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

ADDRESS IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM
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*LEAVE COMMENT: WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK

THAT YOU READ BY JAMES PATTERSON?*

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

 **PER PUBLISHER**
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.

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

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I surrender!!!!   Go ahead….you can laugh at me.  But I’m sure, that if you know me, you already knew that I wasn’t going to be able to control myself.  And with only 1 day left in 2012, how could I not add at least one, two, ok, a few more challenges!!  Want to join me?  Details below:

Justification:  This challenge is so needed because I am now up to 3 shelves, not including my EReaders, of TBR requested review books that have been sitting in my bookcase crying out, “Please read me…did you forget about me?” lol

Embarrassment of Riches TBR Reading Challenge 2013
Hosted by Patricia at PlanetPooks 
RULES: To be considered a TBR book, you must own it prior to Jan 1, 2013. The book can count toward other challenges, as well. It can be fiction or nonfiction, poetry or play, as long as it is a book. This is not a picky challenge–just about reading the riches we already own.

On the last day of each month I will post an entry where you can say how many TBRs you read that month, titles, and whether you liked them or not. Full-blown reviews not required. You can list them in comments or link back to your own blog or page where they are listed.

At the end of the year I will have pretty badges for all levels, and if I haven’t learned to create them by myself, hopefully somebody else will make them for me.

There are five levels of accomplishment (and a bonus challenge) in the Embarrassment of Riches TBR Reading Challenge.

Copper: Read 6 TBR books between Jan 1 and Dec 31 2013.

Bronze: Read 12 TBR books between Jan 1 and Dec 31 2013.

Silver: Read 24 TBR books between Jan 1 and Dec 31 2013

Gold: Read 36 TBR books between Jan 1 and Dec 31 2013.

Platinum: Read 50 TBR books between Jan 1 and Dec 31 2013.

Bonus Challenge! The same levels are also available for digital samples. If you are like me, you also have a quizillion samples you’ve downloaded onto your e-reader. Culling through samples and deciding whether to keep reading or not is a separate challenge with all five levels and the same year-end prize–a special badge.

So, are you in? And have I left anything out? I’ve never done this before, so let me know if I need to adjust anything or add anything! Use Mister Linky to link to your blog or wherever you might announce your participation in this challenge, and leave a comment below to say which will be your goal for 2013. You will get the appropriate badge/prize for whatever you read, whether you come in under or over your goal.
For more information and to sign-up, please  see this post.

Justification:  Due to the rapid growth of PICT and PBP, my reading has been affected big time!!  So…I need to get back into the groove and figured this challenge would be my initiative to read at least 1 book a week.

52 Books in 52 Weeks
Hosted by Robin at My Two Blessings

Are you ready for another round of Reading 52 books in 52 Weeks? Whether you are just joining in or continuing on for another round, the rules are very simple. The goal is to read one book (at least) a week for 52 weeks. Make the year easy and casual or kick it up by exploring new to you authors and genres. Challenge yourself to read at least some classics or delve into that chunkster (more than 500 pages) you always wanted to tackle. The goal is to read 52 books. How you get there is up to you.

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013.
2. Our book weeks begin on Sunday.
3. Participants may join at any time.
4. All books are acceptable except children books.
5. All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc.
6. Re-reads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2013.
7. Books may overlap other challenges.
8. Create an entry post linking to this blog.
9. Sign up with Mr. Linky in the “I’m participating post” below this post.
10. You don’t need a blog to participate. Post your weekly book in the comments section of each weekly post.
11. Mr. Linky will be added to the bottom of the weekly post to link to reviews of your most current reads.
12. More details on her blog.  Click on link above to join in the fun!!

And the last one, unless more get posted that I can’t resist, is  one that I have yet to complete.  But will keep trying until I do.  Plus I just love the button!!!

Hosted by Kimberly’s Bookshelf

 January 1st, 2013 to December 31, 2013

Are you a book addict?  Well, are you?  Are you that person who is always seen with your nose buried between the pages and never without a book or two nearby?  Perhaps, your looking for the ultimate reading challenge? 
Well then, the 2013 Read-A-Latte Challenge is just for you!   
This is the place where I challenge you to read… -a- latte! 
Here are the challenge details:  
1. This challenge will begin on January 1st, 2013 and end December 31, 2013.
2. Books for this challenge can be from any genre and may include print books as well as e-books (please, no audio books).  Sign-ups will close on September 1, 2013. 
Choose a Level: 
Latte                        75        books 
Cappuccino              100      books 
Double-Espresso     150+    books 
3. This challenge can cross-over to your other reading challenges.
4. You do not need a blog to participate! If you are not a blogger, you can post your reviews at Goodreads, Shelfari, or LibraryThing and link them up here.
5. I will create a new post each month with a linky for your reviews.  Also, I’ll be offering quarterly reader gifts to the top three participants. I’ll announce the winners on the last day of every three months. And at the end of the challenge I’ll have a special bonus for the top three overall participants.
6. Create a sign-up post and link back to this post. Sign up with Mister Linky below! Be sure to use the direct url to your sign-up post and not the url to your blog.

For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.      

lol  You can stop laughing now!  lol

The Forever Year by Lou Aronica
Published by Fiction Studio Books
Publication Date: Jan. 8, 2013
ISBN-10: 193655836X
ISBN-13: 978-1936558360
Pages: 366
Review Copy from: Author
Edition: TPB
My Rating: 4

 

 

REVIEW DISCLAIMER
This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the
best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book
was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.

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.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Even since finding this wonderful world of book bloggers, I have met so many “new to me” talented and gifted authors.  And because of that, I have tried to help writers have a platform here at CMash Reads.  Today is such a day, as Chris Allen stops by and visits, and tell us about his newest novel.  I ask, please help me give a warm welcome to Chris Allen!!

CHRIS ALLEN

Chris writes escapist action thrillers for realists, having seen and done it all.

Serving in three Commonwealth armies across two decades and four continents, one of the paratrooping elite, Chris saw the world from under a billowing parachute, often by night, entering foreign countries with the usual passport-stamping obligations eschewed.

Exiting military life with injuries, Chris transitioned into humanitarian aid work during the East Timorese emergency, served with three major law enforcement agencies in Australia, protected Sydney’s most iconic landmark in the wake of 9-11 and between 2008 & 2012 was the Sheriff of New South Wales, one of the oldest law enforcement appointments in the land.

Chris’s creative literary brainchild, Intrepid, the sword of Interpol, is the culmination of his military and law enforcement insider experience. Intrepid is the Intelligence, Recovery, Protection and Infiltration Division: the razor-sharp, ultra-secret, black ops division of Interpol, established to operate across the world, regardless of borders, politics or race.
You can connect with Chris at his website, Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads, YouTube and Pinterest.

GUEST POST

A New Year for Those Who Serve

The Christmas and New Year period is a very trying time for military families, especially those with young children. The absence of a loved one who is necessarily in harm’s way only serves to intensify the impact of protracted separation upon the family unit.  So, it becomes incredibly important for the families at home to have strong support both from their own immediate networks and the community, just as much as the deployed servicemen and servicewomen require the best possible support along with our thoughts and most sincere best wishes for a safe return home.

I’m a first generation Australian, with a strong British lineage on both my Dad’s and my Mum’s side of the family, specifically England and Wales. I grew up on the stories my father told of my grandfather and my uncles during both world wars and as a young lad, those things really resonated. I felt a strong pull towards military service very early on and, as I got older, I became serious about it.  That childhood interest grew into a real sense of duty. It was almost inevitable that I would choose a military career.

We have an eclectic mix of military service throughout the family, soldiers, sailors and airmen, but I feel the strongest link to my father’s eldest brother, Stanley, who served with the British Parachute Regiment during the Second World War. Sadly, I never met Uncle Stan but you can imagine the sense of pride and accomplishment I felt when, many years later as a young Captain, I was chosen for a highly coveted attachment to British Airborne Forces. In terms of my family history, I really felt as though I had come full circle at that point.

