~ A Kindle Fire Giveaway Fall 2013 at BookHounds Blog!!

A long list of generous bloggers and authors have joined together in a giveaway of a Kindle Fire HD 7", or a $199 Amazon Card or Paypal Cash (International) to celebrate Fall 2013

To read about this amazing giveaway and to enter, visit the organizer of the event, I am a Reader Not A Writer or the Blog where I discovered this giveaway, BookHounds Blog for a fully explained post and a list of contributing authors and bloggers where you can also enter this giveaway.

The giveaway ends on October 31st, 2013, Happy Halloween!

Mailbox Monday ~ July 2nd

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, a weekly meme originally created and hosted by Marcia of A girl and her books and hosted in July by Jennifer at Mrs. Q: Book Addict. Below are the titles I received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the course of the past week.

Have Mother Will Travel by Mia and Claire Fontaine (from William Morrow Publishers for review)
A mother, a daughter, and a life-changing adventure around the world . . .

Their bestselling memoir, "Come Back," moved and inspired readers with the story of Mia Fontaine's harrowing drug addiction and her mother, Claire's, desperate and ultimately successful attempts to save her. Now it's a decade later and Claire and Mia each face a defining moment in her life, and a mother-daughter relationship that has frayed around the edges. At fifty-one, Claire's shed her identity as Mia's savior but realizes that, oops, she forgot to plan for life after motherhood; Mia, twenty-five and eager to step outside her role as recovery's poster child, finds adult life isn't all it's cracked up to be. Determined to transform themselves and their relationship once again, the pair sets off on a five-month around-the-world adventure.

What awaits them is an extraordinary, often hilarious journey through twenty cities and twelve countries--one that includes mishaps, mayhem, and unexpected joys, from a passport-eating elephant to a calamitous camel ride around the Pyramids--and finally making peace with their tumultuous past in the lavender fields of France, where they live for the last four months of the trip. Seeing how self-possessed and community-minded twenty-somethings are in other countries broadens Mia's perspective, helping her grow, and grow up. Claire uses the trip to examine her broken relationship with her own mother, a Holocaust survivor, and to create a vision for her second act. Watching her mom assess half a century of life, Mia comes to know her as Claire has always known Mia--as all mothers know their daughters--better than anyone else, and often better than themselves.

Wiser for what they've learned from women in other cultures, and from each other, they return with a deepened sense of who they are and where they want to go--and with each embracing the mature friendship they've discovered and the profound love they share.

Alternating between Claire and Mia's compelling and distinct voices, "Have Mother, Will Travel" is a testament to the power and beauty of the mother-daughter relationship, one that illuminates possibilities for our own lives.

Some Kind of Peace by Camilla Grebe and Asa Traff  (from Lauren at Free Press for review)
"It seems so idyllic. But something is out of place. In the neatly raked gravel parking area is a dazzlingly clean black Jeep. The paint of the Jeep reflects a clematis with large pure white blossoms climbing up a knotted old apple tree. Someone is lying under the low trunk and crooked branches of the tree. A young woman, a girl. . . ."Siri Bergman is a thirty-four-year-old psychologist who works in central Stockholm and lives alone in an isolated cottage out of the city. She has a troublesome secret in her past and has been trying to move on with her life. Terrified of the dark, she leaves all the lights on when she goes to bed--having a few glasses of wine each night to calm her nerves--but she can't shake the feeling that someone is watching her through the blackened windows at night.

When the lifeless body of Sara Matteus--a young patient of Siri's with a history of drug addiction and sexual abuse--is found floating in the water near the cottage, Siri can no longer deny that someone is out there, watching her and waiting. When her beloved cat goes missing and she receives a photo of herself from a stalker, it becomes clear that Siri is next. Luckily, she can rely on Markus, the young policeman investigating Sara's death; Vijay, an old friend and psychology professor; and Aina, her best friend. Together, they set about profiling Siri's aspiring murderer, hoping to catch him before he kills again.

But as their investigation unfolds, Siri's past and present start to merge and disintegrate so that virtually everyone in her inner circle becomes a potential suspect. With the suspense building toward a dramatic conclusion as surprising as it is horrifying, Siri is forced to relive and reexamine her anguished past, and finally to achieve some kind of peace

The Sunday Salon ~ July 1st

Happy July 1st!

Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s already July. The days fly by yet I wonder what I do with the time! Except for the last couple of days because I’ve been reading, reading, reading! I haven’t been in such a reading mode in a long time. And it’s fantastic! I have a lot of great books I’m reading and others waiting to be read. It’s the perfect way to deal with the heat, too, since my reading style‘s a pretty sedentary activity. The days of exercising on a stationery bike or some other piece of exercise equipment are over for me. Been there, done that! Now I prefer to do my reading in a comfy chair or in my bed! (If it was possible to read while swimming laps, I might consider it but I’m happy there isn’t!) The a/c is good for my breathing but I don’t like sitting in a/c round the clock. Even though it’s hot and the air is still, I prefer to be outside for a little while or have the windows open for a little while. Sitting and reading with a fan on and ice-cold water is working well for me so far.

Huxley, Lola and Magoo have come back inside after initially balking at Rosie’s presence and deserting their home for a day or two. They sleep all day, spread out as much as possible. Bob left home at the same time as Huxley, Lola and Magoo but Bob, who used to stay indoors sleeping all day, discovered that the overgrown garden ~ now a mini- ‘jungle’ - in the backyard, just past the deck, is very cool during the day with a nice breeze. Bob’s taken to sleeping there almost all day, everyday. Once or twice a day, I visit him. I’ll out his name a few times, Bob comes up on the deck, leans his furry butt against my leg ~ the Bob sign of love and affection ~ then sits next to me and allows me to scratch his cheeks and head and pet him a lot. When Bob’s had enough attention, he gets up walks towards the end of the deck and the jungle, turns and looks back at me as if to say, “See ya later and thanks!” and then he finds himself a comfy, cool spot in Bob’s jungle. There are several plants in Bob’s jungle with enormous leaves. My friend told me their called ‘elephant ears’. This morning, Bob was asleep under two extra-large elephant ears with only his little stub of a tail poking out of the plants in the jungle!

Little Rosie is the only cat who shows some displeasure with my reading. If she can, she climbs on the book while I’m reading it or sits on my chest blocking my view of the book. If she’s unable to climb on me or reah the book I’m reading, she finds another book and chews on it! Fortunately, so long as I twirl a string for her, roll a ball across the floor or push a bottle cap around so she can chase all or any of them, she’s happy as can be and runs around and around until she drops from exhaustion and sleeps for an hour or two. Rosie also loves to attack the oxygen tubing I wear because If I’m moving at all, it’s moving. Rosie’s too little to cause any damage to the tubing now but I’m going to have to find a way to dissuade her from playing with the oxygen tubing soon or else, one day, she’s going to put some holes in it!

Today I’m going to finish Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, just in time for my review Tuesday! I’m also reading The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo and I’m just getting into The City and The City by China Miéville. I picked this book up as part of a informal readalong with Care, Ti and other bloggers. I’m a little behind, as is usually the case, but very happy I’m reading this book around the same time as other terrific bloggers! I look forward to their thoughts on The City & the City.

I hope you’ve been having a great weekend! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
I hope you are reading something enjoyable!

Armchair BEA: Ask the Experts

Armchair BEA: Ask the Experts

The Final Day

Today is the last day of Armchair BEA 2012. I think it’s been a wonderful and extremely successful week. I had hoped to spend much more time online visiting the blogs of participating bloggers this week. I also wanted to attend a couple of the Twitter parties. But, as occasionally happens, my body/health had other ideas and kept me away from here a lot of the time. I’m planning and hoping to visit more bloggers and their blogs this weekend.

I want to thank the Armchair BEA Blog Team - Pam, Julie@My5Monkeys, The1stdaughter, Chrisbookarama, Emily, Tif Sweeney, Florinda Pendley Vasquez, Michelle Shannon and Amy@MyFriendAmy for the wonderful job they did planning and producing this terrific week.   THANK YOU!

And now, for the topic of the day: Ask the Experts.  You, my visitors, are the experts and I’m asking you to please advise me on my blog and blogging. I feel and know I have a lot of work still to do on my blog and with my blogging (such as...posting before the end of the day!). I would really appreciate any comments, critiques, helpful hints and advice you have including anything you‘ve learned or were told that you have, so far, found helpful during your blogging time...Please!!

Armchair BEA: Beyond Your Blog!

Beyond Your Blog!

I love the title for today...Beyond Your Blog makes me feel like I should be reporting from space! Lol
I know I'm late with my post and didn't make it here yesterday...the weather is beautiful here but it sets off my allergies and yesterday it was so bad it triggered the worst asthma attack I've had in a few years. ( blech! ) But I'm back! 

I haven’t had any opportunities, yet, to review or write for other publications outside of my own blog. The only special invitations I’ve received were for parties hosted by some book publishers to celebrate bloggers during BEA. I wasn’t able to attend and was very disappointed about it. I also wasn’t aware that these kinds of parties were given during BEA. Now that I know, I’m going to make sure my BEA week is free of doctor appointments, medical procedures and that kind of thing next year!

I would really like to write and review outside my blog in the future. I’m not quite ready to start putting myself out there, though. I want my health to be a little more stable because, right now, it interferes with my blogging some days. But it's one thing when it's my blog and a completely different issue when it's someone else's blog or publication. I’m hoping it will be soon now that I’ve started taking some good medication for the pulmonary hypertension. The other thing I've noticed is the older I get, the more I take my time deciding how I want to approach new ventures. I used to rush into things from new job opportunities to friendships and sometimes realized after a few months that it wasn’t working for me and I was unhappy.

I like to write and spend time every week writing although I'm not writing enough. I need to spend time writing every day. Part of the reason I started another blog was for the writing experience. I haven’t been very good about committing to that blog mostly because I’m still trying to figure out what I really want to do with it. And also because of one of the most fun aspects of my days:

My Furry Kids!

Bob

Lola

Huxley

Magoo

I have a few more cute cats roaming around but these four like to being in photos!

Hello!! Armchair BEA: Introductions!

The bloggers hosting Armchair BEA 2012 are encouraging keeping things simple and visiting as many other blogs as possible this week. I love this idea. I tried to keep my answers short and simple...I’m a bit of a talker so if my answers to the intro questions are kind of long sorry ‘bout that. If it‘s any consolation, my comments to bloggers posts are chatty too!!
Thank you for visiting !!

 1) My name is Amy. You can also call me Aimala, Aimster or some version of both. I’ve been blogging since July 2009 but have taken a few breaks so I've probably been blogging closer to 2 years than 3.  A photo of me will almost always include a cat!
I got into blogging because I had to ‘retire’ on disability from a job I loved and I wasn’t finding reading as enjoyable or helpful as I once did. When I discovered book blogs and this community where I could discuss books with other readers, share my views on books and learn about genres and authors I wasn’t familiar with, I was thrilled!
I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. My mom loved to read and tried to turn my sister and I onto the wonder and glory of books...it stuck with me, not with my sister. Reading quickly became my favorite thing to do because it took me away from ‘real life’. I had a good home life but I spent several months of every year from the age of 4 until 17, in the hospital and at home recovering from surgery. Books were a great way to get away from the boredom, pain, fear... My interest in reading anything and everything also helped me keep up with my classes, while at home recovering from surgery, in junior high and high school. I was fortunate to graduate with my class as a result.

