Glistering: B's Blog

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Fall Into Books Giveaway

Welcome to the Fall Into Books Giveaway, hosted by I am A Reader, Not A Writer. This Awesome Group of Authors & Bloggers have partnered with her to bring you this fabulous giveaway. The prize for this group giveaway will be a $250 Amazon.com Gift Code or $250 in Paypal Cash.

Fall Into Books $250 Giveaway
September 23rd to October 15th

Sponsor List

I Am A Reader
Here We Go Again...Ready?
Author Inger Iversen
Simple Wyrdings
Leisure Reads
Books & Benches
Glistering Bs Blog
Kristelle @ Amiabooklover
Lori's Reading Corner
Kelly's Lucky You
Laurie Here - Book Reviews
The Discerning Reader
Unshelfish
Raven Haired Girl
My Book Self
A Tattered Copy
Krysten Lindsay Hager author
Crystal's Chaotic Confessions
Author Niki Danforth
Darcus @ Rainy Days and Pajamas
Stacy Claflin, Author
The Page Unbound
Day dreaming book blogger
Book Crazy Scrapbook Mama
Book Nerd Addict
Ashley Farley
Heather Gray, Author
BookHounds
Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Aubrey Wynne: Romantasy Through the Ages
Diana's Book Reviews
Kimberly's Bookshelf
Laurisa White Reyes, Author
Book Referees
MagicalCoolCatMysteries
Award-winning Author Kim Cresswell
MHDeanCollectibles Book Blog

Giveaway Details

$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card

Ends 10/15/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reviews for The Glister Journals: Bronze
More Glister Journals info at the book's website here: theglisterjournals.com
The Glister Journals: Bronze can be purchased through any bookseller, or purchase now at Amazon.com New edition coming!
Note: All original text and materials by or commissioned by B. B. Shepherd are copyright 2012-2015 to B B Shepherd.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Stuck In Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to Stuck In A Good Book Giveaway Hop hosted by Val at Stuck In Books. I am giving away a $15.00 gift card to the bookstore of your choice.

For this hop I'd like to highlight Marissa Meyer's series, The Lunar Chronicles. The last book I read of this series was Cress, the third book.

Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to the last of the series, Winter, due out in November.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, September 14, 2015

My Winter Reads

With revision of Bronze complete, I had originally hoped that these would be my Fall reads, but Gaiman's American Gods took me far too long to read and I'm reading Percy Jackson now in an attempt to catch up a little - I'm woefully behind on my Reading Challenge! In between, I'm writing daily and as much as I can now that school is back.

I'm currently finishing two books: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, which I have mixed feelings about, and then I'll finish The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente.

Next will be Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I've had this on my To Be Read list for quite a while. When my oldest daughter mentioned she was reading it on Kindle (and loving it) and my son asked if I'd ever heard of it on the same day (he was raving about the miniseries he'd just seen), it got bumped to the top of the list. The book is huge so it's going to take a while!

Two magicians shall appear in England.
The first shall fear me; the second shall long to behold me...

The year is 1806. England is beleaguered by the long war with Napoleon, and centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation's past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very opposite of Norrell. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms the one between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman is a hardback I've had for quite a while but didn't want to read until I'd read American Gods. Now that I've finished it, I'll read this follow-up novel.

Bursting with the imaginative power of Neil Gaiman, this story blends fantasy with humour and drama. Fat Charlie Nancy is not actually fat. He was fat once but he is definitely not fat now. No, right now Fat Charlie Nancy is angry, confused and more than a little scared - right now his life is spinning out of control, and it is all his dad's fault. If his rotter of an estranged father hadn't dropped dead at a karaoke night, Charlie would still be blissfully unaware that his dad was Anansi the spider god. He would have no idea that he has a brother called Spider, who is also a god. And there would be no chance that said brother would be trying to take over his life, flat and fiancée, or, to make matters worse, be doing a much better job of it than him. Desperate to reclaim his life, Charlie enlists the help of four more-than-slightly eccentric old ladies and their unique brand of voodoo - and between them they unleash a bitter and twisted force to get rid of Spider. But as darkness descends and badness begins is Fat Charlie Nancy going to get his life back in one piece or is he about to enter a whole netherworld of pain?

And finally,

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

I enjoyed the first book of this series and look forward to getting back to it.

Have you read these? What did you think? What are you looking forward to reading this winter?

Writing: TGJ Book 2, Chapter 29.

Listening: Civil Twilight - Story of an Immigrant

Reading: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente.

Watching: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and Grantchester

Thursday, September 10, 2015

A Treasure From Dad

I don't often post about personal things, but every once in a while something special happens that affects you deeply and you just have to tell someone. So I'm telling you.

I received a treasure in the mail today. My cousin (in England) sent me a small bible. It was found after his dear mother passed away recently. My dad's younger brother (her husband) must have held on to it for some reason.

The bible is small (about the size of my hand) and I practically need a magnifying glass to read it. As an adult, my dad had beautiful copperplate handwriting, but in several places, in pencil, is "S Bridge" in a childish hand - obviously practicing. There is no date in the book, but I'm going to assume he could have been no more than ten or so. That makes the book from the very early part of the 1900s. The cover is black, engraved, and a very soft leather. I can't begin to say what it means to me.

The timing, as such things often are, is exquisite to me. I was thinking of my dad this morning. I was also thinking of my spiritual history - a rather odd one as neither of my parents were religious at all.

There is a bookmark. A simple slip of aged blank paper. On the same page is another attempt at signature. The book it's in? Joshua.

Joshua is my son's name, and they were extremely close until my dad's death almost 20 years ago. So close that my son named his son's middle name for my dad - Stanley.

Monday, August 31, 2015

Farewell to Summer Cash Giveaway

Farewell to Summer $250 Giveaway - September 1st to 22nd

A wonderful group of authors and bloggers have joined with I Am A Reader, Not A Writer to bring you 1 fabulous prize:

We're giving away $250 in Paypal Cash! Or alternately you can choose a $250 Amazon.com eGift Code!

Sponsor List

I Am A Reader
J.L. Weil
Here We Go Again...Ready?
Taylor Dean Books
LeahSay's Views
Heather Gray, Author
Aubrey Wynne: Romantasy Through the Ages
Diana's Book Reviews
Glistering Bs Blog
Lori's Reading Corner
Simple Wyrdings
Author Deb Atwood
Wishful Endings
Prism Book Tours
Norma's Novels
Bookworm Inkorporated
Crystal's Chaotic Confessions
Kelly's Lucky You
Unshelfish
The Discerning Reader
My Book Self
A Tattered Copy
Raven Haired Girl
Ken Brosky
Carolyn Cooper
Rhonda Paglia ~ "Grammy Pags Stories"
Laurisa Reyes - Author
Author Wendi Sotis
B. Kristin McMichael
Literary Winner
Laurie Treacy, author
Nerd-Girls, Romantics, and Time-Travelers

Giveaway Details

$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card

Ends 9/22/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Back to Books Cash Giveaway

Welcome to the Back to School - Back to Books $250 Cash Giveaway hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
August 17th to September 7th

A wonderful group of bloggers and authors are bringing you one super prize: Winner's choice of $250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com Gift Code.

Sponsor List
I Am A Reader
Author Martha Reynolds
Unshelfish
The Discerning Reader
Raven Haired Girl
DS Venetta ~ Author middle grade fiction
Heather @ Townsend House
Talia Jager, YA Author
Kimber Leigh Wheaton
TMBA Corbett
The Page Unbound
Author MK McClintock
Carolyn Cooper
Kindle and Me
Book Nerd Addict
Live Life Blog
Simple Wyrdings
Krysten Lindsay Hager author
Rockin' Book Reviews
Here We Go Again...Ready?
Ann Swann - Suspense and more
Author Inger Iversen
Crystal's Chaotic Confessions
Bella Street's Time Travel Romance
Bonnie Blythe Pure Romance
Taylor Dean Books
Every Free Chance Books
LeahSay's Views
My Book Self
A Tattered Copy
Glistering Bs Blog
Lori's Reading Corner
Free Bookster
Kelly's Lucky You
Chicas Love to Read
Hall Ways
Bound 4 Escape
Book Reviews and Giveaways
Author Wendi Sotis
MagicalCoolCatMysteries
Laurisa Reyes - Author

Giveaway Details

$250 in Paypal Cash (alternately the winner can choose a $250 Amazon.com Gift Code)

Ends 9/7/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, August 14, 2015

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my entry in the Young Adult Giveaway Hop hosted by Book Hounds. I'm giving away a hardback copy of the first novel of one of my favorite series (US and CAN only). The winner may choose between Cinder by Marissa Meyer, a fairy-tale inspired science fiction story, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, a fantasy set in a Russian inspired world, or The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, a contemporary story with a paranormal touch.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Have you read these yet? If so, which ones and what series would you recommend to me?

a Rafflecopter giveaway