New WordPress blog

Check me out at http://dharmaggedon.wordpress.com if you are looking for anything book related.  Hope to see you there:)

And the winner is…

Ramya!  Congratulations, your name was drawn for my copy of Bleachers by John Grisham!  I will be contacting you by email to get your info.

Thanks to everyone who commented, it means so much to have readers who care.  Please make sure to check back as I will have another contest up in the VERY near future:)

Book Giveaway: Read Well, Think Well by Hal Lanse

It’s time for a book giveaway! Education expert Hal W. Lanse is giving away a copy of his latest book, READ WELL, THINK WELL!

In order to win, here are the rules:

• You must comment below with your working email address so that we can contact you.
• If you blog about this contest, leave a comment, telling us where you are blogging about it and that gives you 2 entries!
• Contest starts today and ends on September 29. The winner will be announced on this blog on Sept. 30.

Win Bleachers by John Grisham

So, here’s another one of those duplicate books…shame on me, I know.  But, my disorganization is good for all of you because it means a chance for free books.

This is the hardcover version of this book – and this one I have read and loved it.  If you haven’t read it, or don’t know what it’s about, here’s the synopsis:

High school all-American Neely Crenshaw was probably the best quarterback ever to play for the legendary Messina Spartans.  Fifteen years have gone by since those glory days, and Neely has come home to Messina to bury Coach Eddie Rake, the man who molded the Spartans into and unbeatable football dynasty.

Now, as Coach Rake’s “boys” sit in the bleachers waiting for the dimming field lights to signal his passing, they replay the old games, relive the old glories, and try to decide once and for all whether they love Eddie Rake – or hate him.  For Neely Crenshaw, a man who must finally forgive his coach – and himself- before he can get on with his life, the stakes are especially high. 

How do you win, you ask?  Couldn’t be easier!

Leave a comment for 1 entry – please remember to leave contact information so I know how to get in touch with you.

Blog about this contest with a link back for 5 additional entries – that’s right – 5!  Just make sure to let me know where you are posting so I can check it out:)

I will draw a winner on Sunday, August 31st, and will post about it on Monday.  Good luck everyone!

Want to win more books?  Visit Zensanity and Scribe Vibe for your chance!

Win a copy of Read Well, Think Well by Hal Lanse

Come on, everyone loves a chance to win a free book, right? Book Marketing Buzz is hosting a 10 book giveaway extravaganza and the ten books we’ll be giving away are being donated by education expert and author Hal W. Lanse, Ph.D. in his fight to help our children learn how to read!

Help Hal in his fight to promote his book and he’ll help YOU find out what it takes to teach your child how to read and understand what they’re reading!

To find out more about Hal and his book, visit his website at www.readwellthinkwell.com and don’t forget to leave your suggestion in the comments section!  What better way to end your summer with a free book that will help get rid of illiteracy in today’s children???

There is a slight catch on this one.  To get more details, please click on the Book Marketin Buzz link above.  Good luck everyone!

I’m a winner!

Wow, what a great day yesterday.  I received and email from Bookroomreviews telling me that I was one of the lucky winners of a box of 14 books from The Hachette Group -woo hoo!  I was so excited!  If you ask the hubby, he’ll say the last thing I need is more books, but hey, what does he know?

Make sure you head over there for a chance to win some great books and just see a great blog – thanks again!

Win a $20 Giftcard to Borders

Have I told you lately how much I love books? LOL!  It should certainly be evident by my blog, and my new blog located at http://zensanity.blogspot.com  I was fortunate to come across The Koolaid Mom, another really cool blog.  Not only that, but the giftcard has a picture of The Lorax, my favorite Dr. Seuss book.  Hmmmmm, maybe it’s fate?  I’ll have to wait patiently and see.  Make sure to visit for a great chance to win.

The Pink Forest: A Woman’s Intimate Confessions by Dana Dorfman

ISBN 13: 978-0-9798592-0-5

311 Pages

Banderae Publishing

www.danadorfman.com

Excerpt from the back of the book:

The Pink Room is flying silk and a canvas of lace.  It is a magic gleam and a twinkling eye.  It is playful glances, soft pecks upon the lips, and swirls of eye-catching smiles.  It is endless stretches of bed ruffles and flowing satin shets strewn across a candle-lit floor.  It is thick pillows, the coolness of moonlight, and giggle-strewn chatter in the mist of rose-silk petals.

