Psst... Hey you - yeah you

You've won Tamed by a Laird!

Well - that is, if your name is:
Sheila Deeth

Small Footprints

Kytaira (already won) New winner - Throuthehaze (also already won. . .) New winner - Dixie

Alyce

Karen K

Congrats winners! I will be emailing winners shortly - they will have 48 to get back to me or new winners will be drawn. Thanks for entering!!

Teaser Tuesday: 8-4-2009

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

Eve sat in the back of a police cruiser, staring at the handcuffs on her wrists, trying to stay calm and not think about the woman hanging from a rope inside the house. (p89, I Can See You by Karen Rose)





Teaser Tuesday is hosted at Should be Reading. Come on over and share your teaser, too!





I Can See You
Publisher/Publication Date: Grand Central Publishing, Aug 5, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-53834-3
480 pages

ARC Arrival: The Blue Enchantress by M.L. Tyndall

The Blue Enchantress (Charles Towne Belles/Book 2) by M.L. Tyndall

Publisher: Barbour Books

I received this book from the author after reading The Red Siren - Book 1 of the Charles Towne Belles. You can see my review of The Red Siren here - but know I am REALLY looking forward to reading this one! It will also be on a First Wild Card Tour later this month.

About the book: Still grieving the loss of her mother--and private tragedies of her own--Hope Westcott plays the part of a dutiful admiral's daughter. But longing for the love and acceptance she never felt at home, Hope plunges into Charles Towne society. . .and an illicit affair with Lord Falkland.

For Captain Nathaniel Mason, wealth means security, so he is determined to build his shipping business--ignoring God's call on his life to become an impoverished pastor. He also ignores his attraction to the frivolous, vain Hope Westcott.

Hope's adventure seeking lands her in the hands of an unscrupulous ship captain who wants to sell her to the highest bidder. When Nathaniel sees Hope on the auction block, will he listen to God and sacrifice his ship, cargo, and security to save her?

From the Carolina Coast to the Caribbean, through stormy seas and shipwreck, can Hope and Nathaniel put aside their painful pasts , listen to God's voice, and find true love and acceptance? (from the back cover)

About the author: M.L. Tyndall, a Christy Award finalist, lives in California with her husband, six grown children and four cats. (from the back cover)

You can also visit MaryLu on her blog - Cross and Cutlass.

The Blue Enchantress
Publisher/Publication Date: Barbour Books, August 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60260-157-4
320 pages

ARC Arrival: Dancing with Ana

Dancing with Ana by Nicole Barker

Publisher: The Golden Road Press

I received this book from the author. Thank you Nicole!

About the book: Beth is a lucky girl... She comes from a loving family. She has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she's grown up with has the most amazing green eyes... Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed.

Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat?

Purchase Dancing with Ana.

Wonderful Win: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Publisher: Anchor

I won this book during the read-a-thon from Books on the Nightstand!

About the book: Meet MMA RAMOTSWE, the endearing, engaging, simply irresistible proprietress of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, the first and only detective agency in Botswana. With persistent observation, gentle intuition, and a keen desire to help people with the problems of their lives, she solves mysteries great and small for friends and strangers alike. (from the back cover)

Visit the author at his website: www.AlexanderMcCallSmith.com

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Publisher/Publication Date: Anchor; MTI edition, March 2009
ISBN: 978-0-307-45663-2
256 pages

ARC Arrival: Luv Ya Bunches

Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle

Publisher: Amulet Books

I received this from the publisher through Shelf Awareness

About the book: What do Katie-Rose, Yasaman, Milla, and Violet all have in common? Other than being named after flowers, practically nothing. Katie-Rose is a film director in training. Yasaman is a computer whiz. Milla is third in command of the A list. And Violet is the new girl in school. They’re fab girls, all of them, but they sure aren’t friends. And if evil queen bee Medusa— ’scuse me, Modessa—has her way, they never will be. But this is the beginning of a new school year, when anything can happen and social worlds can collide . . .

Told in Lauren Myracle’s inventive narrative style—here a fresh mix of instant messages, blog posts, screenplay, and straight narrative—Luv Ya Bunches, the first in a four-book series, is a funny, honest depiction of the shifting alliances and rivalries that shape school days, and of the lasting friendships that blossom from the skirmishes. (from Amazon website)

About the author: Lauren Myracle is a graduate of the Vermont College MFA program in writing for children and young adults. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling Internet Girls trilogy—ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r—and ever since realizing how popular these books are with the tween set, she wanted to write an Internet series just for them. Lauren grew up in Atlanta and lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her husband and three children. (from Amazon website)

Luv Ya Bunches
Publisher/Publication Date: Amulet Books, Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8109-4211-0
352 pages
Ages 9-13

Back to School! Already???

August - can't believe it is here already! I will be registering my daughters for high school in the next week - with one of them starting the 19th and the other one the 24th. My little one doesn't go back to preschool until after Labor Day - lucky him! But with school starting I thought it would be fun to do a series of posts that have been made available to me about - you guessed it - School! So - to start the fun:

Ten Trivia Facts You Probably Used to Know
By Caroline Taggart,
Author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School

You know how it is -- the kids come home from school full of enthusiasm for a new subject, ask you to explain something, and you think, "Oh, yes, I used to know that." When I started to write a book on things you'd forgotten from your schooldays, I realised that I half-knew lots of stuff. I'd heard of phrases and clauses, but did I know the difference between them? I had a vague idea about photosynthesis -- it's to do with how plants grow, isn't it? But doesn't being green come into it somewhere? And then there was the War of 1812 -- what was that all about?

So there are three Top Trivia Questions to start with; I'll answer them and then I'll give you seven more. That way, even if you can't answer the kids' questions, you can quickly change the subject and throw in some knowledge of your own.

1. Language: What's the difference between a clause and a phrase? These are the building blocks of a sentence. The difference is that a clause contains a subject and a verb. It often stands alone as a simple sentence (He loves dogs), but may also be part of a longer sentence (He loves dogs, but he doesn't own one). A phrase is a group of words in a sentence that does not contain a subject and a verb (In the afternoon, he took his mother's dog for a walk).

2. Biology: What is photosynthesis? It is -- as we suspected -- to do with how plants grow. It's the process by which they convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, using the energy they absorb from light by means of a green pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is stored mainly in the leaves and is the reason most plants are green. Photosynthesis releases oxygen into the atmosphere, enabling the rest of us to breathe.

3. History: The war of 1812, between the U.S. and Britain, actually lasted nearly three years, from 1812 to 1815. Britain was already at war with France (under Napoleon) and the U.S. sided with the French. American ships, trying to break a blockade that would prevent supplies from reaching France, were being seized by the British, who then coerced American seamen into the Royal Navy. On top of that, the U.S. was disputing British control of territories in Canada; New England's support for Britain complicated the issue further. This war -- the last time the U.S. and Britain fought on opposing sides -- ended in stalemate when the British defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and subsequently lifted their blockade.

4. Literature: Where does the expression 'It just growed' come from? It's a misquotation from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-96), a fiercely anti-slavery novel published in 1852, when this was the political hot potato in America. The most famous character is the slave girl Topsy, who didn't know where she came from (i.e. didn't realise that God had made her) and said, 'I s'pect I growed.'

5. Math: who was that Pythagoras guy anyway? He was a Greek mathematician and philosopher who lived in the 6^th century BC. His theorem (the word comes from the same root as "theory" but means something that can be proved) states that in a right-angled triangle "the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides." The hypotenuse is the longest side of the triangle, opposite the right angle. This theorem really really matters to mathematicians, because it is fundamental to calculations used in architecture, engineering, astronomy, navigation and the like.

6. Geography: which were the original 13 states of the Union? In alphabetical order: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia. Delaware was the first to ratify the new constitution and is nicknamed "The First State" to this day.

7. Chemistry: what's the Periodic Table of Elements? It's a way of setting out the names of all the known chemical elements so that the vertical columns contain groups or families with similar properties. It was devised in the 19^th century by a Russian chemist called Mendeleev and has been in use ever since. An element, by the way, is a substance that cannot be decomposed into a simpler substance by a chemical process. Groups of elements come together to form compounds. So, for example, a combination of the element hydrogen (H) and the element oxygen (O) can form the compound water (H₂O).

8. Physics: what are conduction, convection and radiation? These are the ways in which heat is transferred from one "body" (that is, "thing") to another. Put simply, conduction means that a cool thing -- whether solid, liquid, or gas -- is warmed up by coming into contact with a hot thing. Convection occurs in liquids and gases and is the basis of the principle that hot air rises. A hot liquid or gas is generally less dense than a cool one; as the hot particles rise, cooler ones rush in underneath to take their place. The hot particles, having risen, cool and come down again, and so on. Radiation involves the energy that all objects emit. It is the only one of the three methods that works in a vacuum and is how the sun's rays manage to warm the Earth from so far away.

9. Art: who was Jackson Pollock? He was what is called an Abstract Expressionist and he believed that the act of painting was more important than the finished product. His paintings are therefore highly colourful, often huge, and (like his life) chaotic to the point of frenzy. He died in a motor accident in 1956, aged only 44.

10. Music: why should I care about Johann Sebastian Bach? He was incredibly important in the development of classical music: without him, some say, there might have been no Haydn, no Mozart, and no Beethoven. He wrote mostly organ music, church music, and orchestral music; his most famous works include the Brandenburg Concertos, the St. Matthew Passion, The Well-Tempered Clavier, and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. He had many children, including the composers Carl Philip Emmanuel and Johann Christian.

©2009 Caroline Taggart, author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School

Author Bio
Caroline Taggart, author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School, has been an editor of non-fiction books for nearly 30 years and has covered nearly every subject from natural history and business to gardening and astronomy. She has written several books and was the editor of Writer's Market UK 2009.

ARC Arrival: Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation

Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation by Adrian Plass

Publisher: Authentic Books

I received this book from TBB Media.

About the book: Remember alphabet soup? It’s a broth-based soup with letter shaped noodles, making it both tasty and educational. The great thing about this odd delicacy is that it lends itself to a beloved childhood game, affectionately referred to as “the alphabet soup game,” which requires a name and definition for every pasta letter in the bowl. In many ways, Adrian Plass’ new book, Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation, plays the alphabet soup game with all things Christian.

With the comfortable knowledge of a church insider and the leery insight of a seeker, Plass shines a sometimes sarcastic, often times profound, and all the time witty light on the Christian experience. With thoughts on everything from the afterlife (“a place where God will chew a straw and fill us in on how things really are.”) to Zacchaeus (“… [he] looked like Danny DeVito in a dish towel”), Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation is a raucous glossary of biblical characters, church catch phrases and pop-Christian personalities.

The inspiration for Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation came from a situation Plass shared with a dear friend in church one day. When asked what the most important thing in the world was, both Plass and his friend responded very differently. “Salvation!” cried Plass. “Bacon sandwiches!” suggested his friend. Writes Plass, “That just about sums it up. A God who can create the indescribable tastiness of a bacon sandwich must be planning something pretty incredible in the salvation line.” Somewhere within the pages of this quirky little guide one begins to find just such a God.

About the author: Adrian Plass is a writer and speaker who has produced over thirty books in the last twenty years. Known for his satirical style and cheeky British wit, Plass puts an original mark on everything he touches. A bemused Anglican, Adrian lives with his wife and daughter in a small market town near the Sussex South Downs, England. (all info from publicity email from TBB media)

Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation
Publisher/Publication Date: Authentic Books, Oct 2008
ISBN: 978-1-934068-76-2
240 pages

ARC Arrivals: Truth or Dare and All That Glitters

Truth or Dare: Scenarios 1 and All That Glitters: Scenarios 2 by Nicole O'Dell

Publisher: Barbour Books

I received these books for a First Wild Card Tour Aug 21.

About the books: Truth or Dare - Decisions, decisions! How is a girl supposed to choose? Lessons of right and wrong are put to the test in the Scenarios series, where you can test your decision-making abilities in an eye-opening, but safe, way. Each book follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s your turn to choose. Will your choices lead to a happy ending?

All that Glitters - Decisions, decisions! How is a girl supposed to choose? Lessons of right and wrong are put to the test in the Scenarios series, where you can test your decision-making abilities in an eye-opening, but safe, way. Each book follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s your turn to choose. Will your choices lead to a happy ending?

Scenarios books in general - Tween readers make the choice in this interactive story and see how the consequences change Drew’s life. Includes a contract and prayer to remind the reader of the importance of making godly decisions. (from Amazon website)

About the author: Nicole O'Dell lives in Illinois with her husband and six children, three of whom are triplets. With a heart for young girls and a special passion for the relationship between mothers and daughters as they approach the teen years. Nicole created the Scenarios: Interactive Fiction for Girls series to help girls develop sound decision making skills. Her writing also includes devotionals and Bible studies for women of all ages. (from publicity material)

Truth or Dare
Publisher/Publication Date: Barbour Books, Aug 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60260-399-8
192 pages

All That Glitters
Publisher/Publication Date: Barbour Books, Aug 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60260-400-1
192 pages

Book Tour: Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton

Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton
(touring Aug 3 - Sept 25)
Publisher: Berkley Trade

About the book: Knit shop owner and sorcerer’s daughter Chloe Hobbs felt the Fates finally got it right when she met Luke MacKenzie. And no one could have convinced her otherwise—including the trolls, selkies, or spirits who also call Sugar Maple, Vermont, home. But then out of nowhere Luke’s ex-wife suddenly shows up, claiming to see the spirit of their daughter, Steffie—a daughter Chloe knows nothing about.

Steffie’s spirit is being held hostage by a certain Fae leader. And if Chloe weaves a spell to free her spirit, her nemesis will also be free—free to destroy her yarn shop and all of Sugar Maple. But if she doesn’t, Steffie won’t be the only one spending eternity in hell. Chloe’ll be joining her, cursed with a broken heart.

About the author: Barbara Bretton is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 books. Her most recent title, Laced With Magic, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She currently has over ten million copies in print around the world and have been translated into twelve languages in over twenty countries.

Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette,among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.

Her awards include both Reviewer’s Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.

Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.

You can visit Barbara on her blog at http://bmafb.blogspot.com or connect with her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/barbarbretton.com.
(all information from Pump Up Your Book Tour Blog)

Read an excerpt of Laced With Magic.

Please come back and visit me on Sept 18 for a guest post by Barbara and Sept 22 for my review!

Laced with Magic
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley Trade, Aug 2009
ISBN: 978-0425227527
352 pages

Book Tour: A Better View of Paradise by Randy Sue Coburn

A Better View of Paradise by Randy Sue Coburn
(touring Aug 3-Aug 28)
Publisher: Ballantine Books

About the Book: Dramatic, moving, and exquisitely written, A Better View of Paradise explores the tender bond between fathers and daughters, ponders the delicate nature of healing, and celebrates the redemptive power of forgiveness and love.

Thirty-six-year-old Stevie Pollack has come into her own as a celebrated landscape architect. Her designs, famed for their evocative natural beauty, reflect her upbringing amid the splendor of Hawai‘i. But when critics blast her latest efforts and her boyfriend abruptly ends their relationship, Stevie seeks solace in her roots among the dazzling flowers, and comforting traditions of the islands and their calming waters. Still, in the back of her mind, Hawai‘i holds troubling memories of a childhood with Hank, her emotionally distant father, and a reserved British mother.

Despite her irascible father’s presence, the trip home promises Stevie a welcome departure from her trials on the mainland. But the shocking news that Hank is dying forces the pair’s reunion into high gear. As father and daughter attempt to rekindle their bond, Stevie discovers sides of Hank she never knew, including family secrets that have shaped their lives. And what started as a holiday escape for the beleaguered architect becomes a chance for transformation, one as exciting as it is uncertain. Inspired by her father’s insight, and energized by the attentions of an attractive local veterinarian, Stevie learns to surrender her inhibitions and seize the day.

About the author: Randy Sue Coburn is a former newspaper reporter whose articles and essays have been published in numerous national magazines. She is the author of Owl Island and Remembering Jody, and her screenplays include Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, the critically acclaimed Cannes Film Festival selection that received five Independent Spirit Award nominations, including Best Screenplay. She lives in Seattle.
(all info is from Pump Up Your Book Promotion Blog)

Read an excerpt of A Better View of Paradise.

You can find more information about Randy and her new book at these participating blogs: Come back here Aug 20th for an interview with Randy and Aug 21st for my review!

Blogcritics l This Book for Free l A Bookish Mom l The Writer’s Life l Cafe of Dreams l One Person’s Journey Through a World of Books l As the Pages Turn l You GOTTA Read This l Bookin’ with Bingo l Between the Lines l Dear Author l Beth’s Book Blog l Luxury Reading l Books and Needlepoint l First Chapters l A Book Blogger’s Diary l Bookworm with a View l A Book and a Chat Radio Show with Barry Eva l The Review from Here l Marta’s Meanderings l Falling Off the Shelf l The Minding Spot

A Better View of Paradise
Publisher/Publication Date: Ballantine Books, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0345490360
368 pages

Book Tour: The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall (and giveaway!)

The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall - on tour Aug 3-11! Find out more about the book here and enter to win a copy!

I am only about 20 pages into this book and am hooked already! Right away you meet Cara and find she is running with her daughter from an abusive man. She has fleeting memories of a place she went once with her mother, but hasn't been able to pull the entire memory back. I am already pulling for her!

About the book: Raised in foster care and now the widowed mother of a little girl, Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and Lori out of New York City toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers and a fresh start. She discovers that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, and it’s no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God–“Be me to her”– despite how it threatens his way of life.



Completely opposite of the hard, untrusting Cara, Ephraim’s sister Deborah also finds her dreams crumbling when the man she has pledged to build a life with begins withdrawing from Deborah and his community, including his mother, Ada Stoltzfus. Can the run-down house that Ada envisions transforming unite them toward a common purpose–or push Mahlon away forever? While Ephraim is trying to do what he believes is right, will he be shunned and lose everything–including the guarded single mother who simply longs for a better life? (publicity info)

About the author: Cindy Woodsmall is the author of When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and The New York Times Best-Seller When the Soul Mends. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. A mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty-one years.

The Hope of Refuge
Publisher/Publication Date: Waterbrook Press, Aug 11, 2009
ISBN: 978-1400073962
352 pages

For the giveaway - Has anyone ever visited an Amish community? Just let me know yes or no and what your experience was. Please leave an Email Address! Giveaway open to US only and will end Aug 24!

The Husband Project Giveaway

I have one copy of The Husband Project to give away courtesy of the author Kathi Lipp. Thanks Kathi!

I had every intention of starting this "project" myself this month - but I haven't had a chance to read through the book and take notes on what my plan/projects would be. I am going to revise my schedule and try to start it on Sept 1. I also don't have anyone right now to hold me accountable, so I am praying as to who that should be! But I still wanted to offer the extra copy up as a giveaway this month. So from now until Aug 23 tell me how your husband or significant other lets you know they love you! That's all you have to do to enter - and leave your email address. Only one entry per person - and US only.

Mailbox Monday/In Your Mailbox 8-2-2009

Mailbox Monday is hosted at The Printed Page or In Your Mailbox at The Story Siren. Please stop by those posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week!

I want to clarify something first - The last couple of weeks are not typical weeks for my mailbox. I feel like I have been playing catch up all summer on getting books posted! With a couple of more posts scheduled for Monday, I believe I am finally caught up! (Of course, this doesn't include the 13 books that I just picked up at our monthly library sale!) My desk is looking clearer anyway!

Wonderful Win

1. Stand the Storm by Breena Clarke
2. Beginner's Greek by James Collins
   
3. Mommy Grace by Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman
   
4. Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter
   
5. The Road Home by Rose Tremain
   
6. Your Best Life Now: For Moms by Joel Osteen
   
7. Prime by Nate Kenyon
   

ARC Arrivals

1. The Pravda Messenger by Robert Cornuke
2. Lost Mission by Athol Dickson
3. The Cross by Arthur Blessitt
4. Blue Jean Baby by Sally Parmer
5. Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz by Belinda Acosta
6. A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve
7. hush, hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
8. Never the Bride by Cheryl McKay
9. Abide with Me by John Parker and Paul Seawright
   
10. A Highlander's Temptation by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
    
11. Chosen by Desire by Kate Perry
12. Love You to Death by Shannon K. Butcher
    
13. Lucan by Susan Kearney
    
14. Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
    
15. Tall, Dark and Fangsome by Michelle Rowen
    
16. God Has Never Failed Me by Stan Toler
17. The Buzzards are Circling by Stan Toler
18. A Better View of Paradise by Randy Sue Coburn
19. Not So Fast by Ann Kroeker
20. Abbeville by Jack Fuller

What books did you get last week?

Find your next giveaway here: The Lost Dog

I have five copies of The Lost Dog by Michelle de Kretser to giveaway--courtesy of Hachette Books!

About the book: Tom Loxley, an Indian-Australian professor, is less concerned with finishing his book on Henry James than with finding his dog, who is lost in the Australian bush.

Joining his daily hunt is Nelly Zhang, an artist whose husband disappeared mysteriously years before Tom met her. Although Nelly helps him search for his beloved pet, Tom isn't sure if he should trust this new friend.

Tom has preoccupations other than his book and Nelly and his missing dog, mainly concerning his mother, who is suffering from the various indignities of old age. He is constantly drawn from the cerebral to the primitive--by his mother's infirmities, as well as by Nelly's attractions. THE LOST DOG makes brilliant use of the conventions of suspense and atmosphere while leading us to see anew the ever-present conflicts between our bodies and our minds, the present and the past, the primal and the civilized. (from Barnes and Noble website)

About the author: Born in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), Michelle de Kretser emigrated to Australia when she was 14. Her acclaimed first novel, The Rose Grower, was published in 1999, and her sophomore effort, The Hamilton Case, earned her a nomination for the 2004 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers award for fiction. (from Barnes and Noble website)

Rules for the giveaway:

1. Five copies to giveaway.
   
2. Open only to U.S. and Canada.
   
3. No PO Boxes
4. All entries in one comment if possible (I understand that if you are posting to a blog, etc at a later date you will need an additional comment. . .)
5. +1 Must leave email address in comment -(I have had a winner in the last month that I was unable to track down)
6. +2 if you are a new or old follower - but please let me know
7. +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)
8. +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...
9. Giveaway ends on Aug 21st
   

Friday Finds 7-31-2009

Here are my finds this week!

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells

About the book: Known for her beloved Ya-Ya books (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Little Altars Everywhere, and Ya-Yas in Bloom), Rebecca Wells has helped women name, claim, and celebrate their shared sisterhood for over a decade. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood held the top of the New York Times bestseller list for sixty-eight weeks, became a knockout feature film, sold more than 5 million copies, and inspired the creation of Ya-Ya clubs worldwide.

Now Wells debuts an entirely new cast of characters in this shining stand-alone novel about the pull of first love, the power of life, and the human heart's vast capacity for healing.

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder is the sweet, sexy, funny journey of Calla Lily's life set in Wells's expanding fictional Louisiana landscape. In the small river town of La Luna, Calla bursts into being, a force of nature as luminous as the flower she is named for. Under the loving light of the Moon Lady, the feminine force that will guide and protect her throughout her life, Calla enjoys a blissful childhood—until it is cut short. Her mother, M'Dear, a woman of rapture and love, teaches Calla compassion, and passes on to her the art of healing through the humble womanly art of "fixing hair." At her mother's side, Calla further learns that this same touch of hands on the human body can quiet her own soul. It is also on the banks of the La Luna River that Calla encounters sweet, succulent first love, with a boy named Tuck.

