Busy Moms Who Love to Read

Showing off my collection to my home's visitors

2012-04-18T10:23:00.001-07:00

Guest post written by Michaele Brown
When I welcome people into my home, I like for them to enjoy all of the things that I enjoy so much about it. I think that anybody and everybody feels that way about their own home. But there are a few little things that are a little odd that I like to show off in my home that people are always surprised about, all of my PEZ dispensers. I fell in love with the dispensers, not so much the candy, when I was little and would always spend my allowance on them. Now I have quite a collection to show off and want to do that for all of my guests who visit my house.
I've kept most of my PEZ dispensers on a bookshelf and they're always falling over. So I clearly need a new system and I've bee thinking shadow boxes. As I was online looking for some PEZ-shaped shadow boxes I saw some info on http://debtcounseling.bankrupt.com/debt-settlement.html and knew that I had to check out the website to see if any of that stuff could really help out with our family's finances.
I think that I might just have to get my husband to build me some specialized shadow boxes to fit all of the PEZ dispensers.

Can You Read While Doing Other things?

2012-02-23T21:09:00.001-08:00

What of my favorite things about having reading as a hobby is that it can be done while doing other things, without being counterproductive. For example - most fitness equipment like treadmills and elipitcals are totally conducive to reading while using. Although I suppose trying to read on one of the rowing machines could get a little hairy. But you can also read while waiting at the DMV or the doctor's office. You can read while sitting at your child's sports, music, dance or whatever kind of practice.
The trick to being able to read while doing other things is that you have to be able to hold your place on a page - look up, engage in something else, and get back to the same spot without having to reread the same sentence fifteen times. This is a skill that not ever reader - regardless of how experienced - has. From talking to many friends that are avid readers I have come to the conclusion that you either got it or don't. So do you have it?

Have You Ever Written an eBook?

2012-02-22T20:43:00.001-08:00

Does anyone know anything about writing an eBook? I know that lots of you read them, I read them often, but have anyone of you ever actually written and published one for distribution? And more importantly have you ever written a “How To” book, not a novel?

You are probably wondering why I am asking this, well I am considering writing an eBook. As of late I have spent a lot of my time teaching classes about couponing - you know teaching people about how to take advantage of all the coupons and deals that are out there. I have created a collection of handouts that I use in my classes so I have a lot of the information written out already. It would certainly have to be molded into a different format, but the core concepts already exist. What I am wondering is if anyone knows how to go about writing an eBook? Do you have a suggestion on what program to use, or how to market it?

Couponing has become a way of life for me and I have a marked level of success when it comes to turning my meager budget into a stockpile for my family of six. I especially love to use arts and crafts coupons and deals. I have trained both my husband and my three sons to no longer ask "Can we get this?" and instead ask "Do you have a coupon for this?” It has changed our lives for the better. We are more quickly climbing out of the debt our "misspent" youth years incurred for us.

I have had the great opportunity to share my couponing methods with many local families, but I think I am ready to branch out of my local town into a more national venue. I know that my family and friends that don’t live near me are interested in learning my methods, so I think it’s safe to think that others would be interested as well. I have considered creating a webinar, but I really think an eBook is the place to start, so that it could be used in conjunction with the webinar.

So have any of you ever published an eBook? If you have, how did you distribute it? How did you decide how much it would cost, what format it would be? Any information I can get would be greatly appreciated.

What's Your Favorite Title Right Now?

2012-02-20T14:09:00.001-08:00

So I finally loaded up a few books on to my kindle in hopes of getting some reading in during the times that I am just sitting, but now home. You know - at basketball practice or waiting for school to get out or in the doctor's office waiting for that appointment that you were asked to be at least fifteen minutes early to and it has now been more than thirty minutes pass and you are still sitting in the waiting room (no personal frustration with that or anything :).
But one thing that I have noticed about my kindle is that the more books I have currently loaded, the slower it is not to mention the shorter the battery life. I did get a car charger but that only works for while I am driving from one place to the next - my car doesn't charge items if it's not running. What I really need to get is a USB power bank or something, so that I can charge anywhere.
But what I really want to know is what is your favorite book right now?

Step in the Right Direction

2012-02-03T13:28:00.001-08:00

Contribution by Saul Martin
I travel a great deal for work. Most weeks I am out of town Monday until Thursday or Friday. Leaving my wife and kids has always made me nervous. Nothing has happened to make me overly concerned; I’ve never even had something stolen out of my car. I guess it’s just all the news coverage you see about break-ins and thefts that have me concern as well as the crime statistics I’ve read. To ease my mind, we had adt chicago come set up a home alarm system a couple of weeks ago. I sleep better at night knowing there is an extra layer of protection there for my family. My wife says she loves coming home and deactivating the alarm. She can tell no one has been in or is in the house. The kids fight over who gets to press the code to deactivate it or set it before they go to bed at night. I think it was a step in the right direction to keeping my family out of harm’s way!

I Would Rather Read a "How To" than a Crummy Novel - how about you?

2012-01-26T09:40:00.000-08:00

While I have been able to get back on track with my reading, I am still not back to where I was before. I have actually found that reading educational books - like how to's - has helped me ease back into enjoying reading. I have been reading books on better gardening techniques, how to sew, books about homemade knitting gift ideas, good housekeeping concepts and all sorts of others.
The more I talk to people the more I realize that this happens to a lot readers. It's sort of normal ebb and flow of life and trying to find time to read on top of finding books worth reading. I have noticed that I will read the first 3+ chapters of a book and if I am not totally engaged I will not try to find time to read it. So I have found myself more interested in learning how to use a knit kit than reading a story about vampires and their strife. I think it is partly just that I am burnt out on the genre I was so entrenched in and partly because my children are becoming more and more active - giving me less and less time to get chunks of reading in. But do not fear - my reading is picking up again and I will be back soon with some great reviews. Thanks for sticking around!

Don't Miss Out on the $500 Cash Giveaway over on My Other Blog!

2012-01-09T15:52:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to let you all know that I am hosting a $500 cash giveaway over on my mommy blog! Don't miss your chance to win $500 in paypal cash OR a $50 Amazon.com eGift Card or a $30 Amazon.com eGift Card. Go to the Jump into 2012 Giveaway post to enter!

My Suggested Books for Your New Kindle!

2012-01-04T17:43:00.000-08:00

Were you one of those lucky ducks that got a Kindle or Kindle Fire for the holdiays this year? I am still in love with the Kindle I got for Christmas last year.

If you did get a new Kindle, here are some great books for you to check out:

Here are some cool accessories too:

Review: Chameleon (The Rippler Series Book 2) by Cidney Swanson

2012-01-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

Chameleon (Book Two in the Rippler Series) By Cidney Swanson

Book Description:Sixteen-year-old Samantha Ruiz has a lot on her mind. The crush who kissed her but changed his mind. The BFF who thinks Sam is in an abusive relationship. The geneticist who wanted Sam dead but now wants her ALIVE. And of course, Sam’s still dealing with a tendency to disappear into thin air.

When Sam learns of her nemesis Helmann’s Nazi-like plan to establish a Thousand-Year Reign, she’s determined to fight him. Along with Will and Mickie, Sam flees to France to meet Sir Walter—their best hope for stopping Helmann’s brave new world.

But Sam isn’t any safer in France. Someone is following her. Someone invisible. Sam will have to figure out how to hide from an enemy she can’t even see.

About the Author: Cidney Swanson is the author of The Ripple Series. She began writing at age seven; her first novel began with “Ouch,” and her characters have been suffering ever since. Cidney lives in Eugene, Oregon with her husband, three kids, two cats, one dog, and entirely too much rain.

Here's What I Think: I love a series book that jumps in right where the last one left off. Chameleon finds the Ripplers, Sam and Will - chaperoned by Mickie of course - off on their much anticipated class trip to Europe where they meet Sir Walter much sooner than they unexpected. And the adventure and danger starts right off. I love the journal entries from Helga and Hellman. It is so interesting to me when an author can change voices and have the reader actually feel like the storytelling has been picked up by someone else. I am impressed by Swanson's well thought out story lines that interweave back and forth, yet still keep it all easy to follow - it's truly a talent. I am very excited to read Unfurl - the third and final book in the series - which was just released on Amazon!

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this book for review purposes, I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

Guest Post: ANGIES LIST

2012-01-03T18:26:00.001-08:00

Authored by Leandro Delgado
I used my wireless internet San Antonio connection to help us find the best person to do some much needed upgrades to our home. We recently moved to Texas and bought a house quickly because we didn’t have much time. The house that we bought is great, but the décor is a little dated. By dated, I mean there was orange carpet in the bathroom. That was the very first thing that had to go. There was also wallpaper in the living room and splashes of muted color everywhere was it didn’t need to be. The good thing is that the house has a ton of potential, but we had to find the right people to update the home. We used this website called Angie’s list. We had used it to find people to service our rental properties before and had good experiences. People who use service and repair people review the person and there services on the website. Most people leave detailed reviews of their experiences which helps you when you are looking for a good person at the right price. We haven’t had any problems with anyone since we started using Angie’s list to contract out the work.

Contributor Opportunity on 3 Boys and a Dog Deals

2011-12-27T09:10:00.001-08:00

Here is a brief message from 3 Boys and a Dog Deals!

Hi y’all! I am looking for a regular contributor on this site to review books – you must be a pretty fast reader and able to review at least 2 books per week. I will have a specific form that I want you to follow when reviewing the books. You will write it up on my wordpress site and submit it to me to review your writing, check that all items are there, and schedule it to post. For the most part, you will have no contact with the PR reps.
You will be reviewing romance, mystery, kids books, cookbooks, self-help books, DIY, and more. You will need to rate it on a certain scale (I will provide the scale), etc. Honestly, I am looking for a good writer and they don’t necessarily have to have a blog. They will need to have the time necessary to devote to reviewing the book and advertising the review in several places. Many of the book reviews also need to be posted at Amazon and Good Reads.
Oh you also must have some type of eReader as some of the books that we review are only electronic.
What do you get out of it? Experience working with an established product review blogger and lots and lots of books!
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please send me an email with the following information:

Your Name:

Why you want to review for me

An example of a book review. If you don’t have a post somewhere on the web, please write a short example and attach it to the email.

Are you familiar with WordPress?

How many books do you typically read in a week?

How much time do you have? Do you work? Do you have kids? Do you volunteer anywhere?

Anything else you think I should know to help make a decision.

I will only be accepting applications through Wednesday as I need to get someone set up ASAP.

Calling All Bloggers - Join us to giveaway $1200 CASH in the New Year!!

2011-12-26T14:37:00.001-08:00

OutnumberedMama is organizing a large cash giveaway for the new year - Jump into 2012 with $1200. It will start the first week of January and run for three weeks. The layout will be roughly the same as previous multi-blog giveaways (blog post & graphic provided, rafflecopter code included).

Buy in will be $10 per entry method (Facebook, twitter, Google+, rss, newsletter, vote).

Additionally she will be looking for up to three banner sponsors that will each put in $100 to have their name added to the graphic, be listed at the top of every blog post and have their twitter ID included in the daily tweet optional entry.

You can also get another entry for free for every 5 people that you refer to this giveaway - so please share this with your fellow bloggers.

If you are interested please fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFRDcTU5bjZRalVSMDVmajVTWnFGNXc6MQ

And send your payment via PayPal to 1outnumberedmama@gmail.com

If you have any questions, or suggestions, please feel free to contact me. I hope you all have a great holiday!

Registration ends DECEMBER 31st!

Currently Participating Blogs:

Retail Therapy Lounge

Thifty Divas

Burning Moon

Travel Contests & Sweepstakes

Disney Contests & Sweepstakes

Savvy Sister Shop

As Mom Sees It

Chic Monkey Boutique

Indiana Coupon Saving & Giveaways

Sprinkle Me Pink

Finger Click Savings

Cindy Batchelor

Peanut Butter and Whine

I have made a prediction...

2011-10-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

Are you really good at making predictions? Some people say that I am. I tend to be able to guess people's news and also predict when a new married couple will get pregnant or maybe which team will when things. I have also done pretty good with predicting when a book will take off and who will like it. You probably read my most recent review of Cidney Swanson's book - Rippler. Well here is my prediction about it on Predicts That What do you have to say about that?

Have you ever heard of Predicts That? It's a really fun site where you can basically put your predictions - about just about anything - who the next president will be or who will win the world series or what the next NY bestseller will be - and then when you are right you can shout - I TOLD YOU SO!! You can also share your predictions with other people and they can vote on whether or not they agree with you and then make their own predictions.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

Review: Rippler by Cidney Swanson

2011-10-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

I think I have finally been drug out of my reading funk by this great book. It was intriguing and fast paced so as to keep me reading from start to finish. I had a lot of "false starts" over the last month. I would read a few chapters, put it down to do something else and then never really have the drive to get back to it. Rippler, on the other hand, kept me reading almost "cover to cover". I read the first 78% of it (I was reading on my Kindle so I only know the percentage not the page) in a single sitting - only stopping because it was after midnight and I knew I needed to get up the next morning!

Book Description: Samantha Ruiz has a freak gene that makes her turn invisible, or ripple. She can’t control it, and it’s getting worse. Afraid of becoming a lab-rat, Sam keeps her ability secret, until fellow runner Will Baker sees her vanish into thin air. Will promises secrecy and help, and Sam begins to fall in love. Together, the two discover there are worse things than being a scientific curiosity. Someone’s been killing people who possess Sam's gene. A mysterious man from France sends letters that offer hope for safety, but also reveal a sinister connection with Nazi experiments. The more time Sam spends with Will, the less she can imagine life without him. When Sam uncovers secrets from her past, she must choose between keeping Will in her life or keeping Will safe.

About the Author: Cidney Swanson is the author of The Ripple Series. She began writing at age seven; her first novel began with “Ouch,” and her characters have been suffering ever since. Cidney lives in Eugene, Oregon with her husband, three kids, two cats, one dog, and entirely too much rain.
Connect With Cidney on Facebook

Read a Sample of Rippler

Buy the Book: Rippler: Book One in the Ripple Series (Volume 1)

Here's What I Think: Most of you know that I am a bit of a book nerd. I love to read books - especially books in a series. I am part of a book club full of moms - mostly - that just love to read in their spare time. Rippler is the book that was chosen for my October book club and so of course I was willing to give it a shot. I mean isn't that the whole point of a book club - to try titles you wouldn't normally pick up on your own?
Well Rippler was one of those wonderful surprises. It is an incredibly well thought out and complete novel. It has action, fun, romance, mystery, and a twist of science-fiction. Sam and Will make this wonderfully well-rounded companionship - that goes so much deeper than just a partnership. The whole idea behind the book - it's hard not to spoil it by giving much detail - is intriguing because while it's hugely impossible - being able to be invisible - it has an element of plausibility - the idea that our genes can be tweeked and changed by singular interventions in our conception. I love love love stories like this. They use some of the simplest most basic concepts that we know about our lives and change them just enough to make us think "What If?"

I had the amazing honor of actually meeting the author of this book and getting to find out more about how the book was written. As a reader, I have always had this idea of how a book was written - and I now know that I was incredibly wrong! The way that a story evolves and grows can be vastly different from the first idea. I was so happy to be able to tell the author that she is a very talented character creator. The characters in this book are so clearly defined without be specifically labeled and categorized. I am planning to start the next book in this series - Chameleon - tomorrow so that I can be sure to have it read before the third in the series is released at the end of the year.

Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated to publish this post. These are my real and true thoughts.

