The Kari AnnAlysis

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In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started by Kristi at The Story Siren as In My Mailbox. It gives us book lovers a chance to show off our goodies we got for the week.

Earlier this week, I was in the middle of three books and one audio book. I wasn’t so sure I’d be able to wrap everything up and get some new reads, but the reading gods aligned, I got some major reading done and was able to download two new books from NetGalley that I plan on diving into this week.

One-night stand + two percent condom failure rate = happily ever after?

Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him, but lately he’s more interested in finding a woman to settle down with. A woman like Beth Hansen. If only their first meeting hadn’t gone so badly….

Beth’s tending bar at a wedding when she comes face-to-face with a tuxedo-clad man she never thought she’d see again. She tries to keep her distance from Kevin but, by last call, she can’t say no to his too-blue eyes or the invitation back to his room. Then she slips out before breakfast without leaving a note and, despite their precautions, pregnant.

Kevin quickly warms to the idea of being a dad and to seeing where things go with Beth. After all, he’s not the player she thinks he is. But she’s not ready for a relationship and, given his reputation, it’s going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child.

I read the first book in this series, Exclusively Yours, and FELL IN LOVE with the Kowalski family. I can’t wait to learn more about them!

Dear Reader,
Gracious me, my beautiful daughter Rocky sure could use my help. I always knew she wasn’t much interested in the local boys – but who’d have thought she’d come home with English royalty?
Trouble is, Hugh wants to buy some of our folks’ land. We don’t want to sell, but Rocky’s job depends on her closing the deal. And though Hugh’s obviously smitten, I’m not sure he’s right for my Rocky. Oh, he’s classy and handsome – and you should’ve seen the way he judged pies and fixed stock cars at our Watermelon Festival – but what do we know about him, really? I know I sound like a nervous mother hen, but after forty happy years with my Elbert, all I want is to see my little girl find the same.
Well, time for me to quit chattering and get back to Miss Bray’s wet set. Always nice talking to you, and remember: the Cut ‘n Curl’s got hot rollers, free coffee, and the best gossip in town.
See you real soon,
Ruby Rhodes

I’m stoked about both of these books!! Did you guys get anything good this week?

 Welcome to On My Bookshelf, a little later on a Sunday than normal, but better late than never, right? On My Bookshelf is a little variation from In My Mailbox brought to you by Kristi at The Story Siren.

This week I got some good ones off NetGalley. I am also told one came for me in the mail at work on Friday, but I was out of town. I’ll have to add it to next week’s stash.

Here’s this week’s goods: 

Interior designer Deva Dunne’s latest project comes to a screeching halt when blood on the carpet leads her to the body of her client, an exotic dancer with a mysterious past. But the murdered woman is not the only resident of the posh beachfront condominium with secrets, and investigating officer Lieutenant Victor Rossi considers them all suspects.

Though wary of working in the killer’s midst, Deva continues decorating the unit for the new owner. When she stumbles upon clues that might help crack the case, she can’t resist doing a little digging of her own, despite Rossi’s orders to quit meddling. Now, she’s juggling the investigation, her career and sexy neighbor Simon Yaeger, who seems interested in more than her etchings.

Deva can’t help but be flattered by all the male attention—that is, until she realizes the killer has designs on her, too…

hay Brandenberger is raising her daughter in Moose Creek, Montana on her childhood ranch, nestled against the Yellowstone River. Despite her hard work, she can’t seem to keep her head above water-and now the bank is threatening to foreclose. She prays for a miracle, but the answer she receives is anything but.

Having agreed to play the bride in the Founders Day wedding reenactment, Shay is mortified to be greeted at the end of the aisle by none other than Travis McCoy, her high school sweetheart-the man who left her high and dry for fame and fortune on the Texas rodeo circuit.

Then the unthinkable happens. Thanks to a well-meaning busy body and an absent minded preacher, the wedding reenactment results in a legal marriage. But before Shay can say annulment, Travis comes up with a crazy proposal. If she refuses his offer, she’ll lose her home. But if she accepts, she may lose her heart.

Shay isn’t sure if the recent events are God’s will or just a preacher’s blunder. Will trusting her heart to the man who once shattered it be the worst mistake of her life? Or could their marriage be the best accident that ever happened?

Grace has taken care of her widowed father her entire adult life and the ornery old goat has finally died. She has no job, no skills and very little money, and has heard her father’s prediction that no decent man would ever want her so often she accepts it as fact.

But she does have a big old house on Lawyers Row in Peacock, Tennessee. She opens a rooming house and quickly gathers a motley crew of tenants: Promise, Grace’s best friend since kindergarten, who’s fighting cancer; Maxie, an aging soap opera actress who hasn’t lost her flair for the dramatic; Jonah, a sweet, gullible old man with a crush on Maxie.

And Dillon, Grace’s brother’s best friend, who stood her up on the night of her senior prom and has regretted it ever since. Dillon rents Grace’s guest house for the summer and hopes to make up for lost time and past hurts—but first, he’ll have to convince Grace that she’s worth loving…

Did you get any goodies?

On My Bookshelf is my little spin on In My Mailbox, by Kristi at The Story Siren. Every Sunday, you share what books you got in the mail. I don’t do much different, just changed the name a little, to match my book gathering. I’m uber OCD and don’t get mail in my mailbox, so I had a hard time leaving the title that. Yes, I’m a little cooky, it’s ok, I know.

I have been so busy with getting things ready for the holidays that I have not done as much reading as I like during the holidays and haven’t even read a holiday themed book. Did you gasp? I did when I wrote this. I have listened to one, but not read a single one on my holiday reading list. I’m about 100 pages away from finishing the book I am on and then I will hopefully have time for one or two Christmas themed books.

But this week, I got one that I’m pumped about…even if I can’t talk much about it until February.

This week, I got The Legacy of Eden. But not only did I get the books, I also got a sweet Blog Tour badge. I’ve never gotten one of those before. Will it be weird if I wear it to work? Probably. They all ask me all the time how I find time to read so much, the nice way of asking, “Don’t you have a life?”.

So here’s the summary for The Legacy of Eden:

For generations, Aurelia was the crowning glory of more than three thousand acres of Iowa farmland and golden cornfields. The estate was a monument to matriarch Lavinia Hathaway’s dream to elevate the family name—no matter what relative or stranger she had to destroy in the process. It was a desperation that wrought the downfall of the Hathaways—and the once-prosperous farm.

Now the last inhabitant of the decaying old home has died—alone. None of the surviving members of the Hathaway family want anything to do with the farm, the land or the memories.

Especially Meredith Pincetti. Now living in New York City, for seventeen years Lavinia’s youngest grandchild has tried to forget everything about her family and her past. But with the receipt of a pleading letter, Meredith is again thrust into conflict with the legacy that destroyed her family’s once-great name.

Back at Aurelia, Meredith must confront the rise and fall of the Hathaway family…and her own part in their mottled history.

This book is set to be released at the end of January and the tour is taking place in February. I know I can’t wait that long to read this book. You’ll just have to stand by for the review.

What did you get this week?

Noelle Lange is missing. Kidnapped to be exact. And Reed is the only one who can save her. She receives a text painting the picture of how she will get Noelle back, alive:

WE HAVE NOELLE LANGE. IF YOU GO TO THE POLICE, SHE DIES. IF YOU GO TO HER FAMILY, SHE DIES. IF YOU GO TO THE HEADMASTER, SHE DIES. YOU WILL FOLLOW OUR EVERY INSTRUCTION TO THE LETTER, OR SHE WILL DIE. THE GAME IS ON, REED BRENNAN. THE PRIZE? NOELLE’S LIFE.

So now Reed has to follow the rules. Her first task is a trip to Europe, to get an excuse for Noelle being absent from school and from there, they only cause more havoc on her life.

Wow! I can’t believe this is the 12th book in this series! I knew I had read quite a few, but didn’t realize until I got on Amazon that it was 12. Reading flies when you have awesome books, ey?

This book was fun, different from the others though. The books until now were about sisterhood and group activities. Don’t get me wrong, this is all about saving your sister, but it’s Reed alone. That bond with the other girls isn’t there are much in this book as the others and now that Billings is gone, well …. Billings is gone.

I liked the plot of this book. I like the goals that Reed had to complete to save her friend. They were a stretch, but attainable for a high school girl.

I however don’t really like how the book ended. I don’t want to ruin it for everyone… so I’m not going to add a specific spoiler, but I am going to say the reason I loved this series was because it was real. It could really happen and it’s a peak into the live of the rich and famous, through the eyes of an ordinary teenager. I always had a hankering for a private school, with the rich and famous and this series has given me a chance to live vicariously through Reed. But in this book, it takes a turn for the….unreal and unimaginable.

I will give Kate Brian…Kieran Scott… the benefit of the doubt with this book. My mouth dropped at the end, like it has in every other book. She is the queen of cliffhangers. I have already gone and gotten Ominous, the last book in the series, but am kind of nervous to read it. I was a tad disappointed with the revelation in this book and I hope the series doesn’t end on a sour note for me.

I give Vanished 4 bookmarks. If you have read this series, and read this book, just let me say what came out at the end is what kept this from being a 5 star book for me. I’ll give the final one a try though.

ISBN: 978-1416984719
Released: August 31, 2010
Author Website
Kari bought this book

So as you may have noticed, I’ve finally got back on the blogging wagon.  After a few months of having a hard time finding time to blog and then when I got the time, finding something to blog about, I’ve back on my game. I’ve got my posts scheduled for the week and a list in my phone of other ideas so if I hit a rough patch again, I have a stockpile.

But my bloggy problems don’t end there. Now I’ve hit a creative wall. Every few months, I start hating my theme and want a new one. Problem is, it’s not been long since I chose my last theme and now I can’t find one with everything I want that I absolutely love.

I’ve always had something customizable with pictures or one that is already customized with coffee or an iPhone. Now I don’t want that anymore. I want something with a cute pattern and leave it simple.

So, for now, this is what I’m going with. But don’t be surprised if you see it change in the near future. I’m going to keep my eye out and may even find someone to make one for me. But then again, I’ll probably change my mind within a few days or months again and will need another new one.

BTW, I am blaming my cousin for all of this. She said she wanted to start a blog and I got to thinking about themes and then I couldn’t stop myself.

Please be patient until I find the perfect new theme for myself!

Thanks!