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Showing posts from December, 2010

Out with a Bang Readathon: Book Sentence Mini-Challenge

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I'm still involved in the read-a-thon, and not getting much reading done. Too many things going on. But I am getting more reading in than usual, and getting closer to finishing my books. And Reading Teen is having a mini-challenge. Use three or more books to create a sentence or phrase. Here's mine: "Darling Jim, For the love of Pete, dust the tower, the zoo and the tortoise!" And now, back to reading!

I Wanna...Feed by Mira Grant

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The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beat the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED. NOW, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives-the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them.

Out with a Bang Read-a-thon: Photo Montage Mini-Challenge

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Andrea of Loud Words & Sounds is holding a mini-challenge requiring you to provide three images that best represent the theme of the chapter that you are currently reading. My current book is: Now, before I do the mini-challenge let me warn any readers of possible SPOILERS ! I just finished the Busted section of the book and am now beginning "Blood Everywhere" on page 821. Here is my photo montage... There is currently a dome over the city of Chester's Mill, cutting it off from the rest of the world. Neighbor is turning on neighbor. Some are deceitful and lying, some are mentally unstable, and others are just plain scared... ...and there is a mysterious black box, which may be behind the mysterious appearance of the dome. That's it in a nutshell! Now back to reading!

Out with a Bang Read-a-thon Update

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I haven't had much time to read during the read-a-thon as yet, but I have made a dent. I had to work a good portion of today, and will be getting back to reading again in a bit. At this point I have about 250 pages left in Under the Dome and 160 pages left in Darling Jim. We'll see how it goes!

Out with a Bang Readathon

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I am participating in the "Out with a Bang" Readathon for the next few days, in hopes of finishing up a couple of books before the new year. This Readathon, hosted by The Bookish Type and Book-Savvy , will run December 29-31. My goal is to try to finish up Darling Jim by Christian Moerk and Under the Dome by Stephen King. I won't be able to really join in until this afternoon, as I have some things to do today. But I'll be sneaking in a little reading this morning. I will also need to take some time over the next few days to take down Christmas decorations and such, but I still endeavor to read more than usual and perhaps even finish both of the books mentioned. Let the reading begin!

What's Releasing? (12/29/10 edition)

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Books that are releasing the week of 1/4/11: The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards The highly anticipated new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Memory Keeper's Daughter   With revelations that prove as captivating as the deceptions at the heart of her bestselling phenomenon The Memory Keeper's Daughter , Kim Edwards now gives us the story of a woman's homecoming, a family secret, and the old house that holds the key to the true legacy of a family.  At a crossroads in her life, Lucy Jarrett returns home from Japan, only to find herself haunted by her father's unresolved death a decade ago. Old longings stirred up by Keegan Fall, a local glass artist who was once her passionate first love, lead her into the unexpected. Late one night, as she paces the hallways of her family's rambling lakeside house, she discovers, locked in a window seat, a collection of objects that first appear to be useless curiosities, but soon reveal a deeper a...

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (12-25-10 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: DeRaps Reads is giving away your choice of four books. Deadline is December 30. International! Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm is giving away your choice of three books. Deadline is January 1. International! The Book Butterfly is giving away $45 to CSN Stores. Deadline is January 3. Eating Y.A. Books is having a big birthday bash throughout the month of December. A different book is being added eac...

Mailbox Monday (12/27/10 edition)

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Image licensed from bigstockphoto.com Copyright stands Mailbox Monday is brought to us by The Printed Page . I've been holding my books for the last month, and opened all of my packages on Christmas Eve (being a single woman without kids, it's the only way to have something under the tree!). Here are just some of the books I've received over the holiday season: 31 Hours by Marsha Hamilton Won through Dewey's Read-a-thon When Carol Meitzner jolts awake in the middle of a long night, she knows — as surely as a mother can know — that her son, Jonas, is in danger.  His girlfriend doesn't understand why, but she knows she has somehow lost him. Jonas won't answer his phone. And no matter how carefully she shapes them, he won't return her messages.  His father says it can't be as bad as they fear.  But it is.  Jonas is in a safe-house beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. There, in the belief that he can change the world, he ponders his newfound faith — and h...

Merry Christmas to all...

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...and to all a good night!

What's Releasing? (12/22/10 edition)

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Books releasing the week of 12/28/10: What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz  In the late summer of a long ago year, a killer arrived in a small city. His name was Alton Turner Blackwood, and in the space of a few months he brutally murdered four ... True Grit by Charles Portis Charles Portis has long been acclaimed as one of America's foremost comic writers. True Grit is his most famous novel—first published in 1968, and the basis for the movie of the same name starring John Wayne. It tells the story of Mattie Ross, who is just fourteen years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney shoots her father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robs him of his life, his horse, and $150 in cash money. Mattie leaves home to avenge her father's blood. With the one-eyed Rooster Cogburn, the meanest available U.S. Marshal, by her side, Mattie pursues the homicide into Indian Territory. True Grit is eccentric, cool, straight, and unflinching, like Mattie herself. From a ...

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (12-18-10 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: Talk is Cheap is giving away an ARC of Sapphique. Deadline is December 18. US only. Good Choice Reading is giving away The Dark Divine and The Lost Saint, plus nail polish. Deadline is December 19. US/Canada only. Libby's Library is giving away $100 for CSN Stores! Deadline is December 22. US/Canada only. Avery's Book (and other fun stuff) Nook is having a follower contest and giving away gift cards to Ama...

I Wanna...Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

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I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ. Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived–and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who’ve long forgotten her.  The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details–proof they hope may free Ben–Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club . . . and maybe she’ll admit her testimony wasn’t so solid after all. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklah...

