Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: The End

Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon has been officially over now for almost 4 hours and I am just now getting to the completion post, if that gives one any indication of how poorly I did.

What went wrong in my plans?

  • I assumed I would have time in the car to read.
  • I underestimated how long the college visit would be (12 total hours from door to door).
  • I underestimated how old I am.
  • I underestimated the amount of sleep I required.
  • I forgot my neighbours still needed help, I thought they had decided upon an apartment.
  • I did not count on a high level of pain, which was silly, I was in a car or touring a campus for 12 hours!

What went right for me?

  • I placed people first.
  • I spent quality time with my oldest son.
  • I helped neighbours in need
  • I found some delightful book bloggers through the read-a-thon.
  • I realised my limitations and learned to be okay with them.

What did I get read?

  • A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin (422 pages)
  • Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze (329 pages)

Give thanks where thanks is due!

There are so many people to thank. The Cheerleaders who worked to keep the readers going, the challenge hosts (even if I did not participate in many, I read every challenge, you are indeed a creative lot), the hosts, and every single person who helped make this read-a-thon a success.
I would also like to thank my readers who had to put up with the few read-a-thon posts I did publish.

What will I do differently next time?

I will first and foremost look at my family calendar. I truly forgot about the 12 our trip until the night before the read-a-thon and it tumbled downhill from there. I will participate in the next one and figure I cannot do worse. ;)

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The Sunday Salon 11 April

The Sunday Salon.com

It has been an extremely busy week, with the boys being on Spring Break, helping our neighbours find a suitable apartment, and looking at colleges and universities. I am hoping this week will bring me more time to read. I have tried to gain more time with the
Clear Away the Clutter Read-A-Thon as well as the 24-Hour Read-A-Thon. Naturally life got in the way of my plans, and I am hoping for more time to read this week, however with my neighbour having back surgery and their upcoming move, it is not looking as though this week will be a stellar one for reading.

This past week nine reviews went up:
Today I am planning to read:
  • How Clarissa Burden Learned To Fly by Connie May Fowler
  • Watchlist based on an idea by Jeffery Deaver

Happy Reading and please feel free to leave comments or suggestions.

All are welcome to join The Sunday Salon.

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Book Tour & Review: A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin

Title: A Distant Melody
Author: Sarah Sundin
Publisher: Revell
Publication Date: March 1, 2010
Paperback: 422 pages
ISBN: 978-0800734213
Genre: Historical Romance

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About the book:

Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval–even marry a man she doesn’t love.

Lt. Walter Novak–fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women–takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and their love of music draws them together, prompting them to begin a correspondence that will change their lives.

As letters fly between Walt’s muddy bomber base in England and Allie’s mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

A Distant Melody is the first book in the WINGS OF GLORY series, which follows the three Novak brothers, B-17 bomber pilots with the US Eighth Air Force stationed in England during World War II. 



My Review:

A Distant Melody is the first novel in Sarah Sundin’s Wings of Glory series and what an extraordinary beginning. Sundin takes the reader back to the 1940s with her masterful command of lyrical prose and strong characters.
Allie Miller is taking her first trip north, a trip she is looking forward to, to her friend Betty’s wedding. Alone without the disapproving eye of her mother or her boyfriend Baxter Hicks, her parents adore him and expect Allie to marry him. In the same station, Lt. Walter Novak is departing for his last furlough home and is happy to soon be heading off to fly, to be useful, yet like Allie he feels as though he does not measure up. Walter and Allie meet on the train and soon learn they are going to the same city. Allie and Walter are drawn together during the delightful week leading up Betty’s wedding, and Allie assumes Walter knows about Baxter and thinks she is only risking her heart. Allie and Walter stay in contact through letters and their relationship continues to flourish, as do their lives. Allie begins to emerge into her own, but will she be able to grow or marry Baxter to please her parents? Buried secrets and mystery surround them both which lends toward a sweet and delightful plot which allows the reader to view the war from both sides of the ocean and what struggles each faced during those difficult years. A Distant Melody makes for a delightful, intriguing, and at times emotional read, which is rich with historical details, delightful characters and emotionally charged from fun and innocent flirtations to the grim realities of war. I would recommend A Distant Melody to anyone, especially those interested in historical novels, for Sundin has definitely done her research and takes the reader back to the time and climate of the 40′s. A Distant Melody would be an excellent choice for a discussion group.

About the Author:

Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Francisco. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. This is her first novel. For more info please visit her website.

Follow the blog tour here.

I received a complimentary copy of A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin from LitFuse Publicity Group. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.

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