BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Stuck in a Good Book Giveaway Hop

The Stuck in a Good Book Giveaway Hop

September 20th to 25th

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
 & Valerie from Stuck in Books



Here is my chance to share a book that I just couldn't put down. 

A book that sucked me in and kept me glued to its pages 
despite having to fight two other people to read it.

So tell me "What book have you read that really sucked you in and made you totally tune out the world?"



Contest will be open only to the US 
as I'm shipping the book.
I will be giving away a paperback copy of 
The Time Travelers Wife.
I also just read that as of Oct 10 it will also be available as an e-book.


The Time Traveler's Wife was the debut novel of American author Audrey Niffenegger, published in 2003. It is a love story about a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about his wife, an artist, who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences. Niffenegger, frustrated in love when she began the work, wrote the story as a metaphor for her failed relationships. The tale's central relationship came to her suddenly and subsequently supplied the novel's title. The novel, which has been classified as both science fiction and romance, examines issues of love, loss, and free will. In particular, it uses time travel to explore miscommunication and distance in relationships, while also investigating deeper existential questions.
As a first-time novelist, Niffenegger had trouble finding a literary agent. She eventually sent the novel to MacAdam/Cage unsolicited and, after an auction took place for the rights, Niffenegger selected them as her publishers. The book became a bestseller after an endorsement from author and family friend Scott Turow on The Today Show, and as of March 2009 had sold nearly 2.5 million copies in the United States and the United Kingdom. Many reviewers were impressed with Niffenegger's unique perspectives on time travel. Some praised her characterization of the couple, applauding their emotional depth; others criticized her writing style as melodramatic and the plot as emotionally trite. The novel won the Exclusive Books Boeke Prize and a British Book AwardA film version was released in August 2009.
Using alternating first-person perspectives, the novel tells the stories of Henry DeTamble (born 1963), a librarian at the Newberry Library inChicago, and his wife, Clare Anne Abshire (born 1971), an artist who makes paper sculptures. Henry has a rare genetic disorder, which comes to be known as Chrono-Displacement, that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. When 20-year-old Clare meets 28-year-old Henry at the Newberry Library in 1991 at the opening of the novel, he has never seen her before, although she has known him most of her life.
Henry begins time traveling at the age of five, jumping forward and backward relative to his own timeline. When he leaves, where he goes, or how long his trips will last are all beyond his control. His destinations are tied to his subconscious—he most often travels to places and times related to his own history. Certain stimuli such as stress can trigger Henry's time traveling; he often goes jogging to keep calm and remain in the present. He also searches out pharmaceuticals in the future that may be able to help control his time traveling. He also seeks the advice of a geneticist, Dr. Kendrick. Henry cannot take anything with him into the future or the past; he always arrives naked and then struggles to find clothing, shelter, and food. He amasses a number of survival skills including lock-picking, self-defense, and pickpocketing. Much of this he learns from older versions of himself.
"It's hard being left behind. I wait for Henry, not knowing where he is, wondering if he's okay. It's hard to be the one who stays."
—Clare[1]
Once their timelines converge "naturally" at the library—their first meeting in his chronology—Henry starts to travel to Clare's childhood and adolescence in South Haven, Michigan, beginning in 1977 when she is six years old. On one of his early visits (from her perspective), Henry gives her a list of the dates he will appear and she writes them in a diary so she will remember to provide him with clothes and food when he arrives. During another visit, he inadvertently reveals that they will be married in the future. Over time they develop a close relationship. At one point, Henry helps Clare frighten and humiliate a boy who abused her. Clare is last visited in her youth by Henry in 1989, on her eighteenth birthday, during which they kiss for the first time. They are then separated for two years until their meeting at the library.
Clare and Henry marry, but Clare has trouble bringing a pregnancy to term because of the genetic anomaly Henry may presumably be passing on to the fetus. After six miscarriages, Henry wishes to save Clare further pain and has a vasectomy. However a version of Henry from the past visits Clare one night and they make love; she subsequently gives birth to a daughter, Alba. Alba is diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement as well but, unlike Henry, she has some control over her destinations when she time travels. Before she is born, Henry travels to the future and meets his ten-year-old daughter on a school field trip and learns that he died when she is five years old.
When he is 43, during what is to be his last year of life, Henry time travels to a Chicago parking garage on a frigid winter night where he is unable to find shelter. As a result of the hypothermia and frostbite he suffers, his feet are amputated when he returns to the present. Henry and Clare both know that without the ability to escape when he time travels, Henry will certainly die within his next few jumps. On New Year's Eve 2006 Henry time travels into the middle of the Michigan woods in 1984 and is accidentally shot by Clare's brother, a scene foreshadowed earlier in the novel. Henry returns to the present and dies in Clare's arms.
Clare is devastated by Henry's death. She later finds a letter from Henry asking her to "stop waiting" for him, but which describes a moment in her future when she will see him again. The last scene in the book takes place when Clare is 82 years old and Henry is 43. She is waiting for Henry, as she has done most of her life, and when he arrives they clasp each other for what may or may not be the last time. (from Wiki)

This is a book that my daughter had taken to the beach with us nine years ago on a family trip. Now when I go to the beach, I take more books than clothes. I'm determined not to be without something to read when on vacation. At some point on this vacation, I was unable to get interested in any of my  books so picked up my daughter's book, The Time Travelers Wife. OMG, right away I was sucked into this story. I found myself clutching the book till my fingers were numb and constantly dabbing my eyes as I cried. Every time I put the book down, my daughter grabbed it to read and before I had finished it, my daughter-in-law had also started it. So at one point all three of us were reading the same book. This is also one of the few books to movies that I thought was done on an acceptable level. Though it helped that Rachel McAdams, from my favorite love story of all times, The Notebook, portrayed Clare. 



