T-B-R Thursday (2)

It's T-B-R Thursday once again!

This is the day of the I add a book to my To-Be-Read pile, which is growing by leaps and bounds. I have very eclectic tastes when it comes to books. You might find a romance, a bestseller or even a classic adding to my pile each week. I noticed this book while I was looking at some of favorite book blogs. I'm not sure which one had this book on the sidebar, but I was intrigued.

This week's book is: A Woman Worth Ten Coppers by Morgan Howell. This is the first book in the Shadowed Path Series. We meet Yim a gifted seer, who is suddenly cast into slavery.

Here is the synopsis taken from Barnes & Noble:

Product Details

• Pub. Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Format: Mass Market Paperback, 336pp
• Sales Rank: 71,467

• Series: Shadowed Path Series, #1
• ISBN-13: 9780345503961
• ISBN: 0345503961

Synopsis

Seer, healer, goddess, slave–she is all these things and more.

Yim is a young woman suddenly cast into slavery, a gifted seer with a shocking secret–and a great destiny. Honus is a Sarf, a warrior dedicated to the service of the compassionate goddess Karm. A Sarf’s sole purpose is to serve a holy person called a Bearer. But Honus’s Bearer has been killed by the minions of an evil god known only as the Devourer. Masterless and needing someone to bear his pack, Honus purchases Yim for the price of ten coppers–and their fates are forever entwined.

2010 Reading Challenges

It's that time of year when we are all making our New Year's Resolutions. This year one of my Resolutions is to take the time for myself to read more. In keeping with this Resolution I've decided to enter 7 reading challenges for the upcoming year. 5 of the challenges are sponsored by Royal Reviews. 1 Challenge is sponsored by J. Kaye's Book Blog, The 2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge. I hope to read at least 50 books from my local library this year. The final challenge is sponsored by Literary Escapism and it's the 2010 New Author Challenge, where we chose authors that are new to us. I decided on 25 new authors for this challenge. I will be charting my progress on my sidebar. I will compose & post a list of books that I will be attempting for each challenge in the near future. But, it will be subject to change, because there is always another great book coming out! Each of the 5 Royal Review challenges have different levels of participation, and anyone can enter. I chose the obsessed level on each of these challenges, I hope I can complete them LOL... Follow the links to join any of the 6 challenges I am participating in or join others that interest you, under the Challenges tab. Remember the challenges begin on January 1st and nothing you are reading before that date will count. Enjoy!

1st In A Series Challenge

Historical Fiction Challenge

Romance Challenge

E-Book Challenge

Audio Book Challenge

2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

2010 New Author Challenge

Review: Voyage Of The Exiles

My Synopsis: Voyage Of The Exiles is the first book in Patricia Hickman's Land Of The Far Horizons series. In 1788 England sent a fleet of ships to begin a colony in New South Wales, Australia. But, this wasn't just any bunch of colonists. They were convicts accused of crimes in England and sentenced to hang. Instead they were transported to Australia to embark on a new life.

The first book in the series centers around the Prentice Family. George, the father, who has fallen on hard times and resorts to pickpocketing to provide for his family. George is arrested and sentenced to seven years of hard labor in the New South Wales, colony. Amelia, his wife, is trying to provide for their daughter Katie and a child on the way, is accused of stealing from a wealthy landowner and sentenced to New South Wales as well. Katie, their daughter somehow manages to find work with the commander of the Australian bound fleet. Their struggles are portrayed as they not only find each other but a deep and abiding faith that see's them through the difficult times as the fleet draws near the Australian colony.

My Thoughts: This book was written in 1995 and I found the subject very interesting. I knew that Australia had been founded with the Botany Bay expedition but, I was really unfamiliar with the circumstances. I liked the book a lot, though I found the idea of all three members of the family somehow ending up in Australia perhaps a little too coincidental. The characters were very believable and made you become invested in what happened to them. Amelia, as a mother in desperate circumstances was very compelling. I liked how the subject of faith was not forced on the reader, but allowed to meld with the story and become a part of it.

This book deserves 3 out 5 apples from my book bag!

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB at 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!

My teaser this week comes from, The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer, page 159.

"You are teasing," said Diana, and tried to frown. "First you pretend to know nothing about Mr. Everard, and then you tell me foolish stories about him. A duke, indeed! I believe you really do know nothing about him!"

Simply Marvelous Monday (3)

J. Kaye's Book Blog gets all the credit for this one...

On Simply Marvelous Monday here at Debbie's Book Bag... We want to know what you're reading.

FINISHED LAST WEEK: (Didn't get as much reading time in, due to the holidays!)

The Voyage Of The Exiles (Book 1- Land Of The Far Horizon) by Patricia Hickman

READING OR LISTENING TO THIS WEEK:

The Black Moth (For Review, From Sourcebooks) by Georgette Heyer

The 5th Horseman (Book 5- The Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff (audio-from the library)

12 Stocking Stuffers ( A Harlequin Christmas Anthology- e-book from the library)

UP NEXT:

Gabriel's Ghost (Book 1- Dock Five Series by Linnea Sinclaire

So, what are you reading this week????

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I love this time of year. We almost had a white Christmas but all the snow melted lol... Have a great couple of days and don't forget what Christmas is really all about!!

Review: Feng Shui Love

(This book was provided by Palari Publishing in return for my honest review)

My Synopsis…

Leo, Libra, Cancer… What’s your sign?

In Feng Shui Love, by Joni Davis & Lisa Hyatt we meet Lily and Brook, two friends who learn what it’s like to be single in a fast paced world. They try everything from speed dating to an overnight singles campout to find Mr. Right.

Lily’s mother a convert to the Chinese system of Feng Shui convinces the girls that if they re-organize the furniture and put in an order to the universe, they’ll get just what they ask for. But is what they ask for, what they really want? Can an idea sometimes blind you to what’s right under your nose…

My Thoughts…

I enjoyed this book a lot. Once I started reading I was hooked. Davis & Hyatt use just enough humor to make us all laugh at situations we’ve either been in or can see ourselves getting into.

I liked the way Lily’s relationship with each of the other characters changes throughout the story. From her deep friendship with Brook to her new and scary relationship with her father, Walter. We see Lily grow and learn. Her relationship with Will is classic. She finds out that love may not come from where you expect it… Isn’t that the truth!!

I have to give this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Teaser Tuesday (2)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould 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!

My Teaser for this week will be coming from Feng Shui Love, by Joni Davis & Lisa Hyatt, page 107.

He pops a stuffed jalapeno into his mouth and smiles. I stare at him for a minute, trying to figure out if he's really that highly evolved or just a doormat.

• 
  

Simply Marvelous Monday (2)

J. Kaye's Book Blog gets all the credit for this one...

On Simply Marvelous Monday's at Debbie's Book Bag we want to know what you're reading.

FINISHED LAST WEEK:

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

Feng Shui Love by Joni Davis & Lisa Hyatt

READING THIS WEEK:

The Voyage Of The Exiles (Book 1, Land Of Far Horizon) by Patricia Hickman

The 5th Horseman (Book 5, Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson (audio)

12 Stocking Stuffers ( A Harlequin Christmas Anthology)

UP NEXT:

Gabriel's Ghost ( Book 1, Dock Five Series) by Linnea Sinclair

So what are you reading?

Giveaway Saturday (1)

Today I am going to go through some of the blogs I follow and find giveaways you might be interested in...

This is my top ten for this week:

1.) A Book Bloggers Diary always has a lot of good giveaways going on!

2.) A Bookworm's World currently has four book giveaways going on!

3.) A Circle Of Books has one current drawing.

4.) A Good Addiction has an interesting giveaway.

5.) Tales Of A Ravenous Reader has a big giveaway ending December 21st...

6.) Presenting Lenore is giving away 5 up and coming books and a gift card

7.) The Book Butterfly has several different contest going on.

8.) The Queen Of Happy Endings has a big December/January giveaway going on.

9.) All About{n} has several giveaways to check out.

10.) All Things Urban Fantasy, one of my favorite blogs has a couple of interesting contests.

Check these giveaways out, I tried to post contests with several different genre's. ENJOY!

Friday Favorites

Friday is favorites day here on Debbie's Book Blog. I'm sure there must be another blog out there that started this one, but I'm not sure who to give credit to. After this week Friday Favorites is going to switch to Friday's Spotlight. I've been doing a lot of looking around in blogspace lol... and I've decided to find a blog each week that has less than 100-150 followers and spot light that blog. I don't have a huge following yet, since I've just started and want others to be able to find a new audience also.

This weeks Friday Favorite is: 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber.

I stumbled across the Cedar Cove Series awhile back and was really delighted to find just a good romantic read without a lot erotic scenes. Just down to earth every day characters. I like the way that characters lives intermingle.

Here is a synopsis courtesy of Barnes & Noble

Olivia Lockhart
16 Lighthouse Road
Cedar Cove, Washington

Dear Listener,
You don't know me yet, but in a few hours that's going to change. You see, I'm inviting you to my home and my town of Cedar Cove because I want you to meet my family, friends, and neighbors. Come and hear their stories - maybe even their secrets!
I have to admit that my own secrets are pretty open. My marriage failed some years ago, and I have a rather…difficult relationship with my daughter, Justine. Then there's my mother, Charlotte, who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share them.
Here's an example: I'm a family court judge and she likes to drop in on my courtroom. Recently I was hearing a divorce petition. In Charlotte's view, young Cecilia and Ian Randall hadn't tried hard enough to make their marriage work - and I agreed. So I rendered my judgement: Divorce Denied.
Well, you wouldn't believe the reaction! Thanks to an article by Jack Griffin, the editor of our local paper (and a man I wouldn't mind seeing more of!), everyone's talking.
Cedar Cove - people love it and sometimes they leave it, but they never forget it!
See you soon…
Olivia

T-B-R Thursday (1)

It's To-Be-Read Thursday!

This is the day I add a book to my To-Be-Read pile that I find interesting. I have very eclectic tastes when it comes to books so the book might be a bestseller, it may have just been released, it may not even have come out yet or it may have been out forever...lol!

This weeks book is: Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. It is the first in a new series, where we will become acquainted with 'Whit and Wisty'. I think it looks spectacular. Here is the synopsis provided courtesy of Barnes & Noble.

Product Details

• Pub. Date: December 2009
• Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
• Format: Hardcover, 314pp
• Sales Rank: 4
• Age Range: Young Adult

• ISBN-13: 9780316036245
• ISBN: 0316036242

Synopsis

The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. The New Order, as it is known, is clearly trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. But while trapped in this totalitarian nightmare, Wisty and Whit discover they have incredible powers they'd never dreamed of. Can this newly minted witch and wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents--and maybe the world?

Review: The Noticer by Andy Andrews

Book Description courtesy of Thomas Nelson

(This book was provided by Thomas Nelson for review. This is my honest opinion and I have not received any payment for this review)

A moving story of common wisdom from the bestselling author of The Traveler’s Gift.

Orange Beach, Alabama is a simple town filled with simple people. But they all have their share of problems – marriages teetering on the brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, business people on the verge of bankruptcy, and many of the other obstacles that life seems to dish out to the masses.

Fortunately, when things look the darkest – a mysterious old man named Jones has a miraculous way of showing up. Communicating what he calls “a little perspective,” Jones explains that he has been given a gift of noticing things that others miss. In his simple interactions, Jones speaks to that part in everyone that is yearning to understand why things happen and what they can do about it.

Based on a remarkable true story, The Noticer beautifully blends fiction, allegory, and inspiration.

My Thoughts:

This is one of those books that you won't be able to forget easily. Once I turned that final page I was still captivated by the story. I felt like I had stumbled upon some hidden wisdom.

Andy Andrews uses the character of "Jones" to shed light on the issues that most people face one time or another in their lives. Divorce, getting old, taking shortcuts and redefining your life. "Jones," helped the people in the town get a better 'perspective'.

I think the real lesson was that when things look their bleakest in life we need to take a breath and re-evaluate what's important and who we want to be and then do something about it. This book made me want to do something. To change some things in my life. It made me think. How many books can you say affected you that way?

The writing was subtle and poignant. Andrews, didn't use a lot of flowery descriptions and big words. He just simply told a story in a way that many people will relate to.

It was a wonderful book. This was my first experience with Andy Andrews' writing and now I want to go out and get, The Traveler's Gift.

I give The Noticer 5/5 apples from my bookbag and recommend it to all my followers.

Review: Ain't She Sweet?

Synopsis courtesy of Barnes & Noble

Sugar Beth Carey's come back to Parrish, Mississippi, and she's brought her reputation for wreaking havoc with her. She's broke, desperate, and too proud to show it, even with her old enemies lining up for a chance to get even. Her former girlfriends have their eyebrow pencils sharpened into lethal points. Winnie Davis, her longtime rival, is fully armed with the money, power, and prestige that had once been Sugar Beth's. But worst of all is Colin Byrne, the man whose career Sugar Beth had destroyed — and not exactly accidentally.

Now Colin's a famous novelist living in Sugar Beth's old mansion, and this modern day dark prince is using his writer's imagination to figure out how to bring the town's beautiful former princess to her knees. But despite her sassy mouth, feisty spirit, and hardheaded ways, Sugar Beth's no longer the spoiled rich girl they all remember. No, now she's a woman to be reckoned with ... and a great big reckonin' is about to happen, not least of all for one dark prince who might — just might — be thinking about falling in love with the wickedest girl in town.

Ain't She Sweet? A funny, heartwarming, oh-so-spicy story of love, friendship, and the possibility of happily-ever-after.

My Thoughts:

I would have to say, I was a bit skeptical when I first started reading Ain't She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I had never read anything by the author before and from reading the back cover it sounded like a typical romance I might have read before... but was I ever wrong!

I truly enjoyed this book very much. I most identified with Winnie Davis the girl in high school that was made fun of, was perhaps a little too smart and didn't have a lot of confidence in herself. Her secret crush on the high school football team's star. Her struggles with friendships. She was a very endearing character. But, Sugar Beth really does take center stage.

This book was about growing up and becoming the person you didn't really think you were going to be. About how your choices in life shape your future, but they can't change your past. It was about not running away from who you were, but embracing it and showing who you've become.

I really liked the book. The characters were very well developed and the story is one that will resonant with a lot of women and young girls who are defining or redefining themselves.

I give Ain't She Sweet? 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Teaser Tuesday (1)

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along!

Here's how it works:

Take your current read and let it fall open to a random page.

Post two sentences from that page, No spoilers, Please!

Be sure to post the title and the author in case others want to add it to their To-Be-Read piles!

My teaser for this week:

She feared the worst... that Betsy was gradually becoming delirious. Behind them, three men carried Wanda, who was nearly comatose, followed by Hilda, who stumbled along on her own, holding her feverish brow.

Voyage Of The Exiles, page 144 (Land Of The Far Horizon Series, Book 1) by Pamela Hickman

What's your teaser for this week?

Simply Marvelous Monday (1)

J. Kaye's Book Blog gets the credit for this idea. Check out her blog as well...

http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com

It's that time of the week. Time to take inventory!

What books did you finish last week? Were your books for review or just pure pleasure?

What books will you be reading or listening to this week?

