Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar

From the book:

Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep--sometimes with each other.
S is back from boarding school, and if we aren't careful, she's going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, steal our boyfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I'll be watching closely...
You know you love me,
gossip girl

Wow - young adult books have changed a lot since I was a young adult (don't ask how many years that has been). Or maybe there just weren't too many young adult books and I moved on to adult books. Either way I think that it's wonderful that there are so many young adult books out there for adults and teenagers to choose from. So - I heard about this series and wanted to read it. The first one was definitely interesting. It seems so different from how it was when I was a teenager, but then again I didn't live in New York or have extremely wealthy parents, so these kids are different from me. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading about them. Remove the fast and rich lifestyle and they have the same problems as any other teenager, plus there own set of problems. This book does not glamorize the life of the rich, but shows how these kids are like other kids. They are insecure, they do dumb things, they fall in love, make tough decisions and decide on the path their life will take them. They have trouble with friends and with boyfriends, they pick on other kids, sometimes they are picked on. Their parents fight, divorce, date, sometimes act like parents and embarass them.

So I really enjoyed reading about Blair, Nate, Serena and the other characters. The book centers around gossip that is reported and how it can be expounded upon and everyone seems to believe it. Thankfully as the reader you have a little more insight into the characters and you can see that the gossip hurts. But it sucks you in. I flew through this book and have the second one on the way so I can learn more about this crowd. It's a worthwhile, fun read and I can't wait to read more about them.

Rating: 4/5
Reading level: Young Adult
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 224 pages
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: April 1, 2002
ISBN-10: 0316910333

Winner: Threshold by Bonnie Kozek

From Random.org, the winner is:

1. Wendy

Thanks to everyone who entered! I should have a new contest up this week or next.

What are You Reading Monday - April 20

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see J.Kaye's Book Blog and join in!

Books Completed Last Week:
Betrayed by P.C. and Kristin Cast - Young Adult Paranormal - House of Night Book 2 - Great book - I read through it really quickly and couldn't wait to start the next one - review here
There Goes the Bride by Lori Wilde - Contemporary Romance - Wedding Veil Wishes Book 1 - I haven't read a lot of contemporary romance lately and this book shows me what I have been missing, hoping to start Once Smitten, Twice Shy this week. Review here.
Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar - Young Adult - Gossip Girl Book 1 - Had to read it since I seem to be addicted to young adult books at the moment. It was a good book and I look forward to reading more in the series. Review should post today I hope.
The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart - Young Adult - Ruby Oliver Book 1 - Another good young adult read. I really enjoyed this one and could relate to a lot of what Ruby went through. Review coming soon.

Reading Now:

Chosen by P.C. and Kristin Cast - Young Adult Paranormal - House of Night Book 3 - I'm halfway through and loving this - each one seems to get better.
Nine-to-Five Bride by Jennie Adams - Harlequin Romance - I started this but couldn't get into it while on the Cub Scout campout, will try again in a few days when I have less distractions
At the Edge by Cait London - Romantic Suspense - good book - I have to get back to this - it was a great book, but I kept changing around.
Where the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall - Fiction - I'm only a few pages in, but enjoying it so far. This is my current car book.

Next:
Seven up by Janet Evanovich - Mystery
Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood - Young Adult paranormal
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson - Young Adult
Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Lori Wilde - Contemporary Romance

This past week wasn't as crazy as the last few so I finished 4 books. This week should be pretty easy with just baseball practice and one game. So hopefully it will be another great reading week. I also need to read several review books that have arrived so I will be busy!

There Goes the Bride by Lori Wilde

From Amazon.com:

Legend claims this antique Irish wedding veil can grant your heart's deepest desire. But be careful what you wish for...

The moment Texas socialite Delaney Cartwright touches the veil, she knows she can't go through with her wedding. And it's not just because she envisions a stranger's dark eyes and irresistible lips the second her fingers hit lace. But she can't simply call the whole thing off. The nuptials to her nice, predictable childhood friend are the social event of the season (not to mention that her mother would freak). To fan the flames of this dying ember, Delaney abducts her fiance for a night of passion...and grabs the wrong guy! It isn't her fault that Detective Nick Vinetti of the oddly familiar eyes and lips has crossed her path--and looks game for all kinds of sexy fun.

Now Delaney hatches an outrageous plan to get out of marrying: she'll hire her own kidnapper. With an altar to avoid and a cop to dream of, this runaway bride is hoping a little Irish magic will unveil the true destiny of her heart.

