It's that time of year when we encounter all things "Spook-tacular", well at this point all the major retailers have moved on to stocking Christmas items (there really is something spooky about that). But I digress... I used to love Halloween when I was a kid, dressing up in homemade costumes, trick-or-treating with our plastic pumpkins. The thrill of dumping out all that candy at the end of the night and seeing what treasures we had received. As I have moved on to adulthood I find that not a lot of things get me excited like that anymore. I could still dress up, but I live in an area where I do not get all those cute litte trick-or-treaters. So, it would just be me walking around the house in a costume and let's face it, I already have my husband shaking his head at my on most days so I figure this might just push him over the edge...lol.
What I have tried to do over the years is capture the magic, if you will, of that feeling that I had when I was a child. That feeling of having fun without worry. You know, that feeling we lost whenever we grew up and take on adult responsibilities? I am not sure I even understood just how good I had it as a child. I was not responsible for paying bills, upkeep on vehicles, keeping a roof over my head or buying groceries. Talk about spooky stuff. Who knew that growing up would be so scary? Why was I ever in a hurry to get older? I have tried, and in most cases failed, at finding some sort of activity that made me feel carefree again. That was until I found my true love...Reading!
Diving into a new story is like that first drop on a roller coaster..it just takes my breath away. This time of year though I truly do like to read some of the spookier tales. I am less about the blood and gore and more about the mystery and intrigue. One of my new favorite genres of stories are the Cozy Mystery. These fun little books are packed full of mystery with a twist of humor. None of them are too long but they sure do draw you in and hold you as they unfold. My most favorite are the stories based around a food theme. Not only do they give you mystery and humor, but many also give you great recipes! The most recent one I read was by Grace Lemon and was titled: Maple Syrup Murder. This was a fun mystery that included a "killer" recipe for Maple Bacon Fudge! This, my friends, is where happiness resides.
If you are so inclined, pick up a cozy mystery and settle in for a spell. Just remember to look for the ones with a food theme, you get the reward of a great mystery and some awesome recipes! Well I am off now to begin reading my next cozy mystery "Margaritas & Murder" by CeCe Osgood..more on that to come! But before I go, let me ask this..Do you like a good mystery? If so, have you ever read any of the cozy mysteries and if so what did you think?
Until then, Happy Halloween and Have a Spooky Good Time...Happy Reading...
Amy
Friday, October 28, 2016
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
PREORDER 99c SPECIAL
Title: Loved You Always
Author: Natalina Reis
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: November 19, 2016
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Designer: Claire Smith
She’s moved on and is in a serious relationship with someone else. But the universe—and her kooky sister—have other ideas.
Thrust into an unexpected and dangerous adventure together, Em is forced to confront her unresolved feelings for Jem and decide what kind of life she really wants. That is if they both survive.
PREORDER 99c SPECIAL
books2read.com/ lovedyoualways< /span>
Website&nb sp;| Facebook&n bsp;| Twitter&nb sp;| Goodreads& nbsp;| Amazon&nbs p;| Instagram& nbsp;| Pinterest< /div>
Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.
Natalina wrote her first romance in collaboration with her best friend at the age of 13. Since then she has ventured into other genres, but romance is first and foremost in almost everything she writes. Her novel, We Will Always Have the Closet, is her first published romance.
After earning a degree in tourism and foreign languages, she worked as a tourist guide in her native Portugal for a short time before moving to the United States. She lived in three continents and a few islands, and her knack for languages and linguistics led her to a master’s degree in education. She lives in Virginia where she has taught English as a Second Language to elementary school children for more years than she cares to admit.
Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Book before Movie or the other way around?
Hey everyone,
I know that it has been a while since I have posted anything new. Suffice it to say that sometimes life gets in the way of all the fun stuff ..like reading and blogging. But I am back and will do my best to post more often.
