4/30/11

GIVEAWAY! Spring Blog Carnival Giveaway Hop


YAY!  Another giveaway hop!  There are over 200 blogs participating  and I would like to the the hosts of this wonderful event:

Candace’s Book Blog http://www.candacesbookblog
Reading Angel http://www.readingangel.com
Pure Imagination http://www.pureimaginationblog.com
The Book Swarm http://www.bookswarm.blogspot.com


Each blog has different entry rules, so be sure to check each one for the requirements.  You can find a list of all the participating blogs HERE.  I have a linky at the bottom of this post for your convenience. 


AND NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT PART:

I have two arc books for one lucky person!



WANT TO WIN THESE BOOKS?
Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with reliable mail service (Book Depository service)
Contest ends on 5.8.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 5.9.11
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE SET will be available.

PLEASE NOTE:  I MAY opt to send you the book of your choice up to $15 USD if postage is outrageous.

Complete the below form
Follow Me
Extra Entries
+1 Follow my other blog FOREVER YOUNG (adult)
+1 Be my friend on GoodReads HERE
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+1 for each place you social network this giveaway and leave me a link ONCE DAILY

 



AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT : E. V. Mitchell author of The Color of Heaven

Description

Welcome to the world of Sophie Duncan, a successful columnist whose existence falls apart after her daughter’s unexpected illness and her husband’s shocking affair. When it seems nothing else could possibly go wrong, her car skids off an icy road and plunges into a frozen lake. There, in the cold dark depths of the water, Sophie experiences something profound and extraordinary - something that unlocks the secrets from her past, and teaches her what it means to truly live... and love. THE COLOR OF HEAVEN will appeal to fans of Richard Paul Evans, CHARLIE ST. CLOUD, and SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS. E.V. Mitchell is the pseudonym for Julianne MacLean, an award-winning USA Today bestselling author of 15 historical romance novels. This is E.V. Mitchell’s first mainstream contemporary fiction novel. For more information about the book and the author, visit www.evmitchell.com.

About the Author

E.V. Mitchell is the pseudonym for an award-winning USA Today bestselling author of 15 historical novels. This is E.V. Mitchell’s first mainstream contemporary fiction novel. For more information about the book and the author, visit www.evmitchell.com.

Details

  • Paperback: 314 pages
  • Publisher: Blue Ocean (March 23, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0986842222
  • ISBN-13: 978-0986842221

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR:

You are a traditionally published author of 15 historical romances and have hit the USA Today bestseller list.  Why did you choose to self-publish The Color of Heaven?

I came up with the idea for this book six years ago, and wrote half of it while I was between contracts for my historicals. My agent shopped the half-finished manuscript around in 2007 to all the major New York publishers, but we had no offers. We were told things like:

“I wouldn’t know how to position this book.”

“It’s too commercial for our line.”
“I wasn’t fully convinced of the book’s commercial appeal.”
“I did not feel connected to the character of Sophie.”
“I was connected to the character of Sophie, but didn’t connect
with Cora.”

One editor loved it and said it brought tears to her eyes, but when she showed it to her senior editor… Well, that editor felt differently.


I had just signed a new deal for two more historical romances, so I had to shelve this project and get back to work on my books that were actually selling.


Skip ahead to 2010. I still believed in the story and was never able to let go of the characters, and I was following the changes in the industry in terms of authors choosing to self-publish their work as E-books.  Some authors were seeing great success, and the idea of having complete creative control excited me, so I reworked The Color of Heaven over the summer, and here we are.

The Color of Heaven  is told in first person as if it were a true story.  How much of your own experiences went into the plot and the creation of Sophie’s character?


A tremendous amount of this book is based on my own life, starting with Sophie being a writer. Our experiences were very much the same, in that I have worked at home while trying to balance the writing with motherhood. Toward the end of the book, she is trying to sell a novel, meeting with rejections, and I’ve been there, done that. It took me six years and five novels and countless rejections before I sold my first book to a publisher.

Another element from my own life is the car accident. I skidded off a road and rolled down an embankment when I was twenty-five years old. I am still amazed that I survived it, because it was a pretty horrendous wreck.


In The Color of Heaven Sophie's daughter is very sick. How much research did you have to do about medical issues?

The emotional side of that difficult period in Sophie’s life again comes from my own experiences. My daughter was very ill with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome when she was two-and-a-half years old, which is a blood disease and very similar in many ways to the treatments that Sophie’s daughter receives. I spent six weeks living in the children’s hospital and going through some very difficult times when we weren’t sure our daughter would survive. There are some moments in the book that are almost exact, and they were difficult to write.

I did have to do a fair amount of research, however, into the science of it all – treatments, medications, etc – and that was a bit painful, to be honest. There were days when I wondered what the heck I was doing, and why I was putting myself through that.


The Color of Heaven includes a scene about a near-death experience.  Have you ever experienced such a thing?

No, but I’ve always been fascinated by near-death experiences, and since my car accident, I’ve often wondered “what if?”  I did a lot of research on the subject. I read about the science of it, and I also read The Tibetan Book of the Dead, which is quite beautiful in places.
You’ve written historical romances in the past.  Why did you take a pen name?

I struggled with that quite a bit, because this book is very different from my romance novels – in structure, voice, and genre conventions - so I wanted to make sure readers would not have unrealistic expectations. The wrong expectations can really spoil a book for some people.

Will you write more mainstream contemporaries?

Yes, I definitely want to write more books like this and I will continue to self-publish in the future.  I also want to write more historicals.  I just wish there were more hours in the day, and more days in the year.
Thanks for having me!

REVIEW: Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Description

After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.

About the Author

Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before making a career in the New York City book biz. She is also the author of The Lonely Hearts Club and lives outside of New York City.

Details

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Point; 1 edition (January 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9780545240772
  • ISBN-13: 978-0545240772
SOURCE:  AMAZON VINE
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

This is a wonderful retake on Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, one of my favorite books.  The story almosts sticks to the traditional and witty original of class and age warfare between Lizzy and the rich kids at a private school.   Eulberg deftly portrays teen angst although this version isn't as intense as the original since these teens will get a more than once chance at love and their whole lives are not on the line like the original.  Lizzy is a scholarship student at an all girls' school and her only friends are the other scholarship students, Jane and Charlotte.  Jane drags them to a reception at the local boys' school and there they meet Will Darcy and Charles Bingley.  The girls are subjected to mean girl hazing and typical bad behavior.

The story centers around prom and all of the drama that ensues.  The plot points are simplified but the major ones are hit:  Jane falls sick and the trip to the Bingley's turns into a ski trip.  I really thought this was well done with the clever repartee that Austen is famous for.  Over all if you enjoy remakes, this one should please you although instead of marriage as the end game, the goal becomes the prom. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

4/29/11

Now I've seen everything....Temporary Tattoos for your pet!


Ever feel the need to give your pet some temporary ink?
Well, no, me neither, but now you can!
There is a company that offers temporary tattoos for your pet!
Check it out HERE  I did see an Iron Cross that would look amazing on Schatze....

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe

Description

Four very different women embark on a transformational journey that follows the migrating monarchs across the United States to Mexico. The story begins when Luz Avila's grandmother, the local butterfly lady, purchases an old, orange VW bug for a road trip home to Mexico. When she unexpectedly dies, Luz is inspired to take her grandmother's ashes home. In the manner of the Aztec myth of the goddess who brings light to the world, Luz attracts a collection of lost women, each seeking change in their lives. The Mexican people believe the monarchs are the spirits of the recently departed and Luz taps into ancient rituals and myths as she follows the spectacular, glittering river of orange monarchs in the sky to home.

About the Author

Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including Time is a River, Sweetgrass, Skyward, The Beach House, The Four Seasons, and The Book Club. She is an active conservationist and lives in the low-country of South Carolina.

Details

  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Gallery (May 3, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1439170614
  • ISBN-13: 978-1439170618
SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT


Luz lives with her grandmother after her mother, Mariposa, dies in Wisconsin.  Her grandmother of Mexican descent tries to teach Luz the meaning of life through the folklore of Mexico, but when her grandmother dies suddenly, Luz loses her center and embarks on a trip of a lifetime to take her grandmother's ashes back to Mexico and the sanctuary where the Monarch butterfly winters.  The trip is a self discovery for Luz and the three women she meets along the way.  Her grandmother has purchased an old orange VW to take a trip to visit relatives, but they always put off because of no money.  Now Luz is forced to follow through and the trip ends up being a changing point in her life.

She leaves her boyfriend, Sully, behind and the car breaks down.  While it is being fixed, she temps at a restaurant, where she meets Ofelia who is pregnant.  When Ofelia is beaten by her boyfriend, Luz convinces her to leave and they go on to visit Ofelia's mother where Ofelia and her dog can stay until the baby is born.  When they reach the nursery where Ofelia's mother worked and discover she is gone, Ofelia goes into labor and stays with the nursery owner and Luz picks up a new traveler, Margaret, the uptight nursery manager who always had plans to visit the butterfly sanctuary.  Their next stop leads them to a camp ground where they meet Stacie, a free spirit who adds to the mix and directs them to Austin and their next stop.Stacie brings her own kind of magic to Luz's self discovery trip. She teaches both Margaret and Luz that they should enjoy life and take it as it comes.

The final step in Luz's journey is when she meets her mother's family and there a startling discovery is made that makes Luz rethink her whole history.  The news Luz receives is a life changing event that you need to read about--sorry no spoiler here!  Luz does make the trek to the butterfly sanctuary and grows immensely.  I just loved the descriptions and how the author related self discovery to the different stages of a butterfly's life cycle.  Each chapter starts with a description of the life cycle and you can just imagine how Luz felt with each step of her journey with some remarkable women that she meets along the way, each of them goddesses like the folklore tales she grew up with.

I live on the western coastal trail of the Monarch's migration and they are just starting their trek home.  The day I received this book in the mail, I saw my first Monarch of the season.  I had such a amazing feeling of hope that only progressed as I read the book.  I have some milkweed plants and I will plant more to see if I can get the Monarchs to stay in my yard, but because the route is also a bird migration route, the eggs don't last long here as the birds gobble them up.  This is truly an inspiring tale of new beginnings and wonderful way to look at your own surroundings in that you can be reborn like a butterfly.


WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK?
Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address (no PO Boxes)
Contest ends on 5.15.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 5.16.11
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is sponsored by Gallery Books and ONE copy will be available.

Complete the below form
Follow Me
Extra Entries
+1 Follow my other blog FOREVER YOUNG (adult)
+1 Be my friend on GoodReads HERE
+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 
+1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE 
More Extra Entries for Mary Alice Monroe
+1 Fan on Goodreads HERE
+1 Follow her blog HERE
+1 Like her Facebook page HERE
+1 Follow her on Twitter HERE


+1 for each place you social network this giveaway and leave me a link (blog, twitter, facebook, etc)
+1 comment daily for an extra entry



REVIEW: In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard

Description

The beguiling fourteen-year-old narrator of IN ZANESVILLE is a late bloomer. She is used to flying under the radar-a sidekick, a third wheel, a marching band dropout, a disastrous babysitter, the kind of girl whose Eureka moment is the discovery that "fudge" can't be said with an English accent.

Luckily, she has a best friend, a similarly undiscovered girl with whom she shares the everyday adventures of a 1970s American girlhood, incidents through which a world is revealed, and character is forged.

In time, their friendship is tested-- by their families' claims on them, by a clique of popular girls who stumble upon them as if they were found objects, and by the first, startling, subversive intimations of womanhood.

With dry wit and piercing observation, Jo Ann Beard shows us that in the seemingly quiet streets of America's innumerable Zanesvilles is a world of wonders, and that within the souls of the awkward and the overlooked often burns something radiant and unforgettable.

About the Author

Jo Ann Beard is the author of a collection of autobiographical essays, The Boys of My Youth. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Tin House, Best American Essays, and other magazines and anthologies. She received a Whiting Foundation Award and nonfiction fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the New York Foundation for the Arts.

Details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (April 25, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9780316084475
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316084475
SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


This book is such a love letter to the 70's which is a time I know well.  I still can't figure out the name of the narrator, but I guess it might be "Jo" and maybe this book is a bit of memoir of the author.  Jo is at that awkward period in every girls life which seems to happen around fourteen.  Flea (Felicia), her best friend shares the horribleness of this age with Jo (the narrator).  This should be a hit with adults as well as teens since it describes the angst and anguish that accompany this age.  The girls are so unsure of themselves and it really hits that theme beautifully.  There is also a great deal of humor that accompanies this coming of age story.

Jo's father is a salesman and drinks which puts her family in a destitute situation as well as emotional turmoil.  The girls are separate by cliques at school and also their families which almost brings about the end of their friendship.  I loved how Jo and Flea go from Band Nerds to Popular and back again.  This book will really hit you emotionally and I think most females will identify with the story.  This is best suited for older teens and adults. 

Friday PhoDOGraphy

The Princess Bride

Don't forget to check out Fridays with Fred at Mina Burrows' blog  HERE

4/28/11

BLOG TOUR & REVIEW: Hush by Cherry Adair

 Description

National bestselling author Cherry Adair introduces an edgy, sexy new suspense series with this exhilarating international tale of hide and seek. A reckless adventure in a deadly paradise.
Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world’s highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death—where they don’t know the rules.
A one-night stand that will change his life forever.
Kidnapped with a woman Zak knows nothing about, the brothers are held prisoner deep in the jungle. A risky, deathdefying escape separates them and nearly claims Zak’s life . . . until his recovery reveals a baffling new sixth sense.
An unexpected diversion with lethal consequences.
Now, to find his missing brother, Zak and the mysterious Acadia Gray will have to out-smart, out-gun, and out-maneuver not just the brutal kidnappers but also a new player who joins the adrenaline game: a ruthless opponent who wants the Stark brothers dead—at any cost.

About the Author

Cherry Adair has garnered numerous awards for her innovative action-adventure novels, which include White Heat, Hot Ice, On Thin Ice, Out of Sight, In Too Deep, Hide and Seek, and Kiss and Tell, as well as her thrilling Edge trilogy: Edge of Danger, Edge of Fear, and Edge of Darkness. A favorite of reviewers and fans alike, she lives in the Pacific Northwest. 

Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Pocket Star; Original edition (April 26, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1439153825
  • ISBN-13: 978-1439153826
SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Wow!  Talk about a thrill ride, this is even more exciting than a roller coaster!  The story starts out with Zak in a compromising position and a gun pointed to his head after a one night stand and the action doesn't stop until the end.  Arcadia, at first seems like a whiny bimbo, but don't let her looks and initial attitude get in the way of her true intelligence and beauty.  Any girl who knows how to pack a vest (hah! pun intended) like Arcadia really has it going on.  The story takes us through an exciting rain forest and all of the creatures , both human and animal that you can imagine.  Zak is a man in need of a good woman since he has been hurt and has withdrawn to the point where he has a death wish. Arcadia and Zak really burn up the pages together and I adored Arcadia's smart mouth.  There is witty dialogue and enough action that you might want to read this one again in case you miss anything the first time through.  I hope this adventure is continued!



AND THE WINNER IS: Never a Gentleman by Eileen Dreyer


KATIE -- katie_tp

MARY -- mearnold115

AMY -- yma367
Be sure to visit  I HEART READING here

An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Thanks to all who entered.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:


GIVEAWAY! May the Best Dog Win by Kelly Hashway over at Radiant Light



HEY!  My friends, Andi, has a really cute children's book up for grabs over at her blog RADIANT LIGHT. 

Please go check her out and follow her blog. RADIANT LIGHT  here

Here is a bit about the book:

Dash has the perfect life until the Super Sweeper 5000 shows up. Sweeper runs all over the house sucking up the leftover food scraps, and he even gets his own room! But Dash won't give up his place as the favorite dog without a fight.

BLOG TOUR & REVIEW: Bound by Darkness by Alexis Morgan

Description

Caught between two worlds, a powerful warrior must choose between impossible destinies when he meets a woman whose love will either make or break him. . . . As the daughter of a Regent, Sasha has long known about the secret underworld of the Paladins and their work protecting her kind from the dark forces on the other side of the energy barrier. So when she is sent on her first solo investigation, on the path to becoming the first female Regent, she is determined to get the Seattle Paladins in line. Offering sanctuary to their Kalith enemies is simply unacceptable! But when she meets Larem, she is inexorably drawn to a dark and valiant warrior who is not at all what he appears to be. As the power struggle between Regents and Paladins rages on, someone starts making attacks on her life. Sasha must choose between loyalty to her own kind and the warrior she loves . . . with the very fate of humanity hanging in the balance.

About the Author

Originally from St. Louis, Alexis Morgan and her husband live in a small town near Seattle. An avid reader, she grew up reading gothic romances and westerns and developed a love for flawed heroes who hold to their own code of honor--whether fighting rustlers at gunpoint, or standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their fellow warriors, swords at the ready.

Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Pocket Star (April 26, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1439176043
  • ISBN-13: 978-1439176047
SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
REALLY LIKED IT

I have only read one other book in this series and I think it is easy to pick up on the nuances of this world with no problems and I think this one stands alone just fine!  This story tells the tale of Sasha and Larem.  Sasha is the daughter of a Regent and is sent to Seattle to straighten out the situation there when she meets Larem, who is the enemy and is forced to ask him for help.  There are some really hot situations and the two are attracted to each other but have mixed feelings since they are on opposite sides of the fence.  This is one thrilling ride while Sasha and Larem work through their issues and learn to fight (and love) together. 

4/27/11

REVIEW: The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark @atriabooks

 Description

A sweeping novel that brings to life two love stories, ninety years apart, set against the rich backdrop of war-torn India. In 1947, American historian and veteran of WWII, Martin Mitchell, wins a Fulbright Fellowship to document the end of British rule in India. His wife, Evie, convinces him to take her and their young son along, hoping a shared adventure will mend their marriage, which has been strained by war.
But other places, other wars. Martin and Evie find themselves stranded in a colonial bungalow in the Himalayas due to violence surrounding the partition of India between Hindus and Muslims. In that house, hidden behind a brick wall, Evie discovers a packet of old letters, which tell a strange and compelling story of love and war involving two young Englishwomen who lived in the same house in 1857.
Drawn to their story, Evie embarks on a mission to piece together her Victorian mystery. Her search leads her through the bazaars and temples of India as well as the dying society of the British Raj. Along the way, Martin’s dark secret is exposed, unleashing a new wedge between Evie and him. As India struggles toward Independence, Evie struggles to save her marriage, pursuing her Victorian ghosts for answers.
Bursting with lavish detail and vivid imagery of Calcutta and beyond, The Sandalwood Tree is a powerful story about betrayal, forgiveness, fate, and love.

About the Author

Elle Newmark is an award-winning writer whose books are inspired by her travels. She and her husband, a retired physician, have two grown children and five grandchildren. They live in the hills north of San Diego

Details

  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Atria (April 5, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9781416590590
  • ISBN-13: 978-1416590590
SOURCE:  PUBLISHER





MY THOUGHTS
REALLY LIKED IT

The story is much like Newmark's other novel, The Book of Unholy Mischief, which is told through a piecing together of letters written during the Victorian times.  Evie convinces her husband to take her and their young son along while he is studying in India and where they retreat to the Himalaya mountains to avoid a war torn area.  She discovers a packet of letters and tries to make sense of the story and repair her marriage.  Of course the letters cause even more of a rift in the marriage than either Martin or Evie can predict.  I found the characters interesting and the researched historical elements fascinating.  As always, the author blends elements from two eras quite nicely.



GIVEAWAY! Tabloid City by Pete Hamill

Description

In a stately West Village town house, a wealthy socialite and her secretary are murdered. In the 24 hours that follow, a flurry of activity surrounds their shocking deaths:

The head of one of the city's last tabloids stops the presses. A cop investigates the killing. A reporter chases the story. A disgraced hedge fund manager flees the country. An Iraq War vet seeks revenge. And an angry young extremist plots a major catastrophe.

