WINNERS: 7th Heaven by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro!

What a fantastic way to start off another week!  For those of you that entered....it's time to announce the winners of our recent contest!  (Holding your breath and crossing your fingers?)

Hosted on my site on behalf of Valerie at Hachette Book Group (THANK YOU!) each winner will receive 1 paperback copy of 7th Heaven by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.  This had to be one of the largest contests to date that I have held so far....the total number of entries when all was said and done came to 43! (Thank you to everyone that entered!)  After all the tallying, I submitted them into the random.org list generator to give them a good "stir" and then asked the number generator for some random integers....TADA!  We now have our FIVE winners! 

My randomly selected winners....without further ado...are...

Stacie @ Simply Stacie

Ivy @ Book Reader Times

bison61

Jaime @ Copper Llama Studio

Danielle @ There's A Book

Congratulations to each of you...I've sent your information in so the book should be forth-coming!  Thanks once again to everyone that entered!  More great contests to come as well as book reviews and random thoughts!

Until next time....happy reading!

In My Shopping Bag (12)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Through her guidelines, your post does not actually have to be named the same and thus my post shall be..."In My Shopping Bag".  (just fits with the "foodie" theme a bit better in my humble opinion)

Let's take a peek inside my shopping bag from the past week....

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Purchased

Firespell by Chloe Neill

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Won

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

(via contest from Debbie @ Wrighty's Reads)

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For Review

Hmmmm....I feel like Pooh Bear..."Halllllloooooooo, in there!"

Perhaps next week.

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Off on another adventure!
Until next time....happy reading!

The Roving Reader

What can I say.....I'm a sucker for a cute puppy!

City Dog by Alison Pace

Check it out!

REMINDER: Contest Ends TONIGHT!

Just a quick reminder....

...a contest at SFIR is ending tonight at midnight CST!

Enter now for your chance to win 1 of 5 PB copies of the....

7th Heaven by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

...courtesy of Hachette Book Group!

Click HERE to enter now!

Good luck....and happy reading!

The Roving Reader

Okay, besides the cover, the story inside looks just as interesting!

Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon

Check it out!

Dessert: Your One Stop Fun Break Stop! (7)

Hi there! *~waves~* You've done it!  Congratulations!  Oh, wait...you don't know what you've done?  Silly me, I thought you knew!  You've made it through ANOTHER week!  WHOO-hoo! (Hey, we have to celebrate the little things...sometimes that's the best part of a day!)  To help welcome the Friday fun-ness to each of you, here is a special dessert entree...I mean entry....to get you started.  It comes to us from my newest daily calendar (Rubes) and features a classic children's story most have heard at least once or twice.  (Try not to laugh TOO hard, or you may spew milk from your nose...or whatever that is you're drinking there...)

~~holds sides~~ HAHAHAHA! ~~releases sides~~

Gotta love it...really.

Have a great weekend!

Until next time....happy reading!

Time to Share Some Blog Love!

Is it just me, or is it staying colder longer than usual this year?  I mean don't get me wrong, I'd MUCH rather be too cold than too warm (and down here, it usually runs the later), but still....this is probably the first year we've been down here that it has stayed THIS cold for THIS long!  **puts hands in front of portable heater** (Yes, a little Bob Cratchit, but hey, they have to defrost in order to type!)

With the cold wind blowing and the holidays (most of them) come and gone, I figured it's time to share some blog love with some of the great sites (and people!) I've encountered in this community.  Of course, it helped to remind me that I haven't shared any recently when Jo (Ink and Paper AND Once Upon A Bookcase) sent me two awards yesterday (THANKS!), which I am now proudly displaying.  (If you haven't yet, stop over and check her site out!  She is a fellow book blogger who focuses more on fantasy book reviews ...definitely some good adds to be had for your wish list!) 

The award I choose to bestow today came to me last year from Nicole over at WORD FOR TEENS (Thanks, again!).  It's a rather interesting award, if I do say so myself, as it celebrates one of the things that we bloggers hold dear...comments!  Here we go....the award I am passing on today is....

....the Dragon Loyalty Award!

This award is awarded to those followers who are the most loyal and give bloggers joy by commenting regularly and with their support.  The rules are to pass it on to 3-7 followers who are as loyal as dragons.

MY AWARD RECIPIENTS ARE:

Juju @ Tales of Whimsy

The1stdaughter @ There's A Book

Yunaleska @ Nayu's Reading Corner

Clevery Inked @ Cleverly Inked

Alexia561 @ Alexia's Books and Such...

THANK YOU to each of you for your considerate comments on even my must mundane posts.  They always bring a smile to my face and who doesn't need a smile nowadays!

If you haven't had a chance to check out these lovely folks, I'd highly recommend it!

Until next time....happy reading!

SFIR Featured at There's A Book!

Welcome back readers!  It's a new day and a new post, one of two in fact for the day!  Time to share the spotlight's shine with a fellow book blogger and a recent interview they did with yours truly.

Danielle runs a nifty little blog called There's A Book.

Focusing mainly on children's titles with the occasional personal choice thrown in for good measure, she shares the reviewing stage with Turkeybird and Littlebug (yep, gonna make you visit the site to see exactly who they are).  One of my favorite features that she currently has running is called 'When I Was Young'.  It explores the blogger behind the blog and allows you to share anything from your favorite book as a child to how your blog got started and even your personality outside of the bloggy world.  Check it out every Wednesday to see the new featured blogger!

In the mean time, get to know a little more about me with the current post.

Until next time...happy reading!

**Just a quick note....the blog icon I used for There's A Book is not official nor do I claim any rights to it.  It is merely a part of the LOVELY background used on her site.  Thank you...this message will self-destruct in....(just kidding!)

Spotlight Envy?: The Shadow Club by Neal Shusterman

Hi, there! Welcome back to another exciting post here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers! Hopefully everyone is having a great year thus far and there is nothing but good things in your future. As I was writing the initial draft of this post, I happended to be around several fellow bookish people having a rather head-turning-eyebrow-raising discussion (you know, when you tilt your head to the side and raise your eyebrow as if saying "What?!?" with your head instead of your mouth...**glances away while you try to imitate it**...yeah, THAT look..) about different theories and evolution. Apparantly, some theorize that humans took over after the last species was wiped out and that if we ever were in the same boat, something else would take over. Hmmm....not so certain on that and besides, what species would do the over taking? Oh, well....the things contemplated in a book store. Gotta love it. Anywho....

The book featured today is a short attention grabber that is sure to speak straight to the heart of many experiencing their own similar issues, and hopefully help them get past the hurdles they are presented. Without further adieu (as the review is quite long enough as is...yep, long-winded Insatiable Reader, strikes again!)...the book of choice is....

The Shadow Club

by

Neal Shusterman

Ever hear the phrase It's all fun and games until someone puts out an eye....generally it's said when you've decided to run with scissors or participate in a less-than-smart activity that could easily result in injury or something much worse; the message behind it being to be careful in the things you do lest the outcome stray from your original intent (or be careful since unexpected things can happen and usually do). This phrase ABSOLUTELY applies to this story. How? Read on, my friend.....read on....

In every school in every city, there are always those that stand out. They are the popular kids. The ones that are constantly reaching number one. The winners. The top dogs. The cream of the crop. The....well, you get the picture. I'm certain if you think back to your days in school (or yesterday if you are currently attending), whether you were one or not, you knew at least one or two people that fall into this category. For those that gained these titles and more, CONGRATS! Your days in school were probably easier socially if not academically. For those that always came up a little short, second place is not a bad place to be. I mean you get some of the glory, but none of the responsibility. Some of the well-wishers, but not the groupie following. A place in the "shadows", but never the sun.....hmmm, if only the former advantages were easier to focus on.

