Winning Wednesday--Bookish Giveaways!!

I know it's been a while since I've done a Winning Wednesday, but life happens.  But I hope you all are entering.  I won one of these just last week.  Which included 5 signed books, a tote, a bookmark, a candle, notes from each author whose book I received as well as a basket to carry it all in.

Also, I recently won a signed copy of a new to me author's book by attending her Facebook Release day event.  

So if you have a favorite author, follow them on their social media.  I also follow publishers.  This is where I get my Winning Wednesdays content.  So here you go for this week, enter and I hope you win!!!

BEING A GIRL IS GREAT!!

Enter for your chance to win a hard back copy of Because I Was a Girl by Melissa de la Cruz(author of Descendants--the Disney movie and the Blue Blood series as well as many others)  This is a collection of true stories of hardships and difficulties women had to face just because they were a girl.  Includes stories from Victoria Aveyard, Libba Bray, Margaret Stohl, chef Katie Button, aerospace engineer Emily Calandrelli, plus many more.  Perfect for girls of any age!!  From MacMillian Kids.

Open to US Residents Only--Ends October 31st--There will be 10 winners. 

TWO BOOKS FOR ONE

Enter for your chance to win The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd.  Win a hardcover of the book, a audio download from downpour.com and Beats by Dre  wireless headphone set.  Sponsored by Blackstone Publishing 

Open to US Residents Only--Ends October 15th

DO YOU LIKE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE?

Enter for your chance to win a Little House on the Prairie Prize Pack (say that 3 times fast) from Harper Collins Prize Pack includes:

• A copy of Caroline by Sarah Miller  This is the latest Little House Inspired Novel   
• 5 additional Little House Books
• Little House Coloring Books
• Little House Tote Bag
• Little House Apron, Puzzle and Stickers from CafePress
• Little House Fabric Collection from Andover Fabrics
• Laura Ingalls Doll and Accessories from The Queen's Treasure
• DVD--Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder 

Open to US Residents only(48 contiguous States)--Ends October 19th

ADVANCED READERS COPY

Enter for your chance to win an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Body in the Casket by Katherine Hall Page.  The book won't be available until December 5th.  Read it before everyone else.  They are giving away 10 copies.  Sponsored by Harper Collins.  

Open to US Residents only--HURRY Ends today October 11th

LITERARY ADVENTURE IN NYC

Enter to win a New York City Literary Adventure.  Sponsored by Read It Forward. This prize if for you and a guest to take a trip to NYC April 20-22, 2018.  The winner will receive:

• A custom tour of NYC that visits literary highlights curated by Intrepid Travel and Read It Forward
• 2 nights at a New York City Hotel
• 2 Round-trip airline tickets to get you there
• $500 to spend on food and transportation
• $1500 gift voucher from Intrepid Travel to spend on your next literary journey
• 14 recently published books (See below) set in NYC hand picked by Read It Forward editors.

 
Open to US Residents Only -- Ends November 15th

TONS OF EBOOKS

Enter for your chance to win 50 Mystery/Thriller ebooks from author Becca Hamilton.  There are a ton of great books on this list. 

            

When I'm Gone by Emily Bleeker, The Short Drop by Matthew Fitzsimmons, In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen, and The Art of Fear by Pamela Crane(this is free Prime or not) are all Free for Prime member on Kindle now!!
This is open to EVERYONE, except those who live in Taiwan, South Korea, Portugal, Italy, Austria, China, Russia, Hong Kong, Greece, France, Japan, Spain, Czech Republic--Ends November 26th

GIFTCARD

Enter for your chance to win a $500 gift card from Barnes & Noble.  Sponsored by BookRiot and HarperCollins. 

Open to US Residents only -- Ends November 21st

Book Riot Giveaway Page -- Click here

Giveaways from Goodreads

Also check out my Other Bookish Stuff Page.  I update it frequently with quizzes and other interesting book information!!  Happy Reading!!

**These giveaways are not sponsored by What 'Cha Readin'? Please see each giveaway for official rules.**

Review: An American Cage by Ted Galdi

An American Cage by Ted Galdi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Danny Marsh is serving time in a maximum security prison in Texas. His cellmate, Phil Zorn, along with his good friend Monty Montgomery all decide to make an escape from prison and head to Mexico. But, as these things go, the plan did not go as it should and quickly decisions had to be made on the fly. Will the trio make it to Mexico, or will they be caught and forced to spend even more time behind bars?

