So Many Books, So Little Time

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme started by Marcia at To Be Continued.  It's a great way to share all the bookish things you get each week!  Check it out here ! I only got one book this week but it looks like it will be a good one! From the Library: Growing up Duggar by Jana, Jill, Jessa and Jinger Duggar I am fascinated by the Duggars so I'm very interested to see how this book is. What did you get in your mailbox this week?

I finally broke down and signed up for the Read-a-thon!  I have had so much fun participating in the past and this post convinced me I should give it a shot again.  I haven't participated since last April and I've had a baby since then so I'm not sure how this is going to go.  I'm going to try to get as much reading done as I can between chasing Julia and all the other commitments I have. I'm hoping to make a dent in the following books: The Runaway Highlander by R.L. Syme The King by J.R. Ward Also, my hold on Catching Fire (the movie) came in a the library so I will finally get to watch it tomorrow!  It's book related so it counts, right? I'll update this post throughout the day to let you know how I'm doing.  Have fun everyone! Hour 0 Kick Off post 1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? I'm in Kansas. 2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? I can't wait to read The King 3) Which

From Goodreads:  Past midnight, Chyna Shepard, twenty-six, gazes out a moonlit window, unable to sleep on her first night in the Napa Valley home of her best friend's family. Instinct proves reliable. A murderous sociopath, Edgler Foreman Vess, has entered the house, intent on killing everyone inside. A self-proclaimed "homicidal adventurer," Vess lives only to satisfy all appetites as they arise, to immerse himself in sensation, to live without fear, remorse or limits, to live with "intensity." Chyna is trapped in his deadly orbit.  Chyna is a survivor, toughened by a lifelong struggle for safety and self-respect. Now she will be tested as never before. At first her sole aim is to get out alive--until, by chance, she learns the identity of Vess's next intended victim, a faraway innocent only she can save. Driven by a newly discovered thirst for meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna musters every inner resource she has to save an enda

From Goodreads:  A chance to run a B&B in snowy, remote Vermont—it’s an offer Kira Danner can’t resist after six soul-crushing years of working as a lawyer in Florida. As Kira and her husband, Peter, step into a brand new life, she quells her fears about living with the B&B’s co-owners: Peter’s sexy, irresponsible brother Rand, and Rand’s wife, Alyssa…who is essentially a stranger. For her part, Alyssa sees taking over the B&B as the latest in a string of adventures. Plus, a quiet place might help her recover from the news that she can’t bear children. But the idyllic town proves to be anything but serene: Within weeks, the sisters-in-law are scrambling to prepare for their first big booking—a winter wedding—and soon a shy, mysterious woman comes to work for them. Dawn Zukoski is hiding something; that much is clear. But what the sisters-in-law don't realize is that Dawn is also hiding from someone… My Thoughts:   This isn't a book I probably wou

Mailbox Monday is a great way to showcase all of the bookish goodies you receive each week.  Check it out here ! I hope everyone's having a wonderful Sunday whether you celebrate Easter or not! For Review: Love and Treasure by Ayelet Waldman Catching Air by Sarah Pekkanen Roan Rose by Juliet Waldron (ebook, not pictured) From the Library: The King by J.R. Ward Intensity by Dean Koontz (ebook, not pictured) What books did you get this week?  

Blackwell's Paradise by V.E. Ulett Publication Date: January 8, 2014 Old Salt Press LLC Formats: Ebook, Paperback Series: Blackwell's Adventures, Volume II Genre: Historical Adventure/Naval HF Relive the pleasure of falling into the past with the author of Captain Blackwell’s Prize, in Volume II of Blackwell’s Adventures. The repercussions of a court martial and the ill-will of powerful men at the Admiralty pursue Royal Navy captain James Blackwell into the Pacific, where danger lurks around every coral reef. Even if Captain Blackwell and Mercedes survive the venture into the world of early nineteenth century exploration, can they emerge unchanged with their love intact. The mission to the Great South Sea will test their loyalties and strength, and define the characters of Captain Blackwell and his lady in Blackwell’s Paradise. Enter the Goodreads Giveaway --> Goodreads Book Giveaway Blackwell's Paradise by V.E. Ulett

Synopsis:  From one of America’s most imaginative storytellers comes a passionate tale of love and treachery, spanning the days of Catherine de Medici’s court to the twenty-first century and starring a woman drawn back, time and again, to the past. In 1533, an Italian orphan with an uncanny knack for creating fragrance is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. To repay his debt, over the years René le Florentine is occasionally called upon to put his vast knowledge to a darker purpose: the creation of deadly poisons used to dispatch the Queen’s rivals. But it’s René’s other passion—a desire to reanimate a human breath, to bring back the lives of the two people whose deaths have devastated him—that incites a dangerous treasure hunt five centuries later. That’s when Jac L’Etoile—suffering from a heartache of her own—becomes obsessed with the possibility of unlocking Rene’s secret to immortality. Soon Jac’s search reconnects her with Griff

  Mariana by Susanna Kearsley Every time I read another Susanna Kearsley book, I fall more and more in love with her writing.  Her stories are so amazing!  Mariana pulled me in from the first page and did not let go.  I loved the romance and the history and I loved how Kearsley pulled in the whole idea of reincarnation.  The end was beautiful and so surprising.  I did not see it coming at all but the fact that it was a surprise made the end even better.  5 stars. The Tao of Martha by Jen Lancaster I want to be Jen Lancaster's BFF.  She is one of the funniest people out there.  I have read all of her memoirs and this one is just as hysterical as the rest.  Reading about her attempts to follow Martha Stewart's way of life was so fun and I found myself laughing out loud a couple of times.  There was also a more serious side to this book and some of the events left me in tears.  I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a funny, snarky read.  4 stars.

I'm linking up with Bookishly Boisterous' "Bookish and Not So Bookish Thoughts" again.  Check it out here !  1.) I've been plowing through books lately and it's awesome!  I've made really good headway on my reading goal for the year.  According to goodreads, I'm 8 books head of schedule. 2.) I have received a lot of review books recently.  It looks like things will be busy around the blog this summer. 3.) Julia got a cold from daycare and was sick all weekend.  She then proceeded to share it with me. I shouldn't be surprised.  There's no way a person can clean up that much snot and not get sick. 4.) The hubs is working second shift now so I'm pretty much a single mom all week.  It's not as hard as I expected but it sure isn't easy either.  I keep telling myself it's only until August; hopefully I can make it that long. 5.) I finished another Susanna Kearsley book this week.  I just can't say enough about how awesom

    From Goodreads:  Dear Anna, What I have to tell you is difficult to write, but I know it will be far more difficult for you to hear, and I'm so sorry- The unfinished letter is the only clue Tara and Emerson have to the reason behind their close friend Noelle's suicide. Everything they knew about Noelle - her calling as a midwife, her passion for causes, her love for her friends and family - described a woman who embraced life. Yet there was so much they didn't know. With the discovery of the letter and its heartbreaking secret, Noelle's friends begin to uncover the truth about this complex woman who touched each of their lives - and the life of a desperate stranger - with love and betrayal, compassion and deceit. My Thoughts: Likes :  The synopsis of The Midwife's Confession sucked me in immediately and the story did the same.  The story itself was engaging and kept me wanting to know more and even when I thought I had figured everything ou

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme started by Marcia at To Be Continued.  It's a great way to show off all the great books you receive in a given week.  Check it out here ! I haven't posted a mailbox for a couple of weeks so I have a lot of books to feature today! From the Library: The Unfaithful Queen by Carolly Erickson The Tao of Martha by Jen Lancaster Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory Blood Bayou by Karen Young For Review (from HFVBT): Winter Fire by Kathy Fischer-Brown For Review (from publisher): The Ashes of Heaven's Pillar by Kim Rendfeld What books did you get this week?  

H.H. Miller's Book Blast for Inscription will be featured around the blogopshere from March 31-April 13. Publication: January 9, 2014 H.H Miller Paperback; 278p ISBN-10: 0615944418 eBook; 700kb ASIN: B00HSBNW5Y The year is 1851 and the Grand Guard is ravaging Mainland. Arrests. Floggings. Swift executions. Twenty-year-old Caris McKay, the beautiful heiress of Oakside Manor, is sent to live with distant relations until the danger has passed. It's no refuge, however, as Lady Granville and her scheming son plot to get their hands on Caris's inheritance with treachery and deceit. Soon, alarming news arrives that the ruthless Captain James Maldoro has seized Oakside and imprisoned Caris's beloved uncle. And now he's after her. Caris escapes with the help of Tom Granville, the enigmatic silver-eyed heir of Thornbridge. But when a cryptic note about a hidden fortune launches them on a perilous journey across Mainland, Caris and Tom must rely on wits, courage, and their gro

I am so excited to welcome Anna Belfrage to the blog today.  She is the author of "Serpents in the Garden" which is the fifth book in the Graham Saga (one of my new favorite series!). First of all, may I extend a warm thank you (and a virtual hug – I am a hugging person) to Denise for being generous enough to host me today.   It is people like you, Denise, who make up the life-support system all authors need to thrive and go on writing. Anyway; today’s post is about love. I have a thing about love – in all its forms and guises. Not that I believe myself to be unique in this; most people I know have a thing about love. Love hurts, they say. I guess most of us would agree, having at some point or other experienced just how much it can hurt. Like when gorgeous Scott in 9 th grade stared through you the Monday after the party, and yet he’d been anything but distant when you danced to “Stairway to Heaven” – or when pretty Amanda tossed her hair and told Marc it w

  Synopsis:  After years of hard work, Matthew and Alex Graham have created a thriving home in the Colony of Maryland. About time, in Alex’s opinion, after far too many adventures she is really looking forward to some well-deserved peace and quiet. A futile hope, as it turns out. Things start to heat up when Jacob, the third Graham son, absconds from his apprenticeship to see the world – especially as Jacob leaves behind a girl whom he has wed in a most irregular fashion. Then there’s the infected matter of the fellow time traveller Alex feels obliged to help – no matter the risk. Worst of all, one day Philip Burley and his brothers resurface after years of absence. As determined as ever to make Matthew pay for every perceived wrong – starting with the death of their youngest brother – the Burleys play out a complicated cat and mouse game, and Alex is thrown back into an existence where her heart is constantly in her mouth, convinced as she is that one day the Burley

Why is time going by so fast?!  I can't believe March is over.  Before I know it, June will be here and Julia will be turning 1!  Everything needs to slow down a little. March was a really good reading month for me.  I read 8 (!) books which is a lot for me these days.  I have now read 19 books total for the year so I am well on my way to making my goal of 50 books for the year.  I may end up raising my goal but I am going to wait a while before I do that.  I don't want to overwhelm myself. I only read one book this month that I own, the rest were library books and review books.  I happened to glance at my bookshelves recently and was reminded that there are quite a few books I own that I want to read.  So I think I am going to start alternating between library books, review books and books I own (either in print or electronic version).  Otherwise, I will just keep reading everything but the books I own (I don't know why I do this!). Here is what I read this month: