A year ago today, I started Always With a Book. This past year I’ve discovered so many other great blogs and stumbled upon hundreds of interesting books, many of which I would probably not even know about. I feel fortunate to be able to share my love of books with others who share the same passion. THANK YOU to all those who follow this blog and leave me comments. I…
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First line: It might have been Kindred Spirit Days in Elmwood Park, but Suzanne Dietz wasn’t exactly feeling the spirit. From the back cover: Suzanne, Toni, and Petra lost their husbands but found independence – and, in each other, a life raft of support, inspiration, fresh baked goods, and their own business. But when the Cackleberry Club cafe opened its doors in the town of Kindred, who’d have guessed that…
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Here are my reading stats for January! Books read: 12 Books I read (reviewed ones have * and link to review) Frill Kill* by Laura Childs Death Swatch* by Laura Childs Tragic Magic* by Laura Childs The Diva Takes the Cake* by Krista Davis Mum’s the Word* by Kate Collins Accidentally Yours* by Susan Mallery The Beach House* by James Patterson Virgin River* by Robyn Carr The Deep Blue Sea…
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MizB of Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesday. 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…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Books Completed last week: Fiber and Brimstone by Laura Childs (library book) Tick Tock by James Patterson (mine) Eggs Benedict…
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In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Every week I’ll post what books I’ve received either by mailbox/library/store. For Review (2) Haunting Jasmine by Anjali Banerjee Love Letters by Geraldine Solon Library (2) The Tenth Circle by Jodi Piccoult (audio book) Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Purchased (8) Tick Tock by James Patterson Bobby & Jackie: A Love Story by…
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First line: A globulous giant head, evil grin stretched wide across its glowing orange face, teeth jagged as a buzz saw, bobbed and pecked at the air above Carmela Bertrand’s head. From the inside cover: With the help of her best friend Ava Gruiex, Carmela is building a giant monster puppet for the French Quarter’s gala Halloween Monsters and Mayhem Torchlight Parade. Things get terrifying earlier than expected when they…
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MizB of Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesday. 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…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Books Completed last week: The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice (audio library book) Reading Now: Cleopatra: A…
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First line: Mel squinted into the rain and darkness, creeping along the narrow, twisting, muddy, tree-enshrouded road and for the hundredth time thought, am I our of my mind? From the back cover: WANTED: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against a backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included. When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides…
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Day 3 brings an end to Bloggiesta IV for me. This fun event has been hosted by the lovely Natasha at Maw Books. Overall, I was pretty productive. I was able to spend the whole day working on my blog – lots of housekeeping/organizational stuff going on. It’s pretty mundane stuff, but needs to get done and the Bloggiesta is the perfect opportunity to work on it. Here’s what I…
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Jenn at Jenn’s Bookshelves is hosting this mini-challenge and I thought I would chime in my organizational skills. How do I keep up with what I have in my collection? I have a Goodreads account that I am slowly updating with all the books I have sitting on my shelf waiting to be read (it is going to be so long once I am done updating it!). I also need…
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I finally have a button, thanks to the lovely and generous Gina at Hott Books, who graciously designed one for my blog!!! I absolutely love it and can’t thank her enough for helping me with this. Check it out: <a href=”http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com/” target=”_blank”><img alt=” Always With a Book ” src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/_H9VeW_MXLTA/TTxbAIYcnCI/AAAAAAABbno/XmlNRQVkTpU/s144/AWB.jpg” /></a><br /> I will be adding a section on my blog for all those who have buttons – hopefully I will…
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In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Every week I’ll post what books I’ve received either by mailbox/library/store. For Review (0) Library (0) Purchased (0) Free Downloads (1) The Apothecary’s Daughter by Julie Klassen (e-book) Borrowed from family member (0) From Paperback Swap – (1) Milk Glass Moon by Adriana Trigiani Won (0) What’s in your mailbox?
