Hi Everyone!

Just stopping by to let you know that phase 2 of the awesome March Maddness Reading Challenge at the Readers room is now open. This looks like a fun event and I hope to participate. More details from the Readers Room. 


Step 2. Voting March 6-10. We will post a link to voting form and readers will be able to rate all nominated books. The top 64 books will be entered into the brackets and each book will be paired with a college basketball team.


Are you participating? (If you click over to the blog, it has the rest of the details!)

Happy Reading!

Winter Bookish Bingo Wrap-Up

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to stop by quick with a wrap up post about the Winter Bookish Bingo. I was able to finish 15 books on the card, so I am pretty happy!

Here are the books I read...

1) SnowFlower and the Secret Fan
2) The Impossible Fortress
3) Kitty Hawk and the Icelandic Intrigue
4) Talking As Fast As I Can
5) 1984
6) The Fall of Lisa Bellow
7) To All The Boys Ive Loved Before
8) Spaceman
9) Flicker and Mist
10) The Boy and the Dolphin
11) The Art of Being Normal
12) What Light
13) Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost
14) Diplomatic Immunity
15) Shrill

Did you participate? How did it go?

Happy Reading!

Book Promotion: The Last Confession

Hi Everyone!

Just stopping by to let you know about a new book that may be of interest to you. I have not read it, but it may be worth checking! :) Happy Reading! 

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Synopsis: 

Great aunt Milly shot a priest. This family legend has intrigued journalist Maggie Callahan for as long as she can remember. But none of the relatives ever provided her with details. All she knows is that it happened during the building of Grand Coulee dam in the 1930s. When Maggie decides to investigate, she discovers the truth, but finds that she is blocked by an influential bishop. With the help of parish priest, Matthew Brannigan, they follow the clues to uncover a twisting tale that leaves them questioning the ultimate sacrifice made for faith and love. What neither Maggie or Matthew realize, however, is how a past secret scandal would very well alter the course of their future.

Purchase link

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Author bio:  

A retired educator, Pat’s been in education all her life in the areas of speech, writing, theatre, librarian, and school administration. Today she teaches classes to all ages about writing poetry, the art of writing, how to be speak to groups of any size and sell yourself to the audience, and how to give an outstanding book signing. Pat has won or placed in five poetry contests. Her book Poetry from the Desert Floor, is photographs and poems about her love of the southwest desert and the people, places, and things that inhabit it. She has co-directed writer’s conferences and retreats. She teaches speaking skills and mentors young writers. “I am a writer helping writers.” She lives on an island in Puget Sound.

Book Review: The Joy of Losing Your Job

Author:  Christina Deoliveira
 
Summary from Goodreads:

Could losing your job actually be the best thing that ever happened to you?

When you’re downsized, it’s easy to sink into despair; it can feel like the bottom has fallen out of your entire life. But the reality is, when you’re freed from the shackles of the 9-to-5 grind, you suddenly have the opportunity to find a future that’s genuinely fulfilling—a future that can bring you a sky-high level of satisfaction that can last a lifetime.

In The JOY of Losing Your Job, CEO and certified coach Christina DeOliveira brings you the touching, inspirational and uplifting stories of some special people who toughed out their terminations and pursued the life dreams that up until then had been beyond their reach. Through their moving first person accounts, you’ll discover how each of them transformed their life, discovered their true purpose and came to realize that being “let go” allowed them to let go of a stifling lifestyle that prevented the development of their full potential.

More importantly, their stories will provide you with the eye-opening life lessons they learned the hard way while struggling to regain their professional footing. You’ll see for yourself how these simple but powerful insights took them to the next level—and how they can do the same for you.

The JOY of Losing Your Job also provides you with access to a wide array of resources to help you if you’re going through your own difficult career transition, including Virtual Learning programs, the author’s favorite affirmations, useful books, and recommended support organizations and networks as well as a series of career questions that can help you hone in on what you really want out of your professional life.

Getting fired doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Instead, it can signal the beginning of an exciting new life journey, a journey that can bring happiness, fulfillment and a real sense of purpose in its wake. You don’t have to be laid off to appreciate The JOY of Losing Your Job and find HOPE Beyond Blood, Sweat and Tears—because its pages offer timeless and transformative wisdom to anyone who’s ready to make miraculous change in their life.


Personal Review:This was an interesting book that talks about a time that is a challenge for anyone going through it, losing your job. Though I have not been in this particular situation, I thought that the positive spin on it was an interesting read.

I enjoyed the book because it gives you some insight on how to look what it is that you want to get from the workplace. I enjoyed the quotes and the information throughout.

I think the most interesting part of the book was about the power of potential when things like this happen. An interesting read and glad I had a chance. Thanks for the opportunity!

 Disclaimer: I was awarded this book from the publisher. Though I did not pay for the book, the opinions are strictly my own.

Happy Reading!

Feb Rewind

Hi Everyone,

Happy Feb wrap up! I hope that you had a wonderful month. I am happy to report that I finished 8 books this month. It is down a bit from my normal count, but I am still happy with the progress that I am making. :) 

I won’t link to the reviews directly, but if you head over to the side of my blog you can sort my posts by month.

Specifically, I read:
4 Books for Review
4 Books I Own

I am happy with this because I am finally starting to read my own books. Yay!!

Highlights of the month included:
-Participating in the Love-a-thon 2017
-Continuing progress on the Winter Bookish Bingo
-Meeting and learning about my new #otspsecretsister!

What's in the que for you for March?

Happy Reading!

2017 March Madness Reading Challenge

Hi Everyone!

Just stopping by to let you know that phase 1 of an awesome March Maddness Reading Challenge at the Readers room is now open. This looks like a fun event and I hope to participate. More information here:

Details from the Readers Room
"We had such a good time last year with our March Madness challenge that we are hosting it again this year. We hope you join in. If you want to join, send in your book nomination by March 5th. Here’s how it will work…


Step 1. Nominate 1 TBR book that was published in the last two years from Jan 2015 – February 2017. Email you nominations to thereadersroomblog[at]gmail.com. People will be rating each book so choose wisely. Nominations are due by March 5th (noon EST)."


Will you be participating? (If you click over to the blog, it has the rest of the details!)

Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: One of Us Is Lying

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week I am excited to feature a book that appeals to me because of the plot! :)

One of Us is Lying
Author: by Karen M. McManus
Release Date: May 30th, 2017
 
Summary from Goodreads: One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.

Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
    Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
    Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
    Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
    Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
    And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

Happy Reading!