REMINDER: The Winter Sea Group Read

It's not too late to join our casual group read of The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley. Readers should be starting to read the book this week and be prepared to discuss the book on Friday, February 1, 2013 here on my blog. I suppose those of you who are fast readers can start January 30th or something. :p If I'm well organized and on schedule, I hope to include a discussion post on the first half of the book on Sunday, January 27, 2013 as well.

If you'd like to join us, visit The Winter Sea Group Read sign up post and link your blog with Mr.Linky widget at the bottom of the post and or let me know in the comment section there. As always, please feel free to stop by and join any of the discussion posts at any time. :)

I'm looking forward to reading The Winter Sea and chatting about it with you.

2013 Book Bingo Reading Challenge!

Hold onto your hats, everyone! This is the newest, coolest, shiniest Reading Challenge ever invented!

Well, I think it's pretty darn cool. ;)

Hosts: Anne from Creativity's Corner & Kristilyn from Reading In Winter

Link: Anne & Kristilyn's 2013 Book Bingo Reading Challenge

Time Frame: January 1 - December 31, 2013

Challenge: Read books and fill your BINGO board! [see below]

Just like any challenge, this ultimate goal of this challenge is to read books--lots of books! Instead of just keeping a list of books to satisfy some theme or number goal this challenge is designed in a Bingo board format, where each square on the board has a set of reading requirements that need to be met in order for you to cross out that square. To get Bingo, all you need to do is complete a whole column, row or diagonal.. just like the classic game. But Kristilyn and Anne know no one should EVER get stressed out over reading or reading challenges, so really, you can complete your Bingo board in a variety of patterns as you play along, including going for the Stamp of Awesome by blacking out the entire board!

The reading requirements on the Bingo board vary from reading books from your own TBR pile, reading multiple books in a series, reading new releases, reading books everyone else has read but you and re-reading books. Also, the center square is not a free space. To fill in that square, you need to read a book someone else in the challenge has read for the challenge. Sounds fun, right? Hopefully you're not confused and hopefully you want to join!

Here's what Anne and Kristilyn's 2013 Book Bingo Board looks like:

I'm going for the "the super reader" level [fill the entire board!] so I can get the Stamp of Awesome. It's probably not gonna happen--I honestly don't see myself re-reading 15 books to cross out the entire last column, but it'll be pretty darn fun trying to make it happen. Because Rule #1 is that YOU MUST HAVE FUN. And I'm all about THAT.

I'm not sure yet how I'm going to keep track of the books I'm reading for each square. I'll either keep tabs here in this post or make a new post just for my Bingo board.

Want to play?

What's In A Name 6 Reading Challenge

This year will be my fourth year participating in this fun reading challenge hosted by Beth F at Beth Fish Reads. I don't know what it is about this one that's so much fun.. but if you know me, you know I like making lists and if there's a creative way to cross something off that list, I'm even happier. Well, I guess that IS why I like this one so much!

Host: Beth F at Beth Fish Reads 

Link: What's In A Name 6

Time frame: Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2013

Goal: Read six books whose titles satisfy the following six themes:



1. A book with up or down (or equivalent) in title
2. A book with something you'd find in your kitchen in title
3. A book with a party or celebration in title
4. A book with fire (or equivalent) in title
5. A book with an emotion in title
6. A book with lost or found (or equivalent) in title

1. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
2. French Milk by Lucy Knisley
3. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs
4. The Rose of Fire by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
5. A Short Guide to A Happy Life by Anna Quindlen
6. The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn

*** Challenge completed on September 4, 2013 *** 

TBR Challenge 2013 {Romance}

Host: Wendy The Super Librarian 

Link: TBR Challenge 2013

Time Frame: January 1 - December 31, 2013

Challenge: Read and Review [or comment on] one romance novel per month from my TBR pile

Once again, Wendy has suggested themes for each month's book pick. It's optional to follow the themes, but it really is fun when we're all reading from the same sub-genre. Reviews and commentary are "due" on the third Thursday of the month. This is all for fun, so no penalties if readers post late. Visit Wendy's blog each month on the dates below to see what other readers are reading from their TBR piles. You can also follow what people are reading on twitter by the hash tag #tbrchallenge.

January:    We Love Short Shorts!
February:   Recommended Read
March:   Series Catch-Up
April:   New-to-you Author
May:  More Than One (more than one book by that author in your pile)
June:  Lovely RITA (RWA RITA nominee or winner - link to lists at Wendy's)
July:   The Classics (in romance genre)
August:  Steamy reads
September: Western
October:  Paranormal or Romantic Suspense
November: All About the Hype
December:  Holiday themes (any holiday - doesn't have to be Christmas)

I already have ideas for some of these themes--I can't wait to get to them!

