July 31, 2009
Fiber One Yogurt Printable Coupon
My Blog Spark has provided me with this printable coupon for Fiber One Yogurt to share with all my readers. Use it to save $1.00 on the New 50 Calorie Fiber One Yogurt. Enjoy!!
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Giveaway: Win an audio book of your choice
My Review:
When a beautiful supermodel, Kim McDaniels, goes missing on a Hawaiian photo shoot, no one panics or calls the police. They assume she ran off on her own and will be back soon. Then her parents get a chilling call from a madman. He tells them he has Kim and they fly off to Hawaii to find her. What they find when they get there is a bunch of dead ends and no leads.
When LA Times reporter and writer Ben Hawkins contacts them with an offer of help they jump at the chance for the former police officer to assist them since no one in Hawaii seems to be taking them seriously.
Ben ends up on wild goose chase of his own that leads to a visit from the killer and a shocking proposal. The killer, Henri Benoit, would like to tell his life story through Ben in exchange for information on the killing of Kim and other recent disappearances. With the killer holding the threat of harming his girlfriend over his head Ben has no choice but to deal with the lunatic. But it doesn’t stop at the killer. There is a whole network of demented individuals pulling the strings that gets Ben caught up a whole world of trouble.
I think this may have been a much better book with a little more character development. There was a lot of action but I never felt empathy for Kim’s parents or Ben and his girlfriend. With Henri, I think that his back story wasn’t fully told. I was left with many questions at the end that I was hoping would have been resolved. Overall it was still a good thriller that I would recommend for suspense readers.
My Review:
While resting from his latest adventure in Bali with his girlfriend Moira, Jason Bourne is shot near the heart by his arch-enemy and fellow TreadStone graduate, Arkadin. Convinced he hit his target Arkadin flees leaving Jason for dead.
Fast forward 6 months and Moira is back in the states getting her new private military contractor business off the ground. As far as anyone knows Jason was killed in Bali but for the last 6 months he’s been recovering from his near death and is diligently trying to find out who was behind the assassination attempt.
At the same time a plane is shot down over Egypt and Jason’s former girlfriend Soraya Moore is part of the team investigating the attack. All the clues seem to point to Iran as the source of the attack and a potential war between the US and Iran seems imminent but all is not quite what it seems when dealing with greedy masterminds.
I’m a big fan of thrillers but I don’t usually search out these military types. However on road trips with my husband I’ve listened to several of the Jason Bourne books and I’ve seen all three of the Matt Damon Bourne movies and liked them all so when this one was up for consideration I picked it up for review but was a little disappointed.
Instead of being a straight Bourne action story there were several different plot lines with different characters through the whole book. They all come together in the end nicely but throughout most of the book I would have to stop and think, “Who was this guy again?” and to me having to stop and put the jumbled up characters in contexts puts a damper on my read. Overall I would recommend it to Bourne fans but I’d say pass if you haven’t read the rest of the series.
My Review:
Tara Boatwright dreaded the day the day her mother watched the numbers being pulled in the Georgia State lottery. Time after time Patsy would get belligerent after realizing her numbers weren’t called and Tara always tried to make herself scarce on Wednesday nights. Today however Tara had to go back home for her organic chemistry book and sure enough Patsy was swirling her drink in front of the TV with her lottery tickets laid out in front of her. But just when Tara thinks she got off easy Patsy starts yelling and this time it’s not in anger… it’s in shock. The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars!
The next afternoon while passing through the town of Brunswick, Georgia, Shaw McBride over hears the story about the Boatwright’s good fortune and forms a plan with his partner in crime Romeo Zderko. Shaw plans to threaten the family into sharing the prize and uses Romeo to back up his threats.
For the next week the Boatwrights live in terror while waiting to collect their money but soon they actively pursue a way out. Will Shaw and Romeo discover their plans before it’s too late?
I loved Ravens. Its part thriller, part comedy and even part romance. The Boatwright family are a bunch of spineless knuckleheads but you can’t help love them all. Poor Romeo wants nothing more than to go home but he can’t find his own way out of Shaw’s greedy plan. Shaw on the other hand is genius. The cojones it takes to pull off a scheme so grand is pretty amazing and I just love the way the book ended. This is a recommended read for all fiction lovers.
at Reading With Monie http://shar.es/yzrg Please RT
Giveaway ends August 10th and winners have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the US and Canada only. No PO Boxes please.
