Contents of blog copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2023
I've been gone a while. I started reading fanfiction to escape and I got sucked in an abyss.

I have no idea if someone else is hosting similar challenges. I just grabbed some of what I have hosted before.

Here's to a happy year of great reading
Jan2023: Not much has changed. Writing a fanfiction now O_o as well as reading but I bought 7 new books in December and hope to get those read soon. Crossing fingers about adding challenges (late!)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Forgotten Challenge

So I'm looking around at Tuesday Teasers and that leads to general looking around when I came across someone's challenge list. There was a re-read challenge. Oh what fun! I should have joined something like this.

I did! Another challenge I had joined and then forgotten about. I know I thought I should look for one like this. Didn't remember finding, and JOINING! Six months. I've missed SIX months!

I just hope they let me back track on the reviews ;D

Let's just start with a list of books that I have re-read this year with links to their review page, if any.


1. Arrows of the Queen
2. Arrow's Flight
3. Arrow's Fall
4. Lost for Christmas review
5. Exile's Honor
6. Exile's Valor
7, Take a Thief
8. By the Sword
9. Winds of Fate
10. Winds of Change
11. Winds of Fury
12. Magic's Pawn reviewed as trilogy
13. Magic's Promise
14. Magic's Price
15. Storm Warning reviewed as trilogy
16. Storm Rising
17. Storm Breaking
18. Wild Magic
19. Sandry's Book reviewed as set
20. Tris's Book
21. Daja's Book
22. Briar's Book
23. Alanna: the First Adventure
24. In the Hand of the Goddess
25. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
26. Lioness Rampant
27. First Test reviewed as a set
28. Page
29. Squire
30. Lady Knight
31. Magic Steps reviewed as a set
32. Street Magic
33. Cold Fire
34. Shatterglass
35. Key of Light
36. Key of Knowledge
37. Key of Valor
38. There's No Such Thing as a Dragon review
39. Heartmate
40. The Dragonling
41. A Dragon in the Family
42. The Duke and I more overview of series than review
43. The Viscount Who Loved Me
44. An Offer from a Gentleman
45. Romancing Mister Bridgerton
46. The Masterharper of Pern
47. When He Was Wicked
48. Further Observations of Lady Whistledown
~~JULY~~

49. Home for the Holidays - Christmas in July Challenge
50. Merry Christmas, Baby! - Christmas in July Challenge
51. The Cat Who Went into the Closet - Cat Sleuth & Cozy Mysteries Challenges reviewed
52. Green Rider
53. The Cat Who Loved Christmas - Christmas in July Challenge & What an Animal II
54. Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret - 999/Banned
55. James and the Giant Peach - 999/Banned reviewed
~~AUGUST~~

55. Island of the Blue Dolphins - ning group book club
~~September~~

56. Baseball Cat - Cat Sleuth

Book giveaway from....


...Jacqueline at Unercover Book Lover

Jacqueline is giving away Seduce the Darkness by Gena Showalter. She has 5 copies available and winners must live in the U.S. or Canada (P.O. boxes won't be accepted for a mailing address) but you need to hurry; contest ends at 11:59 pm EDT on 6/30/09 - that's TODAY.

As always, there are many ways to enter - jump over and check it out.

Book giveaway from....

...Teddyree at The Eclectic Reader


She is giving away Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh. Book 6 in the Psy-Changeling series.

Competition is only open to followers of her blog & it is international. Jump over and follow, blog about it for another entry.

Competition closes on Friday 3rd July Midnight AEST & winner will be announced Saturday 4th July on her blog

Read-a-Fest: wrap-up

Clearly a case of desire being MUCH bigger than time! Plus, instead of using the wonderful listing J.Kaye had up of LJ's books, and starting in April. I waited and grabbed a book off my shelf.

Well, no wonder I felt like I had been dropped in the middle! The book I picked up is #6 in the series!

I started, but did not finish, Lost Souls. I will be putting it aside but am looking forward to starting the series from the beginning.

Tuesday Teaser

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts this cool weekly event.

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

--Grab your current read
--Let the book open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
--You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from… that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

"I am speechless. Here is Henry, calm, clothed, younger than I have ever seen him....I can barely refrain from throwing my arms around him. It is obvious that he has never seen me before in his life."


The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Alternative-Read.com: JUNE Giveaway! 5 copies of The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos

Alternative-Read.com: JUNE Giveaway! 5 copies of The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos: "This contest will run until 11:59pm on June 30th, 2009"

Book giveaway from.....


