Wonderful Win: THE LAST DICKENS by Matthew Pearl

THE LAST DICKENS
by Matthew Pearl

I campaigned hard to win a copy of this book -- what can I say? I'm on a tight budget! I was thrilled to win and ever more thrilled when it showed up in my mailbox!

Thanks to everyone who hosted author Matthew Pearl on his blog tour and especially to Kathy at the Brain Lair who hosted the giveaway which I won. Matthew Pearl wrote some wonderful guest posts on his tour with TLC Book Tours last month. Click here to see the list of sites he visited and to locate his posts. Thanks Matthew!

Audiobook Giveaway: BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 giveaway three (3) audiobook copies of

BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN
by David Foster Wallace.
Rules for entering this giveaway are at the bottom of this post.

BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN

by David Foster Wallace

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Category: FICTION

Format: AUDIO BOOK

Subformat: CD (AUDIO)

Edition: Unabridged

Publish Date: 9/8/2009

Price: $24.98/$29.98

ISBN: 9781600247378

Pages: 0

 
Description (from the publisher):

David Foster Wallace made an art of taking readers into places no other writer even gets near. In his exuberantly acclaimed collection, BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN, he combined hilarity and an escalating disquiet in stories that astonish, entertain, and expand our ideas of the pleasures that fiction can afford.

Click here to listen to an excerpt.

About the author (from the publisher):

David Foster Wallace (1962-2008) is the author of Infinite Jest, The Broom of the System, and Girl With Curious Hair. His essays and stories have appeared in Harper's, The New Yorker, Playboy, Paris Review, Conjunctions, Premiere, Tennis, The Missouri Review, and The Review of Contemporary Fiction. Wallace received the Whiting Award, the Lannan Award for Fiction, the Paris Review Prize for humor, the QPB Joe Savago New Voices Award, and an O. Henry Award.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 6, 2009.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Giveaway Winners: Audiobook of NINE DRAGONS by Michael Connelly

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

The 3 winners of copies of the audiobook
 NINE DRAGONS by Michael Connelly are:

#1 Jo-Jo a/k/a joannelong {AT} gmail {DOT} com
 (a special WHOOO HOOO for winning
with the first comment posted!)

#12 Anonymous a/k/a bgccs {AT} yahoo {DOT} com 

#23 Lag123 a/k/a lag110 {AT} mchsi {DOT} com

- I have sent everyone an email.

- Please contact me with your snail mail address A.S.A.P.

- Remember, the sponsor will only mail books to U.S. and Canadian street addresses and no P.O. Boxes.

- If I have not heard from you by 6:00 p.m. EST on Friday, November 13, 2009, your win will be forfeit, and I will contact the next commenter on the list generated by Random.org.

- Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered. If you weren't one of the lucky ones in this drawing, click here to hop on over to the contest page at Hachette Book Group for listings of other blogs hosting book giveaways.

- Be sure and check my sidebar for other ongoing giveaways here and at other blogs.

A big thank you to Anna and Hachette Book Group

 for making this giveaway possible.

Audiobook Giveaway: A SEPARATE COUNTRY by Robert Hicks

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 giveaway three (3) audiobook copies of

A SEPARATE COUNTRY
by Robert Hicks.

Rules for entering this giveaway are at the bottom of this post.

A SEPARATE COUNTRY

by Robert Hicks

Read by Sherman Howard, Isabel Keating, Kevin T. Collins

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Category: Fiction

Format: Audio Book

Subformat: CD (Audio)

Edition: Unabridged

Publish Date: 9/23/2009

Price: $39.98/$49.98

ISBN: 9781600247620

Pages: 0

Description (from the publisher): 

A Multi-Cast Production / Set in New Orleans in the years after the Civil War, A Separate Country is based on the incredible life of John Bell Hood, arguably one of the most controversial generals of the Confederate Army--and one of its most tragic figures. Robert E. Lee promoted him to major general after the Battle of Antietam. But the Civil War would mark him forever. At Gettysburg, he lost the use of his left arm. At the Battle of Chickamauga, his right leg was amputated. Starting fresh after the war, he married Anna Marie Hennen and fathered 11 children with her, including three sets of twins.

Click here to listen to an excerpt.

