NaJuReMoNoMo...

Ok, apparently I lied. One more. Apparently, January is National Just Read More Novels Month, i.e. NaJuReMoNoMo. Go here for details. I'm shooting for gold, and I'm already on my way. =)

My list:

1. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
2. Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich
3. Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich
4. Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong
5. Don of the Dead by Casey Daniels
6. Hard to Handle by Lori Foster
7. Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
8. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
9. High Five by Janet Evanovich
10. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich
11. Seven Up by Janet Evanovich
12. Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich
13. Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich
14. To the Nines by Janet Evanovich
15. Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
16. Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich
17. Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
18. Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich
19. Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
20. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
21. Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
22. Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet
23. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
24. Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning
25. Houston, We Have a Problema by Gwendolyn Zepeda
26. Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher
27. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
28. Scot on the Rocks by Brenda Janowitz
29. Faefever by Karen Marie Moning
30. Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn

1. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich...

My very first book read in 2009 is the beginning of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. I picked it up from the library on Tuesday, and inhaled it this morning. =)

Title: One for the Money
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0312990456
ISBN-13: 978-0312990459
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2003

One for the Money introduces Stephanie Plum, who lives in Trenton, New Jersey. Unemployed with no prospects on the horizon, she finagles a job bringing in FTAs (failure to appear) who're bonded by her cousin Vinnie. Hilarity ensues with her attitude and ineptitude in chasing down a cop wanted for murder (who just happens to have a history with Ms. Plum), avoiding a psychotic prize-fighter who's intent on teaching her to show respect, hanging on the corner with two prostitutes, and learning the finer skills of the trade from pony-tailed ex-Special Forces apprehension-agent-extraordinaire Ranger (yes, that's his name). All while making it to dinner with her parents and Grandma Mazur, who's a character in herself.

This was a quick, entertaining read. I did feel bad for Stephanie - sometimes she just seemed so clueless, but it wasn't so totally overdone that it got annoying. And her chutzpah, especially in stealing Morelli's (the cop) SUV when her own ride was out of commision, was entertaining, and almost endearing. She's just a gal trying to make some money (legally), and doing whatever she can so that she doesn't sink.

Fans of mysteries with sassy female protagonists will enjoy this one. I'm just a little slow to hop on the band-wagon. =)

2009 Read a Book a Month Challenge

I'm signing up for one more. This is the absolute last challenge I will take on for 2009. Promise. =P

KittyCat at RightReads is hosting the Read a Book a Month Challenge.  More specifically, it's a read-a-book-a-month-to-your-child challenge. The little man will love this one!

Go here for details & to sign up!

Continue...
Our list:
January ~ Knight at Dawn (The Magic Tree House #2), by Mary Pope Osborne
February ~
March ~
April ~
May ~
June ~
July ~
August ~
September ~
October ~
November ~
December ~

I'm so ... thrilled? flustered? amazed? all of the above! to have been the recipient of the following blog awards. THANK YOU to the awesome bloggers who've shared their thoughts and comments here.

The Premios Dardo award, from lilly at Reading Extravaganza, and Dottie at My Blog 2.0...

The Well Worth Watching Blog Award, from J.Kaye's Book Blog...

Contact
Review Policy
Ratings
Giveaway Policy
Bloggers


CONTACT:

Email me at dreyshouse at gmail dot com

REVIEW POLICY:
I love reading, and would love to review your book(s)! My favorite genre is fantasy (in all it's glorious sub-genres), but I also read mysteries, chick-lit, multicultural fiction, historical fiction, and some autobiographies.

I try to review ARCs the week or so prior to their publish date, or for scheduled tour dates. For already-published books, let me know if you have a preference. I will try my best to accommodate dates, especially if I receive the books at least 2 weeks in advance. I will also let you know when my review is posted. All reviews are replicated to facebook, goodreads, blog catalog, technorati, and twitter.

Please note, my reviews are my opinion. Some will be long, others brief. Some will be complimentary. Some will not. I am not an expert in literature, I just know what I like. My reviews will be my honest viewpoint of the book, at the time it is read. And I try my darnedest to stay away from spoilers.

I will not sell ARCs, but might give them away. Let me know if you'd prefer I don't.