A couple of years later, when injuries I’d sustained in service caught up with me, I was medically retired having reached the rank of Major. Then, following a sojourn into the world of humanitarian aid during the emergency in East Timor in 1999, my post-military career has predominantly been in law enforcement and government security roles.

I’ve often been asked if there are any moments from my military career that have found their way into my novels. There are hundreds of experiences I draw on and many of them appear in my Alex Morgan adventures. However, one in particular came to mind when I was writing my first novel, Defender: Intrepid 1 that was so perfect for the story, that I decided to include it almost verbatim – from real life onto the page.

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone reading Defender, but this incident involved a number of parachute jumps we were doing while I was attached to 3PARA in the UK. The Regiment was required to trial the new low-level parachute being considered for introduction into British Airborne Forces. These particular ‘chutes are designed to deploy, as the name implies, at very low levels. We’d jumped a few times on this day at a much lower altitude than we usually would have – so the margin for error was significantly reduced. That is, jumping out of the aircraft at low altitude means less air time and much less time to rectify a problem in an emergency. In essence, you jump with a large parachute on your back (the Main) and a much smaller parachute on your chest (the Reserve) – although despite the fact that we were still jumping with Reserve parachutes, at such low altitude they were more or less along for the ride rather than being of any actual use.

On this one jump, when I exited the aircraft into the full blast of the aircraft’s slipstream and carried out all of the drills familiar to every paratrooper, my Main parachute wasn’t in the mood to comply. In fact, it was belligerently refusing to participate in the activity at all. I thought at the time that it must have had something against Australians! Realizing that the ground was rapidly on its way up to meet me and my Reserve parachute was nothing more than a passenger, my only option was to somehow convince the Main parachute to do what it was supposed – fly!

After a few thought provoking seconds where I engaged in a macabre parody of riding an invisible bicycle while trying to pull apart the support chains of a children’s playground swing, I managed to get some air into the canopy and the recalcitrant parachute deployed. I emerged from a rough landing unharmed, albeit a little shaken and stirred.

Episodes like these are written these stories for lovers of the action thriller genre who enjoy gritty realism served with a healthy dose of escapism; a perfect excuse to escape over the Christmas & New Year holidays without ever having to leave your chair.

I consider myself very fortunate to be able to spend Christmas at home with my family and friends. Many others are not so fortunate.  Many of the characters I have written about in these books are exactly the types of men and women who will be away from their loved ones over the holidays, most probably in harm’s way. Therefore, while we celebrate the season in safety and contentment, enjoying the dangerous adventures of our fictional heroes – whoever they may be – on a movie screen or from the pages of a book, it’s very timely to spare a thought for those brave individuals all over the world who protect others as their day job. Spare a thought too for their loved ones who know only too well what the sacrifice of service really means.

Merry Christmas.

ABOUT THE BOOK

His orders are simple: ‘The safety catch is off. Return that girl to her family and drag those bastards back to justice. Dead or alive. It makes no difference to me.’

Alex Morgan – policeman, soldier and spy for Intrepid, the black ops division of Interpol – is on the hunt for Serbian war criminals. But these guys were never going to let it be that simple. An assassination attempt is made on the presiding judge of the international tribunal. Days later, the judge’s daughter, the famous and beautiful classical pianist Charlotte Rose, vanishes in mysterious circumstances.

The girl is not just a pretty face and the daughter of a judge, however. She’s also the goddaughter of Intrepid’s veteran commander, General Davenport. It’s up to Morgan and the Intrepid team to track the kidnappers and the missing woman before the very fabric of international justice is picked apart at its fraying edges.

Part James Bond and part Jason Bourne, Alex Morgan must walk the line between doing the right thing and getting the job done. And this time he’s got permission to make it personal.

Get your copy of Hunter: Intrepid 2 from all the usual suspects at http://momentumbooks.com.au/books/hunter/.

