Sunday, July 31, 2011

REVIEW OF AMERICAN SMILE by Cody Young/AMAZON ASSOCIATES/WINNER OF GIVEAWAY!

“American Smile” by Cody Young

This is a sweet story about a young girl named Emma who happens to meet an American Soldier, Tyler, (with an American smile), who is temporarily stationed in Britain, who was out on liberty while he is waiting for his next orders.
Emma has lived in Britain her whole life.  Her Grandmother happened to become ill and was muttering about burning letters.  She unexpectedly passes away.  Burning letters?  What letters?  What could she be talking about?  Is her Grandmother hiding something?  The family finds out.  ALL these years . . . ?
This puts Emma into a search for information on her family heritage.
All the while Emma does this, Tyler is right beside her, helping her, encouraging her, going through all the ups and downs with her.  Emma couldn’t have wished for any more support than what Tyler has given her.  All the while, though, in the back of her mind, she knows he will have to ship out again to his next destination.  One thing Emma did not plan on was falling in love with Tyler.  He is American, she is British.  How could this relationship work?  Is she temporary, like his stop here in her country is?  They live in separate countries.  Could this relationship work in reality?
This book is full of surprises.  Surprises you could not imagine without reading this book.  How does all of this work out?  Does Tyler stay with her, or does he leave this ‘temporary stop’, and Emma, as well.
This book was a very enjoyable read.  The plot of this story was very well thought out, so the writing was very good.  As this love story takes place, you can’t help but to be brought into it and fall in love yourself.  You feel what Emma feels, from her first date with Tyler, subsequent dates, and all through her relationship with him as it develops.  You can’t help but to feel the excitement she feels for him as she falls in love with him.  All their dates, the help he gives her with her family, and more.
.
To miss this book is to miss one of the best love stories of all, in my opinion.  I felt an attachment to this story, and each time I come across it on my Kindle as I am looking for the current book I am reading, I see this book and can’t help but to smile.  This is a very enjoyable read.  I believe we will see more works in the future by this new author.
I was given this book by the author, Cody Young, for “FREE”, in exchange to read the book and write a review about it.  It is NOT required for my review I write to be either positive or negative, but, “of my own opinion.”  I was NOT provided with “ANY” monies to accept this book, “NOR” to read it, NOR were “ANY” monies given to me to write the review for this book.  ALL that was ‘expected’ of me was to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it.  Again, the opinions expressed for and about this book are ‘of my own opinion’.  I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

(Between you and I, my review that I am posting 'next' on Amazon, it won't show right away, but it will ONLY be the 2nd review on this book.  If any of you purchase this book, I'm SURE the author would LOVE a review from you!)

WOW!  Look! This book is ONLY 99 cents   
  
in the KINDLE Store on Amazon right now!!
CLICK THIS LINK TO THE LEFT and it will take you right there to purchase this book!  Remember, ANY purchases made directly 'from my site', helps to support THIS SITE to be able to do MORE GIVEAWAYS!!!
 ***IDEA!*** If you are an Amazon Associate, and are interested in Linking Up TOGETHER to purchase Amazon products from each other's sites so we can help each other earn money to help support our sites for Giveaways, etc., email me at the address listed below!  What a GREAT idea, huh?  If we ALL were to purchase from each other, this would work!  "I" buy from Amazon, but what "I" buy as an Associate does NOT qualify me to 'earn from myself'.  If "I" purchased from some of you, it would help YOU EARN MONEY FOR YOUR BLOG!   If YOU purchased items from MY site, it would help ME earn money for MY Blog from you!  We could make a list of ALL the Amazon Associates, put them on our sites, and alternate who we buy from each purchase we make!  This applies to EVERYTHING Amazon carries, NOT JUST BOOKS!  Is this a good idea?  I would LOVE to be able to give away MORE books, and this would help me to do just that!  Let me know what you think!  Email me!

laurieisreading@gmail.com

***WINNER*** of the GIVEAWAY book, "Safe From the Past" by Patricia Miller Mauro is:
"Donna McBroom-Theriot"  Visit her Blog by clicking on:  

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Forgot to POST Krystal's Blog!!!

Hello again!
I wanted to post Krystal's Blog! Sorry I left it out! I was so excited to get the message out, I left the Blog Address out, so here it is!
The WINNER OF KAREN KINGSBURY'S "LEARNING" IS KRYSTAL LARSON!!!

