So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Mailbox Monday

2012-02-13T20:46:00.000-08:00

Mailbox Monday has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday. For January, it is being hosted at Metro Reader.

This is what I received:

This book came to me unsolicited. It does sound interesting but it is the third book in a series I haven't read. I rarely read books out of order.

Another unsolicited book. Second in a series I haven't read.

Also an unsolicited book but one I am interested in reading.

Fish Stories by Ivan Coyote

2012-02-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

Last week I reviewed Saturday and Cowboy Hats by Ivan E. Coyote. I decided to devote this month of Short Story Monday to Ivan E. Coyote short stories because I am so impressed with what I have read so far.

In Fishing Stories, the narrator, I'm guessing Ivan herself, likes to go to a neighborhood coffee shop where mostly men, sit around in conversation. They often tell fishing stories, which she loves. She joins in, just like one of the guys. There's a friend of one of the regulars there, he's about 75 but looks 60.

"I told them I was on my way back from camping in Squamish, where the springs are running." Mike said, "The best whore that ever works in Squamish lives out near there. I should take you out to meet her."

Ivan supposes Mike thinks she is a young guy but doesn't say anything about it. They continue their conversation.

This is another great story. What I like so much about Ivan Coyotes stories is that they seem so genuine. I often wonder how much is autobiographical. I would guess quite a bit. She doesn't just touch on gender roles in her stories, her writing is all encompassing. For instance, in Fish Stories, Mike talks about memory and age. If you haven't read anything by Ivan E. Coyote, you really should give her a try. I dare you!

Short Story Monday is hosted by John at The Book Mine Set.

Giveaway Winners Galore

2012-02-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the following giveaways! Winners, please reply to the email I sent you today within 2 days to claim your books. After 2 days you will be disqualified and a new winner will be picked. I pick all winners using Random.org.

Important reminder to all winners: If you win something and you don't receive it after 6 weeks. It is your responsibility to let me know. I am no longer going to send out emails to track down if you received it. If I haven't heard from you within 8 weeks, you will be deleted from my records and I wont be able to contact the publisher after that.

Thanks again to Liz Mensching, Literary Publicist of BohlsenGroup.com for making this giveaway possible!

The winners are:

Patricia

Sandra

Bethie

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Little Brown and Company for making this giveaway possible!

The Winners are:

Margie

Ikkinlala

Glogirl

Thanks again to Michelle Carpenter of MediaGuests for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is:

Margie

Thanks again to Emily LaBeaume of Wunderkind PR for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is:

Jeanne

Thanks again to Goose Lane Books for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is:

Jeanne

International Giveaway: Shanghaied by David Paul Collins

2012-02-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Lauren Taylor of Authoright PR, I amgiving away one copy of Shanghaied.

Book Description:

When Jack Sligo runs away from his lovingBoston-Irish family, he hopes to get a summer job on a cruise ship. His dreambecomes a nightmare when he meets two strangers who give him mysterious drinksin a waterfront saloon.

Jack wakes up, far at sea, shanghaied aboard theAfrican freighter, SS Iron Prince. The ship's first call is a remote jungleport in Venezuela where there's plenty of rum, women, and thieves, but noopportunity for escape.

About David Paul Collins:

David Paul Collins, merchant seaman,world traveler, and writer combines adventure with business and love of family.

He lives in Corona Del Mar, California, with his wife, Victoria, a noted authorand asset manager.

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Review & Giveaway: THE LEGACY OF EDEN by Nelle Davy

2012-02-10T09:01:00.001-08:00

Meredith gets a letter that brings back a flood of badmemories. Her cousin Cal Jr. has diedand has bankrupt the family farm, Aurelia. She doesn't want to go back there to relive painful memories yet shefeels the need to go through her deceased parents belongings before everythingis sold. She calls her sister, who barelyspeaks to her and she makes it clear that Meredith is on her own.

The story is told by Meredith from present day with a lot offlash backs, much before Meredith was even born. It all started when her grandfather wascalled back to the family farm to his father's deathbed. He inherits the farm, even though his brother is the onewho took it over when their father couldn't run it any longer.

Cal has an affair with an already married Lavinia. She settled for her husband because he was adoctor, so had some status in town. Howevershe is bored silly with the older, conservative man. She soon divorces and marries Cal. When she moves to Aurelia, she makes grandplans to make it the richest farm in the Iowa town. Cal goes along with her plans every step ofthe way but as the family grows they have more and more secrets. Lavinia is a master manipulator and gets herhusband, younger sons and grandsons to do her bidding.

Aurelia turns out to be a beautiful place after Lavinia getsdone with it, but for the family that inhabits it, there is a bitterhistory. The Legacy of Eden is an epicfamily saga. Through the eyes ofMeredith we learn the family secrets of betrayal and abuse.

Nelle Davy swooped me into the story and never let go. This book will haunt me for many years tocome. In fact I read it a few months agoand cannot get it out of my mind. Herwriting is fresh and vivid. My onlycomplaint, and it is fairly minor is that when it came to a girl in town,Lavinia's manipulations were a unbelievable to me. That said,I felt like I was part of the family living through the tragedies and abuse. I read at night and I spent two sleeplessnights reading this novel. It is hard tosleep when your heart is pounding so hard!

4/5

Also reviewed by:
Booksand Needlepoint
Colloquium

Please come back to So Many Precious Books on February 19thfor an excerpt as my part in the Scavenger Hunt. To see the entire scavenger hunt scheduleclick here.

Thanks to MerylL. Moss Media Relations, Inc. for this book and for offering a copy for me togiveaway to one of my lucky readers.
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Giveaway: THE TURNING OF ANNE MERRICK by Christine Blevins

2012-02-10T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Jessica Butler of Penguin Group USA, I am giving away two copies of The Turning of Anne Merrick to two of my U.S. readers. One of the winners will also receive a pair of hand-dipped bayberry candles, packaged in aged paper, which ties into the story.

Book Description:

This tale of love and espionage is the perfect winter read! This moving historical novel is set in the 18^th century, and tells the tale of Anne Merrick and Jack Hampton, two ardent young revolutionaries who work as fiercely dedicated partisan volunteers in the cause of freedom.

In her meticulously researched third book, THE TURNING OF ANNE MERRICK, Blevins continues writing about the fight for liberty. From raging battlefields in Saratoga to the bitterly cold encampment at Valley Forge , Anne and Jack come up against their biggest challenge yet: a run in with revenge.

About Christine Blevins:

Christine Blevins is the author of two previous novels, Midwife of the Blue Ridge and The Tory Widow. She has two grown sons, two grown daughters, and two sweet little granddaughters. Christine lives on the outskirts of Chicago with her husband Brian and their goldendoodle, Dude.

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Giveaway Guidlines At So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

2012-02-08T23:29:00.000-08:00

Because I have been hosting so many giveaway lately, I have found it necessary to post some guidelines.

Rules for each individual giveaway or listed on that giveaway so this will be brief.

1. If you are a winner you need to reply to my email with the information requested within 48 hours. If you don't, the prize will be forfeited and I will pick a new winner.

