Friday, February 14, 2014

Review & Giveaway: Collision Course by Chuck Gleason

Today it is my extreme pleasure to kick off the Collision Course tour!

Book Description:
Publisher: Black Rose Writing (Oct. 24, 2013)
ISBN-13: 978-1612962085
Category: Romance, Love Story
Tour Dates: February, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 252 pages
Collision Course is a warm loving story about two college kids, Lincoln Comstock and Keli Holloway, who get off on a rocky road to romance.  In their creative writing course, Lincoln trashes Keli’s first offering before the entire class, just to get her attention.  Keli is very sensitive about her creative efforts.  As a consequence, Lincoln has started his romance by shooting himself in the foot.
Lincoln’s persistence pays off eventually as Keli agrees to be friends, just not romantic friends. In their junior year, the friendship endures the student body presidential election in which Keli and Lincoln are actually pitted against each other.  After the election Keli finally agrees to go to the Christmas formal as Lincoln’s date.
Just as the friendship is turning into love, obstacles get in the way. Can their love withstand a  last collision?
Filled with excitement and love, Collision Course is a happy story that will leave readers smiling.
My Thoughts:
I wan't exactly sure if this was going to be a book for me.  I haven't read a contemporary romance in years.  However, something told me that I should read this one.  Keli and Lincoln meet the first day of class in college.  He is smitten with her at first glance.  He wants to get her attention but he went about in the wrong way and it backfired.  Sure, he got her attention but it left a very bad impression.
Lincoln apologizes and they soon become friends.  It takes a long time until Keli finally agrees to go on a date with him.  However, during their four years of college they have many collisions and it starts to look like it may not work out.  
After college they go their separate ways and pursue their careers in literature.  I love how Gleason writes about her struggle to get her book published and all the rejections she gets. 
Since I don't want to risk spoilers, I can't tell you any more so you will have to read it for yourself.  I loved Chuck Gleason's writing style and character development.  I really felt like I was in the middle of the story, experiencing it.  There were a couple little things that seemed a bit dated to me but Gleason is an 85 year old man, I think that was to be expected and so minor.  More endearing.  I really loved Collision Course and highly recommend it!
5/5
I received this book for my honest opinion.
About Chuck Gleason:

Have we discovered a literary Grandpa Moses?
Author Chuck Gleason is eighty four years young and writing love stories at a prodigious rate.  He started dating Janet in 1945 when they were just fifteen.  They married in 1950 and are still in love sixty three years later!
Chuck achieved business success selling life insurance. With Janet’s help, they developed a two market selling life style.  They lived on a Michigan lake in the summer and a Florida island in the winter. Their commute to work was only two seconds. They enjoyed this enviable life style for over twenty five years!
Chuck’s speech, Are You Running Your Business or is Your Business Running You? has been delivered in twenty seven states and seven foreign countries.
They have two children, three grandchildren and one great grandchild.
“If you marry your best friend you’ll have a wonderful life.”
Buy Collision Course:
Thanks to Chuck Gleason, I am giving away one copy of Collision Course.  The winner will receive a print copy if residing in the U.S., an international winner will receive the ebook.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
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Thursday, February 13, 2014

Review & Giveaway: Under the Jeweled Sky by Alison McQueen

Today is my stop for the Under the Jeweled Sky tour.

Book Description:

 London 1957. In a bid to erase her past and build the family she yearns for, Sophie Schofield accepts a wedding proposal from ambitious British diplomat, Lucien Grainger. When he is posted to New Delhi, into the glittering circle of ex-pat high society, old wounds begin to break open as she is confronted with the memory of her first, forbidden love and its devastating consequences. 

The suffocating conformity of diplomatic life soon closes in on her. This is not the India she fell in love with ten years before when her father was a maharaja’s physician, the India of tigers and scorpions and palaces afloat on shimmering lakes; the India that ripped out her heart as Partition tore the country in two, separating her from her one true love. The past haunts her still, the guilt of her actions, the destruction it wreaked upon her fragile parents, and the boy with the tourmaline eyes. 

Sophie had never meant to come back, yet the moment she stepped onto India’s burning soil as a newlywed wife, she realised her return was inevitable. And so begins the unravelling of an ill-fated marriage, setting in motion a devastating chain of events that will bring her face to face with a past she tried so desperately to forget, and a future she must fight for. 

A story of love, loss of innocence, and the aftermath of a terrible decision no one knew how to avoid.

 My Thoughts:

 Under the Jeweled Sky opens in a terrible time in history for India, just before the Partition. Sophie is a teenager and her father moves her and her mother to India to work as a doctor at a palace.  Sophie doesn't have a lot to do there but she enjoys wondering around the palace looking at all it has to offer.  She is not really allowed into some of the places she goes and when she meets a teen Indian boy, Jag, he shows her all kinds of secret passages.

 Sophie and Jag become fast friends but when his father and her parents find out about it, they are forbidden to see each other.  Rumours start among the Indian workers about their relationship and Jag's father insist that he and Jag leave, despite how close his father is to retirement and a pension.

 They leave, right at the start of the Partition and end up making their way to a refuge camp.  They struggle from day to day, just to get their basic neccesities met and soon Jag's father gets sick.

 Fast forward almost ten years later and Sophie has been living back in London, working in the government typing pool.  She meets Lucien and he talks her into marrying him.  They are then posted to New Delhi, India.  They get wrapped up in the ex-pat high society and things start to happen.

 I can't tell you more without the risk of spoilers so you will have to read this book yourself.  The first part of the book is my favorite.    I like how the characters of teenage Sophie and Jag develop and interact.  After that the story flashes back and forth from present day to the past.  Perhaps just a little too much for my taste but this is really just a small complaint.  I still highly recommend Under the Jeweled Sky to historical fiction lovers!

 4/5

 I received the ebook version of this book for my honest review.

 About Alison McQuuen:
Born to an Indian mother and an English jazz musician father, Alison McQueen grew up in London. After a convent education, Alison worked in advertising for 25 years before retiring to write full time.

In 2006 she was selected from an impressive long list to join The Writer’s Circle, a group of 8 top writers to be groomed by the UK film industry as the new generation of British screenwriters. She has written seven novels, including Under the Jeweled Sky and The Secret Children, which was inspired by her life.  

Thanks to Liz Kelsch of Sourcebooks, I am giving away one print copy of Under the Jeweled Sky.  This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on February 27, 2014.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Book Tour & International Giveaway: Between the Cracks by Carmela Cattuti

Thanks to Amy Bruno of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, I am giving away one print copy of Between the Cracks.

 Book Description:

 Publication Date: August 20, 2013
Three Towers Press/HenschelHAUS Publishing, Inc.
Paperback; 324p
ISBN-10: 1595982396

Join Angela Lanza as she experiences the tumultuous world of early 20th century Sicily and New York. Orphaned by the earthquake and powerful eruption of Mr. Etna in 1908, Angela is raised in the strict confines of an Italian convent. Through various twists of fate, she is married to a young Italian man whom she barely knows, then together with her spouse, immigrates to the U.S. This novel is an invitation to accompany the young Angela as she confronts the ephemeral nature of life on this planet and navigates the wide cultural gaps between pre-World War II Italy and the booming prosperity of dynamic young America. Join Angela Lanza as she traverses the tumultuous landscape of Sicily and New York.

About Carmela Cattuti:


 Carmela Cattuti started her writing career as a journalist for the Somerville News in Boston, MA. After she finished her graduate work in English Literature from Boston College she began to write creatively and taught a journal writing course at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education As fate would have it, she felt compelled to write her great aunt's story. “Between the Cracks” has gone through several incarnations and will now become a trilogy. This is the first installment. To connect with Carmela email her cattutic@gmail.com or leave a comment at betweenthecracksnovel.blogspot.com.

For more information please visit Carmela's website.

 This giveaway is open internationally and ends on February 25, 2014.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
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Friday, February 7, 2014

Giveaway: The Roses Underneath by C.F. Yetmen

Thanks to literary publicist, Stephanie Barko, I am giving away one print copy and one ebook of The Roses Underneath.

Book Description:

 This historical novel picks up where George Clooney’s new movie Monuments Men (2014) leaves off.

 It is August 1945 in Wiesbaden, Germany. With the country in ruins, Anna Klein, displaced and separated from her beloved husband, struggles to support herself and her six-year old daughter Amalia. 

 Her job typing forms at the Collecting Point for the US Army’s Monuments Men is the only thing keeping her afloat. Charged with securing Nazi-looted art and rebuilding Germany’s monuments, the Americans are on the hunt for stolen treasures. But after the horrors of the war, Anna wants only to hide from the truth and rebuild a life with her family. 

 When the easy-going American Captain Henry Cooper recruits her as his reluctant translator, the two of them stumble on a mysterious stash of art in a villa outside of town. Cooper’s penchant for breaking the rules capsizes Anna’s tenuous security and propels her into a search for elusive truth and justice in a world where everyone is hiding something. 

In her debut novel C.F. Yetmen tells a story of loss and reconciliation in a shattered world coming to terms with war and its aftermath.

 About C.F. Yetmen:
An early job in Germany as Editorial Assistant for Prestel Books taught C.F. Yetmen how to layout a Kandinksy and write about architecture. In addition to writing for architects across America, C.F. Yetmen is co-author of The Owner’s Dilemma: Driving Success and Innovation in the Design and Construction Industry (2010). The Roses Underneath is her first novel. Visit C.F. at http://www.cfyetmen.com.

 This giveaway is open to the U.S. for the print copy and international for the ebook and ends on February 21, 2014.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
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Thursday, February 6, 2014

Review & Giveaway: Hidden In Plain Sight by Jane Allen Petrick

Today it is my immense pleasure to kick of the Hidden In Plain Sight tour! Wow, this book blew me away!

Book Description:
Publisher: Informed Decisions Publishing, October 8, 2013
Category: Nonfiction – multicultural; cultural/social issues; biography & memoirs; art criticism
Tour Dates: February, 2014
Available in: ebook, 143 pages
Norman Rockwell’s America was not all white. As early as 1936, Rockwell was portraying people of color with empathy and a dignity often denied them at the time. And he created these portraits from live models.
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Other People in Norman Rockwell’s America unfolds, for the first time, the stories of the Asian, African, and Native Americans who modeled for Norman Rockwell. These people of color, though often hidden in plain sight, are present throughout Rockwell’s more than 4000 illustrations. People like the John Lane family, Navajos poignantly depicted in the virtually unknown Norman Rockwell painting, “Glen Canyon Dam.” People like Isaac Crawford, a ten year old African-American Boy Scout who helped Norman Rockwell finally integrate the Boy Scout calendar.
In this engrossing and often humorous narrative, Jane Allen Petrick explores what motivated Norman Rockwell to slip people of color “into the picture” in the first place. And in so doing, she persuasively documents the famous illustrator’s deep commitment to and pointed portrayals of ethnic tolerance, portrayals that up to now have been, as Norman Rockwell biographer Laura Claridge so clearly put it, “bizarrely neglected”.
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Other People in Norman Rockwell’s America is an eye opener for everyone who loves Norman Rockwell, everyone who hates Norman Rockwell and for all those people in between who never thought much about Norman Rockwell because they believed Norman Rockwell never thought much about them. This book will expand the way you think about Norman Rockwell. And it will deepen the way you think about Norman Rockwell’s America.
My Thoughts:
When Jane Allen Petrick asked me if I wanted to read her book, Hidden In Plain Sight, I knew I had to, after reading the description.  You see, I always thought that the great American artist, Norman Rockwell was raciest.  I never read anything about him, so my perception came purely from the paintings of his that I saw.  The people were always white in them.  
It turns out, that I want in the minority with that perception however, in Hidden In Plain Sight, Jane Allen Petrick sets us straight. There are actually quite a few paintings where he address social and civil rights issues.  Petrick even writes about the real life African American, Chinese American, and Native American models he used in his paintings.  She has had the privilege of meeting some of the models and they shared their stories of meeting and modelling for Norman Rockwell.
So why haven't many of see this other side of Rockwell?  Those of you my age and older, may remember some on the Saturday Evening Post magazine's, Norman Rockwell covers.  He was under contract to create all those covers for them.  They would only allow paintings of wholesome looking white people.
This book is such a gem.  I felt like I got to know some of the models along with Petrick.  It read more like a memoir than a biography, one that I couldn't put down.  I read it in one sitting and was up until the wee hours of the morning.  I found it absolutely fascinating.  This a book I think all Americans should read.  I just hope that Jane allen Petrick writes a follow up.  I cannot recommend it highly enough!
5/5
I received an ebook copy for my honest opinion.
View the Trailer:


About Jane Allen Petrick:

Jane Allen Petrick is the author of several books on topics ranging from biography to workplace issues. She was a bi-weekly columnist for the Knight Ridder Newswire, and her articles have appeared in numerous publications including theNew York Times, the Denver Post and theWashington Post.  Kirkus Review describes her book, Hidden in Plain Sight: The Other People in Norman Rockwell’s America as “smart, nuanced” and written with “clarity and insight.”
Born and raised in Connecticut, Jane earned a BA in economics from Barnard College and received her Ph.D. in organizational psychology from Saybrook University. Retired as a vice-president of ATT Wireless, she is now an adjunct professor at Capella and American Sentinel Universities, and has provided consultation in organizational behavior and diversity competence to numerous corporate clients including IBM, Nextel and Xerox.
Jane Allen Petrick was chosen as one of the “100 Best and Brightest Business Women in America” by Ebony Magazine.
Long a passionate supporter of cultural and historic preservation, Jane has contributed to local preservation efforts in both Florida and New York State. A licensed tour director, Jane conducts cultural heritage tours on the East Coast, from the Everglades to the Maritimes.
Jane and her husband, Kalle, divide their time between New York’s Hudson Valley and Miami, Florida.
Buy Hidden in Plain Sight:
Thanks to Jane Allen Petick, we are giving away ebooks editions of Hidden In Plain Sight.  This giveaway is open internationally and ends on March 1, 2014.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour:

So Many Precious Books Feb 6 Review & Excerpt
Serendipity Feb 7 Review
Most Happy Reader Feb 13 Review
Book Lover’s Journal Feb 14 Review
Every Free Chance Feb 17 Review
Every Free Chance Feb 18 Interview
Dr. Bill’s Book Bazaar Feb 18 Review
I’d Rather Be At the Beach Feb 20 Review
From L.A. to LA Feb 21 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt Feb 24 Interview
From Isi Feb  25 Review
My Devotional Thoughts Feb 26 Review
My Devotional Thoughts Feb 28 Interview
Mina’s Bookshelf Feb 28 Review
Indies Reviews Behind the Scenes Feb 28 Live Blog Talk Radio Excerpt 8 pm cst


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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Giveaway: Above All Things by Tanis Rideout

Thanks to Kayleigh Clark of Berkley/NAL/ Penguin Group (USA), I am giving away one print copy of Above All Things.

Book Description:

 The Paris Wife meets Into Thin Air in this breathtaking debut novel of obsession and divided loyalties, which brilliantly weaves together the harrowing story of George Mallory's ill-fated 1924 attempt to be the first man to conquer Mount Everest, with that of a single day in the life of his wife as she waits at home in England for news of his return. 
 
A captivating blend of historical fact and imaginative fiction, Above All Things moves seamlessly back and forth between the epic story of Mallory's legendary final expedition and a heartbreaking account of a day in the life of Ruth Mallory. Through George's perspective, and that of the newest member of the climbing team, Sandy Irvine, we get an astonishing picture of the terrible risks taken by the men on the treacherous terrain of the Himalaya. But it is through Ruth's eyes that a complex portrait of a marriage emerges, one forged on the eve of the First World War, shadowed by its losses, and haunted by the ever-present possibility that George might not come home. 

Drawing on years of research, this powerful and beautifully written novel is a timeless story of desire, redemption, and the lengths we are willing to go for honour, glory, and love.

 About Tanis Rideout:


 Tanis Rideout’s work has appeared in numerous publications and has been short-listed for several prizes, including a CBS Literary Award.  She lives in Toronto, where she received her MFA from the University of Guelph-Humber.  This is her first novel.  Visit her online at www.tanisrideout.wordpress.com.

 This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on February 19, 2014.  Pleas use Rafflecopter to enter.
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Monday, February 3, 2014

Book Tour & Giveaway: Korean Word For Butterfly by Jamie Zerndt

Today it is my pleasure to kick off the Korean Word for Butterfly tour!  I was scheduled to post my review today as well however, my tablet broke down and I just received the replacement.  Luckily it was still under warranty.  I am now scheduled to post my review on February 26th, so stay tuned.

