Contents of blog copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2023
I've been gone a while. I started reading fanfiction to escape and I got sucked in an abyss.

I have no idea if someone else is hosting similar challenges. I just grabbed some of what I have hosted before.

Here's to a happy year of great reading
Jan2023: Not much has changed. Writing a fanfiction now O_o as well as reading but I bought 7 new books in December and hope to get those read soon. Crossing fingers about adding challenges (late!)

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Outdo Yourself, page two


Outdo Yourself
Reading Challenge
2014

hosted by Brianna at The Book Vixen

For more information and to sign-up, click here

Basic Requirements: Read more during 2014 than you did during 2013. Any format, any genre, but each "binding" must be over 100 pages. There are four levels to choose from and you can move up but not down.

My goal last year was 200 books over 50 pages, which is basically everything except picture books (I didn't see the 100 minimum). After taking out the under 100 pages, I've lost 52 books so far :-(

I'm going for . . . Out of Breath . . . again. I hope to read 6 - 10 more books, over 100 pages, than I did in 2013. Right now (11-16) I'm at 147 but I'm reading three right now that count :-) I'll adjust the numbers later. . . . Final total: 168. .
.
. 50 down, 118 + 6 - 10 to go!
~ Books Read ~

continued from here

51. Hearts on the Line by T. A. Chase
52. Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George
53. Guarded Desires by Morticia Knight
54. Serving Love at Carnival by Devon Rhodes, T.A. Chase
55. Forever by Tinnean
56. The Best by Tinnean
57. A Purrfect Match by Chris T. Kat
58. Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh
59. One Small Thing by Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea
60. The Forgotten by David Baldacci
61. Zero Day by Mark Russinovich
62. 61 Hours by Lee Child
63. Worth Dying for by Lee Child
64. The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn
65. A Wanted Man by Lee Child
66. Jack Reacher's Rules compiled by Val Hudson
67. Never Go Back by Lee Child
68. When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James
69. Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
70. Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey
71. Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey
72. Fairy, Texas by Margo Bond Collins
73. Exile's Honor by Mercedes Lackey
74. Exile's Valor by Mercedes Lackey
75. Take a Thief by Mercedes Lackey
76. Hold Me Together by Felice Fox
77. Reckless Behaviour by Talia Carmichael
78. A Tender Roughness by Talia Carmichael
79. Opposing Rhythms by Talia Carmichael
80. One Good Man by Talia Carmichael
81. Slow Burn by Talia Carmichael
82. Ralston’s Way by Talia Carmichael
83. Long Hard Ride by Talia Carmichael
84. Opposites Attract by by Talia Carmichael
85. The Perfect Balance by Trina Lane
86. The Perfect Union by Trina Lane
87. His Perfect Partner by Trina Lane
88. Capturing Perfection by Trina Lane
89. Simply Perfection by Trina Lane
90. Rory's Last chance by Bailey Bradford
91. Miles to Go by Bailey Bradford
92. Bend by Bailey Bradford
93. What Matters Most by Bailey Bradford
94. Ex's and O's by Bailey Bradford
95. A Bit of Me by Bailey Bradford
96. A Bit of You by Bailey Bradford
97. In My Arms Tonight by Bailey Bradford
98. Where There's a Will by Bailey Bradford
99. Chaps and Hope by Bailey Bradford
100. Ropes and Dreams by Bailey Bradford


time for page three and 68 to go!
copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

M/M Romance, page three

M/M Romance
Reading Challenge
2014

hosted at Walkabout

for more information and to sign up, click here

Basic Requirements: Read male/male romance books. Any format/length, several levels to choose from.
I'm going for . . . Surprise Me! . . . because I have no idea how many I'll get to this year.



Wait? Page three? Whoa



Continued from here


51. His Hero anthology
52. Hearts on the Line by T. A. Chase
53. Guarded Desires by Morticia Knight
54. Protecting Francis by Amber Kell
55. In Broussard's Care by Amber Kell
56. Serving Love at Carnival by Devon Rhodes, T.A. Chase
57. Forever by Tinnean
58. An Academic Dilemma by Alix Bekins
59. The Best by Tinnean
60. A Purrfect Match by Chris T. Kat
61. Balance by Zahra Owens
62. One Small Thing by Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea
63. Everyday Love by Gabrielle Evans
64. Yes, Sir by Ellis Carrington
65. Reckless Behaviour by Talia Carmichael
66. A Tender Roughness by Talia Carmichael
67. Opposing Rhythms by Talia Carmichael
68. One Good Man by Talia Carmichael
69. Slow Burn by Talia Carmichael
70. Ralston’s Way by Talia Carmichael
71. Long Hard Ride by Talia Carmichael
72. Opposites Attract by by Talia Carmichael
73. Remove the Empty Spaces by T. A. Chase
74. Close the Distance by T. A. Chase
75. The Perfect Balance by Trina Lane (mmf)
76. His Perfect Partner by Trina Lane
77. A Pint Light by Devon Rhodes
78. Through the Red Door by Devon Rhodes
79. Locke, Stock and Barrel by Devon Rhodes
80. Capturing Perfection by Trina Lane
81. Simply Perfection by Trina Lane
82. Rory's Last chance by Bailey Bradford
83. Miles to Go by Bailey Bradford
84. Bend by Bailey Bradford (mmf)
85. What Matters Most by Bailey Bradford
86. Ex's & O's by Bailey Bradford
87. A Bit of Me by Bailey Bradford
88. A Bit of You by Bailey Bradford
89. In My Arms Tonight by Bailey Bradford
90. Where There's a Will by Bailey Bradford
91. Chaps and Hope by Bailey Bradford
92. Ropes and Dreams by Bailey Bradford
93. Saddles and Memories by Bailey Bradford
94. Spot the Difference by Sean Michael
95. Fences and Freedom by Bailey Bradford
96. Three's Company by N. R. Walker
97. Rules of the Chef by Nicole Dennis
98. Wanting by Piper Vaughn
99. From Pack to Pride by Amber Kell
100. A Prideless Man by Amber Kell

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Wednesday Weirdness

Turns out I've been blogging a lot longer than I thought! I have more than one email and found blogs connected to some of them. I'd like to clean things up but they aren't book related so what am I supposed to do? :-) I'm hoping to find something to tie the weirdness together as a header. . . for now, you'll be reading this over and over and over . . .


Who Do You Work For?


I was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital after my wife had gone into labor and the nurse walked out and said to the man sitting next to me, "Congratulations sir, you're the new father of twins!"

The man replied, "How about that, I work for the Doublemint Chewing Gum Company." The man then followed the woman to his wife's room.

About an hour later, the same nurse entered the waiting room and announced that Mr. Smith's wife has just had triplets. Mr. Smith stood up and said, "Well, how do ya like that, I work for the 3M Company."

The gentleman that was sitting next to me then got up and started to leave. When I asked him why he was leaving, he remarked, "I think I need a breath of fresh air." The man continued, "I work for 7-UP."


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Terrific Tuesday

1st Paragraph and Teaser

Hosted at Bibliophile by the Sea
Every Tuesday, she'll be posting the opening paragraph (maybe two) of her current read.
Why don't you join us?

It was a very distinct sound, the quiet scraping of steel on stone, that first told him that his visitors had arrived, followed by a strange sort of tapping and the shuffling of feet.

The tapping outside in the alleyway became more pronounced, and he suddenly realized it was less the sound of tapping than it was a soft cacophony of claws, snapping together in anticipation. He set aside his pen and notebook and settled back in his chair. There was no denying it. It was time.

Here, There be Dragons
James A. Owen
This is young adult fiction, 324 pages, first in a trilogy



 
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme,
hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  1. Grab your current read Open to a random page 
  2. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page ~BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!~ make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!
  3. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
". . . Inspector? If I might ask, just how was the professor killed?"

". . . the point of the weapon broke off against a rib, and so we got a good look.

"As far as we can tell, he was killed with a Roman spear. A Roman spear of a make and composition that hasn't been forged in over a thousand years."

Here, There be Dragons
James A. Owen
This is young adult fiction, 324 pages, first in a trilogy

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Monday, February 24, 2014

Love for Books Read-a-Thon Wrap-up



I was actively reading four books when the RaT started plus an online serial story that may have had more than 600 pages.

I did finish one of my partial books (go me) and the online serial story (plus part two) but instead of grabbing one of the other partially read books, I started another online serial AND a book not on the list.

sigh



~ What I was thinking of reading ~
finish: Zero Day by Mark Russinovich - print, 144/328
finish: The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber - print, 33/330
finish: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - ebook, 96/516 
finish: Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne, ebook, 128/376

maybe read: What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries
maybe read: Mint Condition 2013 edited by Shannon John

then again, I'm reading an online serial and part one has 50 chapters! (yikes, I copied and pasted one chapter, looks like the story may be over 500 pages!) 



~ What I actually read ~
  1. Algeria Here I Come by E Walk (online serial)
  2. Taking Texas by Storm by E Walk (online serial)
  3. Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne (finished 248 pages)
  4. The Affair by Lee Child (start/finish 528 pages) 
  5. 82 pages of Zero Day
  6. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (finished 420 pages)
  7. 18+ chapters of the online serial That's Okay 

Not too bad, 1,278 pages. Three books finished, lots of online reading, three dinner out nights, one party, and lots of television/movies! I'm sure I'll get more read before midnight but just in case, I'm scheduling this early am on Sunday.




copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Happy Monday


 http://0.tqn.com/d/webclipart/1/0/e/A/val25.gif


Started by Marcia, Mailbox Monday is a place to share all the wonderful books that have come to live in your home; print, electronic and audio. Stop by the blog to see who else has posted. Just be prepared for the side effect of a growing TBR list/pile!



~ here are the new books in my house this week ~
Once in a Lifetime by Jill Shalvis
A Lucky Harbor novel, Feb 2014, paperback

After a wrenching loss, Ben McDaniel tried to escape his grief by working in dangerous, war-torn places like Africa and the Middle East. Now he's back in his hometown and face-to-face with Aubrey Wellington, the hat-as-hell woman who is trouble with a capital T. Family and friends insist she's not the one to ease his pain, but Aubrey sparks an intense desire that gives Ben hope for the future.

Determined to right the wrongs of her past, Aubrey is working hard to make amends. But by far, the toughest challenge to her plan is sexy, brooding Ben--even though he has absolutely no idea what she's done. . .

Can this unlikely couple defy the odds and win over the little town of Lucky Harbor?


The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
The Inheritance Trilogy #1, reprint Oct 2010, mass market paperback (debut novel, fantasy, POC)

Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky, seat of the ruling Arameri family. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with a pair of cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother’s death and her family’s bloody history.

With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Yeine will learn how perilous it can be when love and hate — and gods and mortals — are bound inseparably.


The Broken Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
The Inheritance Trilogy #2, Nov 2010, Trade paperback

In the city of Shadow, beneath the World Tree, alleyways shimmer with magic and godlings live hidden among mortalkind. Oree Shoth, a blind artist, takes in a strange homeless man on an impulse. This act of kindness engulfs Oree in a nightmarish conspiracy. someone, somehow, is murdering godlings, leaving their desecrated bodies all over the city. And Oree's guest is all the heart of it . . .





The Other Sister by Leanne Davis 
Sister series #1, ebook, amazon-Jan 2014 general release May 2014, comes with a 17+ warning

General Travis Bains has two daughters, one who is good, and one who is bad. Everyone knows Lindsey is the good one, and Jessie is the bad one.

Jessie Bains is the other sister, the bad sister, which she has proven more often than not, until the day she gets kidnapped and brutally raped. Will Hendricks, one of her father's soldiers, rescues her and brings her home, but fears she may be nearly destroyed by what is done to her. The most important thing, however, is that no one can know, per the general's orders.

Jessie's life was always far from normal as the daughter of one of the most revered generals in the world. No one sees what the general does to Jessie, except Will. When Will discovers the danger Jessie is living in at her father's hand, he once again rescues her. Will has survived the horrors of war, but is now engaged in a battle that has become far more personal and far more deadly. Will alone realizes what the general has done and will do to destroy his "other" daughter.

Red Velvet Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Hannah Swensen cozy mysteries, Jan 2014, mass market paperback

It’s a hot summer evening in Lake Eden, Minnesota – and the Grand Opening of the refurbished Albion Hotel. Hannah Swensen’s famous Red Velvet cupcakes are being served in the new Red Velvet lounge. The party starts off with a bang with the arrival of Doctor Bev, who left town in shame after she two-timed her fiance. But the gossip comes to a screeching halt when another partygoer takes a dive off the hotel’s rooftop garden. As the police investigate, the only one who isn’t preoccupied with the case is Doctor Bev. She’s too busy trying to stir things up with her old flame Norman, who’s reunited with Hannah. Just as Hannah’s patience with Bev runs thin, her rival is found dead at the bottom of Miller’s Pond. To everyone’s shock, Hannah is now the target of a murder investigation – and she’s feeling the heat in a way she never has before . . .


Walking on Air by Catherine Anderson
A Valance Family novel, Feb 2014, mass market paperback

Random, Colorado, is just another stop on the road for solitary gunslinger Gabriel Valance. Known for his drinking, gambling, and womanizing, he prefers to remain a stranger to anyone who crosses his path. But when an upstart gunslinger catches Gabe off guard and shoots him down, he regrets his empty, lonely life with his dying breath....

Golden-haired beauty Nancy Hoffman settled in Random after fleeing an abusive past. Caring for her younger sister and working in a hat shop help her to forge ahead, though she remains fearful and mistrustful of men—and marriage....

Their paths will cross when Gabe gets a second chance at life and a divine mission: to sweep Nancy off her feet, gain her trust, and convince her to believe in his love. And in doing so, the once-hardened cowboy may save himself....

~*~*~*~*~

I haven't received any review books, won any contests or received any books as a gift. I have added several to my ereader, most were even free.

added to my ereader: (kindle app, html, etc.) ~ I find out about free/discounted ebooks at amazon mostly from Pixel of Ink. I do go through the Top 100 at amazon once in a while. I'm getting better at pinning my new ebooks, 2014's books




What are you Reading?

A weekly Monday meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Post what you read last week and what you're planning to read this week then link to Shelia's post. Then visit others and be prepared to add to your TBR pile!




Finished:
sigh, over 500 pages of an online serial, twice! -  no isbn/equivalent, doesn't count
Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne
The Affair by Lee Child
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan


Books stacked by my reading chair:
My Familiar Dragon by Daniel Hood
Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Zero Day by Mark Russinovich
The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber
The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
. . . and about 20 unread library books



Started in 2013 but not finished until 2014:
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries (on page . . .)
Pegasus by Kate O'Hearn (on page . . .)
Dragonwriter edited by Todd McCaffrey (on page . . .)
Mischief and Mistletoe, anthology (on page 312/402)
Jockeys and Jewels by Bev Pettersen (ebook - 21% read in 2013)
Home for the Homicide by Jennie Bentley (on page . . .)
A Lady Chosen by Stephanie Laurens (ebook - 42% read in 2013)




Latest Review Books:




Reviewed:



Did Not Finish, may try again later:
Super Shred Diet by Dr. Ian K. Smith
Here, There be Dragons by James A. Owen


Happy Reading!

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon Wrap up


Wicked Valentine's
Read-a-Thon
Wrap up


hosted at My Shelf Confessions
Twitter: #WWReadathon

For more information and to sign up, click here

Basic Requirements: "You read as much as you can in order to get yourself a little further through that huge to-read pile!" One day, every day, doesn't matter. There will be a twitter party, challenges and prizes!

What I was thinking about reading . . .
√ Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Home to Seaview Key by Sherryl Woods
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries
Playing with Fire by J. J. Cook
Mint Condition 2013 edited by Shannon John
When the Rogue Returns by Sabrina Jeffries
I also have several library books that are due soon


~*~ Progress ~*~
Friday: Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens, Disneyland, some Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Saturday: started Hanging Chad by Laura Harner, funeral (Dad of a friend), Burning Up the Ice by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhode
Sunday: finished Hanging Chad, started The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, more Hope Flames
Monday: finished Hope Flames by Jaci Burton, back to Red Pyramid
Tuesday: Chiropractor, gym, started Zero Day by Mark Russinovich, The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber
Wednesday: online reading - doesn't count, more Zero Day
Thursday: started Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne
Friday: Happy Valentine's Day! Dinner/movie
Saturday: more Red Pyramid, Sweet Laurel Falls
Sunday: more Zero Day, late lunch/game night with extended family
Monday: online stories,


What I actually read . . .
372 - Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens
207 - Burning Up the Ice by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
113 - Hanging Chad by Laura Harner
297 - Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
124 - Malting by Sean Michael

This is horrible. I have four books partially read and only 1,113 pages over the 11 days. Dang it Pinterest, I really could have finished another book!

Zero Day by Mark Russinovich - print, 144/328
The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber - print, 33/330
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - ebook, 96/516 
Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne, ebook, 290/376
 



copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Monday, February 17, 2014

Running late for the Love for Books Read-a-Thon!

Monday, February 17th at 12:01 am 
through 
Sunday, February 23rd at 11:59 pm.


for more information and to sign up, click here

Basic idea is to read as much as we can. We need a place to report our progress that can be linked to. There are prizes!


~ Goals ~
finish: Zero Day by Mark Russinovich - print, 144/328
finish: The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber - print, 33/330
finish: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - ebook, 96/516 
√ finish: Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne, ebook, 128/376

maybe read: What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries
maybe read: Mint Condition 2013 edited by Shannon John

√ then again, I'm reading an online serial and part one has 50 chapters! (yikes, I copied and pasted one chapter, looks to be over 500 pages!) 

~ Progress ~
Monday:
1. Algeria Here I Come by E Walk - chapters 4 - 50
2. Taking Texas by Storm by E Walk - chapters 1 - 23 (this is part two)
  . . . .  no, I didn't get anything else done today, why do you ask? ;-)

Tuesday:
1. Taking Texas by Storm by E Walk - chapters 24 - 51 (finished)
2. Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne  ~ 128 - 376 (finished)
 . . . dinner out and shopping, more Zero Day, started Super Shred Diet by Dr. Ian K. Smith

Wednesday:
1.
2.
. . . started Here, There be Dragons by James A. Owen (DNF), started The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (due 2-25!), online serial That's Okay by E Walk, dinner/shopping with daughter, Chopped, Intelligence

Thursday:
1.
2.
. . . Criminal Minds, Castle, House Hunters, some of That's Okay, some Zero Day, started The Affair by Lee Child.

Friday:
1. The Affair by Lee Child
2.
. . . dinner with in-laws, some The Red Pyramid, some That's Okay  

Saturday:
1. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
2.
. . . more That's Okay, some The Red Pyramid, an extra nap ;-)   Last Holiday, Louie Anderson Big Baby Boomer

Sunday:
1.
2.
. . . Skyfall, later there will be dinner and visiting with extended family (my other brother and his wife are down),


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Happy Monday


 http://0.tqn.com/d/webclipart/1/0/e/A/val25.gif


Started by Marcia, Mailbox Monday is a place to share all the wonderful books that have come to live in your home; print, electronic and audio. Stop by the blog to see who else has posted. Just be prepared for the side effect of a growing TBR list/pile!



~ here are the new books in my house this week ~
Halloween Hijinks by Kathi Daley
A Zoe Donovan Mystery, September 2013, paperback, Recipes!

Amid a backdrop of zombies on the run and Halloween festivities, animal control officer Zoe Donovan is faced with losing something she loves in order to save someone she loves when she finds a dead body in the basement of a haunted house just two days before Halloween. With the help of her best friends, Levi and Ellie, and her dog Charlie, she delves into a mystery as complex and multilayered as the feelings she develops for her ex-nemesis Zak Zimmerman. Halloween Hijinks is the perfect recipe, combining holiday fun with a touch of humor, a pinch of romance, and a dollop of murder.


The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Art of Purring by David Michie
November 2013

What makes you purr?
Of all the questions in the world, this is the most important. It is also the great leveler. Because no matter whether you are a playful kitten or a sedentary senior, a scrawny alley Tom or a sleek-coated uptown girl, whatever your circumstances, you just want to be happy. Not the kind of happy that comes and goes like a can of flaked tuna but an enduring happiness. The deep-down happiness that makes you purr from the heart.

Before leaving for a teaching tour to America, the Dalai Lama poses a challenge to his beloved feline, HHC (His Holiness’s Cat): to discover the true cause of happiness. Little does she know what adventures this task will bring!

A hair-raising chase through the streets of McLeod Ganj leads to an unexpected revelation about the perils of self-obsession. An encounter with the mystical Yogi Tarchen inspires a breakthrough discovery about her past—one with dramatic implications for us all. And overheard conversations between ivy-league psychologists, high-ranking lamas, and famous writers who congregate at the Himalaya Book Café help her explore the convergence between science and Buddhism on the vital subject of happiness.

Sparkling with wisdom, warmth, and a touch of mischief, The Dalai Lama’s Cat and the Art of Purring is a charming reminder of why HHC is becoming one of the most-loved cats around the world. So what is the true cause of purring? The Dalai Lama whispers this secret on his return—only for the ears of HHC and those with whom she has a karmic connection . . . that, dear reader, means you!

The Cats that Surfed the Web by Karen Golden (GoodReads)
 December 2, 2013, ebook

Forty four million dollars. A Victorian mansion. And a young career woman with cats. The prospect sounded like a dream come true; what could possibly go wrong? How could a friendly town’s welcome turn into a case of poisoning, murder, and deceit? When Katherine “Katz” Kendall, a computer professional in New York City, discovers she’s the sole heir of a huge inheritance, she can’t believe her good fortune. She’s okay with the clauses of the will: Move to the small town of Erie, Indiana, check. Live in her great aunt’s pink Victorian mansion and take care of an Abyssinian cat, double-check. With her three Siamese cats and best friend Colleen riding shotgun, Katz leaves Manhattan to find a former housekeeper dead in the basement. Ghostly intrusions convince Colleen, a card carrying “ghost hunter,” that the mansion is haunted. Several townspeople are furious because Katherine’s benefactor promised them the fortune, then changed her will at the last minute. But who would be greedy enough to get rid of the rightful heir to take the money and run? Four adventurous felines help Katz solve the crimes by mysteriously “searching” the Internet for clues.

~*~*~*~*~

I haven't received any review books, won any contests or received any books as a gift. I have added several to my ereader, most were even free.

added to my ereader: (kindle app, html, etc.) ~ I find out about free/discounted ebooks at amazon mostly from Pixel of Ink. I do go through the Top 100 at amazon once in a while. I'm getting better at pinning my new ebooks, 2014's books




What are you Reading?

A weekly Monday meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Post what you read last week and what you're planning to read this week then link to Shelia's post. Then visit others and be prepared to add to your TBR pile!




Finished:
Burning Up the Ice by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Malting by Sean Michael


Books stacked by my reading chair:
My Familiar Dragon by Daniel Hood
Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Zero Day by Mark Russinovich
. . . and about 20 unread library books

Started in 2013 but not finished until 2014:
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries (on page . . .)
Pegasus by Kate O'Hearn (on page . . .)
Dragonwriter edited by Todd McCaffrey (on page . . .)
Mischief and Mistletoe, anthology (on page 312/402)
Jockeys and Jewels by Bev Pettersen (ebook - 21% read in 2013)
Home for the Homicide by Jennie Bentley (on page . . .)
A Lady Chosen by Stephanie Laurens (ebook - 42% read in 2013)




Latest Review Books:




Reviewed:



Did Not Finish, may try again later:



Happy Reading!

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Wicked Valentine's RaT Progress Report


Wicked Valentine's
Read-a-Thon

February 7 - 17

hosted at My Shelf Confessions
Twitter: #WWReadathon

For more information and to sign up, click here

Basic Requirements: "You read as much as you can in order to get yourself a little further through that huge to-read pile!" One day, every day, doesn't matter. There will be a twitter party, challenges and prizes!

What I'm thinking about reading . . .
Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Home to Seaview Key by Sherryl Woods
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries
Playing with Fire by J. J. Cook
Mint Condition 2013 edited by Shannon John
When the Rogue Returns by Sabrina Jeffries
I also have several library books that are due soon


The problem will be reading from the list ;-)

~*~ Progress/Books Read ~*~
Friday: Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens, Disneyland, some Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Saturday: started Hanging Chad by Laura Harner, funeral (Dad of a friend), Burning Up the Ice by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhode
Sunday: finished Hanging Chad, started The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, more Hope Flames
Monday: finished Hope Flames by Jaci Burton, back to Red Pyramid
Tuesday: Chiropractor, gym, started Zero Day by Mark Russinovich
Wednesday: online reading, doesn't count, more Zero Day
Thursday: started Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne
Friday: Happy Valentine's Day! Dinner/movie
Saturday: more Red Pyramid, Sweet Laurel Falls


372 - Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens
207 - Burning Up the Ice by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
113 - Hanging Chad by Laura Harner
297 - Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
124 - Malting by Sean Michael




copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day

A rescue group gave a "Kissing Booth" cardboard box to a couple of kitties.


:-D I hope you have a playful day too. The Big Cat Rescue website has many more pictures, you can even visit if you're in the area. I found the video on YouTube, I hope this link still works.


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Are you a well-read reader?

A bucket list from the amazon book editors, with a list at GoodReads. How many have you read?


From a story first published in 1947 to a literary page turner, unseating a President to launching a catch phrase, children, young adult, non-fiction, there is something for everyone on this list. It is suppose to help create a well-read life. You don't have that need, do you?

I do wonder how they decided that these were the books that made up a well-read life. Did they decide on so many children's books, so many non-fiction? Did they accept nominations then vote? No matter how they did it, it is an interesting list. I own more than I've read. Some I saw the movie and decided against the book. Some I read the first in the series and said no to the rest. I √'d the ones I remember reading.

  • √ 1984 by George Orwell
  • The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
  • Alice Munro: Selected Stories by Alice Munro
  • Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll ~ own
  • All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
  • The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
  • Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
  • √ Are You There, God? It's me, Margaret by Judy Blume
  • The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley
  • Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
  • Beloved by Toni Morrison
  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (DNF)
  • √ Born To Run - A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
  • Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat
  • A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking ~ own
  • The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz 
  • Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (own)
  • The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
  • √ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
  • √ Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
  • The Color of Water by James McBride ~ own
  • The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
  • Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese
  • Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown
  • The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 1 by Jeff Kinney (saw the movie)
  • The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank 
  • √ Dune by Frank Herbert
  • √ Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson
  • The Giver by Lois Lowry ~ own
  • √ The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
  • Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  • √ Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald ~ own
  • Great Expectations by Charles Dickens ~ own
  • Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared M. Diamond
  • √ The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
  • √ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
  • A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
  • The House At Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne ~ own
  • √ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
  • In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
  • Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
  • Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison ~ own
  • Jimmy Corrigan: Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
  • Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
  • The Liars' Club: A Memoir by Mary Karr
  • Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
  • √ The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
  • √ Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • √ The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
  • Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov ~ own
  • The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright
  • The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
  • A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
  • √ The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  • Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich
  • The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
  • Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
  • Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
  • Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
  • Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
  • Moneyball by Michael Lewis (saw the movie)
  • Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham ~ own
  • The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
  • On the Road by Jack Kerouac
  • Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
  • Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
  • √ The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
  • The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
  • Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth 
  • The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro
  • Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen ~ own
  • The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
  • The Road by Cormac McCarthy
  • The Secret History by Donna Tartt
  • √ A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning: The Short-Lived Edition by Lemony Snicket 
  • The Shining by Stephen King ~ own
  • Silent Spring by Rachel Carson ~ own
  • Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut ~ own
  • The Stranger by Albert Camus
  • The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway ~ own
  • Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
  • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
  • The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
  • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ~ own
  • Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand ~ own
  • Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann
  • √ The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
  • √ Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
  • √ Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
  • The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame ~ own
  • The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: A Novel by Haruki Murakami
  • The World According to Garp by John Irving
  • √ A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
  • The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion





copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Terrific Tuesday

1st Paragraph and Teaser

Hosted at Bibliophile by the Sea
Every Tuesday, she'll be posting the opening paragraph (maybe two) of her current read.
Why don't you join us?
There are a lot of things that can hatch out of an egg. A chicken, for example. Or a dragon. And when the egg in question is the size of a pumpkin, and almost as orange, not to mention burning hot, you know that you're far more likely to get a dragon than a chicken. So when Celie found the egg--large, orange, and too hot to touch--lying in a next of oddly vine-like moss in the new tower, she was convinced that it held a baby dragon. Where it had come from and what would happen when it hatched were two questions that she wasn't sure she wanted answered.

Wednesdays in the Tower
Jessica Day George
This is juvenile fiction, 225 pages



 
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme,
hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  1. Grab your current read Open to a random page 
  2. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page ~BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!~ make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!
  3. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Anyway, my dad trained me early to keep all my possessions in a single suitcase that fits in an airplane’s overhead compartment. My dad packed the same way, except he was allowed an extra workbag for his archaeology tools. Rule number one: I was not allowed to look in his workbag. That’s a rule I never broke until the day of the explosion.

The Red Pyramid 
The Kane Chronicles
Rick Riordan

This is also juvenile fiction, 528 pages

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Monday, February 10, 2014

VA-VA-VOOM Read-a-thon Wrap-up

VA VA VOOM

VA-VA-VOOM
Read-a-Thon
Wrap-up

Hosted by The Book Nympho and Romancing the Dark Side

Twitter: #VaVaVoomRAT

for more information and to sign up, click here

Technically, I have three more hours but I don't believe I'll finish a book in that time so I'll end it now.

I'm super excited to have read FOUR romance books and hitting 989 pages. Not bad considering I forgot about the challenge! I just lucked out that I had been reading romance ;-) All four are part of a series. 1. I have the next, just need to remember where it is. 2. not written yet :-( 3. not released yet 4. ordered, should be here tomorrow. Pre-ordered, should be here 3-25

~ Books Read ~
  1. Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens ~ paranormal
  2. Hanging Chad by Laura Harner ~ cowboy, male/male
  3. Burning Up the Ice by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes ~ sports (hockey/curling), male/male 
  4. Hope Flames by Jaci Burton ~ contemporary


How did you do?

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Happy Monday

http://0.tqn.com/d/webclipart/1/0/e/A/val25.gif


Started by Marcia, Mailbox Monday is a place to share all the wonderful books that have come to live in your home; print, electronic and audio. Stop by the blog to see who else has posted. Just be prepared for the side effect of a growing TBR list/pile!




~ here are the new books in my house this week ~
Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne
Hope's Crossing #3, September 2012, ebook

Spring should bring renewal, but Maura McKnight-Parker cannot escape the past. Still reeling from the loss of one daughter, the former free spirit is thrown for a loop by the return of her older daughter, Sage, and the reappearance of her first love, Sage's father. Jackson Lange never knew his daughter—never even knew that he'd left the love of his life pregnant when he fled their small town—but he has never forgotten Maura.

Now they are all back, but Sage has her own secret, one that will test the fragile bonds of a reunited family. Thrown together by circumstances and dedicated to those they love, Maura and Jackson must learn to move forward and let go of the mistakes of their past for the bright future that awaits them and their friends in Hope's Crossing.

Dead Man's Deal by Jocelynn Drake
The Sylum Tales #4, May 2013, ebook

In a world where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires swim free in a sea of humanity, sometimes you need an edge. Looking for a little love? Need some luck? Desperate for revenge? Gage can give you what you need. The most talented tattoo artist in town, he knows the right symbol and the right mix of ingredients and ink to achieve your heart's desire. One tattoo is all it takes. But remember, everything has its price. . . .

Gage learned that lesson long ago, in ways he'd rather not remember. But the cruel and powerful wizards in the dreaded Ivory Towers he escaped aren't about to let him forget. Though Gage has managed to stay out of sight, he can't outrun the past forever. The wizards know Gage is using forbidden magic, and they intend to punish him for his transgressions.

Too bad if innocent humans and monsters—entire cities—get in the way. They will quell a nascent magical uprising and Gage will be the sacrifice they need. First, though, they have to find him . . .


Fade the Heat by Colleen Thompson
series: Montlake/Dorchester, December 2005, used mmp

Someone is setting fires in the Houston barrio, and Dr. Jack Montoya is the first intended victim. Is there some connection between the torching of his apartment and the gorgeous blonde from his past who appears at his clinic on the same day? For sure, Reagan Hurley turns up the flames on his libido, but these days the beautiful firefighter is more interested in putting out conflagrations than fanning old sparks. Yet when a hotly contested mayoral race turns ugly, when Reagon's life is threatened and Jack's career almost destroyed, when desire sizzles uncontrollably between them, it seems that so one will be able to . . . Fade the Heat

A Tough Nut to Kill by Elizabeth Lee
A Nut House Mystery #1, February 2014, new mmp . . . includes Pecan recipes

Riverville, Texas, is pecan country, and the Blanchard family farm is famous for its acres of tall pecan trees and the delicious pies and cookies sold at the Nut House, the aptly named family store. Miss Amelia, Lindy’s feisty grandmother, makes the best pecan pies for several counties and the farm is attracting visitors from far and wide to sample the wares.

Until the day Lindy walks into the greenhouse to find her uncle Amos murdered and her new stock of trees destroyed, with the best of the bunch stolen. Who is out to ruin the Blanchard family? And who wanted Uncle Amos dead? With the sheriff stumped, it’s up to Lindy and Miss Amelia to save the ranch and tree a killer.


I forgot to tell you about this one, it was a hand-off from my daughter several weeks ago.
The Mourning After by Rochelle B. Weistein
June 2013, trade paperback, autographed!

A tragic car accident will forever change the Keller family. Fifteen-year-old Levon Keller survives, though his older brother David, star athlete and golden child, does not. As the fragile family mourns while trying to move on, guilt-ridden Levon finds himself lost between the memory of his brother and the constant attention his younger sister requires with a rare genetic affliction.

When the beautiful and unpredictable teenager Lucy Bell moves in next door, Levon finds a trustworthy friend--one capable of providing salvation and true insight. Their friendship leads the reader on a journey that reveals family secrets and painful truths, culminating in an astonishingly suspenseful realization: when it comes to family, nothing is as it seems.

a long-time friend knows the author and the kindle sample was great . . .
Hidden Doors, Secret Rooms by Jamie Eubanks (facebook)
March 2013, ebook

Jillian Braedon possesses a secret so explosive that she must be silenced. On the run with her five-year-old daughter, stranded in the middle of a blizzard and critically injured, Jill sends little Valerie off into the raging storm alone. The child stumbles onto the property of retired musician-turned-recluse, John Mills, begging for help. John soon finds himself caught up in their torment, and face-to-face with the pursuing covert agents, who will do anything to destroy the secret, and silence everyone involved.



A Tale of Two Biddies by Kylie Logan
A League of Literary Ladies Mystery, February 2014, new mmp

Summer can be the best of times or the worst of times for the resort town of Put-in-Bay on Lake Erie. Fore Bea Cartwright, business is booming as guests storm her B and B for the Bastille Day celebration. In honor of the holiday, the League of Literary Ladies is reading the Charles Dickens classic A Tale of two Cities. It would be hard to make a more appropriate selection--especially when they have their very own Defarge sisters, elderly twins Margaret and Alice, who run the local knitting shop.

On Bastille Day, the head-banging rock band Guillotine shows their shops for the tourists--but the celebration is soon cut short. With something needling the Defarge dowagers and secrets that lead to murder, solving this mystery will be far, far better thing than the Literary Ladies have done before. They'll just have to make sure to keep heir heads while they try to stop a killer's reign of terror. . .


Willow Springs Ranch series (1-3, 3.5, 4) by Laura Harner
most of the covers are not safe for work!

Hot cowboys who love other cowboys. There is also a sheriff, Federal Agent, teacher and bronc rider. 









The Air We Breathe by Christa Parrish
November 2012, Trade paperback,

Seventeen-year-old Molly Fisk does not go outside. She's ruled by anxiety and only feels safe in the tiny tourist-town museum she and her mother run and call home. Yearning to live free but unable to overcome deep wounds from her past, she stays hidden away. Then the chance arrival of a woman Molly knew six years ago changes everything.

Six years ago, newly single Claire Rodriguez was an empty shell. Only in the unique friendship she strikes up with a young girl--a silent girl who'll only talk to Claire--does she see the possibility of healing. But one day the girl and her mother vanish, their house abandoned. What happened that drove them away? And how can Claire now offer Molly the same chance at finding a life anew?



I haven't received any review books, won any contests or received any books as a gift. I have added several to my ereader, most were even free.

added to my ereader: (kindle app, html, etc.) ~ I find out about free/discounted ebooks at amazon mostly from Pixel of Ink. I do go through the Top 100 at amazon once in a while. I'm getting better at pinning my new ebooks, 2014's books



What are you Reading?

A weekly Monday meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Post what you read last week and what you're planning to read this week then link to Shelia's post. Then visit others and be prepared to add to your TBR pile!

Finished:
Saint Returns by Amber Kell
Fire and Fang by Eden Cole
Apple Mead by West Thornhill
Fang and Fur by Stormy Glenn
Ty Hard by Laura Harner
Hold Tight by Laura Harner
The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie 
Taking Chance by Laura Harner
Dead Man's Deal by Jocelynn Drake
Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens
Burning Up the Ice by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
Hanging Chad by Laura Harner

Books stacked by my reading chair:

My Familiar Dragon by Daniel Hood
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Dead Man's Deal by Jocelynn Drake
. . . and about 20 unread library books

Started in 2013 but not finished until 2014:
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries (on page . . .)
Pegasus by Kate O'Hearn (on page . . .)
Dragonwriter edited by Todd McCaffrey (on page . . .)
Mischief and Mistletoe, anthology (on page 312/402)
Jockeys and Jewels by Bev Pettersen (ebook - 21% read in 2013)
Home for the Homicide by Jennie Bentley (on page . . .)
A Lady Chosen by Stephanie Laurens (ebook - 42% read in 2013)




Latest Review Books:




Reviewed:



Did Not Finish, may try again later:
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn


Happy Reading!

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Fitness Challenge! Totally need this


BookBlogWalkers
Fitness Challenge
2014

hosted at  The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog

twitter/facebook: #BookBlogWalkers

for more information and to sign up, click here



Consistency is key here. The point to to move for 30 minutes each day, not for 3.5 hours on Saturday. Well, in my case, Friday while at Disneyland.

I have plans, time to implement them!




copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Thursday, February 6, 2014

RC: Read "Real" books (they mean print!)

Real Book Challenge on Swoony Boys Podcast and Fiction Fare

"Real" Book
Reading Challenge
2014

hosted at Fic Fare
twitter: #RealBooks

For more information and to sign up, click here

There are several levels, I'm going for . . . HOARDER . . . and hope to read 41-50 print books.

There is a GoodReads group and a newsletter, check it out!


This doesn't mean that ebooks aren't real reading, it just means that we've still got bookshelves full of print books that are begging to be read!

~*~ Books Read ~*~
  1. Christmas in Snowflake Canyon by RaeAnne Thayne (first book of the year was print)
  2. Lara by Bertrice Small (library book)
  3. Wild Invitation by Nalini Singh
  4. Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh (re-read)
  5. Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh 
  6. Play of Passion by Nalini Singh
  7. Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh 
  8. The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie 
  9. Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens
  10. Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
  11. The Affair by Lee Child
  12. Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George  
  13. The Forgotten by David Baldacci
  14. Zero Day by Mark Russinovich 
  15. 61 Hours by Lee Child
  16. Worth Dying For by Lee Child
  17. The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn
  18. A Wanted Man by Lee Child
  19. Jack Reacher's Rules compiled by Val Hudson
  20. Never Go Back by Lee Child 
  21. Exile's Honor by Mercedes Lackey 
  22. Exile's Valor by Mercedes Lackey
  23. Take a Thief by Mercedes Lackey
  24. Shall I Knit You a Hat? by Kate Klise
  25. Knitty Kitty by David Elliott 
  26. Pumpkin Cat by Anne Mortimer
  27. When We Met by Susan Mallery
  28. Sneakers, the Seaside Cat by Margaret Wise Brown
  29. Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
  30. Hearts and Swords by Robin D. Owens 
  31. Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-el
  32. Noodle's Knitting by Sheryl Webster 
  33. That Darn Yarn! by Tony Millionaire 
  34. The Christmas Cat anthology
  35. Metal Cats by Alexandra Crockett (book of photography)
  36. Pete at the Beach by James Dean (Pete the Cat) 
  37. Before We Kiss by Susan Mallery
  38. How to Knit a Love Song by Rachael Herron
  39. Lost Cat by Caroline Paul
  40. How to Knit a Heart Back Home by Rachael Herron
  41. Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh 
~ Challenge Complete ~
June 6
 . . . rest of level
42. True Love by Jude Deveraux
43. Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick
44. Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr
45. Until We Touch by Susan Mallery
46. Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Rooney Doland
47. The Proposal by Mary Balogh
48. The Escape by Mary Balogh
49. For All Time by Jude Deveraux
50. The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
~ Challenge Complete ~
August 6
 . . . next level? 50+ Queen of Print Books ;-)
51. Richard Scarry's Best Lowly Worm Book Ever!
52. Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
53. Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke
54. Kiss of Fury by Deborah Cooke
55. You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang
56. The Valentine's Day Disaster by Lori Wilde
57. The Christmas Wedding Ring by Susan Mallery 
58. What's His Passion? anthology 
59. Twin Threat Christmas by Rachelle McCalla
60. 'Tis the Season by Robyn Carr 

61. The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon


Wicked Valentine's
Read-a-Thon

February 7 - 17

hosted at My Shelf Confessions
Twitter: #WWReadathon

For more information and to sign up, click here

Basic Requirements: "You read as much as you can in order to get yourself a little further through that huge to-read pile!" One day, every day, doesn't matter. There will be a twitter party, challenges and prizes!

What I'm thinking about reading . . .
Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Home to Seaview Key by Sherryl Woods
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries
Playing with Fire by J. J. Cook
Mint Condition 2013 edited by Shannon John
When the Rogue Returns by Sabrina Jeffries
I also have several library books that are due soon


The problem will be reading from the list ;-)

~*~ Progress/Books Read ~*~
Friday: Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens (372), Disneyland, some Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
Saturday: Hanging Chad by Laura Harner (only 50%), funeral (Dad of a friend)




copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

ebook RC part 3


eBook Reading Challenge
2014

hosted at Workaday Reads

For more information and to sign up, click here

Basic Requirements: Any length, any genre but only ebooks count for this one. There are seven levels to choose from. I chose "Human Brain" last year (2013) and made it in November. I'm hoping to read more from my print tbr shelf so I'm not doing that again. I'm going for . . . Server . . . and hope to read 100 ebooks during 2014. I can always move up a level :-)


continued from part 2


~ Books Read ~
51. Ty Hard by Laura Harner
52. Hold Tight by Laura Harner
53. Ty'd Down by Laura Harner
54. Taking Chance by Laura Harner
55. Dead Man's Deal by Jocelynn Drake
56. Hanging Chad by Laura Harner
57. Burning Up the Ice by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
58. Malting by Sean Michael
59. Sweet Laurel Falls by RaeAnne Thayne
60. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
61. Cody's Dragon by K. M. Mahoney
62. A Good Feeling by S. A. Meade
63. His Hero anthology
64. Hearts on the Line by T. A. Chase
65. Guarded Desires by Morticia Knight
66. Protecting Francis by Amber Kell
67. In Broussard's Care by Amber Kell
68. Serving Love at Carnival by Devon Rhodes, T.A. Chase
69. Forever by Tinnean
70. An Academic Dilemma by Alix Bekins
71. The Best by Tinnean
72. A Purrfect Match by Chris T. Kat
73. Balance by Zahra Owens
74. Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh
75. One Small Thing by Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea
76. When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James
77. Everyday Love by Gabrielle Evans
78. Ten Busy Brownies by Talia Haven
79. Yes, Sir by Ellis Carrington
80. Arrows of the Queent by Mercedes Lackey
81. Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey
82. Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey
83. Fairy, Texas by Margo Bond Collins
84. Hold Me Together by Felice Fox
84. Reckless Behaviour by Talia Carmichael
85. A Tender Roughness by Talia Carmichael
86. Opposing Rhythms by Talia Carmichael
87. One Good Man by Talia Carmichael
88. Slow Burn by Talia Carmichael
89. Ralston’s Way by Talia Carmichael
90. Long Hard Ride by Talia Carmichael
91. Opposites Attract by by Talia Carmichael
92. Remove the Empty Spaces by T. A. Chase
93. Close the Distance by T. A. Chase
94. The Perfect Balance by Trina Lane
95. The Perfect Union by Trina Lane
96. His Perfect Partner by Trina Lane
97. A Pint Light by Devon Rhodes
98. Through the Red Door by Devon Rhodes
99. Locke, Stock and Barrel by Devon Rhodes
100. Capturing Perfection by Trina Lane
~ Challenge Complete ~
April 15

move up a level to 150? 


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014

Monday, February 3, 2014

Happy Monday

http://0.tqn.com/d/webclipart/1/0/e/A/val25.gif


Started by Marcia, Mailbox Monday is a place to share all the wonderful books that have come to live in your home; print, electronic and audio. Stop by the blog to see who else has posted. Just be prepared for the side effect of a growing TBR list/pile!




~ here are the new books in my house this week ~


Home to Seaview Key by Sherryl Woods 
series, published Jan 2014

Falling for a handsome stranger on the very morning they meet is hardly what recently divorced Abby Miller planned for her return to Seaview Key. Hoping to mend an old friendship and to give back to the community she loves, Abby's definitely not looking for love.

For ex-soldier Seth Landry, Seaview Key seems like the perfect place to heal a broken heart…eventually. And when he rescues a beautiful woman on the beach, his nightmares about the past are eclipsed by daydreams about the future.

Neither Abby nor Seth is looking for forever, but powerful love has its own timetable. And taking a chance on the future will test their courage in ways neither of them could possibly have anticipated.


Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin
published 2005

One winter night, Peter Lake - master mechanic and second-story man - attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side. Though he thinks it is empty, the daughter of the house is home. Thus begins the affair between a middle-aged Irish burglar and Beverly Penn, a young girl dying of consumption. It is a love so powerful that Peter Lake, a simple and uneducated man, will be driven to stop time and bring back the dead. His great struggle is one of the most beautiful and extraordinary stories of American literature.



The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie
October 2012

Starving and pitiful, a mud-smeared kitten is rescued from the slums of New Delhi and transported to a life she could have never imagined. In a beautiful sanctuary overlooking the snow-capped Himalayas, she begins her new life as the Dalai Lama's cat.

Warmhearted, irreverent, and wise, this cat of many names opens a window to the inner sanctum of life in Dharamsala. A tiny spy observing the constant flow of private meetings between His Holiness and everyone from Hollywood celebrities to philanthropists to self-help authors, the Dalai Lama's cat provides us with insights on how to find happiness and meaning in a busy, materialistic world. Her story will put a smile on the face of anyone who has been blessed the the kneading paws and bountiful purring of a cat.


Willowleaf Lane by RaeAnne Thayne
Hope's Crossing #5, ebook

Candy shop owner Charlotte Caine knows temptation. To reboot her life, shed weight and gain perspective, she's passing up sweet enticements left and right. But willpower doesn't come so easily when hell-raiser Spencer Gregory comes back to Hope's Crossing, bringing with him memories of broken promises and teen angst. A retired pro baseball player on the mend from injury—and a damaging scandal—he's interested in his own brand of reinvention.

Now everything about Spencer's new-and-improved lifestyle, from his mission to build a rehab facility for injured veterans to his clear devotion to his preteen daughter, Peyton, touches Charlotte's heart. Holding on to past hurt is her only protection against falling for him—again. But if she takes the risk, will she find in Spencer a hometown heartbreaker, or the hero she's always wanted?


I haven't received any review books, won any contests or received any books as a gift. I have added several to my ereader, most were even free.

added to my ereader: (kindle app, html, etc.) ~ I find out about free/discounted ebooks at amazon mostly from Pixel of Ink. I do go through the Top 100 at amazon once in a while. I'm getting better at pinning my new ebooks, 2014's books











What are you Reading?

A weekly Monday meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Post what you read last week and what you're planning to read this week then link to Shelia's post. Then visit others and be prepared to add to your TBR pile!


Finished:
Splash and Elegance by Gabrielle Evans
Myth and Mischief by Gabrielle Evans
Whiskers, Mane, and a Biter by Joyee Flynn
Sparkle and Purr by Stormy Glenn
The Agent and the Model by RJ Scott
Howl and Harmony by Gabrielle Evans
Seaview Inn by Sherryl Woods
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
Fangs and a Wet Nose by Joyee Flynn
Fur and Flightless by Joyee Flynn
Leader and the Writer by Joyee Flynn
Spells and Bananas by Joyee Flynn
Officer and a Gardener by Joyee Flynn
Dragon Mine by Joyee Flynn
Dragon Ours by Joyee Flynn
Their Dragon by Joyee Flynn 

Books stacked by my reading chair:

My Familiar Dragon by Daniel Hood
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Hope Flames by Jaci Burton
If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell
. . . and about 20 unread library books

Started in 2013 but not finished until 2014:
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries (on page . . .)
Pegasus by Kate O'Hearn (on page . . .)
Dragonwriter edited by Todd McCaffrey (on page . . .)
Mischief and Mistletoe, anthology (on page 312/402)
Jockeys and Jewels by Bev Pettersen (ebook - 21% read in 2013)
Home for the Homicide by Jennie Bentley (on page . . .)
A Lady Chosen by Stephanie Laurens (ebook - 42% read in 2013)




Latest Review Books:




Reviewed:



Did Not Finish, may try again later:



Happy Reading!


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2014
Disclaimer

In accordance to the FTC guidelines, I must state that I make no monetary gains from my reviews or endorsements here on Book Dragon's Lair. All books I review are either borrowed, purchased by me, given as a gift, won in some kind of contest, or received in exchange for an honest review.