Brought to you by the letter T

Kelly at The Optimistic Bookfool had a fun post and she did a great job with it. I thought I would give it a shot! I hope I do as well:)

Ten Things I Love (brought to you by the letter T)

1. Target. What can I say? I love this store! They always have the cutest, neatest, & best stuff. Stuff you just can't find anywhere else.

2. Tex-Mex. OR, as I call it, Mexican food, I love it! My favorite are cheese enchiladas, yummy! Not so good for your diet, but so good for your spirit!!!

3. Tub. One of my absolute favorite things to do is to take a lovely, long bubble bath! Of course, it always includes a good book, a tasty snack, a beverage, & maybe a candle or two...

4. Television. I am addicted to several reality shows, like The Bachelor (love that Jason!), The Amazing Race, & Survivor. I also love The Mentalist, Without a Trace, & Cold Case.

5. Technology. I could not live without my computer! I absolutely love doing stuff on it, like my book blog, e-mail to stay in touch with family & friends, and Faceback-lots of fun!

6. Trip. I love to travel & take trips. It has been a while since I have been on a big one, I feel the need to do that this summer! I hope I can go see my aunt who lives in Califormia. I have been to Alaska twice, my big brother lives there-it is absolutely stunning! I hope to go again soon:)

7. Thai. My 2nd favorite food group-you can call it Chinsese or Japanese or whatever! I love it all!!! My all-time favorite would be Sesame Chicken from a place called Kuo's in Midland, Texas-awesome stuff:)

8. Toiletries. I admit it, I am a girly girl. I love perfume, bubble bath, lotion, etc. Oh, and make-up, hair products...

9. The Reader. I went to see this movie a couple of weeks ago with my friend Vicky. I really enjoyed it. There is plenty of sex, but there is a really good story, also. Kate Winslet did an excellent job.

10. T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton. I have so many favorite authors, but Sue Grafton is always a must read for me. I love her ABC series starring Kinsey Millhone. A good mystery is my favorite read.

Okay--that's my T list, and it wasn't nearly as easy as I thought it would be. At first, I thought it would be a breeze to do T, but it was kind of hard. I thought of lots of things I don't like that begin with T, like tarantulas and ticks-eek! What about you? Wanna play? **If you want to participate, leave a comment on this post and I will assign you a letter. You then write about 10 things you love that begin with your assigned letter and post them on your blog. When people comment on your posted list, you give them a letter and the chain continues on and on.

Friday Fill-ins #113

1. I'm tired, I'm happy it is Friday, I want to take a nap.

2. Why do I have a job and not a million bucks?

3. How does this phone work, anyway?

4. Every morning, I put a smile on my face.

5. I consider myself lucky because I have wonderful friends.

6. One day we’ll see change.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting some Chinese food, tomorrow my plans include chilling and Sunday, I want to see Slumdog Millionaire!

Cross Country

LibraryThing book review...
Cross Country
by James Patterson

A horrific murder of a family sets the stage for Cross Country. Alex Cross is shocked to discover his college girlfriend and her family have been savagely murdered by a killer known as Tiger. This killer for hire has ties to the African underworld and this massacre is just the first in a series. Cross journeys to Nigeria to pursue the Tiger and runs into many obstacles...corrupt officials, horrific murders, arrest, etc.

I, like many others, am a huge James Patterson fan. I always enjoy his books, some more than others. I love his short chapters that invaribly leave with you with some tidbit that makes you want to read the next one, and the next... I did not really enjoy the Africa storyline, it just didn't make much sense to me. I just can't see the Alex Cross I know doing so many stupid things and he did many throughout this story. The ending, though, was unexpected, and really had me going.

Forever Lily: An Unexpected Mother's Journey to Adoption in China

LibraryThing book review...
Forever Lily: An Unexpected Mother's Journey to Adoption in China
by Beth Nonte Russell

Beth agrees to accompany her friend, Alex, to China to bring home the baby girl she and her husband are adopting. Beth decides to go along for the adventure and it is something she can write about in her journal. Beth feels an instant connection with the baby and with all the baby girls she is leaving in China. Alex is conflicted about the baby and withdraws from the baby. Beth cares for the baby and dreams of being her mother...

I very much enjoyed the story of baby Lily and how she found her home in America. I really felt for the baby girls who are abandoned to orphanages in China. I did not understand the purpose of the dream sequences within the story, I found the story interesting, but I did not really think it fit within the story of Lily. I also did not understand Alex at all, but at least she let Lily go...to find her true mom.

The Smart One and the Pretty One

LibraryThing book review...
The Smart One and the Pretty One
by Claire LaZebnik

This book is about two sisters who are as different as they can be. Ava is a lawyer; sensible, practical, and boring. Lauren is the center of attention, flashy, and horrible with money. Their mother's illness brings them back together as adults in L.A. Each thinks the other one is the one with the problems and goes about trying to solve her problem...in the meantime, they somehow end up solving their own problems!

I enjoyed the characters in Claire LaZebnik's book. They came to life in the pages of her book and were full of fun, adventures, and disappointments. It was a quick read, refreshing and witty until the end...I even liked the ending!

Knit Two

LibraryThing book review...
Knit Two
by Kate Jacobs

Knit Two takes place five years after The Friday Night Knitting Club. Dakota is now 18 years old and is struggling with the expectations of everyone in the club, especially her dad. We get caught up with Peri, Lucie, KC, Anita, Catherine, and Darwin. The story takes us through all their lives and their struggles, their friendships, and their love for each other.

I enjoyed reading this continuation of the original book. It is always nice to come back to old friends. I loved learning more about all the ladies and their adventures. This book will make you want to learn to knit. It will also make you want to call all your girlfriends and catch up on their lives.

Friday Fill-ins #112

1. Give me something sweet and I'll do just about anything you want.
2. Whenever the weekend gets here, I am a happy girl!
3. I wish I was on an island somewhere far, far away.
4.Enchiladas were the last thing I ate that were utterly delicious.
5. To live in this world one must learn to go with the flow.
6. Other than this one, Bundle-O-Contradictions is the last blog I commented on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chilling with a good book, tomorrow my plans include some shopping and Sunday, I want to rest... and maybe go to a movie!

Tuesday Thingers

Today's question: How do you get your books for reviewing? Do you track them somehow (excel, database, etc), or just put them in a tbr (To Be Read for anyone that doesn't know) pile?

I get my books from everywhere! I get them from the public library, my mom, Book Mooch, Paper Back Swap, and from websites, such as Amazon. I get a lot of my review copies from Shelf Awareness, either through their ads or by e-mailing authors directly. I don't really track my books. I do have a notebook and a calender that I write them in, but not consistently. I have a TBR shelf or pile in every room of my house!!!

Sweetheart

LibraryThing book review...
Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain

Gretchen Lowell, a serial killer we first met in Heartsick, has escaped from prison. Archie Sheridan is her only living victim and the detective who put her in prison. Archie is a drug addict who is still having psychological problems from his first encounter with Gretchen. The story starts off with a scandal about a senator having an affair with a fourteen-year-old girl. The senator ends up dead and a body is found in the same area where Gretchen left her first victim. Archie is there to investigate and starts having flashbacks to his time with Gretchen...

There is really nothing in this story that I found believeable. Archie is a louse-he is addicted to painkillers and obssessed with a serial killer who tried to murder him! Archie's wife, Debbie, is also not believable. What woman would stay with this man after all that he put her through? Gretchen, the evil serial-killer, has power over all men and can make them do anything-whatever! I didn't buy it. The ending was also a disappointment.

Friday Fill-ins #111

And...here we go!

1. It seems like this week has gone by really slowly...
2. Clean up when you're done, please?
3. If I thought you would let me I'd follow you anywhere!
4. Sweet is what I think of most when I think of you.
5. To me, Valentine's Day means friends, love, & chocolate!
6. My faith gives me strength.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some serious TV time, tomorrow my plans include some serious book time and Sunday, I want to have some serious chill time!

The Associate

LibraryThing book review...

The Associate

by John Grisham

The Associate is about Kyle McAvoy, a recent law school graduate, who grew up in his father's small-town law office. Kyle is being blackmailed into working for a certain law firm because of something that happened while he was in college, something he really didn't do. He is forced to lie, steal documents, and be part of a scheme that could get him disbarred, even killed. He goes along with all this, at first,...and then gets some help from a college friend and a lawyer.

This book reminded me of old times with a great John Grisham novel. I really enjoyed the story of Kyle McAvoy and his friends. I liked Kyle's story, I liked the way he struggled with his dilemma and came up with a solution. I wish I could have known his friends and enemies better. Kyle is really the only character in the book I felt like I really got to know. It all fell apart at the end...I found the ending very disappointing. I don't want to say too much about the ending, but it just didn't feel like a proper ending. Disappointing.

Plum Spooky

LibraryThing book review...
Plum Spooky
by Janet Evanovich

The plot of Janet Evanovich's latest Between-the-Numbers novel is pretty hard to explain...Stephanie is after a wimpy guy named Munch, which should be easy, but nothing involving Stephanie is ever easy. Munch is in cahoots with a guy named Wulf, who is really bad. He also happens to be cousins with Diesel. So, Diesel and Stephanie work together to try to find Munch...and while they are doing that there is plenty of other stuff going on...monkeys, Morelli, Lulu, Tank...

The plot is crazy, it doesn't really make much sense. I enjoyed this book, but didn't love it. It just wasn't that funny. Everything was just a little too bizarre for me.

Friday Fill-ins #110

1. Please don't tell MY BOSS.

2. Can you NOT TALK TO ME in the morning?

3. The color PINK makes me want to DANCE!

4. I have a craving for SOME GREEN ENCHILADAS.

5. If my life had a pause button, I'd pause it EARLY IN THE MORNING.

6. Eyes are the THING THAT MAKE ME MELT.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to COLLAPSING, tomorrow my plans include LOTS OF RELAXING and Sunday, I want to CHILL SOME MORE, BUT WILL CLEAN HOUSE!

What's Age Got to do with It?

Book Review...

What's Age Got to do with It? Living Your Happiest & Healthiest Life

by Robin McGraw

I finished What's Age Got to do with It? today and I enjoyed it along with learning some important things about myself. I liked seeing all aspects of Robin's life from being a mom, to being part of Dr. Phil's show, and being a wife. I thought the chapter on hormones was very informative and it was something I really knew nothing about. I feel much more informed about perimenopause and menopause...when it happens:( I admire how committed Robin is to her health and her determination to share her knowledge to help others.

Some things I didn't really get because, I guess, I am rather low-maintenance. I can get ready in about 30 minutes in the morning, including hair, make-up, shower, everything! Robin takes a lot of time doing her hair and putting on make-up; I just can't see spending that much time doing that kind of stuff-I'd rather have that extra sleep time!

Overall, though, an informative, easy-to-read book.