THANKS TO THE AUTHOR, CHRIS ALLEN, AND MOMENTUM BOOKS, I
HAVE ONE (1) EBOOK EDITION TO GIVE AWAY.      OPEN TO ALL

CLICK HERE FOR THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE

DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

OK…trivia questions.  Who comes to mind with the “crooner”?  What about “ole blue eyes”?  The “RAT PACK”?   I know some of you remember, I know I do.  That’s why when Jaime, from Finn Partners, contacted me regarding today’s guest, I wanted to meet and also have the opportunity to introduce you to, today’s guest.  Please help me welcome Mr. Franz Douskey to CMash Reads!

FRANZ DOUSKEY

Franz Douskey’s work has appeared in nearly 200 publications, including: Rolling Stone, The Nation, The New Yorker, New York Quarterly, Las Vegas Life, and the Minnesota Review. His fourth book, West of Midnight, reached number 24 on the Amazon Best-Sellers list in 2011 and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Douskey, who taught creative writing at Yale University for five summers, served as president of IMPAC University, in Punta Gorda, FL. Douskey resides in Hamden, Connecticut.
Visit Mr. Douskey at his website.

GUEST POST

The Close Ties of THE RAT PACK by Franz Douskey

 Let’s start with Sammy Davis, Jr. In the late 1940s Sammy performed with his father and his uncle in the Will Mastin Trio, a very energetic and talented musical group.  Frank first saw the trio in Las Vegas.  While in Vegas, the Will Mastin Trio, Nat King Cole, Count Basie, and many other famous African American entertainers were not allowed to stay in the hotels or casinos where they performed.  Even if they were booked for shows over several nights, they were required to find lodging elsewhere. When Frank learned about this, he told Jack Entratter, manager of the Sands Hotel, if Sammy and Nat can’t stay here when they’re booked, then I don’t play here.

Frank had a lot of swag.  If he went, that meant all of Frank’s pals would stop coming around too.  Frank had a powerful impact and inspired change.

In November 1954 Sammy Davis Jr. lost his eye in a car accident. He was so depressed that he considered quitting show business. Unwilling to allow his friend to give up, Frank set Sammy up in his house, took care of his expenses and got him back on track.  This is how one link of the Rat Pack got to be close.

Frank knew Dean Martin from his years performing with Jerry Lewis.  Dean and Frank became close friends, a friendship that never wavered until Dean passed away.

Peter Lawford and Frank were under contract with MGM in the late 1940s.  Peter’s position became strong when Peter brought his brother-in-law, future President John F. Kennedy, to Vegas and introduced him to Sinatra.  Kennedy and Frank became fast friends, with Frank campaigning for him in 1960 and chairing the inaugural committee in 1961. However, their friendship didn’t last very long. President Kennedy was coming to visitCalifornia and planned to stay with Sinatra. Frank built an addition at his house for JFK that included a helipad.  Bobby Kennedy told JFK that Frank was associated with the wrong people and advised him it was a bad idea to stay with Sinatra.  It was Lawford’s job to call Frank and tell him that Kennedy was going to stay at Bing Crosby’s house instead.  When Frank hung up he went outside with a pickaxe and began to tear up the concrete helipad. Frank never spoke to Peter again, and that was the end of his short reign as a member of the Rat Pack.

The fifth member of the Rat Pack was Joey Bishop.  A quiet taciturn fellow, Bishop didn’t like parties, didn’t like staying out late, didn’t like booze and did not get involved with any of the young women who were always around.  Joey was there for a few years, then faded away.

Frank, Sammy, and Dean remained life-long friends. There was a brief time when Sammy was doing cocaine and Frank told him right out not to come around while you’re on that stuff.  Frank did not approve of drugs nor did he trust anyone who was involved with them. Sammy, Dean and Frank went on one final tour, The Summit, but Dean really wasn’t there.  Since his son’s loss in a plane crash, Dean had become more distant, almost ghostlike.  Frank told Dean, “Look, if you’re not going to give the people what they came here for, just go home.  I understand.  I’ll say you had stomach problems and are going into a hospital.”  Dean went home, but The Summit went on, and Liza Minnelli replaced Dean.

Despite their ups and downs, for a few good years Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter and Joey were THE RAT PACK, the wild bunch who could do no wrong and had a great time doing it.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Walter Winchell, a popular and influential 20^th century newspaper and radio commentator, once wrote: “The closest person to Frank Sinatra is Tony Consiglio.”  Tony’s full account of his relationship with the iconic crooner has never been revealed – until now. Sinatra and Me: The Very Good Years is based on dozens of hours of interviews over the span of eight years, concluding with Tony’s death in 2008.  

Sinatra and Me, which features dozens of never-before-published photos of Sinatra and Consiglio, and details a period of time that spans from the 1930’s into the 1970’s. It takes an up-close and personal look into the exciting world of one of America’s greatest icons.

Not many people were allowed inside Frank Sinatra’s inner circle. But Tony Consiglio was a boyhood friend of Sinatra’s who remained his friend and confidant for over sixty years. One reason Sinatra valued Tony’s friendship is that he could be trusted: Sinatra nicknamed him “the Clam” because Tony never spoke to reporters or biographers about the singer. From the early days when Sinatra was trying to establish himself as a singer to the mid-1960s, Tony worked with Sinatra and was there to share in the highs and lows of Sinatra’s life and career. Tony was with Sinatra during his “bobby-soxer” megastar days in the 1940s, and he remained loyal to Sinatra during the lean years of the early 1950s, when “the Voice” was struggling with a crumbling singing and acting career-as well as his tumultuous marriage to Ava Gardner. Tony also had a front row seat to Sinatra’s comeback in the 1950s, starting with his Academy Award–winning role in From Here to Eternity and a string of now-classic hit recordings. Tony’s friendship with Sinatra allowed him to rub elbows with the Hollywood elite, including Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, Kim Novak, Ava Gardner, and many others. It also brought him close to the political world of the early 1960s, when Sinatra campaigned for John F. Kennedy and then helped plan the Kennedy inauguration. Tony was even at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis, Massachusetts, when the election results came in. Sinatra and Me will shed new light on the real Frank Sinatra-from the man who knew him better than anyone.
Watch for my review in the near future.

Purchase links:    Amazon     B&N     IndieBound

THANKS TO JAIME, FROM FINN PARTNERS, I HAVE
THREE (3) COPIES OF THIS BOOK TO GIVEAWAY
OPEN TO U.S.  AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

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.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

*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: WHAT COMES TO MIND
WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME, FRANK SINATRA?*

*U.S. AND CANADA 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.

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays are winding down and some are facing the long, cold days of winter, it’s time to snuggle up with a good book.  Today’s guest contacted me and I invited him to visit us here at CMash Reads.  It is my pleasure to introduce Mr. Stephen Bradlee!

STEPHEN BRADLEE

Stephen Bradlee is the pen name for a Hollywood film executive. He has ghostwritten celebrity autobiographies and has worked primarily as a script doctor. He is married and lives with his wife, their daughter and their dog.
You can visit Stephen at his website, Facebook, Twitter and GoodReads.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sherry Johnson is young, beautiful, bright and athletic. She has everything going for her, except for one thing.
She is addicted to love. Her life is a vicious circle of nightly trysts and morning regrets.
Her addiction got her kicked out of college, cost her the love of her life and has left her in complete despair.
But still Sherry keeps falling in love. And falling. And falling.
Finally, as Sherry struggles to pull herself up from a bottomless abyss, she realizes that she will have to
learn to love the one person she has loathed for most of her life. Herself.
Based on the True Story of a Young Woman’s Battle with Sexual Addiction.

Read The Prologue:

Purchase links:  Amazon     B&N      Smashwords

THANKS TO AUTHOR STEPHEN BRADLEE,
I HAVE ONE (1) EBOOK TO GIVEAWAY.
OPEN TO ALL

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

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.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.