Well everyone, it’s the day you’ve been waiting for. The day you’ve pined for, even. That’s right, PINED. It’s Giveaway Winners Announcement Day – and the winners are being picked AS WE SPEAK by my ruggedly handsome husband who is sitting in an office three miles away.

Hey, last time I did this, I made him pick random numbers while he was in the shower. At least he’s wearing clothes this time.

I’ve just texted him and asked him to pick the numbers, so while we’re waiting I’ll tell you guys how much you rock. I know, doesn’t that sound like fun? Seriously though, I have the best blog readers in the world. You’re funny, helpful, and most of you are pretty. Oh okay, you’re ALL pretty.

A few tidbits about this giveaway: We had 91 entries – HOLY COW! And y’all did a fabulous job of spreading the word. Sure, there were extra entries in it for you, but I like to think you would have done it anyway out of the goodness of your heart. And if you don’t win, let me personally recommend that you go ahead and read each of the prize books anyway, because they are well worth your time.

*sigh* Nothing back from the husband yet.

So while we’re waiting, let’s talk about Eclipse. Have y’all seen it yet? I saw it this morning (yes, I said morning) and I think the jury’s still out on this one. I didn’t like the Twilight movie at all, but I liked New Moon a little better, and I guess I just had really high hopes for this one. I have a hard time getting past the lack of acting skills, bad wig jobs (Kristen Stewart, I’m looking at you), and the overdone vampire makeup. But it was entertaining, and -

Oooh! My phone just dinged. Okay everyone, the numbers my superhot husband picked are:

75 and 2

And let me look on my handy little list here, where I’ve given you all the appropriate number of entries. Those numbers correspond to:

Heather Trese

and

Debbie Deskin

Hooray! *throws confetti and lights sparklers* *sets own hair on fire with sparklers* *throws sparklers down and stomps on them in anger*

Yay Heather and Debbie! So remember, you get your pick of: Incarceron, The Maze Runner, or The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Take your pick and be thinking about which one you want – I’ll be emailing you in the next few minutes to let you know you’ve won!

To everyone else who entered, please remember you’re not a loser just because you lost. It just means that in some cosmic, supernatural way, my husband hates you.

Kidding. We both love you very much. And once I reach 300 blog members, I’ll have another giveaway – so keep on joining up and make it happen!

Plot Summary (taken from book jacket)

With every step he takes around the carefully manicured grounds of Minerva Hall, Jim is haunted by the ghosts of children, long dead, whom no one else can see. Urging him to “find the Seventh,” the children leave him cryptic clues pointing to a devastating ancient prophecy that only he can stop from being fulfilled.

Jim befriends another boy – Einstein, who lives at the hall. Einstein is autistic and very, very smart. If anyone can help Jim find the Seventh, perhaps he can – Einstein clearly knows more than he is saying. At the same time, the children seem to be leaving Jim some sort of macabre treasure trail.

If Jim doesn’t figure out the clues, innocent people will die. But how can he find the answers while the dangers of the Hall grow ever more threatening? And even if he can, the real question is – is Jim already too late?

My Take

I reviewed another of Christine Morton-Shaw’s books here, which I loved just as much as this one. Oh, y’all. Why have we never heard of this author? She is absolutely fantastic!

This book is so fabulously creepy, I cannot even tell you. Just like the other book of hers that I read, I ended up having to turn on all the lights and keep HGTV going in the background just so I wouldn’t completely freak out. But even with the sound of Mike Holmes shouting about minimum building code, I still got totally creeped!

The setting – an ancient mansion with a lot of land in England – was amazing, and the author does a great job of making you feel like you’re there. Characters are great, story is great, ending is great. GREAT. Highly recommended!

Book Rating: PG for creepiness. Nothing potentially offensive that I remember.

Recommended For: Anyone who totally loves to get a Hitchcock-style scare.

Not Recommended For: People who may actually be haunted by ghosts and/or live in old English mansions.

Star Rating: 4.5 / 5.

*          *          *

Only two more days to win free books! Click HERE!

In honor of my better half’s 24th birthday (yes, he is a spring chicken and he married a cougar who’s 3 years older than him, almost to the day) I’ve decided to make a list of 12 reasons why Rob Riley rocks.

“But Anne,” you say. “Why not 24 reasons?”

Well, because 24 things is a long list to post on a blog, and even though I could probably think of 1000 reasons he rocks, I would probably lose a few of you somewhere in there.

Also, I’m attempting to keep the cheese factor to a minimum here.

You’re welcome.

Rob Riley Rocks Because:

1. When he sees this post, he’s going to turn red and remind me how much he hates being the center of attention, at which point I will stick my tongue out at him and remind him that I’m allowed to embarrass him on his birthday. We’re all kinds of mature around here.

2. He’s got blue eyes. I always wanted blue eyes, so I get to live vicariously through him. And maybe he’ll pass those eyes on to Sprinkle!

3. He can wash dishes faster than anyone else in the world. Seriously. Challenge him to a Dish-Off. He’ll beat the pants off you.

4. He cleans out the litter box. Peach and I are both exceedingly grateful to him for this. (Although if he waits too long, Peach protests by flinging her poo against the walls. She’s a little bit of a diva.)

5. When he smiles a certain way, he looks JUST LIKE Matt Damon. Jason Bourne, anyone? (Yes please.)

6. He’s already a natural with babies. Proof:

(Don’t worry about the look on the baby’s face. He’s probably just workin’ on a little somethin’.)

7. He shouts at the people on the news when they say something he doesn’t agree with. This is funny, and sometimes it drives me a little nuts, but it definitely shows his passion for the things he believes in.

8. After years of making fun of me for liking Harry Potter, he finally read the first book and finished the whole series in about two months.

9. If you ask Rob to make a dessert for the company that’s coming over, this is the type of thing you’re likely to get (and don’t get me wrong, it was AWESOME!):

10. Instead of getting out $10 or $20 at a time, he takes out $1 from the ATM at his office (yes, it dispenses dollar bills) so he can buy a cup of coffee. He does this every day. And every time I check our bank account online, I laugh out loud.

11. He is determined to teach me how to play golf, even though this is what happened last time we went:

(Please note position of divet, ball, and club.)

12. And, last but not least, Rob Riley rocks because he’s told me that if our baby is a girl, he’ll have no choice but to put her in a plastic bubble until she’s 40 because “nobody’s good enough to date his baby girl.” Bless.

So there you have it! There are so many other reasons my husband is awesome, but that’s a good starter list. Happy birthday, Rob!