Randall and Cheryl have been best friends forever....or at least as far back as they can remember. Their relationship is as such that people don't know quite what to make of them. Are they together...are they just friends? They take no notice and continue on as usual. One day after an especially trying time at school, their friendly conversations take a new direction. It seems that Austin Pace, school track star and all around "number 1" to which we affectionately come to know as L'Austin Space (read as lost-in-space.....laughing yet?), is up to his old tricks again and rubbing Randall's face in the fact that he is always second best. It wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't just lost the spot of team captain and gained the name "Gopher" thanks to his new rank as assistant coach, all credited to one L'Austin Space (any wonder why he's not his favorite person?).

Seething with teenage angst, he and Cheryl come up with a plan to create a club where kids in their situation would belong. A second best club, if you will, only with a much catchier name....the shadow club (hence the name of the book). The elite membership is determined and granted by one thing....the fact that the person is the best in their given area with the exception of one other person. Sounds like a good idea, right? Not so much. You see, what starts out as a little fun and games (they play tricks on those that keep putting them down, in order to humiliate them as they have always been...a little taste of their own medicine so to speak...), quickly escalates into an all out assault. It would seem as though the kids just took their game too far, but there is one problem...the Shadow Club is not responsible for what's going on!?! Although they are each the top suspect in this now wicked battle of wits since the fallen all happen to be those they were in direct competition with. A mighty strange coincidence? Or is someone carrying out the things they only wished they each could do? See what happens when harmless thoughts turn into your unwanted dreams come true.....

(Muaaaahhhahahah) Sorry, I had to get that out of my system. It just seemed like the appropriate ending for my little synopsis there. This was indeed a startling book. It was one of many I purchased in a multi-book bender (shopping spree) online a while back.....I had hopes for it, but none too high. Well, I was certainly surprised as I was reading to discover the serious issues dealt with in such a short yet compelling novel. We have bullying (both sides of the story), pyromaniacs, personnal issues that some would rather not come to light, loneliness and more....all rolled into about 199 pages. Randall and Cheryl start out as each other's better half but end up feeding each other's darkest natures. Austin Pace removes some of the crash outer layers in a rare moment of friendliness, only to coat it over again with a heavy layer of disdain (with good reason....but you'll have to read the story to understand why). Last but certianly not least, a character of note is Tyson McGaw. Now, you may have noticed this is the first time I mention this young man, but he IS in fact a key player to the issues they will face; helping them learn a valuable lesson as well as revealing a part of himself he held secret from the world.

Beyond the characters and the story, the messages are great for readers of all ages, although perhaps more immediate for those in middle school or high school currently, as there is not one of us that couldn't benefit from a little understanding (for ourselves and others). Perhaps one of the more ironic things for me was the narrator. Most books that I've read are written from a female perspective. I mean both recently and not so recently....it just seems to be that most are written from that viewpoint (or perhaps it's just the ones that draw my eye...anyway.....).

It was interesting to see the difference in the way things were perceived from the male perspective. I mean, every author interprets things differently and therefore no two accounts will be exactly the same, but more often than not, the female voice tends to speak of the emotional connection to the events and places with a searching eye (more detailed, more inner-contemplation). The male voice, or at least this one, tended to see the events as is without much inner dialogue and so while the landscape may have been less appealing, I still found the story vivid despite the sparse nature. You felt for the characters but not quite to the extent of them being your best friends. You wanted to know what happened next but it didn't quite play as much on your emotional state, rather it stayed within your curiousity. Overall, I was quite pleased with this read and would definitely recommend it to others for a quick weekend exploration....

COMMENT CREATOR
In your recent reading history, do your narrators tend to be male or female? What have YOU noticed about the difference perspectives presented in each? Do you have a preference between them?

Until next time....happy reading!

Taste Testing Tuesdays (10)

Good morning (or whatever time it is where you are), everyone!

Welcome to another installment of Taste Testing Tuesdays!

Taste Testing Tuesdays was inspired by 'Teaser Tuesdays', a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

On the menu this week is a sample of one book that I'm having another instance of cover envy and a second one that I've been a bit slack on finishing (it's a sequel and I haven't read the first one, makes it a little harder on this one), but it is surely coming along.  Let's take a taste, shall we?