2. From now on if you win something and you don't receive it after 6 weeks. It is your responsibility to let me know. I am no longer going to send out emails to track down if you received it. If I haven't heard from you within 8 weeks, you will be deleted from my records and I wont be able to contact the publisher after that.

Sorry if this is inconvenient for anyone but I am finding it harder to keep track of all the giveaways. I don't want to have to stop offering them, so I decided to come up with rule #2. Then I don't have to worry about keeping track if you got the prize or not, you can do it for me.

Thanks for your understanding!

Giveaway: DIARY OF A MAD FAT GIRL by Stephanie McAfee

2012-02-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Jessica Butler of Berkley/NAL,Penguin Group USA, I am giving away one copy of Diary of a Mad Fat Girl.

Book Description:

In DIARY OF A MAD FAT GIRL McAfee delivers a fast-pacedtale about Graciela “Ace” Jones, known in her small town of Bugtussle,Mississippi as a feisty high school teacher with an outsized presence and a bigmouth to match. Readers quickly learn that Ace is mad—mad at her best friendLilly who cancels their annual trip to Panama City for mysterious reasons, madat her boss Catherine for “riding her ass like a fat lady on a Rascal,” mad ather friend Chloe’s abusive husband and especially at Mason McKenzie, the loveof her life, who has shown up with a marriage proposal three years too late.The only one she isn’t mad at is her near-constant canine companion, chiweenieBuster Loo.

In an effort to tackle her anger, Ace decides totake matters into her own hands as she works to take down Chloe’s philanderinghusband, give Mason a second chance, and try and get to the bottom of amultitude of other scandals plaguing Bugtussle—not to mention all while tryingto navigate Southern small-town politics and prejudices! With a sharp anddistinctive voice, McAfee’s DIARY OF A MAD FAT GIRL is a debut not to bemissed.

About Stephanie McAfee:

Five years ago Stephanie McAfee decidedshe wanted to seriously pursue writing. Putting her career as a schoolteacheron hold andmoved away from Mississippi to Colorado Springs , CO with her husband (who wasin the Army).

McAfee wrote and then self-published her debutnovel, DIARY OF A MAD FAT GIRL, as an e-book in 2010. Shortlythereafter, her novel became a New York Timesand USA Todaybestseller, staying on the lists for weeks and receiving rave reviews fromMcAfee fans across the country. Now in a revised and expanded form, NewAmerican Library brings McAfee’s hilariously charming novel into print for thefirst time.

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Giveaway: The China Gambit by Allan Topol

2012-02-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Erin McNichols of Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc., I am giving away one copy of The China Gambit.

Book Description:

IT’S ONLY THE OPENING MOVE…

National bestselling author Allan Topol returns with athrilling new trilogy of international intrigue. THE CHINA GAMBIT (VantagePoint; January 2012) introduces Craig Page, a daring and resourceful former CIAagent, now fighting terrorism in Europe after being unceremoniously fired fromthe agency. After his daughter Francesca — a New York City reporterinvestigating the biggest story of her young career — dies in an “automobileaccident,” Craig is instinctively convinced that she was murdered and sets outto find answers…and vengeance.

Joined byFrancesca’s editor, the gutsy and equally resourceful Elizabeth Crowder, Craigsoon begins to peel back the conspiracy layer by layer, eventually learningthat Francesca was just collateral in a much larger ultimate target: The UnitedStates.

With a worldwide conflict that revolves around oil, money,weapons, and greed, THE CHINA GAMBIT raises the stakes by presentingfrighteningly real consequences. The action races around the globe, jumpingfrom Canada to Tehran, Beijing to Washington, and finally to Aspen, with Craigand Elizabeth narrowly escaping the deadliest of obstacles in their attempts toprevent impending catastrophe at the hands of Chinese General Zhou. Yet therogue general is not the only twisted mastermind, and Craig soon learns thatthis conspiracy is a “three-headed monster”— one Chinese, one Iranian, and oneAmerican, led by a traitorous CIA director with whom Craig has a tumultuouspast.

Timely, fast-paced, and relentless, THE CHINA GAMBITis the pulse-pounding breakout thriller that Allan Topol has seemed destined towrite.

About Allan Topol:

Allan Topol is the national bestsellingauthor of six novels of international intrigue. He is a graduate of CarnegieInstitute of Technology, who majored in chemistry, abandoned science, andobtained a law degree from Yale University. A partner in a major Washington lawfirm, and an avid wine collector, he has traveled extensively, researchingdramatic locations for his novels. You can visit him at www.allantopol.com forinformation about upcoming Craig Page thrillers.

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Saturday and Cowboy Hats by Ivan E. Coyote

2012-02-07T22:14:00.000-08:00

I may be a day late posting this but better late..

I read Bow Grip by Ivan E. Coyote back in 2010 and kew I wanted to read more by her. She was at the Vancouver International Writers Festival that year and I baught one of her books of short stories, Loose End and she signed it for me. I just picked up for the first time over the weekend. Boy am I glad I did.

In Saturday and Cowboy Hats the narrater of the story, perhaps Ivan herself is at her neighborhood farmers market with her dog. A 6 year boy goes to pet her dog. It turned out that his name was Oliva, she was a girl. Ivan wanted to reach out to her an tell her that everything will be okay. She wanted to prepare her for her future as a lesbion.

The story was a well crafted peice on gender idenity. It was subtle yet pwoerful. All this in just rwo and a half pages! If you get the chance to read this author, do it!

Short Story Monday is hosted by John at The Book Mine Set.

Mailbox Monday

2012-02-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

Mailbox Monday has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday. For January, it is being hosted at Metro Reader.

This is what I received:

I received this ebook from my public library.

I received this ebook from the author, R.L. Prendergast. Watch for my giveaway February 28th. There will be a tour starting on March 1st with even more chances to win this book!

February Reviews for 2012 Books Won Reading Challenge

2012-02-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

The standings so far:

Honorable Mentions: Read 1-3 books won:
Darlene 1

Reminder: I will no longer doing a total of books that each individual has done. Instead, I ask you to do the total yourself and leave it in the comments at the end of each month. That way I can still keep the standings up dated but don't have to do all the work myself. So, if you read 6 books total in January 2012, comment that your total is 6. Then in February, if you read 4, comment that your total is 10, in the February post.

February Reviews for 2012 ARC Reading Challenge

2012-02-03T13:39:00.000-08:00

Were off to a great start! In January, we collectively read and reviewed 55 ARC's!

Here are the standings so far:

Level Bronze (up to 12 Arcs):
Amodini 3

Working on Silver:
Andrea 10
Nicola 17

If you don't see yourself in the standings above, it is because you didn't leave a comment telling me how many books you read in January. You need to do this at the end of each month.

Please post the books you read in February for the challenge in Mr. Linky, below:

Please enter your name and the name of the book in this format: Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader).

Giveaway: SECRETS OF AN ACCIDENTAL DUCHESS by Jennifer Haymore

2012-02-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Jillian Sanders of Grand Central Publishing, I am giving away 3 copies of Secrets of an Accidental Duchess to my U.S. readers.

Book Description:

With her pale hair and slim figure, Olivia Donovan looks as fragile asfine china, and has been treated as such by her sisters ever since a childhoodbout with malaria. But beneath her delicate facade, Olivia guards a bold,independent spirit and the kind of passionate desires proper young ladies mustnever confess...

It was a reckless wager, and one Max couldn't resist: seduce the alluringOlivia or forfeit part of his fortune. Yet the wild, soon-to-be Duke neverimagined he'd fall in love with this innocent beauty. Nor could he have guessedthat a dangerously unpredictable rival would set out to destroy them both. Now,Max must beat a Madman at his own twisted game-or forever lose the only womanto have ever won his heart.

About Jennifer Haymore:

Jennifer Haymore grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii, where she surfed,learned how to fly airplanes, raced bicycles, and developed a love for sailing.She was an avid reader and completely destroyed her eyesight by sneaking aflashlight under her covers and reading far into the nights — making her motherwonder why on earth she couldn’t get up for school in the mornings…

Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from UC Berkeley anda master’s degree in Education from UCLA. Before she became a full-time writershe held various jobs from bookselling to teaching inner-city children toplaying bit roles in soap operas.

You can find Jennifer in Southern California trying to talk her husband intoyet another trip to England, helping her three children with homework whilebrainstorming a new five-minute dinner menu, or crouched in a corner of thelocal bookstore writing her next novel.
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Giveaway: Lovesick by Spencer Seidel

2012-02-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Erin McNichols of Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. I am giving away one copy of Lovesick.

Book Description:

A murder rocks Portland, Maine when police discover an incoherent teen sitting in a pool of blood late one night. Paul Ducharme is found with a murder weapon in hand, clutching the dead body of his best friend with no clue how he got to the Eastern Promenade Trail.

A teenage love triangle gone wrong brings Spencer Seidel back with a vengeance in LOVESICK (PublishingWorks; $14.95; June 2012), the follow up to his breakout novel Dead of Wynter. Seidel deftly illustrates the toxic relationship involving a friend and love interest — Wendy, the girl of Paul’s dreams, and Lee, Paul’s best friend —each with their own desires, issues and shocking agendas.

Wendy has been missing for weeks. Her boyfriend Lee has been murdered–apparently by Paul. It’s an open and shut case–or so most of Portland thinks.

Dr. Lisa Boyers, forensic psychologist, receives a call from an old friend, a connection to her troubled past. Attorney Rudy Swaner wants her to interview the young killer, who claims to have forgotten the events leading up to the murder.

Media attention mounts. Reporters stream into Portland. All eyes turn to Lisa as she is dragged unwillingly into the spotlight. She seems intent on exonerating the brutal teen killer but quickly finds herself the focus of an over-zealous reporter threatening to expose dirty secrets she’d rather not share.

About Spencer Seidel:

Spencer Seidel’s love of reading and writing began as a child after he discovered Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His first novel, Dead of Wynter, was published in 2011 and was well-received by critics and readers alike. When he’s not writing novels, Spencer enjoys playing loud rock guitar, something he’s been doing for over twenty-five years.

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Giveaway: The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele

2012-02-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Kayleighof Penguin Group U.S.A, I am giving away one copy of The Golden Hour to one ofmy U.S. readers.

Book Description:

In THE GOLDEN HOUR,seventeen-year-old Giovanna Bellini sees firsthand the devastating effects ofthe war. Following the Italian government’s peace agreement with the Allies,Giovanna watches as the German military invades her town, forming a hostileoccupying army. At first, Giovanna is fascinated by the Nazi officers, but asthe war strips away Giovanna’s naïveté and harsh realities are exposed, herbrother Giorgio recruits her to aid in the Italian Resistance. When she isasked to hide wounded Jewish freedom fighter Mario Rava, Giovanna finds herselffalling for the brave young man. The world around her is in constant turmoiland when terrible truths are revealed, threatening the lives of everyoneGiovanna cares about, she is forced to make unimaginable sacrifices anddecisions.

About Margaret Wurtele:

Margaret Wurtele is the author of twomemoirs. She and her husband split their time between Minnesota and Napa Valley, where they are owners of Terra Valentine Winery. Visit her online at www.margaretwurtele.com.
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International Kindle ebook Giveaway: CIRCUITS OF THE WIND by MICHAEL STUTZ

2012-02-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Renee at Confiteor Media, I am giving away one Kindle ebook of Circuits of the Wind.

Book Description:

The Internet is everywhere now, but Ray Valentine saw it first explode.

CIRCUITS OF THE WIND is the story of Ray's quest to find himself as he grows up wandering the computer underground -- the wild, global outback that existed before the net went mainstream. How else does an end-of-century slacker reach out to the world from Sohola, that northern state that's a little more Midwest than it is New England? The net holds the key to what he's after -- but even as he pioneers this virtual world, the veneer of his real life begins to crack.

VOLUME ONE of the CIRCUITS OF THE WIND trilogy follows a youngRaymond from his his '70s childhood -- and first gropings with thetelephone -- to the home computers and bulletin boards of the '80s,where he leads a double life as a wanderer of the wires. But wheneven his virtual best friend unplugs, Raymond might have to leave it,too -- because isn't real life supposed to be offline?

About Michael Stutz:

MICHAEL STUTZ coined the phrase "net generation" while working asa reporter for Wired News -- and in the early 1990s kicked off the Wikipedia era by being the first to take "open source" beyond software. He lives in Space Age Central, the former home of the NASA rocket scientist who planned the Apollo Project.

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Giveaway and Exciting New Website Announcement

2012-01-31T15:47:00.000-08:00

Goose Lane Editions is Canada's oldest independent publisher and they put out quality books. They have just launched their new website and would love it if you would stop by and take a look. Just click on this link, Goose Lane Editions. They are offering daily discounts on their books all week long!

As a thank you for checking them out, they are offering the chance to win one copy of one of their books, YOU comma Idiot by Doug Harris to one of my Canadian or U.S. readers.

Book Description:

Marginalized and alienated, perennial fuck-up Lee Goodstone is a resounding zero: a small-time hash-dealing slacker with no ambition about where his life isn’t going. One morning, Honey, his best friend’s girlfriend, inexplicably jumps into bed with him. Then another friend, Henry, is accused of kidnapping a teenaged girl no one knew he was seeing. Lee gets embroiled in the mêlée, finds himself making flip remarks to the media, and his mediocre existence officially spirals out of control.

Told in the second person, YOU comma Idiot is a cringeworthy, laugh-out-loud flight on the wings of the protagonist. The roller-coaster ride of a plot leads at breakneck speed to places even Lee can’t anticipate.
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Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away by Christie Watson

2012-01-31T09:01:00.000-08:00

I read a few glowing reviews of this book and afterI saw the description, I knew I had to read it for myself. Luckily, the eBook was still available on NetGalley to request for review. Sorry to Net Galley and Other Press for thelateness of this review.

12 year old Blessing and her brother Ezikiel knewthey had it good, living with their father and mother, Mama, who both had jobs. They lived in a nice home in Lagos, Nigeriaand attended a well regarded private school.

All that came crumbling down when Mama found their father with another woman. He left the family and wouldn't send anymoney their way. Mama was fired from herjob at the hotel because only married women were allowed to work there. Mama saw no alternative other than movingback to her parents house, in the village of Niger Delta.

Ezikielsaid, “Warri is not safe. And those villages outside are even worse! Swampvillages! I googled Warriat the Internet café. Oil bunkering, hostage taking, illness, guns, andpoverty. What about my asthma?They burn poisonous chemicals straight into the air! It’s not a safe place tolive.”

Mamasaid that she grew up there and that it was safe. When they arrived, they were greeted warmlyby their Grandma and Grandfather, named Alhaji. They were better off than many families inthe region but that wasn't say much. Blessing and Ezikiel were in for a shock. There was no was no running water norelectricity. As irony, there was anelectric fan in one of the bedrooms. Theouthouse just had a floor with a hole cut out of it and boy did it smell.

Alhaji had an engineering degree but there were no jobs for localsanymore. They were all given to whitemen, shipped in to work. Eventually Mamagot a job at one of the restaurants in the oil company's compound, she made abit of money to help the family.

There was barely enough for Ezikiel to go to school but notBlessing. Grandma took Blessing underher wing and started training her to become a midwife. Blessing loved babies, so it was a good fitbut the hours were unpredictable and they often only got paid with fish ratherthan money. The job was also dangerousbecause they had to leave their compound and go to other villages. In fact Blessing barely escaped being rapedby a local policeman because he wanted a bigger bribe from Granma.

Later, Ezikiel was shot by one of the local rebel boy's group but recoveredin the hospital. However, the hospitalwould not release him until the family could pay for his treatment. He missed so much school that he didn't passhis exams and was expelled. It was heartbreaking because he had been so determined to become a doctor. However, after that he completely changed andrefused to go back to school even if Grandfather could have arranged it.

This is an inspiring and heartbreaking story of the struggles ofan Nigerian family. It was much morepowerful than the description of it implied. It was political, with the western oil company taking away all of thejobs, which was the reason for all the different violent rebel groups in theregion. They not only kidnapped whiteworkers for ransom but raped and killed many innocent village people.

This novel is so well written and is a must read for anyone wholoves family sagas or wants to get a sense of what it is like to be bornNigerian.

4/5

Also reviewed by:

ReadingAdventures

Sheis Too Fond of Books

Did you review this book? Please leave your link in the comments.

Mailbox Monday

2012-01-30T19:57:00.000-08:00

Mailbox Monday has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday. For January, it is being hosted at At Home with Books.

Here's what I received:

This book came unsolicited but a pleasant suprise.

This is All the Orientation You Are Gonna Get by John Jodzio

2012-01-29T21:30:00.000-08:00

Back in October, KinnaReads reviewed this interesting titled short. The title itself, grabbed my attention, whichis unusual for me.

The title is an apt description of what the shortstory is, a job orientation. However, wefind out right away it is for a new employee of a nail salon. The new person is told to be sure to tell thecustomers that they have pretty hands, even if they don't. There are some funny parts in the orientationtoo.

"Good breath means good tips. Ifyou get sad, go into the break room and stick your head in the pickle bucketfilled with the Mexican nail polish and you’ll get happy real quick." When a customer tells you a story about her dead husband thatreminds you of your dead husband, use the bucket. When a customer asks you toadd a decal of a bomb on her middle finger to compliment her road rage, use thebucket. When the diabetic with the missing toes comes in for a pedicure say“Back in one sec,” and bury your head in the bucket."

There is actuallyan entire list of things that are explained that you would expect to get for anorientation to a new job as well. Wealso learn that the new person has suffered a loss in her life. It is implied that the other workers have hadproblems as well.
I could tell fromreading the story that the boss, Charles, can be an ass. This 500 word story is so well written. It had me laughing out loud and feel for thenew employee. I just wish it would havebeen longer to get some of the other back stories of the other employees in thesalon. I will be seeking out more byJohn Jodzio. This is short fiction at itsfinest and freshest! You can read it here.

John Jodzio is awinner of the Loft-McKnight Fellowship. His stories have appeared in One Story,Barrelhouse, Opium, and various other places in print and online. A collectionof his short stories, “If You Lived Here You’d Already Be Home” is availablefrom Replacement Press. His collection, Get In If You Want To Live isforthcoming. More details can be found here:http://www.paperdarts.org/independent-book-publisher/. He lives in Minneapolis.Find out more atwww.johnjodzio.net.

Short Story Monday is hosted by John at The Book Mine Set.

Giveaway Winners Galore

2012-01-28T21:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks again to Brianne Beers of Forever Romance for making this giveaway possible!

The Winners are:

Traveler

Winnie

Julia

Thanks again to Nicole Langan of Tribute Books and the author, Larry Peterson for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is:

Nicola

Thanks to Kathleen Adey, assistant to author, Christie Craig for making this giveaway possible!

The Winner is:

Julia

Giveaway: Home Front by Kristin Hannah

2012-01-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Emily LaBeaume of Wunderkind PR, I am giving away one copy of Home Front.

Book Description:

In HOME FRONT Hannah tells the story of Michael and Jolene, a married couple working and raising their children. From a distance, Michael and Joleen Zarkades seem to have it all: a solid marriage, two exciting careers, and children they adore. But after twelve years together, the couple has lost their way; they are unhappy and edging toward divorce. Then the Iraq war starts.

An unexpected deployment sends Jolene, a helicopter pilot in the Army National Guard, deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, struggling to care for their children. The months Jolene is away take their toll on her family and changes her marriage in surprising ways. When an unexpected tragedy hits, each family member must face their worst fears and accept that change is inevitable, life isn’t always cheerful and love is not indispensable.

About Kristin Hannah:

Kristin Hannah is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of nineteen novels. After working in a trendy advertising agency, Kristin decided to go to law school. "But you're going to be a writer" are the prophetic words she would never forget from her mother. Kristin was in her third-and final-year of law school and her mom was in the hospital, facing the end of her long battle with cancer. Kristin was shocked to discover that her mother believed she would become a writer. For the next few months, they collaborated on the worst, most clichéd historical romance ever written.

After her mom's death, she packed up all those bits and pieces of paper they'd collected and put them in a box in the back of her closet. Kristin got married and continued practicing law.

Then Kristin found out she was pregnant and was on bed rest for five months. By the time she'd read every book in the house and started asking her husband for cereal boxes to read, she knew she was a goner. That's when her husband reminded her of the book she'd started with her mom. Kristin pulled out the boxes of research material, dusted them off and began writing. By the time their son was born, she'd finished a first draft and found an obsession.

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries: (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+10 Join Superpoints (Click to read instructions, here)
+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs
+3 Add me to your Google + circles

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).

+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook

+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours(click on the follow bottom for Networked Blogs on the side bar.)

+4 for filling out the Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)

+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)

+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).

+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)

+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 52 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to U.S and Canada.

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, February 10th, 2012 at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Giveaway: Sasha, Extraordinary Dachshund by CJ Adams

2012-01-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Michelle Carpenter of MediaGuests, I am giving away one copy of Sasha, Extraordinary Dachshund.

Book Description:

CJ Adams pens a warm and entertaining tale of life with an exceptional dachshund. A friendship that endured paralysis and a cure through acupuncture and holistic medicine. You will enjoy every page of this heart warming journey through the lives of the very precocious Sasha; the devoted, but not too smart Miniature Pinscher/Chihuahua mix, Squirt; the enduring pack-leader and CJ’s husband, Mel; and CJ, the woman who loves them all with every fiber of her being.

All animal lovers understand that each pet that comes into our lives is special but that sometimes you are blessed with an extraordinary animal. For CJ that was Sasha. This memoir is about a cycle of life involving family, friends, paralysis, other pets, aging and loss. When faced with the possibility of euthanizing a 4-year-old Sasha, a desperate CJ turns to holistic veterinary medicine and acupuncture to save her Extraordinary Dachshund and learns how to use this “alternative medicine” to complement traditional veterinary medicine. Be prepared to laugh out loud, wonder and learn something new.

About CJ Adams:

CJ Adams wrote this memoir to let all animal guardians know there are many healing options available for your treasured pets. In the process she began to heal from the loss of Sasha and now will begin a search for her next little friend.

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries: (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+10 Join Superpoints (Click to read instructions, here)
+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs
+3 Add me to your Google + circles
+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).

+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook

+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours(click on the follow bottom for Networked Blogs on the side bar.)

+4 for filling out the Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)

+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)

+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).

+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)

+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 52 or more possible entries! This giveaway is open to the U.S.

The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes

Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, February 10th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

There is a Season by Patrick Lane

2012-01-25T22:59:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to read this books for yearsnow. I really have no excuse. The Vancouver Public Library gave awayseveral copies, after their OneBook, One Vancouver was over and I snagged a copy.

Then, at the beginning of this month, John over at The Book Mine Set, who hosts TheCanadian Book Challenge, gave us an extra challenge. He presented us with a list of Canadianauthors who no one has read for the challenge so far this year. Patrick Lane is one of the authors on thelist. Thanks John, for the extra push I needed to finally read There is a Season.

There is a season is the memoir of Victoria, BritishColumbia author, Patrick Lane. It is notonly a tell all memoir of his life but a garden meditation as well. Mr. Lane has been writing since 1961 and haspublished 20 books of poetry. He hasbeen an alcoholic pretty much all of his adult life but finally became cleanand sober and decided to write this book.

He is famous for his garden at his home in Victoria,in fact it was on a television show about the greatest gardens. Lane wrote of his garden in such a way that Ithought of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. He went through the seasons of his gardenwhile include stories of his childhood, adulthood and his addiction. Sometimes he found bottles of alcohol hiddenin various hiding places in his garden after he became sober. They were so well hidden that he didn'tremember where they were.

He grew up in more rural areas in BritishColumbia. His father left the family togo off and fight in WWII.

The family didn't have much money and at timesPatrick would beg for some money from soldiers passing through but he also letthem fondle his privates for more. Likethe man who gave him a couple of quarters and bought him an ice cream sundae. Patrick also saw much that a boy shouldn'thave to witness such as murders and rapes. He lived in a town where such things weren't talked about and he nevertold he parents for fear of getting whipped for sneaking off at night.

His mother had been sexually abused several times asa child and Lane wrote that she carried on the tradition but did not elaborateon how or to whom, except for one scene in the book where she saw himpleasuring himself.

As a teenager he had gotten a girl pregnant and hewent to his father for help. The replywas the standard reply back in those days, "you made your ownbed." There was a shot gunwedding. Him and his young wife andchild lived in cramped conditions in a mining village, where he worked but atnight he wrote poetry. He wasn'teducated beyond high school but he read all of the greats, including Dante.

His two brother both had the same shot gun weddingsbefore him and they didn't fare much better. Lane got divorced after a few years and went to another remote miningtown where he worked and wrote. Heremarried but later, divorced again.

Patrick Lane currently lives with his wifeLorna. He had lived with her a number ofyears but they eventually married when he was writing There is a Season. He has travelled all over the world. He won the Governor General's Award for thismoving and beautifully written memoir.
4.5/5

Did you review this book? Please leave your link in the comments.

Mailbox Monday

2012-01-23T14:19:00.000-08:00

Mailbox Monday has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday. For January, it is being hosted at At Home with Books.

Here's what I received:

I requested and received this book from Net Galley and Bloomsbury.

I requested and received this book from Net Galley and Doubleday. Iook for my giveaway of this book, coming soon.

I requested and received this book from Net Galley and T.S. Poetry Press.

I received this and the following 2 books from Harper Collins, unsolicited. They are not to my taste but I will find a good home for them.

I received this book from Meryl L. Moss. It is not to my taste but I know a good home for it. Look for my upcoming feature and giveaway of this book, coming soon.

Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne

2012-01-22T23:16:00.000-08:00

When I wasin high school I read Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and The House ofthe Seven Gable. As in both of thosenovels, the Puritan religions plays a crucial role.

YoungGoodman Brown's wife Faith did not want him to leave her at home alone thatnight. She was frightened of something,though could not say of what. He lefther anyway for some "important business."

"Poor little Faith!" thoughthe, for his heart smote him. "What a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand! She talks of dreams, too.Methought as she spoke there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to bedone tonight. But no, no; 't would kill her to think it."

He meets up with a strange man andtogether they proceed to walk through the forest on their "devil'serrand". As they get near to theirdestination, they meet up with other's from the town, including Goodman Brownswife, Faith.

What Brown witnessed atthis meeting is really hard to say, except that it's was a statement on Puritanreligion and sin. It was written as adream like sequence and Brown isn't sure himself, if it was real or a dream.

I think Hawthorne, in all of hisliterature that I have read is trying to say that nothing is cut and dried andto be judged too harshly. Those whopracticed the puritan religion, like other organized religions judge othersharshly. Is it sin to believe insomething different? You can read thestory here.

Also reviewed by:

ReadHanded

Short Story Monday is hosted by John at The Book Mine Set.

Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? by William Poundstone

2012-01-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Little Brown and Company, I am giving away 3 copies of "Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?"

Book Description:

You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do? If you want to work at Google, or any of America's best companies, you need to have an answer to this and other puzzling questions.

ARE YOU SMART ENOUGH TO WORK AT GOOGLE? guides readers through the surprising solutions to dozens of the most challenging interview questions. The book covers the importance of creative thinking, ways to get a leg up on the competition, what your Facebook page says about you, and much more. ARE YOU SMART ENOUGH TO WORK AT GOOGLE? is a must read for anyone who wants to succeed in today's job market.

About William Poundstone:

William Poundstone is the author of twelve books, including How Would You Move Mount Fuji? and Fortune's Formula, which was Amazon Editors' pick for the #1 nonfiction book of the year in 2005. He has written for the New York Times, Harper's, Harvard Business Review, and the Village Voice, among other publications. He lives in Los Angeles.

