Feature and Follow Friday (3)

It's been a few Fridays since I joined in Feature & Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. But I figured it was time to join in again.  You can find out more about the hop by checking in at either of the blogs and signing up:  Feature & Follow Friday on Parajunkee's View or Feature and Follow Friday at Alison Can Read

Q: Have you ever bought a book BECAUSE of a bad review?

I have.  I can't name a specific book at this moment, but I wish I could.  But I know there was one from a blog where I was so intrigued by the bad review that I had to read the book. I think I remember thinking the book was okay, nothing bad, nothing spectacular, but I found out for myself and I remember the blogger encouraging her readers to do just that.  You see we all ahve differing experiences with books.  I may love a book and you will hate it.  I may hate it and you will love it.  We both may love a book.  Who knows.  But that's what makes things fun.  I do take bloggers recommendations seriously and if they show me something seriously flawed with the book I will avoid it like the plague.  But if it's just a conflict with the plot then I am likely to explore the book for myself.

 What do you do?  Leave me a comment that links to your post or that tells me if you have bought a book because of a bad review.  If I happen to think of the book I bought I will add it.

Hoppy Easter Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop!  And what an Eggstravaganza it is. With 250+ blogs to visit, there are a lot of chances to win.  The hop is starting early on my blog (April 5th), but it officially runs from April 6th-12th, so make sure to check out all the other blogs below my Rafflecopter.  This hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Yara @ Once Upon A Twilight.

For my giveaway, you can win 3 books from the books below.  Books may change as I have some outstanding giveaways and I also have some books to add, but there will always be some great choices!  US/Canada only, my funds are minimal and all comes straight out of my pocket, but I love doing these so I keep doing them. The only mandatory entry is simply a click enter entry, everything else is extra.  Thanks for visiting!










Most of the books are ARCs, here's a list of each book and what format it's in:

Chasing Mona Lisa (Trade Paperback), The Underside of Joy (Hardcover),  Lovesick by Spencer Seidel (Arc)

The Legacy of Eden (Arc), Family Storms by V.C. Andrews (paperback), Night Road by Kristin Hannah (Arc)

Populazzi (Arc), A Long Long Sleep (ARC), City of Bones (audiobook)

A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie (Arc), The Vision by Jen Nadol (Arc), Blood Ties by Mari Mancusi (Arc)

Horns by Joe Hill (Trade Paperback), Iron House by John Hart (Arc), 40 by Travis Thrasher (Arc)

The Sixes by Kate White (Arc), Dead of Wynter by Spencer Seidel (Arc), Blood of the Reich (Arc)


Lost in Shangri-La (Arc), One Breath Away by Heather Gundenkauf (ARC), The Taker by Alma Katsu (Paperback)


 

Just Down the Road by Jodi Thomas(paperback), Capital Murder by Phillip Margolin (Arc), The Way by Kristen Wolf (Hardback)

Unbroken by Jamie Lisa Forbes (Trade Paperback), The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen (Arc)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Character Interview: Matt from Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John

Today I welcome Matt, the older brother of Luke in Thou Shalt Not Road Trip.  Matt is heading out on the Road Trip with Luke when all kinds of crazy things happen.  This is a great and fun book and I hope you enjoy this interview with Matt and then you must go and check out Thou Shalt Not Road Trip.  My review will be coming on April 14th.

Character Interview: Answer as Matt.

What was your first thought when you found out Luke was going to be published?

My first thought was: What qualifies Luke to write a book about sex?

No, no. Just kidding. Actually, I was more concerned about the trees that’d have to die to make the paper. I figured that if Luke’s book is as long-winded as his monologues, it’d be at least as big as the bible. Man, it sucks to be a tree these days.

What's your favorite thing about college?

Not a lot of people know this, but they have parties at college. Lots of them. Sometimes you look back and wish you hadn’t gone, but at the time, they seem like fun. And though it makes me sound shallow and self-absorbed (which is only partly true, by the way), I can’t wait for sophomore
year party season to commence.

What were you most looking forward to on the road trip with Luke?

Getting home. Ha! Just kidding again. Actually, I spent freakin’ hours planning around his itinerary so that he’d have some real live experiences along the way. I mean . . . Havasu Falls. Hello! That place is heaven on earth, and yet it still took him a couple days to realize it. He’s such an
ungrateful kid brother.

What did you think about Alex bringing Fran along on the trip?

I go back on forth on this, to be honest. Knowing what I know now, I realize she was totally working me, realizing that I wouldn’t say no. But it was also a pretty stupid move, all things considered. I mean, it’s not like forcing Fran to confront her own personal nemesis on the back seat of a car for seven straight days worked in our favor early on.

If you could give Luke one piece of advice what would it be?

Enjoy the detours. Savor the off-road moments, and the unscripted diversions. Life happens between the lines, and in the margins. Miss out on those and you’re hardly living at all.

Thank you Matt (and Antony) for joining us today!

Thanks for inviting me on board, Crystal. And cheers to your readers!

Find Anthony John Here:
Website
Facebook 

Book Tour & Review: NIV Boys Bible

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card is:

NIV Boys Bible

Zonderkidz; Special edition (March 6, 2012)

***Special thanks to Rick Roberson of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***

My Review:
I think this is a great Bible for boys.  I looked through this and besides the great NIV translation, this is set up really well for boys.  The cover looks boyish, the inside setup seems to appeal to boys (I ask my 11-year-old and he agreed).  Some of the special features are Grossology which usually present interesting but gross facts about select Bible verses (things that will appeal to boys and to be honest I found interesting too).  There are also What's The Big Deal? which highlights select chapters and explains the chapter/verses in easy-to-understand language.  Another feature is Words to Live By which highlights a featured Bible verse and Makin' It Real which gives boys a way to use the Bible verse in real life.

The NIV Boys Bible is full of great features to interest boys and help them understand and get into the Bible better.  I plan on giving this to my son and I hope he really enjoys this for his teen years and I really think he will.  I think this is a very practical Bible targeted to boys and done in a great way!





SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Getting into a routine of reading the Bible can be challenging for anyone, but trying to keep the attention of pre-teen boys is especially difficult. So now there is a Bible especially developed for them. The NIV Boys Bible is designed with boys ages 9 to 12 in mind. Fun in-text features help boys dig deep into the Word and learn about amazing people, facts and stories of the Bible. The NIV Boys Bible will help boys grow into the young men God wants them to be. It will appeal to boys and cause them to desire to spend time in the Word with its unique features such as:

* Introductions to each book of the Bible

* Hundreds of highlighted verses worth memorizing

* What's the Big Deal?-Need-to-know biblical stories and people

* Check It Out-Interesting and fun facts about Bible times and characters

* Grossology-Gross and gory stuff they never knew was in the Bible

* Makin' It Real-Help for applying Bible stories to their everyday lives



This Bible includes the full text of the New International Version, the most popular Bible translation in the world, and 12 color tip-in pages introducing content that shows boys how they can grow to be like Jesus. Each book of the Bible has activities that make God's Word more relevant than ever. It is jam-packed with customized content and artwork that really makes the Bible stand out.

Product Details:
List Price: $27.99
Reading level: Ages 9 and up
Hardcover: 1504 pages
Publisher: Zonderkidz; Special edition (March 6, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310723086
ISBN-13: 978-0310723080:

AND NOW...A SAMPLE. PLEASE CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO VIEW THEM LARGER: