chic Book reviews

Make Ahead Meals for Busy MOMs

2009-10-19T07:06:00.004-04:00

As you can probably tell from my lack of participation over here lately

I definitely needed the help...

Probably most of us do...

I tried several recipies in this book and I found them to meet all of my criteria

1. FAST

2. EASY

3. Pass my very picky eaters standards

The ingredients are all things you can find at your neighborhood grocery store. I love that because I hate recipies with ingredients I have to go to five different stores to find. Plus many of the recipies can be used to make more than one meal.

The Author Jane Doiron was nice enough to share a Guest Blog with us today.

A Delicious Make-Ahead Dessert

Let’s face it…what’s the holiday without dessert? Cut down on your holiday stress by making a few simple desserts in advance. My #1 make-ahead tip for dessert is to freeze your favorite cookie dough ahead of time. Prepare your cookie batter and place the dough on a cookie sheet using a handy scooper (so all the cookies are the same size).
Cover and freeze the dough for 2 - 3 hours until solid.
Place the frozen cookie dough in a labeled freezer bag (including the baking directions) and freeze up to 2 months.

When you need cookies for school, work, or for a holiday party, all you need to do is defrost the cookie dough on a cookie sheet for 30 – 45 minutes and bake as directed!

Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

This delicious cookie creates a wonderful French toast aroma in your kitchen when they’re cooking!

2¾ cups flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
1½ cups cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a large sheet pan with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, and 1½ cups sugar. Blend in the eggs on low speed. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. In a very small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Roll 1 tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball and roll in the cinnamon mixture. Place the cookie dough on the sheet pan 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for 8 - 9 minutes. Do not over bake. The centers will be soft but will set upon cooling. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 4½ dozen
cookies.

~Freezing Directions for Uncooked Dough~
Place the sugar coated cookie dough on a large sheet pan in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 - 3 hours. Place the dough in a labeled freezer bag. Write the cooking directions on the bag. Freeze up to 2 months.

~Thawing Out the Dough on Baking Day~
Cover a large sheet pan with parchment paper and place the frozen dough 2 inches apart. Thaw the dough for 30 - 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for 8 - 10 minutes.

Thanks Jane!!

and

READ ON CHICKS!!

Review and ARC Giveaway!

2009-09-04T19:17:00.003-04:00

All right Chicks!

I promised you 3 more reviews and here they are.

Don't forget you have until tomorrow night to leave me a comment here AND the post below to win All FIVE of my ARC's of these books.

Remember, they're gently read, just by me.

FROM AMAZON:

When hunky rancher "Lucky Beau" Luckadeau accuses spitfire Milli Torres of stealing his prize bull, she promptly shoots at him, triggering a feud that only gets resolved when they discover they share a steamy hot memory from a night long ago…
It was a night of passion that has always haunted Lucky. The mysterious beauty he seduced at a cousin's wedding disappeared. He's always been lucky at cards, luckywith cattle, and lucky with land, but he's never been lucky in love.
Now Milli Torres has come to southern Oklahoma to help out on her grandfather's ranch. A cut fence and a big, mean Angus bull in the pasture are bad enough, but then she looks up and sees Beau Luckadeau. Great God Almighty, how did he get from Louisiana to Ardmore, Oklahoma, and what in the hell is she going to do if he recognizes her?

What I thought: It's a familiar formula, but one that works. If you an early Debbie Macomber or Fern Michaels fan I think you'll like this one also. A fun light read with fun characters.This is the beginning of a series of what I think right now will be 3 books.

From Amazon: Amidst the upheaval of Cromwell's Britain, Jamie Sinclair's wit and military prowess have served him well. Leading a troop in Scotland, he impetuously marries a captured maiden, saving her from a grim fate.
A Highlands heiress to title and fortune, Catherine Drummond is not the woman Jamie believes her to be. When her people effect her rescue, and he cannot annul the marriage, Jamie goes to recapture his hellcat of a new wife...
In a world where family and creed cannot be trusted, where faith fuels intolerance and war, Catherine and Jamie test the bounds of loyalty, friendship, and trust

What I thought: If you're in the market for some decent historical romance, this is what you're looking for. Again, you know I love strong heroines, and Catherine is a great one.
From Amazon: When American librarian Samantha Lewis and Irish rogue Keirnan Fitzgerald set off to find priceless jewels, they become embroiled in a 500-year-old love story that eerily prefigures their own...
In 15th century Venice, beautiful and wealthy Serafina falls in love with Nino, a young Florentine sculptor. They decide to flee to Padua, and to fund the trip, Nino copies a set of jewels that then disappear.
In modern-day Venice, Keirnan needs Samantha's help to locate the jewels so he can pay his sister's ransom. Samantha must decide whether the man she's so drawn to is her soul mate from a previous life...or are they merely pawns in a relentless quest for a priceless treasure?

What I thought: This story is different, and I liked that about it. It seems to be telling two love stories at once, hopping back and forth between the past and the present which kept me turning pages and kept me interested.

That's it for today!

Thanks for stopping by and

READ ON CHICKS!!

It's been a serious hiatus...I know

2009-09-02T08:50:00.004-04:00

It's a little overwhelming sometimes,

when all the balls I try to juggle come crashing down on my head all at once.

I had to take a little hiatus...

everything is fine

Just trying to keep up with my neverending to do list..

you have one of those, right?

So..anyway

Here we go...

I've got 5 chick books to review over the next several days, I did not get giveaways on these but will GIVEAWAY all FIVE of my very gently read ARC's to one lucky winner .

TO WIN ..

you have to enter on EACH DAY

just leave me a comment with your email

simple as that

All the reviews will be up between now and Saturday and I'll pick a random winner on Sunday Night and post it here Monday morning.

Thanks so much for bearing with me and for sticking around!

HERE WE GO!!

Tessa Anderson has always been as fascinated by wolves as they seem to be with her. Her brother seems to share this trait with her and they've turned it into their livelihood. Until her brother is framed for murder and ends up in prison.

Now Tessa is being stalked, by a danger she couldn't ever have imagined.

When Hunter Greymore is attacked by another pack while trying to protect his sister he is near death. Tessa finds him on the beach and nurses him back to health and he swears to protect her and help her brother.

But, there's much more to Tessa than what meets the eye, and in protecting her Hunter finds himself fighting an attraction to her he's not even sure he wants to fight anymore.

This was a nice esacape from reality. Steamy sex scenes and a really fun love story, with enough suspense and excitement to keep the pages turning.

When her fiance betrays her, Abby Stanford goes on vacation alone to escape her heartbreak trying to escape her past.

What she finds is Luke, scarred by a horrible accident and unable to face his future.

Abby can help him get better, and sets out to with Luke fighting her every step of the way.

This is a really sweet story, Abby is a strong heroine, not what I expected in the description. She's witty and spunky and holds her own against Luke and his constant antagonizing.

OKAY

you know the drill! Leave a comment with your email the next few days to win my ARC's!!

that's it for today and

READ ON CHICKS!

Two Years, No Rain...

2009-08-04T19:07:00.002-04:00

From Barnes and Noble.com:

In San Diego County, it hasn’t rained in 580 days. But for weatherman Andy Dunne, everything else is changing fast…Only a few weeks ago, he was a newly divorced, slightly overweight meteorologist for an obscure satellite radio station, hiding his secret love for a colleague, the beautiful—and very much married—Hillary Hsing. But nearly overnight, Andy has landed a new gig, flying a magic carpet in a bizarre live-action children’s TV show. So what is affable, basically decent Andy Dunne going to do now that he can do practically anything he wants? With a parade of hot moms begging for his autograph and a family that needs his help more than ever, Andy has a lot of choices. First, though, there’s this thing with Hillary, their heated text messages, a long-awaited forecast for rain – and a few other surprises he never saw coming…

What I Thought:

This was a really fun book. Andy is a totally likable character, one you want to root for and hope that everything goes well for in the end. You just can't help but want to stick around and see what happens. A great "when the going gets tough" story!

Visit the Authors Website

HERE

That's it for today!

READ ON CHICKS!!

I'm having BOOK-GASMS!!!

2009-08-01T09:28:00.005-04:00

Find out more about Hush, Hush!

That cover is enough to keep me going for the rest of my life, I think...

I was lucky enough to recieve an ARC of hush, hush from Simon and Schuster...

My actual review will come later, closer to the pub date possibly with a visit from the incredibly talented author

Becca Fitzpatrick

Release Date is

Oct 13th

BUT

I will say this...

1. It's completely different from everything else out there right now

2. If you are female, I have no doubt that you are about to fall in love with a very bad Angel

3. This is going to be the "next big thing"....think Twilight HUGE...

..EPIC..

ONLY

this book is much better

promise

so..

Go to where ever you go to procure your reading pleasures

and make sure to order it,

I know if you're here reading this that you are going to love it!!

Read the first two chapters

HERE

Get the above widget for your blog

HERE

at Becca's blog

Becca's Website

HERE

and by the way..

Book 2 is almost finished

CRESCENDO

I am such a tease...

that's it for today

READ ON CHICKS!

Summer House

2009-07-30T05:00:00.000-04:00

FROM AMAZON:After years of wandering from whim to whim, thirty-year-old Charlotte Wheelwright seems to have at last found her niche. The free spirit enjoys running an organic gardening business on the island of Nantucket, thanks in large part to her spry grandmother Nona, who donated a portion of land on the family’s seaside compound to get Charlotte started. Though Charlotte’s skill with plants is bringing her success, cultivating something deeper with people—particularly her handsome neighbor Coop—might be more of a challenge.
Nona’s generosity to Charlotte, secretly her favorite grandchild, doesn’t sit well with the rest of the Wheelwright clan, however, as they worry that Charlotte may be positioning herself to inherit the entire estate. With summer upon them, everyone is making their annual pilgrimage to the homestead—some with hopes of thwarting Charlotte’s dreams, others in anticipation of Nona’s latest pronouncements at the annual family meeting, and still others with surprising news of their own. Charlotte’s mother, Helen, a Wheelwright by marriage, brings a heavy heart. She once set aside her own ambitions to fit in with the Wheelwrights, but now she must confront a betrayal that threatens both her sense of place and her sense of self.
As summer progresses, these three women—Charlotte, Nona, and Helen—come to terms with the decisions they have made. Revisiting the lives and loves that have crossed their paths and the possibilities of the roads not taken, they may just discover that what they’ve always sought was right in front of them all along.

WHAT I THOUGHT: This is the quintessential summer read. Take it with you to the beach or the pool and sink into this wonderful story of the Wheelwright's. A wonderful famliy drama, It's not too heavy and I think you'll really like Charlotte, Nona, and Helen. I also liked the way Nona's memories are woven throughout the story which give you more insight into each of the leading women. Plus the cover is just absolutely adorable!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Thayer is the New York Times-bestselling author of The Hot Flash Club, The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again, Hot Flash Holidays, The Hot Flash Club Chills Out, and Moon Shell Beach. She is also the author of a new June release, Summer House. Nancy lives on Nantucket. You can visit her website at www.nancythayer.com.

EXCERPT: Charlotte had already picked the lettuces and set them, along with the bunches of asparagus tied with twine and the mason jars of fresh-faced pansies, out on the table in a shaded spot at the end of the drive. In July, she would have to pay someone to man the farm stand, but in June not so many customers were around, and those who did come by found a table holding a wicker basket with a small whiteboard propped next to the basket. In colored chalk, the prices for the day’s offerings were listed, and a note: Everything picked fresh today. Please leave the money in the basket. Thanks and blessings from Beach Grass Garden. She hadn’t been cheated yet. She knew the customers thought this way of doing business was quaint, harkening back to a simpler time, and they appreciated it.Perhaps it helped them believe the world was still a safe and honest place.

The day was overcast but hoeing was hot work and she had been up since four-thirty. Charlotte collapsed against the trunk of an apple tree, uncapped her water bottle, and took a long delicious drink. Nantucket had the best water on the planet: sweet, pure, and clear. It was shady in this overgrown spot, so she lifted off the ﬂoppy straw hat she wore, in addition to a heavy slathering of sunblock, and sighed in appreciation as a light breeze stirred her hair.She couldn’t linger, she had too much to do. She took another long drink of water, listened to her stomach rumble, and considered returning to the house for an early lunch.

When she heard the voices, she almost jumped.People were talking on Bill Cooper’s side of the fence, just behind the green tangle of wild grapevines. Hunky Bill Cooper and his gorgeous girlfriend. From the tense rumble of Coop’s voice and Miranda’s shrill whine, they weren’t happy.“Come on, Mir, don’t be that way.” Bill’s tone was placating but rimmed with an edge of exasperation.“What way would that be?” A sob caught in Miranda’s throat. “Truthful?”The moment had deﬁnitely passed, Charlotte decided, when she could clear her throat, jump up, and call out a cheerful hello. Vague snufﬂing sounds informed her that Bill’s dogs, Rex and Regina, were nearby, nosing through the undergrowth. She thought about the layout of Bill’s land: along the other side of the fence grew his everlasting raspberry bushes. The berries wouldn’t be ripe yet, so Bill and Miranda must be taking the dogs for a walk as they often did.She was glad the berry bushes grew next to the fence, their prickly canes forming a barrier between Bill’s land and Nona’s. A tangle of grasses massed around barberry bushes was wedged against the fence, and then there were the tree trunks. They would pass by any moment now. She would keep very quiet. Otherwise it would be too embarrassing, even though she had a right and a reason to be here.“I never lied to you, Miranda. I told you I wasn’t ready for a long-term commitment, especially not when you’re in New York all winter.”“You could come visit me.”“I don’t like cities,” Bill argued mildly.“Well, that’s pathetic. And sleeping with that—that slut—is pathetic.”

Miranda was striding ahead of Bill. She cried out, “Rex, you stupid, stupid dog! You almost tripped me.”“Mir, simmer down.” Bill sounded irritable, at the end of his patience.Miranda didn’t reply but hurried into the orchard of ancient apple trees. Bill followed, crashing through the brush. Charlotte could hear a few more words—I’m not kidding! It’s over, Bill!—then she heard the hum of their voices but no words, and then they were gone.“Gosh,” Charlotte whispered to herself.

Charlotte had had a crush on Bill Cooper for years. Coop was a hunk, but so easygoing and funny that when you talked with him you could almost forget how handsome he was. She seldom saw him, even though he lived right next door. Of course, “right next door” was a general term.Nona’s property consisted of ten acres with ﬁfty feet of waterfront on Polpis Harbor, and the Coopers’ land was about the same size. With all the plantings, you couldn’t see one house from the other, even in winter when all the leaves had fallen.Like the Wheelwrights, the Coopers mostly summered on the island, the Wheelwrights coming from Boston, the Coopers from New York. Eons ago, when they were all little kids, Coop had played a lot with Charlotte’s brother Oliver, even though Oliver was younger, because Coop was an only child, and the two families got together several times over the summer for cocktails or barbecues.

Then came the years when they rarely saw each other, everyone off in college and backpacking in summer instead of coming to the island.Coop lived in California for a while, but three years ago his parents moved to Florida and Coop moved into the island house, telling everyone he wanted to live here permanently. He ran a computer software business from his nineteen-sixties wandering ranch house, mixed his plasma TV and Bose CD player in with his family’s summery bamboo and teak furniture, and was content. Mostly he allowed his land to grow wild, except for a small crop of butter-andsugar corn famous for its sweetness. At the end of the summer, he held a party outdoors, a clambake with fresh corn, cold beer, and icy champagne.

Charlotte had seen Coop and Miranda about town now and then, when she went in to catch a movie or pick up a prescription at the pharmacy. It was obvious why any man would fall in love with Miranda Fellows. She was a dark-eyed beauty hired to run Luxe et Volupté, an upscale clothing shop on Centre Street. She was British, and her accent thrilled the young, beautiful, rich, social-climbing set, men as well as women. She was such a snob, and Coop was such a genuine good guy, they seemed like an odd pair, but Charlotte hadn’t allowed herself romantic thoughts about Coop.She hadn’t allowed herself romantic thoughts about any man for quite a long while.

Her own move to Nantucket had not been a lighthearted, impulsive act. She’d thought about it a lot. She’d searched her soul. She came to Nantucket to get away from men—at least from one particular man—and to somehow balance with good acts the wrong she’d done. Her organic garden was her own self-imposed penance and repentance, and she’d been diligent and hardworking and nunlike for three years. She didn’t know when her penance would be over . . . but she knew she would ﬁnd out when the time came.

Until then, she forced herself to work hard, every day.

I have one copy to giveaway!

To enter please leave a comment with your email!

