tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450919924125030772024-02-21T14:12:56.598-05:00UnsettledMy life as a wanna be novelist pitted against the challenges of work, family and personal reflection. I can truly be my own worst enemy. Argh!Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-78624208904552010632015-01-21T20:45:00.000-05:002015-01-21T20:45:24.202-05:00Shocker She's Making an Appearance!Heaping Holy Cow!<script src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
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I know that I have been pretty non-existent here in the blogosphere. I am terrible. I have been crazy in my family life and I am still the little brain trapped with 1,000 ideas that come flying out in all directions and I am constantly grasping at fragments and echoes as they come out but can't always articulate it into the words that I need. I want to thank each and every one of you for your encouragement and support through the years. It is nice to converse with others that sometimes face the same challenges day in and day out. I am so happy to be a part of your community. Perhaps throughout this year there will be interesting things for me to throw out in to the zone.</div>
Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-25281912150513750232013-04-11T22:04:00.001-04:002013-04-11T22:04:37.548-04:00Review: Let the Sky Fall<br /> <a style='float: left; padding-right: 20px' href='http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13445306'><img alt='Let the Sky Fall' border='0' src='http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338374861m/13445306.jpg'/></a><br /> <a href='http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13445306'>Let the Sky Fall</a> by <a href='http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5265998'>Shannon Messenger</a><br/><br /> My rating: <a href='http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/339503129'>5 of 5 stars</a><br /> <br/><br/><br /> Shannon's was one of the very first blogs that I started to follow when I found my way into the writing circle. She is amazing and it shows in her writing. I really like the fresh story line and tremendous character conflicts that rage among the pages of this book. Audra is so conflicted by her past that she is doing everything that she can to make sure that Vane is protected at all times. She avoids her true feelings that she harbors for him for the role of his guardian and her pledge to the Gale.<br /><br />Vane has other ideas. When he discovers who he is and what he can do, there is no stopping him. He wants Audra and goes to extremes to show her how willing he is to fight for their love. He knows that she is resisting, but is hoping that he can break through to her in time. Even though events come to light that are not the most pleasant, Vane is set on one thing. Getting the girl.<br /><br />Highly recommended for YA readers.<br /> <br/><br/><br /> <a href='http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/339503129'>View all my reviews</a><br /> Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-37830803575898738772013-04-11T22:00:00.001-04:002013-04-11T22:00:43.128-04:00Review: Crush. Candy. Corpse.<br /> <a style='float: left; padding-right: 20px' href='http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15027111'><img alt='Crush. Candy. Corpse.' border='0' src='http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1339085076m/15027111.jpg'/></a><br /> <a href='http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15027111'>Crush. Candy. Corpse.</a> by <a href='http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/273670'>Sylvia McNicoll</a><br/><br /> My rating: <a href='http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/579735275'>4 of 5 stars</a><br /> <br/><br/><br /> This is a very tragic yet humbling story of a teenager serving her time in an Alzheimer's unit helping victims. Sonja doesn't really what all she is struggling with until she volunteers her time in the unit and meets so many victims that touch her life and make her realize the mistakes that she is making in life.<br /><br />Sonja bonds and forges friendships with the patients, staff and one of the patients grandchildren. During these friendships, Sonja starts to change and open her opinion about things that she thought were certain in her life. With her mother's earlier illness, she is approaching everyone as someone who is bound to leave her. This makes her distant and hard to get to know. That is until she lets you into her life.<br /><br />Sonja thinks that all she needs is her hot boyfriend and fantastic best friend. Once she starts volunteering, she realizes that she needs more connections than that and some of her current connections are not right for her. She opens up to one of the resident's grandchildren, Cole. Cole and Sonja become close and together make small moments special for the patients helping make what life they have left full of quality.<br /><br />YA Recommended<br /> <br/><br/><br /> <a href='http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/579735275'>View all my reviews</a><br /> Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-77445225359758530812012-12-23T12:39:00.001-05:002012-12-23T12:39:46.764-05:00Post Apocalyptic MeltdownThe Apocalypse is on hold and Christmas is coming. So far, I think that I have completed all of my Christmas shopping and am working on something that has been gathering dust in the drawer for some time. One of my finished manuscripts UNSETTLED that needs lots of TLC and editing.<script src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
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I have been working on it for several hours and can't believe that I thought it would pass as a novel. WOW! I have made so many changes that I have been debating on either pulling out my hair or scrapping it altogether. I don't want to but I just don't feel like it is going anywhere. I still have great notes from some of my past beta readers - when I had time to write - and I appreciate how lenient they were with me and the fact that I can't write. *shaking head and laughing*</div>
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It doesn't bother me that I don't really feel that my writing is not up to par, what bothers me is that deep down, I do want to write and scribble occasionally here and there but can not commit to it. It deserves the commitment and I am just not giving it the love and support that it needs. I let life consume me and shut out my muse.</div>
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I keep opening the door for her to come back in for chats now and again and we have been sharing some really creative ideas. I just need to implement them. Again commitment is an issue. So I am going to try to push through this novel to make it the best that it can be and see where I am next year. I have not decided yet about any publishing options because I have read so many books this year...around 170.</div>
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Some of these books are self published and have editing issues. When I give a review, I don't dwell too much on those issues but like to help individuals know if it is something that they would like to read by the content. Sometimes I steam through a book so fast, that I forget what it is about. Does that say that I just don't focus on what I read or that it doesn't hold my attention? No matter. I try not to be negative about anyone's work, because at least they are out there doing what they love while I sit back and admire from afar...to chicken to jump in the water.</div>
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I really just wanted to touch base with everyone and tell them to keep typing out those words that have been inspired to hit paper and do what you love with a vengeance so that opportunities do not pass you by. I hope everyone enjoys their holidays and have a great 2013. I will be watching, praying and cheering you on while I muddle through my mental blocks!</div>
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Writers - <span style="color: #741b47;">YOU ROCK!!</span> I love reading your books as you publish them.</div>
Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-91832169254254359592012-10-03T12:27:00.000-04:002012-10-03T12:27:00.708-04:00Bring me back to life.<div class="MsoNormal">
I am stuck in a turbulent sea of thoughts that I cannot
escape nor find how to process into full thoughts. It has been a six month
lull. So far there is no clear way to go. I keep treading water …trying to keep
my head above the rising waves before I drown but every day I am becoming more
and more unsuccessful.</div>
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There are so many things that I want to do but am not
dedicating the time to do them. I have diligently become more aware of the
state of my health and have been participating in 5K’s, walk-jogs and even a
physical fitness boot camp three days a week. Physically I am looking and
feeling better and was hoping that this would help with the balance that I feel
that I am missing.</div>
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I have included yoga to find my inner focus but it is slowly
coming to me to want to participate in my writing. I know that I could have
potential if I could just focus and put my mind to it, but the ADD side of me
keeps getting distracted around every corner and look for a way out by losing
myself in reading a book with a great cup of coffee.</div>
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There was a time that I would get up every day and look
forward to grabbing a pen and paper and writing until I ran out of ink, because
I never seem to run out of things to say – only how to put into words eludes
me. I want to congratulate all of you that keep following your dreams. I see
some of you finding publication and success and others finding the word counts
keep coming. I am silently stalking you and dwell on the beauty of your passion
for writing. You are writers, colleagues, friends… I know that someday my coast
guards will come and fish me out of the ocean and help me row my boat with
great intensity until my words have formed meaning.</div>
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I have challenged myself to <b>NANOWRIMO</b>. If I don’t try, then
I have already failed.</div>
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There is a quote on my wall that I keep looking at and
willing myself to follow it. It goes likes this:</div>
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<i>Watch your thoughts, they become words.</i></div>
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<i>Watch your words; they become actions.</i></div>
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<i>Watch your actions; they become habits.</i></div>
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<i>Watch your habits; they become character.</i></div>
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<i>Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.</i></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">What do you
want your destiny to be???</span></div>
<script src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-79468544824028347662012-04-16T10:32:00.000-04:002012-04-16T10:32:21.949-04:00Creating Some SanityI wish that I could give anyone advice on how to do this task, but I actually have none. I am kind of out of things. Have you ever been on overload so much that everything is covered under a heavy layer of muck and you are looking at it, like holy cow, how am I going to clean up this mess? That seems to be me.
