tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24750174042202017352024-03-16T01:53:51.146-04:00Redlady's Reading Room Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.comBlogger637125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-27963643520543485052016-02-10T12:43:00.000-05:002016-05-09T20:07:32.857-04:00Review & U.S. Giveaway: The Widow by Fiona Barton<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwsd_ZmdhYCza3lsy4EY80wEabFHT3qm8e6tqkXE525lsqTJ3-SbT64k8e4lNJ2Fnzj1V38mRUVKBt99MZgnRVAbbKj9UZIW5P9VWITSWsz15svk65uqqRhA28stomgIEE-n0JDfVhMz1/s1600/The+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwsd_ZmdhYCza3lsy4EY80wEabFHT3qm8e6tqkXE525lsqTJ3-SbT64k8e4lNJ2Fnzj1V38mRUVKBt99MZgnRVAbbKj9UZIW5P9VWITSWsz15svk65uqqRhA28stomgIEE-n0JDfVhMz1/s320/The+widow.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have to confess that I have been addicted to reading psychological thrillers and suspense the past year or so. Has anyone else experienced this? I love to read my other favorite genres and authors as well. There are so many new authors and edge of your seat thrills that have been enjoyable. I guess that I needed more excitement in my life. Seriously, I find the mystery of the psychological mind and how it works fascinating. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From the Publisher: </span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "constantia" , serif;">The subject of heated auctions in more than twenty countries around the world—including Germany, France, Brazil, and Spain—that have been covered in both Publishers Weekly and The Bookseller, <b>THE WIDOW </b>will be published in January in the UK by Transworld (British publisher of The Girl on the Train).</span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "constantia" , serif;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "constantia" , serif;">A British journalist who has worked for the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph among other UK publications, Barton recently shared the inspiration for <b>THE WIDOW</b>: <b>“</b></span><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "constantia" , serif;">As a journalist, I spent a lot of time in court. In the big cases</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif;">—<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1a1a1a;">notorious and terrible crimes that led the news</span>—<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1a1a1a;">I would find myself watching the wives of those standing in the dock and wondering what they really knew, or allowed themselves to know.” </span></span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "constantia" , serif;">Kate Waters, the reporter in the novel, is a composite of several journalists Barton has known, including herself. “I have been where Kate’s been—on the doorstep, interviewing difficult subjects, minding interviewees at hotels.”</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "constantia" , serif;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "constantia" , serif;">In <b>THE WIDOW</b>, Jean Taylor is the wife of a man who may be a monster. Though never convicted, Glen Taylor was the prime suspect in a horrible crime that captivated people across England and had camera crews camping out on the Taylors’ front lawn. Now, a week after Glen’s death, journalist Kate Waters shows up at Jean’s door, like so many others before, seeking answers—and the scoop of a lifetime. Though Jean kept quiet during the media circus surrounding the trial, she is finally ready to break her silence.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "constantia" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif;">The desperate search for <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black;">answers—both in the past and the present—</span>takes shape through the interlocking narratives of the widow, the journalist, and the detective who never forgot the case. Each has a story to tell, but some might be more truthful than others. Their stories converge in a shocking ending that will leave readers everywhere eager to share and discuss <b>THE WIDOW</b>.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
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<tr><td colspan="1" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In this debut novel, The Widow, Jean Taylor, is the heart of the story in this engaging, fast paced psychological thriller. It is subtle enough to pull you in and engage you as a reader and pops of fascination propel you through the layered story. A little girl lost, her grieving mother and did Jean Taylors husband Glenn have anything to do with it? This is the mystery that the reader goes through and what would it be like to find out that your husband may have a secret life that you knew nothing about? How the media overwhelms the families lives and the decisions to speak to them or not. The ending didn't surprise me but it did provide some closure which is gratifying as a reader.<br /></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>~GIVEAWAY~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks to <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/" style="color: #6a6a6a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a>, I have<b> ONE </b>copy to give away to a U.S. based reader. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><strike>To Enter, CLICK HERE and fill out the form</strike></b>. <strike>Giveaway is open to those with U.S. addresses only, per publisher request. ONE entry per person,<b> Ends March 1, 2015</b>.</strike></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Giveaway has ended.</b></span><br />
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Review copy provided by Netgalley and Penguin Random House<br />
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© Copyright 2016- All Rights Reserved
Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-4011025328545091532015-07-28T07:00:00.000-04:002015-07-28T07:37:06.693-04:00Review: Summer Secrets by Jane Green<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPm3xt7mh73cp185WhiRA9UNkxf3A2GeN_nWp2XSR275FqY59_twuIp_K1MA4HO2aqvmY20qXP-f3xC0dk-PrBnKPmjixx-Iq5_ptVU4VUs14i3Njywa8EuifOL9kDEp33ANlDaK98hly/s1600/summer+secrets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPm3xt7mh73cp185WhiRA9UNkxf3A2GeN_nWp2XSR275FqY59_twuIp_K1MA4HO2aqvmY20qXP-f3xC0dk-PrBnKPmjixx-Iq5_ptVU4VUs14i3Njywa8EuifOL9kDEp33ANlDaK98hly/s320/summer+secrets.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cover of <a href="http://www.janegreen.com/books/" target="_blank">Summer Secrets</a> by Jane Green screams summer and Nantucket to me...blue hydrangeas, blue representing the blue ocean, summer, blue skies. That is what I visualize when I hold this book </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in my hands and gaze at the cover</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, the perfect summer read. I have to admit that I am in love with this book cover. It makes me want to go to Nantucket and walk the streets and meander the shops on the island. I have not visited there...yet, but I have visited Martha's Vineyard which I loved. It's on my bucket list...one day, I will get there. I digress...I loved this book. I just started reading Jane Green's novels this year and immediately devoured 3 books in a row starting with </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21853667-saving-grace?from_search=true&search_version=service" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Saving Grace</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Summer Secrets is Jane Green's 17th novel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have to say that I loved Cat, the main character, her flaws and honesty felt raw and real to me as a reader. The book opens in 2014 with Cat living in London, looking back on her life and the choices she has made, the choices that were made that affected her and the path that has led her to where she is now at peace in her life. Cat is in her 30's sober, divorced, making up for the past with her teenaged daughter. The story goes back and forth between the present in 2014, Cat's childhood and life in her 20's. In her 20's, a truth is revealed about her father and she connects with family in Nantucket where one fateful summer night catapulted her future in many ways. Cat has the opportunity to confront her past in the process of making amends and returns to Nantucket in her 30's in 2014. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cat's story is emotional, deeply honest and touching. I felt like I was reading the story of a friend, one that I could see being friends with. We are all flawed, all have paths in our lives that are not perfect and the only way we can change is to face our battles and the truth. It's hard, life is not easy for everyone and we can never know what someone has endured unless you walk in their shoes. I have not experienced what Cat has although I have friends that have walked the road she travelled. Jane Green is a talented writer who understands womens issues. In Summer Secrets, she has written a story that shows the strength and spirit of women and how we can overcome our battles and come out on a different side that we never thought imaginable. I loved this book and can't wait until Jane Green's 18th book! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out <a href="http://www.janegreen.com/" target="_blank">Jane Green's Website here</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review copy provided by <a href="http://www.tandemliterary.com/" target="_blank">Tandem Literary </a></span><br />
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© Copyright 2015- All Rights Reserved
Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-44370523145726254222015-07-26T16:48:00.004-04:002015-07-26T16:49:55.674-04:00Review: TIny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeH4lNwKAlyXsf64zjtpCkiTX7aseSmFoe7tAdSM6a-DqBsz-thEARQmSGWqDFbIR_jtyWliE82wm7wLwnyf5f-si8eD605YPfZnL-kEwEJ6AahXsF-c8ZueHsFfccRYUb4Myhn9FXlUOU/s1600/tiny+little+thing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeH4lNwKAlyXsf64zjtpCkiTX7aseSmFoe7tAdSM6a-DqBsz-thEARQmSGWqDFbIR_jtyWliE82wm7wLwnyf5f-si8eD605YPfZnL-kEwEJ6AahXsF-c8ZueHsFfccRYUb4Myhn9FXlUOU/s320/tiny+little+thing.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/316632/tiny-little-thing-by-beatriz-williams/" target="_blank">Tiny Little Thing </a> opens in the summer of 1966 at the family estate on Cape Cod. Christina, known as "Tiny" to her family and friends, is at a precipice of unveiling secrets surrounding her. Tiny and her husband Frank, present the picture perfect Kennedy-esque couple. Frank is destined for politics, his plan to run for a Senate seat with his father pushing him down this path. Tiny, with grace and style in her petite frame of elegance has been raised to marry a man of power and leadership. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tiny, has a secret of her own that she doesn't want revealed. Envelopes containing incriminating photographs keep appearing in her mail with notes of blackmail. Two visitors appear, Tiny's sister Pepper and Frank's cousin Vietnam war hero Caspian who knows more about Tiny's inner life than Frank. As the story unravels, the reader is taken back and forth in time between 1964 to 1966 to connect the dots of the story. I found this style engaging and kept reading as secrets were revealed. As most of us know, secrets eventually will be revealed in life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I enjoy reading about family secrets and dramas along with historical fiction. If you enjoy these as well, Tiny Little Thing will pull you in as a reader. Ms. Williams tells an intriguing, entertaining story intertwined with factual details of this time period. I liked Tiny's character and how she developed throughout the novel. Her innocence and bravery to face the truth of her life showed great character. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are looking for an enjoyable summer and/or beach read, I highly recommend <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/316632/tiny-little-thing-by-beatriz-williams/" target="_blank">Tiny Little Thing</a> by Beatriz Williams. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review copy provided by Netgalley and <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/" target="_blank">Penguin Group Putnam</a>. </span></div>
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© Copyright 2015- All Rights Reserved
Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-45599029924335880832015-07-08T11:30:00.001-04:002015-07-26T12:04:15.398-04:00Spotlight/US Giveaway: The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">Today, the spotlight is on <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/317924/the-gates-of-evangeline-by-hester-young/" target="_blank">Putnam</a>’s </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">biggest debut of the Fall 2015 season</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">, Hester Young’s </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/317924/the-gates-of-evangeline-by-hester-young/" target="_blank">THE GATES OF EVANGELINE</a></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">, which comes out on </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1409051873" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">September 1, 2015</span></span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's described as an </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">" </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">addictive first book in a fantastic new series </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">introduces the</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"> unforgettable Charlotte “Charlie” Cates, a heroine whose dark visions bring to light secrets that will ultimately heal or destroy those</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> around her".</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Quick Take</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">: Sometimes a dream is simply a dream, a manifestation of daytime adventures and anxieties. But dreams can also deliver premonitions, a phenomenon eerily familiar to writer Hester Young. In fact, Young’s grandmother had an inexplicable premonitory dream of her four-year-old’s tragic and fatal fall and decades later, Young’s own dreams would foreshadow a local tragedy. These fascinating slices of real family history are the inspiration behind <b>THE GATES OF EVANGELINE. </b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">When grieving mother and New York journalist Charlie Cates begins to experience vivid dreams about children in danger she’s sure that she’s lost her mind. Yet these are not the nightmares of a grieving parent, she soon realizes. They are messages and warnings that will help Charlie and the children she sees, if only she can make sense of them.</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">After a little boy in a boat appears in Charlie’s dreams asking for her help, Charlie finds herself entangled in a thirty-year-old missing-child case that has never ceased to haunt Louisiana’s prestigious Deveau family. Armed with an invitation to Evangeline, the family’s sprawling estate, Charlie heads south, where new friendships and an unlikely romance bring healing. But as she uncovers long-buried secrets of love, money, betrayal, and murder, the facts begin to implicate those she most wants to trust—and her visions reveal an evil closer than she could’ve imagined.</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><i>About the Author</i>: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">Hester Young holds a Master’s degree in English with a Creative Writing concentration from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and her work has been published in literary magazines such as </span><i style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">The Hawai’i Review</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">. Before turning to writing full time, she worked as a teacher in Arizona and New Hampshire. She lives with her husband and two children in New Jersey. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks to </span><a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Putnam/Penguin Random House</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, I have</span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> TWO </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">copies to give away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strike><b>To Enter, Click Here and fill out the form.</b> Giveaway is open to those with a US address only. One entry per person. <b>Ends July 24, 2015</b>. </strike></span><br />
