Thursday, March 25, 2010

Wonderful Win: THE WIVES OF HENRY OADES by Johanna Moran


Last night when I arrived home from work, I was thrilled to literally trip over my newly delivered copy of THE WIVES OF HENRY OADES by Johanna Moran. I don't mind falling down if it's over a great new book! I'd won my copy in a giveaway hosted by Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit. And it was delivered FAST! Thanks for hosting the contest, Serena!

You can read Serena's review here.

Click here to connect to other blogs stops on the tour organized by TLC Book Tours.


by Johanna Moran

Pub. Date: February 2010
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Format: Paperback, 384pp
ISBN-13: 9780345510952
ISBN: 034551095X

Description (from the publisher):
When Henry Oades accepts an accountancy post in New Zealand, his wife, Margaret, and their children follow him to exotic Wellington. But while Henry is an adventurer, Margaret is not. Their new home is rougher and more rustic than they expected—and a single night of tragedy shatters the family when the native Maori stage an uprising, kidnapping Margaret and her children.

For months, Henry scours the surrounding wilderness, until all hope is lost and his wife and children are presumed dead. Grief-stricken, he books passage to California. There he marries Nancy Foreland, a young widow with a new baby, and it seems they’ve both found happiness in the midst of their mourning—until Henry’s first wife and children show up, alive and having finally escaped captivity.

Narrated primarily by the two wives, and based on a real-life legal case, The Wives of Henry Oades is the riveting story of what happens when Henry, Margaret, and Nancy face persecution for bigamy. Exploring the intricacies of marriage, the construction of family, the changing world of the late 1800s, and the strength of two remarkable women, Johanna Moran turns this unusual family’s story into an unforgettable page-turning drama.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to view the Reader's Guide.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Johanna Moran comes from a long line of writers and lawyers. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her husband, John. The Wives of Henry Oades is her first novel.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday: FALLING TO HEAVEN by Jeanne M. Peterson


"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"
is hosted by Jill from

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

I like learning about history through reading fiction, so

My pick for this week is . . .

by Jeanne M. Peterson
Thomas Dunne Books
3/30/2010
ISBN: 978-0-312-53392-2
ISBN10: 0-312-53392-6
5-1/2 x 8-1/4 inches
336 pages

Description (from the publisher):
A stirring glimpse into the culture of Tibet . . . A moving account of religion and love  . . . A powerful debut by a talented new writer

In 1954 Emma and Gerald Kittredge leave their secure Quaker community and travel to the small Tibetan town of Shigatse where they soon find companionship with their neighbors, Dorje and Rinchen, and their sons Dawa and Chumpa. But the arrival of Maoist soldiers into their quiet life shatters everything.

Gerald is captured by the soldiers, leaving a pregnant Emma at the mercy of her Tibetan neighbors; relying on them for survival and spiritual support. Dorje and Rinchen cope with their sons; one who chooses a path of violence, despite his monastic life, and the other who must grow up amid political struggle. Told in three distinct voices rich in their respective spiritual traditions, Falling to Heaven is ultimately a novel about faith: losing it and rediscovering it in places you’d never expect.

In a startlingly poignant voice, debut writer Peterson explores the duality of religion as both the Quakers and Buddhists reconcile their spiritual tenets. And through it all, the reader witnesses an overwhelming beauty—in the lush Himalayas of Tibet, considered the ceiling of the world, in a place believed to be the closest to heaven.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Jeanne M. Peterson is a clinical psychologist who worked for years with survivors of torture and communist reeducation from all over Asia. In her free time she facilitates an advanced writing group for San Diego Writers Ink, where she lives with her two sons.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Blog Tour and Book Review #45: SONGBIRD UNDER A GERMAN MOON by Tricia Goyer



Pub. Date: February 2010
Publisher: Summerside Press
Format: Paperback, 320pp
ISBN-13: 9781935416685
ISBN: 1935416685
 
Description (from the publisher):
The year is 1945. The war is over and 21-year-old Betty Lake has been invited to Europe to sing in a USO tour for American soldiers who now occupy Hitler's Germany. The first night's performance is a hit. Betty becomes enthralled with the applause, the former Nazi-held mansion they're housed in and the attention of Frank Witt, the US Army Signal Corp Photographer. Yet the next night this songbird is ready to fly the coop when Betty's dear friend, Kat, turns up missing. Betty soon realizes Frank's photographs could be the key to finding Kat. Betty and Frank team up against post-war Nazi influences and the two lovebirds' hearts may find the answers...in each other. But will they have a chance for their romance to sing? The truth will be revealed under a German moon.

My Rating: 3 Stars out of 5 - a light and enjoyable read

My Thoughts:
SONGBIRD UNDER A GERMAN MOON represents my first real foray into reading Christian fiction. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I was curious. I decided that I was most likely missing out on some well-written books, and wondered exactly what it was that was causing me to resist the genre. I think my main concern was that I didn't want to feel preached to. Then I wondered why I might feel that way. After all, I read books about a wide variety of cultures and beliefs, I usually feel more understanding and respect for those cultures and more tolerance toward different beliefs after I've read about them. When I read a book with non-Christian characters and one of them refers to their spiritual beliefs, offers up a prayer to Allah, or spends time before a Hindu shrine, I don't feel as though I am being pressured to adopt those beliefs. Rather, I take it as an opportunity to learn, to gain insight not only into the character but to another culture as well. So why couldn't I approach Christian fiction with the same attitude? I decided to read a few books, consider their literary inpact on me, and write about them here I my blog. And so, I did.

I like reading historical fiction and one of my favorite periods to read about is the WWII era. I also like mysteries and the occasional romance. In SONGBIRD UNDER A GERMAN MOON, Tricia Goyer weaves all three of those strands together and creates a WWII historical with a rather transparent mystery and a predictable romance -- but it all makes for a pleasant read. It might be hard to imagine that a story set in Germany immediately after the end of the war could be a light read, but I compared it to Hollywood movies from the same period -- the handsome and brave American hero, the beautiful spunky yet vulnerable heroine, the sinister bad guy who gets his comeuppence . . .

As I said, this was an enjoyable read. Goyer has a nice, clear writing style - the kind that looks easy but surely isn't. Her descriptions of a war-torn Germany are evocotive and transport the reader back through the decades. I learned a few things about the war that I didn't anticipate - mostly about the plight of displaced persons and the way that Hitler was influenced by Wagner's operas. I'm rather embarrassed to say that I had no idea he pretty much used Wagner's masterpieces as a sort of soundtrack for his cause. I also like that Goyer worked into the story line the fact that many soldiers were so young when they joined the military, they had not yet graduated from high school. During the course of the war, they matured from boys to men, rid the world of an unspeakable evil, and yet didn't have the education to get a decent job. After all they had been through, they still had to tackle algebra!

Both central characters, Betty and Frank, are easy to like. Betty is sensitive and empathetic, with a gift for putting others at ease. Despite her youth, she has a strong sense of self and a determination to help others and generally do the right thing. She would be a steadfast and loyal friend. Frank's work as a war photographer provides a means and a cover for his more critical job gathering intelligence for the military, and that dangerous responsibility has also aided him in shielding his heart from love. Neither Frank nor Betty are actually looking for love but, when they meet, each can't help but wonder if the time isn't right after all.

So, what did I think about the Christian aspect of the book? I think Goyer did a terrific job of creating characters whose faith is central to their lives without actually preaching to the reader. Frank and Betty each draw strength and comfort from their faith. They occasionally ask for help or offer prayers of thanks. Goyer deftly made their faith a part of their personalities but only an aspect of the story. There's no proselytizing in this book; rather, Frank and Betty are examples of good, caring people who happen to be Christian.
 
Click here to read an excerpt.

WHAT ERA? CONTEST!
Leave a comment on Tricia’s blog or send an email through her website CONNECT page and answer this question: What era in history do you wish you'd lived in and why?

Earn extra entries by signing up for Tricia's newsletter here, becoming a Fan on Facebook or Tweeting about the contest on Twitter (use hashtag #songbird)!

You’ll be entered to win one of three signed copies of Songbird Under a German Moon.

Click here to visit the author's website.
 
 About the author (from the publisher):
Tricia Goyer is an award-winning author of twelve novels, more than 300 articles and six nonfiction books. In researching for her WWII novels, Tricia has interviewed over one hundred veterans and service women involved in support efforts. She has also traveled to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria for research. She lives with her husband and three children in Kalispell, Montana.

Click here to visit other websites on this blog tour.

Thank you to Stephanie and Amy at LitFuse Publicity
for organizing this tour and providing me with my review copy.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Mailbox Monday 03-22-10


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.

What's in your mailbox?




DEAD END GENE POOL: A Memoir

by Wendy Burden











THE POACHER'S SON
by Paul Doiron

Through Barnes & Noble First Look Program







SILENT SCREAM
by Karen Rose

from Hachette Book Group for review






HERESY
by S.J. Parris

For review from Random House






THE CLOUDS ROLL AWAY
by Sibella Giorello

For review from Phenix & Phenix Literary Publisicts




MOM STILL LIKES YOU BEST:
The Unfinished Business Between Siblings
by Jane Isay

From Doubleday for review.




EYE OF THE RED TSAR
by Sam Eastland

For review through Library Thing's Early Reviewer Program

Recent Giveaway Winners!

Graphic courtesy of Cupcakes for Clara.



LAURA RIDER'S MASTERPIECE
by Jane Hamilton

#12 Enyl
#73 Dina
#89 CherylS22


BLACK HILLS (HC)
by Dan Simmons

#26 Marjorie
#38 Kristi
#61 409cope
#64 Beth
#122 Anita



DROOD
by Dan Simmons

#40 ScorpioM
#48 xxsquigglesxx
#91 skkorman
#99 bettycd
#128 Deb

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

- Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered. If you weren't one of the lucky ones in these drawings, 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 Hachette Book Group
 for making these giveaways possible.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Giveaway and Book Review #44: THE CRAZY SCHOOL by Cornelia Read


Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,
I have been authorized to
 give away five (5) copies of
THE CRAZY SCHOOL
by Cornelia Read.

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



Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Category: Fiction
Format: Trade Paperback
Publish Date: 2/12/2010
Price: $13.99/$16.99
ISBN: 9780446198202
Pages: 352
Size: 5-1/4" x 8"

Description (from the author):
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 Syracuse, New York, for the lush Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. After her husband's job offer falls through, Maddie signs on as a teacher at the Santangelo Academy, a boarding school for disturbed teenagers. Behind the academy's ornate gates, she discovers a disturbing realm where students and teachers alike must submit to the founder's bizarre therapeutic regimen.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

My Thoughts:  Like a lot of protagonists in crime fiction, Madeline Dare is tough as nails on the outside and just shy of marshmallow on the inside. She's smarter than average, and her tendency to think too much gets her into trouble again and again. What is it with smarter than average, tough but tender crime fiction characters that makes their brains turn off and their mouths go into overdrive? I don't know, but thank goodness they do because that's what makes the story.

In Cornelia Read's second Maddie Dare novel, THE CRAZY SCHOOL, we catch up with Maddie after circumstances force her into a teaching position at the only school that will employ her -- a last-stop boarding school for socially and psychologically troubled rich kids. At Santangelo Academy, it can be difficult to distinguish the discipline from the therapy, and everyone follows the same bizarre rules -- students as well as teachers and staff. It's not long before Maddie has her back to the wall as she tries to keep the most disturbed students and faculty at bay while simultaneously trying to isolate victims from victimizers.

I like the character of Maddie Dare. She's smart, but not smart enough to have all the answers. She's got a sharp wit and, like all of my favorite crime fiction heros, she questions herself as well as authority. It's those inner explorations of the character's own mind and motivations that make crime fiction so compelling to me.

Occasionally while reading THE CRAZY SCHOOL, I thought the author went a bit over the top. It wasn't always easy to believe that some of the practices at Santangelo Academy would be allowed to continue for as long as they did. But I told myself to suspend disbelief and just go with it for a while. After all, some truly bizarre "therapies" have been common practice in the past, but I won't give any examples lest I offend anyone who might have benefited from them. (See, I'm not smarter than average -- my mouth barely operates in first gear, nevermind overdrive. Sigh, guess I'll never be a crime fiction protagonist!)

I enjoyed THE CRAZY SCHOOL. It was a nice blend of stimulating and escapist fiction. And I'm looking forward to the next Maddie Dare novel, THE INVISABLE BOY, which is due out this month.



About the author (from the publisher):
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 http://www.corneliaread.com/.

Questions for Discussion

1. Maddie is the only Santangelo Academy teacher who lives off campus. How does this affect her views of what is “normal”?

2. Wiesner tells Maddie she is “too whacked to maintain appropriate boundaries” and has issues with authority. Do you agree? Does anyone at Santangelo maintain “appropriate” boundaries?

3. Maddie claims she hates Mindy because she is so shallow. What does this assessment reveal about Maddie herself? How does the generally negative nature of Maddie’s worldview affect the outcome of this particular narrative?

4. Maddie wants to believe that Santangelo can “fix” her. What is broken in her life?

5. The school uses a lot of phrases such as “firing yourself ” and “doing a turn-in.” Many groups use language to create a shared sense of identity. When can this be beneficial, and when can this be dangerous?

6. What are the author’s views on therapy, as expressed by Maddie? Do you agree with her?

7. Why does Maddie stay on as a teacher at Santangelo? Is it only about the paycheck for her?

8. While he never appears in the novel, Maddie’s father is discussed twice during the course of the story. What impact do you think his mental illness has had on her development and on her issues with “authority”?

9. What might be different about this novel if Dean had a steady job? What do you think of his attitude about drug testing—is he standing up for individual rights, or should he put down the bong and get over himself already?

10. Could Maddie have been a more effective advocate for her students if she’d played by the Santangelo rules? What would this have meant for Fay and Mooney, specifically? Should she have “done a turn-in” with regard to their secret?

11. What impact has the advent of psychotherapeutic drugs such as Prozac had on the public perception of “talk therapy”?

12. Has the influence of such psychiatric authorities as Freud and Jung been diminished or enhanced by advances in our understanding of neurochemistry over the last two decades? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

13. How do you think Maddie will respond when she hears about the events of the final chapter? Did what happened change your perception of Wiesner and Sitzman?

14. Is the final word of the book, uttered by Sitzman, significant? Does its use here tie in with the discussion of campus prohibitions against it in chapter one? How would the novel be impacted if there were no profanity used by any of its characters?


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, March 28, 2010.

• 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. I use Random.org to determine the winners.

Thank you to Valerie
at Hachette Book Group
for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Audiobook Giveaway: WORST CASE by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge


Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,
I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) audiobook copies of
WORST CASE
by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge.

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

Read by Bobby Cannavale, Orlagh Cassidy, John Glover

Publisher: Hachette Audio
Category: Fiction, Suspense & Thrillers
Format: Audio Book
Subformat: CD (Audio)
Edition: Unabridged
Publish Date: 2/1/2010
Price: $39.98/$49.98
ISBN: 9781600247842
Pages: 0

Description (from the publisher):
One by one, children of New York's wealthiest are taken hostage. But the criminal doesn't crave money or power--he only wants to ask the elite if they know the price others pay for their luxurious lifestyles. And, if they don't, he corrects their ignorance--by killing them.

To Detective Michael Bennett, it becomes clear that these murders are linked and must be part of a greater, more public demonstration. With the city thrown into chaos, he is forced to team up with FBI agent Emily Parker, and the two set out to capture the killer before he begins his most public lesson yet--a deadly message for the entire city to witness.

From the bestselling author who brought you the Alex Cross novels comes James Patterson's most action-packed series yet. With the heart-pounding suspense that only Patterson delivers, WORST CASE will leave you gasping for breath until the very end.

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, April 4, 2010.

• 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. I use Random.org to determine winners.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group
for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

My Favorite Reads #11: THE LEMUR by Benjamin Black

Alyce of At Home with Books hosts My Favorite Reads, a weekly feature spotlighting favorite reads from pre-blogging days. Because it's been a while since the books were read, these posts are not reviews per se, but rather impressionistic remembrances of a positive reading experience. I think of this feature as an opportunity to more deeply explore the range of my reading interests and those of other book bloggers and readers of book blogs outside of the current crop of new releases.

Do you have an old favorite that you'd like to share?




Picador
June 2008
ISBN: 978-0-312-42808-2
ISBN10: 0-312-42808-1
5-1/2 x 8-1/4 inches
144 pages

Description (from the publisher):
John Glass's life in New York should be plenty comfortable. He's given up his career as a journalist to write an authorized biography of his father-in-law, communications magnate and former CIA agent Big Bill Mulholland. He works in a big office in Mulholland Tower, rent-free, and goes home (most nights) to his wealthy and well-preserved wife, Wild Bill's daughter. He misses his old life sometimes, but all in all things have turned out well.

But when his shifty young researcher--a man he calls "The Lemur"--turns up some unflattering information about the family, Glass's whole easy existence is threatened. Then the young man is murdered, and it's up to Glass to find out what The Lemur knew, and who killed him, before any secrets come out--and before any other bodies appear.

Shifting from 1950s Dublin to contemporary New York, the masterful crime writer Benjamin Black returns in this standalone thriller--a story of family secrets so deep, and so dangerous, that anyone might kill to keep them hidden.

Why I chose this book:
I read THE LEMUR back in September of 2008, and this taut literary thriller continues to haunt me.  It's classic noir. If you like fiction that has you teetering along the edge of an abyss, this is a novel you don't want to miss. Here's part of what I wrote in my 2008 review for the Library Thing Early Reviewers Program:

"That cloud on the cover is NOT cigarette smoke -- it's the oppressive haze of despairing hopelessness that weights the entire novel. It's short; which is good because much more would be suffocating. The writing is elegantly beautiful. And -- dare I say? -- it packs a wallop! Highly recommended."
Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Benjamin Black is the pen name of John Banville, who was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1945. His novels have won numerous awards, mostly recently the Man Booker Prize in 2005 for The Sea. Under the name Benjamin Black he is also the author of Christine Falls and The Silver Swan. He lives in Dublin.

Spotlight and Book Giveaway: THE ART OF CHOOSING by Sheena Iyengar


Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,
I have been authorized to
 give away five (5) copies of
THE ART OF CHOOSING
by Sheena Iyengar.

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


Publisher: Twelve
Category: Psychology, Self-Help
Format: Hardcover Book
Publish Date: 3/1/2010
Price: $25.99/$31.99
ISBN: 9780446504102
Pages: 352
Size:6" x 9"

Description (from the publisher):
Every day we make choices. Coke or Pepsi? Save or spend? Stay or go? Whether mundane or life-altering, these choices define us and shape our lives. Sheena Iyengar asks the difficult questions about how and why we choose: Is the desire for choice innate or bound by culture? Why do we sometimes choose against our best interests? How much control do we really have over what we choose? Sheena Iyengar's award-winning research reveals that the answers are surprising and profound. In our world of shifting political and cultural forces, technological revolution, and interconnected commerce, our decisions have far-reaching consequences.


Click here to view the author's Columbia University website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Sheena Iyengar's groundbreaking research on choice has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Security Education Program. She holds degrees from UPenn, The Wharton School of Business, and Stanford University. She is a professor at Columbia University, and a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award. Her work is regularly cited in periodicals as diverse as Fortune and Time magazines, the NYT and the WSJ, in books such as Blink and The Paradox of Choice.



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, April 10, 2010.

• 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 Valerie
at Hachette Book Group
for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Spotlight and Book Giveaway: THE UNDERVALUED SELF by Elaine N. Aron, PhD


Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,
I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) copies of
THE UNDERVALUED SELF
by Elaine N. Aron, PhD.

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


Publisher: Little, Brown & Company 
Category: Selp-Help
Format: Hardcover Book
Publish Date: 3/8/2010
Price: $25.99/$31.99
ISBN: 9780316066990
Pages: 288
Size: 6" x 9-1/4"

Description (from the publisher):
Elaine Aron follows up her bestsellers on the highly sensitive person with a groundbreaking new book on the undervalued self. She explains that self-esteem results from having a healthy balance of love and power in our lives. Readers will learn to incorporate love into situations that seem to require power and deal with power struggles that mask themselves as issues of love. From the bedroom to the boardroom, her strategies will enable us to escape feelings of shame, defeat, and depression; dissolve relationship hostility; and become our best selves.




About the author (from the publisher):
Elaine Aron, Ph.D., is recognized internationally as one of the leading scientists studying the psychology of love and close relationships. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Time Magazine, and National Geographic, and she has appeared on national morning shows on many networks. She is the author of The Highly Sensitive Person, The Highly Sensitive Person in Love, and The Highly Sensitive Child. She divides her time between New York and San Francisco.



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, April 9, 2010.

• 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. I use Random.org to determine the winners.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group
for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Waiting on Wednesday: THIS BODY OF DEATH by Elizabeth George


"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"
is hosted by Jill from

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .


A British and brooding detective
 . . . it doesn't get any better than this!



Pub. Date: April 20, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Hardcover, 704pp
Sales Rank: 300
Series: Inspector Lynley Series, #15
ISBN-13: 9780061160882
ISBN: 0061160881

Descripton (from the publisher):
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George is back with a spellbinding tale of mystery and murder featuring Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley.

On compassionate leave after the murder of his wife, Thomas Lynley is called back to Scotland Yard when the body of a woman is found stabbed and abandoned in an isolated London cemetery. His former team doesn't trust the leadership of their new department chief, Isabelle Ardery, whose management style seems to rub everyone the wrong way. In fact, Lynley may be the sole person who can see beneath his superior officer's hard-as-nails exterior to a hidden—and possibly attractive—vulnerability.

While Lynley works in London, his former colleagues Barbara Havers and Winston Nkata follow the murder trail south to the New Forest. There they discover a beautiful and strange place where animals roam free, the long-lost art of thatching is very much alive, and outsiders are not entirely welcome. What they don't know is that more than one dark secret lurks among the trees, and that their investigation will lead them to an outcome that is both tragic and shocking.

A multilayered jigsaw puzzle of a story skillfully structured to keep readers guessing until the very end, This Body of Death is a magnificent achievement from a writer at the peak of her powers.

Book Giveaway: THE 3-DAY CLEANSE by Zoe Sakoutis and Erika Huss


Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,
I have been authorized to
 give away five (5) copies of
THE 3-DAY CLEANSE
by Zoe Sakoutis and Erika Huss.

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


by Zoe Sakoutis & Erica Huss

Publisher: Wellness Central
Category: Health & Fitness
Format: Trade Paperback
Publish Date: 3/25/2010
Price: $15.99/$19.99
ISBN: 9780446545716
Pages: 240
Size: 5-1/2" x 8-1/4"

Description (from the publisher):
Celebrities, foodies, and media people rely on the Blueprint Cleanse for relief from the excess, overindulgence, and toxins we are all exposed to every day. Now, the founders of the cleanse praised in Elle, Vogue, and Every Day with Rachel Ray, offer THE 3-DAY CLEANSE, an at-home juice cleansing program for everyone.

Cleansing allows the digestive system to rest so you can rid yourself of the toxins everyone accumulates, whether from unhealthy eating or simply from our environment. The 3-DAY CLEANSE offers a customized program based on your own personal health and lifestyle. Unlike other cleanses, the Blueprint Cleanse includes sufficient calories and natural fats, making for an easier yet incredibly effective cleanse.

This books guides readers through step-by-step guidelines for a 1-day, 3-day, and 14-day cleanse, as well as a long-term maintenance plan. Throughout are sidebars, quick tips, secrets and advice from people who have successfully done the cleanse. In addition to the juice, raw, and partially-raw food recipes in the book, the authors include advice on battling the urge to cheat and working the cleanse into a busy lifestyle.

Prepare to boost your immune system, alleviate allergies and PMS, improve your mood and sex drive, and clear up your skin. Finally, the juice service adored by many is available for you to create in your own home!

About the authors (from the publisher):
Zoe Sakoutis and Erica Huss Jones are the founders of the Blueprint Cleanse. Huss Jones has a background in Public Relations, and Sakoutis is an accredited Nutritional Consultant.

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, April 2, 2010.

• 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. I use Random.org to determine winners.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group
for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Audiobook Giveaway: BLACK HILLS by Dan Simmons


Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,
I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) audiobook copies of
BLACK HILLS
by Dan Simmons.

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


Read by Erik Davies, Michael McConnohie

Publisher: Hachette Audio
Category: Fiction
Format: AUDIO BOOK
Subformat: CD (AUDIO)
Edition: Unabridged
Publish Date: 2/24/2010
Price: $39.98/$49.98
ISBN: 9781600247866
Pages: 0

Description (from the publisher):
Paha Sapa, a young Sioux warrior, first encounters General George Armstrong Custer as Custer lies dying on the battlefield at Little Bighorn. He believes--as do the holy men of his tribe--that the legendary general's ghost entered him at that moment and will remain with him until Sapa convinces him to leave.

In BLACK HILLS, Dan Simmons weaves the stories of Paha Sapa and Custer together seamlessly, depicting a violent and tumultuous time in the history of Native Americans and the United States Army. Haunted by the voice of the general his people called "Long Hair," Paha Sapa lives a long life, driven by a dramatic vision he experiences in the Black Hills that are his tribe's homeland. As an explosives worker on the massive Mount Rushmore project, he may finally be rid of his ghosts--on the very day FDR comes to South Dakota to dedicate the Jefferson face.

Click here to listen to an excerpt.

About the author (from the publisher):
Dan Simmons is the award-winning author of several novels, including the New York Times bestsellers Olympos and The Terror. He lives in Colorado. Visit www.dansimmons.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, April 3, 2010.

• 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. I use Random.org to determine the winners.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group
for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.