Winners: The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova-Audiobook
Thanks to everyone who entered and especially to my followers/ subscribers!
The 3 winners are:
Sara
Cheli
Sandy Jay
Monday, February 8, 2010
Thanks to everyone who entered and especially to my followers/ subscribers!
Mailbox Monday
Thanks to Kevin Howell of Penguin Group (USA)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Nighttime in the Pool by T. C. Boyle
This week I read 'Nighttime in the Pool', which appeared in the New Yorker, here.
The story opened with two couples traveling in Belize and Guatemala, on the cheap. They traveled on the regular buses and were staying away from the all inclusive spots. They even stayed in a cheap hotel across from an insane asylum, "where day and night the inmates pressed their faces against the iron bars and moaned and shook and shouted unintelligibly?"'
The two couples could hardly wait until they arrived in Mexico, where they "would spring for a real hotel a little luxury by way of compensation for all the rough--but illuminating--living." When they arrived at the more luxurious hotel in Mexico, they were so excited to find out there was a swimming pool. "Here was a chance to shed some of the grit of the road."
There was very little light at the pool and the water felt funny, but that didn't stop one of the men from going in and doing a couple of laps. They next morning the man went to the pool and "made some overlapping discoveries".
This is a very short story of only one page. Too short you say, for anything of substance? Not true, good stories can come in tiny packages. Believe it or not Boyle did it again. This time he developed an entire story only one page in length. If you haven't read anything by . T. Coraghessan Boyle, what are you waiting for? Go now, be sure to start with Chicxulub, here.
If you would like to participate in Short Story Mondays or just find out about some great short stories, go to John of The Book Mine Set. He has a short story review every Monday and a place for you to link your short story reviews. Come join in the fun!
If you would like to participate in Short Story Mondays or just find out about some great short stories, go to John of The Book Mine Set. He has a short story review every Monday and a place for you to link your short story reviews. Come join in the fun!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
100 Mile Fitness- Update
Week 5 (4 for me) January 29-February 5
Friday-0
Saturday-0
Sunday-2
Monday-2
Tuesday-
Wednesday-2
Thursday-1
Total this week: 7
Total for challenge: 28
Okay, I'm not the type of person who goes around complaining about ailments. However, I decided to mention that I have Fibromyalgia and it has been very active lately. That is why, from the beginning of the challenge I said that I didn't think I would be able to really make the 100 mile goal.
I joined to motivate myself to exercise more and I am. Any miles that I do at this point are more miles than I was doing before. I really want to thank everyone for their support and encouragement.
I don't want to go around complaining about my aches and pains, in fact I find that counter-productive in feeling better. I just wanted you to know why I am pretty happy with how I am doing with the challenge so far.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Giveaway: The Crazy School By Cornelia Read
Thanks to Valerie Russo of Hachette Books, I giving away up to 3 copies of this book.
Description:
From the acclaimed author of A FIELD OF DARKNESS comes another compelling novel featuring the acerbic and memorable voice of ex-debutante Madeline Dare.Madeline Dare has finally escaped rust-belt
About Author:
Cornelia Read grew up in New York, California, and Hawaii. She describes herself as a reformed debutante who currently lives in Berkeley. This is her second novel. Her website is www.corneliaread.com.
The number of entrants to this giveaway will determine how many copies of this book I will giveaway:
1-10 entrants= 1
11-20 entrants= 2
21-30 entrants= 3
Here are the rules:
1. For one entry, leave a comment. Please be sure to include your email address (if it isn't available in your profile), so that I can contact you if you win. If I can't find your email either in the comments or your profile, you will be disqualified!
2. For two more entries, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave link to your blog post in the comments. You will also get an entry for each person who tells me that they learned about this
giveaway from you.
3. For another 5 more entries: Become a Follower of my blog or subscribe to my blog through Google Reader or other subscription service. If you are already a subscriber or follower you still get the five extra entries! Please do not comment that you are a follower five times! I will give you the extra entries myself. I will delete any extra entries that you make as it will just confuse me when I go to pick the winners.
Sorry, the giveaway is only open US and Canadian residents only.
The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.
Only one entry per household/IP address.
This giveaway will end on Friday, February 26th at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email, so remember to include your email address in the comments, if it isn't available in your profile! Winners must respond within three days or will be disqualified.
Giveaway: Will There Be Good News? By Kate Atkinson
Thanks to Valerie Russo of Hachette Books, I giving away up to 3 copies of this book.
Description:
On a hot summer day, Joanna Mason's family slowly wanders home along a country lane. A moment later, Joanna's life is changed forever...
On a dark night thirty years later, ex-detective Jackson Brodie finds himself on a train that is both crowded and late. Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly hears a shocking sound...
At the end of a long day, 16-year-old Reggie is looking forward to watching a little TV. Then a terrifying noise shatters her peaceful evening. Luckily, Reggie makes it a point to be prepared for an emergency...
These three lives come together in unexpected and deeply thrilling ways in the latest novel from Kate Atkinson, the critically acclaimed author who Harlan Coben calls "an absolute must-read."
On a dark night thirty years later, ex-detective Jackson Brodie finds himself on a train that is both crowded and late. Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly hears a shocking sound...
At the end of a long day, 16-year-old Reggie is looking forward to watching a little TV. Then a terrifying noise shatters her peaceful evening. Luckily, Reggie makes it a point to be prepared for an emergency...
These three lives come together in unexpected and deeply thrilling ways in the latest novel from Kate Atkinson, the critically acclaimed author who Harlan Coben calls "an absolute must-read."
About Author:
Kate Atkinson lives in Edinburgh. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, was named Whitbread Book of the Year in the U.K. in 1995, and was followed by Human Croquet, Emotionally Weird, Not the End of the World, Case Histories and One Good Turn.
The number of entrants to this giveaway will determine how many copies of this book I will giveaway:
1-10 entrants= 1
11-20 entrants= 2
21-30 entrants= 3
Here are the rules:
1. For one entry, leave a comment. Please be sure to include your email address (if it isn't available in your profile), so that I can contact you if you win. If I can't find your email either in the comments or your profile, you will be disqualified!
2. For two more entries, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave link to your blog post in the comments. You will also get an entry for each person who tells me that they learned about this
giveaway from you.
3. For another 5 more entries: Become a Follower of my blog or subscribe to my blog through Google Reader or other subscription service. If you are already a subscriber or follower you still get the five extra entries! Please do not comment that you are a follower five times! I will give you the extra entries myself. I will delete any extra entries that you make as it will just confuse me when I go to pick the winners.
Sorry, the giveaway is only open US and Canadian residents only.
The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.
Only one entry per household/IP address.
This giveaway will end on Friday, February 19th at 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winners will be notified by email, so remember to include your email address in the comments, if it isn't available in your profile! Winners must respond within three days or will be disqualified.
Audio and Video
Monday, February 1, 2010
February Reviews for the Books Won Challenge
Here is what participants read for the challenge in January:
Kathy:
2, What the Dog Saw by Malcolm GladwellTina:
1.Supreme Courtship
2.True Blue
3.Simons Cat by Simon Tofield
Please post all your links in Mr. Linky for your review of books that you read in February, 2010 for this challenge. I hope everyone is enjoying their reading this month!
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).
February Reviews for the ARC Reading Challenge
The Standings:
Here are the ARCs' that participants read for this challenge in January:
Alyce:
1.The Motion of the Ocean2.Not My Daughter
3.American Eve
Andrea:
1.Mr, Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Patillo
2.Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
3.The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
4.Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
5.Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
6.In A Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth
7.Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe
8.Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
9.Captivate by Carrie Jones
10.A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
11.The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
12Gone by Lisa McMann
13.Explorer X-Alpha by LM Preston
15.The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Beth:
1. Eternal On The Water by Joseph Monninge
2.Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
3.Small Kingdoms by Anastasia Hobbe
4.Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
BookNAround:
1.The Blue Star by Tony Earley2.The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Euland
3.Baking Cakes in Kigali
Caribousmom:
1.Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
2.The Year of the Flood by Maragret Atwood
3.The Last Surgeon
Heather:
1.The Dark Lanter by Gerri Brightwell2.The Queen's Dollmaker by Christine Trent
Kool-aid Mom:
1.The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine
2.Islands Apart by Ken McAlpine
3.Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland
4.Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan
Michelle:
1.Winter's End by Jean- Claude Mourlevat
Nicola:
1.Shades of Grey
2.Fallen by Lauren Kate
3.The King's Legacy by Jim Stovall
4.Graphic Classics: Louisa May Alcott
5.The Jungle Vampire
6.The Silver Anklet
7.Irredeemable by Mark Waid
8.The Levee by Malcolm Shuman
9.Innocent War by Susan Violante
10.Leaving Gee's Bend
11.Calamity Jack
12.The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews
Teddy:
1.Sometimes we're always real same- same by Mattox Roesch
2.The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
3.O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell
Tina:
1.The Book of William
2.My Name is Will
3.The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
4.The Lovely Bones
5.Then Came the Evening
6.The Postmistress
7.Death of a Valentine
8.Fireworks over Toccoa
Please post all your links in Mr. Linky for your review of books that you read in February, 2010 for this challenge. I hope everyone is enjoying their ARC's this month!
Mailbox Monday
Thanks to Lisa Roe an Online Publicist.
Thanks to Yen Cheong of Assistant Director of Publicity, Viking and Penguin Books
She Wasn't Soft by T.C.Boyle
A few weeks ago, after reading reviews for T.C. Boyle's short story 'Chicxulub', I decided to read it. Actually I devoured it and was hungry for more by Boyle. I was also convinced that more people should read the story and set up a little challenge. Here is the link for my review of 'Chicxulub'.
No one took me up on the challenge, however I am determined to read more by T.C. Boyle. He has many published collections of short stories and novels. I went to my local library and picked out one of his short story collections, 'After the Plague'. Do to my ARC commitments, I was only able to read one story from the collection, so far.
The Story I read was 'She Wasn't Soft'. It is quite different than 'Chicxulub' but is still has lots of depth. Paula Turk, a 28 year old biathlete knows that she is destined for greatness. She competed to win. However, her boyfriend Jason, owns a surf and dive shop and doesn't want anything more. At 33, he only keeps his shop open part time, pretty much when he feels like it. His parents bought the shop for him, hoping that he would make something of himself but the shop doesn't make a profit due to the short time he keeps it open.. It he prefers to surf and hang out on the beach.
On Paula's birthday she wanted to stay home by herself and eat healthy food, to prepare herself for an upcoming competition. However, Jason wanted to take her out and celebrate and she gave in and went. While at the restaurant, Paula's fiercest competitor came in. Paula wanted to avoid her but Jason was drunk and made a scene.
I don't want to risk spoilers so am not going to tell anymore of the story. I really enjoyed this story, as I said, it does have lots of depth. It didn't wow me like 'Chicxulub' did but there are some nice twists that kept the story moving along and it was well written. Boyle really know how to capture the human spirit both good and bad. I recommend this story.
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