Books and Needlepoint

Monday, July 6, 2009

Blog Tour for One Scream Away

Shared by Kristi

One Scream Away by Kate Brady

About the book: Killer Chevy Bankes is a master of disguise, and just paroled, he's coming after the woman who sent him to jail, the beautiful antiques expert Beth Denison. A set of antique dolls brings Beth into his sight, and inspire Chevy's disturbing crimes as he draws closer to Beth and her young daughter. Chevy sends the dolls to Beth one-by-one and she soon realizes that these antiques carry the same marks as his victims, signaling that the final piece in his collection will be for her.

Neil Sheridan gave up his FBI shield five years ago, but his best friend Rick, a cop, pulls him in as a consultant on a case involving a serial killer who is eerily similar to a murderer Neil encountered in the past. The investigation leads Neil to Beth's doorstep, and he is certain she isn't telling him the truth. Neil is the only one who can get through Beth's defenses and, as they grow closer, discover the secrets that Beth is hiding about her fateful night with Chevy. (from the publisher)

There is still time to enter my giveaway for One Scream Away.

About the author: My writing career began in the closet, where--thankfully--my first several novels remain. As a full-time choral conductor and assistant professor of music education, I didn't consider going public with my fiction. It was strictly clandestine and only a hobby.

Then the needs of small children convinced me to switch to part-time teaching. For the first couple of years as a mostly stay-at-home-mom, it was all I could do to complete the metamorphosis from domestically-challenged career woman to culinary-queen and housework goddess. (Okay...Some transitions are never fully realized.) But later, when the kids got old enough to be in school for six hours a day, the characters in my head found time to come out again. Murderers, cops, victims, lovers. I started writing down everything they did and said, then finally decided to see if anyone but me wanted to read about them.

Now, I lead a double life. Some days are spent in the university classroom or at the rehearsal podium; others spent chasing villains on my laptop.

So what do I do when I'm not creating music teachers or psycho murderers? (Two unrelated populations, I assure you.) With a husband, two children, and way too many furry, feathery, and scaly things, there isn't a lot of time left. It's enough to keep up with the house, the yard, and the family schedule, and hope no one on my laptop gets murdered when I'm not looking. (from author's website)

One Scream Away
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever
ISBN: 9780446541527
464 pages

Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Participating Blogs:
Chicks with Books - July 6 review and giveaway
Darbys Closet - July 6 review
Yankee Romance Reviewers - July 6 to 17 review and giveaway
Review From Here - July 7 review
Debbies World of Books - July 7
Starting Fresh - July 8 review and giveaway
Minding Spot - July 9 or 10 review and giveaway
Marta's Meanderings - July 10 review and giveaway
Chic Book Reviews - July 10 review and giveaway
Trins Nook - July 10 giveaway conclusion
Readaholic - July 11 review and giveaway
Morbid Romantic - July 11 review, giveaway, and Q&A
Bookin' With Bingo - July 11
Books and Needlepoint/ - July 12 review; giveaway concludes July 17
Drey's Library - July 13 review
Pudgy Penguin Perusals - July 14 review and giveaway
I'm Booking It - July 14 review and giveaway
Book Soulmates - July 15 review and giveaway
Just Jennifer Reading - July 15 review and giveaway
My Thoughts. . .Your thoughts? - July 15 review and giveaway
Seductive Musings - July 15 review and giveaway
All About {n} - July 15 review and giveaway.
My Friend Amy - July 16
This Book for Free - July 17 giveaway and Q&A
Cheryl's Book Nook - July 17 review and giveaway
My Guilty Pleasures

Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons - New Giveaway!

Shared by Kristi

A new week and a new giveaway! This time it is for 5 copies of Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons. These are courtesy of Valerie and Hachette books!

About the book: Acclaimed novelist Anne Rivers Siddons's new novel is a stunning tale of love and loss.

For as long as she can remember, they were Cam and Lilly--happily married, totally in love with each other, parents of a beautiful family, and partners in life. Then, after decades of marriage, it ended as every great love story does...in loss. After Cam's death, Lilly takes a lone road trip to her and Cam's favorite spot on the remote coast of Maine, the place where they fell in love over and over again, where their ghosts still dance. There, she looks hard to her past--to a first love that ended in tragedy; to falling in love with Cam; to a marriage filled with exuberance, sheer life, and safety-- to try to figure out her future.

