5 Flaming Stars for Edge of Dawn

EDGE OF DAWN

LARA ADRIAN

DELACORTE PRESS
FEBRUARY 26, 2013

*I received this title for review from NET GALLEY. I received no compensation for this review. The review is based on my thoughts and feelings while reading this book. All opinions are mine and may be used by author or publisher.*

Edge of Dawn is book 11 in Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series. It is the second series I got into - right behind Sookie Stackhouse and right before Anita Blake. In all honesty Sookie has disappointed me the last couple of books and Anita was letting me down after the about the 10th book, (I still read them - what a junkie I am LOL). When I saw this book I was both excited and nervous. My first thought was, "OMGOSH! The Breed is back!" followed by, "Book 11. Please don't let me down." Thank goodness I can honestly say it is AMAZING!  I was on an emotional roller coaster throughout the book. 

Edge of Dawn picks up with the Breedmate Mira, raised in the Order by Nikolai and Renata. Each Breedmate has something special about her. For Mira it is her eyes. If you look into her eyes you will see your future. But this comes at a price. Each time someone sees their future, Mira loses a bit of her sight. Consequently she uses violet contact lenses, both to save her sight and to save others from a glimpse of the future. A vision she cannot control.

As a Breedmate she will fall in love and bond to a Breed. For Mira that Breed was Kellan. Unfortunately eight years earlier Kellan was in an explosion. Though his body was not recovered he was believed dead. For eight long years Mira has grieved.  She has grown into a formidable warrior and heads a patrol group. In her heart though she is still searching for those responsible for her true love's death. Finding one of those and fighting him is what gets Mira into trouble. She gets assigned to "babysitting" a scientist as punishment.  Actually her assignment is to deliver him safely to receive an award on the eve of the peace summit. When she arrives to pick up Jeremy she finds him being kidnapped by rebels. She fights for him but ends up captive herself.  Nathan, a Breed who was raised with Mira and Kellan and is their best friend, is assigned to locate and return her. It turns into a black op meaning the rebels must die. 

I cannot go into more details without giving away the whole book but there are many amazing turns to this book. It is packed with emotion. From fight scenes to the love scenes you need to hold on tight. The love scenes sizzle and nearly set my KFire on fire. Edge of Dawn grabs you and does not let go. 

I really think it is Lara Adrian's best one yet. I cannot recommend this book enough. If you have never read the Midnight Breed series go ahead and read this one. I guarantee you, you will go back and read the rest. This is a 300 page book and I could not put it down until I finished it. Normally I would be bummed now because I have to wait until book 12 comes out. But I think I will read it again. Then I can be bummed. I give Edge of Dawn 5 flaming stars because a book this hot does not have ordinary star power. 

There is a Goodreads Giveaway  for EDGE OF DAWN going from February 17 until February 23, 2013. 

The Midnight Breed Series:

          

Novella: 

Series originally written under the pen name Tina St John and now released under Lara Adrian:

The Dragon Chalice Series: 

   

There is a GOODREADS GIVEAWAY for HEART OF THE HUNTER going on until March 30, 2013

Medieval Romance Books:

   

Lara Adrian can be followed on:

WEBSITE

GOODREADS

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

The Midnight Breed are now hanging out on Facebook! How cool is this? Here are the links I know of.

Sterling Chase
Elise Chase
Tegan GenOne
Kellan Archer
Mira Nicholas
Dylan Alexander
Tavia Fairchild

Have you read any of Lara Adrian's romance books? I have not yet but they are now on my TBR. If you have, please tell me which ones and what you thought. 

Comments are always welcome

Review of Learning to Stay

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Learning to Stay 

Erin Celello

NAL Trade

Kindle

Paperback

*I received this book for review purposes from Net Galley. No compensation was received for my review. All opinions are my true thoughts and feelings concerning this book.*

I saw this book offered on Net Galley and thought it would be interesting. I loved the title and the cover. I never imagined the impact this book would have on me. I believe Learning to Stay will be at the top of my list of 2013 Best Books. Here is the synopsis from Net Galley:

Elise Sabato is proud of her husband, Brad, for serving his country...and grateful when he returns home to her. But the traumatic brain injury he suffered in Iraq has turned him from a thoughtful, brilliant, and patient man into someone quite different....someone who requires more care and attention than Elise can give while working in a demanding law firm. And when Brad ends up on his family’s farm, hundreds of miles away, she wonders where their marriage is headed.

Elise must decide between the life she always wanted and the life she seems to be living…until she finds inspiration in the most unlikely of places: a lovable dog named Jones who teaches her that when the best-laid plans take unexpected turns, sometimes you end up right where you were meant to be.

My son served in Iraq. I think that was part of the appeal for me. I have found that since his return I am drawn to books about homecomings. I did fine with those. I was not expecting the way this book would hit me. After reading the first chapter I knew I would be reading the book slowly. I do not know if Erin Celello had personal experience but she certainly writes as if she does.

She writes of how you know it is not the telephone you fear. It is the car coming down your street. It is the knock on your door. She knows the hours you are safe from the knock but not the worry. The way she writes you see it playing out in your head and feel every emotion with the characters.

There is a part in chapter 3, after Brad comes home, where she sees him outside. It is 3 a.m. and winter in Wisconsin. Brad is barefoot in jeans, no shirt. She writes, “ I watch as he watches the fence, like a dog on high alert – body tensed, ready to spring on whatever might be lying in wait out there.” Suddenly I am thrust back to the December my son came home. I had gotten up to use the bathroom and noticed my son was not there. I went to the window and saw him crouched down behind a car, also only in his jeans. I watched while he ran, always in a crouch, from car to car, looking around on alert for an enemy not there. Watching him I knew his body was in Chicago but he was in Iraq. I stood there weeping, not knowing what to do. Still today, I weep writing this. Ms. Celello has captured the feelings perfectly in her story. In all the books I have read, none has transported me like that. None have captured the scene so personally.

Lest you think this is a military type book let me clarify. It is a love story. It is a realistic, heartbreaking, strong love story. It is the story of two people who love each other dearly. Then life and war intervene, bringing changes they didn't expect and have to muddle through. It is the story of the fight to regain the love they had and a struggle to try to accept the love it has become. It is inspirational. It is a story of healing and how animals can help. 

I love how the author brought in the dog, Jones, and the organization PAWS to help Brad adjust and regain his life. Pets truly are gifted with the ability to mend broken hearts.

 

Ms Celello writes Learning to Stay with intimate knowledge. If she did not experience it then she is a master of research. She writes eloquently and powerfully. This book will touch you and will stay with you long after you close the pages. It is one of the most amazing books I have read.

It is an excellent book for book clubs as there is a lot to discuss in it. Most people will be able to relate to the struggles in the marriage. I think this is the type of book that draws in your personal experiences and not everyone will take the same thing from it. I believe, much like the classics, every time you read it you will come away with something new.

Erin Celello has written one other book, Miracle Beach.

 

You can follow the author at:

 http://www.erincelello.com

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4546411.Erin_Celello

@erincelello

https://www.facebook.com/ecelello?fref=ts

Comments welcome

Slow Cooking with Dina Cheney

Year-Round Slow Cooker

Dina Cheney

Taunton Press

I love cookbooks. I read them as thoroughly as I do novels. I own about a hundred in print and at least another fifty on my Kindle. Believe it or not they all have different recipes. Of course some recipes are printed in multiple books. Favorites are favorites for a reason. 

I also am in love with my slow cooker. It was my salvation as a working mom. I cannot express enough how delightful it was to come home to a wonderful smelling house and dinner ready. That changed a bit as my children aged. I soon learned unless dire warnings were strategically place around the slow cooker, smell would be all I got. 

So when I saw Year-Round Slow Cooker in Net Galley's offerings, I had to get it. Having enough slow cooker recipes to get through a year of cooking, I was interested in what she could bring to the pot. She brought a lot. In addition to the recipes she provide tips and other help. The tips are strewn throughout the book like hidden gems. Recipes are divided up by the four seasons.

My highlights from the book the times for cooking certain foods. I know the manufacturer gave guidelines. That paper went gone with the wind since I have been using a slow cooker since I was twelve. I think most of us tend to read through it and go this is easy, at which point we promptly forget what we read. Okay I am trying to make myself look good - I skimmed it. Consequently I needed Ms. Cheney to tell me that dessert should not cook longer than 4 hours and may burn if left longer. She also explains that chicken can get tough if left cooking over 6 hours. I don't know why I didn't figure out is was my cooking time that was messing up certain dishes. She includes a handy meat temperature chart that new cooks will appreciate. I have referred to it even while cooking a recipe from a different book. She even has a tip for converting recipes to oven or stove top.

A most helpful section was Ms Cheney's  list of power ingredients. These are not your regular list of "the well stocked pantry"  but is tailored to the recipes in the book. It consist of items she uses most in her recipes which allows you to make sure you have most things on hand before you go looking for a recipe. I really like that. I can pick up those items as they are on sale. Speaking of  saving money , Ms Cheney has included budget-minded options. Awesome! Who isn't budget-minded today? She also has a list of power tools. No silly, she is not talking about a chain saw. It is a list of non food items that are used most in her recipes. 

Another very helpful part of the book were the picture steps to making sauces. I had a computer copy and the photos looked very nice and made making sauce a breeze. Speaking of photos, there are many included that made my mouth water. Just thinking about them makes me salivate. *wipes drool.* 

Here are my favorite recipes that were in the computer copy I received. 

Favorite for winter:

Brisket with Promegranate, Red Wine and Caramelized Onions

Japanese -Style Chicken Soup with Udon Noodles and Lime

Latin American Seafood Stew with Lime and Coconut

Cassoulet  with  croûtes and Lemon- Parsley Butter

Pork Posole with lime and avocado – like mine but with added orange juice – wow

Cowboy Beef and Bean Stew with Chiles, Coffee and Fried Plantains –wow

Beef Chili with Beer, Lime and Sour Cream

Spring Favorites:

Pork Stew with Wild Mushrooms, Red Wine and Fresh Herbs

Braised Vidalia Onions Stuffed with Pork and Currants – can use chicken or turkey in place of pork. Why didn’t I think of stuffing onions? I love this recipe.

Arugula Mashed Potatoes

Arroz con Pollo with Peas, Peppers, Green Olives and Chorizo

Lemony Strawberry -Rhubarb Cobbler

Summer Favorites:

Braised Pork Shoulder Soft Tacos with Watermelon-Tomato Salsa

Philly Cheesesteak  Sandwiches with Tomato Chutney

Braised Chicken with Red Peppers, Olives and Raisins

Slow Cooked Ratatouille over Goat Cheese Polenta

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Peach Barbecue Sauce and Pickled Cucumber and Fennel

Fresh Tomato Toast (not made in the slow cooker but I LOVE this)

Pulled Chicken with Cherry-Chili Barbecue Sauce

Corn -Vanilla Pudding  with Triple -Berry Sauce

Fall Favorites:

Hungarian Beef Goulash with Yams and Caramelized Onions

Short Ribs with Stout, Root Vegetables and Sauerkraut

Barley and Mushroom Risotto with Swiss Chard

Cholent with Apples and Yams – never heard of this before but it was so good

Chicken with Paprika, Poatoes and Rosemary

Chorizo and Kale Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings – don’t know why I haven’t made cornmeal dumplings before

Shepherd’s Pie with Red Wine, Cheddar and Root Vegetable Topping

Cinnamon –Maple-Apple Dessert Sauce

 That is a long list of recipes and there are still many more in the book. These are just ones that I have made that came out exceptional. This is a book that is well worth having in your kitchen. The recipes are not very difficult - I would say they range from novice to competent cook. Ms Cheney tells you the size of slow cooker she used for making the recipes so novice cooks can get the same size slow cooker while more experienced cooks can adjust the recipes to fit their cooker. Matter of fact the author goes into great detail to explain how to choose a slow cooker. Overall this is a five star book that is useful for all cooking types. If you have never tried cooking with a slow cooker I would suggest you buy this book and a slow cooker. You will be amazed at the ease of cooking and how delicious the food is. 

Ms Cheney also has a two other cookbooks.

 

Taunton Press has many excellent cookbooks and magazine subscriptions available on their website. They have recipes available on their fine cooking website

You may connect with author on her blog, Dina Cheney. 

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon

Do you have a favorite cookbook? Have you picked up Dina'Cheney book? What is your favorite recipe? 

Comments Welcome!

Review: The Haunted Fixer-Upper

 

The Haunted Fixer-Upper (Haunted Renovation Mystery)

Rose Pressey

*I purchased this book. All opinions are mine. No compensation was received for review.*

When I saw a new book by Rose Pressey I was excited. I always have a fun time reading her books. The Haunted Fixer-Upper was exactly that - a good time. I think it may be her best work yet. I have read a number of Rose's books. It is difficult to say which series is my favorite. I think Haunted Renovation may make that decision for me. 

This is the second book in the series. You do not need to read the first one to enjoy this one but you may want to just for the laughs. 