MY BOOKS:

January    Surrender At Dawn by Laura Griffin
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

The 2013 Big Book Challenge

Host: orannia from Walkabout
Link: The 2013 Big Book Challenge
Time Frame: January 1 - December 31, 2013
Challenge: Read a book that is 500 400 pages or more that you have been procrastinating reading because it is so big.

I've done this challenge for the last couple of years and have welcomed the push to finally tackle some of those big books that I'd been putting off. This year I plan to read at least two big books. The first is to finish Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I started it last November, but stopped somewhere around the 250 page mark. It comes in at 828 pages so I still have over 500 pages to go. There was another big book that crossed my mind to read in 2013, but I forgot what it was! I think I mentioned it somewhere ...

Edited to Add: 
I got it! The other big book I'd like to read in 2013 is The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. Hopefully I'll be able to make that happen in a group read hosted by Ti at the blog Book Chatter in April.


500+ page Books Read in 2013:

1. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley  [527 pgs]
2. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami  [611 pgs]
3. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness  [579 pgs]
4. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness [584 pgs]

100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge

Host: Carolyn at Book Chick City 

Link: 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge

Time Frame: January 1 - December 31, 2013

Challenge: Read 101 Books in 2013

I've slowly increased the number of books I read in a year over the last several years, but I think I've found my magic number to be around 100, so I'm sticking with this annual reading challenge hosted by Book Chick City, but making my goal 101 books just because. :D

 61 books read in 2008
 79 books read in 2009
 83 books read in 2010
100 books read in 2011
109 books read in 2012

Last year's tally of 109 books includes 8 online short stories that were so short that I felt guilty counting them towards my total. Therefore, in my mind, I really only read 101 books in 2012. I think this is a challenging number of books for me to read in a year, a total which includes a smattering of graphic novels and novellas as well as a few re-reads. So instead of challenging myself to out-do my numbers from last year, I'm going to stick to an annual goal of 101 books, which may or many not count any books I re-read during the year. I'll track my progress both here and on goodreads, where I've joined the 2013 Reading Challenge again this year.

Favorite reads are highlighted in PINK! 

1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens [graphic novel adaptation]
2. A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen
3. Vanity Fare by Megan Caldwell
4. Surrender At Dawn by Laura Griffin
5. Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep
6. Thread of Death by Jennifer Estep

7. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
8. The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
9. Bodywork by Marie Harte
10. Working Out by Marie Harte
11. Sins & Needles by Karina Halle 

12. By A Thread by Jennifer Estep
13. A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
14. A Game For Swallows by Zeina Abirached
15. Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas
16. Metamorphosis [Franz Kafka] by Peter Kuper
17. The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan [RE-READ]
18. The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
19. On Every Street by Karina Halle
20. Promises in Death by J.D. Robb

21. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs
22. The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
23. Wild Invitation by Nalini Singh
24. French Milk by Lucy
25. Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson
26. MirrorMask by Neil Gaiman and David Mckean
27. Tales of Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
28. Hearts of Darkness by Kira Brady [RE-READ]
29. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
30. The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn
31. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
32. Spellbound by Nora Roberts

33. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
34. The Dark-Hunters, Vol. 1 by Sherrilyn Kenyon
35. The Dark-Hunters, Vol. 2 by Sherrilyn Kenyon
36. The Dark-Hunters, Vol. 3 by Sherrilyn Kenyon
37. Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey 
38. Hearts of Shadow by Kira Brady
39. Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie
40. Falling for Anthony by Meljean Brook [RE-READ]
41. Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi
42. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

43. The Sigh by Marjane Satrapi
44.  Midsummer Nights Dream Graphic Novel [Shakespeare]
45. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
46. First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
47. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
48. Persepolis: The Story of Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
49. For I Have Sinned by Darynda Jones
50. The Great Gastby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

51. Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami
52. Persepolis: The Return by Marjane Satrapi
53. Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
54. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki fiction
55. Demon Angel by Meljean Brook 

56. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
57. "Paradise" by Meljean Brook [RE-READ]
58. Demon Moon by Meljean Brook [RE-READ]
59. Demon Night by Meljean Brook [RE-READ]
60. To Die For by Linda Howard
61. "Thicker Than Blood" by Meljean Brook [RE-READ]
62. Dirty by Megan Hart 
63. Primates by Jim Ottaviani & Maris Wicks
64. Sins & Needles by Karina Halle [RE-READ]
65. Reason Enough by Megan Hart
66. Fahrenheit 451 The Authorized Adaptation by Time Hamilton

67. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
68. The Rose of Fire by Carlos Ruiz-Zafón
69. The Kite Runner Graphic Novel by Khaled Hosseini 
70. One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry
71. The Girl Who Owned A City by O.T. Nelson
72. Amulet, Vol. 4: The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi [RE-READ]
73. Amulet, Vol. 5: Prince of Thieves by Kazu Kibuishi
74. At Home in Stone Creek by Linda Lael Miller
75. The Last Unicorn Graphic Novel Adaptation by Peter S. Beagle
76. Demon Bound by Meljean Brook 
77. Demon Forged by Meljean Brook
78. "Blind Spot" by Meljean Brook

79. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
80. Beg For Mercy by Jami Alden
81. A Study in Scarlet: A Sherlock Holmes graphic novel
82. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
83. Relish by Lucy Knisley
84. Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
85. "Delilah Dirk and The Turkish Mark" by Tony Cliff

86. Baby's In Black by Arne Bellstorf
87. Coraline by P. Craig Russell and Neil Gaiman
88. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
89. The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Záfron
90. Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff
91. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

92. Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
93. The Scandal Before Christmas by Elizabeth Essex
94. Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James
95. It Happened Under the Mistletoe by Valerie Bowman
96. Wanderlust by Kitty French
97. Dark Celebration by Christine Feehan [RE-READ]
98. Dark Curse by Christine Feehan


I didn't make it! :(

Whole Living {detox} Action Plan 2013

This time last year I did my first ever detox diet, following the food-based body cleanse featured in the 2012 January-February Whole Living magazine. Since then, I've done a 24 hour green juice cleanse but that's about as extreme as I'd go. The detox diets presented by Whole Living magazine are food-based plans that restrict your diet to simple, whole foods in spare quantities that are gentle on your digestive system. This gives our detoxifying organ, our liver, a break from being overworked, allowing it to focus on cleansing our body of impurities. The diet is sparse, yet nutrient dense to supply our body what it needs most for a much needed tune up.

The beginning of my first detox last year was challenging, but I muddled through those first really tough days and managed to stick it out for the full 3 weeks. I lost a few pounds, which was great, but the best part was that I broke my addiction to caffeine*, discovered the awesomeness of green juicing and found out I felt lighter, more comfortable and less bloated when not eating gluten foods. It's not even that I thought I felt bloated before, but rather that I could feel the difference when I wasn't eating those foods compared to how I normally felt. I don't otherwise have difficulty with gluten foods, but it did make me mindful of how much wheat is in my diet practically at every meal. I think we, as Americans, unnecessarily consume far too much wheat--a dietary trend that is actually considered harmful in some nutritional circles [See Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD and Crazy, Sexy Diet by Kris Carr among others].

[*since breaking my coffee addiction, I no longer get frequent migraines. Whereas I used to get 2-3 per month, I only had 2-3 in all of 2012! Something to think about if you suffer from migraines.]

In any case, my mindfulness of wheat foods in my diet didn't stick the entire year. Eventually I went back to eating at least one wheat-based food per meal whether it be breakfast cereal, bread, power bars, pasta, crackers, cookies and other baked goods. Not the direction I had hoped to take.

Sometime amidst the holiday season of plentiful and delicious foods and treats, I began to look forward to a return to some serious healthy eating, including a jump start to a healthy year by revisiting the Whole Living detox plan. I heard rumors that Whole Living magazine was going to be discontinued, which at this point I think is accurate news. I'm quite sad about this, since I only discovered this magazine a year and a half ago and I thoroughly enjoy it. In any case, I received the January-February 2013 issue of Whole Living magazine in my mailbox last weekend and instantly jumped on this year's detox plan.

The 2013 Whole Living Action Plan is very similar to last year's, so I was already familiar with the strategy and even have a repertoire of recipes to which to turn. This latest issue is also chock full of new recipes to help participants have a successful and enjoyable detox. I've already prepared most of the Week 1 recipes, which were all very good.

Blueberry Mint Smoothie and
The Jan-Feb 2013 issue of Whole Living magazine

I started my 2013 21-Day detox on Monday, January 14 and after a few rough days of hunger, bloating and crankiness, I think the worst is behind me and I'm now feeling good about the detox and how my body is responding.

Here are this year's guidelines:

NO caffeine, alcohol, sugar, dairy, gluten, processed foods or beverages.

All of these tax our liver and digestive systems.

Start every morning with a mug of hot water with a squeeze of lemon. 
There are many benefits to this morning ritual, including the fact that it aids in digestion and detoxification of the body by stimulating the digestive system and helps loosen the toxins in the digestive tract. I love this part of the detox. I know so many people rely on coffee to jump start their day, but why not consider having hot water with lemon upon rising and waiting an hour before reaching for caffeine. I continued this ritual last year for several months, but fell out of habit when the warmer months approached. I hope to make hot water with lemon first thing in the morning a permanent part of my daily ritual starting now.

Why You Should Drink Warm Water & Lemon from MindBodyGreen
Drinking Hot Water & Lemon in the Morning from Livestrong.com

Drink plenty of water. 
We hear this all the time, right? Drinking plenty of water--aim for 64 oz. a day--to keep hydrated and facilitate your body in flushing out impurities.

Week 1: Eat ONLY vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, lentils, plant-based oils and seasonings.

Week 2: Introduce fish [not shellfish], legumes, beans and gluten-free grains such as brown rice, quinoa and oats.

Week 3: Introduce eggs and organic, non-GMO soy 
[specifically, tofu and edamame as these are the most natural, unprocessed forms of soy].

So what do I want to get out of this detox action plan?
First and foremost, I want to jump start my year to healthy eating and I think this cleanse can get me to a great starting point--a cleaner body and some new eating habits. Like hot water and lemon in the morning, more green juices and green smoothies, and eating mostly vegetables throughout the day and fewer daily servings of wheat. I'm not quite in the school of thought that wheat needs to be completely eliminated from our diets, but I would like to generally eat less wheat and wheat products.

If I'm honest, I also hope to jump start some weight loss with this detox. I lost 30+ lbs. in 2010 and have kept it off, but would love to lose another 20+ lbs. Or at least lose inches in certain areas of my body. Whether that's 15, 20 or 25 lbs. from where I am now, I know when I'll get there.

How am I doing with Week 1?
Today is Day 5 and I'm feeling pretty good. The first three days were the roughest. I was hungry and cranky.. craving carbohydrates and sugar. I felt bloated and uncomfortable and quite fatigued by the end of the day, but at least I slept well! I maintained some low to moderate workouts throughout the week, which I think my digestive system welcomed as did my mental health! As many of you know, I exercise almost every day, so I needed to get out there and move for my personal sanity. By the middle of the week, I found some relief from the bloating (I'll spare you the details) and I felt as though I put the worst behind me. My body is now comfortable, although I do still fell hungry several times a day. Although.. maybe I'm not hungry but rather just craving sugar in the form of a cookie, muffin or even a bite of good bread! Those habits die hard! But after five straight days of this, I'm not wasting all that hard effort and sacrifice on a cheat so I'm sticking it out. On Monday I'll start Week 2 and be able to eat fish, legumes, and gluten free grains. The addition of protein will provide the liver with amino acids it needs to flush out more toxins.

My favorite recipes from Week 1: All of the green juices are very good, but I think I like the Cucumber-Pear Juice best. For the entrees, it's a toss up between the Creamy Broccoli Soup and the Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew. The latter tastes even better the next day!

Creamy Broccoli Soup
[see recipe link in paragraph above]

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew
[see recipe link in paragraph above]

For recipes and more information about how the cleanse works, check out the January-February 2013 issue of Whole Living magazine on newsstands or the Whole Living website at http://www.wholeliving.com/216880/2013-whole-living-action-plan.

I also highly, highly recommend you visit Sarah Britton at her website My New Roots for tons of information on detoxing your body and living and eating clean and healthy. She offers sound advice and so many wonderful mouthwatering recipes that are super good for you. Here are some links to get you started:

Simple Detox For All from Sarah Britton at My New Roots

A New Year, A New You! Sarah B's Whole Living Detox Plan 2013

A New Year, A New You! Sarah B's Whole Living Detox Plan 2012

Have you ever treated your body to a detox before?

Have you ever given up a food or foods that you absolutely loved for an extended period of time? How did you do?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Weekend Cooking, a weekly blog event hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food related post to share--a food related book review (fiction or nonfiction), cookbook review, movie review, a recipe, random thoughts, gadgets, food quotations, photographs, etc. Please visit Beth's blog for more information and join the fun! 

Note: your post does not have to be posted on the weekend, but do visit Beth's blog over the weekend to link up your post. 

REVIEW: Surrender At Dawn by Laura Griffin

Digital Edition Short Story, Published June 14, 2011
TBR Challenge Review

This is the first month of the 2013 TBR Challenge hosted by Wendy the Super Librarian, encouraging readers to tackle their TBR pile one book at a time. Once again, Wendy created a list of suggested themes for each month, this month's theme being 'We love short shorts!'... short stories, novellas, category romance, etc. I actually read a lot of novellas, but very few stay on my shelf for very long without being read, so I searched the recesses of my virtual bookshelves and found this short story by romantic suspense author Laura Griffin.

Surrender At Dawn by Laura Griffin is a short romantic suspense story about a devoted sister who travels to Thailand in search of her brother who has gone missing while on a journalism assignment. Charlotte Whiteside knows her brother is in danger and arrives in Phuket, Thailand with a wad of cash and the name of an American pilot--John Brenner who she's been told to hire to find her brother on a remote island. The search and rescue of Charlotte's brother is deemed dangerous because it is believed he went to this particular island to interview a dangerous drug lord. John "Jack" Brenner is an ex-US Navy SEAL and just the man to do the job.

Surrender At Dawn is a pretty short story--not really long enough to develop the characters or their relationship as fully as I would have liked. However, for a short story, I think the author did a decent job of creating a suspenseful situation and bringing two characters together with the promise of something more between them. The ending to this story is realistic and suggests at the possibility of a future story between Charlotte and Jack. I hope that's the case, because I would enjoy reading another story in which they meet again.

3 out of 5 stars

I have Snapped by Laura Griffin, the 4th book in the Tracers series in my TBR pile and look forward to reading it.

Have you read any books by this author?

Library Loot LXII

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries! 

I'm starting the new year with a nice, thick stack of books from the library--just how I like it. I got these several days ago and can't wait to dive in.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

For the Group Read I'm hosting. Please join us!

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

January's Book Club pick. Have you read it or seen the movie?

Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman

I've flipped through all the recipes.. I want to make everything. Next I'm going to read every page.

I had been on the hold list for Rod Stewart's new Christmas CD, Merry Christmas, Baby at the library since around mid December and finally got the call the other day that it was in. I debated whether or not to I still wanted and then thought why the heck not.. it's Rod Stewart singing Christmas music! I really like the CD, by the way. Very soothing but fun at the same time.

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

While I was at the library picking up the Christmas CD two weeks after I really wanted it, I decided to look for The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin--the book I'm considering reading for Joy's New Year's Resolution Reading Challenge, thanks to the idea by Vasilly (http://classicvasilly.wordpress.com/). I grabbed said book and then promptly proceeded to pull a whole bunch of books from the self help section into my arms, as well as some food & health related books and a cookbook in a different aisle. I'm pretty psyched to read through these books over the next couple weeks and hope they inspire me to live more fully, happily and healthfully in 2013. Here's what's in my stack:

Pictured above from top to bottom:

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff for Women by Kristine Carlson
A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen
A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Food Matters by Mark Bittman
This Is Why You're Fat (And How to Get Thin Forever) by Jackie Warner
Superfoods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet by Tonia Reinhard

And finally...
A Year Of Pies by Ashely English

Because while I am all for thinking, living and eating for optimum health, I still plan LIVE. And therefore... eat pie. :)

Have you read any of these books?

Which, if any, of these books interest you?

With Sadness

It is with sadness that I write this post to tell you that my dear elderly father-in-law, who has been under my and my husband's care for the last six years, has passed away this morning at 87 years old. Having suffered a severe stroke over a decade ago that left him in need of assistance with his daily life, my husband and I took him into our home and under our care when my mother-in-law passed away in late 2006. We expanded our home to include a bedroom and bathroom for him on the first floor [more about my father-in-law in our home here] and then three years later he suffered another minor stroke that left him more dependent than ever where he could no longer be left alone without supervision. My husband and I have been his full time caregiver pretty much every day, around the clock for the last six years. It has been very challenging to provide this kind of around the clock care for an elderly parent-- requiring personal and familial sacrifices and more patience than you can fathom. In that same breath, however, I will say that it has been an honor to have shared the role of care giver to this man who has lived his entire life with immense kindness, generosity and unconditional love towards other people--especially those lucky enough to be counted among his loved ones. He will be greatly missed.