Black 'n' Gold Girl's Book Spot

In celebration of my completion of the Everything Austen Challenge I am giving away a copy of the 1995 film version of Persuasion on DVD! Rules: ~ Void where prohibited. ~U.S. Residents only please. ~ You MUST leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner! Disguise it something like this: steelergirl83(at)gmail(dot)com ~ Contest is open until January 15, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST. Any comments made after that time will not count. ~The winner will be announced on January 16, 2010, on this blog AND I will contact the winner via email. The winner has 48 hours from the time winner email is sent to get back to me with snail mail address information or another name will be drawn. ~For 1 entry you must leave a comment with your email! ~ For 3 EXTRA ENTRIES let me know if you're an old follower or become a new follower by clicking on the left side bar of this blog and let me know you did so! Stop back January 16th to see who the lucky winner is!

This week, to complete the challenge, I watched the 1995 version and the 2007 versions of Persuasion. I have to say that I absolutely love both versions of the film but for different reasons. I love the acting abilities of both Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root from older version of the film. The look between the two at the opera in Bath makes my spine tingle every time...wheeew there's so much emotion! The scene where Wentworth is writing a letter to Anne is terrific too and I have to say that if that scene was included in the 2007 version, it probably would have been my favorite! I really liked the 2007 version too because the actors looked more like I pictured them in the book. Who doesn't think Wentworth as played by Rupert Penry-Jones is swoon worthy?! Sally Hawkins is absolutely wonderful as Anne. Overall however I just like the way the 1995 version wrapped up and the tender kiss on the street with the circus in the background was just terrific! If you are a fan of the book I ...

MizB @ Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesday every week at her blog! This gives everyone the opportunity to share a few lines from a new book they're reading or one of their old favorites. Here are the rules for Teaser Tuesday! 1. Grab your current read. 2. Let the book fall open to a random page. 3. Share two teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 & 12. 4. Share the title of the book that the “teaser” comes from, so people can find the book if they like the teaser. 5. PLEASE avoid spoilers!!!!! This week I've chosen a teaser froma book I'm so excited to get started on, The Courteous Cad by Catherine Palmer. Check back in a few weeks for a sample chapter and the FIRSTWildcard Blog Tour of this book! The Courteous Cad (Featuring Miss Pickworth) by Catherine Palmer Copyright 2009 Tyndale Publishers 384 pages ISBN: 978-0-8423-7555-9 Fiction/Romance Teaser from pg 152-3 "The pain written on his face was more than Pruden...

As you may know I love Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice is my favorite of her books. That said I love just about every movie version that I have seen of Pride and Prejudice and I don't think there's a Mr. Darcy that I haven't liked! Since I've almost completed the Everything Austen Challenge by watching both the 1995 version and the 2005 film versions of the book, I've decided it was time to celebrate with a little fun. Here are my Top 3 Darcy's, two from different versions of Pride and Prejudice and one from Pride and Prejudice with a twist, Lost in Austen . I would love it if you would share your favorite Austen hero and include a link to his picture so we can ALL drool all over the place! :-P Numero Uno: Colin Firth (1995 Pride & Prejudice) Numero Dos: Elliot Cowan (2008, Lost in Austen) Numero tres: Matthew Macfadyen (2005, Pride & Prejudice) Be sure to visit Stephanie and check out the over 500! links to all things Austen from the other pa...

I've read a ton of books this year, last night after posting my review for A Bride of Honor, I could not believe my eyes when I saw out of the corner of my eye on my labels list that I had read and reviewed 75 books and I didn't even start blogging until March! Needless to say I've read a lot of great books so for me to choose 10 of my very favorite books has been a complicated task indeed! So without further ado here's my list of top ten books (in no particular order) I will read again in 2010! It's a big mix and match list with some Christian fiction, some YA fiction and some paranormal stuff! Shhhhhhhh don't tell, but I cheated a bit and 7 out of 10 of my "books" are series'! Critical Care - by Candace Calvert Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas - By Sandra D. Bricker The Vampire Diaries series - by L. J. Smith Immortality Bites series - by Michelle Rowen Daughters of Boston series -by Julie Lessman The Luxe series - by Anna Godbersen Charles T...

