Ponga Boy by Phil Lebherz & Philip Reed

Book Description
Ponga Boy is the story of a young Mexican boy’s journey from small town fisherman to college soccer megastar. Pichu Castillian, alias Ponga Boy, grew up in an impoverished fishing village at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. Pichu is the heart and soul of the dock, a local legend who works the bait fishing boats, or pongas, with his father, and amazes locals and tourists alike with his feats of athleticism. One day he attracts the attention of two American collegiate soccer coaches. After witnessing Pichu s abilities, they offer him the opportunity of a lifetime a tryout with the University of San Francisco soccer team and a full scholarship. Pichu embarks on a journey that goes beyond soccer as he enters a world that challenges everything he s ever known and leads him to confront who he is and what he really wants in life.

My thoughts
PONGA BOY is the tale of Pichu, a young boy from a small fishing town in Mexico, who gets the chance to receive a college education because of his great soccer skills. It is the story of making choices, living with those choices, deciding what is best for oneself and living one’s dream. Pichu learns what it is like to live far from home in a different country; a different culture and different people. Can his love for the game of soccer be strong enough to overcome the obstacles? This YA book shows the reader how choices can change our lives and it is also conveys the international enjoyment of soccer.


Disclaimer:  I received this book for review from the authors.  I received no compensation  for my review.

La Bajada Lawyer Book Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to the winner of my LA BAJDA LAWYER book giveaway.

The winner is:  Marianna

And thanks for all the author and book suggestions.  I now have a list of new authors and books to read!

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker ARC Book Giveaway

THE BRIDE COLLECTOR by Ted Dekker is going to be released on April 13, 2010.  But you may get a chance to read it before then.  I am giving away my gently used Advanced Readers Copy to one lucky reader of my blog.

To enter, leave a comment with your email address (I need that so I can contact you if you win).
But this is for U.S. Residents only (those darn postage rates!)
Contest ends Tuesday, March 9, 2010 (I just pick weird dates out of the blue)

Admit One By Emmett James

Book Description

Set in Croydon, South London, in the 1980s, Admit One details how self-deprecating writer Emmett James escaped from the pains of adolescence by going to the cinema. Through wry wit and observation, the writer reflects, obsesses, and rages about film and its correlation to our pasts. Life soon imitates art, and the narrator finds that his true calling is in transcendence from one side of the screen to the other. He decides to leave England for the only place where he can realize his dream of becoming an actor--Hollywood.

We follow the narrator on his numerous adventures: as he jumps from forgery to pornography to crashing the Academy Awards under the alias of a nominated writer. All the while, the films that inspired each tale contextualize this humorous collection of stories. The narrator ultimately provides a unique insight into the fascinating industry of film, eventually himself stumbling into the biggest box-office grossing film of all time.

My thoughts

Emmett James’ life from childhood in England to his life now in Hollywood can be summed up with the various movies he favors. Well, at least that is how ADMIT ONE is written. Movies were an escape for him as a child and hard for him to break into as adult. I found his writing amusing and witty. It’s a tough world in Hollywood and Emmett takes his punches and lives to write about it. This was a very amusing memoir. And now, I have to go an re-watch “Titanic” so I can view his greatest accomplishment to date.

Disclaimer: I received the book for review from the author. I received no compensation for my review.

Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass BLOG TOUR

Book Description
Kira's day job is as an antiquities expert, but her true calling is as a Shadowchaser. Trained from youth to be one of the most lethal Chasers in existence, Kira serves the Gilead Commission, dispatching the Fallen who sow discord and chaos. Of course, sometimes Gilead bureaucracy is as much a thorn in her side as anything the Fallen can muster against her. Right now, though, she's got a bigger problem. Someone is turning the city of Atlanta upside down in search of a millennia-old Egyptian dagger that just happens to have fallen into Kira's hands.

Then there's Khefar, the dagger's true owner -- a near-immortal 4,000-year-old Nubian warrior who, Kira has to admit, looks pretty fine for his age. Joining forces is the only way to keep the weapon safe from the sinister Shadow forces, but now Kira is in deep with someone who holds more secrets than she does, the one person who knows just how treacherous this fight is. Because every step closer to destroying the enemy is a step closer to losing herself to Shadow forever....

