Good Deeds Week March 30th – April 5th

Welcome to my weekly roundup of my year long challenge to do one Good deed a day for a year. This challenge began back in April 2013 and is still going strong, I’m now entering my final few weeks. My inspiration came from reading “A Year of Doing Good” by Judith O’Reilly. Here is what I’ve been up to this week.

March 30th – Last night we changed our clocks in line with British Summertime, so I’m a bit late this morning. It’s also Mother’s Day, so I’ve been giving and receiving gifts as all Mothers should.

March 31st – A really busy day today. I’ve just done my morning at school. Now the April Issue of Fleet Life has just dropped through my door, so I’ve written a draft ready to coincide with the online version. http://www.fleetlife.org.uk click on the online directory and fins me on page 18. This months books are;

Please Call Me Derek by Mac Black

The Medea Complex by Rachel Florence Roberts

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Calculated by R.S. Novelle

Spirit Warriors by D.E.L Connor

It’s also my first month writing book reviews for Fleet Life’s sister magazine The Elvetham Heath Directory. http://www.ehd.org.uk, again click on the online directory and find me on page. This months featured books are different to Fleet Life although I will mix and match on occasions.

The Dating Game by Susan Buchanan

Greening of a Heart by Stepheny Houghtlin

Red Clay and Roses by S.K. Nicholls

The Griffin’s Boy by Julia Hughes

The Black Hours by Alison Williams.

With my A to Z Challenge starting tomorrow too, I’m sending out reminders to authors whose books are featuring in the first week. I want it to be a good give and take, I promote their books and they promote me.

April 1st – It’s here the first Day of the April A to Z blogging challenge with well over 1900 bloggers signed up this year it’s going to be huge. I’ve been all over the place visiting blogs and writing comments. My own challenge started with A World Apart by Camelia Miron Skiba. Catch up with posts in my Challenge round-up post, or from the A to Z page at the top of this blog.  The sun has finally burnt off the morning fog so now I’m off out in to the garden for a bit of one on one with nature after all my computing.

April 2nd – Online versions of both local magazines made it up on the internet today, so posted my pieces about them and let all the authors know. Having an absolute blast with the A to Z challenge, I can’t believe how many people are coming to my blog it is fantastic. Today’s book was Boot Camp Bride by Lizzie Lamb, Lizzie helped promote the post with her Facebook group of friends which I really appreciated. My slideshow on the sidebar is getting plenty of attention and good comments which is great to hear, have been helping a couple of people out with setting up their own gallery.

April 3rd – Met a friend for coffee in town and caught up with all her news. Went out this evening with more friends and took a birthday present with me for one of them whose birthday is in the next few days. Today’s book on the A to Z Challenge was Coronado’s Treasure by Randy Mixter. I’m thrilled to see lots of re-tweeting going on from other authors who will be taking part in my challenge and from followers of my blog, thanks everyone it means a lot.

April 4th – It’s a Derek Day today on the A to Z with Derek’s Revenge by Mac Black and a plug for the whole series. Went to the local market this morning, met a friend who has offered to pick us up in a few weeks time to attend a party. My Good deeds are mainly internet bound this week, visiting lots of blogs and leaving comments, tweeting and sharing posts. Finished reading Chill Factor by Rachel Caine and left a review on Goodreads.

April 5th – Everlasting by Candace Knoebel is the book for letter E in the A to Z today. Went for a quick walk this afternoon and picked up some litter. Am reading the second book in the Wardstone Chronicles, The Spook’s Curse, by Joseph Delaney, finished it late last evening and posted my review on Goodreads.

April Edition of Fleet Life

This month I’ve books reviews in 2 local magazine, here is my page from Fleet Life.

 

To visit the online version go to http://www.fleetlife.org.uk. Click on the online directory and turn to page 18.

The following authors and books have their work in the magazine;

Please Call Me Derek by Mac Black

The Medea Complex by Rachel Florence Roberts

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Calculated by R.S. Novelle

Spirit Warriors by D.E.L Connor

Rosie Recommends – Spring Reading

Here are a selection of my Rosie Recommends books for some Spring reading.

 Ever feel like you aren’t getting everything you want out of life? A man on a bus smiles or a stranger exudes happiness and you wonder, why isn’t that me? A child runs giggling across your path and reminds you what pure joy looks like, causing you to stop and ask… where is your joy? Ever sit in your office or home and feel life is passing you by, or that there is more out there, but you just can’t reach it? Saving Our Pennys, by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch tell the story of a teacher, who facing a crisis, searches for answers to some of life’s most difficult questions. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 Derek travels from child to confused adult, from reporter for the local paper to any job available, doing everything he thinks he should, but doing it his way. Pursuing life and employment leads Derek to fling himself into the sort of sticky situations he won’t want to have to explain to his friends or his family. With determination, gritting his teeth, doing everything for the best, how could anything go wrong? Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 1885. Anne Stanbury – Committed to a lunatic asylum, having been deemed insane and therefore unfit to stand trial for the crime of which she is indicted. But is all as it seems? A chilling mystery fast becoming one of this years MUST READS. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

When the Bishop insists that Martin Winchester take a sabbatical from his parish to restore his depleted energy and regain his spiritual focus, his wife Hannah is left on her own for the first time in years. Her new found freedom gives her an opportunity to reflect on her life. Retreating into the newly-renovated vicarage garden in the Cotswold’s village of Burford, Hannah not only wants to escape the demands of her role as the vicar’s wife, but to reinvent herself.  A heart-warming English Village tale.Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 