Alabama Hargrove is back. This time she is down in Georgia meeting her boyfriends family. While on the way to his daddy's house Alabama spots a house that just needs her touch. It is haunted of course. When Bama goes to meet with the owner she sees her boyfriend standing over the dead body with a hammer in his hand! Even though she does not tell the anyone about the hammer, Reed is under suspicion. Bama's best friend and momma come down to help out. If you read the first book then you know Momma Hargrove is a hoot. Even though she does not bring down the gold jumpsuits she stills lights up the page. I love Momma Hargrove. The conversations between her and Bama are always good for a laugh but also for demonstrating the loving relationship they have. Bama sees a man in the woods watching her. The workman Reed hired had a fight with the dead man the day before he died. A woman is following her around. Then Bama cannot get a hold of the three people she loves.  My favorite line, which I have heard used in real life, is

 "just because there’s snow on the roof doesn’t mean there’s not a fire in the furnace.”

 The Haunted Fixer-Upper (Haunted Renovation Mystery) (Kindle Location 3173).  

Too funny. To find out just how that got thrown in the book, (actually more than once), you need to get this book. It is a fast, fun read. There is no language or hot sex scenes in the book so it is perfect for YA or those adults who would rather not read that in the books they choose.

Rose's other books are, (click book for link):

 

Book 1 of Haunted Renovations Series

  

The How To Date Series

  

The Larue Donavan Series

 

Mystic Cafe Series

Veronica Mason Series  

Book 2 is in the works

Trash to Treasure Crafting Mystery

Tales of family hauntings from Rose Pressey

Coming in 2013

Halloween Laveau Series

Rose is not only a gifted writer, she is a warm and friendly person. Connect with her - you won't regret it. 

Rose Pressey Website

FaceBook

Twitter

GoodReads

Amazon

Have you read any of Rose Pressey's books? If so which one is your favorite?

Review of If Life Is a Bowl Of Cherries...

If Life Is A Bowl Of Cherries What Am I Doing In The Pits

Erma Bombeck 

*This is a Net Galley Review. No promise of a good review was given. I was not, nor will I be, given compensation for this review.*

I first heard of Erma Bombeck when I was 13. My mom had gone to the doctor and came home with the news she was pregnant. I was the baby up until then so you can imagine her shock. My dad, being funny, brought home a pillow that said, " It's A Crying Shame," and a book by Erma Bombeck. That book was If Life Is A Bowl Of Cherries, What Am I doing In The Pits? My dad got hit by the pillow but the book cheered my mom up. 

When I saw this book on Net Galley I had to get it. But, I admit, that I was wondering if a book that my mom related to in the 70's is a book that would be relevant now. The answer to that is both yes and no. Family, motherhood, children, marriage changes all the time, yet in many ways stay the same. However there are some things in it that are dated. I did not think it took away from enjoying the book and relating to it. Actually I think it presents a funny slice of life from time gone by. Erma Bombeck was funny in the 70's and she is funny today. Her advice in the last part of the book was both touching and relevant. Erma had a gift and she shared it.

Part I related to the most:

"I've heard mothers go through ten or twelve names before they get lucky and hit the right one." 

Location 301 Kindle

This is so relevant to me. Ask my children. They will tell you that they would just keep doing whatever it was  that was annoying me because they were hoping I would blame whoever's name I stopped on. Eventually I caught on. After  so many names I would tell the offender, " you live in my house. I will find out who you are. Tell me your name now." Sometimes they gave me a wrong answer. I now get revenge. When my daughter says that to her children, I whisper a name in the child's ear. 

Part that was true in the 70's and is true today:

"One day, we were eating more and paying less and the next there were two hundred and seventy-eight products on the market to help out our hamburger."

Location 684 Kindle

Do I even need to explain this to anyone? Wouldn't Mrs Bombeck be shocked to know that all those helps for hamburger cost as much if not more than the hamburger it is helping? It is funny to think back at how products were made to make cooking for, and feeding, a family easier and here we are decades later trying to go back to home cooked foods without the helpers.

Most important part: 

When Did I  Become the Mother and the Mother Become the Child?

This part touched me the most out of the entire book. You must read this. Buy the book, ask a friend to loan it, borrow from the library. However you can, read this part. 

I loved this book. From start to finish it was fun reading. If Life Is a Bowl Of Cherries, What Am I Doing In The Pits tickled my funny bone and touched my heart. The new version for the kindle contains an added part. A Biography of Erma Bombeck. I enjoyed reading about her. She wrote from the heart. There are photographs included of Mrs Bombeck  and her family. They look very nice on the Kindle. What a beautiful bride she was. I recommend this book and am very happy to see it released in ebook form.

Erma Bombeck has an author page on Amazon where you can find all her books. 

Goodreads also has an author page for her. 

Writing Process with author, Lea Carter

Today I have invited author Lea Carter to do a guest post. Lea is the author of  Silver Princess, a YA novel.

Silver Princess is a "fairy" exciting adventure. Wisdom wins out despite inexperience when young Princess Rebecca takes on civil unrest and a handsome stranger. Readers of all ages will cheer her courage as she defies those who would dethrone her father.

A word (well, a few words) on writing… Everyone has a story to tell. Whether or not we share it is up to us. 
For me, writing is an attempt to capture scenes that come into my mind. If I can convey the emotion of the characters and explain the drive behind the scene, the rest of the story will unfold like a budding flower. While writing Silver Princess and Silver Majesty, I was taken by surprise more than once. 
For years I scribbled ideas and partial stories without finishing them. As I am a painfully shy person, there were only a few trusted individuals who were permitted to read them. But the important thing is that I was writing, however poorly. Whether we’re working on a one-page synopsis of an important family event, a one paragraph advertisement for the local paper, or a two thousand page book for general enjoyment, we start by writing it down. Some folks write on paper, others type, and I’ve even been known to use my cell phone voice recorder to capture ideas in a hurry. Always treat those elusive sparks of creativity with respect. They make the difference between potato soup and vichyssoise!
Never, never destroy your own work. There will be plenty of people willing to share their “constructive criticisms” with you, usually for free. Have faith in your writing. That’s a lesson I learned the hard way. While working on Silver Princess, I was trying so hard to match “industry standards” and fit into the mold of popular fiction that it took me five years to “edit” and self-publish it. I wrote it in three months. If your story doesn’t fit a popular concept, that’s ok. Rare and exceptional things usually don’t.
So. Weeks and months have gone by. Most difficult of all has been finding the time to spend staring at the computer screen or doodling in your notebook. The tentative story idea has alternatively shot forward like a finely tuned sports car and stalled like a cheap old beater. But, finally, we have something. Time for editing! I was better prepared for my second book. I broke the editing into three separate tasks: continuity, grammar/punctuation, and devoted attention to detail. When I took Silver Majesty to the community college writing center here in Salt Lake City, I specifically asked the woman I was working with to watch for instances where they were [figuratively speaking] wearing coats in August or lighting candles at noon. I was blessed to have a friend volunteer to review it for grammar and punctuation. And nobody has edited Silver Majesty quite like my mother, who was the only one to notice that I began referring to a particular character by a different name halfway through the story!
If you leave an editing session feeling discouraged because your writing or your story is “just no good,” you need a new editor. Don’t compromise your characters or storyline. If Hero wouldn’t do “that,” don’t force it; s/he’ll never be the same. Let the editor go write his/her own story! Don’t misunderstand. Editing improves a story by removing mistakes and clarifying murky points, and that can sometimes hurt our feelings. Adjectives, adverbs, dangling participles, overusing “and,” how to use commas… Take notes, take your time, and try to decide on suggested “improvements” after the emotional static clears up. Even if it takes a week. (Assuming you’re not under contract to produce a book by a certain date, you have that luxury.) Especially with your first story when you’re still learning balance. Certainly it is clearer to say, “After the party I will hand you worthless documents in exchange for an exorbitant amount of hard cash” instead of “I’ll bring those documents to the party tonight. We can make the exchange then.” Here we balance clarity against plot with obvious results! 
The story is now longer or shorter than it was to begin with, but it is infinitely more polished. If it is historical, our dates have been checked and rechecked. If it is science fiction, we’re reasonably certain that the technical aspects are sound. If it’s fantasy, the world, customs, and characters we’ve created are consistent throughout the story. 
For those pursuing a traditional author-publisher relationship, research is crucial. Query letters, literary agents, slush piles, and “accepting unsolicited manuscripts” will become the subjects of your dreams. I wrote a few query letters. I tried researching literary agents. But I can honestly say that the rejection letters I received did more to stifle my faith in my writing than any editing session ever did. So I chose to self-publish.
There’s a lot I still don’t know. I do know that electronically submitting a manuscript to the U.S. Copyright Office is relatively inexpensive and takes about two weeks. The website (http://www.copyright.gov)/) has a “Frequently Asked Questions” page and the submission process is littered with links to useful information so that we can learn as we go. I highly recommend stopping in the middle to send an email or make a phone call if you’re still confused after reading their information, though; this is not a step in the writing-publish process that we want to make a mistake on!
I e-published with Amazon Kindle because it was so simple. It certainly has frustrating aspects, like trying to format the manuscript for a particular presentation on a Kindle or if one is including an image (outside of the cover image). But thankfully the technical support team has been very prompt (and patient) in answering my questions. 
“All that writers can do is keep trying to say what is deepest in their hearts. ” ― Lloyd Alexander
Writing. Duty, hobby, occupation, mode of expression. It is all this and much more. Thank you for your time in reading this. Now go write/rewrite the story that’s been haunting you!

Wow! This is great information. I feel inspired! Thank you so much Lea! 

I will be doing a review of her book, Silver Princess. I am excited because I have a thing for faeries. Silver Majesty is the name of her upcoming book.

You can follow Lea at Lea's Book Shelf.

She has an Amazon Author Page,    Goodreads page and blog.

Please leave any comments or questions below.

Customer Service - Where Is It?

What is the deal with EA?  I have gamed with them for several years. I use to be able to contact them when I had a problem with their games. I got fast and knowledgeable help. Every time I my problem was solved with one email. Now you must like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to receive tech support. Really? What the F...! I did not go to Facebook or Twitter to purchase your games. As far as I know the deal was between you and I. I gave you money. You gave me a product and the implied belief that there was tech support if I had an issue with your games. I am having an issue with 9 games and I need to post it on Twitter or Facebook so that other gamers can try to help me solve the issue. What? Exactly what does EA do? I understand that things are changing. I like a lot of the changes. However I think in this respect it is for the worse. Basically you are telling us to buy your product and if it doesn't work...go see if your neighbor has that product. Maybe they had an issue and, because our company no longer believes in our products, they had to solve it on their own. If you go to enough people chances are you will find people that our product did not work for. Sweet.  I have a choice. I can buy products from a company that does not believe in their products enough to provide support for them . Or I could take my money and go find a company that backs their products. Hmmm. Dilemma, Dilemma. What to do? What to do? On the one hand I can play poker with EA knowing the odds are against me. On the other I can try another game company that possibly has real ways to contact them if there is an issue. The games I am having an issue with are The Sims ones, for those who are going what games?? LOL

I play games on Pogo.com. I have bought several games from them back when EA was hooked with Pogo. I recently found out that those downloaded games are basically useless if my pc has a breakdown. We all know that eventually it will have a breakdown. Or perhaps I want to play the games on my laptop or other device. Guess what Pogo had to say. YOU NEED TO PURCHASE THE GAMES AGAIN. Yes the very same games. I cannot tell you how many games I have from them. When asked why games needed to be purchased  again , the response was, EA is not a part of us and they took their records with them. I looked in my Origins/EA Game List and  guess what? If you said that the games are not there, you win the prize, (not a real one lol). So Pogo does not have a record of my purchases. EA does not have a record of my purchases. Origin has no record. How the heck did they get in my possession? And just who was accepting all those credit card purchases? This is ridiculous. I can throw money in the garbage just as easily and with no illusion that I am getting something worth the money.

I am tired of big companies not backing up their products. Is it really so difficult to have an email address for your customers to contact you at? I think with money becoming tighter and people needing to pick and choose carefully, some of these big companies are going to take a hit. It is coming down to who gives the best customer service. I hear it all the time, I see it on Twitter and on Facebook. People talk about which companies give the best customer service. I have a Kindle. I got it when it first hit the market. I own 3 myself and have purchased them as gifts. You may ask why I chose Kindle over the other ereaders. The reason was customer service. When I had an issue with my first Kindle, Amazon was easy to reach and amazing in their response. They have earned my loyalty by proving they stand behind their product. I purchase food gifts for some of my family. The first company I went with was Swiss Colony. When I had an issue there customer service sucked. I now buy from Wisconsin Cheeseman. They stand behind their products, (which are awesome!), and have customer service to match. Yes I know I am one person. Big deal. Well it is a big deal when a lot of "it's only one person" start shopping for new companies.

If you have had good or bad experiences with companies customer service, please leave a comment. Since these companies want us to network solutions, I think we should do that for them. So leave your story and let us know which companies to shop with and which to shop around.

Now I am off to relax with Minecraft. Thankfully it works just fine. They are always updating and fixing things. They have a site, a blog, Facebook and Twitter plus the community. So does EA. The way customers are treated is the difference. Creeper, if I promise to love you forever, will you stop blowing my stuff up? LOL

*The opinions expressed are mine and come from my experience with the companies named. *