Teaser Tuesdays

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

The catch is simple. We don't do Christmas. We save the money, spend it on ourselves for once.
p62
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

The Christmas Reading Challenge:

The Christmas Reading Challenge:

• will run from Thanksgiving Day, November 26 through New Year's Eve, December 31, 2009



• you can choose 1 - 3 books...I know it seems a small amount, but it's a busy time of year and the challenge is only a little over a month.



• These must be Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore or a book of Christmas short stories (sorry, no children's books, but YA novel is okay).

http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/2009/10/christmas-reading-challenge.html

I know I am starting this challenge at the last minute, but I had to wait until I actually got my books from the library since they were on a long waiting list. So here they are:

My First Book is The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans:

This book was a fast read, but it had a lot of meaning. This is the story of a family who came to live with an elderly widow who needed a family to live in her house to prepare meals and do other things around the house. This family was living in a cramped apartment and really thought this would be a good opportunity. The family moved in with the widow, and the father found a Christmas Box in the attic filled with letters. He comes to find the true meaning of Christmas and what the letters really mean. It really makes you stop and think about the children in your life and how precious they are. Time is short and we should spend as much time with our children as we can.

The second book is Skipping Christmas by John Grisham:




This book was great. I watched the movie, but the book is better. Nora and Luther's daughter went into the Peace Corps and was not going to be around for Christmas, so they decided to save all the money that they usually spend on Christmas and go on a cruise instead. They ended up having a great Christmas and learned an important lesson about what Christmas is really about.



This is a touching story about what Christmas really means. It's not all about the gifts and parties, but it's about the time together and being with your family and friends.


The third and last book is The Gift by Richard Paul Evans

This was a great book, and I give it 5 starts out of 5. It was a very heartwarming story about Nathan Hurst. He met Addison and her 2 children in an airport. He ends up letting them stay in his hotel room because they don't have a place to stay and their flight has been cancelled until who knows when. Addison's son Collin has the ability to heal people. The Gift is not what I expected. The gift is not something you put under the tree, but rather something more than that. This is a great Christmas read, and I am so glad I checked this book out of the library.

Review of Night's Child (Sweep #15) by Cate Tiernan

Here is the Goodreads Description:
Morgan's saga continues in this double-length, stand alone SWEEP book. Moira's Story will shoot readers forward through time, where we will meet Morgan's daughter-raised as a blood witch-and follow her adventures as the progeny of one of the most powerful blood witches the Seven Great Clans have ever known.

Well, here it is, the final book of this series. I can't believe this is it.

Morgan had a child named Moira. Moira fell in love with Ian, but he was from the Ealltuinn coven. Morgan didn't trust him because she was worried that he would end up like Cal, who used her to bring her to his mother Selene. Dark magic was being worked, and she needed to find out where it was coming from. She had a suspected that it was from Ealltuinn.

Moira got ahold of Morgan's Book of Shadows and couldn't believe what she learned from it. She had no idea who her mother really was. She will find out who she really is and how strong her powers really are.

This was a great series and ends on a good note. This book was great, and the second half of the book just flies by. This is definately a great series to read!

Happy 101

Thanks to much to Staci at Life in the Thumb: Happy 101 for sharing this!


List 10 things that make you happy, try to do at least one of them today, and tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day. For those 10 bloggers who get the award, you then link back to my blog and create your makes you happy list.

1. My family.
   
2. I enjoy Saturday mornings. I go to my grandma's house with my daughters and clean every week and eat lunch with her. It is nice that they get to spend so much time with their great grandma!
   
3. Books make me happy. It is so exciting to pick up all those books at the library and find so many interesting things to read about. I am so happy for my friend Staci who got me into reading and blogging.
   
4. I am happy when I eat food, which is getting to be a bad thing. I am most happy when I eat Caramellos--I am so addicted to them!
   
5. My friends make me happy. I don't have a whole lot of them, but the ones I do have mean so much to me and I can't imagine life without them and I love them!
   
6. Playing on Facebook makes me happy. Seems like a big waste of time to some people I guess, but it's so much fun!
   
7. Giving someone a hug to let them know that I care.
   
8. Listening to music in my car cranked up really loud!
   
9. Hearing the crickets in the summertime.
   
10. Blogging and going on Goodreads. I love reading other people's blogs and finding new books to read.

Anyone reading this...consider yourself awarded this one and play along!

The Friday 56

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Closest book: Night's Child (Sweep #15) by Cate Tiernan
P56, 5th sentence:

(Cal and Selene were still Morgan's secret. As was Hunter.) As was the fact that Morgan was Ciaran MacEwan's daughter.

