50 TBR Challenge : November

In one of my Yahoo reading group, members participates in a challenge call 50 Challenge Books. Our goal was to see if we can read reach 50 books by the end of the year. So at the end of each months we post a list of books that we have read. We wrote down the titles of the book, the authors name, a tidbit (or reviews) about each books and grade them. It is challenge to our self to see how many reading can we do by the end of the year. Some get pass the 50 books and then proceed to continue to read until they reach 100. It is lot of fun, cause it help members to find "new to me authors" and learn who have common taste in books that you do. Or just talk about your favorite authors and books. I think we been doing this for 3yrs running now. Below, is the list of books I read in November (click each titles book to read my reviews). This month, I have read 2 book. But since January, I have read total of 50 books so far. Oh....AND Holiday Heroes marked my 50 books Challenge goal!!!!! YAY ME! *gring* So now, I can just read books and see how many I can read by the end of this year :)

P.S. My good friend Darla (please click name to see her blog) is the list owner of that group and she is participating in 50 Challenge Books as well. I think the idea came from her. Please visit her blog and see her book reviews. :)

Click the book titles below, to read my reviews

#49. Forbidden by Suzanne Brockmann

#50. Holiday Heroes by Rachel Lee and Catherine Mann

Holiday Heroes by Rachel Lee & Catherine Mann

This is a two stories in one book, written by two NY time bestseller author Rachel Lee and Catherine Mann. Both stories are brand new. I have read both authors previously work and really enjoy them all.

Also Catherine Mann's Christmas at His Command marked the finish 50 book challenge...YAY! So now that I have reach my goal reading 50 books for this year, I can continue to enjoy my reading and challenge myself to see the totals of how many books I read in the year 2007.


# 49. A Soldier for All Seasons by Rachel Lee 4 1/2 stars

U.S. Marine Jon Erikson went home to Conard City, Wyoming to find peace for the holiday season. After being away to Afghanistan, he want to feel home again. Entering the old Mahoney's Bar that he remember, he saw that nothing have changed except for new faces. Thinking no one will know him except for the owner of the bar Mahoney, he drown himself into his beer. But an attraction spark happen when he met a park ranger, Melinda Hawthorne. Who had a childhood crush on him. He learn later that Melinda is haunted by secrets, after they spent indoor away from the blizzard snows. And he have helped her to survived it. Spending time together with each other and her dog Noel, they fell in love and find happiness again.

This short story is part of the Conard County series. There are 8 books in the series. But I got the list in order from a friend, and it seem there more than 8 books. I love these books. It is more straight romance and it always leave me heavenly sigh at the end. I read these for comfort and it made me fall for the characters and the family. The list the books in order are:

1. Exile's End
2. Miss Emmaline and the Archangel
3. A Conard County Reckoning
4. Destination
5. The Catch of Conard County
6. Cowboy Come Home
7. Boots and Badges
8. Involuntary Daddy

Rachel Lee use to have her own official website, but unfortunately a spammer end up taken her name and use it for adult website. Rachel is trying to find a new home for her website and when she find one, she will update her reader about it. In the mean time, there is website where you can find info on her books. Just click here.


#50. Christmas at His Command by Catherine Mann 4 1/2 stars

(writing from the book back blurbs)- Keeping Senator Ginger Landis was General Hank Renshaw's top priority. He wouldn't let anything put her at risk - including his growing feelings for her. Danger threw them intimately together, taking them t a passionate point of no return.

I really enjoy this book. Catherine write well with military romance. The characters are great and I fell in love with them.

I have been trying to collect Catherine Mann's Wingmen Warriors series. I'm waiting for my friend from England, UK to sent me the first 4 books of the series. Before I can read the rest of the books that I already have. Catherine also has a brand new series out and she only released two books so far: Code of Honor and Blaze of Glory. It from the HQN books publishing. I like those alot. To see more of Catherine books at her website, click here.

Tried to read books by Catherine Mann and Rachel Lee, you won't regret it :)

Happy Thanksgiving from my home to your....

Yes, I know that Thanksgiving was on November 22, 2007 on Thursday. But I want to take this time now to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving weekend of fun...play it safely those who plan to shop!

On Thanksgiving, niece Trish and I plan our cooking this year(see above for pictures). We started first to dress our turkey with stuffing from 1 box of Stove Top. Than we spread the veggie around the turkey, while it sitting on the baking pan. As soon as we butter him we tied it legs and arm with rope. Now it ready to roast. We took another 1 box of the Stove Top (chicken flavor)so that we can make stuff mushroom for appetizer. Than we use the left over Stove Top to eat with the Thanksgiving dinner(no picture here). Next we baked two pan of macaroni and cheese. And than we baked the greenbean casserole(my most favorite). Every now and than, we make sure we give our turkey a "bath" of juices that were at the bottom baking pan. And butter him up to keep from burning. Trish made mash potatoes with gravy (no picture here). While I do the cranberry sauce (another favorite). Than the biscuit get into the heat of the hot oven, while we waited until the cheese melted from the macaroni and cheese. And than we heat up some pecan pie that we brought from the store, already made. Now our Thanksgiving are done!

My family and I sat down to eat and we only managed to eat two plate hehehe. We were full and have lot of left over. Guess what we eating tomorrow....*grin* ;) :) These pictures will be put into my scrapbook album, because this is the first turkey dinner I ever done with Trish. It'll be remembered and cherish of our success of our first baking together. There were lot of laugh, yelling, chatting and memories. It was fun!

Hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving with your family, as much as I did. Please be safe shopping this weekend!

P.S. Forgive me for the blue stripe mark on the pictures above. It either because the camera did that or the laptop is mess up. Sorry!

Thursday Thirteen : Edition # 25

Thanksgiving Traditional

Since Thanksgiving will be next Thursday, I decided to post about Thanksgiving for today theme. I hope everyone have a great and wonderful Thanksgiving :)

Tradition: Every years a members of the family or friends would request their favorite foods be made for Thanksgiving. I come from a large family and Thanksgiving to me are always mean family reunion. We will met up with relatives who come down to visit us have dinner. We eat, go shopping, watch TV or just chat. It was great fun, even though sometime people have arguments. After Thanksgiving Day, I will have dinner with my oldest best friends. And we always talked about old memories and even new one. We laugh until there no tears left. Those were the good times.

Memories are always captures as each moments spent with the people you loves. The good or the bad. And every years, those memories will be talked about for many years. Even pass down to generation. It the traditional of sharing foods and being with your family and friends, the special people in your life. That...is what I'm thankful for :)

Below are the list of Thanksgiving feast, that we always make every years. I'm just hungry thinking about it :)

1. Roasted Turkey (I had it deep fried once)
2. Corn Bread Dressing
3. Green Bean Casserole with Fried French onion (my favorite)
4. Macaroni and Cheese (kids favorite)
5. Yams
6. Cranberry sauce
7. Pumpkin Pie
8. Pecan Pie
9. Ham with gravy
10. stuffed mushroom with cheese
11. Sweet potatoes
12. Honey rolls
13. Rice in gravy

What about you? What traditional foods people always request? How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Melody: Booking Through Thursday
2. Raggedy: United States of America War Office
3. Penelope: Why Killing Penelope Garcia on Criminal Minds is Just so Wrong
4. Darla: Vacation Photos: Flowers
5. Puss Reboots: Things from my Hectic Life: 11/14/07

(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Preservatives

Booking Through Thursday


Today’s question comes from Conspiracy-Girl:
I’m still relatively new to this meme so I’m not sure if this has been asked yet, but I’m curious how many of us write notes in our books. Are you a Footprint Leaver or a Preservationist?

I never ever write on my novel books. It just big no no. I never even dog ear the pages either. I take care of books that I buy. They're always clean unless it the book I brought from used books. If ever I need to write down a notes so I can remember later, I just marked them with bookmarks or other flat items. So that I can go back to it when writing reviews or for group books discussion.

Of course when I was in high school I used to write on my books. Those Shakespeare booklet play was always marked. And even the novels book were written with notes and I learn a big lesson after that. It is a no no for me now......... ;)

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

Forbidden by Suzanne Brockmann

(Romance)
Suzanne Brockmann website
4 1/2 stars








This book was one of Suzanne older book, which just recently reissue this month (cover art, above). Since am collecting her books, I brought it. Of course the book cover arts for both are different. If you want to take peek at the original cover arts, here is the Original "Forbidden" I didn't know that Forbidden was is the first of two books about the Barlett Brothers. It seem Liam’s story continues in Freedom's Price, which well reissue in February 2007....hmm it out already? Or maybe they put down the wrong year? I better go check for info. Anyone who know me, would know I hate to read connection/series/trilogy books out of order.

Kayla Grey has come from Boston to Montana to tell Cal Bartlett that his young brother, Liam might be alive. She decided to take the walk and wondering around for some fresh air, while she find Cal. Instead a fierce snowstorm have delay her getting there quicker. She end up having to stop and lay on the soiled grown to keep from the cold and frozen herself. But the irony was, she end up being rescue by the true-blue cowboy man himself, Cal.

Cal was called for help from sheriff Bob Monroe, to save a tourist girl who went on a hike in a storm and thinking she be might lost. Cal agree to help since Bob and the everyone in town was helping Matt Tucker's barn, which was hit by lighting and trying to keep the blaze from spreading the barn. Cal and his dog Thor, went in search for the girl. When he found her and brought her to a safe house, he suddenly smitten by her. A romantic kiss by the roaring fire, got both of them feeling the desire.

When Cal discover Kayla is his brother fiancee, so he declare her off limit. He resistant to her story about his brother Liam might be still alive at first. But than decided he want to re-open the case and go to San Salustiano. Only the government have been corrupted and now they don't know who or what to believe. Not knowing if Liam is alive or not, the tempting to ignore their attraction for each other are hurting them both.

Forbidden is one of Suzanne older book, which I truly enjoy reading. The romantic tension and the chemistry between them sizzle the pages. I love the interaction between the heroine and heroe. You can see how much Suzanne has growth as she write her books. I think even her lighter side romance books are well worth the reading, imo. Suzanne Brockmann happen to be one of my favorite author and I have read all the most recent books she has written (except for All Through The Night, which I do have copy) but I can't wait to collect and read the rest of her older books.

Volume

Booking Through Thursday


Would you say that you read about the same amount now as when you were younger? More? Less? Why?

- I would say I read more today than when I was younger. I have always been a reader since I was kid. But I've read fewer books back than compare to today. I use to stick with just the authors that I'm familiar with when I was younger. Like Judy Blume, Beverley Clearly..etc. And never pick any other new authors. But schools have kept me busy through out the years. And I never had the time to read unless it the book in my shelf (Yes I only had one shelf). The only free time to read, is when teacher assigned students to do book report on a book we chose from the library to read. And because of that, it expand my reading a little bit

Now everyday there always a new different authors sitting in my TBR pile. And by the end of each years I would read almost 50 books totals. Or 70 if I can managed it. This is because when I joined my first Yahoo Group (which was JDRobb group) many members was recommendation books after books. And it help me to discover many wonderful authors. Than I joined more Yahoo Group, and the reading grow. So yes, I read more today than when I was younger.....

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

Ten Words to Describe You

Ten On Tuesday


Yes, I have been not participating on Ten on Tuesday like I should have. But lately, I just have been either busy reading books or just couldn't find ten answers to the questions LOL! Bad Julia! *grin*

Okay, some of these I know do describe me. But the rest, I have heard from people who said this about me. So I really don't know what I see of me. It is depend on whatever you guys see in me. So tell me, are some of what I listed is what you see in me? :)

1. Funny
2. Sweet
3. Generous
4. A giver
5. Shy/sensitive
6. Weird
7. Friendly
8. Avid Reader
9. Stubborn
10. scrapbooker

50 TBR Challenge : October

In one of my Yahoo reading group, members participates in a challenge call 50 Challenge Books. Our goal was to see if we can read reach 50 books by the end of the year. So at the end of each months we post a list of books that we have read. We wrote down the titles of the book, the authors name, a tidbit (or reviews) about each books and grade them. It is challenge to our self to see how many reading can we do by the end of the year. Some get pass the 50 books and then proceed to continue to read until they reach 100. It is lot of fun, cause it help members to find "new to me authors" and learn who have common taste in books that you do. Or just talk about your favorite authors and books. I think we been doing this for 3yrs running now. Below, is the list of books I read in October (click each titles book to read my reviews). This month, I have read 2 book. But since January, I have read total of 48 books so far. Oh...I'm getting closer to the 50 mark, just two more books to go! ;)

P.S. My good friend Darla (please click name to see her blog) is the list owner of that group and she is participating in 50 Challenge Books as well. I think the idea came from her. Please visit her blog and see her book reviews. :)

Yes, I notice I add #46 American Diva to this list. And you probably wondering why it here when it is the September book read. And than you ask yourself, "Hey I thought she only read two books this month?!" hehehe. If you remember, I didn't have the review up for the book #46 at the time. Now that I do, I thought to link it here :) Click the titles below to read all my reviews.

46. American Diva by Julia London
47. Hidden Agendas by Lora Leigh
48. Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare

Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare

*notice - This book is suppose to be my October read. Since I started it in that month. So, consider this a October book, even though it November 3rd, today *grin* - *end notice*





(Romance Suspense)
Pamela Clare website
4 1/2 stars







Tessa Novak, an investigative journalist reporter for the Denver Independent newspaper, witness a murder of a teenager girl at the gas station where she only wanted to get cup of coffee. The memories of the girl begging for help leave Tessa angry that she didn't help the girl fast enough before her death. She saw a mysterious man in black leather jacket, lurking behind the crime scene tape and wonder if he is the man she saw before he murder the young teen girl.

The man happen to be Julian Darcangelo, an undercover FBI agent who is working with the Denver police to catch a trail of a human trafficker and the killer. Not only is Julian worry of Tessa accusation of him which might blow his cover, he also worry that now she is the target of the killer. To protect her name from witness file, he want her off the investigation for the newspaper. But Tessa won't give up. She want to fight for justice for the teenager girl death, no matter how dangerous she knew if she continue to investigated. Julian knew that Tess is smart woman who can handle herself. He had to admire how quickly Tess discover the truth of his real reason he is working for the cop, and that the crime isn't gang related.

But both will fight for each other trust and physically attraction. They also want solve the murder and bring down all the bad guys, before the killer get through them first. The only thing is, Julian knew who the criminal are, but just had to be careful since he believe there is a link either from FBI or the cop department.

I think that Hard Evidence was a good book. I enjoy it very much better than Extreme Exposure and thought that it was more realistic, to me. I think the reason is that I love a cop heroes (or FBI, military,assassin,..etc). I love Julian and Tess and how they interacted, even though it took them a while longer to get in bedroom. Of course you will see a few intense attraction before the bedroom scenes *grin*. But once they gone to the bedroom, it is hot! I like that Tess is strong, determined and a logical person. She brave through all the danger to seek the justice for that young girl. Even though she is scared in the inside.

You met up with Kara and Reece who was the main heroine/heroe from the first book Extreme Exposure (Read my review here ). You also met up the rest of the cast members of the Denver Independent newspapers staff. And some of the staff members will get their own story in the next futures *grin*.

I like the book and enjoy it. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment to this series.

Here the list in order to read:

1. Extreme Exposure
2. Heaven Can't Wait (anthology of "Catch of the Day")
3. Hard Evidence
4. Unlawful Contact will release in April 2008

I'm not sure if Heaven Can't Wait is part of this series. Since it is in the anthology of Catch of the Day. And I notice a friend have add it, when she gave the list in order the books is to be read. If it is, read it in order that I typed above. If not, just ignore #2 :)

Oh, Horror!

Booking Through Thursday

What with yesterday being Halloween, and all . . . do you read horror? Stories of things that go bump in the night and keep you from sleeping?

I thought about asking you about whether you were participating in NaNoWriMo, but I asked that last year. Although . . . if you want to answer that one, too, please feel free to go ahead and do both, or either, your choice!

- Usually I don't go looking for books that has Halloween themes. I mean in the past I never do or even try. Sometime the book I'm reading end up having some themes that has characters that are Hallow-like. But no, I don't read horror books. Although some books that I did read is suppose to be horror but end up to be tame. However, last year I did read a book that isn't Halloween story but it revolved the story about sisters of witches. Can't remember which authors it came from but it was lighter story and fun one too. But it was a fun book! I'm more likely to read Romance or Romance Suspense, both my favorite genres.

- No, am not participating on the Nano this year. I didn't even participate last year either. Although my friend Melody did (and she did wonderful job at it) and she is doing it again this year. Also my friend Alice is also participating too. Maybe next year I will do it. But I want to wish good luck to my friends and all people who participating this year. :)

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!