Free Kindle Book: Happily Every After by Susan May Warren

I want to start sharing some free eBooks that I find while surfing the web. Here is one I found for the Kindle that looks like a decent read:

Happily Ever After by Susan May Warren Deep Haven Series #1 - God has answered Mona Reynolds's prayers and given her the opportunity of a lifetime: she is about to open her own bookstore-coffee shop, the Footstep of Heaven. Now Mona has no time for love and no hope that a man can ever be the hero of her dreams. But when she hires mysterious drifter Joe Michaels to be her handyman, she discovers that it isn't only in fairy tales that people live "happily ever after."

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

What Are You Giving Away this Thursday? Link-Up Your BOOK Giveaways 12/30-1/5

Did you survive the holidays? I am just barely did and I am ready to win some new books for the new year!! I want to wish you all a Happy and SAFE New Years!

If you have a BOOK-RELATED giveaway going on your blog/site please list it below - this means books (paper or eBook), bookmarks, book swag, booklights, eReaders and other things that are directly related to book reading.

If you have ANY OTHER TYPE of giveaway feel free to link the on my mommy blog giveaway linky: The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood.

Please link DIRECTLY to the book giveaway and not just to your blog's homepage.

Please keep your listings Family Friendly (if the item itself is adult in nature please include ADULT in your listing)

Please use this format:
Your Name: Blog Title (abbr ok) Item Description How many Avail End Date
Your URL: a direct link to the giveaway

EXAMPLE:
Your Name: BMWL2R Three PaperBackSwap Credits ends 12/18
Your URL: http://busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-three-paperbackswap-credits.html



After you use the link please leave a comment, letting me know you were here (I just love comments, this is totally not required! LOL)

Whatcha Reading Wednesdays - December 29th, 2010

This is the LAST WRW of 2010! Hard to believe, huh?
Well, I don't know about you all but I have not had more than two minutes to rub together for reading over the last few weeks! So
This week's Whatcha Reading Wednesday Teaser works like this:

Tell me what book you ATTEMPTED to get read in the last week! Remember to alert any Spoilers

You can participate by leaving your WRW teaser in a comment below, or you can make a post on your own blog and link back to this post in the linky below. Feel free to use the WRW graphic, just please be sure to link back to Busy Moms Who Love to Read.
I have been trying to read Maze Runner by James Dashner. It is a great read - if you liked the Hunger Games Series you will like this one. I have been baffled by my in ablility to get it read but time is not something I have to spare around the holidays. I intend to finish it swiftly!

So tell me: Whatcha Reading??

Pleas Vote for Januaray 2011 Book Club Selection

2011 is upon us! Here is a list of choices for Book Club to start off 2011 with a great book! Please vote in the widget at the top right of the sidebar!
If you are not sure how our book club works please check out the guidelines here: Busy Moms Monthly Online Book Club.


Here are the choices for this month:

Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins Being one of the guys isn't all it's cracked up to be, So when journalist Chastity O'Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it's time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1 - she's five-foot-eleven inches of rock-solid girl power and #2 - she's cursed with four alpha male older brothers.

While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there's only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she's never quite gotten over--although he seems to have gotten over her just fine.
Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can't seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys....

The Passage by Justin Cronin First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé.


Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness. Something Borrowed is a phenomenal debut novel that will have you laughing, crying, and calling your best friend.

PLEASE VOTE USING THE POLL LOCATED IN THE TOP RIGHT SIDEBAR!!

Voting will take place between now and December 31st. On January 1st I will announce the book selection and post the linky for you to begin linking up your reviews of the selected title.

It's Official!! I am a Member of the eReader Clan!!