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries: (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+10 Join Superpoints (Click to read instructions, here)

+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs

+3 Add me to your Google + circles

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).

+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook

+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours(click on the follow bottom for Networked Blogs on the side bar.)

+4 for filling out the Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)

+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)

+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).

+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)

+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 52 or more possible entries! This giveaway is for Canada and U.S..

The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes

Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winner will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Giveaway: The House on Becket Lane by Elizabeth Chanter

2012-01-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Liz Mensching, Literary Publicist of BohlsenGroup.com, I am giving away 3 print copies of The House on Becket Lane.

Book Description:

Move over Charlotte Brönte. Modern-day classics author Elizabeth Chanter captures the feel of 19th century London and brings it to life in her new novel The House on Becket Lane.

When London’s most eligible bachelor has a chance encounter with a beautiful stranger on the busy streets of the city, it sparks an instant romantic connection and a chain of events that may end their love before it can begin.

Chanter says she chose to write in this style because she admires this time period and wants to bring pieces of that era into the 21st century.

“Life was slower then,” Chanter says. “There wasn’t so much rushing. Life was only as fast as your transport, and horses can only travel so fast.”

This whimsical tale proves that true love really can conquer all and is a must-read for anyone who enjoys other classics from the same era.

About Elizabeth Chanter:

Elizabeth Chanter was born in London, the youngest of four children. She left the traditional school system at the age of 15 and began attending a commercial school to learn typing and shorthand. Chanter eventually emigrated to Canada in 1966, where she worked as an administrative assistant, a seasonal farmworker, a housekeeper and a caregiver for a close friend.

It was during her spare time as a caregiver that Chanter began writing what would eventually become The House on Becket Lane. Chanter now lives on Vancouver Island, where she enjoys sewing, knitting, jigsaw puzzles and playing Solitaire. She is also a volunteer at a local cat rescue organization.

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries: (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+10 Join Superpoints (Click to read instructions, here)

+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs

+3 Add me to your Google + circles

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).

+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook

+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours(click on the follow bottom for Networked Blogs on the side bar.)

+4 for filling out the Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)

+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)

+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).

+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)

+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 52 or more possible entries! This giveaway is for Canada and U.S.

The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes

Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, February 3rd at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winner will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Three Books by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak

2012-01-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

I love Kusugak's books because he gives children andtheir parents a little glimpse into the Inuit culture and mythology. Quite different from the children's books Iremember as a child.

In his book Hide and Sneak, he tells the story of agirl, Allashua, who loves playing hide and seek. Before she ran off to play, her motherwarned, "Don't go too far away. An Ijiraq might hide you, and if an Ijiraqhides you, no one will ever find you again.

Allashua is not very good at hide and seek becauseshe often sees something that will distract her from the game, like the timeshe saw a nest of baby birds. That wasthe time she heard a voice behind her.

"Hide-and-sneak, hide-and-sneak

How I love hide-and-sneak

I hide and you seek

You won't find me for a week."

Itturned out to be the creature that her mom warned her about, an Ijiraq.

Inhis book Baseball Bats for Christmas, tells about childhood in Repulse Bay inthe mid 1950's. It is an autobiographicaltale about Mr. Kusugak's childhood in the arctic.

Thereare no trees in Repulse bay. The onlyway for the town to get any supplies was to wait for Rocky Parsons to come inhis plane and drop them off at the Hudson's Bay Company store. He not only brought in supplies but he camewhen someone was sick. He was the townslife line.

AtChristmas time, it was expected that you gave your most favorite thing in theworld to your best friend as a gift. Noa duplicate of it but the thing you actually own yourself.

"Arvaarluk'sfather gave his only telescope and got a wild dog in return."

RockyParsons brought green things with "spindly branches". One of the children knew that they were smalltrees from a book that he had read. Noone knew what to do with them though. Thenan idea came to one of the children.

InMichael Arvaarluk Kusugak's book Northern Lights the Soccer Trails, we learnabout the different seasons in Repulse Bay. The children's favorite season is winter, when they can run around onthe frozen sea ice and play soccer with a homemade ball.

"Theymade a soccer ball out of caribou skin and stuffed it full of dry moss and fur. Then at night, in the moonlight, they wentout on the sea ice, set up two goals made of ice blocks and played."

Sometimethe northern lights appeared. They weresaid to be ancestors.

Allthree of these books are delightful! Some of the names are hard so most children would need the help of aparent to read the stories with them. The illustrations, done by Vladyanna Krykorka are stunning. These are books to keep for a lifetime and topass them down from generation to generation.

Mailbox Monday

2012-01-16T21:17:00.000-08:00

Mailbox Monday has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday. For January, it is being hosted at At Home with Books.

Here's what I received:

I checked this ebook out from my library. I am a fan of Rosanne Cash. I met her about 25 years ago and she seemed really sweet in person.

I won this ebook from my Anna over at Diary of an Eccentric and the author, Danielle Younge-Ullman sent it to me via email.

Kobo sent me another 30% off promotion code and this book has been on my TBR for a very long time.

I received this from Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. It is not my cuppa but I will be giving away a copy to one of my lucky readers in February and will find a good home for this copy.

I received this ebook for review from Nikki Leigh at Promo 101.

The Scavengers Mary Hunter Austin

2012-01-15T23:07:00.000-08:00

The Scavengers is another short story that I received in my inbox from The Library of America Story of the Week. They send a link to a free short story every week. I received a link to this story quite awhile ago and finally got around to reading it.

The unknown narrator described the drought they had in the region for over three year and how the scavengers appeared in droves, patiently waiting for their meal.

" but the scavengers make few mistakes. One stoops to the quarry and the flock follows. Cattle once down may be days in dying. They stretch out their necks along the ground, and roll up their slow eyes at longer intervals. The buzzards have all the time, and no beak is dropped or talon struck until the breath is wholly passed. It is doubtless the economy of nature to have the scavengers by to clean up the carrion, but a wolf at the throat would be a shorter agony than the long stalking and sometime perchings of these loathsome watchers."

This didn't seem as much as a story to me as on overview of wildlife scavengers and their usefulness in drought conditions. It seemed like more of an environmental commentary. Scavengers have been viewed by many as no good nuisances but really we need them to clean up after us and other animals. Ms. Austin made her point well.

This story would appeal to people who are curious about the creatures we call scavengers and people interested in the environment. As you can see from the short quote above, it's not for those with a weak stomach.

Did you review this story? Please leave your link in the comments.

Short Story Monday is hosted by John at The Book Mine Set.

Winner: The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley

2012-01-14T20:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks againto Jonathan Lazzara of Random House, Inc. for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is:

Margie

Congratulations! Please reply to the email I sent you within 2 days.

Nook ebook Giveaway: Murder, Mayhem and Mama by Christie Craig

2012-01-13T09:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Kathleen Adey, assistant to author, Christie Craig, I am giving away one Nook copy of Murder, Mayhem and Mama. Since Nook ebooks are only available to U.S. readers, this is a U.S. only giveaway.