CHALLENGE: Zombies! Satisfy your hunger! Reading Challenge

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Zombies! Satisfy your undying hunger! Reading Challenge 2011 is all about zombies! And I love zombies, and I have a slew of zombie books just waiting for me. I've been waiting for a challenge like this! Challenge Rules & Info: Challenge STARTS January 1, 2011 and ENDS December 31, 2011 Sign up by filling your info in the Mr. Linky {If you don't have a blog, you can use your FB, Goodreads, etc} Read at least 10 Zombie books this year. They don't have to be ALL about Zombies, just have Zombies in them. Remember, the more the merrier! Here's a LIST of zombie books that may help :) The books can be print, ebooks, and audio books. Reread books ARE allowed, BUT, the review must be rewritten. You cannot use old reviews. There will be a post up each month with the Mr. Linky to have the reviews posted. Challenges are open to non-bloggers. A review must be written and posted on a literary site, such as GoodReads, Amazon, etc. Grab a button to show your Challenge spirit! Last...

What's Releasing? (12-15-10 edition)

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Here's what's releasing the week of 12/21/10: Identical by Ellen Hopkins Kaeleigh and Raeanne are 16-year-old identical twins, the daughters of a district court judge father and politician mother running for US Congress. Everything on the surface seems fine, but underneath run very deep and damaging secrets. What really happened when the girls were 7 years old in that car accident that Daddy caused? And why is Mom never home, always running far away to pursue some new dream? Raeanne goes after painkillers, drugs, alcohol, and sex to dull her pain and anger. Kaeleigh always tries so hard to be the good girl -- her father's perfect little flower. But when the girls were 9, Daddy started to turn to his beloved Kaeleigh in ways a father never should and has been sexually abusing her for years. For Raeanne, she needs to numb the pain of not being Daddy's favorite; for Kaeleigh, she wants to do everything she can to feel something normal, even if it means cutting ...

REVIEW: The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace (audiobook)

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Synopsis The "dazzling, exhilarating" ( San Francisco Chronicle) debut novel from one of this century's most groundbreaking writers, The Broom of the System is an outlandishly funny and fiercely intelligent exploration of the paradoxes of language, storytelling, and reality. About the Author from Barnes and Noble Biography Born in Ithaca, NY, and raised in Champaign, IL, David Foster Wallace grew up athletically gifted and exceptionally bright, with an avid interest in tennis, literature, philosophy, and math. He attended Amherst and graduated in 1985 with a double major in English and Philosophy. His philosophy thesis (on modal logic) won the Gail Kennedy Memorial Prize. His English thesis would become his first novel, The Broom of the System . Published in 1987 during his second year of grad school at the University of Arizona, the book sold well, garnering national attention and critical praise in equal measure. Two years later, a book of short stories, Gir...

CHALLENGE: Dystopian Challenge

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Hosted by BA Reading Challenges, the object of this challenge is quite simply to read more books of the dystopia genre. She has a list of Dystopian novels on her other blog to kick start or for ideas. How To Participate Decide which challenge level you'll be doing (further below) - post-apocalyptic is also allowed seeing as they cross over sometimes.. Grab the code for the badge down below and post it on a side bar or in a signature (if you want to participate, but aren't blogging, don't have a social network profile or aren't on a forum -  Submission For Non Bloggers ). Create your own post to let all your readers know you’re taking part in the challenge and at what level (if you're really proficient you can list your books!). Make sure to link back to this page with either one of the buttons or a text link.. Use the link form on her blog to enter into the challenge by sharing your challenge post url and your name (either your name, blog ...

CHALLENGE: Off the Shelf!

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This challenge is being hosted by BA Reading Challenges . The goal of this challenge is to read those books you own copies of, but have never got around to reading. If you don't have many that you own, but have a massive TBR shelf you're welcome to read those ones as long as you don't add new ones. You don't need to actually get rid of your books after you've read them, this is just to read them. How To Participate 1. Decide which challenge level you'll be doing (further below) - do not include books that you buy from the start of this challenge. 2. Grab the code for the badge down below and post it on a side bar or in a signature (if you want to participate, but aren't blogging, on a social network or forum - Submission For Non Bloggers). 3. Create your own post to let all your readers know you’re taking part in the challenge and at what level (if you're really proficient you can list your books!). Make sure to link back to this page with either one...

CHALLENGE: Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011

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The Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge is hosted by The Book Vixen . Details: Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011 (books read prior to 1/1/11 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. You can sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog. The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2011 than you did in 2010. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge. Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio). Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine. You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. It is not required that you review the books you read for this challenge but feel free to do so. Post this reading challenge on your blog so you can keep a list of the books you’ve read for this challenge. Please include a link back to this post so readers can join the challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to partici...

CHALLENGE: New Authors Challenge

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Hosted by Literary Escapism , the goal of this challenge is to find authors that you've never read before. Here are the guidelines outlined on her blog: 1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. 2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels. Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies. 3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors. It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be. For me, I’m trying another 50 new authors. If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop. Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky. We all want to know about your new experience. 4. After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add...

CHALLENGE: Wish I'd Read That Challenge 2011

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  Hosted this year by My Love Affair with Books , the goal of this challenge is to read all of those books that you've been wanting to read and haven't gotten to. Challenge Guidelines: *You can join anytime between now and Dec 31st 2011* 1.  Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. --Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.Non-Bloggers can post their review on sites like Goodreads, Librarything, Shelfari etc 2. There are four levels: -- Curious – Read 3 books. -- Fascinated – Read 6 books. -- Addicted – Read 12 books. -- Obsessed – Read 20 books. 3. Any book format counts. 4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you. 5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2011. 6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the Wish I'd Read That Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants ...