Gearing Up

CMash November 2, 2011 4 Comments

It’s starting !!!! Can you feel it in the air? Are you like me? Are you getting excited? Have you been stalking a particular site yet? I’m not going to lie, I have. And since 2011 was a non productive year in reading, it also means that my 2nd addiction, reading challenges, I didn’t do well in neither. So I am gearing up, taking a positive attitude that 2012 is going to be better, that more books will be read and more challenges completed.
So this is my kick off post of the challenges that I have signed up for and will be participating in. And I am sure there will be many more to come.

First, I want to thank the team over at A Novel Challenge for giving us addicts a site to go to and find all challenges, memes, events, read-a-thons, etc., a big THANK YOU!!!

2012 Reading Challenge Addict

I am going to start off with one challenge that I have already proclaimed, Yes!!! I am a Challenge Addict. And this is a challenge I am a wee bit partial to since I am cohosting with my blogging buddy Gina from Hott Books. She is the designer and boss and has told me that my job description is to wave and be the welcome committee as we get more addicts coming to our meetings lol.

Rules/Criteria:

January 1 – December 31, 2012

Good day, Addicts!!
It’s that time of year where we finally admit to our addictions and try to do something about them. Some of us need to admit we have a bit of a problem. Some of us need to admit we have a huge problem. Some of us just really want to enjoy each other’s pain and humiliation while completing challenges. So we are challenging each of you who can also say that you also are a Reading Challenge Addict. We’ll be giving away prizes and recognizing those who are meeting their own expectations by completing the challenges they’ve entered.

How addicted are you?

Easy as Pie: 1-5 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
On the Roof: 6-10 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
In Flight: 11-15 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
Out of This World: 16+ Challenges (Entered & Completed)

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

Hosted by Bev @ My Reader’s Block

If you are a bookaholic like me, then you can’t let a bookstore (used or new, it doesn’t matter) go by without stopping in (“just to look”) and walking out with at least something–if not an armload. I wait all year for the Red Cross Book Sale in October so I can cart them out by the bagful. And, well, that means that I wind up with gigantic piles of TBR books stacked up around my backroom. I don’t have a TBR shelf. Oh, no. I have “Mount TBR”…possibly a whole mountain range.

With that in mind, and having read Susan Hill’s Howards End Is on the Landing (where she spent a year just reading from her own shelves, I’ve decided to create my own TBR reading challenge and plan to concentrate on reading primarily from my own books this year. And you’re invited to join me in knocking out some of those books that have been waiting in the wings for weeks….months…even years.

Challenge Levels

Pike’s Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Vancouver: Read 25 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Ararat: Read 40 books from your TBR piles/s
Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 50 books from your TBR pile/s
El Toro: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Everest: Read 100+ books from your TBR pile/s

And the rules:
*Once you choose your challenge level, you are locked in for at least that many books. If you find that you’re on a mountain-climbing roll and want to tackle a taller mountain, then you are certainly welcome to upgrade.

*Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2012.

*You may sign up anytime from now until November 30th, 2012.

*Books must be owned by you prior to January 1, 2012. No ARCs, no library books. No rereads.

*Books may be used to count for other challenges as well.

*Feel free to submit your list in advance (as incentive to really get those books taken care of) or to tally them as you climb.

*A blog and reviews are not necessary to participate. If you have a blog, then please post a challenge sign up and link THAT post (not your home page) into the linky below. Non-bloggers, please leave a comment declaring your challenge level.

*A progress site for reviews will go up in January and I will post the link in my sidebar for easy access.

Challenge–2012 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge

Rules:

Anyone can join
You don’t need a blog to participate. For non-bloggers, please leave a comment with a link (if you review somewhere else) to the review or leave a list of the books you read on the monthly link up post.
Audio, ebooks, and bound books are ok.
No re-reads
Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky below.
Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012
Challenge Crossovers are ok.

Levels:
Level 1 – Read 4 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 2 – Read 10 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 3 – Read 14 Romantic Suspense novels
Level 4 – Read 15+ Romantic Suspense novels

Challenge–2012 E-Book Reading Challenge

Here are the rules:
1. Anyone can join. You don’t need a blog to participate. Create a post about the challenge and link your challenge post up in the linky below.
–Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.
2. There are four levels:
–The Mini E-Book Challenge – Read 5 E-Books.
–The “Fun Size” E-Book Challenge – Read 10 E-Books.
–The Jumbo Size E-Book Challenge – Read 20 E-Books.
–The Mega Size E-Book Reading Challenge – Read 25+ E-Books.
3. No Audio or Print books.
4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
5. The Challenge starts on January 1, 2012 and goes until December 31, 2012.

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

What’s your reading goal for 2012? If it’s to read more books, then this is the reading challenge for you There were 227 readers who wanted to outdo themselves in 2011. Are you up for the challenge?

Details:

Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.

The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2012 than you did in 2011. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.

Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).

Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.

Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Levels:

Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books

Challenge–2012 ARC Reading Challenge

I am using the term “ARC” loosely here in the name of this challenge. I will go over what reading material qualifies for this challenge below.
What qualifies for this challenge?:
1. Actual Advance Reader Copies – this includes from tour sites like ATW Tours.
2. Any book that YOU ARE ASKED by either an author, publisher, publicist, media group, etc. to review.
What does NOT qualify for this challenge?:
Any book that YOU personally asked for a review copy of.
The Rules:

Anyone can join.
You don’t need a blog to participate.
Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the monthly wrap-up post on Jamie’s blog.
Audio, eBooks, and bound books count.
No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
Create a sign up post and link to the linky below.
Challenge runs from January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012.

There are four levels:

The Mini ARC Challenge – Read 4 ARC’s.
The “Fun Size” ARC Challenge – Read 10 ARC’s.
The Jumbo Size ARC Challenge – Read 20 ARC’s.
The Mega size ARC Challenge – Read 21+ ARC’s.

NOTE: You may UPGRADE your challenge but you can NOT DOWNGRADE your challenge.

OK….like I said, this is just the kick off. I know there are more to come. I will continue my stalking at A Novel Challenge, and I am sure I will bumping into you there too lol.

Winners

And the winners are……

CMash November 2, 2011 Leave a Comment

………..for IN OTHER WORLDS by Margaret Atwood

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

8   22

Timestamp: 2011-11-02 10:35:14 UTC

lilsnobelle said…I am a GFC follower as Stephanie B 8

cynthia said…I would like to read burning bushes 22

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

Winners

And the winners are……

CMash November 2, 2011 1 Comment

………..for IN OTHER WORLDS by Margaret Atwood

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

8   22

Timestamp: 2011-11-02 10:35:14 UTC

lilsnobelle said…I am a GFC follower as Stephanie B 8

cynthia said…I would like to read burning bushes 22

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

Guest Author

Guest Author Barbara Forte Abate

CMash November 1, 2011 Leave a Comment

Oh….so many good books, so little time. Being an avid reader like so many of you, do any of you have a fantasy that you could be in your favorite reading chair, area and/or place and JUST read for months at a time. Nothing else, just read! No housework, cooking, errands, limited sleep, etc., etc,. I know, I do, especially since this year I am behind in my reading by more than 50%.

One of the books that I would read is by today’s guest. I received a very cordial email asking if I would read and review her book. After reading the synopsis, I wanted so badly to say yes, but then I looked to my left and saw my “requested review shelf” of my bookcase and knew I had to say no since the shelf is now double packed. But I wanted to share this author with all of you and invited her to stop by, visit, meet all of you and tell us about her book. So please help me welcome Barbara Forte Abate to the group!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up in the small town of Millbrook, New York, Barbara, a day-dreamy, head-in-the-clouds, middle child, never imagined being anything other than a writer. What she didn’t anticipate, was the twisted, turning, roundabout road it would take for her to get there.