Thanks to my very special and loving Aunt *GRIN* LOVE HER (and not just because of my awesome Christmas Present) I got a KINDLE under my tree this year! (I am totally doing a little dance in my office chair right now! - which was a present from hubby - I know I am so spoiled!) I am in love! I know that I will still be reading plenty of printed copy books, but it is will be very convenient to have the option of eBooks. I sure hope the rumors are true and Amazon will be adding a lending program (like the one the Barnes and Noble Nook uses) so that you can both lend books between friends and borrow from the library. I will be sure to keep you posted on that front. In the mean time I have become privy to a number of ways to make the most of you Kindle (or other eReaders) and I wanted to share them with you. First off, there are thousands of free books out there for your eReaders and all you have to do is know where to look. Here are the places I have found so far:

1. Search the main site just by using the search term "Free eBooks". Both B&N and Amazon actually have huge lists of free books. They are not always the most current or most read titles (although there are a variety of classics, you know those books you always wanted to read, but never got around to - like Little Women- which is available on Amazon for the Kindle at no charge).

2. If you are on Facebook - go to the Inkmesh page and "Like" it. They are constantly listing free eBooks for each platform available and if you like their page you will see their posts on your news feed.

3. Sign up for NetGalley - this is a site where authors and publishers can request viewing of their print or digital books. You find a book you like, send a request for a galley and then wait to hear from them (usually within 24 hours) FYI - some eBooks will charge you to download (via the manufacturerers system) you can avoid this by downloading Adobe Digital Editions, and then instead of having books sent to your Kindle directly, download them to Adobe, covert them and then send them to your eReader free of charge (sounds complicated but it's just a few clicks here and there)

I got a lot of this info from my dear friend and fellow book devotee, SaphireReads over at One Page At A Time! Do you have any tips or tricks on how to make the most of your eReader? I would love to hear about them, so please share. I am also working on a cool meme for eReader Users, so keep an eye out!

Merry Christmas to You and Yours

From Me and Mine! I hope that each and everyone of you is blessed with a happy family and a happy home this Christmas. In the midst of all the unwrapping please take a moment to just look around and be thankful for all the good Lord has afforded you. And please know that I am very thankful for each and every one of my readers! Thanks so much for making blogging so much fun!

What Are You Giving Away this Thursday? Link-Up Your BOOK Giveaways 12/23-12/28

Only a few days till Christmas and I want to wish you all very Happy and Merry Christmas!

If you have a BOOK-RELATED giveaway going on your blog/site please list it below - this means books (paper or eBook), bookmarks, book swag, booklights, eReaders and other things that are directly related to book reading.

If you have ANY OTHER TYPE of giveaway feel free to link the on my mommy blog giveaway linky: The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood.

Please link DIRECTLY to the book giveaway and not just to your blog's homepage.

Please keep your listings Family Friendly (if the item itself is adult in nature please include ADULT in your listing)

Please use this format:
Your Name: Blog Title (abbr ok) Item Description How many Avail End Date
Your URL: a direct link to the giveaway

EXAMPLE:
Your Name: BMWL2R Three PaperBackSwap Credits ends 12/18
Your URL: http://busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-three-paperbackswap-credits.html



After you use the link please leave a comment, letting me know you were here (I just love comments, this is totally not required! LOL)

Whatcha Reading Wednesdays - December 22nd, 2010

This week's Whatcha Reading Wednesday Teaser works like this:

Type in the First Sentence of the Last Paragraph of the First Chapter that you are currently on in your book. Remember to alert any Spoilers

You can participate by leaving your WRW teaser in a comment below, or you can make a post on your own blog and link back to this post in the linky below. Feel free to use the WRW graphic, just please be sure to link back to Busy Moms Who Love to Read.


 

So tell me: Whatcha Reading??

Review: The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

Book Description: The envy of all her friends, wife and mother Saphora Warren is the model of southern gentility and accomplishment. She lives in a beautiful Lake Norman home, and has raised three capable adult children. But she’s also married to a successful, yet philandering plastic surgeon. It is for that reason that, after hosting a garden party for Southern Living magazine, Saphora packs her bags to escape the trappings of the picturesque-but-vacant life. Her planned destination is a neglected family bungalow on the Outer Banks.Saphora’s departure, though, is interrupted by her husband Bender’s early arrival home and his words that change her life forever: I’m dying.

Against her desires, Saphora agrees to take care of Bender, who instructs her to take him to fight his illness in their coastal home in Oriental—the same house to which she had planned her get-away. When her idyllic escape is overrun by her grown children, grandchildren, townspeople, relatives, and a precocious neighbor child, Saphora’s escape to paradise is anything but the life she had imagined.

About the Author: Patricia Hickman, M.F.A., is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction whose work has been praised by critics and readers alike. Patricia first studied creative writing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and then went on to do graduate studies in creative writing at Queens University. She writes for major publishers and is currently at work on her eighteenth book, a novel set in the North Carolina Piedmont. Her next novel,The Pirate Queen, will release Summer 2010, a story that takes readers journeying from suburban Lake Norman to the sailing villages of the Outer Banks. She has served as a writing professor at UNCC and taught in writing workshops across the country offering her popular “Creating Characters–Giving Story People Life” workshops and courses on fiction. She, along with her hubby, founded a non-profit charity that benefits moms and children with HIV called The Secret Angels Project. Her fiction is known for its depth of understanding of the human condition underscored by redemptive themes.

Here's What I Think: Though it starts out as a classic tale of the woman who seems to have everything, but underneath it all has very little happiness. However, Hickman has created a storyline that is riveting. Right off, you want to know how things will pan out. Saphora is a woman who stayed in a less than ideal marriage "for the children" but once they are all grown and gone, there is little need to stick around. However at the very moment that she chooses to take the next big step in here life she is hit right in the gut with the most horrible words your spouse can ever say "I'm dying" and she finds herself unable to walk out but rather to be the good wife she has been pretending to be for many many years. The characters are very well crafted in this emotionally-charged story about how we truly interact with society at large. I enjoyed the fluidity of the tale and look forward to reading more from Hickman.

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this book for review purposes, I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

PaperBackSwap Credits Winner!

Thanks so much to everyone that entered to win PaperBackSwap Credits! Without further ado...the Winner is:

Erin G

Congrats to you! Winner was selected using Random.org!

Totally Postal Thursday 12/16/10

Ha! Two weeks in a row that I have gotten my Totally Postal Thursday Post for SapphireReads over at One Page at a Time. I am going to try my best to get back in habit of this meme, because it helps me keep track of when I got books!

Here are the Details about the Meme: Totally Postal Thursdays

List all the books you’ve received since last Friday and then tell us how you got them and where on your TBR list they will be.

Here Are the Titles I got this Week:

For Review:


From PaperBackSwap:
Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin
Something Blue by Emily Griffin

Purchased/Borrowed:
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Resurrection by Sara Reinke

What was in your mailbox this week?

What Are You Giving Away this Thursday? Link-Up Your BOOK Giveaways 12/16-12/22

Sheesh - December is just flying by! Let's see what books you are all giving away to end 2010 with a BANG!

If you have a BOOK-RELATED giveaway going on your blog/site please list it below - this means books (paper or eBook), bookmarks, book swag, booklights, eReaders and other things that are directly related to book reading.

If you have ANY OTHER TYPE of giveaway feel free to link the on my mommy blog giveaway linky: The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood.

Please link DIRECTLY to the book giveaway and not just to your blog's homepage.

Please keep your listings Family Friendly (if the item itself is adult in nature please include ADULT in your listing)

Please use this format:
Your Name: Blog Title (abbr ok) Item Description How many Avail End Date
Your URL: a direct link to the giveaway

EXAMPLE:
Your Name: BMWL2R Three PaperBackSwap Credits ends 12/18
Your URL: http://busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-three-paperbackswap-credits.html



After you use the link please leave a comment, letting me know you were here (I just love comments, this is totally not required! LOL)

Whatcha Reading Wednesdays - December 15th, 2010

This week's Whatcha Reading Wednesday Teaser works like this:

Type in the First Sentence of the Last Paragraph of the Page that you are currently on in your book. Remember to alert any Spoilers

You can participate by leaving your WRW teaser in a comment below, or you can make a post on your own blog and link back to this post in the linky below. Feel free to use the WRW graphic, just please be sure to link back to Busy Moms Who Love to Read.

"Julie checked through the peephole then opened the door." Human Blend by Lori Pescatore

So tell me: Whatcha Reading??

Review: The House of Night Series by PC and Kristin Cast - Thus Far

***Spoiler Alert*** I do talk about the series as a whole continuous story, so you may learn things that you wouldn't know from the first book***

The House of Night Series by PC and Kristin Cast
Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed, Hunted, Tempted, Burned

Book Description: HOUSE OF NIGHT is a thrilling, New York Times bestselling book series that follows 16-year-old Zoey Redbird as she is “Marked” by a vampyre tracker and begins to undergo the “Change” into an actual vampyre. She has to leave her family in Broken Arrow, OK, and move into the House of Night, a boarding school for other fledgling vampyres like her.It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. Although Zoey has awesome new powers, it’s hard to fit in when everyone knows you’re “special.” As Zoey tries to make new friends and maybe find a hot boyfriend (or two), she comes up against all kinds of evil, from the perfect-looking, super-popular girl with not-so-faultless plans, to the mysterious deaths happening at the House of Night and all over Tulsa. Things at the House of Night are not always what they seem. Can Zoey find the courage deep within herself to find the truth and embrace her destiny?

About the Author: P.C. Cast was born in Watseka, Illinois, and grew up being shuttled back-and-forth between Illinois and Oklahoma, which is where she fell in love with Quarter Horses and mythology (at about the same time). After high school she joined the United States Air Force and began public speaking and writing. Since her tour in the USAF, she has been speaking and teaching professionally.

Ms. Cast is an award winning fantasy and paranormal romance author. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers' Best, and the Laurel Wreath.

KRISTIN CAST has won awards for her poetry and journalism. She lives in Oklahoma, where she attends college.

Here's What I Think: I normally wouldn't review a series as a whole, but I think this particular series really doesn't stand alone, book by book. I also want to point out that Young Adult really means ages 18-25, and not "teen" in terms of who the book is targeted for. This is a series about Teenagers who have been marked to become Vampyres. In this particular version of the world, teens are marked (their blood knows when to do it) at about age 16 and they are then relocated to their local  House of Night boarding school, where they will learn all there is to know about being a vampyre in modern times, where the general populace does know they exist, but still is not totally accepting. They will either survive the change - sometime in the following four years - or they will die, all depending on if their body can take it. This series specifically follows a new fledgling (a marked but unturned vampyre), Zoey, who proves to be much more than normal and has serious connection and abilities that no known fledgling and most adult vamps have ever had. She quickly becomes very close to a group of other fledglings, who were obviously all brought to her to help with her mission. She comes just in time to try to save the world from a Vampyre High Priestess, Neferet, who has put into action a plan to take over the world and enslave all humans, by resurrecting a fallen Angel, Kalona, from his earthen grave to utilize his powers. Through all of this another species of vamps are created and must choose between good and evil. The series starts off rather juvenile, but grows in breadth and depth along with Zoey who realizes that she is meant to do great things and must trust in herself and her connection to the Goddess to make it all happen. Love triangles, subterfuge, suspense, comedy, intense soul searching, drama and passion are all laced together to make a rather engaging story, once you get to book 3. You will have to remind yourself that this is Young Adult series from time to time, so although there is a considerable amount of language, mostly from one of my favorite character Aphrodite, it really is rather tame. I think these are a great read, if you enjoy the paranormal genre. From book 3 on, they all end in total cliffhangers, so if you are anything like me, you will want to have the next book on hand once you get to the last 50 pages in one book. And I certainly am waiting on pins and needles waiting for the newest installment Awakened, scheduled to release January 4th, 2011!

Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated to publish this post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

Review: Room by Emma Donoghue

Room by Emma Donoghue
Book Description: ROOM is narrated by a five-year-old called Jack, who lives in a single room with his Ma and has never been outside. An international bestseller as soon as it was published in August 2010, ROOM has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year and the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize (for best Canadian novel). It has also been a finalist for International Author of the Year (Galaxy National Book Awards) and the Governor General’s Award.


Jack and Ma live in a locked room that measures eleven foot by eleven. When he turns five, he starts to ask questions, and his mother reveals to him that there is a world outside. Told entirely in Jack’s voice, ROOM is no horror story or tearjerker, but a celebration of resilience and the love between parent and child.

About the Author: Born in Dublin, Ireland, in October 1969, I am the youngest of eight children of Frances and Denis Donoghue (the literary critic, Henry James Professor at New York University). I attended Catholic convent schools in Dublin, apart from one eye-opening year in New York at the age of ten. In 1990 I earned a first-class honours BA in English and French from University College Dublin (unfortunately, without learning to actually speak French). I moved to England, and in 1997 received my PhD (on the concept of friendship between men and women in eighteenth-century English fiction) from the University of Cambridge. From the age of 23, I have earned my living as a writer, and have been lucky enough to never have an ‘honest job’ since I was sacked after a month as a chambermaid. After years of commuting between England, Ireland, and Canada, in 1998 I settled in London, Ontario, where I live with Chris Roulston and our son Finn (7) and daughter Una (3). 

Here's What I Think: This book was difficult to start because of the language. The story is told entirely from the point of view of a 5 year old named Jack. So the thoughts are sometimes illogical and the speech is strange. For example instead of saying "the room" or "the table" he refers to everyday items with proper names like "Room" or "Table". However, once you get your head around this aspect of the story, you really get into horrific nightmare that the boy only knows as his normal. It really is heart-wrenching to think of how easily (sad but true) something like this could happen in your own neighbor's backyard and you never know about it. Normally, I do not like stories that constantly switch back and forth between two character's points of view, but I think this story could have benefited. I say this only because there are lots of things that Jack simply doesn't understand, especially after they leave Room, so as a reader you are forced to infer the details, and I would rather "know". I do have to say that Donoghue did a phenomenal job, technically speaking, in writing this novel. She makes you believe you are listening to a 5 year old, who is rather intelligent in terms of book learning, but completely ignorant when it comes to the society and interaction with the world. The book does sort of come to an abrupt, however complete ending, so I was a little deflated by that. I think this book is a "love it or hate it" sort of book, because I know some will have a difficult time getting past the style of writing. I say give it a try and if you can get past page 40, you should be okay.

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this book for review purposes, I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

Totally Postal Thursdays with One Page at a Time

Ugh I have been totally lagging on my Totally Postal Thursday Post for SapphireReads over at One Page at a Time. I am going to try my best to get back in habit of this meme, because it helps me keep track of when I got books!

Here are the Details about the Meme: Totally Postal Thursdays

List all the books you’ve received since last Friday and then tell us how you got them and where on your TBR list they will be.

Here Are the Titles I got this Week:

For Review:
Human Blend by Lori Pescatore
Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman
Three Seconds by Roslung and Hellstrom

From PaperBackSwap:
Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty

Purchased/Borrowed:
Tempted by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Burned by P.C. and Krisitn Cast

What was in your mailbox this week?

What Are You Giving Away this Thursday? Link-Up Your BOOK Giveaways 12/9-12/15

I hope you are all getting into the holiday season and remembering to take time to celebrate with family and friends!

If you have a BOOK-RELATED giveaway going on your blog/site please list it below - this means books (paper or eBook), bookmarks, book swag, booklights, eReaders and other things that are directly related to book reading.

If you have ANY OTHER TYPE of giveaway feel free to link the on my mommy blog giveaway linky: The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood.

Please link DIRECTLY to the book giveaway and not just to your blog's homepage.

Please keep your listings Family Friendly (if the item itself is adult in nature please include ADULT in your listing)

Please use this format:
Your Name: Blog Title (abbr ok) Item Description How many Avail End Date
Your URL: a direct link to the giveaway

EXAMPLE:
Your Name: BMWL2R Three PaperBackSwap Credits ends 12/18
Your URL: http://busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-three-paperbackswap-credits.html



After you use the link please leave a comment, letting me know you were here (I just love comments, this is totally not required! LOL)

Whatcha Reading Wednesdays - December 8th, 2010

This week's Whatcha Reading Wednesday Teaser works like this:

Type in the First Sentence of the Last Paragraph of the Page that you are currently on in your book. Remember to alert any Spoilers

You can participate by leaving your WRW teaser in a comment below, or you can make a post on your own blog and link back to this post in the linky below. Feel free to use the WRW graphic, just please be sure to link back to Busy Moms Who Love to Read.

"Julie checked through the peephole then opened the door." Human Blend by Lori Pescatore

So tell me: Whatcha Reading??

Review: Case Closed? by Susan Hughes

Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science by Susan Hughes

Book Description: Egypt's first female pharaoh disappears around 1457 BCE -- was she murdered? Find out how DNA closes the case. The ancient Arabian Peninsula city of Ubar vanishes, seemingly without trace. Find out how old maps and modern space shuttles help solve the mystery. Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage is never heard from again. Find out how spectroscopy points to some probable explanations. Case Closed? examines these and six other mysteries from ancient and modern times. Accompanied by photos, maps, diagrams and illustrations, this book reveals how modern science sheds new light on people, vessels and entire civilizations throughout history that simply vanished. In some cases, the mystery has been solved. In other cases, readers can examine the latest evidence and decide for themselves.

About the Author: Susan Hughes is a children's book writer and editor. Her book No Girls Allowed was chosen as an OLA Best Bet for Teens. Her other works include a picture book, Earth to Audrey, and a novel, Virginia.Here's What I Think: Although this is technically a children's book (intended for ages 8-12), I certainly learned a lot from it. Each of the nine mysteries is broken down by a description of the mystery, a background, "case open" (which describes the recent findings and facts), "mystery solved?" (the conclusions) and ends with either "Case Closed" or The Investigation Continues..." I appreciated that the book didn't "dumb down" the details of each case and gave thoughtful explanations. I also liked that it was a "just the facts ma'am" sort of book. I think that my niece would enjoy this book as well as any child grade 3-7.


Michael Wandelmaier is an illustrator and graphic designer who uses both traditional and digital media in his work. He is the illustrator of Case Closed? Michael lives in Toronto, Ontario.
 

 

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this book for review purposes, I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like an honest review of your title, please contact me at polsen11atcomcastdotnet

Giveaway: Three PaperBackSwap Credits

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!
I know you have all heard/read me gush about PaperBackSwap. I just love this site. It serves a very important purpose for all avid readers. If you are like me, your bookshelf if stuffed double-stacked, and it's not that you don't like it, it's just that you wish some of the title were books that you had yet to read instead of just finished. PaperBackSwap has the perfect answer to this dilemma! You list the books you have, and if someone else has requested the book, you will get a notice asking you to send the book to them. You pay between $2 and $3 in shipping (media mail, although sometimes first class is cheaper, so always double-check) to send your book to the requestor. This earns you 1 credit (unless it's an audio book, which is worth two) which you can use to request any other book in the PaperBackSwap database and have it send to you at the sender's cost. So essentially, you can get a new to you book for under $3. And I can honestly tell you that I have gotten over 50 books through PaperBackSwap and I have only had an issue with 1 book not being in absolutely decent condition. I am so in love with PaperBackSwap that I have decided to giveaway 3 PBS credits (that's three books of your choice from the PaperBackSwap database) to one very lucky winner!

WIN IT! 
 

Here's How It Works:

 Mandatory Entry: (you must do this one first or I will be forced to remove all of your entries)

Become a Follower of BMWL2R In some form - GFC, Twitter, or Facebook.

Please include your email address in your comment. (feel free to use the antiSPAM version - yourname[at]yourserver[dot]com)

Get More Entries: (LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY)

• Become a GFC Follower (if you already are one, just tell me so)
• Follow me on Twitter @1outnumberedmom
• Become a Facebook Fan of BMWL2R (see sidebar) and leave a comment on the wall telling me you want to win!
• If you are not already a PaperBackSwap member (you will have to be to redeem the credits if you win) sign up here.
• If you already are a PaperBackSwap member - friend me - OutnumberedMama

All entries must be in by December 18th at 11:59pm PST. I will pick a winner using a Random Number Generator.!

I wish you the best of luck!


If you are an author or publisher and would like me to review your title and/or facilitate a giveaway of your book, please contact Pam at polsen11atcomcastdotnet.