I am excited since I have been doing pretty good this year so far with read-a-thons and I just found another one via Michelle from The True Book Addict,  thank you Michelle.   It starts today and runs until March 1st.   Here are the details if you would like to participate:

Hosted by  Stephanie at Once Upon a Chapter

Details from her site:
*Will run from 2/24 (12:01 AM) to 3/1 (11:59 PM).

*If you are a blogger, please do a post announcing your participation. If you want to do all of your updating from one post, that is completely fine by me. (You can also grab the smaller button below.)

*I will be having mini-challenges throughout the week. Two for US residents and one for my international friends!

*I can’t stress this enough: HAVE FUN with the read-a-thon! 

*Please fill out the form to sign up!

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!

Do you have a favorite style of shoe?   Ones that you live in? Even when I was working as a nurse, I wore the same style and to this day, still wear.    And , I still get the same feedback.   “How can you walk in those?”   Or. “Aren’t those great?”

So MY QUESTIONS today are…….
Do or did you ever wear clogs
And do you find them to be comfortable?

…….of THE OBAMAS by Jodi Kantor

43 pamela james Be a Public Follower of ‘CMASH Loves to Read’

An email has been sent to the winner and she has 48 hours to respond with her mailing address or another winner will be chosen.  Thank you to all that entered.

THE GOOD FATHER by Diane Chamberlain
Published by Mira Books
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
ISBN-10: 0778313468
ISBN-13: 978-0778313465
At the generosity of the publisher, Mira Books, an ARC Digital Version was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

    Synopsis (borrowed from Amazon):   A beloved daughter.    A devastating choice. And now there’s no going back.
Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own.   While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping food on the table.       But he’s never regretted his decision.   Bella is the light of his life. The reason behind every move he makes.And so far, she is fed. Cared for.  Safe.
But when Travis loses his construction job and his home, the security he’s worked so hard to create for Bella begins to crumble….
Then a miracle.    A job in Raleigh has the power to turn their fortunes around.    It has to.    But when Travis arrives in Raleigh, there is no job, only an offer to participate in a onetime criminal act that promises quick money and no repercussions.
With nowhere else to turn, Travis must make another choice for his daughter’s sake.

   My Thoughts and Opinion:  I feel I need to start this review off with a caveat and a huge THANK YOU to author, Ms. Diane Chamberlain.   A few weeks ago, we became “friends” on GoodReads.   And it started me thinking.   Last year when my husband and I went on vacation, one of the books that came along with us was The Midwife’s Confession, which I reviewed for Meryl L. Moss Media and gave it a 5/5.   I had become a fan of her’s when I read The Lies We Told, which I also rated a 5/5.   Since we are going away again, same time, same place, I have already started a mental priority packing list, which is, what books will be packed this year.   So I garnered up the courage, emailed her, and asked if she had a new book coming out and would it be on an ARC tour?   She responded saying she would check with her publisher, but in the meantime, much to my surprise, honor, and delight, her publisher sent me a copy. Unfortunately, knowing it was in my possession, I could not wait until our vacation to read it.

The prologue steals your heart with the introduction of a 4 year old little girl, Bella, in which the other main characters are brought into the story line and come to life. There is so much to this book, and I apologize for being vague at times, but I do not want to include spoilers.   There was suspense, relationship dynamics, betrayals, grief, guilt, desperation, good, evil, secrets, lies, friendships, innocence, terror, blame, and above all a parent’s unconditional love.   The author writes in such a way that is so brilliant, detailed and descriptive, what I call a “transport” read, where I was so engrossed that I actually felt that I was part of the story and could create such realistic imagery of the entire book.   Each chapter alternates and is told through the perspective of 3 main characters, which made this reader want to read ahead to find out the outcome of the previous chapter’s situation the author leaves you with.   It was a page turning read.   I could not put this book down and read it in 2 days.   This is a book that will stay with you long after reading the last word.   A powerful, compelling, heartfelt, and passionate read.   Highly recommend, matter of fact, preorder it!!

HUGE FAVOR TO ASK:  Due to the move to WordPress, I had to re-register my account with NetWorkedBlogs.  If you are interested in following me in that manner, please join (right sidebar).  If you were already following me that way, you need to rejoin as it is now a different feed.  I would greatly appreciate it.  Thank you.

http://btt2.wordpress.com

Today’s question:
A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
Yvonne asks:
What do you look for when reading a book blog? Does the blogger have to read the same genre? Do you like reviews? Personal posts? Memes? Giveaways? What attracts you to a book blog?
And–what are your favorite book blogs?
My answer:
My answer is easy…yes to all of the above  lol.  I visit blogs for the whole package.  I definitely read reviews, which is why my TBR list has now been named “hopefully in my lifetime tbr list, but I do have a preference for detailed concise reviews more so than lengthy ones.   I enjoy participating in memes and reading personal posts because I think a little bit of the “real person” behind the screen comes through and because of that I have met some wonderful friends.  The blogs I will revisit are the ones that aren’t hard to navigate or have a lot going on.  I will enter giveaways only if it is a book that I really, really want as I have too many books already.  And as far as my favorites, that’s like asking me which one is my favorite son.  On that question, too many to answer

What do you look for in a blog?

*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: AS THE SYNOPSIS STATES, DO YOU

THINK GOOD PEOPLE CAN DO BAD THINGS?*

*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

Continue reading “GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “LITTLE GIRL GONE” by Drusilla Campbell ENDED“ →

LITTLE GIRL GONE by Drusilla Campbell
Published by Grand Central Publishing,
Division of The Hachette Book Group
ISBN-10: 0446535796
ISBN-13: 978-0446535793
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

An intensely emotional and provocative story, Little Girl Gone explores the secret hopes and fears that drive good people to do dangerous things . . . and the courage it takes to make things right.

  My Thoughts and Opinion:  Unfortunately, this story reminded me of some real life stories that we hear on the news too often.  And because of that, the characters, the settings, the emotions, the “brain washing” techniques, read like a true story by the writer’s descriptive words.  I read this book in a matter of days because it felt so real and I HAD to know how it would turn out.   There is also a psychological subplot of parallel lives, that have similar beginnings, damaged psyches and different outcomes.  This is the second book I have read by this author, the first being, The Good Sister, and she is a master at writing about relationship dynamics that grips the reader from deep within the heart and mind.  A poignant, heart wrenching, disturbing at times, read.  Definitely recommend!!

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

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What did you recently finish reading?