Now, back to my question.. do you prefer to read the book before seeing the movie, or the other way around? I have found that I am a book before movie kind of gal. My reasons are pretty simple and it basically boils down to this...I get more story from the book. Nothing against Hollywood or the movie industry in general, it's not their fault. They have two hours to tell the story and have to make cuts. I just prefer to get all the meaty bits and the crumbs too.
I have had others tell me they prefer the movie first because then when they read the book they get the surprise of the extra story. I would say that is a fair point.
So, I bet you have guessed this question has a point right? Well as I was recently shopping at my local Kroger and my husband off-handedly said.."Isn't that movie coming out based on that book?"...God how I love this man..he is always looking out for my book addiction. The book and movie he was referring to is "The Girl on the Train" and I snatched it up! After three days of getting interrupted I finally finished and I was floored. I will not give away specifics for those who have not read the book or seen the movie, but let me just say..WOW!
I was 20 pages from the end before it all came together for me and when it did it was as if I took a huge hit...how could I not have seen it?
If you have the chance, read the book whether you have seen the movie or not..either way you will not be disappointed.
Until next time..Happy reading! !
Amy
I know that it has been a while since I have posted anything new. Suffice it to say that sometimes life gets in the way of all the fun stuff ..like reading and blogging. But I am back and will do my best to post more often.
Now, back to my question.. do you prefer to read the book before seeing the movie, or the other way around? I have found that I am a book before movie kind of gal. My reasons are pretty simple and it basically boils down to this...I get more story from the book. Nothing against Hollywood or the movie industry in general, it's not their fault. They have two hours to tell the story and have to make cuts. I just prefer to get all the meaty bits and the crumbs too.
I have had others tell me they prefer the movie first because then when they read the book they get the surprise of the extra story. I would say that is a fair point.
So, I bet you have guessed this question has a point right? Well as I was recently shopping at my local Kroger and my husband off-handedly said.."Isn't that movie coming out based on that book?"...God how I love this man..he is always looking out for my book addiction. The book and movie he was referring to is "The Girl on the Train" and I snatched it up! After three days of getting interrupted I finally finished and I was floored. I will not give away specifics for those who have not read the book or seen the movie, but let me just say..WOW!
I was 20 pages from the end before it all came together for me and when it did it was as if I took a huge hit...how could I not have seen it?
If you have the chance, read the book whether you have seen the movie or not..either way you will not be disappointed.
Until next time..Happy reading! !
Amy
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
The Girl With All The Gifts...WOW
Here I am again having finished another wild and unexpected book courtesy of my friend Nikki. This one is not only a page-turner, it is a book that will make you think and question the things you think you know about life, the world around you, and most of all how you think you will react to particular situations. Sounds familiar right? Seems like just a book or two ago I was having this same crisis.
It is difficult to explain all my feelings about this book and its characters, simply because by doing so I may give away the plot. However I will try to do it justice without giving too many spoilers. Melanie, the main character, is a child of high intellegence and a really unusual life. Spending all of her time in captivity, she relishes in the small freedoms that come from learning and her favorite teacher Miss Justineau. She does not care for the soldiers or the doctors that are always around and locking her away.
What I learned was that Melanie is not only a little genius, she holds a very dark secret and strength that she did not know she had. The characters are sharp and well written. You will love to hate some of them, while hating that you love the others. The world described in the book will make you evaluate what you see around you, and question those dooms day theories.
Melanie proves just how quickly she can adapt and earns the respect of those who previously wanted to see her harmed. It is a book that is a bit out there with the genre from what I am used to, however I found that it did not matter. The relationships that were formed and the way the plot wove between the characters made me not want to put it away.
I recommend you check this one out..
The Girl With All The Gifts
M.R. Carey
Until the next time...happy reading!!
