Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Giveaway and Review: Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

This is the first book in a new trilogy.  It covers Marie Antoinette's life from when she was a pre-teen until she first became Queen of France.  She was raised with her brothers and sisters by the empress of Austria.  Her real name was Maria Antonia.  She knew that she would eventual be married off somewhere as her mother's political pawn but she had no idea that it would start at the tender age of ten.  


Her mother summoned her and told her that she was to be betrothed to the Dauphin of France.  Soon after that representatives of King Louis XVI started flooding in to assess Marie to see if she could indeed become the Dauphine of France.  They picked apart just about everything about her.  Her teeth weren't perfect, her hair, her posture, her education, and the list went on.  She had to endure braces for her teeth, a brace for her posture, numerous painful gadgets in her hair, etc.


Then, once she gets to court she finds a teenage boy who acts even younger than his years is her husband.  She is expected to start having babies right away but he is unable to consecrate their marriage.

Juliet Grey does not skimp on any detail, no matter how small.  I found myself getting bored in several parts of the book because of this.  Some of the details were important and interesting like what she had to endure with getting braces for her teeth and the torture she had to endure to get her hair just right.


The characters were well written.  I really enjoyed Maria's relationship with her sister, Charlotte.  Grey weaved a sympathetic  and compassionate relationship between Marie and her awkward husband. 

Though there are other books out there that deal with Marie in her earlier years, I hadn't read any before this.  Despite the parts that dragged, I did find this book worthwhile.  Will I read the next book in the trilogy?  I'm not sure at this point.


3/5


Thanks to TLC Book Tours for arranging the tour and allowing me to take part.  I received an advance reader copy at the BEA back in May.


Also reviewed by:

The Fourth Musketeer
Passages to the Past
Peeking Between the Pages
Historical-Fiction.com
The Maiden's Court
Diary of an Eccentric
Devourer of Books

Did I miss your review?  Please leave a link in the comments.

Now for the giveaway:

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).

+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 36 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to 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 Wednesday, September 14th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:01 AM 40 comments  

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Monday, August 29, 2011

Madame Poirier's Dog by Kathleen Winter

I had the privilege of meeting Kathleen Winter at the Vancouver International Writer's Festival last year.   It was there that I heard about her debut novel, Annabel.  (Yes, this is a photo of Kathleen and I, taken at the festival.)

Back in July, Emeire brought my attention to a challenge to 5 authors in the Walrus, this summer.  Each author was asked to make a list of 5 guidelines to write a short story.  The lists were then traded and each author had to writer a short story according to the list of 5 guidelines received.


Alexi Zentner's complied the guidelines that Kathleen Winter had to follow.  They were:

1. You may not describe any characters physically (beyond using “he” or “she” or their given name).

2. Include a peach, but don’t make it sexual.

3. You must have dialogue, but you may not use the word “said” (or any variation of the word “said”).

4. Evoke warmth without mentioning the sun.

5. A dog must bark in the distance, causing a character to state that he or she finds people who treat dogs like children sort of creepy. Somebody else must take offense at this comment.

The result was Madame Poirier's Dog. I found these guidelines intriguing and saved the link to the story for a future date.  Then John, of The Book Mine Set reminded me of it last week with his review and I had to read it immediately.

The narrator is an unnamed senior woman who appears to be living in assisted living or perhaps a nursing home.  She is a bit upset because an old neighbor, Mrs. Poirter is moving there and seems to think they were great friends.  

Our narrator sees it differently.  She reminisces with her youngest son Armond about Mrs. Poirter and her dog.  

At it's heart, this is a story about how are life changes when we get older, including how family members deal with it or not.  Our unknown narrator has other children but is Armond, her youngest son who visits her and has the patience to listen to her reminisce about the past.  Though it has an ambiguous end, I recommend it.  You can read it here.

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

Posted by Teddy Rose at 6:01 PM 7 comments  

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Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday now has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday.  It is also on tour and is being hosted by Life in the Thumb in August.

Here are the books I received last week:

 Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins for this ebook galley.  I have read so many enticing reviews and couldn't resist.

 Thanks to Chelsey Emmelhainz of William Morrow for the finished copy of this book.






Posted by Teddy Rose at 5:19 PM 6 comments  

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Friday, August 26, 2011

Giveaway: Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross

Thanks to Chelsey Emmelhainz of William Morrow, I am giving away one copy of Eyes Wide Open.

Book Description:
A horrible family tragedy that may not be what it seems . . .
A past encounter with an infamous killer turns deadly today . . .
An ordinary man must risk his own family to find the truth. 

Jay Erlich's nephew has been found at the bottom of a cliff at Morrow Bay. It's all just a tragic suicide, until secrets from the past begin to rear up again. Did a notorious killer, jailed for many decades, have his hand in this? 

