Giveaway!

 

A Giveway from Penguin Random House! Ends November 15th.  Enter HERE. Good Luck!

Fall In Love Giveaway!

I follow author Marie Bostwick on Instagram and she posted this Fall In Love Giveaway! It includes 8 books including her book, Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly! How awesome is that! Follow the link above to enter (and be quick... this giveaway ends midnight 10/6). Good luck!!

Banned Book Week is coming Oct. 1st! Win a Banned Book...

Banned Book Week is October 1 - October 7! 

Penguin Random House is having a giveaway to bring awareness to books that are banned in the US! 

Follow THIS LINK to enter to win one of the banned books above! Good luck! 

Giveaway from Hachette Book Group... Books You Autumn Read Sweepstakes

 Giveaway Time! Would you like to Fall for a little Romance? On the Hachette Book Group Website... Ends October 22, 2023.

Enter Giveaway Here

Another Book Giveaway! This time for Stephen King books..

 Another great book giveaway! This time by Simon & Schuster. Not only The Bill Hodges Trilogy boxed set, but 3 other books plus an audiobook download! Hurry, ends 10/5. 

Follow this link to enter!

Book Giveaway!

 

This giveaway announcement just popped in my email from Kirkus Reviews. Looks like some great books! Giveaways ends October 1st. 

Here's the link so you can enter. Good luck!

Book and Gift Basket Giveaway!!

 Have you read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson yet?? 

I loved it and so did my reading group! 

And to celebrate celling over ONE MILLION COPIES, the publisher is having an amazing giveaway! A Kentucky themed gift basket and a signed first edition of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek!

  Here is the link to ENTER and read more about it. Good luck!

It's My Blogiversary! And a Giveaway!

That's right, Chick with Books readers, it's my 7th Blogging Anniversary! And I couldn't have done it without YOU! Thank you so much for reading, subscribing, commenting and joining in on whatever is going on at the blog! I've made so many great friends! Met so many nice people! Read so many great books and shared it all here! The blogging community is a welcoming one! 

To celebrate, I'm having a GIVEAWAY! Yes! Now, I've reviewed and highlighted a lot of books on Chick with Books, so why don't we make this fun... One winner will have their choice of ANY ONE Book I've either reviewed or highlighted during the last 7 years! Now for the Rules...

1. The winner must live somewhere where Amazon.com or The Book Depository delivers.

2. The book you choose must be still available as "new" from Amazon.com or The Book Depository (no third party sellers please)

3. After I contact you via the email you gave me, you must email me back within 3 days. 

Sounds simple enough, right?! So let's get going! Enter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy 4th Blogoversary!

It's my Blogoversary! 4 years ago today I put text to virtual paper and created Chick with Books Blog!

During the past 4 years, Harry Potter flew from across the pond and landed, Twilight became a sensation and not just a time of day, We found out there were fifty shades of gray, and liked them …

We saw the eReader become a reality, Borders said goodbye, We learned to tweet (not twerk), found Facebook was more than a place to put your face, and learned to pin on Pinterest…

We traveled far & wide (and even time traveled), fell in love with many a hero including a few in kilts, and revisited some classics including a visit to a pig named Wilbur and his spidery friend Charlotte…

We saw writers getting published, and banned, and we read many great books. I've met many great people blogging here, and I want to thank you all for making Chick with Books the blog that it is today! You came here to read about books and bookish things, you shared your likes, dislikes and part of yourselves. You commented, lurked and tweeted. Thank you for it all! And as a thank you, here's another Blogoversary Giveaway!

I've read & reviewed a lot of books on Chick with Books, so I thought it would be fun if I gave away one of the books I've read & reviewed. ANY one of the books I've actually read and reviewed in the past 4 years! (not just blurbed about, but actually read & reviewed)  So, here's the giveaway…

Happy 4th Blogoversary Giveaway #2…

Take a look through all the books I've read & reviewed over the past 4 years and pick one out. The post will say "… a Review". This giveaway is for a paperback of any one of the books I've read & reviewed (not just blurbed about but actually reviewed). If you prefer a ebook version, that's ok too. If the book isn't out in paperback yet, you'll get a hardback. And if for some reason the book isn't available any longer, you can pick another book. Sounds simple enough? I hope so!

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY… YOU MUST LEAVE A COMMENT (a post comment) AND in your comment along with your email, just let me know what book you'd like. And here's something new I'm going to try- Rafflecopter. A lot of bloggers use Rafflecopter for their giveaways, and I thought I would give it a try. (Not as part of the giveaway, but let me know if you like using Rafflecopter).




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Scottish Seduction Blog Tour Giveaway!!! Happy Valentines Day!

Valentine's Day wouldn't be Valentine's Day without a little romance, right!?! How about a Hot Scottish Warrior?! How about a pair?! Yes ladies, Happy Valentines Day! Today Chick with Books is hosting a GIVEAWAY courtesy of Forever Romance and Grand Central Publishing! Two lucky Chick with Books readers with win a copy of both Seduction of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder and The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory! Both wonderful writers and two great books! Here's my review of them...

The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory... Margaret Mallory never fails to make great hero's. But she also writes wonderful heroines to be with those hero's. Such is the romance between Connor, chieftain of the MacDonalds of sleat, and Ilysa, the humble girl who has grown up in the same household as Connor, who Connor seeks advise from, but whose bloodline is not grand enough to save the clan Connor must now lead after his father and brother are killed. I love their story, but I love the fact that Margaret Mallory always creates strong female characters that can handle themselves and yet are feminine enough to seduce their warrior. The story is one of battle and romance, as rival clans abound and honor and family drive Connor to protect his lands and his people. The story is wonderful, but the writing will seduce you! You feel as though you are back in time, with the people and places so familiar to Connor and Ilysa. He dialogue is believable and so is the setting. Her research is spot on, but she's got a lot of experience with this era and knows her stuff. She always peppers her stories with a bit of humor too. It's a great combination.

If you love romance, and you love Highlander romances (and those hot warriors), Margaret Mallory is your girl. The Chieftain is a great read and you will not be disappointed. You'll have to wait until Feb. 26th for it's official release, BUT courtesy of Forever Romance and Grand Central Publishing you have a chance to win a copy! Details are down below! Don't miss out! You can read more about The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory at her MargaretMallory.com!

Seduction of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder... Sue-Ellen was a new author to me, but this isn't her first Highland warrior. Seduction of a Highland Warrior opens with a wonderful setup... letting you know that the the tales of Highland warriors are ancient and full of wonder....

In the beginning of days, before Highland warriors walked heather-clad hills and gazed in awe across moors chased by cloud shadows, old gods ruled the dark and misty realm that would one day be known as Scotland.

 Don't you just love it?! Then we hear about the legend of the MacDonald's and it is fantastic! And of course all good legends eventually lead to the present day, which would be the new Clan Donald Chieftain, Alasdair. Honor is everything to Alasdair, which makes him sizzle all the more, especially to Lady Marjory Mackintosh! 

I really enjoyed the story, the writing and the romance! Sue-Ellen also creates a strong female character in Marjory and it makes the story and the romance all the more convincing. But what makes a great Highlander romance in the end is the authenticity of the surroundings and Sue-Ellen does a great job of creating a historic landscape.

If you love those Highlanders, you have to give Sue-Ellen Welfonder a try. She did a wonderful job with Seduction of a Highland Warrior and I look forward to cracking the spine on more of her books! Seduction of a Highland Warrior is available right now, but courtesty of Forever Romance and Grand Central Publishing YOU have a chance to win a copy right here at Chick with Books! Two lucky readers will win a copy of BOTH Seductions of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder and The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory! Here's the details...

Scottish Seduction Blog Tour Giveaway...

This giveaway is for a copy of both The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory and Seduction of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder. Two winners will be chosen from all eligible entries. Here's how to enter...

* For one entry just leave a comment here with your email address!

* For an additional entry, blog or tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link in a comment here!

This giveaway is U.S. residents only (NO P.O.Boxes please). These books books will be shipped directly to the winner from the publishers. Contest ends 11:59 on March 2nd, 2013.

CONGRATS to Bethie (lizzi0915@aol.com) and Steve (STPAND)! They each won a copy of these great books! Thanks for EVERYone who entered the giveaway! 

Scottish Seduction Blog Tour... Author Interviews!

Chick with Books would like to welcomeThe Scottish Seduction Blog Tour! As we all know, Scottish warriors are HOT and  2 great authors are celebrating the release of their new Scottish romances! Margaret Mallory, who I just love and has been a favorite romance writer of mine since her first book, Knight of Desire, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder, who has quite a few Scottish warriors under her belt and who I just discovered as a result of hosting this tour and thoroughly enjoyed reading! These wonderful writers have graciously agreed to visit us today and answer a few questions about their books and their warriors! AND as a special treat, we are having a GIVEAWAY tomorrow for Valentines Day!!!! 

Welcome to Chick with Books Margaret!

CWB: I love all your Scottish warriors! What makes Connor special? 

MM: Thanks! I love them all too.   

MM: Connor is the hope of his clan in terrible times, a self-sacrificing hero who puts duty first. After his father and older brother are killed and his clan, Connor becomes chieftain, a responsibility he never expected and one which weighs heavily upon his shoulders. He is destined to a great chieftain, the kind that the bards tell stories about for generations. What makes him more special is that, while he is determined to succeed and protect his people, he is also humble. He never abuses his power, and he cares for the well-being of even the lowliest members of his clan. Of course, he’s quite handsome as well. No wonder Ilysa adores him.

CWB: You do an amazing amount of research to make your books historically correct. Do you do research for every book, or do you come up with your story plots based on your previous research?

MM: I’m always researching! Before I started this series, I researched Scottish history to find an exciting time period with a lot of ready-made conflict for my stories.  Once I found my time period, I researched Highland clans. They all have interesting histories, but the MacDonalds of Sleat were especially intriguing because members of the chieftain’s family were busy murdering each other around the time of my books. Such a find for a writer! ;) 

Even though I did a lot of research before I started the first book in the series, I’m constantly looking things up while I’m writing. One thing often leads to another, and I’ll come across a legend about a historical character or a ghost story associated with a castle in my book. That’s always fun. 


CWB: What makes Scottish warriors so seductive & fun to write about?

MM: The Highland warrior has a larger-than-life quality that makes him great hero material. To survive in his harsh and violent times, a Highlander had to be exceedingly strong, brave, and resourceful. As a modern woman in today’s world, I may not need—or want—a man who is as forceful and physical as the heroes in my books. But take me to 16^th century Scotland in my imagination, and I want that alpha warrior! 

Thank you Margaret for taking the time to share a bit of yourself and your Scottish warrior! Thank you for participating in the Scottish Seduction Blog Tour and letting Chick with Books host a great giveaway that includes a copy of The Chieftan!

                                                 *****************************

C

Welcome to Chick with Books Sue-Ellen!! 

It’s a pleasure to be here to celebrate Seduction of a Highland Warrior’s Jan. 29th release.  I enjoy meeting readers who are as passionate about Scotland as I am, and I can tell by the questions that this applies here.  So let’s talk about the Highlanders we all love so much!

CWB:  What do you find seductive about Scottish warriors?

SEW:  Aside from their buttery-rich burrs that, in my humble opinion, can be called a verbal orgasm, and also looking away from the kilts that are oh-so-sexy because of what is (or isn’t) beneath them, I believe Highlanders appeal because they are the ultimate Alpha heroes.  Especially medieval Highlanders.  These were big, strong men who were rugged, bold, and absolutely fearless.  They’d face down the devil himself to protect kith and kin, they’d die for honor, and let no man try and take their land.  Hills and glens they loved which such passion even their descendants today feel the soul-deep pull to return.  That yearning burns bright, never diminishing even across centuries and oceans.  Men able to instill and sustain such passion can only have been larger-than-life, legends even more heroic than we can ever pen them.  Let such a man love a woman and the earth shakes.  The very heather catches flame and the Highland mist trembles in awe of his devotion.  As a lover, he’s earthly and everything a woman could desire, sating her so thoroughly she wouldn’t dare dream to even glance at another.  I could go on, but I think you can imagine these were definitely hero-worthy men.

CWB:  What makes Alasdair special?

SEW:  Alasdair is special because he’s waited for Marjory through an entire series.  As a proud clan chieftain, and a MacDonald, he possesses all the qualities noted above.  (The MacDonalds are my personal favorite among all Highland clans and also one to which I have deep ancestral ties.  This connection made Alasdair dear to me on a personal level.)  His love for the land, and the people who look to him for leadership, is boundless.  For nothing in the world would he risk losing his beloved glen or destroying his clan.  Yet to claim Marjory, he must do so.  He’s struggled against his feelings for her, yet when pressed to a wall, he chooses to fight rather than lose the woman he loves.

CWB:  How did Scotland seduce you to become the writer you are today?

SEW:  I loved Scotland before I ever even thought about writing.  My family is Scottish and so I was raised to love and appreciate Scotland and everything my Highland/Hebridean heritage brings with it.  Loving Scotland has always been a strong part of my life and world, and always will be, whether I am writing or not.  I’ve also been visiting Scotland all my life.

Regarding writing, my deep love for Scotland influences the genre I choose to write in.  I believe a story only comes to life when the writer is passionate about her material.  If she isn’t, the words are only ink on the page.  As an example, in recent times there has been worldwide furor over a book I surely don’t need to name.  I might have the writing skills to attempt something in this genre, to jump on the so-called bandwagon.  But if I did so, while the work might be competent, it would lack sparkle.  My heart would not be in the writing because the content doesn’t interest me.  That would show, making the work lackluster.

Yet when I write about Scotland, the place that (literally) runs in my blood and fires the yearning of my heart and soul, making my pulse race and everything in me quicken with excitement, well…  Then you see that passion flow from my heart straight onto the keyboard and into the words.  That is how Scotland influences me.  I’m writing what I love so much and that’s such a blessing.

Thank you so much for having me here today.  It’s always a joy to chat about Highlanders and Scotland.

Highland Blessings!
Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Thank you Sue-Ellen! It was a pleasure having you here at Chick with Books! I appreciate you spending time with us here today AND thank you for also participating in the Scottish Seduction Blog Tour and letting Chick with Books host a great giveaway that includes a copy of Seduction of a Highland Warrior!

Song of The Silk Road by Mingmei Yip... Review & Giveaway!

Song of The Silk Road by Minmei Yip... As a girl growing up in Hong Kong, Lily Lin was captivated by photographs of the desert - its long, lonely vistas and shifting sand dunes. Now living in New York, Lily is struggling to finish her graduate degree when she receives an astonishing offer. An aunt she never knew existed will pay Lily a huge sum to travel across China's desolate Taklamakan Desert - and carry out a series of tasks along the way. Intrigued, Lily accepts. Her assignments range from the dangerous to the bizarre. Lily must seduce a monk. She must scrape a piece of clay from the famous Terracotta Warriors, and climb the Mountains of Heaven to gather a rare herb...

What would you do if someone offered you three million dollars to go on an adventure? Lily Lin was suspicious, but also a poor struggling writer, so she decided to pack her bags and escape. Her life in New York was a tedious low paying job, a married lover and frustration over writing her "novel of a lifetime", so China's infamous Silk Road was a dream come true for her. And what an adventure it was!

In Song of The Silk Road, Mingmei Yip seduces you by painting such an exotic landscape, and whisking you off with Lily Lin into a world filled with mysterious potions and whispers of legends. The novel feels contemporary, with modern day problems and situations, and Lily herself is a bit jaded. But there's a quality to the story, with references to Chinese superstitions and sayings that turns the contemporary into more "traditional".

"In good fortune is always some misfortune, and in misfortune, always some good fortune."

Song of the Silk Road will seduce you with its' exotic landscape, and Mingmei Yip can almost have you feel the sand between your toes, but it is the characters that fill those pages that will have you feverishly reading... Alex, the young vibrant traveler, who saves Lily Lin on more than one occasion and becomes her lover, the herbalist Nop Lor, who mourns the ghosts of his past and who Lily will ultimately set free from his guilt, The Monk who isn't as chaste as one would think, and the village that becomes home and the villagers that become almost family. Each of these people and places play an important part of Lily's journey to the end - and to the money. The predicaments that Lily Lin finds herself in and how she gets her self out of them is also a fun part of the story. And what a twist at the end!

If you love stories filled with adventure in exotic places, a bit of romance and wonderful writing, you need to add Song of The Silk Road to your wish list! I could not put this book down! It's Bridgett Jones Diary meets Memoirs of a Geisha.

Song of The Silk Road is available right now at your local bookstore! Would you like a chance to win a copy?! Courtesy of Kensington Publishing I am giving away one copy of Song of The Silk Road to one lucky Chick with Books reader! Here's how to enter...

To Enter this Giveaway...

*For one entry leave me a comment with your email address!

