Today I had a great day with my two beautiful children and my amazing husband of almost 10 years! I couldn’t have asked for a better day.

I  stopped by my parents house and spent a couple hours with my mom just catching up. We live in the same town and you’d think we saw each other a lot more than we actually do. We both live very busy lives working full-time and taking care of our families. I’m just glad to be able to take the time to visit when it’s most important.

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Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews.

Here are the books I received this week.

Review

The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel by Richelle Mead Published: 2012-06-12 by Razorbill Pages: 423 | $18.99

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando Published: 2012-07-05 by Dutton Juvenile Pages: 304 | $16.99

Pretty Little Liars #11: Stunning by Sara Shepard Published: 2012-06-05 by HarperTeen Pages: 320 | $17.99

Free Kindle Editions

Daire Meets Ever by Alyson Noël Published: 2012-05-03 by St. Martin’s Griffin Pages: 43 | FREE

I hope you got some great books this week!

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This weeks Featured Blogs are The Fake Steph Dot Com and Books Galore.

Hello New Followers!

If you’re new to my blog, welcome!

All follow links can also be found in the right hand sidebar.

Please feel free to follow via RSS, Email, and or Google+.

I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

Thanks for stopping by! I look forward to following new book blogs too!

I have a giveaway running that ends tonight! Feel free to enter HERE!

Q: This Sunday in the U.S. is Mother’s Day, in celebration, what are some of your favorite books with strong mother/child relationships?

Hmm, I read a lot of YA fantasy where usually the parents are not major characters. I’m going to say that The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter had one of the strongest mother / child relationships I’ve ever read, even though she wasn’t even in the book until the very end! It’s a Middle Grade book, which I don’t find myself reading much of but this book was phenomenal. Check out my review.

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Disclosure: Amazon.com Associate. If you click on my links and purchase anything a very small percentage of the purchase price will be awarded to The Cozy Reader.

Anywho, the incredibly cute author, Tahereh Mafi posted a short video on her blog letting us know that in October a novella will be released from Warner’s point of view that joins the gap at the end of Shatter Me to the beginning of Unravel Me, coming in February 2013.

I’ve already pre-ordered my copy! For only $2.99 you should too! Links to Amazon.com are below.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi Published: 2011-11-15 | HarperCollins 357 pages | $13.99 (Amazon.com)

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Find out more on Book Week Online, including how to order free copies of the above poster as well as print off a unique bookmark.

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Asunder (Newsouls, #2) by Jodi Meadows releases sometime in 2013.

I read and really loved Incarnate a while ago. I owe you a review but just believe me when I say it was REALLY good.

Incarnate (Newsoul, #1) by Jodi Meadows

Published: 2012-01-31 | Katherine Tegen Books

384 pages | $13.99 (Amazon.com)

 Summary (Goodreads)

New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
No soul
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Heart
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

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Prodigy: A Legend Novel by Marie Lu Published: 2013-01-29 | Putnam Juvenile 384 pages | Price: $17.99 (Amazon.com)

This is book two of Marie Lu’s Legend Series. I LOVED the first book (my review). So I won’t post the summary but you can check it out on Goodreads!

Also, you can read the first chapter on USA Today.

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Daire Meets Ever by Alyson Noël Published: (2012-05-03) | St. Martin’s Griffin pages | Price: FREE (Amazon.com)

Summary (Amazon)

What happens when an immortal meets a soul seeker?  Find out in this bonus scene as Ever Bloom and Daire Santos cross paths!

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Immortals, Alyson Noël, comes Fated—a breathtaking novel brimming with magic, mystery, and an intoxicating love story that will steal your heart away. Meet The Soul Seekers.

Experience the enchantment of Fated and the new The Soul Seekers series with this special release featuring: the bonus scene, a note from Alyson Noël and selections from Fated.

Fated is coming May 2012.

Fated (Soul Seekers) by Alyson Noël Published: (2012-05-22) | St. Martin’s Griffin 368 pages | Price: $18.99 (Amazon.com)

Summary (Goodreads)

The first book in a magnificent new series about a girl who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël.

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before…but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with…or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

Pre-order Promotion

Also, if you’ve pre-ordered FATED you can grab a free pair of feather earrings!

Just go HERE to find out the details!

Have you read the bonus scene yet? Let me know what you think if you have!

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One of my most favorite fantasy/historical fiction/paranormal series.

Check out my review and then go get yourself a copy! for only $0.99, why not!?

