My Wrap-up Post for #SpringHorrorRAT and Thank Yous!

Did you have a good time during the Spring into Horror read-a-thon making some goals to include some horror/supernatural/paranormal reading into your busy week? Everyone did great and I had so much fun talking with all of you and putting together these challenges! THANK YOU Michelle @TrueBookAddict for hosting this read-a-thon on your horror blog at Castle Macabre .

Please remember you have just until Sunday at 11:59 p.m. YOUR TIME (it’s passed in Ohio!) to complete challenges here on my site, unlike Castle Macabre’s deadline for the wrap-up to be in to win on her blog for the overall read-a-thon.

I will work Monday and Tuesday to add up entries and plug them in for drawing. I will do a winner’s post then so if you are signed-up to my blog you will see it come through. I will also post on Twitter with the hashtag and I will contact everyone separate for addresses via e-mail so you can receive your books!

AGAIN THANK YOU TO ALL THE AUTHORS WHO GAVE SO MUCH TO DO THE GIVEAWAYS!!!!  See those authors again HERE. Let’s graciously support them in whatever way we can. 

MY WRAP-UP POST~

I had a fun time myself. I did get some reading done, a little more than usual. My kids were very good at letting me read some hours I don’t usually. My eight year old even participated. For the read-a-thon, I read:

**Frozen in Time by Marie Symeou (I had started it, but read most of it during the read-a-thon) for a review.

**A special book in the horror supernatural genre that is in the editing stages. I can’t spill the beans yet!

**I read 120 pages into the ARC of  Shadows of Night, by Deborah Harkness for a review.

**My eight-year-old daughter read The Girl Behind the Glass by Jane Kelley in two days.  (Thank you to Darlene at Darlene’s Book Nook for offering her a pleasant surprise–a spooky book!)

I hope to keep in touch with all of you and keep talking books of all different genres. I loved meeting you all and look forward to continue book talk! Any questions, leave in comments or contact me at hookofabook (at) hotmail (dot) com.

What I am Reading and Challenge 1 for Spring into Horror Read-a-Thon #SpringHorrorRAT

So I’ve done a few posts about the Spring into Horror Read-a-Thon already, but haven’t even got up my own starting line post yet (which for newbies is a post where after you sign-in and begin your participation you talk about what you’ll be reading during the week)! Really, WAY too many choices for me to choose from and no way I can read them all in a week, no matter how hard I cross my arms, blink, and toss my ponytail over my head ala Dream of Jennie. I’ve got the ponytail, but not the powers.

So we’ve got my own starting line post combined with the TUESDAY READ-A-THON CHALLENGE. You’ll have to read through my ramblings to get to the challenge portion. 🙂 A two for one deal.

Sooooo…right now I’m halfway through a book called Frozen in Time by Marie Symeou. It is in the genre of vampire too, but the foundation of the book is historical in nature, with themes of the Greek Gods and Goddesses, reincarnation, etc. The beginning to me justifies as being scary, because the vampire demon-type lady has a curse on her from a Goddess that makes her eat in a very nasty way things that you don’t want to read about being eaten. That scared me. Plus I have to finish it. And there are vampires…

I am also reading a horror book that is in the editing stages so I can’t talk about that one. Bummer, because it is so good and I can’t wait to tell you about it later in the year. So I am wadding up my sheets in my sleep in the meantime…. 🙂

I started Shadows of Night, Deborah Harkness’ second in her series after Discovery of Witches. Very witchy, very appropriate. Vampires, witches, daemons…I’m reading for review to publisher but I am also enjoying very much (and making too slow of progress I must say).

I am going to also read The Taker by Alma Katsu. I am reading a lot to support authors and do reviews, so this book is for me to read out of enjoyment. If you haven’t heard of this book, it’s not quite horror, but there are immortals and paranormal beings and it’s got a gothic overtone. So I hope it applies. I’ve been waiting awhile to sink into it.

And finally, I just received Hunter Shea’s newest Evil Eternal, which I am going to read for review. Since its horror week here, I might try out that one too. If not, it will be coming soon at any rate.

We’ll see what happens by Sunday night….all good laid plans of mice and men…..

ALRIGHT ON TO THE CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CHALLENGE 1 and GIVEAWAY ONE~

I told you what I was reading, now you tell me for a chance to win!! This first challenge is just as simple as that. 

1.)  On TUESDAY from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. EST, post on your blog, or where you are posting (GoodReads, etc.), at least one book you’re reading and why you chose it! Maybe you already did this in your starting post; if so, feel free to use it with any edits needed.

2.)  In addition to telling me about the book, link back to MY blog on your blog in that post telling everyone you are doing this challenge here. Then come to my blog under this post for this challenge and leave a link to your post with a comment, in my comments section. If you don’t have a blog you can just leave this information for me in the comments.  If you don’t understand, just leave me a comment. You’ll get entered 2 times by doing this.

3.)  Follow my blog via email. You can do this on my homepage by clicking on the link. You’ll receive my blog posts via email and we’ll keep connected. You’ll get 2 extra entries for that.

4.) Please follow me on Twitter, if you are on Twitter. I am @ErinAlMehairi. Leave that in the comment as well (that you followed and with what Twitter name. You’ll get 2 extra entries for that.

5.) If you Tweet about this Challenge, I’ll give you 2 extra points. Leave your tweet link in the comments too.

6.) Tell me if you rather apply for one or the other book if you prefer paperback or ebook. If you don’t care, I will put you in at one entry each for each part you complete. If you prefer one over the other I’ll put you in twice for that one, for each part you complete.

One person will win a signed copy of Denise Rago’s Immortal Obsession. I love this book. Vampires and history and romance. Perfect read. Also, one other person will win an e-book of Guardian of Fate by L.J. Kentowski, a fantasy paranormal that I haven’t read yet, but I have a copy and it looks really good!

RULES: You have to do the challenge as above. This is open for U.S. participants only for the paperback mailing and open to everyone for the e-book. You must be a signed-in participant at Castle Macabre (see former posts if you’re not signed in).

I look forward to your posts!! Have fun!

One of My TOP books: A review of “The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane” by Katherine Howe

I just finished “The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane” by Katherine Howe and it is officially one of my top new favorite books! What an amazing read surrounding the historical time period of the Salem witch trials.

Main character Connie Goodwin, while doing research for her doctoral dissertation and trying to clean-up (at the request of her mother) her grandmother’s ancient-looking, overgrown abandoned house near Salem, discovers much more than she ever bargained for in regards to both historical evidence on the Salem witch trials and her own family history.

This book flips back and forth with effortless ease between characters of the 169os in Salem and nearby towns and Connie in the modern era of 1991. As a reader you’ll never feel lost, only more and more intrigued by the mystery that Connie is uncovering. In fact, the book will drawn you in so far, you’ll feel as if you are in the book too. 

When she finds a key and a little piece of paper in a dust-covered family heirloom Bible with the name Deliverance Dane on it, she starts to unravel a story of a woman you’ll never forget. I guarantee you’ll never think of the Salem witch trials, or the women accused, the same ever again. Connie’s dissertation work depends on finding a Physick (or recipe) book, but it becomes so much more than that to Connie. It is a story of redemption for the character, Deliverance Dane and all her descendants, as many who were accused and killed during the witch trails were unjustly sentenced.

I was always intrigued by the Salem witch trials. Maybe it is just because I am interested in all things history. But I always felt there was more to the story than just that these women were accused of being witches. Evidence, as the book follows, points to the fact that these women were God-fearing women who happened to have the medicinal gift of using various herb concoctions and prayers to promote healing. Since it was before the time of medical doctors, these women took care of the people in their communities.  

I think that Howe did a superb job in educating the reader about the history of this time period through the eyes of the accused. She gives us an historical look at the stereotypical descriptions of witches and why they came about, but also reminds us that they were regular Puritan-garbed women.  I mentioned to Howe that I was curious about how many of these women seemed so religious and used prayer along with their concoctions. It seemed that their gifts of healing were God sent. Many women and their husbands were respected members of their Puritan communities.

Howe replied to me on Facebook, when I mentioned my curiosity about the accused being contradictorily Christian: “I address that question a bit in this talk given at Google last year (careful, it’s about 30 minutes long) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5L36OrxM-c.”  For more video on the book and why and how she wrote it, view here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_OBQ3QSb4g&feature=related.  She has some great interviews on YouTube.

 The author, Katherine Howe, is in fact a descendant of both Elizabeth Proctor(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Proctor), who you might know because her character was fictiously dramatized for The Crucible, and Elizabeth Howe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_How), the latter who did not survive the Salem witch trials.

Not only was the story good and the plot tight, it was great writing overall. Her vocabulary is phenomenal and her voice is so strong and poignant. The characters are firmly formed, detailed, and delightful.  You will leave this book with an emotional attachment to the characters and to the souls of the women who endured the Salem witch trials. She could very well become one of the best known American historical fiction writers ever.  In fact, she recently told me via Facebook that another book is on the way this year, not a direct sequel though, and I can’t wait to read it. However, I did hear that a sequel including Connie will come at some point.

I don’t often read books over again, but this is one I would even though I’ve discovered the mystery already along with main character Connie. It is completely spellbinding and mystical (and no, I’m not even trying to make a play on words with “spell”). Her story and her writing truly do amaze me and I hope to continue to read much more of her in years to come.

If you’d like more information on the author Katherine Howe go online to www.katherinehowe.com and view her awesome website, and for the book http://www.physickbook.com.  Here’s a trailer for the book as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcJxKLw8-M8&NR=1.

A 2010 Thriller, Eight Days to Live, by Iris Johansen is Reviewed

I have to admit, I hadn’t read any novels of the bestselling author Iris Johansen before. Her well-known forensic character, Eve Duncan, just hadn’t come my way. I read two book jackets by her and bought them both not knowing even where they fell in line with other books surrounding her recurring characters. 

I chose to read her book, Eight Days to Live (came out in 2010) purely on the premise that the character in this book (which happened to be the adopted daughter of Eve Duncan) was an artist who gets embroiled in a mystery of monumental proportions.  Eight Days to Live was definitely a book I couldn’t put down and read through it quickly because of that. It was very suspenseful~full of intrigue, thrilling villains, heroes, paranormal and romance all rolled into one!

When Jane, the main character for this particular novel, is pinpointed by vicious killers to die on April 1 (8 days from the start of the book), she didn’t know why. All she realized was that she had painted a portrait of a man she saw in a dream and then named it Guilt.  When she has a gallery debut, an unknown business man makes an absurd monetary offer on it and the same night the gallery owner, and her friend, is violently murdered. 

As powerful men start killing those around her and come after her, she starts on a mission to find out why. She even pulls in Caleb, a “hunter” that Eve had used on a previous forensic case to find a serial killer. His known tracking instincts prove helpful, as well as his paranormal gift of being able to mentally penetrate the minds of others to get them to do exactly what he wants them to do. However, with his power comes a real desire to hunt to kill bad men and this scares all that are around him. Even with knowing this, Jane feels connected to him somehow and ultimately he helps her to see that her dreams are visions of the past. He helps her to embrace this side of her and even assists in her dream states when they are needed to find out further information. The subtle dance of romance between them in the book is very intriguing.

As Jane, Caleb, and team pursue these powerful men closer, they uncover a type of religious cult worshiping one of the most well-known betrayers in history.  The mystery surrounding the cult and Jane’s dreams are thrilling and suspenseful. This is definitely a plot you won’t want to miss.  This book is for anyone loving historical fiction, secret society mysteries, paranormal gifts, action and suspense!

To learn about the book, or more on Iris Johansen, go to www.irisjohansen.com where book excerpts are available.

Welcome fellow book nuts!

I am NUTS about books. Not just novels for my age, but also books for all ages of children. I collect picture books and I love reading young adult books just for fun. I hope this blog shares new and old titles of children and young adult books for you, suggested titles of all books, reviews of all types of books, talk about my new children book series I’m diving into for 2011 (I hope you’ll be my sounding board and critics), and let you in on what I’m reading right now. I can’t wait to throw out the bookmark and jump in!