25 Days of Jubilation!

What is the 25 Days of Jubilation?
It is a blog tour of sorts to celebrate giving and the holiday spirit. For 25 days, a different blog will post something to their liking along with a giveaway. It is a great way to find new bloggers and just have fun!

Event hosts:Cyndi at Dog-Eared & BookmarkedJacinda at The Reading Housewives Yani at The Secret Life of an Avid Reader

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It is going to be a busy, busy thirty days for many of us.  This event is just a great easy-going way to celebrate!  Just sit back and spend the next 25 days visiting great blogs and entering giveaways!

Make sure to visit all of the blogs participating!  They each will be hosting a giveaway, many of them being international!  Here is the schedule for the event!  Feel free and bookmark this page and visit often!

Thursday, December 1st:
Christian at Goldilox and the Three Weres

Friday, December 2nd:
Molly at Surrounded By Words

Saturday, December 3rd:
Meridith at Mint Tea and A Good Book

Sunday, December 4th:
Sandie at Teen Lit Rocks

Monday, December 5th:
Shannon at Books Devoured

Tuesday, December 6th:
Bex at Becky’s Barmy Book Blog

Wednesday, December 7th:
Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian

Thursday, December 8th:
Jen at In the Closet with a Bibliophile

Friday, December 9th:
Sara O. at The Librarian Reads

Saturday, December 10th:
Ginger at GReads!

Sunday, December 11th:
Asheley at Into the Hall of Books

Monday, December 12th:
Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews

Tuesday, December 13th:
Heidi at YA Bibliophile

Wednesday, December 14th:
Jess at Gone with the Words

Thursday, December 15th:

Lisa at Lisa Is Busy Nerding

Friday, December 16th:
Jen D. at Not now…I’m Reading!

Saturday, December 17th:
Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner

Sunday, December 18th:
Andrea at The Busy Bibliophile

Monday, December 19th:
Karis at YA Litwit & Sarah at Workaday Reads

Tuesday, December 20th:
Katelyn at Katelyn’s Blog

Wednesday, December 21st:
Ruby at Ruby’s Reads

Thursday, December 22nd:
Jac at For Love and Books

Friday, December 23rd:

Asher at Paranormal Indulgence

Saturday, December 24th:
Nikki at Books Most Wanted

Sunday, December 25th:
Merry Christmas!

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Also, make sure to use the hashtag #25DaysofJ when tweeting about the event on Twitter!

Cyndi on Twitter Jacinda on Twitter Yani on Twitter 

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BUT WAIT!  That’s not all.  Stop by our gracious hostesses blogs to sign up for a super awesome giveaway.  It may or may not involve a Kindle and tons of books.  Piqued your interest, have I?  Here are the links again:  Cyndi at Dog-Eared & Bookmarked Jacinda at The Reading Housewives Yani at The Secret Life of an Avid Reader  Go on now.
Gets to signin’ up.
Good luck and see ya on the 16th!

I Gots Winners!!

First up is the winner of  the Bout of Books 2.0 Match the Urban Fantasy Hero(ine) to their Faithful Sidekick Challenge.  Apologies for the delay in announcing the winner for this.  It got hectic.  Anywhoozle, the winner is:

EVENING-GREEN

I'll be sending an e-mail your way shortly.

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Next up we have the winners of the Penny Watson Giveaway.  They are...

Ladies I, as well as Penny, will be sending e-mails your way shortly.  A big thanks to Penny and Oskar for the giveaway and interview!

Plinky Question of the Day

The Plinky Question of the Day is a weekly feature I added to the blog to get to know you guys better and vice versa.  Sometimes the questions will deal with books or reading but, most of the time they won’t.  Because, let’s face it, there’s more to us than what we read.

 

Seeing as how we’re in the midst of Thanksgiving weekend, today’s question is:  What are you most thankful for?

 

Since I’m all about lists, here’s the top 10 things I’m most thankful for:

 

1. Family (Yes even the crazy ones)
2. Friends (They make each day that much more cooler)
3. My honey bunny  (Better than sliced bread I tell ya)
4. My job (I not only love what I do but, I love who I work with)
5. My books (That one I’m guessing is obvious)
6. The book blogging community (Each and every one of you is fanfreakintastic)
7. Music and the people that make it (It always helps me get through the awesome and not so awesome times)
8. My sense of humor (Because like music, it’s help me get through awesome and not so awesome times)
9. My Mom’s Café con Leche  (My favorite comfort food)
10. Rainy days  (Because without them we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the sunny ones)

 

Your turns.  What are you most thankful for?

Walking Dead Wednesdays

Ash and I are back it with our recap of episode 6 of The Walking Dead.  We had a grand ol' time with this week's episode.  Stop by and share your thoughts or stop by and have a laugh.  See you there!

Plinky Question of the Day

The Plinky Question of the Day is a weekly feature I added to the blog to get to know you guys better and vice versa.  Sometimes the questions will deal with books or reading but, most of the time they won’t.  Because, let’s face it, there’s more to us than what we read.

 

Are there any languages you wish you could speak?

 

Hi guys!  Long time no see!  I’ve missed you and your kick ass Plinky answers.  Work kicked my ass the last couple of weeks and I was on vacation last week but, I’m back and ready to get down with some Plinky goodness.  Hope you guys are too.  Okay so here’s my answer.  Yes, I wish I could speak the following languages fluently:

 

Portuguese 

 

Italian

 

French

 

All three languages draw me in and make want to totally start taking classes to learn them.  Something about the way they sound totally fascinates me.

 

 

How about you guys?  What other languages would you like to speak?

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!Obrigado pela visita!Grazie per aver visitato il!Merci pour votre visite!

Walking Dead Wednesdays

I'm back from vacation and over at Smash Attack Reads! with some fun, live commentary for episode 5 of The Walking Dead.  Click on the banner and come on down so you can share your thoughts.

Character Interview and Giveaway: Oskar Klaus

Hello party people!  Juju and I are super stoked to have Oskar Klaus with us here today.  Oskar is the main character in Penny Watson’s Sweet Magik, the second book in her Klaus Brothers series.  You can find Juju’s review of Sweet Magik here and my review is over here.  So without further ado, please give it up for Oskar Klaus!

Jen:  Hi Oskar!  Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me and Juju bombard you with questions.  *grin*  We promise to make it as painless as possible.

Juju:  It says here that you are the head of Elfin Resources, how many elves do you oversee?

Oskar:  Hi Juju! Merry Christmas! Yeah, my job's a toughie....overseeing hundreds of elves in Glasdorf (our hidden town in the North Pole). I have to make sure they get their work done on time, so my dad can get the presents delivered all over the world. The elves are easily distracted...by beer, by ZZ Top music, by dart competitions, by beer, by curling contests....did I mention they love beer?

Jen:  Beer and ZZ Top is a dangerous combination.  I can see why you’d have a hard time keeping them focused.  What's the most rewarding part of your job?  What's the most frustrating?

Oskar:  Hi Jen! Happy Holidays to you! Hmm....the most rewarding part of my job is hanging out with my brothers and parents in the North Pole, and helping out the elves and their families. Klaus Enterprises is a family business...we all pitch in. Dad is CEO and delivery guy. My brother Nicholas is in charge of Christmas cookies and sweets. Sven is the master toy builder (and a hippy!). Gregor's the financial guru of the family, and Wolfie makes sure needy children are taken care of during the holidays. We have a great time working together. And the elves, in spite of being a huge pain in the arse sometimes, are also pretty cool. They make the magic of Christmas happen, so I can't complain about them too much.

The most frustrating part of my job is getting the guys back to work after an all-night party at Dag's Bar. Elves get really crabby when they're hung over. It can get ugly.

Juju:  So I'm dying to know, how many tattoos do you have? Which is your favorite?

Oskar:  I stopped counting a long time ago. I have a lot. Lots of snowflakes, the Klaus Family emblem on my bicep (holly and ivy with the letter "K" in the middle), cool designs and warding symbols from my elf buddies, and I think I might have one of Spongebob somewhere on my back. I forget. But my favorite is the newest one....inspired by Kiana. It's a little mermaid.

Jen:  I love a man with tattoos.  *sigh*  That Kiana’s a lucky girl.  *blink blink*  Um, sorry.  I didn’t realize I was talking out loud.  *blushes*  Go ahead Juju.

Juju:  If your story was made into a movie, which actor would you like to play you?

Oskar:  I've been told I look a little bit like Bradley Cooper. If he dyed his hair green.

Jen:  Bradley Cooper, huh?  This moment just gets better and better.  Okay so we know (and love) that you're quite the book enthusiast.  Who is your favorite author?  Which is your favorite book?

Oskar:  Oh geez! That's a hard question. Not sure if I can pick just one..... I read everything...biographies, poetry, fiction. I love mysteries and horror, too. My latest reads have been "The Hunger Games" trilogy, "Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life With John F. Kennedy" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." I'm also looking forward to Stephen King's newest book, "11/22/63." They're all good!

Jen:   I just read The Hunger Games trilogy myself and loved it!  Snowboarding is on the top of my bucket list of sports to try.  What are some tips for people, such as myself, who want to give snowboarding a try?

Oskar:  Snowboarding is the best! You just need the right frame of mind. Don't be afraid of falling or messing up. Have fun. Have some experienced snowboarders with you to help out. Make sure you have plenty of hot chocolate and cookies for sustenance. You'll love it!

