Book Review-Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

It had been quite awhile since reading the last book in Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. I started it back in April 2008 and have been loving each book since. With so many books to read and review, I had put off reading some of the series that I had been following so it was nice to finally get back to them.
Living with the Dead is the ninth book in the series about werewolves, witches and demons. Supernaturals are a major part of the world but unknowingly to humans. In this installment, the story follows Robyn Peltier who isn't a supernatural, but gets dragged into their world when she becomes a suspect in the murder of one of her clients. It is a good thing that one of her best friends, Hope Adams, is in town with her boyfriend, Karl. The fact that she is a half demon and he a werewolf comes in handy to get Robyn out of trouble.
So nice to get lost in Armstrong's world once again. Still entertaining and fresh. I think it helps that each book follows different characters and yet shows how they are all interconnected. You are continuously reminded of the other characters and their lives. Great way to get readers interested in reading the next book.
4/5
Source: Christmas gift_________________________________________

Mailbox Monday (a day late...again)

Baby books and a book to review. The little girl is finally able to entertain herself a bit more and is sometimes taking longer naps during the day that I feel a little more able to get some reading done. So, it is time to start reviewing a bit more.
The first on my list...
Electric Barracuda by Tim Dorsey sent for review for TLC Book Tours (thanks Trish)







And the babycentric books...
The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Though the Night by Elizabeth Pantley








Baby Yosemite by Katherine Brumage (board book)






123 San Francisco: A Cool Counting Book by Puck (board book)








Mailbox Monday Blog Tour is being hosted by Rose City Reader for the month of January. Go see what everybody else will be reading in 2011._________________________________________

2010 Books Read

December

48. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris =

47. The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere + (review)

46. Dark Moon of Avalon by Anna Elliot + (review)

NovemberB

45. The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham + (review)

44. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris =

October

43. Green Baby by Susannah Marriot + (review)

42. The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, MD (review)

September

41. Linger by Maggie Steifvater (review) =

August

40. Shiver by Maggie Steifvater (review)

39. Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin (review)^

38. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (review)

37. The Keepsake by Tess Gerritson

36. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson=

July

35. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (review)

34. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (review)

33. The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

32. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich =(review)

31. Inside Out by Barry Eisler +(review)

30. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer =(review)

29. The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli ^ (review)

June

28. Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter (review)

27. I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter (review)

May

26. Ice Cold by Tess Gerritson ^ (review)25. Birth Day by Mark Sloan, MD (review)24. Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty (review)

April23. Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz = (review)
22. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz = (review)
21. Luxe by Anna Godberson20. Trackers by Patrick Carman * (review)19. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger ~18. Hunted by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast

March17. The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket =16. Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (review)15. Small Favor by Jim Butcher14. Run For Your Life by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge ~13. The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (review)12. That Summer by Sarah Dessen (review)11. Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen (review)10. Frenemies by Alexa young9. Knocked Out By My Nunga-Nungas by Louise Rennison
February8. Flyte by Angie Sage7. The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld
January6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson (review)5. Mia the Magnificent by Eileen Boggess + (review)4. Magyk by Angie Sage (review)3. According to Jane by Marilyn Brant (review) 2. 7th Heaven by James Patterson =1. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters + (review) 

* ARC

^ LT Early Reviewers Program

# GoodReads First Reads Program

~ Giveaway Win

+ publisher/author sent for review (not ARC)

= Mooched/Borrowed

   Purchased

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Mama will be back when I get better at napping

This cute little girl has been taking up a lot of my reading and online time. Thought I would share a photo of my almost 4 month old baby in an attempt to get some understanding for not being as present as I have been in the past. I feel bad for not visiting blogs, commenting, posting more reviews, participating in challenges, etc...

Hope you all can forgive me. Just take a look at that cute little face. :)

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Christmas Loot (Mailbox Monday)

I love getting books for gifts, and this year I came home with quite a haul. Didn't get home in time for last week's Mailbox Monday, so...Happy New Year!
Child of Mine: Feeding With Love and Good Sense by Ellyn Satter







Turn Coat by Jim Butcher


 Living With the Dead by Kelly Armstrong
The Likeness by Tana French
Mailbox Monday Blog Tour is being hosted by Rose City Reader for the month of January. Go see what everybody else will be reading in 2011._________________________________________

Winner- The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere

I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful holiday. I am sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of The Christmas Journey, but I have just returned home from being at my parents, who have no internet.  I had a lovely Christmas with the family and our newest little addition. She survived the travel and visiting of family pretty well. Anyway, the reason I am here, the winner of this lovely book is... Joy. Conratulations! Please email me your mailing address to marireadsATyahooDOTcom. 
Happy New Year!
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Book Review and Giveaway- The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere
I love the design of this small book. It is filled with beautiful watercolor illustrations  and a beautiful story. VanLiere has written a realistic view of Mary and Joseph's  arduous journey to Bethlehem. You get a better understanding of what it must have been like and makes them feel much more real. 
I really mean small book, by the way. It only took about half an hour to read but will definitely be reread again and again each Christmas. It has definitely gotten me into the spirit of the holiday and I believe, sometimes, it is good to remind ourselves what Christmas is all about. 
5/5
Source: Thanks Anna for providing book for review.
Thanks to Anne Staszalek I have one copy of the book to give away.  To enter to win The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere leave a comment on this post.  Contest is open to US and Canadian residents.  I will use random.org to determine the winner. Contest ends at midnight PST Friday, December 24th.   The winner will be announced on Sunday, December 26, 2010. 

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Mailbox Monday

And the books keep coming. Yay.
I won a book from Library Thing's Early Reviewers November batch.

Marilyn Brant's Friday Mornings at Nine.

Excited to read this one. I really enjoyed her first novel According to Jane.


The Mailbox Monday Blog Tour can be found at Let Them Read Books this month.

My copy of Dark Moon of Avalon by Anna Elliot, which I shared in last week's Mailbox Monday, is up for giveaway. Go here and sign up to win my copy.


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Giveaway- Dark Moon of Avalon by Anna Elliot

The young former High Queen, Isolde, and her friend and protector, Trystan, are reunited in a new and dangerous quest to keep the usurper, Lord Marche, and his Saxon allies from the throne of Britain. Using Isolde's cunning wit and talent for healing and Trystan's strength and bravery, they must act as diplomats, persuading the rulers of the smaller kingdoms, from Ireland to Cornwall, that their allegiance to the High King is needed to keep Britain from a despot's hands.

Their admissions of love hang in the air, but neither wants to put the other at risk by openly declaring a deeper alliance. When their situation is at its most desperate, Trystan and Isolde must finally confront their true feelings toward each other, in time for a battle that will test the strength of their will and their love.

Steeped in the magic and lore of Arthurian legend, Elliott paints a moving portrait of a timeless romance, fraught with danger, yet with the power to inspire heroism and transcend even the darkest age.

As mentioned before, my bookshelves can't hold any more books and our SF apartment is too small for more bookshelves so I am giving away my gently used copy of Dark Moon of Avalon. Find my review here.
To enter, leave a comment on this post and an email address where you can be contacted. You have until midnight PST on Tuesday, December 14th. Giveaway is open internationally.
Extended to Dec 17th._________________________________________

Book Review-Dark Moon of Avalon by Anna Elliott

Dark Moon of Avalon by Anna Elliott
I am a big fan of English Historical Fiction, so I was very excited to get a copy Dark Moon of Avalon. This was not a book I had heard of before but it sounded like a book I would enjoy. 

"The young former High Queen, Isolde, and her friend and protector, Trystan, are reunited in a new and dangerous quest to keep the usurper, Lord Marche, and his Saxon allies from the throne of Britain."

My only knowledge of Trystan and Isolde comes from listening to the music by Wagner and the movie with James Franco, so I really enjoyed reading and learning about them in Anne Elliot's book. The story is captivating, filled with the legend of King Arthur and the love between Trystan and Isolde carry it along.
The Prologue, and the way it is written, had me a bit worried. Written in the first person and stylized to sound poetic perhaps. It would have been hard to read the whole book this way. Thankfully, I didn't have to. 
Dark Moon of Avalon, which was released in September, is the second book in the trilogy. The first book is Twilight of Avalon and the last book, Sunrise of Avalon, will be available September 2011.
I do wish I had read the first in the series but it did not ruin my enjoyment of Dark Moon. This most definitely can be read as a stand alone book.  I look forward to reading the first in the series and getting the last in the trilogy.
4/5
About the author:

The daughter of two English literature Ph.D.s, Anna Elliott grew up in Wilton, Connecticut, in a house filled with books. She is a longtime devotee of historical fiction and fell especially in love with Arthurian legend and Celtic history while at university.

Anna was expecting her first child when she woke up from a vivid dream in which she had told her mother that her next book project would be about Modred's daughter, Isolde. She was very grateful to her daughter for being an excellent sleeper even as a newborn and allowing her the time to turn her dream into a finished trilogy. The trilogy comprises Twilight of Avalon, Dark Moon of Avalon, and the upcoming Sunrise of Avalon.

She now lives in the Washington, D.C. Metro area with her husband and two daughters.

Links:

http://www.annaelliottbooks.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/anna_elliott

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Moon-Avalon-Trystan-Twilight/dp/1416589902

Source: Stephanie of BookSparks for Book Tour 
Giveaway: If you would like my gently used copy of Dark Moon of Avalon enter here.
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