Toad thought it’d be easy to steal from Mr. Edward P. Owl. Unfortunately for Toad, he isn’t the best of thieves. Caught in the act, he’s in more trouble than ever before. Now to save his hide, Toad must track down five rare potion ingredients for Mr. Owl. Or else. A delightful YA book easily readable for adults too. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

I was immediately drawn to this book by it’s title. After checking out the book description, it still appealed to me. The idea of a Hitman getting stranded in Iceland, a land that has no army, no guns and a homicide rate of 1 maybe 2 a year struck me as very funny. Our Hitman goes by many names and occupations during the tale, I won’t spoil it for the reader by revealing these. Iceland a land of fresh bleak beauty, freezing temperatures, days of light or dark and very few people. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Let me know if you go ahead and read any of these, and tell me what you thought of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Professor Don Tillman has few friends, struggles in social situations and shows little emotion, yet he has a brilliant brain. Early on in my reading of this book I wrote down two names which in my view summed up Don; Spock and Mr Bean. To me Don seemed like a combination of the two characters. The book is set in Australia and begins with Don taking over a lecture for a fellow professor where he must give a talk on Asperger’s Syndrome. We are immediately thrown into Don’s world where there is a schedule for everything, thus making Don’s world totally efficient.

However Don’s world is not complete, he wants to share it closely with a fellow human being, but with few friends and no social life he needs a plan. He starts The Wife Project, a complex idea revolving around set of questions and throwing himself into the dating scene. Don has 304 potential candidates from his project and asks his friend Gene to help choose a date. Gene and his wife Claudia coach Don, advise him and nudge him along a path of discovery.

Meanwhile Rosie turns up in Don’s life. Sent by Gene as a wild card and a joke, Rosie disrupts Don’s life. They become friends as Don helps Rosie with her own problems and they devise The Father Project in an attempt to find Rosie’s true biological father using DNA testing and hopes to lay some ghosts to rest. Their project stretches across Australia and even requires a memorable trip to New York. Don is starting to discover things about himself when Rosie forces him to drop his schedules and learn to have fun. He finds the realisation quite disturbing yet promising. Upon their return he embarks on The Don Project in a final attempt to catch the perfect partner for life.

Whilst reading this book Don will quite likely drive you mad, but I couldn’t help also admiring him, his attention to detail, his memory, his dedication. In the end it doesn’t matter if he was an undiagnosed Asperger’s sufferer or not, he made something of his life, he found happiness and he’ll go on learning. I didn’t know anything about this book before I started reading it, I was drawn to the title, obviously! I’m glad I read it, I think often our own paths in life have projects along the way, most not quite as planned out as Don’s.

This review is based on a free copy of the book given to me by sainsburysebooks.co.uk for International readers find a copy here from Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Good Deeds Week 19th – 25th January

Welcome to my weekly roundup of my year long challenge to do one Good deed a day for a year. This challenge began back in April 2013 and is still going strong. My inspiration came from reading “A Year of Doing Good” by Judith O’Reilly. Here is what I’ve been up to this week.

January 19th – Went to visit my parents and return a book about the geology of New Zealand. A fascinating book, but I didn’t get to finish it, just a bit too academic this time. Mum had a friend whom she wished to lend the book to. Was able to help out with several small computer issues Mum had, just tweaks and finding files saved all over the system. Good deeds received: Have related the tale of our missing parcels (from last weeks post) Dad was able to lend us 2 clamps from his own workshop for us to continue with our bookcase project. Thanks Dad.

January 20th – A good morning helping out at school, no phone calls interrupting me and I successfully completed all my tasks. Sorted out a coffee date with a friend for next week to catch up with each other, and lucky me I’m also out to dinner with friends next Wednesday.

January 21st – Just heard of a friend who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, will be supporting the family any way I can in the next few months. Walked to the post box to post a letter and picked up litter on my way home. Met my neighbour who is just recovering from a stroke and had a chat.

January 22nd – Volunteered to be the driver today for my dinner date next week with a couple of friends. Set up two book reviews on sainsburysebooks.co.uk , they recently contacted me about doing some book reviews for them and I started with The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando.

January 23rd – Posting a cover reveal today for author Cherie Reich and her new book Reborn. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4ox Dashed to the post box with an urgent letter and took a calmer stroll home and picked up more litter. Good Deeds received; Lots of Thanks from Cherie for the cover reveal, she’ll be sending me the book to read and review in a few weeks time.

January 24th – Officially launched my A to Z April Challenge 2014 today, I’ve probably jumped the gun, but I need authors to sign up and so I need to give them time to start acting. Got a book you think could fit? Want to promote it for free? Check out the post and get in touch  http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4r7 The A to Z Challenge was set up in 2010 by Arlee Bird and last year over 1600 bloggers from around the world took part. I had a ball visiting other bloggers who write about all sorts of subjects that I wouldn’t usually seek out and I increased my followers to my own blog too. Good Deeds received; The first authors to jump in and sign up for the challenge are thrilled to have the opportunity of a free promotion.

January 25th – Today I have a guest author on the blog, L.T Vargus, if you’ve missed some posts this week do try and check out her interview. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4o9. My A to Z Challenge has had a great start, I’ve filled 8 places already. Please do spread the word if you know an author who might like to have their book promoted during the challenge. There won’t be much work involved. Short punchy posts work well during the challenge because everyone is encouraged to visit and comment on as many blogs as they can, so they only have time for a quick visit to blogs. The trick is to make the post a memorable one with easy links for readers to buy the book or find out more about the author.