GIVEAWAY: Panverse One

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I have one(1) copy of this new book, Panverse One, for a giveaway. Book is new and here is the blurb about it:
Panverse Publishing is proud to announce the publication of PANVERSE ONE, the first volume in a bi-annual series of all-original novella anthologies from Panverse.

WAKING THE CITY by Andrew Tisbert

In the far future, age-old tensions between the wilderness and the city erupt when a rebellious youth feels the stirrings of long-dormant technology embedded in his blood…

SHIVA NOT DANCING by Uncle River

Amidst the bitter water disputes of the desert Southwest, a peaceful meditation center shoehorned into the local culture becomes the center of an unusual scientific phenomenon…

DELUSION’S SONG by Alan Smale

In 1846, a space-time discontinuity has cut Haworth, Yorkshire, off from the surrounding countryside, and Emily is determined to discover the reason why…

FORK YOU by Reggie Lutz

A wild girl child armed with a pair of magic utensils and a lot of attitude is adopted by a clan of inbred, moonshine-swilling hillbillies…

THE SINGERS OF RHODES by Jason K. Chapman

A long-simmering vendetta comes to a boil as rival treasure-seekers face off on a vast, abandoned alien space station. And the small alien creatures who infest the structure seem to have their own agenda…

RULES:

1. You must be a follower or a subscriber to enter.

2. Leave a comment on this post with your name and email address.

I would appreciate you spreading the word about it on your blog, twitter, etc. It is not required but greatly appreciated!!

Contest ends Saturday, October 24th.

Harlequin Contest Winners!

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For everyone who entered the contest For the Harlequin Intrigue book, THANK YOU! I am so happy that Harlequin gave me the chance to share this book with you! So I entered everyones name into Random.Org and the number fairy from the web picked the following names:

Crystal Adkins
Amanda
Virgina C
Brenda

I will email all four of you shortly or if you don’t hear from me soon, please just email me your mailing info stating you were the winner at:
djsfoxylady@gmail.com

Stay tuned for another giveaway contest later today!

Understanding My Rating System

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I don’t know about some of you, but I find it hard how to use the ratings. Below is my rating system and a little description for each one. Hopefully this can clear up some of the confusion and if anyone has any other ideas on how to make the ratings better, let me know. I am still learning things as I go so all input is good input for me!

5 FLAMES-Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf For Rereading!

This rating is the top rating a book can get. If I enjoy a book so much I will make it a nice little home on my bookshelf. I have one bookshelf set aside for books that I plan on keeping until my hubby puts me in the ground. These are books that if for some reason I have no books in my TBR pile (OMG!), then I will pick these to reread again and again.

4 FLAMES-Very Good! Worth Spending Your Money on!

Ah, the 4 flamer. This rating is for books that I really enjoyed and I would definitely spend my money on. Whether if it is a book for me or for a gift, its worth owning, but not necessarily something I would reread first. Not a waste of money, but not one I would tuck in at night like my 5 flamers. LOL

3 FLAMES-A Good Book and Read! Perfect For Rainy Days From the Library!

If a book receives 3 flames then it means that it was a book that I enjoyed, but not enough to run out and spend what little money I do have. This is one that I would recommend borrowing from the Library and get a feel of the author’s work before purchasing this book.

2 FLAMES-A Decent Read. Has Some Drawbacks Though.

If a book gets 2 flames then be wary of it. I hate using 2 flames because it means there were a lot of draw backs to it that I didn’t like. These are books that I had to force myself to finish reading just because I am stubborn and want to see the ending after all.

1 FLAME- DNF:I did not enjoy this book.

If you see this rating, run, don’t walk to get away from this book. LOL. This means there were so many problems with this book that I couldn’t even finish it all the way. This rarely happens for me. Sometimes it does and I want to warn others about it.

I hope this clears some things up. I value everyones opinion on books. Please though, if there is a book you have been wanting to read, and my rating scares you from reading it, DON”T LET IT! This is only my opinion of a book. Yours might be completely different! If anyone has any ideas on making my rating system better just let me know!