Krystal's Blog Address is:  http://www.livetoread-krystal.blogspot.com

Click on the link and VISIT HER! She would LOVE the company!  Again,





WINNER OF KAREN KINGSBURY'S "LEARNING", Bailey Flanigan Series!



I used Random.org and guess what number it picked?  #1 !!! Wow!


Krystal Larsen "WON" Karen Kingsbury's Book 2 of the Bailey Flanigan Series "LEARNING"!!!


CONGRATULATIONS!!!



Saturday, July 23, 2011

"Safe From the Past" by Patricia Miller Mauro Blog Tour

SAFE FROM THE PAST" by Patricia Miller Mauro 



From the Publisher:  What is Safe From the Past by Patricia Miller Muaro about?  It's about:

A kidnapping, the divorce of her parents, the loss of her father, temporary abandonment and extreme poverty are just some of the issues the author dealt with as a young child. 

Her mother finally tells her she must go to college so she can break out of this cycle of poverty and hopelessness. But how can she when she has no money and absolutely no confidence or self esteem? 

Read this true story to discover what hope, faith and determination can do to change a life.

A truly inspiring, deeply personal tale of perseverance in 
the face of unimaginable hardships, Safe From the Past makes clear the restorative power of an education.

Told in an open, honest voice with 
the deepest sincerity, the author's life story serves as a rousing inspiration to those with the desire to create a better life than the one they are currently living.

No matter how helpless you feel, everyone has the power to shape their own life.

MY TAKE:
“Safe From the Past” by Patricia Miller Mauro

This book is a memoir about the Author’s life.
This memoir shows us what an education will do for us.  ALL young adults should read this memoir so they can learn what this author has lived through because her mother, a single parent, had no college education.  Today, a college education is the only way to be able to obtain any type of job to be able to support one’s self, or even a family.  It is vital to life today.
Any young adult not wanting to obtain a college degree should know their future will be limited.  Their future will not allow them the opportunities that they ‘could’ have had.  They may suffer through life with jobs that don’t pay enough money to be able to support themselves, much less a family, and end up having to get two jobs to make ends meet.  She made this point extremely well known by telling us how her life was growing up.
She knew a college degree would allow her to work in the field of her choice.  This allows for enjoyment of working at a job to enjoy, and a meaningful life to be lived.  Without that piece of paper, she would have been stuck working at jobs that do not allow for any of that, much less allow her to be able to provide for herself, or a family.
Today, a college degree is the only way to obtaining your dreams.  Usually employers ask this question first.  It is required for almost every job out there, besides manual labor.
Sure, the author still lived through extreme poverty while going through college, but her end dream of obtaining that piece of paper will allowed her to get away from that horrid lifestyle of extreme poverty.  No longer will she rely on anyone else, now or in the future, to hold her back.
Where many people would give up, even while this woman (the author) came upon “many” dead ends while trying to get through college, such as not having a penny for food, she held on.  She held on for dear life.  Why?  She was bound and determined to complete college no matter what.  She refused to continue to live the life she had, living in extreme poverty.  She no longer wanted to live that way.  She knows life does not have to be that way and took every possible step to change her life.  She knew getting a degree from college was her ‘only’ ticket to freedom from extreme poverty, and to be able to do whatever ‘she’ wanted to do in life. 
I highly recommend this book to our Youth of today.  This book make such a point.  Without college, you may have nothing.  With college, you can have everything.
I received this book from LitFuse Publicity by The P3 Press, through their Book Reviewers Program in exchange to read the book and write a review about the book.  It is NOT required for the review to be either positive or negative, but, “of my own opinion.”  I was provided with “NO” monies to accept this book, or to read and write a review for this book, except for the enjoyment of reading it.  The opinions expressed for and about this book are ‘of my own opinion’.  I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Laurie




LitFuse Publicity is sponsoring a $30 Amazon.com Gift Card GIVEAWAY to ENTER for ALL BLOG READERS!  
ALL you have to do is to send a TWEET using this "hashtag":   #litfuse Safe From the Past

TWEET THIS:   
#litfuse Safe From the Past by Patricia Mauro - inspiring tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships. http://ow.ly/5FQHA 

                            OR
FACEBOOK IT! FOR EXAMPLE:
FACEBOOK THIS:
Today I was at http://www.lauriehere.blogspot.com    Go there and check out her review!  Read how to ENTER A GIVEAWAY from Litfuse Publicity for a $30 Amazon Gift Card! 
Don’t miss Patricia Mauro’s Safe From the Past  - inspiring, deeply personal tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships. http://ow.ly/5FQHA. Told in an open, honest voice with the deepest sincerity, theauthor's life story serves as a rousing inspiration to those with the desire to create a better life than the one they are currently living.
***IF YOU FACEBOOK:  PLEASE EMAIL US AND TELL US AT THIS EMAIL ADDRESS: info@litfusegroup.comI

Want to win MY copy of this book? Go to the GIVEAWAY - SAFE FROM THE PAST "TAB" AND ENTER the form!



ABOUT PATRICIA MILLER MAURO:
Patricia worked in New York City's financial district for thirteen years in the field of securities operations. At that time, she went on to obtain an MBA from New York University. She and her husband moved to DallasTX in 2001 where they are raising their two children.
 
During her time in NY, Patricia wrote an article entitled "A Tribute To My Mother" which was published in "The  Recovery Journal" in 1999. Her book is a continuation of that tribute and serves to spread the message to those in similar situations that good news is on its way to children considering a higher education but who are afraid to dream. For more information please visit, www.patriciamaurobooks.com.  

For the Blog Tour Schedule, please click on this link:  http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13380085

Tim Gunn in Conversation with Budd Mishkin by Tim Gunn


REVIEW:  Tim Gunn in Conversation with Budd Mishkin” by Tim Gunn – An Audio Book, 2008

Who doesn’t like Tim Gunn?  Everyone knows Tim Gunn from the television reality show, “Project Runway”, where he is a fashion mentor.  Who has not yet adapted his iconic saying in their life of “Make it work” in their lives?  After hearing Tim Gunn say this, again and again, who cannot help but to adapt this saying into your own lives on a daily basis?
In this book, Tim Gunn talks about his career at the “Parson’s School of Fashion Design” in Manhattan, New York.  Over time, the school finally changed it’s curriculum with thanks to Tim Gunn, and he goes into much detail about this change.  At first he was very worried about the changes needed, but he felt it so important to the success of the school and the students, his concern left.  He felt it vital for the school to change from having the students work as protégé’s to designers, thus hoping to then get jobs with these designers instead of going out on their own to work on ‘their own’ lines of fashion, thus showing clothing manufactures, other designers, and the public, just what the students’, now professionals working at their talents, showing what their strengths are.  Thus, the change for the better is now, “A major ‘WOW’ factor.”
This Audio Book was 1 ½ hours enjoyably long.  Tim Gunn talks about his career, the changes in his career, and the huge success of his career and how much it changed his life after the age of 50, and how shocked he was at that fact.
Now, by teaching the students to go out there on their own and to use their own talents with fashion, color, and the elementary foundations of constructing garments, they have that much more of an opportunity to make their own names for themselves.
“Project Runway” proves Tim’s point.  Each new season we see new Designer’s coming onto the show, proving to the world what they are and are not capable of.  Tim works on the show as a mentor.  Each week the designer’s compete against one another on a different challenge, and one student is sent home.  He goes on to further explain he has nothing to do with what students stay and who leaves, believe it or not.  He, himself, has been shocked at the judges’ decisions.  This show has become a most enjoyable show as we watch these new designers either make it or break it, even if we do or don’t agree, as well.
This was a very enjoyable book to listen to in Tim Gunn’s own voice.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fashion, is a fashion guru, or a fan of Tim Gunn.
Per the books description, Budd Mishkin  is the host of “One on 1 with Budd Mishkin”, a weekly series profiling prominent New Yorkers.
I chose to read this book on my own during the Blog Hop Giveaway, and the review is of my own opinion.  I bought it from Amazon for my Kindle.  It was only 95 cents to purchase it.  Tim has written several books.  If you go to Amazon and type his name in the search bar, many of his books will come up.  I also bought “Shaken, Not Stirred” by Tim Gunn and Adil Dara Kim.  It is a Kindle Single.  I have also done a review on Tim’s book called, “Gunn’s Golden Rules”, by Tim Gunn and Ada Calhoun.  I did that review possibly last December.  It is in my Blog Archive around that time.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

"Megan's Way" by Melissa Foster is FREE at Smashwords before the movie comes out!

"FREE" AT SMASHWORDS in honor of the movie! Get your copy to read FOR FREE! You want to read this before the movie comes out!  The movie is coming out SOON!  Click on the following link:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/62390
Let's thank the Author, Melissa Foster!!  THANK YOU!!!  
You can read my review from Thursday, June 30th!
HELP SPREAD THE WORD!!!

Lunch Reads Volume 1

This book I reviewed is 99 cents now at the Kindle Store!  MANY books, called "The Big Deal" are on sale from $0.99, $1.99, $2.99 and $3.99 through July 27th!  Catch them NOW while you can!
I was given a book to read, called "Lunchreads",  Volume 1, by Jenny Milchman, the author, which has two short stories in it, by two separate authors, one of them being this author, JennyMilchman, who is the author who asked me to review 'her' story, "The Very Old Man".  
I found this story to be very intriguing and suspenseful.  It is about a mother, Denise, with her nine month old baby girl, Bethie, were shopping in the grocery store when they met a very old, cold, shivery man.  This very old man gives the baby something she should not have.  The mother takes it away, and is very disturbed by this occurrence.  She talks to her husband about it, and he puts this thing away somewhere, kind of blowing off Denise's concern.   Strange things start to happen to them after that.   These don't seem to be coincidences, according to Denise.  She feels there is a curse on this thing.  Later in this story, they run into this same very old man again, who seems to be younger, moving easier, and sweating now instead of being so cold.  He has another gift for the baby.  Denise takes the stroller and starts to run away from this old man.  She looks back at him, and in his hand, again, is another of the same gift.  She runs faster.  This is not the end of this story.  Now it is up to you to read this story and fill in all I have not told you. There is so much more to this story . . .  but I won't give away  the good stuff! 
Jenny Milchman has a very talented and very descriptive writing style, not to mention her talent of putting great suspense into this short story.  I can't begin to imagine how great a novel will be by this author.  Once the novel she is working on is available for review, I'll be one of the first to ask her if I can read it for review!  An author this good is not one to pass up. 
I received this book for “FREE” from the Author, in exchange to read the book and write a review about the book.  It is NOT required for the review to be either positive or negative, but, “of my own opinion.”  I was provided with “NO” monies to accept this book, or to read and write a review for this book, except for the enjoyment of reading it.  The opinions expressed for and about this book are ‘of my own opinion’.  I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Laurie Here!
(Laurie Carlson)




“The Apothecary” by Samantha Jillian Bayarr

Claire’s mother, who was an orphan, passed away.  At her mother’s funeral, she finds out from a very attractive attorney, that her mother had left her a huge inheritance.  Meeting with this attorney one quick time, she does learn her inheritance is an Orphanage, the same orphanage that raised her mother, an Estate, which is a huge mansion, (supposedly haunted), complete with a Garden House in the back, and on a lake.  She was shocked and very skeptical about the whole matter and runs out of the attorney’s office.
Claire and her mother had lived in poverty her whole life, yet there was this huge inheritance that her mother had received, yet never taken advantage of, and now it would be Claire’s?  Her mother had never told her about this and why? “If” this were true, why then did they live the way they did?  Her mother was very happy working at a local diner as a waitress for years, but why didn’t she take advantage of this inheritance instead and never have to worry about money again?
Claire does all kinds of research on the internet, looking into newspaper articles and more about this Estate.  She finds out three children were murdered in this mansion shortly after their mother had passed away.  The children’s father was blamed for the murder of the children.  He happened to be a traveling salesman for the medicines he makes in his lab, The Apothecary, inside this mansion.
Claire also finds out there have been sightings of ghosts in the windows of the mansion, many sightings, which is what has given this mansion it’s reputation.  She feels as if something does exist there, and is apprehensive about ever stepping foot inside that mansion, much less take the place. 
Does Claire really want to inherit this place?  Does she want anything to do with this place?  Yes.
And, now, the story begins.
The Author, Samantha Jillian Bayarr writes an excellent story full of the Paranormal and Suspense.  Her words flow as she writes this remarkably interesting and can’t-put-down story.  While talking to her, she told me she had a lot of fun writing this story, and it was once of the most enjoyable stories she has written.
When an author says that about her own work, that she really enjoyed writing it, you can be assured this story is more than great!  I really enjoyed reading this story.  It flowed very nicely, the description of the events were vivid and clear, and it also felt as if you were the main character.  You could feel what Claire felt as this story went on.  I was sorry to see it end.
This was a book I chose to read after reading “A Secret In the Attic” written by this Author, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  At the end of the book, the author, Samantha Jillian Bayarr, gives us two chapters of ‘this’ book to read.  I was HOOKED!  I had to go to Amazon and buy this book!  So you know, you can purchase this book right here from my sight by clicking on the icon beside this review!  It only costs 99 cents!  It will probably be the BEST 99 cents you have EVER spent on a book!
Laurie Here!
(Laurie Carlson)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

