5/31/11

BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive by Steve Earle






5/30/11

AND THE WINNER IS: Rubber Balls and Liquor by Gilbert Gottfried

TIFFANY -- jaidahsmommy

 
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: Too Sinful to Deny & Too Wicked to Kiss by Erica Ridley


BETHIE -- lizzi0915


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:




5/28/11

REVIEW: I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive by Steve Earle

Description

Doc Ebersole lives with the ghost of Hank Williams—not just in the figurative sense, not just because he was one of the last people to see him alive, and not just because he is rumored to have given Hank the final morphine dose that killed him.

In 1963, ten years after Hank's death, Doc himself is wracked by addiction. Having lost his license to practice medicine, his morphine habit isn't as easy to support as it used to be. So he lives in a rented room in the red-light district on the south side of San Antonio, performing abortions and patching up the odd knife or gunshot wound. But when Graciela, a young Mexican immigrant, appears in the neighborhood in search of Doc's services, miraculous things begin to happen. Graciela sustains a wound on her wrist that never heals, yet she heals others with the touch of her hand. Everyone she meets is transformed for the better, except, maybe, for Hank's angry ghost—who isn't at all pleased to see Doc doing well.

A brilliant excavation of an obscure piece of music history, Steve Earle's I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive is also a marvelous novel in its own right, a ballad of regret and redemption, and of the ways in which we remake ourselves and our world through the smallest of miracles.

About the Author

STEVE EARLE is a singer-songwriter, actor, activisit, and the author of the story collection Doghouse Roses. He has released over a dozen critically acclaimed albums, including the Grammy winners The Revolution Starts Now, Washington Square Serenade, and Townes. He has appeared on film and television, with celebrated roles in The Wire and Treme.  Frequently interviewed and profiled in the press, he often tours with his wife, singer-songwriter Allison Moorer.  

Details

  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (May 12, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0618820965
  • ISBN-13: 978-0618820962
SOURCE:  Amazon Vine
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Doc Ebersole is a disgraced physician, who lost his license and is rumored to have given Hank Williams his fatal does of morphine.  He spends his days performing abortions, patching up knife and gunshot wounds while trying to earn enough to keep his own heroin habit afloat during the early 1960's in a down and out area of racist San Antonio.   He takes care of a young Mexican girl, Graciela, who almost dies from blood loss and she stays with him long after her recovery.  Doc is haunted by the ghost of Hank, who goads him into his continuing drug use, but now finds that Graciela can see him and helps cure Doc from his addiction.  There are more miracles at the hand of Graciela where people are uplifted and their maladies cured quickly. The local priest gets wind of the miracles and begins to investigate which leads to the an interesting conclusion.

I am just amazed that this first novel from Steve Earle is so tightly paced and cleverly written.  It reminded me a great deal of the wackiness that appears in Christopher Moore's books through the ghostly voice of Hank Williams.   There are also the magical properties like in  Sarah Addison Allen's stories where under-the-radar miracles occur quietly in the form of Graciela.  The story mixes Catholicism with Mexican folklore during the early Sixties where social change is so prevalent and ties it all to the shooting of JFK.  This work helps you understand why Steve Earle is such a successful songwriter since this book is so lyrically alive and paints a wonderful picture with an economy  of words.  This is the perfect book for any one looking to expand their paranormal horizons with a bit of magic and ghosts. 

5/27/11

AND THE WINNER IS: Ripe for Pleasure by Isobel Carr





WINNIE -- chibi.pooh

DIANE -- dpd333

MEGGERFLY -- rootml1



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:


Friday PhoDOGraphy

With a cherry on top!

Don't forget to visit FRIDAYS WITH FRED here!

5/26/11

REVIEW: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Description

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

About the Author

Veronica Roth graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in creative writing. While she was a student, she often chose to work on the story that would become Divergent instead of doing her homework. It was indeed a transforming choice. Now a full-time writer, Ms. Roth lives near Chicago. Divergent is her first novel.

Details

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 496 pages
  • Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (May 3, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0062024027
  • ISBN-13: 978-0062024022
SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT



The story follows Beatrice Prior through a post apocalyptic Chicago where she has just turned sixteen and must decide whether to stay in her own faction (class)  of Abegnation  or move to a new one, severing all ties to her family in the process.  Of her five choices of Abegnation, Erudite,  Amity, Candor or Dauntless, she chooses Dauntless, the warrior class.  If she fails the initiation, she will be factionless and forces to live outside society as a castoff.  There is heart pounding action while Beatrice (now known as Tris), learns fighting, parcour and the use of weapons, all things that go against her peaceful family faction of Abegnation.  Of course, she doesn't neatly fit into definition of Dauntless and the tests each teen is forced to take to an assessment test to determine where they belong.  Tris tests Divergent which means she doesn't neatly fall into the government's rankings.  The people accept things as they are until one in power becomes greedy and the factions are headed to war between themselves.

This is probably one of the best books I have read this year and I cannot wait until the next in this trilogy is released.  Even though it is almost 500 pages, it was a very quick read for me.  I got the same feeling while I was reading the Hunger Games series and it is in very much of the same vein.  I have heard that it also has been optioned for a movie which I think will be highly anticipated.   Well, at least for me.  I am leaving out the major spoilers, but this is just a wonderful read for teens over 14 since there is violence, a bit of kissing and some alcohol use. 


AND THE WINNER IS: Double Trouble Giveaway by Katie Lane


KATHY -- littleone

CONNIE -- aliasgirl1976

JOLENE -- june111

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:



Pick my next read and giveaway!

HERE ARE THE CHOICES! You can click on the Amazon link to read the full descriptions.

You can vote for the book you want me to read next and then giveaway!
The voting is in the upper right corner of the blog and will end on Sunday.




5/25/11

BLOG TOUR & REVIEW: The Tender Mercy of Roses By Anna Michaels

Description

While the body of rodeo star Pony Jones lies motionless in the northern Alabama woods, her spirit is on a mission to find her killer. Invisible to the eye but not to the sixth sense, the only thing Pony can do is guide the living to the truth. Her grief-stricken father, Titus, wants nothing more than retribution for his daughter's death, so when former police detective Jo Beth Dawson comes to town, something compels him to seek out her help.
But when Jo Beth and Titus team up to track down Pony's murderer, it turns loose a whirlwind of intense emotion and unexpected encounters. As they uncover more and more clues leading them to the killer, dark family secrets are revealed and the two must search their souls for redemption.

About the Author

Anna Michaels lives in an enchanted cottage in Mississippi where she grows the roses that served as inspiration for her debut novel, The Tender Mercy of Roses. Her gardens are also filled with cardinals, warblers and mocking birds that swing on a suspended dragon outside her office window and entertain her while she writes.Her love affair with words started when Anna was a child. She used to read books in a tree swing on her daddy’s farm and dream of being a writer. Also a pianist and sometimes-lyricist, Anna says she “hears the music of words.” She describes her writing process as “recording the melody and the magic of story.”
Anna loves sitting on her front porch swing with friends, singing in her church choir, watching classic movies, playing her vintage baby grand piano, and spending time with her family.
Currently, Anna and her unicorn muse are spinning another magical story. She will share details of her second novel as they unfold.

Details

  • Hardcover: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Gallery (May 17, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1439180997
  • ISBN-13: 978-1439180990
SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Pony Jones, a rodeo star, lays dead in the Alabama woods, but her spirit lingers in order to find her killer.  Her father Titus, bent on revenge,  teams up with a disgraced ex-police detective, Jo Beth, who feels a connection with the body and becomes determined to find the perpetrator.  The scent of Cherokee roses and Native American magic permeates the story as they try to find the murderer.  Jo Beth seems somewhat mysterious at first until her background is made clear and her friend Maggie cheers the group onward.  Jo Beth is at the crux of this story in more ways than one.  The families of Pony and Jo Beth are deeply intertwined.  There is also an under lying conflict between the the detective, Sam Donovan, who is Jo Beth's former partner.

I really thought this book was a great mix of mystery, thriller and paranormal much like a bit of Sarah Addison Allen and  The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold with a dash of The Late Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow .  The writing really sparkles and you are quickly drawn into the magical world of Pony which is quite believable.  There are dark dramas played out by each character and you wonder if they will each be able to keep their lives together while unravelling this mystery and not destroy each other.  I just wish I didn't know who the killer was right at the start and that would have been explained a bit later in the book. 


