Kinx's Book Nook: November 2012

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Feature & Follow (23): Colonel Brandon




Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs! 

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you! 

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.


Question: Who is your to-die-for book crush? What do you think he looks like?

Answer: I'm not really into the smexy hotties that seem to be splashed over so many books these day. I'm an old-fashioned kind of gal who loves simple and elegant.

My crush is Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility and who would he look like? Alan Rickman, of course (he's also my secret Hollywood crush).


Throwback Thursday (18): The Queen's Man




Throwback Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by The Housework Can Wait andNever Too Fond of Books.
It’s the nature of book blogging to focus mainly on new releases, but there are thousands of great books out there that haven’t seen the “New Releases” shelf in years. We hope to be able to bring attention to some older titles that may not be at the top of the current bestseller list, but still deserve a spot in your To-Be-Read pile.
You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate! You can put up a Throwback Thursday post on your non-bookish blog; or if you don’t have a blog at all, just use the comments to tell us about a book you remember fondly.
My Throwback Thursday:
The Queen's Man by Sharon Kay Penman
Originally published in 1996
Epiphany, 1193. Eleanor of Aquitaine sits upon England's throne. Her beloved son Richard Lionheart is missing, presumed dead - and the court whispers that her younger son, John, is plotting to seize the crown. Meanwhile, on the snowy highroad from Winchester, a destitute young man falls heir to a blood stained letter, pressed into his hand by a dying man. The missive becomes Justin de Quincy's passport into the queen's confidence - and into the heart of danger, as he pursues a cunning murderer and jousts with secret traitors in Eleanor's court of intrigue and mystery . . 


Sharon Kay Penman is my absolute favorite HF writer. The Queen's Man is her first attempt at a historical mystery and it is wonderful. There are four so far in the series and you should definitely try them. There are several covers for the first book in the Justin de Quincy series, but this one is my favorite and it's the First Edition. 


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge


I found another great reading challenge for 2013. Historical Tapestry is hosting the 2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. My goal is to read 15 HF books in 2013; that would make me a Medieval Reader. Here are the details if you would like to participate as well.

From Historical Tapestry:

We are excited to announce that the we will again be hosting the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge in 2013, and we hope that you are all excited at the prospect of joining in.

The challenge will run in the same way as it has over the last couple of years that we have hosted the challenge. The only thing that has changed is the names of the categories.

Here are the details:

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

  • everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)
  • add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)
  • any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)
During these following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

20th century reader - 2 books
Victorian reader - 5 books
Renaissance Reader - 10 books
Medieval - 15 books
Ancient History -25+ books

You can tailor the challenge to suit you in whichever way you like! For example, I know of one participant who over the last couple of years has only read historical mysteries as it suits their own reading tastes!

The challenge runs from 1 January to 31 December 2013.



Waiting on Wednesday (10): Sealed with a Curse


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Sealed with a Curse by Cecy Robson
To be released on December 31, 2012



Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls—with one tiny exception: they're products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, weird… 

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region—until one of them blows up a vampire in self-defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust-fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders: are the vampires of Tahoe cursed with a plague? 

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the region safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and oh yeah, not lose her heart to the wrong guy—or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, it’s coming for her and her sisters. This Wird girl has never had it so tough.



What are you waiting for?




Monday, November 26, 2012

It's Monday! What are you reading?!



Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! Hosted by Book Journey.


The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Originally published in 1937

In the hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet dry, bare sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and than means comfort.

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien's own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical accalim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum and the spectacular world  of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant here, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. Unforgettable!




Sunday, November 25, 2012

Review: Jack by A.M. Homes

Jack by A.M. Homes
Published by Vintage Books
Released in 1989
220 pages
Fiction

Synopsis:

Jack is a teenager who wants nothing more than to be normal - even if being normal means having divorced parents and a rather strange best friend. But when Jack's father takes him out in a rowboar on Lake Watchmayoyo and tells his son that he's gay, nothing will ever be normal again.

