REVIEW: The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

The Spellman Files is the first book in the very fun and quirky Spellman Family mystery series by Lisa Lutz. Nath and I picked up and read The Spellman Files last fall and finally wrapped up a buddy review that's posted today over at Breezing Through. Click over and check it out HERE! :)

Psst! While you're there, be sure to also check out the awesome Anti-Valentine's Day Romance Giveaway the gals at Breezing Through have going on. You can win your choice of several different romance novel prize bundles... three books in each bundle! The hard part is going to be deciding which bundle to choose from!


You can learn more about Lisa Lutz and the Spellman books at http://lisalutz.com/. In fact, I dare you to read the overview of The Spellman Files that you can find HERE, and if you're still not interested in checking out at least the first book in this series... there's seriously something wrong with you! LOL. Kidding! No, actually I'm not. ;P

Seriously, though, this series is adorable and amusing and also has some very serious elements. You're going to think these characters are wacko, but I assure you, they will grow on you and you'll become emotionally invested in each one of them in no time. Okay, maybe not David. Nah, you'll like David, too. But Isabel will definitely worm her way into your heart without you knowing it. At first you're probably going to think she's odd, obstinate, and perhaps a tad immature. You're going to want to shout at her through the pages of the book and say things like, "Nooo! Izzie! That's a bad idea!" or "Uh oh, Izzie. You're gonna regret that." or "Izzzz-iiiie" and roll your eyes. But I'm telling you, you're going to love her and root for her and want to read the whole series just like I did. The series just got better and better. Really fun stuff.

The Spellman books are currently available in hardcover and have recently started to become available in trade paperback and mass market paperback as well.

The fourth book in the series, The Spellmans Strike Again will be released on March 16, 2010 in hardcover.

AND! There are plans in the works for a movie based on the first book in the series! Yay! So exciting!

I want to thank Li at Me and My Books for recommending this series. Thank you, Li! :)

I want to thank Michelle at red headed book child for sharing the love of this series with me in comments and emails as I read all three of the currently released Spellman books AND for sharing her ARC of the fourth book, The Spellmans Strike Again that will be available on March 16, 2010. I'm so lucky! Thanks, Michelle! :)

I also want to thank nath at Books, Books and more Books --and Breezing Through, of course, for inviting me to do the buddy review with her over at Breezing Through. Thanks, nath!! It was a lot of fun discussing the book with you and I hope to do it again sometime. Maybe for Curse of the Spellmans. ;)

Library Loot XI

Library Loot is a weekly blog event that encourages bloggers to share what books they borrowed from the library that week. To participate, simply make your Library Loot post on your blog and link it using the Mr. Linky link at Marg's blog Reading Adventures or Eva's blog A Striped Armchair. This week's link up is at Marg's.

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

I wanted to read this historical romance immediately after reading Hilcia's review and when I read Phyl's equally encouraging review shortly after that, I was impatient to do so. It turns out that the book was just being processed in my library, so I quickly jumped on the hold list and was second in line.

The only work of Mary Balogh's I've previously read was her short story contribution to the Heart of Christmas anthology, "A Handful of Gold" back in December and I enjoyed it very much, so I'm looking forward to reading this latest release. It's only a two week book, and I know there is a waiting list for it, which prohibits me from renewing it, so I'll read this one very soon.

Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris

Shakespeare's Trollop by Charlaine Harris

Lily Bard Mystery Series

These are the first two books in the Lily Bard Mystery series by Charlaine Harris. I had read such glowing series reviews from first Danielle at ALPHA Reader back in early November and then shortly after that from Angie at Angieville, both of which prompted me to make a mental note to look for these books. And then never did.

Recently, I discovered a section of shelves in my library that holds numerous romance, mystery and thriller paperbacks that are not catalogued in the system, so I've been browsing them each time I visit the library to see if there's anything of interest to me. I'm not really sure why these books are not barcoded so I can search for them with the online library catalogue, but at least now I know this section actually exists so I can search the good old fashioned way. Lucky for me, I spotted the first two books in the Lily Bard series in this section and immediately checked them out. Within pages I was strongly attached to Lily. I finished reading Shakespeare's Landlord yesterday and already started reading Shakespeare's Champion. I have a feeling I'm going to plow through this series quickly. I already checked the online catalog and the library actually has the rest of the series in hardcover, hence it's catalogued. I think I may suggest that they catalogue the first two books so they get shelved with the rest of the series. I wonder if they have the same appreciation for having a whole series catalogued and shelved together.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordin

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordin

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordin

Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Book 1, 2 and 3

I have been meaning to read this series for at least a year now, and my interest was recently renewed in this series after seeing that a few of my book blogging friends picked it up and read the first book, compounded by the fact that a movie based on the first book is coming out in theaters later this month. After waiting a week or more for one of the four copies of the first book that my library has to become available, I finally brought The Lightning Thief home to read. I encouraged my ten year old daughter to read it and at first she declined the book, but said yes to see the movie with me. Her preferred genre is chick lit for middle school age girls. Lo and behold, I caught her halfway through the book a few days later! LOL! This week alone she has also read the next two books in the series, Sea of Monsters and The Titan's Curse, and I believe I promised her a trip out to pick up books 4 and 5 tonight! Hey, when a girl's gotta have her books, a girl's gotta have her books. I get that. ;)

In the meantime, I've read the first chapter of The Lightning Thief, but am determined to finish it before the movie releases. Harry Potter is just going to have to set aside for Percy Jackson for a week or so, as that next film doesn't release until later this year.

Elements of Freedom by Alicia Keys

I love Alicia Keys and this album is really fantastic. Remember how much I loved her duet performance of Empire State of Mind with Jay-Z? Well, her solo version of the same song, "Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" is equally amazing. All of her songs on this album are R&B style; very poetic, soulful, emotional, and romantic and oh so good. One song, "Put It In A Love Song," features guest artist Beyonce and is a bit less R&B and more energetic and pop-like.


I've only recently started paying attention to the music section in my library. I don't know why I've always passed by it in the past, but it will become a regular section for me from now on, I'm sure.

Do you borrow music from your library?

Have you read any of these books from my Library Loot this week?

REVIEW: Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel & RECIPE: Pomegranate Sherbet

I know what you're thinking. What are a review for a romance novel and a recipe for pomegranate sherbet doing in the same post, right? Well, it's quite simple really. I was invited to read Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel and participate in a group discussion with Lea (Closetwriter), Renee (Renee's Book Addiction) and Carolyn (The Thrillionth Page) --three smart, articulate and fun women. While reading the novel, I was inspired by the wonderful descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells and flavors of the exotic setting to create a recipe for pomegranate sherbet that was served and eaten in the story. So naturally, I'm posting about the book and the recipe at the same time.

First things first, the book. Indiscreet is a fantastic read. It's an historical novel that takes place during the regency England time period, but nearly all of the story takes place in the exotic location of Turkey. Indiscreet is very romantic and the characters and their stories are incredibly well written and hence very believable. The author expertly articulated the exotic setting of Turkey and which, for me, added a layer to the story that just captured my senses and made this story even more memorable.

To read more about what I and my Indiscreet cohorts thought about this novel, visit our group discussion on Lea's blog HERE, where she's also giving away a copy of the book!

For a second chance to win a copy of Indiscreet, visit Renee's blog HERE!

And if that isn't enough, visit Carolyn HERE where does an interpretive dance of Indiscreet. What?! We're just going to let anything go with Carolyn over the next several weeks since she's probably quite beside herself in excitement and distraction as her debut novel Mind Games comes out in 50 days. So yeah. Interpretive dance at Carolyn's place!

Finally, my inspired recipe for Pomegranate Sherbet. Several of the main characters in Indiscreet, including our lead couple, Sabine Godard and Edward, the Marquess of Foye, bump into each other in a hot and busy marketplace and indulge in sherbet. I loved the way everyone chose orange, yet Sabine chose pomegranate. It's such a small detail, even somewhat irrelevant, yet to me, it somewhat asserted her character. She's strong, independent, and confident in her individuality. Or maybe I'm reading way too much into that and she just prefers pomegranates over oranges.

Fruit sherbets are generally easier to make than ice creams as they're usually a simple blend of fruit juice, sugar and milk or cream, and I'm very pleased with the results of this recipe. The sweet and tart of the pomegranate is nicely balanced and it's very smooth and delicately creamy. Very delicious. I hope you give it a try.

Pomegranate Sherbet

2 large pomegranates
OR 1 1/2 cups commercial pomegranate juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 pint half and half
2 teaspoons vodka or Grand Marnier, optional

Note: The alcohol has a much lower freezing point than the juice and cream, so it helps keep the sherbet creamy and not icy. It can be omitted.