2) My favorite book of 2012 is one I finished just last week, The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It’s an amazing book. One of the books I’m reading now is A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash. I was leafing through this book up on Saturday morning, planning to put it on my nightstand, and the next thing I knew, I’d read 50 pages. Today, I’m 50 pages from the end of this book. It’s fantastic. A blurb on the front of Wiley Cash’s debut says it will “knock your socks off...” and that is so true!

4) My favorite feature on my blog is the pictures of my cats that I post periodically, primarily as part of Saturday Snapshot a meme hosted by Alyce on her blog At Home With Books. I also have some wonderful photos of my fuzzie-wuzzies on my sidebar!

7) There’s a long list of authors I’d love to meet for dinner. Jonathan Tropper because his books are well-written, hilarious, intelligent and he seems to be a nice , slightly wacky person! I would love to have dinner with Vanessa Diffenbaugh because of her work with the foster care system and her belief that things have to change for the better for children in foster care. One other author I’d love to meet is Susan Gregg Gilmore because I adored The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove, a book that made me laugh and cry!

9) My favorite part of the book blogging community is the other bloggers and the sense of community that exists.
There’s a very large number of book blogs and some, unfortunately, don’t understand or share this idea of community, of loving and supporting your fellow bloggers through whatever comes. That’s sad.
Fortunately, there’s a much greater number of book bloggers who understand what it is to be human and know that part of you isn’t left at the door when you create a book blog. The majority of book bloggers know that in sharing views and opinions on books, you’re also connecting with others and getting to know them as people. When I started blogging, I knew I would learn quite a bit about books and share my ideas/opinions with other bloggers. But I didn’t realize the extent of the friendships and connections I would make with bloggers who are real people with real lives. This sense of community is a glorious thing!

BBAW Interview Swap ~ Gayle from Everyday I Write the Book

Today is Day Two of BBAW 2011: Interviews. I was very fortunate to get paired up with Gayle of the blog Everyday I Write the Book, a blog I have long admired and read. Gayle posts terrific reviews of books, almost everyday, it seems. She has a talent for writing informative, enjoyable and succinct reviews, a talent she also applied well to our interview (unlike myself!).

I hope you enjoy reading my interview with Gayle as much as I discussing questions/answers with her! Be sure to check out her fantastic blog, Everyday I Write the Book when you're finished here!


1. Tell me about your blog - when did you start blogging, what kinds of books do you review, and what do you hope to get out of your blog?
I launched my blog in August 2006, so I just had my five-year blogiversary. { Congratulations, Gayle, that's a terrific accomplishment!}   I can't believe I have been at it that long! I mostly review literary fiction, but occasionally memoirs and very occasionally non-fiction. My blog is definitely a hobby, as I work full-time and don't have nearly as much time to devote to it as I'd like. But I love doing it, and love the community of readers and bloggers that I have come to know over the last five years. I've seen the book blogosphere explode in recent years, and I love the passion and enthusiasm and genuine love of books that I see every day among the book bloggers I follow. I've also greatly enjoyed getting to know some of the authors I admire via social media.


2. What are the three best books you've read so far this year?
The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson; Open by Andre Agassi; and You Know When The Men Are Gone, by Siobhan Fallon.


3. If you could be friends with any character you've met in a book, who would it be and why?
Kostya from David Beniof's City of Thieves. I'd love to share a few beers with him. He's smart, funny, and a huge flirt.


4. What time of day do you do most of your blogging, and where are you when you're doing it?
Late at night - usually from 11 PM-12AM so that I can get the post up before the calendar day is over. I am almost always sitting on my sectional with my laptop on my lap, watching TV at the same time. Right now it's a Modern Family rerun - I am trying to clear out my DVR before the new season starts next week.


5. What is your favorite guilty pleasure? (This can be edible or not.)
Reality TV and rice krispie treats (the kind that come already packaged from the store).

Book Blogger Hop 11.12.10

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly Party for Book Bloggers hosted by Jennifer at her blog, Crazy-for-Books every Friday. The Hop is an opportunity for book bloggers to meet, connect, support each other and share their love of books and the written word. The Hop also offers a terrific opportunity for bloggers to discover other book blogs to read!

The Book Blog Hop lasts from Friday through Monday giving anyone who's interested plenty of time to join in! If you want to be a part of the fun, head on over to Crazy-for-Books, post your answer to the week's question on your blog and enter your blog on the Mr. Linky list. And then, start Hopping to other blogs.
This week's question is from Christina who blogs at The Paperback Princesses:

"If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series, do you always start with the first title?"

I like to start with the first title if possible, but sometimes it depends on the series and the situation. Years ago I started reading author Andrew Vachss' Burke detective books. I didn't realize, initially, that the books were a series but they were very good stand-alone stories too and, since I couldn't get to a bookstore at the time, I read a few of them. I eventually read the beginning of the series and discovered that I hadn't missed anything.

I also started Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series with book #5, The Brutal Telling because it was sent to me for review. It was also a very good stand-alone story. But I read the first book, Still Life soon after that and, although I hadn't missed anything vital, Inspectore Gamache's background and family were discussed in-depth making him more well-rounded and known to the reader which I really liked.

What I really want is to enjoy the book!!

Have a great weekend!

Sunday Salon 1.3.10

Happy New Year!
I hope you are enjoying 2010 so far! I am looking forward to my first full year of blogging. I can't believe I have been blogging for 6 months already! It's been wonderful, a little over-whelming and a lot of fun! I have "met" so many fantastic bloggers from all over the USA, Canada and over-seas! Some are book bloggers, some aren't, but all of you are terrific people I am happy to know and I look forward to getting to know better! I have learned about many terrific authors and now have a very long tbr list and several tbr piles. I am looking forward to many of the books I'm planning to read this year as well as to the books and authors as yet undiscovered for me! Spending so much time at home, particularly in the cold and bad weather can drive me a little crazy. Although I was an avid reader before I started blogging, I feel as if a whole new world or many new worlds have been opened for me. I'm not look towards the winter days ahead with any kind of concern or the slightest bit of dread. Many days, now, I actually wish I had a few more hours to read a few more chapters, visit a few more blogs, research some books and authors and email treasured friends, old and new!

I am planning to be a more organized reader this year. I didn't compile a "Best of 2009" list as so many of you did. I am still getting used to all there is to do having a blog and more specifically, a book blog. I tend to take time learning new activities and I like to take my time (if I can) becoming a part of something new especially when I hope it will be part of my life for a long time and I certainly plan to keep blogging for many years to come! I have admired the list many bloggers posted about their favorite books of the year, books they really enjoyed but weren't their favorites and lists of all of the books you've read this year. Some of you broke your lists down into categories such as hardcover vs. paperback, fiction, non-fiction, true crime, mystery and other such categories. I enjoy reading all of this posts about bloggers' year of reading and not just because I was able to add many more books to my tbr list! I am looking forward to getting more organized this year. Besides, with my memory failing to do its job well as the years pass, I need a better way to keep track of the books I read! I participated in Barnes & Nobles First Look program and last week I received Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger in the mail. I only strted reading it yesterday but it's quite good. I am looking forward to this group reading especially when the author joins in. I'll let you know how it goes!

I have more to tell you but it will have to wait until later or tomorrow evening (I am going to NYC tomorrow for a doctor appointment). Tonight the JETS are playing the Bengals for a play-off spot! Ack! My husband is stressed though he says he's fine. And he invited friends to come over and watch the game...without asking or telling me!! Great way to start the New Year hubbie! LOL It's a good night to have some friends come watch with us, especially if the JETS don't do well. Wish me...and them, of course! Luck!

BBAW #5 Goals for my Blog

Hopefully this week you’ve been visiting a bunch of new book blogs and maybe noticing some things about them you’d like to try yourself. Or maybe you’ve just had some ideas for improvements to your blog you’d like to put into place or new ideas for content. But there’s also probably something you really love about your blog, too, something you’re really proud of. It’s time to show off! Tell us and this is really important, in 50 words or less what you love best about your blog! And then in 50 words or less where you want your blog to be by the next BBAW! Ready? GO!

