Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Confessions

It's been awhile since I've done one of these.  I like this week's topic so I thought I'd give it a shot. :)

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic:  Bookish Confessions

(random order)

1. I use to not read the blurb when I browse the library for books.  I judge by the cover and thickness of the book.  I know pretty awful!  I'm getting better.
2. I use to dog ear library books when a certain passage hits me (lame excuse but when I first saw dog ears to several library books, I thought it was okay ..really, I was a book reading newbie).  Now I see that it's torture to books!  I've long since stopped and felt guilty at ever doing it.
3. I use to review a book the day I finish it.  Now I go as far as a month before I write a review.  I don't like it.  I want to go back to writing a review right away but my time management skills are terrible.
4. I suck at understanding poetry (same might apply to some classics).  That said it makes me think I'm not sophisticated or smart.
5. It often takes me 3hrs to write a review!  Even the two measly paragraphs.  I get caught up at ascertaining the perfect concise words.
6. I wish I could speed read ..and still comprehend what I'm reading.
7. There have been a few times when my kids have gone without their baths or had super late dinners so that I could read or write a review.
8. I didn't believe in memes at first but here I am filling my blog with them ..but I am choosy.
9. I'm a Kindle freebie addict!  The more saving from the original price, the bigger thrill.  Hence, I usually will not get the book if the original price is less than $2 (unless highly recommended).
10. I get a kick at seeing my "read" shelf on Goodreads grow!  At first I would add picture books there but I thought it was "cheating" so I stopped doing it and deleted them from my shelf.

Book Loot Giddy

A humble loot but fantastic nonetheless! Thanks Katie @littlebirdpublicity.  Looking forward to reading this sizzling looking book (due to come out in October)!!

For Review:

Justice at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels

also..

Is that an awesome bookmark or what?! :D

Kindle freebie purchase:

title Whispering Hills (Whispering Hills, #1)

author Browning, Taryn

How about you?  Get anything interesting?

Help: Having "Reply" Problems

(source)

I went HERE and finally change into the comment thread system so that I would be able to reply to comments individually.  Well, there is now a "reply" section to all the comments left on my posts however IT doesn't work for me.  I click on "reply" so that I could reply to a comment someone left on my post but then nothing!  I tried it logged on and off my blog and still nothing.  I also tried to "reply" to another blog's and nothing there either.  Oh please, someone help me figure out how I can reply to comments.  I tried Google and I couldn't find anything helpful.

I'd be so ever grateful for any help to solve this dilemma.

Thank you in advance.

NPR's Poll Result: 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels

Saw this at Tin's blog and thought it'd be interesting to see how much from the list, Your Favorites: 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels: NPR, I've read.  Well, a measly 24 out of 100 ..and some of those I didn't complete the series.  Oh well, I'm mostly a general adult fiction reader anyways. 

How about you?  How much of these have your read?  Any you do not agree with it or think they missed?  Which would you highly recommend I read soon? ~Thanks.  :)

Blue:  I read

1. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling *read 1-4
2. The Hunger Games (series), by Suzanne Collins
3. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
4. The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
5. The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
6. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
7. The Lord of the Rings (series), by J.R.R. Tolkien
8. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
9. Looking for Alaska, by John Green
10. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
11. The Giver (series), by Lois Lowry
12. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (series), by Douglas Adams *read 1st book
13. The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton
14. Anne of Green Gables (series), by Lucy Maud Montgomery *read 1st book
15. His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman
16. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
17. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
18. Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
19. Divergent (series), by Veronica Roth *read 1st book
20. Paper Towns, by John Green
21. The Mortal Instruments (series), by Cassandra Clare
22. An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green
23. Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
24. Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher
25. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
26. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
27. Twilight (series), by Stephenie Meyer
28. Uglies (series), by Scott Westerfeld
29. The Infernal Devices (series), by Cassandra Clare *read 1st book
30. Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt
31. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
32. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (series), by Anne Brashares *read 1st book
33. The Call of the Wild, by Jack London
34. Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John Green, David Levithan
35. Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
36. Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones
37. Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli
38. A Separate Peace, by John Knowles
39. Vampire Academy (series), by Richelle Mead
40. Abhorsen Trilogy / Old Kingdom Trilogy (series), by Garth Nix
41. Dune, by Frank Herbert
42. Discworld / Tiffany Aching (series, by Terry Pratchett
43. My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
44. The Dark is Rising (series), by Susan Cooper
45. Graceling (series), Kristin Cashore
46. Forever..., by Judy Blume
47. Earthsea (series), by Ursula K. Le Guin
48. Inheritance Cycle (series), by Christopher Paolini
49. The Princess Diaries (series), by Meg Cabot
50. The Song of the Lioness (series), by Tamora Pierce
51. Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson
52. Delirium (series), by Lauren Oliver *read 1st book
53. Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins
54. Hush, Hush Saga (series), by Stephanie Perkins
55. 13 Little Blue Envelopes, by Maureen Johnson
56. It's Kind of a Funny Story, by Ned Vizzini
57. The Gemma Doyle Trilogy (series), by Libba Bray
58. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
59. The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros
60. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbur
61. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
62. Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen
63. A Ring of Endless Light, by Madeleine L'Engle
64. The Truth About Forever, by Sarah Dessen
65. The Bartimaeus Trilogy (series), by Jonathan Stroud
66. Bloodlines (series), by Richelle Mead
67. Fallen (series), by Lauren Kate
68. House of Night (series), by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
69. I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith
70. Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlsit, by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
71. Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver
72. Unwind, by Neal Shusterman
73. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
74. The Maze Runner Trilogy (series), by James Dashner
75. If I Stay, by Gayle Forman *read the series
76. The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley
77. Crank (series), by Ellen Hopkins
78. Matched (series), by Allie Condie *read 1st book
79. Gallagher Girls (series), by Ally Carter
80. The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale
81. Daughter of the Lioness / Tricksters (series), by Tamora Pierce
82. I Am the Messenger, by Markus Zusak
83. The Immortals (series), by Tamora Pierce
84. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (series), by Patricia C. Wrede
85. Chaos Walking (series), by Patrick Ness
86. Circle of Magic (series), by Tamora Pierce
87. Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor
88. Feed, by M.T. Anderson
89. Weetzie Bat (series), by Francesca Lia Block
90. Along for the Ride, by Sarah Dessen
91. Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (series), by Louise Rennison
92. Leviathan (series), by Scott Westerfeld
93. The House of the Scorpion, by Scott Westerfeld
94. The Chronicles of Chrestomanci (series), by Diana Wynne Jones
95. The Lullaby, by Sarah Dessen
96. Gone (series), by Michael Grant
97. The Shiver Trilogy (series), by Maggie Stiefvater
98. The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley
99. Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson
100. Betsy-Tacy Books (series), by Maud Hart Lovelace

"Count Down to Love"

Welcome to my stop in this blog tour.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to read and review this book.  Thank you Ms Ford for the delightful read and Lexie @The Book Bug for hosting this tour.  ~Be sure to check out other participants in the tour for your chance to win this book and a Due West CD.

by Julie N. Ford, AF, 2011, 231p, rating=4
Source: provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Abandoned at the altar, Kelly Grace Pickens finds herself left holding not only the bouquet but also the exorbitant bill for an A-list wedding. Homeless, a once promising singing career floundering, and her life bearing an uncanny resemblance to one of her country music ballads, she reluctantly accepts a last minute offer to appear on a reality TV show akin to the bachelor. Pitted against silicon-enhanced supermodels in four-inch heels, Kelly feels confident that she will be among the first would-be fiancés to be excused. Only, when the mysterious bachelor from New York City, Dillon Black, invites her to stay, Kelly finds herself thrust into the vortex of a game she doesn’t have the first idea how to play. Nursing her hopelessly broken heart while avoiding the foils of her fellow contestants, Kelly is oblivious to Dillon’s affections as she wades through hurt and betrayal to discover, in the end, that she has landed firmly on both feet.
Leaving behind Nashville’s Music Row for the majestic Grand Teton mountains, Count Down To Love takes readers on a journey from duplicity to sincerity as Kelly discovers that being true to oneself is the first step in finding happiness and everlasting love.