A very fun and entertaining romance. I love both Delaney and Nick. Delaney is such a people pleaser (and I understand her, I am similar) and she is marrying because she can't bear to hurt her fiance or her mother. She's already postponed the wedding twice and when she meets Nick and feels the sparks fly (the whammy, I love that term), she knows she shouldn't be getting married.

Nick has been left by his wife on his honeymoon and he's currently off of his undercover detective job due to a knee injury. When his grandmother and her friend Trudie conspire to bring him together with Delaney, they had no idea the passion that would ignite. But is Nick ready for this after being jilted as he was and does he want another man to be jilted the way he was?

The characters in this book felt very real to me and I liked that they never took the completely easy way out. There is also another subplot going on that lends a light suspense to the storyline, but the romance is what shines through here. This was such a feel-good book for me. I loved Nick's family and the stories of his grandmother and grandfather being struck by "the whammy". So much goes into this book and I was actually sad when it ended (not over the ending), but I wanted more of Nick and Delaney and their families. A wonderful start to a series that centers around a "magical" wedding veil - the series is named "Wedding Veil Wishes". I am about to delve into Once Smitten, Twice Shy next and can't wait to get more of Delaney's friends.

Rating: 4/5
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: March 1, 2007
ISBN-10: 0446618454

Friday Finds - April 17

Friday Finds is hosted over on Should Be Reading. It's all about what great books you have heard about/discovered in the past week. Here is my entry, and head over to the Should Be Reading Blog to read others and find books to add to your TBR pile!

The first two are older books that I found while perusing the CBD website and buying books. The next four were found at various blogs over the past two weeks. All have links to amazon to learn more about them.

I'm off to see what everyone else has found this week and then I'm off this afternoon on a cub scout weekend campout - should be a beautiful weekend and I'm hoping to relax some and read!

Betrayed by P.C. and Kristin Cast

From Amazon.com:

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

This was another great journey into the lives of the teenagers at the House of Night. I am in total love with this world. The school is amazing, the characters witty and strong and the second installment in this series I believe is stronger than the first (and I really liked the first one as well!) Come along and learn more about Zoey, Stevie Rae, Erin, Shaunee, Damien, Erik and Aphrodite, along with some other new faces. The friendships are strong still and honor is important among the group of friends, they watch out for each other and others they deem important (which is most everyone but Aphrodite). More comes to light in this book about the House of Night and the characters, but I don't want to say too much and give something away. Just know if you enjoyed the first one, you will enjoy this one. I kind of knew where the whole thing was going, but didn't expect the way it got there, so it was a fun and interesting read. It kept me reading and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Now I can't wait to see what happens in Chosen.

If you enjoy a strong teen heroine who still has some self-doubt (as we all do) then you will enjoy this series and this book. The Casts make a great team for these books and I can see why they are such a hit!

Rating: 4/5
Reading level: Young Adult
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: October 2, 2007
ISBN-10: 0312360282

Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult

From GoodReads:

Things break all the time.
Day breaks, waves break, voices break.
Promises break.
Hearts break.

Every expectant parent will tell you that they don't want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they'd been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of "luckier" parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it's all worth it because Willow is, well, funny as it seems, perfect. She's smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health.

Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte should have known earlier of Willow's illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life?

Wow - since I read my first Jodi Picoult about three years ago I knew to expect a thought-provoking book. One thing I love about Ms. Picoult's novels is the fact that she brings interesting and controversial topics to light but doesn't tell you how to feel one way or the other about it, which is unusual in today's world. We all have our opinions and believe they are right. No doubt Ms. Picoult has her opinions too, but she chooses to bring all sides of a topic to light. Handle with Care is another great example of this. Making the wrongful birth lawsuit front and center and how it really makes different people feel. From the one who is being told that she shouldn't have been born (but that is a lie mommy is telling), to the sibling who is unintentionallly left behind in the dust of the lawsuit, to the marriage that takes second place at this point and to others it affects such as the doctor and best friend and the whole community of disabled people who essentially are told that their lives are not perfect and therefore not worth living. I think I have had the same thoughts as each of the characters and it really pointed out some things to me that I feel that are wrong in my own beliefs. It's definitely opened my eyes to several different things.

While the issue is a part of this book, but definitely not the whole. I felt like I truly got to know all the characters. I listened to this on audio and it was wonderful. They used different people for the different characters in the book who were writing to Willow at the time. The distinguing voices were a big help with listening. It was a true joy to listen to. The story never lagged for me, in fact I would find myself listening in the car a few extra minutes, carrying my mp3 player with me to listen when I could. The story moves forward at a good pace, the characters seem real and the story is just riveting.

This book is wonderful and heartbreaking and so much more. It is well worth the time it takes to read it (it's a large book) and I highly recommend it!


Rating: 4.5/5.0
Published March 3rd 2009
Publisher: Atria
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 477 pages
ISBN: 0743296419

Booking Through Thursday - Windfall

Here is this week's Booking Through Thursday question:

Yesterday, April 15th, was Tax Day here in the U.S., which means lots of lucky people will get refunds of over-paid taxes.

Whether you’re one of them or not, what would you spend an unexpected windfall on? Say … $50? How about $500?

(And, this is a reading meme, so by rights the answer should be book-related, but hey, feel free to go wild and splurge on anything you like.)

Well I am one of the lucky ones and we are getting a refund. If I could do whatever I wanted with it, I would spend my money on books. I would first go to my local indie bookstore and buy and then I would go and walk around BAM for awhile. I would be looking for:

• Sleeping in Daylight by Elizabeth Flock
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett
• Life Without Summer by Lynne Griffin
• Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child
• Honolulu by Alan Brennert
• Tomato Girl by Jayne Popek
• Need by Carrie Jones
• Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
• Second Opinion by Michael Palmer

I would also just look around and buy whatever I found interesting. It would be so fun and so relaxing! I would also look at sewing books (I love to sew) and cook books (they are so fun) and cool book/reading gadgets (might get some of those cover things I saw the other day on another blog).

But alas, we will have insurance and property taxes and a new water softener to buy, so there will be very little to spend. But I think we will have a little to spend and I will be buying books!

Waiting on Wednesday - April 15

Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts "Waiting On" Wednesday where everyone posts what new not-yet-published books we are anxiously awaiting. I'm new to this one also but I am looking forward to being a part of it and seeing all the wonderful new releases out there (and hoping my library will get the online card catalog back up so I can reserve books again).

My Entry for this week is:

From Amazon.com:

RAMPANT is a thrilling read, with strong girls, unusual and scary unicorns, and hidden dangers everywhere. I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish! Please, miss: might I have some more? (Tamora Pierce )

As swift and sure-footed as a killer unicorn, RAMPANT weaves a vibrant new mythology from venerable threads. (Scott Westerfeld, author of the Uglies series )

I love Diana Peterfreund's Secret Society Girl books and this one sounds different and good. I love her humor and her blog so I will definitely read her new book when it comes out August 25, 2009.

Triple Cross Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered my contest!

The winner is: samf36!

The winner has been contacted and the book will be going out tomorrow. For everyone else interested - the book should be on sale today, check it out it's a great read.

Also check out my new giveaway HERE.

Tuesday Teaser - April 14

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

My teaser:

Oh - what Neferet had told my stupid step-loser John had been the truth. Cats do roam free all over the school. They often followed "their" kid to class. Nala, in particular, liked to find me several times a day. She's insist I scratch her head, complain a little at me, and then take off and go do whatever cats do with their free time. (Plot world domination?)

It's from Betrayed, House of Night Novel #2 by P.C. and Kristin Cast which I should finish at lunchtime. I was feeling a little nostalgic and sentimental picking this passage as tomorrow would have been my first cat's birthday - he would have been 12, but he died in May of last year. We got him just before we got married and had him for 11 wonderful years. We have a new cat now, but no cat can replace our Sebastian (named after the crab in the Little Mermaid - I loved the movie at the time). Besides I love the world domination comment at the end - so true of cats!

Threshold by Bonnie Kozek (and a giveaway!)

From the release from Author Marketing Experts, Inc. :

When a haunting past - which has left a couple of dead bodies in its wake - becomes a too painful predictor of the future, Honey McGuinness moves to Skid Row. She hires on at the local Salvation Mission - serving food to the homeless.

For awhile things go pretty smoothly: No one seems to be getting hurt. Her world becomes small and anonymous - her only real friend a prose-spouting diffident drunk named Billy. But like it or not, things change. Bad things start to happen.