Thanks so much, that's it for today

READ ON CHICKS!!

It's a TwoFER!!

2009-07-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Hey Chicks!!

I've got a couple for you today so hang in okay?!

FROM AMAZON: Sophie Heller's family immigrated from Germany to Victory, a small town in Illinois, before WWII began. Now that the war has affected the town, the townspeople discriminate against Sophie and her family. When a train derails, it is an accident but the Heller family is blamed. Coming to Sophie's rescue is a teacher from the high school, and despite their cultural differences, a romance starts to bloom.

WHAT I THOUGHT: I don't think I've ever read a book or seen a story that actually sympathized with the German immigration to America during and post WWII. Yet it's very hard not to do exactly that while reading this very poignantly written story of Sophie and her family. This is such a sweet love story set against an engaging backdrop that I think you might have a hard time not getting swept away.This is a great one to curl up with on a rainy summer afternoon.

I have 5 copies to give away courtesy of Anna at Hatchette!!

To enter please leave a comment with your email and "Moon" in your comment!!

Evolution of A Sad Woman

FROM AMAZON:Five very different men - all strangers - are drawn together to solve a murder by an uncommon thread - the love of the same beautiful woman, Kizzy. When she is murdered, they pull their past into their present, their present explodes, and their future is filled with surprise and changed forever! When police detective Evan Picard, attorney William Newton, cabdriver Jimmy Smithson, former pro-football player turned used car salesman Tom Hastings and Father C.D. Casmiersky are forced together - personalities explode, tensions build and relationships develop. The ending to this chapter of their lives and to Kizzy's murder will have a surprise none of them will ever expect.

Gale was kind enough to stop by and give us a Guest Post:

Her enticing, mystical, jeweled, green eyes will prey upon them forever . . . .
Five very diverse men---all strangers---are brought together to solve a savage murder by an uncommon thread---the love of Kizzy, the most beautiful woman they have ever known. When she is murdered, they are forced to wrench their past into their present, their present erupts and their future is filled with astonishment and altered forever!
They are taken down a long, winding investigation into a world of dangerous people and deceit.
When police detective Evan Picard, attorney William Newton, cabdriver Jimmy Smithson, former pro-football player turned used car salesman Tom Hastings and Father C.D. Casmiersky are forced together---personalities explode, tensions build and relationships develop. The ending to this chapter of their lives and to Kizzy's murder will have a surprise none of the will ever expect! ------------

Thanks Gale!

She's also offering a copy of her Book to one lucky commenter!!

Please leave a comment with your email and the word "evolution"

if you would like to win Gale's book.

Thanks so much!

That's it for today!!

READ ON CHICKS!

Short Girls...

2009-07-27T08:40:00.003-04:00

FROM AMAZON: A mesmerizing novel about estranged sisters and the cultural and family history that binds themVan and Linny Luong are as baffling to each other as their parents’ Vietnamese legacy is to them both. Van, the quintessential overachiever, has applied the same studied diligence to her law career and marriage—a beau idéal that vaporized when Mr. Right walked out. Linny—pretty, fashionable, untethered—is grasping for purpose when her affair with a married man takes a humiliating turn. Each is the last person her sister would call, but when Mr. Luong summons them home for his American citizenship party, Van and Linny find themselves communing about their past—their late mother, their father’s obsession with his Luong Arm invention, even the irony of their romantic straits. As these unlikely confidantes chart the uncertainty that defines them, they forge a tentative new relationship and the wherewithal to overcome disappointment.

WHAT I THOUGHT: I love stories like this. People living on their own estranged from their families for whatever reason, who realize, when they're thrown together that they really needed each other all along. Linny and Van, completely opposite from each other, are both women you will grow to love and I think the theme of sisterhood and family ties reach far beyond the page. Their father Mr. Luong is a wonderful character as well. This story is both clever, witty and makes for a great read!

I have one copy to give away!

To enter please leave a comment with your email!

That's it for Today!

READ ON CHICKS!

The Night Gardener...

2009-07-13T11:39:00.002-04:00

FROM Barnes and Noble:When the body of a local teenager is found in a community garden, homicide detective Gus Ramone relives intense memories of a case he worked twenty years earlier. When he was still a rookie, Ramone and his partner Dan "Doc" Holiday assisted legendary detective T.C. Cook as he investigated a series of killings involving young victims left overnight in neighborhood parks. The killer, dubbed, "the Night Gardener," was never caught. Since then, Holiday has left the force under a cloud of morals charges; he now works as a bodyguard and driver, taunted by his dreams of what he might have been. Cook retired, but he has never stopped agonizing about the unsolved case. Ramone is "good police," working as a homicide detective for the city's violent-crime division. He is also a devoted husband and father, and his teenage son, Diego, was a friend of the most recent victim, a boy named Asa." Could the Night Gardener be on the prowl again? Asa's death draws the three men together on a mission to finish the work that has haunted them for years. For T.C. Cook, it means solving one of the few cases that eluded him in his distinguished career. For Doc Holiday, the Night Gardener case is one last chance to prove - to Cook, to Ramone, and to himself - what kind of police officer he once was. For Gus Ramone, catching the killer means not only doing his job but knowing that his son will not be the next victim. The regret, anger, and fierce sense of purpose that once burned between them come rushing back as they race to lay to rest the monster who has stalked their dreams.

WHAT I THOUGHT:

Pelacanos never disappoints. His insight into his characters and how the story affects their lives is always what seems to keep the pages turning for me, the nail biting suspense is an added bonus. It's not just a crime story, it's a story that has you questioning yourself and your own ideas about right and wrong at every turn. I love the dialogue in this book, but be warned it is very raw.

I have 5 copies to giveaway courtesy of Valerie at Hatchette!

To win Please leave a comment with your email!!

That's it for today!

READ ON CHICKS!!

SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

2009-07-12T10:59:00.000-04:00

It's SELF HELP SUNDAY

CHICKS!!

AND I have

TWO Books for you!!

SMART MAMA's GREEN GUIDE
FROM AMAZON:Parents often feel overwhelmed and defenseless against a never-ending recall list of toys and baby products. Deciphering unpronounceable chemicals they encounter every day can be daunting if not impossible. With environmental exposures being closely linked to 70 percent of birth defects, new parents faced with the overwhelming responsibility for their babies' health frequently turn to organic products. But they quickly find they don't have the time to practice a completely green or natural lifestyle. THE SMART MAMA'S GREEN GUIDE delivers the information busy parents want and the tools to make informed, individual choices without the demand to go all-out green. Packed with practical tips on eliminating or reducing the hidden dangers of toxic chemicals that lurk everywhere, this book will empower readers to control what comes into their homes and make informed decisions instead of relying on government regulation of harmful chemicals.
WHAT I THOUGHT: With the vast amount of information out there and all the differing opinions it can be pretty overwhelming. This book seeks to lay it all out for you without being overly opinionated. Very informative and easy to understand.

THE NDD BOOK

FROM AMAZON:

The Sears Parenting Library's latest addition is an exploration of how nutrition affects the brains and behavior of youngsters. N.D.D., or Nutrition Deficit Disorder, as coined by Dr. Bill Sears, is based on the idea that if "you put junk food into a child's brain, you get back junk behavior and learning."Dr. Sears will explore the latest scientific research on the effects of nutrition on the brain. He will present case studies of his own patients who were diagnosed as "N.D.D." and showed major improvement in learning and behavior with diet change. Instead of simply medicating his patients, Dr. Sears looked for a better solution--in fact, with better nutrition, many of his patients were able to greatly reduce or even stop their medication. The book will also provide parents with a prescription, shopping and meal tips, and recipes to make implementing a healthier lifestyle that much easier.THE N.D.D. BOOK will be a must-have for all parents who want to help their children become healthier, happier, and better prepared to learn.

WHAT I THOUGHT: A very interesting look at how diet and nutrition affects the way your child learns and how they behave. This book has a very easy to read approach complete with shopping lists and recipies...which, by the way are pretty yummy.

I Have 5 sets of these two books to giveaway

Courtesy of Anna At Hatchette

US and Canada only please no PO Boxes

To enter Please leave a comment with your email!

Do not forget your email!

That's it for today and

READ ON CHICKS!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-07-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

Hey There Chickies!

I've got a hot one for you!!

ONE SCREAM AWAY

by Kate Brady

FROM AMAZON: Killer Chevy Bankes is a master of disguise, and just paroled, he's coming after the woman who sent him to jail, the beautiful antiques expert Beth Denison. A set of antique dolls brings Beth into his sight, and inspire Chevy's disturbing crimes as he draws closer to Beth and her young daughter. Chevy sends the dolls to Beth one-by-one and she soon realizes that these antiques carry the same marks as his victims, signaling that the final piece in his collection will be for her.Neil Sheridan gave up his FBI shield five years ago, but his best friend Rick, a cop, pulls him in as a consultant on a case involving a serial killer who is eerily similar to a murderer Neil encountered in the past. The investigation leads Neil to Beth's doorstep, and he is certain she isn't telling him the truth. Neil is the only one who can get through Beth's defenses and, as they grow closer, discover the secrets that Beth is hiding about her fateful night with Chevy.

WHAT I THOUGHT: A really great romantic suspense. I think fans of earlier Nora Roberts or early Linda Howard will really like this. There was a twist here that I didn't see coming for awhile and a lot of edge of your seat suspense. I look forward to seeing a lot more from this author!

5 Copies to GIVEAWAY courtesy of Anna

at Hatchette!

All you need to do to win is

Here we Go!!

2009-07-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

I've got a few things going on here today

chicks, so make sure you scroll all the way down to see the whole post!

First,

Marie Force,

author of Love at First Flight and Line of Scrimmage

is joining us today with a Guest Post and a giveaway!

Together Forever?
By: Marie Force
I recently read a review of my new book, Love at First Flight, written by a woman who was rocked to the core by something that happens in the book. The reviewer, married for more than twenty years to her high school sweetheart, wasn’t expecting a storyline about a man who’d been with the same woman for ten years (since he was seventeen) and had begun to wonder if he was missing out on something.

When we meet Juliana in Love at First Flight, she’s on her way to Florida to spend the weekend with her longtime boyfriend Jeremy. Together since their junior year of high school, the two are now twenty-seven and have been living together for four years. Until they are forced to spend an interminable year apart when Jeremy’s company sends him from their Baltimore home to do a job in Florida, Juliana had never given much thought to why they never married. But as the months of separation unfold, tiny cracks begin to appear in what she’d always viewed as an idyllic relationship.

During their weekend together, Jeremy confesses to his curiosity about other women, which tips Juliana’s world upside down. In writing their painful conversation, I tried to convey the epic struggle Jeremy has waged with wanting to remain faithful to the woman he has loved his entire adult life while contending with the uncertainty of whether he’s prepared to remain faithful to her forever. Jeremy’s curiosity results in Juliana suggesting they take a three-month break from each other to make sure they are both prepared to go forward together. Ironically, during their break it’s Juliana who finds new, unexpected love with a man she met in the airport on her way to see Jeremy.

The reviewer couldn’t help but see her own marriage through Jeremy’s eyes. Does her own husband wonder what he’s missed out on by being with the same woman all his life? Days after finishing the book, she continued to view her husband through different eyes and was unsettled by these new thoughts. We talked about it on her blog, and I urged her to talk to her husband, who would no doubt put her mind at ease.

I have friends who’ve been together nearly thirty years—since our freshman year of high school. In fact, they were our class couple. We’ve recently been closer than we ever were in school because our daughters became friends. After spending time with them, I’m amazed at how devoted they continue to be to each other even after all these years. It can happen. Lightning can strike at a young age, and the electricity really can last a lifetime. As I watch my children, now almost 14 and 11, grow up I wonder if their lifelong loves are just around the corner or further down the road. How will it happen for them?

How did it happen for you? Anyone out there married to their high school sweetheart and happily content? Do you ever wonder what you might’ve missed out on?
To find out what Juliana decides to do, you’ll have to read Love at First Flight, now in bookstores. If you wish to discuss all the rules I broke in the book, join me Monday, July 20, at 7 p.m. EDT on my blog (http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com) for a book club

Marie has been kind enough to offer one copy of each of her books to one lucky winner!

All you need to do to win is leave a comment with your email!!

Next up:

Product Description From Amazon:

It is 1498, the dawn of the Renaissance, and Venice teems with rumors of an ancient book that holds the secret to unimaginable power. It is an alchemist's dream, with recipes for gold, immortality, and undying love. Everyone, rich and poor alike, speculates about the long-buried secrets scrawled in its pages and where it could possibly be hidden within the labyrinthine city. But while those who seek the book will stop at nothing to get it, those who know will die to protect it.
As a storm of intrigue and desire circles the republic that grew from the sea, Luciano, a penniless orphan with a quick wit and an even faster hand, is plucked up by an illustrious chef and hired, for reasons he cannot yet begin to understand, as an apprentice in the palace kitchen. There, in the lavish home of the most powerful man in Venice, he is initiated into the chef's rich and aromatic world, with all its seductive ingredients and secrets.
Luciano's loyalty to his street friends and the passion he holds for a convent girl named Francesca remain, but it is not long before he, too, is caught up in the madness. After he witnesses a shocking murder in the Palace dining room, he realizes that nothing is as it seems and that no one, not even those he's come to rely on most, can be trusted. Armed with a precocious mind and an insatiable curiosity,
Luciano embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth. What he discovers will swing open the shutters of his mind, inflame his deepest desires, and leave an indelible mark on his soul.
Rich with the luxurious colors and textures of Venice, The Book of Unholy Mischief delights the senses and breathes fresh life into an age defined by intellectual revival and artistic vibrancy. A luminous and seductive novel, it is, at its heart, a high-spirited tribute to the fruits of knowledge and the extraordinary power of those who hold its key. In a world of violence an d in trigue, who guards the truth?

WHAT I THOUGHT:This book is different from anything I've read since...well..I can't remember when...I liked it, it had sort of a fairy tale feel to it that was fun and interesting. The author does a really great job of developing the characters and making you want to know more about them and paints a really beautiful picture of Venice.

That's it for today!

READ ON CHICKS!!

SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

2009-06-28T10:24:00.003-04:00

Hello my little CHICKLETS!

and Welcome to another installment

of SELF HELP SUNDAY!!

Which, I know

have not been that regular lately...

hey, I'm trying..

apparently I could use some help too

But I'm pretty sure you're going to like this one!!

THE SASSY LADIES'

TOOLKIT FOR START-UP BUSINESSES

From AMAZON:

Starting a business is serious stuff, but it doesn't have to be dull. Not when you have the resources of The Sassy Ladies. They share their own experiences as well as rich insights of other solopreneurs who have learned valuable lessons running their businesses.
The Sassy Ladies' Toolkit for Start-Up Businesses is a reference guide and workbook designed to get your business from the dream stage to the ''oh-my-gosh-I'm-running-my-own-business'' stage, all from women who have been there.

WHAT I THOUGHT:

This book is awesome!

Lots of inspiration and resources here for how to get started living your dream and making it happen. These ladies not only tell you how they did it, they give you practical

exercises and resources to help you do it. It's also written in a way that makes it really fun. You can read this book in a couple hours, to get the gist and then go back and complete the exercises as you go. This book would be great for anyone who is wanting to be successful in any business, and I would definitely recommend it also to everyone out there who is a consultant for any of the Multi Level Marketing copanies such as Stampin Up, Pampered Chef etc.

Authors WEBSITE

SASSYLADIES

I have one copy to give away!!

To enter please leave a comment with your email!

That's it for today!

Thanks for stopping by and

READ ON CHICKS!!

Triple Cross...

2009-06-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

FROM THE INSIDE: It’s New Year’s Eve at the Jefferson Club, a luxurious private ski resort in the mountains of southwestern Montana. Seven of the world’s wealthiest men and a U.S. Senator are among the guests gathered in the ballroom of the club’s spectacular main lodge for a private party. Expensive champagne flows and multi-billion dollar deals are getting done, when, at the stroke of midnight, a ruthless and well-armed militia attacks the club. Self-described anti-globalists, they intend to to put the wealthy patrons of the club on trial for crimes against humanity, live on the Internet for all the world to see.As the first trial unfolds, it becomes a new-media sensation, with tens of millions of viewers who are allowed to vote as jury members. It seems harmless, funny, until one of the tycoons is convicted and put to death just as stock and bond trading opens for the New Year. The markets are rocked by the execution, and start to plummet as more of the billionaires are put on trial.The only people who can prevent an outright market crash, stop the madness, and uncover the true reasons behind the brutal attack are Mickey Hennessy, the club’s director of security, his three fourteen-year-old children and Cheyenne O’Neil, an FBI financial crimes specialist.Ultimately capitalism and anti-globalism collide with stunning consequences in a searing narrative that’s a lean blend of suspense, dark humor and explosive action, as well as a novel that raises compelling questions about who the real criminals are in a world where financial markets can be manipulated on an unfathomable scale and a powerful few profit at the expense of the many.

WHAT I THOUGHT: This book plays out like a good action movie. Plot twists and suspense, romance and kids in danger, all come together to keep you on the edge of your seat for the whole book. I have a weakness for stories involving Heroes who are former government agents...and this is no exception. The story captures you from the first and weaves it's way to an exciting and action filled finish!

I have one copy to giveaway!

To win please leave a comment with your email!!

winner will be announced July 5th

Thanks so much!

and

READ ON CHICKS!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-06-26T09:21:00.003-04:00

Yep Chicks!

It's another

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!!

FROM AMAZON: Sarah Harper is driven to achieve success no matter what the cost. She wants to do good and not hurt the people she loves--especially children and her husband, Joe--but her desire to succeed in her career too often leaves little time for family. One cold, autumn afternoon, all of that changes when Sarah's car plunges off a bridge and into a river. She is presumed dead by those on the "outside," but Sarah's spirit is still very much alive. What she discovers on the other side transforms everything about Sarah's view of life--past, present, and future.When Sarah is revived, she is a changed woman. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.

WHAT I THOUGHT: This book reads like a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. It also kind of reminded me of Fireproof...so I think we'll probably see some sort of production of it in the future if it's not already in the works. I have to say it gave me a healthy dose of not taking things in my life for granted. There are, of course a lot of Christian themes here...the characters, finding themselves in dire need of help turn to God in prayer, but it's not overdone and I think this could be a valuable lesson for almost anyone of us. In other words, if you don't typically read Christian fiction, I wouldn't pass this one up for that reason alone. The story is written almost in Charles Dickens style, with Sarah the main character visiting her past, present and future with her deceased Grandmother and an angel named Wingtip. It reads quickly and leaves you with hope.

I have one copy to giveaway courtesy of Miriam at Hatchette

US and Canada only please no PO Boxes!!

To enter please leave a comment with your email!

That's it for today!

THANKS and

READ ON CHICKS!!

Choices Meant for Gods

2009-06-25T04:00:00.000-04:00

CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS

by SANDY LENDER

BLURB: Not even the gods noticed when Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now she and her wizard guardian seek shelter from a mad sorcerer in a household not just full of secrets and false hope, but watched by the god who will unwittingly reveal her role in an impending war.

When an orphan sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies she uncovers? Will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty?

WHAT I THOUGHT: If you know nothing else about me by now, (unless this is your first time here, in which case I forgive you) you know I love a strong heroine. Not the kind who play the part of the victim, although I know a certain amount of vulnerability is sometimes what makes a strong heroine seem stronger...anyway...LOVE CHARISS. It's been a little while since I've read a good fantasy, so I was overdue. Who wouldn't want to be born with an amethyst set into the corner of their right eye, I ask you??...oh and I really like dragons...

We're in for a special treat today Chicks, as the Author,

Sandy Lender has joined us for a Guest Post:

Strong Chicks Rule
By Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
www.authorsandylender.com

Amanda Chariss Derdriu is a strong chick. And I dig that. She’s not the sarcastic, scantily-clad, promiscuous heroine you see in a lot of fantasy and spec fiction novels these days, but she is intrigued by humor, romance, and scandals she can solve. She knows her own mind and isn’t afraid to speak it. (Within reason.) See, she’s a good girl, except for a propensity to stick knives and swords in people. (I think she gets that from me. Now, I’ve never actually stuck a knife in anyone, but I sure feel better having a sword under the bed and a medieval dagger on the dresser.)

Back to Chariss.

Chariss has a power known as the geasa. In my fantasy writing, this is a gift the gods breathe into a soul after his or her conception, while the person is still forming in the womb. I designed this power for the “good guys” in the fantasy world of Onweald so they wouldn’t be using sorcery. I’m a Southern Baptist and I believe that you need to be pretty darn cautious about playing around with magic and sorcery—danger, Will Robinson—so I needed something “completely different” in my story. Now, you can argue that even the geasa sounds like magic (and I’ll agree), but I had to do something. I mean, this is fantasy. So the good guys like Chariss have the geasa and the bad guys get their “gift” of sorcery from the big bad evil Julette, an ancient goddess who has gone a little nuts with wanting to usurp her husband and son’s worshippers.

What else about Chariss is cool? Well, she was born with this beautiful little amethyst on her cheekbone, high up near the corner of her right eye. I used to be married to someone who couldn’t grasp the concept when I explained it to him. He kept saying, “A stone is inorganic matter.” And I would say, “It’s fantasy.” The point is Chariss has a destiny that was set in motion prior to her birth and the amethyst is a birthmark that seals her fate. (And her eyes match the color of the amethyst, which I think makes her just gorgeous.)

Chariss saw the massacre of her family when she was four years old. The sorcerer Jamieson Drake would have killed her back then, too, if Hrazon of Mon’dore, the greatest wizard the gods created hadn’t shown up and whisked her off to safety. He’s been her guardian, mentor, teacher, and constant companion ever since. The perfect love and respect these two have for each other is amazing to me. It’s based on 1 Corinthians 13:4 and The Master Rothahn alludes to this in CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS. He seems almost jealous of it when He first mentions it, and that deadly sin of envy only grows.

As you can see, Chariss isn’t an insular character who goes through the novel on her own insular journey. She affects the people around her. One character she affects in an extreme fashion is Nigel Taiman. This poor man seems to have given up on love and the pursuit of happiness when we first meet him. He’s just going through the motions of tending to his family’s estate and school. He protects his little sister and his mother from a tyrannical father and hides among the shadows of the estate until Chariss appears and knocks the wind out of his sails. She doesn’t mean to. It just sort of happens. In fact, she’s apologetic and fretful when she finds out he’s in love with her.

There are plenty of sides and shades to Amanda Chariss. The best way to get to know her, of course, is to read about her in the trilogy, to follow her through her arc. I’ve lived with her in my head for years now so I know her like a sister. She’s a beloved friend to me. I hope that folks who come to the series as new readers will find a friend in her as well. There’s a quick little description of her in the “Character Sketches” section of the Worlds link on my new Web site at www.authorsandylender.com.

Thank you for visiting today to learn a little more about Chariss!
“Some days, I just want the dragon to win.”

For a chance to win a signed copy of

Choices Meant For Gods by Sandy Lender

Please leave a comment with your email!

Sandy is giving away 1 copy a week during the blog tour

You can see all the particpants at her blog

HERE

For more chances to enter!

Thanks and

READ ON CHICKS!!

IT's A TWOFOR!!!!!

2009-06-24T09:53:00.004-04:00

My apologies again my chickadees

For being offline for awhile and getting somewhat behind

I was up in Ohio taking care of some family matters,

and unfortunately internet access is somewhat limited for me there

To make it up to you ...

I'm hoping to get my crap together and have several giveaways here

over the next several days.

TODAY is A TWOFER

That means One Lucky CHICK

will recieve 2 BOOKS!!

So here we go!!

From AMAZON: Syd, a breathtakingly beautiful supermodel on a photo shoot in Hawaii, disappears.

Fearing the worst, her parents travel to Hawaii to investigate for themselves, never expecting the horror that awaits them.

LA Times reporter Ben Hawkins is conducting his own research into the case, hoping to help the victim and get an idea for his next bestseller.

With no leads and no closer to uncovering the kidnapper's identity than when he stepped off the plane, Ben gets a shocking visit that pushes him into an impossible-to-resist deal with the devil.

A heart-pounding story of fear and desire, SWIMSUIT transports readers to a chilling new territory where the collision of beauty and murder transforms paradise into a hell of unspeakable horrors.

WHAT I THOUGHT: I've liked James Patterson a long time. If he sounds familiar to you but you don't know why, it's because he's the author of the "Detective Alex Cross" books, several of which were brought to the screen starring Morgan Freeman. When two authors team up together, you never really know what you're going to get, but in this case it works. I really liked the female perspective that Maxine Paetro added to the story, while it kept Patterson's usual edge of your seat suspense!

FROM AMAZON: PhD candidate Mitch Samuel's life isn't going exactly according to plan: his girlfriend just dumped him (to be fair, he did forget to pick her up at the airport), his estranged father has landed in the hospital, and his literary masterpiece-one part Shakespeare, one part Steinbeck, and all parts lyrical epic-has been rejected for the umpteenth time.
However, after a chance encounter at Starbucks with the queen of women's fiction- Katharine Longwell-who seems to take a liking to him, he senses an opportunity for literary riches, if not reputation. After telling her that his (imaginary) female cousin is an aspiring chick-lit author, he secures a promise from her that she'll help his "cousin" get published. The only problem is, Mitch needs a manuscript, and fast.
Unfortunately, try as he might to get inside a woman's head by reading Vogue and Cosmo, watching Oxygen and Oprah, nothing seems to work. That's when his roommate Bradley suggests that he try a dance class at the studio where Bradley's sister Marie takes lessons. Self-conscious about his own skills, and unwilling to reveal his true intentions, Mitch attends the first class under an alias: Jason Gallagher, pharmaceutical rep. What could go wrong?
Nothing, except that Mitch/Jason quickly finds himself hooked on dancing, and on the charming Marie. Who has no idea who he really is. Or that he knows her brother. Or why he's there. Suddenly, his novel-writing project is becoming a lot more than he bargained for...
WHAT I THOUGHT: This is a lot of fun, and very funny. A romantic comedy, from a guys point of view and written by a guy. I really loved it because that alone made it different from any chick lit I've read recently, or maybe ever...It's also a fairly quick read perfect for a day at the beach!

One Copy of Each is going to one lucky Chick!

All you need to do to win is leave a comment with

your email!!

That's it for today!

Thanks and

READ ON CHICKS!

Katka by Stephen Meier

2009-06-18T05:00:00.000-04:00

KATKA

By Stephen Meier

I've never read a novella before...but there's definitely something to be said for something that can be read in just a couple hours, and the author managed to pack a whole lot of excitement in this short book!

From Amazon: Katka by Stephen Meier is a gritty, edgy novel of greed, love, and swindles gone very wrong. When Gavin and his girlfriend team with her best friend Simona to pull a phony mail order bride scam in the Czech Republic, Gavin gets in way over his head in the high-stakes and dangerous business of selling wives. When Gavin talks Katka, his girlfriend, into becoming part of the merchandise, planning to bait-n-switch the client in the end, things go awry and Katka disappears with the client. Partnering with the jealous and volatile Simona, Gavin begins to lament this risky life he has chosen, but finds the money is something he can’t walk away from. Gavin’s doubts grow; the con begins to consume him, and he finds himself thinking of Katka, the fate he dealt her, and whether he can undo the biggest mistake of his life. Written with staccato grit and streetwise savvy, Katka reads like a Quentin Tarantino movie. Stephen Meier’s work will leave you begging for more.

What I Liked: As I said, I really appreciated how much was packed into a pretty short read. I didn't feel like I missed anything. I really liked the "grittiness" of it. At it's base it's a story of love and money, and how far people will go for the sake of greed. The three main characters Katka, Gavin, and Simona are also very well developed. This is a great book to take to the beach or the pool!

Stephen Meier was kind enough to grant an interview!

1. What's your favorite thing you've read in the last year? Finished up Irving Welsh's, "If You Liked School, You'll Love Work". I love his style.

2. Name a character from a book you've read who you still find yourself thinking about. Just reread the Odyssey, and have been thinking about Odysseus.

3. A favorite quote from a book. Lately been discussing a lot of Hunter S. Thompson, so I would go with,"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like, "I feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive . . ."And suddenly there was a terrible roar all around us and the sky was full of what looked like huge bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, which was going about 100 miles an hour with the top down to Las Vegas. And a voice was screaming: "Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?"

4. Who do you consider your role model, literary or otherwise?Role Model? Hmmm, well i would say my father is my biggest hero and probably role model. He's a great man.

5. What music, if any, do you listen to when you're writing? I always listen to music! Right now some of my favorites are: Rob Dickinson acoustic, Radiohead, David Gray, and Aidan Hawken.
6. Have you ever faked reading anything? If so what? Haha, great question! Well, I was an English Major in College so the answer has to be yes!!!! And I think it was either Dubliners or Ulysses by James Joyce!

Thanks so much Mr. Meier for joining us Chicks today!

That's it for today!

READ ON CHICKS!!

A Morning Like This...

2009-06-16T09:41:00.003-04:00

Hey There CHICKS!!

My apologies for things being a little slow around here the past several

days..I'm up in Ohio enjoying some time visiting family and my internet

access is a bit limited. BUT...I have manged to do some reading of course

so here you go..

A MORNING LIKE THIS

By Deborah Bedford

FROM AMAZON: David and Abby Treasure seem to have everything together: a perfect marriage, a perfect son, and a perfect life. But one simple phone call turns their world upside down. Years ago, David had an affair outside of his marriage, and though he never knew it, the affair produced a daughter. Now his former lover calls with heartbreaking news: his daughter is dying of leukemia. Her only hope for survival is a bone marrow transplant-from David or his son. Can David and Abby set aside their betrayal and anger to save a little girl's life? If they can make it through, they may find that their love for one another and their faith in God can be redeemed . . . and grow stronger than ever before.

What I thought: This was a really good story. It did come across as a little "preachy" to me at times, (although not overly so) but it is classified as Christian Fiction, so I'd expect it to. That fact, however, did not deter from the story line at all, in fact the characters are well developed, and while I think I got a little bothered by David's indignation over Abby's initial trouble with forgiveness, I felt the overall theme rang true. Yes, I cried a little, but in the end I felt hopeful, so I think the author did what she set out to do.

I have one copy to giveaway courtesy of Miriam at Hatchette!!

To win simply leave me a comment with your email!

THANKS!!

Winners of

"IF YOUR KID EATS THIS BOOK

EVERYTHING WILL BE OK"

ARE

Suburban Prep

Danetta

Ashley

Linda

Sharon

That's it for today!!

READ ON CHICKS!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-06-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

To Beguile A Beast
Elizabeth Hoyt
What is it about a wounded man that drives
me crazy??
Alistair has been hiding in his dilapidated Scottish castle since being wounded in the war. Wounded and scarred he has hidden himself from the world.
Helen has taken her two children and fled life in the ton to escape the Duke she has been mistress to, trying to carve out a better life for her and her children.
She arrives at Alistair's castle determined to start a new life as his housekeeper.
Slowly, Alistair notices as his house begins to come back to life with the love that Helen and her children have bestowed upon it, so does his heart for Helen. But, not everything can go as planned when the Duke finds Helen and his children and tries to take them back.
I really liked this story. I'm enjoying the turn a lot of historical romances I've read lately have taken, not assuming that every heroine has to be some blushing virgin and every hero a rogue. The characters is this story are charming, and the love story between Alistair and Helen has this sweet, warm feeling to it that I truly enjoyed!

I have 5 copies to giveaway courtesy of Anna at Hatchette!

US and Canada Only please no PO Boxes!!

1. Leave a comment with your email +1

2. Please TWEET about this contest!! +1

3. Follow Me on TWITTER! +2 (http://www.twitter.com/chicbookchick)

4.Post this contest on Your Facebook page!! +3

Please link me back for extra entries! THANK YOU!!

Winners of Bound To Please ARE

ZIA, KATHLEEN, BOOKLOVER,MARI,ASHLEY!!!

THAT's IT!!

READ ON CHICKS!!

Chemical Cowboys

2009-06-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

Chemical Cowboys
Lisa Sweetingham
From Amazon.com: For nearly a decade, Ecstasy kingpin Oded Tuito was the mastermind behind a drug ring that used strippers and Hassidic teenagers to mule millions of pills from Holland to the party triangle--Los Angeles, New York, and Miami.
Chemical Cowboys is a thrilling journey through the groundbreaking undercover investigations that led to the toppling of a billion-dollar Ecstasy trafficking network--starting in 1995 when New York DEA Agent Robert Gagne infiltrated club land to uncover a thriving drug scene supported by two cultures: pill-popping club kids and Israeli dealers.
Gagne’s obsessive mission to take down Tuito’s network met unexpected challenges and personal discoveries that almost crippled his own family. Weaved into the narrative are the stories of Tuito’s underlings who struggled with addiction as they ran from the law, and the compelling experiences of a veteran Israeli police officer who aided Gagne while chasing after his own target--a violent Mob boss who saw the riches to be made in Ecstasy and began to import his own pills and turf warfare to the U.S.
Chemical Cowboys offers a taut, behind-the-scenes glimpse into an international criminal enterprise as daring as it is deadly.

What I Thought: While yes, usually I tend toward lighter reading I really enjoy investigative writing like this. When I was a little girl, and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up my answer was a cop...more specifically a detective. I just find it so interested. That being said, this book tends to read more like a story than non-fiction which is what kept me so riveted. The Author goes into incredible detail on the inner workings of the DEA and it's agents, and the story of a drug that got it's start as a treatment for depression and how it became known as the nightclub drug of choice.

This would be a great FATHER'S DAY GIFT for readers who like to read about crime, fiction ornonfiction, as this story rolls off the page like a movie.

Lisa Sweetingham was kind enough to grant me an interview. Here's what she had to say!

1. How did you get started in journalism?
I knew by my mid-twenties that I wanted to write, but I wasn’t sure of the delivery method: would I focus on fiction, screenplays, poetry, journalism?
As an undergrad in a small southern college, I had managed the student newspaper and I loved the hectic pace. But just to be sure, I spent a year as an assistant on a literary desk at a major talent agency in Beverly Hills. I quickly burned out on reading scripts and decided that the most interesting movies came from articles and books. But I also chose journalism because—truth be told—I’m nosy. I am insatiably curious about human nature and being a reporter gives me an excuse to ask personal questions.

Not everyone needs to go to journalism school to get a job in the industry, but for reasons I can’t fully explain I readily accepted a lifetime of financial debt in return for a strong foundation in the skills of reporting, writing, and editing. In truth, I have no regrets. Columbia University’s graduate program in journalism gave me a broad set of story-telling skills and forged relationships with talented professors and alum who I still count on for guidance.

Once out of school, I freelanced for local New York newspapers and magazines and eventually landed a job as a writer and technology editor at Time Out New York, a weekly entertainment magazine. By 2004, a friend from Columbia told me about a web reporter opening at Court TV and soon I was traveling across the country covering high-profile murder trials. It was a fantastic job. It gave me a solid foundation in the language and processes of the justice system and provided opportunities to do television, radio, and multimedia reporting.

I eventually left Court TV (now InSession on TruTV) to work on “Chemical Cowboys,” full time, but I freelance for my old bosses on occasion and still love haunting the crime beat.

2. Who are some of your favorite authors?

In no particular order and completely off the top of my head: Raymond Chandler, W. Somerset Maugham, Walt Whitman, Christopher Hitchens, Bruce Wallin, Jerry Stahl, William Faulkner, Truman Capote, Ian McEwan, Bill Styron, Charlie LeDuff, Russell Banks, Joni Mitchell, Raymond Carver, Hemingway, James B. Stewart, William Langewiesche, Gay Talese, Edna Buchanan, Tom Wolfe.

Also, I think Anthony Lane and Mike D’Angelo are exceptional film critics. And A.J Jacobs’ writing in Esquire inspires me to push boundaries in terms of how I approach a story. The last article of his I clipped was: “Do I Love My Wife? An Investigative Report,” [http://www.esquire.com/features/mri-of-love-0609] in which he allowed researchers at Rutgers University to monitor his brain activity to see if pictures of his wife still triggered chemical reactions indicative of feelings of romance, sex, and emotional attachment. It’s not Hemingway, it’s just a clever way to show readers the human side of science.

3. What is research like for a book like Chemical Cowboys?

Endless!

In a nutshell: “Chemical Cowboys” follows a decade’s worth of formerly classified undercover operations into the drug Ecstasy. The narrative follows one New York DEA agent (whose life is a series of unbelievable twists and turns), but it also weaves in the stories of the agent’s partners, an Israeli Ecstasy kingpin, the kingpin’s beautiful American girlfriend, and a veteran Israeli detective who worked alongside the American drug cops to help take down a billion-dollar organized crime network.

In order to write “Chemical Cowboys” the way I wanted to—and by that, I mean, giving readers a never-before-seen portrait of the inner workings of DEA, Israeli mafia, and the Ecstasy trade—I had to secure cooperation from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Israeli National Police. At the same time I was developing the book proposal, I was hanging out at New York DEA, getting to know the agents, and learning about their personal and professional lives.

In total, I spent about four years of reporting, writing, editing, traveling around the world, digging through stacks of ceiling-high case files, and getting people who had no good reason to talk to a reporter to open up about their experiences.

4. Describe yourself in One Word.
Watchful.
5. What would be your perfect day?

Since I’m freelancing, every day is a work day, so I’ll spare you my “perfect day at work” and give you my “perfect free day.”

My perfect free day begins at dawn when I’m awoken by the sounds of roosters crowing. I take my old dog, Max, for a walk on the beach and the Pacific breeze lends a spring to his step. Upon returning home, I find that the boyfriend has brewed a perfect pot of coffee and has laid out today’s copies of The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal to read at my leisure.

By noon, we’re off for a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains to catch lizards and riff poetic about our dreams, our friends and family, and funny stories we keep forgetting to share because there’s never enough time to get to everything we want to talk about. He discovers a giant fossil in the hillside that I’m pretty sure provides a missing link between humans and primates. (How it ended up in Topanga Canyon? Anyone’s guess.)

By 3 p.m., I’ll have convinced him to take me to the indoor shooting range near Los Angeles airport. We’ll play shoot ‘em up and do our best Dirty Harry impressions! (I’ve yet to convince him that shooting a Glock is pure fun. But it’s my perfect day, so he’ll submit.)

Afterward, we’ll head to the Santa Monica pier for a sunset ride on the new solar-powered Ferris wheel. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt, as they say, which is why in a startling turn of events, we’ll form a two-person chain to save a small toddler who’s wriggled loose from his mother’s arms and is dangling precariously between our cars. After the fire department, mayor, and city police thank us for our saving the day with quick reflexes, we’ll slip away before the local press arrives and have a quiet dinner of Tuscan seafood stew at a dark, candle-lit café near the beach.

It will be there, while racing to the bottom of a bottle of Brunello, that we simultaneously experience a grand vision—the cure for cancer and a plan for peace in the Middle East. We’ll celebrate with the purchase of more wine and Dodgers Dugout Club tickets.

Years later, we’ll think back and say, “That was a perfect day.”
6. What are you working on now?

Right now, I’m working on crime stories (an unsolved Hollywood homicide) and travel features (Africa); I’m investigating three different book ideas (in a word: steroids, Cuba, and luxury); and I’m attempting to make my answers to your questions vaguely entertaining.
Thanks, Amy, for the fun interview! I hope your readers will enjoy “Chemical Cowboys.”
***
Lisa Sweetingham
Author of “Chemical Cowboys: The DEA’s Secret Mission to Hunt Down a Notorious Ecstasy Kingpin.”
www.LisaSweetingham.com
bio info:
Journalist Lisa Sweetingham spent four years following in the footsteps of DEA agents and Ecstasy traffickers to bring CHEMICAL COWBOYS to life. Previously, she covered high-profile murder trials and Supreme Court nomination hearings for Court TV online. Sweetingham is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Parade, Spin, Time Out New York, Health Affairs, and many other publications. She resides in Los Angeles. CHEMICAL COWBOYS is her first book.

I have one Copy of Chemical Cowboys to giveaway!

US and Canada Only Please

To enter Please leave a comment with your email!

Winner of IN OVER HER HEAD is DIXIE!!

Winner of BLOOD BAR is JESS!!

You'll be getting an email from me!

Thanks and come back tomorrow for

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

READ ON CHICKS!!

SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

2009-06-07T09:52:00.004-04:00

if your kid eats this book,

everything will still be okay

by Lara Zibners, MD

From Amazon.com; As an Emergency Room pediatrician, Dr. Lara Zibners has seen it all. She's cared for a portion of the 25 million children in the U.S. who are taken to the ER each year-and she knows that more than 50% of these visits may be unnecessary. IF YOUR KID EATS THIS BOOK, EVERYTHING WILL STILL BE OKAY shows parents when they may need to take action, and when they might be able to just go back to bed and call their doctor in the morning. With sections such as "In the Diaper" and "His Noggin and the Nervous System," Dr. Zibners covers every part of the body and offers sound advice (for example, did you know that oil is the best remedy for dissolving superglue between body parts?), all while maintaining a lively and often hilarious tone. To the question, "What if she chokes on her vomit?" Zibners answers, "A healthy child will not choke on her own vomit, unless she is drunk or high on Grandma's sleeping pills."

Finally, no more frantic late-night searches through the "why to buy,""how to diaper," or "what to feed him" sections found in other childcare books to find out if little Franny needs to go to the ER. This book focuses on the truly important questions, like how to keep her from electrocuting herself in the first place. Not every child has a pediatrician with specialized emergency room experience living in her home. But this book just might be the next best thing.

Lara Zibners, MD, is a former Assistant Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Mount SinaiHospital in New York City. Currently, she divides her professional time between New York and London.

About the AuthorDr. Zibners holds board certifications in both pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine, a feat that followed over 14 years of higher education. She can run a helicopter resuscitation over the phone, put a tube into a child's chest in under 2 minutes, make a long leg cast that looks like the American flag, and play peek-a-boo with a baby while his mom visits the ladies room. She and her husband are eagerly working towards their own family of little book eaters.

WHAT I LIKED: This book is written in a funny, down to earth way that doesn't make you feel like an idiot. I really would have appreciated something like this when my kids were really little and I freaked out over everything they put in their mouths. It has a scenario/question and answer format, with clear answers on when not to panic and when to call 911.

I've got 5 Copies to giveaway courtesy of Anna at Hatchette

US and Canada only Please No PO Boxes

How to enter

1. Please leave a comment with your email +1

2. Please follow me +1 already a follower +2

3. Please blog about this contest and link me back!!

Help Me Hit 200 Followers!!

When I hit 200 I will host a Book Bonanza Giveaway!!

More details coming!!

Winners of the GFREE Diet are

KellyKlauser

lbkelly

Christine

Chey

Heather

Watch your inboxes for an email..!

READ ON CHICKS!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-06-05T08:40:00.004-04:00

Here we are again Chicks!!

Free Book Friday!!

Bound to Please

by Lilli Feisty

This chick put her name to good use...This book is very FEISTY!!

This is erotic fiction done very well and in a believable way. No paranormal stuff here, unless you count the kinky sex.

Ruby is a 37 year old event planner, who has lived a pretty "vanilla" sex life, but has some very anything but vanilla fantasies. She's never shared them with anyone.

UNTIL...

She meets Mark, the very hot, very gifted band boy ten years her junior

who seems to see right through her carefully constructed "good girl", to the wannabe "bad girl" underneath. With Mark, Ruby is able to fulfill her sexual fantasies.

(um...this book is sex pretty much from cover to cover...)

WHAT I LIKED:

I really liked that Ruby is older and sure of herself. She actually even ends the relationship at one point, with Mark coming back for her.

Mark...is tall, dark and bald..with glasses and lots of leather...I love that he's not you typical lookalike leading man...

(um...hello...Vin Diesel..with glasses)

AND...I like that while Ruby has these "submissive" fantasies in the bedroom she's no pushover, she's a strong female lead.

I have 5 copies to giveaway!! Courtesy of Anna at Hatchette!

US and Canada Only please No PO Boxes!

To ENTER:

Please Leave a comment here WITH YOUR EMAIL!!

THANKS and GOOD LUCK!!

WINNER OF SANTA OLIVIA

JACQUELINE CAREY is

DEANNA

Winner of

APRIL AND OLIVER

Tess Callahan

Darby

you chicks are going to love those books!

That's it for today!!

READ ON CHICKS!!!

In Over Her Head...

2009-06-02T09:01:00.005-04:00

In Over Her Head

by Judi Fennell

As you know, I've read a lot of paranormal romance.

I can say for sure though, none of them have ever included a Mer Man. Which, for me is what made this book so much fun!

Erica Peck is a Marina owner who is afraid of the ocean. Carrying out her Grandfather's wishes by spreading his ashes out to sea, she inadvertently also throws with them the diamonds her snake of a boyfriend hid in the urn.

Reel was out human watching when he saw the one he remembered from his boyhood with a gun pointed at her head. When she gets shot, he has two choices, let her get eaten by Vincent the old Great White in his territory, or turn her into a water breather.

Before she can accept there's so much more to this world than she ever imagined, Erica finds herself depending on Reel for her life. They embark on an underwater diamond hunting expedition, trying to avoid Sea Monters, a very hungry Kracken,

And love...

This is a great one to take to the pool or beach chicks! A fun, light romantic read!

I have one copy up for grabs!

Please note,It is my Review Copy!

So, gently used.

US and Canada Only please

NO PO BOXES

To enter Please Leave a comment with your email!!

You can purchase the book at Amazon.com by clicking below!

Winner of Outcast by Cheryl Brooks is
booklover1335

Winner of Mating Rituals of The North American Wasp is
Amber
Chicks, I'll be emailing you!!!

Do you have a business you're trying to get noticed?

I'm offering advertising space here

Prices are very reasonable

Please email me if you're interested at

castellanoamy (at) yahoo (dot) com

That's it for today!

READ ON CHICKS!!

GUEST POST..BLOOD BAR by NORM APPLEGATE

2009-06-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

I've got something a little different for you today Chicks!

Norm Applegate author of Blood Bar

is here as a Guest Blogger!

The rest of this post is written by Norm Applegate.

Blood Bar, is a vampire tale.

Vampires don’t exist...yet, on the brownstone back alley side streets of New York, a vampire dies. Desperate, his lover turns to Kim Bennett, author Norm Applegate’s quintessential heroine whose passion for S&M led to celebrity status as a hell-and-back murder mystery sleuth who’s been there, done that, and then some. This time, Kim finds herself caught between a secret vampire society’s attempts to locate The Black Testament (a sacred document written by Jack the Ripper), the modern-day vampire hunters bent on their destruction, and a white knuckled journey of self-discovery that catapults her into the bowels of hell and the arms of the ultimate vampire.......courtesy of The Haven, New York’s ultimate BLOOD BAR.

Blood Bar is Norm Applegate’s third book, and visit his website at www.normanapplegate.com it’s stuffed full of links to horror sites, authors, actors, and just good stuff.

Title: Blood Bar
Author: Norman Applegate
Paperback: 324 pages
Publisher: BLACK BED SHEETS BOOKS (January 31, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 098225301X
ISBN-13: 978-0982253014
Available: Amazon.com and on the Kindle

When and why did you begin writing?
Started writing in the 90’s while traveling to sharing my experiences with my wife. But began my first novel, Into the Basement in the mid 90’s. It took me a couple of years to get into the daily habit of writing, and reading everything I could about developing a story, it took awhile to find the zone
Always wanted to write a book, didn’t know how, thought it was beyond my capabilities, but while working in New Zealand it began. The hypnosis career changed my life, and realizing nothing is impossible, began writing short notes, tales, and just life experiences to my wife back in the States.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
That moment was when a few readers, strangers actually, people I had never met, sent me emails, or talked to me about something I wrote. The book was Into the Basement, abduction, torture, murder, the usual romantic stuff that makes you squeeze your thighs tight, warms your face, and blush sinfully. It surprised me, thrilled me to know people liked what I liked...I wasn’t alone from that point forward, my dark side had an outlet, freedom.

Do you have a specific writing style?
Yes, I have found my voice. I weave factual information into the plot. For instance, in Blood Bar, a vampire tale, the references, and murder descriptions to Jack the Ripper are all real, as are the unknown facts about the Brooklyn Bridge, did you know John Roebling the builder, died before the bridge was complete, tetanus, cut on something they believe, I think he was bit by a vampire. Let me show you what I mean, here’s an excerpt from Blood Bar

How did you come up with the title?
Blood Bar, A Vampire Tale...what the hell is a blood bar? Sounds creepy, but intriguing. The premise for Blood Bar, was what would happen if you found out you were turning into a vampire. Where else to be initiated but a bar. So I built the plot around my murder mystery sleuth and heroine Kim Bennett, she’s in my first two novels, murder at a bar for vamps, gothic dressed men and woman, and your basic role playing vampires, however it’s fertile ground for picking up fresh meat...if you like that sort of thing. Are you going ask if blood bar exists, I can’t disclose that here for fear of being arrested...blushing sinfully.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I’m lucky, I have a mentor, USA Today’s best selling author David Hagberg. My writing has improved because of his influence, if you haven’t read his works, do it now. He writes realistic CIA terrorist novels.

What are your current projects?
Just finished re-editing Into the Basement, was never happy with what my previous publisher did to it. Next is the screenplay to Basement, written by Nicholas Grabowsky and myself, we have a producer/distributer interested, and the movie is cast with Courtney Gains, then my next novel in the Kim Bennett series that I’m tentatively calling Black Sun Rising, is another vampire tale. You can go to www.intothebasementthemovie.com to read more about the cast, director J.L. Botelho, and see his trailer for Into the Basement...it’s wicked, prepare yourself, you don’t want little kids watching this, seriously don’t let your kids see this.

I need to interject a warning here that what you're

about to read is not for the faint of heart!!

Excerpt from Blood Bar:

Kim Bennett stood still, her head was spinning and she was not sure whether to sit down or stand as Nicolai moved toward her. He looked beautiful. The cubicle with its large table could easily sit eight, and with the drapes shut afforded the luxury of an additional four feet of open space.
He moved closer and extended his arms, Kim stepped forward, and in the tight space Nicolai managed to circle her taking in her physical beauty.
She felt his presence press against her back, and lifting her hair his hand brushed her neck sending a rapid shiver through her body. Kim tilted her head, relaxed her shoulders, and deliberately inhaled and exhaled slowly to control her thundering pulse.
With her hair flowing over his face, Nicolai stopped moving. “Your scent will stay with me forever.” He filled his lungs and continued, “I didn’t know it would be like this.”
“Do you remember the moment we first saw each other?” Kim said, her eyebrow rising seductively. “I couldn’t take my eyes from you.”
Nicolai slipped his hands down along her sides and nervously lifted her sweater over her head. “I wanted you from that first glimpse, all of you.” (I had to remove a pretty racy scene here so blogger doesn't rate me X)
Out of breath, Kim sat upright and cleared her throat. She ran her tongue over her lips, and for the first time let herself accept the undisputed truth, she was a vampire.
“Yes you are.”
“You’re reading my thoughts,” Kim said. “I can block you can’t I?”
He frowned, “If you want.” Then he grasped Kim tight around the waist and smiled. “But I’ll always find you, I’m a good hunter.”
“What happens now?” Kim asked.
There was a silent moment, “With us?” Nicolai knew the meaning to Kim’s question, not only was it about them but also the Black Testament. “We find the last piece of the Testament, destroy it, maybe hide it.”
Nicolai had a concerned look, “You know they’re coming after us?” he said. “I knew the moment I accepted your journey someone would be gunning for me.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“It’s easy to explain, I knew you were special...I just knew in my heart you and I were destined to be together,” he said.
Kim turned her head to hide her smile. She was in love like a school girl and it was embarrassing. “We’d better get going.”
She jumped off the table, grabbed her clothes, and started to get dressed. Nicolai didn’t move. His eyes studied every curve of her body, memorizing her beauty.
“You’re a stunning woman.”
Kim had her back to him and grinned, he loved her, and she knew it. In that moment she wished all this was behind them. The thought of having a haven of vampires after them was not a good thing.
“You said...you knew where it was?” Nicolai’s tone was worried. “Are you sure?”
“I got a feeling when Rose and I were at her house. I didn’t know it then, but after we left I couldn’t shake it. We need to go back there.”
“Okay.” Nicolai murmured.
“There is something about Rose’s father," she said. You’ve never met him have you?”
“All I know is that he’s dying.”
“If she had it, none of this would be happening. So it has to be her father,” Kim said. “He goes back to my childhood, and he knows...” Kim was absolutely right, Thomas Nicholls knew things about Kim that nobody else did.
“Knows what...” Nicolai asked.
“He knows who I am.”

I'm giving up my copy to one lucky winner!

To Enter please leave a comment with your email

us and canada only please no po boxes

winner will be announced June 9th

Thanks to Mr. Applegate for being a part of my blog today!

Have a great one! and

READ ON CHICKS!!

SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

2009-05-31T11:51:00.004-04:00

Hi Chicks!!

It's SELF HELP SUNDAY!!

Here's what I've got for you today!!

The G FREE DIET

Elisabeth Hasselbeck

From Amazon.com:

For years, Elisabeth Hasselbeck couldn't figure out what was making her sick. She asked doctors and consulted nutritionists, but no one seemed to have any answers. It wasn't until spending time in the Australian Outback, living off the land on the grueling Survivor TV show, that, ironically, her symptoms vanished. Returning home, she pinpointed the food that made her sick -- gluten, the binding element in wheat. By simply eliminating it from her diet, she was able to enjoy a completely normal, healthy life. But that wasn't all. Hasselbeck discovered the myriad benefits that anyone can enjoy from a gluten-free diet: from weight loss and increased energy to even the alleviation of the conditions of autism. In this all-inclusive book, Hasselbeck shares her hard-earned wisdom on living life without gluten and loving it. She gives you everything you need to know to start living a gluten-free life, from defining gluten - where to find it, how to read food labels - to targeting gluten-free products, creating G-Free shopping lists, sharing recipes, and managing G-Free living with family and friends.

About the Author: Hasselbeck was formerly known to television audiences as a participant on the wildly popular second edition of Survivor: The Australian Outback. Since taking her coveted seat on The View in 2003 she has been the focus of major magazine covers and articles including USA Weekend, Curious Parents, People, TV Guide, Fitness, Glamour, Us Weekly, Life, Pregnancy and ePregnancy. She has filled in on the FOX News Channel's Fox and Friends, and has been a guest on Hannity and Colmes, Larry King Live, The Martha Stewart Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Good Morning America.

WHAT I THOUGHT: This is a really great resource for someone newly diagnosed with Celiac disease, or just for someone who would like to pursue a gluten free diet. There is a lot of valuable information here including, recipies, grocery lists, eating out, and how to travel. Hasselbeck shares her story in a very personal, easy to relate to way.

I have 5 copies to giveaway courtesy of Anna at Hatchette!

US and Canada only Please no PO Boxes!!

Winners will be announced Sunday June 7th!!

To enter please leave a comment with your email!!

THANKS!

READ ON CHICKS!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-05-29T08:22:00.010-04:00

HI CHICKS!!

IT's FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

Buckle in, I've got a review and then several winners

to announce

SO stick with me!

April and Oliver

by Tess Callahan

I was obviously not meant to get any sleep this week. I've read one amazing book after another!

April and Oliver, best friends since they were kids, but later separated by time and space, find that their paths cross again due to the untimely and tragic death of April's brother Buddy.

Oliver, the overly responsible, engaged law student find himself more and more drawn into April, who needs to be saved most of all from herself and her past. Memories and loss combine, driving their need for each other once again. Sexual tension and yearning builds with a fervor, and more than once I wondered if they would destroy themselves or each other.

There is so much going on in this story that it's nearly impossible to give too much detail without making it seem like it's less than it is. It's the Longing that the author builds here that pulls at you and doesn't let go, not even when it's over. You can't help but to care about these characters when they're written and developed with such compulsion.

What I loved about the way these characters were written, is that even though I don't share their problems, I understood them, empathized with them and felt emotionally invested in their story.

AUTHOR's WEBSITE

TESS CALLAHAN

I have one copy to giveaway courtesy of Miriam at Hatchette. US and Canada only please no PO Boxes.

To enter Please leave me a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL!!

Are you on FACEBOOK?

Did you know you can follow me there?

Just Click on the Networked Blogs Box on the bottom

of the right sidebar!!

Want to join our Discussion group on Goodreads?

Just sign up at Goodreads.com

it's open to everyone and it's FREE!!

then search under groups for

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IT's THAT EASY!!

See this little chick?

If you grab her (by copying and saving to your computer as a .jpeg) and link her to me on your blog, or myspace, or facebook page AND link me back here. You will have a chance to be a Random Linky Winner!!! Due to the rising cost of postage, I need to spread out random linky winner a little more,so instead of every Friday, I will choose random winners twice a month.

You never know when!!

WINNERS!!

Hint of Wicked Winners ARE

nightdweller

limecello

Anita

SueA

elaing8

Prize Pack Winner is

Navybrat76

Shapeshifter Winner is

Sharon54220

Execution of Justice Winner is

PAM

All winners will recieve an email from me!

Random Linky Winner

Chicks I need help with this one, if you link to me could you email me please with (chicklinky in the subj line)

castellanoamy(at)yahoo(dot)com

I will throw everyone's name in a hat and pick a random winner, plus this will help me to build a list to choose from and to visit!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

READ ON CHICKS!!

Santa Olivia...by Jacqueline Carey

2009-05-27T08:51:00.004-04:00

SANTA OLIVIA

by Jacqueline Carey

Once in a while, a book comes along

that leaves me breathless and just blows me away.

I'm still reeling from staying up until 2am

reading a book that I honestly wasn't even

sure I would like in the first 30 or so pages.

Which, completely proves the point, that sometimes

you have to stick and let an author suck you in, in her own way.

In a part of the country that has been forgotten, a de-militarized zone that is not part of Texas or Mexico but is know simply as "Outpost", the military men come and go in the lives of Loup's mother Carmen. But one leaves her with a gift that no one else can, a daughter with his genetically altered offspring.

It doesn't take long for people to notice Loup is different, superhero different. As people around her learn her differences though, they seem to accept them, rather than shun her. Although she is "different" and makes people uncomfortable, she's a part of the community and they take care of their own.

A child who doesn't feel fear, Loup and her friends take it upon themselves to disperse vigilante style justice on the oppressive military presence in their town, blaming it on the patron saint Santa Olivia. For a town that needs some faith, Loup begins to feel her place in the world. As Santa Oliva, she can be herself, she doesn't have to hide her abilities.

This is not a werewolf story as the back of the book seems to suggest.

This is Loup's story. A coming of age story.

This is a story about overcoming impossible obstacles, about love and redemption, and taking a stand against unsurmontable odds.

This book left me on the edge of my seat, my heart beating out of my chest, tears in my eyes and cheering!

AUTHOR's WEBSITE

Jacqueline Carey

I have one copy to give away courtesy of Miriam at Hatchette!!

us and canada only please no po boxes

Winner will be announced on June 3rd

To enter please leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL!!

That's it for today!

READ ON CHICKS!!

Mating Rituals of The North American WASP...

2009-05-26T08:25:00.003-04:00

Mating Rituals of the

North American Wasp

by Lauren Lipton

You know with a title like that

you're in for a fun ride.

This is definitely perfect for light summer reading by the pool or at the beach, and with that cute cover...(have I ever mentioned my covetess nature when it comes to cover art?) you can probably even find a swimsuit or beach bag that matches!

In the style of "What Happens in Vegas", Peggy Adams makes a bachlorette party trip to Sin City, and wakes up in a strange room next to a strange man. She hightails it out of there only to be contacted by him after arriving back home in NYC to discover she married him.

Luke Sedgwick is the last of the New Ninevah, Ct Sedgwick's, a family known in New England as WASP royalty. His suggestion to Peggy that they get an immediate annulment is met with wholehearted aggreement, until Luke's slightly cracked Aunt Abigail finds out about the marriage.

Aunt Abby's been bent on finding someone to produce an heir to the Sedgwick line for years and makes Luke and Peggy an offer they can't refuse. She offers them the option of selling the family estate, which is worth millions, is they stay married for one year. Mayhem ensues in the form of Peggy trying to fit in and entertaining New Englands WASPy families on the weekends, while keeping the marriage a secret and running her business in NYC during the week.

It's a fun book, with a lot of laughs and a sweet romantic love story and the wit and characters keep it from being typical.

I will probably pass this one on to the book group at Goodreads.com.

Want to join? Just go to Goodreads.com and search under groups for CHICBOOKCHICK and join!!!

I have one copy to giveaway courtesy of Miriam at Hatchette!

US and CANADA ONLY please no PO BOXES

TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment with your email address PLEASE

Winner of INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH is

SARA RUSH

I'll be emailing you!

That's it for today!

READ ON CHICKS!!!

Cheryl Brooks and her CAT STAR CHRONICLES!!!

2009-05-25T05:00:00.001-04:00

Um..Can I get a little bit of him please?

And add a little of that while you're at it

OK..he's not looking bad either..

BUT..he's the one I'm supposed to be talking about....

CHICKS, Can you say YUM?

OUTCAST..By Cheryl Brooks

Lynx lived a life of slavery for years after being taken prisoner in the war that destroyed his planet. Bought and sold to the highest bidders over and again and used as a slave of slaves. Having finally earned his freedom, but not knowing how to live on his own or what to do with it, he ends up on the planet Terra Minor penniless and with very few posessions.

Bonnie needs a man, her's up and left her pregnant taking with him all of her money and her only working mode of transportation. She's running a farm on her own on a planet far from Earth. Too bad she hates men. She hires Lynx to help her work the land, and surprises herself when she finds her heart starting to open up to this sad, quiet, wounded stranger who will give her anything, anything that is but himself.

Oh my God...this book is sexy

Let's just say my husband has been pretty happy the past few days.

But, it's not all sex...which is why it's the perfect formula...there is such a sweet love story here between Lynx and Bonnie two wounded hearts that finally find love and I swear it's totally not sappy...you know how I am about tough heroines!

This series is also very different from any other romances I've ever read, no vampires or werewolves or the usual paranormal faire...more of a SciFi/Fantasy twist and I really Love it!!

This is Book #4 in the Cat Star Chronicle Series, and it looks like I'll be reading them backwards. If you are a fan of paranormal romance you do not want to miss these books! I don't know how I did all this time!! Book #5 will be out Jan 2010.

Now I just have to get my hands on the first two...

Cheryl Brooks was kind enough to do an interview for me!!

1. Do you listen to music when you're writing? and if so what?

No, I don ' t, though I know of a plenty of writers who do. I am occasionally inspired by a song, but I find it distracting while I ' m actually writing. I tend to toss ideas around in my head while I ' m driving, too, and have been known to turn off the radio so I can focus better.

2. Name a book you ' ve read more than once.

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart. In fact, her entire Merlin trilogy is something I used to read once a year. There are places in those books that give me tingles even though I ' ve read them at least a dozen times.

3. If you were doing the casting, who do see as playing Lynx and Bonnie?

Impossible to say. There are many good young actors who could play those roles, but I ' m not familiar with a lot of them. I ' d have to leave that up to the casting director, but it would be nice to be in on the approval process.

4. If you were stranded on a desert island, what book would you want with you? (you can only have one)

The Lord of the Rings. It would keep me endlessly entertained.

5. Have you ever read a book that changed your view on something? if so which book?

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I wouldn ' t say it so much changed my view, but gave me a means to explain certain things. Granted, it is a work of fiction, but it still raised some interesting questions and provided some surprising answers.

6. Describe your favorite place to be.

Out in my yard on a cool, clear morning when the wild roses and honeysuckle are in bloom.

7. Did you have a literary mentor or role model when you began writing, who is it?

I ' d have to say it was Mary Stewart because I ' ve read her novels repeatedly throughout my life. I loved her first person point of view, and wasn ' t comfortable writing any other way when I first began to write. The fact that we all see the world in first person makes it seem more realistic, but I know that many romance readers don ' t care for it.
Outcast marks the first of my published novels to be written in third person, and I ' ve found many differences in writing in that style. It ' s more flexible, but not nearly as personal, though it does allow the reader to see inside the hero ' s head, which is something that romance readers crave.

8. Describe yourself in one word.

Versatile.

9. What are you reading right now?

Nothing at the moment, but I recently finished Too Hot to Handle by Robin Kaye, who is also a Sourcebooks author, and I enjoyed it very much.

10. Three things you ' ve read in the last year.
I read the Harry Potter series from beginning to end, and then I start over again. I normally read it before I go to sleep to help get my mind settled down so I CAN sleep. Other than that, I ' ve read books by my Sourcebooks Casablanca sisters, Kendra Leigh Castle, Marie Force, and Linda Wisdom to name a few!

Thanks for having me here on Chic Book Reviews!

Thank you Cheryl!!!

CHERYL's WEBSITE

CHERYL's BLOG

(be warned...hot naked men abound on the blog)

I HAVE ONE COPY OF OUTCAST To

GIVEAWAY

Courtesy of Danielle

at Sourcebooks!

us and canada only please

no po boxes!!

To Enter:

1. LEAVE A COMMENT with YOUR EMAIL!!

2. Please follow me +1 or already a follower +2!!

3. Please Blog about this author (with a link to her site) or book or contest +3 comment back with a link

Winners of MIXSHAKESTIR

are

Kytaira

Carlene

Mandy

Jay

Beth

You'll be getting an email from me chicks! Please respond with your address!!

That's it for today!!

READ ON CHICKS!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-05-22T07:29:00.005-04:00

A Hint of Wicked

by Jennifer Haymore

GET READY CHICKS!!

Ahem... this was a HOT one!!

Sophie, the Duchess of Calton's, husband Garrett

died seven years ago at the Battle of Waterloo leaving her alone and with child.

After many long lonely years she has found comfort in the arms of his best friend and cousin Tristan and they are married.

Until one night, when

Garrett returns having suffered all those years from amnesia,

and wants his life AND his wife back.

Now, Sophie must choose between her first love and her new one, knowing that

there is no way to do that without destroying one of the men she loves.

Now in a race to save her family from destruction, Sophie and her husbands

are caught up in a battle to save themselves from a Blackguard

who is bent on destroying them all.

It has been a long time since I've read a historical romance,

I used to eat them like gummi bears (which is a lot by the way).

But I found I got tired of what seemed to be the same formula

over and over again.

THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE!!

I love how the heroine is in love with TWO men and it plays out very believable.

Sophie is also not your typical historical romance woman,

she's very strong, stronger that the male hero's even

and doesn't take any crap when it comes to taking care of her family!

Needless to say, I really enjoyed this one...

and um...

you might also want to make sure that there's someone around to um..

help you out with your needs while you're reading it...because it's pretty hot!

shhhhh....

This is the first book in what will be a series, so looking forward to what comes next!!

Author Bio/Photo

Jennifer Haymore

I have 5 copies to giveaway courtesy of Anna at Hatchette!

US and Canada only please no PO boxes!

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment with your email +1

2. Please follow me +1 already a follower +2

3. blog about this contest +1

leave extra comments for your extra entries please

This book is on a blog tour for the next couple weeks!!

For other reviews and chances to win, see the links below!!

http://www.foreigncircuslibrary.blogspot.com/ - May 19 review

http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/ - May 19 intro; May 21 review; May 23 Q&A; June 6 announce winners of giveaway

http://ajourneyofbooks.blogspot.com/ - May 21 Q&A

http://chicbookreviews.blogspot.com/ - May 22 review and giveaway

http://www.findthetimetoread.blogspot.com/ - May 26 review and giveaway

http://www.readingwithmonie.com/ - May 26 giveaway

http://zensanity.blogspot.com/ - May 26 Q&A

http://booksoulmates.blogspot.com/ - May 27 giveaway

http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/ - May 28 giveaway

http://www.myspace.com/darbyscloset - May 28 review

http://confessionsofaromancebookaddict.wordpress.com/ - June 1 to 4 Q&A, review, and giveaway

http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/ - June 1 giveaway

http://www.morbid-romantic.net/ - June 2 review, giveaway, Q&A

http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/ - June 3 review and giveaway

http://kayespenguinposts.blogspot.com/ - June 3 giveaway

http://thereviewfromhere.wordpress.com/ - June 4 review

http://www.thebookgirl.net/ - June 5 review and giveaway

http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/ - June 6 review and giveaway

http://martasmeanderings.blogspot.com/ - June 8

http://www.bookwormygirl.blogspot.com/ - giveaway

http://www.alphaheroes.blogspot.com/ - review

TIME for and EXTRA GIVEAWAY CHICKIES!!

Using the same entry rules above I will choose an extra random winner to recieve another prize package!!

This one will have

a handmade journal, and bookmark by our friend and

fellow book chick

plus 2 books!!

Winners for both contests will be announced May 29th!!

Winners of TESTIMONY by ANITA SHREVE

are

SHARON

KAYE

TRISHA LYNN

RACHIEG

KATELONG

Random Linky Winner is

JEANNE BAJ

Don't forget to come back for SELF HELP SUNDAY!!

Thanks for stopping by and

READ ON

CHICKS!!!

Shapeshifter...The Demo Tapes Year 1

2009-05-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

You CHICKS are awesome!!

My friend Susan at Win-a-book West of Mars helped me so much in getting up and running and helping draw traffic here. I am so excited to be able to review her book here today.

Shapeshifter The Demo Tapes

Year 1

by Susan Helene Gottfried

I'll admit I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Even though I have been to The Meet and Greet, which by the way I promise is a blog like no other you have ever been to. Even though, Susan had kind of explained it to me...I'll admit I can be more than a little slow to catch on.

What this book is essentially, is a collection of short stories that introduce you to Trevor Wolff and Mitchell Voss, (their band Shapeshifter) and a bunch of other really cool characters that will someday become part of Susan's first novel Trevor's Song which is in the works and with our support will be published. These pieces have all been published online between April 2006 and March 2007.....and now you're asking "then why do I need the book?". Well, for lots of reasons the most important of which being that you get the pieces in chronological order and ...I don't know about you, but I have to be able to hold a book in my hands...it's just a weird thing with me...I like the smell of paper.

Here's the thing...I LOVE IT!!...This has been a wonderful book for me to carry around the past few days, pulling it out while I'm waiting for the kids here and there, the short pieces are the perfect length and you get so much insight into the characters in each and every one...Trevor is every girls bad band boy, I swear I felt like I was 17 again and wanting to be a groupie. It really is so much fun! I caught myself laughing out loud in several public places while reading it.

Some of my favorites are: Soy Sauce, The Strand, The Time Before Dinner and Quitting

But my favoritest of the favorites is this one:

Rain

Mitchell nudged Kerri awake. When she tilted her face toward him, he whispered, "Rain".

She listened. Sure enough, even over the rumble of the engine she could hear the rain beating on the bus and the sound of water being pushed aside by large wheels. She couldn't remember ever feeling more safe. "Rain", she whispered back, pressed more firmly against him, and promptly fell back to sleep.-Susan Helene Gottfried

Sigh...I swear I can hear the water too

I'm in love with a rock band

Thanks Susan!!

Susan was kind enough to send me a signed copy

which I am going to pass on to one lucky winner!!

To enter:

1. Please leave a comment with your email!

2. Please blog about or link to Susan's Blog

in a blog post and please leave me another

comment that you did so

Winner will be announced on May 28th!!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Don't forget tomorrow is FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

READ ON CHICKS!!

The Execution of Justice...

2009-05-19T08:24:00.003-04:00

The Execution of Justice by Michael Phelps

I was so honored when Mr. Phelps asked me personally to review his book.

This is the debut story of Mike Walsh, a patrol officer in the Indianapolic Police Department and it introduces us to what will be a series of Mike Walsh detective novels.

As we follow Officer Walsh through the story he gets promoted to Detective in the Robbery and Homicide division and gets partnered with his former mentor Sergeant Jack Lovell. I really enjoyed learning through Mike Walsh, the steps to solving a crime. Very cool!

This isn't just a Detective Novel..and that's what I really like about it. The author really gives a detailed look at what life is like for those who serve in the Police Department both on and off duty.

As we read, we watch in vivid detail as Walsh's marriage fails and he turns to alcohol and eventually sobers up and leaves his job. The development of Mike Walsh is done very well, and I really appreciated the insight it gave me of day to day life for a police officer.

I really look forward to seeing what happens next in the Mike Walsh story.

Courtesy of the Author Mr. Phelps, I have one SIGNED COPY to give away!!

To enter please leave a comment WITH your email!!

Winner will be chosen May26th!!

Winner of FAULT LINE by BARRY EISLER

BETHANY

watch your inbox for an email chickie!

THAT's ALL FOLKS!

READ ON CHICKS!!

SELF HELP SUNDAY!!! with Late Free Book Friday!!!

2009-05-17T08:50:00.004-04:00

My apologies CHICKS...I've had a very busy several days

BUT

I'm making it up to you

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION to THE ENTRY RULES TODAY CHICKS!!

I've GOT A COUPLE GIVEAWAYS HERE TODAY!!

FIRST...

THE Free Book Friday GIVEAWAY

TESTIMONY

by Anita Shreve

I haven't had time to read this yet, BUT

it looks really good.

This from Amazon.com

At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellinglyexplores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

I have 5 copies to giveaway courtesy of Valerie at Hatchette Book Group!

US and Canada Only no PO Boxes Please!!

Winners will be announced on Friday May 22nd!!

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL (please put the word Testimony in your comment)

2. Follow me +1...already a follower +2 please leave a separate comment

3. Blog about this giveaway +1 leave another comment with a link

TIME for SELF HELP SUNDAY!

I love to sit and look at recipes...

the beautiful photos of yumminess inspire the crafter in me and with all the bright colors I'm like a kid in a candy store...

This next book is so much fun,

AND will look so pretty on your coffee table!!

MIXSHAKESTIR

Danny Meyer

Don't listen to whatever you may have heard about me..

I'm not a big drinker...:-)

BUT..I do like the occasional yummy cocktail

I almost always have to stop at one though, because the second one never fails to put me on the floor...BUT

I really like to make them when I get the chance...

Maybe I should have been a bartender...

That being said...

THIS BOOK IS SO MUCH FUN!! Filled to the brim with recipies from Danny Meyer's acclaimed NYC restaurants, it takes cocktails to a whole new level. I should also add that the photography in this book is amazing. Everything looks delicious. Danny goes into detail to let you know what basic tools you will need to create these eye catching concoctions and the correct glassware to serve them in. With summer coming quickly, you can spruce up your backyard entertainment by impressing your guests with your bartending skills!

I have 5 copies to giveaway courtesy of Anna at Hatchette! US and Canada Only please No PO Boxes!!

To ENTER:

1. Leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL (put COCKTAIL in your comment)

Winners will be announced Sunday May 21st

CHICK LINKY WINNER FOR FREE BOOK FRIDAY IS

ROBYNCGIRL

(COMBATCROPPER)

Winner of STANDING BY by Allison Buckholtz is

FIBREJUNKY

(CAROLE)

Watch your inboxes...you'll be getting an email from me

THAT's it for Today

enjoy the rest of your weekend and

READ ON CHICKS!!

Into The Beautiful North...

2009-05-14T05:00:00.001-04:00

Hey Chickadees!

I've got 2 winners to announce today so make sure you scroll down to see if you're one of them!

Into the Beautiful North

by Luis Alberto Urrea

Nayeli is a 19 year old girl working at a small taco shop in her very small town in Mexico. Little by little she has watched her whole life as the men leave the town to go north to American to find work, leaving her home defenseless and vulnerable to banditos.

After watching The Magnificent Seven, Nayeli hatches a scheme to go north and recruit her own seven men "Seite Magnificos" to protect her home from the drug lords who plan to take it over.

This story is rich with characters you will not forget! I loved Nayeli and her snarky Aunt Irma, who is also running for Mayor. It also has this funny, feel good quality to it that left me happy, and wanting to know more.

I have one copy to give away courtesy of Miriam at Hatchette Books!

To Enter Please Leave a Comment! Winner will be chosen Thursday May 24th!!

Winner of NINE LESSONS by Kevin Milne

CHERYL

Winner of THE WAY HOME

by George Pelacanos

CHRIS

I'll be sending you an email, please respond with your address!!

That's it for Today!

READ ON CHICKS!!

Fault Line ...

2009-05-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

Hi Chicks!!

Hope everyone out there had a wonderful Mother's day!!

Fault Line by Barry Eisler

Attorney Alex Treven has been waiting for his biggest payday ever when he closes a contract worth millions with an inventor of encryption software. But then the inventor is murdered and Alex himself is attacked as well. Alex calls on the help of his estranged brother Ben, an undercover black-ops soldier who flies in to help him and immediately becomes a target.

When Ben arrives, Alex reveals he isn't the only one who knew about the technology. There is someone else; Sarah Hosseini, an Iranian American lawyer that Alex has long desired and Ben does not trust.

The character development in this story is done very well, the relationships are explored deeply and it all blends perfectly with all the action. LOTS of action and suspense here, which make it really hard to put down. I loved it!

About the Author:
After graduating from Cornell Law School, Barry Eisler spent three years in a covert position with the CIA's Directorate of Operations, then worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earning his black belt at the Kodokan International Judo Center. Eisler's thrillers have won the Barry Award and the Gumshoe Award for Best Thriller of the Year, have been included in numerous "Best Of" lists, and have been translated into nearly twenty languages. The first book in Eisler's assassin John Rain series, Rain Fall, has been made into a movie starring Gary Oldman that was released by Sony Pictures in April 2009.
For more information about the author or his work, please visit http://www.barryeisler.com/

This Book is part of a blog tour.

I have one copy to give away!

To enter:

Please leave a comment with your email!!

Winner will be drawn Monday May 18th!

That's it for Today!

READ ON CHICKS!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-05-08T05:00:00.000-04:00

Hey There CHICKS!!

IT's FRIDAY!!!

Standing By

The Making of a Military Family

in the Time of War

by Alison Buckholtz

Whatever your political affiliations may be, I hope that you support our men and women serving and who have served both here and over seas. As both an Air Force veteran and wife, I have lived the military for my entire adult life. I have no idea what it would be like to not have this family, these friends, this connection to our country that makes my heart swell everytime I listen to the National Anthem.

There are not enough good things for me to say about this book. The author, Alison Buckholtz, married her Navy Pilot husband, shortly after Septemper 11th, 2001. Having never experienced military life first hand, this is the story of her family, and some of the families they have served with. With sensitivity and respect, the author tells the story of the heroes who stay home, the husbands, wives and children who are left behind while their loved ones are serving.

The Author is honest in her views, and does not pull any punches. She describes herself as a "warrior on behalf of her family" which I feel is an incredibly accurate depiction of the family members of todays military.

This is NOT a book about politics, it seeks to show the reader what life is like for military families today. I've never read or seen anything that puts this life into words so well. I kept earmarking passages as I went through, there are just too many to put them all here...but for me in the first few pages Buckholtz is able to sum it up like no one ever has:

" Supporting America as a military family has little to do with who sits in the Oval Office, which political party dominates Congress, or even how we feel about the Global War on Terorism. I feel strongly that terms like "pro-war" and "antiwar" don't apply anymore because the complexity of the situation we find ourselves in as a country transcends past positions. My feelings about service members and their families, however, are not complicated. I have never met people who worked harder, spoke more earnestly, or internalized a stronger sense of responsibility towards their fellow citizens. Marrying into the military granted me a passport to an America I never knew existed, populated by a people whose overwhemling public silence masks lives lived at an intensity that would crush most mortals."

See what I mean?

I am giving away my copy of this book to one lucky reader!

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment WITH your email

and I will also be adding this to our book group at

Goodreads.com

Want to join? Just sign up at Goodreads and look under groups

for ChicBookChick and join us!!

Today's Random Linky winner is:

Mary (meah56)

Every Friday I pick someone who

has put my linky on their sidebar for a

random act of reading happiness

Winner of Joshilyn Jackson's

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming

are

Christine (Scullylove)

Nightdweller

Jackie (jacquelinez)

Kristen (whitreidsmama)

Jessica (livingthesilverdream)

Chicks, you'll be getting an email from me!!

that's it for today!!

READ On CHICKS!!

The Way Home...

2009-05-07T09:49:00.003-04:00

Hello CHICKLETS!!

I've got a Great one for you today!!

The Way Home by George Pelecanos

I loved this story in a way I didn't expect to at all. This definitely is not my typical faire, it's dark and gritty and at times violent.

Chris Flynn is one of those kids who has a good home, with a solid family and yet still manages to get in trouble time and again. This time, the damage he's caused lands him in a juvenile prison.

He gets out and goes to work for his father, putting the past behind him. One day working a job, he and his partner, (also a friend from his juvie days) come upon a large sum of money which Chris says to leave behind. He's accused of stealing it anyway by two criminals and Chris must face who he once was in order to survive.

As I followed Chris through the story, I couldn't decide if I felt sorry for the boy who lost his way or wanted to smack him. I really like it when an author does this. The character development in this story is done very well. The relationships played out between Chris and his friends and family I felt were well written and explored just enough.

I have one copy to give away courtesy of Miriam at Hatchette. Winner will be chosen on May 14th. Us and Canada only please no p.o.boxes.

To enter just leave a comment with your email! Please do not forget your email!

Come back tomorrow for

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!!

and

READ ON CHICKS!!

The Nine Lessons...

2009-05-04T08:18:00.004-04:00

The Nine Lessons by Kevin Milne

If there's a father in your life who enjoys golf this would make a pretty good father's day gift.

Augusta Witte revisits his estranged father one night after he finds out his wife is pregnant. Full of anger and blame he seeks to take out his frustration with impending fatherhood on the only person who he sees at fault for all the wrongs of his life, London Witte. Augusta's mother died when he was very young and he felt overshadowed by his father's love of golf as opposed to him. The night Augusta shows up at his father's door, London makes a deal with him, meet with him every month for nine months to play a round of gold and each month he will give Augusta a piece of the journal he kept of Augusta's mother, kept on gold score cards.

