Teaser Tuesday ~ 4/20

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's mine:

We remove our coats, settle in, read the menus, even though, as lifelong Chicagoans, we could probably sing them from memory in two-part harmony. Gomez lays all his smoking paraphernalia next to his silverware. ~ Page 140 In The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

If you wanna participate, please just leave a comment with your teaser! :-) Or, if you post it on your own blog, please share a link so I can come read yours! :-) This is a fun way to help find more great reads to add to the ever-growing to-read list! ;-)

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WINNER: This Little Prayer of Mine

First, thank you to all who entered! :-) Your support means a lot to me!

The winner of This Little Prayer of Mine is entry #6, who is Chris D.! :-) CONGRATULATIONS!

This was the last book giveaway hosted on Ramblings & More. Stick with me here if you want to have more chances to win free books! :-) I plan to always have a list of current giveaways at the top of the right-hand column to make it easy for you to know what I am offering at any given time.

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Giveaway ends TODAY

Don't miss your chance to snag a free copy of the children's book This Little Prayer of Mine! (That is hosted on my other blog, because Proud Book Nerd wasn't born yet!) This is an adorable book for kids with lovely illustrations! Just enter your information on the MckLinky at the bottom of the post, and you're good to go! The winner will be chosen, announced, and e-mailed tomorrow! Good luck to all who entered!

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Review & GIVEAWAY: The Bridegrooms

Title: The Bridegrooms

Author: Allison Pittman

Description: Tragedy hits the Allenhouse family on a hot summer night in Ohio when a mother of four vanished. Eight-year-old Vada virtually grew up overnight and raised her three younger sisters while her father lost himself in his medical practice in the basement of their home.

Now, Vada is a grown woman, still making her home with her father and sisters. Her days are spent serving as an errand girl for Cleveland’s fledgling amateur orchestra; her evenings with Garrison Walker, her devoted, if passionless, beau.

Dizzying change occurs the day the Brooklyn Bridegrooms come to town to play the Cleveland Spiders and a line drive wallops the head of a spectator. The fan is whisked to the Allenhouse parlor, and questions swirl about the anonymous, unconscious man.

Suddenly, the subdued house is filled with visitors, from a flirtatious, would-be sports writer to the Bridegrooms’ handsome star hitter to the guilt-ridden ballplayer who should have caught the stray shot. The medical case brings Dr. Allenhouse a frustration and helplessness he hasn’t felt since his wife’s disappearance. Vada’s sisters are giddy at the bevy of possible suitors. And Vada’s life is awakened amid the super-charged atmosphere of romantic opportunity.

My Thoughts [MILD SPOILERS]: I will start by saying that I was quite pleased with the way the story ended. Based on that alone, I almost gave the book a higher rating! But, I found this book slow to really get going. It wasn't a chore to read, but it didn't have me wanting to read more until I got to the last half or third (it's hard to know when I got sucked in) of the book. In short: It took me FIVE DAYS to read this book. If a book really grabs me, I will finish in half that time – if not less.

The characters were OK. Vada was mostly likable, but I was really wanting her to put Lisette in her place a few times. I couldn't believe the rudeness and abuse she took from her! Hazel was sweet, and I was really hoping that Althea would say something by book's end.

One big plus was that the Christianity in the book was very natural. No preachy religion, which I greatly appreciate. Overall, it was an enjoyable read! I would recommend it to fans of Christian fiction.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Source: This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Get It: Purchase your own copy of The Bridegrooms HERE.

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*****WIN IT*****

I have one copy to give away to one lucky reader!

To Enter: Submit your entry using the form below. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Central) Monday, May 3. A winner will be chosen randomly with the help of random.org. I will send the lucky winner an e-mail notification. (It will come from ramblings.more(at)gmail(dot)com, so make sure to add this address to your safe list or address book to ensure it doesn't get lost in junk/bulk mail.) If I do not get a response within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to readers in the U.S. No P.O. boxes.

Speaking of GIVEAWAYS: Don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

The GIVEAWAY for This Little Prayer of Mine ends TODAY! (This is hosted on my other blog because it was posted before this blog was created!)

Enter to win Forget Me Not by April 26 HERE!

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It's (almost) Monday! What are you reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, it is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Sheila posted on Sunday rather than Monday, and I decided to follow suit. Tomorrow will be busy: morning dentist appointment, Girl Scouts, soccer practice, and the usual stuff. So, I don't plan to have much time on the computer at all!

Last week I finished:

• The Bridegrooms by Allison Pittman ~ Review coming tomorrow.
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen ~ My review

I'm still working on:

• Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books by Maureen Corrigan

I just started:

• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I also plan to read:

• No Greater Love (Extreme Devotion) by Kathi Macias

Beyond that, I have no idea! LOL But, I'm sure there will be at least one more. Maybe not completely finished, but at least begun.

Don't forget to check out my GIVEAWAYS. They're always at the top of the right-hand column!

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Harry Potter Prequel

I just read over on Reading Teen what apparently is the text from a hand-written prequel to the Harry Potter series. It's apparently written by J.K. Rowling. You know, I think it' be really cool if she did write a prequel, so we could see Harry's Parents' story! Anyway, here is the link to Reading Teen's post:

http://readingteen.blogspot.com/2010/04/harry-potter-prequel.html

ENJOY!

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On My Wish List, Part 2

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own "On My Wishlist" post. If you want to know more click here.
Idea inspired by The Story Siren. All descriptions are from Goodreads.com.

The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States by Benjamin F. Morris

I can't remember when or how I first heard of this one, but it's been on my wish list for quite some time now. Unfortunately, I can't find a description anywhere online (at least not on my usual channels: goodreads, Google books, Amazon), so I cannot give you one. What I do know is that it clearly outlines the Christian background that our great country was built on – the history of the United States that so many seem determined to keep most Americans in the dark about. I believe this book is out of print, as it is VERY hard to find!


Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

 This is the first in a series of books that inspired the Showtime TV show Dexter, which my husband and I both LOVE! I have no idea how close the show is to the movie, but I don't care. I wanna read it! Generally speaking, when there's a show/movie I like that I wasn't aware of there being a book beforehand, well, I MUST read it! Now, to find time – and the money ...

Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep's clothing. He is handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He s a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likeable: he only kills bad people. And his job as a blood splatter expert for the Miami police department puts him in the perfect position to identify his victims. But when a series of brutal murders bearing a striking similarity to his own style start turning up, Dexter is caught between being flattered and being frightened -- of himself or some other fiend.

Heart of the Matterby Emily Giffin

I read the other books by Emily Giffin last summer and LOVED (or at least REALLY LIKED) them all. But, as with most other books, I'll wait for paperback. For some reason, I have a pretty strong preference for paperback. Perhaps one day I'll post about that.

Tessa Russo is the mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon.  Despite her own mother's warnings, Tessa has recently given up her career to focus on her family and the pursuit of domestic happiness. From the outside, she seems destined to live a charmed life.

Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie--a boy who has never known his father.  After too many disappointments, she has given up on romance--and even to some degree, friendships--believing that it is always safer not to expect too much.

Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, the two have relatively little in common aside from a fierce love for their children.  But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined. 

In alternating, pitch-perfect points of view, Emily Giffin creates a moving, luminous story of good people caught in untenable circumstances. Each being tested in ways they never thought possible. Each questioning everything they once believed. And each ultimately discovering what truly matters most.

OK. I showed you mine. Now it's your turn ...

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Book Blogger Hop: April 16-22, 2010

This is a fun way for book bloggers to meet and make new friends. While this blog is quite new, I'm hardly a new blogger. My primary blog is called Ramblings & More. I recently started this blog to separate my book-related blogging from everything else. My blog felt cluttered, and I felt like I needed to branch off. So, Proud Book Nerd was born! It was a difficult birth, as after the first template change the blog was corrupted. So, I had to start from scratch, and lost all of my followers as a result! So, if we met last week, please check to see if you're still following me! I miss you! :-) If you're new, I hope you like what you see!

I do intend to do the optional twist (see below), but after the craziness of rebuilding this blog, it's gonna have to wait until next week! 

ABOUT THE HOP:
In the spirit of the Friday Follow, Jennifer at Crazy For Books thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! She created this weekly BOOK PARTY where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!  So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start PARTYING!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know!  Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added!  And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

For the full rules, see HERE. 

OPTIONAL TWIST:
On your blog hop post, tell us about some of the other great blogs you've found while Hopping around!

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I am an IDIOT!

I am not sure why, but I misposted the winner of the most recent giveaway – for An Absence So Great! The post has been corrected, but if you saw it and thought you were the winner as a result, please send me an e-mail at ramblings.more@gmail.com. (I know who I said, so don't e-mail if you aren't the person! ;-) ) I offer my humblest apologies and beg your forgiveness!

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An Absence So Great Winner

Congratulations to Judy Hall! :-) Your e-mail is on the way!

THANK YOU to everyone who entered! Don't forget to enter to win the CUTE kids' book This Little Prayer of Mine and the AWESOME read Forget Me Not! Also, stay tuned, because I have a new giveaway starting on Monday!

Blessings,

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Review: Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am so glad I finally read the book. While I find the cover not very appealing (which, for me, can matter – it took me a year to finally get beyond the cover), the story is AWESOME!

The characters were quite interesting, the plot was engaging – this was one book that had me from Page 1. I didn't find myself able to guess a lot of the surprises in the plot, which is a nice change.

This was one of those books that I couldn't read fast enough, but didn't want to read too fast. One of those books that I couldn't wait to see how things play out, but I wanted to savor every page. I know I will read this one again.

Get your own copy of Water for Elephants HERE.

View all my reviews >>

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Near the End

I am quickly coming to the end of my current read, a book I am finding AMAZING. What it is doesn't matter. It could be any REALLY good book that fits this post. When I get to the end, where there are only a few more chapters left and the action is good, I get conflicted. Part of me says, "Yes! I'm almost done. One more book read. And I FINALLY get to see how it all comes together in the end – of course, that's assuming it DOES come together ..." 

Another part of me thinks, "NO! Not yet! I'm not ready for it to end! How can there only be five (or two or whatever number fits the bill) chapters left? There's so much I want to know – all of the answers can't possibly be in that small number of chapters!" It doesn't matter if the chapters are 20 pages each, I still think that! LOL

And here I am again, warring with myself. I wanna read faster – sit and read until it's all finished, not breaking for more than the kids absolutely NEED – so I can find out how it all ends. I wanna read slower – put my book down, screw around on Facebook, read e-mail, anything else – so I can savor the story. It's like chewing slowly, savoring the last bite of your absolute favorite food. Enjoy it while it lasts, do what you can to prolong the enjoyment – but don't overdo it. You don't want it to backfire. You don't want to be stuck reading too fast – so fast you can't mentally process it all. You don't want to be stuck reading too slowly – so slowly that the story becomes fragmented. You're stuck trying to find the perfect balance. But how? Where is it?

I don't know. All I know is that I'm finishing this book TONIGHT – no matter what! I am finishing this book, writing a review (if I feel so inclined, or if I've agreed to do so before starting it), rating it on Goodreads, and deciding what to read next.

What to read next ...

Really? I have to decide that already? Didn't I JUST START this book?

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GIVEAWAY Ends TODAY

The giveaway for An Absence So Great ends tomorrow! Don't miss your chance to get the book FREE! Enter by filling out the MckLinky HERE!

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WWW Wednesdays (Apr. 14)

To play along, just answer the following three questions…What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

My Answers:

What are you currently reading?
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen ~ This has been on my to-read list for probably at least a year. And I know I bought it probably a year ago. FINALLY, I have a chance to read it. And I'l really liking it!

Leave Me Alone: I'm Reading by Maureen Corrigan ~ The title was intriguing, but so far it disappoints. This likely will be on my reading list for a while, simply because it's not really holding my interest. It'll be a good thing to read when I've nothing else I'm able to do – like on a long car ride. I'm hoping it gets better...

What did you recently finish reading?

The Bridegrooms by Allison Pittman ~ It was for a blog tour, so I haven't posted the review yet. Look for that on Monday morning - PLUS a GIVEAWAY! :-) I snagged an extra copy! ;-) I enjoyed it, and if you wanna know more, you'll just have to read my review! ;-)

What do you think you’ll read next?

No Greater Love by Kathi Macias ~ I snagged this as another blog tour read, and I'm excited about it. The description (from Goodreads.com) really has me interested:

Forbidden romance, an unlikely martyr and an even more unlikely hero. Orphaned four years earlier when their parents, active in the African National Congress ANC movement against apartheid, were murdered16-year-old Chioma and her 15-year-old brother Masozi now live and work on an Afrikaner familys farm. When Chioma and Andrew, the farm owners son, find themselves attracted to one another, tragedy revisits their lives. Chioma escapes to join an ANC rebel band in her effort to survive and gain revenge for her family and culture. When cultures clash in life-or-death struggles, Chioma must choose between violence and revengeor forgiveness and selfless love. Loosely based on historical events and set near Pretoria, South Africa, in the violent upheaval prior to ANC leader Nelson Mandelas release from prison in 1990 and his ascendance to the presidency of South Africa, this story of forbidden romance produces an unlikely martyr who is replaced by one even more unlikely.

This is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. To participate, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post or your answers, if you don't have a blog.

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Whatcha Reading Wednesday

Hey, bookworms! This one's for you! Hosted by Busy Moms Who Love to Read, this is just a fun little thing to share a tidbit from what you're reading.

For those of you who've done this before, she's changed it up a bit, so make sure to read the instructions below before you start!

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading, type out the first sentence of the story – not the preface or intro but line one of chapter one. If it is a spoiler at all be sure to put **Spoiler Alert** at the top of your comment (like if the selection announces the death of an integral character or something). This is supposed to fun and enlightening and I really hope you guys do this! Don't forget to add your link to the MckLinky below! (If you don't have a blog, feel free to participate by leaving your sentence in a comment on this post!)

Here's mine for the week:

I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other. ~ Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

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And We're Back ...

Sorry about all of that. It appears that all I needed to do was rebuild the blog. Fun stuff! Now, hopefully, it'll be fully operational with NO MORE TROUBLE! ;-)

I am not sure if the Google Friend Connect followers translate over. So, if you were following me, please click on "follow" again just to be sure! So far as I know, the Feedburner stuff should still work fine.

PLEASE, if you notice any troubles of any sort – links broken, Feedburner feed/e-mails not working, or whatever – PLEASE tell me. Either comment here or use the contact form (which will go straight to my e-mail).

Thank you!

Blessings,

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It's Monday! What are you reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. Hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, it is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I must admit, my reading list isn't very long. My TO-READ list is VERY long, but my READING list isn't. I don't do well reading more than one book at a time, unless one is fiction and the other(s) is(are) nonfiction. Last week, such was the case. Well, sorta. I didn't finish anything! LOL But, I started two books.

Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books by Maureen Corrigan

The Bridegrooms by Allison Pittman

Coming this week: Finishing The Bridegrooms, reading more of Leave Me Alone, and starting (hopefully reading in its entirety) No Greater Love by Kathi Macias. Reviews of The Bridegrooms and No Greater Love are forthcoming.

While I have your attention: I have THREE giveaways running right now! Please check them out and make sure to enter before they're over!

• An Absence So Great ~ Ends 4/15
• This Little Prayer of Mine ~ Ends 4/19
• Forget Me Not ~ Ends 4/26

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Review & GIVEAWAY: Forget Me Not

Title: Forget Me Not

Author: Vicki Hinze

Summary: Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family. Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away. His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith. Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too. Why had he survived? He’d failed to protect his family.

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan. A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.

The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill. Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly. Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?

Author Bio: Vicki Hinze is an award-winning author of twenty-three novels, three nonfiction books, and hundreds of articles. Selected for Who’s Who in America in 2004 as a writer and educator, Hinze is active in Romance Writers of America and serves as a Vice President on the International Thriller Writers Board of Directors. Vicki lives in Florida with her artist husband, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. Visit www.vickihinze.com to learn more about Vicki’s books, blogs, and writing programs.

My Thoughts: This was quite the page-turner! I read over a 36-hour time period. We were visiting family over Easter weekend, and I found myself stealing time away to sit and read. I had to find out what was coming next! The story was very interesting, and there were some twists and turns in there that were a bit unexpected. That's a good thing – I hate when books are predictable! Another plus was that this book didn't shove Christianity down my throat. I am a born-again Christian, and do not find Christian books in the least bit offensive. I just hate when it feels like I'm reading more of a sermon and less of a story. I want the story! ;-) That said, I felt this book had the perfect balance of God and plot. We see prayer and reference to God and faith in ways that felt perfectly natural to me.

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source: This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Get It: Purchase your own copy of Forget Me Not HERE.

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*****WIN IT*****

I have one copy to give away to one lucky reader!

To Enter: Submit your entry using the MckLinky below (you can leave the first box, labeled "entry content," blank). Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Central) Monday, April 26. A winner will be chosen randomly with the help of random.org. I will send the lucky winner an e-mail notification. (It will come from ramblings.more(at)gmail(dot)com, so make sure to add this address to your safe list or address book to ensure it doesn't get lost in junk/bulk mail.) If I do not get a response within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to readers in the U.S. No P.O. boxes.

Speaking of GIVEAWAYS: Don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

Enter to win An Absence So Great by April 15 HERE!

The GIVEAWAY for This Little Prayer of Mine ends on April 19!

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