Author: Cindy

Book Lovers Christmas Trees

Posted on by Cindy

I thought that I would make my first offical Christmas post about Christmas trees. I thought I would share with you some Christmas trees I found online via google image search.

As you can see these ones are all book related.






I have to say that the first one and the last one posted is my favorites. Which one do you like?

Have you seen any another book related Chirstmas trees? 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.

A month of Christmas

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Its hard to believe that we are already beginning the month of December. Where did the time go?

For the month of December I decided that from now, December 1st to December 25th all post will be Christmas related. I have a few holiday books to review so they will be appearing this month, I also plan on sharing some of my favorite holiday songs, movies, recipes and some traditions with you.

If anyone would like to make a guest appearance please let me know via the comments here or through email cindysloveofbooksarc AT gmail DOT com and I will get back to you.

Happy Holidays Everyone.

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.

(November) Middle Grade Book Challenge

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**This is a sticky post so please scroll down to see all new posts**

Are you reading middle grade books this month? If so, which titles and from which authors?

The rules again are really simply all you have to do is commit to reading 12+ Middle Grade books and posting your review and then coming back and sharing your link in this post. You have from now until August 2011 to complete this challenge.

Just add your blog link/name to the MckLinky below. Your blog name and book titles will be fine.

Just to let everyone know I have given it some thought and I think I am going to go ahead and do a monthly giveaway. Please note it won’t be a big prize just because I will be mailing it so some ideas will be a gift card for coffee, a bookmark etc.

So the only rules are in order to qualify all you have to do is come back and link your reviews and for everyone you add for the month of October will count for one entry into the bowl.

Have fun and happy reading.

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) A Secret In Salem

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TITLE: A Secret in Salem
AUTHOR: Sheri Anderson
PUB DATE: November 2010
PUBLISHER: Soourcebooks
PAGES: 309
SOURCE: Received from publisher

ABOUT THE BOOK:
On the winding roads leading to Monaco, a convertible careens off the road and over the cliffs-killing a mother and leaving her distraught daughter Amelia in critical condition. Amelia’s accident reveals that she is not truly her father’s daughter. Against her aristocratic fiance’s wishes, Amelia sets out on a quest to find her biological parents that leads her to Salem. She begins a determined investigation of the denizens of the city and tracks down the possibilities- Patch and Kayla, Bo and Hope, John and Marlena-gobbling up every bit of history she can find. As she uncovers secrets and scandals, she finds herself growing dangerously close to the truth. (From Good Reads)

Marlena & John have never been so close, and yet so far apart…

Marlena’s love, John, has been paralyzed for two years, and she is becoming desperate. Although her love for him has never waned, she must find a cure before they drift too far apart as man and wife. But John’s illness may not be all that it seems, and the truth could tear them apart forever.

On the winding roads leading to Monte Carlo…

Charlotte Gaines, daughter of one of the world’s richest men and one of the hottest fashion designers, discovers a hidden truth about her family that she never suspected. It sets her on a quest that will uncover long-buried secrets, hidden passions, and dangerous mysteries…all leading to a city called Salem, and a revelation that will change all of their lives forever. (From Publisher’s Website)

MY THOUGHTS:
I have to send out a huge THANK YOU to Liz from Sourcebooks (who I got to meet at BEA and when I was in Naperville this summer) who emailed to ask if I would be interested in reading A Secret In Salem. She didn’t have to ask me twice. I think that might have been one of the fastest email replies.

Days of Our Lives is one of my favorite all time Soap Operas and I started watching it back in 1988. I watch it all the time and its sad to see your favorite characters leave the show either by death (Alice Horton on the show and in real life) or their contracts expire.

The reason I started to watch it back in 1988 was because of Mathew Ashford, who played Jack Devereaux. I thought I would include this picture taken roughly around 1990 or so when I got to meet him when he came to Montreal. He was so sweet.

Anyways, back to my review. I LOVED, LOVED this book. You don’t have to be a fan of Days to read this but if you are you will realize that the book takes off where the characters left such as John and Marlena, Belle, Shawn and Claire, and Abby and Chelsea. Do you remember when John and Marlena left? Well we find out that they are living in Switzerland and John was paralized when he left and no idea why. Well the answers will be revealed. Plus John has a few secrets of his own that as your reading the book you wonder what John is up too and could it possibly ruin his relationship with Marlena. I mean what man makes his workers sign a confidentally agreement about his treatment and Marlena isn’t to know? Well John Black does. I was curious to see what John was doing.

Belle, Shawn and Claire left Salem and decided to see the world aboard the Fancy Face IV. They are in Monte Carlo when life changes from them. Belle has a secret that could possibly tear up hers and Shawn’s relationship. Plus she has some good news to share with Shawn which the reader can almost guess right away what it is but then as you are reading you wonder more about it.

WE are introduced to some new characters, siblings Charlotte, Chance and Jackson, their rich parents Olivia and Richie. They are the couple behind OMG a fashion design label.

I was curious to see how they would play into the storyline and it kept me reading and turning the pages to find out plus a few late late nights.

When Olivia suddenly dies in a car crash The Gaines secrets are revealed and they especially hurt Olivia the most because she begins to question her life and changes her world as she knows it.

So, if your a fan of Days then I have to say you must read this. You won’t be disappointed. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series called A Stirring in Salem (February 2011) and A Scandel in Salem (May 2011). I am not sure if all the books are linked together but from the sounds of it A Stirring in Salem might pick up where this one finished.

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 Contest

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I got this email today and I thought I would share this with my Canadian readers. I unfortunately can’t enter it because its void in my lovely province of Quebec which is kind of sad since its only a book.

There will be one prize awarded, consisting of a copy of Something Old, Something New.

To enter the sweepstakes visit this link.

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.

I went over board…

Posted on by Cindy

This past week I downloaded a bunch of egalleys from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster’s. Thanks NetGalley and Simon & Schuster.



This is just the first 21 Chapters:
-Witch & Wizard The Gift by James Patterson (book 2)PUB DATE: December 13/10
-Cross Fire by James Patterson (This is part of the Alex Cross Series) PUB DATE: November 15/10



-A Compendium of Kisses PUB DATE: January 1/11
-Midway Monkey Madness PUB DATE: January 2011




-The Poison Eaters PUB DATE: April 1/11
-The Hot List PUB DATE: March 8/11



-Odd Girl In PUB DATE: March 22/11
-Evercrossed PUB DATE: March 8/11



-Eliza’s Freedom PUB DATE: January 4th/11
-Over The Moon PUB DATE: January 4th/11



-Choker PUB DATE: January 4th/11
-Darkness Becomes Her PUB DATE: Febuary 22/11



-Wither PUB DATE: March 22/11
-Fairy Tale in New York PUB DATE: November2009

-Cryer’s Cross PUB DATE: Febuary 8th/11

I am really excited to read all of these great titles. Any of these appeal to 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.

(Review) iDrakula

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: iDrakula
AUTHOR: Becca Black
PUB DATE: October 2010
PAGES: 160
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Fire

SOURCE: I bought this book at Chapters.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The classic vampire story that started it all gets new life for a generation of connected teens

18-year-old Jonathan Harker is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder after visiting a Romanian Count. His girlfriend Mina and a pre-med student named Van Helsing team up to investigate the source of the disease. The teenagers discover a horrifying truth: the Count is a vampire. The harrowing events unfold through emails, text messages, web pages, Twitter feeds, and instant messaging-the natural modernization of Bram Stoker”s original Dracula, which was written in letters, diary entries, and news clippings.

MY THOUGHTS:
I have never read Drakula by Bram Stoker but I heard that Bram did it in diary and letters form.

Bekka Black brings a modern twist to this classic story by doing it in the form of text messages, emails and browser pages. Bekka also included pictures of various things such as the Castle the count lives in, the gates to Bellevue Hospital and the back of a gown that Mina wore.

Having not read Drakula I have to say I wasnt’ worried about not knowing what was going on because this is a book that covers it all in a short amount of time. After finishing the book I thought all the key points were touched on and the story wasn’t lost.

I picked this up when I was at Chapters the other night because I have had this on my wishlist for awhile since I first heard about it. It was a quick and easy read and I actually read this in about an hour last night.

I think this might appeal to the younger crowd and it just might make them pick up the classic to read. As for me I don’t see me reading Drakula anytime soon.

One of my favorite text messages was early in the book (page 14) was one Jonathan sent to Mina and it was:

Ate paprika hendl aka chicken paprikash. Tasty. U should get recipe.

I have eaten chicken paprikash many times and love it. My in laws are hungarian so its a staple for them.

Here is the recipe from the book:
Paprika Hendl

3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds of chicken cooked and cut into strips (my mother in law does chunks)
1/2 cup butter
1 onion diced (mother in laws chops)
3 tablespoons of paprika
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup sour cream
4 cups of spatzle noodles cooked (mother in law uses egg noodles)

Saute onion, garlic and chicken in butter. Add the broth and paprika to pan. Slowly add flour to the pan to thicken. Simmer 30 minutes and then add half the sour cream. Serve over cooked noodles and dallop sour cream on top. (You don’t have to add the dallop of sour cream if you don’t want. I never do.)

When I was on Bekka Black’s website I discovered that there is an app for iDrakula for your iPhone/iPad which apparently adds to the book even more. Sadly I don’t have an iphone or iPad so I can’t be sure on this.

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.