ON A READING SPREE PLUS A GIVEAWAY

Due to the hot weather and laziness on my part, I’ve done a lot of reading this past month.  With all the attention to the 150th anniversary of the beginning on the U.S. Civil War, I became interested in a book recommended by Smithsonian Magazine The Lady Nurse of Ward E, by Amanda Akin.  The Smithsonian has an exhibit based on Ms. Akin and her diary which you can read about here. 



Personally, I like to learn about events in history as they affect the women who also lived during that time.  This book fit the bill.

On the lighter side, Janet Evanovich’s, Smokin’ Seventeen is the 17th in a series about Stephanie Plum, oftentimes inept bounty hunter, and her madcap co-workers, family and friends.  This author can really crack me up.  When I laugh out loud while reading, my husband wonders if I'm going crazy.



This particular book was not quite as funny as some of the previous volumes, but it had plenty of humor and an exciting love scene.

Next I read Charlaine Harris, Dead Reckoning, a Sookie Stackhouse Novel.  You can  read Chapter 1 at http://www.charlaineharris.com/DeadReck_1.html



This series of books is the basis of the True Blood HBO television series, however the television writers don’t particularly follow the story line of the books which is usually the case.  I started reading this series before True Blood because I had read some of this authors mystery books in the past and liked them.  I met author at a Mystery Book Convention in Dallas several years ago and really liked her personality, friendly and funny.

Finally, I read The Goodbye Quilt written by Susan Wigg.  I’ve never read any of her novels before, and I can’t really remember where I heard or read about her being a writer with story lines involving quilts, but I gave it a try.  It was a quick read about a mother and daughter’s trip to college for the first time.  Of course, Mom felt the tug of “empty nest syndrome” and wondered how her little bird will handle being away from home for the first time.  I’m sure some of you have gone through this part of life or are about to this Fall.  And yes, there is quilting involved.


Because it’s too hot to do anything but sew and read at my house, and possibly at yours too, I am giving away my copy of this book to one of my blog readers.  Let’s call it the “Hot as H_LL in July” giveaway.  To enter,  just leave a comment on this blog entry by no later than midnight C.S.T. on Saturday, July 16th  (SORRY FOR THE MIX UP - IT'S THE 23RD not the 16th).   I will draw a lucky number out of the basket on Sunday.  Leave any kind of comment, like what you are doing during these hot summer days, or that you are somewhere where it is not hot, or what you are working on, or whatever.

Sew leave me a comment to enter the giveaway,