Gentrification, crack and crime get a stranglehold on the neighborhood. And, when her friend Billy dies in her arms from a hailstorm of bullets, and she discovers a tape-recording device strapped to his waist, her refuge is in peril. Against her will, she is thrust right back into the slough. And, to sate the hunger for retribution that is gnawing in her gut, Honey will have to answer one fateful question: Is there any line she is unwilling to cross? Find out in Threshold, the debut novel of Bonnie Kozek.

About the author: Bonnie Kozek has written two works of nonfiction: Falling In and Out of Love . . . with Words, and Mania, a poetry book published in 2003. She also writes and produces oral histories through her company, Legacy Publishing. She has collaborated on numerous projects outside the realm of the written word with other artists, including Salvador Dali. She has worked as a sound/picture editor on features and documentaries for both big and little screens in Hollywood and New York, and has written and directed shorts, including films for Saturday Night Live. She created the first continuous running holographic movie, which premiered at the opening of the Museum of Holography in Manhattan.

She worked at and attended California Institute of the Arts. She has taught in the graduate writing program at The New School, and continues to teach writing workshops at FEGS and JCCA, both not-for-profit multicultural human services agencies in NYC. Her work has been recognized and honored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rockefeller Foundation. Visit http://www.bonniekozek.com/.

My Review:
I won this on a quick giveaway from Melissa at Melissa's Bookshelf. It sounded interesting to me so I wanted to give it a shot. I'm pretty new to hard-boiled suspense/thriller books reading pretty much just the typical mainstream thrillers. I'm glad I got this book. It was a fast, enjoyable read. I really enjoyed the character of Honey McGuinness. She is not perfect, she has had a hard life and she knows it, but she moves on with her life. She has a lot of depth and even though she is not all good, she is really trying and she will do what she can for those she cares for, such as finding out who murdered her friend Billy, even if she has to risk her life, sanity and all she has worked for up until this point to find the murderer. The suspense line of the book was interesting, but I feel that the characters make the book, from the hardened character of Honey to the cowboy-cop, Skinner and the miscellaneous crew from Skid Row, you learn about all of them and their good and bad traits. The book had a very satisfactory ending but left me excited enough about the character of Honey to read the next in the series which will be out this year. I highly suggest reading Threshold if you enjoy suspense/thrillers with the hard-boiled edge, or even if you're not sure if you do and just want to try them. I think this is a wonderful book to try out the genre.

Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Threshold: A Hard-boiled Thriller
Author: Bonnie Kozek
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
ISBN: 978/0595497584
Publication Date: December 2008
Pages: 132
Price: $11.95
Publisher: iUniverse.com

I (with permission of Author Marketing Experts, Inc.) am giving away my copy of Threshold by Bonnie Kozek so another reader can enjoy this great book!

Usual rules apply:

Entries can be made by the following (put all of your entries in one comment, I'll count them):
1. Comment for the first entry (make sure I have a way to contact you)
2. Become a follower or subscribe to my blog for another entry (or let me know you are currently a follower/subscriber).
3. Follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/cfulcher) (or let me know if you already follow me)
4. Tweet this or post on your blog about this contest (+1 for each)

The contest will go through next Monday, April 20th and I'll announce the winner on the 21st.

What Are You Reading Monday - April 13

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see J.Kaye's Book Blog and join in!

Books Completed Last Week:
Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult - Fiction - audiobook - Wonderful book - I will write the review either today or tomorrow - I enjoyed every moment of this book.
Isolation by Travis Thrasher - Christian Suspense - This was great! Could hardly put it down. Review here.
Threshold by Bonnie Kozek - Mystery/Thriller (hard-boiled) - Really good - my first real go at a hard-boiled and I really liked it - review in the next few days. I received this one from Melissa at Melissa's Bookshelf and I'm thrilled she passed this one on to me.

Reading Now:

Where the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall - Fiction - I'm only a few pages in, but enjoying it so far. This is my current car book.
Betrayed by P.C. and Kristen Cast - Young Adult Paranormal - House of Night Book 2 - I'm about 70 pages in and loving it.
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb - Fiction - I have to return this to the library today but I did start it and I will finish it - just not this go round. I read about 150 pages of it and really like - will probably purchase this as it's a chunkster that is a two-week book at the library.
At the Edge by Cait London - Romantic Suspense - good book - have been switching around a little too much in my books this week and need to get back to it.

Next:
Seven up by Janet Evanovich - Mystery
Chosen by P.C. and Kristen Cast - Young Adult Paranormal

Last week was crazy with something to do every night. With this being my oldest son's week off from school, this one is a little more sane, hopefully some more time in the evening to read and enjoy.

Musing Mondays - April 13

Musing Mondays is hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. You can click on the link (or the picture) to see her blog and read everyone's Musing Monday post.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your to be read list…

How do you respond to the comments on your blog? Do you try to email individually or comment on post yourself answering the comments above? What do you think is the best way to respond to comments and do you respond to all of them? Do you feel slighted if you don't receive a response back from the blog owner? (question courtesy of Jenn)

Wow - this is such a great question since I'm fairly new to the blogging and receiving comments world. I love receiving comments but have not been sure about answering - do people come back and see if I answer, am I talking to myself. Do I email or would someone think I'm bugging them? I'm not sure and still not sure - I'm learning here and don't want to offend anyone - I read all the comments and will start figuring out a way to respond properly because I don't want to lose readers, otherwise I am just here talking to myself :)

So there is my non-answer - I'm off to read other answers and learn more about this blogging world. I honestly started this blog to keep track of books I read and review, then found the wonderful world of book bloggers and memes and all the fun to be had. Now it's a small social outlet to share with other people who love to read so I love the comments, I learn from comments so please keep commenting, and if you want a reply and I haven't feel free to bug me!

Have a great Monday!

Triple Cross by Mark T. Sullivan Giveaway!

I have an ARC of Mark T. Sullivan's Triple Cross which is coming out next Tuesday that I would love to give away!


Here's the description from Mark T. Sullivan's website:

It’s New Year’s Eve at the Jefferson Club, a luxurious private ski resort in the mountains of southwestern Montana. Seven of the world’s wealthiest men and a U.S. Senator are among the guests gathered in the ballroom of the club’s spectacular main lodge for a private party.

Expensive champagne flows and multi-billion dollar deals are getting done, when, at the stroke of midnight, a ruthless and well-armed militia attacks the club. Self-described anti-globalists, they intend to to put the wealthy patrons of the club on trial for crimes against humanity, live on the Internet for all the world to see.

As the first trial unfolds, it becomes a new-media sensation, with tens of millions of viewers who are allowed to vote as jury members. It seems harmless, funny, until one of the tycoons is convicted and put to death just as stock and bond trading opens for the New Year. The markets are rocked by the execution, and start to plummet as more of the billionaires are put on trial.

The only people who can prevent an outright market crash, stop the madness, and uncover the true reasons behind the brutal attack are Mickey Hennessy, the club’s director of security, his three fourteen-year-old children and Cheyenne O’Neil, an FBI financial crimes specialist.

Ultimately capitalism and anti-globalism collide with stunning consequences in a searing narrative that’s a lean blend of suspense, dark humor and explosive action, as well as a novel that raises compelling questions about who the real criminals are in a world where financial markets can be manipulated on an unfathomable scale and a powerful few profit at the expense of the many.

My review is here.
Author website here.

Official rules:

Entries can be made by the following (put all of your entries in one comment, I'll count them):
1. Comment for the first entry
2. Become a follower or subscribe to my blog for another entry.
3. Follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/cfulcher)
4. Tweet this or post on your blog about this contest (+1 for each)

I'll run this contest through Monday April 13 and post the winner on Tuesday.

Thanks!

Booking Through Thursday - April 9

For something different, I’m borrowing a question from … here! One of the very first questions ever at Booking Through Thursday. Back from 2005 when Laura owned the blog but, because it was so new, it didn’t get as many responses as it does now … so, why not revisit?

Here’s the question:

Some people read one book at a time. Some people have a number of them on the go at any given time, perhaps a reading in bed book, a breakfast table book, a bathroom book, and so on, which leads me to…

1. Are you currently reading more than one book?
2. If so, how many books are you currently reading?
3. Is this normal for you?
4. Where do you keep your current reads?

To see others answers see here.

1. I am currently reading more than one book
2. I am reading 4 books at this time:

• Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult is my audiobook
  
• At the Edge by Cait London is my carry-around book
• When the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall is my car book
• Threshold by Bonnie Kozek as my review book.

3. About 3 is normal - 1 audio book, 1 for the car and 1 as my carry-around.
4. As described above - one is an audiobook which is on my mp3 player or on cds in the car, the carry-around book is either in my purse or my bag - this is my main reading book usually, the other is in the car for taking breaks at work (when I have to get away from my desk), and currently the review book is being carted around too. I always have something to read with me!