STEPMONSTER by Wednesday Martin, Ph.D

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STEPMONSTER

Author: Wednesday Martin, Ph.D.

Special Thanks to: FSB Associates

  • Hardcover: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (May 4, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0618758194
  • ISBN-13: 978-0618758197

SYNOPSIS:

A groundbreaking and truly stepmother-centered way of understanding the tensions that seem to define relations between women and their stepchildren Half of all women in the United States will live with or marry a man with children. And what woman with stepchildren has not—in order to defuse the often overwhelming challenges of the role—referred to herself as a “stepmonster”? As Hope Edelman does in her book for motherless daughters, Wednesday Martin’s empowering and original Stepmonster unlocks the emotional mysteries of why stepmothers think and feel and act the way they do. Martin draws upon her own experience as a stepmother, interviews with other stepmothers and stepchildren, and fascinating insights from literature, anthropology, psychology, and evolutionary biology to reveal the little-understood realities of this most demanding role. Stepmonster illuminates the harrowing process of becoming a stepmother, considers the myths and realities of being married to a man with children, counteracts the cultural notion that stepmothers are solely responsible for the challenges they encounter, identifies the “Five Step-Dilemmas That Create Conflict,” and considers the emotional and social challenges men with children face when they remarry. Finally, in an unexpected twist, Martin shows why the myth of the Wicked Stepmother is our single best tool for understanding who real stepmothers are and how they feel.

MY TAKE:

I wanted to read this book because I am a stepmother. I have 3 daughters of my own, but my husband had a son from a previous marriage. Being a stepmother is different than being a mom. We constantly feel like it is a competition for love and understanding with the child. Are we doing this right? Does the child love me? Are we suppose to discipline the child or leave it to the real mom? These are questions I needed answers to. In this book we don’t only get to see the “how to” at being a stepmom but the steps needed to feel complete with the child. A wonderfully written book for a stepmom!

MY RATING:


Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf

For Rereading!

REDEFINING BEAUTIFUL by Jenna Lucado

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REDEFINING BEAUTIFUL
Author: Jenna Lucado
Special Thanks to: Thomas Nelson Books

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 15, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1400314283
  • ISBN-13: 978-1400314287

SYNOPSIS:

Not feeling very beautiful? Learn what beauty is from God’s perspective.

Revolve speaker Jenna Lucado has teamed up with her dad, Max Lucado, to bring girls a fresh perspective on what they need to live a life of peace, joy, and confidence. What does God see when He looks at them? And how does a girl catch that vision?

Jenna reveals life accessories that are essential, and which single accessory is a real must-have to give teens a look they love-a look that says they are comfortable with who they are and secure and confident. What’s the all-important accessory? Love from a father. But what happens when there is no loving father in sight, no daddy to tell them they are beautiful?

Through conversational “girl time” Jenna reveals that when we look to God as our Father, He can change our focus, our look, and our lives. With affirmation from Max, Redefining Beautiful will change the way girls look at God, themselves, and the people around them.

MY TAKE:
This was a read that hit close to home for me. I was always considered nerd girl, or four eyes in school. We all hate something about ourselves that we think defines us. For me, looking in the mirror was one of those horrible morning rituals that I did not look forward to while growing up. Now that I have read this book, I look at myself in the mirror and find myself finding the positive in myself. We don’t all have to be the same in the looks department. We are each unique and what we think is ugly in ourselves, others find it as a beauty they love to look at. I am glad I had the chance to read and review this book. I am giving it to my daughter as she struggles with the teen years and as she tries to find her style. Yes, she has the all black going on and I have learned that it’s okay to let her do it. It’s what defines her. This is a wonderful read for teens going through the struggles of finding their style and self.

MY RATING:


Very Good! Worth Spending Your Money on!

At first this book had a 3 flame rating. But as J. Kaye pointed out in my comment section, I did really enjoy this book. So the more I thought about it, she was right. It really did deserve at least the 4 flame rating. Just because it is one I wouldn’t normally buy, but one that did touch close to home and gave me a warm feeling.