Book Description:

BEING A MAMA IS HARD. BUT THE JOB’S EVEN TOUGHER WHEN YOU’RE DEAD…

Cali McKay’s mama isn’t ready to pass over to the “other side” yet. Her unlucky-in-love daughter needs her now more than ever. Before Mama can chain-smoke her way to heaven, she’s gotta make sure Cali’s ex deadbeat boyfriend doesn’t get her daughter killed.

GRIEF SUCKS. LOVE HEALS…

Cali lost her mom to cancer. Detective Brit Lowell, lost his partner to murder. Now he’s in the mood to take down some dirtbags and Cali’s ex just happens to be a dirtbag leaving a trail of dead bodies behind him. Can Brit trust this beautiful woman to help take down her ex? Can Cali look past this sexy cop’s hard exterior to trust him with her heart? Can life get any crazier when Mama starts meddling from the grave? Only one thing is for sure–none of it will matter, unless they catch a killer before the killer catches them.

Thirteen things you’ll learn from reading Murder, Mayhem and Mama:

Grief sucks. Love heals.

Believe it or not, sometimes mama does know best. Even when she’s dead.

Painting your toenails is equivalent to a happy pill.

Sometimes there’s a hell of lot more to our dreams than we think.

When a tough guy resorts to sniffing a girl’s sweater that she left behind, he might as well give up the bachelor pad, he’s on the road to falling in love.

A guy who offers you a shoulder during a meltdown and doesn’t try to cop a feel, just may be a keeper.

When a guy says all he wants to do is sleep with you, he might not be talking sex, you might just be his answer to insomnia. Then again, he’ll probably want sex when he’s had some sleep.

When all else fells, try saying the magic words: please and thank you. It’s a manner thing.

Be leery of opening your boyfriends medicine cabinet, it’s not just what you might find, but what might fall out and bounce right into the toilet. Explaining how his 36 pack of condoms got wet could be embarrassing.

While being a better bitch isn’t something we should aspire to, learning to stand up for oneself is definitely goal worthy.

Sharing food off each other’s plate could lead to sharing a toothbrush. And after that, all bets, and possibly the clothes, are coming off.

Bad habits die hard. Then again, the sergeant general doesn’t say anything about smoking after you’re dead. Just ask Mama.

Take a man’s favorite leather jacket, and he might offer you his heart to get it back.

About Christine Craig:

Christie Craig grew up in Alabama, where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and regularly rescued potential princes, in the form of Alabama bullfrogs, from her brothers. Today, she’s still fascinated with lightning bugs, mostly wears shoes, but has turned her focus to rescuing mammals. She now lives in Texas with her four rescue cats, and a prince of a husband, who for the record, is not a frog.

Over three thousand pieces of her freelance non-fiction has appeared in national magazines. After selling four novels in one day in 2006, she has gained a reputation for writing romance fiction that has both witty humor and a suspenseful, sexy tone. Look for the first in her humorous romantic suspense series Don’t Mess With Texas available now.

Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn are Christie’s first two books in her young adult paranormal romance series, Shadow Falls, written under the pen name C.C. Hunter. Taken at Dusk will be available in April from St. Martin’s Press.

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries: (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+10 Join Superpoints (Click to read instructions, here)

+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs

+3 Add me to your Google + circles

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).

+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook

+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours(click on the follow bottom for Networked Blogs on the side bar.)

+4 for filling out the Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)

+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)

+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).

+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)

+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 52 or more possible entries! This giveaway is for Canada and U.S..

The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes

Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winner will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

International ebook Giveaway: HAZARDOUS CHOICES by Joe Rinaldo

2012-01-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the author, Joe Rinaldo, I am giving away one ebook copy of Hazardous Choices.

Book Description:

After surviving life in a violent Chicago street gang through his high school years, Darnell Jackson’s future appears promising. A football scholarship gives him the chance to escape the thug lifestyle.

During his first year in college, Darnell safely resides in a small Kentucky town, playing Division Two college football and trying to make something of himself. Adjusting to the new surroundings proves tough, but a teammate and a girl give him hope that his future will be better than his past.

In the summer after his freshman year, he returns to the old neighborhood to be with his mother. The gang reasserts its hold on him, and the leader orders Darnell to kill a specific member of a rival gang. Nearly dying in a gang fight, Darnell shoots an enemy
gangbanger; unfortunately, it is the wrong target. This forces Darnell to re-evaluate his future. As a result, he lies to the mercurial leader of his gang, claiming he completed his assignment. After “doing work” for his gang, Darnell receives permission to head back to school and the security of small-town life.

When the head gang-banger learns of Darnell’s lie, the small Kentucky town isn’t so safe anymore.

About Joe Rinaldo:

Owensboro, Kentucky, is my hometown and the setting for the majority of Hazardous Choices. Growing up, I rooted for the local college. My
wife worked at the college and helped me set up an interview with the football team’s Head Coach. The fictional Western Kentucky State University Darnell Jackson attends is based on this college.

One of the characters, Eric Rotteli, has Down Syndrome, a form of mental retardation. My daughter also has Down. Knowing her and
coaching Special Olympics basketball enabled me to make this character realistic.

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries: (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+10 Join Superpoints (Click to read instructions, here)
+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs
+3 Add me to your Google + circles
+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).

+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook

+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours(click on the follow bottom for Networked Blogs on the side bar.)

+4 for filling out the Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)

+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)

+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).

+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)

+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 46 or more possible entries! This giveaway is for Canada and U.S..

The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes

Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winner will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Product Review: Bamboo Microfiber Sheet Set with Negative Ion Technology

2012-01-10T15:51:00.000-08:00

New for 2012, I thought I would try out writing some product reviews. They will be limited because my primary focus is still books. I am hoping to do a product review every now and then with some giveaways, hopefully.

However, I would love to know your opinion. If the majority of you are totally against product reviews, I wont do them. To find out how you all feel about this, I have developed a poll on the side bar. Please give me your opinion by filling out the poll and comment.

Thank you!

Product Description: (taken from the website)

Now you can enjoy luxury of bamboo microfiber bedding with brand new negative ion technology for better sleep. The organic bamboo fibers used in the sheet production have been scientifically proven to produce 1,500 CC's of Negative Ions and above. This Negative Ion output is higher than most ultra expensive air Ionizers.

Here are the sleep benefits of Negative Ions:

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have found that levels of negative ions that exceed 1,000 CC's are directly related to levels of serotonin in the brain. Negative Ions balance serotonin levels in much the same way that natural sunlight suppresses melatonin. Balanced serotonin means better and deeper sleep.

Additional Bed Sheet Benefits:

Wrinkle Free Design
Stain and Odor Resistant
Lightweight and Breathable
Shrink Proof, fade proof and form fitting
Open Stitched Hem
Temperature Regulating Design
Naturally Hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites

This bedding is perfect for those who are looking for a soft, lightweight sheet set. Bamboo microfiber has the feel of silk without the associated slip.

