I am a certified bookaholic and am embracing my addiction. Here you will find my short book reviews and other wonderful information all about books. I will also share my love for animals and show you some of my knitting projects.
Thanks to Caitlin Mulrooney-Lyski of Berkley/NAL, Penguin Group USA I am giving away one copy of Alligator Lake.
Book description:
As a pregnant teenager, Avery Pritchett found refuge in Colorado, but now, ten years later, her brother's wedding-and some burning questions-bring her back home to her small Southern town. But will introducing her mixed- race daughter to her independent-minded grandmother bring solace or sorrow?
Will confronting her class-conscious mother allow for new beginnings or confirm old resentments? And how can she ask forgiveness of her youthful lover who has been denied his child all these years? As the summer progresses, Avery's return provokes shocking discoveries-of choices made, and secrets kept-and of deceptions that lie closer than she suspects.
About Lynne Bryant:
Lynne Bryantgrew up in Columbus , Mississippi and now lives in Colorado Springs , Colorado . She is the author of Catfish Alley. Alligator Lake is her second novel. To learn more about Lynne Bryant or her work, please visit her website atlynne-bryant.com.
Please use Rafflecopter to enter.U.S. and Canada only.This giveaway ends on April 13, 2012.
Thanks to the author herself, Anne Brear, I am giving away one ebook copy of To Take Her Pride.
Book Description:
1898 Yorkshire - Aurora Pettigrew has it all, a loving family, a nice home, a comfortable life. She's waiting for the right man to offer her marriage, and the man for her is Reid Sinclair, heir to the Sinclair fortune and the love of her life. But, Reid's mother, Julia, is against the match and her ruthlessness unearths a family secret that will tear Aurora's world apart.
Unwilling to bring shame on her family and needing answers to the allegations brought to light by Reid's mother, Aurora begins a long journey away from home. She leaves behind all that is familiar and safe to enter a world of mean streets and poor working class. Living in the tenements of York, surrounded by people of a class she'd never mixed with before, Aurora struggles to come to terms with the way her life has changed. By chance, she reconnects with a man from her past and before he leaves with the army to war in South Africa, he offers her security through marriage. Aurora knows she should be happy, but the memory of her love for Reid threatens her future. When tragedy strikes, can Aurora find the strength to accept her life and forget the past?
About Anne Brear:
Anne Brear is also known by her other pen name Anne Whitfield. She writes historical women’s fiction set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, plus dabbles in the odd short story!
Thanks to Rebecca Brown of The Cadence Group I am giving away one copy of Redemption Day to one of my U.S. readers.
Book Description: Redemption Day is a highly paced thriller set in Washington DC. The story is founded upon historical events and documented teachings of the Posse Comitatus. The Posse was an anti-government militia group in the 1980 s that tried to convince farmers that banks could not lawfully foreclose on their properties. Their beliefs led to the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on a date of significance to the group April 19.
Excerpt from Redemption Day:
The sun dipped its head below the tree line along George Washington Parkway as the black GMC SUV powered in the left lane. The two sun-glassed suits with earpieces didn’t speak, as was their routine.
Agent Gray, the navigator, gazed out the right window at the sleek, white boats congregating near the three sisters, an outcropping of rock that poked out of the Potomac. Across the river, the towering spires of Healy Hall at Georgetown University stood radiantly.
The sole passenger in the back, though looking in the same direction, didn’t share the concern for the scenery. He pondered the Sixth Amendment argument presented by the brief he held in his left hand while chewing on the ear piece of his glasses held in the right.
The Bryant exception was flat wrong; he'd been in the minority on that opinion three years before. It was the law of the land, however. He'd sworn to uphold it, but an extension to include excited utterances in routine investigations was too much. It swallowed the whole amendment. Bryant made a mockery of the Confrontation Clause.
Where had the Court gone? Where was it headed?
So much had changed since Silvio Caprelli had taken his seat on the highest court in the land. Strict constructionists like him had ruled the day. Over the years progressives, or those known for "evolving" Constitutional rights had become the majority. Splits among the justices had become common and were eerily predictable.
Evolving Constitutional rights? Caprelli shuttered at the thought. Constitutional rights were what the framers set them out to be; no more, no less. If folks didn’t like them, the framers set out a procedure for changing them--amend the Constitution. Such efforts were far too difficult. How could any progressive expect the square states to approve changes to the Constitution? No, the easier way was to get judges on the bench who would bend the Constitution to meet the objective. For Caprelli, any attempt to "read" things into the Constitution was legislating at best and legal heresy at worst.
Twelve years had flown by since that sun-drenched September morning when he was sworn in on the steps of the Supreme Court Building--twelve Red Sundays, twelve State of the Union speeches, and oddly enough, twelve Supreme Court justices with whom he’d served over the years. In this job for life, he’d witnessed three presidencies and had sworn in the current inhabitant of the White House, though he couldn’t think of many topics on which they would agree.
* * *
The SUV shifted into the right lane, Agent Jaspers noticed a white cargo van coming up quickly from behind. The van shot past and moved into the right lane as well.
"What the hell?"Jaspers said, glancing to his left as a similar van, this one red, pulled long side. He hit the brakes as the van in front slowed. "Guy goes past me like a bat out of hell, then slows down. Then I've got this idiot," thumbing to his left, "on the--Jesus."
The red van in the left lane slammed into the SUV, knocking it askew. The brief was knocked from Caprelli's hands, scattering pages across the backseat and into the foot wells.
Agent Gray reached for the weapon on this belt as the escalade was hit again. “Shit.”He knew what was coming down. Jaspers tried to slow down and get out of the box between the two vans. His eyes locked with Gray's momentarily. Gray reached forward and hit the button low on the console.
The red van slammed into the SUV again, this time keeping contact and pushing to the right. Jaspers saw the exit to the Glebe Road overlook ahead. They were pushing him off the parkway and onto the entrance to the overlook.
Glebe Overlook was a short span of roadway, about three hundred yards long with parking slots painted on the asphalt. It served no purpose other than to allow bored travelers to look a hundred feet down onto the Potomac River. No vehicles were parked in the overlook.
The white van slowed and gave Jasper no choice but to follow. They had to hold out for three minutes. The signal had been sent, and cruisers would be coming at high speed. Three minutes.
"Get on the floor," Gray yelled over his shoulder. The justice complied.
The lead van stopped, completely blocking the path of the SUV. Jaspers hit the gas and rammed the van from behind. The cargo van crumpled, but with brakes locked, the SUV couldn’t escape. The red van angled to the left and behind the escalade; no escape.
Jaspers and Gray had handguns drawn. Their task was to delay. Help was coming. They had to hold out.
Two men in knitted black ski masks jumped from the side of the white van and spread apart. One in a green western shirt had an automatic weapon. The other in a blue T-shirt was carrying a bucket. A third man bailed out of the red van carrying an assault weapon and circled to the right.
Grabbing the pail with both hands, the man in the blue T-shirt flung its contents onto the windshield. Black paint darkened the vehicle followed by the repeating discharge of an assault weapon--several assault weapons.
The reinforced glass popped and cracked. Blinded and unable to return fire, the agents ducked down. Though not bullet-proof like the President's limo, the windshields in standard service vehicles were built to withstand significant impact, but it wouldn’t hold out for long.
Where the hell is back up?
The two men scrambled to either side of the vehicle and continued firing. The side windows blew out quickly. Agent Gray fired his weapon once, Jaspers not at all. In a matter of seconds, their bodies were bloodied and riddled with bullets. The men ran to the back door of the escalade. It was locked.
One of the men reached through the space that used to be the driver's side window and popped the lock. The back doors were thrown open. Justice Caprelli, stretched on the floor of the SUV, held his hands forward.
"Get out."
Caprelli started to get up off the floor when a hand gripped the back of his shirt and yanked him out of the vehicle. The man was a gorilla holding the Supreme Court Justice like a puppet. Caprelli's hands were out to the side, his airway constricted by the man with the death grip on the collar of his pressed white dress shirt. He was being dragged to the lead van.
"Wha--what do you--" Caprelli garbled, but couldn't finish.
The man threw him into the side of the van. Caprelli fell to the ground, blood oozing from a cut over his eye from being slammed into the van. A man in a blue T-shirt grabbed the justice's tie and lifted him to his feet.
"Get your clothes off."This came from the tallest of the three in the green shirt and jeans, the one who had ripped him like a rag doll from the SUV.
"What? What are you--?”The assault weapon's butt hit him square in the face, knocking him back into the van. Pain seared through his face, between his eyes. He slid down the side of the vehicle into a seated position. The tie grabber picked him up again.
"No questions. Get your clothes off. Now!"
Caprelli was dazed and disoriented by the blow, but fumbled with his fingers to get his shirt and pants off. He trembled, not from the cool air, but from sheer terror.
One man ran back to the red van and pulled out a whiskey bottle. He reached inside the SUV's broken window and shattered it against steering wheel.
"Everything," green shirt yelled at him.