    Waiting on Wednesday: Overbite by Meg Cabot

    "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

    Meena Harper has a special gift, but it’s only now that anyone’s ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard—a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican—has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena’s ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead.
    Sure, her ex-boyfriend was Lucien Anton­escu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness. But that was before he (and their relationship) went up in flames. Now Meena’s sworn off vampires for good . . . at least until she can prove her theory that just because they’ve lost their souls doesn’t mean demons have lost the ability to love.
    Meena knows convincing her co-workers—including her partner, Ãœber-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf—that vampires can be redeemed won’t be easy . . . especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena’s friends and family as well.
    But Meena isn’t the Palatine’s only hope. Father Henrique—aka Padre Caliente—New York City’s youngest, most charming priest, has also been assigned to the case.
    So why doesn’t Meena—or Alaric—trust him?
    As she begins unraveling the truth, Meena finds her loyalties tested, her true feelings laid bare . . . and temptations she never even imagined existed impossible to resist.
    This time, Meena may finally have bitten off more than she can chew.

    About the Author

    Meg Cabot was born in Bloomington, Indiana. In addition to her adult contemporary fiction, she is the author of the bestselling young adult fiction series The Princess Diaries. She lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband.

    Details

    • Hardcover: 288 pages
    • Publisher: William Morrow (July 5, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0061735108
    • ISBN-13: 978-0061735103


    5/24/11

    GIVEAWAY! Splash into Summer (with Zombies!)


    STOP # 56


    The Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Page Turners. It will take place from May 25th to 31st.    There are hundreds of blogs participating and each has their own rules, so be sure to stop by each one and enter!


    56. BookHounds (Int)
    57. FOREVER YOUNG (Adult) (Int)
    58. Urban Fantasy Investigations (Int)
    59. Sweeping Me (Int)
    60. Bat Country (Int)


    I am celebrating ZOMBIE MONTH, so here is are two  Zombie books for one lucky winner:

    Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim by Mark Twain and W. Bill Czolgosz

     The War of the Worlds Plus Blood, Guts and Zombies by HG Wells and Eric S Brown



    WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK?
    Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address (PO Boxes OK!)
    Contest ends on 5.31.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 6.1.11
    Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
    This giveaway is sponsored by ME
    If mailing costs to your country is prohibitive, I may opt to substitute a Book Depository gift card ($10)

    Complete the below form
    Follow Me
    Extra Entries
    +1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 
    +1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE 
    +1 for social networking  this giveaway and leave me a link (blog, twitter, facebook, etc)
    +1 Leave me the name of your favorite Zombie story!










    BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: The Zombie Autopsies by Steven Schlozman






    5/23/11

    AND THE WINNER IS: 20 Years Younger by Bob Greene

    KATIE -- katie_tp

    VIDISHA -- vidishamun

    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: Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

    Description

    As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

    Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

    Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past-- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone-- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen it's next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

    Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

    About the Author

    Jackson Pearce is the author of Sisters Red and As You Wish. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

    Details

    • Reading level: Young Adult
    • Hardcover: 320 pages
    • Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (August 23, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0316068659
    • ISBN-13: 978-0316068659
    SOURCE:  Around the World ARC Tours

    MY THOUGHTS
    LOVED IT

    ***slight spoilers***

    In this new retelling of Hansel and Gretel (my first two dachshunds!), Jackson Pearce keeps the witch, adds some werewolves and a bit of creepiness that will really make you want to devour this. Ansel and his sister Gretchen have been thrown out by their stepmother when Gretchen turns 18 and they leave to drive as far as their car will take them.  The car breaks down in Live Oak, SC where they find a job with the local candy maker, Sophia.  It is rumored that she infuses her chocolate with magic and has a chocolate festival each year that leads the disappearance of teen girls.  Gretchen still fearing the "witch" that stole her twin years ago is sensing the same activity here.

    Sam,  a local, is very vocal about the disappearing girls and blames Sophia.  Ansel and Gretchen get drawn into Sophia's world and can't imagine that she has anything to do with it until a seashell turns up on her doorstep and Gretchen finds it.  It gets increasingly spooky as Gretchen finds more clues and hooks up with Sam who gives her even more answers about what is happening in the small town which he blames rightly on the Fenris.  The Fenris  (werewolves) first appear in Sisters Red, which will add to this book, but it is not required to fully enjoy this one.  I love these fairy tale mash ups and Jackson Pearce takes them to a whole new level with keeping the theme of werewolves believable and incredibly threatening through out while remaining true to the original story of Hansel and Gretel.

    REVIEW: Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs by Heather Lende

    Description

    The Alaskan landscape — so vast, dramatic, and unbelievable — may make it easier to believe that something or someone greater is in charge. Haines resident Heather Lende wonders whether that’s why people in her town (population 2,400) so often discuss the meaning of life. She thinks it helps make life mean more.

    Lende, who writes the local obituary column and has been called "part Annie Dillard, part Anne Lamott" by the Los Angeles Times, revealed in her first book a deep awareness of what links all humanity. Since then, she was run over by a truck in an almost fatal accident and has had a few more reasons to consider matters both spiritual and earthly. In Where God Resides we meet the community that helped her get back on her feet: the eccentric, fiercely independent, always fascinating residents of Haines—Buddhists, bear hunters, Tinglit Indians, and her large, lively family. We follow Lende as she attends her small Episcopal church, cares for her mother, wonders how to forgive the driver who hit her and how not to faint with joy as she finally walks down to the beach for her daughter’s wedding. By the time we reach a certain age, most of us have been hit by trucks, in one way or another, and Lende shows us that our responses to those setbacks have everything to do with faith.


    About the Author

    Heather Lende has contributed to the Christian Science Monitor, NPR’s Morning Edition, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Alaska Magazine. She is a columnist for the Anchorage Daily News and for the Alaska Dispatch, an award-winning web-paper on all things Alaska.

    Details

    • Paperback: 304 pages
    • Publisher: Algonquin Books (April 19, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 9781616200510
    • ISBN-13: 978-1616200510
    SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
    MY THOUGHTS
    LIKED IT

    This book explores small town life in Alaska and how the author recovered from being hit by a truck.  She reminisces about the people she has helped, the people who have helped her and the loss of her mother.  It is  really an anthology of Heather Lende's columns from various sources.  I had thought this book would be about gardens and dogs and found that the title comes from her mother's last words before her death.  There are a few mentions of both dogs and gardens, but not as much as I hoped.  Most of the stories reflect back on life and the lives of people who have touched Lende's heart in a very Christian way.  It is not so much religious as it is spiritual since Lende explores the meaning of life and death.

    I found the stories about the community that is shared in the small town of Haines, Alaska to be fascinating.  Lende explores the meaning and connection between each resident and how they all pull together after her accident.  She even knows the person who hit her while she was bike riding and never blames him.  I did enjoy reading about her recovery but some of the other chapters were a bit too religious for me.



    5/22/11

    REVIEW: Shadowspell by Jenna Black

    Description

    On top of spending most of her time in a bunkerlike safe house and having her dates hijacked by a formidable Fae bodyguard, Faeriewalker Dana Hathaway is in for some more bad news: the Erlking and his pack of murderous minions known as the Wild Hunt have descended upon Avalon. With his homicidal appetite and immortal powers, the Erlking has long been the nightmare of the Fae realm. A fragile treaty with the Faerie Queen, sealed with a mysterious spell, is the one thing that keeps him from hunting unchecked in Avalon, the only place on Earth where humans and Fae live together. Which means Dana’s in trouble, since it’s common knowledge that the Faerie Queen wants her – and her rare Faeriewalker powers – dead. The smoldering, sexy Erlking’s got his sights set on Dana, but does he only seek to kill her, or does he have something much darker in mind?

    About the Author

    Jenna Black graduated from Duke University with degrees in anthropology and French.  A full time writer of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, she lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina.  Visit her online at www.jennablack.com.

    Details

    • Reading level: Young Adult
    • Paperback: 304 pages
    • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Original edition (January 4, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 9780312575946
    • ISBN-13: 978-0312575946
    SOURCE:  PURCHASED

    MY THOUGHTS
    LOVED IT
    Shadowspell continues the story started in Glimmerglass and follows Dana as she gets deeper involved with the world of the fae.  Her aunt Grace and both Queens want her dead while Ethan seems to be playing games with her.  She now lives in a bunker like safe house deep inside the mountain where Finn is defending her full time and his son, Keane, is now giving her more lessons in self defense.  Dana can only go out supervised by Finn and another body guard.  The Erlking has now discovered Dana and wants her for his own, so he captures Ethan and makes him part of his Wild Hunt gang.  I can't watch Lady Gaga's video Judas without thinking of this book. 