Amy
It is difficult to explain all my feelings about this book and its characters, simply because by doing so I may give away the plot. However I will try to do it justice without giving too many spoilers. Melanie, the main character, is a child of high intellegence and a really unusual life. Spending all of her time in captivity, she relishes in the small freedoms that come from learning and her favorite teacher Miss Justineau. She does not care for the soldiers or the doctors that are always around and locking her away.
What I learned was that Melanie is not only a little genius, she holds a very dark secret and strength that she did not know she had. The characters are sharp and well written. You will love to hate some of them, while hating that you love the others. The world described in the book will make you evaluate what you see around you, and question those dooms day theories.
Melanie proves just how quickly she can adapt and earns the respect of those who previously wanted to see her harmed. It is a book that is a bit out there with the genre from what I am used to, however I found that it did not matter. The relationships that were formed and the way the plot wove between the characters made me not want to put it away.
I recommend you check this one out..
The Girl With All The Gifts
M.R. Carey
Until the next time...happy reading!!
Amy
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
New Contemporary Romance!
Wild Heart by Jaci J
My mama always said that falling in love for the first time would be one of the greatest feelings on Earth. She also said it would be one of the worst. She didn't lie.
A lot can happen in ten years—people grow, feelings change, life moves on—but what happens when none of those things ever change? What happens when you never grow, when your feelings stay the same, and you never move on?
Do you stay, or do you decide to change it all and move on, leaving that kind of love behind?
Standalone Romance.
US- http://amzn.to/2bi2Mzr
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01KEHAKJO
AU - http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01KEHAKJO
https://books2read.com/u/bMGZwA
My mama always said that falling in love for the first time would be one of the greatest feelings on Earth. She also said it would be one of the worst. She didn't lie.
A lot can happen in ten years—people grow, feelings change, life moves on—but what happens when none of those things ever change? What happens when you never grow, when your feelings stay the same, and you never move on?
Do you stay, or do you decide to change it all and move on, leaving that kind of love behind?
Standalone Romance.
US- http://amzn.to/2bi2Mzr
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01KEHAKJO
AU - http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01KEHAKJO
https://books2read.com/u/bMGZwA
Friday, August 12, 2016
It's Friday!!!
I know I am happy that the weekend has come around again, not just because I am free from work for 2 days, but because I get to read! I know those of you who follow this blog can totally relate to this feeling. All week long I am caught between too short lunches and more work once I get home.
I have started a new book, we'll to be honest I am almost half way through it and it is another page turner. This one is part of the 4 books my friend loaned me to read and I have not been disappointed with any of them. I cannot wait to blog about this one..it's so unreal!
So..I will throw this question out to all of you...I need some book suggestions and would love to hear who and what you are reading? Are you into romance, suspense, or comedy? I am always looking for new authors or even books I haven't read by authors I may already love.
So let me hear what you have! Until then, happy reading.
Amy
I have started a new book, we'll to be honest I am almost half way through it and it is another page turner. This one is part of the 4 books my friend loaned me to read and I have not been disappointed with any of them. I cannot wait to blog about this one..it's so unreal!
So..I will throw this question out to all of you...I need some book suggestions and would love to hear who and what you are reading? Are you into romance, suspense, or comedy? I am always looking for new authors or even books I haven't read by authors I may already love.
So let me hear what you have! Until then, happy reading.
Amy
Saturday, August 6, 2016
When the story just...ends
When I am reading a good book and the pages start to dwindle, but there seems to be so much more story to tell...I start to panic.I try to slow down turning the pages but I just cannot stop myself. I feel a pit forming in my stomach and I know that something bad will inevitably happen.
Add this to the already mounting stress of the story itself and you will find me smack in the middle. My latest read left me scared, not only because it gave me a glimpse into a world that could truly exist, but also because it made me face some harsh realities. When faced with tough situations how would I react? Would I find myself going with the flow in order to stay safe, or would I be brave and stand up to an unjust situation?
If I, in fact, found myself in a similar situation as the narrator of this book I would like to believe that I would toughen up, stand my ground, hold my head up high..and all those other things we tell ourselves when we feel completely and utterly defeated. But the truth I had to face as I delved deeper into this unbelievable tale, was that I would likely cower. Fear and the animal instinct to survive that we all hold inside would kick in and I would become numb as a coping mechanism.
I thought back to all the times in my life that I had to face a hard situation, and then I thought about how I handled myself. I must admit that I am not proud of some of my decisions. I hurt people and left them in my wake. In my defense, if there is a defense for poor behavior, is that I was young and probably not as mature as I liked to believe that I was.
So, when I picked up this book and dove in head first I had no idea how fully this story would affect me and how furious I would be at myself for not being a stronger person. I like to say that I am "smart,late". By this I mean I can always think of the exact right thing to say, or argument to make once the situation has passed. I would be horrible at improv, or being a spy for that matter. So when I read about situations where individuals who try to stand up to injustice are ridiculed, relegated to sects that de-value their existence, or worse...are killed, I find myself wondering if I would stand and fight or run and hide.
I entertain the idea that I would develop an iron will like those you see in the movies, but the truth is I do not believe I would at all. I don't know what makes me more upset, thinking about the actual injustice that I feel powerless to stop, or the belief that I would stand back and let it occur. So if you would like to have a full force, eye opening look into yourself I suggest that you pick up a copy of "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. But be warned, you may never look at the world or yourself in the mirror, quite the same way again. So I guess I would like to know, if you were telling your story would it be accurate and true, or would you vary the details to hide the atrocities? Would you follow convention and give the happily ever after scenario, or be brutally honest and make us decide for ourselves how your story would end?
Feel free to comment below and give me your feedback, and if you read this book then comment how it made you feel. Until then, happy reading!
Amy
Add this to the already mounting stress of the story itself and you will find me smack in the middle. My latest read left me scared, not only because it gave me a glimpse into a world that could truly exist, but also because it made me face some harsh realities. When faced with tough situations how would I react? Would I find myself going with the flow in order to stay safe, or would I be brave and stand up to an unjust situation?
If I, in fact, found myself in a similar situation as the narrator of this book I would like to believe that I would toughen up, stand my ground, hold my head up high..and all those other things we tell ourselves when we feel completely and utterly defeated. But the truth I had to face as I delved deeper into this unbelievable tale, was that I would likely cower. Fear and the animal instinct to survive that we all hold inside would kick in and I would become numb as a coping mechanism.
I thought back to all the times in my life that I had to face a hard situation, and then I thought about how I handled myself. I must admit that I am not proud of some of my decisions. I hurt people and left them in my wake. In my defense, if there is a defense for poor behavior, is that I was young and probably not as mature as I liked to believe that I was.
So, when I picked up this book and dove in head first I had no idea how fully this story would affect me and how furious I would be at myself for not being a stronger person. I like to say that I am "smart,late". By this I mean I can always think of the exact right thing to say, or argument to make once the situation has passed. I would be horrible at improv, or being a spy for that matter. So when I read about situations where individuals who try to stand up to injustice are ridiculed, relegated to sects that de-value their existence, or worse...are killed, I find myself wondering if I would stand and fight or run and hide.
I entertain the idea that I would develop an iron will like those you see in the movies, but the truth is I do not believe I would at all. I don't know what makes me more upset, thinking about the actual injustice that I feel powerless to stop, or the belief that I would stand back and let it occur. So if you would like to have a full force, eye opening look into yourself I suggest that you pick up a copy of "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. But be warned, you may never look at the world or yourself in the mirror, quite the same way again. So I guess I would like to know, if you were telling your story would it be accurate and true, or would you vary the details to hide the atrocities? Would you follow convention and give the happily ever after scenario, or be brutally honest and make us decide for ourselves how your story would end?
Feel free to comment below and give me your feedback, and if you read this book then comment how it made you feel. Until then, happy reading!
Amy
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