Monday, May 31, 2010

Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

I had to think long and hard on what book I would post about for the letter "L"  Then it dawned on me that one of the main characters in Uncle Tom's Cabin had the last name of Legree, Simon Legree that is.

Simon Legree was a "bad ass", downright cruel slave owner.  I read this years before my blogging days.  I had always hesitated to read it because I had thought it was pro slavery, but someone convinced me that it was a must read. I can see why this book raised so much controversy back when it was published as it does take an anti-slavery tone.

If you haven't read Uncle Toms Cabin, I highly recommend it. 

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:31 PM 2 comments  

The Accident by Gao Xingjian


John of The Book Mine Set reviewed this short story back in April.

A man is riding a bicycle with a baby carriage mounted to the front. Not a real safe thing to do anywhere, let alone the busy city streets of China. As bus collides with the man, the baby and carriage are thrown. The man's legs are caught under the wheel of the bus.

This isn't a story about the man, as one may expect. It is about the reaction of the people who saw the accident or happened upon it later. It is also about the people in the city that were effected by it indirectly. For instance, "The street cleaners have no way of knowing that an accident took place here a few hours ago."

The story unfolds slowly but not in a boring sort away. There are details of significance but the story moves forward. Xingjian's writing is beautiful prose and with it he invites the reader to share in the story with him. Reading it for myself, was like sitting down to a cup of tea with the author, himself. I defiantly want to read more by him. Gao Xingjian won the Nobel Prize for Literature in the year of 2000.  You can read this story on The New Yorker website, here.

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 12:30 AM 5 comments  

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Sunday, May 30, 2010

100 Mile Fitness Challenge (66 miles for me)

April 1 - June 30, 2010
 
Week 7,  (May 21-27):

Friday - 0

Saturday -1 (Bike)

Sunday -0

Monday -1 (Walking with D.J.)

Tuesday -2 (Walking with D.J.)

Wednesday -

Thursday -2 (Walking with D.J.)

6 Total =  miles

38 miles down, 28 to go.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:52 PM 2 comments  

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Saturday, May 29, 2010

Winners: Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci-Audio

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books for making this giveaway possible!


The winners are:

Janice
Natalie
Stacie

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

Thanks to everyone who entered! I use Random.org to determine winners for all of my giveaways unless otherwise specified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:14 PM 4 comments  

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Winners: The War Lovers: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898 by Evan Thomas

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books for making this giveaway possible!

The winners are:

Stacie

Aliya

Cams

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

Thanks to everyone who entered! I use Random.org to determine winners for all of my giveaways unless otherwise specified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:55 PM 0 comments  

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Friday, May 28, 2010

Giveaway: War by By Sebastian Junger- Audiobook

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books, I am giving away up to 3 copies of this unabridged audiobook.

Book Description:
In WAR Sebastian Junger gives breathtaking insight into the truths of war-- the fear, the honor, and the trust among men. His on-the-ground account follows a single platoon through a 15-month tour of duty in the most dangerous outpost in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. Through the experiences of these young men at war, he shows what it means to fight, to serve, and to face down mortal danger on a regular basis. 

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 or more entrants= 3

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 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.

Sorry, the giveaway is only open US and Canadian residents only.

The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.

Only one entry per household/IP address.

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 11th 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.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:00 PM 23 comments  

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Giveaway: Innocent by Scott Turow- Audiobook

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books, I am giving away up to 3 cpoies of this unabridged audiobook.

Book Description:

The sequel to the genre-defining, landmark bestseller Presumed Innocent, INNOCENT continues the story of Rusty Sabich and Tommy Molto who are, once again, twenty years later, pitted against each other in a riveting psychological match after the mysterious death of Rusty's wife. 

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 or more entrants= 3

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 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.

Sorry, the giveaway is only open US and Canadian residents only.

The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.

Only one entry per household/IP address.

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 11th 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.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:51 PM 23 comments  

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Thursday, May 27, 2010

Author Readings and Signings- Arm Chair BEA

I attended 3 events at the Vancouver International Readers and Writers Festival last October and never posed about it.  I thought the Arm Chair BEA would be a good time for me to finally do it.

Canadian Author, Michael Crummy did a reading and talked about his newest book Galore.  I have read both of his previous books and was really excited to meet him.


It's hard to read from this photo, but he signed the book,  "A story from the rock for you.  Best MC."  His whole signature is on top.
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see Margaret Atwood, of course.  She read from her latest book, The Year of the Flood. 

Actually, she did an entire performance, complete with performers who acted and sang out parts of the book.  It was quite a fun evening.  

Here you can see me gushing while she signed my copy of her book.  I'm sure I made a complete fool of myself.


She signed it, "Best Wishes, Margaret Atwood."









I also attended 'An Intimate Evening with John Irving'.  He did a reading and discussed his latest book, Last Night on Twisted River.  He really has a great sense of humor, who knew?  We weren't allowed to take pictures and he wasn't able to stay to do a signing but I really did enjoy him.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:57 PM 10 comments  

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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Arm Chair BEA: How to get ARCs' and Galleys

May 25 - May 28, 2010
Welcome to my post for the Arm Chair BEA!  To see all the exciting posts and goings on, go to Arm Chair BEA

I often get asked by newer bloggers what ARCs' and Galleys are and how to get them.

ARC= Advanced Reader Copy.  It is an uncorrected proof of a book that publishers send for review to get advance "buzz" going about an upcoming release.  Sometimes publishers send out finished copies of the book.  A Galley is the same thing, it just is a different name.

1. The number one way to get publishers to start contacting you with offers is to start a blog and review books that you have or books from the library, etc.  Be sure to have comments enabled so that you can receive comments from people.  Also, try to reply to everyone who comments.  At the same time, visit other book blogs and leave comments and start subscribing or following different blogs.  This is the best way to "advertise" your blog and get people to read it. 

Once you get known a bit, publishers will start contacting you and offer you review copies.  Be sure to include an email address in the profile of your blog so that publishers have a way to email their offers.

2. Also, the following is a list of places on the web where you can get ARCs.  This is not a complete list by any means:
  •    Subscribe to Shelf Awareness.  They send an email five days per week.  Publishers often advertise their galleys there.
  •   Join Goodreads.  This is a great place to keep track of books you want to read and review the books you have read.  There are different groups you can join including groups where bloggers post about books that they are giving away for free.  There is also place on Goodreads called First Reads.  This is a place where publishers advertise galleys up for grabs.  If you do get lucky and win a galley there, be sure to go back to Goodreads and post your review there as well as your blog.
  • Join Library Thing and go to Early Reviewers.  This is another place publishers advertise galleys up for grabs.  If you do get lucky and win a galley there, be sure to go back to Library Thing and post your review there as well as your blog.
  • You will most likely start getting emails from Bostick Communications.  They somehow found me before I even added my email address to my profile.  LOL! They offer review copies for mostly self-published books.  If you don't start receiving email from them and you want to, go to their contact page and let them know that you are interested.
  • Hachette Books has several groups in Book Ning where you can get books for review and also sign up to host book giveaways on your blog.  These groups include:

                Early Birds ARC Review

                Reading Romance

                Hachette Audio Books

                Here, Help Yourself

                Host a Hachette Book Group Giveaway on Your Blog


  • There are also many other groups on Book Ning where you can get books.  Be sure to browse through the various groups and join the ones that are of interest to you.  Note, that coming up in July there are going to be some changes to Book Ning.  At this time, it is un-known how this is going to effect the various groups.

Another website I love is West of Mars - Win a Book.  They post a lot of the giveaways that other book bloggers host.

·         Another way to get ARCs in to participate in book tours, such as Pump Up Your Book Promotion and TLC Book Tours.  To participate in these, you will need to build your blog to get more readers (see #1.)

 NetGalley is another great place to get ARCs.  They come in the form of ebooks, so it is best to have an e-reader, unless you don't mind reading off of a computer screen.
You can always try the direct approach to getting books to review as well.  Callista of SMS Book Reviews posted a great article called, Approaching Publishers and Authors.

Please note that many of the above options are only open to people who live in North America.  There are other places where international book bloggers can get ARCs.  Since I live in North America, I just don't know them.

Do you know of any other ways to get ARCs that I didn't mention here or do you know where international book bloggers can get ARCs?  Please leave a comment with a link.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:30 AM 20 comments  

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Monday, May 24, 2010

The Second Bakery Attack, by Haruki Murakami

Haruki Murakami is an author that has been on my list to try for a long time. This is another short story in which I can't remember where I heard about it. Therefore, please let me know if you reviewed it.

The Second Bakery Attack opens with a newly married couple wakeing up in the middle of the night totally famished. They scour their kitchen for food and only find 6 cans of beer and some old onions. They have the beer but are still starving.

The husband suggests that they go out to an all night restaurant but the wife said, "We can't. You're not supposed to go out to eat after midnight." The husband just takes her word for it. He then tells her about the time that him and a friend attacked a bakery with a friend, "ten years ago."

He said, "All we wanted was bread, not money. We were attackers, not robbers."

The two friends weren't successful in taking the bread. he said, "The baker gave us the bread before we could take it from him."

The wife decided that that is why they were so hungry. He was cursed back then for not actually taking the bread and now the curse is on her as well. She said that they must attack another bakery right away. They get in the car and look for an all night bakery.

I won't tell you any more because I don't want to spoil it for you. This is a really fun story. It a very unique plot and is very humorous. I highly recommend it. You can read it here. 

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 1:14 PM 6 comments  

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Mailbox Monday

Visit Marcia every Monday at The Printed Page to share what arrives in your mailbox each week.

These are the books I received this week: 

Okay, I didn't actually receive this in the mail.  I was at my brother and dear SIL's house for my niece's high school graduation party and my SIL gave this book to me.  Thanks Joy!






Thanks to Danelle Jackson of Sourcebooks, Inc for this book! 

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:29 PM 7 comments  

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Saturday, May 22, 2010

101 Things I Learned in Culinary School by Louis Eguaras with Matthew Frederick

When I arranged with Anna Balasi to hold a giveaway of this book, I was offered a copy for myself. Since I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, I couldn't resist.


Louis Eguaras is a famous chef at the Le Cordon Bleu Program at the California School of Culinary Arts. In this book he shared 101 tips that can be used in the kitchen and for those who are trying to break in to the profession of culinary arts. 

The tips seem fairly random and not in different categories, so you have to read through the entire book to get to the tips that you are interested in. However, since the books is quite short to begin with, that's not really a big issue. I just prefer a little more organization. There are some very useful tips for the people who haven't cooked very much as well as tips for people like me, who enjoy spending a lot of time in the kitchen. 

I was hoping that this book would give me a few tips to improve my cooking/preparation techniques. The book delivered. For one thing, I found out that I was holding my knife incorrectly. I practiced the tip and am chopping a lot faster and safe now. There were quite a few tips that were geared towards restaurants and opening restaurants. Those weren't tips that I found helpful but people in the profession would.

There was one tip that I know to be incorrect and even dangerous. Tip number 73 had tips for first aid. One of them included a tip for choking. It said, "Alternate" five and Five. With the heel of your hand hit between the shoulder blades five times. Next give five abdominal thrusts as you stand behind the person (Heimlich manoeuvre). Repeat until blockage is dislodged." 

Since I am a social worker, I have to re-certify in first aid and CPR annually. DO NOT HIT BETWEEN THE SHOULDER BLADES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!!! This is an extremely outdated manoeuvre and can cause the stuck food to get lodged into a lung. That can be life threatening! The first thing to do is to tell somebody else to call 911. Then ask if the person can speak. If they can or they are coughing, just encourage them to cough more until the food dislodges itself. If the person can't talk or cough, perform the Heimlich manoeuvre, only if you have been trained on how to do it. If the person passes out and isn't breathing at all then you have to do CPR. Again, only if you have been trained to do so.

I would have given this book a higher rating if the first aid mistake wouldn't have been in it. It really scared me that millions of people could buy this book and use that tip unknowing the damage it could cause. I hope that it is corrected in future editions and that a warning of some sort is inserted into the current edition.

3/5

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books for this book.

Have you reviewed this book? Please leave a link to your review in the comments so I can add it to this post.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:44 PM 3 comments  

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100 Mile Fitness Challenge (66 miles for me)

April 1 - June 30, 2010
Week 7,  (May 14-20):

Friday - 0

Saturday -0

Sunday -0

Monday -1 Walking

Tuesday -3 (1 walking, 2 biking)

Wednesday -

Thursday -1 walking

5 Total =  miles

32 miles down, 34 to go

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:34 PM 4 comments  

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Winners: Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch- Audiobook

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books for making this giveaway possible.

The winners are:

Carol
Fickle Fan
Linda H.

Congratulations!  I emailed you, please respond within 3 days to claim your prize.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 6:06 PM 4 comments  

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Winners: THE BRIDE COLLECTOR By Ted Dekker, read by John Glover- Audiobook

Thanks again to Anna Basali of Hachette Books for making this Giveaway possible!

The Winners are:

LA Musing
Denny
Robyn L.

Congratulations!  I emailed you, please respond within 3 days to claim your prize.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 5:06 PM 3 comments  

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Friday, May 21, 2010

Giveaway: The 9th Judgement by James Patterson

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books, I am giving away up to 3 copies of this unabridged audiobook.

Book Description:
A young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. There are no witnesses, and Detective Lindsay Boxer is left with only one shred of evidence: a cryptic message scrawled across the windshield in blood red lipstick.

The same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling walks in on a cat burglar who is about to steal millions of dollars worth of precious jewels. In just seconds there is an empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria.

Lindsay spends every waking hour working with her partner Rich--and her desire for him threatens to tear apart both her marriage and the Women's Murder Club. Before Lindsay and her friends can piece together either case, one of the killers forces Lindsay to put her own life on the line--but is it enough to save the city? With unparalleled danger and explosive action,the 9th Judgment is James Patterson at his compelling, unstoppable best!

The number of entrants to this giveaway will determine how many copies of this book I will giveaway:
1-20entrants= 1
20 or more entrants= 2

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 yourprofile, you will be disqualified!

2. For 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.

Sorry, the giveaway is only open US and Canadian residents only.

The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.

Only one entry per household/IP address.

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 4th at 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.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:30 AM 31 comments  

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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Armchair BEA

May 25 - May 28, 2010

For those of us who are unable to attend the big BEA in New York, some bloggers have put together the Arm Chair BEA.  All you need is a computer with internet to attend.  

Since my dear husband and I are redoing our kitchen and putting in a hardwood floor in our living room, I wont be flying to New York.

So far, there are over 90 people who have signed up for this event.  If you aren't going to the BEA in person, why not join the Arm Chair BEA?  You can sign up at the dedicated Arm Chair BEA site.

The Schedule for the Week of Arm Chair BEA:
  • Tues. May 25th - BEA Related Posts
  • Wed. May 26th - Blogger Interviews (Sorry Sign-ups for these are already closed and assignments will be posted very very soon!)
  • Thurs. May 27th - BEA Related Posts & Giveaways on Participating Sites
  • Friday May 28th - BBC Roundtables
 See you there!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 8:40 PM 4 comments  

Monday, May 17, 2010

Mailbox Monday

Visit Marcia every Monday at The Printed Page to share what arrives in your mailbox each week.


Thanks to Paula Krapf of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. for this book.
Thanks to Gabriele Wills for sending me this book.  She saw my wish in my comments of my review of the first book in the Muskoka series for this second book in the series and sent it to me.  Gabriele has asked me to let everyone know that her books are available at her website, http://mindshadows.com.
 Thanks to Jennifer Robbins of Broadway Books / Random House Inc. for this book.  It's hard for me to resist a cute dog story.







 I always forget to include this magazine.  My dear BIL gave me a subscription to it for the last 2 years.  I receive it 6 times per year.  Bookmarks Magazine takes book reviews from various places and shares them in a concise format.  They also give the average rating out of 5.  Click on the link to find out more.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 1:15 PM 11 comments  

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Breaking Fast by Michael Redhill


I'm not sure how I came across this short story.  Perhaps a fellow blogger reviewed it or perhaps I saw it while looking through other short stories posted on The Walrus.

The story opens, "She hasn’t eaten like this in years. She’s ordered the quiche, two pancakes with local maple syrup, and then, a few minutes ago, she went back up to the counter and ordered a bag of day-old lemon cream scones."
She appears to be lost in her newspaper but she is really, lost.  She doesn't live by the diner and she is staying in a hotel nearby.  She has left with her husband's blessing to think things over and decide what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

The man at the next table over can't help but notice her.  "She weighs 120 pounds."  How can she eat all that.  He would like to start up a conversation with her but all he can think to say is "Hungry huh?" He knows that's lame and remains quiet.

This story could have just as easily taken place in a bar.  The woman and the man sitting close by are obviously lost souls.  She could have just as easily been drowning her sorrows in alcohol as she was in quiche and pastries.  The story doesn't really go anywhere however, it is worthwhile.  It is written in crisp and thought provoking prose, with an interesting character study.  This is the first thing I have read by Michael Redhill but it certainly wont be the last.  Click on the link to read "Breaking Fast."

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 12:30 AM 3 comments  

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Sunday, May 16, 2010

Winners: STILL THE ONE By Robin Wells

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books for making this challenge possible!

The winners are:

Debbie F.
Cynthia
Holden
Debi

Congratulations!  I emailed you, please respond within 3 days to claim your prize.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 1:12 PM 3 comments  

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Winners: Admission by By Jean Hanff Korelitz


Thanks again to Valerie Russo for making this giveaway possible!

The Winners: 

Kirsten
'Maria

Congratulations!  I emailed you, please respond within 3 days to claim your prize.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:35 PM 2 comments  

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Saturday, May 15, 2010

Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle

For those of you who have been reading my blog within the last year, you know that my newest favourite short story author is T. C. Boyle. I thought it only fair to read a novel to compare with his longer writing.


Candido and America are illegal immigrants living in the outer jungle of Los Angeles California. They came here to make a better life for themselves and their unborn child. They don't have high aspirations. They want a job that will put food in their bellies and a proper roof over their heads.

Delaney and Kyra live with their son within a gated community in Los Angeles, with the outer jungle behind them. Delaney is a nature writer for a magazine and is a stay at home dad. Kyra is a high power real-estate broker. They consider themselves healthy and eco conscience. Their son and them are partial vegetarians.

The story opens with Delaney driving and running into Candido by mistake. He wants to help the man but he just motions for money and Delaney gives him the $20 in his pocket. Candido limps off and Delaney drives home. He feel terrible about what happens both for the man and the possible legal ramifications if he is to be reported as a hit and run driver. His lawyer/neighbour puts his mind at ease but he still thinks about the man and wonders if he survived.

Because of the accident, Candido isn't able to try to find work for awhile. America goes to the "make-shift" work exchange for illegal's, every day and finally finds work cleaning Buddha statues. However, one day on her way back to their camp site she gets stopped by 2 illegal immigrant men. They take her money and rape her. By then Candido is ready to work and he starts going on the daily walk to the exchange, leaving America at the camp site where he thinks she will be safe. 