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger Published: 2009-09-04 by Orbit Pages: 388 | Price: $7.99 | Kindle: $0.99

Summary (Goodreads)

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.
Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire — and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.
With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London’s high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?
SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

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I thought I’d host a random giveaway. I received the following ARCs a while back and then I also received them via NetGalley so I thought I’d share these with my readers!

I have started all 3 but never did finish any of them. I’ll give you a brief explanation of why I didn’t finish them and whether I plan to finish them eventually.

Books

The Humming Roomby Ellen Potter192 pages, Feiwel & Friends, (2012-02-28) $16.99 (Amazon.com)

 

Summary (Goodreads)

Hiding is Roo Fanshaw’s special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment’s notice. When her parents are murdered, it’s her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life.
As it turns out, Roo, much to her surprise, has a wealthy if eccentric uncle, who has agreed to take her into his home on Cough Rock Island. Once a tuberculosis sanitarium for children of the rich, the strange house is teeming with ghost stories and secrets. Roo doesn’t believe in ghosts or fairy stories, but what are those eerie noises she keeps hearing? And who is that strange wild boy who lives on the river? People are lying to her, and Roo becomes determined to find the truth.
Despite the best efforts of her uncle’s assistants, Roo discovers the house’s hidden room–a garden with a tragic secret.
Inspired by The Secret Garden, this tale full of unusual characters and mysterious secrets is a story that only Ellen Potter could write.

Why I Didn’t Finish

I didn’t finish this one because I really didn’t get hooked at first. I LOVED Ellen’s The Kneebone Boy (my review) so I know I’ll eventually pick this one back up. Since it’s a middle grade book, it’s hard for me to feel the urge to read this. Maybe I’ll  read it to my nearly 8 year old daughter instead.

Life Is But a Dreamby Brian James240 pages, Feiwel & Friends, (2012-03-27) $17.99 (Amazon.com)

 

Summary (Goodreads)

Sabrina, an artist, is diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her parents check her into the Wellness Center. There she meets Alec, who is convinced it’s the world that’s crazy, not the two of them. They are meant to be together; they are special. But when Alec starts to convince Sabrina that her treatment will wipe out everything that makes her creative, she worries that she’ll lose hold of her dreams and herself. Should she listen to her doctor? her decision may have fatal consequences.
Brian James calls Life is But a Dream “the most intense book I’ve written. Bringing this unique character to life and seeing the world through her eyes, with all its beauty and confusion, was an immense challenge that I hope is just as rewarding to read as it was to write.” Intense–yes. Unforgettable–definitely.

Why I Didn’t Finish

I got very far into this one. It’s a very HEAVY book. Two young kids in a mental institution. I was afraid to keep reading. I just couldn’t see it ending well. I don’t usually enjoy reading things that have such sadness in them. I ‘d rather read a paranormal or a happy contemporary.

After the Snowby S. D. Crockett304 pages, Feiwel & Friends, (2012-03-27) $16.99 (Amazon.com)

 

Summary (Goodreads)

Fifteen-year-old Willo was out hunting when the trucks came and took his family away. Left alone in the snow, Willo becomes determined to find and rescue his family, and he knows just who to talk with to learn where they are. He plans to head across the mountains and make Farmer Geraint tell him where his family has gone.
But on the way across the mountain, he finds Mary, a refugee from the city, whose father is lost and who is starving to death. The smart thing to do would be to leave her alone — he doesn’t have enough supplies for two or the time to take care of a girl — but Willo just can’t do it. However, with the world trapped in an ice age, the odds of them surviving on their own are not good. And even if he does manage to keep Mary safe, what about finding his family?

Why I Didn’t Finish

I barely started this one. I actually laughed and then decided to read it out loud to my husband. This would make an excellent audio book. I might just do that instead of reading it. But after reading Blood Red Road I might be able to handle this one. Maybe. The twang was just too much for me.

Giveaway

To enter please just follow this Rafflecopter form widget!

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Disclosure: Amazon.com Associate. If you click on my links and purchase anything a very small percentage of the purchase price will be awarded to The Cozy Reader.

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews. She and a few co-reviewers cover paranormal books of YA and Adult. Feel free to start participating. There are no restrictions except to link back to Tynga’s Reviews.

Here’s what I’ve gotten since February. Yes, I know, that’s a long time since I’ve done my last In My Mailbox post!

Review

NetGalley

Bought

Free Kindle Editions

I’ve read quite a few of these already so look for some reviews! I’m trying really hard to dedicate more time to my blog.

What have you gotten recently?

Giveaway

I’m hosting a giveaway! Be sure to enter!

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Summary (Goodreads)

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her… but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead… quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

This was originally a writing on Fictionpress.com as Queen of Glass. It will be released on August 7th. Until then Bloomsbury is releasing novellas for $0.99 each. I highly recommend the novellas. I’m actually liking them slightly more than the book itself, which is available on NetGalley.

Novellas

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (01/13/12)

The Assassin and the Desert (02/30/12)

The Assassin and the Underworld (05/01/12)

Throne of Glass (08/07/12)

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Queen of the Dead (The Ghost and the Goth (#2) by Stacey Kade

Disney-Hyerion (May 31, 2011)

$12.48 (Hardcover, Amazon) $7.99 (Kindle)

Procurement

eARC from publisher via NetGalley as well as a paperback ARC that I gaveaway in a giveaway.

No summary since this is the second book of a series. Instead here’s a link to my review of The Ghost and the Goth.

Quick Review

If you’ve read and enjoyed the first book of this series then you won’t be disappointed with the second installment!

There’s a ton of action in this follow up, which was exciting!

A few new characters are introduced and we find out a bit more information about Will’s dad and their ability to see ghosts.

Alona is still dealing with her new form and does some interesting things to help Will and a few of the ghosts that are hanging around.

I can’t wait for more! Body and Soul released yesterday! I didn’t even know this! Why didn’t I get a reviewers copy! Sad reviewer here! (Maybe because I’m a year behind on some of my reviews? Or is it because Disney-Hyperion has decided bloggers are no longer an asset to their marketing program and has decided to not approve requests via NetGalley?)

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Disclosure: Amazon.com Associate. If you click on my links and purchase anything a very small percentage of the purchase price will be awarded to The Cozy Reader.

Angel Burn (Angel, #1) by L.A. Weatherly

Candlewick (May 24, 20122)

$7.08 (Hardcover, Amazon) $7.19 (Kindle)

Procurement

eARC from publisher via NetGalley

Summary (Goodreads)

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. she has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself does. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil.

Quick Review

An amazingly original angel story.

Willow was interesting and I enjoyed getting to know her.

A hunky male character, Alex, who takes charge.

The angels are deceptive and I can’t wait to see how they are overruled in the following books.

Angel Fire published January 24, 2012 but I haven’t gotten a copy yet!

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Die For Me by Amy Plum

HarperTeen (May 10, 2011)

$10.64 (Hardcover, Amazon)

$1.99 (Kindle w/ Bonus Materials!)

Procurement

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Summary (Goodreads)

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier’s parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life–and memories–behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he’s a revenant–an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel.

Super Quick Review

The paranormal aspect of this is very unique and I LOVED it!

The mystery behind Vincent unfolds in a bizarre way.

The beginning of the book is sort-a kind-a slow. Once things starting moving along I couldn’t stop reading. I was hooked by page 87!

There are lots of secondary characters that added lots of depth to the story.

I’m looking forward to reading the new book in the series, Until I Die, releasing in a few days on May 8!

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Prom is usually a big deal to most high school students. Mostly the girls are the ones to have the most fun preparing for the big day.

I remember my junior prom and my now husband’s senior prom. It was such a boring night!! I’m sure it was just us. We’re not big on dancing nor did we have very many friends that we could hang out with. We did dance once (I think). I remember my feet were killing me by the time we left. Damn those heels! We didn’t do an after party either. We may have found a  quite back road for a few minutes of quality time. ;)

Here’s our prom picture. We’ll be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary this June 29th.

Giveaway

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group has a few books to help you get in the spirit of Prom!

Illuminate: A Gilded Wings Novel, Book One by Aimee Agresti

Published: 2012-03-06 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Pages: 533 | Price: $17.99

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber Published: 2011-10-25 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children Pages: 192 | Price: $16.99

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey Published: 2010-01-18 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pages: 373 | Price: $8.99

The Fashion Coloring Book by Carol Chu Published: 2012-03-06 by Graphia Pages: 128 | Price: $12.99

To enter this giveaway please follow the below Rafflecopter widget instructions!

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Please go vote for me!