(added these two sentences before so it makes more sense).
Happy Friday!!!

Giveaway:

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥Princess Bookie♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Day 8- 12 Blogs Of Xmas Giveaway


From the 8th blog (Saturday) of Christmas, Princess Bookie gave to you…


First Winner Gets All in picture 1 (Firespell, Pefect Chemistry, Leaving paradise, Beautiful Creatures, Hush Hush and Along For Ride).

Second Winner Gets All In Picture 2 (Anxious Hearts, Jekel Loves Hyde, Hex Hall, Something Like Fate and Little Miss Red).

Third Winner Gets A Mystery ARC

Each Winner Will also Get a bunch of swag including Sea, The Cougar Club, The Debs, Bad Blood, bookmarks.

I've been reading and scheduling my reviews just for you so these can have a new home.

This is only day 8 of the 12 Blogs of Christmas, so be sure to check out the rest of the days of Christmas HERE.

Review of Full Circle (Sweep #14) by Cate Tiernan

This book goes back and forth between Morgan and Hunter. Hunter decides to quit being a seeker for the council, but he has to figure out what he wants to do with himself. Meanwhile, some witches come to him with a problem. Their coven leader is acting differently and they want Hunter to see if he can investigate and figure out what is going on with her. They said she is a good person, but maybe she just needs some help.

Morgan started having nightmares that seemed so real, and she woke up one morning with grass on her feet, like she was sleepwalking and her dream might not have been a dream at all. In one of her dreams she saw Cal. She also saw hawks and wondered if the hawk was really Cal? You will have to see the book to see who was really invading her dreams.

This was a great book of course and it's almost sad that there is only one more book to read in the series. I wonder what will happen next.

Teaser Tuesdays

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!
Suddenly, just as I was beginning to sense the sheet gripped in my hands, an image flashed: a dark-feathered hawk, streaking away. It was being chased by another hawk, rust colored and cruel eyed, who seemed terrible and strong and whose powerful wings were edged with flames.

p. 67 from Full Circle (Sweep #14) by Cate Tiernan

Mailbox Monday: December 14

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

It Happened One Night by Lisa Dale

I was so excited to find this in my mailbox, and I am not even sure where it came from. Thank you to whoever sent this to me!

Here is the Goodreads Description:

Sometimes love finds you when you least expect it.

Lana Biel has always wanted to shake the dust of Vermont off her feet and see the world, one exotic country after another. But when a lighthearted spring fling changes her life forever, she turns to the one man whose strong shoulders can lighten any burden: her best friend, Eli Ward. Eli has always been there for Lana--after all, that's what best friends do. But Lana isn't the only one hiding something. Eli is keeping secrets of his own that threaten their relationship. Yet as summer turns to fall, new desires awaken between them, even as old fears tear them apart. Then, when another Vermont winter fills the valleys with snow, Eli and Lana are given the chance for an adventure greater than they ever dreamed possible...and a love that will last for all time.

This sounds like a great book, and I can't wait to read it!

Two books down yesterday! My Review:

Review of Eclipse (Sweep #12) by Cate Tiernan



Ciaran is Morgan's birth father. He came to Morgan and wanted her to join him. She did not want to because he was involved in creating the dark wave years ago and uses dark magic. Morgan and the members of Kithic are determined to stop the dark wave that he wants to put into motion that will destroy Morgan and her family and friends. She can't believe that her own father would want to do this to her. She takes it upon herself to do something to try and stop it. Will they be successful? Just read the book to see.

This book goes back in forth from Morgan's point of view to Alisa's point of view. Alisa took a book of Morgan's because it just seemed to be calling out to her, and she found out from this book a secret that she never saw coming.

Review of Reckoning (Sweep #13) by Cate Tiernan:

Alisa revealed her secret to her best friend Mary K. At a circle, each person had to write something that causes them pain. Alisa wrote so much on her slip. As she read off her slip, things started to get strange and water could be heard coming from every corner of the entire house.

Alisa's dad was engaged to marry a woman that was very young, and Alisa didn't care for her. Alisa ended up finding some secret letters in a jewelry box that were written to her mother from her brother Sam. Alisa had to get away and visit Sam to find out more about her family. She ends up meeting her cousin who is her age, along with her boyfriend Charlie. Charlie sparks something in Alisa.

If you haven't read this series yet, I would highly recommend it.

Library Loot - December 11

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

Okay, I still have books from the last library trip that I have not finished yet, but I picked up 4 more books yesterday and here they are:





Eclipse (Sweep #12) by Cate Tiernan




Reckoning (Sweep #13) by Cate Tiernan



Full Circle (Sweep #14) by Cate Tiernan



Night's Child (Sweept #15) by Cate Tiernan




I am anxious to finish up this series and really enjoy these books!

Review of Psychic Healing Using the Tools of a Medium to Cure Whatever Ails You by Sylvia Browne

This looked like a very interesting book to me. I don't have any major health problems--well besides some tooth pain, but I really wanted to read a Sylvia Browne book. This book took me about 5 days to read off and on. Every time I tried to read it I ended up falling asleep. It had a lot of good information in it, but I had trouble getting through it quickly.

Here are some interesting things from this book:

Almost all illnesses come from either cell memory, mental disharmony or as part of our charts. Your mind has the power to heal itself. This book doesn't doesn't say that you shouldn't go to the doctor, but there are ways to try and heal yourself. We can't just focus on being ill or keep things bottled up inside. You will learn some techniques from this book on how you can meditate and try and heal yourself.

Here is a quote from her book: "When we gain weight, this may not just be from overeating, but from issues we faced in a past life as well. (This was the case with one woman I talked to, who'd starved to death in a past life and couldn't get enough food in this one.) Many times, putting on excess pounds is an attempt to combat loneliness; it can also be insulation so that other's can't get to us to hurt us. " p. 6

It was very interesting hearing that things that are wrong with people can be the result of what happened in a past life. Sylvia has many files on hypnotic regressions performed from many people from all walks of life and has verified names, dates and places and verified that reincarnation exists. It would be very interesting to find out about past lives.

She also states that depression occurs when your mind and body get overloaded and can be caused by what's going on in your life and what's not going on in your life. Some people are more prone to depression because they are on their last life. These people have been to earth so many times that they are just worn out.

People also have certain cycles in their lives that can be charted. So you can keep a journal of how you feel and find a pattern and find a way to get through bad times. People have a lot more power over themselves than we realize. She also doesn't know how religion can judge people and tell them that they are going to "hell". God is merciful and loving and cares about sinners and would never condem anyone so a so-called hell (which she says doesn't exist). There is no judgment day awaiting you. God forgives you and knows that everyone makes mistakes.

Wiccans are associated with witchcraft and "the black arts" and evil. They are not evil and use herbs in healing and have a beautiful religion.

She also tells on page 105 what the greatest addiction on earth is, and it's something that everyone has in their home.

I would say that if you have a disease or chronic pain, it would not hurt to read this book and try to see if you can heal yourself. I definately will read another Sylvia Browne book, but next time will pick out a different topic.

I give this book 3 stars.

The Friday 56:

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Closest book: Psychic Healing Using the Tools of a Medium to Cure Whatever Ails You by Sylvia Browne
P56, 5th sentence:

The key to good health is to keep your immune system powerful and highly trained. You can do this by not allowing negative programming to bring your defenses down, and by fighting any illness with passion and vehemence. Say "No!" to illness, and mean it!

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

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

Okay, this is from Psychic Healing: Using the Tools of a Medium to Cure Whatever Ails You by Sylvia Browne on Page 8.

"Know that you can audit your relationship with a family member, spouse, co-worker, or friend. So if you're around someone who makes you feel uptight, stressed, or not yourself, remove that person from your life. Even if it means that you'll be alone for a while, it will be better for your health, believe me."

My Review of : Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Julian of Macedon angered the Gods and was cursed 2000 years ago to be a ‘love slave’. He is kept inside a book until a woman wishes to call for him. When she says his name three times, he will appear and be at her mercy for whatever erotic fantasies she wishes for 30 days.

Selena gets her friend Grace the book hoping it will help her sex life. Grace said his name three times thinking nothing would come of it. She thought it was all nonsense until "Cautiously, she entered ...more Julian of Macedon angered the Gods and was cursed 2000 years ago to be a ‘love slave’. He is kept inside a book until a woman wishes to call for him. When she says his name three times, he will appear and be at her mercy for whatever erotic fantasies she wishes for 30 days.

Selena gets her friend Grace the book hoping it will help her sex life. Grace said his name three times thinking nothing would come of it. She thought it was all nonsense until "Cautiously, she entered the room and saw a tall figure standing in front of the couch. It was a man. A handsome man. A naked man". P. 25.

Julian existed only to serve Grace sexually, but Grace was cautious. She wasn't just going to give into him. She didn't even know him. He never had a woman who didn't want him physically and he didn't know what to think of it. He was just used to women using him for 30 days and going back into the book. Grace wants to help him and show him modern life and get to know him. Eventually, he is told the curse can be broken if he follows a few rules.

This was a great book and I just have to say that Grace had a lot of willpower! Great ending too!

I just have to add that Grace had a stalker and he took something precious away from her that could never be replaced, but I almost cried after what Julian did for her after what happened and what he sacrified for her.

Mailbox Monday - December 7

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


The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama

Yeah! I received this book from Staci at Life in the Thumb. I am so excited that I won this book, it is my first time for winning a book. Staci is a great co-worker and friend and I got into blogging and reading more thanks to her. I can't wait to read this book!

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Closest book: Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
P56, 5th sentence:




"He said nothing.

Instead of the tender man who had held her just an instant ago, he was back to being Mr. Statue, his entire body rigid and cold."

Check out the New Blog:

Life in the Thumb: Introducing....Lily!!

Check out the blog by one of our talented students at the middle school.

Review: Origins (Sweep #11) by Cate Tiernan

This is a great series.

In the last book we came upon a new character, Justine. The beginning of this book starts out with Hunter's showing Morgan a book that his father took from Justine's library.

Here is a quote from page 10:
"Opening it, I could see that the pages were handwritten."A Book of Shadows"?

"Not a Book of Shadows, exactly." Hunter flipped the pages back to the beginning, where a handwritten title page read, A Book of Spelles and Memories, by Rose MacEwan. "It's more like a memoir."

Rose MacEwan is an ancestor of Morgan, so this Sweep book goes back in time to 1682 and is told by Rose MacEwan. She is a Wodebayne and finds her soul male Diarmuid who is from a different coven. She will do anything to try to keep him.

This book started out a little slow but picked up with suspense. I would recommend reading this series!

Library Loot - December 3, 2009

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


Finally, I returned most of my books and got some new ones. I still have some more to pick up at another library, but they weren't open yesterday.

Here's what I picked up:


Fantasy Lover (Dark Hunter #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon I read the second book in this series before realizing it was a series. That book was very sexy. Can't wait to read this one!



The Host by Stephenie Meyer
This is one huge book. It seems like it will take forever to read, but I got through the Twlight books quick, so I am hoping this is a good one too! I tried listening to the book on CD but never finished it. I would rather have the actual book in my hands to read instead of listening to bits and pieces here and there.







Psychic Healing by Sylvia Browne
This book looked interesting. The back cover says: Constantly program yourself to be upbeat, effervescent, and joyful using positive affirmations and telling your mind and body to be the best person you can possibly be. Sounds like a Saturday Night Live episode, but we will see.





Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
I always love a good witch story. I saw this on either a blog or Goodreads, and thought it sounded good.

Review: Seeker (Sweep #10) by Kate Tiernan

This book is very different in that it is Hunters point of view instead of Morgan's. The beginning starts out with Hunter getting read to make the trip to Canada to see his mother and father who have been found. Morgan wants badly to have sex with Hunter. She has decided to let him have her, but is he ready?

He goes to Canada, and is surprised what he finds there. He also has a council matter that he needs to attend to while he is there and we meet a new character.

This was another great book and I look forward to reading the next one tonight!

REVIEW: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Excerpt from RichelleMead.com:
Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires--the ones who never die.

The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir; she is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.

After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking hearts.

Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's--but their world is fraught with danger both inside and out of the Academy's iron gates. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever...

My thoughts:
I picked up this book at Meijer at 3:00 in the morning on Black Friday. I read it while waiting in line for an item. I read the first 82 pages in an hour and a half and loved every minute of it.

Rose was so in tune with Lissa. They were best friends and Rose always looked after Lissa. They had such a close bond. They had been in an accident previously and something happened that bound them together. Since Rose wants to be the best guardian to Lissa that she can be, she receives a lot of training by Dimitri at the Academy, who is a Russian and 7 years older than her. Rose was very attracted to Dimitri, but was she attracted to him or did someone else win her affection? You will just have to read the book to find out.

Also, there was someone pulling pranks on Rose, what were these pranks and who was doing this to her. Will you find out? Just read the book!

This was a quick read and I can't wait to read the next.

P.S. I finally figured out how to format my post better. Thank you to Elizabeth, my 18 month old! She got up to the computer and started pushing all these buttons and I found the screen where I can "compose" my post.

Teaser Tuesdays

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


"Slowly, carefully, those long fingers of his reached out and traced the edge of my cheekbone, moving up the side of my face. At the first touch of his skin on mine, I shivered. He wound a lock of my hair around one finger, just like he had in the gym."
P. 251 Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead