Double Booked

Double-Booked for Death by Ali Brandon meet the criteria for this challenge because Hamlet is an important part of the book and he is on the cover.

Darla Pettistone inherited the bookstore from her Aunt.  She manages to get an author to agree to a signing at the store.  Unfortunately, the author is hit by a car and dies.  Was it an accident or was it murder?  Hamlet provides clues to the solution.

Jake, her downstairs tenant hears footsteps in the store but they never see anyone there.  So, Darla has camera installed to try to find out if there is a ghost or another reason.

Jake is a former policewoman and there is Reese, the cop whose first name is a mystery until the end of the book.

I loved this book and look forward to reading the next one with the cat mystery group on yahoo.

A to Z Book Challenge 2013

A  Another Saturday Night and I Ain't Got No Body by Jennie Marts
B  Buttons and Bones by Monica Ferris
C  Cat Laughing Last by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
D
E  Ella the Rose Fairy by Daisy Meadows.
F  Freedom (Miss Annie Bk1)  Frank Le Gall
G
H
I  Internal Affairs by Alana Matthews
J  Junie B. Jones is (almost) a Flower Girl  by Barbara Park
K Killer in Crinolines by Duffy Brown
L
M  Murder on the Mind by LL Bartlett
N
O  One Hot Murder by Lorraine Bartlett
P
Q  Quincy, M.E. by Thom Racina
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y You Belong to Me by Mary Higgins Clark
Z  The Virgin and Zach Coulter by Lois Faye Dyer

Eclectic Finished

 

 

The aim of The Eclectic Reader 2012 Challenge is to push you a little outside your comfort zone by reading up to 12 books during the year from 12 different genres.

 

Below is a complete list of the genres and the books and authors for my 2012 Eclectic Reader Challenge.

 

 

1. Literary Fiction: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction Along Came A Spider by James Patterson
3. Romantic Fiction: Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich
4. Historical Fiction: Trumpet by Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes
5. Young Adult: If I Could be Like Jennifer Taylor by Barbara Ehrentreu
6. Fantasy: The Ugly Princess by Elizabeth K. Burton
7. Science Fiction: The 5 Moons of Tiiana/The Chronicles of Rez Cantor....by Paul Harry
8. Non Fiction Unorthodox The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots A Memoir by Deborah Feldman
9. Horror Coraline by Neil Gaiman
10. Thriller /Suspense Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
11. Classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
12. Your favourite genre (Crime/Mystery) Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich

Classic Alice

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll TOR edition published in June 1972.  Just to clarify, this book is where Alice sees a white rabbit with pink eyes walk near her.  She hears the rabbit talk and it took a watch out of a coat pocket.  Alice had never seen a rabbit with a watch or coat before.  The rabbit popped down a rabbit hole and Alice followed.  

She finds a bottle marked 'Drink me" which she checks for any indication of poison before drinking it.  Then she finds a cake marked "EAT ME."  Then she meets various creatures including a Cat without a Grin.  There is also the famous tea party with a Hatter and a Hare.

Then Alice plays croquet with a King and the Queen of Hearts is always saying, 'OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" Though the King pardons all so no one dies.  Alice wakes up at home next to her sister.

I don't remember reading this before.  I have seen it on television but do not remember actually reading it myself.  This edition has additional material written by Jane Yolen that explains about how the critics felt when the book was written. They would be surprised that it is considered a classic and that the characters are part of our culture.  This is a book that should be read perhaps before watching the movie instead of afterwards.

Christmas Book

Heather Graham;s Home in Time for Christmas is my forth Christmas book.  Jake Mallory is hung in New York City in 1776 on Christmastide or was he?  Jake is found by Melody Tarleton in the 21st Century.  He is dressed in Revolutionary Period Clothing and claim's that he was exucuted by the British.

Melody brings him home to Gloucester to her home which turns out to be his old home as well.  There are differences - the house has electricity and indoor plumbing.  Luckly, some of her brother's clothes fit Jake.  Mrs. Tarleton has found some old diaries in the house which mention a Jake and a Serena.  Then, Mark, a close friend who wants to marry Melody comes home.  Mark tells Jake he is her fiance which Melody disagrees with.  She is not in love with Mark.  She does fall in love with Jake. 

There is a Wiccan Ball where Jake plays music and Mark drinks too much.  The Tarletons try to return Jake to the past but Mark interfers and drinks a potion.  Mark winds up back in time and meets Jake's sister Serena.  He was in love with her. 

