The Reading Reviewer Contest Winners and Thank You to SOS Aloha

CONTEST WINNERS

Mary’s Musings…First off on this stupid hot Sunday as we close out July, I want to say thank you to my friend and all around inspiration – Kim Adams of SOS Aloha fame (who will thank me for not putting her actual picture on here).  She is the one that pushed me to ramp up my reviewing, start my website and drug me into blogging (and I hate to admit this but taught how to add pictures even though they still make me crazy inserting them), every day reminds me of everything I am capable of doing, puts up with my bizarre personal issues and completely indulges me in my obsession with all things Transformers and reminds me I am too old to stalk Michael Bay (are you sure I can't ask for an interview).  She is more than a friend to me, she is my cheerleader when I need it but truly believes in tough love and sometimes in just kicking my butt.  We talk all the time on the phone and email of course but only get to see each other once a year and we make the most of the time we have together.  I know you are happy in Hawaii but I can't wait for you to be make on the "mainland" so we can finally have a weekend away that involves bad behavior and no husbands or kids.  Thank you Kim for your friendship it is a gift from God and I thank him for it constantly.  Also I have forgiven you for trying to steal my bookmarks in Houston even though you deny it!

CONTEST WINNERS

Please send me an email at reader0409@yahoo.com so I know where to mail your book.  I do have unclaimed books so starting this week if a book goes unclaimed on the last Sunday of the month I am going to throw them back into the mix for anyone to take. 

Thanks for coming to my site I really appreciate it.  So here are this week’s winners:

Tracy Anne Warren “The Bed and the Bachelor” goes to Deborah R

Marliss Melton “The Protector” goes to DJ in Denver

Sophie Jordan “Wicked in Your Arms” goes to Dani and lilmissmolly

Mary’s Musings...about Street Smarts Beyond the Diploma by Jim Randel.

Mary’s Musings...about Street Smarts Beyond the Diploma (review below) by Jim Randel.

I have read a number of the "Skinny On" book series and really enjoyed them.  They offer sage advice on any number of topics from credit cards to the housing crisis.  The book that I just finished was written for the newly graduated male and/or female.  But in all honesty there was so much information in this book that a year ago when I was unemployed I could have used.  The basics of finding a job have not changed while the industry around us has completely reinvented itself in the last to years.  I had been steadily employed for 15 years and going back on interviews was a daunting adventure and the dead on points in this book are not only useful and practical but if you pay attention will get you a job.  I also think it would be great to have a book written for the 50+ group looking for jobs because we were loyal, dedicated employees who overstayed our welcome and new employees could be brought in for allot less investment.  But on the other side of the coin the mature adult can be employed if you realize the same ideas as the younger group and learn to adapt to the environment and not be intimidated by change. 

I am proud to announce that Rand Media Company is giving away one copy of this book (review below).  To be eligible to win please leave a comment.  What I am asking today is are you prepared to find your first job or a new job?  Come back on Sunday July 31^st to see if you have won.  Please remember if you do not come back you won't know if you won, because I am going to need your address. 

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

Street Smarts Beyond the Diploma by Jim Randel

05/11 - Publisher: Rand Media - Paperback, 125 pages

This manual works for any age group!

While there are 20 something’s on the cover and I am sure the book is designed to help them I thought it would also serve those at any age that find themselves looking for a job.  Last year I was unemployed and had not been on a job interview in 15 years.  While my age bodes me to me the mother of the under 30 group there are ideas in this book that when taken into context really would have helped me.  While knowing the basics is important regardless of the age group, explaining the facts so they translate into going from interview to employed in a very fine line right now to walk. 

The reality of going from student to having a full-time adult job is shocking in and of itself; it does not have to be something you are afraid to conquer.  Again though while looking for employment at any age especially when you are changing the type of employment you are seeking is helpful.  I was in the pharmaceutical field but had the flexibility to move into anything-available field and this book explains how to see yourself in a job regardless of the business.

I have seen all three of my children attend and graduate from college and I truly wish for two of them that entered the business world this manual had been required reading before graduation.  It can work if you let yourself absorb the reality that you are no longer living off of someone else and have to support yourself.

The only negative is with this ADD generation they will be distracted before they finish it which is why the Skinny On Series works.  Allot of pictures with short sentences that get to the point faster.

Mary's Musings about THE PROTECTOR by Marliss Melton

The Reading Reviewer

Mary’s Musings...about  

Marliss Melton’s amazing new series that starts with 

The Protector (review below).  I have never met Marliss but she is one of the kindest people I know and plan to meet personally someday we just keep missing each other.  When I lost my job last year she sent me so many encouraging emails and positive ideas to find a new job that I knew we were going to be friends.  I owe her so much for the support and she loves my reviews so I always say thank you for that.

Being a hero is what this book is all about and heroes come in every variety and it can be from an email friend or someone who helps you out of a burning building.  Everyone has the ability to be a hero and everyone should have one to look up to.  Finish reading all of this to find out who Marliss's hero is and you will be wiping away a tear for sure.

MARLISS MELTON

The bio on Marliss is an informational read that fascinates me as much as her books.  I knew she was the author of the bestselling Team Twelve Navy SEALs series but, I did not know that Marliss is also the wife of a retired Navy veteran.  She relies on her experience as a military spouse and on her many contacts in the Spec Ops and Intelligence communities to pen realistic and heartfelt stories about America's most elite warrior, the U.S. Navy SEAL.

As the daughter of a US intelligence officer, Melton grew up in various countries overseas and has taught Spanish, ESL, and Linguistics at the College of William and Mary, her alma mater. In addition to her writing, Melton busies herself raising a young daughter, keeping tabs on three college students (good luck with that), and walking her miniature Australian Sheepdog.

Then I read about who her real life hero is and found out it is her husband Alan and the reason why blew me away.  If this doesn’t melt your heart nothing will.

From Marliss’s own words the question of “What makes a man a hero”?  It helps that he’s easy on the eyes (believe me, ladies, bald is better), but his generous spirit sets him apart.  Alan is always the first to extend a helping hand.  He can do anything, fix anything, take on any challenge, and come out on top.  He’s the kind of man who walks on the curb so you can have the safety of the sidewalk. He can back up a boat trailer without getting flustered (for anyone who owns a boat you know what a nightmare that is).  He never forgets a birthday or an anniversary, can fix anyone’s computer—remotely (keeper).  But most heroic of all, he took in my two sons who’d lost their father to an accident, and he does his best for them, not to mention the other four kids we have.  You’d never guess his own tragic history by what Alan has made of himself.  He’s the love of my life, which is why you’ll find a little of him sprinkled into all my heroes.  He’s the magic ingredient that makes readers fall in love!  

Now I received a copy of this book from the author who asked me for a review but she is such a doll she autographed it so, I am going to keep this one.  But because I appreciate my followers and I want to support Marliss's success, on my own dime I am going to provide one lucky winner a copy of this book in their choice of either eBook or paperback.  What I am asking today should be an easy question but it stumped me completely when I asked it of myself “who is your hero”?  Come back on Sunday July 31^st to see if you have won.  Please remember if you do not come back, you won't know if you won because I am going to need your address.  

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

THE PROTECTOR by Marliss Melton

07/11 – Published by CreateSpace - Paperback, 240 pages

Is it the person or the act that makes one a hero?

Eryn McClellan has traveled the world as her family gladly followed her father’s military career.  She admires her father, respects him and the choices he has made for the military, even though those choices have resulted in her becoming a target for a terrorist group that wants her head literally on a silver platter.  The only person her father trusts to keep her safe is Isaac “Ike” Calhoun, a retired Navy SEAL who knows all the best places to hide because that is what he has been doing since he left the military.  Ike blames himself for a choice that cost several soldiers’ lives, even though he felt his decision was the right one.  Guilt drove him to where he is now, but obligation to the man he served for many years compel him to protect Eryn.

Ike does not want the job, but he would never say no to the man who filled the family gap Ike desperately needed.  So he snatches Eryn and her dog from FBI custody and conveys her to his remote mountain hideaway.  The problem is the FBI wants to keep her safe, too, despite their loose definition of “safe,” since they mean to use her as bait.  Ike is having none of this idea.  His cabin is safe and the security strong.  No one is getting in without Ike knowing.  The problem is not perimeter-safety, however; it is his unwanted attraction to Eryn that threatens the wall around his heart.

 Ike keeps everything in check, even his rising desire for Eryn.  In the military, self-discipline is how you stay alive.  But faced with Eryn’s gentle ways and trusting nature, Ike’s hard-line stance begins soften.  One touch turns to a kiss, which becomes a caress, and before Ike knows what has happened, he is willing to risk his life and his heart to make sure no one touches Eryn but himself.

The chase gains momentum, and soon the bad guys can be distinguished from the less-than-honorable.  By then, Eryn has chosen her hero. She has learned that Ike may not have much to say, but the few words he expresses are genuine and true.

This is a great adventure book mixed with the perfect ratio of suspense to romance, keeping readers on pins and needles wondering what will happen next.  I would have liked more detail about Ike’s family angst, but everything else is exceptional.

Aloha to Rhonda Pollero and FAT CHANCE

On this date in 1896, the City of Miami was incorporated with 300 residents.  Soon the railroad, tourists, and snowbirds would follow, making it a haven for murder, mystery, and mayhem.


I grew up in Miami so I speak from experience.


To celebrate the humble beginnings of South Florida, let me reach into the RWA Stash and pull out Rhonda Pollero:


I’ve always been a dork. My dorkdom began early on and I’ll take the easy route and blame it on my father. He loved language and enjoyed pop quizzes at the dinner table on obscure words and phraseology. The result of that turned me into the fountain of useless information that I am. I learn and store stuff that would – arguably - only be relevant during a taping of Final Jeopardy.


OK, here's a Final Jeopardy answer - Rhonda Pollero's paralegal turned sleuth.  Answer:   Who is Findley Anderson Tanner (FAT), last seen in FAT CHANCE:


Underachieving paralegal Finley Anderson Tanner should never have accepted her mother's offer to sell her a quaint cottage on posh Palm Beach at a bargain-basement price. The place is in shambles. At this rate, she'll be shopping designer outlets forever. But when Finley discovers a skeleton in her new closet, a total home renovation is the least of her worries. Sandwiched between sexy P.I. Liam McGarrity and her hot new boss, defense attorney Tony Caprelli, as she digs into a cold-case homicide involving a bizarre burglary ring, a lingerie thief, and filthy-rich Palm Beach socialites, she can only be headed for commitment. To an institution. With her fabulous (but slightly more successful) friends to keep her sane, Finley vows to get the bad guy -- and decorate her new house -- without paying full price.

In honor of Miami's birthday, I am giving away an autographed copy of  FAT CHANCE to one randomly selected commenter.   To enter the giveaway,


1.  Leave a comment about South Florida - have you visited Miami?  Key West?  Palm Beach?


2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.


3.  Comments are open through Monday, August 1, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Tuesday, August 2.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii

WICKED IN YOUR ARMS by Sophie Jordan

Mary’s Musings...about expectations and trying to live up to them.  After reading "Wicked In Your Arms" by Sophie Jordan it got me wondering as all books do with me.  Especially about the main characters and all the pressure to live out a dream someone else had designed for them.

I know as a mother I want my boys to be everything they possibly can and feel that in actuality they are exactly the men they should have become with and without my help.  Parenting is 50% taught and 50% really good luck that they don't get caught.  Now would I love it if they could invent the next great thing and win a Nobel Prize - ah yeah, that would really make me the best mom ever.  But in all reality I raised them to be comfortable with their choices and learn to capitalize on their strengths and work around the areas that were less than perfect and improve on them.  I think it is really hard to accept life is what it is especially for your children but while you may want greatness except happiness it is so much better.  When reading Sophie Jordan's book "Wicked In Your Arms" it really made me stop and wonder "did I ask to much of my children and want them to fulfill my dreams and not theirs"?

I am proud to announce that Harper Collins Publishing is giving away two copies of "WiCKED IN YOUR ARMS" by Sophie Jordan (review below).  To be eligible to win please leave a comment about today's topic - do we set expectations too high for ourselves and others?  Come back on Sunday July 31st to see if you have won.  Please remember if you don't come back you won't know if you won because I am going to need your address. 

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

WICKED IN YOUR ARMS by Sophie Jordan

Book #1 in the Forgotten Princesses Series

07/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

Are we able to overcome the expectations set for us?

When you are born into life with no discernible lineage, trying to find a good match becomes close to impossible.  Despite the fact that her father is ridiculously rich Miss Grier Hadley is viewed as his illegitimate daughter and the large dowry he is offering is the only reason she is invited to parties at all.  Grier is convinced she will marry a common man not a titled heir despite what her father wants.

Crowned Prince Sevastian Maksami is looking for a queen with impeccable taste and breeding and he needs to get that done today.  He is to be King and everyone expects him to produce numerous perfect heirs with this flawless to be chosen queen.  His interests are not to be considered and once Grier dumps her drink on his head, he is sure that she can be ruled out of any race to the altar despite her money and exquisite good looks.  A man does love a feisty red head with freckles who can sass him without breaking a nail and funny things do tend to happen on the way to destiny. 

Sev may have the title but Grier has the magic that is drawing him to her and making him want to stop her from talking with a kiss.  That one kiss turns into some roaming hands, deep breathing, and the thought that he might get her out of his mind if only he could get her into his bed for one night.  He may know he cannot marry her, but does that have to rule out having a relationship with her? 

Grier is not going to back away from any fight as she has held her own since she was left to her own devices at a young age.  She has known despair and the stigma of name calling so this future king can take a flying leap; she is not going to be any man’s temporary fling.  Yet the harder she fights to stay away the more she is drawn to him and he to her with total abandon to king and country.  Sev has always fulfilled his duty but just this once he wants to know what it feels like to make his own choices and decide his own fate and love whom he desires.

Sev and Grier stumble over each other enough that once they figure out that love has a way of making decisions for you.  They are lost in one another’s passionate embrace and while the past may cause some blips on Grier’s radar and Sev’s family seems to have more issues then he ever suspected if they can get past all that to move this may prove to be the best decision they independently make together!

You have to prepare yourself that once you pick up this book the dishes will not be done, the family will have to fend for itself, and you will not be able to stop reading Sev and Grier’s story.  You feel the pain and passion from both of them and the adventure they are on is fabulous!  The only unfortunate part is the book does end so do as I did and read it again and again and again

Aloha to Fern Michaels and BETRAYAL

It is a Canadian sweep of last week's giveaways!

Tuesday, July 19:  Viva Las Vegas
- Na is the winner.

Thursday, July 21:  Home in Hawaii
- Marjorie is the winner.

I will mail your prizes today!  And the books keep coming in the mail ...

... pulling from a padded envelope from Kensington, let's giveaway Fern Michaels® BETRAYAL.   From her bio,

Is Fern Michaels® a great writer. No. She is however, one hell of a story teller. When people ask me what I do, I say, “I scribble and tell stories.” It’s a great way to make a living. The Dutch have a saying, ‘If you can’t whistle on your way to work, you don’t belong in that job.’ I whistle all day long.

Use this link to read why she whistles.    I am curious what tune she whistled while writing BETRAYAL:


Kate and Alex Rocket are blessed with a wonderful marriage and a lovely home. Although Kate can’t have children, she and Alex look upon Sara and Emily, daughters of their good friends Don and Debbie Winter, as part of their family.


Except Hope…


With one phone call, everything changes. Sara accuses Alex of a terrible act, opening up a vicious rift between the couples. Kate watches helplessly as her innocent husband is convicted and sent to prison. But when even greater tragedy strikes, Kate’s grief turns to anger, and she discovers an inner strength and steel-edged resolve to clear her husband’s name—and ruin those who destroyed their life together. But Kate’s greatest challenge will be in avenging Alex without losing her chance at a new future—and a precious new love…

To learn more about Fern Michaels® and how to purchase her books, log onto www.fernmichaels.com.  I am giving away my copy of BETRAYAL to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about whistling - do you whistle while you work?   Or whistle along to your favorite song on the radio?  Or even sing in the shower?

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Monday, August 1, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winners on Tuesday, August 2.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Mary’s Musings...about The Bed and the Bachelor

The Reading Reviewer

 Mary’s Musings...about The Bed and the Bachelor by Tracy Anne Warren.  When I was at RWA in NYC (seriously I feel like a rock star writing that) Tracy (bio below) graciously met me for breakfast and we had a wonderful conversation about her books, family and everything in between.  I kept her longer than was expected because we could not stop talking and found out we had many family members with similar unique characteristics.  She mentioned how much she loved this particular book and that her muse was really kicked in. So  I asked if she would mind answering a few questions and she graciously agreed.

Were you a spy kind of kid looking for adventure?  No,not me.  I was a kid who lived quite a lot inside her own head, making up stories and reading them as well. I did most of my adventuring through stories.  That’s the fantastic thing about reading—you can be anyone, live in any time, and go anywhere in a book. Not to say that I didn’t travel or do other fun things but most of my real life adventures were pretty tame and I’ve never been the sort to deliberately seek out trouble.  I let my characters do that for me!

Do you think love conquers all obstacles?  Of course. I’m a romance writer,  aren’t I? It’s pretty much a pre-requisite to believe in the profound power of love. Bad things happen to people all the time, it’s part of life. My characters worry and suffer and have regrets just like everyone. But love is the one thing that makes the rough times tolerable, that lifts our spirits and keeps us going when everything looks bleak. Whether it’s the love of a spouse, parent, sibling, or friend, everyone needs someone to whom they can turn, share with, confide in, and take comfort from. Love is the one emotion that is wholly good, the thing that brings out the very best in us all.