A big thank you to Valerie at Hachette Books! away 5 copies of "The Night Gardener" by George Pelecanos.


There are several ways to enter so Check it Out.



This contest will run until 11:59pm on June 30th, 2009 (she doesn't say which timezone so be safe and do it BEFORE it's the 30th)

Saturday, June 27, 2009

TBR deadlines

I have several challenges ending soon and am procrastinating working on wedding stuff, dishes, laundry, ....

ASAP
Soft Spots
Magic Strikes
The Noticer (pdf format)
The Hole in Our Gospel
(I'll be able to travel easily with three of these)

June 30:
READ: Lost Souls for Read-a-Fest: Lisa Jackson. ~maybe if I don't work on bridesmaid dresses....
REVIEW: A Book Dragon and Hide for Reading My Name Challenge
REVIEW: Dogs and Goddesses for Love Bites.
READ: Two banned books for Freedom to Read Challenge


August 31: (Christmas in July) can't start until July 1st
who's stupid idea was this? Oh, yeah, it was mine. What was I thinking???
READ: A Magical Christmas library book!
READ: Too Rich and Too Dead - Kindle?
READ: The New Year's Quilt - own print
READ: A Wallflower Christmas - own print
READ: A Historical Christmas Present - own print
(I own the last three and can travel with them)


September 7: (Summer Vacation)
READ: Firefly Lane
READ: Magic Strikes
READ: The Time Traveler's Wife
READ: A Nose for Murder don't own, may need to change
READ: Too Rich and Too Dead available on the Kindle
(I own at least three and can travel with them)

September 21: (Summer Reading List)
READ: Soft Spots this is a review book and should be read ASAP
READ: Magic Strikes this is a review book and should be read ASAP
READ: The Noticer this is a review book and should be read ASAP
READ: The Hole in Our Gospel this is a review book and should be read ASAP
READ: Straight from the Hip - need to buy
READ: Faeries Gone Wild - personal shelf
READ: Just Breathe - personal shelf
READ: The Story of Forgetting - personal shelf
READ: Love at First Bite - personal shelf
READ: Warriors in the Mist - personal shelf
READ: Seabiscuit - personal shelf
READ: Firefly Lane - personal shelf
READ: Wings - personal shelf
READ: Always Looking Up - personal shelf


September 30: (Cozy Mysteries)
READ: Too Rich and Too Dead
READ: A "Cat Who" book - also for Cat Sleuth Challenge
REVIEW: The Penguin Who Knew Too Much
REVIEW: Thai Die
REVIEW: Dropped Dead Stitch

REVIEW: Death by Cashmere - done


September 30: (Truth is Stranger than Fiction)
need four books
Start Living, Start Losing
Always Looking Up
I'm Still Me
I Look Up for Yes - started
Wishful Drinking
And the Rain Came Down
Half-Assed
(I own all of these and can travel with them)

November 30: (Royal Review Romance Challenge)
O - Once a Cowboy by Linda Warren (kindle)
N - Night Secrets by Cherry Adair - may change
E - Ride a Painted Pony by Kathleen Eagle - may change

Book List: Christmas in July Challenge

Yours truly is hosting Christmas in July. Here are the books I hope to read....

1. A Historical Christmas Present - personal shelf
2. A Magical Christmas - library book
3. A Dog Named Christmas - personal shelf (re-read)
4. Too Rich and Too Dead (Aspen, Colorado) - need to buy; Kindle?
5. Santa's Secret - personal shelf (re-read)
6. The New Year's Quilt - personal shelf
7. A Wallflower Christmas - personal shelf
8. Merry Christmas, Baby! - personal shelf (re-read)
9. Home for the Holidays - personal shelf (re-read)
10. The Christmas Sweater - would need to buy
11. The Christmas Jar - personal shelf, but where?

ahem, maybe I should save some of these in case there is a Christmas Challenge that's actually during Christmas!


7-15: I thought I wouldn't be able to read many winter/Christmas books during July because of the wedding, vacation and other challenges. I was wrong.

A Historical Christmas Present - finished July 2
A Magical Christmas - finished July 2
Home for the Holidays - finished July 2 (re-read)
Merry Christmas, Baby! - finished July 3 (re-read)
A Wallflower Christmas - finished July 6
The Cat Who Went into the Closet - finished July 8 (re-read)
does Devil in Winter count? ;-)
The Cat Who Loved Christmas and other stories - finished July 15 (re-read)
The Judge Who Stole Christmas - finished August 5?
Cat Deck the Halls - finished August 10
Forever Christmas - finished August 21
Room at the Inn - finished August 23

Personal Challenge

Maria at Reading My Way Through Life has set up her own personal challenge and I think it's a great idea.

I have so many books needing to be read; for my own pleasure, to review, for challenges, that I really need to do something like this. My daughter is getting married this summer and I'm looking forward to having a sewing room but it will also enable me to sneak in more bookshelves! I'm already thinking of categories for the 10*10*10 challenge next year and I don't even know if there is one so I'll just expand on that for this.

List to come later, I just needed the idea out there....

10*10*10 Challenge
some of my possible categories

Romance? Christian/religious based fiction?
non-fiction? banned? library books?
Young Adult (12+)? Children's (under 12)?
New to Me authors (fiction only)? cozy mysteries?
The 60's? re-reads? other? ebooks?
Prey challenge books? dusty books? Specific author?
mystery/thriller/suspense? Thriller/suspense?
Classics? new classics? health/fitness? crafts?
fantasy/Sci-fi? fantasy? sci-fi?


I'm going to LOVE going through my bookshelves and finding books for this. I'm sure I'll find some forgotten treasure and some better left buried but it will be nice getting the books off the stairs and have the shelves downstairs displayed nicely.


from Maria:

I want to make it crystal clear before I even start that I do not expect to complete this challenge in 2008. I just took a look at the amount of owned unread books I have and said to myself "I have to do something about this!". So by mixing the 888-challenge and the TBR-challenge I've come up with this personal challenge.

No time-frame, just some sort of structure to my to-read shelf so I have an idea of where to start and where to end. I've structured it similar to the 888 challenge by having 8 categories of 8 books. The numbers are totally arbitrary, I just figured I'd give my self a bit of lee-way by 'only' using 64 of the 96 books I have. I want to get through at least half of these this year, but we'll see how it goes. It's not a 'proper' challenge, so it won't be listed in its entirety in the sidebars.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Friday Finds: Just One Wish

A Weekly Event hosted by mizb at Should be Reading.

... Just One Wish.

I found Bad Girls Don't Die on Melissa's Bookshelf (along with some other great "Friday Finds") and thought it interesting enough to add to my amazon wish list. Just One Wish came up as a "purchased with". The cover is so cute and light-hearted, and different, from Bad Girls Don't Die that I had to check it out. I've added this one to my shopping cart :-)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release date: March 2009
Pages: 272/hardcover


from Amazon.com:
From Booklist
Rallison has become known for her girls’ sports fiction, with light, breezy tones, sometimes didactic messages, and satisfying happy endings. Here she deviates from this formula, as 17-year-old Annika tries desperately to get TV-star Steve Raleigh, of Teen Robin Hood fame, to visit her six-year-old brother, Jeremy, before the brain-tumor surgery that may or may not save his life. Despite the circumstances, madcap adventures abound: Annika’s attempts to infiltrate the Burbank studio set during the filming of the show, disguised as an animal handler with a huge snake, are predictable but delightful. Her initial reaction to Steve is distaste and disgust—which means that soon enough they are a romantic item. However, what drives this story is not their romance, but rather Annika’s love for her little brother and the courage she displays as she tries to save him. The sibling relationship between Annika and Jeremy is both believable and heartrending—get out your handkerchiefs! Grades 7-11. --Debbie Carton




Challenges:
999 Challenge
New to You Authors
Pub Challenge
A-Z (J, if I don't read Just Breathe)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Weekly Geeks: Reading Challenges

This week's Weekly Geeks topic was suggested by
Sheri of A Novel Menagerie.

She writes:

"Reading Challenges: a help or a hurt? Do you find that the reading challenges keep you organized and goal-oriented? Or, do you find that as you near the end of a challenge that you've failed because you fell short of your original goals? As a result of some reading challenges, I've picked up books that I would have otherwise never heard of or picked up; that, frankly, I have loved. Have you experienced the same with challenges? If so, which ones? Do you have favorite reading challenges?"

I'm keeping track of what I'm reading and branching out of my comfort zone because of some challenges. Some of the challenges will not be completed on time but may be completed late. I don't feel like I failed but am disappointed in myself for not know my limits better.

I was new to the world of reading challenges and book blogging but have already starting to host challenges and am making plans for next year.

As far as whether challenges are a help or a hurt? I think I'm going to go with hurt. I'm spending more money on books, using the library too but really, I'm spending as much time reading as I was before but now I've added blogging! I think my family has forgotten what I look like ;-)

The Big Read

I am a glutton for punishment. Not only did I HOST two challenges right before the wedding, I joined one and then saw this list.... The National Endowment for the Arts and their top 100 books.... yea, 100. So I grabbed most of the post and here I am. So far, I've only touched on this but I'll get back to it.

Oh, found at Heather's Books and you might want to make a side trip here. I find it interesting that
the Chronicles of Narnia AND The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is listed. I guess these people didn't realize that one was part of the other.

The Big Read is a National Endowment for the Arts program designed to encourage community reading initiatives and of their top 100 books. They estimate the average adult has read only six. Here’s what you are supposed to do: Look at the list and bold those you have read. Italicize those we intend to read.*Star the books we LOVE....



1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible all the begats and everything!
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility- Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens (tried once)
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon (tried once)
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas (tried once)
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo



huh, I've read more than I thought, if I counted right, 23. I also own several more. There a several I started but didn't finish - have you seen how thick Count of Monte Cristo is?. This is such a mixed up list that I'm wondering WHO was polled and how they were picked.

Update 8-20: cleaned up and bolded one more read this month (Time Traveler's Wife)

Writerspace Beach Party

Writerspace is having a Beach Party!
You're invited to the

2009 Annual BEACH PARTY

More than 100 of your favorite authors will give away TONS of prizes on Sunday, June 28th!

Hurry now, you have to be registered BEFORE the party in order to get in.

Book giveaway from....


Thanks to Valerie at Hachette Books, Yvonne at Socrates Book Reviews is able to host another book giveaway. This one is for Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons. She can give away 5 copies, so that's 5 winners!

There are several ways to enter so Check it Out.

All entries must be submitted by July 24th, midnight est

What an Animal Challenge II

Kristy at Passion for the Page is hosting part II of the
What An Animal Challenge.

The rules for the What an Animal II Challenge are the same as the original What an Animal Challenge:

1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:

a. there is an animal in the title of the book

b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal plays a major role
d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...


3. Challenge runs from July 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010. That’s 8 months to read at least 6 books (you can read more if you’d like). You can still sign up after July 1st as long as you can get 6 books read by February 28th

4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.


5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.


6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).


7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.


8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.


To sign up and learn more, visit the post about the challenge.

This will fit right in with the Cat Sleuths Challenge, I just won't be doing any reading until after the wedding!

1. Title: The Cat Who Loved Christmas - finished 7-15
2. Major Role: The Cat Who Went into the Closet - finished 7-8 ~ reviewed
3. Is or turns into: Slave to Sensation - finished July 19 ~ reviewed
4. Cover: The Man from Nowhere - finished July 28
5. Is or turns into: Visions of Heat - finished July 19
6. Is or turns into: Caressed by Ice - finished July 24
7. Is or turns into: Mine to Possess - finished July 26
8. Is or turns into: Hostage to Pleasure - finished July 28
9. Is or turns into: Branded by Fire - finished July 31
10. Cover: The Accidental Mother - finished August 2
11. Cover: The Trouble with Magic - finished August 5
12. Cover: Murder Under a Mystic Moon - finished August 9
13. Major Role: Cat Deck the Hall - finished August 10
14. Is or turns into/cover: Magic Strikes - finished August 11
15. Cover/title: Dragonspell - finished August 12
16. Cover/title: Dragonquest - finished August 13
17. Title/Cover: Island of the Blue Dolphins - finished 8-17
18. Title: Tempting the Beast - finished 8-17
19. Cover/title: Dragonknight - finished August ??
20. Cover/title: Dragonfire - finished August ??
21. Cover/title: Dragonlight - finished August 27
22. Major Role/cover/title: Baseball Cat - finished 9-12
23. Cover: Casting Spells - finished 9-??

?? The Lady and the Unicorn by Isolde Martyn (title, cover?)
?? Murder Under a Mystic Moon (cover)
?? The Trouble with Magic (cover)



here's an interesting thought...
Title: Tempting the Beast
cover: Tempting the Beast
shifter: Tempting the Beast
Major role: Tempting the Beast

Library Loot

A weekly event co-hosted by
that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!




The Youngest Templar: Keeper of the Grail book 1 by Michael P. Spradlin

I didn't even read what this one was about, I just liked the cover.



a two-in-one book from Nora Roberts, Waiting for Nick & Considering Kate
I didn't know it's books 5 & 6 of the Stanislaski series. I haven't read 1-4!
found while browsing








A Magical Christmas by Heather Graham
Christmas book





The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
blog recommended


Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Christmas in July Challenge

WooHoo, Christmas! Snow! Hot Chocolate!