6 Piece Set Includes: (Fits up to a 16 inch mattress)

1 Flat Sheet
1 Fitted Sheet
4 Pillow Cases

My Review:

I bought this sheet set through a online coupon program, so I did not pay full price. I was expecting full price quality however.

The sheet set arrived as promised with a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and four pillow cases. I was right away taken by the luxurious feel of these sheets. They were the softest, smoothest sheets I've ever encountered. I could hardly wait to wash them and put them on my bed.

I followed the care instructions exactly how they were written. When I took them out of the washer I thought I saw a bit of a run in a pillow case but thought perhaps drying them would take care of that. However it didn't, there was a run in the pillow case. Just to clarify, I mean a run, like you get in nylon stockings!

When I got into bed my first night with the new sheets on, I felt like I was reading and then sleeping in luxury. Like I said, they felt so good! However after the first night I noticed snags and more runs in them. I have had them for about 2 months now and they aren't feeling quite as luxurious as they fist did.

After a few washes, I noticed they started balling up, like a sweater does and there are also more snags in them. We just bought a new washer and dryer this summer, front load, so I know they are not deteriorating due to those. I also keep my finger nails and toe nails trimmed and smooth, so they shouldn't be the culprit either.

I do love it when sheet sets come with extra pillow cases, the four included were a really nice touch. They also fit on my bed very nicely and are still stain free and wrinkle free. As for their claim of a better and deeper sleep, I haven't noticed a difference. I'm a pretty good sleeper these days, as it is.

2/5

The Day I Sprouted Wings by J. Herman Banning

2012-01-08T22:39:00.000-08:00

I subscribe to the The Library of America Story of the Week email, which sends a link to a free short story every week. I received a link to The Day I Sprouted Wings quite awhile ago and finally got around to reading it.

I hadn't heard of J. Herman Banning before, so I was glad some background information was given about him first. He was the first licensed African American pilot in the U.S. He learned how to fly in Ames Iowa, one of the only places that would accept African Americans. He became a really experience pilot but in 1933 he was not allowed to enter an air show as a pilot because of his color, so he went on as a passenger with a less experienced pilot. Tragically they crashed and both died.

The story he wrote was about his days in training in Ames Iowa, the plane he built himself, and the roadblocks he fell up against. It is a really a well written story as well as engaging. I highly recommend it but be sure to read the background information about J. Herman Banning as well, it is an amazing story in itself! You can read both here.

International ebook Giveaway: The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson

2012-01-06T09:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Nicole Langan of Tribute Books I am giving away one ebook copy of The Priest and the Peaches.

Book Description:

Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

About Larry Peterson:

Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.

His first children's picture book, Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, The Priest and the Peaches was released and he is presently working on the sequel.

Larry Peterson's blog

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries: (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+10 Join Superpoints (Click to read instructions, here)

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).

+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook

+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours

+4 for filling out the Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)

+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)

+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).

+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)

+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 46 or more possible entries! This giveaway is only open internationally.

The ebook is available in Mobi (Kindle), Epub (Nook, Kobo, etc), and PDF.

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Giveaway: P.S.- I Love You Blog Tour

2012-01-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Brianne Beers of Forever Romance I am giving a set of two books to 3 winners!

Description of All I Want is You by Sherrill Bodine:

She's stealing his heart . . . Vintage boutique owner Venus Smith is stunned to realize her newest acquisition comes with a larcenous legend. Stolen years ago, the antique mermaid brooch belongs to the Clayworth family. The right thing to do would be to return it, but that means facing Connor Clayworth O'Flynn, the sexy department store heir Venus has had an unrequited crush on since childhood-and the man who helped ruin her father. ONE KISS AT A TIME Connor knows that Venus has never forgiven him for what happened between their families.

Description of Sanctuary Cove by Rochelle Alers:

Sometimes love is the simplest choice of all. Still reeling from her husband's untimely death, Deborah Robinson needs a fresh start. So she decides to pack up her family, box up her bookstore, and return to her grandmother's ancestral home on Cavanaugh Island. The charming town of Sanctuary Cove holds happy memories for Deborah. And, after she spies a gorgeous stranger in the local bakery, it promises the possibility for a bright, new future.

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries: (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+10 Join Superpoints (Click to read instructions, here)

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

+3 Old or new follower on Twitter (@teddyrose1).
+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).

+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook

+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours

+4 for filling out the Tour Host Interest Form (please do this if you have a book blog and you are serious about wanting to be a tour host)

+ 5 if you have been a tour host for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours (please specify which tour)

+2 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).

+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)

+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 46 or more possible entries! This giveaway is for Canada and U.S..

The winner's mailing address: No P.O. Boxes

Only one entry per household/IP address

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the book.

This giveaway will end on Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winner will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

January Reviews for 2012 Books Won Reading Challenge

2012-01-04T23:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first month of the challenge! Thanks to everyone who has joined, I am looking foward to seeing what everyone is reading this year. A very special thanks to those of you who have taken the challenge in previous years and are doing it again!

Important, New this year: I will no longer doing a total of books that each individual has done. Instead, I ask you to do the total yourself and leave it in the comments at the end of each month. That way I can still keep the standings up dated but don't have to do all the work myself. So, if you read 6 books total in January 2012, comment that your total is 6. Then in February, if you read 4, comment that your total is 10, in the February post.

Please post the books you read in January for the challenge in Mr. Linky, below:

Please enter your name and the name of the book in this format: Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader).

January Reviews for 2012 ARC Reading Challenge

2012-01-04T23:01:00.000-08:00

Wrap up- 2011 ARC Reading Challenge

2012-01-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

Thank to everyone who participated in the challenge! If you did a wrap up post of the challenge on your blog, please leave the links in the comments.

Here's how we did:

Working Towards Bronze Level:

Debbie-5

Jessica-5

Bronze Achieved:
TGFTG-12
Yvonne -12

Working on Silver:

Amused-22

Freda-15

Silver Achieved:

CMash- 24

Jo-Jo- 24

Level Gold:

Donna -25
Teddy-26

Level Platinum:

Andrea-98

Beth-30

Heather -29

Julie-95

Nicola-143

Sarah- 30

Wrap up- 2011 Books Won Reading Challenge

2012-01-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

Thank to everyone who participated in the challenge! If you did a wrap up post of the challenge on your blog, please leave the links in the comments.

Honorable Mentions: Read 1-3 books won:
Bev- 3
Tea-1

Bronze: Read 4-6 books you won:

Jessica- 5
Julie-6
Teddy-4

Gold: Read 10 or more books you won.
LuAnn-26

Have you joined again for 2012 yet? If not please click here to join.

Giveaway Winners Galore

2012-01-03T22:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks again to Lauren of Authoright for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is:

NMF Girl

Thanks again to Michelle Carpenter of MediaGuests for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is:

Bethie

Thanks again to Erin McNichols of Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is:

Margie

Thanks again to the author, Tim Queeney for making this giveaway possible.

The winner is:

J Tretin

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Little Brown and Company for making this giveaway possible!

The winners are:

JB H

Amanda Sue