J. Kaye already has some great stuff to give away in September.
For Best Intentions by Emily Listfield go here.
For Ash by Malinda Lo go here.
For the audiobook I Can See You by Karen Rose go here.
For Flowers for Elvis by Julia Schuster go here.
For Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia go here.
Rules:
• You must be 18 years or older (Under 18, get your parents to enter.)
• US and Canada residents only
• Winners will NOT be notified by email. The winner will be posted here on September 26, 2009. If you don’t want to miss the announcement post, be a subscriber to the blog.
There are lots of ways to get extra entries so make sure you check out the rules to find out what they all are.
And since it is not even September yet I'm sure there will be more giveaways added to the list before the winners are chosen so make sure you check back at the giveaway page so you don't miss any.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Learn Fractions
Busy Mommy is giving away a copy of Full House: An Invitation to Fractions by Dayle Ann Dodds. This giveaway is open to the U.S. and will end on September 4th. Leave a comment to enter. There are lots of ways to get extra entries but make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.
Greatest Knight
Booking Mama is giving away 2 copies of The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick. To enter leave a comment with a valid e-mail address saying if you have ever read any books about the Middle Ages. To double or triple your chances, you can blog and/or tweet about this contest. This contest is open until September 10th at 11:59 p.m. EST, and winners will be notified the following day. This giveaway is for those of you with U.S. or Canada mailing addresses only -- no P.O. boxes.
The Friday 56, The Vanishing Sculptor
Rules:* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
The closest book to me this week is The Vanishing Sculptor by Donita K. Paul.
The sentence:
"You haven't lost your sense of humor. As long as you have a wit to call your own, you will be just fine."
How true.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Stone Soup
Have you been over to Katrina's blog Stone Soup? Well, you really should go. It's a wonderful blog and every week she has a giveaway. This week you can pick any book that is readily available for $25 or less. You have until Sunday each week to enter so there is still time to get your entry in for this one. And when you go back next Monday to see if you've won you can see what new awesome giveaway she has going and throw your name in the hat. And in this case I mean that literally. All her giveaways are open to everyone everywhere. Good luck!
Free Shelf, Prestocked With Books
--BOOKIN' WITH BINGO is having an EXTRAVAGANT BINGO BOOKCASE GIVEAWAY sponsored by CSN STORES who sell everything from fireplaces to office furniture. Stop by and enter by 6 PM, EST, on September 26th.
CSN Stores is giving Bookin' With Bingo readers a chance to win a beautiful bookcase in either oak or black. All you have to do to enter is tell Bingo which you would like to win and why. There are ways to get extra entries so make sure you read the rules. And make sure that each entry is a separate comment. The winner will also receive 10 books from Bingo's Book Bin.
Open to residents of the US and Canada.
CSN Stores is giving Bookin' With Bingo readers a chance to win a beautiful bookcase in either oak or black. All you have to do to enter is tell Bingo which you would like to win and why. There are ways to get extra entries so make sure you read the rules. And make sure that each entry is a separate comment. The winner will also receive 10 books from Bingo's Book Bin.
Open to residents of the US and Canada.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Darkness Review
Darkness by John Saul
from the back of the book:
Villejeune, Florida. A secluded little town at the edge of a vast, eerie swamp. Far from prying eyes. Far from the laws of civilization. Here folks live by their own rules -- dark rites of alters and infants, candles and blood.
Years ago the Andersons left town with a dream. Now they are back. To live out a nightmare. Something has been waiting for them. Something unspeakably evil. It feeds on the young and the innocent. And soon it will draw their teenage daughter into its unholy embrace...
I think this was supposed to be scarier than it was. It had potential to be scary with The Dark Man and his family of zombie children, the spooky swamp and its inscrutable inhabitants, and the obvious terror of the characters but somehow it just didn’t hit me. There were parts that were really creepy, especially toward the end, but I wouldn’t say scary. At times it sort of slipped toward corny and that made it lose some of its horror bite. I was also waiting for all the pieces to fall into place and I don’t think they ever really did. I understand there being mystery and magic around the events and I don’t need to know how all the stuff happened. But I do think there are some things that need some explaining so they make sense within the context of the book. One of the main characters is just sort of plopped into this story. She is integral to the plot but where she came from, her connection to everything else, and the motivations for her actions are never explained. It felt like you were coming at the story from two angles but they never quite met in the middle. It was a fast read and there were some interesting ideas and scenes and could be kind of fun in a light, not-too-much-thinking sort of way but this book, my first John Saul, did not leave me in a hurry to read any more.
from the back of the book:
Villejeune, Florida. A secluded little town at the edge of a vast, eerie swamp. Far from prying eyes. Far from the laws of civilization. Here folks live by their own rules -- dark rites of alters and infants, candles and blood.
Years ago the Andersons left town with a dream. Now they are back. To live out a nightmare. Something has been waiting for them. Something unspeakably evil. It feeds on the young and the innocent. And soon it will draw their teenage daughter into its unholy embrace...
I think this was supposed to be scarier than it was. It had potential to be scary with The Dark Man and his family of zombie children, the spooky swamp and its inscrutable inhabitants, and the obvious terror of the characters but somehow it just didn’t hit me. There were parts that were really creepy, especially toward the end, but I wouldn’t say scary. At times it sort of slipped toward corny and that made it lose some of its horror bite. I was also waiting for all the pieces to fall into place and I don’t think they ever really did. I understand there being mystery and magic around the events and I don’t need to know how all the stuff happened. But I do think there are some things that need some explaining so they make sense within the context of the book. One of the main characters is just sort of plopped into this story. She is integral to the plot but where she came from, her connection to everything else, and the motivations for her actions are never explained. It felt like you were coming at the story from two angles but they never quite met in the middle. It was a fast read and there were some interesting ideas and scenes and could be kind of fun in a light, not-too-much-thinking sort of way but this book, my first John Saul, did not leave me in a hurry to read any more.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Where's the Love?
I read a book that took me a month to finish. When I was finally done with it I felt like I had to read a lot of books quickly because I had fallen behind. Fallen behind what, you ask? Exactly. Fallen behind nothing. Which is why it led me to believe that I might have some sort of compulsive disorder or something. I hadn’t promised any reviews. I wasn’t even in any danger of not completing a reading challenge. Nothing. There was absolutely no reason I had to get any books read at all. It’s true that I had fallen off of my regular reading pace, but so what? Who’s counting but me? I do list the books that I finish every month here on my blog but I don’t think anyone is going to berate me for not finishing enough books. So what does it matter? Am I that obsessed with filling in the date finished field on Library Thing and Shelfari that it has become more important than the books? (I do like to add the dates. It makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something.) I enjoyed the book. Isn’t that what should matter? Shouldn’t I be glad that I got to enjoy the book for a whole month instead of thinking about how many other books I could have read in the same time? What is the point of all this reading anyway? It isn’t about looking smart. It isn’t about having a worthwhile hobby. It isn’t about trying to be better than other people. At least it shouldn’t be. (Good thing for me too since in my house I got made fun of for my reading habits much more than I got lauded for them. All in fun, but still.) It’s about the stories. But here I was more worried about numbers. (Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against math. But those aren’t the kind of numbers I’m talking about.) I hope I never get so worried about getting on to the next book that I forget to enjoy the one I’m reading. Granted my TBR list is so long the rest of my life will not be enough time to finish it but what will be the point if it just becomes a huge to-do list? A list of chores I have to complete? What’s the point of reading at all if I take all the fun out of it? Maybe instead of speeding up I should slow down and remind myself why I fell in love with books and reading in the first place. I know my reading is an obsession. I’ve come to terms with that. But it should still be fun, right? So, no more worrying about filling some sort of elusive quota. Okay, so I’ll admit that it won’t last forever. I’ll start looking at numbers again soon. So I’ll start with baby steps and see if I can make it to the end of the year without one single worry that I’m not reading fast enough. If I make it that far there may be hope for me yet.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Violet Wings
Miss Danaidae is giving away an ARC copy of Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley.
How to enter:
+2 for answering the question "Do you prefer good faeries or bad faeries, and why?" (and please leave your email with the comment)
+2 for becoming a follower
+3 if you were already a follower
+1 every time you promote contest (twitter, blog, sidebar, etc.)
Contest ends August 25th. Open to U.S. and Canada residents.
I'm a little late getting this one up so you don't have much time so hurry on over and enter.
How to enter:
+2 for answering the question "Do you prefer good faeries or bad faeries, and why?" (and please leave your email with the comment)
+2 for becoming a follower
+3 if you were already a follower
+1 every time you promote contest (twitter, blog, sidebar, etc.)
Contest ends August 25th. Open to U.S. and Canada residents.
I'm a little late getting this one up so you don't have much time so hurry on over and enter.
3-2-1 Giveaway
The Neverending Shelf has 100 followers! (Well, it's more than that now.) So to celebrate a bunch of books are being given away. How does it work?
Well...
Tier 3 winner will win 3 books or 1 giftcard from Tier 3 selections. It is only open to the 1st 100 followers
Tier 2 winner will win 2 books or 1 giftcard from Tier 2 selections. You must be a follower to enter this tier. If you entered for the contest for Tier 3, but do not win, you are automatically entered into this tier. If you are not a follower, but would like to enter for this tier, you may become a new follower.
Tier 1 winner will win 1 book or 1 giftcard from Tier 1 selections, and will be chosen from everyone else. This tier is perfect for those who want to enter the contest, but do not want to become follower. Also if you entered for the contest for Tier 3 or 2, but do not win your tier, you are automatically entered into this tier.
There will be 3 winners total-- one from each tier.
To enter, you must leave a comment with which tier you are entering for. You are ONLY able to enter for one tier. It would also be REALLY helpful if you include which books you are entering for as well.
Please also include your email address.
Extra entries:
+2 for each time you advertise this contest - sidebar, twitter (please @neshelf), blog, etc. Please leave a link.
+1 for becoming a follower.
+2 if you were already a follower.
+4 for grabbing the blog button.
** Contest ends September 13 at Midnight CST
There are lots of wonderful books to choose from so run on over and take a look.
Update -- The rules have changed slightly for how the groups are split up. The end date is still the same and if you have already entered you should be fine but you might want to take a look at the new rules anyway.
Well...
Tier 3 winner will win 3 books or 1 giftcard from Tier 3 selections. It is only open to the 1st 100 followers
Tier 2 winner will win 2 books or 1 giftcard from Tier 2 selections. You must be a follower to enter this tier. If you entered for the contest for Tier 3, but do not win, you are automatically entered into this tier. If you are not a follower, but would like to enter for this tier, you may become a new follower.
Tier 1 winner will win 1 book or 1 giftcard from Tier 1 selections, and will be chosen from everyone else. This tier is perfect for those who want to enter the contest, but do not want to become follower. Also if you entered for the contest for Tier 3 or 2, but do not win your tier, you are automatically entered into this tier.
There will be 3 winners total-- one from each tier.
To enter, you must leave a comment with which tier you are entering for. You are ONLY able to enter for one tier. It would also be REALLY helpful if you include which books you are entering for as well.
Please also include your email address.
Extra entries:
+2 for each time you advertise this contest - sidebar, twitter (please @neshelf), blog, etc. Please leave a link.
+1 for becoming a follower.
+2 if you were already a follower.
+4 for grabbing the blog button.
** Contest ends September 13 at Midnight CST
There are lots of wonderful books to choose from so run on over and take a look.
Update -- The rules have changed slightly for how the groups are split up. The end date is still the same and if you have already entered you should be fine but you might want to take a look at the new rules anyway.
The Friday 56, The Little Sleep
Rules:* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
I almost forgot! So it is a little later than usual but it is still Friday. And my sentence comes from The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay.
Someone insisting that we talk. Fine. Be that way.
A narcoleptic P.I. with a sort of noir feel. I like it so far.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
undiscovered gyrl Review
undiscovered gyrl by Allison Burnett
Katie decides to take a year off before she starts college and documents this time in a blog. Undiscovered Gyrl is that blog. It reads a lot like a diary in that it is a first person account in dated entries and since it is an anonymous blog it is filled with thoughts and actions that probably would not usually be shared. This setting, though, allows for some interaction between Katie and the people who email or leave comments and I think her response to them is sometimes even more telling than the blog entries themselves. Katie is blunt and at time even crude. Her life is filled with sex and alcohol and other self destructive behavior and sometimes you want to shake her and make her see what she is doing. Other times you want to slap her because she seems to see what she is doing to herself but she just doesn’t stop. But at the same time you can’t help but feel for Katie because you can also see the hurt and pain. Burnett does a good job of creating a voice for Katie and keeping true to it so Katie sounds natural and believable and it is not hard to see Katie as real and to quickly become involved in her story. It is a fast read, not because it is light subject matter but, because the story is engrossing and somehow you find that you can’t look away. The ending leaves you with a lot of questions. Not just about the future but about the past as well. It is the kind of ending that some people will love and others will hate. I honestly don’t know if I like the ending or not. In a way I feel gypped because I felt like we were getting to know Katie and then, well, suddenly not but I definitely did not see it coming and it had me thinking about it long after I closed the book, two things that I think are good in an ending and often hard to achieve.
I won this book from a blog giveaway and wanted to thank It's DeeeLovely! for hosting the giveaway and picking me as the winner!
Katie decides to take a year off before she starts college and documents this time in a blog. Undiscovered Gyrl is that blog. It reads a lot like a diary in that it is a first person account in dated entries and since it is an anonymous blog it is filled with thoughts and actions that probably would not usually be shared. This setting, though, allows for some interaction between Katie and the people who email or leave comments and I think her response to them is sometimes even more telling than the blog entries themselves. Katie is blunt and at time even crude. Her life is filled with sex and alcohol and other self destructive behavior and sometimes you want to shake her and make her see what she is doing. Other times you want to slap her because she seems to see what she is doing to herself but she just doesn’t stop. But at the same time you can’t help but feel for Katie because you can also see the hurt and pain. Burnett does a good job of creating a voice for Katie and keeping true to it so Katie sounds natural and believable and it is not hard to see Katie as real and to quickly become involved in her story. It is a fast read, not because it is light subject matter but, because the story is engrossing and somehow you find that you can’t look away. The ending leaves you with a lot of questions. Not just about the future but about the past as well. It is the kind of ending that some people will love and others will hate. I honestly don’t know if I like the ending or not. In a way I feel gypped because I felt like we were getting to know Katie and then, well, suddenly not but I definitely did not see it coming and it had me thinking about it long after I closed the book, two things that I think are good in an ending and often hard to achieve.
I won this book from a blog giveaway and wanted to thank It's DeeeLovely! for hosting the giveaway and picking me as the winner!
Calling all Geeks
Wrighty's Reads has 3 copies of Geektastic: Stories From the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci to give away. Two copies will be giving away in a random drawing. To be entered leave a comment describing something you do or have done that is "Geektastic". Extra entries can be had for being or becoming a follower and promoting the contest. The third copy will go to the person who is declared the Ultimate Geek. To enter for that lovely title you need to send Wrighty a photo of you that represents your geekdom. The contest will run until August 31st and is open to the US and Canada, but no PO boxes.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Arch Thinking
Arch Thinking just had its first birthday. And in the traditional fashion there are gifts! For us! We have a chance to win any book that she has reviewed this past year. Just tell her why you picked the one you picked and you are entered. There are some rules. The max cost of the book is $30. Also the winner will most likely get a Amazon gift certificate for the price of the book plus $3.99 for shipping. The contest is open to anyone but if shipping is more than that you will have to pay the difference yourself. Get on over there and start browsing around the reviews and get your entries in by August 26th. Good luck!
Mega Palooza Giveaway
Bloody Bookaholic is having a huge giveaway to celebrate having 200 followers. Up for grabs will be:
- Signed copy of Dreaming Anastasia + Goodies
- Hardback Another Faust
- Hardback Prophecy of the Sisters
- ARC Eyes Like Stars + Backstage Pass Bracelet and some Theater-Theme Swag.
- ARC The Dark Divine
- ARC Hush Hush
- ARC Give Up The Ghost
- ARC Ash
- ARC Behind Every Illusion
- ARC Shiver
- ARC The Demon's Lexicon
- ARC Betraying Season
- ARC Any Given Doomsday
- Dead Until Dark
- Gossip Girl 1st Book
- The Black Tatto + poster
- Vampire Academy
- Frost Bite, a Vampire Academy Novel.
- Shadow Kiss, a Vampire Academy Novel.
- Blood Promise, a Vampire Academy Novel.
There will be 3 winners. Winner number One gets to pick 7 books out of the bunch. Winner number Two gets 3 books out of the bunch. Winner number Three gets 1 book out of the bunch. Only the first winner gets to choose his or her prize. The other two winners will get books chosen for them.
You have to be a follower to enter. There are tons of ways to gets bunches of extra entries. This contest is open to US, PR & Canada. ENDS September 27.
- Signed copy of Dreaming Anastasia + Goodies
- Hardback Another Faust
- Hardback Prophecy of the Sisters
- ARC Eyes Like Stars + Backstage Pass Bracelet and some Theater-Theme Swag.
- ARC The Dark Divine
- ARC Hush Hush
- ARC Give Up The Ghost
- ARC Ash
- ARC Behind Every Illusion
- ARC Shiver
- ARC The Demon's Lexicon
- ARC Betraying Season
- ARC Any Given Doomsday
- Dead Until Dark
- Gossip Girl 1st Book
- The Black Tatto + poster
- Vampire Academy
- Frost Bite, a Vampire Academy Novel.
- Shadow Kiss, a Vampire Academy Novel.
- Blood Promise, a Vampire Academy Novel.
There will be 3 winners. Winner number One gets to pick 7 books out of the bunch. Winner number Two gets 3 books out of the bunch. Winner number Three gets 1 book out of the bunch. Only the first winner gets to choose his or her prize. The other two winners will get books chosen for them.
You have to be a follower to enter. There are tons of ways to gets bunches of extra entries. This contest is open to US, PR & Canada. ENDS September 27.
Women of the Bible
Luxury Reading is having a Women of the Bible giveaway. One lucky reader will win Eva Etzioni-Halevy's three books The Song of Hannah, The Garden of Ruth, and The Triumph of Deborah. If you are satisfied with one entry all you have to do is leave a comment with some way to contact you but there are lots of other ways to get entries so you should take advantage of them and better your odds. You have until until August 31st. Entry is limited to those in the US and Canada.
Intervention
The Novel Bookworm is giving away a copy of Intervention by Robin Cook. Leave a comment to enter but you can get extra entries for following and spreading the word (i.e. blogging). The winner will be drawn on August 26th so make sure your entries are in before that. And this one is limited to the US and Canada.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Greatest Knight
Passages to the Past has a copy of The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick for one lucky reader. (I hope it's me!) You can get 5 extra entries for following and another for telling others about the contest by post, sidebar, facebook or twitter. Contest ends August 31st and the winner will be announced on September 1st. It is open to all domestic and international entries!
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre
Peeking Between the Pages has a copy of Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange to give away to one of her readers. Just leave a comment with a way to contact you to enter. Extra entry can be had for following and blogging or tweeting. Dar will be picking a winner on September 5th so make sure you get your entries in before that. This contest is only open to residents of the US or Canada, no PO boxes.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Maze in the Heart of the Castle Review
The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman
From the back of the book:
'His name was Colin, and, although he still couldn't believe it, his parents were gone, both dead from the plague. Scared, confused, and angry, he sought out a monk who told him about a haunted castle on Rheembeck Mountain - and the old, strange wizard who lived there. Perhaps there Colin would find a way to stop his pain...
But instead of answers, the wizard showed him a locked oak door. Beyond it lay an ancient stone maze that led to a mystical land, a place where bandits roamed freely, where people lived within dark caves, afraid of the light, where cruelty was the way of the world, and where beautiful girls were not always what they seemed.
The wizard opened the oak door and invited Colin to enter. If Colin came through this strange place alive, he might indeed be able to ease the pain in his heart. But once inside, there could be no going back...'
The Maze in the Heart of the Castle is written more as an allegory than a novel so many of the people that Colin, the hero of the tale, meets are more symbols than they are characters. So they are not developed very well and lack depth but they serve their purpose and get the point across. The journey Colin goes on is one of self discovery and he must face all the different thing that will stop him if he lets them. And because, once again, things seem to be more symbols than anything else many of the situations he finds himself in develop and end rather quickly. The pared down characters and situations let Colin encounter many things and go on a long journey without having the novel weighed down with lots of details but still giving the reader the ideas of and the feel for them all. The setting is vaguely medieval with transportation by horse and fighting with slingshots and daggers but he had a penknife and a joke book which didn’t seem to fit in with some of the other things so it was hard to get a time period for the book. It isn’t exactly nonstop action but the narrative does keep the plot moving along at a good pace. It can be read as just a quick easy adventure story or, more in keeping with the allegorical feel of the book, you can look for the moral and follow Colin as he deals with his grief, anger and confusion and learn with him what it means to get through the maze at the heart of the castle.
From the back of the book:
'His name was Colin, and, although he still couldn't believe it, his parents were gone, both dead from the plague. Scared, confused, and angry, he sought out a monk who told him about a haunted castle on Rheembeck Mountain - and the old, strange wizard who lived there. Perhaps there Colin would find a way to stop his pain...
But instead of answers, the wizard showed him a locked oak door. Beyond it lay an ancient stone maze that led to a mystical land, a place where bandits roamed freely, where people lived within dark caves, afraid of the light, where cruelty was the way of the world, and where beautiful girls were not always what they seemed.
The wizard opened the oak door and invited Colin to enter. If Colin came through this strange place alive, he might indeed be able to ease the pain in his heart. But once inside, there could be no going back...'
The Maze in the Heart of the Castle is written more as an allegory than a novel so many of the people that Colin, the hero of the tale, meets are more symbols than they are characters. So they are not developed very well and lack depth but they serve their purpose and get the point across. The journey Colin goes on is one of self discovery and he must face all the different thing that will stop him if he lets them. And because, once again, things seem to be more symbols than anything else many of the situations he finds himself in develop and end rather quickly. The pared down characters and situations let Colin encounter many things and go on a long journey without having the novel weighed down with lots of details but still giving the reader the ideas of and the feel for them all. The setting is vaguely medieval with transportation by horse and fighting with slingshots and daggers but he had a penknife and a joke book which didn’t seem to fit in with some of the other things so it was hard to get a time period for the book. It isn’t exactly nonstop action but the narrative does keep the plot moving along at a good pace. It can be read as just a quick easy adventure story or, more in keeping with the allegorical feel of the book, you can look for the moral and follow Colin as he deals with his grief, anger and confusion and learn with him what it means to get through the maze at the heart of the castle.
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Friday 56, The Case of the Empty Tin
Rules:* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
Okay this week my sentence comes from The Case of the Empty Tin: A Perry Mason Mystery by Erle Stanley Garner.
"I just shed my clothes all over the room and dove into bed."
Ha! Only one sentence!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt
Interested in winning a copy of Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt by David Catrow? It's for kids 4-8 and it looks really cute. If it looks good to you there are several places you can go to try to win yourself a copy.
At Mom's Favorite Stuff you have to enter by August 21st. US residents only.
At Totally Her you have to enter by August 21st.
At Bookie Woogie you have to enter by August 25th.
At Hip Mama's Place you have to enter by August 25th. US and Canada only.
At Suburban Turmoil Reviews you have to enter by August 28th.
At Mom's Marbles you have to enter by August 28th. US residents only.
At Geek Parenting you have to enter by August 28th.
Each site will have a grand prize winner who will get of an autographed book and a magnifying glass and then 4 runner up winners who will get a copy of the book. (Except for Totally Her, who will have 8 runner up winners.)
Make sure you read the rules for entering at each site and some have opportunities for extra entries so look out for those as well.
Good luck!
At Mom's Favorite Stuff you have to enter by August 21st. US residents only.
At Totally Her you have to enter by August 21st.
At Bookie Woogie you have to enter by August 25th.
At Hip Mama's Place you have to enter by August 25th. US and Canada only.
At Suburban Turmoil Reviews you have to enter by August 28th.
At Mom's Marbles you have to enter by August 28th. US residents only.
At Geek Parenting you have to enter by August 28th.
Each site will have a grand prize winner who will get of an autographed book and a magnifying glass and then 4 runner up winners who will get a copy of the book. (Except for Totally Her, who will have 8 runner up winners.)
Make sure you read the rules for entering at each site and some have opportunities for extra entries so look out for those as well.
Good luck!
Hunted
More good stuff from Luxury Reading! This time it is The Hunted by Brian Haig. Vera is giving away 5 copies to her readers. You have until August 26th to enter. There are extra entries to be had for blogging, subscribing, following and more. You have to be a resident of the US or Canada and since these books are coming from Hachette that probably means no PO boxes either.
And remember, contest comments count toward the write a comment - win a book giveaway so now you have two great reasons to enter.
And remember, contest comments count toward the write a comment - win a book giveaway so now you have two great reasons to enter.
Ah, sweet, sweet, luxury
Luxury Reading has a wonderful idea for a giveaway. At least I think it's a wonderful idea. But I think anyone who offers me a chance at free books has wonderful ideas. Anyway...
She has started a Write a Comment - Win a Book campaign. You have to do a little work for this one because it all has to do with your comments. There will be one winner a month and the book will go to the most creative/prolific commenter. That means that it isn't just quantity we are talking about but quality as well. So if you think you can be witty and relevant, intelligent and interesting (or at least one or two of those) then get over there and start commenting and you could be in the running for any book on Amazon.com that is currently in print.
Don't believe me? Then check out the post and let her tell you herself.
She has started a Write a Comment - Win a Book campaign. You have to do a little work for this one because it all has to do with your comments. There will be one winner a month and the book will go to the most creative/prolific commenter. That means that it isn't just quantity we are talking about but quality as well. So if you think you can be witty and relevant, intelligent and interesting (or at least one or two of those) then get over there and start commenting and you could be in the running for any book on Amazon.com that is currently in print.
Don't believe me? Then check out the post and let her tell you herself.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Chronic City
Somehow Beth's Book Review Blog ended up with an extra ARC copy of Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem and she is going to give it away to one lucky reader. You have until August 31st to get your entries in. There are lots of ways to get extra entries but make sure that you leave a separate comment for each entry and leave your email address in each comment. You must be a US resident to enter.
Monday, August 10, 2009
I'll be sure to pass it along...
I used to work in the same building as my mother. It was not a bad arrangement. It is a big building and we worked in different offices so we weren’t always bumping into each other. And sometimes she would buy me lunch. It worked out rather well in fact. Until she retired. It was no secret that we were related I just didn’t know how far spread the information was until now. Because now I have people come up to me all the time and ask how she’s doing. Well, frankly she’s doing a whole lot better than the rest of us poor slobs that still have to drag ourselves into work everyday. Thanks for rubbing it in. And then they tell me to say hello to her for them. Okay. Really? Do they expect that to happen? I mean, for a while I actually intended to pass along the message. But by the time I saw her I would forget to and, let’s face it, with my horrible memory remembering who said hi was never going to happen, even if I knew all these people to begin with. Which I don’t. So one time I told her that people were always telling me to say hi and she should just assume everyone had. And then I decided I was done. People still ask and I say that I will but it is more like saying ‘fine’ when someone asks me how I am. I don’t really mean it, it just seems like the right thing to say. I thought it might be poor form to say no to such a request. Although it might be fun to see their faces if I did. I figure I’m not really lying, or at least it doesn’t count as lying because they can’t honestly believe that all these messages get back to my mother. But it looks like I’m going to have to wait until everyone my mother knew retires (or I do) before people stop asking. She was apparently very well known and liked among the staff here. I suppose that’s nice to know but all this interest is starting to get annoying. I’m thinking about making up cards to hand out. Ones that say ‘My mother is doing well, thank you for asking. If you write your name and a short message on the back of this card I’ll be sure to pass it along.’ And who knows? I might actually do it.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Get the shivers
The Neverending Shelf is giving away books! You can enter for a chance to win:
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Skinned by Robin Wasserman
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
There will be two winners. The first place winner will win a copy of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater and their choice of one of the four other books. Second place will get to choose two books from the remaining list.
The contest is open until August 21st and everyone can enter.
There are lots of ways to get extra entries so you'll want to read the rules to find out how.
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Skinned by Robin Wasserman
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
There will be two winners. The first place winner will win a copy of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater and their choice of one of the four other books. Second place will get to choose two books from the remaining list.
The contest is open until August 21st and everyone can enter.
There are lots of ways to get extra entries so you'll want to read the rules to find out how.
The Friday 56, Breakfast at Tiffany's
Rules:* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.
The closest book to me this week is Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories by Truman Capote. I saw the movie again recently and decided to see how it compared to the book. It was interesting that some scenes were taken almost word for word from the book but they were still very different in many ways. I liked them both. Although, even though the woman in the book is light haired I kept seeing Audrey Hepburn in the role in my head.
I'll stop blathering now and give you the sentence.
On Christmas Eve she and Mag gave a party. Holly asked me to come early and help trim the tree. I'm still not sure how they maneuvered that tree into the apartment. The top branches were crushed against the ceiling, the lower ones spread wall-to-wall; altogether it was not unlike the yuletide giant we see in Rockefeller Plaza.
Okay, so I can never limit myself to just one sentence. I'd promise to do it next time but I know it wouldn't happen.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Milk Eggs Vodka Review
Milk Eggs Vodka by Bill Keaggy
from the back of the book:
'Cabish, bird fude, bannes, buttmilk, dog yogurt, hare sope, nodiles, cream of salary soup –
What do these things have in common? They’re all items from real grocery lists. Whose lists? Who knows. They were found discarded in shopping carts, dropped on supermarket floors and parking lots, even tucked in returned library books.
These lists have been collected into the volume you are now holding. Peek inside to see what people will write on scraps of paper they never expect anyone else to see. Marvel at the unusual combinations of food the average person shops for. You’ll find yourself captivated by this unexpected and off-kilter glimpse into the lives of those around you.
Separated into chapters – funny lists, sad lists, unhealthy lists, organized lists – the book also includes commentary by the author and some delicious recipes created from found grocery lists.
If we are what we eat, then this book reveals deep and strange truths about the average food shopper…not to mention more mundane facts: a lot of people love vodka, bananas is actually very difficult to spell, and butter used to be dyed yellow using marigolds.'
The idea of this book sounded better to me than the actual book did when I got it. It is a bunch of grocery lists that the author has found or people have sent him. It is interesting to see how many different ways people found to spell banana or to try and figure out what people actually mean by some of the things they list (what are you shopping for when your list says ‘smelly stuff’ or ‘hookers’) but it can become monotonous after a while. I would suggest going slowly instead of going through the whole book in two days like I did because, no matter what they are written on, in the end they are just shopping lists and they all start to look the same. I understand that part of the point of reading the lists is to make fun of the people who wrote them. But there is a fine line between poking fun and being mean and I think the author sometimes crossed that line. Some of his comments are funny but after he called four people in a row losers because they spelled yogurt wrong on their own personal reference material it not only sounded mean, but was not even very clever or witty anymore. The fun food facts on the edges of the pages are very interesting and should not be skipped over. (Did you know that honey is the only human-consumable food that will never go bad, or that the banana plant is a gigantic herb?) I enjoyed the book but I think it would be better ingested slowly, a little at a time, a list here and a list there, instead of sitting down and reading it through.
If you are more interested in this than I turned out to be you can go to the website http://www.grocerylists.org/ and see even more lists. 1900 lists. That will keep you busy for a while.
from the back of the book:
'Cabish, bird fude, bannes, buttmilk, dog yogurt, hare sope, nodiles, cream of salary soup –
What do these things have in common? They’re all items from real grocery lists. Whose lists? Who knows. They were found discarded in shopping carts, dropped on supermarket floors and parking lots, even tucked in returned library books.
These lists have been collected into the volume you are now holding. Peek inside to see what people will write on scraps of paper they never expect anyone else to see. Marvel at the unusual combinations of food the average person shops for. You’ll find yourself captivated by this unexpected and off-kilter glimpse into the lives of those around you.
Separated into chapters – funny lists, sad lists, unhealthy lists, organized lists – the book also includes commentary by the author and some delicious recipes created from found grocery lists.
If we are what we eat, then this book reveals deep and strange truths about the average food shopper…not to mention more mundane facts: a lot of people love vodka, bananas is actually very difficult to spell, and butter used to be dyed yellow using marigolds.'
The idea of this book sounded better to me than the actual book did when I got it. It is a bunch of grocery lists that the author has found or people have sent him. It is interesting to see how many different ways people found to spell banana or to try and figure out what people actually mean by some of the things they list (what are you shopping for when your list says ‘smelly stuff’ or ‘hookers’) but it can become monotonous after a while. I would suggest going slowly instead of going through the whole book in two days like I did because, no matter what they are written on, in the end they are just shopping lists and they all start to look the same. I understand that part of the point of reading the lists is to make fun of the people who wrote them. But there is a fine line between poking fun and being mean and I think the author sometimes crossed that line. Some of his comments are funny but after he called four people in a row losers because they spelled yogurt wrong on their own personal reference material it not only sounded mean, but was not even very clever or witty anymore. The fun food facts on the edges of the pages are very interesting and should not be skipped over. (Did you know that honey is the only human-consumable food that will never go bad, or that the banana plant is a gigantic herb?) I enjoyed the book but I think it would be better ingested slowly, a little at a time, a list here and a list there, instead of sitting down and reading it through.
If you are more interested in this than I turned out to be you can go to the website http://www.grocerylists.org/ and see even more lists. 1900 lists. That will keep you busy for a while.
The Grand Sophy
S. Krishna's Books is giving away 2 copies of The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer. If you want a chance to win one get over there and leave a comment telling them who your favorite historical fiction/romance novel author is. If you don’t read enough of either genre to have a favorite, let them know that. You have to answer the question to enter so don't forget. You can get extra entries if you blog or tweet. You have until August 17th to get your entries in. This contest is open to the US only.
Monday, August 3, 2009
J. Kaye's Giveaways
J. Kaye's Book Blog has already got some great giveaways for August going on.
For The Awakening by Kelly Armstrong go here.
For Dixie Divas by Virginia Brown go here.
For the audiobook A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand go here.
For The Lost Hours by Karen White go here.
For Soulmate by Lauren Mackler go here.
For Smart But Feeling Dumb by by Harold N. Levinson, M.D. go here.
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada.
Remember winners will NOT be notified by email. The winners will be posted on August 29, 2009. If you don’t want to miss the announcement post, be a subscriber to the blog.
Read the rules to find out how to get extra entries.
Go back often and check the list so you don't miss any of the upcoming giveaways.
For The Awakening by Kelly Armstrong go here.
For Dixie Divas by Virginia Brown go here.
For the audiobook A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand go here.
For The Lost Hours by Karen White go here.
For Soulmate by Lauren Mackler go here.
For Smart But Feeling Dumb by by Harold N. Levinson, M.D. go here.
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada.
Remember winners will NOT be notified by email. The winners will be posted on August 29, 2009. If you don’t want to miss the announcement post, be a subscriber to the blog.
Read the rules to find out how to get extra entries.
Go back often and check the list so you don't miss any of the upcoming giveaways.
I am a Daffodil
Do you ever do those stupid quizzes where you answer a few multiple choice questions and they tell you what kind of flower, cupcake or whatever, that you are? Well, I like the stupid quizzes. They are never right of course but I was a little surprised how wrong this one was. My result was:
You have a sunny disposition and are normally one of the first to show up for the party. You don't need too much attention from the host once you get there as you are more than capable of making yourself seen and heard.
Believe me, no one has ever called me sunny. And I am the one who begs off from parties and if I do go I'm the one in the corner trying not be seen or heard. Maybe I misunderstood the questions.
I am a |
You have a sunny disposition and are normally one of the first to show up for the party. You don't need too much attention from the host once you get there as you are more than capable of making yourself seen and heard.
Believe me, no one has ever called me sunny. And I am the one who begs off from parties and if I do go I'm the one in the corner trying not be seen or heard. Maybe I misunderstood the questions.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Books I Finished in July
I hit a little bump in July and it took me a long time to finish one of my books so I thought I wasn't going to get through many in July. But I made up for it by working on my Young Adult reading challenge so it almost averaged out and I managed not to do so badly.
Darkness by John Saul
Wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be.
Saga of Beowulf by R. Scot Johns
This is the book that took me so long to read. I liked it. It's a great story but it is dense and long. You can read my review here.
Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner
Humpty Dumpty: An Oval by Damon Knight
Ummm... Huh? I don't know what this book is about or even really what happened.
Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman
The Lab by Jack Heath
The Summoning by Kelly Armstrong
I knew from the the beginning that there were going to be more books but I was still disappointed when there was really no ending and it just left me hanging.
Who Can Save Us Now? edited by Owen King and John McNally
Short stories about superheroes of various kinds. Some are better than others but I enjoyed most of them.
Milk Eggs Vodka by Bill Keaggy
A bunch of grocery lists that the author found. Interesting for a while but I think I overdosed. They all started to look the same to me. You can read my review here.
Darkness by John Saul
Wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be.
Saga of Beowulf by R. Scot Johns
This is the book that took me so long to read. I liked it. It's a great story but it is dense and long. You can read my review here.
Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner
Humpty Dumpty: An Oval by Damon Knight
Ummm... Huh? I don't know what this book is about or even really what happened.
Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman
The Lab by Jack Heath
The Summoning by Kelly Armstrong
I knew from the the beginning that there were going to be more books but I was still disappointed when there was really no ending and it just left me hanging.
Who Can Save Us Now? edited by Owen King and John McNally
Short stories about superheroes of various kinds. Some are better than others but I enjoyed most of them.
Milk Eggs Vodka by Bill Keaggy
A bunch of grocery lists that the author found. Interesting for a while but I think I overdosed. They all started to look the same to me. You can read my review here.
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