Thank you to Ted Galdi and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is the second book I have read by Ted Galdi. His first book, Elixir, was very good as well.

For most of his life Danny Marsh has run from his problems. But one night, he makes a mistake that he can't run from. Even though Danny is only charged with a minor crime, he is sent to a maximum security prison in East Texas. This is not a place Danny is doing well. When his cellmate, Phil come up with the plan for escape, Danny agrees so that he can get out of this place. But Danny learns a lot more about his "friend" once they are on the outside. Taking matters into his own hands, Danny finds a way to make it through the situation his been forced in to, alive.

This book is very hard to put down. I got through it quickly and I could feel myself right there along with Danny trying to find the place between right and wrong and good and evil.

Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

GoodReads is going a giveaway for this book right now, click here to enter.

Click the book cover below and order a copy of this book for yourself and fall in love with Ted Galdi like I have: 

Fall Readin' Plans

I have hesitated on writing about my Fall reading because the weather has been so warm.  I wasn't sure if Autumn was every going to make an appearance of if we were going to go straight into winter.  But the leaves have finally started to change color and the mornings and evenings are much cooler. One great thing about this time of year is the amount of money I'm saving on my electric bill!!  So I've laid out my plans for fall and I hope I'm able to stick with them.

First up for me is An American Cage by Ted Galdi.  This is the second book I've read by Mr. Galdi and blessed to have received another advanced copy.  His first book Elixir(click on title for my review) was excellent and so far so is this book, very hard to put down. This book is set to be released October 16th.

Three men escape from a prison in Texas, and this story follows the 24 hours after their escape and attempt to enter Mexico.

I decided to include these books because they were orange and perfect for fall reading.  Also a couple of these have been on my TBR for quite a while now.  I have read a few of Karin Slaughter's books in the past, earlier this year I read, The Kept Woman.  I'm not sure why I didn't do a review for it though.  I've read Jonathan Safran Foer before as well, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, although that was before I was blogging. 

I have been waiting to read this book for a while and contemplating on whether or not I was actually going to do it, since The Girl on the Train was just okay for me.  I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about this book, so I thought I add it for fall.  I've borrowed it a couple of times from the library and haven't read it yet.  It's not renewable since it is a new release.







The next book I have on my list for this fall is a book that I won directly from the author.  J.L. Leslie is a new author for me and I look forward to getting to know her writing.  Her book Lincoln's Choice is what I will be reading.

 

 

The rest of the books I have planned to read this fall are also new authors to me, and are all Advanced Reading Copies.  The Boyfriend Swap by Meredith Schorr.  This is a Christmas Romance set to be released November 7th.

 

I Can't Breathe  by Matt Taibbi.  This book is non-fiction that tells the story of Eric Garner, a black man in New York who was killed by police after they had put him in a chokehold.  This book is set to be released October 24th. 

 

The Wife Between Us  by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen  A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love(blurb from Goodreads). This book is not going to be released until early next year, but I will be participating in a blog tour for this book in December. 

 

I'm sure there will be other books along the way, I have about 8 checked out right now from the library, plus a whole lot more that I just won!! 

 

So Many Books, So Little Time!!

Review: Vengeance by Zane

Vengeance by Zane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wicket is a world famous performer. She dazzles crowds wherever she goes and she's sold more albums than most artists. She is known to her friends, which are very few as Ladonna Sterling and even fewer know her as Caprice Tatum. When Caprice was 15 years old, she was brutally attacked by the people she trusted. Having been cut as a young girl by her mother her life hadn't been the easiest, but she never thought anything like that would happen. Now as she approaches her fortieth birthday she hopes to get vengeance against those who wronged her.

It has been a while since I've read one of Zane's books. I used to read her books a lot when I was in my early twenties. This book took quite a different turn that I wasn't expecting. There is always sex involved in her books, but this one was not the same.

Wicket has a lot of issues that have stemmed from her childhood. She has never gotten the kind of therapy necessary for the type of trauma she has experienced in her life. Now she has issues with intimacy and finds it difficult to connect with people in general. Sure her fame as a little to do with it, but trust is not something that comes easily.

The book started out slowly for me. But once Wicket made her big move, it started to pick up. This young lady had been through a lot of hardship in her life. Without those things, she may not have made it this far in her life, but no one should have to go through all of that to find happiness. Zane always made me look at events in my life to know that things can be much worse and for a lot of people out there they are.

Zane had a new book released earlier this year that I can't wait to read Three-Piece Meal: A Novel

View all my reviews

Order a copy of this or any of Zane's books(a few of my favorites), by clicking the cover below:
    

September Readin' Roundup!!

September was a big month for me.  I had a birthday(it's my last year in my 30's), I got the opportunity to attend the National Book Festival which I have wanted to do for many years now, and the kids went back to school(YEA!!!).  I held a giveaway that didn't get the response I was hoping for, but I have a couple of ladies who are happy.  I hope the next time I hold a giveaway, it will be more successful.  

Overall, in September, I read 5 books, which is about my average.  I had two 5 star books this month and one book that really touched my heart.  I've dealt with a young girl with Autism, a woman who's lost her memory, crooked cops, the child of a serial killer and a family that has the worst vacation ever.

Best Books of the Month

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Karen and Tom Krupp have been married for two years and they are very much in love. When Tom comes home from work one night, he finds his front door unlocked and dinner half way done in the kitchen, but his wife and her car are no where to be found. After calling her best friend and neighbor Brigid and having no luck with where Karen, might be, Tom calls the police to report her missing. Shortly after, the police arrive at his door to let him know that Karen has been in a terrible accident and is in the hospital. Tom is instantly worried because none of these actions sound like his wife. But does Tom now Karen as well as he thinks? Is she keeping secrets from him?

 Do Not Become Alarmed by Maile Meloy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Imagine, all your plans for the day going down the tube. Your tour bus breaks down, so you decide to wait at the beach while a new bus arrives. Then maybe you drift off to sleep while the kids are playing in the water near by. The kids are old enough to look after themselves and those who aren't, have the older kids to look after them. Now imagine waking up from what felt like just a moments rest, to find the children that were just there playing in front of you, have vanished. No where to be found no idea where they could have gone. What do you do, who do you call? You're in a foreign country and you opted not to get the international plan for you phone. Where are your children, and what is being done to them?

The Other Books I Read

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ginny Moon is 14 years old and she has autism. She has finally found her Forever Family with Brian and Maura after being taken from her Birth Mom, Gloria when she was 9 years old. She was malnourished and badly bruised at that time. Now she has been through several foster homes and is happy to finally be in a permanent spot. But there is still one thing missing that Ginny hasn't seen since she was 9 and the police took her away, her Baby Doll. Ginny took very good care of her Baby Doll and she is afraid that now there is no one to take care of it. How will she find her way back to the Baby Doll she loved so much and took such good care of?

The Black Book by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ONE OF JAMES PATTERSON'S BEST IN A LONG TIME!!
Detective Billy Harney comes from a family of cops. His dad is a cop, the head of detectives and his twin sister is a cop. Billy likes to play by the rules, he's a good cop. When he takes down a brothel in the middle of Chicago filled with the city's most prominent people, the mayor, the arch bishop, etc., he is faced with a few difficult situations to get him through this arrest and trial. With the help from Goldie, a family friend and the head of Internal Affairs, Billy will get to the bottom of this case one way or another. But then those involved in the case end up dead, including himself, briefly, and his memory leading up to the trial is erased. Will he be able to find his memory before he is charged with the deaths?

Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Milly is 15 years old. She has just been placed with a foster family because she has just turned her mother in to the police. Why would a 15 year old need to turn their parent in to the police? Her mother is a serial killer who kills children. Milly is afraid that she may turn out just like her mother. Does she have it in her to be good, or is she bad like her mother? How much of our make up is nature and how much is nurture?



This month was full of good books.  I know you haven't seen my Winning Wednesday posts in a while, but life has just gotten in the way.  I hope to get those started up again next week.  What books did you read in September that captured your attention?

Order any of the books above for yourself, by clicking the book cover below: