Sunday, July 31, 2011

Mailbox Monday: August 1, 2011


Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at The Printed Page, is being hosted this month by Staci at Life in the Thumb. If you'd like to join in, stop by Staci'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?
 
LOST MEMORY OF SKIN
by Russell Banks


“Of the many writers working in the great tradition today, one of the best is Russell Banks.”
New York Times
by Jeffrey Archer


“One of the top ten storytellers in the world.”
---Los Angeles Times





CLAIM OF INNOCENCE
by Laura Caldwell

"Claim of Innocence is guaranteed to claim your weekend . . ." 
- New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner




by Hillary Jordan

“Hillary Jordan channels Nathaniel Hawthorne by way of Margaret Atwood in this fast-paced, dystopian thriller. Unputdownable.” 
—Valerie Martin, author of The Confessions of Edward Day
(Audio CD)


"She knows how to grab a reader - and not let them go."
          - USA Today
 
(from PaperBackSwap)

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Not My Giveaways - But, Boy, They Sure Look Good!


If you're like me, you're not comfortable unless you know where your next hundred books are coming from. And winning a book giveway can make my day - or week! So, looking to the future . . .

There are some wonderful book giveaways going on in the world of blogs. Here's some that I've entered that you might like in on, too. And most of these bloggers are giving away other titles that might interest you as well, so once you click through, be sure and check out their other giveaways.  AND, I might add to this post as the weekend goes on, so check back to see new listings.

Thank you to all the bloggers for hosting these giveaways and to the authors and publisheres for making the books available.

Good luck, everyone!

REIGN OF MADNESS
by Lynn Cullen

Debbie's Book Bag - US & Can. - Ends 08-11-11






BRING IT CLOSE
by Helen Hollick

Debbie's Book Bag - International - Ends 08-05-11







SKIRTING THE GRAVE
by Annette Blair

Debbie's Book Bag - U.S. only - Ends 08-04-11







A WEEKEND WITH MR. DARCY
by Victoria Connelly

Debbie's Book Bag - U.S. & Can. - Ends 08-02-11






THE KING'S WITCH
by Ceclia Holland

Debbie's Book Bag - U.S. only - Ends 08/01







AMERICAN HEIRESS
by Daisy Goodwin

Peeking Between the Pages - U.S. & Can. - Ends 08/06





THE GIRL IN THE GARDEN
by Kamala Nair

Peeking Between the Pages - U.S. & Can. - Ends 08/13





SHADOW OF A QUARTER MOON
by Eileen Clymer Schwab

Peeking Between the Pages - U.S. & Can. - Ends 08-13-11

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time - U.S. & Can. - Ends 08-11-11

Booking Mama - U.S. & Can. - Ends 08-04-11



YANKEE DOODLE DIXIE
by Lisa Patton

BermudaOnion's Weblog - U.S. & Can. - Ends 08-03-11

Peeking Between the Pages - U.S. & Can. - Ends 08-20-11









Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday: GHOST ON BLACK MOUNTAIN by Ann Hite


"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"
is hosted by Jill from

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .



Pub. Date: September 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
Format: Paperback , 352pp
ISBN-13: 9781451606423
ISBN: 1451606427
Edition Description: Simon & Schuster

Description (from the publisher):
Once a person leaves the mountain, they never come back, not really. They're lost forever.
 
Nellie Clay married Hobbs Pritchard without even noticing he was a spell conjured into a man, a walking, talking ghost story. But her mama knew. She saw it in her tea leaves: death. Folks told Nellie to get off the mountain while she could, to go back home before it was too late. Hobbs wasn’t nothing but trouble. He’d even killed a man. No telling what else. That mountain was haunted, and soon enough, Nellie would feel it too. One way or another, Hobbs would get what was coming to him. The ghosts would see to that. . . .
 
Told in the stunning voices of five women whose lives are inextricably bound when a murder takes place in rural Depression-era North Carolina, Ann Hite’s unforgettable debut spans generations and conjures the best of Southern folk-lore—mystery, spirits, hoodoo, and the incomparable beauty of the Appalachian landscape.

Click here to visit the author's website.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Releasing Today: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. TOM THUMB by Melanie Benjamin


I'm so excited about today's new release -- I just have to share the news!



Pub. Date: July 2011
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Format: Hardcover , 448pp
ISBN-13: 9780385344159
ISBN: 0385344155

Description (from the publisher):
In her national bestseller Alice I Have Been, Melanie Benjamin imagined the life of the woman who inspired Alice in Wonderland. Now, in this jubilant new novel, Benjamin shines a dazzling spotlight on another fascinating female figure whose story has never fully been told: a woman who became a nineteenth century icon and inspiration—and whose most daunting limitation became her greatest strength.
 

“Never would I allow my size to define me. Instead, I would define it.”