"Does Mr. Donahue often keep a shovel in his trunk?"  I shrugged.  "I don't often go looking in his trunk.  We've only been dating a little while."  -- pg 160, Truly, Madly by Heather Webber (ARC)

"I don't do drugs, I swear."  He blinked his eyes and tried to focus on her face.  "You've got to believe me.  I was attacked by a bunch of men.  They were wearing..." -- pg 66, Powers by John B. Olson

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read

*Open to a random page

*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

*Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Until next time....happy reading!

 

Debut Author: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

Wow!  Would you look at that?  It's 2010 and thus far, the month is zipping right along (well, it is for me anyway, how about you?).  So many great books have already come out, but brace yourself, because this year is already off to a rather promising start!  Case in point, the book we are featuring today! 

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

by

Beth Hoffman

CeeCee Honeycut is a wonderful girl.  She is bright, pleasant to be around, a well-read child especially for her tender age (YAY for book lovers!)...oh, and she carries with her a terrible secret.  Her mother Camille is very ill.  Now don't worry, she's not bed ridden or gasping for her last breath, but in a way she is drowning from the weight of her life.  Something inside this Southern belle and former Vidalla Onion Queen pageant winner has gone dreadly awry.  One of the links in her mind is not quite making the connection anymore and she ends up swirling off in a cloud of taffeta complete with crown, make-up, and her red high heel shoes on a moments notice.  As the days pass by, it only gets worse and the secret she so despitely wished to keep is exposed every time her mother takes another excursion into the world to pick up discarded party dresses to add to her unhealthy collection.  Despite CeeCee's youth, she ends up being responsible for taking care of the situation the best she can.  Where is her father you may ask?  Well, he is a traveling salesman (of more than just the product he is pedalling...if you know what I mean...), so he is out for many days at a time.  Upon his return home, he wants nothing more than to be left alone for the night and to escape the next morning.  Poor CeeCee.....if not for her kindly neighbor, Mrs. Odell, she'd be left without a friend in the world.

One day after an especially hard week, CeeCee's mother is dying to make her weekly trip to the bargain store in order to pick up a dress for the pageant that night.  Knowing full well that there is no pageant and having had more than enough of her mother's antics for a lifetime, she tells her she is not going and buries herself away in her book.  Upon hearing the door to the house close, she has a horrible thought, but one that seeps in none the less.  She wished that she never came back so her life could return to something resembling normal.  On this particular day, fate and the unfortunate wish met as her mother was snatched from the life she had grown to hate.  Imagine the sadness.  Imagine the guilt.  Now imagine your father telling you that you're going to move from Ohio to Savannah, Georgia to live with an Aunt you met as a baby.  Yeah, talk about great timing.  Clearly the motives of a man not knowing what was best at the time, but trying to do right in some fashion by his daughter.

Leaving her world behind, along with her stand-in mother and friend Mrs. Odell, CeeCee puts on a brave face and goes with Aunt Tootie to a lifestyle yet unknown.  One never knows what to expect when moving away from home, and with the crushing hand of tragedy still wrapped securely around her heart, young CeeCee has much to face in the coming days.  But wait....what's this?  A lush flora and fauna filled land with a breeze filled with the sweet smell of magnolias?  Can it be?  Is it just a dream or is she finally going to have a chance to grow up as any young child should?  Safe and content, feeling the warm protecting hand of family and the comforting security of knowing where you stand?  Truly in the end, that is up to her.  The path is set before her, but can CeeCee break free of a past that is still casting its shadow over her future?  (You'll have to read it to find out...but the release date is almost here!)

Have you ever had cover envy?  I mean seriously....you see the cover and think, "WOW!  I just have to know what that book is about!"  Yeah, well, I have and this book is definitely one of those to induce this rare state.  Don't be fooled....the picture here does it SOME justice, but in person, the colors, the image....they just work so well together!  It screams chick-lit or women's fiction (whichever term you prefer, I love them both) straight from the start, and delivers nothing short of your high expectations.

As much as the title declares the books story line of saving CeeCee, the cast of characters surrounding her are every bit as important as they each play a role in shaping her young life. Mrs. Odell, CeeCee's elderly neighbor friend that was more of a mother than her own mother could be once she became ill. Aunt Tootie, wisking her away from the "scene of the crime" to a magnolia filled wonderland to heal and grow. Oletta, Aunt Tootie's right hand....without her the house would not run....nor would any of them eat since she is such a fabulous cook. (Yeah, try not walking away with a craving for cinnamon rolls, or fresh baked bread after reading about it a few times.) Miz Goodpepper and her passion for flying slugs (yeah, I'm actually not going to explain that one, but trust me, it's funny) as well as exhibitionist bathing (again with the non-explain....I have to save that mystery for readers to discover).  Miz Hobbs, who favors married men and yellow feathers.  That's just a few of the many women that touch young CeeCee's life.  Author Beth Hoffman has created a truly touching story with characters you won't want to say goodbye to when you reach the end.

Now being that this is a book review, and in keeping with my own values, I must reveal my dislikes as well.... Honestly, there was only ONE small THING that irked me and it came in the very last chapter or so. It's a section in regards to Northerners versus Southerners. Now, I may live in the South now, but I came from the North, so I've seen both sides of this "debate". It irked me just a bit to read the understanding CeeCee comes to about the South having a way of doing things to make you feel special and that they are a friendlier lot in general. Um, sorry....not buying it. (HANG ON.....before you try to tar and feather me here....keep reading....) When my family moved down here many moons ago, we were WOW'd and AWE'd by everything too. The one thing that didn't always wow us was the reception we received when labeled as "Northerners". Depending upon who it was, it almost sounded like a curse word, or something vile they just had to get out of their mouth or they would pass out. (Not being dramatic here.....girl scouts honor!) The classic line we would here when giving any opinion was "we don't do like you Yankees do". I never really understood it. I mean, what did we do exactly? Answer: nothing. It was merely a result of their upbringing, which I choose not to hold against them, and then their own prejudices surfacing...and let's face it, it is SO not worth the drama. What is the point of my ramble? Well, simply to say that I had wished this seemingly small point were maybe presented in another way within the story. That being said, for the very few pages that it lasted, I would still read the book again cover to cover in a heartbeat. The small irration is fleeting, but the story is heartfelt through and through. (See, that's all....done with that...)  Moving on...

The writing style is true to it's nature.....it weaves a story rich with color and life and settles on the chick-lit genre as if it were always there.  It brings to mind two authors I have read previously that take residence in this same niche....Mary Kay Andrews (check out my review of Hissy Fit to sample this one) and Rebecca Wells (author of the YA-YA Sisterhood series)....both great company for any author to keep, in my humble opinion. 

If you haven't ordered your copy already, the official release date (at least at the time of this post) was set for January 12th, 2010.

Special thanks to author Beth Hoffman for the ARC for review!  (THANK YOU!)  You can reach her on Twitter (as usual...oh, and she DOES tweet back!), as well as at her site (lots to explore there as well...not to mention the BEAUTIFUL layout!).  Recently her book has been receiving a bit more face time with a mention in the ShelfAwareness newsletter and also being chosen as the Sam's Book Club pick of the month for January! (Congratulations!)

Well, I can see I've taken up more than enough of your time today.  If you've made it to this part of the post I'd just like to say THANK YOU for sticking with me!  I can get wordy on books I like, it's true (I know it, you know it, everybody knows it)...but my aim is always to shed some light on a title you may not have had the pleasure of meeting.

Until next time....happy reading!

Update: Contacting the Insatiable Reader

Hi there!