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© Copyright 2015- All Rights Reserved
Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-17086998246456069412015-06-30T09:22:00.003-04:002015-07-05T18:13:58.277-04:00Imagination Will Take You Everywhere by Samantha Snyder (Doodle Art Alley Books)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwdExxXwkznt68x-0u8ZrtwC3CmKlYz6HCTS53fDNwY6a8_NGwwBAjIQgh1oZTfPyupH4S82DtvBMomN29QiK5C5CkEJ4MpbLUaiMW2e9t97tbRJ9JPEs6eQ_osE3-WuWIrOX3Q6uK4hc/s1600/doodle+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwdExxXwkznt68x-0u8ZrtwC3CmKlYz6HCTS53fDNwY6a8_NGwwBAjIQgh1oZTfPyupH4S82DtvBMomN29QiK5C5CkEJ4MpbLUaiMW2e9t97tbRJ9JPEs6eQ_osE3-WuWIrOX3Q6uK4hc/s320/doodle+art.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I must admit I enjoy coloring, doodling and quotes so this new book <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25550533-imagination-will-take-you-everywhere-doodle-art-alley-books" target="_blank">Imagination will take You Everywhere</a> packages these all together in a wonderful and fun book. The size of this paperback book is perfect, and the drawings and quotes are inspiring. This book is pure fun....therapeutic, relaxating and inspirational all packaged into one. I like to color Mandalas and do journal art so I have a collection of watercolor colored pencils, Crayola Twistables and markers to choose from. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKazfO1QHCK17X5tCfGZ0HKPYe8Oz2U2cANLSttQf7O1jPZeGtLsOkZOyWc2MBxDiL4lOioNCBgb2RECLlR51r55Mk2HhbErhZr2-eeR1dM5zB42YxdlV8G2mpBD6SDg7f8NVeLI2XV4G/s1600/doodle+art+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKazfO1QHCK17X5tCfGZ0HKPYe8Oz2U2cANLSttQf7O1jPZeGtLsOkZOyWc2MBxDiL4lOioNCBgb2RECLlR51r55Mk2HhbErhZr2-eeR1dM5zB42YxdlV8G2mpBD6SDg7f8NVeLI2XV4G/s320/doodle+art+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAh98AxmZMRSRJKyhGDggl4U48-brJVMaSQ-U1Lz2Ghc7rIMdCc2G8iOR2N0z4HumfbKO1iMou1dy8kkx8bK2sJNXEnUQRnDn3GKaji9uxM_HA2SY1riIRTZVdwsqLq-mas5FjkuVC4M0/s1600/doodle+art+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAh98AxmZMRSRJKyhGDggl4U48-brJVMaSQ-U1Lz2Ghc7rIMdCc2G8iOR2N0z4HumfbKO1iMou1dy8kkx8bK2sJNXEnUQRnDn3GKaji9uxM_HA2SY1riIRTZVdwsqLq-mas5FjkuVC4M0/s320/doodle+art+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you enjoy coloring or want to give it a try, this is a fun and relaxing way to spend some down time. It's a definite stress reliever and I often put on some music or listen to an audio book and escape into the comfort of coloring. With this book, you also have the added bonus of quotes to inspire you. I look forward to spending more time with this book and I've already bought a gift copy and sent it to my cousin in Germany. I sent her some pictures of what I was working on and she loved it, so it's a perfect gift as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to try your hand at coloring, or even share with your kids for a fun summer activity, the author's website has free printable summer coloring pages on her website, <a href="http://www.doodle-art-alley.com/summer-coloring-pages.html" target="_blank">go here</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About the book:</span><br />
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<strong>Explore the Magic of Doodle Art.</strong><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></blockquote>
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<strong></strong>Imagination Will Take You Everywhere shares 50 doodle art images of inspiring sayings, quotes, and words printed on one side of the page for all ages to color.<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></blockquote>
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Quotes from famous authors include Emily Dickinson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Benjamin Franklin, John Keats, Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, William Shakespeare, and more. The book also includes sayings and words from Be Kind, Courage, and Dream Big to Enjoy the Journey, Faith, and Hope.<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></blockquote>
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Each doodle art image has been carefully selected to provide plenty of enjoyment, inspiration, and relaxation.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About the author: </span><br />
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Samantha Snyder has been doodling her whole life. While teaching elementary school, she often drew up coloring pages and printables for her students and fellow teachers. She decided to start sharing her creations and in 2008, Doodle Art Alley was founded. Doodle Art Alley is dedicated to giving those squiggly lines the proper credit they deserve. Who would have thought that such a small and simple idea could possess so much potential? There are lots of fun art activities, tips and information to read through and enjoy.<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></blockquote>
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Author Website: <a href="http://bookreviewrequest.com/?email_id=240&user_id=3406&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5kb29kbGUtYXJ0LWFsbGV5LmNvbS9kb29kbGUtYXJ0LWFsbGV5LWJvb2tzLmh0bWw%3D&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(74, 145, 176) !important; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank" title="Doodle Art Alley">Doodle Art Alley</a></blockquote>
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Review copy provided by<a href="http://bookreviewrequest.com/" target="_blank"> Word Slinger Publicity </a> in exchange for an honest review.<br />
No compensation was received.<br />
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Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-44698836515309654062015-06-21T16:29:00.000-04:002015-07-08T11:32:52.216-04:00Giveaway: Summer Secrets by Jane Green<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAn-_De50cuwnSGYe2da7gVBhQ9lMZDdvR5FmqZWWh3QhSFGMonQmvqbFC1f4MD_iDmlKhukyCohTYQZjUN2fvNzC5k2N8NSyBd2ruG8MLOlpazQIIMkavG8QP5kDZgclFrx2ITeWqfvSL/s1600/summer+secrets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAn-_De50cuwnSGYe2da7gVBhQ9lMZDdvR5FmqZWWh3QhSFGMonQmvqbFC1f4MD_iDmlKhukyCohTYQZjUN2fvNzC5k2N8NSyBd2ruG8MLOlpazQIIMkavG8QP5kDZgclFrx2ITeWqfvSL/s200/summer+secrets.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would you like a great summer read? I've got a copy of <a href="http://www.janegreen.com/" target="_blank">Jane Green</a>'s newest book to giveaway, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23245587-summer-secrets?from_search=true&search_version=service" target="_blank">Summer Secrets</a>! It will be released on June 23rd and is already showing up on summer must read lists and getting pre-pub raves! </span></div>
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<i>When a shocking family secret is revealed, twenty-something journalist Cat Coombs finds herself falling into a dark spiral. Wild, glamorous nights out in London and raging hangovers the next day become her norm, leading to a terrible mistake one night while visiting family in America, on the island of Nantucket. It's a mistake for which she can't forgive herself. When she returns home, she confronts the unavoidable reality of her life and knows it's time to grow up. But she doesn't know if she'll ever be able to earn the forgiveness of the people she hurt.<br />As the years pass, Cat grows into her forties, a struggling single mother, coping with a new-found sobriety and determined to finally make amends. Traveling back to her past, to the family she left behind on Nantucket all those years ago, she may be able to earn their forgiveness, but in doing so she may risk losing the very people she loves the most.<br />Told with Jane Green's keen eye for detailing the emotional landscape of the heart, Summer Secrets is at once a compelling drama and a beautifully rendered portrait of relationships, betrayals, and forgiveness; about accepting the things we cannot change, finding the courage to change the things we can, and being strong enough to weather the storms.</i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About the author: </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jane Green’s seventeenth novel, <span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://janegreen.com/2015/05/summer-secrets-out-now/" style="background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #428bca; text-decoration: none;">Summer Secrets</a></span></span>, will be released in the US on June 23rd and on July 2nd in the UK. She is the author of sixteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, including The Beach House, Jemima J, and most recently <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://janegreen.com/2015/05/saving-grace-in-stores-now/" style="background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #428bca; text-decoration: none;">Saving Grace</a></u></span></span> which is due out in paperback in early June.</span></i><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She is published in over 25 languages, and has over ten million books in print worldwide. She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton. A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking.</span></i><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green filled two of her books, Saving Grace and <span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://janegreen.com/books/promises-to-keep-the-love-verb-uk/" style="background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #428bca; text-decoration: none;">Promises to Keep</a></span></span></span>, with recipes culled from her own collection. She says she only cooks food that is “incredibly easy, but has to look as if you have slaved over a hot stove for hours.” This is because she has five children, and has realised that “when you have five children, nobody ever invites you anywhere.”</span></i><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks. A malignant melanoma surivor who also lives with Chronic Lyme Disease, she believes gratitude and focusing on the good in life is the secret to happiness.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks to <a href="http://tandemliterary.com/" target="_blank">Tandem Literary </a>, I have one copy of Summer Secrets to giveaway. To Enter, <strike>click here</strike> and complete the form.</span><br />
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Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-10320689396032600192015-06-17T20:18:00.000-04:002015-06-17T20:27:09.104-04:00Review: Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is a girl to do a few weeks before her wedding when she finds out that her fiance </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is keeping a big secret from her? A secret so big that she has to run away. For Georgia Ford, she returns to her family home and vineyard expecting the comfort of her parents, her brothers and all that is familiar. Georgia realizes that while growing up on the idyllic family vineyard on Sonoma, she learned a lot about secrets. She just didn't realize that her fiance Ben is not the only one keeping secrets. Georgia must learn how to take care of herself and not fix and take care of everyone else. She has to learn how to make a decision that will effect her future in so many ways and trust her heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I enjoyed the beautiful setting of the Sonoma vineyard and the details shared about wine making. This may appear to be a typical family drama although it is much deeper than that. The author delves into real feelings and emotions that many readers can relate to, I certainly did. Eight Hundred Grapes is a story that sends a message of how important it is to face the imperfections in life, to listen to your heart and pay attention to what those most important to you are telling you through their actions. And lastly, the significance of having a place that you connect with and call home. Recommended for fans of womens fiction, family dramas and wine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review copy provided by Edelweiss and <a href="http://www.simonandschuster.com/" target="_blank">Simon & Schuster</a>. </span></div>
