Giveaway: The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith

Thanks to Valerie  from Hachette I am able to offer up to three copies of this book away on my blog! The Secret Speech would make an excellent bok club selection as the paperback edition will feature a Reading Group Guide that includes a Q&A with Tom Rob Smith and discussion topics and questions. Here is a summary of The Secret Speech by Tom Rob  Smith from the Hachette website:

Soviet Union, 1956. Stalin is dead, and a violent regime is beginning to fracture-leaving behind a society where the police are the criminals, and the criminals are innocent. A secret speech composed by Stalin's successor Khrushchev is distributed to the entire nation. Its message: Stalin was a tyrant. Its promise: The Soviet Union will change.

Facing his own personal turmoil, former state security officer Leo Demidov is also struggling to change. The two young girls he and his wife Raisa adopted have yet to forgive him for his part in the death of their parents. They are not alone. Now that the truth is out, Leo, Raisa, and their family are in grave danger from someone consumed by the dark legacy of Leo's past career. Someone transformed beyond recognition into the perfect model of vengeance.

From the streets of Moscow in the throes of political upheaval, to the Siberian gulags, and to the center of the Hungarian uprising in Budapest, THE SECRET SPEECH is a breathtaking, epic novel that confirms Tom Rob Smith as one of the most exciting new authors writing today.


Now on with the giveaway!

I will be giving away one book for every 10 entries with a maximum of three 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 May 22nd to enter and I will draw for winners on May 23rd.

Good luck everyone!

This Giveaway is closed.

Current Giveaways!!!

Here are some giveaways that caught my eye over the last week:

Broken Teepee is giving away the audiobook of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith--Contest ends 5/3.

Luxury Reading is giving away The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow--Contest ends 5/4.

Bookin' With Bingo is giving away the audiobook of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith--Contest ends 5/6.

Readaholic is giving away Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz--Contest ends 5/6.

The Tome Traveller's Weblog is giving away Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt--Contest ends 5/9.

Bookin' With Bingo is giving away The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker--Contest ends 5/13.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt--Contest ends 5/15.

Good luck everyone!  And be sure to check back as I will have a couple new giveaways coming up soon!

Audiobook Review: Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Here is a summary of Dear John from the Hachette website:

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else.

My Review:
I will start this review I will tell you that I have only read a couple books by Nicholas Sparks and quickly decided that his writing just wasn't my cup of tea.  When a good friend of mine couldn't stop raving about Dear John I decided to give it try...and I'm very glad I did.

This book is narrated by John and he starts out by telling us about his background.  His mother walked out on him and his father shortly after he was born so his father did his best to raise John on his own.  They seemed to live in an area where many families were financially thriving, so John always felt a bit left out around the other kids.  Having to save his money all week to buy a burger on the weekend and spending time working when his friends were enjoying life was just what he became used to. 

As John grew into a teenager he seemed to distance himself from his father.  He couldn't understand it, but for some reason his father never seemed to want to take the initiative to strengthen their relationship.  All his dad seemed to care about were his daily routines and his coin collection.  John becomes so frustrated with his father that it really is not a surprise when one day he decides to join the Army in an attempt to distance himself from his father as much as he possibly can.

John grows up in the Army and probably learns more about being a man that he learned from his father.  He still goes home on his Leaves and finds that with his newfound wisdom he is able to continue a relationship with his father.  It is when John is based in Germany that he comes home on a Leave and meets Savannah, who will leave an impression on his heart forever.

It is easy for John and Savannah to start a relationship because as they spend time together they feel comfortable as if they have known each other for a lifetime.  Before they realize what is going on they find themselves confiding their secrets, dreams, and fears with each other.  Savannah sees a piece of John that no-one has ever had access to, and she also helps him to understand his father in a whole new light.  The development of the father-son relationship is one of my favorite parts of this book.

John and Savannah are caught up in the whirlwind of their romance and understand that they will have to part soon.  John will have to return to Germany and Savannah will have to return to college.  They vow to keep in touch with each other and they do manage to successfully carry on a young relationship for quite some time.  During the difficult time of being apart they both look forward to when John's service is complete so they can spend the rest of their lives together.

I'm not going to share any more about this book as I don't want to give too much away.  Parts of the story were predictable to me and I think that is why I have steered away from Sparks novels in the past.  I probably will continue to not actually 'read' his books, but I will be adding him to my list of audiobook authors that I do enjoy.  I also loved the voice of the narrator of this book-it was like running into a young and polite serviceman on the East coast.  If you are a Sparks fan I think you will enjoy this one.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this audiobook from my friend  Miranda for my own entertainment.

Check out more great book reviews at Book Review Party Wednesday at Cym Lowell's Blog.

Flashlight Worthy Book Recommendations!

Peter, the fellow who runs Flashlight Worthy Book Recommendations, just got in touch out of the blue. He's making a concerted effort to increase the number of book lists in his Book Club Books category.

Interested in writing a book list? Think you know a number of books that would make a good addition to his collection of book club recommendations? Get in touch with Peter at info@flashlightworthy.com and he'll fill you in on the details.

My book club is just getting ready to select our books for the next year and I think this website would be a great tool for us.  Since we have been together for six years we may even be able to compile a list ourselves!

Teaser Tuesday-April 27

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 Black Hills by Dan Simmons:
He could not have stopped the mare if he'd tried.  Her lathered sides were flowing with her own blood, and the boy realized that she'd been shot several times with rifle and pistol bullets and that there was an arrow sunk deep in her flesh just behind Paha Sapa's right leg.

Pg. 19

Mailbox Monday-April 26

Thanks to Marcia of The Printed Page for hosting the Mailbox Monday Meme that has us list the books that we received last week. You can go to her blog to see what everyone else got last week or to play along.

Only one book again last week, but it was unexpected so it's kind of like a bonus surprise!

The Cradle by Patrick Somerville

So were there any surprises in your mailbox last week?

Audiobook Review: Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith

Here is a summary of Espresso Tales from the Random House website:

Back are all our favorite denizens of a Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh. Bertie the immensely talented six year old is now enrolled in kindergarten, and much to his dismay, has been clad in pink overalls for his first day of class. Bruce has lost his job as a surveyor, and between admiring glances in the mirror, is contemplating becoming a wine merchant. Pat is embarking on a new life at Edinburgh University and perhaps on a new relationship, courtesy of Domenica, her witty and worldly-wise neighbor. McCall Smith has much in store for them as the brief spell of glorious summer sunshine gives way to fall a season cursed with more traditionally Scottish weather.

Full of McCall Smith’s gentle humor and sympathy for his characters, Espresso Tales is also an affectionate portrait of a city and its people who, in the author’s own words, “make it one of the most vibrant and interesting places in the world.”

My Review:
Although things are now a bit different at the flats on Scotland Street, they are definitely still interesting. There are changes within all of the characters, but the change that I enjoyed the most was probably with Bertie's father, Stewart.  Pat is still living in the flat with Bruce, but since he was fired from his position at the surveying companay, he decides that he will embark on a new career as a wine merchant.  

After Pat's experience with Bruce in the first installment of this series, she has resolved with herself that she no longer has any romantic interest in Bruce so she has been able to stay on as a roommate in his flat.  She finds herself smitten once again when Peter enters the picture.  Once she learns everything she can about Peter how long will that relationship actually last?

Irene and Stewart are Bertie's parents and I remember thinking after listening to the first book "What kind of people just leave their car in another city and forget about it?"  Because that is exactly what they did!  They left their car in another city for about a year and after arguing about who left it there and where exactly it was, they finally decided to search for the car and bring it home.  Irene has been the overpowering mother, planning out Bertie's day from beginning to end as if she were raising a prodegy rather than a young boy.  From psychotherapy sessions, saxaphone lessons and yoga class, poor Bertie doesn't have a moment to spare for himself.  He becomes horrified to go out in public because his mother seems to think that the best thing for young boys to wear is a pair of crushed strawberry dungarees.  He also doesn't want to have any boys come over in fear that they will see the pink bedroom that his mother painted.  I couldn't help but rejoice when Stewart finally puts his foot down, which allowed Bertie to finally enjoy being a little boy.

Many other characters return in this novel including Matthew, Domenica, Angus Lordie, and the Dunbartens.  It seemed to me that not a lot was happening with these characters in this segment, but some groundwork was laid for some interesting stories to take place for them in future installments.   I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and if you are a fan of Alexander McCall Smith you may want to check out this series for yourself.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this book from my local library and listened to it for my own entertainment.