I found this to be sweet, but kind of overly so. The relationships between Augusta and his father and Augusta and his wife are believable. It came off as kind of preachy to me, so it would make a good gift if you or someone you know likes christian fiction.

I have one copy to give away courtesy of Miriam at Hatchette.

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment.

I have winners to announce!!

The 5 Winners of Charla Krupps

How Not To Look Old

are

NFMGIRL

CHERI2628

JAMIE

CARI

ROBYN

THE 5 WINNERS of ONE DEADLY SIN by ANNIE SOLOMON

ARE

CHRISTI

EM18966

CHERYL

LUVDAYLILLIES

RACHIE

CHICKS-

I'll be emailing you

please respond with your address!

That's it for today!!

READ ON CHICKS!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-04-30T22:16:00.007-04:00

Yeah,

You know what time it is...

It's FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!!

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming

by Joshhilyn Jackson

I haven't recieved my review copy of this one yet so this description is from Barnes and Noble:

Laurel Gray Hawthorne needs to make things pretty. Coming from a family with a literal skeleton in their closet, she's developed this talent all her life, whether helping her willful mother to smooth over the reality of her family's ugly past, or elevating humble scraps of unwanted fabric into nationally acclaimed art quilts. Her sister Thalia, an impoverished "Actress" with a capital A, is her opposite, and prides herself in exposing the lurid truth lurking behind life's everyday niceties. And while Laurel's life was neatly on track, a passionate marriage, a treasured daughter, and a lovely home in lovely suburban Victorianna, everything she holds dear is thrown into question the night she is visited by an apparition in her bedroom. The ghost appears to be her 14-year-old neighbor Molly Dufresne, and when Laurel follows this ghost , she finds the real Molly floating lifeless in her swimming pool. While the community writes the tragedy off as a suicide, Laurel can't. Reluctantly enlisting Thalia's aid, Laurel sets out on a life-altering investigation that triggers startling revelations about her own guarded past, the truth about her marriage, and the girl who stopped swimming.

5 Copies up for Grabs courtesy of Valerie at Hatchette Book Group

US and Canada Only please no po boxes

To enter please leave a comment with your email!

WINNER! WINNER!!!!

2009-04-30T05:00:00.000-04:00

Hey CHICKADEES!!!

I've got winners to announce!

The Susan Elizabeth Phillips winner is

Mary (meah56)

And

THE 100 FOLLOWER PRIZE PACKAGE GOES TO

Kelly Klauser

Both winners were chosen using Random.org

Thanks so much to everyone for participating and for your support!

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for

Free Book Friday!!

READ ON CHICKS!!

One Deadly Sin Blog Tour...

2009-04-27T07:36:00.004-04:00

One Deadly Sin by Annie Solomon

I have no idea how I have completely missed this author with all the reading I do. This book hits newstands tomorrow and you won't be disappointed.

Edie Swann is not your typical heroine, she a tough, bartending, tattooed harley driver bent on revenge of what she believes to be the murder (not suicide) of her father when she was a little girl. She's a butt kicker, and I just LOVE that!!

Sheriff Holt Drennen is a big city cop who came back home to be the sheriff of his small hometown of Redbud, and also the son of one of the men involved in Edie's father's demise.

As someone starts picking off Edie's list of suspects soon after she's spoken with them, all eyes in town start to point toward her, and Holt is caught between his desire for Edie and the town who accuses her.

This book grabs you in the first several pages and holds on until the end. I will definitely be checking out this authors other books!

This book is on a blog tour during the next two weeks. Check out the list of blogs below for more reviews and giveaways!

http://thisbookforfree.com

http://www.ReadingWithMonie.com/

http://unmainstreammomreads.blogspot.com

http://www.erecsite.com/blog.html

http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/

www.myspace.com/darbyscloset

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com

http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/

http://martasmeanderings.blogspot.com

http://chicbookreviews.blogspot.com

http://www.beckyworkman.blogspot.com/

http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/

http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/

http://enroutetolife.blogspot.com/

http://abookishmom.blogspot.com

http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/

http://zensanity.blogspot.com

http://carolsnotebook.wordpress.com/

http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

http://www.morbidromantic.net

http://booksiesblog.blogspot.com

http://bridget3420.blogspot.com

http://danys-san.blogspot.com/

http://debbiesworld.wordpress.com

http://purplg8ranybooks.blogspot.com/

http://abookishmom.blogspot.com

http://chicbookreviews.blogspot.com

http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com

Courtesy of Anna at Hatchette, I have 5 copies to give away!

US and Canada Only no PO boxes plese

All you have to do is leave a comment BUT don't forget your email!!!

The Winner of City of Thieves by David Benioff is

TeddyRose

you'll be getting an email from me shortly

See ya Later !!

READ ON CHICKS!!

SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

2009-04-26T08:44:00.005-04:00

"PEEP SHOW"

This photo was taken from a Peep Diorama Contest

here.

Hey there CHICKS!! Welcome to SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

How Not To Look Old by Charla Krupp

I can't be the only one out there who needs this advice.

This book is so much fun...like a girlfriend you can fit in your tote bag...seriously

This book starts out with a quiz "Are you High, Medium or Low Maintenance?" and then each section addresses you accordingly..LOVE THAT!..I'm low by the way...(but that's not necessarily a good thing)

I love this...page 42.."If it's on your body, and headed south, it needs to make a U-turn"

Every chapter opens with "Nothing makes you look old like...." and proceeds to spout those things we're still doing that we did in our twenties, and why they don't work for us anymore.

This book covers everything from plucking your eyebrows to choosing the right shoes and how to go about it in a very fun and amusing way. I know you chicks are going to love it!!

5 Copies are up for grabs to 5 very lucky chicks!!

Thanks to Anna at Hatchette for this giveaway!

1. Please leave a comment WITH your email (gotta have your email chicks)

extra entries:

2..Leave an extra comment if you follow me, or if you don't follow me yet please do

3. Please follow me on facebook, it's the "networked blog" box on the bottom right of my sidebar

THANKS SO MUCH!!

I've Got a NEW CHICK!

Courtesy of my friend

BloomingPink

Pick this one up and add it to your sidebar if you like,

I pick a random linky winner every FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!!

This weeks winner of

"You get the Peanut Butter, I'll get the Bread..Best Friends in Business"

goes to

AUNTRENE!!

You'll be getting an email from me, please respond with your address!

THANKS For COMING BY!

READ ON CHICKS!!

Free Book FRIDAY!!!!!

2009-04-24T07:48:00.004-04:00

YOU CHICKS's ROCK!!!

107 followers!!

Thank you so so much!!

If you haven't been here before then,

WELCOME

TO CHIC BOOK CHICK!!!

MADE IN THE U.S.A. Billie Letts

I haven't received my review copy of this one yet, so I can't review it...BUT I have read Where the Heart Is and I LOVED it, so I am really looking forward to getting my hands on this one!!

This description is from Barnes and Noble:

Luttie McFee's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. With her mother long dead and her father long gone to find his fortune in Las Vegas, 15-year-old Luttie lives in the god-forsaken town of Yankton, South Dakota with her nine-year-old brother, Fate, and Floy Satterfield, the 300-pound ex-girlfriend of her father. While Lutie shoplifts for kicks, Fate spends most of his time reading, watching weird TV shows and worrying about global warming and the endangerment of pandas. As if their life is not dismal enough, one day, while shopping in their local Wal-Mart, Floy keels over and the two motherless kids are suddenly faced with the choice of becoming wards of the state or hightailing it out of town in Floy's old Pontiac. Choosing the latter, they head off to Las Vegas in search of a father who has no known address, no phone number and, clearly, no interest in the kids he left behind.MADE IN THE USA is the alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy children who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.

Thank you to Valerie at Hatchette Books for this giveaway!!

FIVE COPIES UP FOR GRABS CHICKIES!!!

This one is going to last for two weeks at the request of Valerie at Hatchette...

Winners will be announced on Friday May 8th!!!

Open to US and Canada only please no PO BOXES

1. Leave a Comment

2. For an extra entry please follow me, if you're already a follower leave a second comment saying so

3.ARE YOU on Facebook? If so please follow me there also...just scroll down on my right side bar, there's a little box there and click follow...leave another comment saying you did so

4. Do you have my "chick" on your sidebar? TELL ME!!! Leave me a comment telling me where I can come and see it!!....I pick a random chick winner every FRIDAY!!

Don't know what I'm talking about? email me at castellanoamy @ yahoo . com (w/o the spaces) and I'll email it to you!!!

THANK YOU!!

RANDOM CHICK LINK WINNER THIS WEEK IS

MARGIE!!!

THIS WEEKS WINNERS ARE

All of Me by Lori Wilde

Jodi (JodinJaz)

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

Sara (SuperSara216)

Stakes and Stilettos by Michelle Rowan

Jackee4 (djg520)

Ladies I'll be emailing you, please reply with your address!!

Thank you!!

Still time to enter to win the following:

You Get the Peanut Butter....Best Friends in Business

City Of Thieves

Glitter Baby

100 Followers Prize Package

Have a wonderful weekend!!

and

READ ON CHICKS!!

YOU DID IT!!!

2009-04-23T05:00:00.000-04:00

100 Followers and Counting!!

Thank you so much!!

To Celebrate,

I'm giving away a prize package with the following:

4 VERY Gently read CHICK BOOKS

These will be paperback in like new or new condition

A handmade journal

(to journal or keep track of your ever growing TBR pile)

A handmade bookmark

A set of 4 handmade cards with envelopes

Handmade items are handcrafted by me,

you can see examples of my work

HERE

To enter:

1. Please Leave a Comment

That's it!

Open to all

A winner will be randomly chosen on

Thursday, April 30th!

Thanks so much

and

READ ON CHICKS!!

Passion Unleashed Winners!!

2009-04-22T07:22:00.005-04:00

And the winners of

Passion Unleashed

by Larissa Ione

are!!!

Donnas

Charley

Tina

Flip

Annmarie

You will be receiving an email from me,

please reply within 48 hours with your address!

THANKS!!

99 FOLLOWERS!!!

Holy Moly CHICKS!

Thank you so much for your support!!

Can we hit 100?

I'll list a special giveaway as soon as it happens!!

Have a wonderful Day and

READ ON CHICKS!!

Boy Meets Chick...

2009-04-21T05:00:00.001-04:00

Hey Chicks!

It's TUESDAY!

and if you haven't noticed the trend here yet

this is the day I pick a favorite author and review and recommend a few books....

What I Did for Love

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

(henceforth known as SEP)

SEP's latest is sure to please her old fans and will definitely grant her some new ones.

Georgie York is a former child star, recently heartbroken by her movie star ex-husband..There seems to be a lot of parallels to the Jennifer Anniston/Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie story here...Georgie's ex is a huge box office star, the woman he leaves her for is equally famous and exotic, and the public sympathizes with Georgie. But Georgie is sick of the sympathy and has decided to take matters into her own hands. Enter Georgie's former co-star Bram who is the sexy Hollywood badboy we all love to hate...and sparks fly. A trip to Vegas, Paparazzi everywhere, and a marriage under the influence all ensue, and yes it all kind of has a predictable ring to it....BUT, SEP makes this story fun and new...by adding her wit and comedic talents. What SEP does better than most, I think, is build sexual tension. This story is no exception, actually it's probably one of her best.

Some other great Titles by SEP are

SEP has a way of developing unique characters that make her stories not just your average "Boy Meets Girl"

I am giving away a gently read copy of Glitter Baby, Susan Elizabeth Phillips first contemporary romance which was recently re-issued.

To Enter:

1. leave a comment and don't forget to leave your email in the comment PLEASE!

2. For an extra entry follow me --if you're already a follower Thank YOU! leave an extra comment

Winner will be randomly chosen on April 28th!

Thanks so much!!

The Winner of Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard is

BRIDGET 3420

(bridget please email your address to me at

castellanoamy@yahoo.com with "winner" in the subject line)

Thanks so Much!

and

READ ON CHICKS!!

Something Out of the Ordinary...

2009-04-20T09:22:00.010-04:00

One of the books I recently received for review

caught my teenage sons' eye,

so he asked if he could read and review it for a homeschool assignment.

Of course I was absolutely tickled to death that

he was taking an interest in reading, so the answer was a resounding YES!!

I know this is mostly a "chick" place,

but most of us "chicks" have kids that might not be chicks,

SO- I thought it might be fun to do thing a little different today.

Never fear though,

at the end of this review there's another one that's a little more "chickie"

So Heeeeeere's Britain:

City of Thieves David Benioff
Review by: Britain Castellano
This book follows the story of Lev Benioff, a 17 year old boy who is caught looting and put into the same cell as a deserter named Kolya during the Nazi siege of Leningrad. Both thought they were going to be executed, but instead they are given a chance at saving their lives by completing an odd mission: find a dozen eggs for a powerful Soviet colonel to use in his daughter’s wedding cake.
This book is very dramatic and adventurous. David Benioff does a better job in transitioning in this book than in any other book I have ever read(I’m almost 14 but I have read plenty of books!). This is obviously an adult book, but I think I like adult books better than “young adult” books after reading this. The book is very savage, brutal, and funny! David Benioff, like I stated earlier, is very good at instantly changing the mood of the story.
The only complaint I have is that the book was not longer! I just kept wanting to read on but eventually it ended, like all good things do. I loved the fact that every character had a distinct and constant personality. In this way, the author excels even farther. Especially how he shows Lev(the main character) gradually changing thoughts and acting differently like a real person would, instead of suddenly making a dramatic emotion/personality change the way a lot of young adult characters do.
David Benioff captures the heart and emotions of his readers. The entire story, I felt like every person, place, and thing mattered, I CARED about the characters. Also, in many parts of the story, I broke out in laughter at the funny jokes present.
From sadness to savagery to humor, David Benioff has produced a gripping and thrilling masterpiece! Hats off to you mister Benioff and thank you for providing me with many hours of pure enjoyment.

Thanks to Alexandra Ramstrom at Penguin Group for this book.

Parents, there are swear words and I would say a moderate amount of violence in this book, but no more so than anything they see on basic cable or xbox 360 today. Plus it's an actual BOOK!!!

I will be sharing our review copy with one lucky commenter to this post

To enter please leave a comment with your thoughts on Britain's review of the book, I want you to give him a grade!! AND don't forget your email address, I can't count your entry without it!!
Britain will chose a winner on Monday April 27th!

About a week after this blog launched

I received an email from Mandy Blake of

Reading Comfort

This woman has come up with some fabulous ideas!

The Book Buddy is the cutest ever

little lap pillow, that I never knew I needed.

The BB comes with a removable acrylic desktop that you can use for your laptop, (no more setting your lap on fire) but here's one of the other cool things...my kids have discovered it also makes a great lap desk for their snacks in front of the TV, or while working on their school work. (we homeschool) The adjustable straps hold the acrylic in place so your work doesn't slide all over the place.

The second set of straps are great for holding your book in place while you're reading and these are also adjustable. We've been fighting over mine since it arrived about a week ago. The quality is amazing, I'm no expert but it seems to be manufactured from a similiar weight to upholstery fabric, very thick and durable, which keeps the weight of the acrylic and laptop from making it "sink".

Mandy has tons of other great products available over at reading comfort, great gift ideas for every book lover you know, and for yourself.

For CHIC BOOK CHICK readers Mandy is Offering a FREE GIFT with every BOOK BUDDY ORDER. After placing your order, click on the lower left icon titled "WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK" and mention your order and that you came over from Chic Book Chick!! Thanks Mandy!!

There is still time to enter the following Giveaways

You Buy The Peanut Butter, I'll get the Bread Kirsten Poe Hill and Renee Warren

Mr. Perfect Linda Howard

Passion Unleashed Larissa Ione

READ On CHICKS!!

SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

2009-04-19T08:53:00.005-04:00

You Bring The Peanut Butter,

I'll Get the Bread......

Best Friends in Business

Kirsten Poe Hill & Renee E Warren

Maybe you're like me, and you have constant delusions of granduer, when you're letting your mind wander and you find yourself developing your own business in your head, (my delusions are so big, I even write them down sometimes). I have this crazy dream that someday I will be able to make money doing what I love.

These two gutsy women did exactly that. They share their story with us, not only their aspirations, but also with a true "how to" look at how they made it happen. I love how honest they are about their mistakes and pitfalls as well as their successes and what it took for them to come out successful, in a world and a time where few businesses do. I also liked that these women took what could have been a very dry, dull "how to" business book and turned it into an informative, fun and often inspiring story by adding their personal experiences to the mix.