This was a story about testing the range of love and loyalty to oneself and what better way to exhibit that than by starting off in a horrible situation.  Hence, Kelly was left at the altar!  Yikes, what now?  How about getting roped into being a contestant on a dating TV show?  A "Bachelor"-like program, no less.  Wow, that was way out there!  It didn't seem to be the logical next step but it ended up serving as an intriguing backdrop for Kelly's journey to staying true to herself and in the process setting herself up for true love.

Although much of the read was predictable, I was transfixed by Kelly's character.  I could empathize with her denial.  I could understand her being gullible.  And in the end I applaud her integrity.  Of course, the swoon worthy romance between her and the bachelor, Dillon, didn't hurt either.  Wow, those kissing scenes were pretty tantalizing! 

This was a really pleasant read.  A clean romance that will leave you feeling optimistic about love by showcasing that honesty is attractive and where true beauty lies.  Well done, Ms. Ford.  Thank you for the delightful read.

Julie has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in English Literature from San Diego State University. In addition, she earned a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama. She has worked in teaching, childbirth education and family therapy. Besides writing, she spends many hours working along side her husband at their UPS Store franchise, but hopes to re-enter the Social Work field someday.

She is the author of three women’s fiction novels, The Woman He Married (March 2011) and No Holly for Christmas (November 2011), published by Whiskey Creek Press. The third, Count Down to Love (July 2011), published by Bonneville Books.
Currently, she lives in Nashville, TN with her husband, two daughters and one very feisty fish.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Finding a Balance ..I Know You Can Relate

I've got to find a balance! I take too long composing reviews and it is so frustrating!!  Also, I can't believe that I've gotten to a point where this blog is this close (thumb-index finger an inch apart) to taking over my life!  It's constantly in my thoughts and it's downright crazy and exhausting!  So I'm going to experiment and try to find ways to bring back the fun in blogging and let it not be such a chore and time consuming!! 

Today, I'm reviewing in acrostic.  Don't be surprise if you find future reviews in just "the bottom line".  Maybe I'll have periods of MIAs.  Whatever the case may be, I have to dramatically cut down the addictive, evil powers of blogging! Am I right, ladies and gentlemen ..you can relate?  :D

By the way, those books that I have accepted to review will be given full assessment as expected.

True Grit by Charles Portis, AF, 1968, 224p, rating=3.5
Source: library

With its excitement, its aliveness, its comic sympathy and originality, True Grit swoops the reader up and gallops him off into a classic American adventure in a classic American landscape, freshly and brilliantly perceived.
The action - and what action! - begins on page 1, as Mattie Ross, a fourteen-year-old girl from Dardanelle, Arkansas, sets out in the winter of eighteen seventy-something to avenge her daddy, treacherously shot to death by a no-good drunken outlaw. Since not even Mattie (who is no self-doubter) would ride into Indian Territory alone, she "convinces" one-eyed "Rooster" Cogburn, the meanest available U.S. Marshal, to tag along with her.
As Mattie outdickers and outmaneuvers the hard-bitten types whose first reaction is "Run home, little britches, your mamma wants you," as her performance under fire makes them eat their words, her indestructible vitality and harsh innocence by turns amuse, horrify and touch the reader. What happens - to Rooster, to Mattie, to the gang of outlaws unfortunate enough to tangle with her - rings with the dramatic rightness of legend and the marvelous overtones, the continual surprises, of personality.
True Grit is eccentric, cool, straight and unflinching, like Mattie herself, who tells the story a half-century later in a voice that sounds strong and sure enough to outlast us all. It is a voice never quite heard before and at the same time instantly recognizable as totally original and totally alive. (Goodreads)

This was highly
Recommended by a blogger so I gave it a shot.
Undoubtedly fascinating.
Engaging storyline. Told by Mattie 50 years later.

Gotta add that there were very funny moments.
Rooster was a great complement to Mattie.  Grit plus spunk equals
Incredible western dialogue.  A definite
Try it out read.  BTW, no, I didn't see the movie adaptations but I'll look for it.

Book Loot Giddy

Just got one book in the mail this week.  I've been waiting for this one.  I was getting worried because I'm scheduled to review it next week.  Whew, thank you Ms. Ford, I got it!

For Review:

title Count Down to Love

author Ford, Julie N.

Purchased (except for CDTL):

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Timeless by Gail Carriger

Kindle freebie purchases:

title A Dangerous Harbor

author Dahlke, R.P.

title The First Gardener

author Jones, Denise Hildreth

title Kate's Song

author Beckstrand, Jennifer

Gift from author (thank you Ms. Hoagland):

title Nourish & Strengthen

author Hoagland, Maria

How about you?  How book giddy are you this week?  Leave me a link and I'll visit you.

Blog Tour: Giveaway Alert

My stop for this blog tour is next week and since the tour has giveaways, I wanted to make you aware of the stops so that you can enter the giveaways promptly. 

Grand Prize:

As part of the tour, Julie is generously offering a grand prize giveaway of a hard copy of Count Down to Love, a CD of the band Due West, and a copy of the single, “Who I Am”, which Julie and Due West wrote and recorded specifically for the book. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post or any of the other stops on the tour. Visit the tour page for the full tour schedule (I provided it for your convenience below).  The more stops you comment on, the more entries you have into the contest. Good luck!

Blog Tour Schedule:

August 17: Geo Librarian - Guest Post, Review, and Giveaway
August 17: LDS and Lovin' It - Guest Post, Review, and Giveaway
August 21: Bookworm Lisa - Guest Post and Giveaway
August 22: Jinky Is Reading - Review
August 23: Creating Comfort - Review and Giveaway
August 24: Getting Your Read On - Guest Post and Giveaway
August 25: Bonnie Gets A Say - Author Interview, Guest Post, and Giveaway
August 27: Fire and Ice - Guest Post and Giveaway
August 28: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer - Interview and Giveaway
August 29: A Book A Day - Review
August 30: Literary Time Out - Author Interview and Giveaway
August 31: The Book Bug - Review
September 3: Clean Adult Fiction - Review
September 4: Why Not? Because I Said So! - Book Spotlight, Guest Post, and Giveaway
September 5: Debbie's Inkspecations - Review
September 6: Rachelle's Writing Spot - Giveaway
September 7: The Sweet Bookshelf - Review and Giveaway

About the book:

Abandoned at the altar, Kelly Grace Pickens finds herself left holding not only the bouquet but also the exorbitant bill for an A-list wedding. Homeless, a once promising singing career floundering, and her life bearing an uncanny resemblance to one of her country music ballads, she reluctantly accepts a last minute offer to appear on a reality TV show akin to the bachelor. Pitted against silicon-enhanced supermodels in four-inch heels, Kelly feels confident that she will be among the first would-be fiancés to be excused. Only, when the mysterious bachelor from New York City, Dillon Black, invites her to stay, Kelly finds herself thrust into the vortex of a game she doesn’t have the first idea how to play. Nursing her hopelessly broken heart while avoiding the foils of her fellow contestants, Kelly is oblivious to Dillon’s affections as she wades through hurt and betrayal to discover, in the end, that she has landed firmly on both feet.
Leaving behind Nashville’s Music Row for the majestic Grand Teton mountains, Count Down To Love takes readers on a journey from duplicity to sincerity as Kelly discovers that being true to oneself is the first step in finding happiness and everlasting love.

*I haven't read the book yet (will start today) but I hear it's a clean romance and that it's a Whitney Award nominated novel so I have high hopes. :)

Filipino Friday: Celebrating the Best

(Go HERE for details but go to homepage to link)

This week's question:
Celebrating the Best. In honor of the first Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards, let’s talk about our favorites for this year. What are your favorite books in 2012 so far? Have you read any awesome Filipino books in the year? If yes, make sure to include them in your list!

My answer:
I tried something new this spring and started to accept books for review from authors/publishers.  I got fortunate and found some treasures that I highly recommend ... Hope's Journey by Stephanie C. Worlton, Taste by Kate Evangelista, Daughters for a Time by Jennifer Handford, and The Secret Life of Copernicus H. Stringfellow by Lorin Barber.  Taste is written by a Filipino. 

My main source for books is my local library so Filipino books aren't readily available.  However, I received a Kindle this spring so now I can avail myself to ebooks.  Thus far I've read a couple Filipino books,  Love Your Frenemies by Mina V. Esguerra and Philippine Folklore Stories by John Maurice Miller.  Both nostalgic and sweet reads for me.

Other books that I've read this year that I really liked were:  The Lost Saints of Tennessee by Amy Franklin-Willis, Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason F. Wright, Sherlock Holmes Investigates by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson, and of course a couple recent inspirational reads ..Forget Me Not and Your Happily Ever After by Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

Hopefully by the end of the year I can add some classics to the list.  I'm just quite beyond in getting to that genre.  I get distracted so easily and this summer has been a very sluggish reading season. 

That's it for now.  --Wow, tomorrow's the big day already!  Ya'll have a great time.  I'll be thinking of you.  :)

"Masquerade"

Creepy Hallow book #4 by Rachel Morgan, YA, 2012, 72p, rating=3.5
Source: purchased

Betrayed by the guy who supposedly loved her, Violet deals with her anger and hurt by teaming up with her archrival Ryn to help him find his missing sister. Hanging out with Ryn isn’t high on Vi’s list of things to do, but she kind of owes him after he inconveniently saved her life recently. As the two of them struggle to put their differences aside, they find themselves drawn into a plot much greater than a single missing child. A plot with Violet herself at the center. (Goodreads)

This series is turning out to be a book soap opera guilty pleasure (without the smut).  I am hooked!  Ms. Morgan can weave and tell a captivating story.  Oddly enough, I'm not a great fan of Violet, the main protagonist, but the people surrounding her sure makes her life interesting and therefore the read quite entertaining.  This time around, we find out more about Ryn, her supposed arch rival.  We discover that he has a soft spot.  A great reminder that what you see of a person may just be the shell and the core could very well be completely different.  There seems to be plenty of that going around throughout this series so far.  It's part of the attraction of the read.  You're initially lead to believe that a person is one way and later turns out another.  Moreover, with all the twist and turns going on, one can't help but think that a double twist will come next so then you'll have to pick up the next book to find out if you're right.  That's where this series teeters for me.  The installments are short reads as well as the wait for the sequels but at the same time, I scream, "Give it to me all at once!".  If the writing was awful, I'd chuck it but Ms. Morgan's writing is bewitching!  I would urge her to compose a full novel.  I'd read it.

All in all, this is a fun and sassy series.  One that's designed and best to read in order.

YA Giveaway Hop WINNER

Rafflecopter has spoken.  Congratulations KIRSTYN!  You are my YA Giveaway Hop winner.  You have won a Kindle ebook choice: Enclave, Scarlet, Storm, or Torn. 

You have 72hrs to reply to the email I sent you.

Thank you to those who entered and for the follows.  I really appreciate the support!  :)

Brief Reviews: Rodrick Rules, Your Happily Ever After, Forget Me Not

Still playing review catch up so here's a few more! Happy reading.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney, YR, 2009, 218p, rating=2.5
Source: own

The film adaptation of this book was the first of 10 movies that kicked off the $1 summer kid series at our local theatre.  The kids and I went to see it and I actually liked it!  I stumbled into the book about a month later in my son's book collection and thought, "Why not? I'm having a reading slump, I could use a laugh.".  So I read it and I definitely like the movie better!  The film version gave it a story with heart.  The book was just more antics (like first book) and was just not for me.  My 5 and 9 year-olds liked it though.  I guess I'm not a kid at heart after all!! ;)

Sidenote: We saw the film adaptation of book #4, Dog Days, when it came out this summer and it was a hoot!

Your Happily Ever After by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, NF -self-improvement, ebook, p2012, c2010,  64p, rating=5
Source:  own

This book was adapted from the author's talk in the April's General Conference in 2010.  You can read the original discourse HERE or purchase it prettied up for free for your Kindle HERE (don't know how long it'll be free). 

Here we read counsel on how we can achieve our very own "happily ever after".  Favorably geared for women but certainly the principles can apply for men as well.  Pres. Uchtdorf talks about what we can do between the "Once upon a time" to the "They lived happily ever after".  Here's an outline of what you will find in the book:

• Trial is part of the journey
• Stay true to what you know is right
• The gospel is the way to happily ever after

A wonderful, quick life affirming read.  Read it and be inspired to seize your happily ever after.

Forget Me Not by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, NF -self-improvement, ebook, p2012, c2011, 56p, rating=5
Source: own

Another General Conference talk (Oct. 2011) prettied up and made into a book by this author.  You can read the original discourse HERE or purchase it for free HERE for your Kindle. 

This counsel I greatly enjoyed.  I like how Pres. Uchtdorf premised this talk telling of the German legend of how this beautiful flower got it's name "...just as God had finished naming all the plants, one was left unnamed. A tiny voice spoke out, “Forget me not, O Lord!” And God replied that this would be its name." and then using this flower as a metaphor for his discourse .."The five petals of the little forget-me-not flower prompt me to consider five things we would be wise never to forget.". 

The five things are:

1. Forget not to be patient with yourself.
2. Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.
3. Forget not to be happy now.
4. Forget not the why of the gospel.
5. Forget not that the Lord loves you.

His words were simply keen, true, and inspiring.  This will definitely be one of those books I will turn to when I need a pick me up.

By the way, the images of forget-me-nots in this book were absolutely beautiful!  It's definitely now one of my favorite flowers.

Dieter Friedrich Uchtdorf, a former German aviator and airline executive, is the Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Uchtdorf was born to ethnic Germans Karl Albert Uchtdorf and Hildegard Else Opelt in Moravská Ostrava (German: Mährisch-Ostrau), which at the time was in the Nazi-occupied Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (now Ostrava, Czech Republic). When he was a child, his family moved to Zwickau in eastern Germany while his father was away in the army, traveling through areas being bombed. Uchtdorf's family joined the LDS Church when he was young as a result of his grandmother's encounter with a church member in a soup line.

When Uchtdorf was about ten, his father's political beliefs, incongruent with communist Russian rule, earned him the label of "dissenter", thus putting their lives in danger. They fled East Germany and resettled in American-occupied West Germany.

From 1959 to 1965 Uchtdorf served in the West German Air Force.

Uchtdorf first entered the aviation industry as a pilot, then became a chief pilot and later an executive for Lufthansa Airlines. In 1975 Uchtdorf was appointed head of Lufthansa's Arizona Training School, and in 1980 he was made head chief pilot of cockpit crews. He became the senior vice president of flight operations in 1982. (Image and profile info courtesy of Goodreads)

Ebook Freebie Alert

Author Maria Hoagland has a generous offer.  She is giving away a complimentary copy of her book, Nourish and Strength, through Smashwords to anyone interested.  All you have to do is go HERE and ask for one.  That's it!  No contest to enter. You're an instant winner!  Unfortunately, I got behind in reading my Google Reader and got this announcement late.  This offer is good until today so hurry over there and pick up your copy!