I read this book for my book club and I was really excited to read it. From the synopsis, Jack sounded so relevant to what kids are facing today. However, I was a little bit disappointed. Besides Jack, I had a difficult time liking the characters. Jack's mom, dad, and best friend are, at best, tolerable and, at worst, self-absorbed.  

Jack is a really sweet kid and the only child of divorced parents. At first he is only dealing with his parents' bitter divorce. His mother is extremely angry and his father seems very distant. Jack is having a hard time making sense of everyone's emotions, especially his own. After some time after their divorce, his dad decides that Jack is old enough to know the truth; that he is gay and that's why he left. Jack's anger is heart-breaking and made me very sad.

When this book was published, in 1989, life was very different. AIDS was still a deadly disease without hope of a cure. Bitterness and hatred toward gays was at its peak. All of the hatred and anger of the book really depressed me. I guess, I want a world where divorce is more of an issue than homosexuality. It shouldn't be that big of a deal when someone admits that he/she is gay. I tried to put myself in a fifteen-year-old's shoes and see how I would react to my father admitting that he is gay. I would hope that I would be accepting and wanted nothing more than his happiness. But, in the real world, I don't think that really happens. It seems so many people feel anger and, even shame; not love and acceptance. 

The kids at Jack's school are just plain vicisous, including his best friend, Max. They write nasty things on his locker and call him horrible names. It really makes you cringe when you read it. However, I found it amazing that Jake is so resilient to handle everything. Ms. Homes made him a very strong and loving character. In the end, he discovers that his family life could be a lot worse and his parents are really not that bad.

In the end, things are still unresolved and a lot of pent-up anger faces Jack and his mom. However, they seem to be going down the road of acceptance.



   



Saturday, November 24, 2012

Stacking the Shelves


Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!


Bought for my Kindle:

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics (1998), and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson (2001). Unforgettable!


Won from contests:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (Thanks to Cyrs from Book 'Em: Adventures in Reading)

In his first book for young adults, bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by acclaimed artist Ellen Forney, that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.


The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory (Thanks to Amy from Passages to the Past)

Spies, poison, and curses surround her...

Is there anyone she can trust?
 


The Kingmaker's Daughter is the gripping story of the daughters of the man known as the "Kingmaker," Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick: the most powerful magnate in fifteenth-century England. Without a son and heir, he uses his daughters, Anne and Isabel as pawns in his political games, and they grow up to be influential players in their own right. In this novel, her first sister story since The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory explores the lives of two fascinating young women.

At the court of Edward IV and his beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne grows from a delightful child to become ever more fearful and desperate when her father makes war on his former friends. Married at age fourteen, she is soon left widowed and fatherless, her mother in sanctuary and her sister married to the enemy. Anne manages her own escape by marrying Richard, Duke of Gloucester, but her choice will set her on a collision course with the overwhelming power of the royal family and will cost the lives of those she loves most in the world, including her precious only son, Prince Edward. Ultimately, the kingmaker's daughter will achieve her father's greatest ambition.






Thursday, November 22, 2012

Feature & Follow Friday (#22)




Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs! 



How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you! 

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

Q: Feature a blogger that you are thankful for.

Answer: Only one?! Well, I can't quite do that. I have several that I want to thank. So, I will!

Jennifer at The Relentless Reader for her strong, liberal opinions. I loved the books that she selects and I loved her twitter feed during the election. It was just wonderful!







Amy at Passages of the Past for reminding how I love historical fiction. So many of her recommendations have ended up on my TBR list.








Laurel Ann at Austenprose for sharing all the wonderful Jane Austenesque fiction that there is to be had. I have so many that I want to read.







And lastly...

Rachel at Parajunkee's view for creating my blog template and having a wonderful place where bloggers can meet and connect.




Thank you all for a wonderful six months of blogging!







Happy Thanksgiving!




I want to wish everyone a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving filled with great food, friends, family, and, don't forget, football.

Also, here is a special Happy Thanksgiving to some of my favorite blogs who I'm thankful for and inspire me.




Happy Thanksgiving






Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (9): The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen by Syrie James
To be released on December 31, 2012

The minute I saw the letter, I knew it was hers. There was no mistaking it: the salutation, the tiny, precise handwriting, the date, the content itself, all confirmed its ancient status and authorship...
Samantha McDonough cannot believe her eyes - or her luck. Tucked in an uncut page of a two-hundred-year old poetry books is a letter she believes was written by Jane Austen, mentioning with regret a manuscript that "went missing at Greenbriar in Devonshire." Could there really be an undiscovered Jane Austen novel waiting to found? Could anyone resist the temptation to go looking for it?

Making her way to the beautiful, centuries-old Greenbriar estate, Samantha finds it no easy task to sell its owner, the handsome yet uncompromising Anthony Whitaker, on her wild idea of searching for a lost Austen work - until she mentions its possible million dollar value.

After discovering the unattributed manuscript, Samantha and Anthony are immediately absorbed in the story of Rebecca Stanhope, daughter of a small town rector, who is about to encounter some bittersweet truths about life and love. As they continue to read the newly discovered tale from the past, a new one unfolds in the present - a story that just might change both of their lives forever.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

2013 Ebook Challenge


Every year I participate in the Goodreads Challenge and now I want to challenge myself further by participating in other challenges. Since I read a ton of Ebooks, I thought Sarah's challenge would be perfect for me.

Here are the different levels for the Ebook Challenge:

Levels:
  1. Floppy disk – 5 ebooks
  2. CD – 10 ebooks
  3. DVD – 25 ebooks
  4. Memory stick – 50 ebooks
  5. Hard drive – 75 ebooks
  6. Server – 100 ebooks
  7. Human brain – 150 ebooks
My goal is to read at least 50 Ebooks during 2013. I'm hoping to push it to 75 but I'm not quite that confident.

If you would like to participate in this challenge as well, go here for more information.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

It's Monday! What are you reading?!




Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! Hosted by Book Journey.

Here's what I'm reading this week:


Reconstructing Jackson by Holly Bush
Released by September 25, 2012


1867...Southern lawyer and Civil War veteran, Reed Jackson, returns to his family's plantation in a wheelchair. His father deems him unfit, and deeds the Jackson holdings, including his intended bride, to a younger brother. Angry and bitter, Reed moves west to Fenton, Missouri, home to a cousin with a successful business, intending to start over.

Belle Richards, a dirt poot farm girl aching to learn how to read, cleans, cooks and holds together her family's meager property. A violent brother and a drunken father plot to marry her off, and gain a new horse in the bargain. But Belle's got other plans, and risks her life to reach them.

Reed is captivated by Belle from their first meeting, but wheelchair bound, is unable to protect her from violence. Bleak times will challenge Reed and Belle's courage and dreams as they forge a new beginning from the ashes of war and ignorance.




Friday, November 16, 2012

Review: Grave Memory


GraveMemory (Alex Craft #3) by Kalayna Price
Publishedby Roc (Penguin USA)
Releasedin July 2012
373Pages
UrbanFantasy

Synopsis:

When the dead need to talk, AlexCraft is always ready to listen…

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comesat a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But hermagic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always beenon friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lotmore close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent FalinAndrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off,her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.

But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a mysterious suicideoccurs in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shade she raiseshas no memory of the days leading up to his brutal ending, so despite the verypublic apparent suicide, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcomethe human will to survive? And why does the shade lack the memory of his death?Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

Oh,Alex! How I missed you and what a crazy mess you are! Kalayna Price hascontinued Alex’s story with a wonderful Grave Memory. This is a good ole murdermystery with a serious supernatural twist. She has now opened a privateinvestigation agency called Tongues to the Grave with her BFF Rianna. Butinstead of just solving the murders, Alex makes things so much worse by tryingto help.

