Catching Up! - Winners

I have winners to announce from I don't know how many giveaways! I am so far behind! I also have 2 awards to post and 3 books to review - and I forgot my Kid's Corner post yesterday! Ugh!

Oh well, this post is just for the winners!

The Castaways (audio):
Beth (already won) - CrystalGB
elaing8
hippmom

Ravens (audio):
Park Ave Princess (already purchased) - cherdon
wanda
Sheila Deeth

The Friends We Keep
Sheila Deeth

So Into You
fredamans
wade
elaing8
Penney
Brenda

How to Tame a Modern Day Rogue
donnas (already won) - maureen
Virginia
nfmgirl
Jake Lsewhere
wanda

Rooftops of Tehran
Bermudaonion

Congratulations Winners!

Ravens - Audiobook Giveaway!!!

Yes - another audiobook giveaway! I have 3 copies of Ravens by George Dawes Green to giveaway - courtesy of Hachette Books!

About the book: The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars in the GeorgiaState lottery. It's going to be the worst day of their lives.

When Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko pull up at a convenience store off I-95 in Georgia, their only thought is to fix a leaky tire and be on their way again to Florida-away from their dull Ohio tech-support jobs. But this happens to be the store from which a 318,000,000 million dollar Jackpot ticket has just been sold -- and when a pretty clerk accidentally reveals to Shaw the identity of the winning family, he hatches a ferociously audacious scheme: He and Romeo will squeeze the family for half their prize.

That night, he visits the Boatwright home and takes the family hostage, while Romeo patrols the streets nearby, prepared to murder the Boatwrights' loved ones at any sign of resistance. At first, the family offers none. But Shaw's plot depends on maintaining constant fear-merciless, unfaltering terror-and soon, under the pressure, everyone's sanity begins to unravel . . .

At once frightening, comic, and suspenseful, RAVENS is a wholly original and utterly compelling novel from one of our most talented writers.(Barnes and Noble)

Rules for the giveaway:

1. Three copies to giveaway.
   
2. Open only to U.S. and Canada.
   
3. No PO Boxes
4. First entry - Must leave email address in comment.
5. You may put all entries in one comment.
   
6. +2 if you are a new or old follower - but please let me know.
7. +2 if you post a relevant comment on my review of Ravens - but please let me know you did so.
   
8. +3 if you post this on any social network - (limit of 6 entries for this one - so you can post it as many places as you would like, but only 2 will count).
9. +3 for referrals of NEW followers - if you already follow, you will not get entries for saying someone referred you - you can however get entries for referring new people...
10. Giveaway ends on Aug 29th.
    

Ravens
Publisher/Publication Date: Hachette Books, July 15, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-53896-1
336 pages

Wondrous Words Wednesday

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. To join in the fun, post your words on your blog and then leave a message over at Bermudaonion's Blog!

It has been a while since I have participated and I only have 2 words this week - but hopefully I will get this one going again. I really enjoy it, but summer is only here for so long!

This week my words are from Ravens by George Dawes Green.

Timorousness - Used like this: You were permitted to fold from prudence but never timorousness. (p34)

Definition: fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions

Vizier - Used like this: He was good at all this stuff, a natural vizier. (p167)

Definition: a high executive officer of various Muslim countries and especially of the Ottoman Empire

What new words did you learn this week?

Ravens by George Dawes Green (Blog tour and review)

Ravens by George Dawes Green

Publisher: Hachette Books

There is so much going on with this book right now I don't even know where to start. You might remember when I featured Ravens in a Waiting on Wednesday post way back in April. Or you might have caught the ARC Arrival post in June. Both of those posts gave a good description of the book, and so now, I am going to attempt to tell you how I felt about the book.

First sentence: Romeo was driving down from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the baffling twilight, going too fast, when a raccoon or possum ran in front of the car.

My thoughts: Honestly, this book was different than I thought it was going to be. It was much more character driven - I thought it would have more action. But I did like it. You really want to hate Shaw (and Romeo) when he takes the Boatwrights hostage - and with the way her manipulates Romeo to do all his dirty work. But he slowly begins to win the family over. While playing cards with Tara and her grandmother Nell, Tara begins to relax and actually flirt with Shaw. She tells herself that it is the only way that Nell will believe the whole lottery scam story that she is trying to sell. After winning over Nell and Tara, Shaw moves onto the rest of the family - and then to the public themselves. The community seems to fall in love with him at the press conference, seeking him out just to touch him and asking him to heal them. Shaw, of course, loves this attention and just basks in the glow.

Poor Romeo is just a puppet. He has been Shaw's friend since childhood - but it has not been a very healthy friendship. He worships Shaw in his own way and feels like he could do anything if it is what Shaw wants. He circles the town endlessly - just waiting for Shaw's signal that the Boatwrights are no longer cooperating and that he should kill whichever friend/family member he happens to be in close proximity to at the time. As he gets to know these people though, he doesn't know how he is going to be able to pull it off should he need to do it.

Ending is quite the twist and not one that I expected. Overall this is a good book and I would recommend it. Would have to give a warning though that it does contain foul language and has some sexual content.

Visit George Dawes Green
Listen to an excerpt of Ravens.

You have to watch this realistic trailer depicting the announcement of the winners of the lottery from Ravens. I found it pretty cool.

For even more reviews, interviews, and possibly some giveaways - please visit the other blogs on tour with Ravens this week:
July 20
http://www.iheartmonster.com/
http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com/
http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com/
http://abookishmom.blogspot.com/
http://www.foreigncircuslibrary.blogspot.com/
http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com
July 21
http://aseaofbooks.blogspot.com/
http://stephaniesbooks.blogspot.com/
http://www.thisbookforfree.com
http://proudbookworm.blogspot.com/
http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/
July 22
http://www.reviewfromhere.com/
http://nevernotreading.blogspot.com/
http://www.frommipov.blogspot.com/
http://bellasnovella.com/
http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/
July 23
http://booksiesblog.blogspot.com/
http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
http://memybookandthecouch.blogspot.com/
http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/
http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/
http://BookSoulmates.blogspot.com
http://www.bookwormygirl.blogspot.com/
Giveaway for this day: http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
July 24
http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/
http://bookrevues.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/darbyscloset
http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
http://justjenniferreading.blogspot.com/
http://www.readingwithmonie.com/

Ravens
Publisher/Publication Date: Hachette Books, July 15, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-53896-1
336 pages

ARC Arrival: Ravens by George Dawes Green

Ravens by George Dawes Green

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Books

I received this book from Miriam at Hachette books for a blog tour in July. I am so excited as I had posted this one as a Waiting on Wednesday book way back in April!

About the book: The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars in the GeorgiaState lottery. It's going to be the worst day of their lives.

When Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko pull up at a convenience store off I-95 in Georgia, their only thought is to fix a leaky tire and be on their way again to Florida-away from their dull Ohio tech-support jobs. But this happens to be the store from which a 318,000,000 million dollar Jackpot ticket has just been sold -- and when a pretty clerk accidentally reveals to Shaw the identity of the winning family, he hatches a ferociously audacious scheme: He and Romeo will squeeze the family for half their prize.

That night, he visits the Boatwright home and takes the family hostage, while Romeo patrols the streets nearby, prepared to murder the Boatwrights' loved ones at any sign of resistance. At first, the family offers none. But Shaw's plot depends on maintaining constant fear-merciless, unfaltering terror-and soon, under the pressure, everyone's sanity begins to unravel . . .

At once frightening, comic, and suspenseful, RAVENS is a wholly original and utterly compelling novel from one of our most talented writers.(from Barnes and Noble website)

About the author: George Dawes Green is a highly acclaimed novelist and poet and the founder of the New York City club for raconteurs, The Moth. He currently divides his time between Georgia and New York.(from the book jacket)

Become a fan of Ravens on Facebook.

Ravens
Publisher/Publication Date: Grand Central Publishing, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-53896-1
325 pages

Waiting on Wednesdays: Ravens

Ravens by George Dawes Green

Publisher: Hachette Books

Available: July 15, 2009

The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars in the Georgia State lottery. It's going to be the worst day of their lives.

When Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko pull up at a convenience store off I-95 in Georgia, their only thought is to fix a leaky tire and be on their way again to Florida-away from their dull Ohio tech-support jobs. But this happens to be the store from which a 318,000,000 million dollar Jackpot ticket has just been sold -- and when a pretty clerk accidentally reveals to Shaw the identity of the winning family, he hatches a ferociously audacious scheme: He and Romeo will squeeze the family for half their prize.

That night, he visits the Boatwright home and takes the family hostage, while Romeo patrols the streets nearby, prepared to murder the Boatwrights' loved ones at any sign of resistance. At first, the family offers none. But Shaw's plot depends on maintaining constant fear-merciless, unfaltering terror-and soon, under the pressure, everyone's sanity begins to unravel . . .

At once frightening, comic, and suspenseful, RAVENS is a wholly original and utterly compelling novel from one of our most talented writers.
(Description from Hachette website)