Monthly Reflections (#11) ~ November

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Monthly Reflections, where we take the time to reflect on the previous month.

My goals for November were...

Read 10 books
☑1 "Just for Fun" book
Reread 1 book

In November I...

Read 7 books
2 "Just for Fun" books
5 review books

Books read:

Reviews:

The Rake's Redemption by Regina Scott
Placebo by Steven James
The Widow of Saunders Creek by Tracey Bateman
If We Survive by Andrew Klavan
Beside Two Rivers by Rita Gerlach
Trinity by Ronie Kendig

Reviews posted on Goodreads that I haven't posted here yet:

Offworld by Robin Parrish
The 'Naturals: Awakening - Episodes 1-4

Interviews:

Liz Johnson
Serena B. Miller
Andrew Klavan (Q&A)

My thoughts on this month:

I didn't reach my reading goal for November. :( Between going through a reading slump that was really hard to get over and other stuff, I just had a hard time reading. I hope to read a lot more in December.

Looking ahead:

Here is what I hope to accomplish in December:

Read 9 books, including:
1 non-fiction

If you want to do your own Monthly Reflections, feel free to grab the button and post about it on your blog, then leave a comment with the URL - otherwise, please share your thoughts in a comment!

Now it's your turn! What did you accomplish in November, what do you hope to accomplish in December?

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Weekend Wrap-Up & Giveaway Winner!!

Weekend Wrap-up is where I share what I read this past week, am currently reading, and hope to read this coming week, and (when applicable) the current giveaways/giveaway winners. Occasionally I'll post some other stuff as well.

Feel free to join along and post your own Weekend Wrap-up on your blog/site (if you do, please leave the link in a comment so I can stop by) or, in a comment, share what you've accomplished (reading-wise) this past week. :)

 What I've read this week:



Only one book. :( This was a difficult week for me (for many reasons) and I just haven't felt like reading much. :(

What I'm currently reading:

I didn't get much reading done this week. I didn't finish the Theology book like I had wanted, but I did end up reading a few more chapters. I'm about a third of the way done with Full Disclosure - it's way different than I expected, but still really good.

I'm pretty much just starting all of these books. As you probably already know, The Messenger is for the December Book Discussion, so I want to get that read asap - the little bit I've read is really good. A Time to Love and The Irresistible Earl are for different Goodreads' team challenges and I look forward to diving into their stories as soon as I can. =)

 What I hope to read next week:

Reviews posted this week:

If We Survive by Andrew Klavan

Beside Two Rivers by Rita Gerlach

Trinity by Ronie Kendig

  Current Giveaways!

Enter to win a copy of one of Serena Miller's books! US only! Ends 12/4



Enter to win a copy of If We Survive by Andrew Klavan! US only. Ends 12/11

Giveaway Winner!



The winner is...

Christy!

*The winner has claimed their prize.

There you have it, that is what I accomplished (reading-wise) this week! What about you?

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Review: Trinity by Ronie Kendig

Trinity by Ronie Kendig

A Breed Apart: Book One

Barbour / 2012

Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

A year ago in Afghanistan, Green Beret Heath Daniel’s career was destroyed. Along with his faith. Now he and his military war dog, Trinity, train other dogs and their handlers. Though his passion is to be back in action, the medical discharge has forced Heath—and Trinity—to the sidelines. Military intelligence officer Darci Kintz is captured while secretly tracking the Taliban. Only one dog can handle the extreme conditions to save her. Trinity. Only one man can handle Trinity. Time is running out on the greatest—and most dangerous—mission of their lives.

My rating:

My thoughts:

Trinity is only the second book I've read by Ronie Kendig (the first being Firethorn), but I can already tell I'm a fan of her work! Trinity had a lot of action, intrigue, and was just an overall great military novel!

I loved Heath's dog, Trinity! She was so well trained and there were some scenes where I wish I could have seen the things she did. :) The characters were nice - I really liked Heath, Peter, and Timbrel (I am really looking forward to her book, as I found her character very interesting and even funny at times). The characters seemed very realistic (especially Heath).

One of the only negatives I had with Trinity was how hard it was to keep track of the characters at first - there were so many characters introduced, so quickly. It did get easier, though, to remember who was who. Also, the story got a little confusing sometimes, but most of my questions got answered in the end.

Trinity had some surprises, intense action scenes, and even some romance! The entire story was really good and I loved the ending. I look forward to reading the next book, Talon, as soon as I can. I definitely recommend Trinity if you enjoy suspenseful reads with military aspects.

*I received this book for free for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

Was my review helpful? If so, please click yes on Amazon. Thanks!

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Q&A with Andrew Klavan + Book Giveaway!!

Find the book on: Amazon, Goodreads, Thomas Nelson

About If We Survive:

They came on a mission of mercy, but now they’re in a fight for their lives.

High schooler Will Peterson and three friends journeyed to Central America to help rebuild a school. In a poor, secluded mountain village, they won the hearts of the local people with their energy and kindness.

But in one sudden moment, everything went horribly wrong. A revolution swept the country. Now, guns and terror are everywhere—and Americans are being targeted as the first to die.

Will and his friends have got to get out fast. But streets full of killers . . . hills patrolled by armies . . . and a jungle rife with danger stand between them and the border. Their one hope of escape lies with a veteran warrior who has lost his faith and may betray them at any moment. Their one dream is to reach freedom and safety and home.

If they can just survive.

Q&A with Andrew Klavan, 

Author of IF WE SURVIVE:

Q:           You’ve had many successes as a best-selling novelist and screenwriter.  What do you hope to bring to the young adult reading audience with books like this latest release?
A:            I like to tell stories that move like lightning—and I like to read stories like that too.  I love video games, love them, and it sometimes seems to me that younger people aren’t being offered books that are as fast and as thrilling and involving as those games. That’s too bad because when a high-octane story comes at you off the pages of a book, it’s different, it’s special—it’s almost magic, because it’s like it’s happening inside your head. You know the character’s thoughts. You get inside his imagination and his story gets into yours. No game or movie can do that—only a book. So I figured if I used the skills I learned in creating thrillers for adults, I’d be able to introduce younger people to a kind of exciting reading experience maybe they haven’t had before or haven’t had enough.

Q:           As a screenwriter, do you envision your fiction on the big screen someday? 
A:            Well, look, it was a real thrill to see movies made out of my books. I mean, to have Clint Eastwood star in True Crime, Michael Douglas star in Don’t Say A Word—how cool is that? And, I’m really excited that the Summit Entertainment folks, who have had a ton of success with the Twilight films and Hurt Locker want to put The Homelanders series on the silver screen. But I’ve always been a book guy first and foremost. I love books and I love reading—so I don’t really think about the movies when I write. Sometimes, when a book is finished, sure, I’ll imagine about how it might look as a movie or which movie star might be in it. But while I’m actually writing the book, I never think about it at all. I try to pour all my energy into making the story and characters come alive on the page. Someday, a director and producer and screenwriter and actors may come together to produce their version of the story. But if you want to hear it first-hand, straight from the imagination that created the story, you have to read the book.


Q:           What kind of feedback have you had from readers about your young adult work?
A:            The thing I’ve heard repeatedly that I’m really, really pleased about is: I could never get my son—nephew—grandson—whatever—to read, but he can’t put this book down. I’ve heard it again and again and every time I hear it, I go into a room by myself, close the door, pump my fists and say, “Yes!”  …and then come out straight-faced as if nothing had happened.

~

Andrew Klavan's website: http://www.andrewklavan.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aklavan

Twitter: http://twitter.com/andrewklavan

Book giveaway!

Enter to win a copy of If We Survive by Andrew Klavan! US only.

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