..and the winners are...

Winners of my HUSH, HUSH giveaway:

* Jackie

* Haleyknitz

(thanks to Lisa for letting me know she already had the book so I could pass this on to another winner!)


Winner of my Pendragon's Banner giveaway:

* Jo-Jo


Winner of my What the Dog Saw giveaway:


* Sheila

Congratulations!!! I've just sent you an email to get all your dets :)
Thanks to everyone else for playing!

"Waiting on" Wednesday - November 4, 2009

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I can't wait for Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder


Release date: January 5, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Restless souls and empty hearts

Brooklyn can't sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams.

Nico can't stop. He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca. But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages, telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface.

As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest.

Teaser Tuesday - November 3, 2009

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. 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 TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Deryn had always reckoned herself a tomboy, between Jaspert's bullying and Da's balloon training. But running with the other middies was more than just punchups and tying knots - it was like joining a pack of dogs. (pg 102)

Review: The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman

Publisher: Atria

Released: October 20, 2009

Hardcover, 288 pages

ISBN-10: 1439158843

Recommended for: lovers of Chick Lit

My rating: 3/5

My thoughts:

On the first Monday in December every year twelve women get together for their annual "cookie club" party. The book is narrated by Marnie, the 'head cookie b*tch. Each chapter begins with a recipe of a particular cookie club member, with the chapter focusing on that person: how they came to know Marnie, their past & what is happening in their life now. Also included after each chapter is a history of basic baking ingredients.

I'll start off with what I loved about the book: the recipes & the details provided in the prologue outlining some rules to help in putting together your own cookie club. I also loved the premise of this book, unfortunately it did not turn out to be the happy, pre-Christmas read I was hoping for. The book covers many sad topics including lost jobs, unfaithful relationships, death of a child, miscarriages and still-births. The only part I laughed at was Juliet's description of how to make her treats.

Having a chapter devoted to one character sounds great but the downfall was that I could read this book & put it down without wondering what was going to happen next. It also meant that there was little for me to feel that I really knew the character, no closeness. In the end, I guess the message here is really a basic one: the importance of friendships, especially in times of need. I just wish there was more happiness, more laughter, to celebrate in the book.

A sequel has been slated for 2011 & CBS has bought the film rights. Depending on the casting, I think this may be one of those few cases where I'd like the movie more then the book.

In My Mailbox - November 1, 2009

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren

My goodies this week:


Just last week, it was announced that DreamWorks has acquired the rights to the Wicked series! Congrats Nancy & Debbie!
Witches, warlocks, destiny and death--Wicked a teen series from Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié that’s too powerful to put down. It will entrance you!

Hazel Stone wants nothing more than to be a part of the hottest clique in school, the Pretty Little Devils. She’s got the style, she’s cool enough, so how did she end up at a lunch table full of high school C-listers?Hazel has resigned herself to life as a nobody, when suddenly everything changes. Sylvia, queen bee of the PLDs, invites Hazel to one of the group’s famous soirees—held at the site of their babysitting jobs.Before Hazel knows it, she’s in with the in crowd—and she couldn’t be more thrilled!But popularity comes with a price. Especially when one of Hazel’s classmates becomes jealous of her newfound status—deadly jealous. And you know how school gossip can just rip a girl to shreds...

POSSESSIONS is the first of a series at least 4 novels. In this first novel, Lindsay Cavanaugh finds her way to a superposh boarding school high in the mountains of Northern California. There are a few problems–it’s haunted, and the mean girls are possessed…will Lindsay ever find her way back out? And if she does, who or what will possess her?




Hi my name is Mel & I'm a chocoholic...

With gigantic vats of churning chocolate, desserts like their famous chocolate pizza, and 12 varieties of hot chocolate served in custom mugs, Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man has turned their line of hip, colorful themed restaurants into an international sensation.. Chocolate: A Love Story is a vibrant new cookbook that includes 65 original recipes narrated in the quirky, captivating voice of Max Brenner, the restaurant's visionary founder and "bald man." Bold original illustrations inspired by Art Deco poster graphics, full-color photographs, easy-to-follow, delicious recipes, and a serving of Max's unique vision for spreading "chocolate culture" around the world make this book a must for every chocolate lover.



I can't wait to finally start this series. The next book comes out in May 2010!

Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy books follow the war between two races of vampires, living and undead. Rose Hathaway, a 17-year old half-vampire, is training to be a bodyguard for the living vampires and finds her life complicated by the constant danger. As well as an illicit romance with one of her teachers, Rose continually struggles to protect her best friend from the evils that surround them.

Waht did you get this week?