In addition to reviews, I'm also open to participating in blog tours, conducting interviews, and hosting giveaways. Just ask!

RATINGS:

Beginning in 2010, I will be rating my reviews on a 5-point scale. Here's what my ratings mean:

5 = Outstanding. I can't believe everyone hasn't read this/doesn't love it. These will be very few and far between.

4 = Excellent. Interesting characters, plots, storylines, etc. Something that is good enough that most people will read in one sitting. Or try to. And when I say "most people" I don't include myself, because I usually read everything in one sitting...

3 = Good. Good characters, plots, storylines, etc. but doesn't have the oomph of an excellent read. I will state here that most books I read will be rated a 3.

2 = OK. I finished the book, just to find out what happens in the end. You decide if you'd like the opportunity to read it--and rate it--for yourself.

1 = Didn't finish. A book that I didn't finish, couldn't make myself finish, didn't care if I finished. These will be few and far between.

GIVEAWAY POLICY:
Most giveaways are sponsored, and are for US and Canada residents only (no PO Boxes!). Giveaways I organize myself will have different rules.

For 2010, only followers will be allowed to enter giveaways here. To check if you're one, read this post. "Sharing" means letting others know about my giveaways. Methods include anything I can be directed to (via links). Facebook shares do not count--even if you put the link in the comments--as I cannot see your posts unless we're friends. However, tweets, blog posts, sidebars, etc. will count, as long as I can check it out.

Put each share in its own comment, please. For example, if you enter a giveaway, then tweeted it, and put a link on your sidebar, there should be 3 comments from you--1 for the entry, one for the tweet (with the link to your tweet, not just your twitter page), and one for your sidebar link (with a link to your blog). If you're listing the giveaway in a blog post, then please include the link to the blog post itself, not your main blog link...

Updates 4/1/2010: Changing this requirement! The only permanent restriction to my giveaways will be the geographic one, especially if the giveaway is sponsored. Please see each individual giveaway for details. Check out my updates post!

Also, please remember to PAY ATTENTION to the giveaway post on how to enter. Sometimes I make you jump through hoops, and you must jump, or your entries will not count.

Randomizer will select winners, who have three days to get their mailing info to me. If I don't have an email address, I can't remind you. If I don't hear back, I will pick replacement winners. We all love free books! =) Don't forget to have fun, and THANK YOU for stopping by drey's library!

BLOGGERS:

Email me if you have a review to share. I would be happy to link from my review post to yours, and it would be a service to readers, since I know that my views on a book are not the only ones!

A list of all the books read in 2009, with links to reviews, if there are any.

1. One for the Money ~ Janet Evanovich
2. Two for the Dough ~ Janet Evanovich
3. Three to Get Deadly ~ Janet Evanovich
4. Exit Strategy ~ Kelley Armstrong
5. Don of the Dead ~ Casey Daniels
6. Hard to Handle ~ Lori Foster
7. Four to Score ~ Janet Evanovich
8. Twilight ~ Stephenie Meyer
9. High Five ~ Janet Evanovich
10. Hot Six ~ Janet Evanovich
11. Seven Up ~ Janet Evanovich
12. Hard Eight ~ Janet Evanovich
13. Visions of Sugar Plums ~ Janet Evanovich
14. To the Nines ~ Janet Evanovich
15. Ten Big Ones ~ Janet Evanovich
16. Eleven on Top ~ Janet Evanovich
17. Twelve Sharp ~ Janet Evanovich
18. Plum Lovin' ~ Janet Evanovich
19. Lean Mean Thirteen ~ Janet Evanovich
20. Plum Lucky ~ Janet Evanovich
21. Fearless Fourteen ~ Janet Evanovich
22. Sundays at Tiffany's ~ James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet
23. Darkfever ~ Karen Marie Moning
24. Bloodfever ~ Karen Marie Moning
25. Houston, We Have a Problema ~ Gwendolyn Zepeda
26. No Experts Needed ~ Louise Lewis
27. Princeps' Fury ~ Jim Butcher
28. Uglies ~ Scott Westerfeld
29. Scot on the Rocks ~ Brenda Janowitz
30. Faefever ~ Karen Marie Moning
31. Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand ~ Carrie Vaughn
32. Kitty Raises Hell ~ Carrie Vaughn
33. Pretties ~ Scott Westerfeld
34. Specials ~ Scott Westerfeld
35. Extras ~ Scott Westerfeld
36. Extreme Measures ~ Vince Flynn
37. The Girl She Used to Be ~ David Cristofano
38. The Italian Lover ~ Robert Hellenga
39. Testimony ~ Anita Shreve
40. Jack with a Twist ~ Brenda Janowitz
41. Rogue ~ Cheryl Brooks
    
