One of my most engrossing reads this year was a book by Kamila Shamsie titled "Burnt Shadows". This is a novel that spanned generations beginning with the bombing in Nagasaki and ending in New York to the present. The novel was shortlisted for the 2009 Orange Prize, and I hope it WINS! Do NOT miss this one! My review of the book can be found here: Burnt Shadows. And then read the interview that resparked my interest today here. The author's other works include Kartography and Broken Verses.
I finished and adored The Day The Falls Stood Still which was the answer to Thursday's question, Most Recent Best Read. Stay tuned for a giveaway coming September 1st, part of a blog tour for the book. Do not miss it! The book releases the day I am having Endometrial Ablation. Such joy. Right now I am reading, or should be reading, "Highland Rebel" by Judith James, a romantic historical set in the days of King James II. It's been one heckuva week so I am not getting far at all, and next week is going to be more heckonwheels with a new daycare starting for the devilchild and second grade starting for the spaceychild and my husband's new shift starting and surgery and.. I'll stop because I'm already tired. I am so incredibly behind in my reading and reviewing. Thank the Lord for my simple mailbox post that you'll see Monday, and you'd be shocked.
Unless you've had surgery yourself this week, or otherwise hiding under a rock, you've noticed the BBAW FEVER! Book Blogger Appreciation Week Nominations have been sent out in many categories which have included roughly 1,000 blogs per Amy's calculations. Wow. So amazing are those organizational gals. I want to thank whoever nominated me: Most Chatty, Best New Blog, Best Historical Fiction, Best Reviews and this just in: Best Community Builder. Fun stuff! Which is so funny about the Community Builder nod because I just happen to be working on getting some of my favorite HF Bloggers to join in the BBAW fun with our own HF Action for the week to add to the fun! Stay tuned! Giveaways and interviews of each other.. YAY!
Last Feb/March when I started my reviewing I had no idea I was going to be nominated for anything at all so it has been a gratifying whirl so far, although I have slowed my pace and I apologize. With summer nearing its end, I am praying for earlier bedtimes for the heathens so that I can wind down myself at a decent time and get some reading in.
Speaking of AWARDS ~ What a WEEK~ I've received a zillion and a half, and I've previously neglected my duties here about passing them on so I am catching up now since I've gotten ALL THESE IN A WEEK and I'd feel like a heel if I didn't mention it.
Lizzy at Historically Obsessed topped it all for me by awarding me a new award:
What is the criteria to be a H.F. Lovely Ladies Award you ask? You obviously have to be a woman to get this one. Specializing in Historical Fiction, be it novels, historical events, or fine art. These special ladies are the type who go above and beyond the call of duty daily and enjoy it! Since like me they are obsessed with HF theses ladies are a constant support with a flowing wealth of knowledge in the blogging community. They also play a active role in the blogger community hosting events and letting us all know events that they are not hosting. Being super blogger's who constantly are viewing and commenting on other sites with positive feedback. Their blogs have unique qualities like being beautiful and having excellent content. What is amazing is they do all this on the daily and still manage to run a household in their own physical domain. The "super women" blogger's of historical fiction."
Even though she does not need awards to feel special I MUST pass this to Arleigh at Historical-Fiction.com to adorn her blog with. Arleigh has been my source of comfort in the bookblogosphere, and I award Ms. Lucy at Enchanted by Josephine too even though Lizzy named every one else I would name as well and I won't bore them to death by re-distributing this to them although they deserve it a hundred times over..
And Allie from Hist-Fic Chick awarded me the Zombie Chicken award, thank you.. and I also received another new one "I Keep Coming Back for More" from Cathy! Thank you!
The I Keep Coming Back for More! Award is for a blog you just can't stay away from. If you've been busy and your Google reader is over 1,000 unread posts, these are the blogs that you single out to read. These are the ones that are never victims to the dreaded Mark All As Read. There may be many different reasons why you can't stay away: a taste in books that mirrors your own, the same sense of humor, always knowing the latest in the book world... for whatever the reason, these blogs are flat out addictive and you have no wish to be cured!Since I am a firm believer in the K.I.S.S. method, the rules are rather simple:
Enjoy the award. If you don't want to put it on your blog, don't. Just get the warm, fuzzy feeling that I'm sending your way!
You don't have to reveal any deep, dark secrets about yourself or answer any sort of questions. You've already earned it!
You don't have to link back to me.
You don't have to give it to anyone else.
I am sending along a Warm Fuzzy Feeling to these blogs that cannot be Marked As Read without reading them first (in alphabetical order):
Enchanted By Josephine
Historical-Fiction.com
Historically Obsessed
Hist-Fic Chick
Marie Antoinette's Gossip Guide to the 18th Century
Medieval Bookworm
The Maiden's Court
I keep going back to those blogs for MORE! And remember, you don't have to do a darn thing with this award except get all warm and fuzzy inside :) Thanks to these ladies, who should NOT BE MISSED, as I MISSED Ms. Lucy when she was out of pocket for a little while last week, I was going through withdrawal symptoms.
And thank you for this award at 
Lib's Literary Library:
Pugtastic George, For Going Above and Beyond .. LOL Thank you! She gave me this one instead of the Lemonade stand since I had that one already!
And a week or two ago.. or three.. 
I had also received from Stacy's Books the Let's Be Friends award.. Thank you!
And then thrice bitten this week THREE times by Melissa's Bookshelf, Lizzy & Dolleygurl for the B I N G O Award.. 
They all called me Outstanding.. you are all too Kind.. Thank you..
Passing BINGO along on to 5 other blogs that represent qualities represented by B-I-N-G-and-O. And will try and pick DIFFERENT blogs then they picked although obviously I'd agree with all of them..
B- Beautiful - Marie Antoinette's Gossip Guide
I- Informative - Scandalous Women
N- Neighborly - Jenny loves to read
G - Gorgeous - 18th Century Blog (*FAB Photos!)
O- Outstanding - Reading The Past
There you are folks.. Please visit all these fabulous and fun blogs if you haven't before.. and enjoy the rest of your weekend!!
.JPG)