Review & Blog Tour Stop: Telling Lies by Cathi Stoler

2011-09-12T00:58:00.000-07:00

Telling Lies
by Cathi Stoler

How many lies does it take to get away with murder? Magazine Editor Laurel Imperiole is vacationing in Florence, Italy, with Aaron Gerrard, Chief of Detectives of New York City's 13th Precinct Identity Theft Squad. A chance encounter brings Laurel to a startling realization: she's just bumped into a dead man: Jeff Sargasso, an art dealer and husband of a close friend who supposedly died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. When he vanished, Sargasso had been brokering the sale of a priceless masterpiece that was lost during World War II to CEO Alfred Hammersmith and billionaire Miayamu Moto. Hammersmith perished along with Sargasso on 9/11, and it is believed that the access codes to the $15 million deposit--ten percent of the asking price--died with them. Could Sargasso have faked his own death to steal the money? The painting's whereabouts are unknown. Laurel enlists the help of private detective Helen McCorkendale, and together they follow the threads that lead from Florence, Italy, to New York. On the way, the women tangle with Israeli Mossad agent Lior Stern and several stop-at-nothing collectors. All are determined to have the painting for themselves. Ignoring Aaron's advice, Laurel puts their volatile relationship in jeopardy. As Helen and Laurel search for Sargasso, the painting and the money, they find themselves enmeshed in a sinister skein of lies that could end in death.

Here's What I Think:While the the concept of this book is grabbing, I am not totally sure that the execution is there. The characters are not fully developed and the plot line has a few holes in it. Having said that, I did enjoy the book. The author's writing voice is there and read, she just needs to work on the structure of the story as a whole. If you are looking for a book that is worth your time, but doesn't require your undivided attention, this is the one for you.

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this book for review purposes, I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

I apologize...

2011-09-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

It would seem that my "pregnancy related aversion to reading" is still hanging on. My little girl is three and half months old now and I still am not bouncing back. It's hard for me to even admit that I honestly have not read a book in over 4 weeks! I have been keeping myself busy with lots of writing - I actually started taking on Freelance writing jobs - I am even thinking about having custom office signs made to announce myself to the passersby.
I know there are lots of books that I want to read - the newest Fallen Angels by JR Ward has come out, and I know the new Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs is due soon. I don't know what my deal is. I do have very little downtime with school starting, my oldest playing football and my little girl teething, but I used to find time to read before.... I started to think it was just not the right books, but I have tried so many different ones and none have seemed to catch my interest enough to really want to keep reading.

Any suggestions??

What Are You Giving Away This Thursday? Book Giveaway Linky - 8/25

2011-08-25T00:06:00.000-07:00

If you have a BOOK-RELATED giveaway going on your blog/site please list it below - this means books (paper or eBook), bookmarks, book swag, booklights, eReaders and other things that are directly related to book reading.

If you have ANY OTHER TYPE of giveaway feel free to link the on my mommy blog giveaway linky: The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood.

Please link DIRECTLY to the book giveaway and not just to your blog's homepage.

Please keep your listings Family Friendly (if the item itself is adult in nature please include ADULT in your listing)

Please use this format:
Your Name: Blog Title (abbr ok) Item Description End Date
Your URL: a direct link to the giveaway

EXAMPLE:
Your Name: BMWL2R Choice of Book From List ends 9/5
Your URL: http://busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com/2011/08/fantastic-follower-gratitude-giveaway-4.html

After you use the link please leave a comment, letting me know you were here (I just love comments, this is totally not required! LOL)

Whatcha Reading Wednesdays - August 24, 2011

2011-08-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

I just noticed that this didn't post today - got saved as a draft! =( Here it is - better late than never right?

This week's Whatcha Reading Wednesday works like this:

Type in the line you are currently reading! **Remember to alert to Spoilers**

You can participate by leaving your WRW teaser in a comment below, or you can make a post on your own blog and link back to this post in the linky below. Feel free to use the WRW graphic, just please be sure to link back to Busy Moms Who Love to Read.

"In 1950, a Philadelphia toy company came out with a new accessory for electric-train enthusiasts: snap-together kits of plastic buildings for a place it called Plasticville, U.S.A." Plastic: A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel
So tell me: Whatcha Reading??

Winners To Announce!

2011-08-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone that entered to win Only Time Will Tell by Jeffery Archer! Without further ado...the Winners are:

Candie L
Lisa Richards/alterlisa
cookster77
susansmoaks
Jenn of Frequent Reader, Infrequent Blogger

Congrats to you! Winners were selected using Random.org!

Don't forget to enter to win the Fantastic Follower Gratitude Giveaway - 4 winners!

What Are You Giving Away This Thursday? Book Giveaway Linky - 8/18

2011-08-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

Please link DIRECTLY to the book giveaway and not just to your blog's homepage.

