Mini Challenge #3

  From: 'Til We Read Again

 And The Nominees Are....

*** This challenge is for the participants in Deweys 24 Hour Read A Thon Only***

Welcome to Hour 3 Mini Challenge. I will be your host:) This challenge is just for fun.  Listed below is a series of questions. Please put your nominees for the following categories.

Please list the books in which the characters reside;)

Favorite Female Character in a book: Elizabeth Bennett Pride and Prejudice
Favorite Male Character in a book: Quentin Jacobsen Paper Towns
Favorite Side Kick in a book: Grandma - Stephanie Plum Series
Favorite Couple in a Book: Jamie and Clair Fraser- Outlander Series
Favorite Book Series: Harry Potter
Favorite Author: Jane Austen
Favorite Book Cover: The Grand Sophy
Favorite Book of 2009: The Road

Mini Challenge 2: Miss Remmer's

TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM MISS REMMER'S BLOG POST:
Hey Readathoners!  Look at you early birds coming in on the first Mini Challenge of the Dewey Readathon.  You have probably been up and reading for while now and need a little mini challenge break to get the blood flowing again. 

In this challenge we would like you to write a post on your blogs about your kick off strategy.  What have you surrounded yourself with for these early hours of the challenge besides your books?  Is there a coffee thermos, lucky book mark, snacks, pillow....  We want to know how you have prepared so you do not have to leave your cozy reading space (by the way - we'd like to know what is too.... (are you still in bed, a chair, the couch.....)

Have fun with this - you can take pictures... add a video - whatever you want for your kick off post!  I am excited to go and see what each of you come up with!  :)

Write your post on your blog and then come back and link to your post here using McKLinky.  This challenge is 3 hours long and after it ends at 11am, a winner will be chosen by using Random.org and they will be sent by email a $15 Amazon Gift Card.


I'm boring....I had my morning coffee, and then my delicious breakfast of peanut butter and jelly on toast. Now I'm chugging on my Diet Coke and thinking about lunch...which I think may consist of tomato soup and garlic cheese bread...yum!  I just have my laptop, book, pen, paper, and of course my cell phone surrounding my cozy spot on the couch!!! I am doing laundry while I'm reading...gives me chances to get away from the couch and stretch!!

Hour 1: Mini Challenge

Where are you reading from today? I grabbed a bunch of YA books that I've been wanting to make time for!!

3 facts about me … I will pick books over clothes any day, I love to scrapbook, I wanted to be a medical examiner at one time in my life!

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? 15 I think????

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? Just to have fun, visit as many blogs possible while cheering!!

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time? PACE YOURSELF!! take breaks, walk around, nap, eat...and enjoy!

And we're off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

24 HOUR READ-A-THON

I'm ready...have my coffee, my notebook, my reading glasses, and my first book The Hunger Games. Let's have fun everyone and remember it's not a race to see who can read the most, but rather a day to unite around the world in honor of Dewey!!! So, relax and just go with the flow!!! Thanks to all of the people behind the scenes that make this happen every year....You're Awesome!!!

Making my plans for the Dewey Read-a-Thon!

I love the 24 hour Read-a-Thon...this will be my 3rd year and it's so cool knowing that all over the world there are crazy people just like me who are reading, blogging, cheering, sleeping, eating, making lists, crossing things off their lists, rubbing their eyes, and doing all of this with big cheesy grins on our faces!!

Here is the picture of my stack of anticipated reads...yes, I always start out very optimistic....
 

 Top of the pile to the bottom:
Before I Fall
Darklight (book 2 in the series)
Tree Girl
Hush
I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This
Feather
FableHaven
Out of My Mind
The Hunger Games
Uglies
Amaranth Enchantment

I believe that I will start the day with The Hunger Games because I feel like I'm the last person on Planet Earth that hasn't read it...after that I would like to read Before I Fall and Darklight as they are due back to my public library very soon!!! My pile is once again all YA. I find them to be fast, gripping, and fun reads most of the time. Up next for me today, is to visit my library...have several to return and 4 to pick up!!! And then I will get my groceries for the week and fun stuff for tomorrow!! I have purposefully not used my extra WW points for the week so that I can eat whatever I want tomorrow and just enjoy my day. This will be the first time though that I will have to stay inside and read. The weather forecast is dismal...cold, no sun, high winds, and temps maybe reaching 63 degrees!!  I'll be cheering again and this year will be so much better for me as I now have high speed and I feel positive that I can visit so many more people during my appointed time!! I might even be able to make it through the whole 24-hours....I have to pick up my son from the Amtrak station around 12:45 am Sunday morning which will help keep me awake during the times that I so just want to sleep. I always bring a book while I'm waiting for the train so I'll still be able to get some reading in!!!

Are you participating this year???

What is your game plan?

Review: The Life O'Reilly and a giveaway

Title: The Life O'Reilly
Author: Brian Cohen
Pages: 266
Published: August 18th 2009 by iUniverse.com
Genre: Fiction
Source: Author

  What was I doing with myself? I couldn't help but think about my unsavory corporate clients, off in their weekend cottages and vacation homes, water-skiing behind yachts and diving in Grand Cayman, basking in the comfort of knowing their misconduct was easily being covered by directors and officers liability insurance, boasting about how royally they screwed their own shareholders.

  Ha, ha, ha, fraud, schmaud!

  And then I thought about Dawn and drifted off on my office couch for a while until the phone rang.

  It was Dawn.

  And it wasn't good. (p.53)

My Thoughts:  Nick has worked hard to get to where he is at...long hours spent at the law firm, time spent away from his parents, and no chance to really develop any type of relationship.  It isn't until Nick is assigned to do a "pro-bono" case that he realizes what is missing in his life. We follow Nick as he tries to find a better and more fulfilling life for himself. I'm sure the author, who is a lawyer, had quite a bit of life experience to draw from while writing this book, and I admire the men and women who spend so much time working and trying to climb that corporate ladder, but at what cost? I think it takes a lot of inner strength to realize that everything you worked for really doesn't matter in the end (money and all the trappings that come with it), and that big changes need to happen in order for you to feel that your life actually matters. At times, I did feel that the story was predictable and I started to think that I  knew exactly how it was all going to end. I was SO wrong about the ending though, because it actually threw me for a loop and I'm still not sure how to interpret it!!! I feel comfortable recommending this book to others...not a bad way to spend an afternoon!

 GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

 If you would like to win an autographed hardback copy of this book please leave me your email address in the comment box! Per Brian it will be open to international and o.k. to be sent to a P.O. box! Last day for entry will be April 30th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be announced on May 1st!



I was not compensated for my review.

Review: The Cougar Club + Giveaway!

Title: The Cougar Club
Author: Susan McBride
Pages: 320
Published: 2010
Genre: Smart Women's Lit!
Source: Author


Synopsis from Booklist- Three girlhood friends are reunited at age 45 when Kat Maguire is fired from her New York advertising job, dumps her younger but wealthier boyfriend, and returns to St. Louis. Her two best friends, Carla Moss, the number-one news anchor in St. Louis, and Elise Randolph, successful dermatologist and empty nester, are facing their own issues with aging. Carla’s ex-husband, who is also her boss, is trying to replace her with his latest perky young girlfriend despite Carla’s on-air popularity, and Elise’s plastic surgeon husband seems never to come home, claiming to be spending all his time with the partner in his practice. As the three talented, attractive, vibrant women reinvent themselves, they find a slew of younger men who find them enticing. Despite some romance and a traditional romantic conclusion for one of the protagonists, this is more chick-lit than romance with brand names, designer shoes, and the power of female friendship at the forefront.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed every single page of this book. I'm 41 and could so relate to how each of these characters felt about their bodies, faces, careers, and lives in general. I connected immediately with Elise because I know how hard it is to keep a marriage going, having children, and still trying to find time for yourself. This book was perfect timing for me because when I look in the mirror I see a frumpy looking woman staring back at me...who is that person??? I don't feel my age, but damn sometimes I look it!! Saturday I had my hair cut and colored, it's amazing how just a little bit of time spent on yourself can change the way you think about your appearance. The cougar term is one that I don't necessarily like, but I do know that I feel pretty good when a younger guy does a double-take...makes my self-esteem go up just a bit.  For me, though, there should not be a term like this for when a woman loves a younger man...if they have that connection then I say go for it...regardless of the age!!!  Overall, I felt that this was a very well-written novel and totally enjoyable!! I can honestly recommend this to any of my friends....even those younger ones, because believe it or not...you will be 40+ someday!!!               P.S.  The discussion guide with the author at the end of the story is fantastic!!!                                                                                                                                                 

Click icon for more
book review blogs
@Barrie Summy

** My thoughts were in no way influenced by the author...I was not paid for my review.

If you are interested in winning a signed copy of this book please leave your email address in the comment section. There will be 2 winners as the author was so generous to provide me with 2 copies!!! Last day to enter is April 30th at 11:59 pm. The winners will be announced May 1st!! Open to U.S. and Canadian residents!