My thoughts
SHADOW BLADE is an intense and riveting urban fantasy that pits Kira Solomon (the Shadow Chaser) against evil that want an ancient dagger that belongs to Khefar, a 4000 year-old immortal warrior and quite good looking at that. Could there be some romance mixed in while fighting to the death. Seressia Glass’ novel is expressive and genuine and Kira is one tough heroine. Got to love her.

Check out the other bloggers on this tour:
Pam’s Private Reflections
The Cajun Book Lady
Book, Books Everywhere
Book Junkie
I Heart Monster
Carol’s Notebook
My Guilty Pleasures
The Neverending Shelf
The Bibliophilic Book Blog
Chaotic Book Obsession
Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm
Drey’s Library
Jeanne's Ramblings
Books Gardens & Dogs
See Michelle Read
The Wayfaring Writer
Jen’s Book Talk
Pick of the Literate
Starting Fresh
Booksie’s Blog
Temple Library Reviews
The Life (and Lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object
Cheryl’s Book Nook
I Heart Book Gossip
Geek Girl Reviews
All Things Urban Fantasy
Vision Quest Fail
Wendy’s Minding Spot
Readaholic
Eclectic Book Lover
Parajunkee’s View
You Wanna Know What I Think?

Black Hills by Dan Simmons

Product Description
When Paha Sapa, a young Sioux warrior, "counts coup" on General George Armstrong Custer as Custer lies dying on the battlefield at the Little Bighorn, the legendary general's ghost enters him - and his voice will speak to him for the rest of his event-filled life.

Seamlessly weaving together the stories of Paha Sapa, Custer, and the American West, Dan Simmons depicts a tumultuous time in the history of both Native and white Americans. Haunted by Custer's ghost, and also by his ability to see into the memories and futures of legendary men like Sioux war-chief Crazy Horse, Paha Sapa's long life is driven by a dramatic vision he experienced as a boy in his people's sacred Black Hills. In August of 1936, a dynamite worker on the massive Mount Rushmore project, Paha Sapa plans to silence his ghost forever and reclaim his people's legacy-on the very day FDR comes to Mount Rushmore to dedicate the Jefferson face.

My thoughts
BLACK HILLS by Dan Simmons is an unique story of a young Indian boy, Paha Sapa who at the end of the Battle of Little Big Horn, touches the dying George Amstrong Custer. Custer’s spirit enters Paha’s body and we watch as Paha Sapa works on the Mount Rushmore project determined to sabotage and stop it. Simmons has written a excellent story with fascinating historical events and at first confused me with the time jumping back and but enthralled me with quite an enthralling character even if he was haunted by Custer’s ghost.



Disclaimer: I received this book for review from Miriam Parker at the Hachette Book Group. I received no compensation for my review.

February's Making Room for New Books Giveaway Winner

The winner of my February's Making Room for New Books Giveaway Winner is:

Mystica

Congratulations!

Look for more giveaways in the future!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

If you thought the billiard ball cupcakes were cool, check out these spaghetti and meatballs cupcakes she made last night!  Now don't be disgusted, the spaghetti is vanilla frosting with cocoa powder, the meatballs are Ferreo Rocher hazelnut chocolates, the sauce - strawberry preserves and the grated cheese is grated white chocolate.  She is simply amazing!  And no, I don't get to eat them; she is bringing them to work.

The Desert Hedge Murders by Patricia Stoltey

Book Description
A body in a bathtub is the last thing Sylvia Thorn expects her mother’s travel club to find when they check into their Laughlin, Nevada hotel rooms.

The Florida Flippers, named for their long-standing support of the Miami Dolphins, scatter like dandelion fluff, intent on investigating a murder case to which they have no apparent connection. From the elderly wannabe cowgirl with wild red hair to the caustic-tongued volunteer park ranger in orthopedic hiking boots, the Florida Flippers keep Sylvia on her toes as she does a little sleuthing of her own.

But when the Laughlin detectives want to interview the Flippers, one of the elder travelers and her rental car are nowhere to be found. The tour group soon makes a grim discovery at the Lone Cactus Gold Mine near Oatman, Arizona, and Sylvia realizes there may be a connection between her mother’s club and the body in the tub after all. To add to the confusion, and Sylvia’s internal turmoil, the handsome and much younger FBI agent, who tormented her in so many ways in Florida, is now in Laughlin showing intense interest in her group’s activities.

Soon Sylvia’s brother, reluctant clairvoyant Willie Grisseljon, senses trouble. Unable to contact his mother by phone, and prompted by his father who is equally alarmed, Willie abruptly abandons his bachelor weekend in Florida and impulsively, with Dad at his side, flies to the rescue. Willie soon wishes someone would rescue him instead.

The Desert Hedge Murders is a tangle of puzzling events that seem to have no connection … until Sylvia and the Florida Flippers stir up so much trouble that Laughlin detectives, the Mohave County Sheriff, and the FBI are forced to work together to reveal the missing pieces.

My thoughts
I like a story where senior citizens are more than just babysitters or a place to rest. Patricia Stoltey’s THE DESERT HEDGE MURDERS is a mystery involving the Florida Flippers; a group of elderly fans of the Miami Dolphins who happen to find a dead body in a bathtub of one of their rooms when they check into a hotel in Laughlin, Nevada. And the adventure starts there. This assembly of feisty octogenarians is chaperoned by Sylvia Thorn (an ex-FBI agent and former judge) and the daughter on one of the Flippers. Willie her brother senses that she and their mother are in trouble and starts snooping himself (And bringing has dad along with him to Nevada). This little mystery is not easily solved which made me enjoy that much more. And I just love the desert!


Note: This book was borrowed from my local library.

In Remembrance

I lost two friends this past week, and I want to take this moment to honor their memories. They were good friends and I will miss them dearly.

Walter J. Perner Jr.
Walter J. Perner Jr., 75, died Feb. 13, 2010, at his home. He was born in New York City and lived in Vero Beach for eight years, coming from his birthplace. He was a theater producer at Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania, and in St. Louis and Long Island, N.Y. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the Army. He was a member of the Democratic Party, the Indian River Historical Society and Friends of the Library in Vero Beach. Survivors include his sister, Betty Sullivan of Vero Beach. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice. Services: No services are planned. Arrangements are by Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach. A guest book may be signed at seawindsfh.com/obit.php

George Robert Merritt Jr.
George Robert Merritt, Jr., of Hawthorne, NJ a Broadway veteran, passed into eternal life on Monday, February 15, 2010 at the age of 67. A Celebration Service will be held 7 PM Tuesday at Calvary Baptist Church, 123 West 57th Street, New York City NY. Arrangements by Vander Plaat Memorial Home, S113 Farview Avenue, Paramus. For further information www.vanderplaat.com.

U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

Book Description
It's April, 1988, a month before Kinsey Millhone's thirty-eighth birthday, and she's alone in her office doing paperwork when a young man arrives unannounced. He has a preppy air about him and looks as if he'd be carded if he tried to buy booze, but Michael Sutton is twenty-seven, an unemployed college dropout. Twenty-one years earlier, a four-year-old girl disappeared. A recent reference to her kidnapping has triggered a flood of memories. Sutton now believes he stumbled on her lonely burial when he was six years old. He wants Kinsey's help in locating the child's remains and finding the men who killed her. It's a long shot but he's willing to pay cash up front, and Kinsey agrees to give him one day. As her investigation unfolds, she discovers Michael Sutton has an uneasy relationship with the truth. In essence, he's the boy who cried wolf. Is his current story true or simply one more in a long line of fabrications?

My thoughts
Sue Grafton is back with another addition to her alphabet series of books involving PI Kinsey Millhone in U IS FOR UNDERTOW. Kinsey takes on the case of a young man who may or may not have seen the burial of a missing kidnapped girl when he was six years old. Bit Kinsey believes him and so do the police, until they find the body of a dead dog and not a dead girl. Hence, the case is closed. But Kinsey curiosity gets the bet of her and he continues to find out why a dog was buried there, which leads to more unanswered questions. I have enjoyed most the Kinsey Millhone mysteries and like this one to some extent. The bouncing back to the sixties in flashbacks was a little confusing, but the finale was too bland to make it an exciting mystery for me.


Note: This book was borrowed from my local library.

THE BREAKFAST CLUB digital print by Michele Rosenthal

THE BREAKFAST CLUB was one of my favorite movies growing up. And now Michele Rosenthal has created this piece of artwork. Available at themuststash.

They only met once, but it changed their lives forever. This is a tribute to one of the greatest teen movies of all time.   Digital print on heavy paper, 11.5" x 7.5".   Signed on the back and shipped flat.

Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep BLOG TOUR

Hey there, I am doing another blog tour. This time for SPIDER'S BITE by Jennifer Estep. It was released January 26th by Pocket Books. Check it out!

Book Description

My name is Gin, and I kill people.

They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South -- when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way -- good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

My thoughts
SPIDER’S BITE is an urban fantasy (something new I learned) and is about an elemental assassin named Gin. She is one tough woman and knows how to use a knife. The story begins with completion of one assignment to take on another. Unfortunately, this one does not go as planned and Gin is being hunted not only by the police but the people who hired her. Being an urban fantast this book has its vampires, dwarves, giants and the elementals (another thing I learned). Elementals can use magic through the elements whether it is air, stone, fire or ice. It is interesting to say the least. Jennifer Estep’s first story in what seem to be a promising series is quick-paced, action packed and very entertaining.

Check out the other blogger's websites on the tour:
Pam’s Private Reflections
The Cajun Book Lady
Book, Books Everywhere
Book Junkie
My Life In Not So Many Words
IHeart Monster
Carol’s Notebook
My Guilty Pleasures
The Neverending Shelf
Steph the Bookworm
My Friend Amy
The Bibliophilic Book Blog
Chaotic Book Obsession
Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm
Drey’s Library
Jeanne's Ramblings
Books Gardens & Dogs
See Michelle Read
Book Series Reviews
The Wayfaring Writer
What Book Is That?
So Many Books, So Little Time
Jen’s Book Talk
Pick of the Literate
My Overstuffed Bookshelf
Temple Library Reviews
I Heart Book Gossip
Geek Girl Reviews
All Things Sizzle
Find the Time to Read
Poisoned Rationality
Reading with Tequila
Mindful Musings
Vision Quest Fail
Wendy’s Minding Spot
Michelle & Leslie's Book Picks
Red Headed Book Child
Readaholic
Eclectic Book Lover
Parajunkee’s View
You Wanna Know What I Think?
Patricia's Vampire Notes

POSTCARDS FROM A DEAD GIRL Book Giveaway Winner

Sorry for the delay folks, but the winner of my POSTCARDS FROM A DEAD GIRL book giveaway is:

Deedles

Congratulations!

Eternal On The Water by Joseph Monninger BLOG TOUR

I am here today, part of the blog tour for ETERNAL ON THE WATER by Joseph Monninger.  It is being released today by Pocket Books.  Check it out!

Book Description
From the day Cobb and Mary meet kayaking on Maine's Allagash River and fall deeply in love, the two approach life with the same sense of adventure they use to conquer the river's treacherous rapids. But rivers do not let go so easily...and neither does their love. So when Mary's life takes the cruelest turn, she vows to face those rough waters on her own terms and asks Cobb to promise, when the time comes, to help her return to their beloved river for one final journey.

Set against the rugged wilderness of Maine, the exotic islands of Indonesia, the sweeping panoramas of Yellowstone National Park, and the tranquil villages of rural New England, Eternal on the Water is at once heartbreaking and uplifting -- a timeless, beautifully rendered story of true love's power.

My thoughts
Joseph Monninger’s ETERNAL ON THE WATER is a wonderful love story that begins in the woods of Maine. Jonathan Cobb takes a break from his teaching job to experience nature as Thoreau did. While on his sabbatical he meets Mary, a free spirit and while enjoying their first night by the campfire, a true love story begins. Mary’s tales enchant him; her knock-knock jokes not so much. They travel to Indonesia, Yellowstone National Park and back to New England. Mary is a member of the Chungamunga Girls, a secret society of girls who experience life in the forest. Monninger has written a heartbreaking journey of feeling love, experiencing life to its fullest and understanding death.

And check out my fellow bloggers who are also on the tour and see what thay have to say:
Libby’s Library News
Frugal Plus
Book Junkie
Broken Teepee
Reading at the Beach
The Cajun Book Lady
My Reading Room
All About {n}
Books Reviews by Buuklvr81
I Read
Simply Stacie
Busy Julie
Thoughts in Progress
Bibliophiles Retreat
Chaotic Book Obsession
My Friend Amy
Jeanne's Ramblings
Books, Books, The Magical Fruit
Steph the Bookworm
Book N Around
Rundpinne
The Book Tree
Mad Hatter Mom
Books In the City
All Things Sizzle
One Person’s Journey Through A World Of Books
O’ Joy of My Life
Winter Write

The Money God by Zena Livingston

Book Description
THE MONEY GOD is the story of Celia’s life. Money was a driving force in her life. With it she had everything; without it she was vulnerable and alone. Cel allows the pursuit of money to take over her life and control every action. She sacrifices her family and her morals for the almighty dollar.

THE MONEY GOD traces the lives of three generation of Jewish women from the rural Catskill Mountains during the 1930’s to the challenges of city life in New York in the 1960’s. Along the way, these women face financial struggles, family rifts and the consequences of global conflict. It is a novel of love, love lost, lust and greed.

My thoughts
THE MONEY GOD by Zena Livingston follows the life of Celia Cohen from the Catskills in upstate New York to New York City. Celia loses her first love and husband, Henry and determines to make a better life for herself. To Celia making a better life for herself means having more money, and with this goal we actually witness the fact that Celia never has a truly happy and fulfilling life.



Disclaimer: I received this book for review from Carol Fass Publicity and Public Relations. I received no compensation for this review.

The Muppets: Beaker's Ballad

View From A Burning Bridge by Sarah Goodyear

Book DescriptionFreefalling from a scandal of her own making, reporter Frances Treadwell only thinks she has hit bottom when she finds herself alone and out of work in her ancestral farmhouse in Maine. Soon after she arrives, a meteorite crashes to earth in the woods behind her house, igniting a firestorm of malicious chatter among locals who suspect Frances is somehow connected to a larger, more sinister phenomenon. Caught between a petty criminal she can t resist and a pair of unlikely suitors, Frances watches in horror as the events turn from near farce to life-shattering, irreversible tragedy. Sweetly sexy, miserably funny, and a little scary, View From a Burning Bridge is an enthralling debut novel from a natural heir to Flannery O Connor and Shirley Jackson.

My thoughts
Frances Treadwell leaves New York City for the tranquility of Maine in Sarah Goodyear’s VIEW FROM A BURNING BRIDGE. Unfortunately, it is ruined by the fall of a meteorite on her property and thus, ends the quietness of her life. Goodyear has written a powerful, gripping and amusing story of relationships and the old saying of one can not go home again. This is an impressive debut novel.



Disclaimer: This book was borrowed from my local library.

La Bajada Lawyer Book Giveaway

It is time to thin out the library again. I am offering a gently used paperback copy of LA BAJADA LAWYER by Jonathan Miller. This book came out last year.

About the Author

Jonathan Miller is a criminal defense attorney who resides in Albuquerque. He is a graduate of the Albuquerque Academy, Cornell University, the University of Colorado Law School and the American Film Institute; and has taken writing courses at the University of New Mexico and UCLA-Extension. He hopes to use the proceeds of this book to pay off his student loans before he dies.

You can read more about this book and my review here.

Now onto the contest:
You must also leave your e-mail address in your comment so that I have a way to reach you if you win.

You must leave a comment recommending a book for me to read (I am currently interested in mysteries, thrillers, zombies and legal themed books). That’s one (1) entry.

For an additional entries:
Become a follower or already be a follower and let me know that you are. That’s worth one (1) entry.
Become a subscriber or already be a subscriber and let me know that you are. That’s worth one (2) entries.
And for a chance for five (5) additional entries, mention my contest on your blog and send me the link at grumpydannyboy [at] gmail [dot] com.

It is open to U.S. residents only (sorry).
Contest ends February 26, 2010

Never Fear by Scott Frost

Book Description

Seventeen years ago, three women were killed, their bodies dumped in the wasteland of the L.A. River. The serial killer was never found, and the case was mysteriously closed. Now, all these years later, Detective Alex Delillo reopens the River Killer case to help solve her own brother's murder.

Alex never knew she had a brother until she went to identify his body. He was found next to the river near Griffith Park, a single gunshot wound in his head. LAPD is calling it suicide, but when Alex reconstructs her brother's final hours she stumbles across his research on an old LAPD case-the River Killings. The prime suspect was none other than their own father.

As Alex gets closer to the truth, her father's past comes into focus, and alarming flashbacks from her childhood start to plague her. A journeyman actor who disappeared when she was child, he had a history of violence against women, but was he capable of murder? Meanwhile, the schizophrenic son of the killer's third victim is out for his own revenge, and someone in the shadows is stalking Alex's every move and leaving a body count. In a chilling turn, Alex finds that the truth is as murky and as empty as the L.A. River itself.

Replete with a labyrinth-like plot, feverish suspense, and the simmering setting that is Los Angeles, Frost proves he can rival the best popular suspense authors in this, his second outing in a promising new series that Publishers Weekly called "a jaw-dropper that will leave readers clamoring for more."

My thoughts

NEVER FEAR by Scott Frost is a rapid-fire thriller. Alex Delillo, a Los Angeles homicide detective is told that her brother has been murdered. But she doesn’t have a brother. And that begins this tale. This brings back memories of her father who disappeared years ago and may or may not be a serial killer. Frost has written a complex and interesting story that kept me mesmerized throughout. Since this is his second novel featuring Delillo, I will have to go and read his first RUN THE RISK.

 

Disclaimer: This book was borrowed from my local library.

Kindle Wireless Reading Device Contest - Pazsaz Entertainment Network

I came across this contest and have been entering each day and thought I would share it with my readers

Kindle Wireless Reading Device Contest - Pazsaz Entertainment Network

It ends March 31, 2010

The Khan Dilemma by Ron Goodreau

Book Description
Las Cruces, California is a gritty town full of political corruption and social turmoil. The District Attorney, Rich Danko, is in the midst of a federal probe when a cabal of Washington, D.C. elites, fronted by a sinister FBI agent named Ross, takes an interest in a local double homicide. A young Muslim suspect has murdered two mysterious businessmen in a quiet, upscale neighborhood and for some reason the administration is scrambling to cover it up. Max Siegel lands the case and gets caught in a spiraling vortex of deadly intrigue with a dangerous mix of characters that threaten to consume his career and his life!

My thoughts
Ron Goodreau’s “The Khan Dilemma” is a political thriller that hits home with domestic terrorism and political corruption. I found the story starting slow towards an ending that was well conceived and quite surprising. The characters were top notch. You have district attorney Rich Danko dealing with a federal investigation, prosecutor Max Siegel and his lovely wife Irina. Then there is Detective Dale Cox and Special Agent Ross and why is someone trying to kill Seigel? And then there is the Muslim factor. So much going on; one has to really sit down and delve into this story which wraps up quite nicely at the end.

Disclosure: I received this book for review by the publicist, Jocelyn Kelley at Kelley and Hall Book Publicity. I received no compensation for this review.

Holey Donuts Contest at Shooting Stars Mag

And keeping with the sweet dessert theme of today, my fellow blogger Lauren at Shooting Stars Mag is having a contest for Holey Donuts February Love Assortment consisting of 4 boxes of our latest, best selling, super yummy Holey Donuts! Low Fat Treats and a $250 Holey Donuts! store credit good for 1 year.

If she get the most people to enter (meaning you put her blog name when you enter) then she wins money (which would be great for her family at the moment).

So please enter today with much appreciation from us both! Click here to read more about the contest.

My Wife Bakes Billiard Balls

My wife loves to bake, and after taking cake decorating class, she now teaches them.  I recently purchased her a cupcake decorating book, and lo and behold, here is her first project.  I am so afraid to eat them!

Size Eight in A Size Zero World by Meredith Cagen

Book DescriptionMeet Lindsay Chandler-a 32 year-old New York working wife and mother with old-fashioned values who thinks she's living a fairy tale life (she's not). Then an unexpected friendship with her upstairs neighbor (he is smart, successful, sophisticated and sexy- she's not) unleashes her passion and re-ignites her sparkle. This liaison causes her to question the way she lives her life. Yearning for a storybook ending, she decides to make changes in her life, embarking on a quest for self re-invention.

My thoughts

The life of a wealthy NYC woman and the troubles with relationships. That’s what is in “Size Eight in A Size Zero World” by Meredith Cagen. Lindsey is married to a husband who is physically there but not emotionally. And when he is there he is verbally abusive. She clings onto the marriage but finds warmth in the arms of “the man”, a neighbor in the same building that understands her. The whole book is a build-up to the ending, one part I knew was going to happen, another a surprise. Certainly worth reading.

Disclaimer: I received this book for review from the author.  I received no compensation for this review.

The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross

Book Description
Kate Raab's life seems almost perfect: her boyfriend, her job, her family . . . until her father runs into trouble with the law. His only recourse is to testify against his former accomplices in exchange for his family's placement in the Witness Protection Program. But one of them gets cold feet. In a flash, everything Kate can count on is gone.

Now, a year later, her worst fears have happened: Her father has disappeared—into what the WITSEC agency calls "the blue zone"—and someone close to him is found brutally murdered. With her family under surveillance, the FBI untrustworthy, and her father's menacing "friends" circling with increasing intensity, Kate sets off to find her father—and uncover the secrets someone will kill to keep buried.