Years ago, Jay Erlich's older brother, Charlie, a wayward child of the sixties, set out for California, where he fell under the sway of a charismatic but deeply disturbed cultlike figure. Tragedy ensued and lives were destroyed, but as the decades passed, Charlie married and raised a family and lived a quiet, secluded life under the radar. Yet the demons that nearly destroyed him never completely disappeared. 

When Jay heads out west to help his grieving brother, he is pulled back into Charlie's past—and begins to suspect that his nephew's suicide may not have been that at all. With eyes wide open, Jay puts his own life at risk to uncover the truth, a quest that goes beyond the edge of madness and a family haunted by a secret past . . . and into the depths of evil. 

Drawing on two real-life experiences from his own past, Gross has crafted a richly personal, yet utterly terrifying tale of two brothers, one successful, one wayward, trying to bridge the gap of what tore them apart.

About Andrew Gross:

Andrew Gross is the author of the New York Times and international bestsellers Reckless, The Blue Zone, Don't Look Twice, and The Dark Tide, which was nominated for the Best Thriller of the Year award by the International Thriller Writers. He is also coauthor of five number one bestsellers with James Patterson, including Judge & Jury and Lifeguard. He lives in Westchester County, New York, with his wife, Lynn.


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).

+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 36 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to 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, September 9th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:01 AM 110 comments  

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Giveaway: Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane

Thanks to Farin Schlussel of Penguin Group, I am giving away up to 4 copies of Children of Paranoia.


Book Description:


ALL WARS HAVE RULES

Rule Number One: No killing innocent bystanders.

Rule Number Two: No killing anyone under the age of eighteen.

BREAK THE RULES, BECOME THE TARGET 


Since the age of eighteen, Joseph has been assassinating people on behalf of a cause that he believes in but doesn't fully understand. The War is ageless, hidden in the shadows, governed by a rigid set of rules, and fought by two distinct sides-one good, one evil. The only unknown is which side is which. Soldiers in the War hide in plain sight, their deeds disguised as accidents or random acts of violence amidst an unsuspecting population ignorant of the brutality that is always inches away. 


Killing people is the only life Joseph has ever known, and he's one of the best at it. But when a job goes wrong and he's sent away to complete a punishingly dangerous assignment, Joseph meets a girl named Maria, and for the first time in his life his singleminded, bloody purpose fades away. 


Before Maria, Joseph's only responsibility was dealing death to the anonymous targets fingered by his superiors. Now he must run from the people who have fought by his side to save what he loves most in this world. As Children of Paranoia reaches its heart-in-throat climax, Joseph will learn that only one rule remains immutable: the only thing more dangerous than fighting the War...is leaving it.

About Trevor Shane:

Trevor Shane lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son.


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).

+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 36 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to 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, September 9th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:00 AM 73 comments  

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Monday, August 22, 2011

A Quiet House By DL Stone

At the beginning of the month, I reviewed UNT by D.L. Stone.  I also ran across another short story which he posted on his blog, A Quiet House.

Tammy wanted to avoid a scene with Paul tonight.  She was tired and just wanted to slip under the cool sheets and sleep.  
"She knew Paul was in some dark corner waiting to pounce. His Camaro was parked under the pecan tree toward the back of the house. The high glossy shine smeared there reflection of the moon."
Some nights she would tell him that she was shopping with friends but she knew he could smell the other men she has been with, on her.  She wishes that she could be rid of him.  He has no job and is just in her way but she knows he won't leave.
Tammy arrived home and found Paul in bed.  Hoping she doesn't wake him so takes a shower.  When she gets out...
Sorry for the tease style review but if I say anymore I'll give away major spoilers.  I wouldn't want to do that, so you'll just have to go read the story if you want to know what happens.  Do you think you can guess?  There's more to than what you think.  
The writing is crisp and clean as the cool sheets D. L. Stone describes.  He has other stories and they all free for the reading.  I would love to see other peoples opinions of his stories, so if you have reviewed any, please leave a link in the comments.  If you haven't, go give him a try and come back and let me know what you think.  You can read this and his other short stories, here.

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

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:01 AM 5 comments  

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Friday, August 19, 2011

Givewaway: Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

Thanks to Ashley Persie of St. Martins Press, I am giving away one copy of Jeffery Archer's latest book, Only Time will Tell.

Book Description:

From the internationally bestselling author of Kane and Abel and A Prisoner of Birth comes Only Time Will Tell, the first in an ambitious new series that tells the story of one family across generations, across oceans, from heartbreak to triumph.

The epic tale of Harry Clifton’s life begins in 1920, with the words “I was told that my father was killed in the war.” A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle, who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he’s left school. But then an unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys’ school, and his life will never be the same again.

As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question, was he even his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who spent his whole life on the docks, or the firstborn son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line?

This introductory novel in Archer’s ambitious series The Clifton Chronicles includes a cast of colorful characters and takes us from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take up a place at Oxford or join the navy and go to war with Hitler’s Germany. From the docks of working-class England to the bustling streets of 1940 New York City, Only Time Will Tell takes readers on a journey through to future volumes, which will bring to life one hundred years of recent history to reveal a family story that neither the reader nor Harry Clifton himself could ever have imagined.

About Jeffery Archer:

Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born 15 April 1940) is an English author and former politician.

He was a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, and became a life peer in 1992. His political career, having suffered several controversies, ended after a conviction for perverting the course of justice and his subsequent imprisonment. He is married to Mary Archer, a scientist specializing in solar power. Outside politics, he is a novelist, playwright and short story writer. 

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).

+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)
+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 31 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to U.S. and Canada only.
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, September 2nd 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.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:01 AM 111 comments  

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Giveaway: STEALING MONA LISA by Carson Morton

Thanks to Tanya Farrell of Wunderkind PR, I am giving away 1 copy of Stealing Mona Lisa.

Book Description:

What happens when you mix a Parisian street orphan, a hot-tempered Spanish forger, a beautiful American pickpocket, an unloved wife, and one priceless painting?
The charming Eduardo de Valfierno makes a very respectable living in Argentina fleecing the nouveau rich—they pay him to steal valuable pieces of art, and Valfierno sells them flawless forgeries instead. But when Eduardo meets the beautiful Mrs. Hart on his latest con, he takes a risk that forces him back to the city he loved and left behind—Paris. There he assembles his team of con artists for their final and most ambitious theft, one that will enable them to leave the game forever: The Mona Lisa.

But when a member of the team turns up missing, and Mr. Hart shows up in Paris, Valfierno and his crew must stay one step ahead of a relentless police inspector, endure a devastating flood, and conquer their own doubts to keep the priceless painting in play—and survive.

Based on the actual theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911, and published on the 100th anniversary of the crime, Stealing Mona Lisa is a sophisticated, engaging caper, complete with a richly imagined group of con artists and a historical mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.

About the Author:

CARSON MORTON was born in London, England and moved with his family to the United States when he was eleven. He worked as a professional musician for many years, making an album for United Artists Records with his group Razmataz, and playing with the likes of John Sebastian, Billy Preston, and many others. He is a screenwriter and published playwright, and has worked in television as a consultant and composer. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

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).

+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)
+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 31 or more possible entries! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to U.S. and Canada.
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, August 26th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email. Winners must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified.


Posted by Teddy Rose at 7:01 AM 91 comments  

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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Winner: The Resurrection of Nat Turner: Part One The Witnesses by Sharon Ewell Foster

Thanks to again to Macey Baird of Simon and Schuster for making this giveaway possible!

The winner is: 
 Ann 

Congratulations Ann!  Please respond to my email within two days to claim your book.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:14 PM 3 comments  

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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The 5th Annual Canadian Book Challenge

John of The Book Mine Set hosts this wonderful challenge and you do not have to be Canadian to join.  It is my favorite book challenge out there and I have been participating every year from the beginning.  I'm not about to quit now.  The challenge started on July first, so I a lttle late signing up.  Also, I never got a chance to do a wrap up post for round 4.  I read and reviewed 14 Canadian books total.

The challenge is the same as before, to read and review 13 Canadian books.  Each participant gets to decide if a book qualifies for the challenge or not but basically if it's by a Canadian author, is about a place in Canada, or takes place somewhere in Canada, it qualifies.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 11:11 PM 5 comments  

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Sweet Tooth: Animal Armies by Jeff Lemire

Earlier this year I reviewed volumes 1 and 2 of the Sweet Tooth series, Out of the Deep Woods and In Captivity.   Volume 3, Animal Armies is out now and I was the first person at my library to check it out.

Gus is being held captive at a compound where the are experimenting on hybrid children such as himself, to try to come up with a cure that is killing the non-hybrids.  Now the man who brought him there, Jepperd has a plan to get Gus back out.  He had originally brought Gus there in exchange for his wife's remains.  She died trying to deliver their baby.  Jepperd was glad to be able to give his wife a proper burial but felt guilty for what he was forced to do to get her back.


I didn't think it was possible for this series to get any darker but it has.  It is written in Lemire fashion, keeping the pages turning until the end.  The graphics were still in color but darker, which captures the mood of the story well.  There were new turns and twists that had me finish the book in one big gulp.  The end leaves the reader hanging again, so that must mean that there will be a fourth volume.

4/5

Did you review Sweet Tooth: Animal Armies?  Please leave a link in the comments if you did.



Posted by Teddy Rose at 11:10 PM 5 comments  

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