What Iloved most about Grave Memory is that Death finally takes center stage. I likehim so much better than Falin. To me, Death seems to be Alex’s soul mate (nopun intended. Well, maybe). Their love story is so bittersweet and forbidden.Death is the mysterious hero who sweeps in at the most perfect time to save theheroine. He is a very romantic character.

BecauseDeath is more prominent in this book, we get a better understanding of SoulCollectors. They are so mysterious and Kalayna allows us a quick peek insidetheir world. One big question…Who is the Mender? He’s a very intriguing newcharacter. You know he is very powerful but who or what is he?

Alexcontinues to struggle with who she is. She is having a difficult time acceptingher Fae heritage even when that heritage is drawing her closer and closer toFairy. She has to make choice on which Fairy Court to join and her friends keeppushing her to make that choice. Her denial and conflict is so apparent for allto see and, also, affects her closest friends.

Theend has a HUGE cliffhanger and I’m not a huge fan of cliffhangers. GraveVisions doesn’t come out until 2013 and the wait will drive me insane. The insanityis the biggest reason I’m not a fan of cliffhangers. But, of course, I will getit the minute it comes out!



Cover Reveal and Excerpt: Matt Archer: Blade's Edge


Matt Archer: Blade's Edge
By Kendra Highley
To be released in December/January 2013

Excerpt:


"Gentlemen, we’re going to be departing the aircraft shortly, so everyone get set,” Colonel Black hollered.
My breakfast rose in my throat. The colonel must’ve seen the look on my face because he chuckled as he drew a black watch-cap over his salt-and-pepper hair. The dude was six-five and solid muscle and, from the look of things, not the least bit concerned about jumping out of the plane…which made me feel like a wuss.
 “Oxygen on,” the jump-master barked. “Eight-thousand feet.”
I sighed and put on a mask like the ones you see in hospitals. We were jumping from high enough up that we had to breath pure oxygen from the plane’s air-system until we switched to the tanks we’d wear on the way down. Uncle Mike explained this was to keep us from getting the bends from the altitude drop.
 “So,” Colonel Black called to me, his voice muffled by his plastic breathing mask, “where are you this week?”
“Greece. Field trip for that ‘gifted and talented’ program General Richardson cooked up as my cover,” I said. “So far, so good. If my mom knew I was really jumping out of airplanes at high altitudes to hunt monsters, I think my number would be up.”
“Speaking of jumping…” Mike nodded at me. “You got that thing strapped on tight enough?”
My hand flew to the buckles and clasps holding my parachute pack to my back. “God, I hope so. Does it look loose?”
On my right, Lieutenant Johnson said, “Kid, the major’s just yanking your chain. You tighten those straps any more and you’ll cut off your own arm.” His laugh rumbled louder than the engine. “Stop worrying so much. You’re ready for this.”
“I’ve only done practice jumps, not combat.” I settled back against the wall and glared at Uncle Mike. “Just because you’ve jumped out of a perfectly good airplane into mountains doesn’t mean I have. I’m allowed to be extra careful.”
Mike’s brown eyes crinkled up at the corners. Mine did the same thing when I was laughing at someone else. “Chief, what did you think being part of the 10thAirborne meant? The word ‘Airborne’ kind of gives it away.”
Schmitz, my hunting instructor, piled on. “Hooah, Major Tannen. We live to jump, sir!”
“That mean you’re going second today, Master Sergeant?” Mike yelled.
“Amen to that, sir!” Schmitz danced in his seat a little. The smallest member of our squad, Schmitz was wiry and less than medium height, his hair a five-o’clock shadow barely hiding his skull. He also practically buzzed with energy. “You hear that, ladies? I get to go second.”
“Not sure that’s a good idea, man. You’re so short, we won’t be able to spot you in the snow and one of us is bound to land on you,” Lieutenant Johnson said.
Schmitz made a face but his retort was cut off because the jump-master stood to start the ready-protocol. Using a special set of hand signals, he motioned for us to prepare. The roar of the engines changed pitch and I felt the plane jerk as the pilots slowed so they could kick us out.
The jump-master gestured for us to stand and hook our parachutes to the anchor cable, shouting, “Green in ninety seconds.”
“You heard the man. Last check on equipment,” Colonel Black yelled.
My stomach did flips. “When do I go?”
“I’ll go first, then Schmitz, then you,” Uncle Mike said. He wasn’t kidding around anymore—his voice was tight and sharp. “Johnson will come behind you. Then the rest of the team.”
We took off our oxygen masks, lined up and clipped our chute lines to the wire suspended from the side of the plane. Schmitz was right in front of me, behind Mike, standing with his head bowed.
“Our Lady, bless us and keep us,” he murmured. “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” He did the sign of the cross then let loose a bloodcurdling “Hooooo-aaaahhhh!”
The praying didn’t calm me down much. Too late to back out now, though, because the ramps at the rear of the aircraft opened. The sky yawned through the wide-open hatch and sunlight glinted off the metal around the edges of the ramps.
The jump-master signaled “stand by.”
Oh, man, this was it.
Mike turned around, his face totally intense. “Yellow light. Masks on.”
I slapped my jump-mask into place on my helmet and a plastic smell invaded my nostrils as the oxygen started to flow from my reserve tank. Shouts of “Hooah” came from every which way, while my heart slammed around like a marlin caught in a net.
“Countdown!” the jump-master shouted. “In five…four…three…two…one. Green light. Go, go, go!”
Mike ran down the ramp, dragging his chute line, then leapt from the airplane with hands folded over his reserve chute’s ripcord. By the book. Seconds later, his chute opened.
Schmitz followed, screaming “Geronimo, you mother…!”
The last of whatever he had to say got drowned out in the howling wind.
Johnson gave me a shove. “Go, kid!”
I drew a huge breath and held it, ran, jumped, soared off the ramp just like I’d been taught in jump school. I braced myself for the pull of the chute as it slowed me down.
The tug never came.
My parachute didn’t open.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Feature & Follow Friday (#21)



