Happy Tag!!

I've been tagged with the Happy Tag from my dear blogger friend Yvonne, thank you Yvonne :)

Here are the rules..

1. Link to the person who has tagged you.

2. Write down six things that make you happy.

3. Post the rules, tag six others and let them know you did it.

4. Then tell the person when your entry is complete.

Now the six things that make me happy..

1. Feeling close to God!

2. Having nice long conversations and watching TV with my dear hubby :)

3. Seeing my parents smile :)

4. Watching my kids being happy :)

5. Reading a really good book or watching a good movie/series!

6. Being able to make someone happy!

OK now time to tag six people :) so here goes...

Vickie at Vixen's Daily Reads

Sandy at You've GOTTA read this!

Beth at Beth Fish Reads

Dar at Peeking Between the Pages

J. Kaye at J. Kaye's Book Blog

Drey at drey's library

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Year Published: 1995

My Rating: 5 stars

336 pages

Weight: 14.1 ounces = 0.88125 lb.

I only picked this book up because it was tagged on Shelfari as a music book and the monthly tag for the (Play Book Tag) group for January is music, so I thought I could at least read one music related book!

I started this book planning on reading a couple of pages and then declaring that it's a boring WTF book and throw it aside.. I had every intention to HATE this book, I don't know why!! .. but once I started it I just couldn't put it down!!

It's the story of Rob, a thirty-ish record store owner who was just dumped by his girlfriend Laura.. so he starts the book by listing the five top breakup in his life (his ex-girlfriend is not in those five) !!

He is a very believable guy, flawed, self centered and hopeless! Not to mention a bit scared :)

You just hate to love him but you end up adoring him ;)

The book goes like he is really talking to you, like he is a true down to earth guy who is spilling his guts! It also talks about compilation tapes that were very famous in the 80's which I guess the new generation does not really understand :) this is before the cd's and dvd's!

Boy did I love those tapes !!!

He loves to make top five lists of almost everything imaginable, from best movies, to his parents best movies, to best records, to best club records, just name it!

For those who are into music or even are in the sidelines but were there in the 80's (like me), I truly recommend this fun read!

This book has been done into a movie by the same name starring John Cusack, I'm planning on checking it out the first chance I get. I wonder if it's as good as the book though!

Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris

Year Pulished: 1996

My Rating: 5 stars

214 pages

Weight: 4 ounces = 0.25 lb.

(Cozy Mystery)

This is the first book in the Lily Bard Mysteries series.

Lily Bard is a very efficient cleaning lady living in Shakespeare. When her landlord is murdered she becomes a prime suspect because of her past.

So she tries to prove her innocence by figuring out who the true killer is.

This is a first for me in this series - well since it's the first book - but I found that Lily is a very complex and interesting character who I enjoyed reading about! I enjoyed how she goes about to figuring clues and being very perceptive.

A fast and fun read that will not disappoint! I will be continueing this series which I think totals 5 books :)

Dead To The World By Charlaine Harris

Year Published: 2004

My Rating: 5 stars

320 pages

Weight: 5.6 ounces = 0.35 lb.

This is the forth book of the Southern Vampires series featuring Sookie Stackhouse.

It seems this series just gets better and better, If it was possible to give more than 5 stars i would have done so.
Although I loved all the books in this series till now this is by far the best!

It starts with Sookie going back home from work at night when she finds a naked man running on the side of the road (well he is wearing Jeans but that's all), when whe stops to try to help him she is surprised to find that it is the vampire Eric!
It turns out he has no idea who he is, or what he is doing there.. so she takes hime home..
He is so much different when he is not himself, if you thought he was hot before he is even hotter now!! *fanning myself*
Then Jason goes missing..
A lot of events happen with some action thrown in..

Very highly recommended series :)

These are my reviews for the books I read from this series in order:
1. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
2. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
3. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Others points of view about this book.. :)
Alaine @ Alaine's Reading Blog
Kara @ World According to Books
Beth F @ Beth Fish Reads
.

Exotic Erotica Bundle by Eden Bradley, Jina Bacarr and Delilah Devlin

Year Published: 2008

My Rating: 4 stars

86 pages (ebook format)

Weight: non

This Anthology was made up of 3 short stories:

Invite Me In by Delilah Devlin

It involved a vampire and a succubus enjoying a night together.

Tokyo Rendezvous by Jina Bacarr

Two collegues share some interesting time in the "love hotels" of Tokyo.

Soul Strangers by Eden Bradley

Two stangers meet on the beach at Veracruz, share some time before going their separate ways.

The stories were enjoyable but only if you like erotica!!

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson

Who Moved My Cheese?
An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life

Year Published: 1998

My Rating: 5 stars

96 pages

Weight: 8 ounces = 0.5 lb.

This book is about the story of 2 mice "Sniff" and "Scurry", and two small people "Hem" and "Haw".

They are living in a maze and there main goal is to find "cheese". In the beginning they find it in a Cheese Station and are happy to go there everyday to eat cheese to their hearts content. Then cheese starts to become less and less everyday.

The mice realizing the change, start looking for new places with cheese outside this station, while the "people" not realizing or actually recognizing any change stay where they are until there is absolutly NO cheese.

First they wait for the cheese to come back, then one decides it's time to move on and look for something new..

It's a really nice story with cute characters, that you can apply to your daily life, wheather it's a job, a relationship, a business or anything else. You just need to realize when cheange will happen -because it will- and act before it's too late.

I recommend this book, it's a short story that has so much meaning in it.

Some quotes form the book..

"When you change what you believe, you change what you do."

"Noticing small changes early helps you adapt to the bigger changes that are to come"

"Keep life simple, don't overanalyze or overcomplicate things"

"You should go out of your comfort zone to explore the world and all it's possibilities"

"Time to leave this cheese station and find some new cheese"

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Year Published: 1987

My Rating: 3 stars

288 pages

Weight: 7.2 ounces = 0.45 lb.

This is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel based on the true story of the woman slave named Margaret Garner.

In the novel "Sethe" who after escaping from the plantation "Sweet Home" that abused her, ended up murdering her baby daughter out of love!
Then after years, this daughter comes back as a presence in the house where Sethe lives. After being run out of the house by "Paul D" comes back in person!

I liked the story, but the telling of it bothered me. Going back and forth from past to present, from character to character just kept confusing me.
And some things were just referenced to, so you should assume what it means, I hate that.. I prefer things to be spelled out for me!

I'm planning on seeing the movie after reading this book, the story is strong but the authors style is not to my taste so I guess I will avoid this author from now on!

Other points of view about this book:

Things Mean A Lot
Rhinoa's Ramblings
Aquatique
The Inside Cover
a young lady's book lounge
Rebecca @ Lost in Books
Bluestocking @ The Bluestocking Guide

Lemonade Award

Bella Foxx from Bella is reading . . . has awarded me this delicious award :) so thank you Bella you at sweet :)

The Lemonade Award is for blogs with great attitude and/or gratitude.

Now I'm supposed to pass it on.. and since no specific number of blogs was indicated I will pass it to..

Izzy at another kind of green

Grain de Beaute at The Booklover's Den

Kim at I Smell Books

Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews

Pinkish ♥ at Pinkish ♥

Carpoolqueen at Just Your Average Carpoolqueen

Ladyslott at Ladyslott's BookSpot

RandiLyn at Randi Romance Reader

Heather at Heather's Reading Romance

Natasha at Maw Books Blog

Ramya at Ramya's Bookshelf..

Munched by The Book Muncher at The Book Muncher

5 Minutes for Books at 5 Minutes for Books

Retroredux at Retroredux's Reviews

Jo-Jo at Jo-Jo loves to read!!!

S. Krishna at S. Krishna's Books

eshda3wa at eshda3wa

More Than A Song

Vickie at Vixen's Daily Reads

Vampires, Witches, Weres and All That at Candace's Book Blog

Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx

Published: 1997

Pages: 64

My rating: 4 stars

Weight: 5.6 ounces = 0.35 lb

I saw the movie in 2007 and enjoyed it so I thought I'll give the book a try!

Two cowboys (Jack and Ennis) take a job watching and tending sheep on Brokeback Mountain one summer in the the early 1960s, a friendship buds and turns into love. Then each goes on back to their own life marrying and having kids, but the love they once shared keeps drawing them to each other for the next 20 years!

I liked this short story, not much different than the movie for a change, talking about a taboo topic, specially in those days. For those who are offended by m/m relationships I would not recommend this book.

Although I don't agree with the concept of the story I liked it, and I am definitely straight!!

To read something interesting about writing this book check here ..

Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Published: 2004

Pages: 128

My rating: 2 stars

Weight: 3.5 ounces = 0.21875 lb.

"I changed the color of her eyes according to my state of mind: the color of water when she woke, the color of syrup when she laughed, the color of light when she was annoyed"

"Age isn't how old you are but how old you feel"

"We already are old. What happens is that you don't feel it on the inside, but from the outside everybody can see it"

A nighty-year-old journalist decides to have an adolscent virgin for his birthday, he arranges it with the madam that used to always provide him with what he need. Then a love story starts.

I really thought I would like this book, but unfortunatly the way the conversations are written just got me confused and put off. It's mostly he said/she said! As for the story, too fairy tale for my sake. I mean it took him 90 years to fall in love with someone and when he did he loved a sleeping 14 year old!! Utterly meaningless!

I gave it 2 stars because of some lines I quoted above that I liked. Overall I would not recommend this book!

Other points of view about this book :)

Sandra at Fresh Ink Books

Bethany at B&b

Things Mean A lot

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

My first book of the year 2009 !!

Published: 1952

Weight: 14.4 ounces = 0.9 lb.

Pages: 192 pages

4 stars

Wilbur the pig befriends Charlotte the spider, helping him and educating him, she then tries to save his life.
It was a fun fast read, true it's childrens book but still it was fascinating. I enjoyed the conversations between Wilbur and Charlotte the most.

A really nice book to read specially with your kids :)

Other points of view about this book:
Things Mean A Lot
Nothing of Importance
Becky's Book Reviews
Dog Ear Diary

Butterfly Award

Yvonne from Socrates' Book Reviews has awarded me this gorgeous award "for the coolest blog I ever know".. Thank you very much Yvonne :) you are so sweet!

This is a meme award to be passed on.

The rules are:

1. Post the logo on your blog

2. Add link to the person who awarded it to you

3. Award up to 10 blogs

4. Add links to those blogs in your award post

5. Leave a message for awardee on their blog


These are some of the blogs I really enjoy and want to pass on the award to, although I really hard time in keeping them limited to 10, anyways here they are: (in no specific order)

J.Kaye at J. Kaye's Book Blog

Cindy W at Cindy Reads Romance

SuziQoregon at Blogging My Books

Bella Foxx at Bella is reading . . .

Sadia at 's' is for sadia

emeraldfire at Emeraldfire's Book Nook

Zara at The Stage

Melanie at My Reading Journey

Dar at Peeking Between the Pages

Bunnitaz at Worth Reading It?

What Kind of Reader Are You?

I found this fun quiz at the bookworm and thought I'd give it a try. It was kinda cute :) If you would like to give it a try go here and check it out!!

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader   You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Literate Good Citizen
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

My Favorite 10 Books of 2008!!

Ok this is my list of favorite 10 books of the year.. in no particular order.. I just hope I don't change my mind :)

1. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

2. The Other Boleyn Girl By Philippa Gregory

3. The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks

4. The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory

5. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

6. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

8. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

9. Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

10. Suzanne's Diary For Nicholas by James Patterson

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Finished this on 31 December 2008, this was my 55th book of the year!

Published: 2003

Pages: 288 pages

5 stars

This is the third book in the Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampires) series and it was GREAT, better the the 2 previous ones combined, it was so fast to read the pages just flew. So gripping, exciting and fun of action.

Sookie's boyfriend Bill gets kidnapped, Eric tells her some secrets she was not happy to know then sends a friendly werewolf (with a crazy ex-girlfriend) to help her find him. ACTION, ACTION and more ACTION!

Of course, Sookie gets in some trouble, Eric to the rescue, looking for Bill, Sookie not sure he is still her boyfriend, financial troubles, more action :)

Can't wait to start book 4 !!!

These are my reviews for the books I read from this series in order:
1. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
2. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Other Reviews:
Beth f @ Beth fish Reads
Alaine @ Queen of Happy Endings
Sundcarrie @ Dark Novels