"A Secret in the Attic" by Samantha Jillian Bayarr and KAREN KINGSBURY GIVEAWAY


REVIEW:  "A Secret in the Attic" by Samantha Jillian Bayar

A very intriguing and engaging story about a magic spell set by a jealous friend decades ago to ruin the lives of future generations of women in this family wanting to marry the loves of their lives.  Oh, they can marry, but the consequences are not what they desire.
Amy's Grandmother had just given her the bookstore and coffee shop she owned for her twenty-first birthday.  Her Grandmother,   now retired, sets off to travel with a friend.  Amy, now the owner, is left to run both shops.
One day a very handsome man walks into the shop.  Even though Amy is engaged, she becomes friends with this man and falls passionately in love with him, and he, with her.      
They decide to marry, that is, until one day when Amy finds a book in the attic with both her and her fiancés names written in it.  Just what was this book?  There were other women’s names from the family written in it whom she recognizes as she reads the rest of it.  There is more.  It also has some sort of spell stating that whoever’s name appears in this book is ‘Subject to the curse of the Widowed Bride’?  What is this?  Is this a curse?  Is this a joke?  Who did this?  Who got in this attic and wrote her name in this book?
It’s time to call Grandma.  Amy needs help and fast.
This was a very good book.  The author wrote this in a very engaging way.  The plot was laid out very well and the characters were well developed.  This story keeps your interest because once you start reading this story, you are not going to stop.  You can’t.  You have to know how this turns out.
Even though the description of the story is written above, it is very sketchy and there are no spoilers.  There is so much more to this story that it will surprise you.  It is well worth your time to read this enjoyable book.
I won this Ebook as a Giveaway from the Freedom Hop Giveaway we just had, from the Publisher, Livingston Hall Publishers.  This is the first Urban Fantasy I have ever read.  I enjoyed it very much.  I will have to stretch further and read more.  As a matter of fact, in the back of the book, the author has included the first two chapters of another book she has written, called “The Apothecary”.  Well, I already went to Amazon and downloaded the Ebook!  Check it out.  Both books are only 99 cents.
Laurie Carlson

ANNOUNCEMENT - DON'T FORGET!!
***KAREN KINGSBURY BLOG TOUR -  ***GIVEAWAY*** - NOW through Sunday, July 17th, ALL DAY until 11:59pm.
What?  The UNREAD 'ARC' of her NEW Release, "Learning", book 2 in the Bailey Flanigan series!  I read the Ebook instead to preserve 'this' book for you!
CLICK ON THE GIVEAWAY TAB TO ENTER!   Scroll down here on the Home Page to Read my Review.  Good Luck!




Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Wednesday Read-A-Thon Update!

Hello Everyone!
Here is my last, final update for the Read-A-Thon. I will also post my CHALLENGE after posting the books.
I LOVED this Read-A-Thon! I hope we do this again, and would LOVE to do it more than twice a year!
I will be doing a Read-A-Thon for ONE day through Goodreads.  I need to choose my date and sign it up.
I really am going to miss this, all the comradeship with the other Bloggers, too.  This was SO enjoyable. I really look forward to the next one!
I WILL be posting actual'Reviews' of all the books I have read. I am just putting a little synopsis of what each book was about in one sentence.
Here is what I read today with photos. The first book I started last night and finished early this morning.