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Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-82250377626670480622015-06-14T13:07:00.004-04:002015-07-05T18:12:36.260-04:00Review: The Killer Next Door by Alex Marwood<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8kDbjYNfFP9kW-iWhfkAQWI3AHKvpFa5634TgPCxypELjqzmAkd1ahvPm4TJCPUVA3deUSHKcPUvHb11QoIGOETvh-XAr6C9ZM9TdKzEoUtwgfRF_xkZQzwLFgA4O4G5lfLIO06VjOgg/s1600/alex+marwood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8kDbjYNfFP9kW-iWhfkAQWI3AHKvpFa5634TgPCxypELjqzmAkd1ahvPm4TJCPUVA3deUSHKcPUvHb11QoIGOETvh-XAr6C9ZM9TdKzEoUtwgfRF_xkZQzwLFgA4O4G5lfLIO06VjOgg/s200/alex+marwood.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I bought <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/The-Killer-Next-Door-Audiobook/B00MNZWTEU/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1434300446&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Killer Next Door</a> as a Daily Deal on Audible this month. The narrator,<a href="https://tantor.com/narrator/imogen-church.html" target="_blank"> Imogen Church</a> was fabulous with the variety of voices, female and male as well as her fantastic British accent. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/The-Killer-Next-Door-Audiobook/B00MNZWTEU/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1434300446&sr=1-1#publisher-summary" target="_blank">Publishers Summary</a>: </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.2339992523193px;"><i>Everyone who lives at 23 Beulah Grove has a secret. If they didn't, they wouldn't be renting rooms in a dodgy old building for cash - no credit check, no lease. It's the kind of place you end up when you you've run out of other options.The six residents mostly keep to themselves, but one unbearably hot summer night, a terrible accident pushes them into an uneasy alliance. What they don't know is that one of them is a killer. He's already chosen his next victim, and he'll do anything to protect his secret.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a pretty creepy psychological thriller, all the neighbors are renting a room in a boarding house in London. A variety of interesting characters from all walks of life, some hiding secrets, and little do they know that there is a killer among them. There are many edge of your seat moments that are thrilling...and some scenes (be forewarned) that are gross and creepy that will make you want to cringe. The narrator truly made the story come alive for me as a reader/listener. This is a true page turner and keeps you wanting to know more until the grisly truth is revealed! Be forewarned, some scenes are not for the faint of heart. I'm not a big horror fan so this book doesn't fit into that category for me. Recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and suspense. </span></span><br />
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Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-75667280641943967712015-06-11T16:51:00.001-04:002015-06-11T16:57:00.920-04:00Review: Orphan Number Eight by Kim van Alkemade<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfLhy_JwrdCjPXGQDyl4UF_iR3mXZPkPP1QkYuTVaKh62saoHdZthiwshtBEAaR59z_3hO8WCQvrkEWUPTf4xFToSuPOfHdEwT8dqeBOsyFAfPDZRTPg9PfZC_chA8SKCLK3qo65nOCCk/s1600/orphan+number+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfLhy_JwrdCjPXGQDyl4UF_iR3mXZPkPP1QkYuTVaKh62saoHdZthiwshtBEAaR59z_3hO8WCQvrkEWUPTf4xFToSuPOfHdEwT8dqeBOsyFAfPDZRTPg9PfZC_chA8SKCLK3qo65nOCCk/s200/orphan+number+8.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;">Rachel Rabinowitz a young Jewish girl of immigrant parents living in New York City. When Rachel was a precocious young girl of only 4 years old, a tragedy separates her and her only brother Sam. They are both sent to the orphaned Hebrews home where they each stay in separate sections until they are later reunited. Rachel was kept in an infants hospital where she was subjected to medical research and experiments including x-ray experiments which left her with life long side effects. The novel takes the reader through alternating chapters of Rachel's life and experiences from the orphanage through her coming of age and then full circle into adulthood. In adulthood, she is a nurse, 40 years old, and working at the Old Hebrews home where the doctor who conducted the medical experiments when she was a child is now her patient. Rachel is confronted with a moral dilemma, she struggles along a fine line of revenge and retribution and a choice between forgiveness and retribution. She learns that choices, even unexpected can truly shape our destinies. </strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23287179-orphan-number-eight?ac=1" style="color: #6a6a6a; text-decoration: none;">Orphan Number Eight</a> by Kim van Alkemade</strong> is a beautifully crafted and compelling debut novel. The style of narration and fluidity of writing eases the reader along and held my attention completely. Although this is a fictional account, what was fascinating to me as a reader is that the book is related to true family history and research that the author stumbled upon.<a href="http://kimvanalkemade.com/"> Kim van Alkemade's website</a> is full of background and pictures from her research and true stories that inspired Orphan Number Eight. </strong></div>
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Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-76838240159816251182015-06-07T16:44:00.001-04:002015-06-07T16:50:59.972-04:00Hello...I'm Back!! <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;">“It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about. ~</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Dale Carnegie</strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Hello Everyone!!</strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">It certainly has been awhile since I have last written anything here. I've decided to start blogging again. I've missed it. I want to give everyone an update...for those who still follow or any new readers. I believe that I had blogger burnout, I even developed a bit of writers block. The blog felt like a chore, something that I had to do and I wasn't enjoying it very much. I loved connecting with authors, bloggers and readers. I love books and reading and still do. I have not stopped reading...I cannot imagine my life without books in them. I fell in love with books and reading in the first grade and that has not changed. I'll forever be a reader, booklover, and maybe one day a writer.</strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23287179-orphan-number-eight?ac=1">Orphan Number Eight</a> by Kim van Alkemade </strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">(compliments of Edelweiss and Harper Collins for review)</strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">It will be available July 2015</strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">I will be writing a review soon and have to share that it was exceptional </strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">It will definitely be in my top favorite books of 2015. </strong></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;"><b>I look forward to reconnecting with everyone and plan to start visiting your blogs soon. Hang in there with me while I figure out the next steps for my blog. </b></span></span></div>
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Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-21551313251305426032013-09-29T16:57:00.002-04:002013-09-29T16:57:23.274-04:00Catching Up On A Sunday ~ September Update<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had high hopes of blogging more this summer while I had more free time. Life got in the way and blogging had to be put aside. Instead, my summer was focused on family crises and health issues. My mother in law had a heart attack and fortunately she got to the hospital in the last window of opportunity as it could have turned fatal. That was frightening to even think about and hard to write about. She was a bit stubborn and ignored the symptoms, as the pain moved around and she didn't realize how serious it was. She is 81 and in fairly good health, living independently with my father in law in their own home. She did have two blocked arteries and had stents put in. She then was in and out of the hospital due to blood clots in her legs. We were on pins and needles for weeks. It's one of those moments in time that made my husband and I realize how we are one of the few to have both of our parents still living at this stage of our lives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My son started his freshman year of high school last month. It's amazing how fast time flies. Everyone reminds you of this when your children are babies but when it comes to fruition it makes you stop and pause. He is active in the orchestra and plays the Bass. This year, will be more challenging as there are more concerts and a competition. He's already learning life lessons after his required >$100 graphing calculator (that is supposed to last through all 4 years of high school and college) was stolen or lost. I've heard from other parents that sadly, this is an issue that kids are stealing other kids calculators. The theory one parent shared is that either kids have lost their own calculator and are fearful of telling their parents so they steal another student's calculator or, they are selling them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been reading although I am very</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> behind in sharing reviews here on my bl</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">og. I plan to do that as I have several wonderful books to share with you. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd like to get back to blogging and book reviews as well as visiting other blogs. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm working on </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">how to do that with the balance of life, family and work. How is everyone able to do that? W</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hether you are a blogger or not, how are you </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">finding that balance for all that you need and want to do?! </span></div>
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Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-22514924929759829222013-07-12T10:14:00.000-04:002013-07-12T10:14:06.207-04:00Review: A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxixnyL8svrayZLG57YqM5FzhMYmZ5hEJhS6gaY0rrgpzcdZo9FyBp4upagzHs3WeEx1ZT8mlS_rf9SRZUYQ7VWBIki5qA8ZckeQfUyyw46i8lBaTlV7P69g18uMmB1QvGTwYrdFZySWhA/s1600/spear+of+summer+grass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxixnyL8svrayZLG57YqM5FzhMYmZ5hEJhS6gaY0rrgpzcdZo9FyBp4upagzHs3WeEx1ZT8mlS_rf9SRZUYQ7VWBIki5qA8ZckeQfUyyw46i8lBaTlV7P69g18uMmB1QvGTwYrdFZySWhA/s1600/spear+of+summer+grass.jpg" height="320" width="206" /></a></div>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0778314391/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0778314391&adid=1YPZY4DSMMTQ98VPGF7Z">A Spear of Summer Grass</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">by Deanna Raybourn</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publication Date: April 2013</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Format: Paperback, 384 pages</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Source: <a href="http://francebooktours.com/" style="color: #6a6a6a; text-decoration: none;">France Book Tours</a>/Author </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"> A Spear of Summer Grass Synopsis</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Paris, 1923</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The daughter of a scandalous mother, Delilah Drummond is already notorious, even among Paris society. But her latest scandal is big enough to make even her oft-married mother blanch. Delilah is exiled to Kenya and her favorite stepfather's savanna manor house until gossip subsides.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fairlight is the crumbling, sun-bleached skeleton of a faded African dream, a world where dissolute expats are bolstered by gin and jazz records, cigarettes and safaris. As mistress of this wasted estate, Delilah falls into the decadent pleasures of society.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Against the frivolity of her peers, Ryder White stands in sharp contrast. As foreign to Delilah as Africa, Ryder becomes her guide to the complex beauty of this unknown world. Giraffes, buffalo, lions and elephants roam the shores of Lake Wanyama amid swirls of red dust. Here, life is lush and teeming—yet fleeting and often cheap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amidst the wonders—and dangers—of Africa, Delilah awakes to a land out of all proportion: extremes of heat, darkness, beauty and joy that cut to her very heart. Only when this sacred place is profaned by bloodshed does Delilah discover what is truly worth fighting for—and what she can no longer live without. </span><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">[</span><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">sex and violence present but not graphic]</span></div>
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<a href="http://francebooktours.com/2013/05/02/deanna-raybourn-on-upcoming-tour-a-spear-of-summer-grass/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZDXCE1pzVT8YC1ZXGqMlHcoTzJ_1LvJj5HpS96rBip7XjbI1qifqkMAF9rqIaGuVCC3hmbJTNnGOystOUTfpHkfv6O8Q3ZxaUqETBcEVNyHxRc7oVtuC-1EyVVnaA3idpPu3IEViBCj3/s1600/Spear+of+Summer+Grass+Banner.jpg" height="165" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0778314391/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0778314391&adid=1YPZY4DSMMTQ98VPGF7Z">A Spear of Summer Grass</a> is set in the 1920's where scandal can easily have a woman sent away due to the embarrassment to herself and her family. Delilah falls into this situation through her impulsive, selfish and immoral choices deemed unacceptable for a woman during this time period. Delilah is not a likeable character initially her experiences change her and allow her heart to be opened as she forced to face her fears. She is sent to Africa, which is nothing like the posh surroundings she is used to in Paris or England. She is a glamorous and beautiful woman who brings her finery with her to a country full of danger, culture and politics. She finds new social connections with expats whom she knows some of them and creates her own lifestyle without fear of repercussions. She experiences the beauty of the land, the people, the tribes and the animals and learns to appreciate the amazing landscape full of wild animals and folklore. She continues to be wild and carefree and morally her choices continue to put her in trouble. She learns through the danger and fear that she can open her heart to Africa and the love she feels she does not deserve. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the first book that I've read by Deanna Raybourn who has a gift for writing about complex characters, surroundings and the setting in Africa was stunning. Highly recommended. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TZNgB8lxOj9AmmxZpkv9LPC73PnUnmtWrUnt-rP8QEZOzqOA0F2q33ZtcFBrR6Ezz6XdUEft3r03EMDBMdwvezRUnPO0HfB1yUv0L0YUCdS3aHD0UNTONonQprcZ0zwuHcXxP4Bsy7kM/s1600/Deanna+Raybourn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TZNgB8lxOj9AmmxZpkv9LPC73PnUnmtWrUnt-rP8QEZOzqOA0F2q33ZtcFBrR6Ezz6XdUEft3r03EMDBMdwvezRUnPO0HfB1yUv0L0YUCdS3aHD0UNTONonQprcZ0zwuHcXxP4Bsy7kM/s1600/Deanna+Raybourn.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Author bio:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">As a sixth-generation native Texan, I grew up in San Antonio, where I met my college sweetheart. I married him on graduation day and went on to teach high school English and history. During summer vacation when I was twenty-three, I wrote my first novel. After three years as a teacher, I left education to have a baby and pursue writing full-time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fourteen years and many, many rejections after my first novel, I signed two three-book deals with MIRA Books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Sex, lies and awesome clothing descriptions" is how one reader described my debut novel, <i>Silent in the Grave,</i>published in 2007. The first in the Silent series, the book follows Lady Julia Grey as she investigates the mysterious death of her husband with the help of the enigmatic private enquiry agent Nicholas Brisbane. From the drawing rooms of the aristocracy to a Gypsy camp on Hampstead Heath, <i>Silent in the Grave</i> was my love letter to Victorian London.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The series continues with the second book, <i>Silent in the Sanctuary</i> (2008), a classic English country house murder mystery with a few twists and turns for Brisbane and Lady Julia along the way, while the third book, <i>Silent on the Moor</i> (2009), is set in a grim manor house on the Yorkshire moors. My favorite part of writing <i>Moor </i>was getting to spend time in Yorkshire, one of the most wildly beautiful places I have ever been.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">March 2010 saw a departure from the series with the release of <i>The Dead Travel Fast,</i> a mid-Victorian Gothic thriller that chronicles the adventures of novelist Theodora Lestrange as she leaves the safety and security of her Edinburgh home for the dark woods and haunted castles of Transylvania. I returned to Lady Julia and her companions with <i>Dark Road to Darjeeling</i> (October 2010), this time delving into my most exotic setting yet in the foothills of the Himalayas. The fifth series book, New York Times bes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">tseller <i>The Dark Enquiry</i> (July 2011) saw Lady Julia back in her beloved London again, while a digital holiday novella, <i>Silent Night</i> (November 2012) highlighted the March family festivities at Bellmont Abbey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But 2013 introduces a new setting to my work—1920s British East Africa. In <i>A Spear of Summer Grass</i> (May 2013), disgraced flapper Delilah Drummond is sent to Africa to weather the storm of her latest scandal. There she meets Ryder White, a local legend for more reasons than one—and the perfect man to teach her about the continent he loves. Ryder was introduced to readers in the digital prequel novella <i>Far in the Wilds</i> (March 2013).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am thrilled that 2014 will see another 1920s release,</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">City of Jasmine</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">(May 2014), and I am hard at work on my next project in my little pink study in Virginia with a doodle draped over my feet as I write.</span></div>
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You can find me blogging a few days a week at <a href="http://deannaraybourn.com/blog/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://deannaraybourn.com/<wbr></wbr>blog/</a>. Be sure to sign up for my monthly newsletter, check out my contests and <a href="http://deannaraybourn.com/videos.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">book trailer videos</a>, and find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/deannaraybourn" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/deannaraybournauthor" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Facebook</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Check out </span><a href="http://francebooktours.com/2013/05/02/deanna-raybourn-on-upcoming-tour-a-spear-of-summer-grass/" style="background-color: white;">the tour schedule for A Spear of Summer Grass through France Book Tours </a><span style="background-color: white;">and enter the giveaways to win a copy of the book. </span></b></span><br />
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© Copyright 2013- All Rights Reserved
</span>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-40883666356442542762013-07-10T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-10T08:14:40.119-04:00Review: The Promise of Provence by Patricia Sands & Amazon Gift Card Giveaway<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FzhEiOxljugQgy5F0n8l3JW1yNVbdnI1QB3KVp91amwMVTgQExzplLwf7Ophp5_5G4-df0vSSE9uM45ku8_l5jpCmAipqSjzCwvhE4RRgvWPO9B3XhNNtPTJ1HRBG_L9y-BOr5NOUMwx/s1600/promise+of+provence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FzhEiOxljugQgy5F0n8l3JW1yNVbdnI1QB3KVp91amwMVTgQExzplLwf7Ophp5_5G4-df0vSSE9uM45ku8_l5jpCmAipqSjzCwvhE4RRgvWPO9B3XhNNtPTJ1HRBG_L9y-BOr5NOUMwx/s1600/promise+of+provence.jpg" height="320" width="198" /></a></div>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C6CAWOY/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00C6CAWOY&adid=1WNW7G9CGENTJ678NPQC">The Promise of Provence</a> by Patricia Sands</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Publication Date: May 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Format: Ebook/Kindle 457 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://francebooktours.com/">France Book Tours</a>/Author</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The Promise of Provence Synopsis</span></div>
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June in Provence is full of promise when Katherine arrives from Canada, eager to feel renewed by her surroundings. Endless rows of lavender prepare to burst into pink and purple blooms. Fields of sunflowers flow in golden waves among vineyards and olive groves overlooked by ancient hilltop villages. It’s the postcard setting she envisioned, but is that all she needs?</div>
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After a year of heartbreak, Katherine has impulsively agreed to a home exchange in the south of France. Colorful locals, a yellow lab named Picasso, and the inspiring beauty of the countryside breathe new life into her days.</div>
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Seeking to shed the pain of betrayal and loss, she struggles to recapture her joie de vivre and searches for the answer to a haunting question: is it too late to begin again?</div>
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<a href="http://francebooktours.com/2013/04/19/patrica-sands-on-upcoming-tour-the-promise-of-provence/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvU0INRz18RDx3RwxnfNUKDLIWH7BzBN7hdGrB2P8uXIxYD9lOquLJ84p4DJgsS0mHCMA3gZVOiAPA6aRLHn0pglnDwL2tMZLS9_13KK3NwuM1S_w2o3U3PWtYyGVjk0hnIWTm8zEOVtl/s1600/Promise+of+Provence+Banner.jpg" height="172" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C6CAWOY/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00C6CAWOY&adid=1WNW7G9CGENTJ678NPQC">The Promise of Provence</a> takes the reader through a myriad of emotions and experiences and visual and sensory experiences as we travel from Canada to France. Katherine has had a major life changing experience in her mid fifties and her world has literally shifted after her husband shocks her with news of wanting a divorce. Katherine's life appeared happy and perfect to her at home and at work. In time, with the help of her family and friends, Katherine is able to make positive life changing decisions that bring about experiences in her life that are ever changing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a reader, the strongest parts of the book are the travels Katherine takes through Provence and other parts of France. As Katherine faces her deepest fears of being alone she finds she is truly not alone and the world opens up to her. The scenes of the fields of Provence, the villages, vineyards, markets and coastal towns made me want to be right there alongside Katherine. As a reader, these scenes were the strongest for me as I could imagine them and visualize them in my mind as I read. I have not been to Provence, although I yearn to go there now! I have been to Paris and have beautiful memories and would love to go back. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Katherine learns to love, experience life and open herself up to the beauty surrounding her in the world. She must take chances as she chooses to use a home exchange program to live in Provence which opens up another opportunity for another home exchange in France. She has to face loss, learn to be independent, and to trust again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is truly a beautiful novel with the settings in France and travels that we are taken through as a reader. I highly recommend The Promise of Provence for those who like to travel, or armchair travel as I did. I also recommend this book for those who enjoy a strong story about a woman finding herself and her independence as well as friendships and a touch of romance! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The author, has a surprise at the end for readers to be personally involved in finding out more about Katherine this fall. I found this a very fun & unique idea and was excited to participate in the experience...we do have to wait until fall but it will be worth the wait!! </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Author bio:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Patricia Sands lives in Toronto, Canada, when she isn’t somewhere else. An admitted travel fanatic, she can pack a bag in a flash and be ready to go anywhere … particularly the south of France. With a focus on women’s issues and ageing, her stories celebrate the feminine spirit and the power of friendship. Encouraging women of all ages to stare down the fear factor and embrace change, she has heard from readers ages 20 to 83. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her award-winning debut novel The Bridge Club was published in 2010.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her second novel, The Promise of Provence is an Amazon Hot New Release as of April 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pop in to visit her at:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.patriciasands.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.patriciasands.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com</span></b></a><b><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b><a href="http://www.patriciasandsauthor.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.<wbr></wbr>patriciasandsauthor.com</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Facebook<b><span style="color: dimgrey;"> </span></b></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/patricia.sands.9" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>patricia.sands.9</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorPatriciaSands" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>AuthorPatriciaSands</span></b></a><b><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Twitter<b><span style="color: dimgrey;"> </span></b></span><a href="https://twitter.com/patricia_sands" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://twitter.com/patricia_<wbr></wbr>sands</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Goodreads:</span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4381348.Patricia_Sands" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.goodreads.com/<wbr></wbr>author/show/4381348.Patricia_<wbr></wbr>Sands</a></span></b><b><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b>GIVEAWAY</b>: Complements of<a href="http://francebooktours.com/"> France Book Tours</a>, I have a gift to share for one lucky winner to win a <b>$10 Gift Card to Amazon</b>. You can easily purchase The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C6CAWOY/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00C6CAWOY&adid=1WNW7G9CGENTJ678NPQC">Promise of Provence</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00427YQHA/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00427YQHA&adid=0J74QPSXJPBA3DBMG67Q">The Bridge Club</a> or whatever you choose!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><u>Please leave a comment below to be entered and make sure to leave your email address so that I can contact the winner.</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><u>Giveaway ends July 15, 2013</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> © Copyright 2013- All Rights Reserved
</span>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-64590875574470885582013-07-02T11:24:00.000-04:002013-07-02T11:24:16.635-04:00Review: The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley<br />
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Firebird</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> by Susanna Kearsley</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">June 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Format: Ebook/Kindle or paperback 544 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source: Publisher, Netgalley</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About The Firebird from </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/See%20more%20at:%20http://www.sourcebooks.com/store/firebird.html#sthash.gpBRGDEJ.dpuf" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sourcebooks</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">:</span></span><br />
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<strong>Two Women.<br />One Mysterious Relic.<br />Separated By Centuries.</strong></div>
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Nicola Marter was born with a gift so rare and dangerous, she kept it buried deep. When she encounters a desperate woman trying to sell a small wooden carving called "The Firebird," claiming it belonged to Russia's Empress Catherine, it's a problem. There's no proof.</div>