Juice your pomegranates. And uh.. good luck with that. Not such an easy task. ;)

Combine pomegranate juice with sugar, half and half, and the vodka or Grand Marnier, if using, in a large bowl, stirring with a wire whisk until well blended and sugar has dissolved.

Refrigerate juice mixture until very cold then process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

Transfer sherbet into an airtight container and freeze for 1-4 hours until more firm. Then scoop, serve, and savor.

Enjoy! :)

REVIEW: Wild Heart by Lori Brighton

Wild Heart is an historical romance novel by debut author Lori Brighton. There is a subtle vein of supernatural to the story in that the heroine, Ella Fitch, has the gift of being able to "communicate" with animals by picking up on their emotions and soothing them with calming thoughts. The characterizations are loosely based on the tale of Tarzan as the male protagonist in Wild Heart, Leo Roberts, was the sole survivor of a deadly attack on a camp in the jungles of India when we has a child accompanying his parents on an exploration. Not only was the experience traumatic because of the act itself, but the understanding that the attack was an act of betrayal by someone his father trusted and the fact that Leo was not searched for or rescued for a very long time, has made Leo the wild, uncouth, outsider he is now.

Leo is now next in line for Earldom of his Grandfather's estate and Ella Fitch is hired as Leo's governess in order to educate and refine him in the manners and habits of a cultured member of society. It turns out, however, that Leo is not the only one with a mysterious and dark past as both of their pasts catch up to them and they are one or the other the object of a series of attacks. As they try to figure out exactly what is going on without revealing their secrets to each other, they end up learning about love, trust, and understanding like neither have ever known or dared hope for.

Wild Heart is a wonderfully suspenseful and mysterious adventure and a romantic tale of two lost and lonely souls who are brought together under some unusual, albeit possibly fateful circumstances. The mystery surrounding the attacks on them and the estate is intricate and multilayered, and kept me guessing at the possibilities until the very end. The love between Leo and Ella is built not only with passion, but also with compassion, trust and the kind of emotional connection you share with someone who simply believes in you.

I enjoyed witnessing the mystery of these characters and their love for each other unfold on the pages of Wild Heart, and I celebrated in their much deserved happily ever after.

In Death Challenge Post: January 2010

In Death Reading Challenge

This is the round up post for the first official month of the In Death Reading Challenge. If you read at least one In Death book in the month of January, congratulations on fulfilling your first challenge! If you made a post on your blog, whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and enter in the Mr. Linky below along with your name so we can find each other's posts easily. If you're just going to keep a running list of the books as you read them, grab the link to your post where you'll be keeping track of your list and enter in the Mr. Linky so we can recognize your success this month. This will also help me keep track of who's eligible for my challenge giveaway in April. Thanks for participating!

As I stated in my challenge post back in November, I read the first four books in the series in early 2007, nearly two years ago. Two friends of mine generously gifted me autographed copies of the first three books for and I no sooner had them in my hands when I bought a used set of the first 29 In Death books on ebay. So with the first four In Death books under my belt by March 2007 or so, nearly every month since then, I've told myself I should read another book in the series if I were ever going to catch up, and every month I failed to do so. Until this month, that is, thanks to the challenge.

Ceremony In Death by J.D. Robb

In Death series, book 5

This past week, I picked up and read the fifth book in the series, Ceremony In Death, and I was immediately drawn into the futuristic world of Eve Dallas once again, and feeling like I picked up where I left off two years ago as if it were last month. It's so good to be back on track. Hopefully this challenge will help me stay on track this time.

In Ceremony In Death, the story starts with Eve Dallas investigating the murder of one of the police department's own and no sooner does she start her investigation that she then has a string of connected murders to solve, all tied together somehow to two very different religious factions-- a Satanist cult and a Wiccan group.