I hope that your weekend is going well thus far.  Just wanted to let you know of a recent change here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably seen I've been having some trouble getting access to my email recently.  For some reason or another, Go.com has decided to not work....whatsoever.  Even the contact us form to report problems isn't working.  (If anyone knows of a way to contact them beyond this page or has any clue what is going on with the site, please share!)  In the mean time, and perhaps for the duration of my blog, I've changed the "contact me" email address from GO to my new gmail account.  All links have been changed to point to this address so everything should go along rather smoothly.  If you've sent me something recently and I have not responded, I'm not ignoring you!  I just couldn't get the email.  Please submit the information again to my new contact address and I will gladly get back to you as soon as possible. 

Thank you for your time....now go back to enjoying your weekend!

Until next time....happy reading!

In My Shopping Bag (11)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Through her guidelines, your post does not actually have to be named the same and thus my post shall be..."In My Shopping Bag".  (just fits with the "foodie" theme a bit better in my humble opinion)

Normally this post would be seen on a Monday, but tomorrow's post will feature a brand new author and her amazing book so this week's meme will be posted on Sunday!

Let's take a peek inside my shopping bag from the past week....

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Purchased

The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

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Won

Nope...looking empty here too....

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For Review

Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff

(ARC courtesy of Macmillan)

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Off on another adventure!
Until next time....happy reading!

The Roving Reader

Looks like someone got a makeover since the movie deal!

Check out this "re-release" of the first book in the

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series!

Anyone making plans to see it in theaters this February?

(Oooh, me...ME!)

Happy reading!

Dessert: Your One Stop Fun Break Shop! (6)

It's Friday!  Whoo-HOO!  For most people, that means the weekend is here and beckoning for them to cut loose.  In the spirit of the day, I bring to you a witty little dessert to help you on your way.  Take it away monsieur Happy Bunny.....

Now there...don't you feel better?

(...and yes, this description fits every one of you!  You guys are awesome indeed.)

(Oh and to cover any copyright issues....photo scan courtesy of my 2009 Happy Bunny desk calendar!)

Until next time....happy reading!

Diamond in the Rough: The Second Circle: Guardian by Dorothy Dreyer

Welcome back to another post here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers! I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but it’s FREEZING down here! I think it actually warmed up to 40 degrees yesterday, but it went right back down to the teens overnight….yeah, so much for the "sunshine state". (Okay, well in all fairness, there is SUN; it just doesn’t feel very "shiny" at this time.) I mean I love the cold weather, but this is REALLY cold. Cie la vie….I’ll just grab another shirt to throw on to stay warm. (Let’s see that makes 3 shirts on now? Any more and I may look like the Stay-Puff Marshmallow wo-Man!) Enough about the weather though, I must tell you about my latest book!

OMG! Sorry…I’m not usually prone to outbursts of the oh-my-goodness nature, but I just finished reading a currently unpublished work by a very promising author-to-be (totally my opinion, but if you just read the story I did, you’d absolutely agree!)! How did I make this connection? Simple! One of my first Twitter and book blogging friends, that would be Bella over at A Bibliophile's Bookshelf (HI and THANKS!), had our virtual paths cross and the rest as they say is history! Before I delve too far into the story itself, allow me to introduce the working title (ahem….working as in if a publisher or agent is reading this and has any questions, feel free to contact the author…ahem) (sorry, shameless plug…purely acting on my own volition). Today’s book (to-be) of choice is….

The Second Circle:

Guardian

By

Dorothy Dreyer

Let me set the stage for you….Emma Livingston’s life has been anything but a bed of roses. Her mother died when she was very young, her father is at work most of the time, her younger sister Megan simply will not listen to her, and her grandmother is estranged from the family; so, you see, although not as hard as some, a plenty hard life by most standards. One day (seemingly) out of the blue, Emma receives a letter welcoming her to the prestigious Ruthershire Educational Academy in England. Apparently, her well-to-do grandmother had paid entirely for her studies there out of the kindness of her heart…a fact that she finds rather hard to swallow since they’ve had virtually no communication since her mother’s passing. No matter….being such a fantastic chance at a great education, it simply can’t be missed.

Upon arriving at her new home away from home, things seem to go along rather smoothly….her roommate Amanda is a blast and definitely aids in giving her a proper introduction to life on the other side of the pond, Wendy, Nicholas, and Kyle round out their merry little group quite nicely. Then we have the potential love interests. Andrew, who presents himself as a proper gentleman, but makes his intentions known of wanting to be more than just friends. Handsome and forth-coming, what girl wouldn't want someone like that to fawn over her? (Anyone not raising their hand in agreement? Nope..didn't think so.) Alas, despite his advances, someone else has captured her attention as well. Now entering stage right.....Kieran. Let's just say that is handsome was a contest they would be on a slightly level playing field.....BUT, add piercingly gorgeous eyes, a knack for always being there when needed and those lovely little butterflies in your stomach.....yes, Kieran would win hands down.

Unfortunately for Emma, he seems to have a girlfriend.....but whether the obvious or merely a friend that happens to be a girl is a bit more of a mystery. Unable to unravel this riddle, much time is spent with the former suitor. So, everything seems great, right? Boyfriend potential, good friends, and so-so grades in class, she should be A-ok.....(well now, then we wouldn't have much left for a story now would we...)....not so lucky. Strange dreams have been plagueing Emma and now some of those dreams seem to be playing out in reality. A mysterious jewel heist, shady meetings with strange unknowns, accidents and run-ins with things that can't quite be explained......and how exactly does Andrew or Kieran always end up by her side? This is only the beginning as stranger things are about to unfold. Her past as she now knows it will be torn assunder and her future as uncertain as she might have been about it will take a very unexpected turn. Will Emma survive the school year ahead? If so, at what cost and by who's hand? (Yes indeed...I am stopping right here with the "reveals" as to tell more would give away to much of the adventure and I want YOU to get a chance to discover the rest on your own!)

First off, let me say that I LOVED this book-to-be! A perfect addition to the YA fiction category....which definitely has me hoping this book is granted the chance to shine on a book store shelf near you very soon! Now, on to my further analysis...

The cast of characters will keep you guessing. I promise, up until a certain point in the book, I was totally convinced I knew who the "good guy" was and who the "bad guy" was, then POW! Your mind is blown by a stunning revelation, causing you to reconsider the events you previously interpreted. Settling back in on your journey, the rug is pulled out several more times as you are kept on your toes constantly trying to reveal once and for all who is who. (Trust me; it’s a GOOD thing in this case.) All is revealed in the end, as well as a small introduction to the next installment in the series. (YES! There is a second book planned …although the story line may or may not be what you are thinking right now.)

The story itself combines the elements of modern day times with a magical realm. It is described in such a way as to make you wish you could see the prismatic fields of flowers and nature godesses. Although you wouldn't want to meet up with Lizatora (let's just say it in one word....EVIL), she is given a rather interesting back story to support the way her character is presently and you may find yourself sympathizing with her plight (...to a point....after that, back to the one word description of EVIL....).  If you want to discuss the emotional aspect, the gambit is certain run with this one!  From fear of the unknown (magical world and someone's out to get you...hello, scary enough!) to discovering true inner strength (always good to find just when you need it) to romance (*SIGH*...to my fellow female readers, you'll be wanting to switch places with Emma more than once here), no feeling is left unexplored.  You'll want to keep the tissues handy for the sad parts and the pom poms at the ready for the celebrations.

As this is an unpublished work (currently), I can’t say "go out and pick up your copy today", but I would definitely be on the lookout for it to hit the shelves running at a future (hopefully near future) date. In the mean time, she is active in the online community….guess where? (Oh, come on….you know this….) Yep, Twitter! I believe she may also have a Facebook page as well, but as I am not on that particular site, I’ll leave the looking-up for all of you (consider it a bookish research project for all of my readers on that site).

Special thanks once again, to Bella for helping this great book-to-be cross my path! (You can also check out Bella's review of this great book at her site!) A big thank you as well to the author, Dorothy Dreyer, herself for both the eBook for review, the chance to read her fantastical work, and for taking the time to visit my little site!

Until next time….happy reading!

**UPDATE:  02/04/10 - This just in from the author herself....the series name has been changed!  Book 1 is now called Sparks of Light.  To check out more information on this title and more, see her updated site!**

A Classic Tale: The Pie and the Patty-Pan by Beatrix Potter

The new year is upon and with it the fast approach of many wonderful titles that will soon be gracing your TBR piles, I've no doubt.  While the excitement and anticipation is grand, it can also have you feeling the "heat" (well, not literally, since it was like 28 degrees this morning and yeah, it didn't really warm up...) as you try to get each book read by your deadline.  Whether self-imposed or in advance of a book's release, the pressure is on.  Now I love the challenge of it all, but I also love my reading time and thus have to walk that fine line between getting a book done and ENJOYING the book.  No worries though, thus far, the balance struck is working out, which leads me to the subject of this post.  The featured title today is a classic for certain!  By age alone, it has stood the test of time....although this was MY first time reading it!  (GASP!)  Today's book of choice is....

The Pie and the Patty-Pan

by

Beatrix Potter

This is the story of an unlikely friendship between a cat (Ribby) and a dog (Duchess).  The unlikely pair certainly stand out from the regular crowd in each others neighborhoods, but it does not deter them in the least from spending time together.  In fact, that is the very reason why Ribby was calling upon Duchess this very day!  An invitation to an afternoon tea at her house, complete with muffins for Ribby and a pie for Duchess!  How very splendid indeed!  As inviting as her request is, Duchess is worried about one thing.  The special pie.  Knowing her friend is indeed a pussycat, she is dreadfully afraid of being fed a mouse pie!  What to do, what to do!  Well, since she was going to invite Ribby over prior to receiving the invitation, Duchess already had a pie at the ready.  She makes plans to sneek her prepared ham and veal pie in as a replacement for the potentially mousey meal.  All seems to be going well until she is unable to locate her friends pie!  Oh well....what's done is done.  The only thing left was to enjoy the afternoon meal with her friend and hope for the best.  Will Duchess be successful in her switcheroo?  Or will she end up being the victim in her own foolish folly?  (Sorry, but the book is VERY short, and to expose more would ruin the story!)

Originally written in 1905 (WOW!), this classic tail has managed to stick around for the enjoyment of multiple generations and I'd imagine it to remain as such for many more to come.  Before we venture farther, let me clear something up here, because although you can kind of glean what it means from the story, it's much easier to have it spelled out.  A patty-pan is a pan used in baking, or at least it was popular to use many moons ago.  It was like a metal equivelent to a paper baking cup, except in this case it went under the top crust to help it hold its shape.  (Yeah, that's about as clear as the explanation gets...sorry!) Moving on...

I must say that although I enjoyed the story, the ending was a bit off for me.  ***SPOILER ALERT*** I mean Duchess ends up eating the mouse pie.  Thinking it is her own, she finds it quite tastey (the power of suggestion folks...) until she can't find the patty-pan she used when baking.  She thinks she swallowed it which ends in the discovery that it was in fact the mouse pie she devoured!  She puts her pie out back so as not to alert Ribby and in the end, it gets eaten by a few birds. ***SPOILER OVER***  Ribby contemplates the strange evets and deams that next time she'll just have her cousin Tabitha Twitchit over despite her preference for the presence of her friend Duchess.  (Moral of the story....tell the truth....it's mcuh easier in the end.)

That being said, I LOVED the artwork!  My copy is a small pocket size edition of the book, but the illustrations lost absolutely none of their beauty.  I've included a few in this post for your viewing pleasure.  (Go ahead, take a moment to gaze at them in wonder........still looking?  Okay, a few moments more.........okay, if you're not done yet, you can go back to them in a second as I am almost done.)  All in all, I would recommend this for younger readers, but also those who love the classic Beatrix Potter story style.

COMMENT CREATOR
Speaking of classic children's stories, fables, and the like....what are some of your favorites that have stuck with you through the years?  From Jack and the Beanstalk to Peter Rabbit, there is bound to be at least one that you still remember...feel free to share!

Until next time....happy reading!