So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

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Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:10 PM 7 comments    

Labels: 2009 Completed Challenges

These are the books I received last week:

Sacred Hearts: A Novel

Thanks to Random House and Shelf Awareness.

The Adventures of Snip in Oregon

Thanks to the author, Betty S. Moir and to Bostick Communications.




Crash!

Thanks to the author, Mayra Calvani

Posted by Teddy Rose at 1:38 PM 19 comments    

Labels: Mail Box Mondays

Seemingly separated in time and place, the lives of Willie and William begin to intersect in curious ways, from harrowing encounters with the law (and a few ex-girlfriends) to dubious experiments with mind-altering substances. Their misadventures could be dismissed as youthful folly. But wise or foolish, the bold choices they make will shape not only the 'Shakespeare' each is destined to come... but the very course of history itself.

The number of entrants to this giveaway will determine how many copies of this book I will giveaway.

1-10 entrants= 1
11-20 entrants= 2
21-30 entrants= 3
31-40 entrants=4
41 or more entrants=5

Here are the rules:

1. For one entry, leave a comment. Please be sure to include your email address (if it isn't available in your profile), so that I can contact you if you win. If I can't find your email either in the comments or your profile, you will be disqualified!

2. For a two more entries, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave link to your blog post in the comments. You will also get an entry for each person who tells me that they learned about this giveaway from you.

3. For another 5 more entries: Become a Follower of my blog or subscribe to my blog through Google Reader or other subscription service. If you are already a subscriber or follower you still get the five extra entries! Please do not comment that you are a follower five times! I will give you the extra entries myself. I will delete any extra entries that you make as it will just confuse me when I go to pick the winners.

The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.Only one entry per household/IP address.

Please note change to deadline. I forgot that I will be out of town July 24th. See the new deadline below:

This giveaway will end on Friday July 31st 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email, so remember to include your email address in the comments, if it isn't available in your profile! Winners must respond within three days or will be disqualified. Therefore, if your moving or going on a trip, etc. . please let me know.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 11:04 PM 51 comments    

Labels: My 2009 Giveaways

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:46 PM 34 comments    

Labels: My 2009 Giveaways

The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.Only one entry per household/IP address.

This giveaway will end on Friday July 17th 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email, so remember to include your email address in the comments, if it isn't available in your profile! Winners must respond within three days or will be disqualified. Therefore, if your moving or going on a trip, etc. . please let me know.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:17 PM 46 comments    

Labels: My 2009 Giveaways

The 3 winners of The Way Home are:

Yvonne

Linda Ellen

Cheryl

Congratulations! I emailed all three of you, please contact me within 3 days to claim your prize.

The 3 winners of Cemetery Dance are:

Cindy

Clenna

Nfmgirl

Congratulations! I emailed all five of you, please contact me within 3 days to claim your prize.

The 3 winners of The Scarecrow are:

Carlene

A Reader

Dawn

Congratulations! I emailed all five of you, please contact me within 3 days to claim your prize.

The 3 wiiners of Losing Mum and Pub are:

Neas Nuttiness

Lastnereve (Val)

Janet Faye

Congratulations! I emailed all five of you, please contact me within 3 days to claim your prize.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:05 PM 4 comments    

Labels: My 2009 Giveaways

Jen gave birth to her son Daniel Alexander Karsbaek this morning at 5:20am. He is 7lbs 8oz, is 21.5 inches long.


CONGRATULATIONS TO JEN AND HER FAMILY! MAY DANIEL LIVE A LONG HEALTHY AND JOYFUL LIFE!

If you would like to congratulate Jen, here's the link.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:16 PM 3 comments    

Stirring Portrait of an Artist

Pan Yuliang never envisioned that her life would turn out like this. When her mother died, she was sent to her uncle's house. He raised her along with the help of a maid. She was to be promised to a man and then be married. That is what her mother's wish for her and a promise from her uncle.
However, her uncle had a drug habit and ran out of money. He had to get drugs somehow, so he sold Yuliang into prostitution at the age of 14.

She was brought to "The Hall of Eternal Splendor" and was taught the ways of seduction and "bed business."

She was told to seduce the new inspector, Pan Zanhua. This was very important so that he could be kept in line and continue turning a blind eye, as the old inspector did. However, it did not work out that way. He could not be bought. He didn't fall for the hook as much as he was attracted to Yuliang.

Yuliang knew her fate. "Grandmother," the madam would beat her unmercifully. Pan Zanhua saw she was crying and he got her to tell him the truth. Zanhua rescued her from her fate and took her in as his concubine.

Zanhua really believed in equality and gave Yuliang an education. She became fascinated with art and started sketching. As her career as an artist took off both her and Zanhua become torn between her success and their love for each other.

Pan Yuliang was a real person, a famous artist. This book of historical fiction fills in what parts of her life may have been like. Jennifer cody Epstein really did her research and paints a colourful portrait of the life of Pan Yaliang. I felt like I was there as a witness to everything she endured and her triumph as an artist. The characters are believable and the writing is beautiful and richly textured.

This books is a real page turner and kept me up into the wee hours of the morning. I just couldn't put it down! I cannot recommend this book high enough. It does not disappoint!

5/5

Thanks to Lisa with TLC Book Tours for inviting me to participate in this book tour!

Baby Arms by Pan Yuliang

Here is the line-up for other stops on the book tour:

Tuesday, June 2nd: The Literate Housewife Review
Wednesday, June 3rd: Book-a-Rama
Thursday, June 4th: Book Nut
Monday, June 8th: She is Too Fond of Books
Tuesday, June 9th: S. Krishna’s Books
Wednesday, June 10th: Becky’s Book Reviews
Thursday, June 11th: Redlady’s Reading Room
Monday, June 15th: Dolce Bellezza
Tuesday, June 16th: Peeking Between the Pages
Wednesday, June 17th: A Work in Progress
Monday, June 22nd: Beth Fish Reads
Tuesday, June 23rd: Do They Have Salsa in China?
Wednesday, June 24th: Bookworm with a View
Thursday, June 25th: So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Friday, June 26th: Savvy Verse and Wit
Monday, June 29th: Nerd’s Eye View
Tuesday, June 30th: Pop Culture Junkie

Posted by Teddy Rose at 5:39 PM 14 comments    

Labels: Books Read in 2009, China, Historical Fiction, Jennifer Cody Epstein

Posted by Teddy Rose at 8:32 PM 39 comments    

Labels: My 2009 Giveaways

Posted by Teddy Rose at 5:00 PM 13 comments    

Labels: 2009 Completed Challenges

Story time at the library is just about to begin but Gordon Loggins is impatient and decides to wonder around until it begins. He finds a secret doorway and goes in. The entrance leads him to a forest. He walks through the forest and comes across a house, the house of The Three Bears.

The bears are frantic because Goldilocks is missing and story time is about to begin. They persuade Gordon to take her place.

This is a charming re-telling of The Three Bears. It is very inventive, entertaining, and the colourful pictures add to it. Another book I highly recommend for children and adults of all ages. Well, maybe your teenager may not think it's cool. LOL!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 4:41 PM 4 comments    

Labels: Children's Books, Linda Bailey

In the historical the Hotel Sylvia in Vancouver, BC Canada, there lived a grey cat named Got To Go. Across the street was beautiful English Bay. Mister Foster, the hotel manager didn't like Go To Go in the hotel. He said, "As soon as it stops raining, that cat's got to go. Got To Got had lived there for seven years so no one paid attention to Mr. Foster.

Got To Go enjoyed life at the Sylvia Hotel until Arnie showed up. Arine was a very small dog. Got To go went down stairs for three days and wouldn't come up. Many people tried to coax Got To Go up stairs but with no luc. Then Mr. Foster finally tried and Got To Go went up stairs. Arine chased Got to Go but Got To Go put Arnie in his place.

Arnie didn't chase Got To Go again but barked non-stop. He was getting on the nerves of the guests. One day a seagull flew by and Arnie decided to follow. Mr. Foster brought him to the vet and the clinical report read, "Dog is delusional. Believes it can fly." There are more escapades with Arnie and Got To Go but I won't give them away.

This is a delightful book for both children and adults. The Sylvia Hotel is is a real place that is still here in Vancouver. In fact my aunt stayed there a couple of years ago when she came to visit. This book is highly recommended!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 3:01 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Children's Books, Lois Simmie

Today is show-and-tell at school and Benjamin decides to bring something unique, his baby sister. He puts her in his back pack and goes off to school.