She was only two-foot eight-inches tall, but her legend reaches out to us more than a century later. As a child, Mercy Lavinia “Vinnie” Bump was encouraged to live a life hidden away from the public. Instead, she reached out to the immortal impresario P. T. Barnum, married the tiny superstar General Tom Thumb in the wedding of the century, and transformed into the world’s most unexpected celebrity.

Here, in Vinnie’s singular and spirited voice, is her amazing adventure—from a showboat “freak” revue where she endured jeering mobs to her fateful meeting with the two men who would change her life: P. T. Barnum and Charles Stratton, AKA Tom Thumb. Their wedding would captivate the nation, preempt coverage of the Civil War, and usher them into the White House and the company of presidents and queens. But Vinnie’s fame would also endanger the person she prized most: her similarly-sized sister, Minnie, a gentle soul unable to escape the glare of Vinnie’s spotlight.
 
A barnstorming novel of the Gilded Age, and of a woman’s public triumphs and personal tragedies, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb is the irresistible epic of a heroine who conquered the country with a heart as big as her dreams—and whose story will surely win over yours.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to visit the author's website.

Click here to read a Q&A with the author.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Mailbox Monday: July 25, 2011


Welcome to my fourth and final week of hosting Mailbox Monday during the month of July.  Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (f/k/a: The Printed Page). I've enjoyed playing hostess and I've tried to visit everyone who posted. My sister and I have been recovering from pneumonia (can you believe it?!!) and my nephew from bronchitus, so I'm a little behind in postings, but I'll catch up over the next few days. Thank you to everyone who stopped by this month. Next month, your host for Mailbox Monday will be Staci at Life in the Thumb. Be sure and stop by with your mailbox news.

If you'd like to join in, leave a link or a comment and tell us . . .

What's in your mailbox?

And remember to check the bottom of the post for a special giveaway to all those who link up this week.
The first week's winner was Caitlin of Chaotic Compendiums, and she chose the arc copy of THE UNCOUPLING by Meg Wolitzer. The second week's winner is Lori at Psychotic State, and she chose THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE by Jennifer Ross. The third week's winner is Andrea at So Many Books So Little Time and she has yet to choose her book.

COMING UP FOR AIR
by Patti Callahan Henry










(cd audio)


a win from Kai at Fiction State of Mind








A TRUE PRINCESS
by Diane Zahler

a win from Danielle at There's A Book








GIVEAWAY!!

All participants who link up are automatically entered to win one (1) copy of their choice from the following titles. I'll pick a winner on Wednesday night.

CRESCENDO by Becca Fitzpatrick (Advance Reader's Copy, unread)
THE MEMORY PALACE by Mira Bartok (Advance Reader's Copy, unread)
THE SECRET LIVES OF BABA SEGI'S WIVES by Lola Shoneyin (duplicate, hardcover, unread)
THE RAISING by Laura Kasischka (duplicate Advance Reader's Copy, unread)

Special thanks to all the authors, publishers, publicists, and bloggers who keep my mailbox so well fed!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Ditto Doubles: Butterfly Girl


You do have to look closely or enlarge the Jackson book, but this pretty little butterfly girl has certainly flitted from one cover to another!

I'm waiting for the audio version of BETWEEN, GEORGIA to arrive from PaperBack Swap.


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday: LIONHEART by Sharon Kay Penman


"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"
is hosted by Jill from

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .


Pub. Date: October 2011
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Format: Hardcover , 608pp
ISBN-13: 9780399157851
ISBN: 0399157859

Description (from the publisher):
From the New York Times-bestselling novelist, a stunning story of a great medieval warrior-king, the accomplished and controversial son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Richard, Coeur de Lion.
 
They were called "The Devil's Brood," though never to their faces. They were the four surviving sons of Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine. With two such extraordinary parents, much was expected of them.
 
But the eldest-charming yet mercurial-would turn on his father and, like his brother Geoffrey, meet an early death. When Henry died, Richard would take the throne and, almost immediately, set off for the Holy Land. This was the Third Crusade, and it would be characterized by internecine warfare among the Christians and extraordinary campaigns against the Saracens. And, back in England, by the conniving of Richard's youngest brother, John, to steal his crown.
 
In Lionheart, Sharon Kay Penman displays her remarkable mastery of historical detail and her acute understanding of human foibles. The result is a powerful story of intrigue, war, and- surprisingly-effective diplomacy, played out against the roiling conflicts of love and loyalty, passion and treachery, all set against the rich textures of the Holy Land.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Mailbox Monday: July 18, 2011


Welcome to my third week of hosting Mailbox Monday during the month of July.  Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (f/k/a: The Printed Page)

If you'd like to join in, leave a link or a comment and tell us . . .

What's in your mailbox?

And remember to check the bottom of the post for a special giveaway to all those who link up this week.
The first week's winner was Caitlin of Chaotic Compendiums and she chose the arc copy of THE UNCOUPLING by Meg Wolitzer. The second week's winner is Lori at Psychotic State, and she has yet to choose her book.

PINCH ME
by Adena Halpern

Watch for an upcoming giveaway!







by Susan McCorkindale

upcoming giveaway for this one, too!






by Bernie McGill

guess what?! Another one for an upcoming giveaway!
Look for it in August.





by Candice Millard







by Donna Milner

a win from Missy's Book Nook

thanks, Missy!








GIVEAWAY!!

All participants who link up are automatically entered to win one (1) copy of their choice from the following titles. I'll pick a winner on Wednesday night. (Last week's winner hasn't selected her book yet, so expect a change in the lineup of choices - besides, I'll probably add a book or two!)

THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE by Jennifer Ross (new, unread paperback)
CRESCENDO by Becca Fitzpatrick (Advance Reader's Copy, unread)
THE MEMORY PALACE by Mira Bartok (Advance Reader's Copy, unread)
THE SECRET LIVES OF BABA SEGI'S WIVES by Lola Shoneyin (duplicate, hardcover, unread)

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday: WITCHLANDERS by Lena Coakley


"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"
is hosted by Jill from

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .



Pub. Date: August 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Format: Hardcover , 416pp
Age Range: Young Adult
ISBN-13: 9781442420045
ISBN: 1442420049

Description (from the publisher):
High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

It’s all a fake.
 
At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?
 
But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—
 
Are about him.

Click here to visit the author's website.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays: THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU by Rosie Alison


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B. of Should Be Reading.



"He had vaguely assumed until then that any British deaths were those of incompetent soldiers, without his brother's verve or timing. Now, with William caught out, he glimpsed the roulette of survival on the front."

-- Page 70

Pub. Date: July 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
Format: Paperback , 336pp
ISBN-13: 9781451613971
ISBN: 1451613970

Monday, July 11, 2011

Book Review: BLIND FURY by Lynda LaPlante




Pub. Date: July 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
Format: Paperback , 512pp
ISBN-13: 9781439139301
ISBN: 143913930X

Description (from the publisher):
When the body of a young woman is discovered close to a highway service station, Detective Inspector Anna Travis is brought on to the team of investigators by her former lover and boss, Detective Chief Superintendent Langton. As more evidence is uncovered, the team realizes that they are contending with a triple murder investigation—and no suspect.

But then a murderer Anna helped arrest years ago makes contact from prison. Cameron Welsh insists that he can help track down the killer, but he will divulge his secrets only to Anna herself. Does he really have an insight into another criminal’s mind, or is he merely intent on getting into hers?
 
The team soon realizes that they are dealing with a killer whose deviousness has enabled him to commit horrific crimes, yet remain undetected for years. As the case draws to a close, Welsh’s obsession for Anna fuels a terrifying rage that will have disastrous consequences for Anna, who finds herself staring into the face of a desperate personal tragedy.

MY RATING:  4.5 Stars out of 5 -- Lots of suspense, rich details, an engaging heroine - Thoroughly enjoyable.

MY THOUGHTS:  oooooo! I had fun with this book! When I received an offer to review Lynda LaPlante's BLIND FURY, I didn't initially jump at the chance. I wasn't familiar with the author's work (or so I thought!) and BLIND FURY is the sixth novel in the Anna Travis series (not a problem at all!).  But it is the season for reading thrillers, and I do love British fiction, so . . . First I took a closer look at the author and discovered that she wrote the original Prime Suspect series (famously produced by Granada Television and starring the incomparable Dame Helen Mirran) as well as several other bestsellers. That was enough for me -- I LOVE the Prime Suspect series. It wouldn't be the first time I've plunged into the middle of a series, and I think that if a series novel is really good, it won't matter if you've read the previous titles.

As it turns out, BLIND FURY is one of the best thriller/police procedurals I've ever read. The characters are complex and interesting; the suspense is non-stop. But what really ranks it as a cut above the competition, is that I came away a bit more knowledgeable about British history. I generally consider the thriller genre to be a guilty pleasure -- as much as I love to indulge, I don't usually feel intellectually nourished. When I want a mystery with some substance, I turn to the likes of Peter Robinson or James Lee Burke. While LaPlante's book isn't so philosophically loaded, it did shine a light on an aspect of Bristish society and history of which I was unaware; specifically, the immigration of Poles during the period of WWII. (Sychronistically, stories of Polish immigrants are central to two other books currently on my nightstand -- 22 BRITANNIA ROAD by Amanda Hodgkinson and THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU by Rosie Alison. Isn't the world a funny place?!) In the case of BLIND FURY, Detective Inspector Anna Travis must consult with a convicted serial killer to determine who is responsible for a string of murders in which several of the victims are young Polish women.

Oh, wait a minute! Our heroine has to rely on help from a convicted serial killer? Hasn't that already been done? Sure, but not like this. Although the actions of the murderous Cameron Welsh result in this being a pivotal novel in the series, he's no Hannibal Lector, so readers shouldn't assume that they've met this character before.

Bottom line? I loved this book. I was completely engaged throughout -- 512 pages flew through my fingers. I like the flawed and damaged heroine, Anna Travis. I'm glad I can backtrack through the series and watch her make her way up through the ranks; and I'm really glad that the seventh book in the series, BLOODLINE, was recently released in the UK so I can find out where she's going!
About the author (from the publisher):
Lynda La Plante's fourteen novels, including the Prime Suspect series, have all been international bestsellers. She is an honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and a member of the UK Crime Writers Awards Hall of Fame. She was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 2008. She runs her own television production company and lives in London and Easthampton, New York.

Click here to visit the author's website.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in order to provide my honest opinion.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Spotlight and Book Giveaway: TO BE SUNG UNDERWATER by Tom McNeal

CLOSED.

Thanks to the generous folks at
I have been authorized to
 give away two (2) copies of
TO BE SUNG UNDERWATER
by Tom McNeal.

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



Description (from the publisher):
Judith Whitman always believed in the kind of love that "picks you up in Akron and sets you down in Rio." Long ago, she once experienced that love. Willy Blunt was a carpenter with a dry wit and a steadfast sense of honor. Marrying him seemed like a natural thing to promise. But Willy Blunt was not a person you could pick up in Nebraska and transport to Stanford. When Judith left home, she didn't look back.

Twenty years later, Judith's marriage is hazy with secrets. In her hand is what may be the phone number for the man who believed she meant it when she said she loved him. If she called, what would he say?


TO BE SUNG UNDERWATER is the epic love story of a woman trying to remember, and the man who could not even begin to forget.


Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Tom McNeal was born in Santa Ana, California, where his father and grandfather raised oranges. He spent part of every summer at the Nebraska farm where his mother was born and raised, and after earning a BA in English at UC Berkeley and an MFA in Creative Writing at UC Irvine, he taught school in the town that was the inspiration for his first novel, Goodnight, Nebraska. Tom has been a Wallace Stegner Fellow and a Jones Lecturer at Stanford University, and his short stories have been widely anthologized.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original 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.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, Hachette will only send one copy per household address.

Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, July 22, 2011.

• 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.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

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

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
This giveaway is now closed.

Mailbox Monday: July 11, 2011 and GIVEAWAY


Welcome to my second week of hosting Mailbox Monday during the month of July.  Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (f/k/a: The Printed Page)

If you'd like to join in, leave a link or a comment and tell us . . .

What's in your mailbox?

And remember to check the bottom of the post for a special giveaway to all those who link up this week.

REVIVAL:
A Folk Music Novel
by Scott Alarik

for review - I'm reading this now and really liking it - well, I'm an old folkie, so what can I say? Release date is September 15th.



SO MUCH TO SAY
Dave Matthews Band
20 Years on the Road
by Nikki Van Noy

hmmm - my mailbox is a bit musical this week! This is courtesy of Ashley at Simon & Schuster. Actually, she's keeping me very well read this summer!



THE MAP OF TIME
by Felix J. Palma

from the Atria Galley Grab - I've been lusting after this book for months

THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU
by Rose Alison

another one compliments of Atria Galley Grab (and I thought my request had been lost in the mail!)


A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES
by Deborah Harkness

a win from Felicia, the Geeky Blogger

as I told Felicia, I'm saving this one of next weekend when I'll be recovering from a minor medical procedure. I've wanted to read this one for almost a year, so it's really hard not to just dive in!

HOW I STOLE JOHNNY DEPP'S ALIEN GIRLFRIEND
by Gary Ghislain

a win from Cheryl at the Children's and Teen's Book Connection

started reading this one from a pdf with my nephew and we both love it! however, he's not crazy about the pdf format, so I was thrilled to be able to hand him the "real" thing!

Thank you to all the authors, publishers, publicists, and fellow bloggers for feeding my mailbox this week!



GIVEAWAY!!

All participants who link up are automatically entered to win one (1) copy of their choice from the following titles. I'll pick a winner on Wednesday night. (Last week's winner hasn't selected her book yet, so expect a change in the lineup of choices - besides, I'll probably add a book or two!)

THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE by Jennifer Ross (new, unread paperback)
CRESCENDO by Becca Fitzpatrick (Advance Reader's Copy, unread)
THE UNCOUPLING by Meg Wolitzer (Advance Reader's Copy, unread)
THE MEMORY PALACE by Mira Bartok (Advance Reader's Copy, unread)