    Of course, Dana is manipulated into a bad situation with the Erlking in order to return Ethan from his clutches, but in her headstrong way, Dana thinks she has all the angles of the deal figured out.  She doesn't and finds out she might have possibly bargained away her life.  I don't think the Erlking is truly evil since he is protected Dana and gives her excellent advice to help her protect herself and make better decisions.  So now there is a love quadrangle (?) and there are quite a few developments that keep the plot moving (sorry, I am not going to spoil that for anyone).  Now, I just can't wait for the next one in the series, Sirensong, where I hope that Dana develops her newly found powers.

    REVIEW: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

    Description

    Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

    Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

    About the Author

    Jackson Pearce is the author of Sisters Red and As You Wish. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

    Details

    • Reading level: Young Adult
    • Hardcover: 336 pages
    • Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (June 7, 2010)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0316068683
    • ISBN-13: 978-0316068680
    SOURCE:  Traded with another blogger
    MY THOUGHTS
    LOVED IT

    Scarlett can give Buffy a run for her money in the kicking butt department and she is teaching her younger sister, Rose, to hunt the Fenris (werewolves) after she is injured and loses an eye to one.  Their neighbor, Silas, is a woodsman and quite handy with an ax and he joins in their hunt for revenge on the werewolves.  The story is told by each girl in alternating chapters and shows how each of the girls develop their own personality even though they are one heart in two pieces.  Scarlett is all about the hunt while Rosie is a bit timid with all things.  Things between the two girls start to change when Silas, the neighborhood woodsman, comes into the picture when they move to Atlanta to try and kill more wolves than they can reach in the small rural town they live in.

    Things change when Rosie starts to become more independent with Silas' help and Scarlett realizes she is losing her to Silas.  There is a lot of action, some gruesome, in the story but overall, it is done with a light touch.   I love the strength that Scarlett portrays and how Rosie starts to develop her own personality over her somewhat overbearing sister.  Silas, in a twist I didn't see coming, shows much maturity and courage that the story needs to move forward.  This should be a must read for mash up fairy tale fans and other than some violent images and a bit of kissing, there is not much for parents to worry about. 



    WANT TO WIN THIS arc BOOK?



    go HERE


    REVIEW: No Cure for the Broken Hearted by Kenneth Rosenberg

    Description

    Katherine Spencer is an up-and-coming architect in New York City. Her professional life is on the fast-track. Her personal life is a shambles. Katherine compares every man she ever meets to Nick Bancroft, the billionaire’s son who broke her heart one summer long ago. Now, twelve years later he’s suddenly reappeared, asking her to design a house at the cove where they shared their first kiss. Is he looking for an architect, or something more? And should she forgive him?

    About the Author

    Kenneth Rosenberg grew up in Southern California, where he studied English Literature at UCLA. His articles have appeared in such publications as the Los Angeles Times and Surfer Magazine. When he is not writing, Kenneth enjoys surfing, snowboarding, photography and traveling the world on a shoestring.

    Details

    • Paperback: 278 pages
    • Publisher: CreateSpace (December 1, 2010)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 1456399497
    • ISBN-13: 978-1456399498
    SOURCE:  AUTHOR

    MY THOUGHTS
    LOVED IT

    Katherine's first love broke her heart at sixteen and although she tries to move on, she keep comparing every man she meets to Nick, the rich kid who stole her heart during a summer romance.  They vow to stay in touch, but his mother makes sure that never happens.  She becomes a celebrated architect and workaholic, despite the efforts of her BFF, Amanda to get her to meet guys,   Nick has bruised her heart and she carries a bit of resentment with her always, so when he approaches her to design a house in the beach cove where they shared their first kiss, Katherine hesitates and reluctantly agrees to take on the project after meeting his fiance, Fiona.  Nick has his share of bad boy behavior and you wonder if he will ever grow up.

    This is a story of second chances and takes you to Southeast Asia and Africa while Katherine searches for Nick and while those details are nicely woven into the plot, I wondered why she would hesitate at all when she finally reunites with him.  I really thought this was a nice clean romance that was a quick enjoyable read.  The characters are believable and the author does a nice job wrapping the whole thing up.  It reminded me a bit of Nicholas Sparks. Who says guys can't write romance? 

    5/20/11

    GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: The Russian Affair by Michael Wallner

    Description

    An intriguing love and espionage story set in Moscow in the late 1970s, in the midst of the Cold War.

