tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74986375521841507382024-03-05T01:46:51.900-08:00A Bookish WonderlandA simple place of books and reviews.Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.comBlogger322125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-36885290311556453092012-02-17T13:20:00.000-08:002012-02-17T13:20:01.337-08:00First Post in the Book Blogger Love-A-ThonHey everyone! I know I'm starting just a bit late, but I'm actually on vacation right now and writing this post from a hotel room.<br />
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I do want to participate though, and can't wait to share this first post with all of you.<br />
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I'm writing this post to tell you all about my friendship with a wonderful woman named Sari. Sari lives hundreds and hundreds of miles away from me, but is one of my closest friends. We've never met face to face, but this woman knows more about me, my wants, needs, fears, and faults, than most of my 'close' friends.<br />
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We met through a Yahoo Group (if you don't know what that is, congratulations, this means you didn't spend your teenage years in front a computer) that was centered around-you guessed it Books. In the last couple of years I've not been participating in the group much, but I took away a couple of great friendships from it. Sari was a group member before I was, and we really hit it off. Eventually we would have off topic conversations through private email, and then after an absence on one of our parts (I can't remember who...) we exchanged phone numbers to catch up. Now we talk roughly once a week, sometimes much more, sometimes much less, but always, always coming back to each other.<br />
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I feel as if, from a far, I'm a part of her family. I talk to her son often via facebook and sometimes on the phone (when he's home, as now he's off at college). I sent him a graduation card, and he asks about my well being from time to time as well. My boyfriend is always concerned about how Sari is doing, and has been known to ask when I am cranky "Have you talked to Sari lately?"<br />
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Sari supports my job, relationship, school (especially school) and is always there for advice when I don't know what I'm doing. She compliments my writing, helps me through tough times, and is always the person I call when I am excited about something new in my life.<br />
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Sari also happens to run a blog. She recently switched from Blogger to Wordpress and was sad to see that not many of her followers...followed. She's an excellent writer, and writes about the most interesting topics. Everything from books, to science, history, and current events.<br />
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I want to ask all of you who are participating in the Love-A-Thon to stop by and check her out. She's worth it, I promise.<br />
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<a href="http://theviewfromsarisworld.com/">The View From Sari's World</a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-72210325822980606002012-02-04T07:19:00.000-08:002012-02-04T07:40:42.787-08:00Why I Read At WorkOver the last couple of years I've realized that I get more reading done while I'm working than anywhere else. There's too much at home to distract me: the television and the endless entertainment given by Netflix, my computer and the wonderful array of blogs <b>about</b> books, and of course Ivan, who can simply be called The Cat Who Hated the Kindle.<br />
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At work there are no such distractions, actually there are few distractions at all. I can just open the Kindle, set it next to my desk and in minutes I'm whisked away to whatever world I want. And when the boss walks by, that nifty round button at the bottom of the Kindle quickly turns the screen black.<br />
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If you haven't noticed- I'm an exemplary employee.<br />
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More recently though I've realized the reason behind my drive to read while reading. Beyond the fact that I would just <b>rather</b> be reading, I also have found that my job actually makes me more than just a little nutty and while I'm there reading helps prolong the eventual (and inevitable) snap in my brain that transforms me from a mildly irritable, foul mouthed, wench to a more than slightly homicidal, disgruntled, testicle munching troll.<br />
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Now, don't get me wrong. I understand that I am not alone in my frustrations in my job, but I have an outlet to release these frustrations and I plan on taking complete advantage of it.<br />
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I work as a telemarketer. No, I am not the one that calls your house to sell you a credit card as you're sitting down to eat a lovely meal with your family (not that anyone still does that). I work for a decent sized company that publishes some information. Because I want to continue to work there after I publish this post, I will not be including the name of our company or any of our products.<br />
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I have been working there for roughly three years, which for the job is a <b>long time</b> I'm referred to as a 'vet' - which simply means that I am too lazy to find a job that doesn't make me want to kill anything that crosses my path, including adorable small dogs and all of my coworkers.<br />
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When I started this job I was a telemarketer in the truest sense of the word. I made cold calls to people and did my best to make them believe I had a product that the just couldn't do their job without, even though they had been for the last 15 years.<br />
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After about two years I got promoted. The new job was easier, made me more money, and meant that all-in-all I had to do less work. Less frustration right? <b>Wrong</b>. Now the list of people I dream of slaying as I lay my head down next to my bat-shit-crazy cat includes 98% of our customers.<br />
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See-now I call those customers who were lucky enough to have purchased our products. My job? Ask them if they want to do it again.<br />
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In my experience the longer a customer has been with us, the lower the IQ.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dq9nwe7eGIg/TystXIL3eII/AAAAAAAABC0/ugdtXiDHK-I/s1600/Graph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dq9nwe7eGIg/TystXIL3eII/AAAAAAAABC0/ugdtXiDHK-I/s400/Graph.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Here are just a few examples of what my team deals with on a day to day basis. And because I love them, and Mike is away, all of our products will be represented by sex toys.<br />
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Example 1: 2 Year Customer<br />
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ME: hi there Susan, my name is Sharyla from Sex Toys R Us<br />
SUSAN: Yes!?!? What do <b>youuuu </b>want?!?<br />
ME: Well Susan, you've been receiving our fuzzy handcuffs twice a month for the last 2 years and-<br />
SUSAN: Oh <b>no I have not!</b><br />
ME: Uh...yes you have.<br />
SUSAN: Most certainly not.<br />
ME: Are you sure? They are silver with red and white fuzz all over them.<br />
SUSAN: I'm <b>positive </b>I do not receive those, I <b>swear</b> on my dogs life!<br />
ME: Okayyyy...well..you <b>paid 300</b> dollars a year to receive our fuzzy handcuffs of awesome....soo...ummm..<br />
SUSAN: *heavy sigh* Well...let me look.<br />
~sounds of handcuffs rustling on her desk~<br />
SUSAN: ALL <b>I </b>have are sets of these handcuff things.<br />
ME: Are they silver?<br />
SUSAN: Yes.<br />
ME: Do they have fuzz?<br />
SUSAN: Yes<br />
ME: Is that fuzz by any chance red and white?<br />
SUSAN: Yes.<br />
ME: yeah...that'd be what I'm talking about. You've been getting those twice a month for 2 yea-<br />
SUSAN: OH YEAH!! For like 2 years!!! I LOVE THESE they make my life AWESOME!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.motifake.com/122506"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AjpvSvyfc6E/TyszCQjgNiI/AAAAAAAABDA/qbnz8W6YF7M/s320/facepalm-facepalm-demotivational-poster-1291088756.gif.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Example 2: 4 Year Customer<br />
ME: Hello there John, this is Sharyla from Sex Toys R Us, you've been receiving our neon green butt plug for the last 4 years....<br />
JOHN: Yes.<br />
ME: Okay, well we were calling to let you know your subscription is up and to ask if it's been helpful<br />
JOHN: I don't know.<br />
ME: You don't know? You've been receiving that neon green butt plug 2 times a month for 4 years...<br />
JOHN: Yeah...but I haven't used the last 2 I received so I don't know.<br />
ME: Right....uh...were the previous 90 helpful?<br />
JOHN: OH YEAH!!! They really rocked my world!<br />
ME: ::sigh of relief:: Oh good, I'm glad John. Do you want to renew your subscription?<br />
JOHN: No, I don't think so...I never did use the last 2...<br />
ME: but...but..you LOVED them. 90 of them!<br />
JOHN: I just don't know if they are useful.....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UzTNLjYr2qs/Ty1FqyJvA4I/AAAAAAAABDM/O9FwGu1XJHE/s1600/crying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UzTNLjYr2qs/Ty1FqyJvA4I/AAAAAAAABDM/O9FwGu1XJHE/s400/crying.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>Example 3: (this includes my coworker, who we will all call Samita) 3 Year Customer:<br />
SAMITA: Hi Jenny, this is Samita from Sex Toys R Us. You've been receiving our Naughty girls Do Tahoe Adult DVD's for the last 3 Years...<br />
JENNY: WELL! I <b>was</b> and I paid for it last year but then you <b>just quit sending them!</b> Since you didn't send them, I don't want to renew!<br />
SAMITA<br />
JENNY: <b>Um, NO. </b>We moved 6 months ago!<br />
SAMITA: Did you call our customer service department and let them know of the address change?<br />
JENNY: No.<br />
SAMITA: Right...well that'd be why you haven't been getting your porn. Do you want to renew?<br />
JENNY: No. You're company quit sending them to me, and even though I love them and can't live without them, I don't want to continue to do business with you because you are not psychic and didn't change the address.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://stickerish.com/products-page/f7u12-decals/rage-face-decal/"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWE8T-2QxnBn1mqBVL7s_2E06aMVQ30omowp57rFhxlh93FFlEpJ-2t_z27C48drO95nw7uI0tzV0PC01k9-6AF5igQ6fGPk0utGS0fDSwAj3W1VmdsYnCHVrnH-ZA0cPrKLOnVnTW-xu/s320/RageFaceBlackSS.png" width="285" /></a></div>But my friends, what is worse than our customers, their secretaries. Now, don't get me wrong, they're doing the job they are meant to do, but so are we. We are naturally at odds, like the lion and the wildebeest, oil and water, or Wal-Mart shoppers and clothing.<br />
It is IMPORTANT to know, so you don't hate me, that I am SUPER nice to all administrative assistants OUTSIDE of my work. But while I'm sitting in front of that computer 6-8 hours a day, I want them all to just...die.<br />
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Here are some sweet examples of the lovely wench-faces ladies, and sometimes men on the other end of my line:<br />
<br />
Example 1:<br />
ME: Hi! Is Ray Jenkin's in?<br />
SEC: No, he no longer works here<br />
ME: Oh, I'm sorry. Who took over his position?<br />
SEC: I'll transfer<br />
As our fearless leader always says THIS WILL NEVER BE THEIR NAME<br />
<br />
Example 2:<br />
ME: Hi! Is Stewart Stankerpants in?<br />
SEC: May I ask who's calling?<br />
ME: Sharyla, from Sex Toys R Us.<br />
SEC: Okay, please hold<br />
<b>one minute later</b><br />
SEC: What was your name again?<br />
ME: Sharyla<br />
SEC: From?<br />
ME: Sex Toys R Us<br />
SEC: Okay<br />
<b>two minutes later</b><br />
SEC: What company are you from?<br />
ME: *very slowly* Sex...Toys...R...Us<br />
SEC: Can you hold?<br />
ME: Yes...............<br />
<b>one minute later</b><br />
SEC: And how do you spell your name?<br />
ME: S-H-A-R-Y-L-A<br />
SEC: Okay<br />
<b>transfers to voice mail</b><br />
ME: Fuck...my...life...<br />
<b> </b><br />
Example 3: 2 Year Customer<br />
(Again with Samita, but this is MY personal favorite)<br />
SAMITA: HI- is Mike Jones available?<br />
SEC: Can I ask who is calling?<br />
SAMITA: Samita, from Sex Toys R Us<br />
SEC: He doesn't take these kinds of calls.<br />
SAMITA: I'm calling regarding his current account ma'am<br />
SEC: I'll transfer you to voice mail<br />
SAMITA: Ma'am, if he is busy I can just try back. I can't leave a message because I work off a direct dial line.<br />
SEC: Well I'll just keep transferring you to voice mail<br />
SAMITA: Ma'am I NEED to speak with him.<br />
SEC: Why?<br />
SAMITA: Because he has a PAID account with us.<br />
SEC: No he doesn't.<br />
SAMITA: Um...yes ma'am, he does.<br />
SEC: What for then?<br />
SAMITA: He's received the Blow Up Sheep & Lube Kit twice a month for the last 2 years.<br />
SEC: *laughs* Oh, well <b>I've</b> been <b>throwing that away</b> EVERYtime it comes.<br />
SAMITA: Well...I hope not, because he's paid $300 dollars a year for it for the last two years.<br />
SEC: Ohhhhhh he has has he??<br />
SAMITA: Yes...yes he has.<br />
SEC: ......oh.....well...I'll...um...I'll just have to talk with him about that.<br />
SAMITA: Yeah...I'll just try back another time.<br />
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And this my dear readers, this is why I read at work. Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me from screaming into the phone:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I KNOW WHERE YOU FUCKING WORK!! CONTINUE TO BE A BITCH.....I WILL <b>FIND</b> YOU</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So I want to thank the authors out there who can take me to other worlds, where the kickass heroine can defend herself with a big shiny sharp sword, or the hero is a 6'5" monster of AWESOME full of sexual tension and just the right amount of emotional deficiencies. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
I want to thank the bloggers who help me find awesome books, by posting rockin' reviews, and coming over here to our blog to tell us how awesome our reviews are.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And just so that everyone knows. I must be a sadist because <b>I love my job.</b></div>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-62708416304803544022012-02-04T05:58:00.000-08:002012-02-04T05:58:52.407-08:00Feature and Follow! (A Day Late & A Dollar Short)Good Saturday Morning Everyone! With the start of classes and a slight change in the work schedule, I've not been giving the blog quite the amount of attention I wanted to last week, but here I am, trying to get caught up. As most bloggers out there Parajunkee hosts the Feature & Follow blog hop every Friday. I'm just winging it and posting on a Saturday. Hope ye'all don't mind.<br />
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<a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_e3140444bf_o.png" /></a><br />
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This week the featured blog was <a href="http://progressandprocrastination.com/">Progress & Procrastination</a>. I believe the blogger is new to the world of book blogging, so extra support is always fun to give. As long as we can keep others addicted to our world, we'll never run out of books to read! <br />
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The question that Parajunkee asks this week: <br />
<b>Define characteristics your favorite blogs share</b><br />
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This is a hard question to answer since I try to read so many genres and so many authors. I guess what most of my favorite books share is great secondary characters. I love me some supporting actors. In my favorite fantasy books by David Eddings, there are many awesome things about the main characters, but the secondary ones really pull the book together. Even in the romances I read, I love that cute little kid that brings the lovers together a little more, or even the talking cat that just cracks you up. To me, a secondary character can save a book. I've read some novels where I hated the hero but just kept on plugging through because I was falling madly in love with his best friend.<br />
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Yes, secondary characters. They my friends are where it's at.Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-40632486498270304302012-01-31T10:00:00.000-08:002012-01-31T10:00:08.688-08:00Book Blogger Love-A-Thon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://talesofbooksandbands.com/2012/01/25/book-blogger-love-a-thon-sign-ups/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFC3_V_drofHoaXHIGwVCRWvZRWCqedunuLewmMQ3tL8OLRs9UE73BJsISHR-ABTwBnjW2VDU7V2o0qOuJQbwJ5MGfUGiB94zMAt4XsFnTgdRjiVUYWv607WR70nUNE2to6CeAPyJ4_8f/s320/love-a-thon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This year Kate of <a href="http://talesofbooksandbands.com/">Kate's Tales of Books and Bands </a>has started a well.....an A-thon.<br />
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The idea of this particular A-thon is pretty great. It's about showing those blogs that you love, the love you feel!<br />
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So instead of spending 24 hours reading our hearts out, we'll be spending that time pouring them out to those blogs that have inspired us, made us laugh, and maybe even made us cry. As soon as I saw the sign up post for this I could think of at least 5 blogs off the top of my head that could use some appreciation. Some of my friends put a lot of hard work into what they spend their free time doing, and get very little in return. And some get a lot in return, and instead of thinking how awesome they are, they just want to share it with everyone else! I think these friends could use some love, and I'm ready to spend as much time as I have to give it to them!<br />
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So- feel free to click on the pretty image below, and sign up! I look forward to all of the awesomeness that will flow and hope this becomes a yearly tradition!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWVXj7W-qevK6KcVKsMBV8lfPauiM8-lQzR4niHO-DwtlgV5R-X3WYzqMDP1n5P0_5-WCDgaiGwwmsA6SlkYFMZi0VbSls3y3olBQL5MsN7eWfulHeROxpNpO2a1vVXRGN9DGn3_HkqB0/s1600/sharylasigtag+%281%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWVXj7W-qevK6KcVKsMBV8lfPauiM8-lQzR4niHO-DwtlgV5R-X3WYzqMDP1n5P0_5-WCDgaiGwwmsA6SlkYFMZi0VbSls3y3olBQL5MsN7eWfulHeROxpNpO2a1vVXRGN9DGn3_HkqB0/s1600/sharylasigtag+%281%29.jpg" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-15059067295756805452012-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:002012-01-30T10:00:03.371-08:00Retail Therapy!After an extremely frustrating and tragic week I spent an amazing Saturday with Kaylee indulging in some retail therapy. I was mostly careful to be sure that I wasn't blowing all of our bill money, and made super sure to watch out for B1G1 deals, and lots of 50% deals as well. All in all I really didn't spend much, but came home with lots of loot.<br /><br />Kaylee and I discussed the fact that since we've both purchased Kindle's in the last year, we tend to stay away from buying print books. I personally try to make sure that I'm spending the least amount of money on the books I'm buying as possible, and the Kindle is just another way to do that. Sometimes, you can find the book you're looking for in print MUCH cheaper than you can in Kindle format. Ollie's, the store of bargain awesomeness, is one of the places you can get a better price. A MUCH better price. Of the books I'm listing below, none were more than 7.00, and they are ALL paperback. Not bad my friends, not bad at all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienzZ7mKMtWL0bLbqw2k3uNjvxuxC3pnrxJG9nSsEdVmsbvxllUw9pgbuhfvqZLt2dr3-QZYSPy-BWVL_N4ljtu7-Xlh2YEbBEaOv09tRuE8HNwWLs3j_3n0Ww8StDtSoM9pBzMgAH4Cpi/s1600/afterthemoment.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienzZ7mKMtWL0bLbqw2k3uNjvxuxC3pnrxJG9nSsEdVmsbvxllUw9pgbuhfvqZLt2dr3-QZYSPy-BWVL_N4ljtu7-Xlh2YEbBEaOv09tRuE8HNwWLs3j_3n0Ww8StDtSoM9pBzMgAH4Cpi/s400/afterthemoment.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702914469266254066" /></a><br />After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr<br /><br />Amazon Price (hardcover): 14.74<br />Kindle Price: 5.39<br />Ollies Price (hardcover): 3.99<br /><br />Inside flap description: Maia Morland is pretty, only not pretty-pretty. She's smart. She's brave. She's also a self-proclaimed train wreck.<br /><br />Leigh Hunter is smart, popular, and extremely polite. he's also completely and forever in love with Maia Morland.<br /><br />Their young love starts off like a romance novel--full of hope, strength, and passion. But life is not a romance novel and theirs will never become a true romance. For when maia needs him most, Leigh betrays both her trust and her love.<br /><br />Told with compassion and true understanding, After the moment is about what happens when a young man discovers that sometimes love fails us, and that, quite often, we fail love.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lC516ewCSdg/TyTSyEy9nOI/AAAAAAAABBo/oo0Ncv0SP_M/s1600/princessben.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 271px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lC516ewCSdg/TyTSyEy9nOI/AAAAAAAABBo/oo0Ncv0SP_M/s400/princessben.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702914785880677602" /></a><br />Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock<br /><br />Amazon Price (hardcover): 6.40 (and there are only 6 left in stock)<br />Kindle Price: 7.19<br />Ollie's Price (hardcover): 3.99<br /><br />Inside flap description: With her parents lost to assassins, Princess Ben ends up under the thumb of the conniving Queen Sophia. Starved and miserable, locked in the castle's highest tower, Ben stumbles upon a mysterious enchanted room. So beings her secret eduction in the magical arts: mastering an obstinate flying broomstick, furtively emptying the castle pantries, setting her hair on fire...But Ben's private adventures are soon overwhelmed by a mortal threat to her Kingdom. Can ben save the country and herself from foul tyranny?<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KXsHjO_PNHQ/TyTTDQabm9I/AAAAAAAABB0/WcGWFTkD5z8/s1600/Wither.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KXsHjO_PNHQ/TyTTDQabm9I/AAAAAAAABB0/WcGWFTkD5z8/s400/Wither.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702915081056787410" /></a>Wither by Lauren DeSteffano<br /><br />Amazon Price (hardcover): 11.61<br />Kindle Price: 9.99<br />Ollie's Price (hardcover): 3.99<br /><br />Inside Flap Description:<br /><br />Thanks to modern science, every newborn has become a ticking genetic time bomb--males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.<br /><br />When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and the tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape--to find her twin brother and go home.<br /><br />But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant she is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMCNx671ClY/TyTTUTvhsjI/AAAAAAAABCA/zj15EM0kLf4/s1600/stonwalljacksonalp.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMCNx671ClY/TyTTUTvhsjI/AAAAAAAABCA/zj15EM0kLf4/s400/stonwalljacksonalp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702915374008349234" /></a>Stonewall Jackson: A Life Portrait by K.M. Kostyal<br /><br />Amazon Price (hardcover): 29.95<br />Kindle Price: Not available<br />Ollie's price: 6.99<br /><br />Inside Flap Description:<br /><br />A Civil War legend and Gen. Robert E. Lee's right-hand man, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson emerged from the wilds of western Virginia to become one of history's most memorable military commanders. Eccentric in his habits, devout in his actions, and "mangy" in appearance, Jackson's inspiration came from God rather than from the "rightness" of Southern beliefs. Stonewall Jackson: A Life Portrait, the first illustrated biography of the celebrated and complex Confederate general, follows Jackson from his childhood in the backwoods frontier to his untimely death following a "friendly fire" incident at the Battle of Chancellorsville.<br /><br />Complete with a striking collection of stark black-and-white and full color images of Jackson, his family, and his fellow commanders on both sides of the battle lines, Stonewall Jackson uncovers the deeds behind the legends. Devotion to duty and an innate tactical genius propelled Stonewall into war; love and family and deep religious convictions sustained him. A brave soldier, and exacting officer, and a cunning commander on the one hand, this fascinating figure filled the roles of devoted brother, loving husband, and doting father on the other.<br /><br />Author K.M. Kostyal's painstakingly researched account of the general's life delves into all facets of Stonewall's experiences, taking you through his days as a young orphan and his difficult years as a struggling cadet at West Point. There he encountered such prominent classmates as George McClellan, A.P. Hill, and George Pickett. This copiously illustrated volume also travels south to witness Jackson's exploits in the Mexican War, including his daring charge at Chapultepec, and returns stateside, where during peacetime he resigned his commission, married, and served at the Virginia Military Institute as a strict artillery instructor.<br /><br />Finally, Stonewall Jackson rides into battle as the Civil War splits the country and divides family loyalties, including Jackson's own relationship with his beloved sister, Laura, a loyal Unionist. It ranges over the Shenandoah Valley as Stonewall's remarkable tactical maneuvers baffle Union commanders, chokes through the smoke and dust of the battlefields from Bull Run to Fredericksburg as he leads his men to defend the south, and mourns at Chancellorsville when Confederate soldiers accidentally open fire on him.<br /><br />In addition, revealing sidebars illuminate background information from Jackson's life and times, including West Points notable class of 1846, stonewall pilgrimage sites, Confederate spy Belle Boyd, and Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. with a treasure trove of vivid images, a store of telling personal detail, and a rich overview of Jackson's military career, Stonewall Jackson: A Life Portrait brings to life one of the Civil War's most illustrious and unlikely generals.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6bCC1xaomtnPMPM4qecJatB8fy_oWC2y5e5gIr8ngtUNyHnSXl-A3_BFKeAGVFdK_Xwcq841FWFuodNO-_KIJk4xQNv7i9sH4Yn4j8yGJbTeBX8qoXgYHRYYVKQF-cafuuYowoVOodTY/s1600/LincolnThroughtheLens.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6bCC1xaomtnPMPM4qecJatB8fy_oWC2y5e5gIr8ngtUNyHnSXl-A3_BFKeAGVFdK_Xwcq841FWFuodNO-_KIJk4xQNv7i9sH4Yn4j8yGJbTeBX8qoXgYHRYYVKQF-cafuuYowoVOodTY/s400/LincolnThroughtheLens.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702915678735608738" /></a><br />Lincoln: Through the Lens by Martin W. Sandler<br /><br />Amazon Price (hardcover): 15.59 And there are only 4 left<br />Kindle Price: Not Available<br />Ollie's Price (hardcover): 4.99<br /><br />Inside Flap Description:<br /><br />He was born in the backwoods of Kentucky in a humble log cabin, but Abraham Lincoln was savvy enough to embrace the new technology of his time--photography-- to help propel him all the way to the White House. This simple man with lofty goals was willing to use any means necessary, including the power of photography, to save the union and free the slaves--leaving behind an unmatched legacy of sacrifice, service, and achievement.<br /><br />More than one hundred images of Lincoln's life and times provide a complete portrait of this revered president and the events that defined him. From the only confirmed existing picture of Lincoln before the historic Gettysburg Address to his second inauguration--where he is unknowingly surrounded by John Wilkes Booth and his co conspirators-- to the execution of his murderers, this eye-opening, inspiring visual journey provides a fresh take on one of the most documented and beloved figures in American history.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1S_CaCWWUa0/TyTUWJOLieI/AAAAAAAABCY/XDWSHuPp_Og/s1600/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1S_CaCWWUa0/TyTUWJOLieI/AAAAAAAABCY/XDWSHuPp_Og/s400/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702916505055496674" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-57924742733371736342012-01-29T15:46:00.000-08:002012-01-29T15:56:39.050-08:00We Just Feel Like Having a GiveawayWe've been adding more posts to the blog as of late, answering more review requests, and getting a few more comments. In appreciation for the lovely things you've all been saying, and so that we can share our thoughts with even<span style="font-weight: bold;"> more</span> of you, we've decided to hold a little giveaway.<br />
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The prize: a $15 dollar gift card to either Amazon.com OR Barnes & Noble. (as we understand that some have preferences, as do we)<br />
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The Time Frame: From the 29th of January to the 6th of February, so that's about 7 days, since I'm posting this in the late evening.<br />
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There are quite a few ways to enter, so have fun! (and pass the word around :D)<br />
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<noscript><a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js">You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.</noscript>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-80621298622417883532012-01-29T10:00:00.000-08:002012-01-29T10:00:02.796-08:00The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQLX0SPAC3EudDHZsjV5yNtiHeIfJZMGXEF2zQfsLWVnwtkE9ol__8wIvqjc04KUsb8weeBlNtXgoJEwRA3aXNou5WKMy3Ibnj0zcmRMrGVGlUgW4byDIJQ73kpi8pjLpksCLzJ47VA4v/s1600/god-delusion.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQLX0SPAC3EudDHZsjV5yNtiHeIfJZMGXEF2zQfsLWVnwtkE9ol__8wIvqjc04KUsb8weeBlNtXgoJEwRA3aXNou5WKMy3Ibnj0zcmRMrGVGlUgW4byDIJQ73kpi8pjLpksCLzJ47VA4v/s400/god-delusion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702719304109739634" border="0" /></a><br />THE GOD DELUSION by Richard Dawkins<br />A brief rant by Shawn Witherite<br /><br /> With the sounds of Tom Waits echoing out of my less than spectacular laptop speakers, I had spent a bit of time just wondering what book I should review for this little spot on the internet. Lighting my fifth or possibly eighth cigarette of the hour while taking a sip from my last cup out of a pot of coffee, I realized my tragically "hip" situation has given birth to the answer! THE GOD DELUSION! It's the book that every faithless youth totes around as a sign of intellect. Well I'm sorry to say they're probably idiots.<br /><br /> You see I picked this book up a few years ago at a Waldens, which is book store; a concept I will probably explain to my children, just like CD's and vocal conversation. I was a young agnostic at the time, taking in all sides when coming to faith as I didn't have an answer, or rather opinion, for myself. Born into a lukewarm Methodist family, I dabbled in Buddhism because karma made some sense, and I spent a week as a Wiccan due to the fact goth chics are fuckin' hot. Needless to say, I didn't have much in the way of solid ground when it came to religion. I had recognized Dawkins name based on his coining of the term "meme", an intriguing theory that is used heavily in the video game franchise Metal Gear Solid.<br /><br /> Of course at the time, "meme" had a stronger meaning to me and my own personal studies to keep my mind occupied before I enrolled in college. Times change. Now when someone says "meme", I think of a rabbit with a pancake on its head. Thanks internet. Looking back on the purchase, I was honestly better off buying a shitty cat for that price then spend my days trying to catch it making a stupid face for Photoshopping. It would've been more enlightening time management than Dawkins drivel.<br /><br /> The man is smart, we have to give him that. And his writing and points are well written through out but he some how manages to be wrong while being right... As opposed to softcore porn model Nikki Simms, who can be right while being oh so wrong.<br /><br /> Every end of the spectrum has dangers, and Dawkins with his little book can represent such for the side of "logic". There are points in his arguments where he rallies for lack of respect towards his religious oppositions and this part has always stuck with me. I know a lot of folks in my generation that would take this notion as a call to arms, and it's this kind of haphazard notion that draws so many atheist into the spotlight as being dick bags. Mostly because so many of us non-believers let people like Dawkins be our voice.<br /><br /> His reasoning is because the religious right gives no respect to atheist/agnostics in return, and that's fuck all nonsense. Richard spends a lot of time attacking some kind of in your face mass religion I've never really encountered. You haven't either. He has a tendency through out the book to make things seem more aggressive than they really are just so he can say that it's wrong.<br /><br /> The brunt of the book maintains focus on creationism and its more sophisticated cousin, evolution. A subject that has torn public schools apart for decades by parents who have more opinions than they do hours at work, apparently. A biologist, Dawkins makes the same tried and tested observations we've all heard for the side against an intelligent designer. If you learn something from his time on the subject, then cool. Or you could just watch the Discovery Channel... Chances are it'll look awesome and be narrated by that guy from the Ford commercials.<br /><br /> I am no longer agnostic, but rather just a really understanding atheist. An atheist who knows that more often than not I will find a really understanding individual of faith. Be it Christian, Muslim, Jew or Jedi... It turns out that our belief construct seldom interfere with our day to day lives. Rather they pop up at quiet times in the bar when some fuck wants to start up late night theology over shots of Crown Royal. Dawkins points out that an atheist can be morally sound without a personal God, and he's correct. Of course he's correct. Right and wrong exist whether or not God does.<br /><br /> This was subsequently the last book I bought on the subject. Thanks internet. If you are sound in your beliefs then I suggest spending your time else where with your reading. The faithful will just get pissed and the faithless will just become as delusional as those the book argues against. Those in the middle? Well, once you accept neither side will give you a true answer you'll realize that it's all about what leaves you in peace when going to bed at night. Also, I never did enroll in college. I opted for taking the money I saved for use on copious amounts of drugs and somewhere along the line I came out of the haze as an atheist who manages to hate other atheists. Magical summer. Shitty book.Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-4902253610829676752012-01-28T10:00:00.000-08:002012-01-28T10:00:02.190-08:00Reading and Pets?For two years I yearned and yearned to have a pet. We lived in an apartment that was VERY strict in it's no pets policy. As soon as we moved in to our new place out in the middle of the country where I could have as many pets as Mike would allow, I got two kittens. Sadly, they both passed, and I now have one 6 month old boy who is really the light of my day while Mike is gone working for a month and a half at a time.<br /><br />Meet Ivan: (AKA: Ivanhoe, Ivan the Terrible, and most common, Mommy's Pwetty Pwetty Baby Boy)<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-krJ41PCaUJc/TyMjEizjIkI/AAAAAAAABAg/Z7PP_DlWcC8/s1600/ivansleeping.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-krJ41PCaUJc/TyMjEizjIkI/AAAAAAAABAg/Z7PP_DlWcC8/s400/ivansleeping.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702440114150646338" border="0" /></a>I know this is a very Christmassy picture, but it really is my favorite. As he's gotten older the orange in his coat has become darker and at 6 months he is as large as my Mom's cats who are at least a year old. I think he may be a big boy.<br /><br />Ivan has taught me many things since he's come to live with us.<br /><br />1. Curtains are for climbing<br />2. Mommy's face is fun to pounce while she's sleeping<br />3. Cats do not like alarm clocks any more than humans do (I discovered this as he laid on my cell phone to make the beeping stop one morning)<br />4. Reading is NOT as important as the cat.<br />5. NOTHING is as important as the cat.<br />and the thing I most love that I have learned<br />6. Cats LIKE to be snuggled, or at least Ivan does, and that's really all that matters to me.<br /><br />Part of the reason I started this post is because I wanted to write about my cat. I'm that kind of person now. The other reason is that I need to learn more about him. I didn't know that I didn't know so much stuff about what HE needs. I've picked up here and there that bad breath isn't just annoying, it actually could mean he's sick, and that I should make somewhere high up for him to chill out because it's in his nature to want to be UP. (It may also save my curtains, though I doubt it). So I need some books on Cats.<br /><br />I'm reaching out to you, our readers, to tell me if YOU have ever used a book to help you learn more about taking care of the fur babies in your home? Do you just call a vet or do research on the internet? Where should I start in my questions? Is there a handy go to guide out there?<br /><br />Also, Kaylee posted an adorable picture on my facebook recently that I just HAD to share with you all. She has also recently come into pet mommy-hood with her boxer, Tyson. He's great with her kids and just loves hugs! She dresses him up and has outfits planned for both Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day (poor Tyson!)<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UzIzKe99zlE/TyMktanxVPI/AAAAAAAABAs/0KZWmZ9CtAA/s1600/kayleetyson.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UzIzKe99zlE/TyMktanxVPI/AAAAAAAABAs/0KZWmZ9CtAA/s400/kayleetyson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702441915840025842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There's Tyson, and Kaylee's Kindle. Maybe dogs are more into reading than cats? I guess that's something I'll have to research further.<br /><br />I hope you all have a great weekend, and please, tell us about your furbabies if you have some!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQGT_QOG6cI/TyMlNMAwGBI/AAAAAAAABA4/5BxYoqlc94c/s1600/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQGT_QOG6cI/TyMlNMAwGBI/AAAAAAAABA4/5BxYoqlc94c/s400/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702442461674084370" border="0" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-65997916580348736072012-01-27T00:46:00.000-08:002012-01-27T00:57:06.284-08:00Feature and Follow!It's been a while (QUITE a while) since those of us here at A Bookish Wonderland have participated in this hop and I see there are new images and such and I'm pretty psyched. So here goes!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_e3140444bf_o.png" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />This is a feature that Parajunkee and Allison Can Read thankfully put together so that those of us who are in need/want of followers and need/want to find others who read and write about reading can connect. It's a wonderful service that they do for us and I'm SO glad that they do as I am not the best at pimping 'the blog'.<br /><br />The question asked this week was: What genre do you avoid at all costs and why?<br /><br />My answer: Science Fiction. I don't know why really, but I've never been interested in it. When I was a little girl I never dreamed of going into space and while I was always staring at the stars I found myself wondering what they looked like hundreds and even thousands of years ago, not what it would be like to be soaring among them.<br /><br />Science fiction is frightening to me. I don't want to drive in a flying car, I want to stay on the ground, I want to know what it's like to have to take a horse to 'town' to get my supplies, or maybe have a feud with the clan in the next hill.<br /><br />I hope you all enjoyed my Feature and Follow post and by the way, congratulations to <a href="http://bookdout.wordpress.com/">Booked Out</a> and <a href="http://fictionfervor.wordpress.com/">Fiction Fervor</a> for being the features on the host's blogs! You both have amazing blogs that I can't wait to read more of!<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KncJuYOjbp4/TyJmmmkdUEI/AAAAAAAABAU/-vjPMrQLxSA/s1600/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KncJuYOjbp4/TyJmmmkdUEI/AAAAAAAABAU/-vjPMrQLxSA/s400/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702232891578994754" border="0" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-46266753698809165332012-01-26T14:48:00.000-08:002012-01-26T14:50:54.172-08:00Guest Post: Five Engrossing Fantasy Series**Hey everyone, I was too busy reading to write a post this week, so the sweet Alex offered to give some words for you all.<br />Sharyla**<br /><br />Hi, I’m Alex, and I’m a bookaholic. It started with just a few books read to me here and there when I was little, and has since spiraled into a full-blown addiction. Suffice it to say I enjoy reading books. A lot. When other people have free time, they watch TV or movies; I read at night, on the way to school, on the bus, and during my study breaks. I’m not sure what the cure is. I’m not sure if I want to know. Come join in my obsession on my book blog (<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://alexristea.wordpress.com/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1327618056_0">Ristea’s Reads</span></a>) and on Twitter (<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/#%21/ristea">@ristea</a>).<br /><br />I love immersing myself in new worlds and discovering characters who feel so real it’s as if I’ve known them my whole life. You know that emotional reaction at the end of a book where you have to leave everything behind? That’s a chronic problem for me. Let me show you some of my favourite fantasy series that have become so much more than just a pastime or idle distraction. If you have any sort of stigma against the genre, I encourage you to try out one of these books and see what you’re missing.<br /><br /><br /><b>A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin<br /></b><br />Set in a kingdom where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, A Game of Thrones is a gritty, realistic tale where the typical ‘good’ and ‘bad’ guys are replaced with characters that have their own motivations and desires, resulting in a maelstrom of corruption, betrayal, heroism, and intrigue. George R.R. Martin is such a master of bringing the medieval-like world of knights and castles to life that I’m pretty sure he has a time machine hidden away in his garage. Add plots within plots and an author that isn’t pulling any punches, and you get one of the most outstandingly written fantasy series of all time.<br /><br /><i>When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.<br /></i><br /><b>The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson<br /></b><br />Erikson is a true genius of world-building; dare I say that he approaches Tolkien-esque levels? He drops you right into the action, without any cheesy info dumps, and you are left scrambling to figure out exactly what’s going on. A fair warning that this is not a light read, but the rewards are well worth the effort. I think I could devour this series over and over again and learn something new every time. When was the last time you were in the middle of a book and immediately knew that you wanted to re-read it right away?<div> <br /></div><div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1327617236212175"><b>The Nightrunner Series by Lynn Flewelling<br /></b><br />Now, I enjoy my epic fantasy as much as the next guy, but every now and then I need a break from appendices of characters and large-scale maps. <i>Nightrunner</i> provides the perfect fix. Some have complained that the pace is too slow, but I thought that brought the characters alive. Following Seregil and Alec almost exclusively through five books, even as they do mundane tasks such as set up camp or settle in to their mansion in Rhiminee, shows how the characters are truly organic, whose actions spring from the story and are plausible. The author didn’t just think of a few key traits and blow through a massive plot-line, changing it to “work” with what she had in mind. Seregil and Alec are loosed upon the world, and actively engage with the story and other characters, resulting in slightly flawed partners that anyone can relate to in some way.<br /><br /><b>The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb<br /></b><br />This novel is told entirely from the first-person perspective, but Hobb’s talent shines through here as you fall in love with Fitz, his life, and the other characters that interact with him. By the time I finished this trilogy, I was so feverishly engrossed in the novel, that I could hardly put it down for friends, food, or fodder. It’s simply amazing how you end up living and breathing as if you were actually Fitz, and start feeling emotions in real life to match his. This book had me giddy with delight at Fitz’s exploits, crying at his hardships, laughing with him and his friends, and finding in him a parallel to my own life. Honest and original, despite having many of the stereotypical traits of the fantasy genre, this is a true story of a boy’s travels through life and everything it entails.<br /><br /><b>The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss<br /></b><br />Rothfuss doesn’t try to re-invent the fantasy genre wheel, he sticks with a classic form to tell the extraordinary tale of Kvothe. I don’t usually fall for the fluff written on the back cover, but this one had me hooked:<br /><br /><i>My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.<br /><br />You may have heard of me.</i><br /><br />I do not recommend The Name of the Wind if you have any deadlines coming up, plan on getting a good night’s rest, or have any friends that would get mad if you dropped off the radar for a week or so.<br /><br /><br />--<br />Alex</div>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-6669087612201721522012-01-17T16:03:00.001-08:002012-01-17T16:22:02.659-08:00Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vyc9CbmiAlI/TxYMcDuXdQI/AAAAAAAAA_0/T9EOeAPhUL8/s1600/islandoflostgirls.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vyc9CbmiAlI/TxYMcDuXdQI/AAAAAAAAA_0/T9EOeAPhUL8/s400/islandoflostgirls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698756054659593474" border="0" /></a><br /><b>Format:</b> Kindle Edition<br /><b>File Size:</b> 316 KB<br /><b>Print Length:</b> 271 pages<br /><br />Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon<br /><br />Since I don't usually read this genre I have to admit that when I found this book I only purchased it because, while the description sounded interesting, it was a bargain. I don't remember the exact price, but I know it was under five dollars. The cover caught my eye at first. Innocent and yet somehow haunting. The book had little innocence in the end, but has left me feeling pretty damn haunted!<br /><br />The story centers around Rhonda, who is in her 20's but half of the time reminded me of a prepubescent girl and the other half of an innocent and cloistered 40 year old.<br /><br />Rhonda witnesses a kidnapping with a VERY unusual suspect. Honestly, for the first few chapters I thought there was a chance Rhonda was a schizophrenic . Until everyone was on board with the weirdness and downright creepiness of the kidnapper, I was sure this was a story about Rhonda's mental illness.<br /><br />As the story of Rhonda's 'involvement' in the kidnapping unfolds, the reader learns that almost everyone who could be even a little connected to the missing girl has a BIG bad skeleton DEEP within their closet.<br /><br />Again, it's important that is not one of my 'usual' reads, so I was constantly surprised by the developments in the story. The lives of these characters are kept closed by the author right up until a reveal that knocks you off of your feet. I was often finding myself physically reeling backwards, completely stunned. At times I would even set the book down to absorb the new information. Although these pauses in reading were EXTREMELY brief. At one point while reading I actually forgot to put my food in the microwave because I couldn't wait to get back to the book.<br /><br />There was never a moment while reading that I found myself bored, but had there been I'm sure it would have been short lived. Oftentimes one chapter was set in 2006 and the next in 1993. Occasionally there would be momentary tantalizing and outrageously creepy point of view of the perpetrator.<br /><br />There was only one plot line that I guessed before the author 'told' me. This didn't hurt my reading experience, however, because I wanted to know what the characters were going to DO about it.<br /><br />Once I did find out who the REAL bad guy was, I was flabbergasted!! I had NO clue the <span style="font-weight: bold;">entire </span>book.<br /><br />Some may find the reason for the crime itself mundane, but in my experience, true crimes in life are usually for quite mundane reasons.<br /><br />I really have no negative words for this book. I started it Sunday morning, finished it Sunday evening, and couldn't stop thinking about it Monday.<br /><br />I read part of a review on Amazon that said "Jennifer McMahon did for rabbits in Island of Lost girls what Stephen Kind did for clowns in It" and I do not disagree. I hope with Easter coming up that I can avoid any men in giant bunny suits.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-STFjzbFl92E/TxYQWghbuCI/AAAAAAAABAA/sjUOMZii89s/s1600/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-STFjzbFl92E/TxYQWghbuCI/AAAAAAAABAA/sjUOMZii89s/s400/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698760357357271074" border="0" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-16242547047500407912012-01-14T21:39:00.000-08:002012-01-14T21:51:26.392-08:00Irish Moon by Amber Scott<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t6amMJwHRR8/TxJnGil2t-I/AAAAAAAAA_Y/aT7wwOUNVvM/s1600/Irish-Moon-by-Amber-Scott.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 260px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t6amMJwHRR8/TxJnGil2t-I/AAAAAAAAA_Y/aT7wwOUNVvM/s400/Irish-Moon-by-Amber-Scott.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697729840639555554" border="0" /></a><br /><b>Format:</b> Kindle Edition<br /><b>File Size:</b> 518 KB<br /><b>Print Length:</b> 344 pages<br /><br />Irish Moon by Amber Scott was an interesting take on both the Knights Templar and the practice of the Druids.<br /><br />Starring Breanne and Ashlon and a fiendish cat, a charming little boy, and a clan chief, the book at times entertained me, but also bored me, and confused me.<br /><br />Breanne and Ashlon are very engaging characters, and I enjoyed reading as their love bloomed and became something tangible. Breanne is almost always smart in her choices, never that "Oh my god...did she REALLY just do that" main female character.<br /><br />Ashlon has a task at hand, and while he is slightly more confusing than Breanne, he's easy to enjoy and even lust after. His past is tortured given the problems the Knights Templar had recently had put upon them by King and Pope, but the details as to HOW tortured are lacking, and leave you feeling at a loss of pity for him and his struggle.<br /><br />The quest he is on is even more confusing, and up until the end I wasn't convinced as to how Breanne could help him. The climax of the book did leave my heart racing and my eyes scanning faster over the words, I just wish I would have been less perplexed as I got to that point.<br /><br />The secondary characters and their struggles were even more confusing, and some of the side story lines seem to just fade away and so did some of those secondary characters.<br /><br />This book had a very good premise, though I think it could have been executed more crisply and had another round with a good editor.<br /><br />I wouldn't turn another Amber Scott book away, but I'm not sure I'll be seeking one out any time soon.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hJFdkuKHM8A/TxJpQYIduqI/AAAAAAAAA_k/XWIl9gReqbQ/s1600/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hJFdkuKHM8A/TxJpQYIduqI/AAAAAAAAA_k/XWIl9gReqbQ/s400/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697732208653875874" border="0" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-87367130227373340262011-12-22T14:00:00.001-08:002011-12-22T14:32:44.073-08:00Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vxLmnaW-iK4/TvOoh_KvtNI/AAAAAAAAA-8/4HgJFW72jwY/s1600/game-of-thrones-tv.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vxLmnaW-iK4/TvOoh_KvtNI/AAAAAAAAA-8/4HgJFW72jwY/s400/game-of-thrones-tv.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689076056144721106" /></a>Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin is a pretty popular title, obviously, as it was picked up for a tv show on HBO, and has been pretty successful there as well.<div><br /></div><div>Personally, I've been reading the series from the get-go, but have a love-hate relationship with it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Game of Thrones itself drew me in, and taught me many things about the fantasy genre, that I hadn't really run into before.</div><div><br /></div><div>For instance - Just because you have your own point of view chapter, doesn't mean you can't die.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fantasy is really depressing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Small people are angry and also quite witty and easy to love.</div><div><br /></div><div>Catching cats - just as hard in fiction as it is in real life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Every time I read this book, I'm blown away by how easily and quickly I'm drawn into each and every character. Martin writes in a way that pulls you into the feelings of each character, and knowing from one chapter to the next their intimate feelings, gives you a sense that you know how they are going to react to each situation, like you are in their head. It's done in a way that is really unlike any other book I've read before.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I stated above, I've had a love hate relationship with this series. The first time I read it</div><div> I ate through the first two and half books faster than any other I'd read to date. Half way through number three I lost my copy. As a teenager reading was a huge part of my life, when I had the time, and in this case, other things filled my mind quicker than thoughts of getting another copy of the book.</div><div><br /></div><div>This series is also partly responsible for my love of historical romance. I read the first two and half books yet again, and quicker even, before I put them down, went to my local bookstore and asked the lady behind the counter for something happy dammit!</div><div><br /></div><div>And now, I'm at it again. This time I chose to read the book on my Kindle, and about 20 pages from the last, I broke it! Months later, I got my early Christmas gift, which was a Kindle Fire, and promptly finished the book. (WOOT)</div><div><br /></div><div>I think the key is not to read the books right in a row (this is just my theory for my</div><div> own tastes, not a recommendation).</div><div><br /></div><div>The settings are easy to imagine, and beautiful in my head, even more so than the television show, the characters are so full and loveable/hateable, and the writing is a breeze, easy to read and get lost in.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you haven't read the books - do so!</div><div><br /></div><div>If you have - they are quite worth the reread!!</div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9VmI9_kA-p0/TvOvR6FKLiI/AAAAAAAAA_I/oiDeVDZVIxc/s400/sharylasigtag%2B%25281%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689083476482600482" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 100px; " /><div><br /></div>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-57167750957198022272011-12-21T09:07:00.000-08:002011-12-21T09:23:53.373-08:00Holidays Rock My Socks!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UIXhkcWwzPM/TvIV_d8YtAI/AAAAAAAAA-w/xhMDb-3xqtI/s1600/muppetxmascarol.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 246px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UIXhkcWwzPM/TvIV_d8YtAI/AAAAAAAAA-w/xhMDb-3xqtI/s400/muppetxmascarol.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688633459436205058" /></a><br /><br />Other than being stuck home sick with the flu, this has been a pretty rockin' day.<br /><br />My boyfriend and I really suck at not giving Christmas presents early, and I already sort of knew that he bought me a Kindle Fire, and he had an inkling that he was getting a digital camera, so last night we exchanged our 'big' gifts. I've been attached to the Kindle ever since. <br /><br />I also have a regular Kindle, which I have broken twice in less than a year. I still blame the whiskey, and I have to say that I'm not entirely sure why he trusts me with a much fancier, and more expensive version. We'll just assume he's blinded by love (or whining). My life has been threatened if anything happens to this one (and he DID buy the replacement plan, as he's a smart cookie sometimes).<br /><br />First I wanted to write about how psyched I am to finally finish Game of Thrones, as I've been 93% done for oh...about 4 months! Since I couldn't finish it, and we've been super busy, I've not found myself able to pick up another book since. I have HUNDREDS of books around the house, but even though I've read Game of Thrones twice, I really wanted to finish it. So I'm excited to be able to do that now, and post a review for the first time in...well...ya know, a LONG time.<br /><br />I'm also excited because my friends on twitter are super savvy and some are super frugal and have already in the last 10 minutes made it to where I could get not one but TWO books that have been on my wishlist for a long time, for 1.00! I also downloaded The Christmas Carol (free of course) because I base my entire knowledge of it off of the Muppets, which is super awesome, but most likely not completely accurate.<br /><br />I'm also pretty psyched to get the blog up and rolling again. Mike and I recently moved and unfortunately my contact with Ms. Kaylee hasn't been as strong as it's needed to be (for our friendship, or the blog) but I'm quite sure she's been reading lately, and post-holiday madness I may be able to get a review or two out of her. <br /><br />I'm also hoping to host a giveaway soon, though many of mine have been complete failures due to lack of money and such, but now that's not such a problem and I'm thinking an Amazon gift card giveaway (in honor of shiny new Kindle) may be in order. I think I'll wait until after the holidays though, as I'm sure there are many going on as we (or I...as I swear there are no voices in my head) type.<br /><br />I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, whichever it may be, and I'm off to read. And nap...as I really do have the flu :(Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-37225201317549858942011-11-19T11:12:00.001-08:002011-11-19T11:32:18.205-08:00Kindle Reading...with no Kindle?I keep blaming it on the whiskey, but I'm told that I broke my Kindle. It was a while back now that it happened...a few friends over, some cards, my Kindle in my purse and a small...biff. I guess it was more of a fall. <div><br /></div><div>It took me a few days to realize what had happened and when I did it took me even longer to call Amazon. They kindly informed me that it would be $65 dollars to fix the thing. That's fine, but at the time I was without the extra cash.</div><div><br /></div><div>They did inform me that I could download the Kindle reader for the computer. I was in the middle of A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, which I've read a few ti</div><div><br />mes and wanted to reread when the whiskey broke my Kindle screen. </div><div>Recently I've come up with a brilliant idea. I can now read and crochet at the same time. It's hard to do that with a book, and even with a Kindle, unless I had a stand, which I don't. I'm making a throw for a friend for Christmas and it will be quite easy to just open the Kindle reader on my computer set it up on my lap and go to town. I'm hoping my new multitasking plan will work.</div><div><br /></div><div>Have any of you tried this? Or something like it. I usually don't even read and do anything else at the same time, maybe listen to some music. So I'm not sure that this plan of mine will work...but I hope to get back into reading AND make sure that I get this Christmas</div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XFnxiS1XzOw/TsgEBAs5hOI/AAAAAAAAA-g/H_SbBpvh-TM/s400/sharylasigtag.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676791745715209442" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 100px; " /><div> present done at the same time.</div>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-28246847657868751132011-10-23T08:28:00.001-07:002011-10-23T08:43:14.535-07:00Back in Black?<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9jsOWRYkyKQ/TqQyr6sakmI/AAAAAAAAA98/CkStTL1w9Yc/s1600/303899_10150335088858214_506858213_8228413_1024942941_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9jsOWRYkyKQ/TqQyr6sakmI/AAAAAAAAA98/CkStTL1w9Yc/s400/303899_10150335088858214_506858213_8228413_1024942941_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666709961210237538" /></a><br />Well - HELLO everyone!<div><br /></div><div>I've been receiving an awful LOT of questions from friends and family as to why we haven't been posting on the blog in the last few months. Life has been a whole hell of a lot of crazy lately, that's why! Plus....one must read a book to review it.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the last few months I've gone through a break-up and then a reconciliation, a move, stress at the work place, a death in the family, dealing with a new job for Mr. Mike that puts him away from home for a month at a time, and again some more stress at work. Oh, and I als</div><div>o broke my Kindle for a second time! </div><div><br /></div><div>Our recent move (to the middle of the country!) will hopefully, once everything is put in it's proper place, help to drive me back into reading. We have a wood burning stove and nothing sounds better than sitting by the fire and reading with a blanket and a kitty on my lap. That's right people, a KITTY! Our previous abode was NO PETS :( but as soon as we moved into our new place I went and got two kittens. Sadly, the black one in the picture above, Chicken, passed away after a dog attack a few nights ago. The tiger, Chill, is still here and healthy and happy. She misses her sister (they were littermates) but she is SO loving.</div><div><br /></div><div>Kaylee, who also misses our blog, has her own stuff going on, though I know for a fact that she's been reading, and if she feels the need to share it with the public, I'll let her, but it's not r</div><div>eally my business to do so.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, until I can get through a book and get a review of my own up, please tell me your most favorite recent review, be it on your own blog or on someone else's. I can't wait to read some awesome reviews to help push me back into the book world.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9jsOWRYkyKQ/TqQyr6sakmI/AAAAAAAAA98/CkStTL1w9Yc/s1600/303899_10150335088858214_506858213_8228413_1024942941_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rUOSP4gnvms/TqQ12ed7jwI/AAAAAAAAA-I/UspcXMln_hU/s400/sharylasigtag.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666713441146736386" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 100px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-17386900834279198372011-04-23T15:15:00.000-07:002011-04-23T15:15:00.268-07:00Blood That Bonds by Christopher Buecheler<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NI3UlKk_5Ys/TbH-Ux7mjzI/AAAAAAAAA7k/y1y-wgo8bTQ/s1600/bloodthatbonds.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NI3UlKk_5Ys/TbH-Ux7mjzI/AAAAAAAAA7k/y1y-wgo8bTQ/s400/bloodthatbonds.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598535444752404274" /></a><br />Blood That Bonds by Christopher Buecheler<br /><br />Blood That Bonds is not my usual genre but I'm so glad that I broadened my choices. this was my first vampire book since the whole vampire phase began. Having never read any of the Twilight or other popular paranormal books I appreciated it with an open mind and ended up enjoying it greatly. I even began searching for the second book, Blood Hunt, that continues Two's quest to remain vampire...but wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.<br /><br />Blood That Bonds begins with the story of Two and her heroin induced lifestyle. even though her life revolves around tricking for the next fix, it wasn't by her choice. 16, and with no real adult guidance, a pool hall scam introduced her to the wrong crowd and Two found herself waking up in a whore house heavily addicted to heroin with a new boss/pimp/drug dealer landlord. Just another client to service with the unusual interest in black clothing Two sets out to earn her keep. She has no idea the sexy man in the super fast sports car is her ticket out of the red-light district and into the darkness...<br /><br />Theroen takes Two as his child/lover and sets off a chain reaction. In his vampire clan lives Abraham the eldest/father has Tereon, Melissa (Missy), and Tori as his children. When Two's arrival threatens Abrahams family he decides to make some changes of his own, only Thereon doesn't agree. A child vampire against his elder...the outlook is bleak.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpYokI7SqLPXtpEsvU9NCTDY9RYOTmL9loU3ExV_8yugLP6omPvRKI61dH0vRYr3oAnhyphenhypheniKpxTIQwtTV3hdlMOILjSpz2SloDQ0uLy-jwb4w-F9c4BogjjA9lv8g1Zu0QugA-VC9tzuqr/s1600/kayleesigtag.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpYokI7SqLPXtpEsvU9NCTDY9RYOTmL9loU3ExV_8yugLP6omPvRKI61dH0vRYr3oAnhyphenhypheniKpxTIQwtTV3hdlMOILjSpz2SloDQ0uLy-jwb4w-F9c4BogjjA9lv8g1Zu0QugA-VC9tzuqr/s400/kayleesigtag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598538902837185122" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-67927982392488986632011-04-22T15:03:00.000-07:002011-04-22T15:12:53.787-07:00I Heart My KindleI heart my Kindle and I promote it every day. the ease of travel, page saving, length of book dottage and reading meter, percent of book read, awesome free books off of amazon...I could keep going! I absolutely LOVE it..and I was super hesitant to buy it at the beginning which makes my appreciation even stronger! All of my previous worries are no problem at all. Cost of books, the difference between paper copies and computer screen, battery life..none of have been issue for me at all.<br /><br />My only negative of my Kindle is that my 3G versions internet browser hardly ever works, although I don't use it much (my Kindle is for reading) I did pay extra for it so I'd like it to work accordingly..and the preset screen savers, I would like to be able to customize them.<br /><br />Free Books My Kindle has Scored Me:<br />-Alice at Heart<br />-Blood That Bonds<br />-Spoilt<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6CYFc5bLjdU/TbH9VCEOQJI/AAAAAAAAA7c/KGH9WYxU7j4/s1600/kayleesigtag.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 75px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6CYFc5bLjdU/TbH9VCEOQJI/AAAAAAAAA7c/KGH9WYxU7j4/s400/kayleesigtag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598534349571899538" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-78767645815546394012011-04-10T16:47:00.000-07:002011-04-10T17:58:07.486-07:00Doomed Queens by Kris Waldherr<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J0gFFlhFb3w/TaJBwYQyPvI/AAAAAAAAA7M/IV6jfq1TP7A/s1600/doomedqueens.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J0gFFlhFb3w/TaJBwYQyPvI/AAAAAAAAA7M/IV6jfq1TP7A/s400/doomedqueens.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594105986549956338" /></a><br /><br />Doomed Queens by Kris Waldherr<br />ISBN: 978-0-7679-2899-1<br />Pages: 166<br />Inside Flap Description:<br /><br />Marie Antoinette, Anne Boleyn, and Mary, Queen of Scots. What did they have in common? Long nights in dark prison towers and a march to the scaffold where they surrendered their heads to the executioner. Throughout history, royal women have had a distressing way of meeting bad ends--dying of starvation, being burned at the stake, or expiring in childbirth while trying desperately to produce an heir. And all too often, even devious plotting, miraculous pregnancies, and selling out their sisters were not enough to keep them from forcible consignment to religious orders. From Cleopatra (suicide by asp) to princess Caroline (suspiciously poisoned on her coronation day), there's a gory downside to being blue-blooded when you lack a Y chromosome.<br /><br /><i> Doomed Queens </i> is a chronicle of the trials and tribulations of queens across the ages, a quirky, funny, utterly macabre tribute to the dark side of female empowerment. Over the course of fifty irresistibly illustrated and all-too-brief lives, we meet well-known figures like Catherine of Aragon, whose happy marriage to Henry VIII ended prematurely when it became clear that she was a starter wife-the first of six. And we meet forgotten queens like Amalasuntha, the notoriously literate Ostrogoth princess who overreached politically and was strangled in her bath.<br /><br />While their ends were bleak, those queens did not die without purpose. Their unfortunate lives were colorful cautionary tales for today's would-be power brokers--a legacy of worldly and womanly wisdom gathered one spectacular regal ruin at a time.<br /><br />My Rating: B<br /><br />My Review:<br /><br />I picked up this book because of all that it had to offer. It starts with a very catching and interesting introduction, which is followed by a graphics key that is fun to reference throughout the reading of the book. A timeline is included and it ties into the graphics key as well. <br /><br />The chapters are split up into eras, and have illustrations both by the author and from classic art. What I really enjoyed was that at the end of each chapter there are fun little 4 or 5 question quiz's, and at the end of the entire book there's a 20 question quiz to find out (like in Cosmo) if you're a doomed queen.<br /><br />I enjoyed the first few chapters of this book, and was excited to learn about all of the queens I'd never heard of before. I think that the author keeps the information interesting, starting as early as possible in the life of the particular woman, and going all the way to death. When the Queen seems to deserve pity, or sympathy for her position, or hard life, you can feel the author giving that to her. I liked that, because sometimes you just want to go "Oh...you poor thing, you just never had a chance".<br /><br />One thing that bothered me just a little about this book was when I was reading the sections about the wives of Henry VIII it seemed like some of the information the author gave came straight from the television show The Tudors. I worried a little that her information actually came from the show. I feel confident that this is untrue given the LONG list of books that she referenced in the back of the book.<br /><br />While this book was fun, and interesting, the writing was not as witty as I thought it would be. I still enjoyed it, but I felt like it was suppose to be more...humorous. Let me mention here that I am completely ok with the fact that it wasn't, it just seemed like it was suppose to be more so.<br /><br />One part that was funny, and can give you an idea of what the book offers (which is pretty awesome) is the instructions for the paper dolls that are included with the book (that's right, paper dolls!)<br /><br /><i><b> 1. Slice off the front book flap and trim the dolls along the dotted lines. Scissors or an X-Acto knife will do the job.<br /><br />2. To make the dolls stand, fold along the dashed lines on the black bases.<br /><br />3. If you're not fond of defacing books, you can color photocopy the dolls onto card stock, then follow steps 1 and 2.<br /><br />4. To locate additional paper dolls take a gander under the back flap.<br /><br />5. Experience history in action: download background panoramas--scaffold, castle, and more--for your dolls at doomedqueens.com. Any royal heads cut off during play can be easily restored with clear tape. </i></b><br /><br />These instructions came straight from the book, and explain what I meant about humor. They made me smile, but they did not make me laugh. I hope that makes sense to my readers.<br /><br />All in all for those who like authors like Eleanor Herman, I recommend this book! It's a great way to get a little taste of what the poor women who were in the royal chambers had to go through to keep their positions, and how it usually went poorly for them no matter what.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qKDFmbsr8yk/TaJSDoKaBXI/AAAAAAAAA7U/3zhMxj5puGE/s1600/sharylasigtag.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qKDFmbsr8yk/TaJSDoKaBXI/AAAAAAAAA7U/3zhMxj5puGE/s400/sharylasigtag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594123909421729138" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-18237885426149530182011-04-09T09:39:00.000-07:002011-04-09T10:14:42.169-07:00Ordinary Angels by India Drummond<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9HberOlBlo/TaCMDqf4IQI/AAAAAAAAA68/ggACYTEZmEU/s1600/ordinaryangels.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9HberOlBlo/TaCMDqf4IQI/AAAAAAAAA68/ggACYTEZmEU/s400/ordinaryangels.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593624731769643266" /></a><br /><br />Ordinary Angels by India Drummond<br />ISBN: 9781616502584<br />Pages: 157<br />Description from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com">Goodreads.com</a> : Most of Zoe’s friends are dead, but she doesn’t mind because they died long before she met them. Then one Tuesday night an angel takes her salsa dancing and turns her world upside down. Grim reality closes in when she discovers a body in her company’s boiler room and Higher Angels accuse her best ghost friend of murder. Knowing she’s the only one who can stand against them, Zoe resorts to lying, stealing and summoning. In the end, getting blood on her hands forces Zoe to question herself<br /><br />My Rating: B+<br /><br />My Review:<br /><br />Ms. Drummond has come up with what I feel is an entirely interesting and new concept for romance! We've all fallen in love with the vampire, the werewolf, the fae, and even a zombie or two, but how many of us have truly fallen in love with an angel? (To be honest, there could be many..but I've only fallen in love with one).<br /><br />Alexander is an amazing character. He's sweet and strong, and somehow a little boyish, and confused. I am usually the reader who enjoys secondary characters more than the main characters, I'm not sure why. this was not the case with Ordinary Angels though. I really loved both Zoe and Alexander. I loved that Zoe found in Alexander something she hadn't really found in anyone else, and I thought that the author did a great job of making that real and believable.<br /><br />Towards the end of the book, when Alexander had some doubts (as happens in most romances so I hope this is not a spoiler) they were true doubts. Nothing that we couldn't get over easily, but doubts that most people would have given their situation. I was happy that at no part of this book did I feel like slapping either of the main characters for being idiots. (which also happens in a lot of romances...)<br /><br />The secondary characters in this book are also pretty awesome. My favorite of all is Harry, with Thomas in a VERY close second. They have complete personalities, and while I would have liked to see more of what Thomas was all about, Ms. Drummond does a great job making them a full part of the story.<br /><br />I will say that I felt a little frustrated with the idea of Alexander popping in and out all the time, I can't imagine that Zoe felt any different. The more I think about it, the feeling that this gave me was brought on by some pretty good writing. Wouldn't you be frustrated if you're new boyfriend just 'popped' into your life and out of it...talk about mixed signals!<br /><br />There were some really great scenes in this book, some things felt as if they just flowed when the author was writing. In all honesty, there were some scenes that just did not flow that well. Sometimes I felt like the author was writing something only to get to the next 'good' scene. I know that this has to happen, but I don't think the reader is suppose to realize it as much.<br /><br />The only other negative to this book was that there were times when Zoe had information that I wasn't sure how she got it. One scene really drew this out for me in particular or else I most likely wouldn't haven't mentioned it.<br /><br />All in all the few negatives of this book really don't compare to the many many positives. This book is full of humor, sometimes laugh out loud humor, cuteness, sweetness, intrigue and love. I really recommend it to those of you who love some good old fashion, not quite our world, romance.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nyFssTD50-M/TaCT5ddPoWI/AAAAAAAAA7E/QRBMy8elfdQ/s1600/sharylasigtag.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nyFssTD50-M/TaCT5ddPoWI/AAAAAAAAA7E/QRBMy8elfdQ/s400/sharylasigtag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593633352563269986" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-85615070890437073012011-04-07T20:23:00.000-07:002011-04-07T20:41:11.751-07:00Follow FridayWell..it'll be Friday in less than an hour, and I'm quite busy tomorrow. I'd like to say those are the reasons that I'm posting the Follow Friday post so early, but the real reason is that I REALLY wanted to answer the question. Please tell me that's not sad.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.parajunkee.com/search/label/FF" target="_blank" ><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_bf32d46f6d_o.png" /></a></center><br /><br />Follow Friday, as most of us know, is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and it's pretty much the shiznit. (is that how you spell that? I must remember that slang is not my thing)<br /><br />The question this week was: Do you judge a book by it's cover?<br /><br />I am not quite ashamed to say...yes...yes I do. I hate to say it but in this day and age, a good cover shouldn't be that hard to come by, and for some reason, while this may not make sense to all of you, books with not so great covers remind me of books with not so great editing. It's just the way that it's worked out for me in the last year or so.<br /><br />Kaylee and I just answered this question, in our Dynamic Book Duo video (<a href="http://bookishwonderland.blogspot.com/2011/04/dynamic-book-duo-returns.html">which you can see here</a>) and we both agree, the cover is more important than we're taught it is suppose to be!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIW9MrjQLuc/TZ6DsrU6biI/AAAAAAAAA60/QTmcK8s4vGs/s1600/sharylasigtag.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIW9MrjQLuc/TZ6DsrU6biI/AAAAAAAAA60/QTmcK8s4vGs/s400/sharylasigtag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593052590808657442" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-17695343714394171112011-04-07T15:03:00.000-07:002011-04-07T15:53:13.741-07:00The Dynamic Book Duo Returns!!Well- <br /><br />HELLO everyone! We know it's been quite some time, but we're back, and happy to be here! We have quite the video for you today though I must forewarn you, there is a part toward the end that REALLY goes wonky. We're still figuring it out....but we love our new webcam.<br /><br />Books mentioned in this video:<br /><br />Alice at Heart by Deborah Smith<br />The Blood that Bonds by Christopher Buecheler<br />Take Me by Grace Samuels<br />Room by Emma Donoghue<br />Marks of Cain by Tom Knox<br />Give Me Back My Legions Harry Turtledove<br />Border Wedding by Amanda Scott<br />Reaper by Rachel Vincent<br />The Help by Kathryn Stockett<br />Dead on Townline by Leslie Connor<br />The Captive by Joan Johnston<br />Doomed Queens by Kris Waldherr<br />Ordinary Angels by India Drummond<br />Model Summer by Paulina Porizkova<br /><br />Links to buy Ordinary Angels by India Drummond <br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Angels-ebook/dp/B004V51FZO/">Buy it from US</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ordinary-Angels/dp/B004V51FZO/">Buy it from UK</a><br /><br />And if you want to visit our friend Sari's blog (Trust us, you do!) <a href="http://theviewfromsarisworld.blogspot.com">Click Here.</a><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5X_KJFkjGQM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-60986717237817775052011-03-28T18:46:00.000-07:002011-03-28T19:12:25.914-07:00Captive by Joan Johnston<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bf27xZdj90Q/TZE6Kw9XTCI/AAAAAAAAA6s/OJa9ublte0g/s1600/captive.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 244px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bf27xZdj90Q/TZE6Kw9XTCI/AAAAAAAAA6s/OJa9ublte0g/s400/captive.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589312569158880290" /></a><br /><br />Captive by Joan Johnston<br />ISBN: 0-440-22200-1<br />Pages: 373<br />Back of Book Description:<br /><br />Lional Morgan, earl of Denbigh, had been betrayed once at the altar and vowed that no female would ensnare him again. Then Charlotte Edgerton burst into his life. He was to be her guardian. Her protector. But Denbigh wasn't prepared for this headstrong American -- or the passions she inspired on first sight. He knew only that he had to civilize her, present her at court, and Almack's, then marry her off to the highest bidder. It wasn't until he nearly lost her that he realized the truth: She'd somehow reversed their roles and become the captor -- of his heart.<br /><br />My Rating: A<br /><br />My Review:<br /><br />There is one lovely thing about being sick enough that you don't feel much like moving: reading an entire book in one day, one sitting even.<br /><br />When I picked up this book I didn't realize it was a regency, and to be honest, I hadn't read the back of the book until just now when I typed it out for this review. I bought the last two in this series years ago, and felt like reading them, but can't read a series out of order, and so I had to start here.<br /><br />When I realized it was a regency, I was a bit disappointed. I find regencies tedious most times. Everyone so prim and proper and never fighting each other like they should. This book surprised me because while it did have all of that, because of the female lead, Charlie, and her rebellion against this type of behavior, things were faced a tad more head on than what I'm use to reading in a regency.<br /><br />What the back of the book doesn't tell you is that this is not ONE love story, but two. While the reader is frustrated by the lack of concession from either Lion or Charlie, one is also left in suspense about the true intentions of Braddock (Lion's enemy) towards Olvia (Lion's sister and Charlie's best friend). This second love story really kept the romance reader in me happy during what would normally be 'down times' in a romance.<br /><br />I didn't exactly like how the story ended, but I think it didn't take itself too seriously, ending on a joke, instead of a tear jerker, even though it's not a particularly funny book. I look forward to the rest of this series and hopefully seeing more of all four of the characters that I read about in this one.Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-75367674559478486472011-03-26T13:02:00.000-07:002011-03-26T13:17:39.108-07:00Dead on Town Line by Leslie Connor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NELkuhrsQNk/TY5Gab1gKoI/AAAAAAAAA6k/bKHe5dw38Uk/s1600/deadontownline.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NELkuhrsQNk/TY5Gab1gKoI/AAAAAAAAA6k/bKHe5dw38Uk/s400/deadontownline.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588481607576070786" /></a><br /><br />Dead on Town Line by Leslie Connor<br />ISBN: 0-14-240697-X<br />Pages: 131<br />Back of Book Description:<br /><br />Of all the revelations her afterlife brings, perhaps the most startling thing Cassie Devlin discovers is that being dead isn't being done. Murdered by a classmate, Cassie finds herself stuck on the edges of the world she once knew and a realm whose tug she feels but can't quite find her way to. And...she is not alone. there's another like her, who arrived earlier and who, like Cassie, has some unfinished business.<br /><br />Beautifully crafted in free verse, Dead on Town Line offers a reading experience that will linger in the mind and heart long after the last page is turned.<br /><br />My Rating: A+<br /><br />My Review:<br /><br />Kaylee came over last Wednesday to show me all the books she had bought (quite cheap!) and i picked up this one because I really liked the cover. I opened it up and read a page in the middle and quickly turned to her and said <br /><br />"I don't think I will ever truly understand poetry"<br /><br />She nodded and we went on talking. At some point I opened the book back up again and read the first page and BAM! the book started making sense. So I read the second page...and the third...and the fourth...and then begged to borrow the book before she could read it. She agreed and I was a happy camper.<br /><br />This may have been one of the best book decisions I've made this year! I loved this book. It's quite short, 131 pages of free verse isn't all that long, and I read the entire thing at work. I would say it would take the average reader roughly an hour to read, if that.<br /><br />I couldn't keep quiet the entire time I was reading it. I kept telling my co-worker "You have to read this!" and texting Kaylee "You HAVE to come get this book as soon as I'm done, it's amazing!!"<br /><br />The free verse doesn't make the story at all confusing, it's quite easy to understand what is going on. The suspense is amazing, and the characters grow through the story in a way that I didn't expect with such a short book. I was left with this haunting feeling after I finished it.<br /><br />At which point, I went home from work, after shedding a tear while reading, called my mother, and read it again! At first I heard a little sigh on the phone as if to say "Really? You're going to read an ENTIRE book to me over the phone?" but after I was done she said "Oh My God! I'm so glad you read that to me sweetie, it was incredible".<br /><br />Here's the only problem with the book (which I noticed on some sights people actually lowered the rating of the book because of...) it's marked at 6.99 in paperback, and I don't know what in hardback. It takes an hour to read...get it from a friend, Paperbackswap, or your library. But whatever you do, GET it. This book is everything the back of the cover says, and it is lingering with me. It might even be my top book of the year!Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7498637552184150738.post-82646942014485654892011-03-26T00:29:00.000-07:002011-03-26T09:21:49.006-07:00The Woes of A Computer AddictIt's been a couple of weeks since you've heard from either of us, I know. We're in the middle of a contest and it involves video's that we haven't even recorded in 2 weeks!! We're both sorry -- mostly me, as it's my fault that nothing's been going on here at A Bookish Wonderland. <br /><br />The first week was just a bad time for me. I had a VERY frustrating day. Work was driving me a little on the crazy side, and on top of that, I was having a hard time getting in touch with anyone in school. All in all it had just been one of those days. We decided to take our time together that night and just hang out and have fun. It was VERY relaxing, and I felt a LOT better.<br /><br />Since then I had planned on putting up a review, and posting another video. When I opened my computer the other day, I realized what I had THOUGHT for a long time was just some glitch was really a MAJOR virus. <br /><br />Commence freakout:<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pUCxr12_i8Y/TY2a0FIQQ8I/AAAAAAAAA6M/d_XVnJyA5lM/s1600/brokenComputer.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 220px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pUCxr12_i8Y/TY2a0FIQQ8I/AAAAAAAAA6M/d_XVnJyA5lM/s400/brokenComputer.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588292932157326274" /></a><br /><br />I was SO upset. I had finally got a hold of someone at school, after two months of calling, not speaking to anyone and hounding and calling and calling and yet MORE calling and now...now...my stupid computer won't even work. I go to the University of Phoenix (for now) so I sort of need my computer to go to school. I have been out for over six months on academic probation--and I am SO ready to show myself, the school, and Mr. Michael, that I am READY and able to start school, and do well. I've been less frustrated in my life, let me tell you.<br /><br />When Mike came home from work last night, we were discussing all the options we had for 1) fixing my old computer and 2) making sure that once I'm in school, this doesn't happen and screw me over. We discussed using the library for school work until we got my computer fixed, and we discussed how that sounded like a good option, but really wasn't because of my homework habits, and the fact that our library isn't the most reliable place in the world. We discussed getting a little computer and seeing if it would work for school work and blog and nothing else, but Mike thought that would be a waste of money - "Might as well get a good one if we're going to get one". We discussed that once the old computer is fixed we could have two and he could use the old one if we had 2...and that's the idea that seemed to stick. I wasn't really expecting anything to come of it that night, but off we went to the Wal-Mart and started looking at prices, and they weren't all that bad. So he tells me "Of these three...get the one you want" and I said "Now? Tonight??" and he replied "Yes dear, now, tonight"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c0kruZO9Vsc/TY4Rpc6xrCI/AAAAAAAAA6U/7Ngy54oe1vc/s1600/newcompclipart.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c0kruZO9Vsc/TY4Rpc6xrCI/AAAAAAAAA6U/7Ngy54oe1vc/s400/newcompclipart.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588423591448390690" /></a><br /><br />And so, I have a new laptop!! We set ground rules of what I'm allowed and not allowed to do on it, that way we can avoid this issue next time. We also decided that I am going to ask a good friend to give me lessons in virus software (I'm not completely sure I know how to use it correctly...) and off we went. Mr. Michael also told me to buy a web-cam for Vlog purposes, because this computer doesn't come with one built it. I can't wait to show Kaylee our new little set up! I can't wait to show you all either actually!<br /><br />And so...that is the story of the last two weeks. I believe we'll be putting our current contest on hold for a little while, and starting it up again another time. Anyone who has entered so far will get an automatic full entry into the next one, with the most about of entries allowed.<br /><br />I thank you all for your patience and you awesomeness! Have a wonderful day!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fy7q3RCv2NU/TY4Sc24jSAI/AAAAAAAAA6c/f0XaIcD4uMs/s1600/sharylasigtag.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fy7q3RCv2NU/TY4Sc24jSAI/AAAAAAAAA6c/f0XaIcD4uMs/s400/sharylasigtag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588424474591709186" /></a>Sharylahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18411308814378598054noreply@blogger.com2