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I have been attending to family matters for some time and have not made time for me or my writing. I have had a couple therapeutic hours of writing here and there, but nothing like my muse and brain were used to. I thought for sure when we took a vacation this March that I could relax and unwind and let my muse free. I tried, I really did but ended up shutting down even more.</div>
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The coolest part of my vacation was that they were shooting a movie in the hotel next to us and we got to see a few actual movie stars. They were shooting the movie "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2101441/">SPRING BREAKERS</a>" staring <a href="http://www.imdb.com/media/rm310818560/tt2101441">Selena Gomez</a> (who is super cute in person too) and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/media/rm310818560/tt2101441">Vanessa Hudgens</a> (who is a blonde in the movie - I know right!). It was an experience watching them shoot scenes which lasted all day on the beach and at the pools.</div>
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My husband would say that the topless scenes were his favorite, but he's entitled to his opinion. Before some of you go ballistic, it was not the Disney girls topless, just some walk-ons or extras. It just made me realize that if it takes that long just to shoot a scene for a movie, then no wonder I can't get my books done. *whew* For a little while I was thinking that there was something wrong with me.</div>
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Well, there is but that is of personal opinion. ;) My parentals have been giving me a run for my money since August. My dad had a stroke and during the week that he was hospitalized for testing, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. So we got dad taken care of and scheduled mom a mastectomy. After dad was home and mom recovered from the surgery came the drains that were in after the mastectomy. After they took those out, then she started radiation. Finally that is finished and now she is going three times a week to dialysis because she has chronic kidney failure. My dad has now fallen twice in the last week and a half and I am just overloaded.</div>
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I haven't set my mind free to write and I feel that it is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113481/">Johnny Mnemonic</a>, Keanu Reeve's character who can't get some images out of his mind and his brain is frying from the inside out. That is how my brain feels. Right now everything is poison and doesn't want to flow out very well. I am still working it out. As you can see, I haven't been around since January and I apologize for that. Life happens and you really don't get to control it. I have been working on a few things and would really like to revamp my blog. If anyone has any suggestions or sites for me to check out, please let me know.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">You guys are truly wonderful and my inspiration to keep pushing through the muck!</span></div>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-58533482563677411942012-01-15T10:49:00.002-05:002012-01-15T10:52:36.387-05:00Review: Unearthly<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7488244" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Unearthly" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1324782984m/7488244.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7488244">Unearthly</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3290920">Cynthia Hand</a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Goodreads Blurb:</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181818;">Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a</span><span style="color: #181818;"> <i>purpose</i></span><span style="color: #181818;">, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #181818;">Unearthly</span></i><span style="color: #181818;"> </span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>My Take:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/118849510">4 of 5 stars</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Unearthly is one of those books that actually took me by surprise. Something fresh and intriguing at the same time. Clara is not your average teenager and when she finds her purpose, her family uproots and moves to the town in which is closest for her to fulfill her purpose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The images are so vivid in her mind and all she can think about is her purpose and the boy she is sent to protect. What she doesn’t expect is having feelings for someone other than her purpose – Christian.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All she thinks about is Christian and when her purpose will come calling for her to save him, that she becomes very obsessed with him to the point where she thinks that she is falling in love with him. He is very polite and very handsome. Someone that you just can’t take your eyes off of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When he goes out of state to take an internship for the Summer, Clara becomes lonely and knows that he is safe for now until he returns. While Clara is sulking through her summer vacation from school the unexpected happens. Her feeling develop for someone that she least expected and when it comes time to fulfill her purpose she feels torn on who to rescue…her purpose or her love?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Clara risks so much for her own happiness that it could be too late to fulfill her destiny. Watch things unfold for her as she watches her family evolve before her eyes as well and discovers some secrets that her mother refused to tell her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">YA Paranormal recommended.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/118849510">View all my reviews</a>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-13823118037972246102012-01-15T10:41:00.002-05:002012-01-15T10:45:11.953-05:00Review: Replication: The Jason Experiment<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12078469" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Replication: The Jason Experiment" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1325182785m/12078469.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12078469">Replication: The Jason Experiment</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2869923">Jill Williamson</a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Goodreads Blurb:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When Your Life Is Not Your Own<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>My Take:</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">My rating: </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/254474060" style="background-color: transparent;">3 of 5 stars</a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I got the opportunity to review this book from Net Galley and instantly became enthralled in Martyr’s life. He is such a charismatic person or clone as he is and is becoming more of his own human than they imagined that he would. Being the best candidate, J:3:3 also known as Martyr is very special.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When Martyr takes it upon himself to see the sky before he expires for the greater good, he risks his live to go to the outside only to find that it is nothing that he could have ever imagined it to be. Martyr takes a journey into the world that he was not meant to experience. There, he meets Abby. When Abby first comes into contact with Martyr, she is thrown because of his resemblance to the high school hunk that has been hitting on her, J.D. Kane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It amazes Abby how different Martyr is from J.D. Besides both being incredibly adorable, that is where the similarities end. Martyr is sensitive, kind, and gentle while J.D. is pushy, arrogant and mostly a jerk. It is hard for Abby to let Martyr go once she has decided to help him find a new purpose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Both Abby and Martyr risk their lives to do the right thing and pray that they end up together. This book is highly recommended for YA lovers of a dystopian/Sci-Fy nature.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/254474060">View all my reviews</a>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-31977433200595882642012-01-15T10:30:00.002-05:002012-01-15T10:37:14.679-05:00Review: Vesper<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7664713" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Vesper" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1281478940m/7664713.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7664713">Vesper</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/223885">Jeff Sampson</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Goodreads blurb:</b></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181818;">Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s</span><span style="color: #181818;"> <i>definitely</i> </span><span style="color: #181818;">not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell . . . there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely— something not human?