BTT - Sing a Song!

This week's Booking through Thursday:

But, enough about books … Other things have words, too, right? Like … songs! If you’re anything like me, there are songs that you love because of their lyrics; writers you admire because their songs have depth, meaning, or just a sheer playfulness that has nothing to do with the tunes.

So, today’s question?

What songs … either specific songs, or songs in general by a specific group or writer … have words that you love?
Why?
And … do the tunes that go with the fantastic lyrics live up to them?
You don’t have to restrict yourself to modern songsters, either … anyone who wants to pick Gilbert & Sullivan, for example, is just fine with me. Lerner & Loewe? Steven Sondheim? Barenaked Ladies? Fountains of Wayne? The Beatles? Anyone at all…

My absolute favorite song ever is What a Wonderful World, by Louis Armstrong.



I love all of Louis' work. His lyrics are simple but worth remembering, his skill with the trumpet is inspiring. Other artists I love for their lyrics - the Boss, Eric Clapton, Rachael Yamagata. Harry Connick, Jr.'s music is fun, and so is Brian Setzer's. And my other all-time favorite is Sheila Majid. Kumohon and Rindu Untuk Ayah I feel, and Legenda is a wonderful combination of music and lyrics.

14. To the Nines by Janet Evanovich...

Title: To the Nines
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0-312-26586-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-26586-1
Hardcover: 312 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2003

This time, Stephanie's chasing down a visa bondee who went missing. A visa bondee is someone who's in the States on a temporary visa, and his/her company places a bond as a guarantee that the employee will return home (wherever that is) when his term of employment is up.

She gets greased up trying to catch a naked, Vaseline-d FTA, and has a stalker who leaves her red roses and white carnations, and shoots tranquilizer darts at her. Somehow I think that even if Steph moved into an uber-secure gated community, she'd still have to deal with break-ins. At least in this book there are no dead bodies left in her apartment...

Oh, and in addition to vehicles, Stephanie must've put the hex on Ranger's merry men. Tank breaks a leg. Cal faints and suffers a concussion. Erik survives Lula with broken bones in his hand and possibly a slipped disc. Everybody watch out - she's graduated from mechanicals to organics!

Family: There's lots of Morelli's family in this one. Specifically his mom and Grandma Bella who stop over - all. the. time. - while she's at his place. Stephanie's parents place is bedlam with 4 adults and two (soon to be three) children living in a 3-bedroom 1-bath. and Valerie has a baby girl.

Wheels: Stephanie's sunshine yellow Ford Escape actually survives this book.

Action: Lots of Ranger kissing Stephanie. Makes things complicated when Steph moves in with Morelli due to the stalker, and offers her apartment up as temporary housing to Valerie. I sure hope things work out for her.

This book had a more involved plot than the others so far. I'm happy she made it through in one piece. Yes, I know there are more books in the series, but I did get worried about my gal Steph. A great addition to the series.

13. Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich...

Title: Visions of Sugar Plums
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0-312-30632-6
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-30632-8
Hardcover: 149 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2002

This short story has Stephanie looking for FTA Sandy Claws. At Christmas time. What she finds is a toy store that looks abandoned, a workshop that falls down around her, and "elves" who like pelting her with cookies and causing a riot. And don't forget Diesel, who just pops into her kitchen. Like, literally. To complicate things, it's four days to Christmas, and she hasn't gotten anything done - no Christmas cards, no tree, no presents, no Christmas cheer.

Family: Valerie is pregnant. Grandma Mazur has a half-blind studmuffin, who comes with sparks. The Christmas tree goes up in smoke, along with the "fake snow" batting and all the presents underneath.

Wheels: A Honda CR-V that gets burned to a crisp.

Action: There's kissing, but nothing to tell. =)

This is a quick read that capitalizes on Stephanie's ability to draw out even the most unbelievable events and people. Morelli's gotta be wondering sometimes.

Sony Reader & Kresley Cole's Kiss of a Demon King...

Kresley Cole's latest installment in the Immortals after Dark series - Kiss of a Demon King - is coming out on January 20th. Go here for an excerpt. She's also giving away a Sony Reader. Go here for details.

12. Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich...

Title: Hard Eight
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0-312-98386-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-98386-4
Mass Market Paperback: 326 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2002

Stephanie's helping out her parents' neighbor Mabel, whose house is collateral for a custody bond on Annie, her great-granddaughter. Now Annie & her mom (Evelyn) are both missing, and Mabel's going to lose her home to the bond company. Ok, you say, what's so difficult about finding a mother and daughter? Apparently, a lot. QUITE a lot. Stephanie finds herself face-to-face with another psycho nutjob, one that both Morelli AND Ranger warns her to stay away from. If only it were that easy. Steph & psycho nutjobs seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly.

She gets stalked around town by a bear and a rabbit, picks up a new helper (a hapless lawyer), has an FTA die on her (of the flu), and gets rescued by Valerie.

Family: Valerie tries to put her life back together. Apparently landing herself a husband is supposed to help. Hmm... Stephanie's mom runs over a rabbit on the way to lunch. Never mind that the rabbit was chasing after Stephanie in the middle of the street. Buh-bye bunny!

Wheels: Stephanie's CR-V apparently survived Seven Up, only to get blown up here. After being stolen multiple times, and side-swiped at least once. She's baaaaaaaaaaaack!! Her replacement (loaner?) CR-V from Ranger also meets the same fate. Somewhere up there is a commiseration club for Stephanie's vehicles, where they're all one-upping each other with the stories of their demise...

Action: Stephanie finally gets some Ranger action. Whoo boy. What is it about Stephanie and men who will not commit?

I love my gal Steph, but even I'm thinking she might want to find another line of work. One that puts you in the hospital as often as this one, isn't really my idea of fun... Still, she gets 'em all in the end.

11. Seven Up by Janet Evanovich...

Title: Seven Up
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0-312-26584-0
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-26584-7
Hardcover: 309 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2001

This next installment in the Plum series has Stephanie chasing down old Eddie, who's depressed, half-blind, hard of hearing, and surprisingly quick on his feet. As usual, Stephanie loses the FTA, and insanity ensues. Eddie's looking for Stephanie's old high school classmate, Dougie (the Dealer). Dougie did a delivery run for Eddie and disappears. Perpetually-stoned MoonMan, Dougie's buddy, comes to Stephanie to ask her to find Dougie. She finds her first dead body on page 14. I wonder if this is the earliest one has popped up? I should've taken notes...

Extras in this caper are Benny and Ziggy, Eddie's "social club" buddies, who're also looking for Eddie & the stash he lost. And have no problem waiting for Stephanie in her apartment. Uninvited, of course. You'd think she'd get better locks. And lots of 'em. Oh, and we can't forget Bob, who now lives with Morelli. Who eats anything and everything (Bob, not Morelli). And then has to return what he's eaten. Usually (if she can make it there) on Joyce's lawn.

Family: The perfect sister, Valerie, moves back home with her daughters, Angie and Mary Alice. The hubby ran off with the money and the babysitter. Grandma Mazur gets kidnapped, and can't wait to tell everyone about it. Her mom's getting hot flashes, and her dad should be ready to drive himself to the asylum any day now... =P

Wheels: Stephanie's ride is a black Honda CR-V. Which lasts through 2/3 of the book before getting accordioned by a Cadillac.

Action: Morelli & Stephanie are engaged! She gets dragged dress-shopping, her family books the hall, and she's not sure that she's ready for marriage. She's not sure he is, either. The book ends with Ranger visiting, to collect on helping her bring Eddie in.

Wow. I'm actually in awe of Stephanie. Somehow she's managed to get through seven (!) of these books without permanently hurting herself. Sure, she's been shot at, shot, beaten up (by little old ladies nonetheless!), and almost blown up, but she's still ticking. And going. Kinda like the Energizer bunny... AND, she gets her man. Every single one. Whether she really wants him or isn't so sure. Another entertaining caper to pick up.

10. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich...

Title: Hot Six
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0-312-20540-6
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-20540-9
Hardcover: 294 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2000

In Hot Six, Stephanie has to use all her skills & more, to find Ranger. Yup, Ranger's the FTA - a rookie cop booked him for carrying concealed. And he didn't show up for his court date because he's now also a "person of interest" in a homicide investigation - he's on camera walking into a building with the deceased, and walking out without him. He's actually Joyce's FTA, because Stephanie knows better. Complicating things is the fact that the deceased is the youngest son of a local mob family. So instead of trying to find Ranger, Stephanie stakes out the mob family's properties, and ends up chauffeuring the mob's don out for cigs & beer.

