Does this book make my butt look big?

We've all seen that men's magazine feature telling us to eat this whole grain bread with jam rather than the whole grain pop tart or the yogurt commercials filled with swapportunity.
When it comes to the world of e-books there are so many danged choices of books out there, and if you download them all your kindle will be filled up to spilling over within weeks. (Not that this has happened to me or anything.)  So I'm introducing a new feature on 365 Days, called One click this, not that.  I'll show you a couple of books available that day which I've read and let you know which one (in my opinion) is worth the one click.

Today's edition is for Big Girls.  There are a lot of us out there.  We are big, beautiful women.  We have the same worries women of all sizes have.  Do I really have to get married and have kids to have a fulfilling life? How am I going to pay off my mortgage in today's horrible economy?  Should I get that tattoo on my lower back removed?
Today I bring you the ultimate big girl question.  Does this book make my butt look big?

vs

Title:
Bariatric Surgery:                              vs. Big Girls Bounce:
All about bariatric procedures                   Plus sized tales for troubles times

Author: Mary Lime                            vs.                         Lulu Dean

Genre: Diets & Weight Loss                vs.                         Humor

Publisher: Self Pub                            vs.                        Self Pub

Length: 28 pages                               vs.                         46 pages

Reviews: Okay, I was all excited to give a big girl power speech and tell you to skip the weight loss book and read some funny stories from a BBW perspective, but honestly I can't recommend either of these books. The Bariatric surgery book, while very informative (did you know that most people after surgery have to be on a liquid diet for at least two weeks?  What's the point of the surgery, just do the liquid diet and save yourself $20,000) their were tons of typos and repeated information under misleading headings.
I wanted to like Big Girls Bounce.  I really did.  But I just couldn't.  The stories aren't funny even though there were some funny situations and I'm not actually sure the author is actually a larger woman.  I mean she starts off the book telling me about the time she bought size two jeans.  There are a few tales about retail therapy and skinny rude sales girls, but there were so many comments that I thought sounded derogatory towards plus sized women that I just couldn't like any of them

My recommendations:
Dont' bother one-clicking either of these books because they will indeed make your butt look big.
I give 'em both two stars. 

Firefighters are hot!

Cowboys, Navy SEALS, Vikings and Firefighters.  Those are my go to heart throbs.  Hmmm, none of my current WIPs have any of these boys in them.  I'm gonna have to remedy that.  (Hey chefs are hot too!)
In the meantime, I'm more than happy to read just about anything with my top four heroes in them.
I've reviewed a cowboy book, a Navy SEAL anthology, I'll go in search of a Viking tale.  Today I have for you, the ever hot - Firefighter. (pun totally intended)

Title: In Too Deep (America's Finest)
Author: Kathryn Shay
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self Pub (however the author has put up a huge backlist previously pubbed by Harlequin)

Review:
Firefighters Gabe Malvaso and Rachel 'Princess' Wellington are trapped in the basement of a burning building when more than sparks ignite between them.
(Wow, I should write cover blurbs)

I love, love, love that this book (the first in a series) features women firefighters. Yay, girl power! There should be more books out there, like Kathryn Shay's, that feature strong, sensible (yet sensitive) heroines like Rachel. Be gone simpering virgins! Now is the era of the true heroine!
(I love exclamation marks!)

The author did a nice job of building up the characters and the tension between them (especially after the fire) in such a short space.  That's hard to do in novellas.
I had a bit of a hard time believing in the no good journalist/blogger villain and her agenda.  I needed some reasoning behind her smear campaign of the fire department and I didn't get it.  She was the bad guy just for the sake of being a bad guy. Reminded me of the Tea Party.
I did however love the Fire Belles solution to combating their personal Snidely Whiplash.  I even searched the web afterwards in hopes of finding an actual blog by women firefighters.  There are quite a few auxillary groups supporting local fire stations called Fire Belles, but I didn't find anything by or about women in the FD.  I'm gonna keep looking though.

My wish for this story would be a little bit stronger ending.
Yes, I understand this one is on offer to entice me to read the rest of the series, but I still would be drawn in with a more clear cut HEA or even an HFN for this couple.  It comes close, but I wanted just a little bit more clarity of how these two are really going to make things work after all their tribulations (which had me nail biting wondering how the author was going to actually get them together.)

My Recommendations:
This is totally worth the one-click.  I might even think about delving into the boxed set series that follows.
I give this one four stars

The Enablers or where I get my free ebook fix

I'll tell you right now, I don't spend hours searching amazon for them.  I got the hook-ups!

The first resource I found was on the Amazon discussion boards.  You can look for a post each day called FREE Books - (then the date).  For example today's is called

FREE Books - Monday, January 16, 2012

Somebody named Princess Joyce post these each day.  They include a list of urls that if you copy and paste into your browser will take you too a cool little site that lists all the free books of the day.

You can scroll through and click on the books that look interesting to you.

I like to click on the Covers option and peruse my way around till something catches my eye.  When something looks appealing, you can click on the cover and get the description of the book.

Once you discover Princess Joyce's posts you can also opt to have the lists emailed to you every day.  I love that feature.

These emails are where I get the majority of my free ebooks every day.

Also on Amazon in the Romance forum there is a FREE discussion.  They get a little distracted at times and go off on tangents about how to use their Kindles, but if you search through the posts a little bit you can find the some free Romance Novels. Be sure to sort by newest first or you'll get all excited about books (like Sandra Hill's Dixie Christmas) that are no longer free.

All Romance Ebooks has a free reads section.  They hide it way down at the bottom on the right hand side.

I like that you can sort the free reads by ratings, so it makes it easier to sort through the crap.

You have to subscribe to the site and login each time to get the books, but it's well worth it.

Once you go through the 492 step check out process you can download in a number of formats.  You can even have them email it straight to your Kindle, but make sure you add orders@allromanceebooks.com to your approved senders list.

Harlequin is offering 16 free of their books at TryHarlequin.com.  They'd like you to try a genre you haven't read before.  I, ah, downloaded them all.  

Thanks to my tweeps I discovered a new resource today.  There's a great wordpress blog called Free Kindle Books and Tips written by a self proclaimed "obese, gray-haired, and desk-bound guy in Texas…."  He also has book called Free Kindle Books and How to Find Them (or alternatively Free Kindle Books plus a few other tips) which is ironically 99 cents. 

His post today told me there were 60 free cookbooks available today on Amazon for the Kindle and then he gave me a link to them...all.

Smarty smart pants that he is there he also has a page with links for all sorts of genres.  I went a little crazy (ten new books) on the Romance link.

Finally, Book Blogs, Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads are great places to get some free reads.  New authors love to post a link to their free books, you just have to watch for them.  On twitter, try the hastags #FREE, #giveaways #contest to find a few.  I enter tons of contests and win at least a couple of free books (some ebooks and some paperbacks) each month.  Once I even won 24 copies of Clan of the Cave Bear, by Jean M Auel.  I'm an Earth's Children ambassador!  (If you'd like copy I'd be happy to mail you one, just leave me a comment with your email addy so I can get your snail mail address).

If you've got other places to fine free ebooks drop me a comment.  I'm always excited to find another place to get my fix!

FREE is good, but SEALs are better

I'm a poor starving artist, living off the kindness of my family so that I can try to get a book published.  For a long time I lived abroad.  I spent a few years in Eastern Europe and even longer in South East Asia.  I've thoroughly enjoyed my freedom as an American.  In large part the liberty I enjoy is due to the work and sacrifices of our military men and women. Without there sacrifices I wouldn't be able to travel the world, write about what I want to or even decide what I want to wear on any given day.
So I say thanks to them.  A million trillion thanks.

I scrape and save, and try to spend my money wisely.  I also think it's very important to share what we have in the world with those in need.  There are so many charitable causes out there to choose from, and we must all make the personal choice which to support.  Most of my efforts and funds when I have them go to Breast Cancer Research, since it's personally effected my life. But it's hard to ignore those Sarah McLachlan commercials with the poor little puppies and kitties.  And Lord knows I'd like to feed every starving child.  How could I pass up a chance to help someone learn to read?  So many choices, so little money.
Anytime there is a chance to help by doing or buying something I needed anyway, that's the perfect opportunity.  And if it involves two of my favorite things (no, not chocolate and red wine) - Romance novels and Navy SEALs, well, count me in.
SEAL of my Dreams does just that.  All proceeds from the sale of this book go to support the Veterans Research Corporation.

So, today's selection isn't free.  But it is Kindle's Deal of the Day, so right now, it's only 99 cents.
I applaud the efforts of the authors who wrote this book and am proud of the work of VRC I'll give the first five people who comment and join my blog a Kindle copy of this book.
This contest will only run the rest of today, and you must leave me the email address you use for your Kindle account so I can gift you the book today.

Join via GFC or if you don't have a google account you can join by follow by email. Both options are over on the right side bar. Remember to leave a comment with your Kindle account email address so I can get you the prize!


Title: SEAL of my Dreams
Author: 18 authors
Genre: Military Romance
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books

Review:
I first fell in love with reading romance novels about Navy SEALs with Suzanne Brockmann's SEAL Team Ten books.  To this day I still automatically buy anything she puts out.  But since Suz's books are on a little hiatus as we wait for her new series to start I've been perusing my way through some of the other SEAL romances.  There are a lot.  Thank goodness.
However, not all of them are good.  So I had a little trepidation going into this book.  Surely some of them would be poopers, right?
Wrongo.  I can honestly say I completely enjoyed every single one of these stories. My only wish for this book is that it was longer (or that the authors would turn each and every one of the stories into a full length novel for my own personal enjoyment).  Oh, and the picture on the cover, it's real.  Taken by a photographer in Fallujah, and ran in the NY Times. Author Christie Ridgeway saw it and feeling very, 'uh, patriotic' worked with other authors to create an anthology to support charity.  See their story at SEALofMyDreams.com.
Because I loved all these stories so much I'm going to tempt you a little with some first lines! (and my first thoughts on reading them)

"America is in love with the Navy SEALs."  -Robyn Carr, Forward
        Well, I know I'm in love with them.

"Nick DeMarco had been to the most hellish corners of the earth, had witnessed the horrors people could inflict on one another." - Jami Alden, Coming Home
         Aw, poor thing. Come here, I'll comfort you.

"Beneath his U.S. Navy SEALs T-shirt, Seaman Barry Ballentine's heart thudded against his breastbone." - Stephanie Bond, Baby I'm Back
        Yeah, my heart is thudding too.

"Cort Ramsey was not having a good day." - Kylie Brant, SEALed Fates
          He may not be having a good day, but I am, 'cuz well, I get to read about how hot he is.

""Four minutes twenty-five seconds, Griggs. ..."" - Helen Brenna, Going Dark
          Oh, four minutes in heaven.

"Megan White balanced her palms on her desk, kicked off her three-inch back pumps, and nearly groaned in relief."  HelenKay Dimon, Finding Home
        I feel ya girl.

"Luke Coulter was no poet." - Cindy Gerard, SEALed with a Kiss (A Black Ops, Inc. story)
            I don't need poetry...in bed.

""You've got that low-crawl down real good, ma'am, very fine action on the move. ..." - Tara Janzen, Panama Jack
           Hey, Jack. I can low-crawl too.

"Tanner Boudreaux wasn't intimidated by much." Leslie Kelly, Wrapped and SEALed
           Intrigued, aren't you?

"Skylark Springs hadn't changed one damn bit." - Elle Kennedy, Worth the Risk
          Oh, but I bet it's about to change...

"10:00
Teri Stokes stopped the rented box truck in front of her parent's house, fearing she'd arrived to late."  - Alison Kent, Twenty-one Hours
           Dun, dah dah dah!  SEAL to the rescue!

"He'd taken his time driving up the mountain." Jo Leigh, Not Waving But Drowning
           Oh, he can drive up my mountain any time.

""The captain has determined that the Ambassador is in imminent danger of being discovered and that we must act now before dawn."" - Gennita Low, Her Secret Pirate (A Crossfire SEAL Story)
            I'll be the Ambassador, and you can come and save me!

"Operation "Dumb Broad" was underway." - Marliss Melton, SEALed by Fate
           Is this gonna be anything like Operation "Hot SEAL"?

"Thanksgiving is turning into a real turkey, Mandy Warner thought, as another explosion in her uncle's neighborhood rattled the tiny basement window and sent down a shower of plaster dust. - Christie Ridgeway, Signed, SEALed, Delivered...I'm Yours.
          I bet she's gonna have something to give thanks for, in the form of a yummy SEAL.

"Jessie spied the truck through the window - nothing ostentatious, just a solid, late-model truck that any number of men might drive." - Barbara Samuel, Dog Heart
            I love a SEAL in a late-model truck, or out of one, or next to one, or under one...

"Billie waited until the last possible moment to delay the inevitable." - Roxanne St. Claire, Whirlwind
            Yeah, baby!


""We're going to be delivering this baby," she heard Nick say, and his brother's answer was in typical Jake fashion, "You've got to be kidding me with that shit."" - Stephanie Tyler, Holding On
           LOL, I don't think he's kidding.

I'm gonna give you just a little bit more than the first line on this one, because, well, I want to.
""I'm Ellie Winters, your host every Friday night at eleven, and you're listening to Your Call on CKNW 97 AM." Ellie reached for the console cueing the music. "This last request is for Marcia whose son's plan was shot down over Iraq in 1991. Captain Nick Morgan is still missing."" - Loreth Anne White, Letters to Ellie
             Aw, this one is gonna be a tear-jerker.
         
Whew, eighteen stories. I had to limit myself to one a night when this book first came out so I could make it last.  I cheated a bit, like I read it in two night.  Totally worth it.

My Recommendations:
I actually paid full price for the paperback copy of this book, so yeah, I think you should spend the 99 cents today to buy it.  It's going to a good cause.
I give this book five stars.


Okay, leave me your comments, join the blog via GFC or follow by email so I can send you a 99 cent Kindle copy of this awesome book! (Remember to leave me your Kindle email)

I suck, but this book doesn't.

I apologize profusely.  I got a little behind in my posts.  I've been flurrily (yes that's a real word even if spell check doesn't like it!) reading books for a contest I'm judging, and put this post off.  I suck, sorry.

And because I suck, this book is no longer free on Amazon. (although if you're an Amazon Prime member you can borrow it for free).

All right, you all know how I love free ebooks.  But today, I'm telling you to buy this one.
If I had more than five stars to give, I would give this one, like, infinity stars.
You know what, I'm gonna give it infinity stars.  Wait a minute while I go find some clip art for that.

Title: Hatter
Author: Daniel Coleman
Genre: Classics Retold/ YA
Publisher: Self Pubbed (and if this book was submitted to publishers and rejected, shame on them, if it was never submitted, well, you go Daniel!)
Length: 213 pages

Review:
The iconic Mad Hatter, at twenty, sets out to save the kingdom complemented by the enigmatic Knight of Hearts, Chism.
While Hatta (I love how the author played on the British English pronunciation here) is one of the main characters of this book, and it is essentially his story, the tale would be nothing without 15 year-old boy soldier, Chism.
Chism, is to me, the perfect character.  Every author's dream, every reader's fantasy.
The author could have given us that bitter one note righteous soldier.  The story still would have been slightly interesting.  But this wonderful, broken, soldier savant who counts his steps, doesn't like to be touched and carries a sword named Thirsty is so complex, yet completely sympathetic.  He is Wonderland's answer to our world's Dexter-Clark Kent-Holden Caulfield-SEAL Team Six.
I thoroughly enjoyed exploring madness with the whole cast of Looking Glass characters, and in fact appreciated the absence of Alice.
A million thanks for making me sympathetic to the Queen of Hearts.  I love when you can make me really feel for a consummate bad girl.
Daniel Coleman you are the next Gregory Maguire.

My recommendations:
Run, don't walk, saunter, sashay or shimmy your way over to Amazon and buy, yeah, that's right, buy, this book.  Then read it, nonstop.
I know the whole point of free books is to tempt me to buy other books by the same author, but you know what, I never have before.  Until today.  I immediately bought Daniel Coleman's other Wonderland book, Jabberwocky.  I can't wait to read it and anything else he comes out with.
Bring it on Mr. Firefighter who can write, bring it on.
This book gets infinity stars from me! (Here's the cool graphic you've been waiting for)