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Showing posts from March, 2010

What's Releasing? (03-31-10 edition)

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Available the week of April 5: Changes (Dresden Files Series #12) by Jim Butcher The new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series. Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden's lover-until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it. Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it-against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry's not fighting to save the world... He's fighting to save his child . Anthill by Edward O. Wilson Inspirational and magical, the story of boy who grows up determined to save the world from its most savage ecological predator: Man himself. The Last Time I Saw You by Eliz

Teaser Tuesday (03-30-10 edition)

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading . Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS ! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Today's Teaser: "Visitors?" "Yes...well, they aren't like us, of course-- in their hunting habits, I mean. They probably won't come into town at all, but I'm certainly not going to let you out of my sight till their gone." -- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (page 328)

Mailbox Monday (03-29-10 edition)

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Mailbox Monday is brought to us by The Printed Page . Haven't done this for a few weeks. In my mailbox over the last couple of weeks I've received: Black Hills by Dan Simmons Won from Jo-Jo Loves to Read When Paha Sapa, a young Sioux warrior, "counts coup" on General George Armstrong Custer as Custer lies dying on the battlefield at the Little Bighorn, the legendary general's ghost enters him - and his voice will speak to him for the rest of his event-filled life. Seamlessly weaving together the stories of Paha Sapa, Custer, and the American West, Dan Simmons depicts a tumultuous time in the history of both Native and white Americans. Haunted by Custer's ghost, and also by his ability to see into the memories and futures of legendary men like Sioux war-chief Crazy Horse, Paha Sapa's long life is driven by a dramatic vision he experienced as a boy in his people's sacred Black Hills . In August of 1936, a dynamite worker on the massive Mount Rushmo

Poetry Sunday (03-28-10 edition)

Flux Capacitor recently posted a portion of this poem on her blog, and it caught my eye. So I Googled it and tracked it down... Song by Thomas Moore Have you not seen the timid tear Steal trembling from mine eye? Have not mark'd the flush of fear, Or caught the murmur'd sigh? And can you think my love is chill, Nor fix'd on you alone? And can you rend, by doubting still, A heart so much your own? To you my soul's affections move Devoutly, warmly true; My life has been a task of love, One long, long thought of you. If all your tender faith is o'er, If still my truth you'll try; Alas! I know but one proof more,-- I'll bless your name and die!

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (03-26-10 edition)

NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com. Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes: All About {n} is giving away 3 copies of Apologize, Apologize! Deadline is March 27. US/Canada only. Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 2 copies of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Deadline is March 28. US/Canada only. Freda's Voice is giving away 3 copies of Apologize, Apologize! Deadline is March 28. US/Canada only. Freda's Voice is also giving away 3 copies of Laura Rider's Masterpiece. Deadline is March 28. US/Canada only. Bookin' with Bingo is giv

I Wanna...After Midnight by Richard Laymon

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Although Laymon died in 2001, his U.K. novels have only recently gotten an American release; this 1997 title is a sordid, flawed gem, both stomach churning and erotic, and not infrequently at the same time. Narrated by paranoid, defiant 26-year-old Alice, the book opens on a peaceful night of house-sitting-but as Alice warns, "You can never be sure it's safe." Indeed, shortly after midnight she spots a strange man emerge from the woods and go swimming naked in the family pool. A fortunately timed phone call that's a wrong number gives Alice the chance to drive off the stranger, but sets in motion a 24-hour whirlwind of murder, terror and madness, beginning when Alice splits open someone's head with a Civil War saber-and escalating precipitously from there. Alice's matter-of-fact attitude toward her grisly handiwork can make her hard to sympathize with ("I felt rotten about killing him, but not particularly guilty"); supporting characters are easier t

REVIEW: Beginner's Luck by Laura Pedersen

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Synopsis “There could be no doubt left in anyone’s mind that my life had all the makings of a country-and-western song.” The second of seven children (with another on the way), Hallie Palmer has one dream: to make it to Vegas. Normally blessed with an uncanny gift for winning at games of chance, she’s just hit a losing streak. She’s been kicked out of the casino she frequents during school hours, lost all her money for a car on a bad bet at the track, and has been grounded by her parents. Hallie decides the time as come to cut her losses. Answering an ad in the local paper, she lands a job as yard person at the elegant home of the sixty-ish Mrs. Olivia Stockton, a wonderfully eccentric rebel who scribes acclaimed poetry along with the occasional soft-core porn story. Under the same wild roof is Olivia’s son, Bernard, an antiques dealer and gourmet cook who turns out mouthwatering cuisine and scathing witticisms, and Gil, Bernard’s lover, whose down-to-earth sensibilities provide a perf

Introducing Thursday...Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

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Twilight by Stephanie Meyer I'd never given much thought to how I would die-- though I'd had reason enough in the last few months-- but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.

