August Wrap-Up (It's a doozy!)

Ever since I came back from vacation, I've been feeling like I'm behind in my reading. I don't know why, I just feel off. I did get some great reads in though:

1. Alpha - Rachel Vincent (5 stars!) - will be posting this review soon :)
2. Awakened by a Kiss - Lila DiPasqua (3.5 stars)
3. White Heat - Brenda Novak (3 stars)
4. Georgia's Kitchen - Jenny Nelson (3 stars)
5. Bring on the Night - Jeri Smith-Ready (5 stars!)
6. Deceived by Desire - Larissa Lyons (3 stars)
7. Comfort Food - Kitty Thomas (5 stars!)
8. Ecstasy Unveiled - Larissa Ione (4 stars)
9. Sin Undone - Larissa Ione (5 stars!)
10. Dangerous Desires - Dee Davis (4 stars)
11. Seduced by a Highlander (4 stars)
12. The Satin Sash - Red Garnier (2 1/2 stars)
13. Never a Bride - Ava Grey ( 2 1/2 stars)

I'd say I had a pretty eclectic month!

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I had a personal milestone this month - my baby started Big Girl School: Pre-K 4, next year is Kindergarten. She's been so excited all summer to start school where her big sister goes. Another milestone, my oldest is a senior in high school this year (he didn't want his picture taken). Here's the Littlest Book Addict in her school uniform:

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August 29 marks the 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As much as I don't want to think about it, it seeps into my mind this time of year. I couldn't figure out why I was thinking so much about it recently and then I looked at a calendar and realized why. I wasn't going to write a post about Katrina this year, I want to forget. I purposely did not write about it on my personal blog either. But I started thinking, and couldn't stop. If you're interested - here's my post about my survivor's guilt.

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This weekend is the Writers for New Orleans author event and multi-author book signing - a few of us are getting together Sat night for drinks and Sunday for brunch at The Court of Two Sisters for brunch before the signing. If you think you'd be interested in either, contact me at bookaddictpatti at cox dot net - we'd love to meet you!!!

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And, totally random but I love it so much I have to show it off - my new purse and wallet:

I did buy it in August so technically it can go with this post :) I love Mexican sugar skull and Dia de los Muertos art, so when I saw this in a shop in the French Quarter I had to have it. It's a small messenger bag - holds my kindle or a book (not both), wallet, checkbook and sunglasses - not too big at all...

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June Wrap Up

Wow, June was a great reading month! I discovered a few new-to-me authors I'm currently stalking ;) Here's the rundown:

1. Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch (5 stars!)
2. The Hell You Say by Josh Lanyon (4 stars)
3. The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare (4 stars)
4. Masked by Moonlight by Nancy Gideon (2 stars)
5. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (5 stars!)
6. Necking by Chris Salvatore (4 stars)
7. Skin Game by Ava Gray (3 stars)
8. Fortunate Harbor by Emile Richards (3 1/2 stars)
9. Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine (3 stars)
10. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta (5 stars!)
11. The Beast in Him by Shelley Laurenston (3 stars)
12. The Mane Squeeze by Shelley Laurenston (4 stars)
13. Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell (3 1/2 stars)
14. Jude in Chains by KZ Snow (4 stars!)
15. When He Was Bad by Shelly Laurenston/Cynthia Eden (3 stars)
16. Knight of Passion by Margaret Mallory (3 1/2 stars)


AND True Blood started again! Woo Hoo!! I'm so thrilled, although Vampire Bill is already getting on my nerves....

Also in June I traveled to Lake Charles to meet 3 other bloggers (my SIL Hannah, Cecile from All I Want and More, and Hell Kat from Paranormal Fantasies). We had a great time and I'm looking forward to seeing Cecile and Hannah again over Labor Day weekend for the Writers for New Orleans event - I contacted the New Orleans area bloggers I'm aware of, but if anyone else lives near New Orleans - think about going!!


Lastly, I received a couple of awards this month:

Julie over at Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks gave me an award - and a very cool award it is:


1. As with any other blog award, you should post it and mention who presented it to you along with a link to their blog. 2. You must then award it to 2 to 5 other bloggers that you have been following for some time and that you find inspirational to your blog. You may want to mention why you chose them, but it’s not necessary. (Feel free to award it to someone who has already won it. They should know how many people are inspired by their work. If you’ve won it before, you don’t have to pass it on again, but you should still mention who gave it to you.) 3. Contact these 2 to 5 bloggers and let them know that you have granted them the “You’re My Inspiration blog award”. (There may even be tears of joy involved…okay, maybe not.)
Who are my inspirational bloggers? There are so many but here are a few:

1. Blodeuedd - she reads such a varied selection of books, her reviews are interesting and she's always so friendly.
2. Cecile - Cecile has got to be the friendliest Book Blogger I've ever met! I don't think there's anyone in the community that doesn't smile when they hear her name.
3. ALPHA Reader - I'm not going to say anything about her because I think at this point I'm a borderline stalker. Okay, I will admit I wish I could write reviews like this chick - she's very, very good.
4. Parajunkee - Parajunkee is a NOLA blogger, so she's got that going for her, but aside from that she's very friendly and I love her helpful posts - I've made several improvements to my blog that I would not have been able to figure out without her.
5. Lea - Lea's got a great blog and I like her reviews. She's friendly with everyone, and Tori is adorable!