Click here to watch the video.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Robert Hicks has been active in the music industry in Nashville for twenty years as both a music publisher and artist manager. The driving force behind the perservation and restoration of the historic Carnton plantation in Tennessee, he stumbled upon the extraordinary role that Carrie McGavock played during and after the Battle of Franklin. He is the author of The Widow of the South.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 4, 2009.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Waiting on Wednesday: THE CROSSING PLACES by Elly Griffiths

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"
is hosted by Jill from
Breaking the Spine.

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

THE CROSSING PLACES

by Elly Griffiths

Pub. Date: January 05, 2010

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Format: Hardcover, 304pp

ISBN-13: 9780547229898

ISBN: 0547229895

 
Description (from the publisher):
When she's not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives happily alone in a remote area called Saltmarsh near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants - not quite earth, not quite sea.

When a child's bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help. Nelson thinks he has found the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago. Since her disappearance he has been receiving bizarre letters about her, letters with references to ritual and sacrifice.

The bones actually turn out to be two thousand years old, but Ruth is soon drawn into the Lucy Downey case and into the mind of the letter writer, who seems to have both archaeological knowledge and eerie psychic powers. Then another child goes missing and the hunt is on to find her. As the letter writer moves closer and the windswept Norfolk landscape exerts its power, Ruth finds herself in completely new territory - and in serious danger.

THE CROSSING PLACES marks the beginning of a captivating new crime series featuring an irresistible heroine.

Not My Giveaways!!

Here are a few giveaways from around the blogosphere. I've entered them -- maybe you will, too!

The Tome Traveller's Weblog

2 copies / End 11-20-09

The Tome Traveller's Weblog

2 copies / Ends 11-20-09

Nely at All About {n}

is giving away these three wonderful books by Kate DiCmillo

to one lucky winner!

Ends 11/20/09

The Book Butterfly

Ends 11-27-09

Nikola's Book Blog
Ends 11-09-09 HURRY! Ending soon!

At Home with Books

5 copies / Ends 11-22-09

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. If you'd like to join in, stop by Marcia's and leave a link - or just browse through the comments to see what new books have been showing up.

From FSB Media

THE WEIGHT LOSS PLAN FOR BEATING DIABETES
by Frederic J. Vagnini, M.D and Lawrence D. Chilnick

From Sourcebooks for review:

DEATH IN THE STOCKS
By Georgette Herery

From Simon & Schuster for review:

THE SECRET OF JOY
by Melissa Senate

From Hachette Book Goup for review:

SEVEN: The Number for Happiness, Love, and Success
by Jacqueline Leo








THE HERETIC'S DAUGHTER
by Kathleen Kent

ANGELS: A Pop-Up Book
by Chuck Fischer






LONE STAR LEGEND
by Gwendolyn Zepeda

Giveaway Winners: Audiobook of THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

The 3 winners of copies of the audiobook
 THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold are:

#5 Patricia a/k/a pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com
#17 Martha L. a/k/a mlawson17 AT hotmail DOT com

#23 Belinda M. a/k/a bluebelle0367 AT hotmail DOT com

- I have sent everyone an email.

- Please contact me with your snail mail address A.S.A.P.

- Remember, the sponsor will only mail books to U.S. and Canadian street addresses and no P.O. Boxes.

- If I have not heard from you by 6:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, your win will be forfeit, and I will contact the next commenter on the list generated by Random.org.

- Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered. If you weren't one of the lucky ones in this drawing, click here to hop on over to the contest page at Hachette Book Group for listings of other blogs hosting book giveaways.

- Be sure and check my sidebar for other ongoing giveaways here and at other blogs.

A big thank you to Anna and Hachette Book Group

 for making this giveaway possible.

Book Review #26: THE WOODSTOCK STORY BOOK by Lianne G. Sackett and Barry Z. Levine

