It's Monday What are you Reading?

This weekly (awesome) meme is orchestrated by Sheila over at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books!

So this week is gonna be super busy, but fun! I have TWO contests ending, a brand new kitten to get box trained, and my son is now home for the Summer! Also, I have a stack of TBR books a mile high! I swear sometimes my brain might explode from thinking about all the things I have to do! Nah..I kid.. I love it all!

So as of today here are the books I'm reading (or going to try) this week!

1. The Two Towers (gonna try and finish)
2. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane-currently reading
3. Blood Oath-looks so good!!!

So there ya go! I'm trying to get my mind all set up for the Fifth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge set to take place this weekend! :) If you wanna get some reading in this weekend then you should check it out!!
What about you? What are you up to this week?

Are those Crickets I Hear?

Just letting you all know I'm still alive (and have a sense of humor!)



Yes I know this blog has been quiet and I've been a very bad Blog Owner but I have some things formulating again. Look for me to start posting regularly again soon!

Playtex Bra Makeover

I'm so excited about this! Seriously, I need a Bra Makeover like yesterday! Basically I'm a bit..erm...how to put this delicately?..Top heavy. Yup..I am a short girl with a big set of...(fill in the blanks.) Anyways, It's not always possible for me to afford to get a good sturdy bra. I hate having to buy the cheapo ones but yeah, sometimes a girl's gotta make due, right? Since it's been so long since I've had a bra fitting, I'm still pretty much guessing what size I actually am. I would be quite ecstatic to win a Bra Makeover ..let alone a trip to NEW YORK to get one! Woot!

So check this out:
Playtex recently launched www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com, a site where women can go to apply for a bra makeover or nominate a friend. If chosen, the winner will be flown to New York to receive a Bra Makeover with style expert Alison Deyette. Deyette is a fashion and trend lifestyle expert who has been featured on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker and TLC's Ten Years Younger, as well as in print publications including Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, and O Magazine. Apply for your chance to win a Playtex Bra Makeover today. The last day to apply is Friday, May 21st, 2010.

Disclosure: By posting this information, I am entered into a contest to win a free bra from Playtex. I did not receive any compensation for this post and thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Ad: Play WoW?

My husband has played online games for a LONG time! A few years ago he really got into World of Warcraft (WoW) and played the heck out of it! He leveled his character up to the max and started to get bored. So he started looking into how to sell Wow Accounts. He wasn't sure if it was possible to do so and wasn't sure if it was even going to be profitable but he was curious. He figured he'd invested so much time on a character, that just deleting it would be a waste.

So he did a search for WoW Accounts for Sale and found out about how much his character could get him. He found out that he could at least recoup half of his "time" investment. So he sold his account and moved on to another game. If you are interested in playing WoW but want to skip all the lower level stuff and get straight to the good stuff then check into buying an already leveled account.

***this is an ad

Ad: Repairpal.com

I have a friend who needed help finding out about a good Houston auto repair shop. I let her know about Repairpal.com ! This website is full of useful info about repair shops, specific cars, and all sorts of auto info that you'd need. You can look for shops in any town, anywhere!

My friend has an Acura Integra that she thought was running a bit weird. She was concerned because she knew it needed an oil change and most likely a tune up. She followed the link and found a great repair shop near her house that checked it out and got it running the right way!

So basically, what I'm trying to say is that if you need to shop around for car repairs check out Repairpal.com!!

***this is an ad

Book Report For Monday

Welp! It's Monday! Tis enough I think. I'm reading the Two Towers for the LoTRs challenge. I'm waay behind on that but I think I'll cheat and take my time. I'm also going to try and read Beatrice and Virgil this week too! It's thin and I've heard good things about it!

My mailbox has recently seen a little action too! Here are the books I received last week:

1. The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo
2. Damaged by Alex Kava
3. Reckless by Andrew Gross
4. The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry
5. Street Boners by Gavin McInnes (btw this book title is a WIN! It totally confuddled my husband..he saw the title and opened it up and was like "Wait..I don't see any....."
   

So yeah, busy week! Also I wanted to remind you guys that I have TWO wonderful contests going on right now! One for my Blogoversary (ends 5/31) and one for Kerasal Exfoliating Foot Ointment! (ends 6/1)

Awesome Sauce Contest!!!

Win an E-Reader of your choice (or a 100 dollar Amazon GC) at The Bibliophilic Book Blog!! You know you want one!

Go on over to Bibliophilic Book Blog and enter to win! Tell 'em Melissa C from Must Read Faster sent ya, pretty please!


Good Luck to me and you!!!

Quick Review: The Little Giant of Aberdeen County

This was a super sized, charming tale of one woman's life. Truly's tale is touching and at the same time full of hope. Dealt a bad card by life, her giant stature, she lives her life the best way she can. Her life is one of constant torment by her peers, except for a couple of friendships, she has every right to give up but she doesn't. Yeah, she gets close occasionally but she keeps trudging on. I read this book and was captivated by the vivid characters, heart breaking events, and surprisingly strong heroine. I enjoyed every single page and could not put it down! It's hard to believe that this is Tiffany Baker's debut novel. The story, characters, and setting really are very good! This book has had a lot of hype around the blog-o-sphere but this time it's well deserved!

I'd give this book a solid 4/5 rating! Read it if you haven't already!

Product Review and Giveaway!-Closed!

I am always super excited about any product that will help my feet! I constantly suffer from severe dry skin on my hands, legs, and my feet. I have used so many different lotions to help relieve my skin but usually they fail. THAT is how bad my skin is! I saw that Kerasal was offering up a sample of their product to review and decided to give it a try.

The ointment is just the right thickness and felt like it was working from the moment I slicked it on my dry, cracked feet! I slipped on the little booties and went to bed! I woke up with softer feet! I won't say it worked magic over night but I could tell a slight difference. I've done this for the last three nights and I can say that my feet are soft and look like the cracked bits are healing! It's great! I really do think this product is working and is worth it! That is why I am offering up a sample (a 1.3 oz tube of the ointment and a pair of the booties) to one lucky person!

Giveaway Rules: I'll keep it simple!

1. follow my blog +1
2. link this giveaway (please include link) +2

That's it! I'll end this giveaway June 1 at midnight!

If you don't want to enter the giveaway but want to purchase the product please visit Kerasal's website and get a downloadable coupon!

**Important**This contest is only for US/Canada. I am shipping this with my own money so I can't really afford international. Sorry for the inconvenience*

Product Review: Eden Fantasys **Adult Product Review**

***This is a review for an Adult Store ***

I am very happy to be a member of the Eden Fantasys review program! They have a great website and a wonderful selection of adult themed items! There is enough variety to satisfy anyone's cravings, whether they are mild or wild! I was able to navigate the website very easily and pick out my product! I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to pick so I waited til my husband came home (and the kiddo was asleep lol) to browse the shop. I was kinda curious about the "adult toys" but settled on the Fishnet and Vinyl Chemise Set. This is found in the aptly named Sexy Lingerie section of the store. And trust me there is a LOT of sexy lingerie! My husband's face when he saw it was priceless! I knew instantly that I had to try this one! LOL

Let me tell you this set is wonderful! I was afraid that I wouldn't look sexy in it but I have to admit that I did! I'm a girl with a few extra pounds on her but I still looked pretty darn good! I love how the vinyl in the front makes the rest of me look hourglass and not at all pudgy! I would say that it's a very forgiving outfit and that boost of self confidence along with the naughty little thong makes for an interesting night!

I won't go into the graphic details but I will say that both myself and my husband enjoyed this little number! The outfit is very well made, very sexy, and VERY *ahem* effective! I will recommend Eden Fantasys to anyone that wants to spice things up a bit in the bedroom!

***Picture of Item I reviewed***

The set includes:

• Chemise
• Neckband
• Crop
• Thong

Bottom style:

Mini skirt / Thong

Lingerie closure:

Velcro

Pattern:

Solid

Top style:

Straps

Material:

Fishnet / Vinyl

Color:

Black

Size:

One size fits most

I'm Not Dead!!

...I'm hanging in there...

I know I've been quiet lately, but I just haven't had the energy to do much. I think I might be coming down with a cold or something. Sniffles, coughing, and just plain tired all the time. I have been reading and plan on getting finished with The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. I'll post the review when I'm done. I'm hoping this isn't the flu. I hate the flu!

I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm not dead and I've not forgotten the blog. If you really wanna make me smile you should enter my Blogoversary Contest and try to win one of the awesome books I have listed! :)

I'll see you guys in a few days! Hopefully sooner!

Quick Reviews

I enjoyed this take on one of my favorite writer's life. I know that McNees took some liberties but I still loved it! I thought that McNees did a good job making Louisa "come alive." There is enough romance, angst, and heart to grab anyone's attention. My humble opinion of this one is that it was a solid read. Very well done and enjoyable. I gave it a 4/5 rating.


Ugh! This book! It broke me! I started reading and from the first page just knew it would destroy me. I am usually not into love stories like this but it broke through my steely barriers! I loved the characters so very much! Lily was a very well written character. I'm Southern so of course I love that it was set in Georgia (my neighboring state!) I loved all the country references! The story was just dripping with emotional turmoil! Ugh..I will admit to shedding a little tear now and then whilst reading. The ending is bittersweet but beautiful at the same time. I loved it so much I gave it a rating of 4.5/5! Great book! Read it!

This was a second chance read. I had tried and failed to read it about a month ago, but due to some personal issues I didn't finish. So I decided to give it another shot. The book is quite interesting. It takes a bit of time to get into but once you do you are hooked. I found myself lost in the story and growing fond of the characters. The writing style is a bit of a challenge to "grasp" (at least for me) but if you keep pushing on and get used to it you will be delighted. It's not my typical read. It's a political satire but like I mentioned before I enjoyed it and look forward to more from Mr. Fox. I gave it a 3.5/5! A very good read!

Blog Tour: Captain Bonny Morgan: The Cassandra Prophesy

About the Book:

Called to action by a mysterious ancient Order-an ancient Order in cahoots with the Empress Flaccilla of the First Galactic Empire of Emperor Tulla-to help bring about the fulfillment of a long forgotten prophesy, the beautiful galactic pirate, Captain Bonny Morgan, sets out on her mission to successfully bring the prophesy to reality. By kidnapping the Empress’s daughter, Princess Cosette, Captain Morgan sets into motion an adventure awash in political intrigues, hidden agendas, unexpected revelations, and bold, daring gambits by those involved at every level of the conspiracy. Setting out to find her kidnapped sister, Princess Lysette, joined by her beautiful, mischievous, and extraordinary slavegirl, Tink, crisscrosses the galaxy in a bawdy, erotic, and often hilarious attempt to find Cosette. Along the way, Lysette and Tink fall in with a variety of extraordinary allies in their attempt to find Cosette, meeting the Lady Brit, Jon Black, Pirate Queen Colleen O’Malley, Gunns Mannigan, Buster O’Malley, the beautiful pirates Kana and Blaze, and Bully, the roguish owner of the pirate tavern, the Pretty Red.

About the Author:

Robert “Doc” Gowdy is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a Ph.D. in Literary Criticism and Theory and an emphasis on Nineteenth-Century British literature. His specialization in literary theory is psychoanalytic criticism and theory, particularly Lacanian psychoanalysis, with further emphases on Milton and Eighteenth-Century literature. He is currently an adjunct assistant professor at Texas Woman’s University where he teaches various literature classes. His interest in writing is long standing, but aside from academic writing his first novel, Captain Bonny Morgan: The Cassandra Prophesy is his first foray into fiction. Captain Bonny Morgan is based on archetypal themes and patterns from mythology, such as fairies, goddesses, and the Hero’s Journey, and based loosely on Doc Gowdy’s active duty service in the United States Marine Corps with special emphasis on the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean at the turn of the Eighteenth-Century.

My Thoughts:

This was a tough one. I usually don't pick the scifi genre to read, but it captured my attention. I enjoyed this fast paced romp through the galaxies and the characters that live there. I found myself sliding into the story and losing myself in it very quickly. There were a few things I wasn't thrilled about, but they are superficial at best.

The first thing that got to me was the pirate dialect. It took a bit of time before I wasn't irked by it..I understand she's a pirate but must she always speak like one?! The other thing that bothered me a little was the cover. It was a bit ...hm..the only word that I can come up with is cheesy. That chick's outfit is NOT proper space attire. (sarcasm) Seriously though, it did make it difficult to read this book outside of the confines of my house.

See the booty?! Not that it's an ugly one but still...taking a book outside in public with a half naked chick on the cover isn't something I do often nor do I enjoy! BUT you do know the old saying of "never judge a book by it's cover," right? Yeah..don't do that with this one.

You will enjoy yourself. I sure did! I will give it a 3.5/5 and a suggestion that you pick it up and give it a shot! Just if you are like me try to get a book cover to go with it! ;)

Other blogs on the tour:

Thursday, May 6
Book reviewed at Carol’s Notebook

Friday, May 7
Interviewed at Beyond the Books

Monday, May 10
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book

Tuesday, May 11
Book spotlighted at Examiner

Wednesday, May 12
Interviewed at Blogcritics

Thursday, May 13
Guest blogging at Cafe of Dreams

Friday, May 14
Guest blogging at SSF Insider

Monday, May 17
Book reviewed at The Distracted Librarian

Tuesday, May 18
Guest blogging at The Naked Hero

Wednesday, May 19
Interviewed at Book Marketing Buzz

Thursday, May 20
Interviewed at Literarily Speaking

Friday, May 21
Book reviewed at Star Shadow

Monday, May 24
Book reviewed at Jen’s Book Talk

Tuesday, May 25
Guest blogging at Fantasy Pages

Wednesday, May 26
Book reviewed at Books and Movies Reviews

Thursday, May 27
Book reviewed at The Wayfaring Writer

Friday, May 28
Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking

Tuesday, June 1
Guest blogging at Beyond the Books

Wednesday, June 2
Guest blogging at Cafe of Dreams

Thursday, June 3
Book reviewed at Deb’s Book Bag

Friday, June 4
Interviewed at Working Writers

Monday, June 7
Book reviewed at Freda’s Voice

Tuesday, June 8
Book reviewed at The Cajun Book Lady

Wednesday, June 9
Interviewed on Introducing Writers Radio Show

Thursday, June 10
Guest blogging at Blogging Authors

Friday, June 11
Guest blogging at The Book Connection

Monday, June 14
OPEN

Tuesday, June 15
Interviewed at Examiner

Wednesday, June 16
Book reviewed at Faithful Finances

Thursday, June 17
Interviewed on A Book and a Chat Radio Show

Friday, June 18
Book reviewed at Books R Us

Monday, June 21
Guest blogging at The Story Behind the Book

Tuesday, June 22
OPEN

Wednesday, June 23
Book reviewed at Brizmus Blogs Books

Thursday, June 24
OPEN

Friday, June 25
Book reviewed at Pick of the Literate

Monday Stuff

So it's Monday! Yay...yeah..I'm not all that pleased with today! But I have picked out three (3) books I'd like to read this week and I will do it! I've got a few posts that are coming up, my contest is running, and I'm motivated! Sooo I'll combine a few thingies into this post..

Starting with:
Mailbox report: I received The Lovers by Vendela Vida in my mailbox last week! It looks good!

Next:
My planned reads for this week-The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, The Seeker in Forever, and Fireworks over Toccoa.

I also have a blog tour coming up for The Cassandra Prophecy: Captain Bonny Morgan by Robert "Doc" Gowdy! That one posts on weds. so look for it!

There you have it peoples! Hope this week goes great for everyone! :)

It's My Blogoversary!-Contest Closed

I'm so happy you guys! Today is my Blog-o-Versary!!! One whole year ago today I started this blog on a whim. I found myself really wanting to have an outlet to express myself and didn't know where to begin. I searched for forums, lists, and blogs and then BOOM! here I am! Well it wasn't quite that dramatic but you get the point. I started Must Read Faster to get in touch with other book-a-holics like myself and to just plain have fun.

So without further ado here are a few little facts about my blog/myself:

1. The name Must Read Faster comes from two places. My fondness for books but my slowness for reading them. I do everything slowly (except for talking..I'm like Six from Blossom sometimes) and reading is not an exception. I constantly tell myself "you must read faster, Melissa!" so that's one explanation. The second is kinda dorky..I was watching Jurassic Park when I started my blog. Yes when Ian Malcolm said ..."Must go faster..must go faster!" It clicked! Must Read Faster was thus named.
2. I am addicted to books. I know this isn't a revelation but it's true. Some people crave sweets but I crave books. If I have any spare money then you can't keep me from the bookstore. The bookstore is my mall. I cried when the bookstore in our actual mall closed down.
   
3. I have to have a book in my bedroom on my nightstand (even if I'm not reading it at the time,) one in my purse, and of course in the bathroom. I get more reading done there than any other place in the house! (Sorry if that's TMI!)
4. I check my blog/twitter/facebook/email more to look for updates to other blogs than to talk to my friends or check my email. I seriously get upset if I miss an update to my favorites. I'm that addicted to this blogging thing!!!

Okay, those were pointless little tidbits about me and my blog! Now onto the PARTAY!!! I have selected 5 books from my collection to give to you, my sweet friends! I will start the giveaway today May 2 and end it on May 31st. There will be two winners picked (though you all are winners in my book!) First winner will be notified and allowed to pick from the list then the next will have the pick of the rest. Each winner will get one book a piece.

The Books:


How to enter:

1. comment here about which book you'd pick and your email address +1 entry
2. follow me on twitter @lexley +1 entry
   
3. tweet about it with link please +2 entries
4. blog about it with link please +4 entries

That's it! Thank you guys for allowing me to be here for one whole year! I can't wait for the next one! :)

***This giveaway is NOT international. I'm sorry for the confusion. I'm shipping these on my own dime so I can't afford international shipping at this time. I promise that I will figure out a way to include any international readers in the near future!