But more than anything, The Pink Forest is about one woman wishing upon life for the courage to feel her enchanted self.  Caught in the gusts of emotion, her small draped figure lands on the tree of possibility where she become an amorous creature.  Glistening with intimate confessions, she blushes the earth and wanders into The Pink Forest.

 I have to be totally honest.  I really wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book.  But the author drew me in with her lyrical writing and descriptions that left little to the imagination, and I truly had a hard time putting this book down.  After all, it isn’t every day that you get to delve into the most personal and intimate confessions of a woman searching for her enchanted self. 

This book was able to evoke so many emotions in me as I traveled with her on her journey to find her enchanted self and the revelations she makes on the way.  Prepare yourself for a book that presses the boundaries of your imagination and sensual side to see what it might take to find and release your enchanted self, after all, who says your conscience ALWAYS has to be your guide. 

About the author:

 Dorfman was raised as an only child and has been writing since the age of four. She graduated from the University of Southern California and considers herself a “life writer” who is able to tap into the blush of the earth.

Dorfman resides in Los Angeles with her mystical spirit.

The Pink Forest is available at www.amazon.com , www.barnesandnoble.com , www.atlasbooks.com  www.danadorfman.com  and bookstores everywhere.

Web Sites: www.DanaDorfman.com  and www.WishUponLife.com

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the wonderful opportunity to review this book, and to Ms. Dorfman for her willingness to share her wonderful book!

 

To purchase a copy of this book, click here.

A copy of this book is going to be raffled of on Friday, May 16.  For your chance to win, please comment on this post.  For an additional entry, just post about this giveaway on your blog or website and leave me the link in your comment.  Thanks again for all the support!

Win The Baker’s Boy by Barry Kitterman

I have never heard of this book but the description has intrigued me.  For your chance to win, visit Carp(e) Libris Reviews for more details.  Hurry, offer ends May 6!

Chance to win free books…Yeah!

So, I was poking around Maw Books – one of my new favorite sites (see previous posts) and she did a cool blog entry about all of the people that had visited her blog in the last month (yours truly included of course).  I wish I would have found her sooner, but better late than never.  So, I clicked on her very first visitor listed and came across a book giveaway.  Honestly, this is one of the best parts about being in the world of blogging (at least for me).  So, without further ado:

For your chance to enter, just visit My Random Acts of Reading for more details.  Good luck, but not better luck than me:)

Maw Books Blog 100th Post Giveaway

Here you go fellow bookies – yet another book giveaway, but the chances to win are literally endless.  For more info just hop over to Maw Books for details, but hurry!  This contest ends on April 30th:)

Comfort Food (and a giveaway)

All you have to do is leave a comment at The Written Word  by midnight EST time on Wednesday, April 30th and you will be automatically entered to be one of five people to win a cute canvas tote bag (click on the image to view larger). Just think of all the books you could fit in one of these when you head to the used book sale at your local library! In addition, one of those five people will also get the advance reader copy of Comfort Food!  For an even better chance to win, post about this contest on your own blog (linking back to this post) and your name will be entered twice! If you aren’t one of the lucky winners, then make sure to get a copy of Comfort Food at your local bookstore once it is released on May 6th. Good luck!

Win Staked by J.F. Lewis

This really sounds like a great book, but I really am a sucker for this kind of story.  For more info, and details on how to enter to win this please visit A Book Blogger’s Diary.  And make sure to check out the other giveaways on this site, as there are TONS of great thing:)

Lost Souls by Lisa Jackson

 I was offered the opportunity to review this book from my wonderful friends at Pump Up Your Book Promotion and jumped at the chance.  Not only is Lisa Jackson a #1 New York Tims Bestselling Author, but she also writes the type of books that are right up my alley. 

Being the daughter of a New Orleans detective may seem like it would protect you from harm, but this is not the case for Kristi Bentz.  In fact, she may be one of the unluckiest people in the world.  At 27 she has nearly died twice at the hands of a serial killer, but has fought and lived to tell the tale.  Now that she is recovered, she has decided that it is time to leave home and pursue her dream of becoming a true-crime writer. 

All Saints College isn’t too far away from the watchful eyes of her father, but there is something not quite right on campus.  4 girls have disapperared in the last two years, and even though they were troubled and have no family that cares it still seems as if there is more to the story.  Kristi has decided to make it her personal mission to do some amateur detective work, especially when she discovers that the apartment she is renting was previously occupied by one of the missing girls.  Not only that, all of the girls have a schedule extrememly similar to Kristi’s, including “The Influence of Vampirism in Modern Culture and Literature” taught by Dr. Dominic Grotto one of the new hip teachers on staff.

What Kristi uncovers is a dark and secret society of students and possibly teachers who are fascinated with vampires, and my quite possibly be taking their fascination too far.  With the help of her former flame Jay McKnight (who is now her professor), Kristi seeks to find the clues necessary to pin these crimes on the perpetrators, something that may well end up costing her her life. 

 With clear concise writing, this book was a true pleasure to read. 

About the author:

Lisa Jackson can’t keep away from murderers, especially serial killers.  She’s been killing people everywhere from Savannah and New Orleans to San Francisco and the Pacific Northwest—and it’s been worth it.  Her readers come back again and again, and her novels are fixtures on national bestseller lists. In fact, her book Fatal Burn was a number one New York Times paperback bestseller, and the first two of her novels to be published in hardcover, Shiver and Absolute Fear, were in the top five on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Next, readers will be looking for LOST SOULS, being published in hardcover by Kensington Books to go on sale March 25^th. 

Having made serial killing her business—sort of—she has put her characters through the wringer. They have been up to their necks in danger and stared death, usually a pretty gory one, right in the face.  She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional and downright twisted.  As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims, and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families. 

Lisa began writing at the urging of her sister, novelist Nancy Bush. Inspired by the success of authors she admired and the burgeoning market for romance fiction at the time, Nancy was convinced they could work together and succeed.  They sat down, determined to write and to be published.

They did and they were. 

Initially they wrote together. Later, they moved in different directions. Lisa brought more and more suspense to her work and began writing much darker stories.  Nancy’s writing expanded to include not just her own novels, including her highly praised Jane Kelly Mysteries, such as the recently published Ultraviolet. She also spent several years writing for one of television’s leading soap operas, even transplanting herself for a time from the sister’s Pacific Northwest roots to Manhattan. This year, they plan to work together again on a thriller set for publication in 2009.

Meanwhile, for Lisa the killing continues as this mother, daughter, workaholic and amazing writer continues her habit of making the hair stand up on the back of readers’ necks, and  landing  her books on The  New York Times, the USA Today, and the Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.

Lisa Jackson’s novels include the upcoming LOST SOULS and the best sellers Absolute Fear, which will be published in paperback for the first time in March, Hot Blooded, Cold Blooded, The Night Before, The Morning After, Deep Freeze, Fatal Burn, and Almost Dead.  Last year, Most Likely to Diewas written by Lisa, Beverly Barton and Wendy Corsi Staub was published and became a number three New York Times paperback bestseller. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, the International Thriller Writers and the Romance Writers of America.

Win 3 Large Ferry Tales or a beautiful book thong…check this out!

What am I talking about?  To find out visit A Bookworm’s Diary for more details on this fantastic contest….really anyone would appreciate this beautiful craftsmanship:)

Pale Immortal by Anne Frasier

To be honest, I was not familiar with Anne Frasier.  I ran across her on Myspace and was drawn to her books because they were set in Wisconsin, my home state.  I approached her to see if she would be willing to submit a book for review, and she was more than happy to oblige.  I am thankful, as this was a fantastic read and really drew me in from the very beginning.

This book is set in the sleepy town of Tuonela, Wisconsin – a town that is notorious for the “Pale Immortal” – a serial killer who stalked the streets one hundred years ago and was rumored to drain his victims of their blood.  Since the death of the “Pale Immortal” no one has lived in Old Tuonela, instead moving a few miles away and rebuilding on ground that was less haunted.  The only people foolish enough to step foot in Old Tuonela are the “goth” kids or the occasional tourist – people who don’t really belive the legend or are just looking for a good scare.

Even though the town has moved, it’s past continues to haunt it.  The corpse of a young girl is found dumped alongside a local road, drained of all of her blood.  Has the “Pale Immortal” been resurrected from his unmarked grave, to rain terror down on New Tuonela?  Or is there a new terror that the residents must encounter, something even more evil that the ghosts of their past?

The most logical suspect in most of the townspeople’s eyes is the recluse, Evan Stroud.  Not only has he written a book that would give him access to details most people don’t know, he also suffers from a rare condition known as Porphyria, which makes it unable for him to be in sunlight.  He has been taunted for years as being a “freak” or a “Vampire” and has considered leaving, but where would he go?  At least he is familiar with the town, and most people accept him, even if they aren’t exactly friendly.  And he is not without friends.  His best friend Rachel Burton has recently returned to town and taken the job of County Coroner.  It gives him someone to talk to and a reason to look forward to something in his day.

Evan’s life is turned upside down when a young man named Graham Yates shows up at his door, stating that he is his son.  Although Evan does remember sleeping with Graham’s mother, she was the type of girl who slept with more boys than not, and the odds of Graham being his son don’t seem too probable.  While waiting for the DNA results, Graham gets mixed up with a group of hoodlums who have named themselves “The Pale Immortals” and believe that the rotting bones of their idol and namesake hold the power of life, death, and immortality.  For a boy who has been trying to fit in his whole life, it is easy to fall into their warped views- after all, these are the first true friends he has had in years.  But the townsfolk of Tuonela have no idea what is lurking in their mist – an evil so powerful it may destroy them all.

The formation of the characters in this book is flawless – I was pleased as there are times when authors seem to go on and on giving details that really are not relevant to the story or plot, but this was not the case.  The characters are also kept to a minimum, making it much easier to relate to the heartache and horror that each one goes through in search of the true “killer”.

This is a fantastic read and one that I highly recommend, especially for those of you who enjoy nothing more than a good scare!

Here is a video showing what you can expect from this book:

 

For excerpts from the book, and other cool information pertaining to it click here.

A copy of this book is going to be raffled off to one lucky reader on Friday, April 18th.  As always, to enter, please leave me a comment, but make sure to include some way to get ahold of you.  And, for an extra entry, post about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Thanks for looking and happy Tuesday!

Bronte Sisters Library Giveaway

Want a chance to win a book by each of the Bronte Sisters?  All you need to do is visit Ready When You Are, C.B. for your chance to win 3 great books:

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre

Anne Bronte’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights

Good luck everyone!

Bones of the Dead by Elle Newmark

This review was previously posted on my website, but I thought that I would post it again for 2 reasons:

1.  This is in my top 5 favorite books of 2007.  It takes a lot for me to give a book 5 stars, but this one deserved it.

2.  I just happen to have 2 copies, so yes, this book will be raffled off on Friday, April 18th – make sure to comment for your chance to win, and as always, if you blog about it and link back to me you get an extra entry (just make sure you leave the blog/website info in the comment so I know where to look). 

Here is my review:

“Civilizations are built on the bones of the dead.” Sometimes I believe we forget about those that have come before us…this is evident in some of the mistakes that are made over and over again. History certainly has a way of repeating itself, but thankfully there is nothing about this book that is a knock off of something else you have read – it is truly original in every way.

This book focuses around a street rat named Luciano and his mentor, Chef Amato Ferrero. Luciano is living on the streets, turned out at the age of 6, and although it is not the life he would have chosen he has become skilled in the tricks needed to survive the hunger and the cold he faces daily. One day he is plucked from his life of poverty by his soon to be mentor, taken to the home of the doge, given clean clothes, 3 meals a day, a warm place to sleep, and a real chance at improving his station in life and showing that he is someone of worth.

“The art of cooking, like the art of living, must be savored for its own sake.” This is the first of many lessons young Luciano will learn from the maestro. His techniques are about much more than just following a recipe – he is truly a magician in the kitchen. His unique abilities are able to prevent possibly disastrous situations from happening, but in the end they aren’t enough.

The story’s true star is a book – not just any book, but a book that is thought to be magical, housing everything from the “recipe” for immortality, a love potion, and how to create gold from common ingredients. It is sought by some of the most powerful, wealthy, and downright evil men in the country – all of whom are willing to do WHATEVER it takes to possess it as their own.

I don’t believe in delving too deeply into the plot of the story, I want the reader to be able to enjoy the story as I did and not give away too much of the plot beforehand. I will say this, I wish that I was made aware of Elle Newmark before now – her ability to evoke your emotions through her storytelling is something to be rivaled. She also has an uncanny way of describing her characters and setting in the type of detail that makes you feel as if you are truly a part of the story, not an easy feat when the story is set in 15th century Venice.

This book is one I recommend to anyone looking for a true page turner with an original plot and enough twists to make you shake your head and guess again at what will happen next. Thank you for providing this wonderful book, and making me realize that just because a book is set in another country and time, does not mean it won’t be compelling right up until the last page.

Good Luck everyone, and as always, thanks for looking!

Audrey, Wait! Contest

Yippee, I found another new contest:)  This one is for the book Audrey, Wait.  For more details, and to enter, please visit The Page Flipper.  Thanks for the great contest, and thanks to everyone for all the support!

Enter the Duke of Shadows Sweepstakes

This will probably be the last contest of the day…not too shabby if I do say so myself.  Check out this steamy picture…yummy:)  Here is a chance to win some fantastic prizes such as:

The Duke of Shadows Sweepstakes.

Prize packages

• Grand Prize: $25 gift card from Barnes and Noble
• First prize: $15 gift certificate from Amazon (or online bookstore of your choice)
• Runners up: Five more winners will receive a copy of The Duke of Shadows

Seven winners. Cool prizes. What do you have to do to get in on this?

Just visit Ann Aguirre to enter, I know that I did and I am so excited about my chances of winning!

2 books this time The God of Animals and Wake

Here we go again, here is the chance to win two books.  All you need to do is visit In Bed With Books and read the details – woo hoo, more book giveaways to come!

Autographed copy of Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

All you need to do is visit Kinsmen of the Shelf for your chance to win this book, and if you blog about it you get three extra entries.  How cool is that?

Win Jinx by Meg Cabot – ends April 12th

It’s like Christmas for me today!  I have come across a TON of sites offering free books and feel obligated to blog about them (ok, like I’ve said before, i do get extra entries this way as well).  Please visit Liv’s Book Reviews for the chance to win a copy of Jinx by Meg Cabot…yippee!

Win ZigZag by Ellen Wittlinger

Here we go again, another site offering a book a day through 4/11.  Please visit Author2Author to check out this chance to win some great books to add to your collection.  Thanks again!

From the Shadows

I don’t read a lot of short stories. I used to, but seem to have gotten out of the habit and I am not really sure why. So, when I had the opportunity to review this collection for my friend Vern at Triad Publishing Group, I jumped at the chance. I was thrilled, first and foremost, because it was my favorite genre, horror. But the other thing that is so intriguing about the world of short stories is that even if the story isn’t that great, it is over with quickly and you are on to another one. Thankfully I didn’t have to worry about that this time.

This book consists of 13 scary tales…how appropriate. I have been fortunate enough to read and review books by two of the authors in the collection – Norm Applegate and Fran Orenstein. And I was pleasantly surprised at the other talent that was exhibited in the other stories as well. This collection will appeal to everyone’s fears, whether it is superstitions, vampires, cults, werewolves, or madness that lives only within your head. I am not sure if I would be able to pick a favorite, and even if I did I am sure if I read them again it would change. The Artist by Kevin Morrison reminded me of an old Vincent Price movie that if I saw it today would still scare me. The Wooden Box by Thomas McReynolds delves into madness which starts at a Grandfather’s funeral and spirals out of control. Jumpers by Norm Applegate ponders the questions, what would you wish for if you were given the opportunity? And would you use it wisely if you found out it came true? These are just some of the great stories told here.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good scare – some truly chilling and some just hinting at the terror, letting your imagination take you over the threshold and beyond. I look forward to reading some more by some of the authors included here. Great job to all of you!

This book will be raffled off on Friday, April 11.  For your chance to win, just leave me a comment.  For an extra entry, blog about it and link back to me (please tell me that you are doing this so I can check your blog).  Thanks again!

April Prize Pack of books

Today must be my lucky day.  I continue to find some fantastic book giveaways and I want to pass on the info to all of my loyal readers.  Ok, it is a little self serving as it also earns me some extra entries, lol!  So, here is another great giveaway, consisting of 5 books.  For more details please visit The Page Flipper!

Win a box of books!

Wow, a box of books:)  This really perked me up when I saw this blog.  Most people (myself included) give away a book or two at a time.  Don’t get me wrong, I probably have enough books to offer a contest/giveaway like this and may do so in the future.  I just have to get around to sifting through the mountains of books that I have.  Well, enough about that - to enter please visit The Friendly Book Nook and check this out, I think you will agree it is fantastic.  Thanks again for visiting me!

Win a copy of Airhead by Meg Cabot

I hate to admit it, but I have never read a Meg Cabot book…hopefully by posting about this giveaway I will increase my chances enough to win this one, lol!  For a chance to win, please visit The Story Siren for more details on how to enter.  I am getting so lucky finding these giveaways, I may be back with more today.  Keep on checking back for more giveaways and reviews.  Thanks for all the support!

Joshilyn Jackson Book Giveaway

I came across another blogger who loves to host giveaways, maybe as much as I do, lol!  Once again I ask “Who doesn’t love to get free stuff, especially books?”  So, check out the following site:  A Book Blogger’s Diary for your chance to win the great book mentioned above.  Details are on the site – come on, I know you want to check it out!

Journey from Head to Heart – Living and Working Authentically by Nancy Oelklaus

WOW! That is the only way that I can describe this book. There is so much information in these pages and it is told with such straightforwardness, it makes it easy for anyone to apply the principles to make life easier and help it flow smoothly. There isn’t really much I can say that will sum it up the way it deserves to be…honestly you really just need to read this one. So, here is the info from the back of the book:

Journey From Head to Heart is…

A Toolkit for those who are exhausted from solving neverending problems, working harder and harder and not arriving at the destination where thy truly want to be.

A Map for how to make the journey from head to heart and then integrate the two so that the power of ego is diminished and the Authentic Self can emerge to live and work from the power of the human spirit.

A Reference book you can use for many years to come as the reader meets life’s challenges with success that satisfies both the head and heart.

Journey from Head to Heart is exactly that, integrating logic, reason, emotion, spirituality, recovery, science, and ancient wisdom from a variety of sources to create a recipe for wholeness. The tools and processes are designed for people who are a little wary of “touch-feely” or “New Age” approaches.

I really don’t normally “drop the ball” when it comes to reviews but I really did feel like I could not do justice to this book by trying to condense all of the information in just a few paragraphs. I strongly urge you to read this as it will be beneficial to everyone.

About the author:
Nancy Oelklaus lives on the rim of a canyon in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Harlan, and Feathers, a curly white lap dog. Nancy lightens the load for leaders and ordinary people by teaching them powerful findings from neuroscience ignited by the scriptural wisdom of the ages. Her professional and personal clients learn to create environments where people thrive, at work and at home. Specializing in helping people make transitions, her knowledge and skills have been learned through more than 30 years of working in education and business to understand how adults learn and change – and how they can do it faster so that they may spend more time in “happily ever after.”

Dr. Oelklaus holds a bachelor’s degree in speech from Oklahoma Baptist University, a master’s degree in English from the University of North Texas, and a doctorate in educational administration from Texas A&M University in Commerce.

Nancy enjoys taking photographs and writing poetry.

A copy of this book will be raffled off on Friday, April 11. Please comment for your chance to win, and for an extra entry post a link to this blog entry. Thanks for your support and please stop back!

This book was gratiously provided by the people at Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

To purchase a copy of this book, click here:

Journey from Head to Heart