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But Nicola's held the object. She knows the woman is telling the truth.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.shereads.org/">The She Reads July Book Club Selection</a> is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/140227663X/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=140227663X&adid=015ZGXEFFM9K84XDT04Y">The Firebird </a>by <a href="http://susannakearsley.com/">Susanna Kearsley</a>. This is my first month participating in the She Reads book club and what a great start it has been with the July selection of The Firebird. I had not read Susanna Kearsley's work before this, although I do have several books in my kindle library and a few on my bookshelf waiting to be read. The July book club pick gave me a chance to read my first book by Kearsley. I did know that The Firebird had characters from other books by Kearsley and that The Firebird is the second book in The Slains series with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1402241372/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1402241372&adid=1AHWX0MSSMQCSTP99KQZ">The Winter Sea</a> being the first book. For me, this did not detract from the novel and it was easily read as a stand alone book. I loved her style of writing with authentic historical fiction and a touch of paranormal, romance and gothic added to the mix.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Firebird weaves a story between past and present and takes the reader on a journey between current day and the 18th century Russian historical time period. I enjoyed how the author linked the present story line through the modern story with Nicola and Rob who are old friends and have unresolved romantic feelings from the past and are connected by their psychometric abilities. They are able to learn about an objects past by touching it and then can visually travel back in time to learn more. This is how Nicola and Rob trace back in time the history and story behind the firebird. Nicola seeks out Rob, to help her find the truth behind the firebird and they also have to deal with their feelings for each other. In the past, historical part of the novel we learn about Anna and her story as she travels as a young girl with uncertain family ties through Scotland, Ireland and then to Russia. Anna and Rob follow her travels through these times in hopes of revealing the mystery surrounding the firebird. There were a few nice twists at the end of the book with Anna's part of the story. I had suspected them in the back of my mind but had pushed them away as unlikely. It was nice to see some parts of the story wrapped up and others left to the imagination. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a reader, I appreciated learning that The Firebird was based on real life characters that Kearsley had researched. I found this part of the book most interesting as at the end of the book, Kearsley writes about the real life characters and the historical connections written about in The Firebird. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would highly recommend The Firebird if you are looking for a historical fiction novel written with a beautiful story and strong characters. The Firebird will sweep you up in time, and as a reader, you will travel from past to present in settings such as England, Scotland, Ireland and Russia. I definitely plan to read more of Kearsley's books and am fortunate to have several to choose from. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can read more about the author, read the first chapter and sample the audiobook of The Firebird on </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Susanna Kearsley's </span><a href="http://susannakearsley.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">website</a>. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u>The July Book Club Selection & Giveaway from She Reads </u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u>The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley</u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="color: #4c4b4c;">Make sure to check out the <b><a href="http://www.shereads.org/2013/07/july-book-club-selection-4/">She Reads</a></b></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;"><b><a href="http://www.shereads.org/2013/07/july-book-club-selection-4/"> </a></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;"><b><a href="http://www.shereads.org/2013/07/july-book-club-selection-4/">website</a></b> and enter the giveaway courtesy of Sourcebooks. They are giving away</span><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><b style="font-size: small; line-height: 19.1875px;">5 </b><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;">copies of The Firebird. One of the lucky winners will also win four other Susanna Kearsley novels. Go to the</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="color: #4c4b4c;"> <b><a href="http://www.shereads.org/2013/07/july-book-club-selection-4/">She Reads</a></b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;"><b><a href="http://www.shereads.org/2013/07/july-book-club-selection-4/"> </a></b></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;"><b><a href="http://www.shereads.org/2013/07/july-book-club-selection-4/">website</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19.1875px;">and leave a comment for your chance to win! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> © Copyright 2013- All Rights Reserved
</span>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-12943958939903870152013-07-02T08:57:00.000-04:002013-07-02T08:57:08.676-04:00Google Reader Gone...Bloglovin or Feedly?<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For some reason, I thought that Google Reader would not be gone until later in July. I had signed up with Feedly and transferred my Google reader there but there were issues and now it seems that all my information from Google reader is gone. I just signed up with Bloglovin and have to figure things out. I sure wish that Google Reader had stuck around and made life easier! I may have lost a lot of information on blogs that I was following and may need to start over. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5091495/?claim=hxvdzy6kkfy">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oI4zGafTMjsgSOJMycaYTeX7JTJVtfTGvqJoUUFEqstOJe-45saKcRXSDCVv2mVWDMUOS9OSFb2m0cBYTiJ3qf82VyEFL8LtgE0c3m9yXVkGhKpc-ZP2iSqtSsIJzL7yX03UGdlTREcQ/s1600/fistchapter-first+paragraph+tuesday+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oI4zGafTMjsgSOJMycaYTeX7JTJVtfTGvqJoUUFEqstOJe-45saKcRXSDCVv2mVWDMUOS9OSFb2m0cBYTiJ3qf82VyEFL8LtgE0c3m9yXVkGhKpc-ZP2iSqtSsIJzL7yX03UGdlTREcQ/s1600/fistchapter-first+paragraph+tuesday+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Every Tuesday Diane @ <a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/" style="color: #6a6a6a; text-decoration: none;">Bibliophile by the Sea</a> hosts First Chapter, First </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Paragraph where we share the first paragraph or two of a book we are reading or thinking about reading soon. Feel free to grab the image and participate</span>.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCcJFNnmWw-fx3-F341vfH0kVcYzgeJfKc1NjrDMgMUYJ_AfnAZ-4yb3kfgPfUpVtiAJeM0aLnwlan_gi2qfgX_a_o2vjqzBCf_g5OW8-J3h2Tvo9daT9N-FrPRlAQR1roZ6siS8G5iEn/s1600/firebird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCcJFNnmWw-fx3-F341vfH0kVcYzgeJfKc1NjrDMgMUYJ_AfnAZ-4yb3kfgPfUpVtiAJeM0aLnwlan_gi2qfgX_a_o2vjqzBCf_g5OW8-J3h2Tvo9daT9N-FrPRlAQR1roZ6siS8G5iEn/s1600/firebird.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Tuesday Intro pick is from </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/140227663X/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=140227663X&adid=0W9D785Q416BAN7Q9PDA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Firebird </a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">by Susanna Kearsley I just started this book and it's my first book by Susanna Kearsley. It's hooked me already and I read on </span><a href="http://www.susannakearsley.com/TheFirebird.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the author's website</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> that it's considered "a companion book to </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1402241372/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1402241372&adid=01CPXY82A2AHAH6FW56Y" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Winter Sea</a>" <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">so it looks like I will need to read that soon! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is the first paragraph from <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Firebird/Susanna-Kearsley/9781451673821/excerpt">the publisher website</a> (click on the link to read more)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">He sent his mind in search of me that morning.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">I was on the Tube, half a minute out of Holland Park and in</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">that muzzy not-awake-yet state that always bridged the time between</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">my breakfast cup of coffee and the one that I’d have shortly at my</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">desk. I nearly didn’t notice when his thoughts touched mine. It was a</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">rare thing these days; rarer still that I would let him in, but my own</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">thoughts were drifting and I knew that his were, too. In fact, from</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">what I saw of where he was—the angle of the ceiling and the dimly</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">shadowed walls—I guessed that he was likely still in bed, just waking</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">up himself.</span></blockquote>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-indent: 1em;">What do you think? Would you keep on reading</b><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-indent: 1em;"> </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>or move on to something else?</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-30571834936237343732013-06-10T07:00:00.000-04:002013-06-10T07:00:04.467-04:00 Looking for Me: Q&A with Author Beth Hoffman and Giveaway <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56RxFrWoy5b8Ax0Rz7SG5Be8bBLJza8ZEFMOc70TXSV2uR6OWuZAQM0uxqs7eYnVHBpZxBgpl9H2IhbGps8DLVOVPn_ff9mbgGxfdyWLa23BxfNoKGkIC1OOtw0VGOiie6TSDZNDKmSAk/s1600/Looking+for+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56RxFrWoy5b8Ax0Rz7SG5Be8bBLJza8ZEFMOc70TXSV2uR6OWuZAQM0uxqs7eYnVHBpZxBgpl9H2IhbGps8DLVOVPn_ff9mbgGxfdyWLa23BxfNoKGkIC1OOtw0VGOiie6TSDZNDKmSAk/s1600/Looking+for+me.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday, I shared <a href="http://redladysreadingroom-redlady.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-looking-for-me-by-beth-hoffman.html">my review of Beth Hoffman's newest book Looking For Me</a>. Today, I am thrilled to share a wonderful <i>Q & A with Beth Hoffman</i> below and a giveaway to win a copy of the book, complements of Penguin Books.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Q & A WITH BETH
HOFFMAN</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>1.)</b> <b>After the success of <i>Saving
CeeCee Honeycutt</i>, how did you come up with the idea for LOOKING FOR ME? </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>When I finished touring with CeeCee, I had no idea what I
would write. The characters had become so real to me that I felt guilty
abandoning them to craft a different story. I especially had a hard time not
continuing on with Oletta. For several months I shut down all thoughts about
writing.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>One day I sat at my desk and began going through stacks of old
photographs. The more I sorted, the more I thought about my family and my
childhood on the farm—how simple and uncomplicated life was, how much I missed
the big old barn and the woodlands that backed up to the fields. I stared out
the window and spent a good deal of time reliving those days, and while I was
caught up in the nostalgia, something flashed in my periphery. I turned to see
a red-tailed hawk land on a tree branch. I watched the morning light glaze
across his pale chest, and how, just before he settled, he spread his rusty-red
tail feathers to reveal the full spectrum of his regalia. I got a bit teary at
the beauty of him, and then …WHAM! I had the beginning of my story.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>2.)</b> <b>You always write so beautifully about your novels’
settings, making the reader feel like they’re being transported to another
place. With LOOKING FOR ME, did you decide on the location of the
novel—Charleston—first, or did that come later? Did you spend a lot of time
there?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>I write about places I love, places to which I feel a deep
connection. I wanted would write about a farm family, and when the character of
Teddi took form and she fell in love with the process of antique restoration, I
knew Charleston was where she would ultimately end up. I’ve spent a great deal
of time in Charleston and feel incredibly comfortable there. In many ways it’s
like a second home to me. Plus, with Charleston’s history of antiques shops and
gorgeous architecture, it was the ideal juxtaposition to Teddi’s life on the
farm.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>3.) You write very personally about the novel’s other main
setting, the Overman farm in Kentucky. Being a Kentuckian yourself, do you have
a strong connection to Red River Gorge? </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The Overman farm comes from my roots and my heart. Nothing makes
me happier or causes a flood of memories like setting my feet on farmland. I
chose the location of Red River Gorge as the backdrop to the farm for many
reasons—its mystery and power are palpable, and it’s so stunning that no matter
how many times I’m there, I’m always awestruck. Known for its incredible rock formations,
dense forests, waterfalls and wildlife, Red River Gorge was the perfect place for
the character of Josh to be swept into the romance of the wild. Paleo-Indians
thrived there, and it holds a treasure trove of petroglyphs. Every time I ride
the gondola up to Natural Bridge and stand on that massive, nine hundred ton
sandstone bridge, I feel connected to something far beyond my comprehension.
