Giveaway - The Bookseller - Cynthia Swanson

Yes, you read that right! I have a copy of Cynthia Swanson's debut novel The Bookseller to giveaway!

From the publisher, Harper Collins:

"A provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel reminiscent of Sliding Doors, The Bookseller follows a woman in the 1960s who must reconcile her reality with the tantalizing alternate world of her dreams. Nothing is as permanent as it appears . . .

Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence. She can come and go as she pleases, answering to no one. There was a man once, a doctor named Kevin, but it didn’t quite work out the way Kitty had hoped. Then the dreams begin.

Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It’s everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.

Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

Glenda Cebrian Photography

As the lines between her worlds begin to blur, Kitty must figure out what is real and what is imagined. And how do we know where that boundary lies in our own lives?" Read an excerpt of The Bookseller.

"Cynthia Swanson is a writer and a designer of the midcentury modern style. She has published short fiction in 13th Moon, Kalliope, Sojourner, and other periodicals; her story in 13th Moon was a Pushcart Prize nominee. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and three children. The Bookseller is her first novel." You can find Cynthia Swanson on Facebook.

Sound like a book you'd like to read? I have one copy to giveaway to a lucky reader. Open to US only, no PO boxes please. Ends March 21/15. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

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California - Edan Lepucki

California is Edan Lepucki's debut novel.

I am infatuated with dystopian and apocalyptic novels. The description of California immediately caught my eye...

"The world Cal and Frida have always known is gone, and they've left the crumbling city of Los Angeles far behind them. They now live a shack in the wilderness, working side by side to make their days tolerable in the face of hardship.....But the tentative existence they've built for themselves is turned upside down when Frida finds out she's pregnant."

There hasn't been a great nuclear war or one significant event that has heralded the end of the world that Cal and Frida knew. Instead it has been a series of natural disasters and reluctant but necessary acceptance of the way things are now. Society has eroded into the haves and the have nots. While Cal and Frida make their home in a shack, those that can afford to, live in safe, gated communities with food, health care and more. I immediately thought that this scenario is not that far off - having just read a newspaper story of water being turned off - the city of Detroit sprang to mind.

I wanted to know to know more about the erosion of society, but this isn't the focus of the book. Instead it is what comes after. I also wanted to know what lay beyond the woods that Cal and Frida have settled in. Are the rumours of other outsider settlements true?

I'm always fascinated by an author's world building in such novels. Lepucki does a good job imagining what might be. I think because it is so 'near future' and absolutely believable that the world of California is all the more chilling.

There are a great number of varied characters populating California. Of the two lead characters I was drawn to and empathized with Cal. I have to say that I didn't like Frida at all as I found her spoiled and selfish. But several of the players from 'beyond' the woods really captured my interest.

Much, if not most of the book, is focused on the characters and their interactions - between couples, family, friends and strangers. A society rebuilding does not necessarily learn from it's past mistakes. Much of what happens can be sadly predicted.  Lepucki infuses this rebuilding with a plot that was slowly (and a bit maddeningly) revealed. The buildup to the end in the last quarter of the book is tension and action filled and had me reading just another chapter before bed. But the actual ending left me feeling somewhat unfulfilled. I found it anti-climatic after the journey to get there. It's a bit nebulous, leaving the reader to their own inferences as to what happens going forward.

Still, California was a strong debut and I would be interested in reading Lepucki's next novel. Read an excerpt of California. You can find Edan Lepucki on Twitter. And here's the story behind the "Colbert Approved".

The Ways of the Dead - Neely Tucker - Review AND Giveaway

It's no secret that crime novels and thrillers are my favourite type of book to read. I'm always on the lookout for new authors in these genres . And it's always a good bet to see a blurb from one of my favourite authors. Such is the case with Neely Tucker's debut fiction novel The Ways of the Dead.

"If this is Tucker's first novel, I can't wait for what's coming next." - Michael Connelly

I love opening scenes that grab my attention right away and have me wondering what's next...

1999. Teenager Sarah Reese takes lessons from a celebrated dance instructor in Washington, DC. But the studio is on the wrong side of the tracks. And Sarah is in the wrong place at the wrong time.....

Sarah's case garners lots of attention as her father is the Chief Judge of the Federal Court. And it catches the eye of reporter Sullivan Carter as well. But Sully sees a bigger picture - there's more to this story. And no one seems to want him to uncover it....

The best protagonists for crime books are the walking wounded, the ones who buck authority, the ones who just can't let things be or let justice go unserved. Sully Carter fills the bill on every count. He's battling PTSD, alcohol and anger issues, his bosses and manages to step on toes everywhere he goes. He's also a confidant of the one of DC's crimelords. Flawed but driven.

Neely's dialogue is effortless and believable. The plotting was really, really good. Actual events in the 1990's were the inspiration behind the book. But Neely takes his novel in directions I didn't predict. (another big plus)

Neely's background is rich and wide and varied. His own experience as a journalist is evident in his writing. Neely's descriptions of time and place were vivid and I had strong mental images of the streets and back alleys of the neighbourhood.

The Ways of the Dead is gritty, grim and oh so good. I wholeheartedly agree with Michael Connelly's blurb - I too will be watching for the next book in this series. Read an excerpt of The Ways of the Dead.

You can find Neely Tucker on Facebook and on Twitter.

And thanks to the generosity of Viking Books, I have a copy of The Ways of the Dead to giveaway to one lucky reader! Simply leave a comment to be entered (and a way to contact you). Open to US only, no PO boxes please. Closes July 19/14.

Deep Winter - Samuel W. Gailey

Deep Winter is Samuel W. Gailey's debut novel.

Gentle giant Danny has lived in Wyalusing, a small town in Northern Pennsylvania, for his entire life.  An accident has left Danny with brain injuries, but he has made a small place for himself. And he tries to lead a small life as he is the target of taunts and bullying and has few friends.  But Mindy, the waitress who serves him breakfast every morning, is an exception. She has only treated him with kindness. Danny walks to her trailer on her birthday to deliver a gift - only to find the local sheriff's deputy, Sokowski, already there. And Mindy is dead.

The reader knows early on who has killed Mindy. But the race is on - will the killer be caught? Or will Danny take the fall?

There are few likable characters in the book. Sokowski is one of the nastiest antagonists I've read in a while. Many of the 'good' characters are flawed in some way as well. Gailey's characters were quite vivid I quickly turned pages. The reader cannot help but react to each one.

Indeed the whole town seems dismal, dreary and defeated. "Gailey was raised in a small town in northeast Pennsylvania (population 379), which serves as the setting for his debut novel."  The setting definitely had a ring of authenticity. The blizzard that envelopes the town serves to further isolate the town and the drama playing out.

 Deep Winter is told from multiple points of view - the killer, Mindy, Danny and more. I found this highly effective as it only heightened the tension. The reader is aware of what's going to happen next - or think we are. Gailey knows just when to end a chapter - ensuring I had to read just one more and then another before turning off the light for the evening.

 Gailey has worked as a screenwriter and Deep Winter read like a movie for me. (Quentin Tarantino sprang to mind.) It's grim and gritty and not recommended for gentle readers. But it was a page turner for me. There's been a new genre label bandied about - "grit lit" or "rural noir". Deep Winter is a great example of this style. Read an excerpt of Deep Winter.

You can find Samuel W. Gailey on Facebook and on Twitter.

The Absence of Mercy - John Burley

John Burley makes his fiction debut with The Absence of Mercy.

In the small Ohio town of Wintersville, Dr. Ben Stevenson wears two hats - that of the town doctor and when needed, that of the medical examiner.

But rarely is he called to examine violent deaths - Wintersville is a place where the neighbours all know your name - and a lot of times, your business.

Who then could be responsible for the frenzied attack on a local teenager that left him dead in a field? Suddenly, folks are locking their doors and keeping their kids close. That goes double for Ben. His older son was friends with the slain boy.

Ben becomes more involved with the investigation, especially when another attack occurs - and the victim is found barely alive.

Burley explores the reaction to such a crime through the townsfolk, most notably the teenagers in town and through Ben's eyes - both as a father and a coroner. This is a lot of the focus of the book, as there are not a lot of clues to follow.  Instead, things ratchet up a notch when the killer's identity becomes known. While I was not overly surprised at this turn, it did raise some interesting questions. I was surprised at where Burley chose to take his story after that - it was a nice twist.  I'm not sure if I liked the ending, but again it wasn't nice and tied up with a bow. I like that. And I liked this debut by John Burley - I would pick up his next book without hesitation.

