Audio Book Giveaway and Review: DON'T BLINK by James Patterson and Howard Roughan; Read by David Patrick Kelly

CLOSED.

Thanks to the thrill-loving folks at
Hachette Book Group,

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

DON'T BLINK
by James Patterson and Howard Roughan.

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

DON'T BLINK

by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

read by David Patrick Kelly

Publisher: Hachette Audio
Category: Fiction, Suspense & Thrillers
Format: Audio Book
Subformat: CD (Audio)
Edition: Unabridged
Publish Date: 9/27/2010
Price: $34.98/$39.98
ISBN: 9781607882343
Pages: 0

Description (from the publisher):
New York's Lombardo's Steak House is famous for three reasons--the menu, the clientele, and now, the gruesome murder of an infamous mob lawyer. Effortlessly, the assassin slips through the police's fingers, and his absence sparks a blaze of accusations about who ordered the hit.

Seated at a nearby table, reporter Nick Daniels is conducting a once-in-a-lifetime interview with a legendary baseball bad-boy. Shocked and shaken, he doesn't realize that he's accidentally captured a key piece of evidence. Ensnared in the city's most sensational crime in years, Nick investigates for a story of his own. Back off--or die--is the clear message as he closes in on the facts. Heedless, and perhaps in love, Nick endures humiliation, threats, violence, and worse in a thriller that overturns every expectation and finishes with the kind of flourish only James Patterson knows.

Click here to listen to an excerpt.

My Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5 - More thrilling than predictable.

My Thoughts:  I think Patterson is generally a love 'im or hate 'im kind of author. Some readers can't get enough; others can't get far enough away. Myself, I actually sit on the fence. I crave a good thriller now and then, but generally rush through them so fast that I feel rather empty and let down once I'm done. And I feel guilty the whole time I'm reading them because I can't put them down but think I should be doing something more worthwhile. Then there's the fact that they can be formulaic - you KNOW the main character will survive no matter how nail-biting the tension. So, I end up not reading as many thrillers as I'm really interested in.

Audio books have been the perfect solution for me.  I get my thriller fix while driving to and from work - no reason to feel guilty because I CAN'T be doing anything else; and I can't rush through them because I'm not the one doing the reading!

I had a great time listening to the audio book version of DON'T BLINK by James Patterson and Howard Roughan. The authors don't blaze any new trails here, but they do assemble all the essential componants of a good thriller with an entertaining and humorous flair. The authors serve up a wise-cracking hero who can't help but find himself in desperate trouble; gruesomely horrible bad guys (and plenty of them); innocents held hostage; suspenseful twists and turns; and the hint of romance to provide a ray of hope and sunshine.

If you like Patterson, you're sure to enjoy DON'T BLINK. If you're new to his writing, this is a great place to begin.

The audio book runs approximately 7 hours. One caveat:  if you listen while you're driving, be aware that the last half of the last CD contains traffic noises - horns blowing, sirens, etc. - that sound convincingly like the real thing!


About the authors (from the publisher):
James Patterson is one of the bestselling writers of all time, with more than 170 million books sold worldwide. He is the author of the top-selling detective series of the past twenty years--the Alex Cross novels, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, both of which were made into hit movies. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the new series of #1 New York Times bestsellers featuring Detective Michael Bennett of the NYPD. He won an Edgar Award, the mystery world's highest honor, for his first novel. He lives in Florida. Click here to visit his website. 

James Patterson's lifelong passion for books and reading led him to launch a new Web site, ReadKiddoRead.com, which helps parents, grandparents, teachers, and librarians find the very best children's books for their kids.

Howard Roughan cowrote Honeymoon and Sail with James Patterson and is the author of The Promise of a Lie and The Up and Comer. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and son. Click here to visit his website.

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, November 19, 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.

• 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 CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Teaser Tuesdays: THE PRISONERS IN THE PALACE by Michaela MacColl

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

Want to play along? Here's what to do:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

"Without pausing to consider her folly, she went to Victoria's closet. The Princess had stolen Liza's gown; Liza would not hesitate to borrow one of the the Princess's."

- page 171

PRISONERS IN THE PALACE:
How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel
by Michaela MacColl

Pub. Date: October 2010

Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC

Format: Hardcover , 304pp

Sales Rank: 274,425

Age Range: Young Adult

ISBN-13: 9780811873000

ISBN: 0811873005

Description (from the publisher)

London, 1838. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?

Meticulously based on newly discovered information, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

About the author (from the publisher):
Michaela MacColl studied multi-disciplinary history at Vassar College and Yale University, which turns out to be the perfect degree for writing historical fiction. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and three extremely large cats in Connecticut. This is her first book.

Waiting on Wednesday: THE PROVENCE CURE FOR THE BROKENHEARTED by Bridget Asher

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"

is hosted by Jill from

Breaking the Spine.

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .

THE PROVENCE CURE FOR THE BROKENHEARTED

by Bridget Asher

Category: Fiction
Format: Trade Paperback, 432 pages
Publisher: Bantam
On Sale: March 2011

 Price: $15.00

 ISBN: 978-0-385-34391-6

 (0-385-34391-4)

Description (from the publisher):

Here is a moving novel about love and hope in the face of loss, in which a small house in the French countryside may be responsible for mending hearts since WWII.

Brokenhearted and still mourning the loss of her husband, Heidi travels with Abbott, her obsessive-compulsive eight-year-old son, and Charlotte, her intolerably jaded sixteen-year-old niece, to spend the summer repairing their family home in a small village in the south of France. There, thousands of miles from home, Charlotte makes a shocking confession, and Heidi learns the truth about her mother's "lost summer" when she was a child. As three generations collide with one another, with the neighbor next door, who seems to know all their family secrets, and with an enigmatic Frenchman, they'll journey through love, loss, and healing amid the lavender fields, warms winds, and pistou soup of Provence.

About the author (from the publisher):

Bridget Asher is the author of My Husband’s Sweethearts and The Pretend Wife. She lives on the Florida panhandle with her husband, who is lovable, sweet, and true of heart—and has given her no reason to inquire about his former sweethearts. She is currently at work on her next novel, The 7th Pact of the Winslow Sisters, which Bantam will publish is 2012.

Click here to visit the author's website.

Teaser Tuesday: RAGWEED by Avi; illustrated by Brian Floca

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

Want to play along? Here's what to do:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I must be going through some kind of rodent phase. I've just about finished reading NIGHTSHADE CITY by Hillary Wagner; I've begun listening to SQUIRREL SEEKS CHIPMUNK by David Sedaris; and I'm toying with the idea of reading either REDWALL by Brian Jacques or WATERSHIP DOWN (though rabbits aren't rodents, they are soft, small, and furry!) by Richard Adams.

The quote I've chosen from RAGWEED isn't about mice, however.  It's about their nemisis, the embittered and vengeful cat, Silversides. 

My teaser:

"Silversides shuddered.  As they went along she became caught up in her thoughts again. How, she asked herself, had she ever come to such a pass, picking her way through this horrid place with such a low-life cat, with the intent of wreaking havoc on disgusting mice? Could she have done something better with her life?"  Page 187

RAGWEED
by Avi
illustrated by Brian Floca

Pub. Date: May 2000

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback, 224pp

Sales Rank: 21,144

Age Range: 8 to 12

Series: Poppy Stories Series

ISBN-13: 9780380801671

ISBN: 0380801671

Edition Description: Reprint

Waiting on Wednesday: A LONELY DEATH by Charles Todd

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"

is hosted by Jill from

Breaking the Spine.

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .

A new one in one of my favorite series, though I'm a few volumes behind -- all the more reason to burrow down and read!

A LONELY DEATH

An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery

by Charles Todd

Pub. Date: January 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardcover, 352pp

Sales Rank: 268,344

Series: Inspector Ian Rutlegdge #13 

ISBN-13: 9780061726194

ISBN: 0061726192

Description (from the publisher):

Three men have been murdered in a Sussex village, and Scotland Yard has been called in. It’s a baffling case. All the victims are soldiers who have made it home alive from the Great War, which ended two years ago, only to be garroted, with small ID disks left in their mouths. And shortly after Inspector Ian Rutledge arrives, there’s a fourth murder. The killer is vicious and clever, leaving behind few clues. As the stakes ratchet up, Rutledge is determined to find answers, even as he puts his job, his reputation, and even his life on the line.

Click here to view the other books in the series.



Click here to visit the author's website.

Book Review and Giveaway: THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition

CLOSED.

Rules for entering this giveaway

are at the bottom of this post.

THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition

by David Borgenicht, Nathaniel Marunas, and Robin Epstein

Publisher: Chronicle Books

6 x 8 in; 128 pp ; 1-color throughout, ages 8 and up
Guided Reading Level: Q
Paperback
Published in September, 2010
ISBN 9780811875707
ISBN10 0811875709

Description (from the publisher):
Leave it to the authors of the best-selling Worst-Case Scenario series to serve up a hilarious and totally "gross" handbook that will guide kids through all things slippery, slimy, and stinky. Find out how to survive boogers, bloody noses, barfing emergencies, and more. The tips in this book will have kids laughing out loud, while gearing them up to tackle all that's utterly disgusting in life, Worst-Case Scenario-style!



Click image to enlarge.

 My Rating:  5 out of 5 Stars - Kids will love it - you will, too!

My Thoughts:  Want something to grab and hold the interest of your reluctant middle-grade reader - especially boys? Have I got the book for you!  THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition is so chock full of disgusting yet worthwhile information that no boy on earth will be able to put it down. O.K., so realistically, I can't guarantee that claim, I can only speak for myself and what I witnessed with my 10 y.o. nephew. I breezed through it in one sitting (I am, after all, an adult). It took him a few more.

When reviewing a book, one has to consider not only whether it lives up to one's expectations but also whether it lived up to it's own claims. Let's take the most attention-grabbing claim first. Right on the front cover, THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition claims it will tell the reader how to survive: Nightmare Boogers (check - see page 12); Barf Emergencies (check - see page 16); and the School Bathroom (check, check - see page 82). In all, the book discusses 30 of the grossest situations a kid (or anyone -- even you!) could find themselves in. Everything is discussed in kid-friendly language. If you cringe when a nearby child uses words like "fart" and "poop" and "nose loogie", well, then, cover your ears because the authors do not mince words. If your kid doesn't know enough variations on the word "vomit", this book will quickly bring him up to speed, offering an alphabetical listing of alternatives from "blow chunks" to "yak." So, yes, this book definitely covers all things gross.

But is grossness enough for me to recommend this book to you? Of course not - we are, after all, civilized, as well as maybe just a bit snooty. Many would argue as to the value of purposeless play -  our jobs as adults is to educate the younger generation and foster their survival. Exposing our children to a whole tome of grossness just for the sake of entertainment would be a waste of precious educational time not to mention just plain irresponsible. But wait! What is the secondary claim put forth by the authors? The one that will initially slip past the attention of kids as they race to find the grossest of all possible gross scenarios? Ah, yes. It was "survival" wasn't it? See, it's right there in the middle of the title: THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition. This book not only details most gross situations, it explains to kids how to survive them. So the reader is not just going to become comfortable with terms such as "nose loogie" but will also learn what exactly is a nose loogie, why they exist, and what to do about them. In the guise of entertaining grossness, kids will learn lots of useful information about health and hygiene.

Both my nephew and I had a lot of fun reading THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition. It's appealing to kids because the subject matter is gross and the illustrations are funny. Adults will be happy to know the kids are learning exactly why it's a bad idea to stick a wad of chewed gum under your desk. This book is a great way to sneak a little education into your kid's entertainment. We plan to check out more titles in this series.

About the authors (from the publisher):
David Borgenicht is a writer, editor, publisher, and co-author of all the books in the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series. He lives in Philadelphia.

Nathaniel Marunas is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York.

Robin Epstein is the co-author of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School. She lives in New York City.

I have one (1) copy to offer for giveaway. Here's what to do:

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. The publisher 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, the publisher will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 16, 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.

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

Thank you to Lara
at Chronicle Books

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

TSS: The Sunday Salon 10-10-10

Gee, I haven't done one of these in a while! Hope I'm still in the loop.

