Love letter to Beth Hoffman and Julie Tucker-Wolek (book giveaway)

Remember my good friend, Julie??? Well, another package arrived from her yesterday and inside was one of my favorite books ever!!! See why I love Julie so much? She is always thinking of others and she knew that I would enjoy this book. Even though I read it (link to my review) a few years ago, I still appreciate her thoughtfulness in passing this along to me. I especially loved the handwritten notes inside of the book where each reader wrote a few lines about their reaction to Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. 

please click on each picture to enlarge

I thought it would be cool to not only share this with my fellow friends, but to also take a moment to acknowledge the writer, Beth Hoffman. Over the past year or so, Beth has taken the time to read many of my posts and leave me comments. I know many of you feel much the same way I do when a favorite author leaves you a message. It's like getting noticed by a rock star....am I right??!! Hell ya! The best part of all of this, is that Beth is such a wonderful, generous, and down-to-earth person. I truly like her and consider her a friend. So in honor of Julie's generosity and Beth's fantastic writing, I would like to offer this book up to one of my friends who hasn't had the pleasure to be introduced to CeeCee. Trust me, once you meet her she will have a special corner of your heart...forever!

So, if you would like the chance to read this book here are the rules!

1. After reading it, please write a few lines inside of the book about why you enjoyed it!
2. You must pass it on to a friend!
3. Leave me a comment with your email address to be considered
4. Tell me your "rock star" moment and get an extra entry
5. U.S. readers only
6. Drawing closes on the last day of September! 

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday....What Are You Reading?

Mailbox Monday 

is a gathering place for readers to share the books that

came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. 

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Our September host is: Kristen @ BookNAround 

Rescue My Heart (Animal Magnetism #3) - Courtesy of NetGalley and Publisher. I am very excited about this one!!!

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Hosted by

 Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read 

and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and reviewed last week: 

All the Truth- good, solid read but I wanted a messier ending.

Instant Attraction-  great characters and wonderful location= FUN

Animal Magnetism- Hot men who love animals....got me!!

Bookish Thoughts I will be sharing this week:

Not sure there will be any bookish thoughts this week because I'm in a bit of a reading slump. Haven't completed or read anything in over 8 days!!

In my Book Box:

In the Woods

Glory in Death

Timeless Desire Contest- Books, shoes, and giftcards!

Gwyn Cready and her publisher are running a really fantastic SHOE GIVEAWAY to promote Cready's new romance, Timeless Desire: An Outlander Love Story ( http://bit.ly/Ok4BXW)

You can win a pair of Dagger Pumps or a Zappos gift card.  There are five ways to enter (at no cost) and on Sept. 15, there will be a drawing. (Books will also be given away).  

*Note a comment left on my blog is not an entry!! Make sure to visit the link posted below!!

Click HERE for your chance to win!!!

Two years after losing her husband, overworked librarian Panna Kennedy battles to distract herself from crushing grief, while she wrestles with yet another library budget cut.  During a routine search within the library’s lower levels, Panna opens an obscure, pad-locked door and finds herself transported to the magnificent, book-filled quarters of a handsome, eighteenth-century Englishman. She soon recognizes the man as Colonel John Bridgewater, the historic English war hero whose larger-than-life statue loomed over her desk.

However, the life of the dashing Bridgewater is not at all what she imagined. He’s under house arrest for betraying England, and now looks upon her—a beautiful and unexpected half-dressed visitor—as a possible spy. Despite bad first impressions (on both sides), Bridgewater nonetheless warms to Panna, and pulls her into his escape—while both their hearts pull the other headlong into their soul-stirring secrets.

Very quickly Panna is thrown into a whirlwind of high-stakes intrigue that sweeps her from Hadrian's Wall to a forbidding stone castle in Scotland.  And somewhere in the outland, Panna must decide if her loyalties lie with her dead husband, or with the man whose life now depends on her.

Saturday Snapshot- lovely gift from a lovely lady!

Saturday Snapshot

is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books

It's easy to participate- just post a picture that was taken by

you, a friend, or a family member, and add your link

on Alyce's site. (no pictures from the internet!)

Wall Canvas made by Julie...all about books!

This is a picture of a lovely, lovely, gift that I received from a lady who has the most generous heart and positive spirit that I know!! I met Julie almost four or five years ago through a scrapbook site where people were able to share and comment on their layouts that they created. At first I was in love with this little website and many of the women were so welcoming, but none more than Julie. At some point, I started to pick up on the cattiness, backstabbing, and jealousy that was a commonplace occurrence. If one of the scrappers was noticed by a paper line for their designs and was asked to be on a Design Team, watch out people, those women were ready to tear you up into shreds. That was enough for me...so I quit posting and commenting, except for on Julie's...because she was the ONLY reason why I stayed there for the time I did. She's known for her out-of-control :) :):):):):):) and I love them, and her! If you like to scrapbook or craft, then you really need to check out Julie's blog. She has been on numerous Design teams and makes so many wonderful layouts, cards, gifts from objects you wouldn't even think could be so cool, and of course, her awesome canvas'. 

Julie- Thank you so much for my beautiful canvas! I love it so much and am working out a place to hang it as I write this! You are an amazing artist, but most of all, you are an amazing woman!!!

Six Sentence Saturday (Friday Edition) - more steamy books....I have a problem!

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?)

***PLEASE NOTE: My rating on this series was based on my overall enjoyment and how I felt after I read them! Though they are not literary works, they were fun and that is how I am rating them! 

Instant Attraction (Wilder#1)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Source: Public Library

Reason for reading it: Because I have a serious love affair going on with Jill's books.

For synopsis click here

~ I just can't seem to get enough of Jill's stories and of course the hot, sexy men who encompass them. I fell in love with the setting and Northern California is a place that I seriously want to visit. I really enjoy how Shalvis weaves all of her minor characters into the story and makes you want to learn more about them. But what I enjoyed the most is that she made Cameron a man I could fall in love with...

Rating:

Animal Magnetism (Animal Magnetism #1)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Source: Public Library

Reason for reading it: See above reason!

For synopsis click here

~ OMG! Hot men and animals??? Be still my beating heart...I'm in love!! This book just made me happy, happy, happy...did I tell you that it made me happy? I loved the way the  Brady and Lilah met, danced around their feelings, and eventually fell in love. (BTW..I don't consider that a spoiler because we all know how these books end, right?) I also adored the animal aspect of this story because I love animals and men who love animals and allow themselves to be vulnerable, get to me. Another great start to a fun series!

Rating:

Bookish Thoughts #46 and #47

2012, 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. 

All the Truth by Laura Brodie- Summer Review Book

What All the Truth is about:
One night can alter a life forever… 
Emma Greene enjoys living in rural solitude with her husband and five-year-old daughter, Maggie, far away from her college students in Jackson, Virginia. But late one night, with her husband away and her daughter upstairs in bed, some of Emma’s students trespass on her property. The ensuing confrontation changes Emma and Maggie’s life forever.

After reading a lot of high praise from fellow blogger's about Brodie's The Widow's Season, I knew that I wanted to read something by this author. For the most part I can honestly say that it was a good, solid book. I had some issues with how neat and tidy the ending was because getting to that ending was messy and filled with lies. I thought the pacing was excellent and that is what kept me turning the pages. I became vested in the characters lives and had to know how all the broken people would mend.  

Recommend? I would certainly pass my copy along to a friend if they were looking for a good book to read. I liked it enough to make it a point to read her other works.

Source: Penguin Group

Disclaimer: Thank you to Erin@Penguin 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.

Click icon for more book review blogs @Barrie Summy

Review Book #28

2012, 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. 

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What Are You Reading (Tuesday Edition!)

Mailbox Monday 

is a gathering place for readers to share the books that

came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. 

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Our September host is: Kristen @ BookNAround 

A Love Surrendered (Wings of Change #3)- ebook ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Revell Company

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Hosted by

 Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read 

and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and reviewed last week: 

Sprinkle With Murder- a fun cozy series that I want to read more of

The Weight of Heaven- wonderfully written novel...love this author!

Bookish Thoughts I will be sharing this week:

All the Truth- Summer Review and Book Club Review

Instant Attraction-  bookish thoughts

Animal Magnetism- bookish thoughts

In my Book Box:

* I didn't crack a book open for a full week!!!!!!!! Still reading these!

Flirting with Forever

In the Woods

Glory in Death