July 30, 2009
Review: Dead Write: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery by Sheila Lowe
After completing an interview giving her thoughts on the latest misbehaving celebrity, handwriting expert Claudia Rose received a call from a potential new client. Baroness Grusha Olinetsky owner of Elite Introductions would like to hire Claudia to analyze the handwriting of her wealthy clients to ensure good matches.
The Baroness quickly gets Claudia on a plane to New York from California and once she starts reviewing the client files, Claudia sees more than a few red flags that cause her concern. After a close friend was recently murdered, Claudia is hesitant to be drawn into anything even remotely dangerous but the Baroness pleads for her help.
Still unsure that anything serious is going on Claudia agrees but she quickly learns that several members of the dating service have died in the past few weeks and although each death appears to be natural or accidental, Claudia tries unsuccessfully to cut all ties with the Baroness. Now Claudia is right in the middle of the feuding playboys who are her number one suspects and on top of that, her relationship with her boyfriend back home is on very shaky ground.
Dead Write is book three in the Claudia Rose Forensic Handwriting Mystery series however it does stand alone. There are a few references to the events in books one and two but you can jump right into this story without missing a beat.
What I especially like about this book is the plausible storyline. Claudia isn't stumbling over dead bodies and jumping in to investigate the murders like in most cozies. It's a more realistic scenario where she even tries to run away from any sign of trouble.
I also love the unique premise of Claudia's work as a graphologist. Sheila Lowe has over 25 years of experience in this field but the book doesn't get too technical with the details. She makes it interesting enough that I want to get my own handwriting analyzed along with my husband and co-workers.
There is a pretty good cliffhanger at the end of Dead Write that leaves me anxiously awaiting the next book in the series which will hopefully be along soon. All three books in the series are a must read for all cozy and mystery lovers.
July 27, 2009
Review: The Amateurs by Marcus Sakey
The Thursday Night Drinking Club that met at Rossi’s each week consisted of four friends. Mitch is the loveable loser. He has absolutely no backbone and wouldn’t stand up for himself against anyone. Ian is the closet druggie and gambler. He’s facing some serious hurt if he doesn’t pay his gambling debts. Alex is the divorced father. Working as a bar tender he hasn’t been able to keep up with his child support payments and his ex-wife is threatening to take his daughter out of state. Jenn is the only girl in the group. She’s secretly sleeping with one of the guys and yearns for more adventure in life.
Playing the game of “What would you do with a million dollars?” one night gets them all thinking about an easy score when Alex mentions to his friends that his boss left a lot of cash in the office safe.
But when the easy score turns into murder, their ho-hum lives are turned upside down in the split second it takes to pull the trigger and the once close friends can no longer trust each other.
Seriously guys, this book was incredible and may have just taken the crown from Saints in Limbo as my favorite book this year.
The friends are each kind of damaged in their own way but they all step up when faced with the terrible consequences of their actions. My favorite character of the four is Mitch. I adored him for both his door mat self in the beginning and what he became after the robbery. The ending was a complete shock but plays well with the storyline. Really the whole book is genius and I can’t really say too much more without giving away some of the plot.
You have to trust me on this one and pick up your own copy here. This was my first book by Sakey but from his website I see that he has plenty more to offer that I can’t wait to read. I also saw that three of his previous novels were optioned for movies. I hope The Amateurs makes it to the big screen also. This is a must read for suspense and thriller lovers.
July 26, 2009
Review: Playing for Pizza by John Grishham
In just 11 minutes, third-string quarterback Rick Dockery, ruined his NFL career forever. Playing for the Cleveland Browns in the AFC championship game Rick was unexpectedly called upon when the first and second string quarterbacks were taken out of the game with 11 minutes to go. In those 11 minutes Rick blew a 17 point lead by throwing two interceptions and getting sacked so bad he ended up in the hospital.
When he woke up from his concussion not one NFL team would touch him with a 10-foot pole. Angry fans even started a riot at the hospital. So Rick was pleasantly surprised when his agent called with an offer to play for the Panthers. But Rick wasn’t off to Carolina. He was on his way to Parma, Italy.
