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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween!



Happy Halloween to all!!!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

'The Forever Queen'- Sourcebooks Fall Reading Club Pick and Book Club Chat

Good Evening Fellow Book Lovers!

I wanted to let those of you who enjoy great historical fiction know about the kickoff for The Forever Queen, which is Sourcebooks Fall Reading Club pick. Starting on Monday you can visit the blogs listed below and read their reviews. 

Also, the Book Club Chat will be on The Bibliophilic’s Book Blog on Monday, November 22, from 7-9pm EST. Please join us whenever you can. Helen will also be chiming in from the UK!!



The Forever Queen Schedule
1-Nov
2-Nov
3-Nov
4-Nov
5-Nov
weekend
8-Nov
9-Nov
10-Nov
11-Nov
12-Nov
weekend
15-Nov
16-Nov
17-Nov
18-Nov
19-Nov
weekend
22-Nov

Thursday, October 28, 2010

'Jane and the Damned' by Janet Mullany TLC Book Stop

Genre: Jane Austen spinoff Fiction

About:(From TLC) In 1797, when aspiring novelist Jane Austen becomes one of the Damned, the beautiful, fashionable, sexy vampires of Georgian England. more

Why I wanted to read this book:

  • I love all things Austen and wanted to see if I could believe this story about Jane becoming a vampire.
What worked/and didn't work for me:
  • To be frank...not much. I just couldn't buy into the whole Jane is a damned vampire idea. I had a hard time envisioning her with blood dripping down her face. The story was slow and very uninspiring.
  • I'm sure this was supposed to be a 'tongue in cheek' variation, but I found myself not being able to give a darn about anyone in the story..least of all my beloved Jane.
  • The final chapter..whew..it was over!
Recommend? Not to my friends, but I might recommend this one to the YA crowd out there. Especially if they know next to nothing about Jane Austen.

My Rating: 2.5/5 Make sure you check out the other tour stops so that you may read more opinions than just mine about Jane and the Damned.


Thank you to TLC Book Tours. for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.





About Janet Mullany

Janet Mullany was reared in England on a diet of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, and now lives near Washington, D.C. She has worked as an archaeologist, waitress, draftsperson, radio announcer, performing arts administrator, proofreader, and bookseller.
Connect with Janet:
• On her website
• On Twitter: @Janet_Mullany
• On Facebook



Please visit the other tour stops HERE.


© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, 
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
  • Pub. Date: January 2011
  • Publisher: Random House Publishing
I so can not wait for the release of this book...
the only downside is that it will be the end of the series!!!
What book are you waiting for????

Monday, October 25, 2010

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What are you Reading?


Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Avis- She Reads and reads (October Host)
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.

 The False Friend-Shelf Awareness book
Daily Guideposts 2011- review book
To Fetch a Thief- review book from Atria
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.


Read and reviewed last week:
The Thorn (Rose Trilogy #1) by Beverly Lewis- loved it!! 4.75/5
Hummingbirds by Joshua Gaylord- very surprising read 4/5
Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange- I love Mr. Darcy 5/5
Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker by Syrie James- an enjoyable read 4/5

Tentative reviews for this week:
Jane and the Damned- TLC tour book stop on Thursday

On my nightstand:

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Six Sentence Saturday- it's been a long time!

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.
Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.
At the end of each review I will post a
rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.
Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!
4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.
3 of Hearts- Happy that I read it...a good read.

2 of Hearts- Just O.K but nothing to write home about.
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)

Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange
This was my first reading experience with Amanda Grange but it certainly will not be my last. I so enjoyed reading a book written from Darcy's POV. It was refreshing, witty, and enlightening. I think she captured the essence of Mr. Darcy and it translated very well with the relationship on paper. One of the best things about reading a P&P variation is that the prim and proper feeling is whisked away and the reader gets to delve into the steamier aspects of Darcy and Elizabeth's love affair...I liked this very much! If you're looking for another P&P variation to add to your list and you can't get enough of Darcy, then I strongly recommend this book for you!
My Rating:







Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker by Syrie James
I adore James' writing and eagerly looked forward to reading this one as soon as it was released. I do wish that I hadn't read 'Dracula in Love' before this one because I kept making unfair comparisons and 'Dracula in Love' kept winning. This was a good read and I enjoyed my time that I spent in Mina's world. I liked her spin on the Dracula story as well, but I needed more passion from Mina, especially when it came to Dracula. Overall, when I closed the cover for the last time I felt satisfied with the story and was glad that I spent some time reading this book.
My Rating:

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

'Hummingbirds' by Joshua Gaylor (TLC Tour Stop)

Genre:  Fiction

About:(From TLC) Hummingbirds is a wonderfully compelling novel about the intertwining and darkly surprising relationships at the elite Carmine-Casey School for Girls on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where the rivalries and secrets of teachers and students intersect and eventually collide.

