MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you. Hopefully I will get better with my blogging in the New Year as that is my goal.

BTSeMag

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DECEMBER BOOK REVIEWS

Coming soon

BETTE LEE CROSBY

Cracks in the Sidewalk Sale

WHEN WE COLLIDE by A.L. JACKSON

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from the author. I have to say, she has once again hit it out of the ballpark for me. This was a raw and emotional read and I was honored to be asked to read and advanced copy. I previously anticipated new releases by well-known authors and have found that authors such as A.L. Jackson and other debut authors are hitting the mark for me and I find myself eagerly anticipating their new releases. If you haven't read her other two books, you don't know what you are missing and will definitely be on my "Authors To Watch" list for her next book. This was the story of William and Maggie and how they fall instantly in love and what it takes to make their relationship work. Are the odds against them? Are their issues insurmountable? The book is filled with much anticipation and suspense. The supporting characters are wonderful too. To take a phrase from the book, "it stole my breath away." Totally a 5 star read for me.

OCTOBER BOOK REVIEWS

My Kind of Christmas by Robyn Carr I am so hooked on the Robyn Carr books. Every time I read one of them I think it is my favorite. I am definitely partial to the holiday themed books. This is Patrick Riordion's story. Each and every brother in that family is a dream come true. Patrick has recently lost his best friend in a downed plane incident. He has choosen to move into his brother's cabin in Virgin River and heal. He never expects to meet a woman, but in Virgin River, there always seems to be love in the air. Patrick meets Angie LeCroix, who has come to Virgin River to get away from her overbearing mother and try to decide how to pick up the pieces of her life after a tragic car accident. All the stars would have to align for Patrick and Angie to have a happily every after. I absolutely loved this book and gave it 5 stars. I am eagerly anticipating Carr's next book.

NOVEMBER BOOK REVIEWS

Low Pressure by Sandra Brown Every time I read a Sandra Brown book, I'm reminded of how much I enjoy her writing. This murder/mystery book had just enough twists to keep me wanting more and it wasn't too over the top or unbelievable. This is the story of Bellamy Price and her quest to find the person responsible for her sister's death 18 years ago. She writes a book as therapy that is published and helps her to deal with her sister's death. In the process Bellamy begins to question if the right man was imprisioned. There begins her quest to seek the truth.

AUTHOR REVIEWS

Here is my list of books I need to review: Whispers at Moonrise (need to read prior books) (10/22) The Trajectory of Dreams by Nicole Wolverton (11/12) I Kissed A Dog by Carol Van Atta (11/13)

SEPTEMBER BOOK REVIEWS

CUPID'S CHRISTMAS BY BETTE LEE CROSBY What can I say, I love stories about Christmas and this was an adorable story about Cupid and what his job entailed. I was given the privilege of getting an ARC of this book. Bette Lee Crosby has such a wonderful writing style that I jumped at the chance to read it. This is the story of Cupid working his magic. The main characters all have flaws and Bette tends to bring out the best in them. It is definitely a totally different take on her usual books, which are written with such heartfelt character. Her books are generally books that I think about long after I have finished reading them. This was a book that was cute, fun and definitely a great way to get into the holiday spirit. When the story began, all I could think was what a spoiled little brat Lindsay was. I loved the development of her character as well as her father and his "girlfriend", Eleanor. Eleanor's son, Ray was another character that I was not thrilled with in the beginning. Bette has such a way with weaving a story to make you come to care for each and every character, flaws and all. I really enjoyed reading this book. It will make you frustrated at time, laugh at other times and have some very tender moments. It leaves you rooting for a happy ending. What is not to love, a Christmas Romance and a dog interwoven in the story. I'm looking forward to more of Cupid's work.

AUGUST BOOK REVIEWS

Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber I really enjoyed the second book in this series. The series kind of reminds me of Evanovich's series, but a tad different. This book was a light read with a twinge of danger and mystery. I love that Lucy struck out on her own and is so determined to make it on her own. The relationship between Preston and Lucy seems to be getting better and Lucy's relationship with Sean is moving along. I love how Lucy helps bring people together. Leo's story was so heartwarming and Sarah's story was very sad. I am excited to read the next book to see what new troubles Lucy can uncover. Ten Girl to Watch by Charity Shumway What a wonderful book by a debut author. [book:Ten Girls to Watch: A Novel|13260167] by [author:Charity Shumway|5327066] was totally unexpected. I was expecting more of a beach read and when I began it and realized it was not going to be a beach read, I was surprised. This is a story of growing up and lessons learned. Dawn is struggling with all aspects of her life and she gets a chance from the unlikeliest of people, her ex-boyfriend's girlfriend introduces her to Regina, editor of Charm Magazine and this chance meeting turns into a freelance job for her. She is to track down the prior Ten Girls to Watch from the last 50 years and at the end there will be a 50th Anniversary Party. Dawn is relegated to the archives building and given an office which is nothing more than a closet. She begins the process of find past TGTW woman. She gets them to talk freely to her and she enjoys what she is doing. She is given advice from most all of the women on how to do things or what not to do. Dawn is living in a crummy apartment, with a slob for a roommate and barely making ends meet. I thought this would be a HEA book, but the book was left open-ended. Although things were finally looking up for Dawn and she was creating a foundation for the future, she still has a way to go to get to where she wants to be. It was a wonderful story and I was intrigued by each and every story of the women and how they got to where they are today.

GIVEAWAY - 7/9/12

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GIVEAWAY

JULY REVIEWS

AUTHOR REVIEWS - TO BE COMPLETED

JUNE REVIEWS

MAY REVIEWS

5/21 - THE TWELFTH CHILD BY BETTE LEE CROSBY (Released today) This is my second Bette Lee Crosby book and I have to say I enjoy each one more than the last. The characters in the book are always endearing and there is always someone we love to hate. I loved that there was another strong woman at the core of the story. This book bring friendship, love, trust and faith all wrapped up nicely with a bow. I also saw greed, lying and selfishness throughout this book. The devotion shown by Abigail Anne was amazing. Her sheer will against a father who thought that a female baby was worthless, a twin brother that she loved and respected and a mother she adored. You can’t help but fall in love with the characters. In Spare Change, I loved Ethan Allen and in The Twelfth Child I loved Destiny and found myself cheering for her throughout this book. I loved that Bette Lee Crosby explored the exploitation of caregivers and the angst and greed of people. Her books are inspiration and yet, not preachy. I thought I had the ending figured out, but there was still a surprise. The book leaves me wondering if there will be a sequel to this one. If you haven’t read a book by Bette Lee Crosby and you enjoy books about strong women with a “Southern Flair”, go and pick up a copy of one of Bette Lee’s books and I am sure you will love it and want to read another one. 5/5 stars

APRIL REVIEWS

Coming Soon

MARCH REVIEWS

Coming soon.

FEBRUARY REVIEWS

CITY OF BONES by CASSANDRA CLARE

Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones was a great read. Totally not what I expected, but that’s when I enjoy a book even more.

The beginning of the book started off a little slow for me with a bunch of details and a bit of confusion, but the more I read the more I didn’t want to put the book down. I don't want to give too much away...........

This book is about Clary Fray and it starts out that she is at Pandemonium (a club) with her friend Simon where she witnesses a murder that no one else can see. Her life changes dramatically from that point on. She is now involved in the world of the Shadowhunters, her mother has disappeared and she finds out that in New York City there are vampires, werewolf’s, ravengers and more demons. Not all are evil, but Clary will meet many of them.

Clary is a great character, she is strong and speaks her mind, she is not overbearing and annoying and you only grow to enjoy her character as the book progresses. Some of the other main characters in the book are Jace, Isabelle and Alex who are also Shadowhunters and struggle with their own personal demons.

There are adults in this book, but not very many “role models”. When you think one thing, something different happens.

There is plenty of action and adventure and lots of moments when I find myself surprised or gasping. At times I felt a little confused along my journey to the end, but it was a great journey and I’m anxious to read the next book.

4 of 5 Stars

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