She also trades favors to help out her friend Carol Zabo, and ends up with a new addition to her apartment - a golden retriever named Bob. All this plus 1 homicidal maniac who tries to run her over & sets fire to her shirt. A domestic abuser who also turns out to be her first body - in this book. And 1 high-as-a-kite stoner and his enterprising buddy, known as the Dealer. Life could be better.

Family: Grandma Mazur has a spat with Stephanie's dad and moves in. Just until she gets her own place. Stephanie can't get a wink of sleep, and Morelli's getting antsy (lol!).

Wheels: Stephanie loses a little blue Honda Civic to a reefer. She borrows a Rollswagen from the Dealer, which is probably only good for parts by the time she's done with it. The two hitmen following her lose a Lincoln Town Car to a manic wife-beater FTA gunning for Stephanie, and a Carpet Car set on fire by the oldest trick in town - the flaming dog poop bag. Oh, & Grandma Mazur buys a red Corvette.

Action: None while Grandma Mazur's at Stephanie's.

Ah, Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie... It's just comical how things happen around her. But she's smart enough to figure things out, and she always gets her man in the end. Which includes a kinda-sorta marriage proposal. Joe's exact words were "Yeah, for crying out loud, I'm going to marry her." Stephanie, I know you love him, but there's a way to do things, for crying out loud! =) Another quite enjoyable romp.

9. High Five by Janet Evanovich...

Title: High Five
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0-312-20303-9
ISBN-13: 978-0312203030
Hardcover: 292 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 1999

Stephanie looks for missing Uncle Fred in this addition to the highly-entertaining series on the life & times of a bounty hunter. Uncle Fred went to complain to the garbage collection company, and never came home. Her FTA is Randy Briggs, who moves into her apartment after she breaks down his door during his apprehension. And to try & make more money, Stephanie takes on a side job - working for Ranger. She manages to lose a limo (& passenger), and blow up a bomb-wearing junkie looking for his stash. Actually, the latter was blown up by someone else, but Stephanie was next to the (ex-)dude. New characters include Tank, a heavily-muscled ex-military employee of Ranger's.

Adding to the suspense, the psychotic prize-fighter from One for the Money is back and stalking her again. And the press now tags her the "Bombshell Bounty Hunter," not in reference to her looks, but rather for the way things just seem to blow up in smithereens around her.

Family: Well, there's Uncle Fred, who's missing. Aunt Mabel, who's buying new things, & planning a cruise. Grandma Mazur, who's... Grandma Mazur. Who manages to stun-gun Stephanie's dad. And pulls a fire-alarm at the funeral home so she can look into the (closed) casket.

Wheels: Boy oh boy. I don't know what to say... Well, first off, I need a new name for the tank (see above). I'll have to get back to you on that. This time, Stephanie manages to kill 1 Porsche (bomb), 1 BMW (stolen), 1 limo ("stolen"), and 1 garbage truck (see Porsche). At least none of 'em are hers - the 1st 3 are Ranger's, because his "employees" only drive black - and the garbage truck was collateral damage.

Action: Stephanie tries to stay away from Morelli, except she has to go to his cousin's wedding with him. She also gets kissed by Ranger, further complicating her feelings for both men. She picks one in the end, and gets some nookie. Go, Steph!

Stephanie is a smart-enough cookie to somehow make it through the bombs, stalkers, weapon-wielding (& wearing) losers running around, AND gets her man, too. How could I not read #6 next? =P

The Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House #2) by Mary Pope Osborne...

The little man & I went to the library the other day, and he decided that he wanted his own books. Specifically, he wanted Spanish books, because he knows Spanish. In the confident manner of 5-year-olds everywhere, just because he's learning the language, he must know it...

Long story short, he discovered that there are LOTS more words in Spanish that he doesn't know (yet!). So we ended up with the Magic Tree House series. In English. Dad read #1 to him, which is why it's not here.

The Knight at Dawn continues Jack's and Annie's adventures with the tree house. Neither could sleep after their first adventure and just before first light, head off to find the tree house again. Just to be sure.

This time they end up in medieval England because Annie wanted to see a knight and castle. They end up getting chased in the castle, caught and brought to the dungeons, where they escape and end up in the moat. They make it back to the tree house (& home) safely with the help of the knight that Annie wanted to see.

The little man actually attempted to read this himself, with my help on the more difficult words. He made it through 3 pages before giving up, but I'm so very proud of him! After all, he IS only 5+... Maybe my monkey will grow up to love books like his mom?

8. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer...

Title: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
ISBN-10: 0-316-03837-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-03837-9
Mass Market Paperback: 498 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2008

Twilight is the story of Bella and Edward, two high-school students who meet in Forks, a small town in the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. Bella is seventeen, Edward has been seventeen for almost a century.

This is a very well-written love story. You feel Bella's confusion when Edward is antagonistic towards her. You appreciate Edward's attempt to keep away from her. The supporting cast of characters are well-thought out. Except maybe for Rosalie ~ I don't quite get why she is so angry towards Bella.

One thing that bothered me a little about this book - Bella is 17. I know why she wants what she wants from Edward. Or thinks she wants what she wants from Edward. But she's only 17. A person grows and changes with every passing year, with life lived and experienced, with trials and tribulations, and success. With loves won and lost. Is 17 old enough, mature enough, lived enough, to ask what she's asking for? To know what she's asking for? After all, Edward didn't have the same options she has. The same life she could have. Or the ability to choose.

I cannot wait to read New Moon. I'm #177 on the library wait list. *sigh* Somebody please feel free to take pity on me & send me a copy to read... =P

So, WOW! My first ever award...

lilly over at Reading Extravaganza has given me my very first ever award - the Premios Dardo Award! What a complete surprise, and such an honor! (I'll stop using exclamation points one of these sentences. Promise! Oops...)

Details: This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day.

The rules to follow are:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to other 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

So, um, now to pass it along.

J.Kaye's Book Blog ~ J.Kaye has been wonderful at helping me with my blog, replying to comments, roping me in for challenges, and just plain letting me be goofy. =) And whaddaya know, her blog's pretty cool, too.

Fantasy Book Critic ~ Some of the best reviews I've read are here. I guess it doesn't hurt that this is my favorite genre... So, uh, yeah. Even though I'm not very active on the blog site, doesn't mean I'm not paying attention.

Nice Mommy, Evil Editor ~ Angie's posts are a mix of entertainment, information, and random goodness.

Book Dads ~ There's such a range of books here that I'm sometimes intimidated by the breadth of it all. Then again, blogs like this make me want to get over my own insecurities and check out new things.

ReadingAdventures ~ Marg's blog is one of the first few that I got hooked on.

Filling the Well ~ Carrie's blog is so well-written, I'm so NOT surprised that I love her books...

Dear Author ~ Not just reviews here, nosirree - there's industry news, opinion pieces, and stuff I wish I could write, but I'm just not that good.

Peeking Between the Pages ~ Dar's blog - like J.Kaye's - is like hot chocolate on a cold snowy day. Or night. Like today, actually.

SciFiGuy.ca ~ Insightful, detailed reviews are to be found here. Something for me to aspire to, if I ever find the time to do more than the blurbs I currently post.

Stone Soup ~ Katrina's hats are the bomb. (is it still cool - or was it ever cool - to say "the bomb"?)

The Book Fiend

A Banana in China ~ This isn't Kitty's book blog, but it definitely transmits "cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day" so I'm giving it the award.

Thank you all for being in the blogosphere, for the inspiration, information, learning, and entertainment provided.

My favorite author blog...

At the risk of ticking someone off, I just had to gush about Carrie Vaughn's blog, Filling the Well. I don't know what took me so long to find it, but I'm so there! She's funny, entertaining, vicarious, and she makes costumes. Oh, and she writes great books too. Go check out her essays on kick-ass heroines in Urban Fantasy - they're pretty darn kick-ass themselves.

7. Four to Score by Janet Evanovich...

Title: Four to Score
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0312185863
ISBN-13: 978-0312185862
Hardcover: 294 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 1998

The continuation of Stephanie Plum's life & career as a bounty hunter. This time she's on the hunt for Maxine Nowicki, who stole her boyfriend's car, then skips her court date. Complicating things is Maxine's disappearance, while her friend's finger gets chopped off, her mom gets scalped, and her boyfriend gets kidnapped. None of which helps Stephanie find her. And who else shows up on the hunt, but Stephanie's nemesis Joyce Barnhardt? Good thing Lula's there to help diffuse the situation, Lula-style!

All this while somebody accuses Stephanie of stealing their boyfriend, and fire-bombs her apartment. What fun! (not!)

Family: Grandma Mazur goes to Atlantic City with Stephanie, Lula, and Sally (7-ft-tall - when fully decked out - cross-dressing singer in a transvestite band). And boy, do they scare the heck out of locals & tourists alike.

Wheels: A Honda CRX that's - yup, you guessed it - blown up. Ok, what happened is it got soaked in gasoline. And the FTA's mother dropped a lit cigarette into the gas puddle. Whoof! & it's back to the tank...

Action: Stephanie stays at Morelli's for 3 days. So what do you think happens?? Whereupon his mom invites them to dinner, his granny Bella puts the eye on her & declares she's pregnant, and his aunts start showing up at the door with casseroles and Morelli's christening outfit, talking about showers. Run, Steph, Run!

A very enjoyable, fast, read. Even for me. =)

Jumping on the bandwagon...

I never thought I'd get around to reading Twilight any time soon - I was #174 on the hold list at my library a week ago... However, a friend came through and loaned me her copy, so ta dah! Twilight now has a bookmark in it. So far it's better than I thought it would be. Yeah, yeah. I know there's been a lot of gushing over the book(s) & the movie, but I'm not really a follow-the-gush type of gal. We'll see where I'm at once I'm done with the book. =)

BTT - The best of '08?

This week's Booking through Thursday:

It's a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008?

I think my absolute favorite was Feast of Souls, by C.S. Friedman. I really, really, loved her Coldfire trilogy, and was very bummed that she seemed to only have science-fiction books other than that trilogy. So I couldn't wait to get my hands on Feast of Souls. And the sequel, Wings of Wrath, comes out next month. *drool*

6. Hard to Handle by Lori Foster...

Title: Hard to Handle
Author: Lori Foster
ISBN-10: 0425219720
ISBN-13: 978-0425219720
Mass Market Paperback: 330 pages
Publisher: Berkley, 2008

SBC (Supreme Battle Challenge) fighter Harley Handleman has dedicated his life towards the ultimate prize - the championship belt. However, life threw some kinks into those plans, and the book opens with his rehab & recovery. Anastasia Kelley is a life coach and the landlord of his get-away-from-home cabin. They've known each other for a while, but this is the first time Harley actually notices her. (yeah, men!) Sparks fly, etc. etc. etc.

Maybe there's a good reason I've stayed away from romances for as long as I have. I think the last time I read a romance novel was in the late '80s, or early '90s. This book was mostly predictable, with the guy getting the girl, the cops catching the stalker trying to kill her, and lots of confusion (men!) in between.

The verdict: Eh.

5. Don of the Dead by Casey Daniels...

Title: Don of the Dead
Author: Casey Daniels
ISBN-10: 0-06-082146-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-082146-3
Mass Market Paperback: 325 pages
Publisher: Avon Books, 2006

Pepper Martin's first "real" job is a tour guide at Garden View Cemetery, where a chance meeting with a marble headstone leads to her meeting with Gus Scarpetti, former Don of the Scarpetti family. Apparently Gus cannot move on, because there's unfinished business in this world. He heckles, cajoles, insults, and basically manipulates Pepper into helping find out who was responsible for doing the deed on the Don. Side characters include everyone from Gus' mob "family", to a handsome detective, to the adorably geeky doctor who wants to check into Pepper's brain.

There's plot, characters, etc. in this book, but I really didn't get into it. I guess Pepper's not really my type of heroine ~ I'll wholeheartedly confess that this may be a side-effect of getting into the Plum novels.

Teaser Tuesdays ~ Jan. 6...

This week's Teaser Tuesdays is a little late... But here it is!

• 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!

"When Anthony dies, you want to go with him."
"You think?"
Don of the Dead, Casey Daniels ~ pg. 242

4. Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong...

Title: Exit Strategy
Author: Kelley Armstrong
ISBN-10: 0-553-58819-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-553-58819-4
Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Spectra, 2007

Exit Strategy is a departure from the Women of the Otherworld series author Kelley Armstrong. There is absolutely nothing paranormal in this book, just crime, killing, and suspense.

Nadia Stafford is a cop-turned-hitwoman who's recruited by her mentor, Jack, to help find a hitman-turned-serial killer. Flashbacks in the story provide background as to why she's a former cop, and why she's turned to taking on assignments for a mob family. The meat of the story revolves around looking for the serial killer, and her relationship with Jack, his mentor, a few other "helpers". Mostly the first two.

Jack's not much for talking - he says what he has to, and not a whisper more. The dialog between Nadia & Jack is crisp and to the point. The story moves along less-than-quickly, there are a few close shaves, but in the end good prevails. Well, as good as assassins can be, I guess.

I'd pick it up if I were a fan of Kelley Armstrong who wouldn't be bothered that it's not a paranormal.

Giveaway - Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet...

*** THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED ***

drey's library's first ever giveaway (hurrah!) is Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet, courtesy of Hachette Book Group. There are 5 copies, so come on over & throw your name in the hat!

As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him.

Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they've really been reunited.

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love.

Giveaway details:

1. Enter before midnight (CST) on Saturday, January 24, 2009. Come back after to see if you've won!
   
2. Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only, and you must have a valid mailing address (no P.O. Boxes).
3. For one entry, comment on this post.
4. Become a follower for another entry. Let me know in the comment section.
5. Blog about this contest for two (2) more entries. Comment & include the link to your blog post.

Good luck everyone!

edited to add: Check out West of Mars - Win a Book for other blogs giving away Sundays at Tiffany's. May you be lucky at one of 'em!

3. Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich...

Title: Three to Get Deadly
Author: Janet Evanovich
ISBN-10: 0-312-96609-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-96609-6
Mass Market Paperback: 321 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 1998

Book #3 in the Stephanie Plum line-up, Three to Get Deadly has our heroine hunting down the neighborhood's ice-cream and candy shop owner, Moses Bedemier. She's stuck out the bounty-hunting gig for 5 months now, and is feeling better about making this work for her. However, Uncle Mo is beloved by all, and nobody is willing to help her find him when he disappears. Stephanie's efforts are further complicated by the pile-up of dead drug dealers turning up all over town. Her efforts to nab smaller-fry FTAs result in orange hair and a public take-down of a chicken. Or, rather, an FTA in a chicken suit.

Family: Grandma Mazur brings a date to dinner. Who's promptly sent on his way by Stephanie's dad. With dessert in a bag, of course.

Wheels: A cute little blue Nissan pickup that she buys on a whim, and breaks down constantly. Until it's finally fixed. Upon which it gets eliminated by a rocket launcher. Don't worry, the tank's still around.

Action: More smooching (& a little more) with Morelli. Oh, and some puking on, too.

There's no lack of action, dialog, and the occasional illegal maneuvers, but I'm now wishing I'd picked up #4, which is waiting for me at the library. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

2. Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich...

Title: Two for the Dough

Author: Janet Evanovich

ISBN-10: 0-684-19638-7

ISBN-13: 978-0-684-19638-1

Hardcover: 301 pages

Publisher: Scribner, 1996

Book #2 in the Stephanie Plum line-up continues Ms. Plum's adventures as an bounty hunter. It starts with her crouching behind a hydrangea bush in the heat of an Indian summer, watching for another bail jumper from the burg - Kenny Mancuso. Something like that would probably make me re-think my choice of careers, but Stephanie... Well, let's just say that her options haven't improved much since book #1 (and she did bring in Morelli for her $10,000). She's still got attitude and ineptitude, some brains, and a whole lotta luck.

Family: Grandma Mazur features prominently, and boy does she have fun checking out stiffs in caskets, which gives Stephanie's mom nightmares.

Wheels: Stephanie drives a Jeep Wrangler, which gets stolen. Guess that's better than getting it blown up, like Morelli's SUV in One for the Money. Her next ride is a powder-blue 1953 Buick, which she calls Big Blue, and I call the tank - she can hit anything with it, and it'll have nary a scratch.

Action (*grin*): Morelli kisses Stephanie. And more. But not quite everything.

All in all, this is a fun ride-along with Stephanie's escapades. Pick it up if you're a Stephanie fan, or if you just like a good rollicking adventure.

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.