Cat Thursday (32)

Welcome to Cat Thursday, hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict! Cat Thursday is a way to highlight pictures of cats, little tidbits about what our kitties are up to, or any snippets about cats we've come across. Wanted to share a picture this week of my girl, Didi.

I've bought her a few different cat beds over the years, but where does she like to curl up? In empty boxes. Luckily, I had just emptied the shredded paper out of this one!

More Secret Santa Goodies!

Feel bad that I haven't had time to post the rest of my Secret Santa goodies, but am posting now! My Secret Santas were all sooooo good to me, and I couldn't be happier with all of my goodies! :)

Received this wonderful collection of gifts from Becky at Stories & Sweeties! Not only did she send me two books to feed my reading habit, but candy to feed my sweet tooth as well! Jelly Belly Coldstone Creamery Ice Cream Parlor Mix, and Junior Mints Peppermint Crunch. Yummy! And have you ever seen a cuter Christmas stocking? Am in love with that little reindeer! I think I've mentioned before that I collect bookmarks, and Becky included two adorable bookmarks in the package. The one with the cat on top of the stack of books is my new favorite! As if all these goodies wasn't enough, there were two little journals as well. Love the tree designs on the covers!

Thank you Becky, for sending me such an awesome collection of gifts! Love both of the books as I've been dying to read them, and all the rest was icing on the cake! You rock! :)

****

A few days after receiving Becky's gift, I opened the following package from a Secret Santa who is still secret, as they didn't sign their name. Whoever you are, thank you so much!



I love, love, love journals! My Secret Santa sent me not one, but two journals! A large spiral bound one I can use for my reviews, and a smaller one that's perfect to keep in my purse! Also received a book by Ray Bradbury. Haven't read Bradbury in a long time, but he's always good, so am looking forward to reading A Graveyard for Lunatics. Love that title! And isn't that the cutest card? Love cats, so the two cats ice skating made me smile. :)

My Secret Santa also included this cool tote bag! Just as one can never have too many books or too many journals, one can never have too many tote bags! I use tote bags for everything! Use them for work, shopping, library trips, etc. Love that this one says "Read" in different languages! Perfect for toting my books! Want to send a giant thank you to my secret Secret Santa, as I love my goodies!

****

Sorry again to both of my Secret Santas for the delay in posting, but this is a crazy, busy time of year for me at work. Hoping that since the Christmas rush is now over, I'll have more time for reading and blogging. Feel like I've been working 12 hour days all month, and am looking forward to getting back into the blogosphere! I've missed you guys!

In My Mailbox (60)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. I've included links to Goodreads if you want more information on the book.

For Review:

Received an ARC of The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card from the publisher. Card is a living legend, and this one looks like another winner!

Dan North knows from early childhood that his family is different - and that the differences are secrets that can never be told. This contemporary Urban Fantasy introduces the North family, a clan of mages in exile in our world, and their enemies who will do anything to keep them locked here.

Received an ARC of The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern from the publisher. I adore her books, so couldn't turn this one down!

Tamara Goodwin has always got everything she's ever wanted. Born into a family of wealth, she grew up in a mansion with its own private beach, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and all that a girl could ever wish for. She's always lived in the here and now, never giving a second thought to tomorrow. But then suddenly her dad is gone and life for Tamara and her mother changes forever. Left with a mountain of debt, they have no choice but to sell everything they own and move to the country. Nestled next to Kilsaney Castle, their gatehouse is a world away from Tamara's childhood. With her mother shut away with grief, and her aunt busy tending to her, Tamara is lonely and bored and longs to return to Dublin. When a travelling library passes through Kilsaney Demesne, Tamara is intrigued. Her eyes rest on a mysterious large leather bound tome locked with a gold clasp and padlock. What she discovers within the pages takes her breath away and shakes her world to its' core.

Purchased:

Picked up a boxed set of the first three books in The Warriors series by Erin Hunter. I've heard good things about this series, and the set was on sale for half price, so thought I'd give it a try.

For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their warrior ancestors. But now the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger, and sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying - and some deaths are more mysterious than others. Into the midst of this turmoil comes an ordinary house cat named Rusty . . . who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.

A Christmas gift to myself. I am a truely, madly, deeply adoring fan of Neil Gaiman, so bought myself a copy of Instructions. This way, I'll be prepared should I ever fall through the rabbit hole! ;)

Another gift to myself. Stories is a collection of short stories edited by Neil Gaiman. What can I say? I'm a sucker for almost anything with Neil's name on it! *L*

Hope everyone got lots of book goodies over the holidays!
Happy reading!

Happy Christmas!

Has he come yet???

I think I heard something....

It's Christmas! It's Christmas!

Happy Christmas everyone!