Chloe Taylor has the perfect life: a model’s figure, a husband who adores her, three healthy children. So why does she feel so much less than perfect?

After losing forty pounds, Chloe Taylor is finally happy with her body. What she doesn’t realize is that she’s not the one in control. When Chloe is called as the Primary president, she discovers that managing the highs and lows of a chronic illness may be easier than the ups and downs associated with family, friends, and church callings. Consumed by her own challenges, Chloe fails to recognize the issues her friends are facing and is in danger of losing their friendship. As Chloe strives to develop Christ-like love for herself and those around her, she learns that outer appearances are far less important than inner peace and spiritual strength. But is she strong enough to face her most difficult trial yet. (Goodreads)

Author of Nourish & Strengthen. Writer of LDS Women's Fiction. Long distance runner. Type 1 diabetic. Oboe player. Algebra tutor. Lucky wife. Mom of three. Resident of Texas. Loves soft green grass, a breeze in the trees, and a good book.

Book Loot Giddy

Extra giddy this week.  I forgot I won these so I was pretty jazzed to see them waiting for me in my mail today.  Thank you Autumn and Kari!!

Won:

I won the Adult Pack: Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand, When She Woke by Hilary Jordan, & The World As We Know It by Joseph Monniger in a blogiversary giveaway from Autumn and Kari @From the TBR Pile.  I was sent a couple extra books (while I await for WSW, no worries if you can't find it)! The House of Velvet and Glass by Katherine Howe and The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott.  Super thank you ladies!!

Kindle ebook freebie purchases:

title The Last Romanov

author Mossanen, Dora Levy

title The Toadhouse Trilogy (Book #1)

author Lourey, Jess

title When Calls the Heart (Canadian West #1)

author Oke, Janette

Brief Reviews: Playaway Edition

I'm so behind with reviews.  These were read last month!  My memory's not that great so going into detail is just not going to happen.  Hence, here's the short and sweet version. :)

The Litigators by John Grisham, AF, 2011, Playaway digital audio,  11.5hrs, rating=4
Source: library

Small time lawyers Finley and Figg were going to finally play with the big guys with the help of recently hired to their firm, Harvard graduate, David Zinc.  Boy, did they play!

Fabulous read! It had drama, comedy, and suspense. Wonderful characters.  Now I see the fondness for Grisham.

Calico Joe by John Grisham, AF, 2012, Playaway digital audio, 4.5hrs, rating=4
Source: library

Oh wow, brace your heart.  Here I discovered a shocking baseball practice (at least to me) but whoa, did that story exemplified moral qualities that father-son can learn from.  Sad story but redemptive too.

Awesome quick read!

The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler, AF, 2012, Playaway digital audio, 6.5hrs, rating=3
Source: library

I imagine that losing a spouse would be downright devastating.  Saying goodbye just wouldn't be in the vocabulary.  Certainly Aaron wasn't prepared to let go of his wife Dorothy or vice versa (as illustrated by seeing her apparition) but he had no choice.  He did however use this grieving period of time to reflect on their marriage and hence invited the readers to ponder about living for the moment.  Thought provoking read if you read between the lines.

Taken, Elvis Cole #13, by Robert Crais, AF, 2012, Playaway digital audio, 8hrs, rating=2.5
Source: library

Tough topic of human trafficking here so it involved some rough language and violence.  Not my usual cup of tea.  I did like Elvis and Joe's tight friendship and loyalty.  Since this is book #13, they must go way back.  Nice to read that they remained faithful to their friendship.  That's a good take out!