I finished A Magical Christmas Cat this month so I guess it's kick started my Christmas thinking. I went to the library today and checked out A Magical Christmas by Heather Graham. I've also got a few Christmas/winter books so I'm going to guess 6 books for this challenge. I do have a daughter's wedding this summer....

Christmas in July

I'm in the mood for snow! Don't get me wrong, I love the sun and would live at the beach if I could but for some reason, I feel like snow.

Let's read snow books. Christmas books, skiing books, books with a winter setting!

Rules & Sign-ups

1. Challenge runs from July 1, 2009 to August 31, 2009. Join anytime.

2. Read as many books as you can. A list would be nice but not necessary and it is not written in stone (or even pen).

3. Overlaps with other challenges are acceptable.

4. Blog about the challenge (with a link back to this post) then sign up. When you sign up, link to your challenge post, not your blog, unless we can easily find the link on your site.

5. You do not need your own blog to join the challenge, just comment below.

6. You do not need to review your books but it would be nice. You could just post what book you read and a bit about it.

7. Come back the first week of September and I'll have a post where you can comment with your wrap up post. I hope to have prizes but I'm undecided on the "rules" for receiving them, any ideas?


Waiting on Wednesday: Fired Up


Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts "Waiting On" Wednesday, a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


For those of us who like the Arcane Society novels, JAK brings us the first book in a related trilogy.

Fired Up
book 1 in the Dreamlight Trilogy

352 pages
Putnam Adult
hardcover
December 29, 2009

Why don't these people realize that December 29th is too late for Christmas gifts?? LOL I'm crossing my fingers that somebody gives me a giftcard!

Too late to use for my 2009 Pub challenge, too early to use for the 2010 Pub challenge!


from amazon:
More than three centuries ago, Nicholas Winters irrevocably altered his genetic makeup in an obsessionfueled competition with alchemist and Arcane Society founder Sylvester Jones. Driven to control their psychic abilities, each man’s decision has reverberated throughout the family line, rewarding some with powers beyond their wildest dreams, and cursing others to a life filled with madness and hallucinations.

Jack Winters, descendant of Nicholas, has been experiencing nightmares and blackouts—just the beginning, he believes—of the manifestation of the Winters family curse. The legend says that he must find the Burning Lamp or risk turning into a monster. But he can’t do it alone; he needs the help of a woman with the gift to read the lamp’s dreamlight.

Jack is convinced that private investigator Chloe Harper is that woman. Her talents for finding objects and accessing dream energy are what will save him, but their sudden and powerful sexual pull threatens to overwhelm them both. Danger surrounds them, and it doesn’t take long for Chloe to pick up the trail of the missing lamp. And as they draw closer to the lamp, the raw power that dwells within it threatens to sweep them into a hurricane of psychic force.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Summer on Blossom Street

Summer on Blossom Street
Debbie Macomber

Mira
hardcover, library edition
April 2009
368 pages

book 5 of the Blossom Street Series


Debbie takes us back to where it all started. The Yarn Shop. Lydia offers a class called Knit to Quit for people who want to quit something-or someone!

Phoebe recently ended her engagement to a man who doesn't know the meaning of faithful.

Alix is trying to quit smoking. Again.

Bryan joins on the advice of his doctor as a way to deal with stress.

In addition to the drama of the class members, Anne Marie and her adopted daughter Ellen have an unexpected visitor.


There is enough going on to satisfy those of us who have read all the books and were looking forward to seeing old friends while at the same time the book would be enjoyable if it is your first Blossom Street book. The characters are real and the situations believable even though I thought Phoebe's ex is a real-something-else!

The Fit Factor


The Fit Factor
How Getting Strong Can Help You Lose Weight
from Weight Watchers

Wiley Publishing
2000
193 pages (including the recipes)


Disappointing
I already knew so much of the information included and am way beyond the "Ten so-sweat exercises that build muscle". I'll be reading it again because there is stuff I don't know or need to be reminded of and I'd like to go through the recipes again.


This book would be good for you:
if you haven't seen the inside of a gym or don't know where your walking shoes are.
if you know you need to lose but don't know why, how or where to start
if you need basic eat-this-real-food help (daily menus)


I read this as part of my Be-Inspired challenge so part 1 is complete. Part 2 is to take a principle from the book/books read and apply them in your life.

Part 2: I now have a personal trainer at the gym. I committed to a full year (YIKES). I may be ready for more than this book can provide but I am in no way ready to go it alone. I've tried and it doesn't work for me.