My favorite part of my blog is the pictures of my cats and the little pictures of my followers. I want to make several changes and additions to my blog in the near future and hope to expand to 3 columns soon. (Vicki from Reading at the Beach gave me great instructions on doing this, I just haven't had the courage yet!) The majority of changes will be book related and probably some more cat pics. I plan to add more book reviews and I have seen great sidebar images and lists on many blogs, some of which I'd like to add here such as a list and pics of my TBR books, maybe a book or cat quote of the day, blog buttons and other book logos etc.

I have learned in my life that it's best for me to take things slowly when doing something new, to research and plan what I want to do because anytime I've gone into something "guns a-blazing!" I've wished later on that I'd been more careful, taken my time and eased into it. I plan to be here for a long time and to make this place great! I'm not well-versed in html (not versed at all in fact lol) so I could use some help! (please, oh please! lol) If I start asking too many questions or for advice too often about how to add or link things to my blog (I have a list or two somewhere! heee, hee) just send me to a time-out. lol BBAW has definitely shown me that bloggers are a great group of people!

So, how do I get a script-type signature instead of just typing my name?! (no time like the present, uh?!)

Some Wonderful Blogs!

Today is the first day of Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW). When I started my blog I wasn't aware of the extensive book loving & reading community of bloggers and blogs that exists in the blogosphere. I was thrilled when I discovered a large, supportive and enjoyable community of bloggers who read books, recommend them to each other, review many of the books they read, participate in varied discussions pertaining to books, post daily about various topics related to books and so much more. Several blogs were short-listed for awards as part of BBAW but there are many great blogs out there for your reading pleasure.

Here are a few I would like to highlight because they have been invaluable in helping me to acclimate and feel comfortable here.

Chocolate & Croissants. Esme is an intelligent, very well-read and sweet blogger with a blog that combines books and food! What could be better? Esme writes thoughtful, comprehensive reviews of a variety of interesting books hosts great giveaways, posts delicious recipes, many French origin as she loves all things French and has two adorable kitties. Esme reached out to me after reading a comment of mine and ever since she has helped me navigate the blogosphere and provided me with countless book resources and she's become a good friend.

Reading at the Beach. Vicki has answered countless questions from me about how to do this or that with my blog. Her blog overflows with book reviews and wonderful memes, numerous giveaways of great books and thoughtful posts. She is sweet and very patient and so willing to help. When I follow all of the great instructions she's given me, my blog will be big & beautiful!

A Lovely Shore Breeze. Caite has a wonderful, dry wit and occasional sarcasm that makes me laugh. Her blog contains great book lists, many interesting discussions on various book related topics and strong, thought-filled reviews. She's a fan of thrillers and crime fiction but is willing to give any book a chance even if the write up doesn't thrill her! Caite is also supports and loves lighthouses.

Missy's Book Nook. Missy's blog is full of light and fun. I always smile when I visit her blog. She has a wonderful list of books on her sidebar, writes terrific reviews on a variety of books and is full of positive energy. I'm always happy when I see her name in my comments. oh, yes! She loves cats!

Reading Extravaganza Lilly shares my love of words. She reads a wonderfully eclectic mix of books and I have learned to expand my tastes and try new genres through reading her blog. Lilly also loves quotes and posts some wonderful ones in her blog from a varied group of in remarkable human beings. I know I'll always find something intriguing and interesting in Lilly's blog. And she hails from my neck of the woods just a little farther down the road!

There are so many great blogs out there that I wish I could sit and visit them all day in and day out for as long as I choose but life doesn't work that way! A lot book bloggers have commented on many of my posts, particularly the reviews I've posted and other book-related posts and have made me feel welcome here and supported. I want to say Thank you! to those bloggers and to all of you for this wonderful community!