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2009 Ban on Spending Challenge...

December 31, 2008
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...

December 30, 2008
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...

December 28, 2008
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)

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. The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
  21. A Drop of Red by Chris Marie Green
  22. One Scream Away by Kate Brady
  23. Hollywood is Like High School with Money by Zoey Dean
  24. Tamed by a Laird by Amanda Scott
  25. A Girl's Guide to Modern European Philosophy by Charlotte Greig
  26. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
  27. Ravens by George Dawes Green
  28. The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans
  29. Turn Coat by Jim Butcher
  30. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
  31. Seduce Me by Robyn DeHart
  32. I Can See You by Karen Rose
  33. Dark Hunger by Rita Herron


Series Challenge, Season 3...

December 27, 2008
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)


Stephanie Plum read-a-thon!

December 26, 2008
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...

December 21, 2008
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

December 19, 2008

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...

December 16, 2008
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.  

Stone Soup's Monday Book Giveaway...

Stone Soup has books to give away! Katrina has decided to clear off her giveaway shelves, so go here to pick a book, and comment to enter.

I picked How to be Lost, by Amanda Eyre Ward.

Brenda's GCC Interview & Giveaway: Melissa Clark...

December 15, 2008
Brenda Janowitz has her first GCC (Girlfriends Cyber Circuit) interview & giveaway here. In the spotlight is Melissa Clark, and the giveaway is her debut novel - Swimming Upstream, Slowly. Go check it out and enter the giveaway!

2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge...

December 14, 2008
Ok, here's another challenge I'm signing up for. I didn't earlier, because with 2009 being my first year for challenges, I didn't want to get overwhelmed. However, if I keep picking up batches of 6-10 books every time I head over to the library, I might as well participate in J.Kaye's challenge, since she's putting in the time to host it. =)

Challenge rules:
  1. There are 3 sizes of challenges. Pick one and get going. The options are to read 12, 25, or 50 books from your local library.
  2. You can join anytime as long as you don't start reading your books prior to 2009.
  3. This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is Dec. 31, 2009.
  4. You can join anytime between now and Dec. 31, 2009.
  5. Go here to sign up.


I'm really looking forward to this challenge. It'll be cool to see which of the 100+ books I will read in '09, are from the library. Oh, and before I forget - I'm signing up for 25.
  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. High Five by Janet Evanovich
  9. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich
  10. Seven Up by Janet Evanovich
  11. Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich
  12. Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich
  13. To the Nines by Janet Evanovich
  14. Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
  15. Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich
  16. Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
  17. Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich
  18. Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
  19. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
  20. Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
  21. Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning
  22. Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher
  23. Faefever by Karen Marie Moning
  24. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
  25. Specials by Scott Westerfeld
  26. Extras by Scott Westerfeld
  27. Extreme Measures by Vince Flynn
  28. Testimony by Anita Shreve
  29. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
  30. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
  31. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
  32. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
  33. Casanegra by Blair Underwood with Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes
  34. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs


BTT - Time to read...

December 12, 2008
This week's Booking through Thursday:


  1. Do you get to read as much as you want to read?  (I'm guessing #1 is an easy question for everyone?)
  2. If you had (magically) more time to read - what would you read?  Something educational? Classic? Comfort reading? Escapism? Magazines?
Hmm...  #1 is an easy question - I never get to read as much as I want to...  But that's life, right?  Especially when you have a family, kid(s), work, etc.  I guess I could say, I read as much as I can, with the life I have.  And while it isn't as much as I want, it's good enough for me. 

More time to read? Honestly I probably wouldn't know what to do with it right now.  I'm pretty good at sneaking time to read, and I read fast.  Give me a few hours or so & I'll have a book read & done (I've been known to take a few hours off work & head to a comfy chair at Barnes and Noble, and just check out books).  Give me more, and that just means I have to take more trips to the library, because I'd feel bad about spending even more than I already do on books.  But I wouldn't mind more time, for example, when all of my favorite authors come out with new books.  It's so HARD to pick which book to read first!  =)

Stone Soup surprise giveaway...

December 10, 2008
Something I found on West of Mars - a fun giveaway at Stone Soup.  Next week's giveaway is a surprise - so enter the contest by noon-ish on Sunday. 

Amberkatze's Book Blog - Shirley Damsgaard interview and giveaway...

Amberkatze's Book Blog has an interview with author Shirley Damsgaard here.  She's also hosting a contest where 6 winners can pick one of Shirley's 6 books.  Drawing is on Dec. 14th.  Good luck!


My latest haul...

December 9, 2008
A friend of mine works at a bookstore, which had their Employee Appreciation party recently. Knowing my love of reading, she invited me to come and partake of her employee discount during this event.

So, here's the haul, which I'm hoping to save for the '09 reading challenges. Hey, a girl can hope, right? Some of these are recommendations from my friend (#1, 8, 9), some are books I've read but didn't own (#4, 7), some are a continuation of a storyline (#4, 5, 10), some I just picked up on a whim.
  1. The Man with the Golden Torc, by Simon R. Green
  2. Playing for Pizza, by John Grisham
  3. Magic to the Bone, by Devon Monk
  4. Shakespeare's Christmas, by Charlaine Harris. This is for my collection, I couldn't find it anywhere before.
  5. One Foot in the Grave, by Jeaniene Frost
  6. Dixieland Sushi, by Cara Lockwood
  7. Peony in Love, by Lisa See
  8. Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld
  9. Darkfever, by Karen Marie Moning
  10. The Riven Kingdom, by Karen Miller (Godspeaker Trilogy Book 2)
Continue...
What might help me "hide" these till '09, is the pile I just picked up from the library on Sunday:
  1. The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes (the first 5 are by Jennifer Crusie)
  2. Crazy for You
  3. Anyone But You
  4. Welcome to Temptation
  5. Fast Women
  6. A Mercy, by Toni Morrison
  7. Magic and the Modern Girl, by Mindy Klasky
I don't know, though. I've already gone through 3 (#2, 3, 4), and am working my way through #5 and #1 (which is my read-while-in-the-school-pickup-line). Maybe if I actually review them, I'll take longer to inhale?

Hmm...

Amberkatze's Book Blog giveaway - for Kelley Armstrong fans!

December 6, 2008
Amberkatze's Book Blog has an interview with Women of the Otherworld author Kelley Armstrong, AND a book giveaway. Giveaway ends Dec. 7th, so hurry on over to check it out.




The prize is one Kelley Armstrong book of your choice, from Amberkatze, and one SIGNED Kelley Armstrong book of your choice, courtesy of the author herself.

J.Kaye's giveaway: Going Down South...

December 5, 2008
J.Kaye's Book Blog is giving away a copy of Going Down South, by Bonnie J. Glover.  Check out her review and sign up for the giveaway here.  Drawing will take place on December 20th.


Christmas books giveaway at Reading to Know...

Carrie at Reading to Know is giving away 3 Christmas books to one lucky winner.  Description and review of books are at 5 Minutes for Books.  

It's a short contest, so hurry on over here to sign up!

Who wants to win a Kindle?

December 3, 2008
I first found this at Reading Adventures, thanks Marg! Angela at Nice Mommy, Evil Editor is giving away TWO Amazon Kindles, one each in two separate contests. In addition, she's giving away all kinds of other goodies, too. Go here to check out all of her holiday giveaways.

The Kindle drawings are kind of a treasure hunt on author websites. It's fun, but will take a while to hunt your way through all of them. Go here for the first Kindle drawing, and here for the second. A couple notes of caution before you proceed - make sure you have enough time set aside to hunt with, and make sure impressionable ones are not present and looking over your shoulder... Some of the book covers are very, er, steamy...

Since the Kindle is on my "I want" list, I spent the time to go hunting around. Wish me luck! =)
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