It takes several attempts before Mark winds up in the past with Serena and Jake in the present with Melody. 

This is the 2nd time, I have tried to finish this book.  I think I got interrupted and never finished it the first time, I read it.  I did not remember the ending.

I loved this book and would not mind reading it again, next year at the same time.

Why Buy the Cow 2013

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge

Welcome to the 2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge! The hosts might have changed a bit, but we're still here to encourage you to read those freebies!

Previously on WBtC: In 2011, Missie @ The Unread Reader started the Show Me the Free reading challenge as a way to get some of those freebie ebooks read. It was a hit and in 2012 it morphed into the Why Buy the Cow? challenge and she invited me to join her as a co-host. Unfortunately, Missie is unable to continue hosting and has graciously handed the challenge off to me and my partner in crime, Amanda @ On a Book Bender.

Things you need to know: This challenge is for free LEGAL downloads of books. These can be books offered through bigger sites, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or smaller sites, such as Smashwords and All Romance Ebooks. Ebooks offered through author or publisher websites are acceptable as well, provided they are available free to everyone at the time of download. ARCs, library books, books free through Amazon Prime, books won or gifted, and galley ebooks DO NOT count toward this challenge.

Here's how it works:

• Should you choose to participate in this challenge, your goal is to read at least twelve (12) legally obtained FREE e-books. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit.
• Anyone can join. You don’t have to be a blogger, and you don’t have to live in the United States.
• Any E-Reader will work for this challenge, including: iPad, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader, enTourage.
• Please Note: If you don’t have an e-reading device, you can still join in with Amazon’s Free Kindle Reading Apps which you can download for your iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC, Blackberry and more.
• The challenge runs from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. You can join at any time.
• e-books in ANY genre count for this challenge as long as it was FREE at the time that you downloaded it.
• Every month in 2013, I will make a post for the 2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge so you can link your reviews. Based on participation, monthly link ups may be combined.

Challenge Guidelines:

• If you have a blog, create a post announcing your participation in the challenge. Please include a link back to this post.
• Non bloggers: participate by linking up your profile URL from the site you plan to post your reviews on such as Goodreads, Shelfari, LibraryThing, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.
• When you post your book review, you MUST reveal how you obtained the free & legal download. Please make your source clear. We do not condone piracy of any sort.
• You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them.
• Crossovers to other reading challenges is acceptable, but ARCs/galley e-books DO NOT count. Again, this is a Reading Challenge to read as many of the FREE e-books legally offered for your e-reader. To get started, check out the Top 100 Free books on Amazon, or the Free e-books on Barnes & Noble.

Levels:
Coupon Clipper: 12 Books
Penny Pincher: 24 Books
Buying in Bulk: 36 Books
Super Saver: 50 Books
Extreme Couponer: 100+ Books

Intrigued? Do you think you want a piece of this action? Excellent. Hop on over to the sign-up page and show us what you're made of!

Want to know where to start looking for those freebies?Amazon Barnes & Noble
Smashwords All Romance eBooks: offers random freebie books throughout the year (signing up for the newsletter is the best way to stay updated about new freebies)Pocket After Dark: offers free online reads that change monthly and/or every two weeksBooks on the Knob pulls freebies from around the web in different genres for reader consumption (for romance/erotica reads check out Erotica and Romance Books on the Knob)
Additionally, check out your favorite authors' blogs. They often have hidden gems for their readers.

Sign-up! Tell your friends! Read free books!

Since I am doing other book challenges I will only agree to the Coupon Clipper level which is the same as 2012's challenge required.

Habits of a Cat

A Cat's Legacy: Dulcey's Story by Dee Ready was made available as a free book on the anniversary of the death of E.C. Stilson's son and was one of the books available for free by Wayman Publishing during their Christmas Book Fair.  I obtained it as one of the three books I choose from E.C.

This e-book is about the twelve habits cats and humans should have.  Dulcey tells about each habit and then Dee, her human tells about the same habit. I guess I am used to reading things from a cat's viewpoint since I first read Midnight Louis' adventures which he shares with Carole Nelson Douglas in their book series.

As a the human of three cats, I am aware of some of their habits but mine have not confided in me the way Dulcey has with Dee.  They do help you through grief that you have when one of the household dies or goes missing as happened with our KITT.  We did, however, make our house a three cat house again when we found Reese.  I know our cats missed KITT as he was laid back and at 14 or older he certainly did not have the energy that 5 month old Reese has.  KITT was my lap cat, the one cat who could help me get through anything, I still miss him. 

I really liked this e-book, it made me laugh and it made me cry.  I don't know if it helped me discoveer what my cat's heartwishes are, though I am sure Skittles would wish Reese would be less active and leave her alone.  She is content to sit in a sunbeam and come to you when she wants to be loved unless she is next to you, then you should be petting her.  Snicker's would like to spend more time outside - he loves to escape especially when we are going out.  Miss Reese just wants something or someone to play with.  They all want to be feed and have fresh water and clean litter.  I am trying to get Reese to spend time on my lap, she will stay there for a short time unless it is nap time, then she'll stay longer.  She does come and sleep near me when I go upstairs early or for a nap.

This book is a must read for any cat lover or anyone owned by one!

Christmas Homecoming and More

 

 

The Maverick's Christmas Homecoming by Teresa Southwick is my third Christmas book.  I was expecting to only read two books for this challenge and find myself on my fourth.  I will not blog separately about the fourth book but will put it only on Goodreads.

 

Chef Shane Roarke comes to Thunder Canyon to find his realparents.  Though to the world at large he is just there to cook at the Gallatin Room.  He falls for Gianna Garrison who is a waitress in the restauant.  She soon becomes his confidant and his love as she helps him find out who his mother was.  A private eye found that his father was in jail.  Thanks to Gianna he visits his father and finds out the identity of his mother.  Unfortunately, his natural brother does not believe him until he finds out it is true and tells Shane on Christmas. 

 

I must admit it was the fact that Walmart was offering three books for $9.99 that led me to this book as well as the first book I read for this challenge.  The other book I am reading is my Heather Graham and it is actually a re-read.

 

I also watched two wonderful Christmas movies on Hallmark this past weekend.  The Christmas Bride was about a women who had walked out of her weddings.  She falls for the man while helping him re-decorate his place and the wedding is very spontaneous - she is not given the chance to walk out on him.

 

The second movie was about a young man who needs a new heart.  A young man becomes brain dead after an accident and his mother must decide to donate his heart.  He is a match.  There is a storm and the power goes out at the airport before the plane with the heart arrives.  Freinds and family of the boy set out luminaries to help guide the plane down.  Then they must get the heart to the hospital on time.  It is a wonderful story to watch especially at this time of year.   

Visions of Sugar Plums

Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich satisfies two challenges. It is a Christmas book so it is my second for the 2012 Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge.  It is also a Crime/Mystery book which is my favorite genre of the 2012 Eclectic Reader Challenge.

Stephanie Plum brings fugitives to justice for a living.  It is Christmsa time and she has not done any shopping or purchased a tree.  She finds a stranger named Diesel in her apartment and he does not tell her why he is there until near the end of the book.  Stephanie is looking for a toy maker named Sandy Claws and it turns out Diesel is looking for a man who is also looking for Sandy.  This Mr. Ring is very "electric" and winds up at Stephanie's parent's house as a guest of her grandmother.  Everythign turns out ok in the end as this is a Christmas story.  Mr. Claws even makes a special horse for Stephanie's niece, Mary Alice.

I seem to read the Stephanie Plum novels which do not have numbers in the title.  I guess I should read the other books some day.  I like that Diesel does make sure Stephanie does have a tree at the end even if we do not know if it was stolen or not.  I would recomend this book to someone who would like to read a different book with a Christmas theme.

Horror

Coraline by Neil Gaiman was my choice for Horror as this is not a genre I am fond of.  The cover of my book is not the same as pictured above.  I could not find a copy of the correct cover.

Coraline was made into a 3D movie which I would not go to see as I did not like the witch in Snow White.  Coraline is the story of a little girl who discovers a door int her old house that leads until another existance.  She had to find out what was on the other side of the door.  She found another mother and father who thought rats were pets and a cat was a monster.  In this other world, the cat could talk.  The other mother wanted to sew buttons onto Coraline as eyes.  In fact, she kidnapped Coraline's real parents.  When this other mother put Coraline into a closet, she discovered 3 others whose souls were stolen.  Coraline winds up challenging the other mother - if she can recover the souls and find her parent's she has to go free.  Of course there has to be a happy ending.

I am glad my bookstore recommended this book.  It is well writen.   I had the pleasure of listening to Mr. Gaiman speak at a Science Fiction Convention so it was good to read something he had writte.

I am glad this book had a happy ending as I would have had trouble sleeping afterward if it had not turned out ok.  I know this was written for someone much younger to read but I really liked it.