I'm off to see what others do about reading whether it's one at a time or multiples!

Cover Attraction - April 8

Marcia at The Printed Page presents the Cover Attraction Meme on her blog, every week. Here is what she writes:

I’m a very visual person and love beautiful, or interesting, cover art. It entices, and invites, me to stop and take a peek instead of walking right on by.

This week my Cover Attraction is:

This cover just speaks to me. I live on the coast, so the coastal look grabs me, the soft colors, the shells, the weathered walkway and the water all just draw me in. Add in the three women and I'm very interested in the book (and the fact that I like Kristin Hannah's books).

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

True Colors is New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah’s most provocative, compelling, and heart-wrenching story yet. With the luminous writing and unforgettable characters that are her trademarks, she tells the story of three sisters whose once-solid world is broken apart by jealousy, betrayal, and the kind of passion that rarely comes along.

The Grey sisters have always been close. After their mother’s death, the girls banded together, becoming best friends. Their stern, disapproving father cares less about his children than about his reputation. To Henry Grey, appearances are everything, and years later, he still demands that his daughters reflect his standing in the community.

Winona, the oldest, needs her father’s approval most of all. An overweight bookworm who never felt at home on the sprawling horse ranch that has been in her family for three generations, she knows that she doesn’t have the qualities her father values. But as the best lawyer in town, she’s determined to someday find a way to prove her worth to him.

Aurora, the middle sister, is the family peacemaker. She brokers every dispute and tries to keep them all happy, even as she hides her own secret pain.

Vivi Ann is the undisputed star of the family. A stunningly beautiful dreamer with a heart as big as the ocean in front of her house, she is adored by all who know her. Everything comes easily for Vivi Ann, until a stranger comes to town. . . .

In a matter of moments, everything will change. The Grey sisters will be pitted against one another in ways that none could have imagined. Loyalties will be tested and secrets revealed, and a terrible, shocking crime will shatter both their family and their beloved town.

With breathtaking pace and penetrating emotional insight, True Colors is an unforgettable novel about sisters, rivalry, forgiveness, redemption---and ultimately, what it means to be a family.

So what is your cover attraction this week?

Waiting on Wednesday - April 8

Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts "Waiting On" Wednesday where everyone posts what new not-yet-published books we are anxiously awaiting. I'm new to this one also but I am looking forward to being a part of it and seeing all the wonderful new releases out there (and hoping my library will get the online card catalog back up so I can reserve books again).

My Entry for this week is:

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

This book made a lot of lists last week and now I can't wait for it to come out. Here is the description from amazon.com:

A spellbinding, beautifully written novel that moves between contemporary times and one of the most fascinating and disturbing periods in American history-the Salem witch trials.

Harvard graduate student Connie Goodwin needs to spend her summer doing research for her doctoral dissertation. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she can't refuse. As she is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the family house, Connie discovers an ancient key within a seventeenth-century Bible. The key contains a yellowing fragment of parchment with a name written upon it: Deliverance Dane. This discovery launches Connie on a quest--to find out who this woman was and to unearth a rare artifact of singular power: a physick book, its pages a secret repository for lost knowledge.

As the pieces of Deliverance's harrowing story begin to fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of the long-ago witch trials, and she begins to fear that she is more tied to Salem's dark past then she could have ever imagined.

Written with astonishing conviction and grace, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane travels seamlessly between the witch trials of the 1690s and a modern woman's story of mystery, intrigue, and revelation.

About the Author
Katherine Howe is completing a PhD in American and New England Studies, and is a descendant of Elizabeth Proctor, who survived the Salem witch trials, and Elizabeth Howe, who did not. The idea for this novel developed while Howe was studying for her doctoral qualifying exams and walking her dog through the woods between Marblehead and Salem. She lives in Massachusetts, with her husband.

So what are you waiting on this week?

Teaser Tuesday - April 7

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

My teaser:

She'd felt his impatience, his frustration when she didn't answer his knock. Fine, let him be frustrated; she was not obligated to answer the door, not for someone who was clearly set to call her out. An argument would only leave her vulnerable.

Still. To deal with Neil, she needed to know more about him, and since he was within a few feet . . .

From At the Edge by Cait London which I am just starting.

Isolation by Travis Thrasher

Isolation by Travis Thrasher

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I read the back cover copy for this book I knew it interested me. A family comes home from Papua New Guinea where something has happened. Since they have returned strange things have been going on with the wife, Stephanie. The missionary husband, Jim, has been really busy since returning and has kind of lost touch with Stephanie. Then the offer comes in to stay in a wonderful home in a secluded area of the Smoky Mountains of NC (my home state). Jim thinks this is the best thing that could happen. At this retreat he can reconnect with his wife and family and get to work on his projects too. Stephanie is not so sure this is what she wants, but as a dutiful wife she goes along with it.



All seems fine when they see the majestic home. They are in awe of the number of rooms. The couple currently living there is a nice older couple who are a big help with the kids and comforting to both Jim and Stephanie too. Then things become unsettling. Strange things start happening. Because the lines of communication between Jim and Stephanie are already broken down, neither realizes what the other is going through and then it all goes crazy.



This was a serious suspense book, I could hardly put it down. I would say it's got a feel of The Shining but it is so much more than that. I think The Shining feel comes from the large secluded house idea, but this isn't an old idea used over again. Mr. Thrasher takes the large secluded house idea and makes it new. I also liken it to the works of Frank Peretti, another Christian author because Mr. Thrasher can make the demonic seem more real to me. I realize it is there, but this doesn't seem all that over exaggerated like horror books. It seems real, the fear is real, the situations real and the outcome interesting. Again Mr. Thrasher stands on his own and I will definitly read more of his books in the future.



If you start reading this make sure you lock your doors and leave plenty of time to read. Better yet, make sure you read it in the daylight. It's a haunting, suspenseful read that you will remember for some time to come.

Musing Mondays - April 6

Musing Mondays is hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. You can click on the link (or the picture) to see her blog and read everyone's Musing Monday post.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your to be read list…

As a follow up to last week's question, Joseph asked how you keep track of your tbr list. Do you have a paper list or on your computer? Do you take it with you when you go shopping? How do you decide what gets added to it?

I try to keep track of my tbr, but I'm not very good at it. I do what I can in Library Thing. I try to add books when I get them and sometime I make lists of what I want to read next. But then the rebel in me rebels and I read something else.

I definitely don't have a paper list and when I go shopping I just guess whether I have it or not. Usually I am right, but sometimes I am wrong too.

As to what I add to my TBR pile - pretty much anything that catches my eye. I try to get what I can at the library or PBS and then buy the rest. Blogging has definitely expanded my wish list (which I now store at Amazon and peruse before I book shop at my local store and also in Library Thing). I am adding many books each week.

Which do I read next - whatever screams the loudest to me at the moment or needs to be read for review or to return to the library.

What Are You Reading Monday - April 6

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see J.Kaye's Book Blog and join in!

Books Completed Last Week:
The Good Neighbor by Sharon Mignerey - Romantic Suspense - Love Inspired Suspense title - 4/5 - good quick read, love the small town everyone knows each other type books where the outsider is suspected. Review to come.
Who by Fire by Diana Spechler - Fiction - 4.5/5 - Wow - this was really good!
The Tenth Case by Joseph Teller - Suspense - 4.5/5 - great legal suspense, a little different than I'm used to but I really enjoyed it. Review to come.
The Sorority - Merilynn by Tamara Thorne - Horror - 4/5 - better than the first one - the story continues to develop. Review to come.
The Sorority - Samantha by Tamara Thorne - Horror - 3.5/5 - The story concludes - good trilogy - this one was a little more of a letdown than the second, but still a good quick fun read. Review to come.

Reading Now:

Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult - Fiction - audiobook - I am loving this - I'm down to the last few hours - should finish this week
Isolation by Travis Thrasher - Christian Suspense - this is very interesting so far - I didn't want to put it down last night. Kind of The Shining-ish mixed with Frank Peretti. Lots of suspense and a cool huge house.
Where the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall - Fiction - I'm only a few pages in, but enjoying it so far.


Next:
At the Edge by Cait London - Romantic Suspense
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb - Fiction
Seven up by Janet Evanovich - Mystery

It was another busy weekend, that will start to calm down in the next few weeks, after baseball, Easter and camp-outs. I'm looking forward to a Saturday at home soon where I can layout and enjoy the sun and read!

Friday Finds - April 3

Friday Finds is hosted over on Should Be Reading. It's all about what great books you have heard about/discovered in the past week. Here is my entry, and head over to the Should Be Reading Blog to read others and find books to add to your TBR pile!

