It's Monday! What are you reading? - July 27, 2009
Hilarie
I have been so occupied with preparing for our move to short term housing that I have really fallen behind in my reading. The big move is on August 4th, and I am once again reminded of all the reasons why I hate moving. I also find that I am strangely reluctant to pack any of my precious books because I am certain that as soon as the boxes are sealed and in the storage unit I will be overcome with a terrible urge to read one of the books that I no longer have easy access too. My husband has started throwing books in the boxes while my back is turned. I am also really appreciating the help of my kids with the packing. My almost 3 year old tries to unpack everything I put in a box, and my nine month old just wants to eat the packing material and suck on the outside of the boxes. Needless to say, it has not been a great week for reading.

Books I completed this week:

Q&A or Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup (Audio book Edition) - I really, really liked this. It is probably one of the best audio books I've listened to in recent years. If you are a fan of the movie, as I am, just don't expect the book to be at all similar. I was amazed at how different they were. After some consideration, I think I preferred the book (this seems to almost always be the case) for several reasons, but especially because I loved the main character of Ram Muhammad Thomas. If you like audio books, give this one a try.

Still reading:

The same books as last week.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson - It took me a while to get into this one, but now I am turning pages every chance I get, which as I mentioned above isn't that often. This is really a great read, although I was surprised by just how gruesome some of the situations in the book are.

I am ashamed to say I have made absolutely no other progress on my current reads, so I won't even mention them. You can check out last weeks post if you want to see what they are.
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Monday Musing: Online Book Sites
Hilarie
Musing Mondays are a weekly meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. This week Rebecca asks:

Today’s MUSING MONDAYSpost is about online book sites…

Do you have an account with an online book database site (LibraryThing, Shelfari,GoodReads etc)? If so, do you have a preference? Do you use it for - your own record keeping? finding new books to read? social networking?

I do have an account on all three book sites. I love the appearance of the shelf and the interface on Shelfari, but sometimes I don't find the book I am looking for in the database. I love all the extras on GoodReads, like the trivia and the book suggestions. LibraryThing is probably my least favorite, but I like signing up for ARC's in the Early Bird Reviews group. I wish that I had more friends on all of these sites, and I know I need to get more involved in the discussions. It is just hard, especially lately, to find the time. If push comes to shove, I'd have to say I like GoodReads the best.

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Friday Finds July 24
Hilarie
Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by mizb17 at Should Be Reading. My finds this week are:

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Giveaway: The Blue Star by Tony Earley July 23 to August 17
Hilarie
Valerie, at Hachette Book Group, has kindly given me five copies of this book to giveaway to five lucky readers! This book sounds like a great read. I will be posting a review in the near future, so stay posted.

More about: The Blue Star by Tony Earley (Information provided by Hachette Book Group).

Seven years ago, readers everywhere fell in love with Jim Glass, the precocious ten-year-old at the heart of Tony Earley's bestseller Jim the Boy. Now a teenager, Jim returns in another tender and wise story of young love on the eve of World War Two.

Jim Glass has fallen in love, as only a teenage boy can fall in love, with his classmate Chrissie Steppe. Unfortunately, Chrissie is Bucky Bucklaw's girlfriend, and Bucky has joined the Navy on the eve of war. Jim vows to win Chrissie's heart in his absence, but the war makes high school less than a safe haven, and gives a young man's emotions a grown man's gravity.

With the uncanny insight into the well-intentioned heart that made Jim the Boy a favorite novel for thousands of readers, Tony Earley has fashioned another nuanced and unforgettable portrait of America in another time--making it again even realer than our own day.

This is a timeless and moving story of discovery, loss and growing up, proving why Tony Earley's writing "radiates with a largeness of heart" (Esquire).

Contest Information and Guidelines:
The Facts
The giveaway starts today, July 23rd and will run through Monday, August 17th. We will use a random number generator to determine the winners at that time and notify them via email. Please provide us with your email as it is the only way we have to get in touch with you! Comments without an email will not be counted. The contest is only open to residents of the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, we are unable to ship to P.O. Boxes.

Entries
To enter, simply leave a comment to this post. You can get an additional entries by:
1. Post this giveaway on your blog. Please provide me with a link to the URL.
2. Become a follower or subscriber, or just let us know if you already are.

Each entry must be a separate post!

Good luck!
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Ravens by George Dawes Green Blog Tour
Hilarie
I'm proud to be a member of the blog tour for this exciting new novel by George Dawes Green. The tour is running from July 20 to the 24th. I'd like to thank Hachette Book Group for this opportunity. If you would like more official information on this book, including an excerpt, you can find it here.

Check out my review.

Visit the other great sites that are part of this blog tour for today, July 22nd:


You can also continue on with the tour at these sites tomorrow:

Drey's Library - Giveaway!

The tour will conclude at these sites on the 24th:


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Review: Ravens by George Dawes Green
Hilarie
Rating:
Genre: Suspense
Reading Challenges: 35 for 100+ in 2009

Living in Iowa has been an education in the lottery. The lottery is a big deal in our state, and each day I drive by a sign that shows the current jackpot. Personally, I have no interest in purchasing my own lottery tickets, but sometimes just for fun, my husband and I fantasize what we would do with the money. At the very least, it is certain that our lives would change.

Ravens is the story of the Boatwright family, residents of a small Georgia town, who have been teetering on the brink of financial disaster. Then one Wednesday night, as Patsy Boatwright engages in her weekly ritual of fortifying herself with alcohol while she watches the lottery results on tv, the Boatwright's ship comes in. The Boatwright family are the sole winners of a $318 million jackpot. Meanwhile, Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko, two young men looking for an easy escape from their dead end jobs, are passing through town. Fate intervenes, and Shaw overhears about the Boatwright's amazing good fortune and he decides that he wants a piece of it for himself; half to be exact. Shaw, with the assistance of his doggedly loyal companion Romeo, embarks on a plan to force the Boatwright's to share their winnings. What follows is a story full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Ravens is an exciting read from beginning to end, but it is much more of a psychological thriller than a blood and guts page turner. The book features some great characters, most of whom are nicely developed. I especially found the characters of Shaw and Romeo to be very interesting. Shaw, who is a master of manipulation more than anything else, even seems to believe his own lies after a while, and he craves not only the cooperation, but the devotion of his intended victims. In contrast, Romeo is a villain who I almost found myself feeling sorry for as sometimes he seemed almost a victim himself. I also have to mention Tara Boatwright, who initially I was sure was going to be just another token female victim, but developed into so much more through the course of the book.

This is a great read, with interesting characters, and a pretty original premise. This is definitely a book that will keep your interest, as well as make you think.

Check out this book trailer. Actually, I watched it for the first time this morning, and I think it is almost more interesting to see after you read the book because you really know what is going on.

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Teaser Tuesday: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hilarie
Teaser Tuesdays are hosted by Should Be Reading. The rules are as follows:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

    • Here is mine for the day:

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, page 364

    "She studied the bruises and scrapes on his body. The noose had been so tight that he had a dark red mark around his neck, and the knife had made a bloody gash in his skin on the left side."

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    It's Monday! What are you reading? - July 20, 2009
    Hilarie
    I've seen this meme on lots of blogs, and decided to join in today. What are you reading Mondays is hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog. Join in the fun if you haven't already!

    Books I completed in the last week were:

    Graceling by Kristin Cashore - I really thought this book was a blast from start to finish. Check out my complete review.

    Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (Audio book Edition) - Somehow I avoided reading this novel as I was completing both high school and junior high. Honestly, I just never was really interested in reading it as I thought I knew what it was about. I only picked it up to fulfill my All American reading challenge. I was surprised by how much I actually liked this book, and how different it was than what I expected. My complete review.

    Ravens by George Dawes Green - I read this book in two days because it really sucked me in. I found it troubling and sort of creepy, but that is usually a good thing in a thriller. I haven't completed a review yet, but I will soon because I've got to be ready to host on Wednesday for the blog tour.

    What I'm working on this week:

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson - I'm feeling like I am the last person in the blogsphere to read this book. I finally decided to give it a try. I wasn't really gripped for the first 50 pages or so, but it is getting more interesting now. Also, I had no idea that the book was published posthumously, so now I have to finish so I can decide if it really is as good as I've heard, or just the legacy of someone who died so tragically young (yes, I realize he was 50, but as I'm now in my 30's that seems pretty young to me).

    Mort by Terry Pratchett - I've read this one before, but it's been at least five years. I'd forgotten how much fun this one is. Those of you who have visited my blog before already know my feelings about Terry, so I'll leave it at that.

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell - I started this a while ago. It's not that I'm not enjoying it, it's just that it is a bit slower paced than some other reads and I keep getting sidetracked. Perhaps I should try moving this book to a more prominent location so I reach for it more often.

    Sunshine by Robin McKinley (Audio book Edition) - The story of a vampire and a baker. I'm enjoying this one, even if every time I listen I want to make a run to Cinnabon.

    Q&A or Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup (Audio book Edition) - So different from the movie, which I watched first. Basically, only the premise is the same so far. I am really enjoying it so far, and the narrator is especially excellent. So far, this is one of the best audio books I've listened to in a while.

    So, what are you reading this week?



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    Review: Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
    Hilarie

    Rating:
    Genre: Adult Fiction, Science Fiction
    Reading Challenges: 34 for 100+ in 2009, 1 of 10 for All American Reading Challenge

    Farenheit 451 was first published in 1953, so as I started on my first reading of the book I wondered if it would feel dated. After finishing it, I've decided that this book is even more relevant today than when it was first written.

    Farenheit 451 is set sometime in the future (Bradbury wisely chose not to set a specific date for his story), and is the story of Guy Montag, a professional book burner, or "fireman." In Montag's time, American society now focuses primarily on constant pleasure seeking without inhibitions of any kind. Intellectual pursuits such as reading or writing are strongly discouraged, and those found owning any banned piece of literature (which by this time includes almost any piece of literature) are punished by imprisonment, while their homes are burned with the offending books inside. It is a time of apathy and lawlessness, and most of the population spends almost their entire lives focused on vacuous entertainment which massages the minds of the masses into an intellectual sleep. Montag's contentment with this existence is disrupted one day when he meets a young girl, Clarrise, who engages him in a conversation that begins to awaken in him the desire for a more meaningful life. Ultimately, Montag rebels and finds himself a fugitive from the very society that has created him.

    To be upfront, I will admit that I hate modern television, specifically the drivel of reality tv that consists of watching the antics of dysfunctional individuals in all their horrific glory. I will be the first to admit that I enjoy television shows like Lost and Battlestar Galactica which actually seem to have a story driven plot, and are delightfully complex. Still, I am blown away by a recent statistic that states that the average American spends 7 hours a day watching television. At this point, you are probably wondering, what does television have to do with Farenheit 451? This is not a novel about censorship, although that certainly is present in the novel. Bradbury has stated that the novel is primarily an exploration of how the obsession with television and mass media can or will destroy our desire to read. I find Bradbury's idea of the future frightening, especially when I consider that so many of my own acquaintances can't even remember the last time they read a book for enjoyment. In fact, that is the reason I was primarily attracted to book blogging. I wanted to find a place to share my love of books with others, and I couldn't seem to fill that need in my local community.

    I found the coda that Bradbury added in a later edition to be especially interesting. As I was listening, it was spooky when I considered how many aspects of the novel have an equivalent in our modern society. One example that jumps out to me is the "seashell" device that Montag's wife Mildred is wearing almost continuously throughout the novel. Bradbury later wrote:

    "In writing the short novel Fahrenheit 451 I thought I was describing a world that might evolve in four or five decades. But only a few weeks ago, in Beverly Hills one night, a husband and wife passed me, walking their dog. I stood staring after them, absolutely stunned. The woman held in one hand a small cigarette-package-sized radio, its antenna quivering. From this sprang tiny copper wires which ended in a dainty cone plugged into her right ear. There she was, oblivious to man and dog, listening to far winds and whispers and soap-opera cries, sleep-walking, helped up and down curbs by a husband who might just as well not have been there. This was not fiction."

    This book is a classic, and it deserves to be. If you haven't ever read this book, or if it has been a while, give it a try. If nothing else, it will give you plenty to think about.
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    Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore
    Hilarie
    Rating:
    Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
    Reading Challenges: 33 for 100+ in 2009

    I first became interested in Graceling after reading a review at The Book Nest. I'm glad I followed her recommendation, because pretty much from the first page I was hooked. This is the perfect summer read for either laying by the pool or relaxing beneath a shady tree.

    Our heroine, Katsa, is blessed, or cursed at times in her opinion, with a grace. In Katsa's world, a grace is a sort of innate ability that certain people are born with. Graces can be as simple as being able to play the flute really well, or as powerful as being able to read minds. Katsa's grace just happens to be killing, and as such, is exploited by her Uncle, the king, to preserve his own power and ensure that his demands are met. Katsa's role as royal enforcer often leaves her troubled, and somewhat afraid of her own powers. Deep down, Katsa is also lonely, although she doesn't realize it. That is, until she meets Po, a prince with a powerful fighting grace that seems to rival her own. As Katsa learns more about Po, and his mysterious grace, she also learns more about herself and finds the freedom to choose her own path.

    This book was pure fun. The story had plenty of action, beginning even from the first page, and I found Katsa to be a complex but likeable character. The romance was sweet, without being overly sappy, although I did find Katsa's negative views of marriage as somewhat puzzling. This may sound strange, but I also really enjoyed the antagonist in the novel. We don't actually see much of his character, but his grace was just so sneaky! Cashore kept me guessing to the end as to how or if he would be ultimately defeated. I am glad that I gave this book a try and I plan on reading Fire, Cashore's soon to be released second novel.

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    Teaser Tuesday: Mort
    Hilarie
    Teaser Tuesdays are hosted by Should Be Reading. The rules are as follows:
    • Grab your current read
    • Open to a random page
    • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
    • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
    • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
    Here is mine for the day:

    Mort by Terry Pratchett, page 137

    It was midnight in Ankh-Morpork, but in the great city the only difference between night and day was, well, it was darker. The markets were thronged, the spectators were still thickly clustered around the whore pits, runners-up in the city's eternal and byzantine gange warfare drited silently down through the chilly waters of the river with lead weights tied to their feet, dealers in various illegal and even illogical delights plied their sidelong trade, burglars burgled, knives flashed starlight in alleyways, astrologers started their day's work and in the Shades a nightwatchmen who had lost his way rang his bell and cried out: "Twelve o'clock and all's arrrrgghh..."
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    Blushing and a Busy Weekend
    Hilarie
    I had a crazy weekend. A moving sale and my two girls conspired to keep me away from the computer until naptime today. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I had been nominated for some awards by my fellow bloggers during my absence. What a fabulous surprise!

    Linda at Bambi Reads, Jenny from Take Me Away have honored me by nominating me for the Kreative Blogger award.

    Rules for accepting the Kreative Blogger Award require me to list seven of my favorite things, and nominate seven other fabulous blogs!

    Seven of My Favorite Things
    1. My Husband
    2. My Little Girls
    3. Reading
    4. Knitting
    5. Bubble Baths
    6. Long Walks
    7. Chocolate

    Seven Amazing Blogs I would like to nominate:
    1. Stacy at Stacy's Book Blog
    2. Rebecca at Just One More Page
    3. Sumintheblue at Bookmarked!
    4. The Black Sheep at Black Sheep Books
    7. Corinne at The Book Nest

    I would also like to thank Linda at Bambi Reads for also nominating me for the Humane Award. For me, the best part of blogging is giving and getting comments.


    " The Humane Award is to honor certain bloggers that are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn't for them,
    my site would just be an ordinary book review blog. Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. This award is to thank them for their growing friendships through the blog world."

    I would like to nominate Stacy at Stacy's Book Blog, Shelia at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, Gautami at Everything Distils Into Reading. Linda, I also want to say that you deserve this award!

    Finally, I am a complete flake. At the end of June, Stacy at Stacy's Book Blog nominated me for the Heartfelt Award. Stacy, I really do appreciate this award. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to accept it.

    Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you’re relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family & friends?You know that feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea ~ or a hot toddy?That is what the Heartfelt award is all about feeling warm inside.
    1. Put the logo on your blog/post
    2) Nominate up to 9 blogs which make you feel comfy or warm inside.
    3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
    4) Let them know that they have been nominated by commenting on their blog.
    5) Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.

    I would like to pass this award on to the following blogs:

    1. Corinne at The Book Nest
    2. Linda at Bambi Reads
    4. Laurel Ann and Vic at Jane Austen Today
    5. Mizb17 at Should Be Reading
    6. Marcia at The Printed Page
    7. Bart at Bart's Bookshelf

    Thanks to all my fellow bloggers who make blogging such fun!
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    Monday Musing: Book Covers
    Hilarie
    Musing Mondays are a weekly meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. This week Rebecca asks:

    Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about book covers…

    We all know the old adage about not judging a book by it’s cover, but just how much sway does a book cover have when it comes to your choice of book – whether buying or borrowing? Are there any books you’ve bought based on the cover alone?

    I hate to admit it, but I do think a cover can have a series impact on the success on a particular book. I say this because there have been a few occasions when I have received a book to review and put off reading it because it doesn't have a particularly flashy cover. Of course, often after reading the book, I find myself pleasantly surprised. However, no matter how many times this happens, I still find that I haven't completely learned my lesson because I keep making the same mistake again. I also have bought more than a few books because of a flashy cover. A few that specifically come to mind are:

    I've also noticed that some covers also stand out because they seem sort of wrong for the book. The best example I can think of is the cover of my newest copy of Persuasion by Jane Austen:

    This is a lovely cover, but makes absolutely no sense in my opinion. I find it very unlikely that any of the female characters in Persuasion would be wandering the fields in bare feet. Despite the fact that I obviously know better, I have no doubt that book covers will continue to influence me in the future. What about you?

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    Review: Nation by Terry Pratchett
    Hilarie
    Rating:
    Genre: Coming of Age, Castaways, Young Adult
    Reading Challenges: 32 for 100+ in 2009

    Terry Prachett is a literary genius. I honestly believe this, and I'm continually recommending his books to anyone who will listen. Often, when someone resists giving Prachett a try, they tell me that it is because they aren't into fantasy and the whole notion of Discworld just sounds silly. Nation, a stand alone non-Discworld novel voids all of those arguments, and is a brilliant book to boot.

    The story is set in a sort of parallel universe, during a time much like the Victorian era, and mostly takes place on an island much like those in the pacific. Mau, a young island boy, is returning from the solo journey that will make him a man in the eyes of his fellow islanders. Ermintrude, the daughter of a British aristocrat, is sailing in the company of strangers to meet her father, the governor of a neighboring island. Without warning, a killer wave decimates Mau's island, destroys Ermintrude's ship, and brings the two of them together on what remains of Mau's small island. Together, Mau and Daphne, as she is now known, struggle to understand each other and their respective customs, and to meet the needs of the steady stream of survivors looking to them for answers.

    This is a departure in some ways from Terry's previous books. I found it less humorous (although there is still plenty of Pratchett's signature wit), and more emotionally engaging. This is something I have also noticed in the latest Discworld novels, but it is especially evident here. The initial scenes, specifically those in which Mau returns to his island and finds his family and friends dead, are heartbreaking. As always with Terry's writings, this novel gives plenty of opportunities for pondering a few deeper thoughts that sneak in as you are simply enjoying the story. One of the more powerful themes revolves around the power of belief and tradition, and the impact on a society and an individual when those trusted beliefs are challenged by a monumental tragedy.

    Nation is simply a powerful and pretty much perfect novel, written by a gifted author. If you have never read anything by Pratchett, let me recommend this book. I also highly recommend the audio book, read by Stephen Briggs. Briggs does a fabulous job of bringing the characters to life.

    Finally, here is a little more about Nation from Terry himself:



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    Friday Finds
    Hilarie
    Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by mizb17 at Should Be Reading. My finds this week are:







    Labels: Comments | edit post
    Office 2010
    Hilarie
    I just thought I would post this because it is just the sort of time waster I would have loved when I was working full time. Sometimes Friday can seem like the longest day of the week. Hopefully this helps get you smiling!

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    Booking Through Thursday: Unread Books
    Hilarie
    Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Callista83. This week Callista suggests an idea that was inspired by The Toddled Dredge.

    “So here today I present to you an Unread Books Challenge. Give me the list or take a picture of all the books you have stacked on your bedside table, hidden under the bed or standing in your shelf – the books you have not read, but keep meaning to. The books that begin to weigh on your mind. The books that make you cover your ears in conversation and say, ‘No! Don’t give me another book to read! I can’t finish the ones I have!’ “

    This question is like a guilty wake up call, because I do have books that I know I should be reading, and I keep putting them off for new books. Honestly, I want to read every book on my shelf, but knowing that I need to read a particular book because of a reading challenge or a review request makes it feel a bit more like homework, and suddenly that book seems less interesting. Currently, these are the books that have been persistently getting the shaft.

    1. Methland by Nick Reding
    2. Ravens by George Dawes Green
    3. Hollywood is Like High School with Money by Zoey Dean
    4. The Count of Monte Cristo, Unabridged Version by Alexander Dumas
    5. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
    6. Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp by Lauren Lipton
    7. In the Land of Cotton by Martha A. Taylor
    8. Death Piled Hard by W. Patrick Lang
    9. North From Calcutta by Duane Evans

    I have more, as sad as that is, but as we are in the midst of preparing for an out of state move, those are the ones that I can remember. The rest are packed away in boxes for the movers. Has anyone ever read any of these? What books are on your shelves?

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    Review: A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
    Hilarie
    Rating:
    Genre: Historical Fiction
    Reading Challenges: 31 for 100+ in 2009

    A Reliable Wife is a book that I think will live in my memory for a long time. Once I started reading, I literally couldn't stop. I love Goolrick's style. I think his writing is beautiful, but sparse, as though he were afraid too many words would muddy the world he was trying to create. To me, this book is more than historical fiction. It almost belongs in a category I would call historical noir. This isn't a crime novel, but there is plenty of cruelty, moral ambiguity, and almost everything is motivated in some way by sex.

    The novel is set in the Wisconsin wilderness during the late 1800's. We are first introduced to Ralph Truitt, a man who is so wealthy that he is the economy of his local community, as he waits for the arrival of his unknown future bride. That bride is Catherine, a woman who begins her relationship with both the reader and her future husband with a lie. She is not what she seems, but neither is anyone else, or anything else in this novel. Ralph and Catherine both have written their own scripts for the future, but neither can foresee how each will affect the other. I don't want to give any of the plot away, as part of what I enjoyed most in reading this book was watching it unfold. For this book in particular, I would recommend avoiding spoilers if you can.

    A Reliable Wife is ultimately the story of individuals who have been deeply scarred by their pasts, and the choices they make to either grow and change, or to remain prisoners of their demons. Goolrick doesn't present his characters as helpless pawns, but instead demonstrates that they have choices; that although what they do may be influenced by the past it is not inevitable. This is also a novel about sexual obsession. There is quite a bit of sex, which had me skimming a few pages here and there, but more often it is an exploration of how the characters feel about sex than graphic descriptions of the acts themselves.

    I enjoyed this novel, and I will watch for more of Goolrick's works in the future. I don't know if I will ever read this particular novel again, as I found it a bit of a depressing read. If you have read this book, I'd love to know what you think.
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    Happy Blogoversary!
    Hilarie
    Please take a minute today to pop over to One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and wish Sheila a Happy Blogoversary. Sheila has been blogging for not one, but two years today! Her book blog is a fun and friendly place.
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    Cover Attraction: Blue Moon and Home Safe
    Hilarie
    Cover attraction is a weekly meme hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. This week I found two covers that I felt really stood out.

    First, the cover for a new release:

    Cover information from the product listing on Amazon.


    Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever’s powers are increasing, Damen’s are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

    Desperate to save him,Ever travels to the

    mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen’s past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...


    I haven't read the first in this series, but this book certainly has me intrigued. I love the way her hand looks like it is going to reach right out of the page. Blue is also my favorite color, so that might explain part of why I am partial to this cover.

    I also loved this cover. There is just something about this little bird sitting on an egg that is far too big for him.



    From Publishers Weekly
    Love, work and the absence of both figure prominently in Berg's latest, a rumination on loss and replenishment. Since novelist Helen's husband, Dan, died a year ago, she's been unable to write, and though her publisher and agent aren't worried, she is, particularly after a disastrous performance at a public speaking engagement leaves her wondering if her writing career will be another permanent loss. Meanwhile, daughter Tessa is getting impatient as Helen smothers her with awkward motherly affection. Tessa longs for distance and some independence, but Helen is unable to run her suburban Chicago home without continually calling on Tessa to perform the handyman chores that once belonged to Dan. And then Helen discovers Dan had withdrawn a huge chunk of their retirement money, and Helen's quest to find out what happened turns into a journey of self-discovery and hard-won healing. Berg gracefully renders, in tragic and comic detail, the notions that every life—however blessed—has its share of awful loss, and that even crushed, defeated hearts can be revived.
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