Not so fast forward from childhood dream…high school graduation, marriage, new baby…more new babies…moving, moving…moving again All the while pouring out stories onto yellow tablets at the kitchen table every afternoon when for a couple of hours all was quiet. The Secret of Lies, Barbara’s debut novel, was a twenty year obsession from pen to printed volume—a number she finds hard to believe herself and which has at times caused her to question perseverance vs. sanity.

And yet, had she not been so determined to hold to this quest to bring life to her stories and characters within the pages, she can’t possibly imagine what she otherwise might have been doing.

While Barbara considers her four amazing children to be her proudest achievement, recent literary awards for the both the paperback and eBook editions of Secret of Lies have inspired some decidedly thrilling—jump up and down—cork-popping moments.

You can visit Barbara at her Website, Facebook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Propelled by an insurmountable sense of desperation, Stevie Burke is recklessly abandoning home, husband, and outwardly contented life under cover of night; at last resigned to defeat in her long battle against the tortured memories of her past.

Days later, lost and floundering in a dreary motel room without plan or destination, it is a long ago song playing on the radio that gently tugs Stevie back through the dust of remembrance. 1957 – The last summer spent at the ancient house overlooking the North Atlantic. A season which had unfolded with abundant

promise, but then spiraled horribly out of control – torn apart by a shattering tragedy that remains splintered in fragments upon her soul. And it is only now, when Stevie at last lifts her eyes to stare deep into the heart of her long sequestered memories, that the long held secrets of past and future are at last unveiled…

It began in much the way of all the perfect golden summers at her aunt and uncle’s beach house. Stevie is in love with Jake, an intriguing deaf boy; so thoroughly absorbed in her new romance that she easily ignores the evidences of breakdown in her aunt and uncle’s once blissful marriage and the hairline indicators of her sister Eleanor’s role in their faltered relationship. Not until Stevie and Jake slip away from the farewell bonfire on the beach, anxious for a private moment on this last night together, will she finally be forced to confront the ugly truth of those things unfolding around her. The resulting tragedy shattering her family and leaving her emotionally paralyzed.

Although desperate to leave behind the gnawing emptiness and press of memories suffocating her life, Stevie remains helplessly bound to the family farm. She eventually lands a job as an advice columnist for the local newspaper, and only then does her life finally make a turn toward steady ground, her new position as advisor to the troubled allowing her to address her own deepest feelings of love and loss.

Even then, Stevie is infuriated when her mother hires a farm hand, Ash Waterman, irrationally rejecting his overtures of friendship – drawn to him as passionately as she feels determined to push him away.

Her silent battle is continuous; an insurmountable sense of guilt holding her to the firm conviction that she is responsible for her family’s suffering. Despite Ash’s patient love and support she is unable to smooth the painful cracks etched deep into her memories, continuing to sacrifice her future in order to shelter the sins of the past. And it is only as Stevie feels her life spiraling out of control, that she at last comes to understand the true secret of the lies she has so diligently guarded.

Watch the trailer:

THANKS TO AUTHOR, BARBARA FORTE ABATE,

I HAVE ONE (1) SIGNED COPY TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY 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.

Giveaway

INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY "THE SECRET OF LIES" BY BARBARA FORTE ABATE ENDED

CMash November 1, 2011 Leave a Comment

NOVEMBER 1st to NOVEMBER 15th, 2011

THE SECRET OF LIES

by BARBARA FORTE ABATE

SYNOPSIS (borrowed from Amazon):

Propelled by an insurmountable sense of desperation, Stevie Burke is recklessly abandoning home, husband, and outwardly contented life under cover of night; at last resigned to defeat in her long battle against the tortured memories of her past.
Days later, lost and floundering in a dreary motel room without plan or destination, it is a long ago song playing on the radio that gently tugs Stevie back through the dust of remembrance. 1957 – The last summer spent at the ancient house overlooking the North Atlantic. A season which had unfolded with abundant promise, but then spiraled horribly out of control – torn apart by a shattering tragedy that remains splintered in fragments upon her soul. And it is only now, when Stevie at last lifts her eyes to stare deep into the heart of her long sequestered memories, that the long held secrets of past and future are at last unveiled.

THANKS TO AUTHOR, BARBARA FORTE ABATE,

I HAVE ONE ( 1 ) SIGNED COPY
OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.

*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: FROM READING THE SYNOPSIS,
WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK?*

*EXTRA ENTRIES*

*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU PUBLICLY FOLLOW THIS
BLOG (IF NOT, GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT ON RIGHT SIDE).
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK.
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.

*INTERNATIONAL*
*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.

*GIVEAWAY ENDS NOVEMBER 15th AT 6PM EST*

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

DISCLAIMER / RULES

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
the giveaway on behalf of the
above. 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.

I am not responsible for lost or damaged books that are shipped
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries
if rules of giveaway are not followed

Guest Author

Guest Author Barbara Forte Abate

CMash November 1, 2011 Leave a Comment

Oh….so many good books, so little time. Being an avid reader like so many of you, do any of you have a fantasy that you could be in your favorite reading chair, area and/or place and JUST read for months at a time. Nothing else, just read! No housework, cooking, errands, limited sleep, etc., etc,. I know, I do, especially since this year I am behind in my reading by more than 50%.

One of the books that I would read is by today’s guest. I received a very cordial email asking if I would read and review her book. After reading the synopsis, I wanted so badly to say yes, but then I looked to my left and saw my “requested review shelf” of my bookcase and knew I had to say no since the shelf is now double packed. But I wanted to share this author with all of you and invited her to stop by, visit, meet all of you and tell us about her book. So please help me welcome Barbara Forte Abate to the group!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up in the small town of Millbrook, New York, Barbara, a day-dreamy, head-in-the-clouds, middle child, never imagined being anything other than a writer. What she didn’t anticipate, was the twisted, turning, roundabout road it would take for her to get there.

Not so fast forward from childhood dream…high school graduation, marriage, new baby…more new babies…moving, moving…moving again All the while pouring out stories onto yellow tablets at the kitchen table every afternoon when for a couple of hours all was quiet. The Secret of Lies, Barbara’s debut novel, was a twenty year obsession from pen to printed volume—a number she finds hard to believe herself and which has at times caused her to question perseverance vs. sanity.

And yet, had she not been so determined to hold to this quest to bring life to her stories and characters within the pages, she can’t possibly imagine what she otherwise might have been doing.

While Barbara considers her four amazing children to be her proudest achievement, recent literary awards for the both the paperback and eBook editions of Secret of Lies have inspired some decidedly thrilling—jump up and down—cork-popping moments.

You can visit Barbara at her Website, Facebook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Propelled by an insurmountable sense of desperation, Stevie Burke is recklessly abandoning home, husband, and outwardly contented life under cover of night; at last resigned to defeat in her long battle against the tortured memories of her past.

Days later, lost and floundering in a dreary motel room without plan or destination, it is a long ago song playing on the radio that gently tugs Stevie back through the dust of remembrance. 1957 – The last summer spent at the ancient house overlooking the North Atlantic. A season which had unfolded with abundant

promise, but then spiraled horribly out of control – torn apart by a shattering tragedy that remains splintered in fragments upon her soul. And it is only now, when Stevie at last lifts her eyes to stare deep into the heart of her long sequestered memories, that the long held secrets of past and future are at last unveiled…

It began in much the way of all the perfect golden summers at her aunt and uncle’s beach house. Stevie is in love with Jake, an intriguing deaf boy; so thoroughly absorbed in her new romance that she easily ignores the evidences of breakdown in her aunt and uncle’s once blissful marriage and the hairline indicators of her sister Eleanor’s role in their faltered relationship. Not until Stevie and Jake slip away from the farewell bonfire on the beach, anxious for a private moment on this last night together, will she finally be forced to confront the ugly truth of those things unfolding around her. The resulting tragedy shattering her family and leaving her emotionally paralyzed.

