Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 31!!

Well we made it! Today's the last day of May! Things didn't go as smoothly as I'd planned, but I had a great time anyway! I hope all you folks that discovered my blog and entered the giveaways enjoyed it as much as I did! Since I just couldn't decide WHAT the heck would be fitting for the last day, I decided to throw four different books into the pot, I'll draw four winners in a week. The first name drawn will get to choose from the four books, the second from the remaining three, etc. The fourth name gets the last book, sorry, you won't get to choose, but all four winners plus 16 other entries will get a little something extra!

Read on my friends!!


Today's giveaway is a hard cover copy of The Alexander Cipher by Will Adams.


I also have a hard cover copy of Follow Me by Joanna Scott


The next book I have available is a hard cover copy of M. Ann Jacoby's Life After Genius



And finally I have a copy of The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

As a fun bonus for my month of giveaways, David Morrell, author of such great books like Creepers, Brotherhood of the Rose, First Blood and so many more, has a terrific book out July 7 called The Shimmer.

David sent me 20, count 'em 20! special autographed cards for the wonderful reader of my lil' ole' blog. So in addition to having a shot at one of the four terrific books listed, 20 people are going to get a postcard from David Morrell. These cards look like just like the cover of the book on the front, the back contains a description of the new novel and David has signed them all! They make great bookmarks, (I know because I'm using mine for exactly that!) Sorry--I'm not giving away the book, just the cards. (Gotta gitcher own copy...Ah'm keepin' mine!)

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on June 7th, when I'll draw the lucky winners. Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 16!!

Congratulations to Clenna, Debbie, Jemscout425! You won the drawing for an audiobook copy of David Baldacci's First Family. Check your email for my note, and please, send me your address!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 15!!

Congratulations to Susie, Lucy and Pam! You won the drawing for an audiobook copy of Jame's Patterson's The 8th Confession. Check your email for my note, and please, send me your address! I'm not gonna get too wordy, I'm just hoping to hit "post" and have my internet still up and working!!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Hooray!!

My internet connection is back on!! I'm so glad I set up all my contests to post ahead of time, or my whole month of giveaways would have been ruined! Even though I live in a city of 175,000 people, my only options for internet and phone are AT&T DSL or Time Warner Cable. I don't know if any of you folks have had to deal with Time Warner, but I'm pretty sure they're the third ring of Hell, at least here they are! Hmm.. I guess the only TV options we have are these two companies as well. (Lots of canyons here, and even though we're only 40+ miles from L.A., we can't pick up any signal with an antenna, so it's cable or it's nuttin'!

Oh well...water under the bridge and all that, now I suppose I'd better get my butt in gear and get this blog caught up! I'm so far behind that I suspect it's gonna take a few days, thanks for hanging in there with me!!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 30!!

For today's giveaway, I have TWO ARC's of the book Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo. You can read my review of this book HERE.

From Amazon

Some secrets are too terrible to reveal . . .
Some crimes are too unspeakable to solve . . .

In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish.

Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as Chief of Police. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past—until the first body is discovered in a snowy field. Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past—and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.

I received an ARC of this from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program, and then was sent a copy by the publisher, so I have two copies to give away.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on June 6th, when I'll draw the lucky winner. Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 29!!

The book today came to me compliments of Imran, at Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. Imran not only sent me a beautiful hardcover copy of the book, but included an extra for my giveaways! (Thanks a bundle!) Triple Cross by Mark T. Sullivan. I haven't had the chance to read it yet, but it looks really good and I can't wait to dig in.

From Amazon

New Year’s Eve finds half a dozen of the richest men in the world celebrating at the Jefferson Club, a spectacularly exclusive private club in the mountains of Montana. But the celebration is halted by a helicopter assault by the Third Position Army, a group that says it is revolting against “corporate tyranny.” Most of the guests are freed, but the financial barons are held for trial by a people’s court, and the trials are webcast live, as the FBI marshals a counter-terrorist force. But after the presentation of evidence at the trials, the world is invited to vote for guilt or innocence, and the “guilty” plutocrats are dispatched—on camera—in novel and grisly ways. Terrorism meets reality TV.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on June 5th, when I'll draw the lucky winner. Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them, including the gift card by clicking HERE!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 28!!

The problem is, there are just too many books and not enough time! What to choose, its a real conundrum for me! I flipped a coin and today's book is a trade paperback of Salty Like Blood by Harry Kraus, M.D.. Odd title, good book! You can read my review of this book HERE.

From Amazon

David Conners, M.D., is on the fast track to creating a perfect life when his seven-year-old daughter disappears. David's all-consuming quest to find her -- dead or alive -- threatens to destroy everything he has left: his medical practice, his marriage, his integrity, and even his soul.

If Rachel is dead: Can a parent forgive someone who has done the unthinkable?

Can David forgive himself?

If she's alive: Can David find her in time to save her?

This book is a good read, although a little hard to categorize. Sort of a Christian lit, but never smack you over the head preachy, sort of a mystery, but with lots of family drama thrown in, and just to keep us readers on our toes, it asks all sorts of tough questions. Worth the read!

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on June 4th, when I'll draw the lucky winner. Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them, including the gift card by clicking HERE!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 27 !!

Today's giveaway is a hard cover copy of really good suspense novel,Still Life by Joy Fielding. You can read my review of this book HERE.


From Amazon

Casey Marshall has it all: a successful interior-design business; a handsome, loving husband; wonderful friends; and a boatload of family money at her disposal. But just as she’s contemplating starting a family, she’s the victim of a hit-and-run accident that leaves her in a coma. But she’s not completely out of it, so she’s a witness to everything that happens in her hospital room. But is that so bad? Isn’t it everyone’s dream to be a fly on the wall, to hear what might be said at our funerals? Even though Casey is privy to everyone’s “private” remarks and conversations as they visit, she feels trapped and helpless, especially when it becomes abundantly clear that the incident with the car was no accident. Her frustration mounts as her sister, the wayward but bighearted Drew, becomes a suspect, along with everyone close to her. While not narrated in first person, the action revolves around Casey’s experiences and perceptions. Fielding makes the most of this intriguing premise without succumbing to gimmicky plot tricks. The moment that Casey solves her own attempted murder is truly riveting, and the anxiety she feels as she tries to avoid the would-be murderer’s completion of his task is palpable. A heart-pounding mainstream thriller.

If you're a fan of the genre, or a fan of Joy Fielding, you'll really like this one!

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on June 3rd, when I'll draw the lucky winner. Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 26!!

The end of the month is nigh, and I still have so many books to share, I may have to do this again! Today's book is an ARC of The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne. You can read my review of this book HERE.The book is on sale on July 28, and it's sort of fun to walk into the bookstore, see a newly published book and say to yourself, "oh I read that ages ago!" (Yes, I am THAT shallow! What can I say, it just tickles me pink!)
From Amazon

After a ten-year absence, Alex “Cat” Rucker returns to her Ohio hometown because of a letter left on her mother’s kitchen table—a suicide note, carefully preserved in a Ziploc® bag, that reads:

“He isn’t who you think he is. Love, Mom”

Thus opens this stunning debut novel from author Teri Coyne, who, with wry humor and sharp wit, follows Alex’s journey through the traumatic experiences of her youth and the haze of her adult life.

While Alex tries to repress the memories of her brutal childhood—an abusive father, her estranged (and possibly illegitimate) brother, and the first love who would do anything to save her—she must face just how shattered she still is. At each step Alex confronts her biggest fears, realizes the impact of her choices, and inches closer to redemption. Can she embrace her vulnerabilities, talents, and desire for love, or will the revelations of her mother’s cryptic note prove too overwhelming for her to bear?

The Last Bridge is a perfect blend of suspense, despair, and romance—and at its heart lies the question: are we a product of our experiences or our choices?

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on June 2nd, when I'll draw the lucky winner. Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 25!!

Summer's here! It's Memorial Day! Actually summer hit here in So. Cal a while ago, its been feeling mighty summery for a few weeks. (i.e. HOT!) It's also, coincidentally, my birthday. And since I'm one of those weird folks who really don't mind getting older, because it sure beats the alternative! And because I'm past the big 50 and pushing the big 55, almost..does 52 count as "pushing 55"? I thought it was fitting that today's book be Fifty is Not a Four-Letter Word by Linda Kelsey. You can read my review of this book HERE. I found I really had nothing in common with the main character, she is NOT happy about being 50. And me, I wouldn't be 20 or 30 or even 40 again for anything in the world! Regardless of all that, its a really good book. Sort of chick-lit for grownups!

From Amazon

Hope Lyndhurst-Steele has it all—a wonderful, loving husband; a great son; a job she loves as a magazine editor; and a lovely house in London. After her much-dreaded fiftieth birthday, everything she has come to rely on disappears. She is dismissed from her job and replaced with a younger, smarmier editor; her 18-year-old son starts dating the single mother down the street; and her husband leaves her. No wonder Hope is in a funk. And there is worse news on the horizon. Her mother announces at dinner that she is dying. How we cope with adversity offers great insight into people. Hope’s method is sleep, food, and huge doses of self-pity until she starts to wake up and realize that her life is not over, and that just maybe being 50 is the right place for her to be. Kelsey, a magazine editor herself, creates a witty foray into one woman’s psyche as she accepts her age and proves that there is, indeed, life and adventure after the 50-year milestone.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on June 1st, when I'll draw the lucky winner.

Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 14!!

Congratulations to Amelia, nfmgirl, Marie Burton, Nancye, and Lady Roxi! You won Thursday's drawing for Testimony by Anita Shreve. Check your email for my note, and please, send me your address! I'm not gonna get too wordy, I'm just hoping to hit "post" and have my internet still up and working!!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 24!!

For today's giveaway, I chose a hardcover copy of Life Sentences by Laura Lippman. You can read my review of this book HERE.Now I'll admit, I wasn't a big fan of this book, but I'm pretty sure that I'm just in the weird minority, the reviewers over at Amazon have it rated almost 4 stars, so don't let my review dissuade you! (I also didn't like the Life of Pi, one of those all time popular beloved books...go figure...)

From Amazon

This stunning stand-alone from bestseller Lippman (Baltimore Blues) examines the extraordinary power and fragility of memories. Writer Cassandra Fallows achieved critical and commercial success with an account of her Baltimore childhood growing up in the 1960s and a follow-up dealing with her adult marriages and affairs. The merely modest success of her debut novel leads her back to nonfiction and the possibility of a book about grade school classmate Calliope Jenkins. Accused of murdering her infant son, Jenkins spent seven years in prison steadfastly declining to answer any questions about the disappearance and presumed death of her son. Fallows (white) tries to reconnect with three former classmate friends (black) to compare memories of Jenkins and research her story. In the process, she discovers the gulf (partially racial) that separates her memories of events from theirs. Fallows's pursuit of Jenkins's story becomes a rich, complex journey from self-deception to self-discovery.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on May 31st, when I'll draw the lucky winner. Don't forget, I'm also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, so check it out as well! Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Internet Connection Issues

A GIANT ARRRGHH goes out to AT&T. Last week, after a couple days of nasty loud humming and buzzing on our phone, and some internet connectivity issues, I called AT&T. They sent a repair guy out on Thursday, and after a morning of no phone/'net from all the diagnosing, he tells me that I need a new underground cable run into the house from the junction box across the street. It will be a "few days" before a dig crew can come out. I know this means at least not until next Tuesday or Wed. and that's okay, its just a loud hum/buzz and we'll survive.

After the two trucks and two vans left, I noticed my phone was completely dead. I checked the internet...dead as well. Oh great, the phone company took my small problem of buzzing and killed my phone lines!! I called in, and was told..oops, we'll have someone out tomorrow, (Friday) between 8 and 12 noon. As of 3 pm. after seven, count 'em SEVEN, phone calls, I'm finally told by the "repair crew manager" that my repair ticket was on hold, as the outage was due to digging. I respond, "Uh...they won't start to dig until next Tuesday.And the closest underground construction is So. Cal Edison and its 5 miles away!" He mentioned that might be the problem, and there was nothing they could do. I responded, "You mean, Edison knocked out my phone...just my phone...nobody else's in the whole neighborhood? That seems both oddly specific and highly improbable!"

Three more phone calls (which I have to walk up the block to make because I have no cell service in or near my house!) and finally!, a guy shows up. It seems that when they tested the lines on Thursday, they shorted mine out! So, they hooked me up to a temporary line, I have a dial tone, and sort of have internet. It comes and goes at will. Hopefully, it will stay up long enough to post this.

I'm not giving up on the drawings! I have every day's giveaway already set up to post, even it I don't have a connection, but notifying the winners might be delayed and I'm very sorry about that. The phone company promises me that all will be wonderful soon. Of course, they also think I can use my cell phone when my phone goes down. Uhh...I live in an area of the city called Canyon Country...the closest place I can get a signal is a block away from my house! AT&T---less bars in more places--that's what their cell phone ads should say!!

Thanks for entering every day!! Don't give up on me, I'm still here, just internet-challenged and frustrated!!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 23!!

We're getting nearer the end of the month and I still have so many great books to share! Today's book is a hardcover copy of The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano. You can read my review of this book HERE.

From Amazon

After 20 years in the Federal Witness Protection Program (WITSEC) and eight aliases, Melody Grace McCartney hardly knows who she is. On the run since she and her parents stumbled on a gruesome murder by mobster Tony Bovaro when she was six years old, Grace saw WITSEC’s promised protection fail her mother and father when they were killed 12 years later. Now she feigns personal danger to be relocated just because she’s bored and wants a change. But before her new case officer can move her from suburban Maryland to rural Wisconsin, Tony’s son, Jonathan, tracks her down to present an alternative: protection from his family and a life of more safety and freedom than she has ever known. While federal officials pressure her to stay in WITSEC and show her Jonathan’s violent side, her attraction to him grows, and she must decide a course for the rest of her life.

This is a very good debut novel, I think you'll all enjoy it!

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on May 30th, when I'll draw the lucky winner. Don't forget, I'm also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, so check it out as well! Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 22!!

If you're bummed that you didn't score a copy of The Way Home from me, it's "do-over time!" Okay, this time its an AUDIOBOOK, and its get better! I have THREE copies of it, so your odds are tripled!

Todays book is also courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. (Thanks again Anna!)

Today's giveaway is The Way Home By George Pelecanos . Christopher Flynn is trying to get it right. After years of trouble and rebellion that enraged his father and nearly cost him his life, he has a steady job in his father's company, he's seriously dating a woman he respects, and, aside from the distrust that lingers in his father's eyes, his mistakes are firmly in the past.

One day on the job, Chris and his partner come across a temptation almost too big to resist. Chris does the right thing, but old habits and instincts rise to the surface, threatening this new-found stability with sudden treachery and violence. With his father and his most trusted friends, he takes one last chance to blast past the demons trying to pull him back.

Like Richard Price or William Kennedy, Pelecanos pushes his characters to the extremes, their redemption that much sweeter because it is so hard fought. Pelecanos has long been celebrated for his unerring ability to portray the conflicts men feel as they search and struggle for power and love in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving but can ultimately be filled with beauty.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!!

This giveaway ends on May 29th! (Sorry US and Canada only and no PO Boxes, please!)

Come back tomorrow, for new giveaway!! Don't forget, I'm also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, so check it out as well! Scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 21!!

Todays book is another audiobook from those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing, and another chance to win The Secret Speech! And once again, I have THREE copies to giveaway! (Thanks again Anna!)

Today's giveaway is an AUDIOBOOK ofThe Secret Speech By Tom Rob Smith . It is 1956. Three years ago, Leo Demidov moved on from his career as a member of the state security force. As an MGB officer, Leo had been responsible for untold numbers of arrests and interrogations. But as a reward for his heroic service in stopping a killer who had terrorized citizens throughout the country, Leo was granted the authority to establish and run a homicide department in Moscow. Now, he strives to see justice done on behalf of murder victims in the Soviet capital, while at the same time working to build a life with his wife Raisa and their adopted daughters, Zoya and Elena.

Leo's past, however, can not be left behind so easily, and the legacy of his former career--the friends and families of those he had arrested as a state security officer--continues to hound him. Now, a new string of murders in the capital threaten to bring Leo's past crashing into the present, shattering the fragile foundations of his new life in Moscow, and putting his daughter Zoya's life at risk.

Faced with a threat to his family, Leo is launched on a desperate, personal mission that will take him to the harsh Siberian Gulags, to the depths of the hidden criminal underworld, and into the heart of Budapest and the Hungarian uprising.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!!

This giveaway ends on May 28th! (Sorry US and Canada only and no PO Boxes please)

Come back tomorrow, for new giveaway!! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 13!!

Congratulations to Julie P., Diane LaRue, edeliz, Marie and Mindy! You folks are the lucky winners of today's drawing, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming!! Check your email for my note, and please, send me your address!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 20!!

Here we go...another wonderful AUDIOBOOK!! And once more, I've got THREE copies to give out!

Todays book is also courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. (They're the bloggers best friends!!)

Today we've got another shot at winning Cemetery Dance By Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Pendergast-the world's most enigmatic FBI Special Agent-returns to New York City to investigate a murderous cult. His serpentine journey takes him to an enclave of Manhattan he never imagined could exist: a secretive, reclusive cult of Obeah and vodou which no outsider has ever survived.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog about the contest and leave a link to the post.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! (Us and Canada only, and sorry no PO Boxes please!)

This giveaway ends on May 27th!

Come back tomorrow, for new giveaway!! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways, I've got an Amazon gift card up for grabs too! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 12!!

Congratulations to Riva, Melanie, Llehn, Cindy and Nightdweller20! You're all the lucky winners of today's (yesterday's) giveaway, Made in the USA! I'm sorry the drawing was delayed, I had internet issues all day yesterday, my darn signal would come and go, (mostly go!) It was still down when I toddled off to bed last night, but this morning, the gods o' the 'net, appear to be smiling on me. (And...since AT&T is sending a repair guy tomorrow morning, I'm sure it'll work perfectly until tomorrow afternoon! AARGH!)

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 19!!

For everyone that entered to win Michael Connelly's newest book and didn't win, here's another shot at it! Today's book is an AUDIOBOOK, courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. And to make it really terrific, I've got THREE copies to give away!(Thanks Anna!)

Today's offering is The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly.

Forced out of the Los Angeles Times amid the latest budget cuts, newspaperman Jack McEvoy decides to go out with a bang, using his final days at the paper to write the definitive murder story of his career. Jack is soon running with his biggest story since The Poet made his career years ago. He is tracking a killer who operates completely below police radar--and with perfect knowledge of any move against him. Including Jack's.

This is a great way to check out audiobooks and see if you like them!!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! (Sorry US and Canada only and no PO Boxes, please)

This giveaway ends on May 26th, when I'll draw three lucky winners. Don't forget, I'm also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, so check it out as well! Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 11!!

Congratulations to Kaye! I hope your granddaughter loves the book! All about Us #4: Who Made You a Princess!!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 18!!

Today's giveaway is a terrific book called Latter-Day Cipher by Latayne C. Scott. You can read my review of this book HERE.

When rebellious Utah socialite Kirsten Young is found murdered in Provo Canyon with strange markings carved into her flesh and a note written in a 19th Century code, questions arise about the old laws of the Mormon Church. Journalist Selonnah Zee is assigned the story—which quickly takes on a life of its own. Even before the first murder is solved several more victims appear, each one more mysterious than the last.

Adding to a slew of other distractions, Selonnah’s cousin, Roger, has recently converted and is now a public spokesperson for the Mormon faith. But paradoxically, Roger's wife Eliza is struggling to hold onto the Mormon beliefs of her childhood. If something is really from God, she wonders, why does it need to be constantly revised? And could the murderer be asking the same questions?

This is an excellent book, and the author was kind enough to send me an additional copy to help out with my giveaway. (Thanks Latayne!!)

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Worldwide entries are welcome!

This giveaway ends on May 25th, when I'll draw the lucky winner. Don't forget, I'm also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card that day, so check it out as well! Since I'm sending this one out myself, its open to anyone who wants to enter! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner--Day 10!!

Congratulations to Scottsgal! You won today's book, Ghostwriter! I haven't read this one, but it sounds soo good, that I'm going to have to get a copy too!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Amazon Gift Card!!

Happy Birthday to my sister!! Since we both have birthdays this month, and you'll always be older, and I'm just happy to have another birthday, because it sure as heck beats the alternative, I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! (Facts is facts sis, and isn't this the year that someone qualifies for the Senior Discount at Denny's???...hmm??? *snicker...)

I've really enjoyed all the witty and funny comments everyone has left here this month, and I appreciate more than you'll know when you stop here for a visit. So, in addition to the great books and audiobooks, I'm going to add a $25.00 Amazon gift card into the mix.

The rules are pretty much the same as all the other giveaways, except this one is going to run for 8 days, coincidentally ending on my birthday! To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! Since this gift card will be delivered via e-mail, this giveaway is open to EVERYONE!! (Just remember please, it's US dollars, not pounds, francs, marks,etc....)

This giveaway ends on May 25nd, when I'll draw the lucky name and zap the card to you!! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 17!!

Today's book is once more courtesy of those terrific folks over at Hachette Publishing. Today I have three copies of another audio book to give away! (Thank you Anna for the giveaway, you're the best!!)

Today's giveaway is an audiobook Boneman's Daughters by Ted Dekker. I'm a big Ted Dekker fan, so I'm really excited about giving this one away!

Military intelligence officer Ryan Evans is married to his work; so much so that his wife and daughter have written him out of their lives. Sent to Fallujah and captured by insurgents, he is asked to kill children not unlike his own. The method: a meticulous, excruciating death by broken bones that his captor has forced him to learn.

Returning home after the ordeal, a new crisis awaits. A serial killer is on the loose, and his method of killing is the same. Ryan becomes a prime suspect, which isn't even the worst of his problems: Ryan's daughter is BoneMan's latest desire.

In a story that is devaststing in its skill and suspense, - Ted Dekker brings to bear his ability to terrify and compel in BONEMAN'S DAUGHTERS.


This is a wonderfully creepy book, I read the book the old fashioned way, but if you're wondering about audiobooks, this book would be a great first one for you, and if you're already a fan, this book is a must have!

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! (Sorry, US and Canada only, no PO Boxes please)

This giveaway ends on May 24th, when I'll draw 5 names and send them on their way!! (US and Canada only please, and no PO boxes, sorry!) And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 9!!

Congratulations to an Anonymous entry! They are the lucky winner of today's drawing! If you entered as an Anonymous entry, please check your email, I'll be sending you a note soon!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 16!!

Today's book is also courtesy of those terrific folks over at Hachette Publishing. They are most certainly a bloggers best friends! It's day 16 on the giveaway here on the blog and day two of the audiobooks giveaway. Today I have three copies of this book to give away! (Thank you Anna for the giveaway!!)

Today's giveaway is an audiobook ofFirst Family by David Baldacci.

Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, back from their harrowing and near-fatal adventure in the blockbuster #1 bestseller Simple Genius, return in a mesmerizing new thriller. A daring kidnapping turns a children's birthday party at Camp David into a national security nightmare, but the hostage is not who anyone would expect. The First Lady enlists the services of King and Maxwell to bring the child back safely. Years ago, King saved her then-senator husband from an assassin's bullet; whether they shared anything else is their secret. With Michelle still recovering from her own demons the pair are pushed to the limit, with forces aligned on all sides against them, and the line between friend and foe impossible to define...or defend.


If you've been wondering if you might like audiobooks, here's a perfect way to find out!

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! (Sorry, US and Canada only, no PO Boxes please)

This giveaway ends on May 23rd, when I'll draw 5 names and send them on their way!! (US and Canada only please, and no PO boxes, sorry!) And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 8!!

Congratulations to Luvdaylilies! She is the lucky recipient of today's giveaway, Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 15!!

Today's book is also courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. I've been having a great time giving away these books, but today and for a few more days, I'm going to shake things up a bit! Today's book is an AUDIOBOOK! (Yay! Hooray! And the crowd goes wild!!...Ok, maybe not so much....) but I have THREE!! copies of this book to give away!! That might be worth a cheer! (A big thanks goes out to Anna for this giveaway!!)

Today's giveaway is The 8th Confession by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.

As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching--waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home.

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed--a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought.

As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? The exhilarating new chapter in the Women's Murder Club series, The 8th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can. And remember, this is the only Murder Club episode of the year.


I only recently discovered the joys of audiobooks, and I just love them. Finally I can read while I'm cooking, gardening, driving, working and doing those myriad of chores we all have to do. If you've never tried an audiobook, here's a great way to give them a try without spending lots of dough!

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! (Sorry, US and Canada only, no PO Boxes please)

This giveaway ends on May 22nd, when I'll draw 5 names and send them on their way!! (US and Canada only please, and no PO boxes, sorry!) And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner--Day 7!!

Congratulations to Bridget3420! She is the lucky recipient of today's giveaway, The Nine Lessons by Kevin Milne! Bridget is known to lots of us blogger as Readaholic. She has a terrific feature every week called "Author of the Week." Check out her blog, its great!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 14!!

Today's book is also courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. And...again, to make this even better, I have FIVE copies of this book to give away!! (A big thanks goes out to Valerie yet again!!)

Today's giveaway is Testimony by Anita Shreve.

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.

You can see my review of this wonderful book HERE.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! (Sorry, US and Canada only, no PO Boxes please)

This giveaway ends on May 21st, when I'll draw 5 names and send them on their way!! (US and Canada only please, and no PO boxes, sorry!) And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Review: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton

It’s not a good thing, waking up next to a handsome stranger in a Las Vegas motel room, with absolutely NO idea how you got there, or what you did. Peggy Adams, in Las Vegas to celebrate yet another impending marriage of a friend has been busily drowning her sorrows. Her live-in boyfriend has finally promised to get engaged someday and even gave her a “promise ring.” (You remember those, from high school?) Imagine Peggy’s shock, when she discovers that she’s actually married to the handsome stranger, and that he is from one of those WASP “royal” families. He’s Luke Sedgwick, from the New Nineveh, Connecticut Sedgwicks, the last of a long line of Sedgwick’s. Luke and Peggy are planning to get the marriage annulled as quickly as possible when Luke’s elderly great-aunt makes them a proposal. If they stay married for one year, then they’ll both inherit the family estate, worth millions. Soon Peggy is spending weekends in Connecticut, pretending to be the perfect WASP wife, without letting her friends in New York City know anything about the marriage. All of this is complicated even more by burgeoning feelings between Luke and Peggy.

I don’t know why I picked up this book to read. Really, I don’t read romance novels. Usually, romance novels make me want to tear out my hair, they make my eyes spontaneously combust. I don’t like romance novels. That said, I loved Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp by Lauren Lipton! Okay, so maybe sometimes I do like romance novels. I loved the gentle way the author poked a little fun at convention and stuffiness. And it was really interesting to learn that not any one can be a WASP. I always thought it was simply a White Anglo Saxon Protestant, and using those criteria, well, even I was a bit of a WASP. But nooooo, its much more than that. It’s having family from as far back as the Mayflower. And we’re not talking the people on the Mayflower that rigged the sails or scrubbed the deck. We’re talking the actual passengers. I guess since I’m only a generation or two removed from Denmark and I grew up on a farm in Montana shoveling cow manure, I'm not a WASP at all!

I loved the WASP parties, where no one eats the food, the WASP names, Creighton, Bunny, Topher, Liddy. I loved the other characters in the novel, Peggy’s RV dwelling parents, who wear shorts in the winter. Peggy’s buff jock boyfriend, Brock. Her best friend Bex. Everyone in the book was so well characterized, that it was a pleasure to read.

On the very last page, the author lists Five Signs You’re in a Small Connecticut Town. I especially loved number 5, “You move there a decade ago and the locals still call you “the new people”. If I can apply this to where I grew up, then I guess I do get to be a little “WASP-ey”. My in-laws moved to the small Montana town where I’m from in 1972. And to a lot of local folks, they’re still, “those people from California.” I guess there’s a little WASP in us all sometimes!

Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp is just a good fun book. I enjoyed the heck out of it, and I think you will too!

My rating:

Daily Winner--Day 6!!

Congratulations to Mark, whose number came up when I plugged them all into random.org! I've been so happy to be able to hear from so many wonderful people who love a good book as much as I do! Thanks to everyone for stopping by this blog and entering all these giveaways!

Don't give up!! More to come! I'm going to throw an Amazon gift card into the pot starting on May 17th, (because its my sisters birthday and she's sooo much older than me!) and ending on May 25th, (the birthday of the much younger sister, me!....okay, so its only a few years......)

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 13!!

Today's book is also courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. And...to make it even a more terrifical wonderful giveaway, I have Five, yep count 'em FIVE copies of this book to give away!! Whooo Hoooo!!! (Valerie, you're awesome!!)

Today's giveaway is The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson.

Lauren Gray Hawthorne needs to make things pretty, whether she's helping her mother keep family skeletons in the closet or sewing her acclaimed art quilts. Her estranged sister, Thalia, is her opposite, an impoverished actress who prides herself on exposing the lurid truths lurking behind middle class niceties.


While Laurel's life seems neatly on track-- a passionate marriage, a treasured daughter, a lovely suburban home-- everything she holds dear is threatened the night she is visited by the ghost of her 13-year-old neighbor Molly. The ghost leads Laurel to the real Molly, floating lifelessly in the Hawthorne's backyard pool. Molly's death is an unseemly mystery that no one in her whitewashed neighborhood is up to solving. Laurel enlists Thalia's help, even though she knows it comes with a high price tag.


Together, they set out on a life-altering journey that triggers startling revelations about their family's haunted past, the true state of Laurel's marriage, and the girl who stopped swimming.


Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! (Sorry, US and Canada only, no PO Boxes please!)

This giveaway ends on May 20th, when I'll draw 5 names and send them on their way!! (US and Canada only please, and no PO boxes, sorry!)

Daily Winner--Day 5!!

Congratulations to Ms. Dawson, she is the lucky winner of today's drawing, Into the Beautiful North!! You can see some terrific pictures over on her blog of a recent trip to Florida.

I'm amazed at how many folks entered for this book, I'll confess that this is an author unfamiliar to me. I can tell I'm going to have to add him to my teetering pile of books to be read!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 12!!

Today's book is also courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. And...to make it even a more terrifical wonderful giveaway, I have Five, yep count 'em FIVE copies of this book to give away!! (A big thanks goes out to Valerie!!)

Today's giveaway is Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts.

The bestselling author of WHERE THE HEART IS returns with a heartrending tale of two children in search of a place to call home.

Lutie McFee's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. With her mother long dead and her father long gone to find his fortune in Las Vegas, 15-year-old Lutie lives in the god-forsaken town of Spearfish, South Dakota with her twelve-year-old brother, Fate, and Floy Satterfield, the 300-pound ex-girlfriend of her father. While Lutie shoplifts for kicks, Fate spends most of his time reading, watching weird TV shows and worrying about global warming and the endangerment of pandas. As if their life is not dismal enough, one day, while shopping in their local Wal-Mart, Floy keels over and the two motherless kids are suddenly faced with the choice of becoming wards of the state or hightailing it out of town in Floy's old Pontiac. Choosing the latter, they head off to Las Vegas in search of a father who has no known address, no phone number and, clearly, no interest in the kids he left behind.

MADE IN THE U.S.A. is the alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy children who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.

Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!! (Sorry, US and Canada only, no PO Boxes please)

This giveaway ends on May 19th, when I'll draw 5 names and send them on their way!! (US and Canada only please, and no PO boxes, sorry!)

Review: Still Life by Joy Fielding

Casey Marshall is a successful interior designer, happily in love with her husband, with close and loving friends. She’s pretty sure she has the perfect happy life. But when a car slams into her at 50 miles an hour, Casey is left trapped in a comatose body, fully aware of what is happening all around her, but unable to communicate, see or move. All that is left is to listen, and by listening, Casey discovers that her life isn’t what she thought it was. She learns that someone wants her dead, and her accident wasn’t really an accident. She struggles to stay alive and begin her recovery; all while being certain that another attempt on her life will be made.

Joy Fielding has crafted a suspenseful novel in Still Life. I loved how the protagonist, even though mute, motionless and to all outwardly appearance manages to carry this story forward. The interplay between all the characters gives us the feeling of being the proverbial “fly on the wall”. The conversations and behaviors observed by Casey when others think she is essentially a “still life” carving of her, are telling. Casey’s friends and family are not what she has always believed them to be and during her extended coma, she comes to understand who her real friends are, and whom she can’t really trust.

The story is handled flawlessly. At first I thought the book would become dull, how long can a character remain comatose and still be an important part of a book, I wondered. I was quickly proven wrong, the book is a real page-turner and I found myself picking it up whenever I had even a few extra minutes to read. Pick up Still Life! If you enjoy a good suspense novel, you’ll love this one!

My rating:

Daily Winner!!-- Day 4!!!

Congratulations to Indigo! She is the lucky winner of The Way Home by George Pelecanos! Indigo has an interesting and beautifully written blog that you can see here. (I think porcelain dolls are creepy too!)

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 11!!

Today's book is also courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. (Thanks again!!)

Today's giveaway is a bit different, a Young Adult novel, All About Us #4: Who Made you a Princess by Shelley Adina.

Shani Hanna returns to Spencer Academy for her senior year after an amazing summer spent with her friends Lissa, Gillian, and Carly. But the best part about summer was meeting Danyel Johnstone. Danyel is cute, smart, cool, and super nice. All Shani has to do is get him to see her as more than just one of the gang.
But when the girls return to school, they find a new addition to the distinguished student body: Prince Rashid al Amir of Yasir, an oil-rich desert kingdom in the Middle East. Prince Rashid moved to California to prepare for an eventual MBA at Stanford . . . and to romance his future wife: Shani Hanna!
It turns out, Shani's family and the prince's go back for generations, entwined in tradition, obligation, and family honor. In each generation, members of the two families have expanded their business interests through arranged marriage. Will Shani put aside her feelings for Danyel to pursue her family's wishes? Or will God answer her prayers for an intervention?


Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!!

This giveaway ends on May 18th! (Sorry, US and Canada only and no PO boxes please)

Come back tomorrow, for new giveaway!! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Daily Winner!!-- Day 3!!

Yay!! Beth and Nathan of BN Book Blog won today's book, The Secret Speech! You should check out their blog, its great!!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!

Giveaway!! A book a day in the month of May!!! Day 10!!

Today's book is also courtesy of those wonderful folks over at Hachette Publishing. (Who we bloggers just can't thank enough!!)

Today's giveaway is Ghostwriter by Travis Thrasher.

For years Dennis Shore has thrilled readers with his spooky bestselling novels. Now a widower, Dennis is finally alone in his house, his daughter attending college out of state. When he's stricken by a paralyzing case of writer's block and a looming deadline, Dennis becomes desperate. Against better judgment, he claims someone else's writing as his own, accepting undeserved accolades for the stolen work. He thinks he's gotten away with it . . . until he's greeted by a young man named Cillian Reed--the true author of the stolen manuscript.
What begins as a minor case of harassment quickly spirals out of control. As Cillian's threats escalate, Dennis finds himself on the brink of losing his career, his sanity, and even his life. The horror he's spent years writing about has arrived on his doorstep, and Dennis has nowhere to run.


Each day's giveaway will run for one week, but I'll only send books out once a week, I don't think I have the patience required to hit the post office on a daily basis!

To enter this giveaway, please leave me a comment on this post and include an email address so I can get hold of you when you win, sorry...no email addy and I'll have to draw a different name.

For an extra entry, blog or tweet about the contest and let me know.

And for yet ANOTHER entry, follow my blog! And if you already follow...bless your pea-pickin' lil' heart, just say so in your comment and you get the extra entry! (Yes, I am, in fact shameless!)

How easy is that three chances to win!!

This giveaway ends on May 17th! (Sorry, no PO Boxes and US and Canada only, please)

Come back tomorrow, for new giveaway!! And don't forget to scroll down and check out the other giveaways! Or you can find a list of all of them by clicking HERE!

Review: Salty Like Blood by Harry Kraus, M.D.

Dr. David Connors is on the path of fulfilling his lifetime dreams. He is a successful doctor, within days of being made a partner in the practice he works for, his patients love him, his marriage is good, and his daughter is the light of his life. When David’s daughter, Rachel, disappears, he discovers he is capable of things he never thought possible. His intense need to find his daughter, no matter what, is a threat to his career, his marriage, his integrity and ethics, and to his soul. If Rachel is dead, can any parent find the way to forgive someone for this horrendous crime? If Rachel is still alive, can her determined father discover he in time to save her? How far would we go to get our child back? In Salty Like Blood by Harry Kraus, M.D. that question is left for each of us to answer for ourselves.

Harry Kraus is an author unfamiliar to me. When I began reading Salty Like Blood, I was reminded of another “missing child” story I read about a year ago, Stuart O’Nan’s Songs for the Missing. Kraus, like O’Nan, spends time building a sense of “what would you do?” We see everyone’s reaction to the loss of Rachel. Her mother, who suffered greatly from postpartum depression after Rachel’s birth is poised to return to the depths of despair. Her father, typical of all fathers, I believe, is a “fixer” and a “doer” and he is certain that he can succeed where the police have failed. This book succeeds because David is just so much like we imagine ourselves in the same situation. It’s easy to see how the loss of our child could turn us into obsessed searchers, and we empathize with his choices and his losses. Throughout the book, David is forced to face the worst parts of him, he searches for compassion he knows he should have, questions the faith of those around him, and sees exactly what he is capable of. But he never gives up hope. And even though the subject matter seems so hopeless, Kraus manages to infuse it with hope that we readers can share as well.

My Rating:

Daily Winner!!-- Day 2!!

Congratulations to Carrie K! She won today's drawing for The Cemetery Dance! (I sure hope your dad loves the book, Carrie!) Carrie has a fun blog with lots of great movie and book reviews that you can see here!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered, keep the entries coming...I've got lots more books to giveaway!