What's Releasing? (03-24-10 edition)

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What's releasing the week of March 29: Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson Series #5) by Patricia Briggs When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down. It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit. All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live... Without Mercy by Lisa Jackson Ever since her father was stabbed to death in a home invasion, Julia “Jules” Farentino has been plagued by nightmares. Her half-sister, Shaylee, now seventeen, has had her own difficulties since the tragedy, earning a rap sheet for drug use, theft, a

Poetry Sunday (03-21-10 edition)

This is one of those really long poems. So this is the "abridged" version in which I cut out the middle... To a Skylark by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1803-1822) Hail to thee, blithe spirit! Bird thou never wert- That from heaven or near it Pourest thy full heart In profuse strains of unpremeditated art. Higher still and higher From the earth thou springest, Like a cloud of fire; The blue deep thou wingest, And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest. In the golden light'ning Of the sunken sun, O'er which clouds are bright'ning, Thou dost float and run, Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun. We look before and after, And pine for what is not: Our sincerest laughter With some pain is fraught; Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought. Yet, if we could scorn Hate and pride and fear, If we were things born Not to shed a tear, I know not how thy joy we ever should come near. Better than all measures Of delightful sound, Better th

I Wanna...A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

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He placed a notice in a Chicago paper, an advertisement for "a reliable wife." She responded, saying that she was "a simple, honest woman." She was, of course, anything but honest, and the only simple thing about her was her single-minded determination to marry this man and then kill him, slowly and carefully, leaving her a wealthy widow, able to take care of the one she truly loved. What Catherine Land did not realize was that the enigmatic and lonely Ralph Truitt had a plan of his own. And what neither anticipated was that they would fall so completely in love. Filled with unforgettable characters, and shimmering with color and atmosphere, A Reliable Wife is an enthralling tale of love and madness, of longing and murder.

Introducing Thursday...Hunter by Campbell Jeffery

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He was still alive and that was bad. He had volunteered for the scouting group, hoping that if he ventured close enough to the enemy line, a sniper would take him down and it would be over. Dead. His sins would be absorbed by the scorched battlefield and he would float up to the paradise he had envisaged so vividly as a child. God would be there to absolve him for following the others, for not standing up and rebelling against the fanatics, but would understand and forgive, and walk with him through the gates of heaven.

J.M. Barrie and M.J.

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I was reading about author J.M. Barrie today (the author of Peter Pan), and it was interesting to read his biography on Wikipedia : Barrie also had friendships with other children, both before he met the Davies boys and after they had grown up, and there has since been speculation that Barrie was a paedophile or that he engaged in child sexual abuse. However, there is no direct evidence of any such conduct, nor that he was suspected of it at the time. Nico, the youngest of the brothers, flatly denied that Barrie ever behaved inappropriately. 'I don't believe that Uncle Jim ever experienced what one might call "a stirring in the undergrowth" for anyone — man, woman, or child,' he stated. 'He was an innocent — which is why he could write Peter Pan.' His relationships with the surviving Davies boys continued well beyond their childhood and adolescence. Doesn't that sound a lot like another figure well associated with Neverland? Isn't it curious that M

What's Releasing (03-17-10 edition)

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Shattered by Karen Robards The past is never over. It just gets dusty. Lisa Shewmaker was a rising star in a prestigious law firm in Lexington, Kentucky; that is, until the firm went bankrupt and she lost her job. With an ailing mother to care for, Lisa takes the first position she can find: research assistant to District Attorney Scott Buchanan. Scott is as disagreeable as he is sexy, and Lisa suspects the only reason she got the job is because of her privileged upbringing as the daughter of a wealthy federal judge. While reviewing cold cases in the Fayette County courthouse a particularly thick manila envelope draws Lisa’s attention. The details of the case are engrossing: An entire family – father, mother, and two children – disappeared more than twenty-eight years ago. Except that’s not all: The mother in the photo could have been Lisa’s twin, and the toddler in the picture bears an uncanny resemblance to Lisa herself. Before Lisa can learn more about her past a series of catastrop

