What is Blogmania?

Do you like blog giveaways? Do you want a chance to win lots of cool FREE prizes? Then mark your calendar for April 20, 2010 for a HUGE BLOG GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA!!! There will be bloggers from all over the blogging world offering thousands of giveaways for ONE DAY ONLY! Here's what you need to do:

Blogmania Early Bird Check List:


We want all of our visiting guests in our first Blogmania Event scheduled for April 30th to Get On Their Marks-Get Set…

It’s not time to go yet, but if you want to have the most fun and scoop up as much loot as possible, here are a few Early Bird Reminders to help you do just that.

1. Be at any of the blogs participating in the Blogmania Event as early as possible on April 30th. The easiest way to find a Blogmania Blog is to look for the Blogmania Badge.

2. This is an international event, so understand that there will be some differences in time zones. My advice is to start early and stay late to catch all the blogs.

3. Each blog will have their own giveaway requirements. Read them carefully, follow through, and then move on as quickly as possible. If you run across a blog that you really like and want to spend some time exploring, copy their URL and then visit them after Blogmania is over.

4. We will have a 100+ blogs for you to visit. Each one will post their number like this. ( This is blog 47 of 100) This is to help you keep track of which blogs you’ve visited, and which ones you still need to reach. I’d suggest that you prepare a blog sheet which is numbered from 1 – 120, then mark off each numbered blog as you visit them.

5. All blog links provided will also have a number like (Blog 89 of 100). Look for the blogs that you haven’t yet visited and follow those links until you’ve checked off all the blogs on your sheet.

6. We have all types of blogs participating in Blogmania, which means that the range of items in their giveaways are diverse. I have previewed many and they are awesome.

7. Why not contact a friend and partner up. Compare notes, share loot, or organize your own friendly neighborhood Blogmania Competition.

This is our first Blogmania Event, but it isn’t our last. Blogmania is a bi-yearly Giveaway Extravaganza. In fact, our next Blogmania Event will start September 15th, and do we have some cool stuff planned for you! So keep in touch with our Blogmania Blogs, because they will be giving sneak previews, secret codes, and who knows what else in the weeks and months ahead.

For more information, visit Between the Lines and More blog.

Have You Read Any of These Books?

I'd like to ask a favor from all my fellow bibliophiles. Could you take a look at my TBR list and tell me which ones you have read or reviewed and what you thought? Please leave a comment!

Here are the ones I thought sounded good when I came across them recently:

Because He Loves Me - Elise Fitzpatrick

The Betrayal - Bond

Broken for You - Kallos

Buffalo Soldier - Chris Bohjalian

The Cellist of Sarajevo - Galloway

Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith

Confederates in the Attic - Horowitz

Cordelia Underwood - Reid

Crow Lake - Lawson

Day After Night - Anita Diamant

Fated Genes - Kraus

Game Change - John Heileman and Mark Halperin

Half Broke Horses - Jeanette Walls

Her Mother’s Hope - Francine Rivers

Hester - Paula Reed
I am Nujood, 10 and Divorced - Nujood Ali
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

Jane Austen Ruined My Life - Beth Patillo

Kabul Beauty School - Deborah Rodriguez
The Knight - Steve James
The Less-Dead by April Lurie
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott - Kelly O’Connor McNees
Lumby Lines - Fraser
Marcelo in the Real World - Francisco X. Stork
Midwives - Chris Bohjalian
Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart - Beth Patillo
My Turn to Make the Tea - Monica Dickens
No Apology - Mitt Romney
Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout
The Other Side of the Bridge - Lawson
People of the Book - Brooks
The Pickup - Nadine Gordimer
Pleasing People - Lou Priolo
Prayers for Sale - Sandra Dallas
The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
Respectable Sins - Jerry Bridges
Sarah’s Key - Tatiana de Rosnay
Skeletons at the Feast - Chris Bojhalian
Still Alice - Lisa Genova
The Sweet By and By - Johnson
The Tangled Web - Lucy Maud Montgomery
Tea With Hezbollah - Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis
Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson
Tinkers - Paul Harding
Two Strand River - Keith Maillard
Velva Jean Learns To Drive - Niven
Village School - Miss Read
Walking to Gatlinburg - Howard Frank Mosher
Wench - Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Word Gets Around - Lisa Wingate
Year of Wonders - Brooks

Have you read any of these? If you have written a review of any of them (positive or negative), please give me the link in your comment.

Thanks and Carpe Libris!

Book Review: In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon

In Harm's Way is a romantic suspense novel from Revell (see my review on Too Close to Home, another romantic suspense). It is the story of Nick Bradley, FBI agent, and Rachel Sutton, a woman who finds a Raggedy Ann doll and, upon touching it, feels terror like she's never known before. She brings the doll to Nick, who begins to be attracted to her, despite the fact she is not a Christian.

As word gets out about Rachel and the doll, people suspect her of being a psychic. The situation becomes intense as Nick uncovers information that links the doll to an abducted baby and Rachel's life is threatened.

I like the way Mrs. Hannon writes. She gives us likeable characters who are also believable without being "perfect". The suspense is gripping yet not "over the top".

I'm not sure how the authors do it, but I really like how they can keep you in suspense in a book like this even though you "know" the main characters are not going to die. When I was reading this book, I kept hoping that all would be well in the end. It was, of course, but I guess the fun in reading is that you don't know HOW all will be well. I tend to really put myself in a book when I read. (How about you? Do you do this? Tell me about it in the comments).

I enjoyed every minute of this book. I'm ready to read more from this author!

In Harm's Way is the third and final book in the Heroes of Quantico series. Be sure and check out the other books in the series, Against All Odds (Book 1), and An Eye for an Eye (Book 2).

Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

(I received a complementary copy of this book from Revell for the purposes of this review. I received no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.)

Have You Read Any Good Book Reviews Lately?

If you haven't read many good book reviews lately (or even if you have), head on over to Semicolon's Blog. You're sure to add titles to your TBR list and you may even find some new blogs to follow as well. Semicolon hosts this Saturday Review every week. I have found it to be a great place to find new books (and blogs) to read.

By the way, Semicolon just happens to be my wonderful older sister, so when you go, tell her I sent you, okay?

Book Review: Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands by Paul David Tripp

I often have a pencil or highlighter with me when I read a non-fiction book, especially one that I know will be thought-provoking. I like to underline or highlight the parts that really speak to me and that I want to refer to again (of course, I am talking only about books I own!). It seems that when I do this, I remember more of what I read than when I don't. I sometimes write some of the passages in my journal so I can read them again later.

This book, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands,is one of those books that I carried with a pencil wherever I went. The problem, though, is that when I finished reading it, I had marked it up so much that it looks like there is more underlined than not. I couldn't stop! I found so much I wanted to remember in this book that it took me probably three times as long to read than it normally would because I was stopping to underline so often.

I read Mr. Tripp's book years ago for a class that my former pastor was teaching to train members in our church to counsel others. I couldn't believe how much wisdom could be packed in just 350+ pages. So when I was required to read it again for a counseling class I am taking, I jumped at the chance to dive into its depths once again.

The subtitle to Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands is: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change. And that's exactly what it teaches. Unlike many other books for "Christian counselors", this author does not claim to be perfect and a know-it-all telling others how to "straighten up". Instead, Mr. Tripp humbly explains how we as Christians can help others in their various situations and "comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (II Corinthians 1:4). We are to learn from God how he "comforts" us, and then love others with that same comfort. That is the foundation for all that this book teaches.

We are sinners in need of a Redeemer. And our goal, to quote Mr. Tripp, is "to help one another live with a God's story mentality. Our mission is to teach, admonish, and encourage one another to rest in his sovereignty, rather than establishing our own; to rely on his grace rather than performing on our own; and to submit to his glory rather than seeking our own." This is the work of the kingdom. And this is what Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands shows us to do.

This was one of those rare books that I can honestly say is a rich gold mine to the reader.The nuggets I found within will remain with me for a long time. I highly recommend it.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Rage Against God by Peter Hitchens

The Rage Against God by Peter Hitchens to be released June 1, 2010:

I am intrigued by the fact that two brothers, raised in the same family, are now on polar extremes in regard to their faith (or lack of faith) in God. I have heard some of Christopher Hitchens arguments (see film entitled Collision), and now I'd like to read how his brother came to believe in God after 20 years of being an atheist.

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a meme from Should Be Reading, where we answer three questions: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? and What do you think you'll read next? If you want to participate, answer the three questions, then put your link on the Should Be Reading Blog in the comment section. Happy reading!

What I am currently reading:

The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran - This one caught my eye one day at the library. It is apparently a story of a man who, after his wife is presumed dead, marries another, only to find out that his first wife (and children) are still alive. It reminded me of the movie, My Favorite Wife, starring Cary Grant. The story is probably not even close to being the same, but that's what I thought of when I read the blurb on the back of the book. I'll let you know what I think after I read it.

I'm also reading Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin - I'm reading this for my personal reading challenge to read all the non-fiction New York Times bestsellers for this year. I decided that the only way I would make it through a thick political book was to read one chapter a night instead of all at once. I can take only so much politics at a time. It is really quite interesting.

What I recently finished reading:

Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohalian - I kind of liked this book, but not entirely. I'll write my review sometime in the next several days.

What I will probably read next:

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart - I saw this book recommended by Carrie at Reading to Know Blog. Interestingly, she heard about the book from Sherry at Semicolon Blog, who just happens to be my sweet big sister! Thanks, Carrie and Sherry. I'll let you know what I think when I'm finished with the book.

So, that's what I'm reading. What about you? What are you reading? Tell me in the comments.

My First Readathon - Success! (Sort Of)

I finally got my computer back today, so I can tell all of you about how my first readathon went. I consider the overall experience to have been a success, but there were a few glitches on this end that made it, well, less than stellar.

The day started well, with a book, a cup of hot (white) chocolate, and three hot blueberry muffins. I sat on the couch, happy as a lark (how do we know larks are really happy?). In the first hour I read 70 pages. Not bad, I thought. Well on my way to my 1000 pages goal for the day.

By 12:00 noon, after 4 hours of reading, I had read 230 pages, almost 1/4 of my goal. Since I was planning on reading for 16 hours, I knew I was doing well.

Then things got a little crazy. The night before the readathon, my laptop, which runs faster on wireless internet, began acting really weird, showing me all kinds of warnings and pop-ups. I shut it down and went to bed. The next morning, it was still not functioning right. So, all day during the readathon, I was trying to keep up with the messages and mini-challenges on my desk top computer, which runs slow because of dial-up internet.

Because of all this, I was reading only about 30 pages an hour. Also, we had the computer guy here in our house for over two hours trying to fix my laptop, to no avail. Add in three children who were making various noises and involved in much activity all around me in a small home. Needless to say, I couldn't get much reading done.

So, at about 6:00, after the computer guy left (with my computer), I decided I had to get off the internet and just try to read all I could in the time I had remaining. Well, it seemed by then that my family wasn't going to tolerate my isolation or ignoring them any longer. As much as I tried, I only read about 80 pages between 6:00 and 10:00.

But I wasn't giving up. I sent the kids to bed, took my book to my room, and proceeded to read 110 more pages in the last two hours of my self-allotted time.

So, the final page count? 590. Much less than 1000. However, if I consider that I read one book completely, and two others partially, then I think I did okay. In fact, I'm glad that I had this opportunity to enjoy doing what I love to do. And next time, I'll know what to do differently: reserve a hotel room for the day (don't tell anyone where), and leave my cell phone at home! Yeah, that sounds like a plan.........

Book Review: Too Close to Home by Lynette Eason

One reason I like reviewing for Revell is that I know I will be getting a book that is clean but not boring. Why some authors think they have to put foul language, "steamy" scenes, or immoral characters in their books is beyond me. I have several authors I read who are not Christian writers, but they write well and they don't have these things in their books. So it can be done, even if you don't write for a company like Revell. There are people who read these types of books!

So, when I pick up a Revell novel, I know when I begin to read that it will not contain anything that I would be embarrassed to have any of my children see if they were to pick up the book and read it.

When I first saw Too Close to Home by Lynette Eason, I just knew that it was going to be good. There was a quote from one of my favorite Christian authors (Dee Henderson) on the back of the book, and it also indicated that it's a "romantic suspense" novel. Although this seems to be a new genre (at least for me), I like suspense as well as romance, so putting the two together seemed to me to be a good combination.

I was not disappointed. The plot moved quickly from the first chapter where a girl is found murdered. A serial killer is trolling the internet, enticing young females into bogus modeling jobs and using them for his evil purposes before murdering them. Homocide detective Connor Wolfe finds himself racing against time as more girls disappear and even his own daughter becomes an unsuspecting victim. 

Samantha Cash is a special agent for the FBI. She uses her special talents as a computer expert to help Connor. As the two of them work together to find the killer, they become more attracted to each other. And as the case becomes more intense, the couple finds they have to rely on God and each other to make it through.

One thing I really like about Too Close to Home is its unpredictablity. Books are so much better when you cannot figure out the plot from the first few chapters. I am surprised how many books do not have this important quality. Eason definitely knows how to keep a reader on his/her toes. The plot surprised me in several places. I didn't want it to end!

This book is a keeper!

Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

(I received a complementary copy of this book from Revell for the purposes of this review. I received no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.)

I'm reading my little heart out!

I forgot until a little while ago that I was going to put my updates for the readathon on the page at the top of my blog here, so look there for my hourly progress.

I hope everyone is having as much fun as I am!

Carpe Libris!!

Readathon - Hour 2

I am comfy-cozy on my couch with blueberry muffins and a cup of hot chocolate. I have read 70 pages so far.....

This is my first time. Having fun so far!

Readathon - Hour 1

Where are you reading from today?
East Tennessee


3 facts about me …
I'm in love with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
I love to scrapbook.
I'm a librarian.
How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
About 10, I think.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
1000 pages

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time?
I'm a newbie!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Begins!

The 24 hour readathon has begun! I will attempt to post updates of my progress on this page throughout the day. Please come visit me and, if you want, read some of my recent reviews. I'd also enjoy comments on my blog and/or the readathon. And, I will be on Twitter throughout the day @seizethebooknow.

Have fun, everyone! Read as much (or as little) as you want, whatever you want, and eat lots of chocolate!

And remember, carpe libris ("seize the book") and tolle lege ("take up and read")!

Support Your Local Library!

Since I work in a library, and I practically grew up in one (my mom would take my sister and me to the library every week), I think it's only natural I would join a challenge to read more library books. I came across this challenge yesterday and I decided to join. Of course, I already read lots of library books, but this way I can keep track of just how many I do read over the course of one year. You can follow my progress on the challenge page (tab at the top of the blog). And, if you want to join us, click here to sign up.

Next week is National Library Week! In order to celebrate (and to add even more titles to my library reading challenge), I am going to read ONLY library books next week. I have way too many checked out right now, and my stack keeps getting higher and higher!

Are you celebrating National Library Week? Is your library planning anything special? What can you do to support your local library next week (and the weeks, months, etc. to follow)?

Join me in celebrating! After all, where would we be without libraries?

New York Times Bestseller Personal Challenge

Some of you know that at the first of the year, when I began this blog, I set a goal for myself to read all of the #1 non-fiction bestsellers from the New York Times Bestseller List. I have read three so far (see tab at the top of this blog entitled New York Times Bestseller Challenge).

On Tuesday, I was on Twitter when I spotted this blog post by Tim Challies about the book entitled Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. I have decided, after reading his review, I will not be reading this book. Just wanted to let you know in case you wondered why I did not read it or review it. Not worth my valuable time.

So, not counting that one, I have read half of the books so far. Not, bad, but I need to get moving if I am going to read them all. I don't want to get too far behind! I'll let you know how it goes.

Have you read any of the NYT bestsellers? Leave a comment (and a link to any reviews you have for those books).

Carpe libris!

Waiting for Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine Blog, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I want to read The Last Christian by David Gregory, to be released May 4, 2010.

Description from Waterbrook Multnomah, publisher of The Last Christian:

A.D. 2088. Science is removing God from America—one person at a time. Can the faith of one woman bring restoration? In this futuristic thriller, one woman takes on the seemingly-impossible task of re-introducing the Christian faith in late twenty-first century, secular America—and rescuing the planet from spiritual oblivion.

Here are some reviews of The Last Christian:

The Mystery Gazette

Follow the Clue

And, a book trailer:

For more information, and to download the first chapter of The Last Christian, go to the Waterbrook Multnomah website.

Tolle lege!

WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesdays is a meme from Should Be Reading, where we answer three questions: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? and What do you think you'll read next? If you want to participate, answer the three questions, then put your link on the Should Be Reading Blog in the comment section. Happy reading!

What I am currently reading:

Too Close to Home by Lynette Eason - I am reading this one for a Revell blog tour. It is the first book in the Women of Justice Series. Review will be posted next week.

What I just finished reading:

Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands by Paul David Tripp - required reading for a Biblical counseling class that I am taking. Excellent book!

What I will probably read next:

The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine - I have to read this one soon because someone is waiting for it after me at the library. (Westport is where Martha Stewart used to live. If you care.)

(To see more information about any of these titles, click on the title of the book or the book image.)

Have any of you read any of these? Any reviews? Please leave a comment. I love to hear from you!