank all of those who are my followers by giving a followers only giveaway.  Don't worry, if you are not a current follower, you can be a new follower and still participate.

I am giving away two Young Adult books.  Both are fantastic, in my opinion.  Both have elements of adventure and magic. Both books have authors who are award winning.  The first is:

Ever by Gail Carson Levine



Falling in love is never easy, but falling in love with an immortal god while your days on earth are numbered is almost more than a young girl can bear.

Gail Carson Levine has created a stunning new world of flawed gods, unbreakable vows, and ancient omens in this spellbinding story of Kezi, a girl confronted with a terrible destiny. Attempting to thwart her fate, Kezi and her love, Olus -- the god of wind and loneliness -- embark on a series of dangerous and seemingly impossible quests.

My second book to giveaway is:

The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

After Jack becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard, he and his little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken to the home of King Ivar the Boneless and his half-troll queen, leading Jack to undertake a vital quest to Jotunheim, home of the trolls.

Ok- this may seem completely random, but it is my giveaway, so I will put on another hat and introduce my third thing.  It is not a book.  I also sell Avon, so I will be giving away an Avon product.  It is Signature Silk, from Skin so Soft, a body lotion and shower gel.

I will run this contest until November 27.  I will close it at 11:59 pm Mountain time.

Entry is simple. 

1. Leave me a comment with your name and email. +1

2. Are you a follower?  New follower is +1 entry, old follower is +2 entries.

3. If you are a blogger, add my giveaway in your sidebar or blog about it and leave me a link.  +2 entries.

4. If you are not a blogger you can get an extra entry by posting this with a link on facebook, or twitter.  Leave me a link.

5.  Let me know which you would prefer, you can enter for all.

Not all of my followers live in the US, if you live in another country, you have to have an address that I can send you a book /Avon from the US to enter.

Review of "Falling for Romeo"

John can have any girl he wants. Jennifer's never been kissed. Everybody thinks he's perfect. She's got issues with pride and jealousy. They were best friends-once. Now, they're playing Romeo and Juliet. Virgin lips Jennifer must have her first kiss on stage with John, the guy every girl in school wants. The pressure and tension build along with each staged kiss. Both are shocked when feelings bloom. Can either tell which kisses are real and which are for show?

Lately I have noticed reviews and postings of a book called Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens.  I must

admit, I am interested in reading the book and recently contacted the author.  I started looking on some of her web pages and came across the book Falling for Romeo.  I realized that I already owned one of her books and had not picked it up off  of my shelf.  The story was quickly moved to the front of my "to read" list, a list that is over 300 books long. I am glad that I moved it to the front.


Jenn and John are starring opposite each other in a high school production of Romeo and Juliet.  They were best friends growing up, but as many child relationships do, they grew apart as they found their own identities and interests.

Unknown to each other, they both harbor regret and pride.  They have feelings for each other, but each is reluctant to express themselves.  They both fear rejection.

At the time they are in rehearsals and performing, they are studying "Pride and Prejudice" in English class.  The teacher poses questions every day, they need to contemplate these questions and record answers in a journal and then have a class discussion.  Many interesting conversations erupt from this exercise, helping John and Jenn understand their own emotions.  The question dealing with gossip was very interesting.  Throughout the book there are many situations where you can see the negative effect of gossip.

This was a cute and fun read.  This is a book that you read, not to enlighten, but to entertain.  I know I need books like that often.  I gave the book 4 stars.  It is clean Young Adult romance.

Review of "She Smells the Dead" by EJ Stevens

It's the beginning of senior year and Yuki's psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn't glamorous like the ghost hunting on television.

SHE SMELLS THE DEAD.

The smell impressions are becoming stronger. Yuki is being visited in her dreams, and she suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. To make matters worse her crush on Garrett is going unrequited, Yuki's friend Emma is on a rampage against bee oppression, and annoying Calvin Miller mysteriously disappears.

Will Yuki be able to focus her powers in time to save the lost soul who is haunting her? Meanwhile, who will save Yuki from following the spirits into the light?

When I picked up She Smells the Dead by E J Stevens, I wondered if I would like it.  I knew that I am friends with E J on Goodreads and that she will be sure to see a copy of my review.  It left me a little worried, because I have a hard time being negative when I know the author will be sure to see it.  ( I would still tell the truth, just a little squeamishly.)

Yay for me!  I liked the book.  No worries now, I get to write a good book review.

The story is narrated by Yuki.  She is a senior in high school, who smells the dead.  At present she is smelling a ghost who smells like vinegar.  She enlists her best friend, Calvin, to help her unravels the mystery as to why he has not "gone into the light." While they are investigating she starts to smell a pesky wet dog.  Then she realizes that Calvin is actually pretty cute. Hmmm.....  You have to read the book to find the correlation.

Yuki's spirit animal is a dung beetle and the kids at school think she is a witch. Obviously, she is not very popular, but she doesn't let it get her down.

Yuki's narration is a bit on the sarcastic side.  I actually like that.  I like a feisty heroine.  There are several things happening in this book at once. No worries about boredom.  It is a Young Adult paranormal/teen romance book, one that I would be comfortable letting my 13 year old daughter read.  Sit back and enjoy!  I am giving it four stars.





There will be another book coming out in this series in 2011.  I will be reading it.  I need to know what happens on Halloween. 

Contest to win a laptop!

Wouldn't it be fun to get a laptop for Christmas.  I wouldn't have to fight with my kids anymore for the computer!  I could blog in the comfort of my bedroom without anyone looking over my shoulder.

If you are interested in entering a drawing for a laptop.  Here is your chance! Contest runs until December 4th.  Follow the link below.


I entered <a href="http://www.dearcrissy.com/lenovo-laptop-ideapad-christmas-giveaway%22%3ECrissy’s%3C/a> Can’t Wait til Christmas Lenovo Laptop Giveaway and hope to win a $799.00 IdeaPad!

Review of "The Girl Who Chased the Moon"

In her latest enchanting novel, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen invites you to a quirky little Southern town with more magic than a full Carolina moon. Here two very different women discover how to find their place in the world…no matter how out of place they feel.

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. For instance, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? Why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life.Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes.

Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth and in the hope of bringing back the love she fears she’s lost forever. In Julia, Emily may have found a link to her mother’s past. But why is everyone trying to discourage Emily’s growing relationship with the handsome and mysterious son of Mullaby’s most prominent family? Emily came to Mullaby to get answers, but all she’s found so far are more questions.Is there really a ghost dancing in her backyard? Can a cake really bring back a lost love?
In this town of lovable misfits, maybe the right answer is the one that just feels…different
About a week ago I was looking at the new arrival books in my local library.  The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen jumped out at me.  I loved the title and the cover is beautiful.

The story revolves around two women.  One in her mid thirties and one a teen.  The teen is Emily. She has come to a small southern town named Mullaby.  Her mother has recently passed away from an accident.  She has come to live with her "giant" grandfather, a man until after her mother's death, she did not know existed.  Her mother left Mullaby in disgrace, and never mentioned it, or her life there to her daughter.

Emily has to find a place for herself.  She is trying to fit in to a town who many of the residents hold a prejudice against her, because she is Dulcie's daughter.  One of the first people she meets is a young man named Win.  They become friends, despite the wishes of their families that they stay away from each other.  Together they must heal the wounds of the past.

The second woman is Julia.  She was a troubled young woman when she left Mullaby.  She ran, planning to never return until she came for her father's funeral.  She found a home and restaurant heavily mortgaged.  She decide to reside there temporarily until she could pay off the mortgage of the restaurant.

Julia must come to terms with the decisions of her past, the love she felt betrayed by when she left.  Her journey is to find peace and move ahead.

To me this story is one of forgiveness, determination and finding the inner strength to deal with the hard things that happen to us in life.

There was one passage that I found very entertaining and very true.  "It was natural, she supposed, to be tense around him.  Your peers when you're a teenager will always be the keepers of your embarrassment and regret.  Ir was one of life's great injustices, that you can move on and be accomplished and happy, but the moment you see someone from high school you immediately become the person you were then, not the person you are now."

There is a bit of mature content in this book.  I would say that this a book for adults and not young adults.  I gave it four stars.

Eye Glasses Necklace Giveaway - Ends November 12th @ 11:59 pm Mountain Time

 Two Years ago on November 11, 2008, I had a benign tumor removed from my left temple.  The side of my head swelled up and blood pooled into my left eye.  I literally saw my vision change.  I am now far sighted in my left eye.

Now, that may sound a little gross, and yes it was.  But, I have made myself many eye glasses necklaces over the years.  It is not unusual for me to forget that my reading glasses are around my neck, and run my errands with my glasses hanging in front of me.  I made the necklaces, because I didn't want to look like the stereotypical librarian.  You know what I mean, the one with her glasses hanging on a chain.  These also work well with sunglasses.

So, in commemoration of this life changing event, why not have a giveaway.  It is not your traditional giveaway, but I wanted to celebrate the fact that it was benign and not malignant.

I will be giving away a total of five of these necklaces.  The beaded one will be for the first place, the ones on the faux green leather will be 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and the pretty pink ribbon will be fifth.

You may be wondering about the picture on the top of the blog, yes those are my reading glasses.  With the correction in one eye only.  The bookmark is of my kids.  I am not a scrapbooker, but I do take my kids pictures each year and make a new bookmark.  I make copies and laminate them and put the originals in my cedar chest.  Just one of those random quirky facts about me. 

Now for the contest! I am doing this one internationally.  Anyone, anywhere can enter.

To enter:

1. Leave me a comment with your name.
2. Leave me an email address.
3.  If you want extra entries:
                1. follow me through GFC  +1 entry
                2. advertise this on your blog and leave me a link. +2 entries.
I will announce and email winners on November 13th.
Thanks, and happy reading, with or without glasses!

Winners will be picked using random.org.

Nearly 100 followers

This blog has been up and running since October 12th. I had contemplated starting a book blog for a few weeks, and then jumped in.

Less than a month later, I have 90 followers.  It is exciting!  I never imagined that I would be here doing this, and that there would be others who would share this journey with me.

I have decided that when my blog hits 100 followers I will do a giveaway.  I have participated in a blog hop, and that was a tremendous oportunity for me.  I will do this on my own, kind of scarey, but yet another step in establishing my blog.

Thanks to all who have joined my followers.  A big thanks to all those who are yet to come.  

I added a button, I don't know how to do the HTML code, but you are welcome to copy it and put it in a blog roll. In fact, I would appreciate it.