Mailbox Monday- February 8

Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

I received two great books in my mailbox:


Burn- Ted Dekker and Erin Healy
Synopsis: Years ago, the Gypsy Kumpania where Janeal Mikkado lived was attacked by outsiders. With her best friend about to be consumed by a fire, Janeal had two options: try to save her friend--at serious risk to her own life--or disappear with the million dollars that she had just discovered . . . But the past is quickly coming back to haunt her. Both the best friend and the boyfriend that she was sure were dead have reappeared in her life, as has someone who knows about the money. There's a debt to be paid for the money she found, but there's an even greater debt she must face--and if the chaff isn't burned from her own heart, it will consume her

From Publisher




An Irish Country Girl- Patrick Taylor
Synopsis:
Some forty-odd years before and many miles to the south, the girl who would someday be Kinky Kincaid was Maureen O’Hanlon, a farmer’s daughter growing up in the emerald hills and glens of County Cork. A precocious girl on the cusp of womanhood, Maureen has a head full of dreams, a heart open to romance, and something more: a gift for seeing beyond the ordinary into the mystic realm of fairies, spirits, and even the dreaded Banshee, whose terrifying wail she first hears on a snowy night in 1922....As she grows into a young woman, Maureen finds herself torn between love and her fondest aspirations, for the future is a mystery even for one blessed with the sight. Encountering both joy and sorrow, Maureen at last finds herself on the road to Ballybucklebo---and the strong and compassionate woman she was always destined to become.

From Publisher

What came for you?

Six Sentence Saturday

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- Glad I read but no big deal
2 of Hearts- Why did I finish this?
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)


Wondrous Strange- Lesley Livingston
** I stumbled upon this book through an ad on Goodreads where I could read it free online for a limited amount of time. I enjoyed this story from the very beginning because it's a very cool twist of Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream. With all of the faerie books out there aimed at the YA market this is one that truly captured my imagination. I like the main character Kelly...she came through as a real teen just looking to make it on her own in the Big Apple. Of course, there is always that handsome boy who steals your heart....I'm secretly in love with Sonny!!!! Very original story plot and great fun...I can't wait to get my hands on book #2 Darklight!

My Rating:








A Plateful of Murder- contains the first two Hemlock Mystery Books
** Both of these books had great story lines that were fun to read. I loved trying to figure out who the killer was and I guessed it for both of them!! (Go me!) I really like the Quill Sisters because they each have their own personalities and they play off of each other very well. One runs the Inn and the other is the Gourmet Chef. There are a lot of characters (in my opinion too many to try to keep track of at times) that are very quirky and most of them add to the story, but there are some that we could do without. Overall, this is an enjoyable cozy mystery series.

My Rating:
A Taste for Murder






A Dash of Death

Library Loot- February 4

Hosted by Eva at A Striped Armchair and Marg at Reading Adventures.
We share what we each picked up at the library during the week.

The Happiness Project, or, Why I Spent Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally have More Fun - Gretchen Rubin

** I saw that Diane had read this and I thought it just sounded like a fun read!! Who knows I might even be inspired to clean out my closet!!!

Synopsis: Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.


Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 - David Petersen
** I first heard of this at In Spring It is the Dawn and thought it looked adorable. I finally requested it from the library!! I'm going to dedicate Saturday to all things Graphic Novel....so looking forward to this one.

Synopsis: Saxon, Kenzie and Lieam, three such Guardsmice, are dispatched to find a missing merchant mouse that never arrived at his destination. Their search for the missing mouse reveals much more than they expect, as they stumble across a traitor in the Guard's own ranks.




The Silent Governess - Julie Klassen
** Margaret is the reason for me picking up this book. Just her review alone had me wanting to get this one in my hands immediately!!! She recommends it to those that are fans of Austen and Jane Eyre....how can I go wrong???
Synopsis:
Believing herself guilty of a crime, Olivia Keene flees her home, eventually stumbling upon a grand estate where an elaborate celebration is in progress. But all is not as joyous as it seems…. Lord Bradley has just learned a terrible secret, which, if exposed, will change his life forever. When he glimpses a figure on the grounds, he fears a spy or thief has overheard his devastating news. He is stunned to discover the intruder is a scrap of a woman with her throat badly injured. Fearing she will spread his secret, he gives the girl a post and confines her to his estate. As Olivia and Lord Bradley's secrets catch up with them, will their hidden pasts ruin their hope of finding love?


