Review: Home in Carolina by Sherryl Woods

Here is a summary of Home in Carolina from Sherryl Woods' website:

There’s no place like home, especially if it’s Serenity, South Carolina. For Annie Sullivan, though, the homecoming is bittersweet. She’d always envisioned a life there with her childhood best friend, Tyler Townsend. But Ty’s betrayal has cost her the family and the future they’d once planned.

For Ty, losing Annie was heartbreaking. Still, he can’t imagine life without the three-year-old son whose mother left him for Ty to raise. Ty wants it all — Annie, his child and the future he’d dreamed about — and he’s back home in Serenity to fight for it. But getting Annie to forgive and forget may be the hardest challenge he’s ever faced. With the stakes so high, this is one game he can’t afford to lose.

My Review:
This is the 5th book in the Sweet Magnolia series but I think that Sherryl Woods did a good job of bringing us up to date on what happened in the previous books.   I'm confident that this book would fit into the romance genre, which I don't usually read, so please keep that in mind as you read my review.

Annie has moved back to her family home in Serenity after a bad break-up with her long time boyfriend Ty.  When Ty's baseball career turned professional things got a bit out of hand helping to cause the events leading up to the breakup between the couple.  Annie seems to be getting her life back on track and somewhat normal as she starts working in a spa that is owned by a couple of the Sweet Magnolias as a sports therapist.  Things are about to change for Annie when Ty returns to town recovering from a sports injury.

There is a lot of drama within the pages of this book, as just about every woman that is introduced had a dirty, rotten husband or boyfriend that cheated on her.  We learn that some were not able to get over their differences so there have been a couple of divorces in the past, while others were able to work through their challenges.  As the new generation of Sweet Magnolias emerges, they seem to bring their own marital woes with them. 

With Ty and Annie as the main characters of this book, the only question is whether they will be able to overcome the problems from the past and rekindle the love they once had.  If you are a Sherryl Woods fan I am not going to ruin this book for you by telling you the outcome.

My book club won copies of this book, which I find interesting because I really don't think that it made for a very interesting discussion.  I personally did not enjoy this book but I am curious to see what the other ladies thought of it.  I found many inconsistencies within the story itself that made me think that the author didn't know her characters very well.  I really do not enjoy writing negative reviews, but I feel this book could have been written much better if a bit more research went into it.  If you are looking for a general romance without much to offer intellectually then you may enjoy this book.

My Rating: 1/5

Disclosure:  I read this book as a book club selection from my personal collection.

Giveaway: Testimony by Anita Shreve

Testimony by Anita Shreve is being released in a mass market paperback edition now, and thanks to Brianne from Hachette I am able to offer up to 5 copies to give away on my blog!  Shreve is one of my favorite authors and if you haven't had the chance to read this book yet, you may want to enter the contest.  Here is a summary of Testimony from the Hachette website:

At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.

Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

Now for the giveaway!
I will be giving away one book for every 10 entries with a maximum of five books to give away.

To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada. No PO Boxes please.

For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.

For two additional entries, blog about this contest or add the link to your sidebar.

Please include your email so I will have a way to contact you if you win.

You will have until October 15th to enter and I will draw for a winner on or after October 16th.

Good luck everyone!

Winner of The Sweet By and By

I am very happy to announce the winner of my BBAW giveaway of The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson!  The lucky winner is.........

Aths 

Congratulations to the winner!  I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information.  Thanks to all who stopped by and entered the contest.

Mailbox Monday-September 27

Thanks to Marcia of The Printed Page for starting the Mailbox Monday Meme that has us list the books that we received last week. Although Marcia isn't going to be hosting Mailbox Monday any longer, she set it up so different bloggers have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time. This month the host is Bermudaonion and you can go to her blog to see what everyone else got last week or to play along.

So just one book in my mailbox this week but it sure was a surprise!

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey  by Walter Mosley

It seems that there were some changes with Blogger recently so I've been having some problems uploading images...But I think I got it!  With the stress of our big office move I've decided to fit in a little retail therapy this afternoon, so you may not see much of me over the next couple of days.  So were there any surprises in your mailbox last week?

Java With Jo

Wow, has it been a busy week!  BBAW was a lot of fun last week and I'm still getting caught up on all of the wonderful posts that are out there.  And sticking with my goal of Java With Jo, I'm posting this today.  I am pleased to announce that I have finally finished reading The Passage!  I did enjoy this book, but probably won't be posting my review for a couple of weeks.  I'm just trying to figure out why in the world I didn't join the Chunkster Challenge this year when this is probably the 2nd or 3rd big book that I have read this year.

This has been a crazy week and next week doesn't look to be any easier.  Not only has my personal life been busy, but now our entire office is moving to another building.  This is already a busy time of year for me with my job, but now it will be a bit more stressful.

To add to my frazzled attitude FALL is here!  I know many of you love fall...the beautiful colors and fresh crisp air...but I don't!  It just makes me long for the warm summer nights and dread the cold winter that lies ahead.  Many of my friends have tried to convert me into a fall loving person, but were unsuccessful.   I couldn't help but laugh when I read a post over at Book Journey (who I'm thinking also does not love Fall like many others) indicating that Fall is the 'F' word.   Just so you don't think I'm totally crazy I decided to focus on a couple of things that I do appreciate that come with the fall season:

Reading on a chilly Saturday afternoon
The smell and taste of fresh apple crisp
Laying down in flannel sheets on a cold evening
My book club convenes after a summer break

The colors may be pretty, but I have to confess the place where I think the colors are most beautiful to me is somewhere I pass every day...the cemetary!  Now how morbid is that?  But it is true, as I look across the tombstones as I'm driving by I can not help but notice how well kept it is with the colors just adding the perfect touch. 

So there are a few things I appreciate about the season but I still do not enjoy it or look forward to it.  I am looking forward to the weekend of October 15th, as Book Journey (yes, she is a busy lady) is planning a Minnesota/Wisconsin Blogger Get-Together in the Twin Cities!  I am just so excited for this weekend because I have just been chomping at the bit to meet some of these great people, and now I will finally get to!  If you think this sounds like fun and you might be in the area please check out her original post here.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  Since I have finished reading The Passage I've decided to start reading our next book club selection, Things I've Been Silent About by Azar Nafisi.  I might also start reading The Violin of Auschwitz over the weekend.   Do you have any big plans over the weekend to enjoy the *beautiful* Fall weather?  lol

Current Giveaways!!!

There were so many great giveaways last week during BBAW, but here are just a few this week that caught my eye.  I've been super busy so if I happened to miss your giveaway please feel free to add the link in the comment section below.

Bookin' With Bingo is giving away the audiobook of A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay--HURRY-Contest ends  today, 9/24!

Reading Without Restraint is giving away The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen--Contest ends 9/30.

Metroreader is giving away the audiobook of Innocent by Scott Turrow--Contest ends 10/9.

Book Giveaways is giving away the Dinner is Ready cookbook by Deanna Buxton--Contest ends 10/26.

Good luck everyone!

Audiobook Review: Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch

Here is a summary of Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch from the Hachette website:

In April of 1985, Buzz Legare went fishing. The next day all that was found was his boat and his waiting, faithful dog.

Twenty years later, his daughter Hannah still finds hope in believing, alone among her family, that he's still alive somewhere. She has a smart husband, a thriving business, a beautiful home in San Francisco-and a huge hole in her troubled heart. True to her trademark talent for self-sabotage, she finds herself one starry night climbing up the fire escape in a desperate (and drunken) attempt to win back her own husband--and failing disastrously.

Slightly worse for the wear, Hannah returns to Charleston to salve her wounds. There, old loves, unrepented crimes, and family legends are stirred up from the dust. Hannah's brother Palmer, the stoic with a secret of his own, cannot dissuade her from a manic search to uncover clues to the past, and they will both face shocking discoveries that lead them to reconcile their very different notions of loyalty and blind faith.

As she did so memorably in her bestselling debut, Girls in Trucks, Katie Crouch has created another great voice--spiky, tender, and hilarious--in the screwball heroine Hannah Legare. Much like Julia Roberts in My Best Friend's Wedding, Hannah follows the misguided impulses of a heart that's in the right place.

My Review:
Men and Dogs was a pretty serious audiobook that brought us into the life of Hannah Legare when she basically hits rock bottom.  Hannah was married and had a very successful on-line business but somehow managed to lose it all by never fully accepting her father's absence in her life.

After a life-threatening accident Hannah finds herself back home in Charleston being nursed back to health by her family that she hasn't seen in years.  Upon arriving at her childhood home she starts to wonder once again about the disappearance of her father.  She has always believed that her father is still alive somewhere and throughout the novel new things come to light about her parents that help to give her a different and clearer perspective on her own life.

Hannah's brother Palmer was a very interesting character in this novel.  He was a local veterinarian that also happened to be gay.  Since his father's disappearance a piece of Palmer seems to be missing also, as he can't seem to maintain a long-term romantic relationship.  Where Hannah seems to lose control of her life in general, Palmer seems to be afraid of the implications of love.

I loved the journey that this book took me on, giving me insight into the lives that both Hannah and Palmer led.  We see how the decisions that they made when they were younger shaped them into the adults that they have become.  By not accepting the truth about their lives, they found themselves living in a way that wasn't really living at all, but just getting by.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and thought that Gabra Zackman did a good job narrating.  I've read several mixed reviews of this book so although you should know this book isn't for everyone, something about this one just connected with me.  With themes of loss, grieving, and acceptance I think this would also make a great book club selection.  I can even admit that with the serious content of this book it even made me laugh once and awhile.  This was my first book by Katie Crouch and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me from Anna at Hachette in exchange for an honest review.

Winners of Oogy!

I'm very excited to announce the following winners of Oogy by Larry Levin:

Donna
Missy B. 

Congratulations to the winners!  I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information to forward to the publisher. Thanks again to Anna from Hachette for offering this great contest on my blog!

Teaser Tuesday-Sept. 21

Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading.  TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

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!

This week my teaser is from Things I've Been Silent About by Azar Nafisi:
Instead, for two years she nursed a sick husband, watching him die every day.  And this was the romance of her life, the man whom she brandished to remind us of our own inadequacies!

pg. 9

I must admit that I'm just not sure what to think of this memoir yet.  I'm not too far along, but I will be curious to see if my opinion about the author's attitude changes.

Mailbox Monday-September 20

Thanks to Marcia of The Printed Page for starting the Mailbox Monday Meme that has us list the books that we received last week. Although Marcia isn't going to be hosting Mailbox Monday any longer, she set it up so different bloggers have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time. This month the host is Bermudaonion and you can go to her blog to see what everyone else got last week or to play along.

As you can see my home contains Packer fans so I have appropriately changed my mailbox this week to reflect that!  Here is what I received last week:

Rescue by Anita Shreve

Red Hook Road  by Ayelet Waldman

Just a couple of books this last week but that is plenty to keep me busy!  So what was in your mailbox?

BBAW: Future Treasures



It has been a busy week in my personal life this week so I really didn't get to participate in BBAW as much as I would have liked.  I do plan on catching up this weekend by checking out various blog posts from this event.  This is the day that we talk about goals or future plans that we may have for our blog. 

Presently I only post on my blog Monday through Friday and that will probably not change.  I've had a goal to post articles once per day, whether they are memes, reviews, or giveaways, and I don't see that changing either.

One thing that I would like to change is making all of my blog posts more personal.  Every now and then I do post some personal information that I usually title 'Java With Jo', but this is not done on a regular basis.  So I think that I will start posting my 'Java With Jo' segments at least once a week to let you all get to know me a bit more. 

So how about you?  Do you have any blogging plans or goals for the next year?

Blog Tour and Review: Finny by Justin Kramon

I am very grateful to Trish from TLC Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of this tour which turned out to be quite the adventure to follow this young girl through the ups and downs of her life.  Here is a summary of Finny from the Random House website:

Justin Kramon’s debut novel, Finny, is a sweeping, enchanting voyage, an insightful story about a young woman’s complicated path to adulthood.

We meet Finny Short as an observant, defiant fourteen-year-old who can’t make sense of her family’s unusual habits: Her mother offers guidance appropriate for a forty-year-old socialite; her father quotes Nietzsche over pancakes. Finny figures she’s stuck with this lonely lot until she meets Earl Henckel, a boy who comes from an even stranger place than she does. Unhappy with Finny’s budding romance with Earl, her parents ship her off to Thorndon boarding school. But mischief follows Finny as she befriends New York heiress Judith Turngate, a girl whose charm belies a disquieting reckless streak.

Finny’s relationships with Earl and Judith open her up to dizzying possibilities of love and loss and propel her into a remarkable adventure spanning twenty years and two continents. Justin Kramon has given us a wickedly funny odyssey with a moving and original love story at its core. Finny introduces us to an unforgettable heroine, a charmingly intricate world, and an uncommonly entertaining and gifted young novelist.

My Review:
I loved this book so much that I just worry that my review will not do it any justice.  Justin Kramon did such a wonderful job of showing us the life of young Finny and what I appreciated the most is that it wasn't a perfect life.  Finny had a pretty good life even though she made mistakes along the way, but I've always been a firm believer in how our mistakes can make us into stronger individuals.  I could definitely see the strength in Finny's character within this book.

Finny is introduced to us as a young girl that is full of spunk and ready to conquer the world.  She really didn't appreciate the family she had at that age, let's face it, how many of us really do, so when she ran into Earl one day she found herself opening up to both him and his single father.  She loved visiting with the Henckel family, watching their little quirks and oddities and listening to Mr. Henckel play the most beautiful piano music she had ever heard.  Little did she know that she was setting a foundation for a lifetime relationship with Earl that would be the most important and the most difficult that she would ever have.

Early on in their lives, Earl and Finny are separated by circumstances.  Finny is sent to boarding school at one point and then Earl moves to France to live with his mom.  One would think this relationship is doomed but they really tried to make things work by visiting each other, telephone calls and letters.  As they both have errors in judgement with their relationships as they find themselves growing into adults and making mistakes that may not be forgiven.

I felt that a window was created for me to watch the various stages of Finny's life.  After high school and college she struggled with her career choices and relationships.  Not only her relationship with men, but also the women that she has befriended throughout her life, from boarding school through her college years.  The friendships were not perfect either, which made the element of truth just that much more real to me.

The writing in this novel flowed so beautifully for me that I can tell you I didn't want to put it down at night.  The emotions that it evoked within me were amazing also-one night I was in stitches laughing, while the next evening I was in tears.  It was a book that saddened me as I was turning the last page because I really did not want to say goodbye to Finny and I still feel a bit of an emptiness now as I am writing this review.  With themes of love, endurance, family, and true friendship this book really has something in it for everyone.  I am thrilled that this is Justin Kramon's first novel because now I can't wait for what may come next.  If you are interested in finding out more about this author you can visit his website here.  If you can't tell, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

My Rating:  5/5

Be sure to check out more great book reviews over at Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me by Trish from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review and to participate in this blog tour.

BBAW Interview:Meet Charlotte from Charlotte's Library!

Last year during BBAW I didn't participate in the interview exchange and I found myself regretting it by the end of the week.  It is such a great way to meet other bloggers and even get some tips that may help you out with some ideas for your own blog.  I was lucky enough to be given Charlotte from Charlotte's Library as an interview partner, so without further delay here is what Charlotte had to say:

Q: When and why did you start blogging?
I started in February of 2007. I'd been reading blogs for a while, and wanted to be part of the fun! Sometimes I say that I started blogging so that I could get an ARC of Megan Whalen Turner's fourth book (A Conspiracy of Kings). But that goal has now been realized (yay!) and it will probably be a few more years until her next book. I have bravely tried to keep blogging despite not having that particular incentive.

Q: Do you have a schedule that you follow when it comes to maintaining your blog and reading other's posts?
I get up about one or two hours before my kids and husband, and that's when I do the bulk of my blog reading and posting. I try to post everyday, because otherwise my pile of to-be-reviewed books gets crazy, and I have two things set in stone--a round-up every Sunday of posts from around the blogs of reviews and news about middle grade science fiction and fantasy, and a review of a time travel book every Tuesday.

Q: You obviously enjoy books from the science fiction genre, but how do you decide what books you will review?
I never have any posts set up in advance, nor am I even entirely sure what book I am going to review when... I always have more books in the house than I can read, and I try to give reading and reviewing priority to books that I agreed to accept from publishers. But if I read a book I enjoy, or that gets me thinking, I'll bump it up to the front of the queue! I mainly review fantasy and science fiction (sff) books for kids and teens, and, when I have the time to stop and think, I try to review books that haven't gotten the attention I think they deserve. I also make a concerted effort to review multicultural sff books.

Q: What kind of reading habits do you have?
In some ways, I am a Good Reader. I care for my books-- I do not crack the spines of my paperbacks, or (shudder) bend the pages to mark my place. I have (more or less) outgrown trying to read on the sofa and eat ice cream at the same time, and I have learned to avoid eating hot chocolate chip cookies while reading altogether. But in other respects, I fail--I have about four or five books going at any on time, and I shed them all over the house, and then can't find the one I want. I have lost books behind radiators, on top of the fridge, in the grocery store....and I have wasted hours of my life wandering around looking for my books and cursing.

Q: Where is your favorite and most enjoyable place to sit back and read?
um...because of working full time and having children and having tons of stuff to do at home (we have an old house -- this morning it was painting some windows) I take whatever reading time I can get, wherever I can get it. So although I know I must read somewhere, because I keep adding books to my to be reviewed pile, it beats me where and when I manage to do it. There's the exciting five minutes of reading at work, while waiting for my obnoxiously slow computer to get going, there's 45 minutes of chlorine-fumed reading at swimming lessons, a bit of time before supper (happily, my husband likes to cook), and maybe half an hour in the evening....I think that my favorite place to read is wherever I happen to be when I am in the middle of a book so good that it doesn't matter where I am!

Q: Who are some of your favorite authors?
I keep the authors I am fondest of closest to my bed --Megan Whalen Turner, Diana Wynne Jones, Hilary Mackay, Elfrida Vipont, Ursula Le Guin, Elizabeth Goudge, D.E. Stevenson....and exception is Rosemary Sutcliff, writer of historical fiction for children par excellence, who lives in my son's room.

Q: I don't read much science fiction myself, but my book club really enjoys reading different genres. Is there a particular book that you would recommend that my group might enjoy?
I saw at your blog that you were reading The Handmaid's Tale, and in a similar vein I'd suggest Lavinia, by Ursula Le Guin--she a speculative fiction author, but this book is far, far from being generic fantasy, and should appeal to historical fiction fans. And I'd also suggest The Gate to Women's Country, by Sherri Tepper, which is an interesting take on gender issues. Lots to talk about!

Q: What are some other hobbies or activities that you enjoy in your free time?
Some of my "free" time is spent running the booksale at my local public library--my goal is to raise enough money to get solar panels for it. A lot of my free time (those precious hours before the kids get up) is spent working in the garden....

I used to have real hobbies. When I was young and carefree, back in my twenties, I played a mean hand of competitive bridge (almost became a life master), then gave that up to play pool competitively (my team made it to the Nationals in Vegas, but I couldn't go because of having a baby instead :(. And when I meet my husband, who plays the Irish bagpipes (boasting shamelessly, you can hear his playing on some of Loreena McKennitt's albums), I decided I should learn how to play something too, so I took up the fiddle. I was a very good beginner, but gave it up because it made my babies cry whenever I played. Someday I'll pick it up again....I still play the piano, though, in a sense -- I have discovered that the best way to get my son to practice his own playing is to sit down and try to get some playing time in myself.

Q: I love the blogging community! Who are some bloggers that you have been fortunate enough to be introduced to because of your blog?
I went to Kidlitcon last fall, in Washington D.C., and had a great time meeting other children's book bloggers (too many to list).  I have my airplane tickets booked for this year's conference in Minneapolis.   I'll be rooming with Melissa from Book Nut, who I met at the conference last year--I'm really looking forward to seeing her again.   This summer I was able to invite my blogging friend Tanita Davis and her husband to stay a few days with me at my mother's house in D.C.--I didn't tell my mother that I actually had never met them before in my life!  Fortunately they were not axe murderers (or at least they kept it well hidden if they were), and we had a lovely time.   I've also made lots of great blogging friends through the Cybils Awards--I've been a panelist for these blogger bestowed children's book awards for several years, and it is tons of fun!

Q: Is there anything random that you would like to share about yourself?
I am addicted to requesting books from the library during breaks at work. Although I find it gratifying while I'm doing it, the moment of truth when ten or more books come in at once for me is rather overwhelming....

Thanks for sharing with us Charlotte!  My kids are both off to college now so I would imagine that it would be difficult to fit time in for blogging or even reading for that matter with such a busy household!  Many years ago my husband and I used to shoot pool together but I realized my best pool shooting was done while I was pregnant and one can only be pregnant so often!  lol 

I really appreciate the book recommendations and next time my book club is selecting titles I will be sure to mention these.  Besides The Handmaid's Tale I haven't heard of these other titles that you have mentioned but we always enjoy reading books together that we wouldn't read on our own.

Be sure to stop by Charlotte's Library to see her Science Fiction and middle grade book recommendations.  You can also see what questions she had for me if you are interested in finding out my deep and darkest secrets!

BBAW Giveaway: The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson

I just love Book Blogger Appreciation Week, and in celebration of this awesome event I have decided to give away this gently used hardcover book that I thoroughly enjoyed earlier this year.  The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson was such a special story, but if you want to see what I really thought about it you can read my entire review here.

Here is a summary of the book from the Harper Collins website:

"I want you to know something if you don't already. Life is choosing whom and what you love. Everything else follows. . ."

Among the longleaf pines and family farms of eastern North Carolina, days seem to pass without incident for Margaret Clayton and Bernice Stokes until they discover each other in a friendship that will take them on the most important journey of their lives. Margaret, droll and whip smart, has a will of iron that never fails her even when her body does, while Bernice, an avid country-music fan, is rarely lucid. Irreverent and brazen at every turn, they make a formidable pair at the home where they live, breaking all the rules and ultimately changing the lives of those around them. Lorraine, their churchgoing, God-questioning nurse, both protects and provokes them while they are under her watchful eye, as her daughter, April, bright and ambitious, determinedly makes her way through medical school. Rounding out the group of unlikely and often outrageous friends is Rhonda, the Bud-swilling beautician who does the ladies' hair on her day off and whose sassy talk hides a vulnerable heart, one that finally opens to love. 

Weaving this tightly knit and compelling novel in alternating chapters, each woman gets to tell her story her own way, as all five learn to reconcile troubled pasts, find forgiveness, choose hope, and relish the joy of life. Rich with irresistible characters whose uniquely musical voices overflow the pages, The Sweet By and By is a testament to the truth that the most vibrant lives are not necessarily the most visible ones. 


Now for the giveaway!
To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada. No PO Boxes please.

For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.  Use a spam-thwarting format such as myemail.address AT gmail DOT com or myemail.address [at] gmail [dot] com.

For two additional entries, blog about this contest or add the link to your sidebar.

You will have until September 18th to enter and I will draw for a winner on or after September 19th.

Good luck everyone and thanks for stopping by!

Giveaway: The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

Thanks to Valerie from Hachette I am able to give away up to 3 copies of the paperback edition of The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris.  Earlier this year I had the opportunity to review the audioversion of this book, and if you missed it you can still read my review here.  I couldn't help but think that this book would make an excellent book club selection as it is sure to spark a lively discussion.  Here is a summary of the book from the Hachette website:

He was going to lose the house and everything in it.

The rare pleasure of a bath, the copper pots hanging above the kitchen island, his family-again

 he would lose his family. He stood inside the house and took stock. Everything in it had been taken for granted. How had that happened again? He had promised himself not to take anything for granted and now he couldn't recall the moment that promise had given way to the everyday.

Tim Farnsworth is a handsome, healthy man, aging with the grace of a matinee idol. His wife Jane still loves him, and for all its quiet trials, their marriage is still stronger than most. Despite long hours at the office, he remains passionate about his work, and his partnership at a prestigious Manhattan law firm means that the work he does is important. And, even as his daughter Becka retreats behind her guitar, her dreadlocks and her puppy fat, he offers her every one of a father's honest lies about her being the most beautiful girl in the world.

He loves his wife, his family, his work, his home. He loves his kitchen. And then one day he stands up and walks out. And keeps walking.

THE UNNAMED is a dazzling novel about a marriage and a family and the unseen forces of nature and desire that seem to threaten them both. It is the heartbreaking story of a life taken for granted and what happens when that life is abruptly and irrevocably taken away.

Now for the giveaway:
I will be giving away one book for every 10 entries with a maximum of three books to give away.

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household, which means if you win the same title on another blog you will receive only one copy of the title.

To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada. No PO Boxes please.

For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.

For two additional entries, blog about this contest or add the link to your sidebar.

Please include your email so I will have a way to contact you if you win.  Use a spam-thwarting format such as myemail.address AT gmail DOT com or myemail.address [at] gmail [dot] com.

You will have until September 30th to enter and I will draw for winners on or after October 1st.

Current Giveaways!!!

Here are some giveaways that have caught my eye in the last week.  If I missed posting about your contest please feel free to leave the link in the comment section below. 

Bookin' With Bingo is giving away Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay--Contest ends 9/19.

Luxury Reading is giving away The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard--Contest ends 9/20.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away What We Have by Amy Boesky--Contest ends 9/26.

At Home With Books is having a September Bookshelf Cleaning Giveaway--Contest ends 9/27.

A Sea of Books is giving away the audiobook of The Postcard Killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund--Contest ends 9/27.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away Come Sunday by Isla Morley--Contest ends 10/2.

Don't forget to check my current giveaways on my sidebar and check back next week as I plan on having something to give away special for BBAW!  Good luck everyone!

Audiobook Review: Absolute Power by David Baldacci

Here is a summary of Absolute Power from the Hachette website:

Available for the first time Unabridged on CD in an all-new recording by Scott Brick, the first of the blockbuster thrillers by New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci. The book that will change the way you think about Washington - and power - forever.

In a heavily guarded mansion in a posh Virginia suburb, a man and a woman start to make love, trapping a burglar behind a secret wall. Then the passion turns deadly, and the witness is running into the night. Because what he has just seen is a brutal slaying involving the president of the United States.

Luther Whitney is the career break-in artist who's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alan Richmond is the charming U.S. president with the power to commit any crime. And Jack Graham is the young attorney caught in a vortex between absolute truth and... ABSOLUTE POWER

My Review:
I had no idea what to expect when listening to this book, but before I knew it I was caught up in the political suspense that was bound to entrap Jack Graham.  I have a few friends that have read many Baldacci books and rave about them, so I decided to try the audioversion of this author.  Maybe some of you that listen to audiobooks have found what I did-that I enjoy listening to genres that I don't usually enjoy reading.  Suspense thrillers would be one of those genres that I don't enjoy reading but always find myself drawn to in the audio form.

A crime takes place in the beginning of this novel that involves the President, the Secret Service, and the Chief of Staff.  As the story unfolds these people will do anything and stop anyone that would jeapordize the presidency.  Since Luther Whitney somehow is the only witness to the unfortunate event he finds himself not sure who to confide in.  His daughter Kate is an attorney for the Commonwealth, but since their relationship has been strained for so long he wouldn't know where to begin explaining what happened.  Kate was engaged to a nice young man named Jack Graham who was also a lawyer.  Luther found a respect for Jack that gave him the courage to leave a trail for Jack to learn about the President's actions.

Before Luther and Kate are dropped back into Jack's life, everything seems to be going perfect for him.  He is engaged to Jennifer, who happens to be the daughter of one of the most powerful and wealthiest families in Washington.  When Jack sees his future father-in-law rubbing elbows with the President of the United States he somehow knows deep down that he will never fit into the same social circle that Jennifer is a part of.  When Jack starts to help Luther Whitney with his dilemma he finds himself drawn to the simple, but yet happy life that he led when he was with Kate.

We learn a lot about the many characters within this story.  The Secret Service men involved in the crime both seem to be good men, but victims of political circumstances.  Burton is the family man that has been married for over twenty years and has two kids at home.  When he finds himself having to take control of the situation he doesn't know how he can ever face his family again.  Collins is an agent who has put his life on the line before and will not hesitate to do it again.  He somehow loses sight of his goals as he becomes entwined in a passionate affair.

There were so many unpredictable twists and turns in this audiobook that I really was unsure of how it could possibly end.  If you are interested in listening to an action packed political thriller then this book would be a great choice for you!  I've also just started paying attention to who is narrating audiobooks, and I have heard many bloggers mention Scott Brick as being a fabulous reader.  Well you can add my name to that list of bloggers because while I was listening to this book I found his voice very engaging and WOW, does he build suspense!  Please keep in mind that this rating is for the audioversion.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was from my personal library and I listened to it for my own entertainment.

Wondrous Words Wednesday-Sept. 8

Bermudaonion asks you to share new words that you have learned during your reading adventures in the last week. Feel free to join in the fun!

Here is another new word that I learned while reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood:
Querulous:  full of complaints; complaining.

Here is how querulous was used on page 210:
Sometimes he becomes querulous, at other times philosophical; or he wishes to explain things, justify himself.

I kind of guessed what this word meant when I first read it, but since I wasn't sure I decided to look it up.  So did you come across any new words this last week?

Teaser Tuesday-September 7

Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading.  TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

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!

This week my teaser is from Finny by Justin Kramon:
Once when she was four and her aunt Louise gave her a pinch on the cheek, Finny pinched the woman right back on the breast, so hard that Aunt Louise howled in pain and dropped Finny on the floor.  It was a linoleum floor, and when Finny crashed down, everyone thought she was dead.

pg. 3&4

I just started this book least night but I can tell right away that I will enjoy it!

Mailbox Monday-September 6

Thanks to Marcia of The Printed Page for starting the Mailbox Monday Meme that has us list the books that we received last week. Although Marcia isn't going to be hosting Mailbox Monday any longer, she set it up so different bloggers have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time. This month the host is Bermudaonion and you can go to her blog to see what everyone else got last week or to play along.

Here is what was in my mailbox last week:

Radiance by Alyson Noel

13 rue Therese by Elena Mauli Shapiro (This was such a nice surprise that even came gift-wrapped along with a tin of candies!)

And last, but definitely far from least:

My Birthday Kindle!

I haven't had a chance to do much reading on my Kindle yet with all of the copies I have to read for review, but I'm sure I will have more than ample time in the future!

So what was in your mailbox this week?

Giveaway: Oogy by Larry Levin

Thanks to Anna from Hachette I am able to give away up to two copies of this book on Jo-Jo Loves to Read!!!

Here is a summary of Oogy from the Hachette website:
 
In the bestselling tradition of Rescuing Sprite comes the story of a puppy brought back from the brink of death, and the family he adopted.

In 2002, Larry Levin and his twin sons, Dan and Noah, took their terminally ill cat to the Ardmore Animal Hospital outside Philadelphia to have the beloved pet put to sleep. What would begin as a terrible day suddenly got brighter as the ugliest dog they had ever seen--one who was missing an ear and had half his face covered in scar tissue--ran up to them and captured their hearts. The dog had been used as bait for fighting dogs when he was just a few months old. He had been thrown in a cage and left to die until the police rescued him and the staff at Ardmore Animal Hospital saved his life. The Levins, whose sons are themselves adopted, were unable to resist Oogy's charms, and decided to take him home.

Heartwarming and redemptive, OOGY is the story of the people who were determined to rescue this dog against all odds, and of the family who took him home, named him "Oogy" (an affectionate derivative of ugly), and made him one of their own.

Here is how to enter:
I will be giving away one book for every 10 entries with a maximum of two books to give away.

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household, which means if you win the same title on another blog you will receive only one copy of the title.

To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada. No PO Boxes please.

For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.

For two additional entries, blog about this contest or add the link to your sidebar.

Please include your email so I will have a way to contact you if you win.

You will have until Septebmer 18th to enter and I will draw for winners on or after September 19th.

Winners of The Island by Elin Hilderbrand!

I am pleased to announce the following winners of The Island audiobook by Elin Hilderbrand!

The Lawver's

holdenj

Congratulations!  I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information to forward to the publisher.  Thanks again toAnna from Hachette for offering this contest on my blog.

Audiobook Review: The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

Here is a summary of The Wedding from the Hachette website:

With The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and his other beloved novels, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks has given voice to our deepest beliefs about the power of love. Now he brings us the long-awaited follow-up to The Notebook-a story of an ordinary man who goes to extraordinary lengths to win back the love of his life... After thirty years, Wilson Lewis is forced to face a painful truth: the romance has gone out of his marriage. His wife, Jane, has fallen out of love with him, and it is entirely his fault.

My Review:
The Notebook was the first book that I read by Nicholas Sparks and I recall tears streaming down my face as I read the entire story.  Dear John had a similar affect on me so I was a bit apprehensive when a friend of mine suggested that I listen to the audiobook of The Wedding. I wasn't sure what to expect from this story but my friend assured me that I would enjoy the book and that I would be happy with the outcome.

You may remember the heartbreaking love story between Noah and Allie from The Notebook.  The Wedding picks up after Allie has passed away and Noah has decided to continue living at the assisted living center as his health has been failing.  They managed to raise some wonderful, God-fearing children that have his best interests at heart.  We get a close look at the life that their daughter Jane lived after she married Wilson thirty years before.

Wilson and Jane met and fell in love during their college years.  Shortly after graduating from college they married and started a family together.  They did everything that they needed to in order to raise happy and well-rounded children, but somewhere along the way they started taking separate paths.  Even though they still lived under the same roof they found they weren't communicating or even wanting to do little things to please each other any longer.  When Wilson forgets their anniversary Jane is so heartbroken and distraught that he really cannot be surprised when her emotions and attitude seem to be at an all time low.

Wilson realizes that his marital relationship is declining so he decides to confide in his father-in-law Noah, in an attempt to mend what he feels he has broken.  He is enlightened when he learns that life for Noah and Allie wasn't always the perfect love story that their children talk about, but they actually had rough patches just like most ordinary couples do.  Knowing this information gave Wilson hope that he could win the love of his wife once again.

This was such an inspiring story to listen to as I think many couples seem to lose their way after so many years of marriage.  Whether you are letting the romance or friendship fade, or just taking each other for granted it really is a wake-up call to let you know that it is possible to stop heading down that road and start your relationship over.  Tom Wopat did a wonderful job of narrating this novel and I just loved listening to him.  Some of you may remember him from his role as Luke Duke from The Dukes of Hazzard!  He was my favorite Duke brother then and he still is after listening to this book.  I don't usually enjoy romances myself, but because this seemed like such a probable situation I found myself thoroughly enjoying this audiobook.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this book from the library and listened to it for my own entertainment.  But in all honesty, my friend Miranda would not stop hounding me until I did listen to it!  Thanks Miranda, because you were right...I loved it!

Current Giveaways!!!

As summer is winding up here are a few giveaways you might like to check out!  Don't forget that if I happened to miss your giveaway feel free to add the link in the comment section below.

Savvy Verse and Wit is giving away Come Sunday by Isla Morley--Contest ends 9/3.

Luxury Reading is giving away The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall--Contest ends 9/10.

Bookin' With Bingo is giving away I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman--Contest ends 9/12.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away the audiobook of The Postcard Killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund--Contest ends 9/25.

Wise Owl Book Review is giving away Freedom by Jonathan Franzen--Contest ends 9/26.


Good luck everyone!

Wondrous Words Wednesday-September 1

Bermudaonion asks you to share new words that you have learned during your reading adventures in the last week. Feel free to join in the fun!

Here are a couple new words I learned as I've been reading the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood:
Pedantic:  ostentatious in one's learning.

Here is how pedantic was used on page 11:
I used to tease him about being pedantic.

Lugubrious:  mournful, dismal, or gloomy.

Here is how lugubrious was used on page 54:
Sometimes I sing to myself, in my head; something lugubrious, mournful, presbyterian:

Pronatalist:  the policy or practice of encouraging the bearing of children.

Here is how pronatalist was used on page 120:
My oldest buddy Tricia accused me of being pronatalist, the bitch.

So those were the new words that I learned this week.  How about you?

Winner of Secrets of Happiness by Sarah Dunn!

I am pleased to announce that the winner of Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn is...

Misusedinnocence

Congratulations!  I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information to forward to the publisher. Thanks again to Valerie from Hachette for offering this giveaway on my blog!