Now this is a giveaway that I'm excited about (and I'm sure you are too)! To celebrate the release of her new book, the very awesome Laura Griffin (I'll have reviews of two of her books up shortly) is giving away a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble via my blog! Thank you Laura! One lucky person will win.
The rules: You must be a follower of either my blog or the Twitter for my blog. Enter by leaving a comment to this post with your email (if I can't contact you, you can't win) indicating how you follow. If you follow both the blog and the Twitter, you'll receive two entries. New followers are welcome to enter. The deadline to enter is 11:59pm Pacific on July 10. Winner will be selected at random. Open to US residents.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
giveaway winners: city of dreams
A Musing Mother, Cheryl F., and Andie have each won a copy of City of Dreams. Congratulations!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
review: legacy of a false promise by margaret fuchs singer
When she was in her early teens, Margaret Fuchs lived through her parents being accused of Communism (which turned out to be true) and the aftermath of her father’s testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Not knowing if the harsher accusation of being spies was true, she later researched her family’s past; Legacy of a False Promise is the result of her investigation.
At the beginning of chapter eleven it’s revealed that this is not the first time the author wrote about discovering her parents’ Communist past; she also wrote a school essay on the topic during her senior year of high school. About this Fuchs (now Fuchs Singer) says, “The essay was devoid of emotion; frustrated and blocked, I just couldn’t get the feelings out, but my teacher insisted I send it to a writing contest anyway.” All these years later, the lack of emotion is still evident as much of the incredibly interesting story is told in a detached manner. Parts read more like a third party was the writer rather than someone who actually lived through the ordeal. But Fuchs Singer did her research (sources are provided) and this glimpse into one family’s experience of the McCarthy Era is well worth the time it takes to read Legacy of a False Promise.
4/5
Review copy provided by the author’s publicist.
At the beginning of chapter eleven it’s revealed that this is not the first time the author wrote about discovering her parents’ Communist past; she also wrote a school essay on the topic during her senior year of high school. About this Fuchs (now Fuchs Singer) says, “The essay was devoid of emotion; frustrated and blocked, I just couldn’t get the feelings out, but my teacher insisted I send it to a writing contest anyway.” All these years later, the lack of emotion is still evident as much of the incredibly interesting story is told in a detached manner. Parts read more like a third party was the writer rather than someone who actually lived through the ordeal. But Fuchs Singer did her research (sources are provided) and this glimpse into one family’s experience of the McCarthy Era is well worth the time it takes to read Legacy of a False Promise.
4/5
Review copy provided by the author’s publicist.
giveaway: backseat saints [audiobook]
Thanks to Hachette, you can win the audiobook version of Joshilyn Jackson's Backseat Saints. There will be two winners.
I've reviewed the book, but this is what Publishers Weekly said:
"Readers willing to stick through a slow beginning will be rewarded in Jackson's eventually riveting fourth novel (after The Girl Who Stopped Swimming). When abused Rose Grandee isn't getting up the nerve to do something about her violent husband, Thom, she reminisces about high school sweetheart Jim Beverly, who once promised to kill Rose's alcoholic father. Rose is also consumed with memories of her mother, who abandoned her when she was a little girl. During what seems like a chance meeting, Rose receives a tarot card reading and is told she'll have to choose between her husband's life and her own, though Rose later realizes, conveniently for the plot, that the card reader is her estranged mother. Egged on by the prophecy, Rose searches out Jim and plans on manipulating him into killing Thom, leading to a tense final section that crescendos with an ending appropriate for a woman with so much fight in her. Though Jackson does a good job conveying Rose's uncertainty and ambivalence, the initial sounding of these themes comes off as redundant and overly long; later, Jackson's writing becomes kinetic, reflecting her heroine's metamorphosis. "
The rules: Enter by leaving a comment to this post with your email (if I can't contact you, you can't win). You can gain additional entries by leaving separate comments letting me know that you're a follower or have posted a link to the giveaway on your site. Gain yet another entry by following my blog's Twitter! The deadline to enter is 11:59pm Pacific on July 10. Winners will be selected at random. Since this is from Hachette the winners must have mailing addresses in the US or Canada; no PO Boxes.
I've reviewed the book, but this is what Publishers Weekly said:
"Readers willing to stick through a slow beginning will be rewarded in Jackson's eventually riveting fourth novel (after The Girl Who Stopped Swimming). When abused Rose Grandee isn't getting up the nerve to do something about her violent husband, Thom, she reminisces about high school sweetheart Jim Beverly, who once promised to kill Rose's alcoholic father. Rose is also consumed with memories of her mother, who abandoned her when she was a little girl. During what seems like a chance meeting, Rose receives a tarot card reading and is told she'll have to choose between her husband's life and her own, though Rose later realizes, conveniently for the plot, that the card reader is her estranged mother. Egged on by the prophecy, Rose searches out Jim and plans on manipulating him into killing Thom, leading to a tense final section that crescendos with an ending appropriate for a woman with so much fight in her. Though Jackson does a good job conveying Rose's uncertainty and ambivalence, the initial sounding of these themes comes off as redundant and overly long; later, Jackson's writing becomes kinetic, reflecting her heroine's metamorphosis. "
The rules: Enter by leaving a comment to this post with your email (if I can't contact you, you can't win). You can gain additional entries by leaving separate comments letting me know that you're a follower or have posted a link to the giveaway on your site. Gain yet another entry by following my blog's Twitter! The deadline to enter is 11:59pm Pacific on July 10. Winners will be selected at random. Since this is from Hachette the winners must have mailing addresses in the US or Canada; no PO Boxes.
Friday, June 25, 2010
review: backseat saints by joshilyn jackson
Shortly after I started Backseat Saints, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. At the center is Ro (or Rose Mae), who was abused by her father, abandoned by her mother, and now lives with an abusive husband. That should evoke some sympathy, but Ro also quickly reveals she doesn’t like cats (granted, she is allergic) and then shoots her dog as she attempts to murder her husband. For all her bragging about being a great shot, Ro completely misses her husband and hits the dog. She’s remorseful, but I couldn’t garner sympathy for her situation. Furthermore, Ro reveals her reason for staying with Thom not long after the shooting—she actually seems to take some sort of sick pleasure in their relationship and has intentionally antagonized him at times in order to provoke the abuse. At a later point in Backseat Saints, Ro says her father gave her the abuse she “needed.” Ro is in desperate need of the therapy she lies about to a woman (from gods in Alabama) who went to high school with her.
I never could get behind Ro, but I liked Mrs. Fancy and Bunny. Although it was never directly addressed and Ro seemed to believe it was coincidence, I think Mrs. Fancy knew exactly what she was doing when she asked Ro to take her to the airport and then pointed out the palm reader. I also like to think Mrs. Fancy’s offering of shoes was pointed too. There are a few little bits that led me to that conclusion. (I’d like to see Mrs. Fancy become the center in a book of her own.) So somehow, I did end up enjoying the book. I relished Joshilyn Jackson’s writing and the plot she created. The twists were incredible; the ending was an absolute shocker.
4/5
ARC Review
Review copy provided by the publisher, Grand Central Publishing.
I never could get behind Ro, but I liked Mrs. Fancy and Bunny. Although it was never directly addressed and Ro seemed to believe it was coincidence, I think Mrs. Fancy knew exactly what she was doing when she asked Ro to take her to the airport and then pointed out the palm reader. I also like to think Mrs. Fancy’s offering of shoes was pointed too. There are a few little bits that led me to that conclusion. (I’d like to see Mrs. Fancy become the center in a book of her own.) So somehow, I did end up enjoying the book. I relished Joshilyn Jackson’s writing and the plot she created. The twists were incredible; the ending was an absolute shocker.
4/5
ARC Review
Review copy provided by the publisher, Grand Central Publishing.
giveaway: what to wear for the rest of your life
Want some fashion advice from someone with more than 30 years in the industry? Thanks to Hachette, you have the chance to win one copy of What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life by Kim Johnson Gross.
Read my review here. Below is the publisher's description:
"Every woman's closet-no matter the size-is a room of her own. In that space hang side by side the special occasions and the everyday, the triumphs and the disasters, the memories we want to keep and those we should jettison. Gross helps us to reconsider our closet identity and discover who we want to be. She shares her personal journey and the intimate, poignant and often humorous stories of the dozens of women she interviewed across the country. Along with calming fashion advice about how to choose flattering clothes that will fit any woman's shape and style, Gross's engaging stories will help every woman evolve gracefully from wife to mother, from empty-nester to globe-trotting adventurer--whatever role she chooses--while letting her style express her inner beauty."
The rules: Enter by leaving a comment to this post with your email (if I can't contact you, you can't win). You can gain additional entries by leaving separate comments letting me know that you're a follower or have posted a link to the giveaway on your site. Gain yet another entry by following my blog's Twitter! The deadline to enter is 11:59pm Pacific on July 3. Winners will be selected at random. Since this is from Hachette the winners must have mailing addresses in the US or Canada; no PO Boxes.
Read my review here. Below is the publisher's description:
"Every woman's closet-no matter the size-is a room of her own. In that space hang side by side the special occasions and the everyday, the triumphs and the disasters, the memories we want to keep and those we should jettison. Gross helps us to reconsider our closet identity and discover who we want to be. She shares her personal journey and the intimate, poignant and often humorous stories of the dozens of women she interviewed across the country. Along with calming fashion advice about how to choose flattering clothes that will fit any woman's shape and style, Gross's engaging stories will help every woman evolve gracefully from wife to mother, from empty-nester to globe-trotting adventurer--whatever role she chooses--while letting her style express her inner beauty."
The rules: Enter by leaving a comment to this post with your email (if I can't contact you, you can't win). You can gain additional entries by leaving separate comments letting me know that you're a follower or have posted a link to the giveaway on your site. Gain yet another entry by following my blog's Twitter! The deadline to enter is 11:59pm Pacific on July 3. Winners will be selected at random. Since this is from Hachette the winners must have mailing addresses in the US or Canada; no PO Boxes.
review: what to wear for the rest of your life by kim johnson gross
It’s time to get a Style Mentor! That’s the declaration made in What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life. Kim Johnson Gross provides a list of her own Style Mentors, why they are hers, and what she’s learned from them. She then gives tips on how to find Style Mentors of your own. Beyond the Style Mentor tips is a collection of advice on creating a closet to last a lifetime.
I’m a big fan of fashion books (and magazines and TV shows), so of course I couldn’t resist picking up What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life. What I didn’t realize until I got into it is that it’s intended for the 50+ crowd; oh well, there’s worthwhile bits for all ages even if I didn’t relate to Johnson Gross’s stories. The stories do make the book stand apart from other fashion advice books. Some of this book actually comes from the author’s column in More magazine. Although the stories are interesting, they do sometimes bury the actual advice.
The best advice (in my opinion) comes near the end in the chapter about closets. (I have an obsession with closets; a bad bedroom closet design can make me hate an apartment.) Johnson Gross says, “If my closet feels stuck in a rut, it means that I am. That is not a signal to run out and buy new clothes, but I should take a fresh look at what I am wearing and why.” This is advice that I am going to try to heed.
3/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, Springboard.
I’m a big fan of fashion books (and magazines and TV shows), so of course I couldn’t resist picking up What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life. What I didn’t realize until I got into it is that it’s intended for the 50+ crowd; oh well, there’s worthwhile bits for all ages even if I didn’t relate to Johnson Gross’s stories. The stories do make the book stand apart from other fashion advice books. Some of this book actually comes from the author’s column in More magazine. Although the stories are interesting, they do sometimes bury the actual advice.
The best advice (in my opinion) comes near the end in the chapter about closets. (I have an obsession with closets; a bad bedroom closet design can make me hate an apartment.) Johnson Gross says, “If my closet feels stuck in a rut, it means that I am. That is not a signal to run out and buy new clothes, but I should take a fresh look at what I am wearing and why.” This is advice that I am going to try to heed.
3/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, Springboard.
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