IT'S HERE!!! CHECK OUT THIS GIVEAWAY!!!

1 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY 

OF DOLLYCAS'S THOUGHTS!!!! 

I can't believe I have been blogging a year and people are actually reading what I write!!!  

Thank you to all my friends, followers, authors, publicists and family for a truly wonderful year!!!!

I hope you like this giveaway, some of you have been calling me the "COZY QUEEN", 

I do love my cozies and my mystery thrillers too. 

THIS GIVEAWAY FEATURES SOME GREAT COZIES AND 

AN ARC OF ONE THRILLER THAT 

I REALLY ENJOYED HIS PAST YEAR.

ALL THESE TITLES WILL GO THE ONE LUCKY WINNER!!

The Tattoo Mystery Series

 

By Karen E. Olson

The Cackleberry Club Mystery Series

By Laura Childs

The Bibliophile Mystery Series

By Kate Carlisle

Don't Blink (Advanced Read Copy)

By James Patterson

Plus This Beautiful Bookmark

Flat, shiny, silver-tone metal is crafted into the lowercase "desire," and comes with a burgundy ribbon accent for easy retrieval from marked book. Not including ribbon, bookmark measures 5" L (12.7 cm).

Plus

A Dollycas's Thoughts Tote Bag

Plus  some other goodies too!!!!!

Giveaway is open to U.S. Residents 

You do not need to be a follower to enter but, 

Old followers will receive 2 additional entries 

for a total of 3 entries.

Followers just joining today will receive 1 additional entry 

for a total of 2 entries.

Just Fill Out The Form Below To Enter.

CONTEST WILL END ON JANUARY 17TH AT 11:59 P.M. CST

PLEASE PASS THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS

ABOUT THIS GREAT GIVEAWAY!

If someone you refer someone who becomes a new follower, have them leave a comment saying that you referred them, plus how they are following and you will receive an additional 2 entries!!!

Please remember the books have been gently read my me and are not brand new.

BUFFALO WEST WING BY JULIE HYZY REVIEW

A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
A Division of Penguin Publishing
A White House Chef Mystery
4th Book in Series
Release Date January 4, 2011

• ISBN-10: 0425239233
• ISBN-13: 978-0425239230

In this edition a new family, including two children, are welcomed to the White House, but the transition did not go smoothly by any means, especially between the White House Kitchen Staff and the new First Lady.  In fact, it only took a few days for her to bring in their own personal family chef to prepare the family meals.  The new chef believed he was hired to be the new executive chef of the entire White House, and was very disappointed to learn that Ollie (Olivia Paras) would retain her position but her load would be lightened as she would no longer be preparing the family meals.  To say the kitchen was tense is an understatement.  Adding to the stress was a package of Buffalo Wings delivered for the children's first night in their new home, but because the package did not go through proper channels Ollie could not serve them to the children. This was not well received by the First Lady and Ollie believes her days as White House Chef are numbered. 


Unfortunately some staff ate the wings and became terribly sick.  It is then the Ollie and certain secret service agents start to put together that the family was in danger, but they must keep mum about their suspicions to keep the first family safe and determine if they have someone on the staff working with the group targeting the First Family.

I absolutely positively loved this book, just as I did the other books in this series.  We get a look at what goes on behind the scenes at the White House.  Julie Hyzy did an exhaustive amount of research and you can see it in her writing.  She takes us to a place you can't even see on a tour and divulges the inner workings, it is quite fascinating.

I immediately fell in love with Ollie, Cyan, Bucky and Henry.  The new First Family with children added to the mix, brings in a whole new element to the story and the White House, the same way the Obama girl's have done in real life.  I was touched by the Wisconsin reference, even though it was the location of a prison.  The story could definitely be a "ripped from the headlines" saga.  I understand how closely guarded our President's family is, and why the protocols are in place.  This story is an edge of your seat mystery but also an excellent example of why the protocols are in place and what a dangerous world we live in today.

Julie, I am so glad I started this blog and found your marvelous work.  Those nice little cliffhangers always leaving me wanting more.  All the White House Chef Mysteries are a pure delight and I give all 4 books 5 stars and consider them a must read for every mystery lover!!!!

To find out more about Julie, this series, the Manor House Mystery series and her other mysteries be sure to check out her website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these books free from Berkley Prime Crime,  a Division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

ORCHARD MYSTERY SERIES BY SHEILA CONNOLLY GIVEAWAY!!!!!

It's DAY 5 in my

BLOGOVERSARY WEEK OF GIVEAWAYS!!

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY!!!

Today's Giveaway Features

The Orchard Mystery Series 

by Sheila Connolly

Plus some extra goodies as always!!

Giveaway is open to U.S. Residents 

You do not need to be a follower to enter but, 

Old followers will receive 2 additional entries 

for a total of 3 entries.

Followers just joining today will receive 1 additional entry 

for a total of 2 entries.

Just Fill Out The Form Below To Enter

CONTEST WILL END ON JANUARY 13TH AT 11:59 P.M. CST

PLEASE PASS THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS

ABOUT THIS GREAT GIVEAWAY!


Remember these are books gently read one time by me.

ENQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW - WEEK 18

No, I am not a new Tabloid Reporter, but it is a feature so 

that we can all get to know each other better.  

This feature will be open from Thursday at 12:01 A.M. and close on Monday at 11:59 P.M. to allow those that want to participate over the weekend the opportunity to do so when they have more time.  So you may want to check back on Tuesday or check the previous week's link on Thursday to view everyone's answers.

Links to all previous weeks at the bottom of the post for those who missed a week or two and want to catch up on everyone's answers.  To do that please link up using the actual post link  instead of the link to your entire blog so people can find your "Enquiring" posts easier. 

If you are just joining this feature 

WELCOME!!!!! 

We all become friends/followers but most of us will never meet in person, this feature is to help us all get to know each other better.

Each Thursday I will post 3 questions for you to answer 

that you can copy and post on your blog with your answers. 

You don’t have to be a blogger to participate either. I will be using a Linky List for the blogs to use to participate and follow each other around to get to know each other, but if you are not a blogger just answer the questions in the comment section following the post on your favorite blog. Please feel free to click on the links and visit other blogs too.  

This way we not only get to know other bloggers, 

we get to know our followers too.

I am really excited about this meme 

and hope many more people will join the fun!!!!!

Are you interested?

WEEK 18 QUESTIONS

1. Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?

2. Do you make New Year's Resolutions?

3. How will you spend New Year's Eve and New Year's Day this year?

Now be sure to copy and paste the information and your answers into your blog, then come back to link up, so we can come to your blog and read your answers.

I hope you will come back to this meme every week and tell your friends so we can all get to know each other better and get the answers to all the questions 

Enquiring Minds Want To Know!!  

MY ANSWERS:

1. Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?

Not this year, but it was a pretty big wish, but my kids know me so well, I received snowmen to add to my growing collection and Jeff got a new camera and we will both get to enjoy that.

2. Do you make New Year's Resolutions?

I usually don't make New Year's Resolutions, but last year I start this blog as part of a resolution.  This year I just want good things for all my family and friends.

3. How will you spend New Year's Eve and New Year's Day this year?

We just stay home on New Year's Eve and are lucky if we are awake at midnight, but the WISCONSIN BADGERS are in the Rose Bowl this year, so New Year's Day we definitely will be watching football.

Now it's your turn! 

Let's get to know YOU!!

This Enquiring Mind Wants To Know!

WEEK 17

WEEK 16

WEEK 15 

WEEK 14

WEEK 13

WEEK 12

WEEK 11 

WEEK 10
WEEK 9
WEEK 8
WEEK 7
WEEK 6
WEEK 5
WEEK 4
WEEK 2
WEEK 1

2011 PERSONAL CHALLENGES

I am continuing the

 LITERARY ROAD TRIP CHALLENGE

I plan to read 10 books either 

set in Wisconsin or by Wisconsin authors.

Last year I did this in two separate challenges and read some wonderful books by some fantastic authors.  

I will continue to read books by those authors but this year, 

for this challenge they 
cannot be any repeat authors from last year

which adds a little difficulty to the challenge, so I am combining them into just one challenge.

I am also adding a new personal challenge to read 

3 books published the year I was born.

Yes, I will be reaching a major milestone this year.

The first book on my wish list for this challenge is 

John Steinbeck's last book

"The Winter of Our Discontent"

and then we will see where I go from there.

I hope you will join me in reading books set in your state or by authors from your state and even 

books published the year you were born.

These are the last two year long challenges I am committing myself to, so I have time to read all the wonderful books that appear on my doorstep each and every month from some truly wonderful publishers, publicists and authors.

2011 should be a great year for 

"ESCAPING INTO SOME REALLY GOOD BOOKS"!!

THE 3 R'S CHALLENGE

SIGN UP HERE!

The Three R's is a collaboration of the minds of Cheryl from CMash Loves to Read, Julie from Reading with Restraint, and Gina from Hott Books. The ideas, the creativity, and the technology - respectively. We're each putting forth what we can do to spring this to life.

It all started because Cheryl wanted to remember the bloggers who write the reviews that begin our journey to a new book, new series, or new author. Every day each of us reads the reviews of others shaping our TBR lists. Then we occasionally remember to note them in our post but, more often than not, we completely forget about the reviews that brought us to the wonderful book we've just read.

So this challenge is for them!

We'd like to link our reviews that mention the blogger that suggested the book we've read and are now reviewing.

How thankful are you?

• 1-6 Books (~1 review every 2 months)
• 7-12 Books (~1 reviews every month)
• 13-24 Books (~ 2 reviews every month)

Rules:

We're not making this a difficult challenge, actually, it's going to be very simple!

1. This challenge will begin on January 1, 2011 and end on December 31, 2011.
2. Write a starting post stating how thankful you plan to be in the upcoming year and link it to the linky we'll have on the starting post.
3. Read a book recommended  to you by another blogger. (This book can be a crossover from another challenge.)
4. Review the book & Recognize the blogger who recommended it to you.
5. Recommend the Book in our Recommend linky by linking your review post naming the blogger who recommended the book to you.

Easy, right? Who wants to be in on the fun?

What else will we be doing? We'll have quarterly giveaways for our participants to enter and unannounced special drawings for commenters on the site so be sure to leave your email address with your comment!

I am very thankful for the recommendations by other bloggers. 

 I am going to commit to:

7-12 Books (~1 reviews every month)

and aspire to the next level. 

SOMEDAY QUILTS MYSTERY GIVEAWAY!!!

It is Day 4 in my 

BLOGOVERSARY WEEK OF GIVEAWAYS!!

Today's Giveaway Features 

Clare O'Donohue's Someday Quilts Mystery Series!

Plus some other surprise goodies !!

Giveaway is open to U.S. Residents 

You do not need to be a follower to enter but, 

Old followers will receive 2 additional entries 

for a total of 3 entries.

Followers just joining today will receive 1 additional entry 

for a total of 2 entries.

Just Fill Out The Form Below To Enter

CONTEST WILL END ON JANUARY 12TH AT 11:59 P.M. CST

PLEASE PASS THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS

ABOUT THIS GREAT GIVEAWAY!

Remember these are books gently read one time by me.