While some of the books I review on my site are furnished by the publishers, authors, or publicists for the purpose of review all of my reviews are truthful, honest, and my sincere opinion.

Friday, December 11, 2009

2009 Books I've Read

To clean up my sidebar I'm going to start keeping track of my books in this post. When I add to the list I'll just add to this post... Hopefully that will make things look a little better.

1. Cult Fiction by Chancery Stone
2. Soul Harvest by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
3. Knitting Under the Influence by Claire LaZebnik
4. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
5. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
6. A Slaying in the Suburbs: The Tara Grant Murder by Steve Miller and Andrea Billups
7. Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
8. Rachel's Tears by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott
9. In the Footsteps of Paul by Ken Duncan
10. Something Blue by Emily Giffin
11. GateKEEPERS by Sheldon Robert Stone and Rudolf B. Schmerl
12. Shawls Two (Vogue Knitting on the Go)
13. Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch
14. I'm Perfect You're Doomed by Kyria Abrahams
15. The Gnostic Mystery by Randy Davila
16. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
17. The Noticer by Andy Andrews
18. Pure Heart by Rita Hsu Syers
19. Put Your Dreams to the Test by John C. Maxwell
20. Enduring Justice by Amy Wallace
21. Eternal Craving by Nina Bangs
22. Boots and Pieces by Emily Ecton
23. In My Own Words by Mother Teresa
24. Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi by Geoff Dyer
25. The Chameleon Conspiracy by Haggi Carmon
26. When That Day Comes by Louise Alberto McAtee
27. The Liberation Diet by Kevin Brown and Annette Presley
28. You Wanna Go to Willard by Linda M. Holbrook
29. The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers by Angie Fox
30. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
31. Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoos by Robin Jones Gunn
32. Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart by Chuck Black
33. Eyes Wide Open by Jud Wilhite
34. The Disappearance of God by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
35. Between Us Baxters by Bethany Hegedus
36. The Vanishing Sculptor by Donita K. Paul
37. Hot House Flowers and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Berwin
38. Obama's Blackberry by Kasper Hauser
39. How Perfect is That by Sarah Bird
40. Last Light Over Carolina by Mary Alice Monroe
41. One Scream Away by Kate Brady
42. The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn by Liz Johnson
43. Duma Key by Stephen King
44. Ravens by George Dawes Green
45. Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall
46. Summer of Two Wishes by Julia London
47. Blue Like Play Dough by Tricia Goyer
48. Fearless by Max Lucado
49. Stray Affections by Charlene Ann Baumbich
50. The Forgotten Man by William Graham Sumner
51. Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham
52. Extraordinary by John Bevere
53. Thirsty by Tracey Bateman
54. Touched by a Vampire by Beth Felker Jones
55. Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
56. Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur
57. White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner
58. An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage
59. Shooting and Albatross by Steven R. Lundin
60. Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
61. How it Ends by Laura Wiess

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Giving Away Thursdays!

Since I've been a little sketchy with my blog the last few months I figured if I have myself on a blogging schedule that maybe I won't let it go for so long.

The first change is Thursday is now Giving Away Thursdays!

On Thursday I will post any new giveaways I have, as well as the winners from and closed giveaways.

Also on Thursdays I will post links to any book giveaways I've found during the week.

So start watching Thursdays to see what's being given away!

First off, my giveaways:
100th post giveaway
White Picket Fences

Giveaways around the web:
Writer's Space Author Giveaways Monthly giveaways

Fresh Fiction Monthly Giveaways

The Bibliophilic Book Blog A Sony E-Reader!!! Ends 12/15

Luxury Reading The Possibility of Everything End 12/18

Presenting Lenore 700 Followers Prize Pack Ends 12/21

Luxury Reading Lovely Bones Audiobook Ends 12/22

A Bookish Mom A Christmas Carol Special Edition Ends 12/18

The Book Butterfly The Maze Runner Ends 12/25

Books and Needlepoint I Used to Know That Ends 12/29

Books and Needlepoint
Born of Night Ends 12/15

Books and Needlepoint Denise's Daily Dozen Ends 12/29

Luxury Reading When She Flew Ends 12/25

That's all for this week!

Do you have a giveaway that I didn't list? Leave a comment with the link, I'll make sure to add it to next week.

Thanks for reading
-Jennifer

Closed: Review and Giveaway! White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.



About the Book:

When her black sheep brother disappears, Amanda Janvier eagerly takes in her sixteen year-old niece Tally. The girl is practically an orphan: motherless, and living with a father who raises Tally wherever he lands– in a Buick, a pizza joint, a horse farm–and regularly takes off on wild schemes. Amanda envisions that she, her husband Neil, and their two teenagers can offer the girl stability and a shot at a “normal” life, even though their own storybook lives are about to crumble.

Seventeen-year-old Chase Janvier hasn’t seen his cousin in years, and other than a vague curiosity about her strange life, he doesn’t expect her arrival will affect him much–or interfere with his growing, disturbing interest in a long-ago house fire that plagues his dreams unbeknownst to anyone else.

Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won’t make them go away.

Will Tally’s presence blow apart their carefully-constructed world, knocking down the illusion of the white picket fence and reveal a hidden past that could destroy them all–or can she help them find the truth without losing each other?

My Review:

White Picket Fences had quite a bit going on in it. Each part of the story was connected, and it was done very well. The story didn't seem to lose anything, and the connections didn't feel convenient. This book was very well thought out, and was executed very well. I have to applaud Meissner for taking all these seemingly unrelated topics and intertwining them into a very good story.

There were parts when the story dragged a little, but for the most part it kept intrigued. My favorite part of the story was the Holocaust survivors telling their story. Not only did it serve a purpose with the plot, but I love to learn about the Holocaust and WWII. What those people survived is unimaginable to me, and how the Nazi's could do that is just beyond me. I don't necessarily gain enjoyment from Holocaust stories, but I feel like knowing these stories may be a step to stopping the hatred that still exists today... But I digress....

The story was very well written. I really liked Amanda and Chase. I just connected with Amanda and even when she wasn't a part of the action I felt like I was seeing it through her eyes. Her thoughts and her ideas fell in line with what I think I would have done in her situation.

This was a pretty good book, I will be reading her other books in the future.

To get more information on White Picket Fences please visit WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing's website.

The Giveaway:

I have one copy of White Picket Fences to giveaway.

The giveaway will end 12/16/09 at 11:59pm (EST)

To enter:
1) Leave a comment with your email address (so I can contact you if you win!)
2) Get an extra entry for following my blog (let me know if you're a new follower or have been following for a while!)
3) Get a third entry for mentioning this giveaway: On your blog, facebook, twitter... anywhere (Make sure to leave me a link or your SN so I can verify!)

The winner will be randomly drawn and notified by email.

Just a note. This is an extra copy that I was given, so the book is in my possession. I do smoke and have pets. The giveaway copy is an extra copy, not the one I have read. However I do understand that both pet hair and smoke can be problematic for those with allergies. As I do not want to cause anyone harm please be aware if you do have allergies.

Good Luck and thank you for reading my blog!

Update:
The winner is: Cheryl!
Thank you for entering an email is on it's way!
Enjoy reading!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Closed: 100th Post! Giveaway!!!!

Yeah it's my 100th post!!!!

To celebrate I am going to give away 3 of my ARC/review copies to one lucky winner.

Here is the list of titles I currently have (that haven't been loaned out or donated...)
1) The Chameleon Conspiracy by Haggai Carmon
2)Boots and Pieces by Emily Ecton
3) Eternal Craving by Nina Bangs

4) Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
5) When That Day Comes by Louise Alberto McAtee
6) Last Light Over Carolina by Mary Alice Monroe
7) Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead


To win:
Please leave a comment with your email address (no email and I can't contact you!!!)
In the comment list the three titles you would like!
Earn an extra entry for following my blog (let me know if you are a new follower or an old follower)
Earn an extra entry for posting this giveaway someplace else (your blog, twitter, facebook, etc... just let me know where it's at!)

The giveaway will be open until December 21st. The winner will be chosen randomly.

Just a note I am a smoker and I have pets. I don't smoke while reading and I don't let my dogs roll around in my books, but if you have allergies please be warned!

The winner will be notified by email!

Thank you for reading my blog and good luck!

There will also be a special something when I reach 100 followers, so send your friends over!

Update: Winner Suzanne!

Thank you for entering. An email is on it's way to you.

Enjoy!

Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.



Synopsis:
This rerelease of Randall Arthur's bestselling novel presents the hypocrisy of Christian legalism and a man's search for the only surviving member of his family. The story's hero, Pastor Jason Faircloth, embarks on a journey that lasts eighteen years and takes him through four countries in a quest to find the granddaughter who is being hidden from him. In a process that mirrors our own spiritual journey, he discovers a rich relationship with God and the peace that finally comes with true faith.

My Review:
I've read so many books lately that they've all seemed to kind of run into one. Shortly after reading one I loose some of the intricacies of the story. This book, was definitely not one of those. I was completely blown away by this story. I wish I would've heard about this one years ago, when it originally came out. But I'm glad that I was given the chance to read it, even if it was 18 years late.

While there is alot going on in this story I felt that the main idea was that Jason, a pastor, questions his faith when his life is thrown into a chaotic string of events. So many things that Jason questioned about his faith are things that I have too questioned. This one just really resonated with me as I could relate on almost every level with Jason.

The story not only has a great premise, but there are some pretty action intense scenes, as well as some very emotional scenes. I was literally drawn into this story from the opening line and was hooked till the end. I didn't want to put this book down. It was a fast read, but it really made me think. Character development was great, dialog was realistic, descriptions were perfect.

I have already recommended this, and will be recommending it many many times in the future. I normally will lend my books out to people, however I think this one will not leave my possession. I can see myself reading this many times over.

I think this is one that just about anyone can read. It does deal with a few difficult subjects, but the struggling with religion was (at least in my opinion) the basis of the story.

For more information about Wisdom Hunter please visit WaterBrook Multnomah's website.