Giveaway Winners! HOW TO RULE THE WORLD FROM YOUR COUCH

HOW TO RULE THE WORLD FROM YOUR COUCH

by Laura Day

. . . and the couch-rulers are:

Gaby317

Beth P.

Congratulations, Ladies!

Thank you to everyone

who stopped by and entered.

Be sure and check out the sidebar
 for more book giveaways.

Giveaway Winners! THE SMART ONE AND THE PRETTY ONE

WE'VE GOT SOME WINNERS!

Congratulations, Ladies!

THE SMART ONE AND THE PRETTY ONE

by Claire LaZebnik

. . . and the winners are:

Benita G.

Pam R.

Sarah Z.

Renee T.

Brenda R.

Please take a few minutes to check out Brenda's new giveaway blog, DanceAlertReads.  She'll be listing book giveaways and other fun stuff. Thanks, Brenda!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered the contest - please check my sidebar for other current book giveaways.

Giveaway: THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

In celebration of its upcoming movie release,

Hachette Book Group

has generously authorized me to

give away five (5) copies of

THE LOVELY BONES

by Alice Sebold.

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

THE LOVELY BONES

by Alice Sebold

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Category: FICTION

Format: MASS MARKET

Edition: Media tie-in

Publish Date: 10/1/2009

Price: $7.99/$9.99

ISBN: 9780316044400

Pages: 400

Size: 4-3/16" x 6-3/4"

Description (from the publisher):
Once in a generation a novel comes along that taps a vein of universal human experience, resonating with readers of all ages. THE LOVELY BONES is such a book -- a #1 bestseller celebrated at once for its artistry, for its luminous clarity of emotion, and for its astonishing power to lay claim to the hearts of millions of readers around the world.

"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973."

So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue without her -- her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling. Out of unspeakable tragedy and loss, THE LOVELY BONES succeeds, miraculously, in building a tale filled with hope, humor, suspense, even joy.

The major motion picture version of THE LOVELY BONES, directed by Peter Jackson and starring Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, and Saoirse Ronan is scheduled for release on December 11, 2009.

Click here to access the Reading Guide.

Rules for entering this 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, October 17, 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 Valerie

at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Giveaway: DETECTIVES DON'T WEAR SEAT BELTS by Cici McNair

The folks at Hachette Book Group have generously authorized me to give away five (5) copies of DETECTIVES DON'T WEAR SEAT BELTS by Cici McNair. I haven't read this one yet, but I'm eagerly awaiting my review copy -- it looks like a fun and informative read!

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

DETECTIVES DON'T WEAR SEAT BELTS

by Cici McNair

Publisher: Center Street

Category: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Format: HARDCOVER BOOK

Publish Date: 9/23/2009

Price: $22.99/$27.99

ISBN: 9781599951874

Pages: 368

Size: 5-1/2" x 8-1/4"

Description (from the publisher):

Growing up in Mississippi, Cici McNair was always more the tomboy her mother supported than the Southern belle her father demanded. She escaped her suffocating upbringing the first chance she had to travel the world. Whether working at the Vatican in Rome or consorting with a gunrunner in Haiti, she lived a life of international adventure. When Cici finds herself in New York, divorced, broke, and fashionably starving to death in a Madison Avenue apartment, she impulsively decides to become a private detective.

But, as Cici soon learns, the world of P.I.s is tight-knit and made up almost exclusively of former law enforcement officers. By nature, they are a highly suspicious group and are especially wary of a newcomer with an untraceable past. Diligently working her way through the Yellow Pages, doggedly pursuing the slightest lead, Cici is finally hired by a private investigator willing to take a chance. The next day she's working side by side with a pair of seasoned detectives and a skip tracer who is scary to meet but like silk on the phone. She quickly realizes she'll need all her energy and wits to succeed in this new world.

Being a private investigator is as exciting and liberating as Cici ever dreamed, from creating a false identity on the spot on her first case in the field to surviving adrenaline-rushing car chases. Working with law enforcement, she goes undercover, dealing with the ruthless Born to Kill gang in Chinatown and the Middle Eastern counterfeiters west of Broadway. A detailed account of the hidden world and real-life cases of a P.I., this action-packed memoir is as entertaining as any detective novel you've ever read.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Rules for entering this 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.

• 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.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 24, 2009.

Thank you to Brianne
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Blog Tour and Book Review #21: GOLDENGROVE by Francine Prose

GOLDENGROVE

by Francine Prose

Pub. Date: September 2009

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback, 275pp

Sales Rank: 11,533

ISBN-13: 978006056002
ISBN: 0060560029

 
Synopsis (from the publisher):
At the center of Francine Prose's profoundly moving new novel is a young girl facing the consequences of sudden loss after the death of her sister. As her parents drift toward their own risky consolations, thirteen-year-old Nico is left alone to grope toward understanding and clarity, falling into a seductive, dangerous relationship with her sister's enigmatic boyfriend.

Over one haunted summer, Nico must face that life-changing moment when children realize their parents can no longer help them. She learns about the power of art, of time and place, the mystery of loss and recovery. But for all the darkness at the novel's heart, the narrative itself is radiant with the lightness of summer and charged by the restless sexual tension of teenage life.

Goldengrove takes its place among the great novels of adolescence, beside Henry James's The Awkward Age and L. P. Hartley's The Go-Between.

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 Stars

My Thoughts:

Francine Prose has written a beautifully sad and compelling coming of age story centered around the accidental death of a beloved older sister. I was immediately drawn into the story of how Nico comes to terms with this unimaginable loss while at the same time coping with the stress and confusion of early adolescence.

In late spring, Nico is barely 13 when the talented and beautiful Margaret drowns while they are out together on the lake by their home. The sisters have always had a close and loving relationship, with Nico’s affection bordering on adoration. Nico and her parents become isolated from each other in their grief. I completely sympathized when Nico remarked that she kept wanting to tell Margaret about how “goofy” their parents were acting until she remembers why they’re acting that way – and therefore she can’t tell Margaret.

The family descends into grief, but the novel is not heavy or torturous. Rather, it is luminous - a word I usually avoid because of its overuse, but is clearly the mot juste in this instance. The author’s writing is beautifully descriptive and evocative.

“Margaret’s death had shaken us, like three dice in a cup, and spilled us out with new faces in unrecognizable combinations. We forgot how we used to live in our house, how we’d passed the time when we lived there. We could have been sea creatures stranded on the beach, puzzling over an empty shell that reminded us of the ocean.” (Page 51)

As the story progresses, Nico becomes involved with Margaret’s slightly unbalanced boyfriend, Aaron. Nico wants to understand and know Margaret better. Aaron wants Nico to be Margaret.

Over the course of the summer, Nico learns how to deal with her grief and not only how, but that she must, move past it.

“I came to understand that Margaret’s death was an entity, separate from Margaret. My sister would always love me. But her death was a monster that would rip me apart, if it could. Time passed; the monster aged and lost some, but not all, of its power to ambush and wound me.” (Page 272)

GOLDENGROVE by Francine Prose is a lovely novel. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes coming of age stories or simply enjoys beautiful writing.

Click here to connect to other stops on the Blog Tour and read more reviews of Goldengrove.

Click here to listen to the Book Club Girl On Air Show with Francine Prose.

About the author (from the publisher):
Known as much for her wit as she is for her eclecticism, Francine Prose is a true renaissance woman of the literary set. She has written essays, art and literary reviews, translations, children’s books, novellas, and short stories -- not to mention bitingly humorous novels like Bigfoot Dreams and Blue Angel.

Thank you to Trish at TLC Book Tours

for organizing this tour

and supplying me with my review copy.

Waiting on Wednesday: THE HERETIC'S WIFE by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

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

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

THE HERETIC'S WIFE

by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

St. Martin's Press

March 2010

"A novel that illuminates the public pageantry and the private passions of men and women of conscience in the treacherous times of Tudor England." (from the publisher)

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author:
The oldest of three children, Brenda was born in 1945 in White County, Tennessee, to a World War II veteran and his "Rosie the Riveter" wife. She grew up in a series of small towns in the Southeastern United States. The Illuminator, a story of love, art, and religion, is dedicated to Brenda's parents, Barney and Arlene Rickman. Brenda still resides in Nashville with her husband of 31 years to whom her second novel is dedicated. The Mercy Seller was published by St. Martin's Press in hardcover in March of 2007. The paperback edition was released from St. Martin's Griffin, April, 2008.

Lookalikes: ooh, ooh, ooh! What a little Photoshop can do!