Can we take the family that we grew up around and make ourselves stronger from the experience?  Definitely!  We’re all born into a family with no choice in the matter.  Some of us are lucky to have loving, supportive families, while others are not so fortunate.  But no family is perfect, not even the good ones like my Byrons.  People are flawed; it’s simply the nature of the beast.  No matter the family we’re given, however, we all have choices and the right to seek our own happiness.  Strength comes from that search, from experience, and simply living life in the best way we know how.

I am proud to announce that Avon a division of HarperCollins Publishing is giving away one copy of this book (review below) that is signed by the author along with a bookmark.  To be eligible to win please leave a comment.  What I am asking today is are you as an adult the same as when you were a child?  I was a complete and utter introvert who was afraid to say anything to anyone I was that shy.  I still hold back more than I should but once you get to know me I never shut up!  Come back on Sunday July 31st to see if you have won.  Please remember if you do not come back, you will not know if you won, because I am going to need your address. 

Tracy Anne Warren

New York Times Bestselling Author Tracy Anne Warren penned her first manuscript at age 17.  After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from The Ohio State University, she worked for several years in finance before finally achieving her dream of publication. Her debut novel, The Husband Trap, was an instant success, landing on the USA Today bestseller’s list and garnering acclaim from both readers and critics alike.  A recipient of the romance industry’s prestigious RITA® Award, Warren's subsequent novels have continued to earn praise, while delighting and entertaining her growing circle of fans.

Warren’s latest release, The Bed And The Bachelor, is the fifth novel in her popular Regency historical Byrons of Braebourne series, which follows the sexy, scandalous goings-on of the tempestuous Byron siblings.  She is currently at work on a new series with the first novel, The Princess And The Peer, scheduled for release in April 2012.

Warren lives in Maryland with an exuberant trio of Siamese rescue cats and windows full of gorgeous orchids and African violets.  When she's not busy writing or enjoying the antics of her cats, she loves watching movies, expanding her music collection, and crocheting.

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

THE BED AND THE BACHELOR written by Tracy Anne Warren

07/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages

Will love always find the real you regardless of how many lies you tell to stay hidden?

Being devoted to her father and brothers should have helped Sebastianne Dumont but instead Sebastianne must become a deceitful, horrid spy to save her brothers from one man’s cruelty and exposing her brother’s to the torture of war.  Sebastianne becomes Annie Greenway and finds herself in the employ of Lord Drake Byron a kind, eccentric man of science who does not deserve what she must do – seduce him and steal his secrets.  The work Drake is doing will help England and it is Annie’s job to steal it and put it into the hands of the French to do just the opposite.

Drake would never suspect the sweet, caring woman working as his housekeeper as anything more than a beautiful distraction.  Drake is mesmerized by the sway of her hips, the intoxicating scent of her hair and looks for any chance to be near her never suspecting she wants the same thing from him but for the opposite reason.  He knew better than to hire a woman that he wanted to see lying upon the sheets of his bed instead of changing them but this time Drake listened to his heart and he hopes his desire for her will not do him in, but fears it just might because one night will never be enough with Annie.  Drake knows math, facts and figures and the way around a chalk board but has no real idea what a relationship might be like and while he has mistresses it is never enough.  He sees his brothers in married life and wonders about what woman could make him desert his work and abandon good thought for the brush of her lips against his.  This wanting  for an all consuming love and female warmth that overrides everything sensible thought is a foreign emotion but one Drake is beginning to think possible with Annie.

Annie try as she might to not do the awful deed she must moves forward with securing the sacred information at the expense of a lifetime of true happiness for herself.  Annie has found herself in love with a man she cannot ever have and should not even consider thinking about romantically yet she continually does.

While Annie may not be a good spy, she is however a creative one and knows the steps to get a copy of the key made that will give her the treasure.  With quiet steps and eager determination she secures her objective while losing everything she desires at the same time.  Funny thing though Drake is not so easily duped and never one to just let go and move on, especially when he discovers what Annie has done and retribution must be provided.  He is going to move forward and get Annie back regardless of whatever barriers keep her from him even going into the lion’s den known as France, the evil empire to an Englishman to get her back into his life and sharing his bed.  Luck is not always on his side but this time he will make his own and write the future he wants not one that is supposed to be.

With every book in the Byron Family series my thought is always “can the next book top this one”.  Well the answer is always YES and yes and yes again.  Tracy Anne Warren knows how to write characters that are as complicated as they are fascinating and Drake and Sebastianne “Annie” are over the top fabulous.  The storyline is believable and the draw to do right by family is heart wrenching to read but so fascinating as it unfolds and you feel the love that draw these two together may also be the one that will tear them apart.