Then Ben sits down for class his sister wakes up crying. The teacher is horrified but takes the baby in her arms to sooth her but she can't get her to quite down. The principal comes in and tells the baby, "Hey, you! Be Quiet!" The baby keeps crying. The principal decides the baby is sick and calls the doctor in. Of course that only makes her cry more.

Ben's baby sister does finally stop crying but, to find out more you will have to read the book.
This is a fun book with bright colourful pictures for little children. Recommended.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 2:51 PM 2 comments    

Labels: Children's Books, Robert Mnsch

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:45 PM 4 comments    

Labels: Giveaways Galore

Splendid Novel

This book is a fictionalized account of Robert Hart who was known as the 'Godfather of China's modernism'. Hart was born and raised in Ireland . In 1854 we went to China to work for the British Consulate as an interpreter.

Robert Hart was set on making up for his days of drinking and womanizing in Ireland. He went to China to prove himself and "grow up." When faced with the possibility of getting a concubine for himself, he felt quite conflicted. However, it was what men did in China, even most of the "foreign devils". He got a Chinese instructor and immersed himself in Chinese customs and culture.

He did end up getting two concubines, his first year in China. Ayaou and her younger sister Shao-mei. He taught Ayaou and Shao-mei how to read and enjoyed life with them both.
When he first met Ayaou, it was love at first site. He planned to buy her from her father but Ward, an American Opium smuggler, beat him to it. He was devastated and set out to rescue her from Ward, who is known for his mistreatment of his concubines. Robert does end up with Ayaou but with tragic consequences.

It took Lloyd Lofthouse close to 9 years to research and write this wonderful book. The pages kept on turning late into the night. This novel mostly covers Robert Hart's life in China for his first year. He did eventually move on from the British Consulate and became Inspector General of Chinese Mandarin Customs, the Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent of the Ch'ing dynasty, and the chief adviser for the Emperor.

My only complaint is that I would have liked to have learned more about Hart and how he became so important to China. I also would have liked to know what finally happened to Ayaou. This book is only 250 pages and I wish that it would have been long enough to touch on these important details. Could there be a book II in the works? I hope so!

I highly recommend this book! Be forewarned, there are some juicy sex scenes in this book. If that kind of thing bothers you, don't read this book.

4/5

Thanks so much to Lloyd Lofthouse for sending me his book! Lloyd, if there is going to be a sequel, please send it my way!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:43 PM 12 comments    

Labels: Books Read in 2009, China, Historical Fiction, Lloyd Lofthouse

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:34 PM 17 comments    

Labels: Mail Box Mondays

"It's raining, it's pouring,
the Old Man is snoring,
He went to be with a cold in his head,
and he didn't get up in the morning.
Rain, rain go away,
Little Girl wants to Play."

This is a story based on the above nursery rhyme. It's raining and thundering very loudly. Mother tells Little Girl that the thunder is because Old Man, living in the clouds has a cold and is coughing. Little Girl decides to go up into the clouds to help Old Man get better.

Little girl gets a really tall latter and climbs up through the kitchen ceiling, into the upstairs bedroom and then up through the roof. She climbs and climbs up into the clouds. When she gets off the ladder, there is conveniently a sign pointing the way to Old Man's house. She talks to Old Man and sees he really is sick. He is also a giant.

Little Girl says, "my mom gives me hot honey and lemon to drink when I've got a cold." Old Man cried his reply, "but I haven't got a mother." Little Girl excuses herself and says that she'll be back. She climbs all the way down to the kitchen and her mom makes a wheelbarrow full of the hot lemon drink. Little Girl climbs all the way back up pulling the wheelbarrow tied to a rope behind her.

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the interaction with Little Girl and Old Man. The illustrations were beautiful and went well with the story. I especially liked the picture of Old Man drinking directly from the wheel barrel.

The actually nursery rhyme was different from the one I learned as a child. The first part was the same but another line was added after "snoring". It went, "he bumped his his head and went to bed and didn't get up until morning." I liked this version better. This is another children's book that I highly recommend.

If you would like to participate in Short Story Mondays or just find out about some great short stories, go to John of The Book Mine Set. He has a short story review every Monday and a place for you to link your short story reviews. Come join in the fun!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:10 PM 7 comments    

Labels: Books Read in 2009, Children's Books