I received this book to review along with two giveaway copies. Details on giveaway at end of the review!

Stars: ****

Stars: *****
This review is part of a Blog Tour by Multnomah Books. I also read it for the Pub in 08 Challenge.

Summary: When a man turns up dead in a teddy bear costume, Ginger and the other ladies of the Bargain Hunters Network learn a lesson about trusting in God rather than in wealth as they try to solve the crime and clear one of their own

First of all, I gotta say, that when I got the offer to review this book, I had a good laugh. After all, how often is it do hear a book title like this one? There was no way I could say no to this one, I just HAD to know what it was all about. I’m sure glad I did say yes because I relished every moment I was reading this book.

It’s not too often you have such humour mixed in with a murder mystery. I could definitely see the two being mixed in such a way that detracts from the book but Sharon Dunn put them together spectacuarly.

Stars: ****1/2I read this book for the Celebrate the Author challenge and the Reading My Name challenge.

Celebrate the Author Note:
Dr. Seuss is one of my favourite children’s authors so I didn’t want to cheat and just re-read some of his books that I’ve read a million times. So I decided I’d read a few of this books I haven’t read yet as well as a book about his life.

This book is a Children’s Non-Fiction book about he early life of Dr. Seuss, before he was known as that. It explains who he was as a boy and how he came to be an author and artist. The story itself is written like a picture book and ends when he is 22 and his writing life is taking off. After that is an explanation of how he came up with the idea for some of his books as well as information on his life after 22 such as when he was married and how The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham were the result of bets by his publisher.

Stars: ***1/2

I’m not sure what to say about this book. The full title is You Are Your Child’s First Teacher: What Parents Can Do With and For Their Children from Birth to Age Six. I picked it up because I figured it would help me in my early homeschooling. Here’s a little from the back of the book:

Here's a blogging meme I stole from Dewey. I should have another review posted tomorrow on The Grass is Singing, another Doris Lessing novel.

1. Do you remember learning to read? How old were you?
According to my grandmother, I learned to read at two. I can’t help but think she’s exaggerating, though. Perhaps she just means that I would read back the stories that she read to me. If she is correct, I’m a genius and I should be elected next ruler of the world. That is all.

2. What do you find most challenging to read?
I don't so much find anything in particular challenging to read; I do, however, find it challenging to read after a long day or when I'm tired. It's right to sleep if I do.

3. What are your library habits?

I haven't participated in BTT lately, not because of my lack of internet access but because I didn't have anything to say for the topics. But this week I'm back.

"What fiction book (or books) would you nominate to be the best new book
published in 2007?(Older books that you read for the first time in 2007
don’t count.)

What non-fiction book (or books) would you nominate to be the best new
book published in 2007?(Older books that you read for the first time in 2007
don’t count.)

And, do “best of” lists influence your reading?"

Stars: **** I received this book for review from Annick Press.

This is a non-fiction book about animal babies for ages 7-10. It would be interesting for ages 5 and 6 if you read it to them. Each double page spread is a different animal baby. There is a colour photograph of the animal baby, the name it is called, a sentence or two about the animal baby and some fun facts. There are also illustrations by Mariko Ando Spencer in each section.

You’ve just reached the end of a book . . . what do you do now? Savor and muse over the book? Dive right into the next one? Go take the dog for a walk, the kids to the park, before even thinking about the next book you’re going to read? What?

As with most reading bloggers, I think, we all feel so elated after finishing it. Then a bit sad, if it was a really good book. I close the book and savour the book in my mind. Nowadays, I get into writing a review right away as instant recall works best for me. Next is, looking for another book to read. I read two-three books per week. So I do not keep much gaps between the books I read. I try to keep the genres different between reading. However, as most readers do, I too am reading at least three different books at any given point of time. So the end of a book does not affect me that much. And we must not forget all those reading challenges! So where is the time to give a gap?

And being single with no kids and neither pets helps me read as much as I want at any time!!

Stars: ****1/2
I received a copy of this book for review. I also read it for the Pub in '08 challenge.

Summary: In “My Soul to Keep,” Dylan Foster is once again caught in a bizarre and twisted chain of events. A parent’s worst nightmare comes true and a birthday party that should be filled with joy is turned awry when a little boy close to Dylan’s heart is snatched from a local park. With little evidence to point the way, local law enforcement is led through a chain of mystifying events that seem to go no where. With the help of an intuitive six-year-old girl who is eerily connected to the missing boy, Dylan follows a path of tantalizing clues to the truth. With the sinister presence of Peter Terry never far behind, Dylan is led to a place she never expected – or wanted – to go.

Review first published at Front Street Reviews.

Stars: ****

Katie McCabe is a 14 year old girl who wants to be known for who she is and not by the McCabe family name. Katie lives with her dad, the sheriff of their town. Katie is a bit of a rebel. She is always getting into trouble with her friend Timmy but after they accidently set fire to a shed, Katie’s life just keeps going downhill.

At the beginning of the book is a Cast of Characters. This is unsual in a novel but if done right, can be helpful when a book has more than a few main characters. My only qualm with Gardner-Griffie’s Cast of Characters is that a little too much information is revealed. It doesn’t ruin the ending of the book, just tells a little about what’s going to happen.

Stars: ****

I recieved this book from MotherTalk.

I asked to review this book because I’ve been intrigued by life in Muslim countries. I’ve read other books on Muslim culture so I asked to review this one.

Stars: ****1/2

This review is part of the Splitting Harriet Blog Tour.

When Karen sent her book Dead of the Day to me, I was really excited. Then I had a moment of worry, “What if I don’t like it? What am I going to say?” I mean, I haven’t read her other books. I had no idea what I was getting into. Turns out, I didn’t have to worry. I loved it and I’m not just kissing up to Karen either.

How much do reviews (good and bad) affect your choice of reading? If you see a bad review of a book you wanted to read, do you still read it? If you see a good review of a book you're sure you won't like, do you change your mind and give the book a try?

In general I'd say that reviews have some affect on my choice of reading, but not terribly much because what you like and what you don't like is really a matter of taste. A reviewer could say absolutely wonderful things about a book, but I might not enjoy reading it. Similarly, I might love a book that a reviewer thought was horrible.

Stars: *****

• Does your child take an hour or more to get dressed because most of her clothes don’t feel right against her skin and she complains about the seams in her socks?
• Is he constantly on the move and if ‘made’ to stay still, constantly squirming in his chair and acting up?
• Does a walk around the block take over an hour because she keeps stopping to investigate the smallest thing? Like the ants on the ground or a loose balloon floating up so high you can barely see it?
• Are his feelings hurt really easily? Is he overly dramatic and does his emotions change quickly? Does she lock into her point of view and refuse to waver?

  Perhaps his first reaction to every question or suggestion is no. Maybe she is very serious or has irregular eating and sleeping habits.

If any of these describe one or more of your children, than this in THE book for you.

You’ve just reached the end of a book . . . what do you do now? Savor and muse over the book? Dive right into the next one? Go take the dog for a walk, the kids to the park, before even thinking about the next book you’re going to read? What?

(Obviously, there can be more than one answer, here–a book with a cliff-hanger is going to engender different reactions than a serene, stand-alone, but you get the idea!)

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

Hmm...Well, I stretch and yawn first. I guess it depends on the book. If it's a good one, I usually wander around in a reading stupor. I feel all fuzzy headed and I'm still thinking of all that happened in the book. I think about what the characters did after the end, what I want for them, how I would have ended the book. All that jazz.

If it wasn't so good, or *shutter* terrible, I may want to pick up something totally different to scrub my brain.

Lately, the first thing I do after finishing a book is blog about it!

Suggested by: Thisisnotabookclub

What is reading, anyway? Novels, comics, graphic novels, manga, e-books, audiobooks — which of these is reading these days? Are they all reading? Only some of them? What are your personal qualifications for something to be “reading” — why? If something isn’t reading, why not? Does it matter? Does it impact your desire to sample a source if you find out a premise you liked the sound of is in a format you don’t consider to be reading? Share your personal definition of reading, and how you came to have that stance.

Title: Babyproofing Your Marriage
Authors: Stacie Cockrell, Cathy O'Neill, and Julia Stone
ISBN: 978-0-06-117354-7
Publisher: Collins-An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublisher/2007
Pages: 273/Hardcover

I received this book fron Collins, which is a part of Harper Collins publisher for reading and reviewing.

Stars: ****

I was interested in reading this book ever since I first read a review of it. I’ve seen so many reviews for it since that I can’t remember where I first saw it! I finally was able to fit time in to read it for the Bibliography challenge and Book Around the World challenge and I’m glad I did.

Title and Author of the book: Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy
Reading Goal For the Year: 40/52
Rating for Book: 3.5 stars out of 5

Stars: **** This book was read for the Celebrate the Author challenge.

Celebrate the Author Note:
Dr. Seuss is one of my favourite children’s authors so I didn’t want to cheat and just re-read some of his books that I’ve read a million times. So I decided I’d read a few of this books I haven’t read yet as well as a book about his life.

This book is the second book Dr. Seuss ever wrote. It was published in 1938. It’s one of the longer ones, for ages 6 and up. It’s the story of Bartholomew Cubbins, a poor country boy, who removes his hat for the King only to find another hat in it’s place. Each time he takes a hat off, an identical one magically appears on his head. He is arrested and brought to the King’s Throne Room where many people try to get his hat off, to no avail. Will they ever stop coming?

Stars: ****1/2

This is a great pagan parenting book with great sabbat sections. The book has original stories by the authors.

Booking Through Thursday

1. What fiction book (or books) would you nominate to be the best new book published in 2007?
   (Older books that you read for the first time in 2007 don’t count.)
2. What non-fiction book (or books) would you nominate to be the best new book published in 2007?
   (Older books that you read for the first time in 2007 don’t count.)
3. And, do “best of” lists influence your reading?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves.

I have taken this negative meme from Dewey's blog. I thought I would give it a shot. My answers are not as good as hers! Feel free to do this meme and credit it to Dewey!

1. When you dislike a book, do you say so in your blog? Why or why not?

I do say so. As I spend a lot of time reading and analysing it, I do think I should mention the negative aspects too. However, I mention it why I did not like that particular book. There might be cultural reasons too. Some books simply do not work for me.

2. Do you temper your feelings about books you didn’t like, so as not to completely slam them? Why or why not?

Stars: ****

This book was read for the Unread Authors Challenge and because I won it in a contest.

I actually read this a few months ago but didn't get a chance to review it.

I really enjoyed this book, the storyline was very well thoughtout and very interesting. My only problem with this book was it was a little long. I like books that cut to the chase and don't have a lot of insignifcant detail (like Ray Bradbury.) I think a few chapters could have been cut from this book and it would still have been fine.

The books that you start but don’t finish say as much about you as the ones you actually read, sometimes because of the books themselves or because of the circumstances that prevent you from finishing. So... what books have you abandoned and why?

Most recently I abandoned No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod. I'm sure that it's not a bad book (in fact I've heard many good things about it), but I just couldn't get into it. I just wasn't in the right mindset for it so I decided to send it on to it's next reader instead of letting it collect dust around the house.

Stars: *****
I received a copy of this book to review from Tundra Books back in the Fall but it slipped into the back burner of books to read. Now that I’ve read it, I wish I had read it sooner! I'm counting it towards the Book Around the World challenge too.

Summary: The setting is Sri Lanka, 1980, and it is the season of monsoons, Fourteen-year-old Amrith is submerged in the cheerful, well-to-do lifestyle in which his vibrant Auntie Bundle and kindly Uncle Lucky have raised him. Still, Amrith can’t seem to shake the blurred memories of his life “before,” when his doting mother was still alive. School is out for the summer and Amrith’s holiday plans seem unpromising. Until, like and unexpected monsoon, his cousin arrives from Canada, and his life suddenly becomes storm-tossed. Shakespeare’s Othello, with its powerful them of disastrous jealousy, plays in the backdrop of the drama in which Amrith finds himself immersed.

Stars: ***

I picked this book up from the library because we’ve recently acquired fish and I wanted to read up on it. Unfortunately I should have read the book BEFORE I got fish, which is what I had planned to do, however hubby is spontaneous and can’t resist spending money for something he wants. Anyways, this is one of the books I picked up.

It’s a book on Freshwater Aquariums only and includes such information as picking a tank and other equipment, the variety of available fish, maintaining a healthy aquatic environment, solving problems and more. It’s an okay book, there are just much better ones out there. The main thing is that this book was published in 1985 so much of it is outdated. Better equipment is available. There are different chemicals and different fish.