LOST AND FOUND

by Carolyn Parkhurst

THE SONG READER

by Lisa Tucker

Blog Tour and Book Review #20: THE PROMISED WORLD by Lisa Tucker

THE PROMISED WORLD

by Lisa Tucker

Pub. Date: September 2009

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group

Format: Hardcover, 336pp

Sales Rank: 7,891

ISBN-13: 9781416575382

ISBN: 1416575383

Synopsis (from the publisher):
Lisa Tucker captures the hidden heart of the modern family. In her widely acclaimed novels, she has established her unique gift for depicting the bewildering nature of love, the poignant quest to belong, and the deep desire for a place to call home.

Now from the bestselling author of The Cure for Modern Life and Once Upon a Day comes a riveting story of suspense about a literature professor whose carefully constructed life is shattered after the death of her twin brother and the unraveling of the secret world they shared.

On a March afternoon, while Lila Cole is working in her quiet office, her twin brother Billy points an unloaded rifle out of a hotel window, closing down a city block. "Suicide by police" was obviously Billy's intended result, but the aftermath of his death brings shock after shock for Lila when she discovers that her brilliant but troubled twin — the person she revered and was closer to than anyone in the world — was not only estranged from his wife, but also charged with endangering the life of his middle child and namesake, eight-year-old William.

As Lila struggles to figure out what was truth and what was fiction in her brother's complicated past, her job, her marriage, and even her sanity will be put at risk. And when the hidden meaning behind Billy's stories comes to light, she will have to act before Billy's children are destroyed by the same heartbreaking reality that shattered her protector and twin more than twenty years ago.

A love song to the redemptive power of books and stories, The Promised World is a mesmerizing tale of intimacy, betrayal, and lost innocence that will haunt readers long after they haveturned the final page.

My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

My thoughts:

THE PROMISED WORLD by Lisa Tucker is certainly a haunting and disturbing story but one well worth taking on. This story proves Tolstoy's famous opening line of ANNA KARENINA: 
Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. The dysfunctional home in which Lila and her twin brother Billy grew up is unlike any other. But just what happened to them is so deeply buried that even Lila is unaware of the exact truth. Lila is a professor of literature, and she finds solace and security in American fiction. As becomes clear pretty quickly, she has found solace and security in a fictionalized past as well. After Billy commits "suicide by police" she begins to take apart their past piece by piece as she searches for answers as to exactly what drove Billy to this crushingly cruel final act.

Told from several different viewpoints, THE PROMISED WORLD examines how the same events can be experienced and interpreted differently by each individual involved. The suspense of discovering the truth kept me turning page after page. I didn't always like the characters, and I sometimes had a little trouble keeping the storyline straight. However, Lisa Tucker does a great job of sorting out the various perspectives and infusing her characters with realistic flaws and and tender frailties. Eventually, I had a lot of sympathy and understanding for all of the characters, and THE PROMISED WORLD ultimately has an optimistic resolution.   

This was my first Lisa Tucker novel, but I'm making room on my TBR List for all four of her previous books.  If you like psychological fiction and suspense or family dramas, I would recommend that you read THE PROMISED WORLD.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Lisa Tucker is dedicated to the craft of telling a good story. Her novels are heartfelt tales of family struggles with universal themes, but readers will also be delighted to know that they’re also ripping good page-turners. Tucker’s multi-layered approach to storytelling has generated many fans and glowing reviews.

Click here to read Meet the Author on the Barnes & Noble website.

Thank you to Lisa at TLC Book Tours

for organizing this tour

and supplying me with my review copy.

Book Review #19: THE HAIR OF ZOE FLEEFENBACHER GOES TO SCHOOL by Laurie Halse Anderson; Illustrated by Ard Hoyt

THE HAIR OF

ZOE FLEEFENBACHER

GOES TO SCHOOL

by Laurie Halse Anderson

illustrated by Ard Hoyt

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pub. Date: June 2009
ISBN-13: 9780689858093
Sales Rank: 12,573
Age Range: 6 to 10
32pp

Description (from the Publisher):

Mom and Dad Fleefenbacher think their daughter Zoe's hair is wild and beautiful. And for her kindergarten teacher, Zoe's vivacious tresses were a comfort. But Zoe's about to start first grade, and her new teacher doesn't fool around....

"School has rules," she says. "No wild hair in my class!"

So what are Zoe and her free-spirited hair going to do now?

With exuberance and humor to spare, Laurie Halse Anderson and Ard Hoyt, the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator, tease up a terrific tale of hairy hijinks, classroom chaos, and the importance of teachers and students learning to work together.

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

THE HAIR OF ZOE FLEEFENBACHER GOES TO SCHOOL is one of the silliest books I've ever read. Just figuring out how to pronounce her name brought out the giggles at my house. Zoe's got a head of hair to rival some the most famous tresses in fiction.  Rapunzel's hair was only good for visitors' climbing in and out of her tower home.  Lady Godiva's served as a stand-in for her gowns.  Zoe's multi-talented hair is industrious and adventuresome - it brushes Zoe's teeth and wrestles the lid off the cookie jar! In kindergarten, it soothes and cuddles the children at naptime. But when Zoe and her happy red hair enter first grade, her no-nonsense teacher considers the independent locks to be more troublesome than helpful.  She tries to put a lid on the shenanigans - literally. Of course, the results are explosive (literally), but everyone ends up learning a lesson in tolerance and cooperation.

I thought the first grade teacher was unrealistically severe and her redemption too complete, but this little parable is painted with quite broad strokes all around. It's also very interesting to experience this other side of the author, Laurie Halse Anderson, who is more widely known for her hard-hitting young adult novels.  The illustrations by Ard Hoyt are wonderfully colorful, detailed, and comic. I was not familiar with his work before I read Zoe's story, but now I'll be on the look out for his other books.

This is a fun book for anyone with little ones just starting school.  There's already a waiting list for it at our local library!

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the creators (from the publisher):

Laurie Halse Anderson grew up in Syracuse, New York, and now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters. Her first novel, Speak, a Printz Honor and National Book Award finalist, is available on audio from Listening Library.

 

Ard Hoyt has illustrated a number of books, including Utterly Otterly Day, One-Dog Canoe, Saying Goodbye to Lulu, When the Cows Got Loose, and the New York Times bestseller I'm a Manatee by John Lithgow. Ard lives in Bentonville, Arkansas.

My review copy was borrowed from

the Portsmouth Free Public Library.

Giveaway: HOW TO RULE THE WORLD FROM YOUR COUCH by Laura Day

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

A Sea of Books is hosting a giveaway
 for two (2) copies

of the upcoming new release from Laura Day:

HOW TO RULE THE WORLD
 FROM YOUR COUCH

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

HOW TO RULE THE WORLD
 FROM YOUR COUCH

by Laura Day

Atria, October 2009

Hardcover, 288 pages

ISBN-10: 1439118205

ISBN-13: 9781439118207

Book description (from the publisher):

In her new book, How to Rule the World from Your Couch, Laura Day teaches you or your company how to create success in any area by using your brain in unique and compel-ling ways so that your innate intuition can propel you ahead to successful solutions.

Laura's work has helped demystify intuition and demonstrate its practical, verifiable uses in the fields of business, science, medicine, and personal growth. Her list of clients and students includes doctors, financial investors, scientists, engineers, and celebrities. Day has shown that 98% of success is planning and that you, therefore, have the power to transform your life.

Praise:

"How to Rule the World from Your Couch is perhaps the greatest book ever written. Everyone that's ruled the world has read it and it worked. Bill Gates, George Bush, Oprah. Saddam Hussein didn't read it and was hanged, so if you wanna rule the world and not be hanged, read this book." – Chris Rock

"Laura Day is a remarkable woman with remarkable abilities. But for me, what is most remarkable about her is how she has taught me to believe in myself and my own intuition. As a woman and as a mother, I have seen Laura’s commitment to educating people and releasing their fears.” –Demi Moore

"Laura Day teaches you how to awaken your inner genius so you can have a deeper more fulfilling experience of life." – Deepak Chopra, author of Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul

"I believe in the gut and I believe in Laura Day." – Brad Pitt
 
Click here to read an excerpt.
 
On sale October 6, 2009. Click here to pre-order.

Click here to visit the author's website.
 
About the author (from the publisher):

Laura Day is the New York Times bestselling author of Practical Intuition and has spent over two decades helping companies as well as individuals use the power of intuition to achieve their dreams. Her global clientele includes celebrities, scientists, business executives, and other professionals. She speaks regularly both here and abroad, and has appeared in numerous publications (Marie Claire, People Magazine, Newsweek) and on television including CNN, The View, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Fox News, and Good Morning America.

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 - no P.O. Boxes.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 3, 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 Aura

at Wiredset

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Friday Finds

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!


This week, it's all about the picture books for me!

Tina at Tutu's Two Cents picked DO NOT OPEN by Brinton Turkle as a My Favorite Reads this week.  She warns that it is out of print, but I'm already hot on the trail of a reasonably priced used copy. (I'm taking a pass on the collector's edition that's going for $182.09 through Amazon!) Swing on by Tina's blog, Tutu's Two Cents and read why this book is a much treasured family favorite. Just don't nab a copy out from under me!


I was too slow to participate in the giveaway for BIG CAT, SMALL CAT by Amy Rubinger that was hosted recently by Janelle at Brimful Curiosities. But come on! Just look at that cover! You know this book will be fun.  Take a hop over to Brimful Curiosities to read a description and Janelle's review.

And finally, if you're not familiar with the weekly meme, My Favorite Reads, hosted by Alyce, you could click on over to At Home with Books and check it out.  This week she picked a family favorite:  BAD KITTY GETS A BATH by Nick Bruel. I've given more than one cat more than one bath, so I KNOW this book must be hilarious! Sounds like Alyce's family sure thinks so.

My Favorite Reads #8: PETERSBURG by Emily Hanlon

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?

PETERSBURG
by Emily Hanlon
ISBN-13: 9780804104845
ISBN-10: 0804104840
Publication Date: 9/30/1989

Synopsis (from the publisher):
The most glittering city. The greatest love story. The passion and paradox of a time when lives were turned upside down by the powerful events surrounding them. Petersburg is a superlative, brilliantly crafted historical novel of imperial Russia swept up in the first great wave of revolution, telling the odyssey of four people.

Alexei Kalinin, the peasant who becomes one of Russia’s richest men, finds that his wealth, power, and obsessive love for Anna Orlova nearly allow him to bury his murky past.

Anna, a magically gifted pianist and sheltered daughter of old Russia, is ill-prepared for the passionate world into which her love for the mysterious Kalinin takes her.

Defiant and sensuous, Irina Rantzau is at home among the most hedonistic pleasure of the court, but chooses instead to embrace the growing rebellion.

Misha Kalinin, Alexei’s nephew and heir, transforms his raw energy and fear of violence into the spirit and determination that make him a true fighter for the people, and a tortured soul.

Particular and powerful passions catapult these four into a strange and different world of blood, betrayal, and rebellion, a world that forces each to face the most bittersweet choice of all.

Why I Chose This Book:

PETERSBURG has had a secure home on my shelves now for 20 years. It has withstood numerous shelf clearings, downsizings, and changes of residence. I read it when it first came out, was completely enraptured, and fully intend to read it again -- some day!  I didn't know much about Russian history when I first picked this book up, but it inspired me to purchase and read cover-to-cover RUSSIA: A CONCISE HISTORY , a pretty fascinating book in its own right.

If you like historical fiction with a slightly romantic bent, PETERSBURG is an engrossing and enlightening read. Most likely, you'll have to look for a used copy or check your local library, but it's definitely worth hunting down.

About the Author:

Emily Hanlon is the author of eight books of fiction, including Petersburg, (Putnams) which was translated into several languages and reached the best sellers list in England. Her latest book, The Art of Fiction Writing or How to Fall Down the Rabbit Hole Without Really Trying, is based on her twenty-two years of teaching creative writing and leading writers on the creative journey. Her novels, The Swing and The Wing and The Flame have just been re-released. Her weeklong writing retreat for women, Writing, Creativity and Ritual, will be held in the Tuscan hills outside of Florence, Italy in late September 2002. Her ongoing writing workshops are in Westchester County, New York. Emily works with writers around the country on the phone and teaches at the International Women’s Writing Guild conference at Skidmore College. She was a founding member of the National Writers Union. Her website is The Fiction Writer's Journey. This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Not MY Giveaway! THE KILLING WAY by Tony Hays at Passages to the Past

Amy at Passages to the Past is hosting a giveaway for THE KILLING WAY by Tony Hays. I think it sounds too good to pass up. If you think so too, you can enter Amy's giveaway here. Deadline is October 13, 2009.

SYNOPSIS: It is the time of Arthur, but this is not his storied epic. Arthur is a young and powerful warrior who some would say stands on the brink of legend. Britain’s leaders have come to elect a new supreme king, and Arthur is favored. But when a young woman is brutally murdered and the blame is placed at Merlin’s feet, Arthur’s reputation is at stake and his enemies are poised to strike. Arthur turns to Malgwyn ap Cuneglas, a man whose knowledge of battle and keen insight into how the human mind works has helped Arthur come to the brink of kingship.

Malgwyn is also the man who hates Arthur most in the world.

After the death of Malgwyn's wife by Saxon hands, he became Mad Malgwyn, killer of Saxons and right-hand lieutenant to the warrior Arthur. Right hand, that is, until a Saxon cut his sword arm off and left him to die on the battlefield. Arthur rescued him. Now a one-armed scribe and a heavy drinker, Malgwyn rejects the half-life that his liege gave him. But loyalty is sometimes stronger than loathing…and Malgwyn is pulled toward a puzzle that he can’t walk away from.

Think CSI: Medieval: gritty, powerful, and with the true ring of historical perspective and a character who sees more than those around him. The Killing Way is the first in a mystery series that is sure to be a hit with both mystery readers and historical fans alike.
 
Click here to read an excerpt.
 
Click here to visit the author's website.
 
Tony Hays is a journalist and novelist. He has covered topics as varied as narcotics trafficking (earning his newspaper the Tennessee Press Association award for Public Service in 2000), political corruption, Civil War history, and the war on terror. His short fiction has appeared both in the United States and Japan, and he is the author of three novels. He resides in Tennessee.

Sneak Peak: HOW TO CATCH AND KEEP A VAMPIRE by Diana Laurence

I've been seduced!

First, I was oblivious to the current vampire craze. Then I conciously ignored it. Slowly, my curiosity was piqued. Then I peaked!

And now, even I know that if you give a vampire an invitation into your home . . . he's gonna want some blood to go with it!

Here's a sneak peak at a fun book coming out in October -- start saving your pennies!

HOW TO CATCH AND KEEP A VAMPIRE
by Diana Laurence
Publisher: Sellers Publishing, Inc.
Pub. Date: October 2009
ISBN-13: 9781416205524
Sales Rank: 170,006
144pp

From the Publisher:
Discover the Secret of the Red Satin Ribbon . . .  In How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-by-Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful, author Diana Laurence explores the romantic fascination we mortals have for the undead. Why do perfectly normal people fall for such sinister beings? And more importantly, what should we do about it when we do? Diana Laurence knows. With loads of personal experience to draw upon, Laurence does everything from explaining the attraction to blood-drinkers, to sharing what red satin signifies to them. In this book, she has created a road map to show readers how a vampire relationship can be achieved and conducted in harmony with everyday existence.


Click here to visit the website: http://www.howtocatchandkeepavampire.com/

Waiting on Wednesday: THE RED DOOR by Charles Todd

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"
is hosted by Jill from
Breaking the Spine.
Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

THE RED DOOR
by Charles Todd

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pub. Date: December 29, 2009
ISBN-13: 9780061726163
352pp

Haven't found any details on this one yet, but it's an Ian Rutledge mystery, and those are always good!

You can check out the author's website by clicking here.

Arthurian Challenge 2009-2010

The other day I noticed that Gina at Book Dragon's Lair had just signed up for the Arthurian Challenge hosted by Becky at Becky's Book Reviews. Well, I thought, I simply MUST have this button/badge on my blog! (It's gorgeous, and was designed by Robin of A Fondness for Reading.) And, since my fall TBR list includes several Arthurian tales, the timing is perfect!

If you're interested, the challenge runs through March 2010, so you've still got plenty of time. You have your choice of books, short stories, poetry, tv shows, movies, even comic books. Come on! I'm notoriously bad at challenges, but even I can do this one! Sign up here.

What's first on deck for me? (It's also good for the Middle Grade Reading Challenge.)

KING ARTHUR and THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
by Benedict Flynn
illustrated by Young Ran Choi
narrated by Sean Bean

Publisher: Sourcebooks, Incorporated
Pub. Date: March 2008
ISBN-13: 9781402212437
Sales Rank: 135,341
Age Range: 7 to 9
144pp
Series: Hear It Read It Series
Edition Description: With Audio CD

Giveaway: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Hachette Book Group

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Hachette Book Group
is generously sponsoring another great book giveaway!

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th thru October 15th), Hachette Book Group has authorized me to give away to five lucky winners this wonderful collection of five books. That's right -- 5 winners will each receive a set of 5 books! How cool is that?

Just look at what you could win! Click on the book titles below for more information about each book.

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

Zumba® By Beto Perez , Maggie Greenwood-Robinson

Evenings at the Argentine Club By Julia Amante

Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz By Belinda Acosta

Tell Me Something True By Leila Cobo

Amigoland By Oscar Casares

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, October 9, 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 Valerie at
Hachette Book Group
for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.