The City is many things: a proving ground, a decadent carnival, or a palimpsest of memories--a historic metropolis eclipsed by modern times. As much a thriller as it is a gripping portrait of the city of today, Tabloid City is a new fiction classic from the writer who has captured New York perfectly for decades.

About the Author

Pete Hamill is a novelist, journalist, editor, and screenwriter. He is the author of 20 previous books including the bestselling novels Forever and Snow in August and the bestselling memoir A Drinking Life. He lives in New York City.

 Details

  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (May 5, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0316020753
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316020756

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US OR Canadian mailing address (No PO Boxes)
Contest ends on 5.15.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 5.16.11
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is sponsored by Little, Brown and Company and TWO copies will be available.
There can only be one winner per household address.

Complete the below form
Follow Me
Extra Entries
+1 Follow my other blog FOREVER YOUNG (adult)
+1 Be my friend on GoodReads HERE
+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 
+1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE 

+1 for each place you social network this giveaway and leave me a link (blog, twitter, facebook, etc)
+1 comment daily for an extra entry



    Waiting on Wednesday: You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl by Celia Rivenbark @StMartinsPress



    "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

    This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:


    Description

    With her trademark style of Southern snark and sass, Celia channels her inner Betty Draper and shares her thoughts on everything from terrorists to twitter to "The Real Housewives of New Jersey". This one is guarantee to make you laugh hard enough to split your yoga pants.

    About the Author

    CELIA RIVENBARK is the author of You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start In The Morning, Belle Weather, Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like A Skank, We're Just Like You, Only Prettier and Bless Your Heart, Tramp. She lives in Wilmington, North Carolina

    Details

    • Paperback: 288 pages
    • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (August 16, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0312614209
    • ISBN-13: 978-0312614201


    4/26/11

    AND THE WINNER IS: Hoppy Easter Blog Hop


    LISA -- at LISA'S WORLD OF BOOKS -- BE SURE TO STOP BY THE BLOG here

    An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

    Thanks to all who entered.

    PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

    Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:



    AND THE WINNER IS: The Baby Planner by Josie Brown (copy #2)


    librarypat

    Who said:


    As anyone who has had children knows, they make a big difference in a marriage. Your time for yourself and as a couple is no longer your own. Those who think a child will save a marriage or bring a couple closer together had better think again. It must be a decision made by both of you and shouldn't be taken lightly. The time and stress of children will test your relationship. At the same time, if you have a strong relationship, the joys and rewards of having children can not be matched.




    An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

    Thanks to all who entered.

    PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

    Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:

    REVIEW: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

    Description

    R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and stragely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.
    Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead, and the blurry line in between.

    About the Author

    ISAAC MARION was born in northwestern Washington in 1981 and has lived in and around Seattle his whole life installing heating ducts, guarding power plants, delivering deathbeds to Hospice patients, and supervising parental visits for foster children. He is not married, has no children, and did not go to college or win any prizes. Warm Bodies is his first novel.

    Details

    • Hardcover: 256 pages
    • Publisher: Atria (April 26, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 1439192316
    • ISBN-13: 978-1439192313
    SOURCE: PUBLISHER

    MY THOUGHTS
    LOVED IT

    Finally a zombie story from a zombie point of view!  This is a retelling of the classic Shakespeare tale Romeo and Juliet with ZOMBIES!  R has no memories of his own except he can perceive the history of the person when he consumes their brains.  He consumes the brains of a teenager and is filled with deep feelings for the teen's girlfriend, Julie.  I know this sound extremely strange but the story is actually quite lovely, in a weird way and I adore weird.


    I have read quite a few zombie books and most of them seem to detail the lives of people around the zombies, those battling them and trying to avoid them, this one is  a bit different since it actually goes deep into the character's mind and you get to experience what it is like to be a zombie.  Even though R can't communicate verbally, his actions more than make up for his lack of speech.  This is truly a tale of opposites attracting.  The only other book  I have read that truly captures zombies this way is I Kissed a Zombie by Adam Selzer. 

    BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: The George Carlin Letters: The Permanent Courtship of Sally Wade


    I was just thinking:  what happens to future love letters since everyone communicates digitally these days?  I don't know if a print out of an email carries the same weight as the hand written word.








    BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion






    4/25/11

    GIVEAWAY! Georgette Heyer Mystery Book!

    If you haven’t already checked out the Sourcebooks British Babes Book Brigade Facebook Page (where you can participate in giveaways and interact with authors like Elizabeth Chadwick, Jill Mansell, Helen Hollick, Sarah Bower and Phillipa Ashley and more…) then you should before next week because the page is about to go royally mad!!

    The royal wedding is only a week away and we are going to be celebrating all next week. Starting Monday we will be doing a giveaway every day until the big celebration on Friday. But these are no ordinary giveaways – these are royal wedding prize packs!