*Get an extra entry for following my blog! Just leave a comment letting me know you're a follower! ( Not a follower yet? No problem, sign up by clicking on the 'followers" button on the sidebar to the left! Just let me know you became a new follower!)

*Blog or tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (No PO boxes). The books will be shipped to the winners directly from the publisher. Contest ends 11:59pm EST on May 3rd, 2011. I will randomly pick the winners the next day and email them! Good Luck!

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much Giveaway!

What would you do for the love of a good book?

For John Charles Gilkey, the answer is: go to prison.

Back in September '09, Riverhead Books sent me a "book lovers" book in the mail called The Man Who Loved Books Too Much:The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett. Allison is a great writer and the story of John Gilkey, a man who stole books for the pure love of the books, was so interesting! We had a lot of fun on the blog too, commenting on what books we would "steal" if we were a book thief! Here's what I wrote about the book...

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett is an adventure for all of us who love books! For those of us who love not just what's inside them, but the heft of them in our hands, the sensation of the texture of the pages as we turn them, the beauty of the book itself...

This story takes us into the lives of John Gilkey, an obsessed & bold book thief, Ken Sanders the man who made it his mission to catch Gilkey, and the journalist and author, Allison Hoover Bartlett, who explores the world of rare & beautiful books with the people who sell & collect them, including Sanders AND Gilkey.

In the opening of the book, a 400 yr. old book called a Kreuterbuch sits on Allison Hoover Bartlett's desk. I love old books, and just the way Allison described the Kreuterbuch in the prologue, "the pages, when turned, make a muffled crack... a dry woody smell..." I knew this would be a different kind of 'book thief' story. A book written by a person who truly appreciates & enjoys books - and not just for what's inside!

Read my Full Review from Sept. 9, 2009! Read the full list of the Books We'd Steal if we were book thieves from Sept. 18th, 2009! And in the meantime, The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is finally out in paperback and to celebrate, courtesy of Riverhead Books, we're going to have a giveaway! You have a chance to win one of two copies! Here's how to Enter...

*For One Entry, leave me a comment with your email address!

*For a Bonus entry, tell me what book you would steal if you were a thief! (we all love books, so don't be shy!)

This giveaway is open to U.S. Only (No PO boxes). The book will be shipped to the winner directly from the publishers. Contest ends 11:59pm EST on Oct. 29th, 2010. I will randomly pick the winners the next day and email them! Good Luck!

Dewey's Nine Lives by Vicki Myron... A Review

The Legacy of Dewey The Small Town Library Cat...

A few weeks ago on Memoir Monday I shared a book about Dewey, the little kitten that someone threw away in a book deposit on one of the coldest days of the year in a small mid western town in Iowa. (Here's the LINK for the review if you missed it!) That book, Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron was read by millions of animal lovers, and if you read it you know how touching the story was. Vicki toured the country to promote her book about Dewey, and in the course of that book tour, people shared their own stories with Vicki, the stories about the cats that they had shared their lives with... Vicki has taken some of those stories and added some new Dewey stories to bring us another wonderful testament to how the love of animals can make our lives better in her new book, Dewey's Nine Lives. Here's the blurb from the publisher...

"Dewey's Nine Lives is compromised of nine inspiring, funny and heartwarming stories about cats told from the perspective of "Dewey's Mom", librarian Vicki Myron. The amazing felines in this book include Dewey, of course, whose further never-before-told adventures and amazing legacy are chronicled, but several others whom Vicki found out about when their owners reached out to her. Vicki learned, through extensive interviews and story sharing, what made these cats special, and how they fit into Dewey's community of perseverance and love. From a divorced mother in Alaska who saved a drowning kitten on Christmas Eve to a post-traumatic-stress disorder-suffering veteran whose heart was opened by his long relationship with a rescued cat, these Dewey-style stories will inspire reades to laugh, cry, and, most important, believe in the magic of animals to touch individual lives."

In the same wonderful way Vicki shared her story of Dewey in her first book, animal lovers, and cat lovers in particular, will enjoy reading Dewey's Nine Lives. I know I did! Her writing style is easy going and relaxing. These are heartfelt stories that will have you hugging your furry friend. And like the people that shared their stories with Vicki along the way, the story of Dewey made me think of and be thankful for the special furry babies I've shared my life with.

There is also a I Believe in "Dewey's Magic" story contest, where you can submit a letter to Vicki telling her about a cat that has inspired you. The winner of the contest will have their story told in the paperback version of Dewey's Nine Lives. You can find all the details about the contest and how to enter at Penguin Books. The book will be available from your local bookstores starting Oct. 12th!

*I want to thank Dutton Publishing for sending along a review copy! Thank you!

The False Friend by Myla Goldberg... A Review

Two eleven-year-0ld girls... go into the woods... Only one comes out

The False Friend by Myla Goldberg isn't so much a story as to what happened to eleven-year-old Djuna Pearson when she never came back from that fateful day when she and 4 other eleven-year-old girls walked the twisted dangerous road to the woods, as it is a journey of self discovery as Celia Durst retraces those steps 20 years later after a flashback sends her running back to her hometown to find the truth. The truth about what happened to Djuna, but also the truth about Celia & Djuna two best friends who were cruel & bullies and what long term consequences their cruelty had on themselves and the other girls in their clique...

From the Book Jacket...

Celia and Djuna were the ringleaders of a highly competitive quintet of girls, caught in an escalating cycle of test, reward and punishment that peaked the afternoon they all walked home along a forbidden woodland road. Celia blocked out what happened, but everyone else in Jensenville assumed that Djuna was abducted that day, though neither Djuna nor her abductor was ever found.

Twenty years later, Celia and her boyfriend Huck are professionally successful, but their relationship has fallen into a stasis that Celia feels helpless to change. When Celia’s memory of that terrible afternoon suddenly returns, she is forced to confront the part she played in her best friend’s disappearance, and returns to Jensenville to confess.

In a hometown defined by what it was and can no longer be, Celia discovers that her unconscious avoidance of what really happened so long ago has had lasting repercussions. Her aging parents—their love handicapped by a lifetime of reserve—insist that she is innocent. Celia’s childhood friends not only don’t believe her, but insist that she should be apologizing for a completely different offense. Huck wants to be supportive, but can neither ignore all that contradicts Celia’s version of the past, nor the damage it has inflicted on their shared life. Celia’s search for the truth has startling and powerful consequences, resulting in a story that persists in the mind long after the last page has been turned.

Deeply resonant and emotionally charged, The False Friend explores the complexities of moral judgment, the fallibility of memory, and the adults that children become—leading us to question the truths that we accept or reject, and the lies to which we ultimately succumb.

The False Friend opens with Celia walking to work, and something she sees jars a long forgotten memory. It's 21 years before, and she's just meeting Djuna in fifth grade. Djuna will become the friend that will replace all others. But her other friends, Josie, Leanne and Becky will make up part of the circle that surrounds her. As she remembers Djuna, loving & hating her, she remembers a lie. A lie that may have had dire consequences for Djuna in the woods that day... Little girls are passionate, especially when it comes to friendships. They can be cruel, love, hate, and can be your BFF at a moments notice. Myla Goldberg captures those feeling perfectly in The False Friend. That is what really makes you turn the pages of The False Friend- Celia's introspective look at her childhood relationships. The dynamics of these 5 girls is so interesting. And the intensity of the friendship between Celia and Djuna reverberates off the page. As Celia tracks down those 3 childhood friends from twenty years ago, not only is she surprised at what she learns, but you will be too. I really enjoyed The False Friend. Myla Goldberg's writing was compelling and slowly drew me in. The relationships she portrayed, from the friendships between the girls to the relationships between the parents and the girls was so authentic. And I think that all these parts of the story, all these relationships, added the richness to the story that kept me reading well into the night... My only complaint with The False Friend is the very ending- it fell a little flat at the very last page, but all in all a very good read, realistic portrayal of bullying, and an interesting reflection on what we perceive of ourselves growing up.

* I want to thank Liz of Doubleday for sending me a copy to review!

Dracula in Love GIVEAWAY!

Dracula in Love by Karen Essex

Giveaway Has Ended!

And The Winner Is.... Pixie! Thanks to EVERYONE for joining in on the fun! I'll be writing a separate post with all the great vampires everyone mentioned too! Some of those vampires I never knew about! Thanks for letting me know!

"Reader, you are about to enter a world that exists simultaneous with your won. But be warned: in its realm, there are no rules, and there is certainly no neat formula to become -- or to destroy -- one who has reisen above the human condition... The truth is, we must fear monsters less and be warier of our own kind.

London, 1890. Mina Murray, the rosy-cheeked, quintessentially pure Victorian heroine, becomes Count Dracula’s object of desire. To preserve her chastity, five male “defenders” rush in to rescue her from the vampire’s evil clutches. This is the version of the story we've been told. But now, from Mina’s own pen, we discover that the story is vastly different when told from the female point of view.

In this captivating, bold act of storytelling, award-winning author Karen Essex breathes startling new life into the characters of Bram Stoker's Dracula, transporting the reader into the erotic and bizarre underbelly of the original story. While loosely following the events of its classic predecessor, Dracula in Love deviates from the path at every turn." ... Inside Book Jacket

I loved this book! It's haunting, the writing is wonderful, and it's everything you'd want in a gothic love story. Karen Essex has taken the classic story of Dracula and with the stroke of her pen transformed it into a fresh love story that transcends time. I read and reviewed Dracula in Love about a month ago, and was so excited to share it with you! If you missed my review, here's The Link to read it. NOW, courtesy of Doubleday Publishing I have a Hardcover copy of Dracula in Love to GIVE AWAY! Visit Karen Essex's website! Read an Excerpt of Dracula in Love! And Enter for a chance to win your very own copy of Dracula in Love! Here's How to Enter...

Giveaway Has Ended!

To Enter this giveaway...

*For one entry leave me a comment with your email address!

*Get an extra entry for following my blog! Just leave a comment letting me know you're a follower! ( Not a follower yet? No problem, sign up by clicking on the 'followers" button on the sidebar to the left! Just let me know you became a new follower!)

*Blog or tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link for another entry.

*For a Bonus entry, tell me your favorite vampire! The first vampire I ever encountered was Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows! But I think my favorite would have to be Edward! You know who Edward it right! :-)

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only. I'll be shipping the books through the US Mail! Contest ends 11:59pm EST on Aug.21st. I will randomly pick the winner the next day and email him or her! (please check your email.. winner must reply to me within 3 days! Thanks!) Good Luck!

*Dracula in Love was just published this past week! You can find a copy at your local bookstore now! AND, This Book is Kindle Ready too!

The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean... It's not a "Memoir" this Monday, but it's True Tales of Madness, Love and History !

True Tales of Madness, Love and The History of The World From

The Periodic Table of The Elements

We're all familiar with the Periodic Table of Elements, it's that big chart in the science classroom that has all the known chemical elements arranged by atomic number. We can find Helium (He), Oxygen (O), and Mercury (Hg)...Great, right?! Sam Kean writes, "Probably the biggest frustration for many students was that the people who got the periodic table, who could really unpack how it worked, could pull so many facts from it with such dweeby nonchalance... People remember the table with a mix of fascination, fondness, inadequacy and loathing." Sam Kean was one of the people who got the Periodic Table, but his love of those chemical elements developed into a love of history, and in The Disappearing Spoon Sam Kean mixes science with our love of a good story and the final product is a wonderful adventure! Here's what the publishers have to say...

The Periodic Table is one of man's crowning scientific achievements. But it's also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them.

We learn that Marie Curie used to provoke jealousy in colleagues' wives when she'd invite them into closets to see her glow-in-the-dark experiments. And that Lewis and Clark swallowed mercury capsules across the country and their campsites are still detectable by the poison in the ground. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history?

The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean is written like a short story collection. Contained within the pages are these great, interesting stories, written in a way that it's like your favorite Uncle telling you a story - enjoyable and understandable. This makes sense because that's what Same Kean enjoyed as a physics major- the stories his professor shared with him,

" I realized that there's a funny, or odd, or chilling tale attached to every element on the periodic table. At the same time, the table is one of the great intellectual achievements of humankind. Its' both a scientific accomplishment and a storybook..."

What does Shakespeare and the first virus ever discovered have in common? Why did the Parker Pen Company hire a metallurgist? You'll read about Lewis & Clark, Madame Curie, Mark Twain. The stories are relatively short and can be enjoyed in bits and pieces. Hey, while you're enjoying the "tales", you'll probably learn something too! Read an EXCERPT of The Disappearing Spoon and see for yourself if Sam Kean has what it takes to make science interesting to you!

I want to thank Hachette Book Group for sending along a review copy of The Disappearing Spoon!