Cat Thursday (31)

Welcome to Cat Thursday, hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict! Cat Thursday is a way to highlight pictures of cats, little tidbits about what our kitties are up to, or any snippets about cats we've come across. Love cats and love funny pictures, so wanted to share my latest find with you!

Can you see the cat hiding in the tree? I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this picture, as the first cat we had loved to climb the Christmas tree! Jackson never knocked a single ornament off, but we would always find her happily perched in the middle of the tree whenever we turned our backs. Finally gave up and just let her enjoy herself!

Cat Thursday (30)

Welcome to Cat Thursday, hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict! Cat Thursday is a way to highlight pictures of cats, little tidbits about what our kitties are up to, or any snippets about cats we've come across. Love cats and love funny pictures, so wanted to share my latest find with you!

Really, I do!

Off The Shelf Challenge 2011

I know, I know....I've signed up for yet another challenge after bemoaning my failure to finish so many in 2010. But it's not my fault! Thanks to GMR over at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, I now know that I suffer from "challenge-acceptitis"...which is the inability to decline a reading challenge that sounds even remotely good. It's a compulsion and I can't help myself! There is no known cure, so what's a girl to do but sign up for yet more challenges? *L*

But this one is too good to pass up....because it will help me read some of those books in my massive TBR piles! I have two entire bookshelves of unread books, and my dining room table is overflowing as well. So many books, so little time.....

The challenge is hosted by Bookish Ardour and begins on the 1st of January and ends on the 31st of December 2011.

Note: This challenge is to read books you already own but have never gotten around to reading. If you don't have many that you own, but have a massive TBR wishlist, you're welcome to read those as long as you don't add new books to the list. You don't need to actually get rid of your books after you've read them, this is just to read them.

How To Participate

1. Decide which challenge level you'll be doing (further below) - do not include books that you buy after the start of this challenge.
2. Grab the code for the badge and post it on a side bar or in a signature (if you want to participate, but aren't blogging, on a social network or forum - Submission For Non Bloggers).  
3. Create your own post to let all your readers know you’re taking part in the challenge and at what level (if you're really proficient you can list your books!). Make sure to link back to the host's page with either one of the buttons or a text link.
4. Use the provided link form to enter into the challenge by sharing your challenge post url and your name (either your name, blog name, or both). Please don't use the comment form to participate, only to comment on the challenge or something else.  
5. Submit your reviews (if you choose to review them, but that is optional) on the review page.  
6. When you’ve completed your challenge, let everyone know on the completion post. If you're using a tag or category, it's recommended sharing the link back to that so everyone can find them.

Challenge Levels

• Tempted– Choose 5 books to read
• Trying – Choose 15 books to read
• Making A Dent – Choose 30 books to read
• On A Roll – Choose 50 books to read
• Flying Off – Choose 75 books to read

For extra hard challenges

• Hoarder – Choose 76-125 books to read
• Buried – Choose 126-200 books to read

I'm determined to break 100 books read in 2011, so think that the Making A Dent level would probably be the best one for me. That's a goal of reading 30 books I already own, leaving me the option of 70 new or library titles.

Wish me luck! And if you see any other challenges out there you think I might be interested in...please don't tell me!!!

1. hush, hush
2. Forest of Hands and Teeth
3. Youngest Templar 3
4. Kitchen Confidential
5. Married With Zombies
6. Matched
7. Delirium

Secret Santa Goodies!

Was so excited when I received a box from my Secret Santa! I love Secret Santa exchanges and signed up for three of them this year! Wish I had thought to take pictures of the gifts before I ripped them open, but I was too excited! *L*

Sarah over at YA Librarian Tales did an amazing job of selecting the perfect gifts for me, and really made my holiday season!

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan has been on my wishlist since before it's release date, yet I never got around to picking up a copy. So excited to finally read this one!

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is a book that simply won't stay on my shelf. I love Neil Gaiman! Every time I buy a copy of this one, I find myself giving it to a friend as a must-read! This one is a gift, so it finally has a chance of staying put!

The ARC of The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney was a nice surprise! Love ARCs, as they just seem extra special for some reason. Also love discovering new-to-me authors!

The Chocolate 2011 calendar is a perfect gift for chocolate lovers! A chocolate a day keeps the blues away!

Thank you so much Sarah! I love all of my presents!!!

In My Mailbox (59)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's been awhile since I've done an IMM post. I've still on a book buying ban (sorta, kinda) and am trying to reduce my TBR piles, but a few titles have snuck into my mailbox the past couple of weeks. I've included links to Goodreads if you want more information on the book.

For Review:

Received an ARC of Wither by Lauren DeStafano from the publisher. It's the start of a new series, and sounds incredibly intriguing.

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb - males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

Recieved a review copy of Blue from the author, Lou Aronica. I've cut back on the number of review copies I'm accepting, but this one looked too good to resist!