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Summary

FROM DIRECTOR CAMERON CROWE COMES THE UPLIFTING TALE BASED ON A TRUE STORY ‘WE BOUGHT A ZOO’

Featuring Family Friendly Audio Track The Whole Family Will Go Wild for this Heartwarming Adventure Starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson On Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download April 3

 This Easter, be unpredictable, do something crazy and embrace your wild side! Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents an inspiring adventure based on a true story of one man who brought a zoo back to life and family back together in WE BOUGHT A ZOO, arriving on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download April 3. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire) and starring Matt Damon (Contagion, True Grit), Scarlett Johansson (Iron Man 2, Vicky Cristina Barcelona) and Thomas Haden Church (Easy A, Sideways), WE BOUGHT A ZOO is “a sweet-natured tale…that you’ll want to see with your kids” (Liz Braun, Jam! Movies).

Benjamin Mee (Damon) is a Los Angeles newspaper columnist and adventure writer who, as a single father, faces the challenges of raising his two young children.  Hoping that a fresh start and a new life will restore their family spirit, Mee quits his job and buys an old rural house outside the city with a unique bonus feature: a zoo named the Rosemoor Animal Park, where dozens of animals reside under the care of head zookeeper Kelly Foster (Johansson) and her dedicated team.  With no experience, limited time and a shoestring budget, Mee sets out with the support of his family and the local community to reopen the zoo.  Now, Benjamin is no longer reporting an adventure story; he’s living it in his own backyard.

Featuring an incredible musical score composed by Jónsi of the band Sigur Rós, the WE BOUGHT A ZOO Blu-ray is loaded with over 2½ hours of special features including 20 deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, four behind-the-scenes featurettes, commentary with Director Cameron Crowe, star J.B. Smoove (The Sitter, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Editor Mark Livolsi, and more. The film also features an English Family Friendly Audio Track that earned the Dove Seal of Approval.  The Blu-ray and DVD will be available for an average retail price of $24.99 and $19.99 respectively.

Procurement

Screener DVD received from 20th Century Fox via ThinkJam.

Review

I had wanted to see We Bought A Zoo while it was in theatres but we never made it there. I was SO thrilled to receive a review copy and made it a point to watch it with my husband that very weekend. We had planned on letting our 7 year old watch it with us but decided to watch it first to see if it was indeed appropriate for her. As I knew there was some romance in it I didn’t want to subject her to too much sexual content. I’ll come back to whether it’s appropriate for little eyes later.

First, I just loved the cast! Matt Damon made a great newly single dad due to his wife passing away. His children were great characters and the little girl was just adorable! Her name is Maggie Elizabeth Jones and I’ll be looking for her in other movies for sure! And of course, the lovely Scarlett Johansson played a down to earth zookeeper.

The story was what initially peaked my interest. The trailer sucked me right in and I just had to see it. I would have loved to own a zoo as a child! Even now I think it would be an amazing adventure.

I did not know that the movie was based on a book by the main character of the movie, Benjamin Mee. I wish I would have known so I could have read the book first! I am really not a fan of seeing the movie first and then reading the book.

We Bought A Zoo is rated PG for “language and some thematic elements “. There are several scenes when Damon shoots off a few choice curse words (6 uses of s**t, 1 or 2 uses of bulls**t, 4 uses of d**n, 4 uses of hell, 1 use of b*tch, 2 uses of a**hole, 1 use of d**k.), some that I would never say in front of my children, and granted the children are not around in the movie when they are said. Also, the young boy is having issues at school and lashes out by drawing disturbing images, one of which is shown very clearly of a decapitated person with spraying blood stream and icky looking in general. That is the main reason why we decided not to let our daughter watch this. It could easily have not been included and would not have impacted the story what so ever.

In addition to the language and violent drawings there’s the issue of an aging tiger, Spar. In zoo keeping philosophy, it’s common to dispose of aging animals before their treatment becomes too expensive or their livelihood is too painful for them. It is a very touchy subject and many scenes of upset people. It would require a child that understands death or at the very least an explanation afterwards.

To see more parental content explanations go HERE.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and would recommend it for a date night.

Book

Giveaway

20th Century Fox has graciously provided a DVD of We Bought A Zoo as well as the book!

Please enter by using the below Rafflecopter widget.

 

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Coming September 25th, 2012:

You can also see the back cover and the cover flap on HarlequinTeen’s Facebook page.

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Click the book image to go to Amazon.com!

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Disclosure: Amazon.com Associate. If you click on my links and purchase anything a very small percentage of the purchase price will be awarded to The Cozy Reader.