At the same time, Delaney and Kyra are having problems of their own. A coyote gets into their yard and kills one of their dogs. Kyra is devastated. The strata has a meeting and Delaney interrupts it to tell people to stop leaving litter and food out. He believes that is what is attracting the coyotes to their neighbourhood. He gets kicked out of the meeting for being off topic.

Delaney and Kyra decided to have a chain-link fence in their yard but eventually another coyote jumps over it and kills their other dog right in front of them. One of the jobs Candido gets is to help put up a chain link fence. Yes, the same fence. Candido and Delaney don't see each other then but they will see each other again, later in the story. Eventually their lives intertwine to a devastating way.

T.C. Boyle has a special relationship with words. He can write both short stories and novels equally well. I listed to the audio version of this book and Boyle was the reader. It rarely works for me when an author reads their own material. They don't all have the gift of narration as well as the gift of words. Boyle has both! He made his characters come to life.

Boyle tackles ethical and political issues with respect and makes the reader feel compassion for both sides. I can hardly wait to read another novel and more short stories by T.C. Boyle.

4.5/5

Also reviewed by:

Caribousmom

Have you reviewed this book?  If so, please leave the link to your review in the comments and I will include it here.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 11:00 AM 3 comments  

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Friday, May 14, 2010

Giveaway: THE KNIGHT LIFE By Keith Knight

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books, I am giving away up to 2 copies of this book.

Book Description:

The Knight Life is a hilariously twisted view of life through the eyes and pen of its creator, community-oriented urban hipster and award-winning cartoonist Keith Knight. The Knight Life deftly blends political insight and neurotic humor in a uniquely fluid and dynamic style, offering a comic strip that's fresh, sharp, topical and funny. Designed for daily newspapers, The Knight Life follows Knight's long-running, 2007 Harvey Award-winning weekly comic strip "The K Chronicles," which appears on salon.com.

An unabashedly provocative political and social satire, The Knight Life tackles contemporary issues like consumer culture, bacon, the media, race, family and everything else, gently mocking the minutiae of daily life with self-deprecating humor, honesty and goofiness-a combination that's perfect for the comics. And The Knight Life's energetic style reminds readers that comics can look funny as well as read funny. The result is accessible yet edgy, compassionate and political-and never preachy. Cartoonist and comic historian R.C. Harvey said, "The Knight Life is undeniably the best new laugh- and thought-provoker on the comics page. Not since Calvin and Hobbes has there been so novel an entertainment in the funnies."

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

1-20entrants= 1
20 or more entrants= 2

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 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.

Sorry, the giveaway is only open US and Canadian residents only.

The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.

Only one entry per household/IP address.

This giveaway will end on Monday, May 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.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 11:03 PM 25 comments  

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100 Mile Fitness Challenge (66 miles for me)

April 1 - June 30, 2010
Week 6,  (May 7-13):

Friday - 2 (Yoga)

Saturday -0

Sunday -0

Monday -0

Tuesday -0

Wednesday -0

Thursday -4 Yoga

Total = 6 miles

27 miles down, 39 to go

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:43 PM 3 comments  

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ABC Historical Fiction Challenge


It took me awhile to figure out which historical novel would work for the letter "K".  Then it hit me, one of my favorite books of all time is by "K"ate Grenville.

The Secret River is the very first book I received from a publisher to review.  It was before I started blogging so I posted a review on Amazon.

I eventually posted it to this blog, here.  I can't recommend this book highly enough.  If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for?  Your in for a real treat.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:34 PM 2 comments  

Audiobook Giveaway: Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books, I am giving away up to 3 copies of this unabridged audiobook.

Book Description:
In South America a 96-year-old man of great wealth reads a book late one night and an hour later he lies dead in his bed, the secrets of his past starkly revealed. Six months later another mystery man lies dead at the bottom of his pool in a villa in Provence. This time, however, there's a witness at the scene: Shaw, the shadowy operative from The Whole Truth, who barely escapes with his life. Meanwhile, a half a world away, photojournalist Katie James is working on a story of international importance. But shortly after her meeting with a potential inside source, she is smuggled unconscious onto an airplane headed to an undisclosed destination. In the days to come, Katie and Shaw will be reunited in a deadly duel of nerve and wits against a surprising, secretive enemy and led around the world at a breakneck pace. Filled with the kind of breathtaking plot turns and remarkable characters that only David Baldacci can deliver, it will be the most explosive thriller of the year. 

 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 or more entrants= 3

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 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.

Sorry, the giveaway is only open US and Canadian residents only.

The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.

Only one entry per household/IP address.

This giveaway will end on Friday, May 28th 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.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:30 AM 41 comments  

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Audiobook Giveaway: The War Lovers: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898 by Evan Thomas

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books, I am giving away up to 3 copies of this unabridged audiobook.

Book Description:

On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine exploded in the Havana Harbor. Although there was no evidence that the Spanish were responsible, yellow newspapers such as William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal

As Evan Thomas reveals in his rip-roaring history of those times, the hunger for war had begun years earlier. Depressed by the "closing" of the Western frontier and embracing theories of social Darwinism, a group of warmongers that included a young Teddy Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge agitated loudly and incessantly that the United States exert its influence across the seas. These hawks would transform American foreign policy and, when Teddy ascended to the presidency, commence with a devastating war without reason, concocted within the White House--a bloody conflict that would come at tremendous cost.

Thrillingly written and brilliantly researched, THE WAR LOVERS is the story of six men at the center of a transforming event in U.S. history: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, McKinley, William James, and Thomas Reed, and confirms once more than Evan Thomas is a popular historian of the first rank. whipped Americans into frenzy by claiming that Spain's "secret infernal machine" had destroyed the battleship. Soon after, the blandly handsome and easily influenced President McKinley declared war, sending troops not only to Cuba but also to the Philippines, Spain's sprawling colony on the other side of the world. 
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 or more entrants= 3

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 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.

Sorry, the giveaway is only open US and Canadian residents only.

The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.

Only one entry per household/IP address.

This giveaway will end on Friday, May 28th at 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.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:30 AM 38 comments  

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Winners: Mother's Day Romance Extravaganza

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books for making this exciting giveaway possible!

The 3 winners are:
MissKallie
Cheryl
GreenGirl (no reponse)
Fickle Fan

Congratulations!  I emailed you.  Please contact me within 3 days to claim your prize.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 8:23 PM 3 comments  

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Monday, May 10, 2010

Mailbox Monday

Visit Marcia every Monday at The Printed Page to share what arrives in your mailbox each week.
Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Books!





Thanks to Mary Myers of Bennett & Hastings Publishing.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:30 AM 5 comments  

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Driving Lessons by Joseph Boyden

Last week John of The Book Mine Set did a review and discussed war stories.  He mentioned Joseph Boyden and I commented that I read 'Three Day Road' but I hadn't read any of Boyden's short stories.  I decided to remedy that this week.

I read Joseph Boyden's short story, 'Driving Lessons.'  The unknown narrator is in a car with his girlfriend, Amanda, who is driving.  She skids to a stop to avoid hitting a man struggling with "dropped groceries, something large."  No, it's a teen and "it's not groceries but another young man."

What happens next, packs an emotional punch but I don't want to give away a spoiler.  Later, the same narrator, tells us about an experience with a different girlfriend, in the past. 

It appears that Boyden likes to pack a wallop in his short stories as much as he does in his novels.  I certainly recommend this story and plan to read more of his shorts.  By the way, if you havn't read 'Three Day Road', what are you waiting for?  Boyden's writing leaps from the page and takes hold of his reader from page one.

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 12:30 AM 2 comments  

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