42. Kitty and the Midnight Hour ~ Carrie Vaughn
    
43. Drood ~ Dan Simmons
44. Gauntlet ~ Richard Aaron
45. Kitty Goes to Washington ~ Carrie Vaughn
46. People of the Book ~ Geraldine Brooks
47. The Family Bones ~ Kimberly Raiser
48. Kitty Takes a Holiday ~ Carrie Vaughn
    
49. Sway ~ Zachary Lazar
    
50. New Moon ~ Stephenie Meyer
    
51. Eclipse ~ Stephenie Meyer
    
52. Confessions of a Former Child: A Therapist's Memoir ~ Daniel J. Tomasulo
53. Fifty is not a Four-Letter Word ~ Linda Kelsey
54. Kitty and the Silver Bullet ~ Carrie Vaughn
55. The Ten Year Nap ~ Meg Wolitzer
56. First Family ~ David Baldacci
57. Breaking Dawn ~ Stephenie Meyer
58. Admission ~ Jean Hanff Korelitz
59. Living Dead Girl ~ Elizabeth Scott
60. Casanegra ~ Blair Underwood with Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes
    
61. Bone Crossed ~ Patricia Briggs
62. BoneMan's Daughters ~ Ted Dekker
    
63. Girls with Trucks ~ Katie Crouch
64. Hot Flash ~ Kathy Carmichael
65. The Cellist of Sarajevo ~ Steven Galloway
    
66. Dogs and Goddesses ~ Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, & Lani Diane Rich
67. Dirty Little Angels ~ Chris Tusa
68. One Deadly Sin ~ Annie Solomon
69. Follow Me ~ Joanna Scott
70. Blackout ~ Annie Solomon
71. Sag Harbor ~ Colson Whitehead
72. The Wonder Singer ~ George Rabasa
73. Last Prince of the Mexican Empire ~ C.M. Mayo
74. The Way Home ~ George Pelecanos
75. All About Us #4: Who Made You a Princess? ~ Shelley Adina
76. Royal Blood ~ Rona Sharon
77. Into the Beautiful North ~ Luis Alberto Urrea
78. Santa Olivia ~ Jacqueline Carey
79. Shanghai Girls ~ Lisa See
80. The Scarecrow ~ Michael Connelly
81. Mating Rituals of the North American WASP ~ Lauren Lipton
82. Twenty Boy Summer ~ Sarah Ockler
83. A Hint of Wicked ~ Jennifer Haymore
84. Obama's Blackberry ~ Kasper Hausner
85. The Host ~ Stephenie Meyer
86. Silver Phoenix ~ Cindy Pon
87. Last Night in Montreal ~ Emily St. John Mandel
88. Devils in the Sugar Shop ~ Timothy Schaffert
89. Glass Houses ~ Rachel Caine
90. The Dead Girls' Dance ~ Rachel Caine
91. Secrets to Happiness ~ Sarah Dunn
92. The Bourne Deception ~ Eric Van Lustbader
93. April & Oliver ~ Tess Callahan
94. Midnight Alley ~ Rachel Caine
95. Bound to Please ~ Lilli Feisty
96. Crossed Wires ~ Rosy Thornton
97. Shimmer ~ Eric Barnes
98. Feast of Fools ~ Rachel Caine
99. Death's Daughter ~ Amber Benson
100. My Forbidden Desire ~ Carolyn Jewel
101. Starfinder ~ John Marco
102. The Devlin Diary ~ Christi Phillips
103. Seduce the Darkness ~ Gena Showalter
104. The Summoning ~ Kelley Armstrong
105. Love at First Flight ~ Marie Force
106. A Worthy Legacy ~ Tomi Akinyanmi
107. Some Girls Bite ~ Chloe Neill
108. How Perfect is That ~ Sarah Bird
109. The Castaways ~ Elin Hilderbrand
110. A Drop of Red ~ Chris Marie Green
111. One Scream Away ~ Kate Brady
112. Hollywood is Like High School With Money ~ Zoey Dean
113. The Night Gardener ~ George Pelecanos
114. Tamed by a Laird ~ Amanda Scott
115. Living with the Dead ~ Kelley Armstrong
116. A Girl's Guide to Modern European Philosophy ~ Charlotte Greig
117. Dixieland Sushi ~ Cara Lockwood
118. Dead and Gone ~ Charlaine Harris
119. Ravens ~ George Dawes Green
120. A Darkness Forged in Fire ~ Chris Evans
121. The Light of Burning Shadows ~ Chris Evans
122. Turn Coat ~ Jim Butcher
123. Violet Wings ~ Victoria Hanley
124. The Magicians ~ Lev Grossman
125. Seduce Me ~ Robyn DeHart
126. I Can See You ~ Karen Rose
127. Dark Hunger ~ Rita Herron
128. 
     