Books Read in 2010 to date: 14 out of 21 are from the library
Number of Books Checked out from the library:18

Review: Time of My Life- Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi

Title: Time of My Life
Author: Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi
Pages: Audio Version
Genre: Memoir
Source: Library
Who Recommended Book to Me: Lisa @ Books and Cooks

A behind-the-scenes look at a Hollywood life and a remarkable love, this memoir is both entertainment and inspiration. Patrick and Lisa's marriage is a journey of two lives intertwined and lived as one--throughout their years in Hollywood and at home on their working ranch outside Los Angeles, and culminating in the hope and wisdom they've imparted to all who know them. This book will open the door for families, individuals, and husbands and wives to grow, bond and discover entirely new levels of love and sharing, proving that life shouldn't be lived as a series of endings, but rather as the beginning of greater strength and love.

My Thoughts

My heart started to beat a little bit faster when I heard Patrick's voice filling up the silence in my car as I was driving to work. I have loved this man since he rode up on his white horse as Orry Main in the mini-series North and South. I was sixteen and he was gorgeous beyond belief. From there I continued to be a huge fan of his and never missed a movie that he starred in. When I heard the news last year of his pancreatic cancer I was saddened immediately. It didn't surprise me though, that he vowed to kick cancer's ass! This memoir is like jumping in a time machine and getting a first hand look at everything he tackled in his life. There wasn't a moment that I didn't love on this audio CD and my most favorite parts are when Patrick speaks of his passionate love for his wife Lisa. If you have ever been a fan of Patrick's then you have to read or listen to his book. It moved me beyond words in a few spots and left me with tears on my face when it ended. He was indeed a Renaissance man, but most importantly he was a man who lived every single moment of his life.

Highly Recommended!
out of 5

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@Barrie Summy

Winner of Tea With Hezbollah

Thanks to everyone who entered for a chance to win!
Congratulations to Laura!

Teaser Tuesdays and It's Tuesday...Where Are You?

It's Tuesday...Where Are You?

I'm still in New York, still running The Inn with my gourmet chef sister, Meg. A big star breezes into town and turns our lives upside down. At first it seems like a good thing, but wouldn't you know it...people are dying left and right!!!
~ A Dash of Death by Claudia Bishop
___________________________________________________

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

"I'm fine," said Quill. "It was just a scratch. Dina, what do you--"
"Just a scratch? you get half-killed by a maniac with a shotgun and you call it just a scratch? Did you see the wall! Gross!" She pointed at the speckles of blood on the cream paint.

p. 72 A Dash of Death

Mailbox Monday- February 1

Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

Tainted- Brooke Morgan
Synopsis:
Holly Barrett first saw Jack Dane early one morning—tall, tan, and so heartbreakingly handsome he took her breath away. He also seemed like the last person to disrupt her quiet, uneventful days with her sensitive daughter, Katy. But the charming, enigmatic Englishman has blown into her small Cape Cod town like a brisk summer wind off the bay. He sweeps Holly off her feet, and is soon touching the lives of everyone she deeply cares about. But is Jack the considerate, concerned gentleman he appears to be—or is there a very different creature lurking below the surface? Has a monster entered her life . . . and how far will Holly have to go to save the person she loves more than anyone else in the world?

TLC Tour Book which I'll be hosting on February 11th.


The Sweet By & By- Todd Johnson
Synopsis:
Weaving this tightly knit and compelling novel in alternating chapters, each woman gets to tell her story her own way, as all five learn to reconcile troubled pasts, find forgiveness, choose hope, and relish the joy of life. Rich with irresistible characters whose uniquely musical voices overflow the pages, The Sweet By and By is a testament to the truth that the most vibrant lives are not necessarily the most visible ones.

TLC Book Tour which I will be hosting in April.