Why I wanted to read this book:
  • I was totally intrigued by the dynamics of an all-girls school and seeing it from the male teacher perspective.
What worked for me:
  • Have you ever read a book that you really really liked, but yet you had an incredibly hard time describing it well enough to someone else so that they would be excited about it too?? Yep, this is one of those books.
  • Call me crazy, but about 50 pages into this book I was vividly reminded of the movie 'The Virgin Suicides.' There is just 'something' about this story involving the intimate relationships of girls and the boys/men that they let into their world which made me draw parallels from that movie to this book.
  • I liked the two male characters. Each was very different, yet I felt that they had much in common. I don't want to delve too deeply into their relationship because I truly feel that the reader needs to experience it and draw their own conclusions. I think their relationship is my favorite part of the book.
  • The title is apt and just. I thought the author made great connections between the women/girl's behavior and how a hummingbird behaves. There is also this humming throughout the book of something sinister or bad that will occur.
  • The crushes on the teachers were spot on. I've experienced a few of them myself, even though I never took one as far as some of the girls in this story, I understood that 'secret thrill' of having the teacher look at you in a way that isn't entirely innocent, but it wasn't perverted either.
What you should do before reading this book:
  • Read the P.S. Insights, Interviews, and More...I sometimes like to read this first because I've found that it helps set the tone of the story for me and sort of puts me in the mindset of the author. I loved Gaylord's essay on "Being a Student." I too loved school and learning and had a few great teachers who made an impact on me. For that I will be forever grateful. 
  • A Soundtrack for Hummingbirds- Listen to the songs (but don't read the reasons why he picked them, save that until after you finish the book) that Gaylord's selected as a soundtrack to this book. I've never heard of any of them until tonight and I can honestly say that it made the book even more meaningful for me. In fact, I loved the songs so much that I'm going to add them to my iTouch soon. Reading his thoughts on why he picked each song allowed me more insight into the characters that he created.
Recommend? I would recommend this one to my friends. It's quirky, weird, but yet excellent. The worst thing that can happen is that my friend doesn't like it as much as I did. But the best outcome is that they really enjoyed it and could actually understand why I had such a hard time putting my thoughts into cohesive sentences!!!

My Rating: 4/5


Thank you to TLC Book Tours. for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.





About Joshua Gaylord

Joshua Gaylord lives in New York with his wife, the Edgar-award-winning novelist Megan Abbott (The Song Is You, Queenpin, Bury Me Deep). For the past nine years, he has taught high school English at an Upper East Side prep school (a modern orthodox co-educational Yeshiva). Since 2002, he has also taught literature and cultural studies courses as an adjunct professor at the New School. Prior to coming to New York, he grew up in the heart of Orange County: Anaheim, home of Disneyland. He graduated from Berkeley with a degree in English and a minor in creative writing, where his instructors included Bharati Mukherjee, Leonard Michaels and Maxine Hong Kingston. In 2000, he received his Master’s and Ph.D. in English at New York University, specializing in twentieth-century American and British literature.
Visit Joshua at his website, www.joshuagaylord.com.


Please visit the other tour stops HERE.


© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

'The Thorn (Rose Trilogy Book 1)' by Beverly Lewis

Genre: Amish Fiction

About: (From Beverly Lewis' website)
The Rose Trilogy is the stirring saga of two Amish sisters, and the events and decisions that change their lives.Spirited Rose Ann Kauffman has long enjoyed a close friendship with the bishop's rebellious foster son. Rose's older sister, Hen--who knows more than she should about falling for the wrong man--cautions her against him, but Rose is being courted by another, and so dismisses the warnings. Hen Kauffman Orringer's impulsive marriage to an outsider divided her from the People, a decision she regrets now that she has a daughter of her own. As Hen struggles to reclaim aspects of Amish culture, her very modern husband pushes back, and the two soon come to an impasse. Can she find a way to reconcile her longing for the Old Ways with the life she has chosen?


