M.I.A... DUE TO......

Okay, maybe I'm biased... but is she not the CA-UTEST THING???!! 

Here's what happened.

Remember I said I was starting to learn how to train dogs for movies and TV?  Well, my mentor/trainer suggested I foster dogs from a rescue organisation that rescues dogs from kill shelters in Mexico and the US, I had already thought of doing that already, but when she suggested this one place I went to their website.. And that's when I saw this picture:

My immediate thought was... SERIOUSLY a great look for movies/tv and commercials, and also POOR LITTLE THING!  She was found in a box with her puppies (who did not make it) on the streets of Cabo and from there she went to the humane society in Cabo and then a foster home in Mexico.  When I emailed the place about her, they said she already had a foster to adopt situation.  I was so dissappointed, I just knew she was my dog, I can't explain it.  So I got very sad, kept her picture and moved on.  Meanwhile my mentor had noticed her too and thought the same thing.  ANYway, so then we were waiting to take in a new foster named Peanut, a very cute dog, but we were definately not going to keep him, we were just going to foster.  The night before he was due to arrive in Canada from LA the organisation emailed me to say they had found him a foster/adopt person, and I was thrilled for little Peanut!  And then...

They said that "Shorty" was available!  (that was the name they gave her) and that her adoption in Calgary was not working out....

I IMMEDIATELY said I would take her in and that we would consider adopting her, depending on how things went (the other owner said she had food agression issues, which she DOES NOT).  ANYway, I picked her up on Tuesday and yesterday after we met with my mentor/trainer and she LOVED her and worked with her a bit and said she was EXCEPTIONALLY smart for training and in general and that if I did not take her she would... I came home and we officially adopted her.

Her name is PIPER and she is just SO SWEET, and very very smart indeed.  She gets along very well with our two girls, our crotchety old cat, and our 9 year old dog... like she was just meant to be there!  She is around 1 years old and we are sooo happy! 

So that is why I have not been on my blog!  But I will be back up and posting next week. 

Have a terrifac weekend!

Blogger burnout!... blah... and CLUE #4!

Hello all,
I realize I have been pretty quiet around here lately.  I have to admit to having a bit of blogger burn-out.  And even worse, I have been hit with reading burn-out as well.  Lately I have been feeling like my book blog has become exactly what I DIDN'T want it to become... like a job that I do not get paid for.  I have a large stack of review books to read (btw, if you are a publisher or author please read my review policy as I am not accepting any books for review at this time), and the pressure is on.  In the future I definately will not be participating in anymore blog tours, the pressure is just too much to get the book read by a certain deadline on top of all of the other reading that I have to do by release dates etc.  Most of the books are pretty good, some I even have LOVED, but some just make me plain old cranky.  How is it even possible that I could resent reading?  A passion I have had my entire life!  So, I have decided that after my current commitments are done I will revert back to reading for pure pleasure and reviewing the books that I have chosen. 

I have also been super busy getting involved with a new phase in my career which is dog training for movies and television, as well as general dog behaviour training.  A lot of my reading has been about this topic, and it is fascinating and I LOOOOVE IT! 

Now, as for Phil, my first AD friend who worked on Pillars of the Earth?  He is currently working on a film in Calgary (where I live) so I am going to be working around his schedule to get that vlog interview done!  Can't wait to hear what he has to say!  Ken Follett was on set a TON, apparently, and it is always interesting hearing about the author's involvement on a movie made from their book.  When I worked on The Assassination of Jesse James, Ron Hansen, was on set for about 2 weeks, and even had a cameo in the film!  He was very polite and didn't have any input, he just really enjoyed watching his words being spoken by Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck and the like. 

ANYway, on to CLUE #4!!!!  And if you do not know what the clue business is all about you can read about it and sign up for it here

Here is THE CLUE:      The Super Secret YA novel is about PARANORMAL shinanigans.

You can submit your guess here... only one guess per week please!

GOOD LUCK!

The Super Secret

REVIEW: IT'S NOT SUMMER WITHOUT YOU

Hardcover: 288 pages

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (April 27 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416995552
ISBN-13: 978-1416995555



This book was sent to me from Michelle at Simon and Schuster Canada, THANK YOU MICHELLE!!!!

This is a very nicely written story about young love, and the enchantment of a summer place some of us may have had in our youth. Mine was a teeny tiny place in Saskatchewan called Goodsoil, and the boy in question was Steven. But I digress…. Because this post is sooo not about ME and sooo about the book. But what I am basically saying is if you had a summer place you vacayed to and a boy that happened to be attached to said place, than you probably will enjoy this book.

Apperantly this is a sequel to a book called “The Summer I turned Pretty”. Belly is still in love with Conrad and at the beginning of the book we find out that her mom’s beloved bestfriend, Susannah has died. This throws the whole entire lot of them in complete chaos. Conrad and his brother Jeremiah are grieving, as is Belly. In reponse to his grief Conrad disappears, and Jeremiah enlists Belly to help him find him.

This book was very well written and a great story for YA. Reading it in the middle of winter definitely has its advantages because as I am freezing my naughty bits off in Canada, I am on a warm beach with the wind in my hair breathing the musky smoke of a campfire. It packed with plenty of teenage angst, but not roll-your-eyes as in “as if” kind of way, but in a way that is believable. And one of the most annoying trends in YA that I have found so far is the contrived lack of parental figures in the books. But this one is not like that. Belly’s mother is only absent in spirit as she is devastated by the loss of her friend, but her relationship with Belly is solid and she is very much involved with Belly’s life.

I loved the ending, LOVED. It was very satisfying and rounded out the whole story nicely. I would be interested to hear from people who have read the first book and now this one? I have to say that I did not find out until AFTER I read it that it was a sequel, and it didn’t matter one bit. It does fine as a stand-alone book.

RATING: 3/5

REVIEW: MISTRESS OF ROME AND GIVEAWAY!

Mistress of Rome
by Kate Quinn
Paperback: 480 pages

Publisher: Berkley (TRD); Original edition (April 6 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425232476


First of all, I would like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to Kaitlyn of Berkley (Penguin Group) USA for sending me an ARC of this book!


Reading this book is like watching a great mini-series on television. It has it all; love, lust, murder,gladiators, courtesans, emperor, you name it this book has it! I have to admit when I first opened the book and started reading, I was surprised at the modern contemporary language in it. I decided to not let that bother me and continued reading with an open mind. Well, I can say with no hesitation whatsoever that I..... LOVED.... IT! This was a book that I could not put down. I was reading every single spare minute that I had, and when I closed the cover at the very end I ran to my computer to rave about it to Kaitlyn, who sent it to me, and to everyone on my plus 500 facebook list. Kate Quinn knows how to write a good story, filled with suspense, unrequited love, politics, and some history thrown in for good measure.

Often times in novels with fairly complicated plots you will find holes everywhere you look. There were none, in my opinion, in Quinn's book. Everytime there was a twist or turn, or someone was murdered -- and even how they were murdered -- it made sense. Each plot twist or turn was believable as was all of the politics of the day.

The story begins with Thea, a slave girl of an evil royal named Lady Lepida. (Oh how  Lady Lepida is fun to hate!) Thea and Lady Lepida are regulars at the gladiator games, and one thing I love about Quinn's tale is how she describes the actual games... very exciting and just like a film rolling in front of your eyes. Eventually, Thea catches the eye of the Emperor, a ruthless yet charismatic ruler who lords over all with an iron fist. Enter Arius. Arius is a hulking gladiator who rises to the number one fighter in the history of the games. Fate brings Thea and Arius together, but their time together is not to be. Wrenched apart by circumstances beyond their control, Thea is destined to be the emperor's toy, and Arius is destined to be pounded into the bloody sand day after day rising to his feet with a heavy heart and only one name on his lips.... Thea.

Will they ever meet again? Will Thea break her slave bonds forever?

This book is a sweeping tale that will have you reading feverishly into the night. Quinn successfully leads the reader from chapter to heart pounding chapter until you reach the breathtaking final pages.

RATING: 5/5

Now for the giveaway portion!  Berkley Group has generously offered to giveaway one copy of Mistress of Rome to one lucky winner (open to the US only please!) 

To enter just fill out this form, and for extra points post about it in your sidebar, tweet about it, or post an actual entry about it!  The contest ends April 30th at midnight MST.  Good luck!!!

IMPORTANT!!!!! FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT TOOK A GUESS YESTERDAY!

I have revised the form for CLUE #3 to include your name and email address!!  Those of you that guessed the identity of the Super Secret YA novel had no place to leave your name or email so I am unable to credit you with your 10 entries!!!! 

PLEASE VISIT HERE and submit your SAME answer and other details listed!


SORRY ABOUT THAT!  And have a GREAT WEEKEND!

HORRIBLE BLOG TOUR STOP! Winner of COWBOY AND WILLS , and Clue #3!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Horrid Henry's Joke Book  (Trade Paperback 112 pages  $4.99US/$5.99 CAN) is an extremely fun little book!  Especially if you have read any of the books from the series, as the characters from the books interact throughout.  The illustrations are by Tony Ross adn are very cute!

We had a great time reading jokes to eachother every night, what a fun thing to do as a family!  I mean, what's a joke but to be shared, right?

Our personal favourites were at the back labelled :  Jokes Much To Rude To Tell Mom... lots of bursting out laughing and simultaneously saying, "Ewwwww!" 

For more information on the fantastic book for kids click here!   

A great book for young and old to enjoy!  And to celebrate the launching of this great little laugh riot, I have 3 HORRID HENRY posters to giveaway!  Contest is open to everyone, and will end on April 15th, midnight MST.  Just leave your comment and way to contact you to enter!

THE THREE WINNERS OF THE SIGNED COPY OF COWBOY AND WILLS ARE:

CINDY!!!

KIM!!!

AND

MANNA B!!!

Congratulations to you all!! I have notified you all via email and blog if you have one, please contact me by Tuesday April 5th with your mailing address so I can then send it off to Monica! 

Thank you so much for entering, I KNOW you will LOOOVE it!


Now, an update on the Book Blab MEGA GIVEAWAY!  A total of 8 people have correctly identified the book and now have an additional 10 ENTRIES added to their total for a chance to win the $50 of books from The Book Depository!  (Remember, when we hit 400 followers that goes up to $75, and if we make it to 500 followers the grand prize winner will recieve $100 worth of books of their choice from The Book Depository, PLUS a copy of the Super Secret YA Novel!!!!!!  So tell all your friends and lets give away THE MAXIMUM!!!!   If you want to register for the giveaway just click here and enter... then when you see the post title with the word CLUE in it, you can then have a guess at what the Super Secret book is for an extra 10 entries in the drawing on May 4th!!!! 

Here is Clue # 3:

On the cover of the Super Secret YA novel is a human and an animal.......

Hmmmmm.....

Click here to take your guess!

Have a WONDERFUL Easter!