    Twenty-nine-year-old Anna Viktorovna lives in Moscow with her young son and her father, a once popular and respected poet who has fallen into disgrace because of his dissident views. Her husband, a junior officer in the Red Army, is on active duty and living seven time zones away. Anna struggles gamely through her difficult existence, doing the best she can amidst the long lines, bureaucratic inferno, and corruption and incompetence of the police state. When she meets and makes an impression on a pow­erful Soviet official—Alexey Bulgyakov—her life begins to look a little brighter. Alexey is married and nearly twice her age, but he turns out to be a man of infinite patience and forbearance, and gradually a strange but solid bond grows between them. Though Anna still loves her mostly absent husband and harbors no illusions about the future, she and Alexey become lovers.

    Soon Anna and Alexey’s burgeoning romance is irrevocably threatened when a KGB colonel forces Anna to spy on Alexey, who is suspected of disloyalty to the state. Though Anna loathes the notion of double-crossing the man she has come to love, when her family is threatened she must com­ply. But Anna isn’t the only character playing a double game.

    With bravura storytelling, stunning authenticity, and com­plex yet sympathetic characterizations, The Russian Affair depicts a love that struggles to survive against all odds and despite its many-layered deceptions.

    About the Author

    MICHAEL WALLNER is the author of the interna­tional sensation April in Paris. He lives in Germany, where he is an actor and screenwriter, and divides his time between Berlin and the Black Forest.

    Details

    • Hardcover: 400 pages
    • Publisher: Nan A. Talese (April 12, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 9780385532396
    • ISBN-13: 978-0385532396
    SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

    MY THOUGHTS
    LIKED IT

    ***spoiler alert***

    Anna, a house painter, lives with her ill son and her former poet, now alcoholic father barely making ends meet since her husband is mostly absent while away in the army.  The story takes place during the Cold War in the 1970's and describes the dismal and bleak existence that Anna must endure.  The only bright spot in her life is her affair with Alexey, a married man, twice her age.  The KGB threaten the relationship by forcing Anna to spy on him.  Alexey, a true player in espionage feeds Anna false information to put the KGB off the track while he plans to defect.  Anna confesses to Alexey her double dealing and dashes any hope of continuing the relationship.  She then tries to mend her relationship with her husband, but receives a letter from him that he is in love with another woman.   Oh, but wait!  Anna may be able to redeem herself with Alexey -- you will have to read the book to see if that works out.  Whew!

    There are lots of twists and turns getting to the end of this book and it is filled with the dense machinations of Cold War politics and very descriptive.  The book did has a sort of thrilling part to it and I wondered whether Anna would finally be happy, but I still got the sense that in Russia during this time period, the chance that anyone could possibly be happy under the dire circumstance of mistrust and poverty that are every day life were pretty small.  If you like stories about the Cold War, this is a nice peak inside that time period with a little romance thrown in.

    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 6.3.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 6.4.11
    Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
    This giveaway is sponsored by DoubleDay and  TWO copies will be available.
    Only 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



    Friday PhoDOGraphy

    Now with mind control blocking capabilities!


    Don't forget to stop by HERE for Fridays with Fred

    5/19/11

    REVIEW: The Blogs of Wrath by Todd Noker & Zack Shutt


    Description

    Carl DeReese only wants to survive junior high school in the Salt Lake City suburbs, but in an era when teachers are afraid of the students, some of his behavior is misdiagnosed as threatening. His longing to fit into a new school is complicated by a family tragedy, followed by a breakdown in the classroom that leads to criminal charges. The trials and adversities of growing up are catalogued on his online blog.

    His emotions are honest, his online confessions are genuine and heartbreaking, and his fear of what the next day brings will make even older readers wonder how they survived junior high school.

    About the Author

    Zack D. Shutt started blogging at age twelve, and had his first self-published work banned from junior high when he was only fourteen. His personal blog is the inspiration behind this novel. He is a professional web designer and programmer.Todd "Nuke 'Em" Noker is the author of Rated F, and Path of Totality. He is a popular radio personality.

    Details

    • Paperback: 236 pages
    • Publisher: Doubleday (January 20, 2010)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 1440172986
    • ISBN-13: 978-1440172984
    SOURCE:  AUTHORS

    MY THOUGHTS
    ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

    ***spoiler alert***  Only read the last paragraph if you don't want all the details.

    Carlos "Carl" DeReese starts a blog to confide all of his troubles to around the age of twelve.  The blog follows through, in diary form, his daily existence and several life changes.  First his family moves to a new house and he has to start a new school away from his friends.  Carl is sort of  a computer nerd and has trouble making new friends at his new school until he connects with Dex who has a sticker of his favorite band on his locker.  He also meets a girl he likes.  Things start to improve for Carl and then everything unravels.  Carl is adopted and his parents are finally having a biological child, but there is a birth defect and the baby will die soon after it is born.  Anyone who thinks that stuff like this doesn't affect teenage boys is dead wrong.

    Carl, hormones raging, mind reeling and entering the depths of despair, tries to get away from a teacher who is berating him and the action is taken as a threat when he knocks over a stack of chairs and it breaks a window.  He is arrested and in true zero tolerance fashion of today, no one bothers to find out if there are mitigating circumstances or that the action was an accident.  His parents do back him and hire a lawyer after he is sent to an alternative school that is more dangerous than anything this poor kid has ever been exposed to and his life is threatened.  It is amazing that Carl survives and survives he does.  With the help of the principal at his new school, he grows and learns to reclaim his life.

    I really have to say I it took me about 50 pages to really get into the story, but then I was caught up in the whole drama these authors created.  Everything about the story rang true:  from the idiot school administrators, ineffective teachers, peer pressure to the musical background that is so important to teenagers.  It really reminded me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower for it's intimate look at kids growing up and the challenges they face.  I was really glad to see the parents back their son and be involved with Carl even though they had their own drama playing out.  Just like in real life, it took a bit for the parents to catch on that their son was suffering, but they more than made up for it.  This is one emotional read and it should really connect with adolescent boys.


      WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK?

      GO HERE





      REVIEW: Zombie Cupcakes by Zilly Rosen

      Description

      Conjuring up her inner George A. Romero, professional cake designer Zilly Rosen focuses her creative attention on crafting a legion of edible undead inside Zombie Cupcakes: From the Grave to the Table with 16 Cupcake Corpses. With a nod to Romero's zombie franchise, Rosen offers instructions for crafting 16 terrifying treats, including:* Toxic Bite
      * Zombie Rising
      * Keep an Eye Out
      * Destroy the Brain
      and more!
      Readers can raise their own macabre multitude of Zombie Cupcakes creations from the undead with an average creation time of less than one hour. Each Zombie Cupcakes design includes a full-color photograph of the zombie creation at hand, as well as an illustrated instructional overview and a convenient sidebar list of every item you will need to complete the cupcake.

      About the Author

      Zilly Rosen has more than 25 years of experience in professional bakeries. She uses her training in fine arts to create amazingly creative personalized cakes at her own bakery, Zillycakes, in Buffalo, New York.

      Details

      • Paperback: 80 pages
      • Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing; Original edition (March 1, 2011)
      • Language: English
      • ISBN-10: 9781449401122
      • ISBN-13: 978-1449401122
      SOURCE:  NetGalley


      MY THOUGHTS
      LOVED IT

      These cupcakes aren't the average graveyard looks like the popular cookie dirt with gummy worm version so popular around Halloween.  There are a lot of wonderful new creations that are somewhat easy to make if you are versed in fondant.  You can cheat and buy pre made fondant which was much easier than trying to figure it out on you own,  although there is a recipe in the book.  Most of the cake part of the recipes are easy to follow and made with simple ingredients.  The pictures are nicely done and can provide enough inspiration that you could combine the ideas into something more unique.  The fondant is a hard thing to grasp, so if you have limited skills when it comes to sculpture, I would suggest sticking to the simple.  I had no talent trying to get the hand for to look anything like the ones in the pictures of a hand coming out of a grave.  Overall, this is a great book to just look at. 

      5/18/11

      Waiting on Wednesday: Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

      "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

      In the latest novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author,  four women bound by obligation and opportunity struggle to become a family.

      About the Author

      Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, which was made into a major motion picture, and Fly Away Home. A graduate of Princeton University, Jennifer is also the executive producer for the ABC Family show State of Georgia. To learn more, visit www.jenniferweiner.com.

      Details

      • Hardcover: 352 pages
      • Publisher: Atria (July 12, 2011)
      • Language: English
      • ISBN-10: 1451617720
      • ISBN-13: 978-1451617726

      PreOrder or Buy from AMAZON Then Came You: A Novel