Why I wanted to read this book:

  • I believe that no one does Amish fiction like Beverly Lewis and whenever she has a new book I'm the first on the list of requests!!
What worked for me:
  •  I absolutely loved the premise of the storyline for this trilogy. I think Lewis is really taking risks in this book and writing about taboo subjects within the Amish culture and shedding some light on them.
  •  Lewis portrays the Amish as real humans, not saints and that is why I really enjoy her books.
  •  Many of us have went against our parent's wishes, but few of us are ever shut out of a way of life because of it. I'm intrigued by how strictly the Amish adhere to their customs, even though they themselves may not agree with what the Bishop dictates, they nonetheless follow it.
  • The sister relationship in this book has many different layers. I loved both girls, Hen and Rose. I could easily understand how Hen's falling in love with an outsider made her make a rash decision to leave her Amish roots behind her. It isn't until she has her own child that she realizes something very important is lacking in her life and the life she wants her daughter to live.
  • I can not wait until the next installment because I really need to know what is going to happen with Hen's marriage and Rose's love interests!!
  • I have found myself just a smidgen in love with Nick who is the Bishop's foster son. He remembers enough of his previous English life that prevents him from embracing the Amish way of life.
What didn't work for me:
  • I thought that Lewis made Hen's husband too much of a jerk. I can understand how he may be upset because she wants to start dressing plain again, but he takes it to an extreme that borders on abusive. 
Recommend? If you love Amish fiction then absolutely make sure you read this one. I've read all of Beverly's books and I can say that this one is my favorite of them all and I believe the next two will be outstanding!!!

My Rating: 4.75/5

SourceMy public library
The Thorn, Rose Trilogy Book 1
By Beverly Lewis
Published: September 1, 2010 Bethany House

 
© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What Are you reading?


Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Avis- She Reads and reads (October Host)
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.



So Now you're a Zombie: A Handbook for the Newly Undead- review book for Marc from Chicago Review Press
The Blessings of the Animal- from the generous Mary @ Bookfan
The Wife's Tale (audio) - from Mary @ Bookfan
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.

Read and reviewed last week:
The House by Anjuelle Floyd- disappointing read 2.75/5
Death of a Glutton by M.C. Beaton- loved it!! 4/5

Tentative reviews for this week:
The Thorn (Book 1) by Beverly Lewis- Tuesday
Hummingbirds- TLC Tour Stop on Wednesday
Six Sentence Saturday books-
Dracula, My Love
Mr. Darcy's Diary
On my nightstand:

Friday, October 15, 2010

Fitness Friday Update #9



What I've been doing:
I've been eating my emotions that's what I've been doing!! I've had a few things happen in the past couple of weeks where I've found myself very upset and then the next thing I know I'm eating something that is totally not healthy for me but yet tastes so damn good! I've recognized this behavior and I'm really working on trying to make sure that instead of eating chocolate or something greasy, I either go for a walk or do something that is a healthy choice, not a destructive one. I have been walking more too which is a good thing!


Weight Watchers and Me:
I'm going to post some pictures of the mac/cheese that I'm going to make this weekend. It's a Hungry Girl recipe and let me tell you...it rocks!! My son loves it and that's a good thing. I made my first spaghetti squash ever the other day and that was pure bliss!!! I'm working my points and really trying to incorporate some new foods into my daily menu. I'm trying not to get too excited, but I'm only 7 pounds from my goal weight!!!!


Starting weight: 171
3/19/10: 168
4/1/10: 166
4/16/10: 164
4/23/10: 162
5/14/10: 161
5/28/10: 159
6/11/10: 155
6/25/10: 153
9/10/10: 153
10/15/10: 147

Thursday, October 14, 2010

'Death of a Glutton' by M.C. Beaton

Genre: Cozy Mystery

About: (From Goodreads)
A greedy glutton meets a gruesome end in the latest Hamish Macbeth mystery. When the woman is found dead--and an apple stuck unceremoniously in her mouth--Macbeth has to postpone his wooing of the Tommel Castle Hotel proprietress, Priscilla, in order to solve the case.

Why I wanted to read this book:

  • Several of my blogging buddies love cozy mysteries and this author. I found a bunch of them for 25 cents each last year at my library sale..I bought all that they had!!
What worked for me:
  • The witty writing!! It will certainly keep me coming back for more.
  • Hamish- I like him and am cheering on his love sickness for Priscilla!!
  • The setting of the story- Northern Scotland
  • The characters- funny, eccentric, but yet so believable!!
  • It was a fast 176 pages.

What didn't work for me:
  • I enjoyed it all..just a fun read!
Recommend?  Yes, especially to those that love cozies!! The ending has left me wondering though if the real killer was actually caught!!! You know that feeling of finding out you've been bamboozled??? That's how I felt in the end and I'm still wondering if this particular person got away with murder!! P.S. I read this totally out-of-order...I know can you believe it? And it was o.k. I never felt like I missed out on a thing!!

My Rating: 4/5

Source:  My own shelves

© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

'The House' by Anjuelle Floyd

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

About: (From author's website)
On receiving the very thing she wants—a divorce and the power to sell their house—over which they have fought the past year—Anna Manning learns that Edward, her soon-to-be ex-husband is dying from cancer.

Why I wanted to read this book:

  • I was contacted by the author to see if I would like to read and review her book. I'm always interested in reading new authors so I welcomed the opportunity.
What worked for me:
  •  The storyline drew me in and made me think what would I do in that situation. I can say that if I was married to the person as long as this character was I think I would have done the same thing.
  • The drama between the family members felt very real. Especially the kids taking sides and going so far as to halt all communication with the other parent.
What didn't work for me:
  • As hard as I tried I just never felt connected to Anna. I liked her but that wasn't enough for me to really enjoy this book.
  • I had a hard time feeling compassion for the dying husband. He held on to his bitterness way too long for me to feel sympathy.
  • I felt that the emotions were still on the surface level. The author needed to go deeper for me.
Recommend?  This isn't a book that I would rave about to my friends. I didn't feel satisfied when I finished reading it and not connecting with any of the characters just turned me off. I feel extremely bad about how this book turned out for me, because I know how much time, love, and devotion this author poured into her story. Please keep in mind that this is just my opinion. I would read this author again because I believe in second chances.

My Rating: 2.75/5

Because of my low rating I feel the need to post links from other blogger's who read this one and enjoyed it. Please visit this site so that you get a balanced look at this novel. (if you've read/reviewed this one please send me your link!)
Mind Fog Reviews rated this one 5/5

Source:  the author, Anjuelle Floyd
The House
By Anjuelle Floyd


 
© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday..What are you reading?


Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Avis- She Reads and reads (October Host)
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.

 

The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy- Sourcebooks for review
Hummingbirds- TLC Tour Stop Oct. 20
It's a Book- a gift in the mail from Bonnie @ Redlady's Reading Room
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.

Read and reviewed last week:
Take a Chance on Me- loved this cheeky British Women's Lit 4/5
Running Around (and Such)- made me want to run away screaming 2/5

Tentative reviews for this week:
The House by Anjuelle Floyd- Tuesday
Purple Jesus- Thursday (hopefully!)
Fitness Friday Update- I really will post one I promise!! My husband took my laptop to work on Thursday night so I had no way to do my post..boo hoo!
Six Sentence Saturday books-
I Heart You, You Haunt Me (YA)
Dracula, My Love

On the nightstand:





Sunday, October 10, 2010

24 Hour RAT- Hours 12-24 Update

Spartan Celebration went well into the wee hours of the morning while I did the following:
  • started book 2 but somewhere around 11:15 or so I fell asleep on the couch with my book.
  • Woke up around 2 am, rolled over and went back to sleep!!
  • Got up at 6:30 am, made a pot of coffee, and finished book 2.
  • As soon as I post this I'm going for an early morning walk with Bruce.
  • Mowing the lawn (hopefully for the last time) later today.
  • Laundry
  • Being outside to enjoy the day. According to our weather guy it is supposed to be around 80 degrees today!!!!!!!!!
Whatever you do today, enjoy it, embrace life and keep that smile on your face!!!!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

RAT Hours 5-12 Update

        
What I've been up to during these hours:
  • watching MSU play like the winners they are!
  • eating soup
  • running my son to his dinner party before the dance
  • running another child to the dance 
  • finally sitting down to watch the DVRd' version of the football game
  • Books completed: 1
  • Up next to read: Death of a Glutton by M.C. Beaton



HOMECOMING DANCE PICTURES

The boys posing as male models
Marc and Shelby



Marc and Collin- brothers from other mothers

Do yourself a favor and click on the above link- this soup is delicious!

RAT Hours 1-4 Update

What I've done so far today:
  • Completed 1 book ~ Mr. Darcy's Diary
  • went for a ride with my son on the RZR...what a gorgeous day outside!!!
  • Getting ready to start making my soup because in less than 2 hours the GAME will be starting!
  • Haven't decided yet what I will read next. 
Hope everyone is having fun so far!!!

Let the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon begin!!

Plans for today:
  • Start my morning off right with some coffee, blueberry muffins, and a little Darcy on the side!
  • Running to the greenhouse to pick up a corsage and then to the library
  • Make Tuscan Bean soup and get in some more reading
  • Watch the Michigan vs. Michigan State game- Go Spartans!
  • Take my son to a friend's house where all the boys and girls are meeting up before the Homecoming Dance tonight. They're having dinner. I will take lots of photos!!
  • See my husband off to work and get back to reading.
  • Popping in every once in a while to see how my buddies are doing!!
HAVE FUN TODAY!!