With Italian football, each team is allowed 3 paid Americans. The rest of the team is made up of players who play for free because they love of American football. The Panthers look upon Rick as their savior. They think he can lead them to the Italian Superbowl to defeat their rival team. But to Rick, Parma is the last place on earth he wants to be and it shows.
My husband is a huge John Grisham fan so I originally picked this one up for him. After he read it he loved it so much that I had to see what all the fuss was about and I loved it too. Rick grows so much as a character in this book and the Parma team just cracks me up. There is a guy with plenty of unnecessary butt clenching, a judge that takes his aggression out on the field and an Italian football diva that liven up the story with their antics.
Rick’s romantic interest really threw me in this book. He didn’t end up with who I thought he would but I still enjoyed the romance. This is a really fun book that I recommend to all fiction lovers.
July 25, 2009
Giveaway: 18x24 Digitally Printed Poster from Digital Room
WINNER PENDING
At Digital Room, they love photos as much as we do. And we all have plenty of them lying around, right? Well, now is your chance to enlarge that special photo you’ve been wanting to display. The photo can be of anything you want, as long it will make you happy to see it enlarged!
This is the picture I'll be using for my own poster. I've loved snails since I was a little girl and my brother snapped this picture for me when he bought a new camera. I can't wait to hang it in my office.Poster Printing is so easy with Digital Room. First select the size of your poster then choose your favorite picture and upload then finalize your order. It's easy to turn your favorite pictures into mini masterpieces!!
Plus with Custom Poster Printing you can order posters in large quantities for your business, event promos, sports teams or any group you may be involved in. Digital Room is always fast and affordable and thier customer service professionals are always helpful. Check them out today.
A winner will be selected August 6th.
Giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada only. Ground shipping of prizes is free, but there is a $5 handling fee that must be paid by winner. Digital Room reserves the right not to print obscene or offensive materials.
July 24, 2009
Blog Tour & Review: Ravens by George Dawes Green
Be sure to watch this awesome trailer!!
Tara Boatwright dreaded the day the day her mother watched the numbers being pulled in the Georgia State lottery. Time after time Patsy would get belligerent after realizing her numbers weren’t called and Tara always tried to make herself scarce on Wednesday nights. Today however Tara had to go back home for her organic chemistry book and sure enough Patsy was swirling her drink in front of the TV with her lottery tickets laid out in front of her. But just when Tara thinks she got off easy Patsy starts yelling and this time it’s not in anger… it’s in shock. The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars!
The next afternoon while passing through the town of Brunswick, Georgia, Shaw McBride over hears the story about the Boatwright’s good fortune and forms a plan with his partner in crime Romeo Zderko. Shaw plans to threaten the family into sharing the prize and uses Romeo to back up his threats.
For the next week the Boatwrights live in terror while waiting to collect their money but soon they actively pursue a way out. Will Shaw and Romeo discover their plans before it’s too late?
I loved Ravens. Its part thriller, part comedy and even part romance. The Boatwright family are a bunch of spineless knuckleheads but you can’t help love them all. Poor Romeo wants nothing more than to go home but he can’t find his own way out of Shaw’s greedy plan. Shaw on the other hand is genius. The cojones it takes to pull off a scheme so grand is pretty amazing and I just love the way the book ended. This is a recommended read for all fiction lovers.
More Tour Participants:
July 20
http://www.iheartmonster.com
http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com
http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com
http://abookishmom.blogspot.com
http://www.foreigncircuslibrary.blogspot.com
http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com
July 21
http://aseaofbooks.blogspot.com
http://stephaniesbooks.blogspot.com
http://www.thisbookforfree.com
http://proudbookworm.blogspot.com
http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com
July 22
http://www.reviewfromhere.com
http://nevernotreading.blogspot.com
http://www.frommipov.blogspot.com
http://bellasnovella.com
http://mindingspot.blogspot.com
July 23
http://booksiesblog.blogspot.com
http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com
http://memybookandthecouch.blogspot.com
http://bridget3420.blogspot.com
http://bookingmama.blogspot.com
http://BookSoulmates.blogspot.com
http://www.bookwormygirl.blogspot.com
http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com
July 24
http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com
http://bookrevues.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/darbyscloset
http://www.myfriendamysblog.com
http://justjenniferreading.blogspot.com
July 21, 2009
Giveaway: Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons
Author's Website
Acclaimed novelist Anne Rivers Siddons's new novel is a stunning tale of love and loss.
For as long as she can remember, they were Cam and Lilly--happily married, totally in love with each other, parents of a beautiful family, and partners in life. Then, after decades of marriage, it ended as every great love story does...in loss. After Cam's death, Lilly takes a lone road trip to her and Cam's favorite spot on the remote coast of Maine, the place where they fell in love over and over again, where their ghosts still dance. There, she looks hard to her past--to a first love that ended in tragedy; to falling in love with Cam; to a marriage filled with exuberance, sheer life, and safety-- to try to figure out her future.
It is a journey begun with tender memories and culminating in a revelation that will make Lilly re-evaluate everything she thought was true about her husband and her marriage.
MAIN ENTRY:
EXTRA ENTRIES:
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Open to US and Canada only, no PO boxes please. One main entry for each unique review comment. Twitter entries can be done once a day. Giveaway ends July 30th and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or a new winner will be selected.
Please note: SPAMMER ED has hit my blog twice so I switched to comment moderation. I will approve comments as quickly as I can.
Thanks for visiting and GOOD LUCK.
July 20, 2009
Review: The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
As many aspiring screen writers know, selling a screenplay is almost impossible. When Mormon housewife Becky Jack sends in her very first screenplay she’s pleasantly surprised when she gets the call that a studio is interested. Becky flies off to Los Angeles and in the offices of the production studio she meets Felix Callahan.
Felix is the devilishly handsome British actor who Becky has always had a crush on. With nerves and fear bubbling up to the surface Becky can’t stop insulting Felix but he’s one step ahead of her tosses his own insults right back at her. Surprisingly the banter sparks interest on both sides and they end up having dinner together.
Afterward, Becky heads home, laughs about the encounter with her husband Mike and goes back to her daily life secretly cherishing the time she spent with Felix. When a layover puts Felix in Salt Lake City he drops in on Becky and a tentative friendship begins between the actor and the housewife. What follows is a twelve year friendship filled with a lot of ‘should we’, ‘can we’, ‘do you think’ and more ups and downs than a roller coaster.
This book was so sweet. I absolutely loved the relationship between Becky and Felix. They were daring, witty and fun and I couldn’t get enough. I think without such witty dialogue I might have enjoyed the book at lot less because situations like this never happen in real life. The ending was a complete surprise but I was definitely satisfied by it.
The only thing that kept me from rating this a full five stars is the anticipation I felt through most of it. I was constantly thinking that by the next page things were going to take off at break neck speed but the journey was pretty mellow despite the ups and downs of their lives. Overall I highly recommend this one to lovers of contemporary fiction and chick-lit lovers.
July 19, 2009
Review: The Night I Got Lucky by Laura Caldwell
While talking with her therapist one day Billy Rendell confesses that she wants more from her life. Her husband has been more and more distracted by work lately, her chances of making VP at her PR firm are not looking good and she still agonizes over her father leaving her family when she was only a child.
Billy’s therapist asks the question, “What if you had everything you wanted? Would you be really happy?” and without hesitation Billy says yes. Then overnight Billy has it all.
Her husband Chris is affectionate to the point that it’s turning Billy off. She has her long sought after promotion but it turns out that it’s not all she hoped it would be and suddenly the harmless crush she had on Evan at work turns into more when he can’t seem to get enough of her either.
Now Billy’s life goes from okay and mildly happy to miserable in just a few weeks and she has to figure out what she really wants from life before it’s too late.
The Night I Got Lucky is typical chick-lit but the characters are so real and well done that I’m reminded why I love the genre so much. The book follows the premise of the grass is not always greener on the other side and be careful what you wish for. Billy has a rough time realizing what her priorities are but is able to turn things around quite well. Most of the time you know how a chick-lit story is going to end and this was no exception but it was still a sweet ending to a quick light read. Highly recommended for chick-lit readers.
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