Over 70 million years of changing weather has sculpted Red River Gorge into a
place as magical as it is eerie.</i></div>
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<b>4.) LOOKING FOR ME touches on the power of objects—through
them we remember our past and face our future—what are some objects that have
held meaning for you in your own life? Do you think it’s important to hold onto
the things of our past?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>By nature I’m a neat-nut and about as opposite to a hoarder
as anyone could be, so I’m not inclined to keep things unless they truly have
strong meaning to me. I do think it’s wise to keep things that hold memories
like family heirlooms, books, photographs and letters, but there’s a fine line
between keeping what is precious or sentimental, and overloading my basement
and attic with stuff. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>5.) The characters in LOOKING FOR ME seem as real as
neighbors that live next door—what do you draw on when writing characters? How
much do you borrow from real life? Do you model your characters on people you
know?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The characters in my novels arrive in my imagination fully
realized. Not only do I see them and hear them, but I also get a strong sense
of their spirit. While a few characters might have small similarities to people
I’ve known, the majority of them have come to me as the story unfolds. More
often than not, I meet them just as my readers meet them. It’s a fascinating
process.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>6.) Birds and feathers play an important role in this
story—where did your interest in birds come from, and what do they symbolize in
your work?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Nature, animals and birds have enthralled me for all my
life. My parents and grandparents had a deep respect for nature and all her
creatures, and from a very early age I was taught to be gentle and kind. One of
my first memories is of standing in the vegetable garden with my grandma and
having her show me how to gently lift a toad and move him out of the way of the
strawberry wagon. By the time I was five, I could name nearly every bird that visited
our farm, not only by sight, but also by their songs. I viewed birds as
beautiful messengers, and as a teen, I loved reading Native American folklore,
which is rich with stories about birds and their spirits.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>7.) This is your second novel—what advice do you have for
writers and novelists just starting out? How did you find your own voice as a
novelist?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Captivating storytelling is a gift—good writing is an art.
By understanding how to combine those elements, a writer can save themselves
from a whole lot of headaches. There are many books that can help a writer hone
their talent, but voice comes from a deep place and cannot be discovered
without having an inner ear. I say inner ear because writers must hear their
voice come alive and rise from the page, and it must always ring true. Being a
good listener helps a writer find his/her voice. By tuning our inner ear to
catch voice inflections, mood, and the many subtleties of dialect, our own
writing voice is strengthened. I believe the best way for a writer to know if
they’ve found their unique voice is for them read aloud something they've
written. Voice is a complex thing to achieve, but once a writer hears it,
they’ll know that they've just captured the most illusive butterfly of all.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giveaway: LOOKING FOR ME BY BETH HOFFMAN</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Compliments of Penguin Books</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>(<u>US Addresses ONLY</u>, per publisher request)</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>To Enter:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Leave a comment with something that you read above from the Q&A with Beth Hoffman that makes you want to read the book and <b><u>make sure to leave your email address</u></b> so that I can contact the winner. If you don't leave your email, I will be unable to contact you and will have to pick another winner. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>ENDS: JUNE 23, 2013 (ET)</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-75465257637842912322013-06-10T06:00:00.000-04:002013-06-10T09:04:37.260-04:00Mailbox Monday<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWHQ_fFMXkUz2Tiyb3qJtaj-Ju3Mj5AvUvGcB4z9t7zAwd__h15si6MRVHdZZ1g_NVcW2FfU7r2463WJO4Gdf6e0gM4onzpCJsDzIVzXHctM_UmmD0KQQkiyN6mQADgWVRB_XdrBXpv4v/s1600/mailbox+monday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWHQ_fFMXkUz2Tiyb3qJtaj-Ju3Mj5AvUvGcB4z9t7zAwd__h15si6MRVHdZZ1g_NVcW2FfU7r2463WJO4Gdf6e0gM4onzpCJsDzIVzXHctM_UmmD0KQQkiyN6mQADgWVRB_XdrBXpv4v/s1600/mailbox+monday.jpg" height="320" width="268" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">Mailbox Monday is a place for readers to share what books came into their house last week </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">and explore great blogs!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(June Host is <a href="http://www.dolcebellezza.net/">Dolce Bellezza</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is what arrived in my mailbox the past couple of weeks:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0778314391/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0778314391&adid=13TBJC5V1Z12SM51RXNR">A Spear of Summer Grass</a> by Deanna Raybourn from<a href="http://www.deannaraybourn.com/"> the author</a> for a book tour with <a href="http://francebooktours.com/">France Book Tours</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0991931319/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0991931319&adid=16THKE3CZ5AXFQM50JNY">The Promise of Provence</a> by Patricia Sands ebook from <a href="http://patriciasandsauthor.com/">the author </a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for a book tour with </span><a href="http://francebooktours.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">France Book Tours</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7rPdHM9rV8AxxEAaH3Tg2NXTgpj4r6AzxsAydlnOhgdOTXyvQl_TeyIdioocp8SCv76rxTesi8SLPRh9grZZy6NMNcWtjPEHUhNBD7QzvOU_7qEbLMIpx-LTAAl8z9XJ1hGdXMD_9ZBd/s1600/a+hundred+summer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7rPdHM9rV8AxxEAaH3Tg2NXTgpj4r6AzxsAydlnOhgdOTXyvQl_TeyIdioocp8SCv76rxTesi8SLPRh9grZZy6NMNcWtjPEHUhNBD7QzvOU_7qEbLMIpx-LTAAl8z9XJ1hGdXMD_9ZBd/s1600/a+hundred+summer.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/039916216X/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=039916216X&adid=1BHQPR2NMC999TM6N94A">A Hundred Summers</a> by Beatriz Williams from <a href="http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399162169,00.html?A_Hundred_Summers_Beatriz_Williams#">Putnam/Riverhead Books</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VHH90wyopvOViTvaTvyWsjNInTl1IaD7LedRM1_kHvC3fWrSBIid11YOM1r3woM5O-ZJhn4O6OuDEJZdxCAMX4gfY-hiq0dxE0cPYOFg3iEH6r2rHVKMxx6ChBbz4Eh6_8C9A2l_7VSY/s1600/yonahlossee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VHH90wyopvOViTvaTvyWsjNInTl1IaD7LedRM1_kHvC3fWrSBIid11YOM1r3woM5O-ZJhn4O6OuDEJZdxCAMX4gfY-hiq0dxE0cPYOFg3iEH6r2rHVKMxx6ChBbz4Eh6_8C9A2l_7VSY/s1600/yonahlossee.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1594486409/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1594486409&adid=19YCGSGPEDMKH4959JMA">The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls</a> by Anton Disclafani from <a href="http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781594486401,00.html?The_Yonahlossee_Riding_Camp_for_Girls_Anton_DiSclafani">Putnam/Riverhead Books</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74qz5rJ6JDKO7YDrSqj1Kp9te-zEqwINpNaES8RhCOLvRD0EvbvGmKvwqKgxnlM399sGvJ7EofzdCLnDZaXYIRBMNSyhGsRL_UgXylKU_fEiuPy6pIZo2JZ5GmUCiEe0GyfHC8BB9OaYk/s1600/wife,+maid+mistress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74qz5rJ6JDKO7YDrSqj1Kp9te-zEqwINpNaES8RhCOLvRD0EvbvGmKvwqKgxnlM399sGvJ7EofzdCLnDZaXYIRBMNSyhGsRL_UgXylKU_fEiuPy6pIZo2JZ5GmUCiEe0GyfHC8BB9OaYk/s1600/wife,+maid+mistress.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/038553762X/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=038553762X&adid=0JCMZ8DX0EB5JEN75Z5A">The Wife, The Maid and the Mistress</a> by Ariel Lawhon from <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/226474/the-wife-the-maid-and-the-mistress-by-ariel-lawhon">Random House</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-3597833833262362122013-06-09T20:06:00.002-04:002013-06-10T09:08:49.969-04:00Review: Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10DiMyKizHv3j-AJ4WiF0D8F_LNcKrYcwcjGquad9dLPyJwB59vHT6H7pPBvj5ZoOuW07Dr3r-LEX6j6N2rc9bixYN378eXA1Z0FkalaR1jusk4cMHlbNBpgGYa9YWVdnNQnuu-_CHVYZ/s1600/Looking+for+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10DiMyKizHv3j-AJ4WiF0D8F_LNcKrYcwcjGquad9dLPyJwB59vHT6H7pPBvj5ZoOuW07Dr3r-LEX6j6N2rc9bixYN378eXA1Z0FkalaR1jusk4cMHlbNBpgGYa9YWVdnNQnuu-_CHVYZ/s1600/Looking+for+me.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have had the honor to meet author Beth Hoffman on both of her book tours. For her first book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004P5ONOK/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B004P5ONOK&adid=18B6TXDXA8GXPDRWZ45B">Saving CeeCee Honeycut</a>t and for her recent book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0670025836/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0670025836&adid=0KJPH8KYKMHQYKRMZM72">Looking For Me</a>. Not only do I adore Beth's books but I adore Beth as a person. She is authentic, kind and connects to her readers on a level that is very personal. I don't know how she does it all, she's truly an amazing woman!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I saw Beth last week at a local book signing and I <a href="http://redladysreadingroom-redlady.blogspot.com/2013/06/beth-hoffman-book-signing-looking-for-me.html">posted about it here on my blog</a>. I finished Looking For Me a few days ago. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I savored the book and read it slowly not wanting the story to end. For those fans of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt which is full of such heart, I found Looking For Me was a much different story full of heart & soul, bringing a richness and depth that had much meaning. It is a book that will stay with you after you turn the last page.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About Looking For Me from the publisher:</span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.545454025268555px;">Teddi Overman leaves her hardscrabble Kentucky farm life behind at the age of eighteen, running away in the middle of the night and leaving only a letter for each member of her family. In Charleston, South Carolina, Teddi builds a new life for herself as an antiques dealer with the help of a quirky group of new friends. But each time Teddi, now thirty-six years old, leaves her antiques shop and visits the farm of her youth, she’s drawn to the mysterious beauty of Red River Gorge, where her brother went missing at the age of seventeen. Though long believed to be dead, signs of Josh begin appearing in the woods near the family farm, drawing Teddi back home again.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking For Me is the heartfelt story of Teddi's journey from growing up on a Kentucky farm to her professional life in the world of Charleston antique shops and new found friendships and connections. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the farm, Teddi is surrounded by nature and learns to appreciate the forest, the animals and their unique gifts. Teddi's younger brother Josh has an innate affinity for birds, Red Tailed Hawks and nature. Teddi finds her connection to the stories of cast aside antiques and develops a love and talent in restoring furniture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />As I read this book, even from the first chapter, I felt a connection to Teddi. As a character, she exposes her heart and soul, her kindness and compassion that goes beyond her family, her friends and coworkers but even to those innocent souls. She cares deeply and does not give up on finding the truth, whatever that may reveal as to the journey and whereabouts of her brother Josh. I enjoyed learning about nature, the Red River Gorge, birds and their feathers and native american history that was interspersed beautifully throughout the story. I enjoyed learning about antiques and furniture restoration and the process of how a damaged piece of furniture can be transformed. I loved the setting of Charleston, the southern flare and architecture, the people and Teddi's love and care for her grandmother. I loved the quotes and words of wisdom woven through the pages that filled it with such charm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking For Me is a treasure, pure and simple, it's a novel that will grab your heart and touch your soul. It did that for me and that is why I did not want the book to end. I loved this book, and cannot recommend it highly enough. It's my favorite book that I've read this year and it will definitely be placed alongside Saving CeeCee Honeycutt on my favorites bookshelf! It's a perfect summer must-read book, one that you can sink into while sitting in a favorite chair with a cup of coffee or sweet tea and immerse yourself into a wonderful story! So, grab a copy of this book and enjoy the journey!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd like to thank Beth for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Looking For Me. I was thrilled that I was able to get my copy personally autographed by her last week at the book signing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Check out a wonderful Q&A with Beth Hoffman and a giveaway for a copy of Looking For Me, compliments of the publisher Penguin Books. <a href="http://redladysreadingroom-redlady.blogspot.com/2013/06/looking-for-me-q-with-author-beth.html">GO HERE to enter</a>, or click on the link to the giveaway in the right sidebar, ends June 23, 2013</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> © Copyright 2013- All Rights Reserved
</span>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-19722955981465525362013-06-02T10:28:00.000-04:002013-06-02T10:28:16.327-04:00Beth Hoffman Book Signing ~ Looking For Me<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday was a wonderful day! I went to Beth Hoffman's book signing and event for her new book,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0670025836/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0670025836&adid=1Z3CK5F3TZKFCT4NA9P5"> Looking For Me</a>. It was very special as I met Beth at <a href="http://redladysreadingroom-redlady.blogspot.com/2010/01/beth-hoffman-book-signing.html">her last book tour</a> for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004P5ONOK/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B004P5ONOK&adid=1B061CZBRE69J20DAPMN">Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt </a>with fellow blogger, Stacy from <a href="http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/">Stacy's Book Blog</a>. Stacy and I met up again for Beth's second book tour!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are a couple of photos:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxreTXJIph1-dAG-lsNPYRmNm40B3n1Pg3y_h6KfcznyvGsEXybZ08VllGvRM-bAuhGxuqOKHhkWNvI7DQ4g2kG8eCBHAUBXRiKsQwA46F1jfJZI8KNgKn3mz3TFg-j0Ig_uURH-gx-yq/s1600/Doctored.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxreTXJIph1-dAG-lsNPYRmNm40B3n1Pg3y_h6KfcznyvGsEXybZ08VllGvRM-bAuhGxuqOKHhkWNvI7DQ4g2kG8eCBHAUBXRiKsQwA46F1jfJZI8KNgKn3mz3TFg-j0Ig_uURH-gx-yq/s1600/Doctored.png" height="484" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beth signing books before the event</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhW-owi07AP4qzxkOhevX5eY681tDdUtu4k7FfAwgmv5gbMnRR2KHmkMKTV_1QlHpl4TLHWjcJYB8kqEr7hr5gt7rtnwLwE99cMb1L3bFSbdn_xRvkmkLk0K3xrFuPVanVsztyU7Neq33/s1600/Untitled-1Thinned.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhW-owi07AP4qzxkOhevX5eY681tDdUtu4k7FfAwgmv5gbMnRR2KHmkMKTV_1QlHpl4TLHWjcJYB8kqEr7hr5gt7rtnwLwE99cMb1L3bFSbdn_xRvkmkLk0K3xrFuPVanVsztyU7Neq33/s1600/Untitled-1Thinned.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beth and me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had a glitch with my camera and we didn't want to tie up the long line of people waiting for their books to be signed so sadly, we did not get a picture this time of Beth, Stacy and me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The event was held at a new library (<a href="http://www.cleveland.com/hillcrest/index.ssf/2013/04/mayfield_branch_library_grand.html">You can read more here and see pictures of this beautiful library)</a>. It was special to me as I used to live closer to this library (the older one that this replaced) and have many great memories there. The staff are very friendly and many knew us by name. I was thrilled to see Colleen, who still works at the library and introduced Beth as she loved her first book.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbc08GybvGoLaL90ETz42Dr9at1bIDxre3NoNbLsTdnJgJLE-yggXf6_o5V-bd160awcQefZAAK23p-rzDIGBQloBpofatzqlElhibNrp-08TDNU0Y4kOCKWG36ndJaklQwTlcj7Q0TBV/s1600/Looking+for+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbc08GybvGoLaL90ETz42Dr9at1bIDxre3NoNbLsTdnJgJLE-yggXf6_o5V-bd160awcQefZAAK23p-rzDIGBQloBpofatzqlElhibNrp-08TDNU0Y4kOCKWG36ndJaklQwTlcj7Q0TBV/s1600/Looking+for+me.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had hoped to finish <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0670025836/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0670025836&adid=1Z3CK5F3TZKFCT4NA9P5">Looking For Me</a> before the book signing but life got in the way and I have not finished it yet. I am loving it, it's full of wonderful characters and settings and I will be sharing a review and giveaway here very soon. If you have not read any of Beth's books, please make sure to check out her first book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004P5ONOK/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B004P5ONOK&adid=1B061CZBRE69J20DAPMN">Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt </a>and her newest book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0670025836/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0670025836&adid=1Z3CK5F3TZKFCT4NA9P5">Looking For Me</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beth is the sweetest, kindest author that I've ever met. She connects with her readers in many special ways including book blogs as well as on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BethHoffmanNewYorkTimesBestsellingAuthor?ref=ts&fref=ts">Facebook</a>. Her charm and warmth shine through as she truly cares about connecting with her readers. She is an amazing and inspiring woman. This book is very special to Beth who shared some of her experiences in writing this novel and how dear to her heart it is. If you have the opportunity to meet Beth on her book tour, please do! (<a href="http://bethhoffman.net/events">Check out her tour schedule here</a>)</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> © Copyright 2013- All Rights Reserved
</span>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-83375773852367302042013-05-27T09:46:00.002-04:002013-05-27T09:46:52.737-04:00Mailbox Monday<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWoqsRExibYppAFTdDEPME9fpGYMLb1YMPbDO3zPdZocDlkh2OUZnTxmVZ6eWfN1tw-a5V3vC5eFUZf0qJRLjYk0YChO84lFw6L3xs68dL0qQ8wirrh24DheTaFeO3pImhi0h0JjSNipx/s1600/mailbox+monday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWoqsRExibYppAFTdDEPME9fpGYMLb1YMPbDO3zPdZocDlkh2OUZnTxmVZ6eWfN1tw-a5V3vC5eFUZf0qJRLjYk0YChO84lFw6L3xs68dL0qQ8wirrh24DheTaFeO3pImhi0h0JjSNipx/s1600/mailbox+monday.jpg" height="320" width="268" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">Is a place for readers to share what books came into their house last week </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">and explore great blogs!</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"> (May Host is Abi at <a href="http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/" style="color: #6a6a6a; text-decoration: none;">4 the Love of Books</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I found this UK Edition at Half Price Books on their $1 clearance shelf yesterday and had to grab it! I was surprised to see a new edition and a UK edition on this shelf. The store was having a 20% off sale so it was a true bargain! This is the newest book in the Blossom Street series and it's not available in paperback yet here in the U.S.. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyCJoP2loCRvjyc6EKeKxF7TVhxJFfZX5b7oziiGO6AJQf2gNEXE9Zkk7Mmqpt2abBOiwCn-4OjDOwfAgr4kM4p6JgfW9sOt6_eG6JGUdpcFZOlQLca4NA9oSTcPjhSLCrIG9cdnBGb8w/s1600/starting+now+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyCJoP2loCRvjyc6EKeKxF7TVhxJFfZX5b7oziiGO6AJQf2gNEXE9Zkk7Mmqpt2abBOiwCn-4OjDOwfAgr4kM4p6JgfW9sOt6_eG6JGUdpcFZOlQLca4NA9oSTcPjhSLCrIG9cdnBGb8w/s1600/starting+now+UK.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Starting-Now-Debbie-Macomber/dp/0099563983/ref=dp_return_2?ie=UTF8&n=266239&s=books" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Starting Now</a> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">by Debbie Macomber</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> UK link</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjUgIV9Og91LOYCjZjtT9FpMWX-dtoLfvmUcsfsBqBd64hpOtv4KdG2_BN_njWa2aD8XMR82kDb6S85a30TZXd_K9OeSH8RttrvxG7qWIE-lueYij7ypKZ3jH2KGEM8pVcHxQ8aUIhons/s1600/starting+now+US.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjUgIV9Og91LOYCjZjtT9FpMWX-dtoLfvmUcsfsBqBd64hpOtv4KdG2_BN_njWa2aD8XMR82kDb6S85a30TZXd_K9OeSH8RttrvxG7qWIE-lueYij7ypKZ3jH2KGEM8pVcHxQ8aUIhons/s1600/starting+now+US.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Isn't it interesting how different the cover art is for each book? Here is the US edition, I don't have a copy of this. I wanted to show the difference in the cover art</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005O1BGRQ/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B005O1BGRQ&adid=04GVTGWG5ZS5WXW4CGZK" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Starting Now</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> by Debbie Macomber US link</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszlIPKbg9FVwEQXVfJXJsZjgdGnRb7Fv2q_cA9wP7izOnE3wMYk-sOI9pAgkissHFMhIZl__ow11iSETZ2YckdvDUzywGX6uhMGRxeqcpkOaUz2WVjdIqtM2imfGhj_1mDc3lr_-LHDo5/s1600/apple+orchard.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszlIPKbg9FVwEQXVfJXJsZjgdGnRb7Fv2q_cA9wP7izOnE3wMYk-sOI9pAgkissHFMhIZl__ow11iSETZ2YckdvDUzywGX6uhMGRxeqcpkOaUz2WVjdIqtM2imfGhj_1mDc3lr_-LHDo5/s1600/apple+orchard.png" height="320" width="209" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ALTWXFA/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00ALTWXFA&adid=0CCNV7KESYGW74VW2751">The Apple Orchard</a> by Susan Wiggs </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;">from </span><a href="https://www.netgalley.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Netgalley</a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><i>I've not read Susan Wigg's books, I am looking forward to reading this one!</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbruNzfRK4-6snKVaBGeG7dR8yMrMN-Umtq3qa8gr2fKCui1mMYfg5CLi6UCLHKIPGzTvP27eCSb4Pc_xmFJvbdn6Rudhkk3a71C363OM_CGHBmRvrZeJAB78nJznLRferoy29280uzKv-/s1600/mrs+poe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbruNzfRK4-6snKVaBGeG7dR8yMrMN-Umtq3qa8gr2fKCui1mMYfg5CLi6UCLHKIPGzTvP27eCSb4Pc_xmFJvbdn6Rudhkk3a71C363OM_CGHBmRvrZeJAB78nJznLRferoy29280uzKv-/s1600/mrs+poe.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ADS36DM/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00ADS36DM&adid=19GTK7FCX9GC07RCWKP4">Mrs Poe</a> by Lynn Cullen From <a href="http://edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com/">Edelweiss</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-85912852488423495622013-05-21T10:00:00.001-04:002013-05-21T10:00:18.059-04:00Tuesday Intros ~ From Notting Hill with Love...Actually by Ali McNamara<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4ILsgGa8pOQA5hzfNE9BbCyAWhUu7ra5e9ArxoVHEMbzq7p3MvPFohThwMs0rPVPX1w_6vHVHl-Qs44MHPmiv3P8zh_VjOD-8W0pSCO6SS8twkQYbDolwnTtOXX50uYwfpUhvWiOqEAG/s1600/fistchapter-first+paragraph+tuesday+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4ILsgGa8pOQA5hzfNE9BbCyAWhUu7ra5e9ArxoVHEMbzq7p3MvPFohThwMs0rPVPX1w_6vHVHl-Qs44MHPmiv3P8zh_VjOD-8W0pSCO6SS8twkQYbDolwnTtOXX50uYwfpUhvWiOqEAG/s1600/fistchapter-first+paragraph+tuesday+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Every Tuesday Diane @ <a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/" style="color: #6a6a6a; text-decoration: none;">Bibliophile by the Sea</a> hosts First Chapter, First </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Paragraph where we share the first paragraph or two of a book we are reading or thinking about reading soon. Feel free to grab the image and participate</span>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwKGx6R3n_qUBUQv7YfjFdpFcuSGg7RaOKsHpj-8TPKZ8wxl4qJqEutxGA_dwhSy1oCCwaYkCt_Z2xrKsgt-eHHwuYYsjby4FGclgq26HuhAEDr2FE6vwt_u-4h2ZzktWwGsi6i7jnNil/s1600/from+notting+hil+with+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwKGx6R3n_qUBUQv7YfjFdpFcuSGg7RaOKsHpj-8TPKZ8wxl4qJqEutxGA_dwhSy1oCCwaYkCt_Z2xrKsgt-eHHwuYYsjby4FGclgq26HuhAEDr2FE6vwt_u-4h2ZzktWwGsi6i7jnNil/s1600/from+notting+hil+with+love.jpg" height="320" width="199" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Tuesday Intro pick is From Notting Hill with Love...Actually by Ali McNamara. I'm reading it on Kindle and I was fortunate to grab this when it was offered as a freebie. I enjoy British romantic comedy and Notting Hill and Love...Actually are two of my favorite movies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is the first paragraph:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"<i>I didn't feel much like Julia Roberts as I emerged from the hot and crowded London underground. There were no paparazzi ready to photograph my every move-unless you counted the two Japanese tourists snapping away at a black London cab that was just dropping off a fare. And neither did I resemble her that much, trundling my old blue wheelie suitcase along the pavement while I looked in awe at the Notting Hill area of London I thought I knew so well</i>."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.littlebrownbooks.net/wp-content/uploads/Sample_From-Notting-Hill-With-Love-Actually.mp3">Click on THIS LINK</a>, to hear an audio excerpt of the first few pages of the book and the narrator has a beautiful British accent.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-indent: 1em;">What do you think? Would you keep on reading</b><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-indent: 1em;"> </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>or move on to something else?</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-43165181436746977282013-05-19T22:44:00.003-04:002013-05-19T22:44:39.090-04:00Mailbox Monday<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9e9JLhtMI8g-9scpvmssGQ2vBpw9SqTt-g_-mx2krmSLAb3ifSI28tzo35scRvF-iYzO5Df1TcljzF2wsCoPFsNHFlJwFpLK-AW_HQhUE6-lwA2dfMTJ-YkUC4Ovfk6Zgug8lIdLjQ8L/s1600/mailbox+monday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9e9JLhtMI8g-9scpvmssGQ2vBpw9SqTt-g_-mx2krmSLAb3ifSI28tzo35scRvF-iYzO5Df1TcljzF2wsCoPFsNHFlJwFpLK-AW_HQhUE6-lwA2dfMTJ-YkUC4Ovfk6Zgug8lIdLjQ8L/s1600/mailbox+monday.jpg" height="320" width="268" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">Is a place for readers to share what books came into their house last week </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">and explore great blogs!</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"> (May Host is Abi at <a href="http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/" style="color: #6a6a6a; text-decoration: none;">4 the Love of Books</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">I requested these two e-books from Edelweiss as I couldn't resist. I will have more free time this summer and I look forward to catching up on all the egalleys and books that I've accepted for review. I also look forward to visiting my blogging friends and other blogs this summer! I haven't had as much time lately and appreciate your comments!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnkUu3Hazb3Dyp5L4kmyqheQhSYdoGY8wkNtBCYlyK9dKhvLN9l4OD7GbHRZnQfvB_QreSnUARrB1MypkOXaJmbFBGw1qWzFWXip7LYzS-TePvdPWD6XZg0KUm29B-QBDnVH5rY6Nc_Rk/s1600/someone+else's.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnkUu3Hazb3Dyp5L4kmyqheQhSYdoGY8wkNtBCYlyK9dKhvLN9l4OD7GbHRZnQfvB_QreSnUARrB1MypkOXaJmbFBGw1qWzFWXip7LYzS-TePvdPWD6XZg0KUm29B-QBDnVH5rY6Nc_Rk/s1600/someone+else's.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BKZ4OTW/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00BKZ4OTW&adid=1PJKB8WA0RG92VYDEGWB">Someone else's love story</a> by Joshilyn Jackson</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgUi95L8H8vSkOjq7T0RQnOUl85eXjScUewh4CSZQRqHmwGeVuOOxD4KW22iXkLe9XNhq5O2oz6666DVmM9QM109a1FW7pFkpxALiO6DWapXKLsAWCGb1LzS3DXkhT8Drdicrmn5Fx6Cf/s1600/before+i+met+you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgUi95L8H8vSkOjq7T0RQnOUl85eXjScUewh4CSZQRqHmwGeVuOOxD4KW22iXkLe9XNhq5O2oz6666DVmM9QM109a1FW7pFkpxALiO6DWapXKLsAWCGb1LzS3DXkhT8Drdicrmn5Fx6Cf/s1600/before+i+met+you.jpg" height="320" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C8UJ1E6/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00C8UJ1E6&adid=0AR4GCHVNV1RVZD9ZWNB">Before I Met You</a> by Lisa Jewell</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Book from Penguin:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9RNU1InIqkmST1mZ7iqK5gFWTWi5B9KhD3p4hrYsWVWttYt8nINFA9sItKIJBJ2WVfuDE9GATENGQsV-kxkET016lTI28pjQ1R2Yu4kA0H-KxtEFuLsYTyRpoabysKGPCcyFQ7K2t7X-/s1600/age+if+desire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9RNU1InIqkmST1mZ7iqK5gFWTWi5B9KhD3p4hrYsWVWttYt8nINFA9sItKIJBJ2WVfuDE9GATENGQsV-kxkET016lTI28pjQ1R2Yu4kA0H-KxtEFuLsYTyRpoabysKGPCcyFQ7K2t7X-/s1600/age+if+desire.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0143123289/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0143123289&adid=1QMSFTX338Y9CFY4W1Q0">The Age of Desire</a> by Jennie Fields</span> </div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-71642769965333242222013-05-18T11:17:00.001-04:002013-05-18T11:17:36.460-04:00Saturday Snapshot<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEAFobj-U8qnVxlE-tcnF-r329t3u4WOwDUtU085HRc4_sqmsJNYa6m4jLv5E3v1xR0J7Zsat7JFeRTD5u-k0ZsJL4hrnYKNX5s62ZO4wxdRNq55Jm9fegdtvU-xX2npJUmAija2FLxFh/s1600/Italy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEAFobj-U8qnVxlE-tcnF-r329t3u4WOwDUtU085HRc4_sqmsJNYa6m4jLv5E3v1xR0J7Zsat7JFeRTD5u-k0ZsJL4hrnYKNX5s62ZO4wxdRNq55Jm9fegdtvU-xX2npJUmAija2FLxFh/s1600/Italy.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a picture in Genoa, Italy that my cousin took on her visit there last year. I loved the perspective of this photo and how it captured the street view and Italian architecture of the buildings. I hope to visit there someday!! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"> (Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of </span><a href="http://athomewithbooks.net/" style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;">At Home With Book</a><br />
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<br />Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475017404220201735.post-86960614996166592102013-05-14T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-14T06:00:09.518-04:00Tuesday Intros ~ The End Of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGzCTEYYS7vrp7PLDlRasMIEba9dmAqHKheBSSONfi9cNye2nv3O8lrIn1krW915wwAHb2sjIL6hvrZ-X2-reg1ojLFRIy0Nqz-k2gIE2v2LNpF1A-7pac0OIGFmGW3P30rCzxoiYSs8I/s1600/fistchapter-first+paragraph+tuesday+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGzCTEYYS7vrp7PLDlRasMIEba9dmAqHKheBSSONfi9cNye2nv3O8lrIn1krW915wwAHb2sjIL6hvrZ-X2-reg1ojLFRIy0Nqz-k2gIE2v2LNpF1A-7pac0OIGFmGW3P30rCzxoiYSs8I/s1600/fistchapter-first+paragraph+tuesday+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Every Tuesday Diane @ <a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/" style="color: #6a6a6a; text-decoration: none;">Bibliophile by the Sea</a> hosts First Chapter, First </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Paragraph where we share the first paragraph or two of a book we are reading or thinking about reading soon. Feel free to grab the image and participate</span>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6L-EYyDXy_k3riJiH_aDDRlzlbvU1NDFLvUagIChgM7Ydxc6vvxfypSTRrRQEdBw24zEOmycIT-hGAANNMOW-cEhTk9ygEMhTaZcCPXnVwFaHF_0wOqB1Rujbvw6CDtjMuyzlM_jhUn-S/s1600/end+of+your+life+book+club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6L-EYyDXy_k3riJiH_aDDRlzlbvU1NDFLvUagIChgM7Ydxc6vvxfypSTRrRQEdBw24zEOmycIT-hGAANNMOW-cEhTk9ygEMhTaZcCPXnVwFaHF_0wOqB1Rujbvw6CDtjMuyzlM_jhUn-S/s1600/end+of+your+life+book+club.jpg" height="320" width="223" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Tuesday Intro pick is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307594033/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=redsrearoo-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0307594033&adid=0XA7Y9P385R68RJPJP77">The End Of Your Life Book Club</a> by Will Schwalbe. This is a true story about a son and his mother who start a "book club" which brings them together as his mother is dealing with cancer treatments. I am listening to this on audio and it has me hooked. The author is my age so we grew up during the same era but our mothers were very different. I'm a bit envious that he could have such a wonderful connection to his mother through books. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are the first three paragraphs from <a href="http://www.tworoadsbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/EOYLBC-extract.pdf">Two Roads Books</a>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"We were nuts about the mocha in the waiting room at </i></span></div>
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Memorial Sloan- Kettering’s outpatient care center. </div>
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The coffee isn’t so good, and the hot chocolate is worse. But </div>
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if, as Mom and I discovered, you push the “mocha” button, </div>
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you see how two not- very- good things can come together to </div>
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make something quite delicious. The graham crackers aren’t </div>
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bad either.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The outpatient care center is housed on the very pleasant </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">fourth fl oor of a handsome black steel and glass offi ce building in Manhattan on the corner of 53rd Street and Third Avenue. Its visitors are fortunate that it’s so pleasant, because </span>they spend many hours there. This is where people with cancer wait to see their doctors and to be hooked up to a drip for <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">doses of the life- prolonging poison that is one of the wonders </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">of the modern medical world. By the late autumn of 2007, my </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">mother and I began meeting there regularly.</span> </i></div>
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Our book club got its formal start with the mocha and one </div>
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of the most casual questions two people can ask each other:</div>
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“What are you reading?” It’s something of a quaint question </div>
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these days. More often in lulls of conversation people ask, </div>
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“What movies have you seen?” or “Where are you going on </div>
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vacation?” You can no longer assume, the way you could when </div>
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I was growing up, that anyone is reading anything. But it’s a </div>
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question my mother and I asked each other for as long as I </div>
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can remember."</div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-indent: 1em;">What do you think? Would you keep on reading</b><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-indent: 1em;"> </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>or move on to something else?</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/92565267B75319118F5BAA5201C0C4D8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Bonniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06838832109510581167noreply@blogger.com10