Please keep your listings Family Friendly (if the item itself is adult in nature please include ADULT in your listing)

Please use this format:
Your Name: Blog Title (abbr ok) Item Description End Date
Your URL: a direct link to the giveaway

EXAMPLE:
Your Name: BMWL2R Choice of Book From List ends 9/5
Your URL:http://busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com/2011/08/fantastic-follower-gratitude-giveaway-4.html
After you use the link please leave a comment, letting me know you were here (I just love comments, this is totally not required! LOL)

Whatcha Reading Wednesdays - August 17, 2011

2011-08-17T04:12:00.000-07:00

I just noticed that this didn't post today - got saved as a draft! =( Here it is - better late than never right?

This week's Whatcha Reading Wednesday works like this:

Type in the line you are currently reading! **Remember to alert to Spoilers**

"I opened my eyes" Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

So tell me: Whatcha Reading??

Review & Giveaway: Jane Was Here by Sarah Kernochan

2011-08-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

Jane Was Here by Sarah Kernochan

Book Description: A thriller that explores reincarnation, Jane Was Here follows a mysterious young woman, who calls herself Jane, who turns up in a small New England town. She claims a fragmentary memory of growing up in the town, yet she has never been there before in her life. Upon her arrival, strange and alarming things begin happening to some of the town's inhabitants. As Jane's memories reawaken piece by piece, they carry her back to a long-buried secret, while the townspeople hurtle forward to a horrific event when past and present fatally collide. A centuries-old mystery will resolve, and karma will claim its due.

About the Author: Sarah Kernochan has won two Academy Awards for her documentaries Marjoe and Thoth. As a screenwriter, she has written many films, among them Nine and a Half Weeks, Impromptu, Sommersby, and What Lies Beneath. She also directed her film All I Wanna Do, starring Kirsten Dunst. Jane Was Here is her second novel. She lives in New York City with her husband, director James Lapine.

Here's What I Think: This book is another slow starter but really grabs your curiousity by about page 80. I am struggling a little with my review of this book because I don't like to give the plot away in any book and I can't really talk about it without doing just that. This story is a real mystery and very thrilling. I spent a lot of time thinking "Wait...what?" just as I thought I had it all figured out, I was proven wrong. It is a great story, written sort of in the style of a movie -probably because the author is also a screenwriter.

WIN IT!! - ONE Very Lucky BMWL2R Reader will get a copy of Jane Was Here by Sarah Kernochan

Mandatory Entry: Become a GFC Follower of BMWL2R (see sidebar) Please include your email address (anti-spam version okay) in your comment.

Extra Entries: PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY. You must complete the Mandatory Entry for your extra entries to count.

'Like' BMWL2R on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter @1outnumberedmom
Blog about this giveaway 5 extra entries (leave a separate comment for each entry)

Open to US Residents ONLY. GOOD LUCK!

This Giveaway will end on August 29th at 11:59PM PST. Winners will be selected the following day and have 48 hours to respond to the email notification.

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this book for review purposes, I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

Review: Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

2011-08-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Book Description: This is an intriguing YA urban fantasy in the tradition of Holly Black and Wicked Lovely. Set in New Zealand, Ellie's main concerns at her boarding school are hanging out with her best friend Kevin, her crush on the mysterious Mark, and her paper deadline. That is, until a mysterious older woman seems to set her sights on Kevin, who is Maori, and has more than just romantic plans for him. In an effort to save him, Ellie is thrown into the world of Maori lore, and eventually finds herself in an all-out war with mist dwelling Maori fairy people called the patupaiarehe who need human lives to gain immortality.
The strong, fresh voice of the narrator will pull readers in, along with all the deliciously scary details: the serial killer who removes victim's eyes; the mysterious crazy bum who forces a Bible on Ellie telling her she needs it; handsome, mysterious Mark who steals the Bible from her and then casts a forgetting charm on her. All of this culminates in a unique, incredible adventure steeped with mythology, Maori fairies, monsters, betrayal, and an epic battle.

About the Author: Karen Healey is a New Zealander living in Australia. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne. She's writing a dissertation on the fan culture of American superhero comics, but her real expertise lies in discerning which of the Birds of Prey is objectively the most awesome (it's a tie between Oracle and the Huntress).

Here's What I Think: I can always go for a YA sci-fi book and this was a great one! This book is an interesting mix of mythology and romance that keeps you turning the pages to find out just what will happen to Ellie next despite it's slightly slow beginning. Not really a knock to the book as it has become my understanding that books that take place in an "alternate" yet "parallel" universe (set in what we know as the real world with the addition of something totally unreal like fairies) tend to require a bit more stage setting so that you can understand what's happening. As with most books in this genre, there isn't anything hugely ground shaking or life changing in the story, its merely an entertaining bit of literature that I read and didn't feel that I wasted my precious reading time - which in my opinion is saying a lot!

*BTW I usually can find the same cover art as the one that I read, but for some reason I just can't find a digital image that matches mine, so if you are like me a often scan the bookstore shelves for the cover art more than the title - be aware, it might not look like the above image.

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this book for review purposes, I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

What Are You Giving Away This Thursday? Book Giveaway Linky - 8/11

2011-08-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Please link DIRECTLY to the book giveaway and not just to your blog's homepage.

Please keep your listings Family Friendly (if the item itself is adult in nature please include ADULT in your listing)

Please use this format:
Your Name: Blog Title (abbr ok) Item Description End Date
Your URL: a direct link to the giveaway

EXAMPLE:
Your Name: BWG2SM Bring Back Beatrice! By Jennifer Griffin ends 4/15
Your URL: http://sapphirereads.blogspot.com/2011/01/interiew-and-giveaway-said-spider-by.html

After you use the link please leave a comment, letting me know you were here (I just love comments, this is totally not required! LOL)

Fantastic Follower Gratitude Giveaway (4 Winners)

2011-08-09T21:11:00.000-07:00

I am so pleased to see that so many of you stuck by me and my blog during my unexpected hiatus during the pregnancy. To show my immense gratitude I am hosting one of my exciting Fantastic Follower Gratitude Giveaway!

This is how is works:

I will pick FOUR (4) winners. Each winner will be allowed to pick a book from the list below - the first winner will be able to pick TWO! I will pick the winners using random.org but I will keep it in order, so the first random number generated gets the first pick, and so on.

The absolute best part of this giveaway is that you DO NOT have to be a follower to enter to win (although you do get more points if you do, because let's face, I have love for the followers)

All of these books are my personal copies, but did come from various publishers or I won them on other sites. Some are ARCs so they don't have the published covers and/or ISBNs. They have all been read once, and trust me when I say, very well cared for. I am a bit of a neatnik when it comes to my books!

So without further ado here are the books up for grabs!

As an added bonus I will add another title to the list for every 50 followers that are added between now and when the giveaway ends. As of the original date of this post I have 739 GFC followers.

Three Seconds by Roslund & Hellstrom
To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal
The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen
The Devil's Sword by Douglas E. Richards
Bending Towards the Sun by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie
Oogy by Larry Levin
Out of the Transylvania Night by Aura Imbarus
Perfection by Julie Metz
The Mommy Files by Jen Klein
Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione

So here is how you can win:

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me which TWO books you would pick if you win - along with your email address so that I can contact you if you win (open to US residents only, no PO Boxes)(you must do this one first or I will be forced to remove all of your entries)

Get More Entries: (LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY) (by "old" I mean prior to today, and please leave a separate comment for each of your three points for being an oldie but goodie!)

If you are an old GFC follower +3
Become a new Follower of Busy Moms Who Love to Read using Google Friends Connect (see sidebar) +1
If you are an old follower on Twitter +3
Become a new Follower on Twitter @1outnumberedmom +1
If you are an old fan on Facebook +3
Become a new Facebook Fan (see sidebar) +1
Add a post to your own blog about this giveaway (include a link to your post in your comment) +8

I wish you the best of luck! All entries but be received by 11:59pm PST on September 5, 2011 to be counted.

Disclaimer: Although I did receive free copies of these books for review (Thanks to several different publishing houses) or as prizes, I was in no other way compensated to post this review.

If you are an author or publisher and you would like for me to review your book, please contact me directly: polsen11[at]comcast[dot]net