"Safe From the Past" by Patricia Miller Mauro.  Very good book about a woman who grew up very poor and was determined to get her Bachelor's Degree so she would NEVER have to rely on the things her mother had to do in order to keep a roof over her and her sister's head while they were growing up.  Very inspiring.

Life is Not a Candy Store, It's the Way to the Candy Store by Tal Yanal
quick synopsis: A Spiritual Guide to the Road of Life for Teens
Great book for the younger or NEW teen before the 'Teen Angst' sets in! (From experience!)

"Birds Can Fly and So Can I, A Giraffe Soars from Dream to Reality" by Nao Nimrodi and Illustrated by Tamir Lichtenberg - Children's Book   This is a BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED BOOK!  WOW!  This is the only photo I could find.  This book is NOT worthy of the Kindle edition.  I read the 'review book'.  The story in this book is phenomenal in teaching children to reach for their dreams and the illustrations are GORGEOUS and NEED to be had in the book form to appreciate the beauty.


Tim Gunn in Conversation with Budd Mishkin by Tim Gunn.  This was the FIRST Audio Book I have ever 'listened to'!  VERY good.  I LOVE Tim Gunn!  Make it Work!

And, last, but not least, a book I won from the Freedom Hop Giveaway!


"A Secret in the Attic" by Samantha Jillian Bayarr. Yes, the Kindle Edition.  Very good book.  Very interesting.

You will all have to watch for my reviews of these books over the coming week.

The CHALLENGE:  Today is my mini-challenge for the Once Upon a Time Read-a-thon!! I'm hoping to make this one easy for you.  Anyone who talks to me on Twitter knows that I simply live for book recommendations and getting someone to read a book I recommend is awesome. Even better though, is having that someone turn around and tell me how much they loved it.  Because I'm such a fan of book recommendations, I want you to recommend books to me. I want you to recommend 2 books to me.


(This challenge is being sponsored by:  http://www.basicallyamazing.blogspot.com  Please visit her Blog!!!

The first is any book of your choice. Pick any book you want and tell me and the world why it should be read and loved.


***My answer:  I recommend "The Story of Beautiful Girl, a Novel" by Rachel Simon. This, by far, has been my FAVORITE book of the year so far,  Why?  This story is so captivating and keeps you turning the pages because you want to find out what is going to happen next.  The reason this is such a page turner is this story takes place in the late 1960's when a Caucasian woman, (Lynnie), and an African American male, (Homan) breaks out of  a school which is more like a prison, called 'The School for the Incurable and Feebleminded'.  They break out and run away as fast as they can.  They need to get away.  They start looking for the 'right house' to stop at,  They look and look, and finally approach one.  An elderly woman, a Widow, answers the door, and takes them in.  At first she is afraid of these two people because she doesn't know what they want.  Both of the people cannot seem to be able to communicate.   She brings them in and gets them a drink.  As she brings them their drink, she sees they are holding a newborn baby.  Now she has somewhat of an idea what has happened.  She cares for these people, lets them shower and gives them fresh clothing to wear, and helps with the newborn.  Shortly after this, the Authorities come knocking on her door.  Right before they take Lynnie into custody, Lynnie hides the baby and hands it to the Widow so no one can see, and she whispers to her saying "Hide her."  Homan runs and escapes. 
The rest of the book continues on about all of these people's lives, and the lives of the people who are associated with them.  What happens to the Widow and the baby?  What happens to Lynnie as she is taken into custody,  What happens to Homan?  Does he escape?  Is he found?  This is a page turner.  There are so many unanswered questions, this book does not let you down at all while reading it.  This book continues on with the rest of the story.  There is never a lull in the book.  It is so good.  It is such a story of love.  Pure love.

The second is what you would pick as your favorite of the read-a-thon. You can chose to answer this question now, during the third day, or I'll give you one extra day to give that book just waiting to be picked up a chance. :)
My answer:  My favorite book out of the Read-A-Thon books is:  The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  This book also takes place during the 1960's Civil Right Movement.  Down south in Jackson, Mississippi, Skeeter comes home from college.  She now has her degree and is done.  She wants to be a writer.  She looks for a job at the local newspaper and gets one writing a column about housekeeping.  She has never kept house, as her family has always had a black maid to do it all.  She goes to one of the maids she knows, who had worked for her family at one time to get advice.  While she does this, she had previously talked with an Editor at a large, prestigious Publishing House who gave her some advice about writing.  Write a story which you have emotion/passion about.  Skeeter finds out the maid who was working for her family has disappeared and no one will talk about her and tell her why or what happened.  She starts to get angry.  Skeeter has just figured out what her 'passion' is that she wants to write about.  She wants to write a story from 'The Help's' perspective.  She interviews as many maids as she can, which was no easy feat.  She eventually does publish a book about 'The Help', which causes chaos, a HUGE uproar.
This book is not disappointing at all.  It, as well, keeps you turning the pages.  You want to know more about everything, especially the outcome.  This is 'A Book of the Year' as well.  It's being turned into a movie which will be released in August!  I wanted to read the book before the movie came out as I wanted to know the real story behind the movie.
If you do go to read this book, be careful you do not buy the 'movie-adapted' book.  The book you want is yellow with Swallow birds on the front cover.  WELL worth the read!


The book I did NOT get to read, which I am dying to read is "Never Knowing" by Chevy Stevens-The Best Selling Author of Still Missing.  The cover photo of the book is below.
I did start the first few pages.  It is 410 pages.  I don't know if I can get it read by Friday, tomorrow?  This size book usually takes me 2 days. Although, I can tell you the first few pages just sucked me right in.  She is in her Therapist's office, as this is how this story is told, through sessions at her Therapists.  She is talking about how she found her birth mother and her birth mother was 'afraid' of her.  She doesn't understand why. 
On the back of the book, it says:  A breathtaking and complex novel about one woman's search to find her birth mother - only to discover the terror and horror in which she was conceived - and that her birth father is still on the loose.  
Inside the front cover:  When her birth mother rejects her, she discovers her biological father is an infamous killer who's been hunting women every summer for more than 30 years.  Soon she realizes the only thing worse than finding out your father is a killer is him finding out about you.


This books sounds SOOO good!  Who thinks I should buy and read the ebook so I can raffle 'this' book off?  This book is an ARC.  What I wrote above about inside the front cover may be al little different than the published version, as well as the back cover.  Tell me in COMMENTS!!!




Thanks everyone!!
Laurie 

Tuesday, July 12, 2011


TUESDAY, JULY 12th!!!  UPDATES ON THE READ-A-THON!!!  AND, A CHALLENGE I AM DOING!!!  UH-0H!!!


During our Read-A-Thon, there are Challenges we participants can participate in!!  Here is one I chose to do!!  You can see where this Challenge came from in the next paragraph below!  The Bookish Type!  Click on the link and it will take you right to her site!  Okay, the next paragraph also tells us what to do, as well, so, here I go!!


READING CHALLENGE:  From: http://www.thebookishtype.blogspot.com
Your challenge, if you choose to accept it:

Pick any book from your readathon pile and write a fake synopsis based solely on the cover. The synopsis does not have to be related to the actual book at all, just the pretty, pretty cover.



I am choosing the book I finished this morning!!  It's called "Chasing Amanda" by Melissa Foster!  It will be a Blog Tour Stop on my Blog on August 4th!  It will run through Sunday, August 7th!!  ENTER to win a GIVEAWAY of this book as an "Ebook"! I don't know what area it covers yet, but for sure the U.S. and maybe Canada?  I don't know as I have to check with Melissa!  It will be posted on my Blog!  Make SURE to mark your Calendars!!!





See this Amazon photo of the Kindle Ebook of  "Megan's Way", by Melissa Foster!  It is being filmed into a MOVIE this summer!!!  It has won ALL kind of awards!! You can see the Ebook here from Amazon showing ALL the awards it was up for and WON!  Check out my Blog for the review and an Author Interview!  
Melissa Foster is on Twitter and found a website for women called http://www.thewomensnest.com   EXCELLENT website!  There is SO much on the website, including a Book Club!  Melissa interacts with her readers SO much, too!  MORE so than ANY other author I know!  Not ONLY is she  BRILLIANT author, Melissa is a GEM of a person!  Once you get to know her, you will LOVE her!  Both books are completely different, yet SO good!  The sign of a BRILLIANT author, just like I said above!  5 Stars by far for BOTH books!



Chasing Amanda is really about a little girl who is kidnapped.  The main character in this book, Molly, sees visions and sees this little girl in obscured visions in very bad circumstances.  She is determined to find this little girl, unlike when her own daughter had been kidnapped years ago, and found dead.  She will NOT allow the same thing happen to this little girl, Amanda!
I will be writing a review on this book and posting it on August 4th on my Blog! It is SOOOO good!
Anyway, 'this' is the book I am going to go do for the Challenge!!!  Here goes!!!


CHALLENGE:
Pick any book from your readathon pile and write a fake synopsis based solely on the cover. The synopsis does not have to be related to the actual book at all, just the pretty, pretty cover.


This poor little girl is dressed in clothes from the local Thrift Store,  She is really sad because the kids at school make fun of her clothes.  One day she decides she is going to run away into the woods and never come home!  She gets to the edge of the woods, and her brother yells out loud to her, "There are monsters in there!  They live in the woods!"  The little girl stops and looks back at her brother with a questioning look on her face, and she says "No there aren't!  You are teasing me!"  Her brother says, "There are big, ugly and mean monsters that eat little girls up!  You can't run away into the woods!" The little girl says back to her brother, "You are lying!  I'm still running away!  Everybody makes fun of me and calls me a Flower Child!  I don't even know what that means?  I have flowers on my dress, and a lot of my clothes have flowers on them, but my Mommy is not a flower so I'm not a flower child!  I'm still running away!"  The little girl turns back to the woods and starts to run into them.  Her brother, knowing she can't run away, goes after her.  He can't find her.  He can't find her anywhere.  She is gone. Now what is he going to tell his parents?  He turns around to start walking back out of the woods to go tell his parents.  He can't believe how far into the woods he went.  All of a sudden there is a . . . 


There we go!  My Synopsis using a beautiful book cover!  I hope it's okay?  I've NEVER done anything like this before! This is the FUN part of Challenges!  Doing things you have never done before!  It stretches you!  Your imagination!  The first 'baby steps' to writing!



I DID finish "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett today!!!  I will be posting my review on The Help in a few days!


**Now I am starting a new book called "Safe From the Past" by Patricia Miller Mauro.  This is a review book, and I WILL be giving this away as UNREAD!!  I bought the Ebook so I can preserve this book for YOU!  It comes with a little Swag!  It will be on a Blog Tour stopping on my Blog from Friday, July 22nd to Thursday, July 28th!  My review of this book will be posted then!  
Make SURE to mark your Calendars for these dates so you can ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!!


Be SURE to enter the GIVEAWAY I HAVE GOING ON NOW!!!!  The upper left hand corner shows Karen Kingsbury's NEW RELEASE called "Learning"!!  Book 2 in the Bailey Flanigan series!!! I have the unread ARC to give away!!  I read the Ebook! So this one's for YOU!  See my Policies and Procedures tab for rules for entering!  Now go on over to the ***GIVEAWAY TAB*** that is for Karen Kingsbury's book 'Learning'!!! Good Luck!!!  I wish everyone GOOD LUCK!!!


I'll see you tomorrow for MORE updates here on my Blog and the Read-A-Thon!!! We'll see what Challenges are running tomorrow!!
Thank you SO much for stopping by my Blog!!!
Laurie

Read-A-Thon Update!!!



Hello!
FAST UPDATE!!!  Monday, July 11th!!!!  "Just" before midnight!!! (I just checked it and it posted at 'exactly' Midnight! UGH! ONE minute shy of staying on Monday!
Today I am a little past half-way through Chasing Amanda by Melissa Foster!  It's GREAT!!!  Heading towards the shower and after that I am finishing "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett!  I know!  I bought it and posted about it and it is SOOO good! But other books had to be read for Blog Tours and I had to put it down!  Planning on reading for a few more hours tonight before I go to bed!  Bedtime tonight will probably be about 3:00 am!!!  That's okay!  I LOVE this Read-A-Thon!!!
I updated on Twitter tonight!  Look for Hashtag #OUreadathon on Twitter and @laurieisreading is my Twitter handle!
Happy Reading!!!

Looking forward to tomorrow!!!  I have a LOT of shorter books I need to read and write reviews on and would like to get them done!  I'll keep you posted!!  '2' days left to our Read-A-Thon!!  I LOVE this!!! Devoting our days to 'just' reading!!!
Happy Reading!!!
Laurie