Mailbox Monday

Thanks to Marcia @ The Printed Page, we get to share what books were in our mailbox the previous week. Here's mine...

From BookMooch:

Wyoming Wildflower - Pam Crooks
Bodine's Bounty - Charlene Sands
The Angel and the Outlaw - Kathryn Albright
Midnight Marriage - Victoria Bylin
A Marriage by Chance - Carolyn Davidson
Rocky Mountain Widow - Jillian Hart
Rocky Mountain Man - Jillian Hart
Montana Man - Jillian Hart
Confessions of a Good Christian Girl - Tammy Maltby

From PBS:

Second Chance - Jane Green
Under the Duvet - Marian Keyes
You Have to Kiss a Lot of Frogs - Laurie Graff

Not as many as usual! I'm trying to cut back...I have way too many books lying around waiting to be read. :o)

Another Contest for a B&N Gift card!

Lori @ Lori's Reading Corner is giving away a $10 gift card to 2 lucky winners! Head on over to her blog to find out how to enter...and...earn extra entries. Good luck everyone! :o)

Blog Award ~ Who Love's You Baby!

This award was designed with one purpose in mind ~ pass it on to other bloggers who have awarded you in the past.

I just found this award at J. Kaye's Book Blog. I am passing it on to the one special person who has seen fit to present me with not one, but two, blog awards in the last week or so. That person is...drum-roll please...

Renee @ Steeler Girl's Blog!!

Thank you so much, Renee, for being a wonderful friend, as well as, a very patient blog instructor! I love you, girl! You're the best! :)

Camy's Awesome Giveaway ~ 14 BOXES of books + more!!

Hurry on over to Camy's Loft for a chance to win a BOX of books, or a copy of her latest release Deadly Intent. There will be 24 winners in all! The contest ends tomorrow, August 31st, so don't dilly-dally around ~ get over there right away! Good Luck! :)

Show Me Five Saturday meme

I just discovered another fun meme at Pudgy Penguin Perusals ~ the meme was created by That's a Novel Idea:


Here's how it works:

Each Saturday you'll post the answers to these questions. The number indicates the number of answers you should provide.

1. Book you read and/or reviewed this week

2. Words that describe the book

3. Settings where it took place or characters you met

4. Things you liked and/or disliked about it

5. Stars or less for your rating?

This meme gives us an opportunity to share a brief description of a book we've read/reviewed this week. Doesn't that sound like fun? I'm hoping to start posting reviews on my blog real soon...maybe this will help me build up enough courage to try the "real" thing! :)

Here's mine for this week:

1. Book read - Montana Rose by Mary Connealy

2. Words describing it - witty, heartwarming

3. Places and/or Characters - Cassie (reluctantly obedient), Red (a wonderful, caring, hovering husband), and Belle (she's one tough chick!)

4. Things I liked and/or disliked - I liked that the characters are very well-written ~ it's like you're right there with them; I liked that there is never a dull moment ~ I read the book in a couple of hours!; I disliked Belle's husband (and I use this word loosely!), Anthony ~ what a loser!; I disliked Mort (Wade's Dad), too ~ what a sorry, low-down excuse for a man!

5. Stars or less - Absolutely 5 STARS!! I loved this book!

Be sure to visit the blog's mentioned above to read what others thought about the books they read this week. Have fun!

50/50 Competition

Miss Eliza @ Strange and Random Happenstance is celebrating her 50th post PLUS reaching her 50th Follower! Congratulations Miss Eliza! :)


Here's what she had to say about her competition:

So this here post, the one you are reading right now, at least I hope you are reading it, is officially my 50th post. To commemorate this wondrous feat (at least to me), I am announcing my first ever competition! I've been storing up book swag and loot for awhile now and have been waiting for a suitably grand occasion. Right now you are probably thinking, whatever the occasion, just get to the prizes, and I'm getting there...so prizes you asked? You probably guessed it by the lovely picture above, but the prize is a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble! You know you want it! All those books you could get....Now onto "THE RULES."

The Rules:

1. Open to EVERYONE, just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter.
2. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if your name is drawn, either your blogger profile or a link to your website/blog or you could even include your email address with your comment(s).
3. Contest ends Monday, August 31st at 11:59PM CST
4. How to enter:

Answer me this: In honor of the end of summer and the beginning of another school year...What is your favorite Summer Read? Doesn't have to have been read this summer, but what book evokes the true spirit of summer to you? Harry Potter perhaps? Charlotte's Web by chance? A thriller verses a classic? A true beach read? I want to know!

5. And for those addicted to getting extra entries:

• +1 for answering the question above
• +2 for becoming a follower
• +5 if you are already a follower (yes you lucky 5 people you!)
  
• +10 for each time you advertise this contest - blog post, sidebar, twitter (please @MzLizard), etc. Also please leave a link!

Also, as extra special incentive...if, by some great stroke of luck I hit 50 followers, which really is beyond my wildest dreams, I will include something extra. I little bookaholic surprise if you will....Good luck and I can't wait to read you answers!

This is going to be fun! Please pay Miss Eliza a visit, and enter her competition!
Good Luck! :)

My Favorite Cover

This week my choice is:

Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater
(this is Book 1 in her new series, The Callahans of Texas)

Jenna Callahan has a young son and rewarding work on her father's ranch. She's content. But she never expected to see Nate Langley back in town--the first guy she noticed, the one her father sent away all those years ago. And she never thought the attraction they felt would be as strong as ever. Jenna's cowboy has some healing of his own to do, though, after two tours of duty in the armed forces. With the help of good friends, strong faith, and a loving family, he hopes to put the horrors of the past behind him--and become the man Jenna deserves. With an emphasis on simple acts of love, Jenna's Cowboy gives romance readers what they want most: a love story with a Texas touch.

Jenna held her breath as he climbed out of the pickup and slowly walked around the front of it. Wow . . . He wasn't the six foot tall, rangy cowboy she used to know. This man was all muscle. His snug, blue, short-sleeved T-shirt emphasized his physique. She had to force herself not to stare at his broad shoulders and thick, solid arms. He moved fine, so he must not have suffered any permanent injury to his leg. A pink scar on the back of his forearm stood out against his dark tan, but it didn't seem to bother him. He crossed his arms and leaned against the truck fender with a smile, his silver-gray eyes twinkling. Jenna's heart skipped a beat. How could his eyes have gotten even more beautiful? He scanned the jack waiting near the right rear of the pickup, the tire-iron still hanging on a lug-nut, and the spare tire lying on the ground. As he brushed a strand of light sandy brown hair off his forehead, his gaze flickered to the ice cream before meeting hers. "Refueling?" She laughed and stood, walking over to meet him. "I couldn't get the tire off, and the ice cream was melting. Didn't see any sense in wasting it." Setting the carton in the truck bed, she swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "Welcome home." Something flashed in his eyes, then he lowered his arms and straightened, taking a step closer. "Don't I get a hug?" Was his voice a little thicker? Jenna hesitated for a second, then chided herself. This was Nate, her friend. And he was home safe and sound. Quick tears stung her eyes. Thank you, Lord. "You bet."

WOW! I. Can. Not. Wait. To. Read. This. Book!!!! It sounds SO GOOD!! It releases in January 2010. Be sure to watch for it!

(I got permission from Jen @ So Many Books...So Little Time to use her "Cover Attraction" idea.)

Friday Fill-Ins ~ #1

I found this weekly meme at Lori's Reading Corner last week, and it sounded like fun!




1. He was the last person I wanted to see.

2. Cooler temperatures is what I look forward to most this time of year.

3. My best friend online is...Renee...my best friend "in person" is...my hubby!! :)

4. I'm so hungry right now to be honest with you.

5. Appearances can be what leads us to our first-impression of someone/something.

6. The last person I gave a hug to was my Mom (on Wednesday).

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hopefully eating dinner out with my hubby, tomorrow my plans include watching my hubby & friends put roof trusses on his shop and Sunday, I want to spend as much time reading as I can!