Author: Cindy

It’s Monday What are you reading? # 7

Posted on by Cindy

It’s Monday, What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila who blogs at Book Journey.

(Edit) For some reason I had this post scheduled to post on Monday and it never appeared and continued to sit there. Not sure why that happened but when I went back to look at my last weeks post I noticed a few others that didn’t appear so please forgive me if your feed readers are loaded down with my posts.

I really can’t believe how fast February is flying by and honestly I am happy that its going by like the wind because I am offically through with winter. The weather here is crazy one day its almost 0 and then the next its like -20. I am longing for the warmer weather and being able to sit in the sun.

So last week my current read was:

I finished that within a day or two of starting it. This was for an ARC Tour. Hopefully my review for this will get up this week.

I mentioned last week that I was hoping to get to Weird Sisters and Across the Universe but I didn’t. I ended up reading the following:

These are graphic novels called Night School Vol 1 & 2.

I had started to read Weird Sisters but I could tell I wasn’t into reading so I figured I would pick up some light things to read and these were borrowed from my library and were due book this week.

I noticed reading wise I felt like I was going into a slump and not sure why. Perhaps I have been pushing myself with reading and reading too much. So I decided that I was going to take a break and I didn’t do much reading. With not doing alot of reading I turned to the tv and I think I have watched more tv in the last week or so then I have in awhile.

Is anyone watching Survivor? Its been a long time since I watched it and I think I might be hooked with this one with the redemption island twist.

Okay back to what I read. Last week I also read:

These are graphic novels.

I am not quite sure where I heard about these books but since Michael has been enjoying the Geronimo Stilton graphic novels I thought he might enjoy these. So I wanted to read them before he did so I would know if they are age appropriate. Thankfully our library ordered them for us and we were able to get #1-3-4 to read. Michael will probably read these during spring break next week. Still waiting for #2
to come in.

That is what I read last week. Now for this week I will probably read

and perhaps I will get to

Have you read any of these books? If so please let me know.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

An Awesome Author Event (+ Books Bought)

Posted on by Cindy

If you remember a little while ago I mentioned I was going to see Mo Willems with Michael. Well today was the day. Michael was super excited and constantly kept asking if it was time to go yet and not to forget his book to get signed.

Which I did remember to put in my purse and he did get it signed.

We were shocked when we walked in to the book store because the place was packed and they were handing out numbers for what group you would be in when he signed the books. I was in group number two. Not exactly sure how many were in each group and we were only allowed to have one non bought book signed (meaning if it wasn’t bought at Babar you were allowed only one)

Going to author events like this I like to support the store (especially this great indie bookstore near me) and the author so I bought:

Some how Michael also managed to convince us to get him:

If you have read his Knuffle Bunny books you will recognize this as the Knuffle Bunny. This is his new best friend.

Sadly while I was stuck in line paying for the books and the Knuffle Bunny, Mo began his readings, which Michael was down stairs to listen (and he got a great spot in front thanks to the staff who made sure all the kids could see Mo) and I forgot to give my camera to him so I don’t have any recordings from this event. Which is really to bad because I did get to hear him and he is awesome. He is very animated and into his books.

He read:

This isn’t my video I found it on YouTube but I thought I would share this so you can see exactly what he is like when he is doing a reading.

He was amazing with the kids and after he each story he would allow a mini Q&A and he always had a funny story and/or comment. One question that was asked was something about writting and his books and he said “One word–Mortgage!” The adults laughed at this one.

This is only my second children’s author book event and it was hands down the very best. Mo was amazing with his readings and after wards with the signings. He took the time to speak with each person and allowed photographs to be taken (minus the flash photography which was his request) and Michael was great with him answering all his questions. Plus we got to see who the real Trixie was.

If you are looking for some great children books I have to suggest Mo Willems books. We love then and since meeting Mo we have decided that we will slowly build our collection up.

Here are some pics from the signing:

This is in line and Mo trying to guess what Michael’s name was.


Mo signing Michael’s books. With the signature was a little drawing he did.


Mo graciously posed with us for this picture.

Thanks to Mo (who I hope might read this) for coming to our little corner of the world (and it didn’t rain this time) and to Babar Books for organizing this fantastic event.

BTW MO told me he was going to be at BEA again so if you get the chance stop and say hi.

Here is an article (interview) about Mo that our local newspaper The Montreal Gazette did on Saturday with him.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) Cloaked

Posted on by Cindy


Title: Cloaked
ISBN:9780060874223
Author:Flinn, Alex
Publisher:Harper Teen
Publication Date:February 2011
Pages:256

Source: This copy was an arc and was passed on to me by another blogger, Tina. If you click on her name it will take you to her review of this book.

About the Book:
I’m not your average hero. I actually wasn’t your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I’ve ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.

Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. But you’ll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got cloaked.

My Thoughts:
I only recently heard about Alex Flinn. Alex has several books out. I currently have two of them sitting in my TBR pile. The first one is Beastly, its a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast which is being made into a movie and the second book is A Kiss in Time, an edgy twist on Sleeping Beauty.

I have to say at first I thought this would be just the retelling of The Elves and the Shoemaker but Alex has also incorporated The Frog Prince, The Six Swans, The Golden Bird, The Valiant Tailor and The Fisherman and His Wife into this book.

Growing up for me I loved The Elves and the Shoemaker and The Frog Prince. For some reason I don’t remember the other fairy tales. I think it will be a task for me the next time I am at the library to look for those other books.

You would think that is alot for this one book but Alex did a fantastic job of incorporating elements of each of the books into the story line. She weaved the perfect story in my opinion.

I loved fairy tales growing up and when I heard about the retelling of them I have to say I was very curious and wanted to check them out. How would they spin the fairy tales into the modern world?

One of the things I loved in the book was that each chapter began with a quote from the above fairy tales so it gave you an idea of what was to come in that chapter. I love when an author does that.

Johnny is the main character in Cloaked and he is a seventeen year old teenager working in his mother’s shoe repair shop at a local hotel. He is working to help his mother with the bills because his father walked out on the family when he was a very young boy. Johnny has no real life because he is always working. Johnny has dreams of one day becoming a shoe designer but wonders if it will ever happen. Whenever he gets the chance he is drawing designs of shoes in his note book that he keeps hidden away.

He doesn’t have the money to buy the material for the shoes so what he does is takes whatever scraps he can from old shoes that he can’t repair. He has managed to get enough to make a pair of shoes as his sample.

Sadly Johnny realizes that he has the talent to succeed but knows he will never be able to afford to go to school and just hopes for that one break that can help him achieve his dream.

The answer to his prayers is a visiting princess named Victoriana. He realizes that if he can get his sample shoes to her that perhaps she will wear them. He could possibly end up making enough money that he or his mother would never have to worry again. Its a long shot and you kind of root for that to happen but we all know its a work of fiction and Johnny will have to work hard to make that happen.

Little does Johnny realize but Victoriana has a much better offer, she offers to marry him. Problem about money will be solved right? Nope in order for that to happen she tells Johnny that he must look for her brother and rescue him because he has been turned into a frog by a witch. She gives him a magic cloak and a warning that he must be the only one to use it.

Johnny quickly realizes that this won’t be as easy as he thought it was because along the way he encounters others who will help him only if he helps them. What will he do? Thankfully his best friend Meg comes along for the ride when she is summoned to him by a ring. She helps him over take some Giants, helping him escape and so much more.

Will Johnny be able to rescue the prince and get to marry the princess or will he realize that what was under his nose is what he really needs?

I really enjoyed this book and I am so anxious to start reading Beastly and A kiss In time very soon. If they are anything like Cloaked I am sure I won’t be disappointed.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Hapy Valentine’s Day

Posted on by Cindy

I hope all my readers had a good Valentine’s Day today. It was a quiet day and evening here. We went out last night for supper and I have to say I am glad we did because the roads aren’t very nice out there now. We had some rain and snow today making for slippery roads.

I thought I would share the books we got this Valentine’s Day.

I got The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore.

From Michael I got The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa.

For Michael he got:
–Geronimo Stilton: Watch Your Whiskers, Stilton #17. I had bought a duplicate of one of Geronimo’s other books so we exchanged it for this one.

–Geronimo Stilton: Surf’s Up, Geronimo #20 was a gift from his grandmother.

–Geronimo Stilton: The Secret of Cacklefur Castle #22

–Geronimo Stilton: The Mummy With No Name #26

–Geronimo Stilton: Dinosaurs in Action # 7. This is a graphic novel.

Funny enough Michael has read the graphic novel and is looking forward to an eigth one. He enjoys reading them. Thankfully the book store had the Geronimo Stilton books we needed and Michael is set for a little while now. His collection is now up to # 27.

What did you get this Valentine’s Day? Chocolate? Flowers?

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

It’s Monday What are you reading? #6

Posted on by Cindy

It’s Monday, What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila who blogs at Book Journey.

I really can’t believe that we are actually going into the third week of February. Where is the time going? I can honestly say that right now I am craving spring so the time can fly by if it will mean the cold and snow will go away.

I grew up on the East Coast and in all honesty I really should be use to this cold weather but I am not. If you are an east coaster you know of the winters I am talking about.

Hey, Happy Valentine’s Day.

Okay now to the books I read last week.

Last week my current read was:

I did finish this book and enjoyed it. My review is coming up this month so check back for that one.

I also got to read:


These both are book two in the series. I read the first Bran Hambric book last year and loved it. I have my review for this coming up very soon. The same goes for the Beautiful Dead series. Another one I really enjoyed.

Right now I am reading:

Hoping to get this done by the middle of the week because its a book I have to send out for an ARC Tour.

When I finish this I plan on reading:

So this is what I read and what I plan to read this week. What about you?

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Local Book Blogger Meet Up February Edition

Posted on by Cindy


One of my favorite things of the month is meeting up with some local book bloggers at our favorite little tea shop in the city. I know I promised pictures this time around but it was only when I was half way home that I thought about it. I will have to make a note for the next time.

This month Tina from BookShipper, Avis from She Reads and Reads, Linda from Better With Books, Donna from BooksBound and myself were in attendance. Unfortunately, Amanda from Tales and Treats and Laura from Library of Clean Reads weren’t able to attend and they were missed.

One of the great things about meeting up is you never know what will come up in conversation. Basically its a no hold barred conversation and its great because no matter what is said we are still friends.

We did speak about the whole authors behaving badly issue from last week, things that were happening in our lives, our blogs, a little bit about books, an online book site that sells books (Tina and I couldn’t access certain books), BEA (of course) and first loves/boyfriends.

I have to say that I often wondered how things would have turned out had I stayed with my first love/boyfriend. I met him when he was visiting his grandparents (they use to live two doors up from me) and it was the year I started high school (grade 10). We basically had a long distance relationship at the end of summer but some how drifted apart months later. Then many, many years later we reconnected again and I went to visit him. Things were going great and we even spoke about marriage but something happened and it never did happen. Then I moved to Montreal. Thanks to facebook we are friends again.

Had things worked with him, I would probably be married with two kids (at least) and living in Michigan somewhere. As they say things happen for a reason and our paths in life are already planned out. He knows he will always be a special person to me. You can never forget your first love/boyfriend. Plus if it worked out I wouldn’t know these fantastic bloggers who have become my real life friends. I am sure I would have been blogging because I started my blog because of my love for reading and books.

I mentioned earlier that we spoke about BEA and I can say that I won’t be going this year and I believe Avis and Linda aren’t going either. Although I can officially say that I will be attending in 2012. On Valentine’s Day I brought this up during dinner and it will mean some sacrifices on my part but if I really want to go I am the only one who can make it happen. I am already starting to plan for it and thankfully I have a friend who is a travel agent who is offering to help me find some deals.

We chatted over some great drinks (teas, hot chocolates and hot apple drinks) and great food (dim sum, carrot cake, nuts) and shared some books. Tina was very generous and give us each a bookmark. Thanks Tina.

As for books I only came home with one and it was from Tina.

I have to read this book this week because I have to mail it to the next person on the ARC Tour we are on.

That was our February meet up. Not sure how March will play out because the last two weeks of March I will be unable to attend because Michael has curling on the Sunday. Hopefully something will work out because I have yet to miss a meet up.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.