Today, I have a million things to accomplish and the only way I can imagine getting to everything is to allot a little bit of time to each thing and just keep working my way through the list. I've already accomplished the first thing -- lounging around in bed! I've been reading a middle grade/young adult fantasy novel, NIGHTSHADE CITY by Hilary Wagner. It's quite a departure for me - the characters are RATS! I quickly got caught up in the story, but I'm having trouble identifying with the rats. I keep trying to get past it, but it's mentioned too frequently. I'm thinking I'll adjust to it as the story progresses. It is a good story - well written and very descriptive. Has anyone else read it? What did you think? I'm especially interested in hearing others' opinions on whether it is really appropriate for middle grade readers. I'm thinking it is geared more to older readers as there are references to young females being "drafted" into the evil overlord's harem. Any opinions?

Even though it is a gorgeous day here in Lil Rhody, I've got to spend some time at the office. We were shorthanded last week, and I just couldn't get everything done. But on my way, I plan to stop off somewhere sunny and bright by the water and read a few chapters of my current grown-up read, RUSSIAN WINTER by Daphne Kalotay. The title may conflict with today's weather, but I'm really enjoying this book, and I don't want the rats to get the upper hand!

I've switched over the laundry and am halfway through my 20 oz. of Diet Coke. When it's gone, so will be I. (? Is that even English?)

On my way to the office, I'll be popping in at the local Bread & Circus (oops! I mean Whole Foods).  Last week I received a review copy of 5 INGREDIENT FIX by Claire Robinson, and I'm eager to try out some recipes. First up - sauteed wild mushrooms. Yum! I'll let you know how turns out. I plan on trying several recipes throughout the week in preparation for my review - and dinner, of course!

And on my drive to the office and back, I'll be listening to DON'T BLINK by James Patterson. I'm pretty excited for this "listen" as I recently completed THE POSTCARD KILLERS and it made for a really fun and wild ride to and from work last week. I hope to have my review posted for early this week.

I'm ignoring the dishes in the kitchen for now - most are clean in the dishwasher but I just don't have time to empty it right now. Everyone should learn to prioritize! There are two things that absolutely MUST be completed before the end of the day:  The little dead mole that our cat, Lola, left on the back deck really deserves a decent burial. And the TV remote -- it's missing -- AGAIN! It must be found! Losing it drives me crazy - even if I'm NOT watching TV!

I know I'll be interrupting my work at the office and doing a little blog hopping this afternoon. It's what will keep me going. Hope you all have a great day -- after all, it's destined to be a 10 out of 10!

That's it! The Diet Coke is gone! and so am I . . . for now!

A Very Special Congratulations!

Graphic courtesy of Cupcakes for Clara.

Click here to visit her Etsy shop.

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

I want to extend a very special

CONGRATULATIONS!

to the the artist who so graciously allows me to use her graphic for these posts.

 Click here if you want to see why we're all smiling! 

You'll be smiling, too!

Who Won What . . .

Graphic courtesy of Cupcakes for Clara.

Click here to visit her Etsy shop.

!!  CONGRATULATIONS !!

Set of 3 Classic Romance Titles

#47  Cindy W.

#64  misskallie2000

#71  Laura H.

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

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

A big thank you to
Anna and Hachette Book Group

 for making this giveaways possible.

Not MY Giveaways!

So, I was over at I'm a Reader, Not a Writer, entering my giveaways into her latest giveaway linky post (click here to check it out), and I just couldn't stop myself from entering a few giveaways! I found some fun new blogs while I was at it. Click the links and check them out for yourself.

First, hurry on over to Roots In Myth for two ARC giveaways ending tonight at midnight.

BRAINS FOR LUNCH:
A Zombie Novel in Haiku?!
by K.A. Holt
illustrated by Gahan Wilson

At Roots In Myth
ends 10/08/10

ALIEN INVASION
& OTHER INCONVENIENCES
by Brian Yansky

At Roots In Myth
ends 10/08/10

And over at Marcia Hoehne's blog, she is giving away:

IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES

by Lisa Schroeder

ends 10/17/10

Go check them out, have some fun, and good luck to you!

Spotlight and Giveaway: THE MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES

CLOSED.

Rules for entering this giveaway

are at the bottom of this post.

THE  MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES:

 The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America

by Erik Sass with Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur

Pub. Date: October 2010

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardcover, 420pp

Sales Rank: 1,344

ISBN-13: 9780061928222

SBN: 0061928224

Description (from the publisher):

Was Abraham Lincoln really a heroic defender of liberty and freedom?

Were the Sixties actually a groovy time of peace and love?

Has the U.S. always been dependent on foreign oil?

Does internet dating really work?

Americans are patriotic people: a 2008 poll showed 72% believe the U.S.A. is “the best nation in the world.”  But it turns out that “patriotic” and “historically knowledgeable” are two different things: in recent surveys, almost half of American’s didn’t know who led the Continental Army to victory (some guy named George), 25% of high school students believed that Columbus set sail after 1750, and a third couldn’t say in which century the American Revolution occurred.  Is this shocking lack of knowledge due to the fact that THE MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES: The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America (Harper: October 5, 2010; Hardcover; $24.99) won’t be on shelves until October?  Possibly so.

In trademark smart-aleck style, the geniuses at mental_floss provide the history book you’ve always wished you had.  This hilarious romp through our nation’s past reveals little-known truths, exposes lies our teachers told us, and provides insight into the oddities of America’s most infamous citizens.  THE MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES spans America’s entire history, from social and political events to major phenomena in science, literature, and fashion, tackling our greatest questions and misconceptions.

With detailed timelines and charts, a “by the numbers” round-up, and tons of amusing trivia in each chapter, THE MENTAL FLOSS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES sets the historical record straight at last.  Filled with juicy tales of political intrigue, serial killers, the original Swine Flu, potato chips, Puritans, rum, and more, this entertaining and insightful history will answer all of your questions about everything made in the U.S.A.

Smarter than a history teacher, funnier than the Founding Fathers, and more American than Alaska, an almost (but not entirely) comprehensive primer on American history (or at least, the good stuff).

Click here to read an excerpt.

About the authors (from the publisher):

 Erik Sass is a journalist based in Los Angeles with branch offices around the country.  When not writing for mental_floss, he reports on the media and advertising business for MediaPost.com.  He lives in Santa Monica with his roommate, an ill-tempered 500-pound adult male Bengal tiger named Big Al.

Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur met as freshmen at Duke University, where they parlayed their cafeteria conversations into the first issue of mental_floss magazine.  Ten years later, they’ve created a knowledge empire.  In addition to the magazine, the pair has produced two board games, a t-shirt line, and a Web site (mentalfloss.com) that attracts millions of visitors every month.

Will and Mangesh have also collaborated on over 10 books together, including Condensed Knowledge, Forbidden Knowledge, History of the World, and Lolita, written under the pen name Vladimir Nabokov.

Thanks to Harper Collins, I have two (2) copies to giveaway. Here's the hows and wherefores:

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. No P.O. Boxes.

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

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, October 14, 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.

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

Thank you to Shawn at WiredSet
and Harper Collins

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Waiting on Wednesday: THE GIRL IN THE GREEN RAINCOAT by Laura Lippman

"WAITING ON WEDNESDAY"

is hosted by Jill from

Breaking the Spine.

Join in and tell us . . .

What are you waiting for?

My pick for this week is . . .

THE GIRL IN THE GREEN RAINCOAT

by Laura Lippman

Pub. Date: January 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback, 176pp

ISBN-13: 9780061938368

ISBN: 006193836X

Description (from the publisher):

A new Tess Monaghan novella from New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman, which first appeared in serial format in the the New York Times.

Tess Monaghan, Baltimore P.I., isn’t afraid of much. But when she is put on bed rest at 8 months pregnant, the spitfire investigator may have finally met her match, her own unborn child!

To escape the boredom, Tess begins marking the movements of her neighbors, á la Rear Window. She is especially drawn to the girl in the green raincoat who takes daily walks with her Italian greyhound in a matching jacket. But one day when Tess spies the dog running away all on its own, she suspects foul play. And it turns out she isn’t far off. But, in doing what she does best, chasing after criminals and putting bad guys behind bars, will she have taken the ultimate risk with herself and her child?

Click here to read Chapter 1.
 

Spotlight and Book Giveaway: DARE TO TAKE CHARGE by Judge Glenda Hatchett

CLOSED.

Thanks to those self-empowering folks at
Hachette Book Group,

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

DARE TO TAKE CHARGE
by Judge Glenda Hatchett.

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

DARE TO TAKE CHARGE:

How to Live Your Life on Purpose

by Judge Glenda Hatchett

Publisher: Center Street

Category: Self-Help

Format: Hardcover Book

Publish Date: 9/20/2010

Price: $23.99/$25.99

ISBN: 9781599953304

Pages: 272

Size: 6" x 9"

Description (from the publisher):
For nearly ten years, Judge Glenda Hatchett has delighted TV audiences with a brand of justice that turns the everyday into something eminently watchable.

Her message can be distilled into the following two words: Dare Yourself. Whatever obstacles or fears one faces, Judge Hatchett's prescription implores readers to write their own story in this life. With care and conviction, Judge Hatchett uses real life stories from the courtroom and her personal life to counsel readers. Shows them how to find their true purpose and gifts, to be real about their reality and its potential outside of challenging circumstances, and to always be true to themselves.

Interactive as well as inspirational, DARE TO TAKE CHARGE challenges the reader to ask self-reflective questions that lead to moments of self-discovery and a defined pathway to healing. Daring her audience to study the positive with the same interest and intensity that they study the negative, Judge Hatchett uncovers the potential for grace and success in lives that are now punctuated with despair and unfaithfulness.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
A graduate of Emory University School of Law, Judge Glenda Hatchett became Delta Airlines' highest-ranking African-American woman when she served in dual roles as a senior attorney and Manager of Public Relations. The position earned her a spot on Ebony Magazine's "100 Best and Brightest Women in Corporate America." She left Delta to become Georgia's first African-American Chief Presiding Judge of a state court and the department head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country in Fulton, GA.

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 Saturday, October 30, 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.

• 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 CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Spotlight and Audiobook Giveaway: KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL by Glenn Paskin

CLOSED.

Thanks to those dog-lovin' folks at
Hachette Book Group,

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

KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL

by Glenn Paskin.

Rules for entering this giveaway

are at the bottom of this post.

KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL

by Glenn Plaskin

read by the author

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Category: Biography, Autobiography, Pets

Format: Audio Book

Subformat:   CD (Audio)

Edition: Unabridged

Publish Date: 9/8/2010

Price: $26.98/$29.98

ISBN: 9781609410384

Pages: 0

Description (from the publisher):
A personal memoir by bestselling author and celebrity journalist Glenn Plaskin, KATIE is a moving story about a man who discovers the true meaning of family after adopting a cocker spaniel puppy. Through the magnetic personality of his mischievous dog, the author soon makes powerful connections with several of his down-the-hall neighbors in a high-rise located in the unique Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. First, Katie trots into the lives of Pearl and Arthur, a warm-hearted elderly couple just a few doors down from Glenn. Later, John, a single Dad, and his rambunctious young son, Ryan, also move in and are seduced by Katie's charms.

All of their lives are profoundly changed as they are transformed from neighbors to friends to family, with Pearl as matriarch. The motherless boy finds a "Granny"; his Dad inherits a mother, Glenn discovers a confidante. Set in New York City, we witness nearly sixteen years of antics and family adventures spanning Hollywood high times, bad health, accidents, blustery winters, even the terrors of 9/11. Through it all, the family clings to each other, sharing a deep bond that give each comfort, support and security.

Based upon a widely-read article in Family Circle, here is an unforgettable story about the love that makes a family-one that transcends the hard realities of time, tragedy, and inevitable loss.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read an author interview.

Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Plaskin, a resident of New York City, is surrounded by more than 300 dogs in his Battery Park City complex, a neighborhood that inspired this book and the remarkable events in it.

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, October 29, 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.

• 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 CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.