The justice slid his boxer shorts onto the ground and tugged off his socks. Completely naked, he covered himself with his hands.
"Get in," he said, motioning to the open side compartment.
The man in the blue T-shirt reached down and pulled the wallet from the pants. He started to examine the contents as the man in the green shirt slapped it from his hands.
"Hey, the cash," blue T-shirt pleaded.
"Ya dumbshit."Green shirt threw the wallet into the van and pushed the justice in behind. "Let's go."He nodded to the man standing by the bullet-riddled SUV. That one fired up a Zippo and tossed it into the front seat. Flames erupted, dancing inside the front seat of the disabled carcass.
The vans burned rubber accelerating through the overlook, shooting back onto GW Parkway. Moving at high speed, dodging back and forth in the lanes, they shot past other vehicles.
At the McLean exit, one van got off the parkway, the other kept speeding westward.
Caprelli fell face forward and was kicked and bounced as the van rocketed up to speed. His upper body was pinned between the back of the driver seat and a smooth flat, object to his left side. His heart pounded; he was breathless and certain that his nose was broken. He pressed it between his fingers to staunch the bleeding.
Who were these guys? Where were they taking me? What did they want?
Questions swirled. He knew all of the answers were bad.
Terror surged through him like an electrical current. How long before anyone will know I’m gone? How much money do they want? Will Stella be able to get the money together? Stella. Oh God. What’s going on? Blood rolled down his cheek and into his mouth.
Be calm, he thought. He took two deep breaths. Be smart. You'll get through this, whatever it is. Be calm.
He rolled onto his shoulder and pushed himself into a seated position. He was going to confront his captors. He opened his lips, but before sounds could come out, he froze. The sheer terror of the attack was nothing compared to what he saw now.
He stared at the smooth flat object next to which he had lain seconds before. Caprelli's breath was trapped in his throat as he stared, unable to remove his eyes.
It was a wooden casket.
About Steve O'Brien:
Steve O’Brien is an author and attorney. Redemption Day is his third novel. His prior works, Elijah’s Coin and Bullet Work, have been recipients of multiple literary awards. Since its release, Elijah’s Coin has been added to the reading curriculum in multiple secondary schools throughout the US and has been incorporated in a university ethics course. Steve is a graduate of the University of Nebraska and The George Washington University Law School. He lives in Washington, DC.
Please enter using Rafflecopter below.This giveaway ends April 11, 2012.
In Cuban
Seasonings, Ana Menendez writes about how her family celebrated Thanksgiving
when she was young.They had a
traditional Cuban celebration meal that would also be served at Christmas.The main course was a pig that they would
slaughter fresh and marinate overnight with Cuban marinade called mojo.
In the
morning the men would put the pig on a spit in the yard over a fire and watch
it all day while sitting around and drinking beer.The women would all be in the kitchen making
side dishes like black beans with yucca and rice.
"Those
were happy days, colored as they were by the brief honeyed hour of childhood,
and when I look back on them now I have a strange sense of them having taken
place not in America, but in the Cuba of my parents memories. But change, always inevitable and irrevocable,
came gradually."
One
year stuffing was introduced to the meal, the next year, cranberry sauce.As the family got smaller, they finally
started having turkey.
This is a story of family memories and also the
immigrant experience and how assimilation gradually takes place.Menendez writing is simple, fresh
and descriptive.I could picture in all my
head, even the dead pig.That part of
course, bothered me as a vegan but the story was great.I highly recommend it.You can read it here.A recipe for the mojo marinade is included
with the story.It sounds delicious,
perhaps I could use it to marinade tofu or vegetarian chicken.
Thanks to everyone who entered the following giveaways! Winners, please reply to the email I sent you today within 48 hours to claim your books.After 2 days you will be disqualified and a new winner will be picked. Rafflecopter picks all winners using Random.org.
Thanks again to Debby Tobias of Joan SchulhaferPublishing and Media Consulting for making this giveaway possible!
The winner is:
Brenda
Thanks again to Jillian Sanders of Forever Romance for Making this giveaway possible!
The winners are:
Cheryl
Donna (already won)
Tina BN100
Thanks tagain to Jillian Sanders of Forever Romance for Making this giveaway possible!
The winners are:
Carol
Julia
Donna
Thanks again to Lindsay Sweeting of Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. for making this giveaway possible!
The winner is:
Julia
Thanks again to Joe Gallagher of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for making this giveaway possible!
The winners are:
Carol
Nicola
Thanks again to the author, Maggi Anderson for making this giveaway possible!
The winner of the eBook is:
Julia
Thanks again to Christine Choe for making this giveaway possible!
Thanks to Joe Gallagher of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group I am giving away 2 copies of Calico Joe to my U.S. readers.
Book Description:
A surprising and moving novel of fathers and sons, forgiveness and redemption, set in the world of Major League Baseball…
Whatever happened to Calico Joe?
It began quietly enough with a pulled hamstring. The first baseman for the Cubs AAA affiliate in Wichita went down as he rounded third and headed for home. The next day, Jim Hickman, the first baseman for the Cubs, injured his back. The team suddenly needed someone to play first, so they reached down to their AA club in Midland, Texas, and called up a twenty-one-year-old named Joe Castle. He was the hottest player in AA and creating a buzz.
In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen.The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.
Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever…
In John Grisham’s new novel the baseball is thrilling, but it’s what happens off the field that makes CALICO JOE a classic.
About John Grisham: JOHN GRISHAMis the author of twenty-four novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories, and two novels for young readHe lives in Virginia and Mississippi.
Giveaways ends on April 6, 2012.To enter, please us the Rafflecopter widget below.
Thanks to Brianne Beers of Forever Romance, I am giveing away 3 sets of both of the following books to my U.S. readers.
Description of Quinn by R.C. Ryan: A WYOMING SKY NOVEL The Truth Can Be an Irresistible Temptation . . . As a young boy, Quinn Conway was shattered by his mother's mysterious disappearance. Today, as the oldest of the Conway brothers, his only concern is protecting his family and their ranch. One look at beautiful, strong-willed Cheyenne O'Brien tells him she's also no stranger to tragedy. A series of increasingly dangerous "accidents" are plaguing her and her land, and Quinn can't stand idly by while a woman is in danger. Fiercely independent, Cheyenne isn't one to lean on others, yet she can't deny her attraction to the rugged rancher offering help. Soon, the passion building between them proves as wild and untamed as the land she loves-and just as impossible to resist. But a relentless enemy is about to make one final devastating move. To survive, Quinn and Cheyenne must put their cherished freedom-and their hearts-at risk . . . Description of Catch Me a Cowboy by Kate Lane: Shirlene Dalton has it all: a dream marriage to a man who spoils her rotten and the most outrageous mansion Bramble, Texas, has ever seen. But when her husband unexpectedly dies, Shirlene finds herself right back where she started-in a rundown trailer on the wrong side of the tracks. Never the type to let a little bad luck and a whole heap of heartache get her down, Shirlene is ready to prove to the local gossips she can make it on her own . . . until she ends up living next door to the most tempting cowboy in town. Billy Wilkes has a score to settle and a plan to wipe Bramble right off the map. But when his sexy, redheaded neighbor figures out what he's up to, his good ol' boy charm won't be enough to save him. With the town on his tail, Billy will have to come clean quick-or kiss Shirlene goodbye. To enter, please use Rafflecopter below.This giveaway ends on April 6th.
Thanks to Brianne Beers of Grand Central PublishingI am giving away 3 copies of The Second Time We Met.
Book Description:
Asher Stone grew up in an idyllic California family. His mother Linda made sure of that. She never wanted her son to feel different from other kids, just because he was adopted. She was a loving, devoted mother, and Asher a happy, healthy boy. So when a life-changin accident causes Asher to question his identity, he suddenly announces that he needs to learn about his roots, Linda is caught off guard. Asher doesn't want to hurt his mother, but something inside him is driving him to find out exactly where he came from. And so he takes off on a journey to Colombia in search of his birth mother.
Interspersed throughout Asher's story is that of his mother's, Rita. Moving back in time we watch as a young Rita begins a clandestine affair with a revolutionary soldier--a guerilla warrior who loved her deeply but couldn't leave the cause to care for her, not if he wanted to keep her safe. Rita is left alone and pregnant, with no support from her family. And though it breaks her heart, she makes the agonizing decision to give up her baby.
How can Asher, a young man who has never known hardship understand her decision? Can they have any kind of relationship--and where does that leave Linda if they do?
About Leila Cobo:
Leila Cobo is a renowned journalist, former concert pianist, and is a native of Cali, Colombia. The Executive Director of Latin Content & Programming for Billboard, she is a frequent contributor to NPR and has written liner notes for acts such as Ricky Martin, Shakira and Chayanne. She is also the host of the television show Estudio Billboard, which features in-depth interviews with top Latin acts. Ms. Cobo lives in Florida with her husband and children.
To enter, please use Rafflecopter below.Sorry this giveaway is for U.S. only, ends April 4th.
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