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: transparent;">My rating: </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/118850006" style="background-color: transparent;">3 of 5 stars</a></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Take:</b></span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love the way Emily is slowly transforming from a geek into something more and not realizing what is going on at the time. It seems like it is a teenage thing when they go through stages but when she develops more of an attitude and carefree persona, she is really becoming worried. There are times that she find herself trying to leave her house without realizing why or where she intended to go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are terrible things happening around her small town and she has no idea what is bring all the death. When she becomes her most defiant, she finds that she is searching for one of her own because there is such a magnetic pull toward him that she is sure that he is considered her mate. She goes to all lengths to find him even stalking around his house.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What she also finds out is that she is not alone in her transformation process and that there are more students with some special qualities different from hers. Emily also discovers that someone is out there taking them out one by one. With her new surge of power, she is determined that she will be the one to take out the bad guy(s). As Emily finds her destiny and her hunters, she teams with the other Deviants as they are labeled and begins a new quest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Highly recommended for YA Paranormal lovers.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/118850006"><span style="font-family: inherit;">View all my reviews</span></a>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-81736736596228455902012-01-01T15:59:00.003-05:002012-01-01T16:08:13.337-05:00Review: The Unidentified<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7011735" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Unidentified" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1272766459m/7011735.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7011735">The Unidentified</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3126853">Rae Mariz</a><br />
Goodreads Blurb:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Kid knows her school’s corporate sponsors not-so-secretly monitor her friendships and activities for market research. It’s all a part of the Game; the alternative education system designed to use the addictive kick from video games to encourage academic learning. Everyday, a captive audience of students ages 13-17 enter the nationwide chain store-like Game locations to play. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When a group calling themselves </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The Unidentified</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> simulates a suicide to protest the power structure of their school, Kid’s investigation into their pranks attracts unwanted attention from the sponsors. As Kid finds out she doesn't have rights to her ideas, her privacy, or identity, she and her friends look for a way to revolt in a place where all acts of rebellion are just spun into the next new ad campaign.</span> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">My Take:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My rating: </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/129384320" style="font-family: inherit;">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I really enjoyed this new book with such a great story line. It is another one to add to your read list if you enjoyed Matched or Possession. This is a rather intriguing situation that Kid has landed herself in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Imagine if going to school were a game and your fashion, style, friends, interests and hype all determined your scores. If you get enough attention, you could even be sponsored. Most of the teenagers would love to be branded by a sponsor, but few get the opportunity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kid isn't one to stand out among the rest of the school's population but after something dramatic happens that she believes is the work of an outsider. Her investigation along with her best friend Mikey uncovers more than she bargained for and could potentially be a hazard to her health.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is not until she meets the leader of the Unidentified does she start to get some answers and confusion along the way. She is being watched closely by the sponsors and a lot is at stake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">YA Dystopian Recommended</span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/129384320">View all my reviews</a>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-84194323460921965672011-12-11T06:00:00.013-05:002011-12-11T06:00:05.373-05:00Guest Blogger Jennifer Murgia<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;">My blog is being hosted by the lovely <a href="http://www.jennifermurgia.com/">Jennifer Murgia</a>. LEMNISCATE is the sequel to her debut ANGEL STAR. The tour, hosted by <a href="http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2011/12/leminscate-blog-tour.html">Mundie Moms Book Reviews</a>, runs from December 9 - 18th. Take it away Jennifer.</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: center;"><b>3 Key Important Steps to Creating Your World</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> Ahh . . . a good book, there’s nothing like losing yourself in it, right? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> To me, creating a world requires three important steps: believable characters, plausible issues, and “grab you-suck you in-keep you there” world building.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> (<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Okay, fine, I’d add a fourth - which would be writing in the hot bad boy of the story, but I was </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">only asked for three. Tee hee!</span></i>)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> Let’s start with the first, shall we? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Believable characters</b></span></i> - They should be relatable, interesting, sometimes the type you wish you could smack over the head and beg to listen, because after all, you’re the reader, and you can totally see what’s coming, right? Uh huh, that’s where it gets interesting. Sometimes, the best characters are the ones who don’t listen; the ones who tell YOU what’s going to happen, and if you don’t like it, too bad. Just like real life: annoyingly believable.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> My personal favorite is the type I like to call the “human onion”. Little by little, you peel a layer back, and see what’s hiding underneath. I usually like my characters to have a secret by the time the last layer is pulled away, because more often than not, that secret is what makes the character three dimensional. It gives validity to their initial behavior throughout the story, and perhaps a taste of something yet to come.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Plausible issues</b></span></i> – nothing like a good hurdle to split your brain open! Allowing your characters depth is number one. Give them life. Let them feel, let them bleed, let them lash out and then think about what they’ve done. Pull today’s issues into the plot – bullying, love, jealousy.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> Today’s hottest books are Dystopian. Shelves are full of futuristic, one ruling government, coming of age, rebelling for all the right reasons type of stories. I can’t get enough of them, and I’m finding rather quickly, that this might be my favorite type of YA book at the moment. Are they plausible? Are they fantasy? Hmmm. Honestly, I’ve always wondered if the entertainment industry has something over us. Take a look at movies that depict end of the world, apocalyptic settings. What are they <b>REALLY </b>preparing us for? Since most of humanity relies on being entertained in one way or another, could this be a subliminal way to reach us? To help us plant that seed of “what if” in our heads?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> Lastly, the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">“<i>grab you-suck you in-keep you there” world building</i>! </span>World building reminds me of a tea bag. You drop the tea bag into the water and slowly, the infusion begins. It builds, stretching and taking over until the entire mug is consumed. Every element must be included: sounds, smells, emotions, character quirks, movements, thoughts. I remember reading The Hunger Games and closing the book, feeling Panem was a <b>REAL</b> place. The arena was vivid and alive.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"> Ultimately, let what you write teem with life. Give it breath and become it – chances are, while you’re writing, if you become immersed, your readers will too.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I want to thank Jennifer for stopping by my blog to give us some great advice. Now, if you haven't already, by all means go and check out her books and pick them up. Please visit <a href="http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2011/12/leminscate-blog-tour.html">Mundie Moms Book Reviews</a> for more information on the tour.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNt07sFkfJzHKhaOPun7wQIBymGRoCvDMgQGwE8o0Wscix1J55T4v0fB4geR3Y8jeQdTMa1ZDd7Y_pO_KYmFaXe1MMtpardQtX2_2wS55TyVTEOhO_B8mGCfdAksovFQ-mn_KqZgUgPI/s1600/Angel+Star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNSxCT6Nnp77_kAiT50PRRPfdrvVxq8tAJV1_X8NCZOXxJaWlcoPlWtutdSlVKeEehkFJ0_cjH0qgOFjq1P4PZ3KxmZ9j23aHYvLJnIkgRoKgChzZblfaEuv07BXKQkCHVyhJjgLiMbA/s1600/8259397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNSxCT6Nnp77_kAiT50PRRPfdrvVxq8tAJV1_X8NCZOXxJaWlcoPlWtutdSlVKeEehkFJ0_cjH0qgOFjq1P4PZ3KxmZ9j23aHYvLJnIkgRoKgChzZblfaEuv07BXKQkCHVyhJjgLiMbA/s1600/8259397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNSxCT6Nnp77_kAiT50PRRPfdrvVxq8tAJV1_X8NCZOXxJaWlcoPlWtutdSlVKeEehkFJ0_cjH0qgOFjq1P4PZ3KxmZ9j23aHYvLJnIkgRoKgChzZblfaEuv07BXKQkCHVyhJjgLiMbA/s200/8259397.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">You can visit the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://jennifermurgia.com/home/lemniscate/">Lemniscate webpage</a> or you can go to </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lemniscate-Angel-Sequel-Jennifer-Murgia/dp/0982500580" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Amazon</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #fff2cc; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> | </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lemniscate-jennifer-murgia/1102378881" style="text-decoration: none;">Barnes and Noble</a> to purchase these books.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">Here are the blog tour dates and sites so you can go and check them out. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"></div><div style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12/9- <a href="http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2011/12/leminscate-blog-tour.html" style="color: #73b228; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mundie Moms</a>, tour kick off</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12/10- <a href="http://www.readergirlsblog.com/" style="color: #73b228; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Reader Girls</a>, review & giveaway</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12/11-<span style="color: #fff2cc;"> </span><a href="http://regina-unsettled.blogspot.com/" style="color: #73b228; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Regina-Unsettled</a>, guest post</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12/12- <a href="http://www.confessionsofavi3tbabe.com/" style="color: #73b228; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Confessionofavi3tbabe</a>, character interview</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12/13- <a href="http://cleanteenfiction.blogspot.com/" style="color: #73b228; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Clean Fiction</a>, review & giveaway</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12/14- <a href="http://www.readerbenji.blogspot.com/" style="color: #73b228; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ReaderBenj</a>, guest post</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12/15- <a href="http://www.cynthial11.blogspot.com/" style="color: #73b228; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A Blog About Nothing</a>, excerpt</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12/16- <a href="http://www.pageturnersblog.com/#axzz1g2Mn7WES" style="color: #73b228; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pager Turners Blog</a>, review</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">12/17- </span><a href="http://thebookvortex.com/" style="color: #73b228; font-family: georgia; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Book Vortex</a><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: georgia; text-align: center;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"> author interview</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">12/18- </span><a href="http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2011/12/leminscate-blog-tour.html" style="color: #73b228; font-family: georgia; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mundie Moms</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">, mini character & author interview</span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAu8r3IG3vLQ58KaIshhAEF6K7FDsIcdP1SUKUO8Y2uW_ufOMuZQNXaDpmwBLfvVc5Ryt-1tcnvfwlF1pxkLU7jeVRwXjU2NmyKziX1pIn1i5ojGG9r5HDS1S4qSi0aMcWSgbHAn3GtQ/s1600/3105432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAu8r3IG3vLQ58KaIshhAEF6K7FDsIcdP1SUKUO8Y2uW_ufOMuZQNXaDpmwBLfvVc5Ryt-1tcnvfwlF1pxkLU7jeVRwXjU2NmyKziX1pIn1i5ojGG9r5HDS1S4qSi0aMcWSgbHAn3GtQ/s200/3105432.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">Meet the Author Jennifer Murgia. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">You can follow Jennifer on</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black;"><a href="http://twitter.com/JenniferMurgia">Twitter</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Jennifer-Murgia/1298371932">Facebook</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">, and visit her site</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black;"><a href="http://jennifermurgia.com/home/" style="font-family: georgia;">here</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">.</span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-family: georgia;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Giveaway</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">: </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">During the duration of the tour, be sure to enter Jennifer Murgia's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="http://jennifermurgia.com/blog/" style="text-decoration: none;">Be An Angel, Give A Book Contest</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">. Purchase a copy of Angel Star or Lemniscate during the month of December and email your receipt to jennifermurgia8@gmail.com for your chance to be "an angel". Both books in the name of the winner randomly chosen will be donated to that winner's choice of library. ALL those who enter, will be entered to win a Goodie Basket of Lands Atlantic books. That winner will be announced on Jan. 2nd, 2012 on Jennifer's site.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-53619690977068366522011-11-03T12:06:00.000-04:002011-11-03T12:06:08.983-04:00Praise and AdviceSo…this is my first year in trying <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Na</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">No</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">Wri</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Mo</span>. I have watched many of you either pound through it or struggle at times, but I have always thought you to be the boldest, bravest people I know. I salute you and now, you have forced me to put on my big girl panties and deal with it.<br />
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Thankfully I have not totally stalled yet on this project. I know we are only a few days in, but sometimes finding the time to write is not always ideal. I squeeze what I can in when the moments present themselves but those are few and far between.<br />
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I have gained knowledge and strength in reading and watching you (my peers) through your different life stories and processes to get a handle on all the things that you multi-task in your lives. I am grateful for the life I have and the people in it.<br />
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If it weren’t for those people, then I would have drowned by now. Among you are some really great life preservers and I am thrilled to be part of your community. So I pose this question to you about writing.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Do you give them what they want, or do you give them what they need?</span></b><br />
<br />
I guess that I want to know if you follow the trends that people are eating up right now or are you giving them something off the chart to mix it up a bit? I am always involved in so many projects at home that I don’t know which way is up, so I have a little bit of everything.<br />
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Also, since this is my first <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Na</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">No</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">Wri</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Mo</span> year, does anyone have any advice or suggestions? What has been the most beneficial for you during this process?<br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-39729177548817071602011-11-01T15:01:00.000-04:002011-11-01T15:01:21.375-04:00Change is coming!There have been many unforeseen circumstances that have kept me away from this wonderful place for so long. I am working on some new and hopefully exciting things to post. My family continues to heal gradually and are striving to conquer the black cloud that has been looming overhead.<br />
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I have found some new inspiration and hope to share that as well. Glad that everyone is still hanging out and wondering who all is signed up for NaNoWriMo this year? This is my fist year so if anyone has some advice, I'd love to hear it. <br />
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Best wishes. <br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-13414916941748937322011-09-09T12:31:00.001-04:002011-09-09T12:33:16.148-04:00Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan & a Giveaway!!<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Here is the Goodreads Blurb:</span></b><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?</span><br />
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<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Here is my Take:</span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div><div><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10174795-glow" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Glow (Sky Chasers, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312847982m/10174795.jpg" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10174795-glow">Glow</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/504627.Amy_Kathleen_Ryan">Amy Kathleen Ryan</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/180022244">4 of 5 stars</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This was a Goodreads First reads win for me.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If you adored Across the Universe by Beth Revis then you will enjoy Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan. It is a breathtaking journey across space with fifteen year old Waverly and her soon to be husband and Captain in training Kieran.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Come to find out that there are two identical ships launched one year apart, the New Horizon and the Empyrean. Each crew is different. One crew is religious and finds that it is lacking the ability to reproduce. They have delayed their mission to New Earth to wait for the Empyrean to aid them in their research to help them develop ways to remedy this but it is too late when they find out that the New Horizon have an agenda of their own.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Waverly finds crucial information that helps her understand how the New Horizon was plagued with their problems and who was responsible and also the conditions that the Empyrean was left in when she was taken to help the New Horizon with their fertility problems.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It is up to Waverly to decide if she wants to free Seth to help her set the Empyrean free from Kieran and another attack from the New Horizon.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This book is highly recommended to those who love YA Science Fiction</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3918849-regina-linton"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">View all my reviews</span></a></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Giveaway time.</span></b> Guess what? I have an extra copy of this ARC....who wants it? Yeah, I know it is being released next week, but hey. Free book anyone?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: inherit;">RULES:</span></b></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Must be a GCF</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Must fill out this form below.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway deadline is September 16, 2011!</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="921" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dHNqanpsQ19TUkdKT0k4VFdQRzBmVUE6MQ" width="760">&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;</iframe></div><div><br />
</div></div></div>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-41545340361494920882011-09-02T16:37:00.000-04:002011-09-02T16:37:04.471-04:00Famished by Lauren HammondI loved this book from the moment I started reading it. It makes me want to know more and making me crazy with the unknown. So if you haven't gotten a chance to pick up this book then please go do it now. I don't think that you will be disappointed at all.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Here is the Goodreads Blurb:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">There is no United States. There is no world. An asteroid has destroyed what the human race knew as earth and The Great Famine has wiped out most of the surviving human population. For the few remaining survivors, food is scarce-- precious--a luxury. A luxury that most humans can’t find.<br />
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Seventeen year old Georgina Carver is fortunate. She’s survived the destruction. She eats three times a day while the rest of humanity is plagued by The Great Famine. And she’s safe, hidden away in an underground colony with her family and several other families of survivors.<br />
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All of that changes the day she’s randomly selected to be a gatherer. Georgina must leave her safe yet simple world and venture out into a world unknown. A vast, dangerous, destroyed world that could literally eat her alive.<br />
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After Georgina is severely injured, her life begins to fall apart. She can’t remember how she got home or what happened to her while she was on the new earth. The boy she is crushing on avoids her and she keeps having visions that involve an unknown person with violet eyes.<br />
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As Georgina begins to unravel the truth, it doesn’t take her long to figure out that maybe her safe yet simple life isn’t that safe at all.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">My Take:</span></b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12009705-famished" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Famished" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1310418660m/12009705.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12009705-famished">Famished</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4115682.Lauren_Hammond">Lauren Hammond</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/186670659">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Wowza. I loved reading this book so much I did it all at once. I couldn't stand not knowing what was going to happen next. Craving Hunger Games from Suzanne Collins? Yeah, then you will eat this series up. It will leave you FAMISHED and wanting more by the last page.<br />
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I won this book from Lauren and am so happy I got the chance to read it. A wonderful story about a colony living underground trying to survive. Georgina is one tough young lady and has heroine written all over her.<br />
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When her name is drawn from the lottery and she is paired with her long time crush, Colin, things are looking really hot and steamy. When they get to the surface to look for supplies things go from bad to worse. They have two separate lists to shop from and have to try to dig through rocks, dirt and debris for what they need.<br />
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Once they leave each others side, the adventure begins and unknowingly Georgina will meet an ally that will help her survive. A small mixture of a love triangle is in the desolate air.<br />
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Recommended for all YA lovers of dystopian times.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3918849-regina-linton">View all my reviews</a><br />
<div><br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-23076500761216380392011-08-24T12:14:00.000-04:002011-08-24T12:14:26.420-04:00Spread The Love Contest: The Sky is Everywhere<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: #FFE599;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">First I need to apologize for the lengthy absence I have shown on my blog lately. I have had a very trying month. My father suffered a stroke on August 4<sup>th</sup> and we are still trying to get him back on track at home. My mother was also just diagnosed with breast cancer. She is have a mastectomy on August 31<sup>st</sup>. I have been dealing with those medical emergencies but am glad to say that I have a great opportunity for you all. I am a couple weeks late on getting this posted so here goes.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: #FFE599;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyFUmvEdr6xJ1ydsE0j7SHqWlKoJT6nLTPQOs5rp_BOxzObZuK_bkaQkGtjn9owj-cCRlgo9iSVOREB13_qBf9AF6bANx2n-ow04_KJE7ZSzg0pyd02cm5ZYVsS6TNazKP4tXakDP4O8/s1600/The+Sky+is+Everywhere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyFUmvEdr6xJ1ydsE0j7SHqWlKoJT6nLTPQOs5rp_BOxzObZuK_bkaQkGtjn9owj-cCRlgo9iSVOREB13_qBf9AF6bANx2n-ow04_KJE7ZSzg0pyd02cm5ZYVsS6TNazKP4tXakDP4O8/s200/The+Sky+is+Everywhere.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: #FFE599;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: #FFE599;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffe599; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #363636;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I just finished THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson. It was poetic, romantic and full of raw emotion. Here's the blurb</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffe599; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif;">:<br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181818;">Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffe599; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #181818;"><br />
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I loved Lennie, and I really connected to her. I know that if you read this, you will not be disappointed.<br />
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Now, on to the fun part! <a href="http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/2011/02/give-it-forward-book-giveaway.html"><span style="color: #6c0003; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Casey Mccormick @ Literary Rambles</span></a> started this contest back in February and it is still going strong! I won my lucky copy from <a href="http://girlspwn.blogspot.com/">Eliza Tilton</a><span> </span>and now it's time for one of my followers to win theirs.<br />
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Here are the rules:<br />
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Since this is a pay-it-forward contest the winner must agree to hold the same contest on their blog, preferably within two weeks. All you need to do leave a comment below. If you tweeted or Facebooked the information, let me know that as well. Deadline is next Friday, 9/9. USA only.</span></span><br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-75302243598468085592011-07-25T06:00:00.008-04:002011-07-25T06:00:10.351-04:00Athena's Curse by Stacey Darlington<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Goodreads Blurb</span></b>:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Is it a curse or a gift of the gods?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Thirteen-year-old Asudem has a hard enough time having snakes instead of hair but now her eyes have a burning new power that turns living things into stone. She sets out across the most dangerous part of Lower Olympus to learn how she got this infuriating ability. Her best friends, Drella the Goddess of Chaos and Vanity and Pretal the Lion Goddess, join her as she battles past the most terrifying monsters of Greek mythology on her journey to find the answers. Can she discover where she fits in this world of gods and goddesses?</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">My Thoughts:</span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10230949-athena-s-curse" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Athena's Curse" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1302261771m/10230949.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10230949-athena-s-curse">Athena's Curse</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4584158.Stacey_Darlington">Stacey Darlington</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/187434655">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Middle Grade novel<br />
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Pages 144<br />
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Published by Bedazzled Ink Publishing and their Dragonfeather book imprint<br />
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www.dragonfeatherbooks.com<br />
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Cover Design by: Deborah Davidson<br />
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Let me start by saying that I love, love, love this amazing cover. It is vibrant and fun and stunningly beautiful. This is a story of coming to age with thirteen-year-old Asudem on a journey of self discovery. She's thirteen, her head is covered with 14 beautiful and individual snakes. Each one has their own name and personality. Her eyes burn red and can turn living objects to stone with a heated glance.<br />
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Asudem is accompanied by her friends Drella and Pretal. They are very detrimental in Asudem's quest to find her destiny. They make an equal amount of friends and enemies during this adventure and it will keep you wondering what is going to happen next.<br />
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Asudem's journey would not be as fun, adventurous, or enlightening without all the help and guidance she receives along the way. This book is a great read for those looking for a new adventure into mythology and the Gods. Very clever read.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3918849-regina-linton">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-86004233778204786922011-07-21T00:00:00.002-04:002011-07-21T00:00:09.911-04:00Hot Seat with Cally Jackson!Today I am being <strike><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Roasted</span> </strike> Hosted over at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Cally Jackson's</span> blog at <a href="http://callyjackson.com/2011/07/21/regina-linton-in-the-hot-seat/">Cally Jackson Writes</a> so I please visit over there as I am away steeping in my ice bath trying to recover. If your feeling up to it, sign up with Cally for your turn in the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Hot Seat</span>. It is a blast and she is a wonderful hostess!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOtw6VggR9VVNDr9O4qxQwboguM_kCsFqfP2g8Oaa5xOrwAqMhVgwG-rIbFp82MzZxlrQf5zBBVEhBjcxXLws9SoWX7T6z5JkmotNeHtDC90GSOTJSxlQugFXsRQX0-hfVBXFhmf-bmQ/s1600/hot-seat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOtw6VggR9VVNDr9O4qxQwboguM_kCsFqfP2g8Oaa5xOrwAqMhVgwG-rIbFp82MzZxlrQf5zBBVEhBjcxXLws9SoWX7T6z5JkmotNeHtDC90GSOTJSxlQugFXsRQX0-hfVBXFhmf-bmQ/s200/hot-seat.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">This the the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">HOT SEAT</span>, come sit and have a chat with Cally!<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">I also have some</span> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Google+</span></b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">invites I can hand out. Let me know if you need one and send me your email address!</span></span><br />
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=d3b6fdbf-67a0-4f4b-aef7-3cc074c02574" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-81461743093987949622011-07-18T20:52:00.001-04:002011-07-19T07:18:45.570-04:00Left, Right, … no, go Straight!<div class="zemanta-img separator" style="clear: right;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50216172@N00/2534188546" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Irish countryside near Ballyconnell" height="160" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2417/2534188546_a598cafa45_m.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="240" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 240px;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50216172@N00/2534188546">jimmyharris</a> via Flickr</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Way back when I was a teenager, I used to play a game with my friends on the weekends. We would jump in the car and play left, right, straight. Once we start driving we would take turns telling the driver which way to go. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, you can get lost out in some really awesomely spooky country settings this way but it is totally hilarious and fun. Many times we would be indecisive on where to go so this was always a fun way to spend our time and find new adventures.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I sometimes relate this to my writing because when you are in a scene and getting ready for another chapter you may not know where to take it. So it is similar to playing this game. You might make them turn left into some obstacle or right to find some wonderful adventure. But you can also keep them on the straight and narrow to keep the story on track to build the story a little more.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Everything that we do with our writing is sort of this game of chance to see where we will end up. I love the adventure and will always be willing to play along. The surprises of turning off course once in awhile always surprise me in the most unexpected ways and lead my characters and stories down paths that I would have not normally plotted out for them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is my joy of being a punster because I don’t make any definite decisions for where my story will go and it will flow as I turn or stay on course. And yes, occasionally I get lost, but it is finding my way back that completes my journey.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Have you had anything like this happen to you or can you relate your writing to? Tell me what your writing is like.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Also look for me Thursday over at <a href="http://callyjackson.com/">Cally Jackson's</a> blog. I landed my tush in the HOT SEAT! Read how I sweat it out.</span></div><br />
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<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=75d7f197-b1c3-446f-aa46-6879e2ec0059" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-44380197723603929082011-07-15T08:30:00.002-04:002011-07-15T08:54:30.867-04:00Werewolf Descent by Elizabeth J. Kolodziej<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11208449-werewolf-descent" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Werewolf Descent (The Last Witch, #2)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1307915498m/11208449.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11208449-werewolf-descent">Werewolf Descent</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4087495.Elizabeth_J_Kolodziej">Elizabeth J. Kolodziej</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/185090961">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Well now I am on the edge of my seat again. We last left Faith with Trent recovering from a butt kicking journey of her discovering her heritage of becoming a witch, being stalked by slayers, her mother revealing more than Faith wanted to know about her father's death and an uncertain fate.<br />
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Now just when Faith and Trent think that they can start building their new relationship, a new man moves to town. Vincent -- a psychic vampire, who is obsessed with Faith and is likely to move in on Trent's territory. But the problem is, Faith feels the surge of energy too when she is with Vincent. He cannot be ignored. But the question that begs to be answered is will she?<br />
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Faith's connection with Zou Tai is tested when they find that the werewolf pack is being hunted and the werewolves are being murdered. She is willing to do what she can to protect him and help his family from being kidnapped and slaughtered. Faith soon realizes that her powers will be tested when she is up against a powerful alchemist.<br />
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Friendships, bonds and futures are strained, bent and tested through this magnetically charged novel as Faith and her team go up against deadly forces, deceptive gods and love. This book was very seductive and alluring making it a tough choice for Faith.<br />
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Elizabeth surprises me again and has me wanting more as I am yet again salivating over her latest creation! <br />
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You can also read my review of her first book Vampire Kisses <a href="http://regina-unsettled.blogspot.com/2011/01/vampyre-kisses-review.html">here</a>.<br />
If you want more information on Elizabeth and her work go <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.vampyrekisses.com/?tag=elizabeth-kolodziej">here</a></span>.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3918849-regina-linton">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-30250048401744127602011-07-10T21:12:00.000-04:002011-07-10T21:12:11.594-04:00The Lake - Banana YoshimotoI got the chance to read this from <a href="http://www.netgalley.com/">NetGalley</a><br />
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<b>Goodreads Blurb:</b><br />
A major literary sensation is back with a quietly stunning tour de force about a young woman who falls for a cult escapee. <br />
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While The Lake shows off many of the features that have made Banana Yoshimoto famous—a cast of vivid and quirky characters, simple yet nuanced prose, a tight plot with an upbeat pace—it’s also one of the most darkly mysterious books she’s ever written. <br />
It tells the tale of a young woman who moves to Tokyo after the death of her mother, hoping to get over her grief and start a career as a graphic artist. She finds herself spending too much time staring out her window, though ... until she realizes she’s gotten used to seeing a young man across the street staring out his window, too. <br />
They eventually embark on a hesitant romance, until she learns that he has been the victim of some form of childhood trauma. Visiting two of his friends who live a monastic life beside a beautiful lake, she begins to piece together a series of clues that lead her to suspect his experience may have had something to do with a bizarre religious cult. . . . <br />
With its echoes of the infamous, real-life Aum Shinrikyo cult (the group that released poison gas in the Tokyo subway system), The Lake unfolds as the most powerful novel Banana Yoshimoto has written. And as the two young lovers overcome their troubled past to discover hope in the beautiful solitude of the lake in the country- side, it’s also one of her most moving.<br />
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<b>What I thought:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6035141-the-lake" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Lake" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41S4cMsflHL._SX106_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6035141-the-lake">The Lake</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/28229.Banana_Yoshimoto">Banana Yoshimoto</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/176533730">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Chihiro becomes distant from her father and sees her dead mother. She is very much and introvert and loves watching out her window until she finds that she is has something in common with another neighbor in the apartment complex who window watches as well.<br />
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Chihiro befriends her window watching neighbor Nakajima and begins an intimate relationship but doesn't know how much of a commitment either one can have. Nakajima has some traumatic past experience that Chihiro is trying to figure out.<br />
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It took me awhile to get into this book. It was a good read but it didn't have me right away. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3918849-regina-linton">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-10418089598460740372011-07-10T20:56:00.000-04:002011-07-10T20:56:39.650-04:00Rules of Attraction - Simone ElkelesGoodreads Blurb:<br />
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When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.<br />
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What I thought:<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7137775-rules-of-attraction" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry, #2)" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qBXy1CCUL._SX106_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7137775-rules-of-attraction">Rules of Attraction</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/274533.Simone_Elkeles">Simone Elkeles</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/163382918">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
This doesn't leave off where Alex and Brittany did in Perfect Chemistry. Instead it focuses on his younger brother Carlos. He comes back to live with Alex while Alex is in college. A rival gang of Carlos' in town is looking to recruit him into their new family. <br />
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<br/>However when Carlos gets busted with drugs, he is forced to go and live with friends of Alex's and starts to develop a strange friendship with Kiara. Kiara is the daughter of the professor that Carlos is staying with and she doesn't want to admit that she is falling in love with Carlos.<br />
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<br/>Carlos is in over his head with El Diablo is threatening his family if he doesn't join them. Kiara strains the boundary of their friendship and pushes the limits of their passion.<br />
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<br/>This book is highly recommended for those who love YA contemporary.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3918849-regina-linton">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-66659374815817161042011-07-07T11:58:00.000-04:002011-07-07T11:58:05.179-04:00Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4268157-perfect-chemistry" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1308970825m/4268157.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4268157-perfect-chemistry">Perfect Chemistry</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/274533.Simone_Elkeles">Simone Elkeles</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/147271327">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I cannot even begin to tell you how much fun I had reading this book. Since I read all formats on all devices, I will tell you I read this one on my iPhone through my Kindle App. This book had it all, fun, mystery, romance and quirky YA sardonic undertones.<br />
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When school pop-princess, Brittany Ellis is paired with macho gang member Alex Fuentes in their Chemistry class, all hell breaks loose. I almost fell out of my chair and truly laughed out loud when I read their partner introductions. That brought me back to high school in a big way. Assigned seating and getting a short Q & A with your new lab partner and then having to introduce them to the class.<br />
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All of Alex’s sarcastic and perverted advances to Brittany during Chemistry fail. His hatred of everything she stands for makes him do the unthinkable. Alex makes a bet with one of his friends to seduce Brittany Ellis and win a car.<br />
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The only thing that Alex doesn’t count on is falling for her. Brittany has many challenges that she faces in her home that not everyone is aware of. Her sister Shelly has Cerebral Palsy and doesn’t communicate well. Britt’s parents expect her to be perfect, but she can’t and goes into total rebellion when her parents decide to send her sister away.<br />
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Alex is in the Blood to protect his family. His mother and two brothers that were left behind after his father was murdered. Alex is man of the house and must find balance between both his and Brittany’s worlds. Alex is plagued with more trouble when he goes around questioning his father’s murder. He finds more than he bargains for.<br />
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They both make enemies and unexpected allies along their path or romance. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. Especially those drawn to YA contemporary.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3918849-regina-linton">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Next I am reading Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles</span>.<br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-78740382908008342832011-06-29T13:10:00.001-04:002011-06-29T13:47:35.125-04:00Books Galore!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wow, there are so many wonderful things going on right now that it is so hard to keep up.</span></span><br />
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I have also been making some huge headway on some of my projects. I have completed over 16,000 words on my new WIP and am taking under advisement critique information from my partners on my first book. There are a lot of ideas and help coming from them. I am so appreciative.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">On my book obsession front, I am getting rained on with books lately by winning contests and such. This is my lucky month. Books I recently got were</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FKWOrGs5im3fKOBQaf3tQCHvMhVF5xqM_4bElM_dHXqZ8ujKSe5WvBfUoumLrTYKD1fPsUNOE7cixmLFx-jFBbrkI9i10pIYTKQYmheDp0UtBv9z4r3e9NmKJKJ3XknSfT7XJvNawIU/s1600/The+Warlock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FKWOrGs5im3fKOBQaf3tQCHvMhVF5xqM_4bElM_dHXqZ8ujKSe5WvBfUoumLrTYKD1fPsUNOE7cixmLFx-jFBbrkI9i10pIYTKQYmheDp0UtBv9z4r3e9NmKJKJ3XknSfT7XJvNawIU/s200/The+Warlock.jpg" width="136" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #5</b> Mind you that I have not read this series yet, so I have a lot of catching up to do. That is happening to me a lot lately.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrfRZlC9X9eut4wHu-OwQ_6RG7KLk9bHvgv4E6cc9ZVJJ1KW-xzWA74kXIVWsEyiW2c9F-BhuHpS3hu54_Zo1tU6qacgp47p2mTi3n4DU3E8wZB_WoRXNZupgmBLoLdzaiZRmTLfukGs/s1600/Dirty+Blood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrfRZlC9X9eut4wHu-OwQ_6RG7KLk9bHvgv4E6cc9ZVJJ1KW-xzWA74kXIVWsEyiW2c9F-BhuHpS3hu54_Zo1tU6qacgp47p2mTi3n4DU3E8wZB_WoRXNZupgmBLoLdzaiZRmTLfukGs/s200/Dirty+Blood.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I won the ebook <b>Dirty Blood</b> – by Heather Hildebrandt from <a href="http://nightlyreading.wordpress.com/"><b>Nightly Reading</b></a>, which I have already read. J See my review <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/167713025"><b>here</b></a>!</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Courtesy the author via Goodreads – First Reads</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxF5jM_LSZdtzDxBnK9RReRbHuLirPGclPeNMwdL3w19HF6tYPMbUo4bvoLA8QztWGxn2lrgYu1_lfRiqS4TxbRqQ593Mlh0aOKJLR_h3l3dRfpPhRAhbthjccVtMlq2SpbpzwQH3_V0/s1600/Pig+Boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxF5jM_LSZdtzDxBnK9RReRbHuLirPGclPeNMwdL3w19HF6tYPMbUo4bvoLA8QztWGxn2lrgYu1_lfRiqS4TxbRqQ593Mlh0aOKJLR_h3l3dRfpPhRAhbthjccVtMlq2SpbpzwQH3_V0/s200/Pig+Boy.jpg" width="130" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pig Boy</b> by J.C. Burke</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j5BMlePwBUkujqPT_xPg7YlYk5eIsRzJAIQ4NpPAWsnX6WdHb-VqThqbLEwF0c-hWGBJLntFbNlI9xyXg_lJbwqe3T8ft54cBsr6MX7Oqmne68zO0Sys8BjR8ysjGvLFuXSfbqC5fbE/s1600/Glow+-+Sky+Chasers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j5BMlePwBUkujqPT_xPg7YlYk5eIsRzJAIQ4NpPAWsnX6WdHb-VqThqbLEwF0c-hWGBJLntFbNlI9xyXg_lJbwqe3T8ft54cBsr6MX7Oqmne68zO0Sys8BjR8ysjGvLFuXSfbqC5fbE/s200/Glow+-+Sky+Chasers.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Glow: Sky Chasers #1</b> by Amy Kathleen Ryan</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I have won two other books this way. Love these opportunities.</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClsDgfP7Oj4x5vI44Ng2eprPCDNDt3AhYhbo9hB5IiVOlcPIgkrGtKIG1ejPK-v1MJEOmetssm2QKQhYuW3dOkJ_1wkvnd0O2JW6iLAj7IrXAUn068kGTeqwyuXDzqgpOtAId63JmCCE/s1600/City+of+Fallen+Angels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClsDgfP7Oj4x5vI44Ng2eprPCDNDt3AhYhbo9hB5IiVOlcPIgkrGtKIG1ejPK-v1MJEOmetssm2QKQhYuW3dOkJ_1wkvnd0O2JW6iLAj7IrXAUn068kGTeqwyuXDzqgpOtAId63JmCCE/s200/City+of+Fallen+Angels.jpg" width="132" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>City of Fallen Angels</b> UK Copy – Courtesy <a href="http://afterglowbookreviews.blogspot.com/"><b>Afterglow</b></a> and Jen Daiker who you know from <a href="http://jennifer-daiker.blogspot.com/"><b>Unedited</b></a>!</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So it looks as if I need to acquire the Cassandra Claire series so that I can actually reap my reward. Can’t read it until I read the other three. Tsk, Tsk…This happened to me with Carrie Ryan’s books as well.</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmdm_2ul8310vFA3STo0xGmzoXIcB_9JJl4G8qDARCJ5VWyuCYv_iOHUlf8dhCN3-8Flupsd-1UWJNYKoEROMsuIpXmhzVJ3eqN1DycaYbhK6x4m5EtsBb5YOJEN-3Mi5ULhR6fuKZi0/s1600/Dance+with+a+Vampire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmdm_2ul8310vFA3STo0xGmzoXIcB_9JJl4G8qDARCJ5VWyuCYv_iOHUlf8dhCN3-8Flupsd-1UWJNYKoEROMsuIpXmhzVJ3eqN1DycaYbhK6x4m5EtsBb5YOJEN-3Mi5ULhR6fuKZi0/s200/Dance+with+a+Vampire.jpg" width="130" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Dance with a Vampire</b> by Ellen Schreiber Courtesy <a href="http://bethfred.com/"><b>Beth Fred</b></a> Again this is the 4<sup>th</sup> book in the series. I need the other three.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Honey</span>! I need to go to the bookstore! I just need to fill in the gaps. I only need 10 books. Argh! I can never keep up, but I love it!!</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Recently Read:</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrWnxumYRRJl7GxVEts2AFg4ce3WDZrkC_8RrmQNCnBz8dze9qJBrYKkxJfaOlKB_77vy3J01Zql-YJB7uWiPNj3yq_mepoXLjSi0ZdDQQMhpYgoqobJYJJCS3eMxnNqqS-VgaWdz5xk/s1600/Solstice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrWnxumYRRJl7GxVEts2AFg4ce3WDZrkC_8RrmQNCnBz8dze9qJBrYKkxJfaOlKB_77vy3J01Zql-YJB7uWiPNj3yq_mepoXLjSi0ZdDQQMhpYgoqobJYJJCS3eMxnNqqS-VgaWdz5xk/s200/Solstice.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Solstice</b> by <a href="http://pjhoover.blogspot.com/"><b>P.J. Hoover</b></a> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Let me tell you something about P.J. She is AWESOME!! Psst. I also have those awesome trading cards see <a href="http://pjhoover.blogspot.com/2011/06/trading-card-tuesday.html"><b>here</b></a>. Yup. They’re mine and I am not giving them away. She also wrote me a really sweet note. Like I said, she is really great. If you haven’t looked into Solstice yet, do it. It is a really exciting book!! Show her some love!</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I also just spoke to a friend of mine who has a Nook and we are discussing experimenting with the lend feature…I know. I am really excited about this. I haven’t implemented it yet but think it is an interesting idea.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">So what are you reading? Looking forward to reading?</span></b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</script>Reginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2745091992412503077.post-11236689212031864762011-06-07T07:00:00.011-04:002011-06-07T07:00:06.708-04:00Rule Breaker, Rule Breaker -- Oh so naughty!<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">In honor of the release of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b>POSSESSION</b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;"> by Elana Johnson, (eek) I am to tell you about the time I broke the rules. I must clarify that this post is intended for fun only and not to incriminate myself and be held accountable for things that happened during my teenage years. All names and places have been changed to protect the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"><strike>crew</strike></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;"> innocent people that participated in said event. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So the year was 1991 and it was one of those lazy, humidly staggering days. Some of my misfits that choose to accept me were hanging out playing a very challenging game of basketball at one of the local parks. As evening loomed over the hoop at us, we notice some really--what we at the time would call HOT guys coming to join us.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">My girls—</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">A</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">B</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">C</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> were drooling over said boys in the group and were very excited to play some b-ball with some full contact horseplay. Delightful. Young </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">lust</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. Sweating profusely, we were ready to cool off, however, it was really late and too late to wander to one of our swimming reservoirs without injury.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">So one of us (me) gets this stupid idea of going swimming at the pool which is closed because it was approaching midnight. Yeah, so what did we do? We scaled the fence and jumped in the public pool. A few of my girlfriends (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">A</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> & </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">B</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> – <u>you know who you are—but I still love ya</u>) were skittish about this plan and declined immediately. I couldn’t be deterred. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">C</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> went with me and we enjoyed a quick dip with some fantastic guys. I think I did it more to impress the boys than I did to cool off. That is one of my color insights to break the rules!!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Disclosure</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">: If you are one of my children and you are reading this – this is a totally fictitious story and mommy would never do anything like that in her life. </span></span><b style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">DO NOT</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">, I repeat…</span><b style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">DO NOT</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> act like the yahoos in the story above.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"> If you are one of the local law enforcement officers of that town where that particular pool would happen to reside… no damage was done to the public property. The grass floating all over the place was already there, I swear! The only damage was handsome 1 ripped his shirt on the fence in our hasty exit. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Tragic!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"> </span></span></span></div><script src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js" type="text/javascript">
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