THE WOODSTOCK STORY BOOK

by Linanne G. Sackett

Photographs by Barry Z Levine

Pub. Date: August 2009

Publisher: Channel Photographics

Format: Hardcover, 176pp

ISBN-13: 9780977339983

ISBN: 097733998X

Edition Number: 40

Edition Description: Special

Synopsis (from the publisher):
For three days in the summer of 1969, 500,000 people spontaneously gathered like no others had before or since then, bringing together peace, love, aromatic smoke and the sounds of the greatest rock 'n' roll show in history. Sounds and smells wafted through the air, making this legendary event one that has never been duplicated. Barry Z Levine, a member of the Academy Award-winning Woodstock documentary film team, captured this entire event. Levine arrived days before the crowds when Woodstock was still a green, grassy pasture and continued to photograph long after the last person had departed the debris-strewn mud hole. Over the course of that tumultuous week, Levine had taken so many pictures, he had blisters on his index finger and thumb from clicking the shutter and advancing the film. Levine stopped only once, for a 45 minute nap on top of a piano cover that was on stage while Blood, Sweat & Tears performed. Along with 240 full-color photographs, the text by Linanne G. Sacket presents a chronological account of this historical event, capturing the performers, personalities, audience, excitement, mood, and actions. The Woodstock Story Book is a must for anyone who was at Woodstock, wishes they had gone, or just wanted a bird's eye view at the greatest historical event of the 1960s.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars


My Thoughts:

It's just too hard for me to believe that 40 years have passed since Woodstock occured. Not that I was there -- no way would my parents have allowed it and, in 1969, I was still young enough to be firmly under their jurisdiction.  But I was old enough to wish I was there. I can't help but wonder in what ways I would be different if I had experienced that unique event for myself. Ah, who am I kidding? I don't like being in a crowd. I probably would have freaked out and they'd have had to airlift me out!

Alas, for those of us who couldn't make it, it's a lot of fun to daydream over THE WOODSTOCK STORY BOOK. The photography by Barry Z. Levine is, of course, incredible. To see so many great performers in their heyday and looking so young and happy made me happy, too. Sometimes I felt as though I was looking at an old yearbook full of familiar faces but young, so much younger! And the styles! All that hair! Of course having lived through it, I understand the appeal and motivation behind the fashions, but it's still pretty funny to look back and see some things that I now think are totally ridiculous. I guess I really have passed over to the other side of the generation gap.

THE WOODSTOCK STORY BOOK is not just about the performers.  There are as many, if not more, pictures of the crowds and the individual attendees. And being as this volume is "anatomically correct," there are quite a few photos of the famed nudity that overtook the crowd in reaction to all the rain and mud. If you've got young ones at home, you might want to take a good look at the book before you let them browse through it. Personally, I didn't find anything offensive. I looked at the photos in the same spirit that everyone had when they got naked -- it's not meant to be sexual or erotic, just natural and fun.

I would have liked more commentary in the book.  There's a short Forward written by Wavy Gravy and Barry Z Levine sums things up in an Afterword. Throughout the book is rhyming prose written by Linanne G. Sackett which doesn't really serve to do much more than identify who's in the photographs. In this volume, the text accompanies the photos, not the other way around. As I said, I would have liked to read more about the event, the performers, and the audiance. I think more information would give the book a wider appeal. 

All in all, if you were there, know someone who was, or if you just wish you could have been, THE WOODSTOCK STORY BOOK is a terrific treat. I suggest sitting back with the book while you play the movie soundtrack in the backgound and just truck on back through the long strange trip!

Visit the website for THE WOODSTOCK STORY BOOK.

Visit Woodstock for even more photos of the event by Barry Z. Levine.

Biography (from the publisher):
Levine has been honored as "Celebrated Artist" of Italy's 2009 Biografilm Festival and his photographs will be on display in Rome, Milan, and Bologna.


As part of the Academy Award-winning “Woodstock” documentary team, still photographer Barry Z Levine was there, and captured it all.

A big thank you to Lisa Roe at Online Publicist for providing me a review copy of this book.

Giveaway Winners: Audiobook of WHAT THE DOG SAW by Malcolm Gladwell

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

The 3 winners of copies of the audiobook
 WHAT THE DOG SAW by Malcolm Gladwell are:

#32 Zibilee a/k/a zibilee AT figearo DOT net
#43 Rebecca G. a/k/a rhoneygtn AT yahoo DOT com

#59 cherdon a/k/a cherdon AT sympatico DOT ca

- I have sent everyone an email.

- Please contact me with your snail mail address A.S.A.P.

- Remember, the sponsor will only mail books to U.S. and Canadian street addresses and no P.O. Boxes.

- If I have not heard from you by 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, your win will be forfeit, and I will contact the next commenter on the list generated by Random.org.

- Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered. If you weren't one of the lucky ones in this drawing, click here to hop on over to the contest page at Hachette Book Group for listings of other blogs hosting book giveaways.

- Be sure and check my sidebar for other ongoing giveaways here and at other blogs.

A big thank you to Anna and Hachette Book Group

 for making this giveaway possible.

Book Blogger Holiday Swap: The more the merrier!

I've signed up for the Book Blogger Holiday Swap! What's that? Here's a brief description from the organizers:

"The holiday swap is a way for book bloggers to connect and celebrate the holiday spirit by sharing gifts. It’s done secret Santa style; all of the participants are randomly assigned a blogger to send a gift to, and these assignments are kept secret until the gift has been delivered. So no one knows who their gift is coming from!"

If you'd like to find out more or even sign up, click this link for all the info. Sign up before November 12th to participate in this year's fun! Remember: The more the merrier!

Giveaway Winners: Audiobook of SAY YOU'RE ONE OF THEM

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

The 3 winners of the audiobook
 SAY YOU'RE ONE OF THEM by Uwem Akpan are:

#9 Jen a/k/a devourers.books AT gmail DOT net

#26 rubynreba a/k/a pbclark AT netins DOT net

#42 Zibilee a/k/a zibilee AT figearo DOT net

- I have sent everyone an email.

- Please contact me with your snail mail address A.S.A.P.

- Remember, the sponsor will only mail books to U.S. and Canadian street addresses and no P.O. Boxes.

- If I have not heard from you by 9:00 a.m. EST on Monday, November 9, 2009, your win will be forfeit and I will contact the next commenter selected by Random.org.

- Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered. If you weren't one of the lucky ones in this drawing, click here to hop on over to the contest page at Hachette Book Group for listings of other blogs hosting book giveaways.

- Be sure and check my sidebar for other ongoing giveaways here and at other blogs.

A big thank you to Anna and Hachette Book Group

 for making this giveaway possible.

Book Giveaway: SEVEN: The Number for Happiness, Love, and Success by Jacqueline Leo

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 giveaway five (5) copies of

SEVEN: The Number for Happiness, Love, and Success
by Jacqueline Leo.

SEVEN: The Number for Happiness, Love, and Success
by Jacqueline Leo

Publisher: Twelve
Category: Self-Help
Format: Hardcover
Publish Date: 12/7/2009
Price: $23.99/$28.99
ISBN: 9780446542692
Pages: 272

Description (from the publisher):
What is it about the number seven that has such a hold on us? Why are there seven deadly sins? Seven days of the week? Seven wonders of the world, seven colors of the spectrum, seven ages of man, and seven sister colleges? Why can we hold seven numbers or words in our working memory--but no more? Author Jackie Leo explores everything about this mystical, magical, useful, and fun number in her new book.

SEVEN REASONS YOU NEED THIS BOOK

1. SEVEN is a tool to improve the quality of your life. It is a way to define time, synthesize ideas, and keep your mind performing at top speed in an era of distractions.

2. SEVEN is culturally significant. It pops up everywhere, structuring our world in ways so fundamental, we notice them only when we pause to look. Across the ages and across cultures, the number has acquired a huge scientific, psychological, and religious significance.

3. SEVEN is intriguing. Why, out of hundreds of recipes in a cookbook, do people return to the same seven, over and over? Why, when asked to choose a number between one and ten, does such a large majority of people choose seven? Why does it take seven rounds of shuffling to obtain a fully mixed deck of cards?

4. SEVEN is influential. You'll learn how the number seven shapes our thinking, our choices, and even our relationships.

5. SEVEN is practical. Throughout this book are Top Seven lists covering the best ways to get someone's attention, to build your personal brand, and to put yourself in the path of prosperity and good luck.

6. SEVEN is fun. You'll encounter surprising facts, intriguing puzzles, and hilarious anecdotes.

7. SEVEN is wise. You'll hear stories about the meaning of seven from Mehmet Oz, Sally Quinn, Liz Smith, Christina Ricci, and many others.

Artfully designed and full of enough insights to keep you engaged in conversation at the water cooler for years, SEVEN will provoke, enlighten, and amuse.

About the author (from the publisher):
Media guru Jacqueline Leo has held a number of high-level positions in publishing and television. She founded and launched Child magazine in 1986, and went on to be editor in chief of Family Circle magazine and editorial director of the New York Times Women's Magazine Group, where she launched Fitness magazine. She was senior producer and editorial director of Good Morning America, editorial director for Consumer Reports, and vice president and editor in chief of Reader's Digest. She is currently director of digital operations for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. She lives in New York City.

SEVEN CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Just ask ...

-- Mehmet Oz: "I decided to be a heart surgeon at age seven."

-- Christina Ricci: "Every seven years, everything changes: your physical being, your emotional being, the way other people look at you. Everything."

-- Sally Quinn: "I have always had a thing about birthdays with a seven in my age: seven and seventeen and twenty-seven, thirty-seven, etc. I can't wait to be seventy-seven."

-- Liz Smith: "Like Sophie Tucker, I've been rich and I've been poor and believe me, rich is better. It is, as long as you know the difference. And the difference for me was seven years."

-- Jeff Greenfield: "I always thought Mantle would forever be the most memorable 'seven' of my baseball fandom-alas, that was not to be the case."

-- Danny Meyer: "When I opened my second restaurant, Gramercy Tavern, I knew we'd make it. Why? Because we were given the following phone number: GR 7-0777."

-- Jacqueline Novogratz: "Seven was the organizing principle for our wedding, a reference to the wisdom of many religions, our way of bowing to those who came before us."

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, November 27, 2009.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Friday Finds: RAISING THE PERFECT CHILD THROUGH GUILT AND MANIPULATION

FRIDAY FINDS is hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.
What great books did you hear about / discover this past week?
Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

I found this one at Life By Candlelight. Jennifer at Literate Housewife blogged about it, too. This is totally in fun ;)


RAISING THE PERFECT CHILD THROUGH GUILT AND MANIPULATION
by Elizabeth Beckwith

Raising the Perfect Child Through Guilt and Manipulation is not one of those traditional, all-too-earnest parenting guides that, for generations, have sucked all the fun out of child rearing. The foundation of Elizabeth Beckwith's Guilt and Manipulation family philosophy is simple: We do things a certain way, and everyone else is an *&^%#$!.

Is that something you should put on a bumper sticker and slap on your minivan? Of course not—that would be trashy. But in the privacy of your own home, you can employ these essential components of Guilt and Manipulation to mold the little runts ruthlessly yet effectively into children you won't be embarrassed to admit are yours:

• Creating a Team: "Us" vs. "Them"
• How to Scare the Crap Out of Your Child (in a Positive Way)
• Don't Be Afraid to Raise a Nerd
• Mind Control: Why It's a Good Thing

Wonderful Wins

I don't just like to host giveaways . . . I like to win them, too!  Thank you to my fellow bloggers for hosting and to Hachette Book Group and Simon & Schuster for sponsoring these giveaways. These books all arrived at my house within the last couple of days.

THE BIBLE SALESMAN
by Clyde Edgerton

A contest win from ninthfactor.org   Thanks, Kelly!

Preston Clearwater has been a criminal since stealing two chain saws and 1,600 pairs of aviator sunglasses from the army during the Second World War. Back on the road in postwar North Carolina, now a member of a car-theft ring, he picks up hitchhiking Henry Dampier, an innocent twenty-year-old Bible salesman. Clearwater immediately recognizes Henry as smart but gullible, just the associate he needs--one who will believe Clearwater is working undercover for the F.B.I.; one who will drive the cars Clearwater steals as Clearwater follows along in his own car at a safe distance. Henry joyfully sees a chance to lead a dual life as a Bible salesman and a G-man.

During his hilarious and scary adventures, Henry grapples with doubts about the Bible's accuracy, and we learn of his fundamentalist upbringing, an upbringing that doesn't prepared him for his new life. As he falls in love with the captivating Marleen Green and questions his religious training, Henry begins to see he's being used--that he is on his own in a way he never imagined.

ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS
by Kristin Harmel

A contest win from Bless Their Hearts Mom.  Thank you, Nicole!

Thirty-four-year-old Manhattan accountant Cat Connelly has always lived life on the safe side. But after her little sister gets married, Cat wonders if she has condemned herself to a life of boredom by playing by the rules. She decides to take a chance for once, accepting an invitation to spend a month with an old flame in Italy. But her reunion with the slick and gorgeous Francesco is short-lived, and she finds herself suddenly alone in Rome. Now, she must see if she has the courage to live outside the lines for the first time - and to face a past she never understood.

BREAKING THE BANK
by Yona Zeldis McDonough

A contest win from Crazy-for-Books.com   Thanks, Jennifer!

MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING

Mia Saul is down on her luck. Dumped by her husband, jettisoned from her job, and estranged from her adored older brother, she and her young daughter, Eden, have had to make a downscale move to a crummy apartment, where their neighbors include a tough young drug dealer and a widower who lets his dogs use the hallways as their own personal litter box. Juggling a series of temporary jobs, wrangling with her ex-husband over child support, and trying to keep pace with Eden's increasingly erratic behavior have left Mia weary and worn out.

EXCEPT WHEN IT IS

So when a seemingly functional ATM starts handing Mia thousands and thousands of dollars -- and not deducting the money from her account, because it sure isn't in there -- she isn't about to give it back. Her newfound cash stash opens up a world of opportunity, and a whole lot of trouble. Worried friends, family, and in-laws start questioning her judgment about everything, and the cops really, really want to know where all that cash is coming from. And then there's Patrick, a man Mia most definitely would never have met if things hadn't spun out of control. Mia is beginning to think that maybe somebody, somewhere, is trying to teach her a lesson about what matters in life, and what doesn't....

Waiting on Wednesday: THE GOOD SON by Russel D. McLean

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"
is hosted by Jill from
Breaking the Spine.

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

THE GOOD SON

by Russel D. McLean

Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books

Release Date: 12/8/2009

ISBN: 978-0-312-57668-4

ISBN10: 0-312-57668-4

5-1/2 x 8-1/4 inches

240 pages

From the publisher:

"THE GOOD SON is the most exciting, and gripping, Scottish crime fiction debut of recent years. Stylish and atmospheric, it marks the arrival of a exceptional talent." --John Connolly

“McLean has all the merits of this brilliant writer [Jean-Patrick Manchette] with the added bonus of a Scottish sense of wit that is like no other.” --Ken Bruen

"Scottish crime fiction is entering a new era and Russel McLean is at the vanguard. A thrilling new writer, a brilliant debut...The Good Son is very good indeed." --Tony Black

Recipient of widespread praise for his award-winning crime short stories, Russel McLean’s full-length debut has been characterized by key crime authors and critics alike as the emergence of a major talent.

There is something rotten behind the apparent sucide of Daniel Robertson and it’s about to come bursting into the life of J. McNee, a Scottish private investigator with a near-crushing level of personal baggage. James Robertson, a local farmer, finds his estranged brother’s corpse hanging from a tree. The police claim suicide. But McNee is about to uncover the disturbing truth behind the death. With a pair of vicious London thugs on the move in the Scottish countryside, it’s only a matter of time before people start dying. As the body count rises, McNee finds himself on a collision course with his own demons and an increasing array of brutal killers in a violent, bloody showdown that threatens to leave none involved alive. Plumbing the depths of love, loss, betrayal, and one broken man’s attempt to come to terms with his past, The Good Son successfully blends the classic style of the gumshoe era with the outer edges of modern noir.

RUSSEL MCLEAN writes for Crime Spree Magazine, The Big Thrill, At Central Booking and Crime Scene Scotland. His short fiction has been published in crime magazines in both US and the UK.

Audiobook Giveaway: THE SECRET LIFE OF MARILYN MONROE

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) audiobook copies of

THE SECRET LIFE OF MARILYN MONROE
by J. Randy Taraborrelli.

Rules for entering this giveaway are at the bottom of this post.

THE SECRET LIFE OF MARILYN MONROE

By J. Randy Taraborrelli

Read by Robert Petkoff

Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing

Category:  Biography & Autobiography

Format:  Audio Book

Subformat:  CD (audio)

Edition:  Abridged

Publish Date:  8/25/2009

Price:  $29.98/$32.98

ISBN:  9781600246517

Pages: 0

Description (from the publisher):
From the New York Times bestselling author comes the definitive and most psychologically revealing biography of one of the world's most iconic stars, Marilyn Monroe.

When Marilyn Monroe became famous in the 1950s, the world was told that her mother, Gladys Baker, was either dead or simply not a part of her life -- depending on the publicity campaign of the moment. However, that was not true. In fact, her mentally ill mother was very much present in Marilyn's world. The complex family dynamic that unfolded behind the scenes as Miss Monroe blazed a path to iconic glory is a story that has never before been told...until now.

In this groundbreaking book, Taraborrelli draws complex and sympathetic portraits of the powerful women so influential in the actress' life:

•Her mother, Gladys Baker, who gave up her daughter, Norma Jeane (Marilyn) after having two others kidnapped from her.

•Her foster mother, Ida Bolender, who raised Norma Jeane for seven years -- a woman whose brash but powerful approach to parenting has been completely misunderstood.

•The legal guardian, Grace Goddard, who helped create "Marilyn Monroe."

He also tells for the first time the potent story of Marilyn's closely guarded friendship with Pat Kennedy Lawford, sister of President John Kennedy; he sheds new light on Marilyn's so-called affair with JFK; and he reveals shocking information about Marilyn's relationship with Robert Kennedy.

An epic journey told by a master storyteller, this is the final word on the life of one of the most fascinating and elusive icons of the 20th Century.

Available in CD and Digital Download formats.

Listen to an excerpt.

Listen to a Podcast.

Visit JRandyTaraborelli.com.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, November 21, 2009.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Mailbox Monday: 11-03-09

(Now we're pretending it's Monday.)

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. If you'd like to join in, stop by Marcia's and leave a link - or just browse through the comments to see what new books have been showing up.




I received the following books last week, all for review:

from Hachette Book Group
MY PAPER CHASE
by Harold Evans








from Hachette Book Group
ONE HUNDRED BUTTERFLIES
by Harold Feinstein

from Hachette Book Group
ANSEL ADAMS
by Ansel Adams, et al.

From Algonquin
BETWEEN HERE AND APRIL
by Deborah Copaken Kogan

From Random House
FALLEN
by Lauren Kate

from Thomas Nelson

THE TALLEST OF SMALLS
by Max Lucado

The Sunday Salon on Monday - No wait! It's Tuesday!

Let's just pretend it's Sunday.


So, it's been mentioned to me that I have a lot of contests happening right now. Yes I do. And there will be still more. So what's up with that? Well, a few things. First of all, I think hosting contests is just plain fun. Secondly, I've been the lucky winner in lots of contests, and I want to spread the good luck around. And thirdly, it helps get my mind off some rather dreary goings on.

In the last couple of weeks, layoffs have hit both my household and my workplace. I, myself, am thankfully still employed but, needless to say, the situation is distressing and depressing. I'm well aware, though, that things could be worse. Much worse. Two children in our small state have recently passed away from complications of H1N1. What could be worse than the death of a young child? My heart goes out to their families while my fears settle on my own nieces and nephews and their playmates. Everyone is trying not to panic. They have begun innoculating kids at their schools, but that's a process that will take over a month. Meanwhile, at home, both J-Boy-9 and E-Girl-6 have developed coughs and up and down fevers. It's very worrisome, and all I really want to do is stay home with them. On the other hand, the health officials seem to be saying "Look. Most people are going to get it, get over it, and be done with it." So, I'm trying to carry on as ususal as much as possible.

Let's move on to my recent reading choices and see if we can cheer things up a bit. Hmmm. Not too likely. I've read two books recently that were both very good, but quite sad. The first one, LOOKING AFTER PIGEON by Maud Carol Markson, I read for a blog tour and have been unable to complete my review because I was so emotionally tangled up with the story. The second book, FROM HERE TO APRIL by Deborah Copaken Kogan, I undertook thinking it was more of a mystery-type story than it turned out to be. Each of these books deals with the subject of . . . let's see, how can I express this? . . .  how about "faulty mothering." It was a tactical error to read these two books back to back. Together they were just too emotionally draining but, as I said earlier, they are quite good. I'll post my reviews for both these books toward the end of the week and counterbalance each with a happy picture book review. 

I've received several absolutely gorgeous gift books for review, and I plan to post about them over the next week or so. I'll be posting several new giveaways, too. And as much as possible, my reading material will be light-hearted and upbeat. Or at the very least, not heart-wrenchingly sad. Coming up later today is my review of a charming little book, CHERRIES IN WINTER by Suzan Colon. It consists of lovely anecdotes of ways in which her family withstood hard times through the last several generations. It came to me at the perfect time!