A Bride of Honor By Ruth Axtell Morren Copyright 2009 Steeple Hill Publishers 396 pages ISBN: 978-0373-78650-3 Historical Romance From Amazon : It is a truth universally acknowledged that a lady of rank and distinction is no match for an impoverished preacher. Yet Damian Hathaway is entranced from the moment he spies Miss Lindsay Phillips entering his church. She doesn't appear any different from the other pampered society ladies—and she's betrothed to a gentleman of the ton. But Damian is determined to find the pure heart he's sure exists underneath all the ruffles and lace. The unlikely friendship formed by Damian and Lindsay is a revelation to them both, but is frowned upon by her parents—and Damian's parishioners. Torn between two worlds, the pair must trust that their love can bridge the divide—and conquer all. My Review: I would say that Steeple Hill's fiction line isn't the most thought provoking line with their stories often leaning more towards light ...

My little bro was asleep (pooped from playing too much Halo 3) so my mom (thanks mom!) randomly drew the name from the Steelers hat!!! The name she drew was Donna. Donna has been emailed and she will have 72 hours to respond or I will choose another winner. Please remember to stop by after the new year to check out my next giveaway! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all of your families!

Jill over @ Breaking the Spine hosts a weekly meme that features one book that you can't wait to be released! This week Jill's pick is Losing Charlotte by Heather Clay, click HERE to check it out and to see links to what others are waiting on! I love YA fiction but I haven't had a chance to read a lot of it this year, next year however I plan to change that...including reading a book from a new author to me, Janet Fox entitled, Faithful . Read below for a synopsis from the author's site ! Faithful by Janet Fox Releasing May 2010 Speak/Penguin Publishing Group 288 pages ISBN: 978-0-14-241413-2 Young Adult fiction/Historical In 1904 Margaret Bennet has it all – money, position, and an elegant family home in Newport, Rhode Island. But just as she is to enter society, her mother ruins everything, first with public displays, and finally by disappearing. Maggie’s confusion and loss are compounded when her father drags her to Yellowstone National Park, where he informs her...

The Lightkeeper's Daughter (A Mercy Falls Novel) by Colleen Coble Copyright 2009 Thomas Nelson Publishers 311 pages ISBN: 978-1-59554-267-0 Fiction/Christian/Romance My Review: I'm not a big fan of mystery's but Colleen Coble is one of the few authors whose mystery/suspense novels I will read. Her latest release, The Lightkeeper's Daughter , combines her classic elements of romance and mystery, this time hearkening back to her historical fiction roots. Addie Sullivan, who has lived in a lighthouse for almost her entire life discovers that she is the long lost daughter of businessman and banker, Henry Eaton. When she arrives at the Eaton estate trouble seems to follower her in the form of kidnapping and even murder. Addie has no clue who is out to get her and those around her. Confusing her even further are her feelings for John, the handsome widower father of the young boy she is tutoring. She must decide to marry a wealthy, titled man who her father has engaged her to...

I LOVE romance and I think I can speak for most romance readers that the kiss is it! personally I like the tentative first kisses shared by characters who may not be sure how they really feel about a person but when their lips meet their souls meld whether they chose to acknowledge it at first or not. Sherrinda @ A Writer Wannabe had an awesome idea to acknowledge the upcoming Christmas season, which often includes the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, by sharing our favorite kissing scene or "almost" kissing scene that we have read or written ourselves. She has declared today Kissing Day !!!!!!!! Since I'm not a writer I decided to share one of my favorite "first" kisses from one of my favorite Christian fiction books to date, A Passion Denied (Book 3, Daughters of Boston series) by Julie Lessman! Let me tell you, Julie sure knows how to write a kissing scene!!! Check this scene out from pg 62 of A Passion Denied and you'll see what I mea...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Loree Lough and the book: Tales of the Heart (3-in-1 Collection: Bridget’s Bargain; Kate Ties the Knot; Follow the Leader) Whitaker House (January 2010) ***Special thanks to Cathy Hickling of Whitaker House for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A prolific writer, Loree Lough has more than seventy-one books, sixty-three short stories, and 2,500 articles in print. Her stories have earned dozens of industry and Reader’s Choice aw...