All the other challenges I'm participating in...

Challenge details, 2009 books read

Challenge details & my list

Challenge details & my list

Vampire Challenge

Challenge details & my list

Completed challenges!

Challenge details & my list

Challenge details & my list

Challenge details & my list

drey's top reads...

I thought I'd put together a list of my favorite books here - maybe an all-time list, and a best-of-2009. But that'll have to be an exercise for another day, I've got other stuff to do! =)

drey's top reads
(i.e. books I LOVE to re-read...):

Little Women ~ Louisa May Alcott
Parable of the Sower ~ Octavia Butler
Pride and Prejudice ~ Jane Austen
The Black Jewels trilogy ~ Anne Bishop
A Game of Thrones ~ George R.R. Martin

Other all-time favs (books & series):

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice & Fire series
A Thousand Splendid Suns ~ Khaled Hosseini
Charlotte's Web ~ E.B. White (the first book I bought)
The Handmaid's Tale ~ Margaret Atwood
Wuthering Heights ~ Emily Bronte
J.R.R. Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings trilogy
The Book Thief ~ Markus Zusak

Plays:

everything by William Shakespeare
Pygmalion ~ George Bernard Shaw
The Night of the Iguana ~ Tennessee Williams

Favorite Authors (alphabetical order):

Ilona Andrews
(website, blog)

Kelley Armstrong
(website)

Anne Bishop
(website)

Patricia Briggs
(website)

Octavia Butler
(website)

Jacqueline Carey
(website)

Jennifer Crusie
(website, blog)

Charlaine Harris
(website)

Sophie Kinsella
(website)

George R.R. Martin
(website, -not a- blog)

C.E. Murphy
(website, blog)

Terry Pratchett
(website)

Patrick Rothfuss
(website, blog)

Sheldon Rusch
(website)

Lisa See
(website)

Carrie Vaughn
(website, blog)

Michelle Sagara West
(website, blog)

2009 Ban on Spending Challenge...

J.Kaye put out an S.O.S. for someone to run this challenge for 2009. I nuttily volunteered. Mostly because I agreed with the spirit of the challenge. I spend way too much on books. Authors, publishers, and retailers probably love me for it, but my budget needs some control. Ok, LOTS of control. And since I now wield (& use!) a library card, I can try to put some parameters around buying books.

So, without further ado, here's my rules for the 2009 Ban on Spending Challenge:

1. List all the books on your TBR list. Every single one.
2. No purchasing books for yourself until all the books listed are gone. No purchasing books for other people with the intention of reading them after they are finished. Library or other borrowed books can’t be listed.
3. Any books won in a raffle or given to you as a gift will be added to this list.
4. Books to be reviewed for promo companies, other blogs, authors, etc. do not count and are not added to this list.
5. Challenge runs January 1st to December 31st, 2009. Start anytime and list as many or as few books as you have. Once all books are checked off from the list, the ban is lifted and the spending can begin again.
6. If you don't have a ton of books to list, but would still like to participate in the spirit of the challenge, you may elect to participate in a period of "abstinence" ~ e.g. no buying from January through April. Make sure to state your intent & the period of time you're abstaining for.
7. I MAY have a prize at the end of the year, I'll have to think of the qualifications (most books waded thru? longest wait? random?).
   
8. If you don't have a blog and would like to still join, list your books in the comment section below.
   
9. Any questions? Post a comment, & I'll figure it out. =)
10. Have FUN!

I think if I can do this well, I might be able to save enough for a Kindle... That's a HUGE incentive for me! =) My list.

Sign up using Mr. Linky:


Enter your challenge books here:

A Funny Review...

I saw this at Reading Extravaganza, and it's way too funny to not share!  It's a review on Amazon.com for The Shadow God, by Aaron Rayburn.  Go check it out!

Teaser Tuesdays ~ Dec. 30...

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall to a random page.
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• Share the title of the book that you're getting your teaser from... That way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

Continue...
"So, what else did I say when I was drugged up by you?" Josie gave an indignant snort.
Houston, We Have a Problem ~ Erin McCarthy

My entry for the 2009 Ban on Spending Challenge...

Since I'm hosting this challenge, I should probably take part in it, huh? =)

My TBR list:

1. Darkfever ~ Karen Marie Moning (review)
2. Uglies ~ Scott Westerfeld (review)
3. Dixieland Sushi ~ Cara Lockwood
4. Magic to the Bone ~ Devon Monk
5. The Man with the Golden Torc ~ Simon Green
6. Playing for Pizza ~ John Grisham
7. One Foot in the Grave ~ Jeaniene Frost
8. The Riven Kingdom ~ Karen Miller
9. Scot on the Rocks ~ Brenda Janowitz (review)
10. Jack with a Twist ~ Brenda Janowitz (review)
11. The Memorist ~ M.J. Rose
12. Wife Goes On ~ Leslie Wehr
13. City Dog ~ Alison Pace
14. Time of My Life ~ Allison Winn Scotch
15. Gods Behaving Badly ~ Marie Phillips
16. Jinx ~ Jennifer Estep
17. Funny in Farsi ~ Firoozeh Dumas
18. Hot Flash ~ Kathy Carmichael (review)
    
19. 
    

2009 Pub Challenge...

One more challenge to sign up for ~ I saw this at J.Kaye's Book Blog, and the Book Fiend.


The 2009 Pub Challenge is hosted by 3M.

Challenge rules:

1. Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2009, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country. For example, if a book was published in Australia, England, or Canada in 2008, and then published in the USA in 2009, it counts (if you live in the USA). Newly published trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks do not count if there has been a hardcover/trade published before 2009. Any questions on what qualifies? Just leave a comment at the host site.
2. No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.'
3. At least 5 titles must be fiction.
4. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
5. You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.
6. Have fun reading your 2009 books!

So, what're you waiting for? Go sign up!

My books:

1. Houston, We Have a Problema by Gwendolyn Zepeda
2. Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn
3. Kitty Raises Hell by Carrie Vaughn
4. The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano
5. Rogue by Cheryl Brooks
6. Drood by Dan Simmons
   
7. Gauntlet by Richard Aaron
8. Sway by Zachary Lazar
9. Fifty is Not a Four-Letter Word by Linda Kelsey
   
10. First Family by David Baldacci
    
11. Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz
12. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs
    
13. BoneMan's Daughters by Ted Dekker
14. Hot Flash by Kathy Carmichael
15. Dogs and Goddesses by Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, & Lani Diane Rich
16. One Deadly Sin by Annie Solomon
17. Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
18. The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo
19. The Way Home by George Pelecanos
20. 
    
21. The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
22. A Drop of Red by Chris Marie Green
23. One Scream Away by Kate Brady
24. Hollywood is Like High School with Money by Zoey Dean
25. Tamed by a Laird by Amanda Scott
26. A Girl's Guide to Modern European Philosophy by Charlotte Greig
27. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
28. Ravens by George Dawes Green
29. The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans
30. Turn Coat by Jim Butcher
31. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
32. Seduce Me by Robyn DeHart
33. I Can See You by Karen Rose
34. Dark Hunger by Rita Herron
35. 
    

Series Challenge, Season 3...

First, I'd like to thank J.Kaye for getting me "hooked" on challenges. Really, she twisted my arm & all that... =P Anyway, I saw this on J.Kaye's Book Blog, and thought "why not?" I love reading series anyway, so this one could be right up my alley!



This challenge is hosted by Crazy Cozy Murders, and runs from December 1, 2008 to November 30, 2009. Challenge rules:

1. Pick a couple of series you've already started and you now want to finish (meaning, you'll be all up to date with the series when the challenge ends).
2. Read at least 4 books. More are okay!
3. Post your review of the books on your blog or in the comments section, no matter how long. If you post a review on your blog, please post a link to the review in the comment section so everyone else can check out your review.
4. Have fun!

My picks:

1. Bloodfever ~ Karen Marie Moning (Fever #2)
2. Faefever ~ Karen Marie Moning (Fever #3)
3. Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand ~ Carrie Vaughn (Kitty #5)
4. Kitty Raises Hell ~ Carrie Vaughn (Kitty #6)
5. Princeps' Fury ~ Jim Butcher (Codex Alera #5)
   
6. Pretties ~ Scott Westerfeld (Uglies #2)
   
7. Specials ~ Scott Westerfeld (Uglies #3)
8. Extras ~ Scott Westerfeld (continuation of Uglies, not sure if it's #4?)
   
9. One Foot in the Grave ~ Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress #2)
10. At Grave's End ~ Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress #3)
11. The Riven Kingdom ~ Karen Miller (Godspeaker #2)
12. The Hammer of God ~ Karen Miller (Godspeaker #3)
13. & if it ever gets published, A Dance of Dragons ~ George R.R. Martin (ASoIF #5)
14. 
    

Stephanie Plum read-a-thon!

I picked up Lean Mean Thirteen from the library the other day, for a quick read...  After starting the first few pages, I decided that I wanted to start from the beginning. I know that the Plum books can be read as stand-alones, but why do that when there's a whole slew of 'em out there?  So, I now have books number 1 thru 5 on hold at the library.  If I wait till next Wednesday to pick 'em up, I'm sure I can hold off on reading them till January 1st!  =)  

So sometime in January, look for a "compilation" review of all the Plum novels!

Amberkatze's Book Blog giveaway: Jeaniene Frost's At Grave's End...

If you missed Bitten by Books' ARC giveaway, here's another chance. Amberkatze's Book Blog has an interview with author Jeaniene Frost, along with a giveaway of her new book, At Grave's End.  These are not ARCs.  Go here for rules & to enter. Contest ends on 12/28/2008.

Stephanie's book giveaway: Joshua Henkin's Matrimony

Stephanie is giving away an autographed copy of Joshua Henkin's Matrimony. Visit her blog for details and rules, before December 21st.

KittyCat & Josette - this is open to anyone, worldwide.

BTT - Generosity...

This week's Booking through Thursday:

Do you give books as gifts?  To everyone?  Or only to select people?  
How do you feel about receiving books as gifts?

I have given books as gifts, but I don't do it very often. Sometimes even the most similar of friends, have the most disparate tastes in reading material. Don't get me wrong, I love talking about books I love. I just have to realize that not everybody I know who reads, would read or like what I read. So I guess my answer to the first 3 questions are "sometimes", "no", and "yes".

Continue...
As for being on the receiving end, that's kinda hard to say. I have a friend who keeps recommending Laurell Hamilton's books. I've read a few, and don't really care for them. So I'd probably cringe if she came up with a Laurell Hamilton gift... Then there's the friend who got me Douglas Adams' The Ultimate Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Even though I don't usually read sci-fi, this one was funny. So I guess I'm a complete crapshoot at the receiving end. A gift card would probably be better in this case. With a "suggested reading material" list. =)

Peeking Between the Pages Giveaway: Jayne Pupek's Tomato Girl...

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away a copy of Jayne Pupek's Tomato Girl. Dar also has a review of the book here.

Contest ends on Christmas Eve, so head on over & enter the giveaway now.

Bitten by Books giveaway: Jeaniene Frost's At Grave's End...

Bitten by Books is giving away FIFTEEN ARCs (advanced reading copies) of Jeaniene Frost's new book, At Grave's End.  Go here for rules & to enter.  Contest ends on 12/20/2008.

This would be a great addition to my collection. I have the first two books in the series, but haven't read the second yet, as I'm trying to save it for my 2009 100+ Reading Challenge.