Burley's background is in medicine. This background certainly gives the medical scenes a ring of authenticity. But, after a few lengthy descriptions it also had me skipping further explanations - they were filled with too much 'technical' jargon.

The title? "The same was true for the absence of mercy – not because mercy was something such individuals chose to withhold, but because it was a faculty they simply did not possess." Chilling.

Read an excerpt of The Absence of Mercy. You can find John Burley on Facebook and on Twitter.

Hush Little Baby - Suzanne Redfearn

Hush Little Baby is Suzanne Redfearn's debut novel.

You never really know what goes on behind closed doors - sometimes until it's too late. Jillian Kane has what looks to a perfect life - a great job, the millionaire family - a boy and girl, and her husband Gordon, who's a cop and dotes on his children. Sounds like a perfect marriage....except it's not. Gordon is a controlling, cruel man who is mentally and physically abusive to Jillian. And after nine years of hiding it from the world, Jillian is fast reaching her breaking point - except no one believes her - she's done such a great job of hiding everything.

"How easy it is to sabotage a life. For a year, he’s used my vanity and pride to my own demise. While I’ve covered up his abuse, his deceit, his lies, he took every opportunity to flaunt, exaggerate, and advertise every mistake of mine. Like a magic trick, the illusion is seamless and unchallenged, and without another explanation, it’s believed."

Readfearn tackles the abuse issue realistically, with questions anyone would ask. Why would Jill cover it up? Why would she stay? That final catalyst is her children - but again, Redfearn raises questions - would Jill be better off to leave them with Gordon?

Jill does decide to run. Without spoiling the storyline, I am quite glad Redfearn chose to not have this turn into a seamless getaway. And to not portray Jill as a perfect mother. Redfearn slows down the story down midway to provide a 'healing' time for Jill and her kids. Her location and the characters at this juncture, although idyllic, seemed a bit far-fetched to me. But the premise introduces and reinforces what is important in life and what will sustain us at the worst of times.

The suspense is excellent, with Gordon seemingly one step ahead of Jill all the time. I was invested in her attempts to best her husband at his own game and quickly kept turning pages to see if she could. This isn't a new story, but Redfearn puts her own stamp on it and does it justice.

Redfearn captures the angst and terror of her main character well.  Redfearn's character is an architect, borrowing from her own life. (Although she is quick to point out in the author's notes, the similarities end there - here husband is "to a wonderful, kind, not-abusive-in-any-way man".)

Redfearn has blended a sensitive and always timely issue with suspenseful storyline to create a very strong debut. I quite enjoyed Hush Little Baby. Fans of Joy Fielding and Jodi Piccoult would enjoy this new author. Read an excerpt of Hush Little Baby. Suzanne has prepared reading group questions as well.

Suzanne Redfearn is a summa cum laude graduate from California Polytechnic University and, like her protagonist, is an architect. She is an avid surfer, golfer, skier, and Angels fan. She lives with her husband and children in California.

Congrats to Suzanne for being chosen as one of Target's Emerging Authors for their November '13 promotion. You can find  Suzanne Redfearn on Facebook and on Twitter.

Mother, Mother - Koren Zailckas

Koren Zailckas? Yes, you may recognize the name - Zailckas penned the New York Times best selling memoir Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood.

Zailckas turns her hand to fiction with her debut novel Mother, Mother.

Oh man, where to start.....

Josephine Hurst likes things her way - perfect. Her perfect. And she lovingly imposes her will on her family - husband Douglas, daughter Violet and son Will. Her other daughter Rose has run away from home.

Zailckas lets us know right from the first pages that Josephine isn't like other mothers, as much as she tries to portrays that image. "Thou shalt feign perfection and thou shalt not air the family laundry. "The whole family lives in a state of permanent watchfulness....just waiting....Douglas chooses to self medicate with alcohol and leaves his children to fend for themselves. Violet has chosen drugs. Rose escaped. And William has been diagnosed as epileptic and autistic. (But it took Josie a bit to find a doctor who agreed with her diagnosis)

Mother, Mother is told from two viewpoints  - that of Violet and William. Both narratives are wildly different - Violet know her life isn't normal and wants to escape like Rose, while William is determined to defend his mother. The same events are seen through different sets of eyes. But as a reader, both accounts only serve to underscore how twisted, manipulative and insidious Josephine is. And I mean really, really terrifying....