Here is a  full list of participating bloggers in the hop. At this time there is over 100 great blogs to visit and enter their giveaway! This is a great way to meet more bloggers, win books, gift cards and more!
Click on the "Read More" to take you to Rafflecopter--
If you have any problem getting Rafflecopter to come up,
generally refreshing the page will fix it.
Read "Click for Instructions" before answering the question!

So tell me "What book have you read that really sucked you in and made you totally tune out the world?"

Saturday, September 15, 2012

September New Release Hop



Welcome to Stop #5 of the 
September New Release Giveaway Hop!
The  September New Release Giveaway Hop
  is hosted by 
and 

Take time to visit the other blogs 
on this awesome giveaway!
Winner may choose one (1) of the following!


















Thursday, September 13, 2012

Under the Sea Giveaway Hop

Announcing the Under the Sea Giveaway Hop.
September 14th to 20th

Hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer & The Musings of ALMYBNENR.

Featuring books with mermaids, sirens, selkies, divers, 
swimming, boating, dolphins, etc.  We won't be too picky just tie it to water somehow.
Contest will be open only to the US as I'm 
shipping the book.
Tangled Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper




Just tell me what the best mermaid, siren, selkie, diver, 
swimming, boating, or dolphin book 
you have read in a comment
 Click HERE for the full list of participating bloggers on the hop. At this time there is over 150 great blogs to visit and enter their giveaway! This is a great way to meet more bloggers, win books, gift cards and more!
Click on the "Read More" to take you to Rafflecopter--
If you have any problem getting Rafflecopter to come up,
generally refreshing the page will fix it.
Read "Click for Instructions" before answering the question!

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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Books to Movies Giveaway Hop


Announcing the Books to Movies Giveaway Hop

September 11th to 17th

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
&

As an avid reader I'm never satisfied 

with the movie of a beloved book.

There have been some okay ones 
but only one where I thought the movie 
was better than the book, COLD MOUNTAIN.

What's the best movie you've seen made from a favorite book?

Contest will be open internationally.
I will be giving away 
a $10 Amazon/Barnes and Noble Gift card 
or I'll let you chose 
a book from Book Depository
up to $10 and as long as they ship
 free to you, you can enter.
Just make sure they ship to you. If not sure, 
 check here.

I love to win Gift Cards and 
these are the simplest and the best 
as far as I'm concerned.
For every 50 brand new followers,

I'll give away another $10 Gift card or
book from Book Depository.
AmazonGiftCard
B&N
Book Depository

Saturday, September 8, 2012

2nd Annual Back to the Book Giveaway Hop

2nd Annual Back to the Book Giveaway Hop
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
Buried in Books

September 1st to 7th


Winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter.
Imagine, you get a do over in life, money is no object.
You just graduated from high school and your
 first year of college is starting.
Where are you going and what’s your major?
YOU MUST COMMENT/ANSWER THIS QUESTION TO ENTER

Contest will be open internationally. 
I will be giving away a $10 Amazon/Barnes and Noble Gift card or
 I'll let you chose a book from Book Depository 
up to $10 and as long as they ship free to you, 
you can enter. 
Just make sure they ship to you. If not sure,  check here.
I love to win Gift Cards and these are the simplest and the best as far as I'm concerned.
For every 50 brand new followers, I'll give away another $10 Gift card or 
book from Book Depository.



Hope you'll take the time to look around, 
make a comment or two. 
Click here for the full list of participating bloggers on the hop. 
This is a great way to meet more bloggers, win books, gift cards and more!
Grandbun
Giveaway Details from the Grandbuns!



Click on the "Read More" to take you to Rafflecopter--
If you have any problem getting Rafflecopter to come up, 
generally refreshing the page will fix it.

Read "Click for Instructions" before answering the question!


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Bitten by Books » Author Lucy Monroe Release Party and $25 Amazon Gift Card Contest LIVE Here!

Bitten by Books » Author Lucy Monroe Release Party and $25 Amazon Gift Card Contest LIVE Here!

Passing The Pages: The Golden Lily (PZR) and Giveaway!

Passing The Pages: The Golden Lily (PZR) and Giveaway!: Hey everyone, Its been about, oh, a week and a half and I have posted nothing! I am sooooooo sorry but with school and work I have just ...


200,000 Page Views Giveaway! | Live To Read

200,000 Page Views Giveaway! | Live To Read

God Loves You. - Chester Blue $50 Amazon Gift Card


God Loves You. - Chester Blue

What if when you most needed help, a blue bear appeared with a note from God? One night, Miss Millie of Blossom, Ohio turns her face to the stars and asks God for help. The next day, a package arrives on her doorstep containing a blue teddy bear and a special note. Over the course of a year, this remarkable blue bear travels across the country, showing up just when he’s needed most. During his journey, Chester Blue helps a young girl trying to impress her big sisters; saves a sailor caught in a terrible storm; reunites two constantly fighting brothers; helps a cowboy become a rodeo clown; and aids a father and daughter in bonding after divorce. If you ever needed a message from God, it's here... 


This book blast will be for a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

This Blast will run from September 4th to 11th
Meet Author Suzanne Anderson
I was born in Fort Lauderdale, attended the University of Michigan on an athletic scholarship for swimming and then worked on Wall Street. I left the bright lights of the big city fifteen years ago and traveled the world. I now live in the mountains of Colorado, where I pursue my dream of writing novels.

LINKS:
Website: http://www.suzanneanderson.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-Anderson-Author-Page/201662786512944
Twitter: https://twitter.com/seakiev