    3 winners will be randomly picked each day:

    - The 1st place winner will get a William & Kate wedding memento (it is top secret for now (just like Kate’s dress J) but check the page out on Monday to find out – oh and they are all different so there will be a different memento each day).  Along with that they also get their choice of three books from any of our British Book Babes. 

    - The 2nd  place winner will have their choice of any two books from any of our British Book Babes.

    - The 3rd  place winner will have their choice of one book from any of our British Book Babes.


    You can visit the page here:


    TO CELEBRATE: TWO LUCKY READERS WILL GET A GEORGETTE HEYER BOOK FROM SOURCEBOOKS!


    About the Author

    The late Georgette Heyer was a very private woman. Her historical novels have charmed and delighted millions of readers for decades, though she rarely reached out to the public to discuss her works or private life. It is known that she was born in Wimbledon in August 1902, and her first novel, The Black Moth, was published in 1921.

    Heyer published 56 books over the next 53 years, until her death from lung cancer in 1974. Heyer's large volume of works included Regency romances, mysteries and historical fiction. Known also as the Queen of Regency romance, Heyer was legendary for her research, historical accuracy and her extraordinary plots and characterizations. Her last book, My Lord John, was published posthumously in 1975. She was married to George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer, and they had one son together, Richard.

    WANT TO WIN A GEORGETTE HEYER BOOK FROM SOURCEBOOKS?

    I don't know which book you will win, it is a MYSTERY!

    Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address (No PO Boxes)
    Contest ends on 5.4.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 5.5.11
    Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
    This giveaway is sponsored by Sourcebooks and TWO copies will be available.

    Complete the below form
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    4/23/11

    REVIEW: Glee: Foreign Exchange by Sophia Lowell

    Product Description

    Can Rachel Berry rock a beret? McKinley High goes international and invites a French glee club to town - ooh la la! In this hilarious culture-clash story, Kurt gets an entourage, Finn falls for a new girl, and Puck realizes that some suave moves are lost in translation.

    In this second original novel, you'll get more mash-ups, more show-mance, and more Sue in a brand-new story officially approved by the creators of Glee.

    Glee Original Novels - they're almost as exhilarating as a slushie in the face!

    Includes a full page of Gleetastic tattoos.

    Details

    • Reading level: Young Adult
    • Paperback: 256 pages
    • Publisher: Poppy; Original edition (February 15, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0316123617
    • ISBN-13: 978-0316123617
    SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

    MY THOUGHTS
    LOVED IT

    Very rarely does a television show translate well into written word, but Glee:  Foreign Exchange is pitch perfect.  I really felt like each voice of the cast was captured perfectly and the story flowed just as well as a television script. That said, there is no music that makes this book sing like the television show.  It would have been wonderful if there would have been snippets of the song available online to go with the book.  As far as this being just a young adult novel, it is better than most with an easy to follow and enjoy storyline.

    McKinley High is hosting a group of foreign chorus singers from France and each member of the group has unique experience with this exchange.  Kurt meets people that are more fashionable than he is, Finn finds a new love, Puck's sexiness doesn't translate and Rachel meets her match.  Sue has some great barbs about Mr. Shu's hair -- those quips are just spectacular! Brittany delivers several spacey one liners that amaze me.  This is the perfect read for anyone who adores Glee as much as I do. 

    4/22/11

    AND THE WINNER IS: The Baby Planner by Josie Brown

    JULIA -- JHolden955

    An email has been sent to the lucky person named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

    Thanks to all who entered.

    PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

    Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:

    AND THE WINNER IS: Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione

    MARY -- miztik_rose


    MINHCHIEU --  blubear12

    LAURA -- lauraashlee
    Be sure to visit EARPHORIA here


    An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

    Thanks to all who entered.

    PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

    Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:

    GIVEAWAY! Royal Wedding Prize Pack from Sourcebooks British Babes Brigade!



    If you haven’t already checked out the Sourcebooks British Babes Book Brigade Facebook Page (where you can participate in giveaways and interact with authors like Elizabeth Chadwick, Jill Mansell, Helen Hollick, Sarah Bower and Phillipa Ashley and more…) then you should before next week because the page is about to go royally mad!!

    The royal wedding is only a week away and we are going to be celebrating all next week. Starting Monday we will be doing a giveaway every day until the big celebration on Friday. But these are no ordinary giveaways – these are royal wedding prize packs!

    3 winners will be randomly picked each day:

    - The 1st place winner will get a William & Kate wedding memento (it is top secret for now (just like Kate’s dress J) but check the page out on Monday to find out – oh and they are all different so there will be a different memento each day).  Along with that they also get their choice of three books from any of our British Book Babes. 

    - The 2nd  place winner will have their choice of any two books from any of our British Book Babes.

    - The 3rd  place winner will have their choice of one book from any of our British Book Babes.

    YOU NEED TO ENTER AT THE FACEBOOK PAGE!

    You can visit the page here:

    Friday PhoDOGraphy

    It's my birthday!  (well, it was on 4.16)


    Don't forget to stop by Fridays with Fred at Mina Burrows' blog HERE

    BOOK TRAILER JOKE: Rubber Balls and Liquor by Gilbert Gottfried (warning: one bad word)




    GIVEAWAY & Character Interview: In the Neon by Danielle Smith (PDF E BOOK)

    Description

    Faust.
    A True Native demon born directly from the Pit. Sent by his Superiors to pluck the world’s wicked fruit and send those souls screaming to Hell in a hand basket. In the gritty red light district of a nameless city, he will encounter his first taste of salvation.

    Annie.
    A beauty whose seductive profession belies her intelligence and tenderness. She will capture the demon’s heart from afar, coaxing him to ignore his wicked duties, if only to be seen and felt by her. In this most unlikely of places, mortal and demon will save each other, heart and soul. But redemption is forbidden to a born servant of Hell, putting all that Faust holds dear at terrible risk…

    About the Author

    Danielle D. Smith was born in San Diego, California, USA. In addition to being a writer of gritty urban fantasy stories she is an accomplished fine artist and illustrator whose visual work has appeared in various public, private, and gallery exhibitions and in national publications, and has studied everything from costuming to tattooing. Dani, as she is known by many who are close to her, lives in San Diego with a large number of books, indie flicks, and documentaries. Her novels appeal to dreamers, troublemakers, dark romantics, and general escapists. She is the proud owner of a very luscious beefcake husband and several beautiful tattoos.

    And Now Here is the Interview:

    DEMON'S LITTLE FAMILY CHARACTER INTERVIEW

    Today, I am pleased welcome Annie and her beloved demon lover, Faust, whose story, IN THE NEON, has just hit store shelves. I am delighted to see that they have also brought along their infant son, Erik, who has quite the personality!

    DANI: Welcome, Annie and Faust. You too, Erik!

    (Faust smiles shyly, nodding. Annie bounces Erik in her lap; Erik burbles and blows raspberries.)

    ANNIE: Thanks, Dani. Say hi, baby!

    (She takes Erik's hand and waves it. The baby wriggles in her lap, crowing happily.)

    DANI: He's quite a character. He pinched my boob when I held him.

    ANNIE: Yep, that's our little stinker! He loves women already.

    DANI (laughing): I can tell! He's quite a flirt. Anyway, you two have quite a story to tell us! How did you two meet?

    ANNIE (blushing): Faustie here was hanging around the strip club where I worked.

    DANI: That was The Neon, right?

    ANNIE: That's right.

    DANI: Faust, when did you first see Annie? Was The Neon the club you were always in?

    FAUST: No. It was my duty to drift all around the Red Light district, to capture the Master's prey. I saw Annie by accident, standing outside on her break. It was as if...a light had struck me. A light no demon is meant to see...but I have never regretted it.

    (Annie sighs and leans in to kiss him. Erik, apparently unimpressed by his parent's show of affection, bounces and smirks to himself.)

    DANI: that is so damn romantic.

    ANNIE: Tell me about it. He snuck into my booth a little while later; I guess he'd been watching me for a while. He was only interested in talking...really talking...and drew me in from the start. We talked about books while I sat there with my bra off. (She laughs.)

    DANI: Books? Really?

    ANNIE: Yeah. I'm a voracious reader...I suppose you could say that I break the "stripper stereotype".

    DANI: That's a good thing! What kind of books are we talking about here?

    ANNIE:  Classics. The Plague, Metamorphosis, Goethe's Faust. Of course Goethe's Faust--that was, like, "insta" connection. (She winks.)

    DANI: Faust, you are a True Native. Tell us what that is.

    FAUST: It means that I am not Fallen. I am a demon born directly from the Pit.

    DANI: So you're not a fallen angel.

    FAUST (scoffing): Of course not.

    ANNIE (rolling her eyes playfully): He's such an elitist.

    DANI (chuckling): I can see that. Tell us about your history, Faust.

    FAUST (quietly): It is not something that I am proud of. I was made to be a Collector--a demon whose sole purpose is to tempt human souls into damnation. I did that for a very, very long time.

    DANI: How old are you, Faust?

    FAUST (distantly): I first emerged from the flames when humans were emerging from the wilderness and gathering into villages and cities for the first time. Long, long ago, though I am not as old as some.

    DANI: Fascinating. Okay, moving on. Annie, tell us a little bit about your background. You are a first generation Swede, correct?

    ANNIE (very proudly): Ja, that's right. My parents came from Sweden. I was raised speaking their native tongue as well as English. I'm very proud of my heritage, and I'm going to make sure my little pojke
    speaks it, too.

    (She takes Erik's little hands and gently claps them together.)

    ANNIE: Let's sing Dani and her nice fans a song:

    Baka, baka liten kaka,rulla, rulla liten bulla,ringla, ringla liten kringla,mjöla den och pricka denoch... skjuts in i ugnen!

    Bake, bake little cake; Roll, roll the little buns, Coil, curl the small pretzel, Flour it and mark it And... shove in the oven!

    (Erik giggles and blows more raspberries.)

    DANI (laughing): I love it! Faust, do you speak Swedish, too?

    FAUST (beaming): I speak all human languages... all of my kind do.

    DANI:  Annie, I have to ask you something, and I ask your forgiveness in advance if this is hurtful. Faust saved you from a rape, didn't he?

    (Faust growls low in his throat.)



    DANI: That's good, Annie. What happened?

    ANNIE (stroking her fingers through her baby son's feathery blond hair): One of my regulars attacked me when I was leaving The Neon. Faust...came out of nowhere and...stopped the guy.

    FAUST: I tore him limb from limb. Then I carried him into the night and spread his flesh across the skies.

    DANI: Wow.

    ANNIE: Yeah, pretty amazing. Faust scared the hell out of me, no pun intended--he was in his true form-- but he proved himself that night. I can't ever thank him enough. He's given me everything.

    (Erik burbles and grabs a strand of his mother's hair in his fist, yanking; he sticks his little tongue out and it's black and forked. Annie laughs, breaking the tension.)

    ANNIE: And I mean everything. This little guy is the best Valentine's gift Faustie could have ever given me. I had a dream about Erik once...only he was grown up. It' was pretty incredible.

    DANI: You had a vision?

    ANNIE: Yeah. Big muscles, like his papa, and lots of tattoos.

    DANI: Wow! Does that bother you?

    ANNIE (grinning): Nope, not at all. He's gonna be a badass. Aren't you?

    (She bounces Erik in her lap, and he squeals merrily. Faust looks on, adoring.)

    DANI: Faust, you must be very proud of your family.

    FAUST (shyly): Yes. They have been my redemption.

    DANI: That's so awesome. Thanks for joining us, guys. Happy Easter.

    ANNIE: You too, hon. Thanks for having us. Say bye, bye!

    (She waves Erik's floppy little hand. He squirms, hiccups, and burps up a tiny spout of flame.)

    DANI (cracking up): Boy, he's a cute little devil! Bye, little guy!
    Danielle D. Smith is an author and artist living in San Diego, CA. She writes dark fantasy, horror, and erotica that appeals to those readers looking for paranormal fiction outside of the mainstream. Her third book, IN THE NEON, her first novel to be fully illustrated, is now available from Solstice Publishing. Visit her online at http://www.danielledsmith.com

    WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS eBOOK?
    Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old with an email account...worldwide!
    Contest ends on 4.30.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 5.1.11
    Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
    This giveaway is sponsored by the author and ONE copy will be available.

    Complete the below form
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    4/21/11

    REVIEW: Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward



    Description

    New York Times-bestselling author Lisa Lutz conspires with-or should we say against?-coauthor David Hayward to write an original and hilarious tag-team crime novel.

    Meet Paul and Lacey Hansen: orphaned, pot-growing twentysomething siblings eking out a living in rural Northern California. When a headless corpse appears on their property, they can't exactly dial 911, so they move the body and wait for the police to find it. Instead, the corpse reappears, a few days riper . . . and an amateur sleuth is born. Make that two.

    When collaborators Lutz and Hayward (former romantic partners) start to disagree about how the story should unfold, the body count rises, victims and suspects alike develop surprising characteristics (meet Brandy Chester, the stripper with the Mensa IQ), and sibling rivalry reaches homicidal intensity. Think Adaptation crossed with Weeds. Will the authors solve the mystery without killing each other first?

    About the Author

    Lisa Lutz is the New York Times-bestselling author of the Spellman comedic crime novels. Since 2007, the Spellman series has received Edgar, Anthony, and Macavity nominations, and each title has been a selection of the Indie Next List. Lutz lives in San Francisco.

    David Hayward is a writer and editor in Northern California. His poetry has won a Pushcart Prize and has appeared in Harper's and other magazines. Hayward has an MFA in poetry from the University of California at Irvine. This is his first novel.

    Details

    • Hardcover: 320 pages
    • Publisher: Putnam Adult; First Edition edition (April 5, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 9780399157400
    • ISBN-13: 978-0399157400
    SOURCE:  LIBRARYTHING Early Reviewers

    MY THOUGHTS
    LOVED IT

    Lisa Lutz and her ex, David Hayward collaborate on probably one of the quirkiest books I have ever read, but it is quirky in a good way.  They alternate writing chapters which are interspersed with their emails discussing the plot and past personal history.  Yes, it sounds weird, but it works.  It is full of snark, snippy remarks and colorful language and those are just the notes between the authors.  The story itself, actually has less violence.

    Paul and Lacey are orphaned when their parents die in a freak carbon dioxide accident and Paul develops a business selling marijuana to the locals in a sort of Weeds take off.  There is a body left on their property with no head and when Paul and Lacey move the body, it turns back up on their doorstep.  This sets off the plot in true Lisa Lutz fashion and wackiness ensues.  There are several more murders, deaths and accidents that Lacey sets out to solve in true PI fashion.  Paul discovers some unsavory facts about their small town as well.  There is a bit of romance between Lacey and the new town doctor and Paul finds his match in a gimpy, genius, ex-exotic dancer.  Of course, the two co authors wrap up the plot in a nice tidy package.  If you like Lisa's Spellman Files, you won't be disappointed with this one.