The murder mystery in this story kept me guessing almost right to the end, which is always good. As for the emotional and relationship aspects of the story, again, this novel did not disappoint. It seemed to brim with interesting developments and dynamics in numerous relationships. As always, Eve and Roarke just live on these pages. One can't help but love the way Roarke loves Eve, cares for Eve, and knows Eve. I love the way her life, her world, her business is unquestionably, irrevocably his as well. He takes charge of taking care of her. Eve's relationship with her senior officer and mentor, Feeney gets tested in this story and what went down between them, what it did to both of them emotionally, and how it came back around, all important to the story and the character development and quite moving, too. A little bit of the same thing goes on between Eve and her aide, which was healthy for their relationship as well. We can't have her aide kissing up to her all the time, now can we? That wouldn't advance either one professionally or personally. I really enjoy all of the characters in this series and look forward to more from them and their world in the next book, Vengeance In Death.

In Death Book Covers

Within the set of used book collection that I bought, I have three books that have a very different cover than the typical In Death book, in that the cover art features an unusual blue lady. My first thought was that these blue lady covers were odd looking and I didn't like them as much as the newer ones featuring a city image or the even more recently issued books that have the more modern lines, graphics and colors. Here's a visual case study of the fifth book, Ceremony In Death in it's different issues. From left to right, The "Blue Lady" cover, The "New York" Landmark cover, and the newer Neon book covers.



I found some interesting information about the covers on the indeath.net/wikiindeath site. It turns out that the "Blue Lady" covers are the original US cover versions for the first seven books in the series, all featuring a lady with blue skin. Later the series picked up with "New York Landmarks" or other backgrounds. The site also indicated that many serious collectors of this series deem the "Blue Lady" covers must haves in a complete collection. So now, of course, I think it's pretty darn cool that I have three out of the seven "Blue Lady" covers and I'll be hanging on to them for sure.

I also wanted to mention there are UK versions to the covers as well, and they are very nice.

Starting with Survivor In Death (book 23), the cover style was changed to the style used today for the In Death reissues and new releases, known as the neon colored covers.

What do you think of the covers?

Do you own any "Blue Lady" covers?

Which is your favorite book cover style?

Challenge Participants:

Enter the url to your January 2010 In Death Challenge blog post with Mr. Linky below

OR

Enter the url to your blog post that contains the list of In Death Challenge books you have read so far with Mr. Linky below.

Thanks for playing!

Cover Love! Killbox by Ann Aguirre

This is the newly revealed cover art for Killbox, Ann Aguirre's upcoming October 2010 release, and the fourth novel in her Sirantha Jax series!!!

Look how gorgeous this cover looks on my blog! It was made for me. I love it so. The colors. The attitude. The heat. The strength. The impulsiveness. It's so ... so ... Sirantha!

Ann Aguirre's Jax series is a romantic science fiction series that follows the adventures and misadventures of space jumper Sirantha Jax and her crew as they jump through space on various political and humanitarian missions. And some missions are simply of the run for your life sort. The series has realistic and emotional romantic elements and is fast paced, suspenseful, clever, gritty and should not be missed.

October 2010 couldn't be soon enough.

If you've been with me on my blog for a while, you must already know how much I love Ann Aguirre's work. Need a refresher? Count the ways by checking out my past posts on this dear to me author ... especially my Loving Ann Aguirre post, which let's face it, is more like a Loving Sirantha Jax post! Sorry, Ann. ;)

The truth of it is, I do love Ann Aguirre and think you will, too, once you read her books. And books are her specialty, no matter your genre as Ann is an incredibly versatile writer. Check out all that she's got in the works all at once:

• The Jax series romantic science fiction
• The Corine Solomon series urban fantasy
• "Skin" series paranormal romance written as Ava Gray
• Ellen Connor books, three a collaborative paranormal apocalyptic action books yet to be released
• A post-apocalyptic young adult series expected sometime Dec. 2010 or Jan. 2011

Visit author Ann Aguirre at her website http://www.annaguirre.com/.

So, What's For Lunch Today?

Lisa from Books, Lists, Life invited me to join {which I did} a new group blog that she started up a week or so ago where participants post what they ate for lunch. She wanted a place to turn to when she needed inspiration for lunch ideas. How to re-use leftovers from dinner in new ways for lunch, a new sandwich combination, and even some near gourmet lunches that got pulled together when the pantry was nearly bare. So if you're looking for some inspiration, stop by So, What's For Lunch Today and see what everyone else is having. If you're interested in joining, you can drop Lisa an email and let her know. You can find her email address on the sidebar of the lunch blog.

Most days I have the same old same old boring turkey on whole wheat, and when I realized I was posting the same thing over and {yawn} over on the lunch blog, ... I decided I needed to make a conscious effort to mix it up a little! So yesterday I made a quesadilla with chicken and cheddar with homemade guacamole and some store bought smoky peach salsa. Today, I had one of my all time favorite salads, inspired by the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad from Panera (yum!). I came up with this simple, short cut version that has a very similar taste and texture and possibly even healthier.



Mixed Green Salad with Chicken & Pear

3-4 cups loosely packed lettuce or baby greens
4 oz. grilled chicken breast,
or cooked left over chicken
1/2 medium crisp pear, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon dried cranberries
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons Trader Joe's Champagne Pear Vinaigrette

Assemble lettuce greens on a plate. Arrange chicken on top, add the pear, and sprinkle with cranberries and pecans. Drizzle vinaigrette over top of salad just before serving.

Add other vegetables to the salad base as desired, such as cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced cucumber and red onion.

For a vegetarian version of the salad, substitute 1/3 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese for the chicken.

The dressing truly makes this salad, so definitely look for the Champagne Pear Vinaigrette at your Trader Joe's store in the refrigerator case. If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, you are so out of luck because this dressing is fabulous. And once you read the nutrition facts for this dressing, it will become your favorite, too. A 2 tablespoon serving has only 45 calories and 2.5 grams of fat (0.5 grams saturated fat, 0 trans fat). It is a little on the sweet side, but it's still only 4 grams of sugar per serving. There is gorgonzola blue cheese in the dressing, but the pieces of blue cheese are very small crumbles and are not strong flavored at all. So even if you're not a fan of blue cheese, I think you would still like this dressing. So good. In fact, you had better buy two bottles if the trip to your Trader Joe's is more than 20 minutes.


So what did you have for lunch today?

What do you usually have for lunch?

REMINDER: In Death Reading Challenge this week

Just a friendly reminder that if you're participating in the In Death Reading Challenge, we're in the last week of January (gasp!), so start reading your In Death book for this month if you haven't already. Of course, there are a few readers who have not only jumped on board, but they're reading as if this were a race! Namely, Lori, Natalie and our very own perpetual In Death re-reader, azteclady (see the comments in that link). All three of them have already read or re-read, at least two books. Lori is up to book nine or ten, I think.

If you haven't been by in a while, I made some changes to the challenge rules in that you're not required to write a review or commentary every month. Of course, I encourage you to talk up the books on your own blogs, but if you like, you can also simply keep a running list of the books as you read them. However, if you manage to keep up the pace and read at least one book per month, I will be doing a drawing and giving away a prize every four months to one reader who has stayed on track. So be sure to visit my blog at the end of every month to link your list with Mr. Linky so I'll know if your eligible for the drawing. Visit the sign up post HERE for more details. January's Mr. Linky post --and perhaps a discussion prompt-- will be up on Saturday, January 30, so stop by sometime over the weekend to add your link and join in on the book chat.

I still can't believe it's the last week in January already. It seems it was just yesterday that I was reviewing my 2008 reading stats and making crazy plans to join all of those reading challenges for 2010. And then, poof! It's nearly February, already! Well, there's one week left in January, and I plan on making it a productive one where reading challenges are concerned. I pulled out Ceremony In Death from my TBR boxes this morning (still haven't unpacked my books since moving back into the house back in May!), and will start it tonight.

I also finally started reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows over the weekend. This last book in the series has been at the top of my TBR pile since it came out in 2007, and thanks to the motivation behind the Big Book Challenge I recently joined and the persistent nagging of my 10 year old over the last few weeks, I'm finally going to read it. Now that I'm reading it, every morning she wakes up and every afternoon she gets home from school, she asks what part I got up to since she last asked. It's quite cute.

I hope you all have a great week reading!

Chicken Curry Pot Pie

Did you know that today is National Pie Day? I learned this yesterday from my fifth grader and wouldn't you know . . . I was already planning on making chicken pot pie for dinner? How serendipitous!

I love chicken pot pie and I love curry. I came across a recipe for Curried-Chicken Potpie years ago from CookingLight magazine, and over the years have adapted it to my own version. It's one of my favorite comfort foods in the winter months and a dish my family loves.


Chicken Curry Pot Pie

Basic pie crust
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2-3 tablespoons ice water

Filling
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium sized potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups vegetables, such as diced red peppers, sliced carrots, peas, sliced mushrooms, corn and green beans
1/4 cup raisins
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons ice cold water

PREPARE THE CRUST
Using a food processor:
Add flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse once or twice to combine.

Add cold butter to flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Add olive oil and vinegar and pulse a few more times.

Add cold water, 1/2 tablespoons at a time until the dough comes together to a ball.

Turn dough out onto a sheet of waxed paper, shaping into a disc. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to the shape to cover the dish you are using for the potpie.

Without a food processor:
Combine flour and salt in a bowl, mixing with a fork. Add butter to flour and use a fork or a pastry blender to blend until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Add olive oil and vinegar, blending with a fork or pastry blender. Slowly add the ice water, blending with fork or pastry blender until the dough starts to come together to a ball.

Turn dough out onto a sheet of waxed paper, shaping into a disc. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to the shape to cover the dish you are using for the potpie.

PREPARE THE FILLING
Preheat oven to 375 F.

Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or large shallow sauce pan over medium high heat.

Add the curry powder and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, potatoes, and chicken, and cook over medium high heat until onion starts to soften and chicken starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Add vegetables, raisins and broth, stirring to combine. Lower heat to medium and simmer chicken mixture for 5-10 minutes.

Combine cornstarch and ice water in a small dish. Raise heat under chicken mixture if necessary to until mixture is at a boil. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat.

Pour chicken mixture into a deep dish pie plate or other medium sized, shallow baking dish. Cover chicken mixture with rolled out crust, folding and pinching edges to the sides of the baking dish. Cut several small slits in top of pie crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake pot pie in oven for 20 minutes or until crust is browned and filling is bubbling. Remove from oven and serve hot. Yumm!

I imagine that most people think of sweet fruit, chocolate or custard pies and NOT chicken pot pie when they think of National Pie Day. My first pie thoughts would have been on apple, pumpkin, coconut custard, blueberry, mixed berry, peach, strawberry rhubarb, or lemon meringue pie. Yum. I love them all! :)

What is your favorite kind of pie?

The Happy, Over the Top, Superior Scribbler Awards!

I have had the honor of receiving some blogging awards from two blogging friends recently and now it's my turn to spread the blogging love. And oh my goodness, it has taken me distraction and interruption filled days to put this post together. Days!

Most of us blog because we have fun doing it and we continue to do so because we enjoy the interaction we have with our readers. Why not let your favorite bloggers know that you love what they have to share by sending one of these fine awards their way?

Over The Top Award:

Michelle of The RedHeaded Book Child blog awarded me not one, but TWO blogging awards back in November. Okay, I admit that's not really so recent. The first is the Over The Top Award and is given to blogging friends whose blogs you consider over the top, in a complimentary way, of course. As in, they are "far more than usual or expected; extraordinary." Thanks, Michelle! :)

Before passing on the award, there is a fun survey I am supposed to do using single word answers only. I tried my best, but couldn't answer them all with single words.

Your cell phone? iPhone, lifeline <--pathetic, but true.
Your hair? curly
Your mother?
Your father?
Your favorite food? desserts
Your dream last night? forgotten
Your favorite drink? coffee
Your dream/goal? to be love and be loved forever
What room are you in? family room
Your hobby? reading
Your fear? losing my husband and kids
Where do you want to be in 6 years? anywhere my husband is (awww...)
Where were you last night? home
Something that you aren't? even tempered
Muffins? yes, please.
Wish list item? new wardrobe
Where did you grow up? New Jersey, USA
Last thing you did? made coffee
What are you wearing? jeans, a comfy long sleeved t-shirt, (fake) fur lined scuffs
Your TV? home theater
Your pets? 4 cats
Friends? diverse
Your life? memoir-worthy
Your mood? roller coaster
Missing someone? my mom
Vehicle? minivan
Something you're not wearing? makeup
Your favorite store? bookstore
Your favorite color? blue ... No, red! ... I mean, green? Definitely pink. Although, lavender is nice, too ... ;)
When was the last time you laughed? today
Last time you cried? today
Your best friend? supportive
One place that you go to over and over? grocery store
Facebook? rarely
Favorite place to eat? local asian fusion place

I'm passing the Over the Top Award to the following bloggers whom I think have blogs that are over the top in an extraordinary way:

1. J. Kaye of J. Kaye's Book Blog
For all the amazing and wonderful events and giveaways she offers the book blogging community. In fact, this week I was supposed to join her and another book blogger on Twitter as we did an online read along to Megan Hart's novel Deeper. Unfortunately, I didn't get around to reading the book on time, but if you've read the book and are on twitter, check out the tagline #DEEPER and join in on the discussion.

2. Kwana of Kwana Writes
Because she always has something interesting and thought worthy to share. She's smart, sassy, very creative and makes me think and sometimes laugh.

3. KIKA of KIKA.LA
Because she's sweet, upbeat and she writes such honest and passionate reviews and other posts about books. Her exuberance is contagious!

4. Tracy of Tracy's Place, the DIK (Desert Island Keeper) blog, AND Book Binge
Yes, she really does blog at all three of these blogs. Tracy's capacity to read so much, so fast and then write book reviews for both her blog and Book Binge is way over the top to me! And she's even recruited her mom into the world of book blogging and reviewing. How cool is that?

5. Jill D. of Romance Rookie.
Because Jill consistently writes succinct, informative, reviews for almost every single book she reads. And she reads a lot. Plus she's got great taste in romance novels.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Superior Scribbler Award:

The second award that Michelle so kindly awarded me is the Superior Scribbler Award. Thanks, Michelle!

The rules are as follows:
Post the award on your blog, linking back to the blogger who gave it to you. Pass the award onto 5 of your blogging friends who you consider superior scribblers.

I'm passing this award to the following bloggers who are superior scribblers. They have a natural way with words that is informative and smart, but also fun and friendly.

1. Brandy of Book Mom
I don't know if Brandy is going to like me putting her and her blog in the spotlight here as she's quite shy, but she's definitely a superior scribbler in my book, so I couldn't not award her this fun award. Truthfully, I only know Brandy is panic attack shy because she tells me she is, but you'd never know that by visiting her blog. She's so friendly, warm, and so kind. Brandy posts daily on her blog that she keeps like a daily journal, as she shares the goings on in her world... her cats, her family, homeschooling her kids, daily little ups and downs, what she's reading, where she shopped, what she (or her husband) made for dinner, that sort of thing. I feel like I'm a real life friend with Brandy after just a few short months of following her blog and like a friend, I come back again and again to find out what she's up to and how she's been.

2. orannia of Walkabout.
orannia is another friendly blogger who posts mostly about bookish things on her blog. She always has something interesting to discuss and she's very smart, articulate and insightful. I love when bloggers make me think.

3. Shawn of doodle thoughts
Shawn is a new blogging friend who is a superior scribbler for REAL. She scribbles and doodles for a living creating really cool graphics. But that's not how we met. Shawn and I are relatively new blogging friends brought together by our mutual new found passion for running. Her posts on running are both fun and inspiring.

4. Angie of Angieville.
Another friendly blogger (like there's any other kind?) whose book reviews constantly expand my TBR and book wish list. Angie reads young adult fiction, fantasy fiction, general fiction as well as many classics. Every now and then she even reads romance! Angie's reviews are well written informative, but are splashed with her personal voice that I never tire of hearing. Even her rare posts about her personal world and her family are well written and have this ... flourish that I love to read.

5. Carolyn Crane of The ThrillionthPage
Carolyn is smart, sassy, very creative and has a great sense of humor. She's one of the first bloggers I ever started to follow way back in early 2007 and now I'd follow her anywhere. She has a debut urban fantasy novel coming out in March 2010! Go, Carolyn!

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Happy 101 Award:

The last and most recent award I received is the Happy 101 Award from Tracy at Sugarcrafter blog. Thank you, Tracy!!!

If you haven't visited her blog before, you HAVE GOT to pop over and visit Tracy at her blog. She has the most amazing food blog, where as you might have guessed from her blog name, her blog focus is on sweet stuff! Gorgeous photos, clear instructions, delicious recipes--everything she does is so inspiring. If only we were neighbors, I would so be one of her official taste testers. And then have to run an extra 10 miles every day, for sure! ;)

I lurked at Tracy's blog for a couple of months last year and found myself visiting more and more frequently. I didn't really think about it at the time, but now I wonder if I was a lurker because I felt I came from the book blogging world and Tracy and her visitors are almost all from the food blogging world and I felt out of my league or something. Eventually, though, I couldn't resist commenting on her mouth watering, creative recipes and so I started commenting. Now Tracy's blog is a regular stop for me. I guess that's how Tracy started visiting me. It turns out she likes me and my blog, too! :)

The rules for the Happy 101 Award are:

Copy the award image into a post.
List 10 things that make you happy.
Tag 10 bloggers who brighten your day.
Put in a link to their blogs.
Notify the award receivers.
Recipients should link back to the sender’s blog.

Ten things that make me happy:
1. My husband
2. Our children
3. Our four cats <-- when they're not throwing up somewhere or missing the litter box or trying to bolt out the door. *sigh*

4. Being healthy.

5. Having a comfortable, welcoming home.

6. Reading!

7. Running <-- I know. I can't believe it, either.

8. Growing things. <--Children, flowers, vegetables... Not mold in the bathroom.

9. Creating things. <--cooking, baking, photography, crafts, etc...

10. Visiting National Parks <--Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Arches, Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon...

This is crazy hard to do, because I subscribe to upwards of 150 blogs via RSS feeds and visiting each and every one of you is special and makes me happy. Just want to make that clear. ;)

I'm passing this award to the following bloggers whose blogs I probably visit most frequently these days. In no particular order,

1. Leslie of Leslie's Psyche
She reads a lot of the same books I'm interested in, writes honest reviews, occasionally throws in a personal post here and there, and she has actually tried one of my recipes that I posted on my blog! And no one in her family got sick. Well, at least she didn't tell me they did. LOL.

2. Hilcia of Impressions of a Reader
Hilcia had been a regular commenter in romance book blogging for a while, and finally started her own blog last year. Yay! She's reads books across several very diverse genres (not just romance) and blogs about them.

3. nath of Books, Books and more Books
Nath is a sweetheart. Always upbeat, even when she's ranting--gotta love that-- and I love the way she almost always includes a smattering of tidbits from her personal life in her posts. I like getting to know my fellow book bloggers like that.

4. Lori of Living in the House of Testosterone
With a blog title like that, you know you're going to be entertained, right? Lori blogs about living with her three boys (including husband) and her male dog! Poor Lori. LOL. Lots of funny anecdotes from her family life that will make you laugh and sometimes go "awwww..."!

5. Amy of Romance Bookwyrm
Amy has eased up on the frequency of her blog posts and even her blog hopping and commenting in recent months, but I'm always happy when I see she has posted on her blog. Amy's an avid fan of romance and fantasy fiction, and you can't help but 'catch' her passion and enthusiasm for the books she reads.

6. Lisa of Books, Lists, Life
I think Lisa and I found each other's blogs way back when we were both participating in Keishon's 2008 TBR Challenge, exchanging an occasional comment here and there. Then last fall, I don't know, we just started paying closer attention to each other. Now I visit Lisa's blog a few times a week and sometimes chat via email.

7. Natalie of Reading 2 Learn
Natalie started her blog just a few short weeks ago, inspired to do so upon joining the In Death Reading Challenge. She has already read the first few In Death books and has written some very insightful posts about the series. Stop by her blog and say hello to this enthusiastic newcomer to the book blogging world.

8. Michelle of Read Headed Book Child
Michelle commented on my blog one day last fall, we clicked and the rest, they say, is history. We're both love books, organic fruits and vegetables and the Spellman series by Lisa Lutz. LOL That's the foundation of our friendship, but we just clicked in a way like we've been friends for a long time.

9. azteclady of Karen Knows Best
When I see the an email from azteclady in my Inbox, it makes me happy. If it's an email notification for comment she's left on my blog, it makes me happy. If it's a personal email? Ecstatic. She's smart, kind, funny, and so supportive. She's a kind friend who always seems to know exactly what to say to make me smile, encourage me, or feel good about something.

10. Lea of Closetwriter
Not only does Lea write some of the best romance reviews out there (especially for paranormal, romantic suspense and erotic romance genres), but she is definitely one of the kindest and most generous bloggers I know. Generous with her time to help bloggers with their html code, generous with her time leaving comments on posts even if the topic is not her cup of tea, and generous with sharing books through giveaways. She's also one of the first ones likely to send me an email just to say "Hi, how are you," if (when) I drop out of the blogosphere for a spell. She's a sweetheart.

I could seriously keep listing bloggers who deserve the Happy 101 Award, but this post will turn into the post that never ends if I do that, so ....

The end. :)