Chris Astor is a man in his early forties who is going through the toughest stretch of his life. Becky is Chris's fourteen-year-old daughter, a girl who overcame enormous challenges to become a vibrant, vital young woman - and now faces her greatest obstacle yet. Miea is the young queen of a fantasy land that Becky and Chris created when Becky was little, a fantasy land that has developed a life of its own and now finds itself in terrible, maybe fatal trouble. Together, Chris, Becky, and Miea need to uncover a secret. The secret to why their worlds have joined at this moment. The secret to their purpose. The secret to the future. It is a secret that, when discovered, will redefine imagination for all of them. Blue is a novel of trial and hope, invention and rediscovery. It might very well take you someplace you never knew existed.

Purchased:

Picked up a copy of Wolfsbane by Patricia Briggs with an irresistible coupon at the bookstore. I love Patricia, and am looking forward to reading this one! It was practically free, so how could I resist? ;)

Shapeshifting mercenary Aralorn leads a dangerous existence. Now she must return home for her noble father, the Lyon of Lambshold, has passed away. But when Aralorn and her companion Wolf arrive, they find he's not dead, but ensorcelled by the ae'Magi, using him as a conduit to destroy Aralorn and Wolf. She must overcome this mysterious mist or fall to the blackest of magic.

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is the book I was going to use my irresistible bookstore coupon on, but they didn't have any copies. So I came home and read it on my nook instead. Loved it!

“I’ve left some clues for you.

If you want them, turn the page.

If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

This one is a little embarrassing....I picked it up for one of my Secret Santas. Then looked at it as I started to wrap the gifts. Hmmmm...look at all the awesome authors in this collection. Let me just glance through it to see if I should buy myself a copy. Suddenly, I'm reading it instead of wrapping it. Sucked me right in! Oopsie. Secret Santa got something else, because this one is too good to let go! :D

Happy Reading!

 

Cat Thursday (29)

Welcome to Cat Thursday, hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict! Cat Thursday is a way to highlight pictures of cats, little tidbits about what our kitties are up to, or any snippets about cats we've come across. Love cats and love funny pictures, so wanted to share my latest find with you!

You either have the Christmas spirit....

 

or you don't.

I'm torn between the two...

Horror & Urban Fantasy Challenge

Book Chick City sucked me into another challenge! Just when I thought I had 2011 under control, she comes up with an awesome new challenge that I can't resist! BCC combined two of her favorite genres, horror and urban fantasy, into one awesome challenge: The Horror & Urban Fantasy Challenge! I had fun with the YA and Speculative Fiction challenges she hosted in 2010, so am looking forward to this one!

 

Challenge Details:

•Timeline: Jan 1, 2011 -  Dec 31, 2011
•Rules: To read TWENTY FOUR (24) horror & urban fantasy novels in 2011 (24 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)
•You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.
•You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.
•At the beginning of Jan 2011, Book Chick City will put up a link to add your reviews.

I have a good feeling about 2011, and think I'll do well with my reading challenges. Fingers crossed! :)

1. Dark and Disorderly
2. hush, hush
3. Tempest's Legacy
4. Blue
5. Lost Gate
6. Angelfire
7. XVI
8. Iron Queen
9. As Lie the Dead
10. Green Eyed Demon
11. Eat Prey Love
12. Pale Demon
13. Ascension
14. Hounded
15. Die For Me
16. Counterfeit Magic
17. Poison Eaters
18. Kiss & Hell
19. My Way to Hell
20. Graveminder
21. Overbite
22. Hexed
23. Spell Bound
24. Things to Do In Denver When You're Dead
25. Double Cross
26. Wild & Steamy
27. Naked City
28. Married With Zombies
29. Flip This Zombie
30. Eat Slay Love
31. Spider's Revenge
32. What Happens in Vegas, Dies in Vegas
34. Every Other Day
35. Karma Girl Christmas

What's In A Name 4 Challenge

Well, I didn't do very well with my 2010 challenges. Completed a couple of them, came thisclose on one or two, and won't even admit to the ones I didn't even start, much less complete! :o

Was only going to join one challenge for 2011, then I saw the What's In A Name 4 Challenge, hosted by Beth Fish Reads. This is the fourth year of the challenge and I'm not sure how I missed it last year, but it looks too good to pass up!

Here's How It Works:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why, etc.
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception, etc.
3. A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee, etc.
4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife, etc.
5. A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely, etc.
6. A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child, etc.

Other Things to Know:

• Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
• Books may overlap other challenges.
• Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
• Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed, but encouraged.
• You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
• You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order

 Only 6 books to read, and an entire year to complete the challenge! Think the catagories are fun, and the challenge is totally obtainable. Famous last words, right? *L*

Wish me luck!