Jen:  Thanks for the advice.  I’ll keep that in mind if I ever get the chance to hit the slopes.  =)  So how many times have you actually dyed your hair?  Which one has gotten the most reaction?

Oskar:  I've been dying my hair different colors for years. I've tried pumpkin orange for Halloween, pastels for Easter, red, white and blue on July 4th, and of course green for anytime of the year. My best dye job was Christmas 2007, when I had holly leaves and berries. My mom loved that one!

Juju:  Last but not least, tell everyone why they should pick up a copy of Sweet Magik?

Oskar:  Thanks, Juju! Well, Sweet Magik is obviously important to me since I meet the love of my life.....a sweet librarian who has been hurt in the past, and is afraid of love. It's up to me to convince her to take a chance with a snowboarding punk. This story has magic and romance and suspense, and of course, a lot of ornery elves. It's the perfect Christmas tale!

A HUGE thank you to Oskar for stopping by to hang out with us and a HUGE thank you to Penny for letting us borrow him!

Because Penny pretty much rocks, she's offering up two copies of Sweet Magik for our giveaway.  And seeing as how Penny left me feeling all warm and fuzzy with holiday spirit I'm going to throw in two copies of Sweet Inspiration, the first book in the Klaus Brothers series.  What does that mean for you guys?  It means two winners will receive book 1 AND 2 in the Klaus Brothers series.  Woohoo!  All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

GOOD LUCK!!

Review: Sweet Magik by Penny Watson

Title:  Sweet Magik
Author:  Penny Watson
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date:  November 2011
Series/Standalone:  Book 2 in the Klaus Brothers series
Cover Artist:  Kim Mendoza
Who/What/Why/Where/How:  Review copy provided by author.







Cover Blurb
Oskar Klaus' job is killing him.  Not even his favorite hobbies (extreme snowboarding and browsing old bookstores) are enough to snap him out of his funk.  It's not easy living in the shadow of four successful older brothers and a father named Santa.  Little does he know that a kiss on New Year's Eve is about to turn his life upside-down.

Kiana Grant's Manhattan life is a world away from her childhood in Oahu.  She traded sunsets and surfing for a respectable career in library science, but Oskar Klaus is a temptation that's hard to resist.  Before she knows it, she's in the midst of an outrageous adventure in the North Pole, dealing with mischievous elves, wicked demons, and a devastating attraction to Santa's youngest son.

There's just one problem...a bitter elf hell-bent on revenge threatens the future of everyone in the North Pole, even Santa himself...


Review:
I really enjoyed Sweet Inspiration, the first book in this series, so when Juju from Tales of Whimsy asked if I wanted to participate in a book review and character interview for Sweet Magik I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

I’m just going to come right out and say it.  I LOVED this story.  It had a little bit of everything:  action, adventure, mystery, romance and plenty of fan yourself moments.  The fact that a tattooed, spiky haired, bad boy with a heart of gold is the hero is a very nice added bonus.  I see you scratching your heads and wondering how a Christmas themed, paranormal romance can have all the things I’ve listed and still make you feel all warm and fuzzy.  This is the part where I praise Penny.  She’s created this amazing world that pulls you in with characters that make you want to root for them and cheer when things work themselves out.  Most importantly, she infuses her stories with the things, I think, are the most important parts of holiday spirit:  family, love and friendship.

I could go on and on and tell you to go out and buy yourselves a copy RIGHT NOW but, Oskar Klaus will be stopping by tomorrow for a character interview and a giveaway.  So make sure you stop by for your chance to win.


Favorite lines/scenes
One of my favorite scenes is when Oskar is teaching Kiana how to snowboard.  Oh and definitely the shower scene.  *fans self*


Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars


Series Info:
Sweet Inspiration
Sweet Magik
Sweet Adventure (Release date TBA)


Author Info:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads


Also Reviewed By:
Tales of Whimsy
Smitten with Reading

Walking Dead Wednesdays

'Ello lovelies!  Smash Attack Ash and I are back with the recap for episode 3 of The Walking Dead.  All I can really say is 'Holy Shite!'.

Tune in Tuesday

This weekly meme is hosted by Ginger at GReads and is meant to showcase another passion:  music. Each week you can post an old or new song so that it gains more interest or is discovered by new ears.  So let's help Ginger spread our love of music.  Oh and don't forget to submit a link to your post over on Ginger's site by clicking on the banner.

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It should come as no surprise that last week was difficult.  When I say difficult I mean I wanted to punch fools in the face.  When I say fools I mostly mean my boss.  During times like these I like to throw on things that will soothe my frazzled nerves. Here are some of the men that calm me during my times of strife.



Let's Just Kiss by Harry Connick, Jr.

Me and Mrs. Jones by Michael Buble

The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra

Kick back, relax and enjoy!