I have an embarrassing issue to confess to.  The BEA starts today.  How I so wish I could attend one year but due to the difficulty of walking, I know that it is something I probably will never be able to do.  Last year I saw Armchair BEA  around bloggyland but thought that it was just bloggers relaying their experiences while they were actually present at the event.  

Yesterday, via another blog that I visited, sorry can’t remember which one to give them the credit, but they had the link for the Armchair BEA.  I did not realize that I could actually participate virtually so I signed up yesterday and am so excited about being part of this event.  Today’s assignment is getting to know each other.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?
My name is Cheryl Masciarelli (pronounced Mash-a-relli, hence the nickname Mash. Have been married for 31 years with 2 phenomenal sons, who both live out of state due to jobs :(.  I have been blogging for 2+ years and am now also a partner in a virtual tour company, Partners In Crime Tours, with Molly, from Reviews By Molly. I stumbled onto a book blog, never knowing they existed and for that matter, didn’t even have a clue at that time, what a blog was. I stalked a few for a month or so and it looked like so much fun that I decided to join the club.

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?
I am currently reading The Bright River by Patrick Somerville, from The Hachette Book Group. Favorite book?  Tough question, since I have to say that this year there have been quite a few that were 5+.

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.
For those who follow me, there really isn’t one thing as I tend to share my real life experiences on my blog also.

What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?
Favorite? I love everything, the daily memes, guest authors, giveaways, challenges, and most importantly, the people I have met because of my blog and working with authors, publishers and publicists.

Where do you see your blog in five years?
Still here but hopefully that I will learn more about the social media sites and understanding and navigating the platform of wordpress.

Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?
It would have to be 2. One when my Mom passed and the other would be about the special angels that took care of her.

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?
Ironically, yesterday plans were made to meet and have dinner with an author. I was contacted a while back to read and review a book, Ragdoll Redeemed by Dawn Novotny and to host a showcase through WOW Tours. The book was phenomenal and really left an impression. Since she wasn’t scheduled for the spotlight until this Thursday, June 7th, I decided to send her a copy of my review so that she wouldn’t have to wait to see it as it was her first tour. We started emailing and clicked. She is a kind, nice, genuine, amazing, strong and down to earth person. We developed a friendship and found we had some similarities in our life through emails. She is attending a conference in the state I reside and we made plans to meet. I can’t wait because I feel that I have known her for years.

What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?
Meeting other bloggers and forming friendships is first and foremost. The other is sharing thoughts on books read since I am not surrounded by readers in RL.
Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?
Yes. I have read books with the premise and/or genre that I wouldn’t have chosen prior to blogging.

I can’t wait to see what is next in Armchair BEA!

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

This week’s question:
Do you have a reading goal for the year, such as __ books? Why or why not?

My response:
Last year was awful in the number of books that I read.  Due to many personal issues/real life interference, I read a total of 50 books.  This year I signed up for both Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge, which I put 75 books as my goal.  I also signed up for the 100+ books Challenge, which I knew was wishful thinking on my part, but will sign up every year until I make it.  As of today I am at 34 books read.   I need to pick up the pace a bit to make my goal.  But once again, there are a couple of issues I am dealing with but at least I am reading several books a month, whereas last year, there were months where I only read 1 book.  I also need to be more disiplined and spend less time blogging and more time reading, which I hope to do for the second half of 2012.

Good luck with your goals!  Do you keep track of the number of books read?  If so, what is your goal and how many books have you read?

June is being hosted by Alternative Read

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.

According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”

                   Gina from Hott Books      The Hachette Book Group

                 

                Author                                               Author

               

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ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

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So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore
Published by: The Hachette Book Group
Reagan Arthur Books
Publication Date: May 29, 2012
ISBN-10: 0316097691
ISBN-13: 978-0316097697
Pages: 336
Review Copy from:  The Hachette Book Group
Edition:  ARC TPB
My Rating: 3

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Thirteen-year-old Natalie Gallagher is trying to escape: from her parents’ ugly divorce, and from the vicious cyber-bullying of her former best friend. Adrift, confused, she is a girl trying to find her way in a world that seems to either neglect or despise her. Her salvation arrives in an unlikely form: Bridget O’Connell, an Irish maid working for a wealthy Boston family. The catch? Bridget lives only in the pages of a dusty old 1920s diary Natalie unearthed in her mother’s basement. But the life she describes is as troubling – and mysterious – as the one Natalie is trying to navigate herself, almost a century later.

I am writing this down because this is my story. There were only ever two people who knew my secret, and both are gone before me.

Who was Bridget, and what became of her?

Natalie escapes into the diary, eager to unlock its secrets, and reluctantly accepts the help of library archivist Kathleen Lynch, a widow with her own painful secret: she’s estranged from her only daughter. Kathleen sees in Natalie traces of the daughter she has lost, and in Bridget, another spirited young woman at risk.

What could an Irish immigrant domestic servant from the 1920s teach them both? As the troubles of a very modern world close in around them, and Natalie’s torments at school escalate, the faded pages of Bridget’s journal unite the lonely girl and the unhappy widow – and might even change their lives forever.

My Thoughts and Opinion:
A poignant and tender story ripped from the headlines that we hear, one too many times lately, in the actions and consequences of bullying. Three females, all from different generations, but are united by friendship and the quest for happiness and survival.

The author weaves a heart wrenching prosaic novel that clutches the reader from the start. I was drawn into this story when the author first introduced 13 year old Natalie. As a parent, I wanted to wrap my arms around this character that the author brings to life along with the other characters in the book. The settings realistic as conveyed by the author’s descriptive writing style. The suspense swirls around a diary found that was written many years ago but has an impact on both Natalie and Kathleen, who has her own secrets and pain. A very emotional and compelling read!!!

(2012 Challenges: Off The Shelf, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

……..of The Volunteer by Barbara Taylor Sissel 

1 Kathy Bose Leave a Blog Post Comment

4 Linda Kish Leave a Blog Post Comment

An email has been sent to the winners and they have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Thank you to all that entered.

Heeeeee’s back!!   If you follow my blog, then you know how I feel about Vincent Zandri’s books.  I have read every one that he has written to date and is my number 1 author for mystery and suspense novels.  Today he is stopping by to talk about his latest novel.   So please help me give a warm welcome to author and friend, Vincent Zandri !!

Vincent Zandri

Vincent Zandri is the No. 1 International Bestselling Amazon Kindle author of THE INNOCENT, GODCHILD, THE REMAINS, MOONLIGHT FALLS, CONCRETE PEARL, SCREAM CATCHER and the forthcoming MOONLIGHT RISES. He is also the author of the bestselling digital shorts, PATHOLOGICAL and MOONLIGHT MAFIA. Harlan Coben has described his novels as “…gritty, fast-paced, lyrical and haunting,” while the New York Post called THE INNOCENT, “Sensational…Masterful…Brilliant!” In March, April and May of 2011, he sold more than 100,000 Kindle E-Books editions of his novels, and is rapidly closing in on the 200K mark all totaled. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont College, Zandri’s work is translated into many languages including the Dutch, Russian and Japanese. An adventurer, foreign correspondent, and freelance photo-journalist for RT, Globalspec, IBTimes and more, he divides his time between New York and Florence, Italy.

You can visit Vin at his website, Facebook, Twitter and blog.
Click on above titles to read my reviews.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Based upon Vincent Zandri’s most anthologized Pushcart Prize-nominated short story of the same title, Permanence, is the “Hitchcockian” story of Mary Kismet, a travel agent and grieving mother of a toddler who suffered an apparent accidental drowning. Now, all alone in the world, she attempts to ease the pain of her suffering by immersing herself, body and soul, into a love affair with her psychiatrist, a man haunted by his own demons. A tragic novel of obsession, dark compulsions, and madness, Permanence transports the ill-fated lovers from New York to Venice, Italy, and back again.
Check out the feature at The Big Thrill
Read my review here.

Book details:
Genre:Adult Suspense, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: Bear Media
Publication Date: May 4 2012
Purchase: Amazon

THANKS TO AUTHOR, VINCENT ZANDRI, I HAVE
TWO (2) OF HIS PREVIOUS NOVELS TO GIVEAWAY.
TWO WINNERS, ONE FOR EACH BOOK.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.

Permanence by Vincent Zandri
Published by: Bear Media
Publication Date: May 4, 2012
AISN: B0080PZ6XI
Pages: 143
Review Copy from:  Author
Edition:  Digital galley
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (from author):
Based upon Vincent Zandri’s most anthologized Pushcart Prize-nominated short story of the same title, Permanence, is the story of Mary Kismet, a travel agent and former mother to a toddler who suffered an accidental drowning. Now, all alone in the world, she attempts to ease the pain of her suffering by immersing herself, body and soul, into a love affair with her psychiatrist, a man who is being haunted by his own demons. A tragic novella of obsession, dark compulsions, and madness, Permanence transports the ill-fated lovers from New York to Venice, Italy, and back again.

My Thoughts and Opinion:  This talented and gifted author has done it again!!! If you follow my blog, you know that I am a huge fan of Vincent Zandri, having read all of his books. In my opinion, he is a genius at his craft, writing novels that will catch you off guard. His writing is extraordinary, so much so, that with each book read, it seems that you are reading books by different authors. His writing style is unprecedented, whereas each stand alone novel, has a different and unique blueprint and delivery. Permanence was a thunderbolt !! I can’t stress enough how this masterful author, has the ability, creativity and accomplishment with words to bring the reader on a wild ride with each book he writes. Knowing and being familiar with his work, he still has me shaking my head at the end of each book that I read, due to the talent he possesses. Each book unmatched and unparalleled to his other novels. Brilliant!!!

With Permanence, from the first sentence, his words grabbed me like a vise and I knew there was going to be no escape. With this book, unlike his others, was written in a first person narrative of a very troubled female, Mary. Another surprise, just 2 very profound characters. The prose dark and haunting. Eerie! The author, with his ability and extraordinary use of words, allowed me to create the actual speech pattern of Mary. I imagined it to be as if someone was talking in a drug induced psychotic state. Powerful!! I could also vividly envision the characters and settings with his detailed and descriptive writing style. Ingenious!! I actually felt the emotional state of the main character. Terrifying!!!

Without a doubt, and in my opinion, Permanence has proved that Vincent Zandri is now the #1 Best Selling mystery/suspense author with his capacity and command of story telling. And will continue to be with his remarkable execution and diversity of writing. His creativity and originality is penetrating. Permanence, I feel is his best work yet, at least for now, as we wait for this artist to paint his next masterpiece!!!

(2012 Challenges: Romantic/Suspense, EBooks, Off The Self, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

*USE THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW
IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY*
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL

ADDRESS IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT:  (DOUBLE COMMENT)

1.  HAVE YOU READ, EITHER, BOOK?  IF SO, WHICH ONE,

SO THAT IF YOU WIN, YOU WON’T GET THE SAME BOOK.

2.  HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THE AUTHOR’S

BOOKS?  WHICH ONE(S)?*

*U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*

 **HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

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Hosted by An Island Life

From An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

MY QUESTION:
Do you have a favorite card game that
you enjoy playing with friends?

MY ANSWER:
We like to play HiLoJack with friends,
wives against the husbands.
And, of course, we always win lol.