But when Tuck leaves Calla with a broken heart, she transforms hurt into inspiration and heads for the wild and colorful city of New Orleans to study at L'AcadÉmie de BeautÉ de Crescent.In that extravagant big river city, she finds her destiny—and comes to understand fully the power of her "healing hands" to change lives and soothe pain, including her own. When Tuck reappears years later, he presents her with an offer that is colored by the memories of lost love. But who knows how Cally Lily, a "daughter of the Moon Lady," will respond?

A tale of family and friendship, tragedy and triumph, loss and love, The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder features the warmth, humor, soul, and wonder that have made Wells one of today's most cherished writers, and gives us an unforgettable new heroine to treasure. (from Barnes and Noble website)

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder: A Novel
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper Collins, July 2009
ISBN: 9780061833090
576 pages

A Stranger's Game by Joan Johnston

About the book: From New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston comes a dazzling new Bitter Creek novel that features all of the passion and intrigue in Texas high society that her readers know and love, mixed with an explosive, spine- tingling tale of murder, wrongful imprisonment, and a woman who counts no cost too high to see a killer brought to justice.

FBI Special Agent Breed Grayhawk has the hottest sex in his life with a stranger who calls herself Grace Smith, only to discover early the next morning that her real name is Merle Raye Finkel -- and she's a convicted double murderer who broke her parole a year ago and disappeared. Now she's his prime suspect in a terrorist threat against the U.S. president.

Grace Caldwell is determined to find the killer who framed her for the murder of her father and stepmother -- and make him pay. She burgles the home of her #1 suspect and nets a surprising haul: a hot-pink, silk-covered diary -- the record of a sex-addicted wife's adventures -- which suggests that Grace's #1 suspect is a serial killer. But her theft has been caught on tape, and the man she's been chasing becomes the hunter...with Grace as his prey.

With just five days until the president arrives in Austin, Texas, the last thing the FBI needs is a serial killer on the prowl...and a terrorist suspect who will stop at nothing to clear her name. The clock is ticking down, and Agent Grayhawk is racing time to discover the truth about his dangerous lover. (from Barnes and Noble website)

A Stranger's Game (Bitter Creek)
Publisher/Publication Date: Simon & Schuster, July 2009
ISBN: 9780743454391
448 pages

The Perfect Couple by Brenda Novak

About the book: One afternoon in May, Zoe Duncan's thirteen-year-old daughter goes missing from her own backyard. The police think Samantha ran away because she's unhappy about her mother's upcoming marriage—but Zoe doesn't believe it. In fact, she's willing to do anything to bring Sam home, even if it means losing her job, her beautiful home, her fiancé. Even if it means divulging all her secrets to a private investigator.

Jonathan Stivers is a P.I. who donates his time to The Last Stand, a victims' charity in Sacramento. He's good at what he does, the best. But never has he had fewer leads to work with—or been more attracted to a client. Jonathan's sure of only one thing: Sam was taken by someone close to the family. He doesn't know how close until he realizes that the "perfect" couple next door is anything but…. (from Amazon website)

The Perfect Couple (The Last Stand)
Publisher/Publication Date: Mira, Aug 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0778326670
448 pages

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

Too Many Visitors for One Little House (Giveaway/Blog Tour/Book Review)

Title: Too Many Visitors for One Little House
Author: Susan Chodakiewitz
Illustrator: Veronica Walsh
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing

My synopsis: This is a cute story about a family who moves into a new neighborhood--where the neighbors don't appear to like kids, pets, or generally anything that might disrupt the status quo. They are always on the lookout for trouble--and they think they see it coming!

A very large RV pulls up in front of the new neighbors house and a myriad of relative proceed to unload. Accompanied by wonderful illustrations depicting all of these relatives, many eccentric, the story rolls along to a satisfying ending of neighbors who aren't really looking for trouble - they are just looking to be included!

My thoughts: This was a very cute book and my 4-year-old has enjoyed me reading it to him. He even reads along when we come to the sentence "Too many visitors for one little house!" The illustrations were adorable--and include a little dog which the author is trying to name. You can visit her on her website to enter the contest to name the dog.

