Friday, September 28, 2012

Three Day Giveaway Only! BlogFest 2012. Three Winners for this, including a surprise signed book!

WELCOME TO BLOGFEST 2012!

This is an awesome opportunity to explore a lot of blogs, all of which are having a special BLOGFEST giveaway over the next three days. The master list of blogs is located at A Journey of Books.

I'll be giving away three very interesting novels. I'd like to thank the publicists and publishers for being so generous in providing the books for this giveaway. I like to keep things simple. For a chance to win any of the three books, just leave a comment with your email. That is all. Please don't forget your email. If you're a winner and you haven't left a way to contact you, I'll have to select someone else. Don't miss your opportunity.

I can't guarantee which one of the books you'll receive. The selections will all be made randomly, so be prepared and open to receiving any one of the three. Let's begin!

Book One
Pure by Julianna Baggott is the first book in a YA trilogy. Check out the description...

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.


Book two up for grabs is a signed copy of When it Happens to You by that 1980's icon, Molly Ringwald!  This is what it's about....

When it happens to you, you will be surprised. That thing they say about how you knew all the time, but just weren't facing it? That might be the case, but nevertheless, there you will be.

Molly Ringwald mines the complexities of modern relationships in this gripping and nuanced collection of interlinked stories. Writing with a deep compassion for human imperfection, Ringwald follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbors while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life - revealing the deceptions, heartbreak, and vulnerability familiar to us all.

In "The Harvest Moon," a stay-at-home mom grapples with age, infertility, and an increasingly distant husband. In "Ursa Minor," a former children's television star tries to rebuild his life after being hospitalized for "exhaustion." An elderly woman mourns the loss of her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter in "The Little One." In "My Olivia," a single mother finds untapped reserves of strength to protect her flamboyant six-year-old son who wishes only to wear dresses and be addressed as Olivia. And in the devastating title story, a betrayed wife chronicles her pain and alienation, leading to an eviscerating denouement.

As the lives of these characters converge and diverge in unexpected ways, Ringwald reveals a startling eye for the universality of loss, love, and the search for connection. An unflinching yet poignant examination of the intricacies of the human heart,
When It Happens to You is an auspicious literary debut.

And the third book is a special little story: Wayne of Gotham by Tracy Hickman. Batman fans should really love this. And, despite the look of the cover, don't be confused. This isn't a graphic novel/comic book. It's a 304 page novel. Here's the description...

When the Batman begins to investigate the events surrounding his parents' murder, he will also uncover the darkest secrets of his family's past. No fan of the Dark Knight will want to miss this one-of-a-kind window into Gotham’s dark protector in this fast-paced thriller from New York Times bestselling fantasy writer Tracy Hickman. Readers of Kevin J. Anderson’s The Last Days of Krypton and Enemies & Allies will know that comic book characters pack a powerful punch when they enter the pages of a novel. Wayne of Gotham is no exception: as the DC Universe’s millionaire playboy journeys into the dark recesses of his own past, his is a journey that could spell the end for everything he holds dear—and the end of the hero he has become: the Batman.

Two men separated by murder: Thomas, the rebellious doctor and heir to the vast Wayne empire, and Bruce, his son, whose life is forever altered by witnessing his parents' murder. The slaying of Thomas and Martha Wayne is the torturous point on which Bruce turns to become Batman.
The Dark Knight's file on the case has long been closed, the foundations of Bruce Wayne's secret life secure in the simple genesis of a mugging gone horribly wrong.
These foundations are shaken, however, when an unexpected guest invades the grounds of Wayne Manor, raising questions about the event that ended the lives of the mother he loved and the father he worshipped, and sparked his unquenchable drive to protect and avenge.
To discover his real family history, Batman must face down old foes, his only confidant, and the evil heart of Arkham Asylum, and shoulder the new burden of a dark legacy.


GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY, PLEASE, AT PUBLISHER'S REQUEST.


 After you leave here, you guys can make a stop at the next five blogs on the tour. For your convenience, here they are:

The Relentless Reader
Bookvisions
Jennifer Wells, Paranormal Romance Author
Hildie McQueen - Writing by Midnight
A Passion For Romance

Toodles!





Sunday, September 23, 2012

In My Mailbox...

It's been a while since I've made one of these posts. One book in particular that I received this week, The Diviners, motivated me. I was so tickled to receive it! I've wanted to read this since Libba Bray started writing it a couple of years ago and now it's finally here in print. I can't wait to see if it's as good as I hope it is. My thanks to Little, Brown and Co. for their generosity.

Another book I've been anticipating is At Dawn by Jobie Huges. If you're not aware, he's the true author of I Am Number Four, the YA novel that hit the NYT bestsellers list and became a movie. Jobie collaborated with James Frey of the A Million Little Pieces debacle, on writing the novel. If you recall, the author noted on the book is "Pitticus Lore", one of the novel's characters. Poor Jobie can't even use his real name or get any recognition for writing the darn book. The whole mess was written up in a huge article in the New York Times. It looks like he also lost out on a lot of the profits too. What a shame. I've been anticipating the book that he can put his name on and At Dawn is it. I really enjoyed I Am Number Four and I can't wait to sink my teeth into Jobie's new project. Thank you Sokft Skull Press.

The Shadow Society is already out in it's finished form and has a starred review, so I'm curious to check it out. My thanks to Farrar Straus Giroux for sending me the Arc. The Dark Unwinding is a gothic YA with hints of Jane Eyre. Can't wait to see what's going on here. Thanks Scholastic.

I've heard a lot about Pure and was surprised to receive a copy. My gratitude to Grand Central Publishing. The sequel is being released in February 2013. I've been intrigued by EVE since I first heard about it. Thanks to Deb and HarperCollins for sending that and it's sequel, Once.




Boy, do I have a lot of reading to do. Where am I going to find the time? I'll just have to get started and do my best. Anyone else get anything interesting?

Toodles!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Two Winners of The Kingmaker's Daughter by Phillippa Gregory are...

Okay, you lovers of Phillipa Gregory. I'm ready to announce the winners of her latest novel, The Kingmaker's Daughter. Are you ready? The winners are...

Bookish in a Box!!!

and....

Kritter!!!

Thanks for entering, girls. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Please email me with your contact info so I can pass it on to the publisher. If the winners don't respond in 48 hours, others will be chosen in their place.

Toodles!
                                                                 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Happy Release Day! Book Review of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris.


Cat Crawford, just about to turn 16, is not in the mood to celebrate.
Her mother abandoned the family years ago, but the aftershock of her scandalous behavior still smacks Cat squarely between the eyes on a regular basis.
Her dad’s a great guy, but he’s married to a young, overly enthusiastic woman who can’t get it through her head that Cat isn’t interested in welcoming her into the family. What’s a girl to do when clueless step-mommy wants to throw a Sweet 16 party worthy of MTV? Escape—and fast. And Cat manages this feat better than she could have ever imagined.
An unexpected visit into a gypsy tent for a tea reading lands Cat in 16th century Renaissance Italy. She meets her ancestors on dear old mom’s side of the family and her first real crush—the scintillating Lorenzo.
Cat considers that this time-travel trip may not be so bad after all—until an older man sets his sights on her. Almost 16, Cat fits the bill for a Renaissance era wife—something she’s not keen on.
Can she get back to the future before she’s forced down the aisle?
If you judge this book by its cover, you may think it’s a fun, lighthearted affair—and it is, but it’s also so much more. The author excels at capturing a teen girl’s voice, especially one that’s ticked off, struggling with unfamiliar emotions, and trying to find her place in two topsy turvy worlds, both the real and the fantastical.
There are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments as Cat works her way through ancient times with all the cocky, funny wherewithal of a 21st century teenager.
The author did her homework when it came to recreating the era of the Italian renaissance. I went to Italy as a teenager and some of the scenes described, took me back to that time. I wanted to pull out a history book and review the renaissance time period. Readers are given the full flavor without feeling overwhelmed. There is a skillful blending of Cat’s modern sensibilities with those of her teenage Italian ancestors.  
As much fun as My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century is, Ms. Harris has managed to touch on heavier topics, but not in a heavy handed manner: abandonment, parent-child conflict, and stepparent relationships.
The novel highlights the relationship between older men and brides who are essentially still children. This can provide a forum for thought provoking discussions about the roles of women during different times in history. 
Rachel Harris has skillfully crafted her debut novel. My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century covers a breadth of issues, all in a fun-filled, throughly enjoyable package. Best of all, there's a neat twist to bring readers back for the next saga in book two. 
Buy it. Read it!
Toodles.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Hey Phillipa Gregory fans! Book giveaway of THE KINGMAKER'S DAUGHTER. Two winners for this!

Long time, no see, guys! Life has kept me off the computer and out of the internet. I figured I'd mark my return by offering you a chance to receive the latest book by that historical-writing diva, Phillipa Gregory: The Kingmaker's Daughter. Check out the description...

Spies, poison, and curses surround her…. Is there anyone she can trust?
In The Kingmaker’s Daughter, #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory presents a novel of conspiracy and a fight to the death for love and power at the court of Edward IV of England.

The Kingmaker's Daughter is the gripping story of the daughters of the man known as the 'Kingmaker,' Richard, Earl of Warwick: the most powerful magnate in fifteenth century England. Without a son and heir, he uses his two daughters as pawns in the political games and they grow up to be influential players in their own right. In this novel, her first sister story since The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory explores the lives of two fascinating young women.



If you'd like the chance to be one of the two winners, just leave a comment saying what you love about Phillipa Gregory's books. If you haven't read her work, that's fine, just say so. Don't forget your email!

The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada.

My thanks to the lovely Kaitlyn of Simon and Schuster for making this giveaway possible.

The Kingmaker's Daughter released August 14, 2012.

Toodles!