Description of Korean Word For Butterfly:
Publisher: Create Space, March 27, 2013
ISBN-13:  978-1483997476
Category: Literary Fiction, South Korean Society
Tour Dates: February, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 329 pages
Set against the backdrop of the 2002 World Cup and rising anti-American sentiment due to a deadly accident involving two young Korean girls and a U.S. tank, The Korean Word For Butterfly is told from three alternating points-of-view:
Billie, the young wanna-be poet looking for adventure with her boyfriend who soon finds herself questioning her decision to travel so far from the comforts of American life;
Moon, the ex K-pop band manager who now works at the English school struggling to maintain his sobriety in hopes of getting his family back;
And Yun-ji , a secretary at the school whose new feelings of resentment toward Americans may lead her to do something she never would have imagined possible.
The Korean Word For Butterfly is a story about the choices we make and why we make them.
It is a story, ultimately, about the power of love and redemption.
Praise for Korean Word For Butterfly:
“5 stars. Full of fresh, original writing.” -THE KINDLE BOOK REVIEW
“This is one of the best young novels of the year.” -Grady Harp, Amazon TOP 50/HALL OF FAME REVIEWER
“Zerndt is a wonderful writer, and BUTTERFLY is an absolutely beautiful story. I was drawn into his characters from the first page, and I found myself devouring the novel in huge, satisfying gulps.” - kacunnin, Amazon TOP 500 REVIEWER
“The author had his finger on the pulse of how naïve Americans react to Korean culture and a spot on depiction of how Korean culture plays into this sort of scenario.” -Wayne, Amazon TOP 500 REVIEWER/VINE VOICE
“Zerndt has managed to write something completely different from The Cloud Seeders yet equally captivating. These deliciously flawed characters will capture your heart from page one and have you sweating when you realize you’re reaching the end of the story entirely too soon. Zerndt is a master storyteller who seems to be able to write from absolutely anyone’s point of view with ease. Can’t wait to see more from this author.”-Sheri Meshal, Author of Swallowtail
From the Back Cover:
“Zerndt is the real deal.” -Jonathan Harris, author of The Wave That Did Not Break
About Jamie Zerndt:

James Zerndt lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and son. His poetry has appeared in The Oregonian Newspaper, and his fiction has most recently appeared in Gray’s Sporting Journal. He taught English in South Korea in 2002 and still loves kimchi.
Jamie’s short story, “The Tree Poachers”, recently won WCCHA’s fiction award. Some of his short stories have also won Honorable Mention in both Playboy’s and The Atlantic Monthly’s Fiction Contests.
Buy Korean Word For Butterfly:
Book Giveaway:
This giveaway is open internationally.  Print is available to the U.S. only, if international, the winnier will receive the ebook. This giveaway ends on March 4, 2014.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour:
So Many Precious Books Feb 3 Spotlight & Giveaway
Joy Story Feb 4 Review
Joy Story Feb 11 Interview
Every Free Chance Feb 5 Spotlight & Giveaway
She Treads Softly Feb 7 Review
The Book Diva Reads Feb 10 Guest Post & Giveaway
Let’s Talk About Books Feb 12 Review & Giveaway
Indies Reviews Behind the Scenes Feb 14 Blog Talk Radio Excerpt/discussion 8 pm cst
Tracy Riva Feb 14 Review
Tracy Riva Feb 17 Guest Post & Giveaway
The Princess Gummy Bear Feb 17 You Tube Review
Serendipity Feb 19 Review
Reader’s Muse Feb 18 Review
Reader’s Muse Feb 14 Interview
From Isi Feb 20 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt Feb 21 Review
Deal Sharing AuntFeb 24 Interview
Book Dilettante Feb 25 Review
So Many Precious Books Feb 26
Carole Rae’s Ramblings  Feb 27 Review
Margay Leah Justice Feb 28 Review
Margay Leah Justice Feb 28 Guest Post & Giveaway
Romance & Inspiration Mar 3 Review



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Sunday, February 2, 2014

Giveaway Winners Galore

Thanks so much to all the authors, publishers, and publicists for all of the awesome giveaways! They are so much fun to host and I know my readers appreciate them!!
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. 

WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY by Wendy Wax

The winner is: L. Lam

The winner is: Angela H.

The winner is: Carl S.
The winner is: Georgia B.

 Nowhere, AZ by Chris Nunley

The winner is: Anita Y.

HIPPIE BOY by Ingrid Ricks

The winner is:Mary B.

The winner is: Katherine I.

The winner is:  Vanessa W.

The winner is:  Anne B.

The winner is:  L. Lam

The winner is:  Margie R.

The Winner is: Carl S.

The winner is: Nancy






Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:34 AM 4 comments  

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