LAST WEEK:

Bread Upon The Waters by Anne de Graaf ( Book 1 - The Hidden Harvest Series) (My Bookshelf)

Ain't She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (audio book) (Library)

THIS WEEK:

Voyage Of The Exiles by Patricia Hickman (Book 1 - Land Of The Far Horizon Series) (My bookshelf)

The Noticer by Andy Andrews (E-book review copy provided by Thomas Nelson)

The 5th Horseman (audio book) (Library)

What are you reading?

Bread Upon The Waters, by Anne de Graaf

The war that had brought them together was now pulling them apart. Would they forever be scattered like-Bread Upon the Waters?

German by nationality, Polish by allegiance. Hanna Muller is involvedwith her family in the dangerous business of working for the Nazis while helping her Polish neighbors. Tadeusz Piekarz is a young engineer, a Polish prisoner forced to labor for the Germans in Hanna's father's firm. Their growing love surprises them both and brings them improbable joy in German-occupied Krakow.

Jacek Duch is an American spy, a perpetual lost soul working under deep cover in occupied Poland. During the war, he has managed to construct a life based on an intricate web of loyalties to his American "handlers," to his Polish comrades, and to the beautiful women he leaves behind.

But then the tide of war turns, and Soviet soldiers advance savagely over the same territory the Nazis have held in an iron grip. Hanna and her mother must flee for their lives, and Tadeusz must face the Soviets with his crippled father-in-law, now branded as a Nazi collaborator. Torn by events they can't control but bound by love and faith, they struggle against all odds to survive, to find each other again. And again and again, through it all, they find their lives strangely intertwined with the American spy who comes to find himself in the cause of Polish liberty only to lose himself again.

My thoughts:

This book was published by Bethany House Publishers in 1995. It was written by author, Anne de Graaf, who has written over 80 children's books and 4 adult novels. This book is the first in her series, The Hidden Harvest.

This book has been on my shelf for years and I really don't know why I didn't pick it up until recently. I have always been a history buff and this one really indulged me. The historical accuracy of the novel is astounding. A lot of research went into making it as authentic as possible. Most novels about WWII are set in Germany or Austria but not usually Poland. I found the settings and the descriptions very interesting.

The three main characters were compelling and made you become invested in what happened to them. You could sympathize with Hannah and Thadeusz as they parted at the train station. You could feel Hannah's desperation when she lay down with the knife. You could almost see Jacek's pain as he burned the letter telling him of Barbara's death.

You could tell that the story was meant to continue. There was no real stopping point. Jacek's story just sort of abruptly ends and we aren't sure what has happened to him. Hannah and Thadeusz's story continued to the end of the book and left you wondering what would happen to their little family as they moved on.

Even though this is an older book. I really liked it and look forward to reading the second novel in the series, called "Where The Fire Burns."

I give it 4/5 apples from my bookbag!

New Blog Schedule

My new blog schedule will start next week. Something different for everyday! Except, Sunday... gotta rest sometime lol...

Simply Marvelous Monday - What are you reading this week? idea, courtesy of J. Kaye's Book Blog

Teaser Tuesday - Started by Miz B from Should Be Reading

Wednesday Weekly - Could be a new review, a new interview, a new book I like, just a day to post anything.

TBR Thursday - Books I'm adding to my To-Be-Read bag (publishers info etc.)

Friday Favorites - My favorite books, old and new

Giveaway Saturday - Posting of giveaways found from around the blogger universe and the rest of the net.

Can't wait to get started!!!

Received my first review copy today.... YYYYYEEEEAAAA!

The Beginning Of A Book Blog

I'm very excited about my first book blog! I have always been a big fan of all the wonderful book blogs I have been lucky enough to stumble across. Now, I'm taking the plunge and beginning one of my own. It's scary but it's also amazing. I look forward to posting reviews, doing interviews and eventually having giveaways. For the time being I will be reviewing the books I am reading. Not all of them will be hot off the presses. I have a to-be-read pile that is staggering lol... So enjoy what you'll find in my book bag (which I always carry with me), and stay tuned as I work out the kinks and get a good routine down.