The authors Kirsten Poe Hill and Renee E Warren are the cofounders of Noelle-Elaine Media Inc. a New York City based even management, media relations, and production firm with many notable corporate, nonprofit and celebrity clients.

Thank you to Alexandra Ramstrum with Hudson Street Press & Plume for this book.

I am willing to share my Review copy with one lucky CHICK!

To Enter please

1. Leave a comment with your email in it

For extra entries:

2. Follow Me/or already a follower please leave another comment saying so

3. Please blog about this contest and come back here and comment about it

Winner will be randomly chosen April 26

Open to all

Thanks so much!!

Winners of Last Sundays Giveaway

Living Beauty by Bobbi Brown are

BINGO

CAROLYN

BETH

JANA

JAYME

CHICKS, you will be receiving an email from me

You need to respond with your address within 48 hours

I pick new chicks!!

We are 52 and growing in the

Chic Book Chick

Group at Goodreads.com

The group is open to all you don't have

to wait for an invitation!!

I've got a giveaway going on over there too

Come and join us!!

Take care and

Read On Chicks!!

FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

2009-04-17T05:00:00.001-04:00

Hey There My CHICKS!!!

Ready for a little FUN!!

Stakes and Stilettos
Michelle Rowen

I love how a fresh look at vampires
can make them all fun again!
Michelle Rowen's vampires don't
go around trying to bite everyone, or kill people. They don't control minds, have super human strength, or turn into bats.
They mostly drink their blood from a keg...beer style. They breathe, have beating hearts, and can walk around in sunlight. In fact, they're almost human...almost...except for immortality and pesky liquid diets.

Sarah Dearly is a newly turned vamp who is trying to get used to her new life, but the universe is working against her. In a matter of a week she loses her job, gets staked, gets cursed by a witch to be a nightwalker, And to top things off she's having trouble talking her boyfriend's wife into letting him go so that they can be together.

This is actually the 4th book in the Immortality Bites series, #5 is due out August 25 of this year, so you have plenty of time to catch up. I really enjoyed this fresh look at vampires.

Michele Rowen's characters are funny, witty, and people I would want to hang out with. I thought I had pretty much read everything that could be written about vampires, I'm pleasantly surprised and pleased to say that I haven't.

The Winners of the 5 Copies ARE:

Danie

Tetewa

Holly

Nicole

Violet

Ladies, you'll be recieving an email from me

Please respond with your address within 48 hours or

I pick new CHICKS!

Today's Giveaway is

My copy of the following three books

(so they are gently read by me)

All of Me by Lori Wilde

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

Stakes and Stilettos by Michele Rowen

I will pick 3 winners to be announced next Friday, April 24th!

All you need to do for this one is leave a comment

BUT, please put your email in your comment or it won't count

Random Blinkie winner this week is:

LUVLEE STAMPER!!

send me your address for a suprise Chickadee!!

grab my chick and put it on your sidebar

(with a link)

link me back for a chance at

a random act of reading happiness!!

(have questions email me castellanoamy@yahoo.com)We are growing like crazy over at Goodreads.com

lots of fun conversation and chickiness

49 members and counting in the Chic Book Chick Group!!
Come and join us!!!!

See my sidebar for more places to win free books!

Scroll down for my other giveaways!!

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of your support!!

Don't forget to come by for SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

Is it Hot in here, or is it this book I'm reading....?

2009-04-15T05:00:00.001-04:00

Passion Unleashed Larissa Ione

It's definitely the book...Serena Kelly is one of a select few, a charmed human. Keeper of a treasure so great no one except the angels even know what exactly it is or can be used for. Serena only knows that it's keeping her alive, having been been bitten by a Mara Demon when she was only six, losing the charm or her viginity also means losing her life. The charm protects her from anything or anyone that would mean her harm, but who is going to protect her from herself?

Wraith is a Seminus Demon, an incubus, out to populate the world with more demons, and kill whatever gets in his way...because that's what demons do. The one good thing in his life is "Underworld General" the hospital for supernatural beings he started with his brothers, building it using their combined life forces.

Until fate puts Serena in his path. When Wraith is poisoned by an asassain, the only cure is the charm protecting Serena and in order for Wraith to live, Serena will have to die.

I should maybe interject here...as the cover suggests..(and where can I get one of him, btw) this book is hot...yowza! But, the story doesn't depend on the sex to keep it interesting, there's a great plot here as well and the writer does an excellent job balancing the two with a lot of action.

This is book #3 in the Demonica series, and as my ever growing TBR pile turns into Mt Everest, the other two are definitely on my list as they are the stories of Wraith's brothers, Shade and Eidolon who are already hitched in Passion Unleashed. I'm thinking there will probably be more.

The first two titles are:

If you enjoy paranormal romance I know you'll like this. Fans of Gena Showalter I'm positive you will really enjoy it.

I've got 5 copies to give away!!

1. Leave a Comment +1

2. Follow Me +1 already a follower +2

3. Post this contest on your blog (can be on your sidebar or a post) +3

PLEASE put your email in your comments

us and canada only please no Po Boxes, thanks to Ana at Hatchette for these books!

Winners will be announced on April 22nd!

The Winners of the 5 copies of ALL OF ME by Lori Wilde are

Nicole

HeatherM

NotNessie

Scottsgal

CONGRATS LADIES!

Please email your address to

castellanoamy@yahoo.com

with "WINNER" in the subject line within 48 hours

or I'll have to pick another chick!!

Our Goodreads group is growing

we're at 44 members now

Way to Rock IT!

If you'd like to join just go to

Goodreads.com

and join

the Group

"Chic Book Chick"

THANKS for Stopping by and

READ ON CHICKS!!

Daring Time Contest

2009-04-15T03:00:00.000-04:00

Click here to enter the Daring Time Contest!

Romance...with some murder on top and a side of espionage

2009-04-14T05:00:00.001-04:00

Happy

Tuesday

Chicks!!

If you like your romance to have some murder, suspense, and sometimes even a little espionage on the side I suggest you give Linda Howard a try.

(I've read pretty much everything she's ever written,unless there's a title out there I somehow missed due to unavailability)

My favorite by Linda Howard is probably Mr. Perfect.

Jaine Bright is another one of those heroines that I just couldn't get enough of. She's a smartass with quick wit and an honesty with herself that I so admire. (Ahem..do you see a trend with me loving smart ass heroines?...) The back drop of this book has a grisly murderer on the loose stalking Jaine and her friends after they get together one Friday night after work and as a joke put together a list of attributes that their "Mr. Perfect" would posess. But, Jaine's character is so strong and the heat between her and Sam (the hero) is so...well...hot... that it's sometimes hard to remember that.

This book was published in June 2001, the only thing that dates it is a conversation about midway through about 3 of the women not having cell phones. It's pretty widely available at local libraries, paperback swap, and amazon.

Some other books to check out by Linda Howard are:

There are lots more really good ones, these are just some of my favorites

I've got a gently used copy of Mr Perfect up for grabs!

1. leave me a comment = 1 entry

2. become a follower = 1 entry already a follower =2

3. Put my linky on your sidebar = 3 entries and also enables you to get other chances for random acts of reading

Winner will be announced next Tuesday, April 21

Here's the Linky

The Winner of Jennifer Crusie's

Faking It

Drey

Drey please email me your address and put "winner" in the subject line and I will get this out to you!

Join us as Goodreads.com

just chicks talking about books

no stress and no deadlines

but lots of fun!!

Group Name

"Chic Book Chick"

Come back tomorrow for another review, giveaway, and winners announced for

All of Me by Lori Wilde

What Happens In Vegas... After Dark

2009-04-14T04:00:00.001-04:00

HEY CHICKS!!!
Scroll down for more Giveaways and Review
I just wanted to share this contest with you!

It's SELF HELP SUNDAY!!!

2009-04-12T07:43:00.007-04:00

HAPPY
EASTER!!!

Hello there chicks!! I hope everyone is enjoying their EASTER!!
It's SELF HELP SUNDAY here at
CHIC BOOK CHICK...thanks for taking time out of your busy day to stop by...I'll try to keep this short, I know you've got chocolate bunnies to eat and Easter eggs to search for!!

FIRST, I had to pick another winner for Girls In Trucks, I wasn't able to contact one of the winners....and...

JEANNE....THAT's YOU!!! I've actually got your address so you are golden!!

NEXT...THE winners of the 5 SETS OF THESE THREE BOOKS...

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

LISAN

OK CHICKS..You've got until Tuesday morning to email me your addresses (castellanoamy@yahoo.com) or I'm going to have to pick new CHICKS!! Please put "winner" in the subject line!! Thanks!!

Thanks to Anna at Hatchette for these books!!

Living Beauty Bobbi Brown

I did not expect to like this book, but I LOVE IT! Here's the thing...I don't put a lot of thought on a daily basis into how I look, oh the condition of my skin, or whether or not I have the right haircut for my face....who has the time??

As I was reading through this book however, I had a lot of "a-ha" moments where I really thought, ok maybe it's time to start taking better care of myself.

um...DUH!..Amy...I'll be 35 on Friday...oh Gosh..yes I just admitted that....All through this book are these interviews with famous women who, at least I think of, as REAL women...about their thoughts on beauty...like Rita Wilson, Lorraine Bracco, and Anne Curry who had a quote I just have to share because I love it!

"..Above everything else, the thing that helps me make the most of my looks is my daily effort to be a good person..." -Anne Curry

The book covers everything from nutrition to exercise, The "make-up" face lift, head to toe makeovers, I especially appreciated the very detailed instruction in here on how to hide basically every flaw with carefully applied makeup...

SO WHO WANTS A COPY!!

I've got 5 to give away!!

I'm making it easy today....

Just leave me a comment here by Sunday April 19th!!
us and Canada only please no PO Boxes
Thanks to Anna at Hatchette for these books!

ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR DAY AND

READ ON CHICKS!!!

You CHICKS ARE AWESOME!!!

2009-04-10T05:00:00.003-04:00

Seriously....

YOU KICK BUTT!!

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart

for all the support you all have shown!

More support means more reviews and more books to giveaway!

So thanks again!!

LET'S GET IT STARTED!!

IT'S FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!

Girls In Trucks by Katie Crouch

Here we follow the story of Sarah Walters and her 3 closest friends, Bitsy, Charlotte, and Annie.
The story starts out with the four of them in a South Carolina Cotillion school and follows, mostly Sarah, into adulthood.
The four women battle drug addiction, adultery, low self esteem, cancer, and really bad choices in men.
Crouch uses different points of view throught the story giving different views into each woman's life, which was interesting. However, it seemed sometimes to me almost like a collection of short stories, which gave me a little trouble with the flow.
Sarah has a lot of wit, and I really liked her honesty, but I felt like I was missing something in her development as a character. I wanted to feel connected to her, I just didn't. I think that has more to do with me personally though than the book itself.
To be fair, it is a well told story that could have been very typical (4 women move from their home in the south to NYC) but it strays far from it. Almost a cautionary tale, if you will, of what young girls can face as they grow up and leave home.

Favorite Lines (There's a lot of quotable material in this one):"...I watched, hoping she wouldn't come out too broken. It's all you can do for people sometimes, no matter how much you love them. This is one of the many things I was only beginning to understand."

"Being unfaithful to yourself is not as hard as you'd think."

"It took us a while to shed our Southern ways, but after a few months we figured out that one's natural height should not be enhanced by one's bangs."

Thanks to Valerie at Hatchett Book Groups for these books!!

The 5 Winners of "Girls In Trucks" ARE

MARIE

You have 48 hours to get me your addresses

or I will have to choose other Chicks!!

email me at castellanoamy at yahoo dot com

I wasn't sure it was possible that there was a vampire series out there that I haven't read...turns out THERE IS!!!

Stakes and Stilettos is #4 in the Immortality Bites series!

I can't wait to sink my teeth into this one...(sorry couldn't help myself.).. and the first three...This will be next Friday's Review which is when I will also be announcing the winner's of

...YEP 5 COPIES!! Up for GRABS!!!

us and canada only please no po boxes

thanks Anna at Hatchette Book Group for these books!!

1. Leave a comment +1

2. Blog about this contest leave another comment +2

3. Follow me +1 already a follower +2

4. Put my linky on your blog +5 don't forget to link me back! ( EVERY FRIDAY I pick a random freebie winner from people who have my linky!) You can find the linky on this post HERE!!PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not forget to add your email to your entries!!!

THIS WEEKS RANDOM LINKY WINNER IS:

CHRISTI

email me your address for some happy mail...from me!

There is still time to enter the

SELF HELP SUNDAY giveaway

And

The Jennifer Crusie giveaway

Join us on Goodreads.com

Group Name "Chic Book Chick"

Next Book: Agnes and The Hitman by Jennifer Crusie

COME BACK SUNDAY FOR ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

READ On CHICKS!!!

All of Me by Lori Wilde...GIVEAWAY ALERT!!

2009-04-08T08:37:00.005-04:00

Yes, Chicklets...
it's that time AGAIN...
for another review AND
GIVEAWAY!!!....
Can you hear 6 Flags
music playing in the backgroud?...

Anyway...
Onward...

All of Me By Lori Wilde

This is the last installation in the "Wedding Veil Wishes" series. I missed 1-3, but will probably go look for them now, as this was a pretty enjoyable piece of chicklit.

We have Jillian, a hardened big city attorney who doesn't believe in love, or magic, or fairy tale endings. She's never really had a family, just a law school mentor who took on the role of surrogate father, Blake. When she loses Blake to a brain tumor , Jillian inherits his lake house in Salvation, Colorado. With no one to stay for and nowhere else to go, Jillian decides that this is her chance at starting a new life.

Tuck brought his wife Aimee to her family's lake house in Salvation, Colorado as her last wish before she died two years ago and he never left. Once a celebrity architect, he has lived the past two years in mourning, in the house he promised his dying wife he would rennovate.

When Jillian shows up at the door ready to start he new life, she's of course suprised to find her new home already inhabited by her mentor's estranged daughter's widower. Who, by the way, also has a deed to the lake house. If he could just find it.

Tuck and Jillian decide to live as room mates while they try to figure out who the rightful owner is, all the while spending their time either fighting with each other or trying not to end up in bed...or in love.

I really enjoyed it. There is nookie, but the author makes you wait for it, sometimes, as in this case, that makes it better. Thanks to Anna at Hatchette Book Group for this book and giveaway promotion!

I've got 5 copies to giveaway!! (US and Canada Only No PO Boxes Please)

1. Leave a comment +1

2. Follow Me +1 already a follower +2

3. Blog about this contest and link me back +1

4. Put my linky on your sidebar +3 (you can scroll down to pick up the linky or email me at castellanoamy@yahoo.com)

Hey There CHICKIES!!!

2009-04-07T10:26:00.008-04:00

I want to talk to you about Jennifer Crusie.

She's probably one of my favorites...Whenever I am in the mood for fun, lightweight chick reading, I have never failed with her.

A Couple of my faves by Jennifer Crusie are

1. Agnes and The Hitman (she wrote this one with Bob Mayer)

I promise I have never, ever read a book that made me laugh out loud

like this one did. I actually had tears running down my cheeks.

Cranky Agnes is one of my all time favorite heroines,
a regular girl with a great big streak of crazy in her.

2. Faking It there is a whole lot going on in this one and

it is SO much fun! This is also one of her older books. Tilda and Davy are so fun together and again I totally cracked up the whole way through.

I love that Jennifer's characters always remind me of actual people I know.

I would also recommend the following Crusie books when you're looking for some reading fun and laughs! And just so you know, there is always nookie...
Bet me
Fast Women

Crazy For you

Welcome to Temptation

Getting Rid of Bradley

I'm sure the other ones are great too I just haven't gotten to them yet..If you've read them feel free to tell me what you think!

I've got a very gently read (just by me) Hardback copy of

Faking It

up for grabs!

I'll be closing entries for this one April 14th

Please leave a comment here with your email!!

If you want an extra entry

place my new linky below on your sidebar and link me back!!

Don't forget we've got a great group of Chicks over on Goodreads.com!!

Come join us!

Group name is Chic Book Chick!!

Here's the LINKY for anyone who wants to add it to your blog

If you do, it will mean random acts of mailbox happiness in your future! Just make sure to link me back!! (If you need help figuring out how to do this email me at castellanoamy at yahoo dot com)

Don't forget I'm giving away 5 copies of Girls In Trucks on Friday!!

AND

5 Sets of the three books I reviewed on Sunday!!

Just scroll on down....

Later CHICKS!!