So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Giveaway Winners Galore

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

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

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

The Winners are:

Traveler

Winnie

Julia

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

The winner is:

Nicola

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

The Winner is:

Julia

Giveaway: Home Front by Kristin Hannah

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

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

Book Description:

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

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

About Kristin Hannah:

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

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

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

To Enter:

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

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

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+2 Tweet about this Giveaway (Up to 1 time per day)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Giveaway: Sasha, Extraordinary Dachshund by CJ Adams

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

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

Book Description:

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

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

About CJ Adams:

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

To Enter:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Only one entry per household/IP address

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

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

There is a Season by Patrick Lane

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mailbox Monday

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

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

Here's what I received:

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

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

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

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

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

Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also reviewed by:

ReadHanded

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

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

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

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

Book Description:

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

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

About William Poundstone:

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

To Enter:

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

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

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

+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs

+3 Add me to your Google + circles

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Only one entry per household/IP address

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

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

Giveaway: The House on Becket Lane by Elizabeth Chanter

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

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

Book Description:

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

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

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

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

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

About Elizabeth Chanter:

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

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

To Enter:

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

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

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

+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs

+3 Add me to your Google + circles

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Only one entry per household/IP address

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

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

Three Books by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak

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

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

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

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

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

How I love hide-and-sneak

I hide and you seek

You won't find me for a week."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sometimethe northern lights appeared. They weresaid to be ancestors.

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

Mailbox Monday

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

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

Here's what I received:

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

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

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

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

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

The Scavengers Mary Hunter Austin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Winner: The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley

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

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

The winner is:

Margie

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

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

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

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

Book Description:

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

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

GRIEF SUCKS. LOVE HEALS…

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

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

Grief sucks. Love heals.

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

Painting your toenails is equivalent to a happy pill.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Christine Craig:

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

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

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

To Enter:

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

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

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

+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs

+3 Add me to your Google + circles

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Only one entry per household/IP address

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

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

International ebook Giveaway: HAZARDOUS CHOICES by Joe Rinaldo

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

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

Book Description:

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

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

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

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

About Joe Rinaldo:

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

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

To Enter:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Only one entry per household/IP address

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

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

Product Review: Bamboo Microfiber Sheet Set with Negative Ion Technology

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

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

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

Thank you!

Product Description: (taken from the website)

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

Here are the sleep benefits of Negative Ions:

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

Additional Bed Sheet Benefits:

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

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

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

1 Flat Sheet
1 Fitted Sheet
4 Pillow Cases

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

2/5

The Day I Sprouted Wings by J. Herman Banning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description:

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

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

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

About Larry Peterson:

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

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

Larry Peterson's blog

To Enter:

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

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

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

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

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

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

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

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

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description of All I Want is You by Sherrill Bodine:

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

Description of Sanctuary Cove by Rochelle Alers:

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

To Enter:

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

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

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

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.

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

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

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

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

+ 3 for following my Premier Virtual Author Book Tours

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Only one entry per household/IP address

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

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

January Reviews for 2012 Books Won Reading Challenge

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

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

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

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

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

January Reviews for 2012 ARC Reading Challenge

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

Wrap up- 2011 ARC Reading Challenge

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

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

Here's how we did:

Working Towards Bronze Level:

Debbie-5

Jessica-5

Bronze Achieved:
TGFTG-12
Yvonne -12

Working on Silver:

Amused-22

Freda-15

Silver Achieved:

CMash- 24

Jo-Jo- 24

Level Gold:

Donna -25
Teddy-26

Level Platinum:

Andrea-98

Beth-30

Heather -29

Julie-95

Nicola-143

Sarah- 30

Wrap up- 2011 Books Won Reading Challenge

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

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

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

Bronze: Read 4-6 books you won:

Jessica- 5
Julie-6
Teddy-4

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

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

Giveaway Winners Galore

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

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

The winner is:

NMF Girl

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

The winner is:

Bethie

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

The winner is:

Margie

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

The winner is:

J Tretin

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

The winners are:

JB H

Amanda Sue

Mailbox Monday

2012-01-02T20:23:00.000-08:00

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

This is what I received:

Kobo was offering 30% off one ebook, so I snatched this up.

This ebook was only $3.99 at Kobo, so I snatched it up as well.

I won this from Darlene over at Peeking Between the Pages.

My dear MIL gave Bill this book. He finished and gave it to me.

I won any book of my choosing, up to a $15 value from Jenny Q over at Let Them Read Books. I chose this book.

