Author: CMash

An avid reader for many years. Married for 31 years with 2 fantastic adult sons who I am so very proud of with great gfs. Am disabled. Found this wonderful community of book blogging in approximately December 2009 and have loved every minute of it. Am now a reviewer for authors, publishers, publicists, etc. And am also a partner in a Virtual PR tour company, Partners In Crime Tours for authors of novels of mystery, suspense and crime (www.Partnersincrimetours.net)

2 Friday Blog Hops (2 of 2)

Hosted by Java from Never Growing Old

From Java’s blog:
Are you a blogger over 40? Yeah, welcome to the club!
Please join in the fun and get to know your fellow bloggers!!

Book Blogger Hop
Hosted by Jennifer from CRAZY FOR BOOKS

From Jennifer’s Blog:
  In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!
  The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don’t have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 200 links every week!!
  Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.
  If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!
Today’s Twist:
“What is the one bookish thing you would love to have, no matter the cost?”
My Answer:
It would be the newest model of either the Nook and/or Kindle.  I have a Sony EReader but it doesn’t have a back light nor wireless d/l which I think a 2 important features, at least for my needs. 

Review "i know I am, but what are you?"

Photobucket

i know i am, but what are you? by Samantha Bee
Published by Gallery Books/A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-4391-4273-8
At the request of Gallery Books, a HC was sent, at no charge to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis (borrowed from book’s jacket): Critics have called her “sweet, adorable, and vicious.” But there is so much more to be said about Samantha Bee. For one, she’s Canadian. Whatever that means. And now, she opens up for the very first time about her checkered Canadian past. With Charming candor, she admits to her Lennie from Of Mice and Men-style love of a baby animals, her teenage crime spree as one half of a car-thieving couple (Bonnie and Clyde in Bermuda shorts and braces:, and the fact that strangers seem compelled to show her their genitals. She also details her intriguing career history, which includes stints working in a fame store, at a penis clinic, and as a Japanese anime character in a touring children’s show.
  Samantha delves into all these topics and many more in this thoroughly hilarious, unabashedly frank collection of personal essays. Whether detailing the creepiness that ensues when strangers assume that your mom is your lesbian lover or recalling her girlhood crush on Jesus (who looked like Kris Kristofferson and sang like Kenny Loggins), Samantha turns the spotlight on her own imperfect yet highly entertaining life as relentlessly as she skewers hapless interview subjects on The Daily Show. She shares her unique point of view on a variety of subjects as wide-ranging as her deep affinity for old people and her hatred of hot ham. It’s all here, in irresistible prose that will leave you in stitches and eager for more.
  My Thoughts and Opinion: I have stated many times that I am not a TV watcher, so I need to confess, I have never watched the The Daily Show. But, after reading this book and knowing that the author, Samantha Bee is a senior correspondent of that show, there is a good chance I will be watching. The author writes about her dysfunctional family, her childhood antics and even some when she was a bit older. I found myself laughing out loud, chuckling and even at time saying “me too, me too!!!!” Each chapter was equally funny, whereas I couldn’t even pick one as my favorite. However, there was one that really had me laughing and that I could really relate to, myself being of the same religion, was Man-Witch. She relates her story of being in a Catholic elementary school and having a “crush” on God. Reading this book now was the best remedy, to escape from “real life” and just laugh. Have this book on hand for when you just need to read something funny and totally entertaining.

Photobucket
Photobucket
DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

Booking Through Thursday (1 of 2)

THURSDAY
Photobucket
Photobucket
Today’s Question:
In honor of Halloween this weekend:


What reading skeletons do you have in your closet? Books you’d be ashamed to let people know you love? Addiction to the worst kind of (fill in cheesy genre here)? Your old collection of Bobbsey Twin Mysteries lovingly stored behind your “grown-up” books? You get the picture … come on, confess!
My Answer:
Sorry everyone…this is going to be a very boring response.  There are none.  I just recently did a huge purge of my books so there are none hidden.  The only books that I should get rid of, and not sure why I can’t, are my college text books.  Since they are from 10, 20, lets just say they are a few years old.  The content is outdated and any info, if needed, is now at my finger tips but I just can’t find the courage to toss them.

Enquiring Minds (2 of 2)

Photobucket

Hosted by Lori from Dollycas’s Thoughts

From Lori’s site:
  It struck me recently how much time I spend on this computer every day, blogging, chatting or playing games on Facebook, emailing friends and relatives, making cards and calendars, etc. etc. etc.
  We depend on each other for book reviews, giveaways, encouragement, friendship, but how well do we really know each other?
  So that is what this meme is all about, getting to know each other.
  Each Thursday I will post 3 questions for you to answer that you can copy and post on your blog with your answers.
WEEK 9 QUESTIONS

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY?
   It was always Christmas Eve.  But haven’t done it in a few years due to my health.  We would host a sit down supper for immediate family and friends, consisting of a 5 course fish and sides dinner (that is a Catholic/Italian tradition) and then have an open house for anyone and everyone that usually went into the wee hours of Christmas morning.
ARE YOU DRESSING UP FOR HALLOWEEN? IF YES, AS WHAT?
   No
IF YOU HAVE KIDS ARE THEY DRESSING UP? AGAIN IF YES, WHAT ARE THEY DRESSING UP AS?
  Since both boys live out of state, not sure.  My youngest son did tell me that where he lives, that there will be a party in the club house and both him and his gf are getting dressed up.  Hoping they send me some pictures.

Review "i know I am, but what are you?"

Photobucket

i know i am, but what are you? by Samantha Bee
Published by Gallery Books/A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-4391-4273-8
At the request of Gallery Books, a HC was sent, at no charge to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis (borrowed from book’s jacket): Critics have called her “sweet, adorable, and vicious.” But there is so much more to be said about Samantha Bee. For one, she’s Canadian. Whatever that means. And now, she opens up for the very first time about her checkered Canadian past. With Charming candor, she admits to her Lennie from Of Mice and Men-style love of a baby animals, her teenage crime spree as one half of a car-thieving couple (Bonnie and Clyde in Bermuda shorts and braces:, and the fact that strangers seem compelled to show her their genitals. She also details her intriguing career history, which includes stints working in a fame store, at a penis clinic, and as a Japanese anime character in a touring children’s show.
  Samantha delves into all these topics and many more in this thoroughly hilarious, unabashedly frank collection of personal essays. Whether detailing the creepiness that ensues when strangers assume that your mom is your lesbian lover or recalling her girlhood crush on Jesus (who looked like Kris Kristofferson and sang like Kenny Loggins), Samantha turns the spotlight on her own imperfect yet highly entertaining life as relentlessly as she skewers hapless interview subjects on The Daily Show. She shares her unique point of view on a variety of subjects as wide-ranging as her deep affinity for old people and her hatred of hot ham. It’s all here, in irresistible prose that will leave you in stitches and eager for more.
  My Thoughts and Opinion: I have stated many times that I am not a TV watcher, so I need to confess, I have never watched the The Daily Show. But, after reading this book and knowing that the author, Samantha Bee is a senior correspondent of that show, there is a good chance I will be watching. The author writes about her dysfunctional family, her childhood antics and even some when she was a bit older. I found myself laughing out loud, chuckling and even at time saying “me too, me too!!!!” Each chapter was equally funny, whereas I couldn’t even pick one as my favorite. However, there was one that really had me laughing and that I could really relate to, myself being of the same religion, was Man-Witch. She relates her story of being in a Catholic elementary school and having a “crush” on God. Reading this book now was the best remedy, to escape from “real life” and just laugh. Have this book on hand for when you just need to read something funny and totally entertaining.

Photobucket
Photobucket
DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

Booking Through Thursday (1 of 2)

THURSDAY
Photobucket
Photobucket
Today’s Question:
In honor of Halloween this weekend:


What reading skeletons do you have in your closet? Books you’d be ashamed to let people know you love? Addiction to the worst kind of (fill in cheesy genre here)? Your old collection of Bobbsey Twin Mysteries lovingly stored behind your “grown-up” books? You get the picture … come on, confess!
My Answer:
Sorry everyone…this is going to be a very boring response.  There are none.  I just recently did a huge purge of my books so there are none hidden.  The only books that I should get rid of, and not sure why I can’t, are my college text books.  Since they are from 10, 20, lets just say they are a few years old.  The content is outdated and any info, if needed, is now at my finger tips but I just can’t find the courage to toss them.

Enquiring Minds (2 of 2)

Photobucket

Hosted by Lori from Dollycas’s Thoughts

From Lori’s site:
  It struck me recently how much time I spend on this computer every day, blogging, chatting or playing games on Facebook, emailing friends and relatives, making cards and calendars, etc. etc. etc.
  We depend on each other for book reviews, giveaways, encouragement, friendship, but how well do we really know each other?
  So that is what this meme is all about, getting to know each other.
  Each Thursday I will post 3 questions for you to answer that you can copy and post on your blog with your answers.
WEEK 9 QUESTIONS

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY?
   It was always Christmas Eve.  But haven’t done it in a few years due to my health.  We would host a sit down supper for immediate family and friends, consisting of a 5 course fish and sides dinner (that is a Catholic/Italian tradition) and then have an open house for anyone and everyone that usually went into the wee hours of Christmas morning.
ARE YOU DRESSING UP FOR HALLOWEEN? IF YES, AS WHAT?
   No
IF YOU HAVE KIDS ARE THEY DRESSING UP? AGAIN IF YES, WHAT ARE THEY DRESSING UP AS?
  Since both boys live out of state, not sure.  My youngest son did tell me that where he lives, that there will be a party in the club house and both him and his gf are getting dressed up.  Hoping they send me some pictures.

Giveaway "How Music Works" 10/27 to 11/06 (posting 1of 2)

HOW MUSIC WORKS
Photobucket
by JOHN POWELL
October 27th to November 6th
Synopsis:
The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond
by John Powell
What makes a musical note different from any other sound? How can you tell if you have perfect pitch? Why do 10 violins sound only twice as loud as one? Do your Bob Dylan albums sound better on CD or vinyl  John Powell, a scientist and musician, answers these questions and many more in HOW MUSIC WORKS, an intriguing and original guide to acoustics. In a clear, accessible, and engaging voice, Powell fascinates the reader with his delightful descriptions of the science and psychology lurking beneath the surface of music. With lively discussions of the secrets behind harmony, timbre, keys, chords, loudness, musical composition,

and more, HOW MUSIC WORKS will be treasured by music lovers everywhere.

THANKS TO BRIANNE AND THE AWESOME
PEOPLE AT THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP
Photobucket
I HAVE THREE (3) COPIES OF THIS GREAT BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE

DISCLAIMER

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher, agent and/or author.

This blog hosts the giveaway on behalf of the above. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
Winner will be chosen via Random.Org.   Winners will be notified via email    Winners must respond with 48 hours with mailing information.  I am not responsiblefor lost or damaged books/products that are shipped from agents.  I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries, if rules of giveaway are not followed.