Although desperate to leave behind the gnawing emptiness and press of memories suffocating her life, Stevie remains helplessly bound to the family farm. She eventually lands a job as an advice columnist for the local newspaper, and only then does her life finally make a turn toward steady ground, her new position as advisor to the troubled allowing her to address her own deepest feelings of love and loss.

Even then, Stevie is infuriated when her mother hires a farm hand, Ash Waterman, irrationally rejecting his overtures of friendship – drawn to him as passionately as she feels determined to push him away.

Her silent battle is continuous; an insurmountable sense of guilt holding her to the firm conviction that she is responsible for her family’s suffering. Despite Ash’s patient love and support she is unable to smooth the painful cracks etched deep into her memories, continuing to sacrifice her future in order to shelter the sins of the past. And it is only as Stevie feels her life spiraling out of control, that she at last comes to understand the true secret of the lies she has so diligently guarded.

Watch the trailer:

THANKS TO AUTHOR, BARBARA FORTE ABATE,

I HAVE ONE (1) SIGNED COPY TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY 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.

Giveaway

INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY "THE SECRET OF LIES" BY BARBARA FORTE ABATE ENDED

CMash November 1, 2011 41 Comments

NOVEMBER 1st to NOVEMBER 15th, 2011

THE SECRET OF LIES

by BARBARA FORTE ABATE

SYNOPSIS (borrowed from Amazon):

Propelled by an insurmountable sense of desperation, Stevie Burke is recklessly abandoning home, husband, and outwardly contented life under cover of night; at last resigned to defeat in her long battle against the tortured memories of her past.
Days later, lost and floundering in a dreary motel room without plan or destination, it is a long ago song playing on the radio that gently tugs Stevie back through the dust of remembrance. 1957 – The last summer spent at the ancient house overlooking the North Atlantic. A season which had unfolded with abundant promise, but then spiraled horribly out of control – torn apart by a shattering tragedy that remains splintered in fragments upon her soul. And it is only now, when Stevie at last lifts her eyes to stare deep into the heart of her long sequestered memories, that the long held secrets of past and future are at last unveiled.

THANKS TO AUTHOR, BARBARA FORTE ABATE,

I HAVE ONE ( 1 ) SIGNED COPY
OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.

*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: FROM READING THE SYNOPSIS,
WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK?*

*EXTRA ENTRIES*

*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU PUBLICLY FOLLOW THIS
BLOG (IF NOT, GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT ON RIGHT SIDE).
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK.
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.

*INTERNATIONAL*
*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.

*GIVEAWAY ENDS NOVEMBER 15th AT 6PM EST*

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

DISCLAIMER / RULES

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
the giveaway on behalf of the
above. 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.

I am not responsible for lost or damaged books that are shipped
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries
if rules of giveaway are not followed

Monday Memes

CMash October 31, 2011 Leave a Comment

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

This week’s question:

Would you say that you read about the same amount now as when you were younger? More? Less? Why?

My answer:

This took some time for me to answer and post since it was such a long time ago lol.

I definitely read less now but wish I read like I did. I remember reading a book in a day, which meant I could read up to 5-7 books a week. Why? No responsibility, no worries, no distractions and better eyesight. This year has been awful in the number of books I have read. Here it is the end of October and I read 34 books, 34 books!!! That is embarrassing for a self proclaimed avid book reader. That number should at least be approximately at 70. But real life was quite intrusive on my reading time. So I am anxiously waiting for 2012 and am already stalking the blog, A Novel Challenge.

October is being hosted by Serena from Savvy Verse & Wit

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