It is a journey begun with tender memories and culminating in a revelation that will make Lilly re-evaluate everything she thought was true about her husband and her marriage. (from the publisher)

Read an excerpt of Off Season.

About the author: Anne Rivers Siddons is one of America’s most beloved novelists. A New York Times bestselling author, she has written sixteen previous novels: Sweetwater Creek, Islands, Nora Nora, Low Country, Up Island, Fault Lines, Downtown, Hill Towns, Colony, Outer Banks, King’s Oak, Peachtree Road, Homeplace, Fox’s Earth, The House Next Door, and Heartbreak Hotel. She is also the author of a work of nonfiction, John Chancellor Makes Me Cry. Her newest novel, OFF SEASON, will be released in August 2008. She and her husband, Heyward, split their time between their homes in South Carolina and Maine. (from the publisher)

Off Season
Publisher/Publication Date: Grand Central Publishing/July 2009 (Paperback reprint)
ISBN: 9780446698290
384 pages

Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Rules

Only residents of U.S. or Canada
No PO Boxes
Five (5) books being given away - giveaway ends July 27th.
Leave a comment w/email address to enter. (please leave all entries in one comment)
Follow my blog +2
Post about it on blog or any social network - leave me a link +3. If you are leaving it on twitter use @kherbrand.
If someone says you referred them you will each get +3!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory (Book Review)

Shared by Kristi

Title: Knight of Desire (#1 All the King's Men)
Author: Margaret Mallory
Publisher: Forever

First sentence: The creak of the stable door woke him. (uncorrected proof edition)

My summary: As a young girl of 16, Catherine was to be married to a man she did not trust. But being the only heir to a castle, she had to follow the wishes of her father and her King. On the eve of her marriage, she heads out for one last ride of freedom. This ride is almost thwarted by a knight she awakens in the stable. The knight finally agrees to accompany her on her ride to keep her safe. They part with a kiss, Catherine vowing to remember the night when she needs a happy memory. The knight, unable to forget the girl, dreamed of her often.

Five years later we meet up with Catherine as she waits to hear if her husband, Lord Rayburn - the traitor, has been captured or killed. After withstanding many years of his brutal lovemaking and abuse, she had begun to send messages to her childhood friend, Prince Harry, of her husband's traitorous ways. His death means her survival. She is relieved when she finds out it is finally over, but her relief is short-lived. A traitor's family must also be punished to send a message to others - but the King has given her a choice. Marry William FitzAllen, who has been given the castle and the lands - or be sent to the Tower. William had proven his loyalty to the King many times and it was he that led the men who captured Lord Rayburn.

One look at Catherine and William realizes it is the young girl he met in the stables on the eve of her wedding. As it had been a dark night, and he had worn his hair longer and sported a beard, Lady Catherine does not recognize him. She agrees to marry, only to keep herself alive for her young son Jaime. They are married that very day.

William is a very gentle and caring knight. He gives Catherine many days to feel comfortable with him before she has to share his bed. Eventually she submits, but she is still tense and unreachable in bed. William doesn't understand as they appear to be growing closer during the day. He is even growing close to Jaime. Unfortunately, Lady Catherine has had her heart so bruised, she cannot see past her relationship with the late Rayburn. Will William be able to ever win her heart?

Catherine does come to love him, but fears her husband still does not trust her on things that matter the most. William does have doubts about Catherine's loyalty - all stemming back to her deceiving her first husband and eventually leading to his downfall. Their love and trust is tested when she is kidnapped by the Tudors and forced to travel all over Wales to avoid rescue. Will their relationship be able to stand this trial and separation?

My thoughts: What a good book! Sometimes historical fiction loses me when it tries to capture the "language" of the time period. I find those books hard to follow and they generally lose my interest. This book was hard for me to put down! The story of their love is very romantic - and of course William possesses many of the qualities we look for today - patience, gentleness, loyalty - though he does have his faults too! His bumbling when it came time to show Catherine how he felt, and his awkward way with words at times got him into hot water quite a bit! But I imagine many husbands have those some problems these days! For a book set in the 1400s, they had a very modern relationship. It was nice to read a romance that portrayed a strong, courageous woman, who didn't need the man to save her! If you are a fan of this genre - you must add this book to your TBRs!

About the author: MARGARET MALLORY recently surprised her friends and family by abandoning her legal career-and her steady job-to write tales of romance and adventure. At long last, she can satisfy her passion for justice by punishing the bad and rewarding the worthy-in the pages of her novels, of course. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two college-age children. KNIGHT OF DESIRE is her first book so she would dearly love to hear from readers.

I am currently have a giveaway for Knight of Desire.

Knight of Desire
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, Grand Central Publishing, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-55339-1
356 pages

Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Don't forget to visit these blogs for more about this great book:
Readaholic- June 29 giveaway.
This Book for Free- June 29 giveaway
Must Read Faster - June 29 review and giveaway.
Yankee Romance Reviewers - June 29 to July 10 review and giveaway
This, That and the Other Thing - June 30 review and giveaway.
Book Soulmates - July 1 review and giveaway.
The Epic Rat - July 1
Foreign Circus Library - July 2
Happily Forever After - July 2 giveaway
Love Impossible - July 3
Morbid Romantic - July 4 review and giveaway
Chick with Books - July 4 review and giveaway
Books and Needlepoint- July 5 review; July 10 giveaway ends.
Bookin' with Bingo- July 5
A Journey of Books - July 6 review and giveaway.
Seductive Musings - July 7 review and giveaway.
Alpha Heroes - July 8 review and giveaway.
All About {n} - July 8 review and giveaway.
Marta's Meanderings- July 9 review and giveaway.
Review from Here - July 10 review.
Starting Fresh - July 10 review and giveaway
Maria's Space- review and giveaway.
Darby's Closet - review.

Friday, July 3, 2009

June Round Up of Books and a Peek at July

Shared by Kristi

Where is the summer going??? I cannot believe it is July already and I don't have a sun~~burn~~tan yet! Well I had a great June. I think not having a schedule with the kids being out of school - and staying up late at night to read really helped me.

I read 14 books in June for a whopping total of 5071 pages. My best so far. This brings me to 77 books for the year.

My favorite this month was probably Scared by Tom Davis or Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell.

Least favorite was probably The King's Legacy - just like my least favorite last month - it was sort of a fable.

I wrapped up a whole bunch of challenges even though they weren't ending yet. I had read the amount of books and was tired of updating them!
Themed Reading Challenge
Chunkster Challenge
2009 Pub Challenge
Chick Lit Challenge
New Author Challenge
Read Your Name Challenge
Romance Reading Challenge

Challenges I didn't complete -
Unshelved Reading Challenge - I did not read one book for this so didn't even do a wrap up!
Daring Book For Girls - I decided to keep going with this one though and making it a perpetual challenge for me.

Here are my other challenges:

Numbers Challenge	2/5
The Countdown Challenge	29/45
Outlander Challenge	0/7
Genre Challenge	10/12
Whitcoull's Challenge	2/7
Series Challenge Season 3	3
9 Books from '09	7/9
100+ Reading Challenge	77/100
18th and 19th Century Women Writers	0/4
2009 ARC Reading Challenge	63
2009 Suspense and Thriller Reading Challenge	8/12
999 Challenge	49/81
A to Z Challenge (authors)	19/26
A to Z Challenge (titles)	18/26
Art History Reading Challenge	0/6
Audiobook Challenge	3/12
Celebrate the Author challenge	3/12
Centuries Reading Challenge	2/4
Colorful Reading Challenge	2/9
Daniel Defoe	0/2
Decades '09	3/9
Dewey's Books Reading Challenge	1/6
Harlequin/Silhoutte Challenge	0/5
John Steinbeck	0/2
Sarah Dessen	0/2
Science Book Challenge	1/3
Scott Westerfeld	0/2
Seconds Challenge	8/12
Serial Readers Challenge	10
Support Your Local Library	13/50
What's in a Name	5/6
World War II Challenge	0/5
YA Challenge	13/12
Young Readers	61/12

Perpetual Challenges
5 Under 35 0
Daring Book for Girls 4

Let's focus on July - I have some great giveaways going on right now!
Knight of Desire - 5 copies (ends July 10)
A Hint of Wicked - 5 copies (ends July 15)
How to Score - 5 copies (ends July 16)
One Scream Away - 5 copies (ends July 17)
Soul Survivor - 5 copies (ends July 20)
The Juror - audiobook - 3 copies (ends July 22)
Any Minute - audiobook - 3 copies (ends July 23)
Swimsuit - audiobook - 3 copies (ends July 24)

Upcoming giveaways for July
Off Season - Anne River Siddons
Blue Like Play Dough - Tricia Goyer
Love at First Flight - Marie Force

Interviews for July
July 10 - Marie Force - author of Love at First Flight
July 30 - Susan Chodakiewitz - author of Too Many Visitors for One Little House

Guest post
July 22 - T. Katz - author of Miss L'eau

Lots of books will be touring this month!
Knight of Desire - Margaret Mallory
One Scream Away - Kate Brady
The Castaways - Elin Hildebrand
Maire - Linda Windsor
A Promise for Breanna - Al and Joanna Lacy
Ravens - George Dawes Green
Me, Just Different - Stephanie Morrill
Blue Like Play Dough - Tricia Goyer

In addition to the above reviews - I will also be trying to fit these books in:
Conscience Point - Erica Abeel
Acne for Dummies - Dr. Herbert Goodheart
Last Light Over Carolina - Mary Alice Monroe
All We Ever Wanted Was Everything - Janelle Brown
Refuge -John & Bessie Gonleh w/Bruce Beakley
Miss L'eau- T. Katz
Hollywood is Like High School with Money - Zoey Dean
Too Many Visitors for One Little House - Susan Chodakiewitz
The Death of a Pope - Piers Paul Read
How to Train a Rock - Paul Steven Stone
Surviving a House Full of Whispers - Sharon Wallace
Confessions of a Trauma Junkie - Sherry Mayo
North From Calcutta- Duane Evans
Becky- Lenore Hart
Desperate Highway - Jesse Stretch
Lizzi and Fredl - Dr. William Stanford
The Blue Pen - Lisa Rusczyk
Off Season - Anne River Siddons

I also have some library books that I really want to get to this month! Hopefully you will be hearing about those because I will finish them and review them.

Happy 4th of July everyone!!!

Romance Reading Challenge Wrap Up

Shared by Kristi

I can hear everybody cheering - this is the last wrap up post for now! It is the Romance Reading Challenge - you had to read at least 5 books - I stopped at 15.

Romance Reading Challenge

Read Your Name Challenge Wrap up

Shared by Kristi

Never fear - I am almost done with my Wrap Up Challenge posts! This one you had to read a book beginning with the letters of your name -

Read Your Name Challenge

New Author Challenge Wrap Up

Shared by Kristi

Here are the 50 new authors that I read for this challenge:

New Author Challenge

Chick Lit Challenge WrapUp

Shared by Kristi

Chick Lit Challenge is finished! Challenge was to read 10 chick lit books and I ended at 23. I just have too many challenges going on to keep track off the ones that I am actually done with!

Chick Lit Challenge

2009 Pub Challenge WrapUp

Shared by Kristi

Another challenge done! Nine books were required - I stopped at 20. Since I am mainly reading ARCs right now it wasn't hard to get books published in 2009.

2009 Pub Challenge

Chunkster Challenge WrapUp

Shared by Kristi

I kicked butt on this challenge - and considering I had chosen Mor-book-ly Obese - there was a lot of book booty to kick! I read 7 chunksters (over 450 pages - okay, Frederica only had 446 but I counted it anyway!) My favorite was probably Scream for Me or Miranda's Big Mistake - but at 668 pages, Holly's Inbox was probably the quickest!

Chunkster Challenge

Themed Reading Challenge Wrap Up

Shared by Kristi

My original "theme" for this one bit the dust - and I went with books that had Dead or words that meant Dead in their title. I chose the first option which was to read 4 books with this theme. My favorite book of this bunch was hard to pick - but I think I will go with Fatal Illusions.

Themed Reading Challenge

Daring Book for Girls Wrap Up

Shared by Kristi

I failed miserably at this challenge. It ended June 15 and I had only completed 4 of 9 books. I am going to go back though and make it a perpetual challenge for me as I really want to read the books listed in Daring Book for Girls. I was also able to pick up a copy of Daring Book for Girls for just a buck!

Daring Book For Girls Challenge

Friday Finds 7-3-2009

Shared by Kristi

Here are my finds this week!

The Bone Factory by Nate Kenyon

Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Company

About the book: The Jackson Pumped Storage Project was supposed to be one of the most ambitious hydropower experiments in the world. But when a particularly brutal winter and bad planning forced a shutdown in construction, it became one of the most expensive mistakes the locals had ever seen. That is, until Hydro Development decided to try again, and awakened a sleeping giant–and the murders begin.

A thousand miles away, hydropower engineer David Pierce gets a second chance when he’s hired to head a crucial part of the resurrected facility. Recently fired from a position with a rival company, his world was swiftly crumbling before his eyes, his marriage in trouble and money growing tight. In the blink of an eye, everything changes, and he, his wife and their young daughter are driving to Quebec City to begin their new lives together.

But Jessica Pierce is no ordinary little girl, and the visions that have haunted her since birth swiftly grow worse: visions of the “blue man,” and with him comes blood and pain and terror. There begins the most horrifying few weeks of the family’s lives as they battle the unforgiving Canadian winter and a madman under the influence of something far more terrifying and destructive than anyone can understand. (from author's website)

Read an excerpt of The Bone Factory now!

About the author: Nate Kenyon grew up in a small town in Maine, an avid reader and writer from a very early age. He attended Trinity College in Connecticut, majoring in English and winning awards for playwriting and fiction. After graduation some of his short fiction found publication in literary and genre magazines such as Nude Beach, The Belletrist Review, Nocturnal Ecstasy and Terminal Frights.

Kenyon moved to the Boston area in 1995 and took a position working in the marketing and communications field. In 2005 he sold his first novel, Bloodstone, to Five Star Publishing (Thomson Gale). Bloodstone was published a year later to critical acclaim, named a Bram Stoker Award finalist in hardcover, winning the P&E Horror Novel of the Year, and becoming one of Five Star’s all time bestselling speculative fiction titles. In 2007, mass-market paperback publisher Leisure Books signed him to a two-book contract for Bloodstone and his next novel, The Reach. Bloodstone was released from Leisure in May 2008, and The Reach hit shelves in December 2008, receiving a starred review from Publishers Weekly and raves from Booklist, Pop Syndicate, Dark Scribe and many more. His third novel, The Bone Factory, will be released in July 2009.

Kenyon has a trade paperback science fiction novella, Prime, coming in summer 2009 from Apex Books. He has recently had stories published in Shroud Magazine, Permuted Press’s Giant Creatures anthology, and Legends of the Mountain State 2, and has several others forthcoming. He is a member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers.

Kenyon still lives in the Boston area with his wife and three children, and is at work on his next novel.(from author's website)

The Bone Factory
Publisher/Publication Date: Dorchester Publishing Company, June 2009
ISBN: 9780843962871
336 pages

Barnes & Noble
Amazon

A Study in Red by Brian L. Porter

Publisher: DD Literary Services and Graphic Design

About the book: A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper by Brian L Porter tells the story of Robert Cavendish, a modern day psychiatrist who is bequeathed a strange set of papers which purport to be the journal of the long-dead infamous Whitechapel Murderer whose crimes gripped the hearts and minds and instilled terror on the streets of Victorian London. As he begins to read the journal, Robert becomes convinced of it's authenticity and finds that the words of the Ripper have a strange and compelling effect on him. Unable to cast the pages aside he finds himself being drawn into the dark and sinister world of the killer until he is unable to distinguish what is fact and what is fantasy. In short, Robert Cavendish begins to feel as though he is being taken over in some way by the soul of the long-dead Ripper. What happens as he progresses through the journal will disturb and shock the reader as the close dividing line between sanity and madness is explored to the full. (from Barnes and Noble website)

To get the full effect - you really must go read this excerpt of A Study in Red.

About the author: Born in the UK in 1953, Brian L Porter served in the Royal Air Force, before beginning a career in retail management. Following a long depressive illness which saw him give up his career Brian took up writing as a means of expression. After having over 200 poems published, and three times being voted one of the Forward Press (UK) top 100 poets of the year he switched to short story writing, and to date has been rewarded with a number of successful publications of those stories, in the UK, Malaysia, and Holland. The Devil You Know and Wolf have been released as e-books. Over the last five years he has also successfully written and had five stage plays performed in local theatres. His stories including Night Flight and The Devil You Know have appeared in Capture Weekly Literary Journal in Kuala Lumpur, and Peccary Magazine in Holland recently published Mexican Therapy in their inaugural issue. The Voice, a dark psychological tale of brutal murder in Paris, was published by New Fiction in their anthology Mazes of the Mind ISBN 1 85929 141 4. The titles A Novel Tale, A Holy Grail, Final Confrontation, and Bodies in the Cellar have all been published by Secret Attic magazine. Recently his short stories Compliments of the Boss and A Long Way From Home have been published as e-books by RS Publishing in Australia. (From Double Dragon website)

A Study in Red
Publisher/Publication Date: DD Literary Services and Graphic Design, January 2008
ISBN: 9781554045273
244 pages

Barnes & Noble
Amazon

What great books did you find this week?? Stop over at Should Be Reading and share yours!

The Friday 56 7-3-2009

Shared by Kristi

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Even when Royboy had joined them on several occasions, endlessly mimicking with his own sometimes incoherent version of speech or sitting at Reginald's feet and fussing with his shoe ties or even the luncheon fiasco, never once had Reginald complained of Royboy's presence. Perhaps he would welcome Royboy -- or tolerate him, at least. (p56 The Oak Leaves by Maureen Lang)

The Oak Leaves
Publisher/Publication Date: Tyndale House, March 2007
ISBN: 978-1-4143-1345-0
416 pages

Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Swimsuit - New Audiobook Giveaway!

Shared by Kristi

I have 3 copies of the audiobook Swimsuit by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro to give away thanks to Hachette Books!

About the book: Syd, a breathtakingly beautiful supermodel on a photo shoot in Hawaii, disappears. Fearing the worst, her parents travel to Hawaii to investigate for themselves, never expecting the horror that awaits them.

LA Times reporter Ben Hawkins is conducting his own research into the case, hoping to help the victim and get an idea for his next bestseller. With no leads and no closer to uncovering the kidnapper's identity than when he stepped off the plane, Ben gets a shocking visit that pushes him into an impossible-to-resist deal with the devil.

A heart-pounding story of fear and desire, SWIMSUIT transports readers to a chilling new territory where the collision of beauty and murder transforms paradise into a hell of unspeakable horrors. (from Barnes and Noble website)

About the authors: James Patterson had been working as a very successful advertising copywriter when he decided to put his Masters degree in English to a somewhat different use. Inspired by bestselling hair-raising thrillers like The Day of the Jackal and The Exorcist, Patterson went to work on his first novel. Published in 1976, The Thomas Berryman Number established him as a writer of tightly constructed mysteries that move forward with the velocity of a bullet. For his startling debut, Patterson was awarded the prestigious Edgar Award for Best First Mystery Novel -- an auspicious beginning to one of the most successful careers in publishing.

A string of gripping standalone mysteries followed, but it was the 1992 release of Along Came a Spider that elevated Patterson to superstar status. Introducing Alex Cross, a brilliant black police detective/forensic psychologist, the novel was the first installment in a series of bestselling thrillers that has proved to be a cash cow for the author and his publisher.

Examining Patterson's track record, it's obvious that he believes one good series deserves another...maybe even a third! In 2001, he debuted the Women's Murder Club with 1st to Die, a fast-paced thriller featuring four female crime fighters living in San Francisco -- a homicide detective, a medical examiner, an assistant D.A., and a cub reporter. The successful series has continued with other numerically titled installments. Then, spinning off a set of characters from a previous novel (1998's When the Wind Blows), in 2005 he published Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. Featuring a "flock" of genetically engineered flying children, the novel was a huge hit, especially with teen readers, and spawned a series of vastly popular fantasy adventures.

In addition to continuing his bestselling literary franchises, Patterson has also found time to co-author thrillers with other writers -- including Peter de Jonge, Andrew Gross, Maxine Paetro, and Howard Roughan -- and has even ventured into romance (Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, Sam's Letters to Jennifer) and children's literature (santaKid). Writing at an astonishing pace, this prolific author has turned himself into a one-man publishing juggernaut, fulfilling his clearly stated ambition to become "the king of the page-turners."

Swimsuit
Publisher/Publication Date: Hachette Audio, June 2009
ISBN: 9781600245916
Read by Christian Rummel

Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Rules

Only residents of U.S. or Canada
No PO Boxes
Three (3) books being given away - giveaway ends July 24th.
Leave a comment w/email address to enter. (please leave all entries in one comment)
Follow my blog +2
Post about it on blog or any social network - leave me a link +3. If you are leaving it on twitter use @kherbrand.
If someone says you referred them you will each get +3!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

ARC Arrival: Blue Like Play Dough

Shared by Kristi

Blue Like Play Dough
The Shape of Motherhood in the Grip of God
By Tricia Goyer

Publisher: Multnomah

I received this book as part of a blog tour taking place later this month - look for a giveaway at that time also!

About the book: The everyday push and pull of motherhood often leaves Tricia Goyer feeling, well, smooshed. Can you relate? In Blue Like Play Dough, Tricia shares her unlikely journey from rebellious, pregnant teen to busy wife and mom with big dreams of her own.

Sure, her life is messy and beset by doubts. But God keeps showing up in the most unlikely places - in a bowl of carrot soup, the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon, a woe-is-me teen drama, or play dough in the hands of a child.

As her story unfolds, Tricia realizes that God has more in store for her than she ever imagined. Much More. But only if she lets him mold her life for good.

In Tricia's transparent account, you'll find laughter, understanding, and inspiration for your own story. And in the midst of your daily demands, you'll discover the hands of God at work. . .and know he has something beautiful in mind. (from the back cover)

About the author: Tricia Goyer is the author of eighteen books of fiction and nonfiction, including Generation NeXt parenting and the Gold Medallion finalist Life Interrupted. Goyer writes for publications such as Today's Christian Woman and Focus on the Family, speaks to women's groups nationwide, and has been a presenter at the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) national convention. She and her husband, John, live with their family in Montana. (from the back cover)

Blue Like Play Dough
Publisher/Publication Date: Multnomah, July 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60142-152-4
208 pages

Barnes & Noble
Amazon
ChristianBook

ARC Arrival: Lizzi & Fredl

Shared by Kristi

Lizzi & Fredl
A Perilous Journey of Love and Faith: A Memoir
By Dr. William B. Stanford

Publisher: iUniverse Incorporated

I received this book from the author through Bostick Communications.

About the book: Holocaust accounts usually revolve around the persecution and eradication of the Jewish people, but there are others who also suffered greatly under Hitler's tyranny; however, their sacrifices and experiences have seldom been chronicled in World War II accounts. . . until now. Lizzi and Fredl Steiner were Catholics who did not escape the horrors of the war while Fredl's account finally answers why the atrocity of the massacres at Oradour-Sur-Glane occurred.

World War II scholarly books could only speculate why a Nazi Panzer division destroyed the town of Oradour-Sur-Glane by exterminating its citizens, including women and children, and for years the reason has remained a relative mystery. Fredl, however, in sharing the story with his son and author Dr. William B. Stanford, was given an account by an eyewitness who managed to escape and share the horrors of what had been done to his town.

Awarded both Editor's Choice and Publisher's Choice by iUniverse, Lizzi & Fredl is a story elucidating that France had concentration, internment and labor camps thought mostly to exist in Germany. This memoir is also a love story of unconditional devotion and resilience between a happily married couple whose lives were disrupted by a seven-year nightmare. It took many years for Dr. Stanford to get his parents to share their stories, and once they did, it was apparent to him that they had not even revealed their individual horrors to each other over the years. From a long, arduous journey to Paris to Fredl's unbelievable rescue from a train bound for a Nazi death camp, Lizzi & Fredl delivers a remarkable true story of courage, faith, and overwhelming love. (from publicity sent with the book)

About the author: Dr. William B. Stanford is a practicing optometrist in California. He has been married to his wife, Janice, for thirty-eight years and has two daughters, Wendy and Christine. Lizzi & Fredl is the biography of Stanford's parents, Lizzi and Fredl Steiner. In 1998, when his parents were in their late eighties, he encouraged them to tell the story of what they had gone through during the war, a subject they had never wanted to discuss. Two years of recordings and note taking resulted in a jigsaw puzzle of 10,000 pieces which required nine years for Dr. Stanford to put together into his parents' remarkable story. Fredl passed away in 2001 at the age of 90, and Lizzi died three years later at the age of 92. (from publicity material sent with the book)

Lizzi & Fredl
Publisher/Publication Date: iUniverse, April 2008
ISBN: 978-0-595-43311-7
444 pages

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ARC Arrival: Desperate Highway

Shared by Kristi

Desperate Highway
The True Story of a Criminal
Memoirs From the Life of Jeff Andrews
By Jesse Stretch

Publisher: Book Surge Publishing
I received this book from the author through Bostick Publications.

About the book: Jeff Andrews didn't just scam people; he ripped them off for everything they were worth. He took their homes, cars, planes, boats, even their girlfriends, and spent the money on booze, guns, coke, and limousines. He was the epitome of the American Badass, a hardened fugitive with a high threshold for pain and steady hands under pressure.

From San Francisco to Acapulco, from Kenya to New York City, the only aspect of this enigmatic villain's true story more shocking than the crimes he committed are the unexpected relationships that uncover his true identity, bringing his recklessly glamorous lifestyle to a shattering halt.

Twenty two years ago Jeff Andrews had a miraculous transformation. At age 40, while serving time at Danbury Federal Correctional Institution, Jeff found God, Himself, and realized that his life of crime had led him down a dead end highway. Like Paul (Saul) on the road to Damascus, Jeff's life completely changed in just one night. With a full moon shining through the window of a darkened cell, Jeff opened a small Gideon Bible. Moments later, he was a changed man. For twenty years afterward he shared his testimony with all who wanted to hear it and some who didn't, until just two years ago, directly after being diagnosed with terminal cancer and very serious heart disease, Jeff was issued his divine assignment: "Write the book. . .Time is short." He knew his life wouldn't end if he did this. At least not yet. (from publicity material sent with the book)

Read an excerpt of Desperate Highway.

About the author: Jesse Stretch is a writer from Richmond Virginia. He is an avid seeker of new and exciting fiction and non-fiction projects. He is currently working on a novel and has partnered with the President of Virginia Blood Services to write a non-fiction book, the title of which is still in the works. He looks forward to continuing a diversified career that will span all genres of writing. (from the book)

Desperate Highway
Publisher/Publication Date: BookSurge Publishing, April 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4392-2394-9
290 pages

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Any Minute - New Audiobook Giveaway!

Shared by Kristi

I have 3 copies of the audiobook Any Minute by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford to give away courtesy of Hachette Books!

About the book: Sarah Harper is driven to achieve success no matter what the cost. She wants to do good and not hurt the people she loves--especially children and her husband, Joe--but her desire to succeed in her career too often leaves little time for family.

One cold, autumn afternoon, all of that changes when Sarah's car plunges off a bridge and into a river. She is presumed dead by those on the "outside," but Sarah's spirit is still very much alive. What she discovers on the other side transforms everything about Sarah's view of life--past, present, and future.

When Sarah is revived, she is a changed woman. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.(from Barnes and Noble website)

About the authors: Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than seventy inspirational books, including The Confident Woman, I Dare You, the entire Battlefield of the Mind family of books, her first venture into fiction with The Penny,and many others. She has also released thousands of audio teachings as well as a complete video library.

Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life^® radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown children and make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.

Deborah Bedford is a career fiction writer who began her professional life as a journalist in a Colorado mountain town. Deborah and her husband, Jack, have two children and live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Any Minute
Publisher/Publication Date: Hachette Audio, June 2009
ISBN: 9781600246302
Read by Ellen Archer

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Rules

Only residents of U.S. or Canada
No PO Boxes
Three (3) books being given away - giveaway ends July 23rd.
Leave a comment w/email address to enter. (may leave all entries in one comment)
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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Talking to the Dead by Bonnie Grove (Book Review)

Shared by Kristi

Title: Talking to the Dead
Author: Bonnie Grove
Publisher: David C. Cook

First sentence: Kevin was dead and the people in my house wouldn't go home.

About the book: Kate Davis has just lost her husband, Kevin. They had only been married a few years. They hadn't even started a family yet. They had been in love since the day they met - and now he was gone.

Kate doesn't know how she is going to cope without him - and she seems to have lost months of her memory. Then one day after the funeral, she hears his voice. Is she crazy or is she really talking to her dead husband?

Kate's story of how she learns to deal with her grief is interspersed with glimpses of her past as she slowly - slowly regains her memories. She tries to find answers as to why she can hear her husband through therapy, but can't seem to find a therapist that 'fits'.

After attending a group therapy session for dealing with grief, she has a chance encounter with Jack - who turns out to be a pastor of a congregation that is a little unusual.

Talking to the Dead portrays a woman dealing with grief in the only way she knew how. She remains entrenched in her sorrow until Kevin's secret explodes and forces her into action.
The question is - will Kate be able to keep it together as her memories resurface and will she discover the secret that Kevin was keeping? Will she be strong enough for a new beginning?

I enjoyed this book and liked the way we learned about her past through glimpses. It sort of reminded me of the movie Premonition with Sandra Bullock - the way her memories are regained with glimpses here and there - so you don't know the whole story until the end. (That is the only similarity with the movie, so don't be thrown by this comparison.)

Read the first chapter and see the trailer of Talking to the Dead.

About the author: Bonnie Grove developed and wrote social programs for families at risk before landing her first publishing deal for Working Your Best You: Discovering and Developing the Strengths God Gave You. Talking to the Dead is her first novel. Grove and her pastor husband, Steve, have two children; they live in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Talking to the Dead
Publisher/Publication Date: David C. Cook, June 2009
ISBN: 9781434766410
384 pages

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