The Magical Christmas Cat

The Magical Christmas Cat
anthology: Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, Linda Winstead Jones

Berkley Sensation
October 2008
384 pages (trade paperback)
~this book is available on the Kindle~

I love anthologies. You can sample several new authors without taking the time to read full novels. In this case, I was NOT disappointed and will be adding these authors to my list.

Four, new, delightful Christmas paranormal romances with a feline touch.

Stroke of Enticement by Nalini Singh
This is a great introduction to her Psy-Changelings! In the hospital with a broken leg, a little girl asks Santa to bring her a friend. "Someone fun who wanted to be with me and didn't care that my leg was all mangled up." Santa waits a long time to deliver but, man, is he worth it.
I've got book 1 on reserve at the library

Christmas Bree by Erin McCarthy
One of three "witch" sisters finds the love of her life in an unexpected way. (now I want to read about the other two!)

Sweet Dreams by Linda Winstead Jones
This full moon, Il Gatto Nero would be awake just long enough to steal a woman's soul. After taking this one, his ninth, he would "walk the earth, immortal and indestructible and bringing an unimaginable darkness to an unprepared world". Zane is one of a brotherhood waiting for a sign of which soul will be taken.

Ruby just inherited her aunts home, wacky neighbors included. A "secret admirer" leaves a gift for her at the neighborhood Christmas party, a beautiful Jade cat. Too bad it's just what Zane, studly and standoffish professor, has been waiting for. (just a bit scary)

Christmas Heat by Lora Leigh
A short story in the world of her genetically altered breeds. Someone is using the breeds own DNA against them and only one human can testify in court. If she lives long enough. And to add the spice, her main guard is coming into mating heat! (Great intro to the series even if it is in the middle, can't wait to read more)

Teaser Tuesday: a picture book


MizB at Should Be Reading hosts this cool weekly event.


Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

--Grab your current read
--Let the book open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
--You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from… that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

"I don't mind dragons THIS size," said Mother, "Why did it have to grow so BIG?"

"I'm not sure," said Billy, "but I think it just wanted to be noticed."

Profound words from a little boy.

"There's NO Such Thing as a Dragon" by Jack Kent. This is a picture book with the print size/number of words per page that you'd expect from a picture book. The graphics are simple but very nice watercolors. This is classified as preschool reading level and I reviewed it on the 16th but this quote is on the last page and I felt it was worth telling you about, whether you have your own kids or just kids in the family.... My own "moral of the story" is that an adult's words can make the world of difference.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Book List: Debbie Macomber

I wanted to do a Debbie Macomber challenger but she's written a lot of books and some of them I didn't like. I am going to read the Cedar Cove series, starting this year.

As soon as the wedding is over... As soon as the family reunion is over... As soon as I get my life back.

Cedar Cove

16 Lighthouse Road '01
204 Rosewood Lane '02
311 Pelican Court '03
44 Cranberry Point '04
50 Harbor Street '05
6 Rainier Drive '06
74 Seaside Avenue '07
8 Sandpiper Way '08
92 Pacific Boulevard 9-09

Related Novels: 5B Poppy Lane '06
Novella in Hearts Divided anthology

A Cedar Cove Christmas '08 hardcover



list over everything else:
Blossom Street
The Shop on Blossom Street
A Good Yarn
Back on Blossom Street
Twenty Wishes
Summer on Blossom Street 5-09 hardcover

Dakota series
Dakota born
Dakota Home
Always Dakota
Buffalo Valley

Orchard Valley
Valerie
Stephanie
Norah
or all 3 in Orchard Valley

Legendary Lovers
Cindy and the Prince
Some Kind of Wonderful
Almost Paradise
or all 3 in Legendary Lovers


Navy series
Navy Wife
Navy Blues
Navy Brat
Navy Woman
Navy Husband


The Manning Sisters
The Cowboy's Lady
The Sheriff Takes a Wife
or both in The Manning Sisters

Those Manning Men
Marriage of Inconvenience
Stand-In Wife
(both in The Manning Brides)
Bride on the Loose
(in The Manning Grooms with Same Time, Next Year)

Deliverance Company
Someday Soon
Sooner or Later
Moon Over Water


From This Day Forward
Groom Wanted
Bride Wanted
Marriage Wanted


Heart of Texas
Vol.1: Lonesome Cowboy, Texas Two-Step
Vol. 2: Caroline's Child, Dr. Texas
Vol. 3: Nell's Cowboy, Lone Star Baby

Lonesome Cowboy
Texas Two-Step
Caroline's Child
Dr. Texas
Nell's Cowboy
Lone Star Baby
Promise, Texas
Return to Promise



Midnight Sons
Brides for Brothers
Marriage Risk
Daddy's Little Helper
Because of the Baby
Falling for Him
Ending in Marriage

Mail Order Marriages: Brides for Brothers, Marriage Risk
Family Men: Daddy's Little Helper, Because of the Baby
The Last Two Bachelors: Falling for Him, Ending in Marriage

Vol. 1: Brides for Brothers, Marriage Risk
Vol. 2: Daddy's Little Helper, Because of the Baby

Born in a Small Town (Midnight sons and daughters)



Angelic Intervention

A Season of Angels
The Trouble with Angels
Touched by Angels
Christmas Angels: A Season of Angels, The Trouble with Angels, Touched by Angels
Shirley, Goodness and Mercy
A Gift to Last: Can This Be Christmas, Shirley, Goodness and Mercy
Angeles Everywhere: A Season of of Angels, Touched by Angels
Those Christmas Angels
Where Angels Go
Angels All Around Us: Those Christmas Angels, Where Angels Go

Summer Vacation Challenge

Molly at My Cozy Book Nook is hosting the Summer Vacation Reading Challenge. Challenge runs from May 22 to September 7 (Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend). There are two different levels of participation and I'm going for Globe Trotter. I still need to finish my list but Beach Bum was way too easy!

Globe Trotter: you will commit to reading 6 pre-selected books during this time frame, but you may substitute up to 3 books due to changes in travel plans. Cross-overs for 5 out of the 6 books are allowed, but ideally one book will be read for this challenge alone.

Molly has rules and a Mr. Linky sign-up plus other info you'll need for the challenge.

Q: two of my challenges are 100+ books and Pages Read, does "one book will be read for this challenge alone" mean I can't count them?

Original List
1. Firefly Lane (Seattle)
2. Summer on Blossom Street (Seattle) ~ reviewed
3. Magic Strikes (alternate Atlanta) ~ reviewed
4. The Time Traveler's Wife (time travel?)
5. A Nose for Murder (Camden, Maine) - this challenge only?
6. Too Rich and Too Dead (Aspen, Colorado)

Changes:
1. The Cat Who Went into the Closet ("Pickax City", Michigan)
2.
The Trouble with Magic (Stony Mills, Indiana)

And just for the heck of it:
1.
The Judge Who Stole Christmas (Possum, Virginia)
2. Island of the Blue Dolphins (San Nicolas Island, California)

Not bad, four from my original list. I never did purchase A Nose for Murder or Too Rich and Too Dead and my library system doesn't have them. I had a good time finding books for this challenge. I felt rushed but only because I joined late. Next year I'll start looking for it. I'm sure going to Hogwarts will count ;-)

I may never complete this challenge even though I've finished reading the books. Molly wants us to REVIEW the books {head bang}
{head bang}{head bang}

Book giveaway from....

Amanda at The Zen Leaf is giving away Tithe by Holly Black in conjuction with Shooting Stars Mag YA Book Carnival. Amanda's giveaway runs until June 27th (the last day of the Carnival) and she'll draw a random winner on the 28th. There are several ways to enter.

Cat Sleuth Challenge


I thought of having a Midnight Louie challenge until I remember there was a reason I stopped reading the books. Overload! No way could I read 21 of them in 12, or even 18 months. I still want to read them and then it hit me. Cat Sleuths! I love reading books with cats as sleuths and checking out cozy-mystery.com for another challenge reminded me that I own several that haven't seen the light of day in ages.

I've set up a blog just for this challenge, so click over and check it out.



quick list off the top of my head of authors I own:
Lydia Adamson
Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie
Lilian Jackson Braun
Carole Nelson Douglas
Garrison Allen
Shirley Rousseau Murphy


Authors:
1. Lilian Jackson Braun
2. Shirley Rousseau Murphy
3. Garrison Allen
4. Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie

Books:
1. The Cat Who Went into the Closet - read July 8 & reviewed
2. Cat Deck the Halls - read August 10
3. Baseball Cat - read September 12
4. The Cat Who Lived High - read October 22
5. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare - read October 23
6. The Cat Who Played Post Office - read October 23
7. The Cat Who Tailed a Thief - read October 31
8. The Cat Who Moved a Mountain - read October 31
9. The Cat Who Sniffed Glue - read November 1
10. The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern - read November 1
11. The Cat Who Went Underground - read November 3
12. The Cat Who Came for Breakfast - read November 4
13. The Cat Who Saw Stars - read November 4
14. The Cat Who Played Brahms - read November 13
15. The Cat Who Blew the Whistle - read November 15
16. The Cat Who Said Cheese - read November 16
17. Santa Clawed - read December 20
18.
19.
20.




Why, yes, I am on a Cat Who kick. How can you tell? :-)

I have completed the number of books to be read (and then some) but since I am short an author, I have not completed the challenge!

Midnight Louie and Temple Barr

a cozy mystery series with a sleuthing cat by Carol Nelson Douglas

I admit, I bought and bought but didn't finish reading this series. Book 20 is Cat in a Sapphire Slipper and came out in 2008. It has been so long that I'm not sure where I left off reading so I'm guessing that I could start over! Let's make a challenge out of it! Twenty books in twelve months? Eighteen?

The author's website



list per Cozy-Mystery.com where there are MANY cozy mysteries listed. Amazon has the same list, almost all the titles are available in mmp but a few are out of print. They're available used from $.01 and Cat in a Sapphire Slipper will be coming out in mmp this month, and book 21 in August.


1. Catnap '92
2. Pussyfoot '93
3. Cat on a Blue Monday '94
4. Cat in a Crimson Haze '95
5. Cat in a Diamond Dazzle '95
6. Cat with an Emerald Eye '06
7. Cat in a Flamingo Fedora '97
8. Cat in a Golden Garland '97
9. Cat on a Hyacinth Hunt '98
10. Cat in an Indigo Mood '98
11. Cat in a Jeweled Jumpsuit '99
12. Cat in a Kiwi Con '00
13. Cat in a Leopard Spot '01
14. Cat in a Midnight Choir '02
15. Cat in a Neon Nightmare '03
16. Cat in an Orange Twist '04
17. Cat in a Hot Pink Pursuit '05
18. Cat in a Quicksilver Caper '6
19. Cat in a Red Hot Rage '07
20. Cat in a Sapphire Slipper (mmp 6-30-09)
21. Cat in a Topaz Tango (Hardcover 8-4-09)

Cozy Mystery Challenge

Kris at Not Enough Books is hosting The Cozy Mystery Challenge 2009. Here's what she has to say....

Challenge Rules:
1. The challenge runs from April 1, 2009 –September 30, 2009 (6 months)

2. The goal is to read at least 1 cozy mystery for each month, so a total of 6. You can read these all in the same month, one per month, or however you want.

3. It is ok to use books that you are already reading for other challenges, however at least 2 need to be specific for this challenge.

4. You do not need to have a blog to participate

5. You are not required to make a list of books you plan to read ahead of time, but it would be fun if you did. I do ask that you at least create a post for this challenge and link back to this post. Please also note how many books you plan to read for this challenge.

6. You must sign-up before April 1st, so the last date to sign up is March 31st. Update: I'm changing this one, you can sign-up anytime before September!

7. To sign up for the challenge – please use Mr. Linky below. Behind your name, please put the number of books you plan to read for this challenge in (). Example: Kris (6) If you have trouble with Mr. Linky, just leave a comment.

8. At the end of the challenge, If you have a blog, please create a wrap-up post telling others how you did and listing each of the books you read for the challenge and link them to your reviews. I will create a posting regarding the end of the challenge and ask that you sign Mr. Linky and link your wrap-up post. That made sense right? If you don't have a blog, just enter your name and the number of books you did read in (). Example: Kris (6).

9. Prizes you ask? Of course! For each person who completes the challenge, I will send you a homemade bookmark. I know – you are overcome with excitement you can join this challenge fast enough!



That's it! If there are any problems/questions, please let me know! Please help yourself to the button I created for this post.

Interested in this challenge but not sure what a cozy mystery is? Check out this website, it should help you out.





Rule 6 is why I hadn't signed up for this one when I saw it the first time, I found it after the deadline and never went back but I've read FOUR cozy's since April 1st so I'm in. The challenge post is here so click over and sign-up!


1. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much (April)
2. Death by Cashmere (May 29) - reviewed
3. Thai Die (June 12)
4. Dropped Dead Stitch (June 20)
5. The Cat Who Went into the Closet (July 8) reviewed
6. The Trouble with Magic (August 5)
7. Murder Under a Mystic Moon (August 9)
Disclaimer

In accordance to the FTC guidelines, I must state that I make no monetary gains from my reviews or endorsements here on Book Dragon's Lair. All books I review are either borrowed, purchased by me, given as a gift, won in some kind of contest, or received in exchange for an honest review.