Most of these come from other blogs that I have seen over the week. But they are all books I want to pick up. Click on pics for more information.

These are my finds at my older son's school book fair yesterday - I can't wait to read them:

Booking Through Thursday - April 2

Deb at Booking Through Thursday blog's question for this week is:

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

I accidentally deleted my post for this while working on this weeks, so I will try and reanswer just so it's available.

I use my public library about once a week at the moment. As soon as they get the online catalog working again I will be using it much more, but since I can't check what books they have available at the moment and reserve them, my frequency there to pick up books has declined.

I don't think the coffeehouse/bookstore has replaced the library. I love the coffeehouse/bookstore as DH and I always make a point when we go out to eat occasionally a few towns over to go to their BAM and sit, read and drink coffee, but it would never replace the library for me even if I had one in my town. The library is free and yes browsing books is free, but I would never have the time (or feel right about) reading a whole book while enjoying coffee at a bookstore and putting it back up. Now I would enjoy browsing the book enough to see if I would enjoy it, but the library does that for me - I can get the book and if I don't like it I'm not out of anything except some time. I still enjoy book stores for the ability to browse and then lovingly take home a lovely book (or twenty).

I loved the library as a child. My mom would take me for reading time occasionally which I enjoyed but I enjoyed checking out books the most. We had a bookmobile that would come down our street during the summer and I remember loving to go into there and check out books - it was so cool!

I will take any library - ours has an older feel, but I have been to a huge newer one when I lived in Raleigh and I loved the sheer number of books available there. Ours is quaint. It will soon be moving and I am looking forward to that. I think they will now have more of a reading area. Right now there are mainly tables plus a few chairs in the magazine section. They will also have more room for more books and that is exciting too!

Really Cool Contest

Check out this really cool contest from Jill Shalvis, Alison Kent and HelenKay Dimon - it's a great one - now go enter it!

Waiting On Wednesday - April 1

Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts "Waiting On" Wednesday where everyone posts what new not-yet-published books we are anxiously awaiting. I'm new to this one also but I am looking forward to being a part of it and seeing all the wonderful new releases out there (and hoping my library will get the online card catalog back up so I can reserve books again).

My Entry for this week is:


I love Greg Iles' books and this one returns to the character Penn Cage, from The Quiet Game and Turning Angel. I can't wait!

Here's the summary:

As a prosecuting attorney in Houston, Penn Cage sent hardened killers to death row. But it is as mayor of his hometown -- Natchez, Mississippi -- that Penn will face his most dangerous threat. Urged by old friends to try to restore this fading jewel of the Old South, Penn has ridden into office on a tide of support for change. But in its quest for new jobs and fresh money, Natchez, like other Mississippi towns, has turned to casino gambling, and now five fantastical steamboats float on the river beside the old slave market at Natchez like props from Gone With the Wind.

But one boat isn't like the others.

Rumor has it that the Magnolia Queen has found a way to pull the big players from Las Vegas to its Mississippi backwater. And with them -- on sleek private jets that slip in and out of town like whispers in the night -- come pro football players, rap stars, and international gamblers, all sharing an unquenchable taste for one thing: blood sport -- and the dark vices that go with it. When a childhood friend of Penn's who brings him evidence of these crimes is brutally murdered, the full weight of Penn's failure to protect his city hits home. So begins his quest to find the men responsible. But it's a hunt he begins alone, for the local authorities have been corrupted by the money and power of his hidden enemy. With his family's lives at stake, Penn realizes his only allies in his one-man war are those bound to him by blood or honor:

Caitlin Masters, the lover Penn found in The Quiet Can Game and lost in Turning Angel

Danny McDavitt, the heroic helicopter pilot from Third Degree

Tom Cage, Penn's father and legendary local family physician

Walt Garrity, a retired Texas Ranger who served with Penn's father during the Korean War

Together they must defeat a sophisticated killer who has an almost preternatural ability to anticipate -- and counter -- their every move. Ultimately, victory will depend on a bold stroke that will leave one of Penn's allies dead -- and Natchez changed forever.

After appearing in two of Iles's most popular novels, Penn Cage makes his triumphant return as a brilliant, honorable, and courageous hero. Rich with Southern atmosphere and marked by one jaw-dropping plot turn after another, The Devil's Punchbowl confirms that Greg Iles is America's master of suspense.

So what are you waiting on this week?