Tales of the Heart (3-in-1 Collection) by Loree Lough Copyright 2010 Whitaker House Publishers 478 pages ISBN:9781603741675 Historical Fiction From the publisher : "Bridget's Bargain" When the potato famine of 1845 forced Bridget McKenna to flee her home in Ireland, she came to America to work as a scullery maid on a Virginia plantation. That was four years ago. Now, Bridget dreams of bringing her father and six siblings to join her in America. She also dreams of marrying a God-fearing man, and when she meets the tall, handsome Lance York, it seems her dream might come true. He's English, however, just like the cruel landlord who oppressed Bridget's family in Ireland. Could there be more to him than she realizes? "Kate Ties the Knot" Seven years of widowhood have made Kate Flynn a strong, independent woman who even operates her own dressmaking shop. But when her eight-year-old son, Adam, has a run-in with a burly shipbuilder, she realizes the necessity ...

You probably know that I have a soft spot for dogs. I'm sure you've seen this dog hundreds of times. I don't know about you but everytime I see her I tear up! She's sooo cute and she is such an inspiration to everyone! Check out what Faith is doing now to help support our soldiers and their families!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Susan Page Davis and the book: The Sheriff’s Surrender Barbour Books (December 1, 2009) ***Special thanks to Angie Brillhart of Barbour Publishing for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Award-winning author Susan Page Davis is a mother of six who lives in Maine with her husband, Jim. She worked as a newspaper correspondent for more than twenty-five years in addition to home-schooling her children. She writes historical romances...

The Sheriff's Surrender (Ladies' Shooting Club, Book 1) by Susan Page Davis Copyright 2009 Barbour Publishing 319 pages ISBN: 978-1-60260-562-6 Fiction/Christian/Romance From the publisher : Join the sassy ladies of Fergus, Idaho, as they protect their town in this quirky historical by award-winning author Susan Page Davis. A crime spree has divided the men in town, so Gert Dooley forms the Ladies’ Shooting Club to protect their businesses, homes, and families. But when one of their members is murdered, will these feisty gals have what it takes to find the killer before he strikes again? Will the new sheriff put the club out of work, or will he surrender his heart to one crack shot lady? My Review: I was really intrigued with the premise of this story, ladies in a small town in Idaho forming a club to learn how to shoot straight and rely on themselves for protection rather than a man. I wasn't disappointed, the first few chapters of The Sheriff's Surrender were terr...

Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas by Janice Hanna Thompson Copyright 2009 Summerside Press 310 pages ISBN: 978-1-935416-16-6 Fiction/General/Romance From Amazon : Belinda Bauer in her ivory tower. In the German community of Poetry, Texas, Belinda spies an opportunity. The tiny town is filled with loggers and railroad men in need of wives, so she sets herself up as a marriage broker. She writes little poems to be printed in newspapers all over the country and one by one, women begin to arrive in Poetry. There's only one problem: Belinda doesn't have a clue what shes doing and all the brides marry the wrong men! One client is particularly unhappy. Georg Kaufman, the local barber, has lost more than one prospective wife to Belinda's fumbled attempts. For some reason, she just cant seem to find Georg's perfect match, though its not for lack of trying. Is there a poetic ending in store for Georg and for Belinda herself? My Review : This is my first time reading anything by Ja...

The Cat that Made Nothing Something Again by James D. Maxon This month, CFRB presents The Cat that Made Nothing Something Again by James D. Maxon. About the Book: A nameless cat lives in a town of dry, unhappy people devoid of moisture, joy and creativity. How did the townspeople get this way? Who stole the moisture? And how can one crafty cat return moisture -- and life -- to his town? The Cat That Made Nothing Something Again tells the tale of how a feline hero discovers these answers. On his journey he overcomes obstacles with wit and determination, finds new friends in unexpected places and learns the simple joy -- and transcendent power -- of helping others. My Review: The last children's book that I read was one of my little brother's Magic Tree House books a few years back. I was looking forward to changing it up a bit to read The Cat That Made Nothing Something Again . At 89 pages it was a very quick read and only took about 45 minutes to read. However...