Teaser Tuesdays (03-16-10 edition)

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading . Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS ! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Today's Teaser: "Oh yes," says Mr. Bernard, "I explained how you've been laboring so intently for twelve dollars an hour in an effort to save for an automobile that I thought it highly doubtful you would be inclined to embezzle." -- Beginner's Luck by Laura Pedersen, page 132

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (03-13-10 edition)

NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com. Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes: So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away This One is Mine. Tell 'em nfmgirl sent you! Deadline is March 13. US/Canada only. This is Not My Day Job is giving away two prize packs: two YA books or a 9 West Kendall Hobo bag. Deadline is March 13. Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 3 copies of Apologize, Apologize. Deadline is March 13. US/Canada only. Peeking Between the Pages is giving away a hardcover copy of The White Queen. Deadline is March

I Wanna...A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman

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From Simon and Schuster : Set against the volatile events of the last forty years of Sri Lankan history, A Disobedient Girl traces the lives of three characters whose interwoven fates and histories force them to answer life's most difficult questions. Beautiful, haunting, alive, and brimming with truth, it is, above all, a novel about extraordinary circumstances that change life in an instant and the power of love to transcend time and place. The story begins with two little girls, mistress and servant, one with every luxury and opportunity that money can buy and the other with nothing but her yearning for a better life. Together, they grow up bound by love, betrayal, resentment, and an impossible secret. Then there is Biso, a devoted mother of three, who risks everything to escape from the hands of her tyrannical husband. But her journey, which begins with such hope, takes her on a disastrous path that ultimately leads her to give her life over to strangers she never imagined she

Introducing Thursday: Beginner's Luck by Laura Pedersen

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Was there ever a single moment about which you later wondered, "What would my life be like now if that hadn't happened?" Would the present be the same or completely different? And do we really make choices about what will happen to us, or is it all in the hands of fate?

What's Releasing (03-10-10 edition)

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What's releasing the week of March 15: Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline From the blockbuster New York Times bestselling author of Look Again comes a novel that makes you question the nature of evil: is it born in us or is it bred? Bennie Rosato looks exactly like her identical twin, Alice Connolly, but the darkness in Alice’s soul makes them two very different women. Or at least that’s what Bennie believes, until she finds herself buried alive at the hands of her twin. Meanwhile, Alice takes over Bennie’s life, impersonating her at work and even seducing her boyfriend in order to escape the deadly mess she has made of her own life. But Alice underestimates Bennie and the evil she has unleashed in her twin’s psyche, as well as Bennie’s determination to stay alive long enough to exact revenge. Bennie must face the twisted truth that she is more like her sister Alice than she could have ever imagined, and by the novel’s shocking conclusion, Bennie finds herself engaged in a war she can

Just changing the window dressings...

Please excuse the mess while I play around with the window dressings a little. A friend of mine started making me a banner months ago, but he never finished. You know how life gets in the way sometimes, and you get side-tracked. But he was doing a great job with the banner, and I decided that I was going to utilize the proto-type, and see how it goes. So you may see this site go through a few renditions while we play around with it. Feel free to give any feedback on the banner or other layout choices. All feedback is appreciated! Note: The truck in the image is one that I got a picture of a couple of years ago. We were on our way over to my step-brother's house, and had this truck in front of us. It had the stereotypical big tires and American flag flying in the back bed. I asked my boyfriend to get a shot of it, because it epitomized the "redneck world" that I grew up in! (However my friend did take some liberties with the truck, adding "FERD" and the "RE

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (03-06-10 edition)

NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com. Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes: Seductive Musings is giving away a copy of Some Like It Rough. Deadline is March 6. In Which a Girl Reads is giving away a book of your choice (under $20). Deadline is March 6. International! Books R Us is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Unnamed. Deadline is March 7. US/Canada only. Pixiepine Blog is giving away a copy of Rabbit Food Cookbook. Deadline is March 8. US/Canada only. Historically Obsessed is giving away a hard copy of Impatient with Desire. D