I am also having a contest for one copy of this book, Too Many Visitors For One Little House. Please leave a comment with your email address below to be entered. For an additional entry, visit my interview with the author, Susan Chodakiewitz, and leave another comment relating to the interview in some way ("nice interview" will not count. . .) If you commented on the interview prior to this post - you will get 2 additional entries! This giveaway will end Friday, Aug 7th at midnight CST. I don't know whether this is open internationally or not - will update as I get more info! Added - This giveaway is open internationally - Yeah!

Too Many Visitors For One Little House
Publisher/Publication Date: BookSurge, Feb 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4196-5470-1
40 pages

ARC Arrival: Abbeville by Jack Fuller

Abbeville by Jack Fuller

Publisher: Unbridled Books

I received this book for review from the publisher.

About the book: A story of our time. A novel for all times.

When the economy collapsed, it threatened everything George Bailey held dear. Returning to the little Central Illinois farm town where his grandfather had first prospered and then fallen into ruin during the Great Depression, George seeks out the details of this remarkable man's rise, fall and spiritual rebirth, hoping to find in them a way to recover himself.

Abbeville is the story of a man caught by the tidal wave of economic disaster, of forces beyond his control, and the meaning he finds in his quest for personal survival is as timely as today's news. (from the back cover)

About the author: Jack Fuller has published six critically acclaimed novels and a book of non-fiction about journalism. He has been a legal affairs writer, a war correspondent in Vietnam, a Washington correspondent and a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer. He recently retired as president of the Tribune Publishing Company and lives in Chicago with his wife, Debra Moskovits. He has two children, Tim and Kate. (from the back cover)

Abbeville
Publisher/Publication Date: Unbridled Books, Aug 25, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-932961-90-4
272 pages

Miss L'eau (Blog Tour/Book Review)

Title: Miss L'eau
Author: T. Katz
Publisher: Blue Works

First sentence: Miss L'eau was, without a doubt, one of the best teachers we ever had at Redwood Elementary.

My synopsis: James and David knew that Miss L'eau was special. Her eyes would change colors and become wild like the sea whenever you were close enough to look straight into them. But when James see her ride her bike into the ocean in the middle of a storm he doesn't know what to think. He goes to school the next day prepared to tell everyone that he know why and where she had gone, only to see her standing at the front of the class like any other day!

James tells David what happened and together they plan a way to find out what is going on. What they discover will lead them to organize a Seaside Spring Clean Week and to start them thinking more about how they affect their environment.

My thoughts: This was such a cute book! In an engaging story it introduces young children to how important the environment is and that even though they are children, they are never too young to make things better. This would be a good book to teach as an introduction to the environmental problems that we face today.


Miss L'eau
Publisher/Publication Date: Blue Works
ISBN: 978-1-59092-404-4
58 pages
Pre-teen

ARC Arrival: Not So Fast by Ann Kroeker

Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families by Ann Kroeker

Publisher: David C. Cook

I received this for a First Wild Card Tour in August.

About the book: Is every hour rush hour at your house?

We're raising our kids in a high-speed, high-pressured, 24-7 world. Pushing children to get ahead, we cram everything possible into our days to maximize their chance at success. We're overloaded, overextended, and overcaffeinated. And we're paying a price. But how can we possibly downshift without missing out?

Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families explores the jarring effects of our overcommitted culture and offers refreshing alternatives with a Christian perspective. Author Ann Kroeker relates her own story of how embracing a slower everyday pace resulted in a more meaningful family and spiritual life. Practical ideas and insights will spark creativity and personal reflection. Plus, ponder real-life stories from parents reaping the riches of a simpler, slower lifestyle. Not So Fast offers hope that families struggling with hurried hearts and frantic souls can discover the rejuvenating power of an unrushed life. (from the book cover)

About the author: Ann Kroeker is an acclaimed writer and speaker committed to encouraging and inspiring families as they face the demands of daily living. She is the author of The Contemplative Mom and has contributed to the award-winning Experiencing the Passion of Jesus. (from the back cover)

Not So Fast
Publisher/Publication Date: David C. Cook, Aug 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6888-9
240 pages