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Day 2 of Bloggiesta IV, hosted by the lovely Natasha at Maw Books, is completed and I think I was pretty productive. I was able to spend most of the day working on my blog as hubby was out in his home office working and it was way too cold here in New York to go anywhere. I’m hoping to have another productive day tomorrow. Here’s what I have accomplished…
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If you have installed IntenseDebate on your blog and you are using the blogger platform – do you have any tips for easy installation? I tried installing it earlier, thought it was working, and then realized that posts were showing up with no way to comment on, old comments were not showing up – basically a total disaster. I uninstalled it and am back to using blogger’s default system, but…
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I had to uninstall the new commenting system because it didn’t appear to be working – you weren’t able to comment, comments weren’t showing up – there were a few isues, so I took it off. If you did comment, I appreciate it. Clearly I need to do a little more research into installing this than I initially did. If you tried installing/have installed IntenseDebate – do you have any…
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I have been unhappy with my commenting system for a while now and have wanted to look into other options. I put off this daunting task specifically until Bloggiesta – it’s the perfect time for blog projects. I was debating between going to IntenseDebate or going to Disque…and decided to try IntenseDebate. Hopefully it will do all I hope it will – primarily allow me to reply directly to each…
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From the back of the audio case: Years ago, Lyra Davis left behind a world of wealth and privilege and the people she loves most in the world, unable to reconcile the expectations of her celebrated family with the longings of her own wild heart. Now she lives quietly among a community of expatriates on the isle of Capri, slowly learning to live fully for the first time. Granddaughter of…
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First line: It’s like dancing sitting down. From the inside cover: Jack Mullen is in law school in New York City when the news comes that his brother, Peter, has drowned in the ocean off East Hampton. Jack knows his brother practically grew up in the water, and that this couldn’t be an accident. Someone must have wanted his brother dead. But the police say otherwise. As Jack tries to…
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Day 1 of Bloggiesta IV, hosted by the lovely Natasha at Maw Books, is completed and I think I was pretty productive. Although I did have to spend time shoveling this morning and then I had to participate in a webinar/phone conference this afternoon, I still managed to log in some quality time on my blog. I’m hoping tomorrow to spend most of the day working on my blog –…
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Thanks to Jen at Devourer of Books for hosting a challenge on how to create and use Google Documents. I have seen these used on other blogs and have been wanting to try it myself for a while and now I am. If you would please take the time to fill out my form, I would be very grateful and you will have a chance to win a prize! Thank…
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First line: “Girlfriend, this is not your thing,” Lance said as he passed over three napkins, then clucked his tongue. From the back cover: WANTED: -Single mom seeks billionaire’s pocketbook to fund dying son’s research cure. Will seduce if necessary. Blackmail is not out of the question. Miracles welcome. -Cynical billionaire seeks working mom with a heart of gold for PR campaign to improve his standing in the community. Must…
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This weekend I will be participating in my second Bloggiesta! This is a great weekend blogging marathon set up by Natasha at Maw Books, and this weekend will be the fourth installment. The premise of the bloggiesta, for those that haven’t participated before, is to spend the entire weekend working, updating, improving your blog. From minor things such as writing up posts, to reaching out for guests posts and reorganizing…
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CONGRATULATIONS to Lisa winner of A Royal Likeness by Christine Trent Random.org selected the winners. Thanks to all who entered the giveaway!
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MizB of Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesday. 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…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Books Completed last week: Beach House by James Patterson (mine) Virgin River by Robyn Carr (mine) Reading Now: Cleopatra:…
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In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Every week I’ll post what books I’ve received either by mailbox/library/store. For Review (1) The Tudor Secret by CW Gortner Library (2) Fiber & Brimstone by Laura Childs Eggs Benedict Arnold by Laura Childs Purchased (3) Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr (e-book) Whispering Rock by Robyn Carr (e-book) A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr…
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Don’t forget to enter the following giveaway: A Royal Likeness by Christine Trent ends January 15th
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First line: Most people hate Mondays. From the back cover: I don’t meddle, honest! But can I help it if my nose for injustice is as keen as my green thumb? Now I, Abby Knight, law school dropout, am the proud new owner of Bloomers, my hometown flower shop. I’m devoted to making my business grow, but I’m no shrinking violet if someone needs my help to right a wrong…
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First line: Dear Sophie, My fiance’s former girlfriend showed up at our engagement party uninvited and released four dozen white mice. From the back cover: Sophie Winston’s sister, Hannah, is getting married – again! And if you ask Sophie, her future brother-in-law is no prince. But is he a killer? That’s the question on everyone’s mind when his ex-wife is found hanging from a pergola. This is one event Sophie…
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First line: “That’s the place,” said Carmela Bertrand. From the inside cover: Carmela, owner of Memory Mine scrapbooking shop, and her best friend, Ava Gruiex, owner of Juju Voodoo, have a big project ahead. Melody Mayfeldt is converting an old mansion in the Faubourg Marigny district into an unforgettable haunted house for those who flock to New Orleans for a creepy fix. She needs Carmela’s crafty touch to make the…
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First line: It wasn’t that Carmela didn’t like Mardi Gras. From the inside cover: Amid zydeco rhythms and popping champagne corks, bead-draped revelers are moving into the streets, and Jekyl Hardy is playing host to a party in his elegant French Quarter apartment. On a wild night like this, anything can happen. The guests – including Carmela – never imagine it will be murder. But as the evening progresses, Jekyl’s…
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This week’s musing asks: Where is your favorite place to find new books to read? Blogs? The library? Newspapers? Magazines? In the backs of other books? Suggestions from friends/family? Online bookstores? On the shelves of the local bookstores? (I don’t necessarily mean, ‘where do you find books to buy’ — I mean, ‘where do you discover new titles that you add to your to-be-read lists’?). PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Books Completed last week: Death Swatch by Laura Childs (library book) Tragic Magic by Laura Childs (library book) The…
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From the back of the audio case: After years away, Maura Shaw has returned to Newport, Rhode Island, to teach English at the academy. Behind her lies a life that seemed on the surface to be all she had ever wished for. That illusion vanished in a storm off Mackinac Island in the wake of an accident that engulfed Maura’s husband and her older daughter, Carrie. For fourteen-year-old Beck, the…
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In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Every week I’ll post what books I’ve received either by mailbox/library/store. For Review (0) Library (1) The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners by Luanne Rice (audio book) Purchased (7) Return to Rose Cottage by Sherryl Woods The Diva Paints the town by Krista Davis (e-book) The Diva Cooks a Goose by Krista Davis (e-book) Hannah’s…
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The 4th Annual Bloggiesta is coming up January 21st – 23rd, hosted by Natasha at Maw Books Blog. What is Bloggiesta? It’s a blogging marathon. A opportunity to cross those nagging items off of your to-do list and improve your blog while in the good company of other awesome bloggers doing the same thing. Our awesome mascot Pedro (Plan. Edit. Develop. Review. Organize) is ready to break out the nachos,…
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First line: “A loup-garou!” exclaimed Carmela Bertrand. From the inside cover: With Halloween barely a week away, things are getting even spookier than usual in New Orleans. A party at Juju Voodoo draws a fabulous throng, and Carmela’s friend Ava has hired a sexy tarot reader named Giovanni to work the crowd. What he doesn’t foretell is that on her way home Carmela will find the body of a beautiful…
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The Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Reading Challenge is hosted by Socrates’ Book Reviews and it goes from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. I love reading cozy mysteries and think this will be a fun challenge to join! I’m joining at the Super Sleuth level, which means I need to read at least 13 cozy mysteries in 2011. I’ll keep track of them here along with links to the…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Books Completed last week: The Snow Globe by Sheila Roberts (library book) A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods (library…
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In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Every week I’ll post what books I’ve received either by mailbox/library/store. For Review (0) Library (7) A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis The Diva Takes the Cake by Krista Davis Mums the Word by Kate Collins Frill Kill by Laura Childs Death Swatch by Laura…
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The E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by The Ladybug Reads, and it goes from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. I got a Nook for Christmas, so I plan on reading lots of e-books in the new year. I’m joining at the Addicted level, which means I need to read at least 12 e-books in 2011. I’ll keep track of them here. The Diva Paints the Town by Krista…
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The Audio Book Challenge is hosted by Teresa’s Reading Corner, and it goes from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. I just started listening to audio books in 2010, so I am still a newbie at this. I’m joining at the Fascinated level, which means I need to listen to at least 6 audio books in 2011. I’ll keep track of them here. ***As of the end of May,…
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The 2011 Reading From My Shelves Project is hosted by Bibliophile By the Sea, and it goes from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. I have so many books sitting on my shelves that need to be read that this is the perfect challenge for me. I’m hoping to read 25 books from my book shelves and then pass them on. I’ll keep track of them here. I’ll also…
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The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge is hosted by Historical Tapestry, and it goes from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. I haven’t read much historical fiction, but I am hoping this challenge will motivate me to read more. I’m joining at the Struggling the Addiction level, which means I need to read at least 10 historical fiction books in 2011. I’ll keep track of them here. The Tudor Secret…
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The 2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge is hosted by The Book Junkie’s Bookshelf, and it goes from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. I love my local library and love doing this challenge. I participated last year and fell one book short of my goal. I’m hoping to meet it this year. I’m joining at the Jumbo Size level, which means I need to borrow 50 books from…
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The 2011 100+ Reading Challenge is hosted by My Overstuffed Bookshelf, and it goes from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. I participated in this last year and ended up reading 136 books – I’m hoping to surpass that number this year. ***For this challenge, I am only including physical books/e-books that I’ve read…I am not including audio. I’ll keep track of what I read here along with links…
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2010 has been a great year. I started blogging in February and was immediately welcomed to the fantastic book blogging world – so thank you to all my readers. I have been introduced to so many great authors and books as a result of blogging. So, here are my stats for 2010. Overall, I read 136 books – that’s the most I have ever read in one year! I also…
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