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And Christine over at The Happily Ever After Blog gave me this award:



The Award Criteria: This award is awarded to those bloggers who: 1~post almost every day, if not every 2~reply to every comment that's posted 3~just down right LOVE blogging! The Award Rules: Share one extraordinary thing that's happened to you then pass this award to 5 Xxtraordinarly bloggers.

One extraordinary thing that's happened to me, hmmm...that's harder than it sounds! Okay, meeting my husband and having my wonderful children is a given. I'm going to go with something else and say - meeting all you wonderful Book Bloggers! I have a very reserved personality, and am therefore very shy, but being able to "meet" you all online - and talk about books, no less - is something I never would have imagined happening. It's very special to me.

And five bloggers I'm passing this on to:
1. Pattepoilue at One Book Away From Heaven
2. Sullivan McPig at Pearls Cast Before A McPig (I'll admit I'm a lurker but love the posts!)
3. Larissa at Welcome to Larissa's Bookish Life
4. Monroe at Monroe with a Twist5. Tynga over at Tynga's Reviews (she's always got something going on!)


Oh - how could I forget? June 13 was my one year blogiversary! I've done a few giveaways - the last one is ending today - and will announce those winners next week!

So, my June was awesome - how was yours?

May Round-Up

This is the 2nd month in a row I've noticed I'm reading fewer books...I'm not sure where my mojo has gone - my TBR pile is growing!! Here are my May reads:

1. Lover Mine by JR Ward (Vampire Reading Challenge) - 4 stars
2. Last Call- Kamikazee by Moira Rogersh - 4 stars
3. Sanctuary's Price by Moira Rogers - 4 stars
4. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (Vampire Reading Challenge) - 5 stars
5. Dark Deceptions by Dee Davis - 4 stars
6. Tall, Dark and Wolfish by Lydia Dare (New Author Challenge) - 5 stars
7. A Touch of Scandal by Jennifer Haymore - 3 1/2 stars
8. Deception by Diana Palmer - DNF
9. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead (Vampire Reading Challenge) - 5 stars
10. The Master and The Muses by Amanda McIntyre - 4 1/2 stars
11. Sanctuary Unbound by Moira Rogers - 4 1/2 stars
12. Fatal Shadows by Adrien English (M/M Reading Challenge) 3 1/2 stars
13. A Dangerous Thing by Adrien English (M/M Reading Challenge) 4 1/2 stars
14. Ravished by a Highlander by Paula Quinn - 3 1/2 stars
15. Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews - 5 stars

All in all a pretty good month, one DNF but several 4 and 5 star reads!

April Wrap Up

April was a slow month for me (my reviews are linked):

1. Original Sin by Allison Brennan 3 stars
2. Lover Eternal by JR Ward (reread) 4 stars
3. Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs 5 stars
4. Cheating Chance by James Buchanan (M/M) 4.5 stars
5. Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead 5 stars
6. On the Steamy Side by Louisa Edwards 4 stars
7. Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber 4 stars - Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a copy of the book and a $25 Visa gift card here!
8. Mind Games by Carolyn Crane 5 stars
9. Crazy for Love by Victoria Dahl 4 stars
10. Romeo, Romeo by Robyn Kaye (NAC) 4 1/2 stars
11. Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger (M/M) 4 stars
12. Here Kitty, Kitty by Shelley Laurenston 4 stars
13. Too Hot To Handle by Robyn Kaye 4 stars
14. Nothing but Trouble by Rachel Gibson (CRC) 4 stars (review coming soon!)
15. A Certain Wolfish Charm by Lydia Dare (NAC) 5 stars (review coming soon!)

I don't know why I had such a slow month, maybe because I had several great reads and I wanted to savor them? I don't know, but I'm happy with my choices and looking forward to May!

My Reading Challenges stand as follows:
New Author Challenge: 16/15
Vampire Reading Challenge: 4/6
Male/Male Reading Challenge: 2/5
Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge: 9/10
Erotica Reading Challenge:6/10
JD Robb In Death Reading Challenge: 0 (I read the first two and just can't seem to make myself pick them up again. I'm really struggling with this one!)

I'm pleased with my challenges so far (except JD Robb, in that case I feel like a failure, LOL) even though I haven't done reviews for all the books that fall into each challenge, and I do have two self-imposed rules for my challenges: Each book can only fall under one challenge and if it's a series only one book in the series can be in the challenge.

So, that was April - how was yours?