The Woman Who Stole the Rain by Teolinda Gersão

2012-01-01T22:31:00.000-08:00

This marks my first short story review of 2012. Back in August, Kinna Reads reviewed this short and I was intrigued. I downloaded the story and finally read it last night. Yes, New Years eve. My husband and I were at a concert and waiting for the band to come out. I carry my ereader everywhere I go in case there is a spare minute to read. Doesn't everyone? LOL!

We don't know for sure if the unknown narrator is a male or female but my best guess is male. He goes to Lisbon on business often. The company he works for booked her hotel room but when he arrives he finds out the hotel is overbooked and gave her room to someone else by mistake. The manger gets involved and he hits the jack pot of hotel suites, the presidential suite.

He was so busy with business meetings and dinners that He doesn't get to take advantage of what the suite has to offer until his last day there.

"I had a long soak in a bath that might more accurately have been described

as a swimming pool, enjoyed a massage in a particularly sophisticated form of Jacuzzi, shaved in front of a whole wall of mirrors, and asked to have my breakfast out on the balcony."

Later, he hears two maids in the suite. It is so big that they don't notice that it is still occupied. One of the maids was telling a story about a village with a terrible drought. It was thought that a woman had caused it.

"Her husband had left her a long time before, and then her son had died and she had wept so much that her body had dried up, her eyes had dried up, she had turned into a withered trunk, bent toward the earth."

The village knows that the woman must die for the rain to come again but nobody wants to do the deed.

The narrator isn't sure why he eavesdropped as he claims he doesn't make a habit of it. However, the story moves him and he feels ill at ease.

There is more to the story but I don't want to spoil it. You can read it at Words without Borders, here. The writing is fresh with powerful descriptions. I really enjoyed it and it is very short, less than 7 pages.

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

Historical Fiction Challenge 2012

2011-12-31T13:08:00.000-08:00

We are hosting it this year over at Historical Tapestry again for 2012. I am only signed up for 4 challenges this year and this is one of them.

In an effort to diversify the genres I read, I am aiming for "Struggling the Addiction: 10 books". I may up going up one level, if I find it impossible to stay away from that many historical fiction novels, they are my favorite, after all!

If you haven't done so already, go over to Historical Tapestry and join the challenge!

Here's a start to my list for this challenge:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Completed: ARC Reading Challenge 2011

2011-12-31T12:46:00.000-08:00

My goal for this challenge was Level Gold, 25 Books and I read 27.

These are the books I read:

1.Tiger Hills by Sarita Mandanna

2.Threads West by Reid Lance Rosenthal
3.The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry
4. To Defy a King by Elizabth Chadwick
5.Messages From an Unknown Chinese Mother by Xinran
6. The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird
7. Fresh and Fast Vegetarian: Recipes That Make a Meal by Marie Simmons
8.The Grammar Girl Devotional by Mignon Fogarty
9. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
10. Deadly: How to Catch an Invisible Killer by Julie Chibbaro
11. House Arrest by Ellen Meeropol
12. The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord Brown
13. The Beautiful One Has Come by Suzanne Kamata
14.The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
15.Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey
16.Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick
17.Love At Absolute Zero by Christopher Meeks
18.The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb
19.Hustle by Jason Skipper
20.The Architect of Flowers by William Lychack

21.Become a Blogging Ninja: Triple Your Traffic with Social Media by Heather Neal

22.The Accidental Activist by Alon Shalev

23.Catherine by Sigrid Weidenweber

24.Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

25.Stranger Here Below by Joyce Hinnefeild

26.Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

27.Mothers & Daughters by Rae Meadows

Completed: Books Won Challenge 2011

2011-12-31T12:41:00.000-08:00

My goal this year was to read at least 4 book that I had won and that's what I accomplished, which gives me Bronze.

These are the books I read:

1. House Arrest by Ellen Meeropol
2. Deadly: How to Catch an Invisible Killer by Julie Chibbaro
3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
4. The Road to Destiny by Frank young, Illustrated by David Lasky

Completed: Historical Fiction Challenge 2011

2011-12-31T12:35:00.000-08:00

My goal for this challenge was to read 15 historical fiction novels, which makes me "undoubtedly obsessed." LOL! I read 17!

This is what I read:

1.Tiger Hills by Sarita Mandanna

2.Threads West by Reid Lance Rosenthal
3.The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry
4.To Defy a King by Elizabth Chadwick
5. The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird
6. Deadly: How to Catch an Invisible Killer by Julie Chibbaro
7. The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord Brown
8. Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey
9. Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick
10.Catherine by Sigrid Weidenweber
11.Stranger Here Below by Joyce Hinnefeild
12.Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran
13.Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
14.The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
15.Oregon Trail: The Road to Destiny by Frank young, Illustrated by David Lasky
16.The King's Grace by Anne Easter Smith
17. Mothers & Daughters by Rae Meadows

Mini Review: Mothers & Daughters by Rae Meadows

2011-12-30T10:01:00.000-08:00

Description of Mothers & Daughters:

Samantha is lost in the joys of new motherhood—the softness of her eight-month-old daughter's skin, the lovely weight of her child in her arms—but in trading her artistic dreams to care for her child, Sam worries she's lost something of herself. And she is still mourning another loss: her mother, Iris, died just one year ago.

When a box of Iris's belongings arrives on Sam's doorstep, she discovers links to pieces of her family history but is puzzled by much of the information the box contains. She learns that her grandmother Violet left New York City as an eleven-year-old girl, traveling by herself to the Midwest in search of a better life. But what was Violet's real reason for leaving? And how could she have made that trip alone at such a tender age?

In confronting secrets from her family's past, Sam comes to terms with deep secrets from her own. Moving back and forth in time between the stories of Sam, Violet, and Iris, Mothers and Daughters is the spellbinding tale of three remarkable women connected across a century by the complex wonder of motherhood.

My Review:

This book explored the three women in alternating chapters. Meadows a great job getting to the root of each of the mother's lives with her richly textured, yet simple prose. The modern day, Samantha was my least favorite part of the book. Her character seemed forced to me and not very authentic, yet I can't really explain why I feel that way.

Violet was my favorite character, I'm sure in big part, because I love historical characters and stories. Her mother abandoned her and she was sent away on an "orphan train" stopping in different cities to be paraded with other children for people to adopt. I really didn't want this part of the story to end. In fact, I would love it if Rae Meadows wrote an entire book based on Violet!

Over all, I really enjoyed this book and the exploration of mother and daughter relationships.

4/5

I was sent an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher. Receiving a free copy of this book has in no way influenced my review.

The King's Grace by Anne Easter Smith

2011-12-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

Book Description:

The bestselling author of A Rose for the Crown and Daughter of York takes a young woman that history noticed only once and sets her on a quest for the truth about the murder of two boys and a man who claims to be king.

All that history knows of Grace Plantagenet is that she was an illegitimate daughter of Edward IV and one of two attendants aboard the funeral barge of his widowed queen. Thus, she was half sister of the famous young princes, who -- when this story begins in 1485 -- had been housed in the Tower by their uncle, Richard III, and are presumed dead.

But in the 1490s, a young man appears at the courts of Europe claiming to be Richard, duke of York, the younger of the boys, and seeking to claim his rightful throne from England's first Tudor king, Henry VII. But is this man who he says he is? Or is he Perkin Warbeck, a puppet of Margaret of York, duchess of Burgundy, who is determined to regain the crown for her York family? Grace Plantagenet finds herself in the midst of one of English history's greatest mysteries. If she can discover the fate of the princes and the true identity of Perkin Warbeck, perhaps she will find her own place in her family.

My Review:

I love books that are written around a little know person in real life, such as Grace Plantagenet. The book is rich in historical detail and character development. Smith writes a more sympathetic view of Elizabeth Woodville, which seems a bit more realistic to me than other books she has appeared it. She is not all good and not all evil, like most people, including historical figures.

As many of you may know, I don't like a lot of romance in my books. I don't mind it if it's just a part of a book but not the entire book. This book hit a pretty good balance between historical detail, plot, and romance for me. However, I could have done with a bit less romance. I also loved how Smith portrays Perkin Warbeck. She adds a lot to the story about him and his claim to be Richard, duke of York.

I listened to the audiobook version which, I downloaded from my library. This was a very enjoyable book to listen to.

4/5

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

Mini Review: Oregon Trail: The Road to Destiny by Frank young, Illustrated by David Lasky

2011-12-29T13:45:00.000-08:00

Back of Book Description:

Join the Weston family as it sets out on the Oregon trail from St. Louis in 1848 with all of its worldly belongings in a prairie-schooner wagon pulled by a team of oxen.

Narrated by eleven-year-old Rebecca Weston, this is the tale of a historic trip across more than 2,000 miles of untamed land with remarkable encounters with wildlife, Native Americans, and Natural wonders. but the trip is also full of peril- illness, drought, raging rivers to cross- that threatens the families chance of ever reaching its destination of Salem, Oregon. Come along and experience firsthand one of the great American adventures- A brave family in Search of a better life.

My review:

This is a graphic novel aimed at children ages 9 and up. However, it can be enjoyed by all ages, including adults. The writing is easy to understand and very descriptive and the illustration matched what I imagined from the writing. It is illustrated in creative and crisp black and white images.

This book would be a great tool to teach children about the Oregon Trail. It kept me turning the pages to find out what happens next and I' sure children would have the same experience. I didn't pay that much attention to history in school. I found the old text books dull and boring. This book is very engaging.

5/5

I won this book from Rose City Reader.

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

Mini Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

2011-12-29T09:01:00.000-08:00

Description from Publisher:

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

My Review:

My Colleagues and I over at Historical Tapestry had a mini challenge going for 2011. Read the book that is recommended for you. Ana picked The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for me to read. It was a book that I had thought about reading. I actually won a copy from someone but it was so long ago, I forgot from whom I won it from.

I wish I hadn't waited so long to read this wonderful book. It is told entirely in epistolary format, which was the perfect format for this book. I felt like a spy, reading copies of letters sent from one character to the next. The story was so easy to follow yet the writing so eloquent. The historical aspects of WWII were also well written and seemed well researched. I never knew anything about the Island of Guernsey and the role it played in WWII before reading this book.

There is a bit of everything in this book including literary references, tragedy, and coming to terms, as well as some happiness and friendship. I was able to predict the ending very early on in the book but that didn't stop me from really enjoying this book.

4.5/5

Also Reviewed by:

Ana at Historical Tapestry

Marg and Kelly at Historical Tapestry
Rose City Reader
Bookfan
Brunette Librarian

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

Mini Review: Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

2011-12-28T09:01:00.000-08:00

Description of Shanghai Girls by Lisa See:

In 1937, Shanghai is the Paris of Asia, a city of great wealth and glamour, the home of millionaires and beggars, gangsters and gamblers, patriots and revolutionaries, artists and warlords. Thanks to the financial security and material comforts provided by their father’s prosperous rickshaw business, twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Though both sisters wave off authority and tradition, they couldn’t be more different: Pearl is a Dragon sign, strong and stubborn, while May is a true Sheep, adorable and placid. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree . . . until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth and that in order to repay his debts he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from California to find Chinese brides.

As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, one that will take them through the Chinese countryside, in and out of the clutch of brutal soldiers, and across the Pacific to the shores of America. In Los Angeles they begin a fresh chapter, trying to find love with the strangers they have married, brushing against the seduction of Hollywood, and striving to embrace American life even as they fight against discrimination, brave Communist witch hunts, and find themselves hemmed in by Chinatown’s old ways and rules.

At its heart, Shanghai Girls is a story of sisters: Pearl and May are inseparable best friends who share hopes, dreams, and a deep connection, but like sisters everywhere they also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. They love each other, but each knows exactly where to drive the knife to hurt the other the most. Along the way they face terrible sacrifices, make impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are–Shanghai girls.

My Review:

I listened to the audio version of this book. I was really looking forward to it because Snowflower and the Secret Fan made a lasting impression on me. It was one of those books that have stayed fresh in my mind, even 5 years after I read it.

Shanghai Girls was quite a different story from Snowflower but I enjoyed it. For the most part, I loved the relationship between Pearl and May there were just a few parts that didn't really work for me. For instance, while they were confined at Angel Island, May gives birth to a girl. However, she has Pearl fake a pregnancy herself so everyone thinks she is the mother. Pearl gives birth in the women's shower, right next to were the women sleep, yet no one heard a peep when May was giving birth. Next thing you know the other women wake up with a new-born among them. I just found that unbelievable.

The writing itself was wonderful as was the character development and the love hate relationship between the sisters. That was very realistic to me, having an older sister myself. Lisa See really captured the period in history in rich historical detail of the Japanese invasion in China and the Chinese immigrant experience in the United States.

4/5

I borrowed the downloadable version of this audio book from my library.

Mini Review: Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

2011-12-27T21:28:00.000-08:00

In an effort to catch up and review the rest of the books that I read in 2011, I have decided to write some mini reviews. I got so far behind when I had to go out of town twice this year without internet access. These mini reviews will be in a different format, as I will be using the book description provided by the publisher and then share my thoughts and feelings on the book. In 2012 I will go back to my regular style of review with my own description and review.

Description of Madame Tussaud:

Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.

As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.

Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?

Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.

My review:

I was so excited to get this book in my hot little hands! I loved Moran's previous book, Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran, in fact I gave it a five star review. So, did this book hold up to another 5 star rating? Not quite, in my humble opinion. Did I really like it? Yes!

The writing was excellent as was the story. However, for me, there were a couple parts that dragged on just a little too much. I understand that the French Revolution cannot be rushed but I wish a couple of the scenes would have been cut. That said, that is my only issue with the book.

The characters were well written and established. I especially loved the teacher/ student relationship between Marie and Princesse Élisabeth and the descriptions of how Marie created the wax images of people. Very fascinating!

4/5

I was sent an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher. Receiving a free copy of this book has in no way influenced my review.