My thoughts
I thought “The Blue Zone” by Andrew Gross was a stimulating thriller that kept me interested throughout. The premise may be a little far-fetched and forced in some areas, but I found it to be well written. A family forced into the Witness Protection Program because of the father’s dealings with a cartel is one thing. But then daughter, Kate Rabb starts wondering what is really going on and murders piles up, her father disappears and secrets are kept from her. This is a good, fast-paced story that one can read on the plane, commute or an evening by the fire.

THE LAST SURGEON Book Launch Party and Fundraiser

Michael Palmer is hosting a book launch party and benefit fundraiser for his latest novel, THE LAST SURGEON on February 16th, 2010 to benefit the Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Project.

The party will be held at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston -- an evening full of books, auctions, music, great food, and appearances by some of the country's best writers, including Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Gary Braver, Lisa Gardner, Joseph Finder, Andre Dubus III, Mark Vonnegut, William Martin, Sandra Lee, and Hank Phillippi Ryan.

All ticket proceeds and a portion of the book sales will benefit the Home Base PTSD Program. It's a great event for a great cause. You can purchase tickets by visiting the LiveNation website.

For those who can't make it, Mr. Palmer encourages everyone to help spread the word. Between today and February 16th, 2010, He'll be conducting a little fundraiser of my own via social media. It's free to participate and a great way to help out. Here's how it works:

1. He'll donate $1 to the Mass General Hospital Red Sox Homebase PTSD Foundation for every additional Facebook fan he acquires until book launch on February 16th, 2010.

2. For you Twitter users, He'll also be donating an additional $1 for all followers who adopt THE LAST SURGEON Twibbon. If you have a Twitter profile, simply click here to get started.

Mr. Palmer thanks everyone for helping spread the word.

Abby Sunderlund

On January 23, 2010 Abby Sunderland took off from Del Ray Yacht Club in California in her 40’ sailboat to sail solo around the world. The amazing thing she is only 16 years old and wants to break the record of being the youngest to do so.

I found this quite amazing. I remember sailing at camp in a Sunfish when I was twelve and again about ten years ago with a group of friends. What fun. But I don’t think I could have the stamina and drive to do what Abby is doing.

Abby has competition though, since there is another young girl in Australia attempting the same feat.

Read Abby’s blog of her adventure here.

The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders by Anthony Flacco

Book Description
From 1926 to 1928, Gordon Stewart Northcott committed at least 20 murders on a chicken ranch outside of Los Angeles. His nephew, Sanford Clark, was held captive there from the age of 13 to 15, and was the sole surviving victim of the killing spree. Here, acclaimed crime writer Anthony Flacco—using never-before-heard information from Sanford’s son Jerry Clark—tells the real story behind the case that riveted the nation.

Forced by Northcott to take part in the murders, Sanford carried tremendous guilt all his life. Yet despite his youth and the trauma, he helped gain some justice for the dead and their families by testifying at Northcott’s trial–which led to his conviction and execution. It was a shocking story, but perhaps the most shocking part of all is the extraordinarily ordinary life Clark went on to live as a decorated WWII vet, a devoted husband of 55 years, a loving father, and a productive citizen.

In dramatizing one of the darkest cases in American crime, Flacco constructs a riveting psychological drama about how Sanford was able to detoxify himself from the evil he’d encountered, offering the ultimately redemptive story of one man’s remarkable ability to survive a nightmare and emerge intact.

My thoughts
The Wineville murders were mentioned in the film “The Changeling” and that what got me interested in learning more. Anthony Flacco’s book “The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders” is an in-depth account of What Sanford Clark endured at the hands of his uncle Gordon Stewart Northcott. It is quite explicit and one must be prepared when reading this book. These murders and the treatment of Sanford are not for the faint of heart. A truly incredible non-fiction crime story.

Hawaiian Punch

Here's a little painting I did to occupy my time in January.  Enjoy!

February’s Making Room for New Books Giveaway

I am clearing the shelves once again and am offering FIVE books that I had received last year for review. They are:

HURRICANE! By Arnaldo Ricciulli
MAN OVERBOARD by Sandy Mason
ONE BATTER ONE PITCH by Michael Connelly
HUNTER by Campbell Jeffreys
THE NEVER PALS by Rock Kuznik

You can read more about these books on Amazon. One lucky winner will receive all five books.

Contest Rules:
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Open to U.S. residents only.
Contest ends February 21, 2010