Question: Books are turned into movies all the time! Turn it around. What movie would make a great book?

Answer: 

This is so difficult because most of my favorite movies are based on novels or plays. But let me think...

I found one! Gosford Park directed by Robert Altman and written by Julian Fellowes. It is one of my favorite movies. It was written so well (Fellowes won an Oscar for Original Screenplay) that you would think that it was based on a novel.

If you haven't seen, drop everything and watch it RIGHT NOW!!


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Layla and Ringo

I have to brag about my wonderful puppies, Layla and Ringo. We got both of them from Second Chance Animal Sanctuary in Norman, OK. And yes, Layla is named after the Eric Clapton song and Ringo is named after Ringo Star. They so sweet that I just had to share it!


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (8): The Serpent and the Pearl


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.




The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn
Release date: August 6, 2013


Rome, 1492. The Holy City is drenched with blood and teeming with secrets. A pope lies dying and the throne of God is left vacant, a prize awarded only to the most virtuous - or the most ruthless. The Borgia family begins its legendary rise, chronicled by an innocent girl who finds herself drawn into their dangerous web...

Vivacious Giulia Farnese has floor-length golden hair and the world at her feet: beauty, wealth, and a handsome young husband. But she is stunned to discover that her glittering marriage is a sham, and she is to be given as a concubine to the ruthless, charismatic Cardinal Borgia: Spaniard, sensualist, candidate for pope - and passionately in love with her.

Two trusted companions will follow her into the world of the Borgias: Leonello, a cynical bodyguard bent on bloody revenge against a mysterious killer, and Carmelina, a fiery cook with a past full of secrets. But as corruption thickens in the Vatican and the bodies begin to mount, Giulia and her friends must decide if they will flee the Borgia dream of power - or if they can even survive.