There is no gray territory, no sitting on the fence, no reserving judgement in Zailckas's novel. You'll be rooting for Violet, hoping she can find the strength she needs, wanting to reach into the pages and shake Douglas and wake him up to wake him up to what is happening around him. William needs to be deprogrammed as quickly as possible. Where is Rose? And Josephine...what's frightening is that there are people like this in the world.

"Her mother's eyes had held Violet with a looks-could-kill glare. It was a face that carried a vindictive warning. A face that told Violet, Just you wait..."

Mother, Mother is a thriller in the highest sense - we know there's a monster in the closet, even if others don't see it. The question is - what happens when the lights go off?

You won't be turning the lights off until you're done this book - I raced through most of it one late night and got up early to see it through to the end. Many books have been touted as appealing to fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.  Few, if any, have lived up to that recommendation. Mother, Mother does. Think Mommie Dearest meets Psycho meets Girl Interrupted. See what I mean - read an excerpt of Mother, Mother. Whatever Zailckas writes next - I'm reading.

You can find Koren Zailckas on Twitter.

The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic - Emily Croy Barker - Review AND Giveaway

I haven't read a lot of fantasy in the past, but every once in a while, one catches my eye. Such was the case with Emily Croy Barker's debut novel, The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic. I quite liked the cover and the title intrigued me

Nora Fischer has been dumped by her boyfriend and warned by her advisor that they need to seriously talk about her dissertation. The last thing she wants to do is go to another friend's wedding. But, she does. To get away from everyone for a bit, she takes a walk through a forest.......and gets lost. (First fairy tale element!) She stumbles on to the grounds of an absolutely gorgeous estate. And the owner Illisa and her friends are so much fun. And Illisa's son Raclin is gorgeous. And they'd love for Nora to stay just a bit longer with them........

She does - until she realizes that the glamorous veneer of Illisa's world hides something much darker. And there's no way back to her own world.

I'm not going to go any further than that. Suffice to say there's magic, wizards, magicians, fairies, demons, creatures and oh, so much more.  Barker has created a richly detailed alternate world that I could easily picture.  

Nora is an interesting protagonist. She seems determined to not see what is in front of her numerous times - from the beginning chapters at Illisa's estate to her first days at the Magician Aruendiel's castle. I admit to not being completely taken with her in the beginning. However, she grows and grew on me as the book progressed. By the end, I quite liked her. She shares the protagonist role with the magician Aruendiel. Him, I liked right from the get go.

Barker has incorporated all the elements of an epic adventure into her book. Good and evil, friendship, honour, love, treachery, wars to be fought, damsels to be rescued, heroics, Royalty, peasants and more. (Yes, all the elements of a fairy tale!)

Although I enjoyed all the world building and especially the magic discussions, the book probably could have been trimmed by at least 75 -100 pages. (It weighs in at a lengthy 563 pages.) But Barker is a good writer - her prose did flow easily and her imagination is impressive.

There are many allusions to Pride and Prejudice throughout the book. Nora is an English major and this is the one 'foreign language book' she finds in the alternate world, but I grew tired of the references and comparisons. For this reader, they didn't add to the book.

Did I enjoy the book. Absolutely! It was good to step outside of my normal tastes of . Does the story end with "And They Lived Happily Ever After?' Well, the ending wasn't what I had hoped for, but I'm thinking Barker has plans for a second adventure for Nora. I'd like to see what happens next!

The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic is an enchanting tale for anyone who ever wished they could step into the pages of their favourite fairy tale.  Read an excerpt of The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic.  You can find Emily Croy Barker on Twitter and on Facebook.

And thanks to the generous folks at Pamela Dorman Books,  I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment to be entered. Open to US only, no P.O. boxes please. Closes Sept 14/13 when a random winner will be chosen.

Big Girl Panties - Stephanie Evanovich

Stephanie Evanovich? Is she...? Yes, let's get that out in the open right away - they are indeed related - Janet Evanovich is Stephanie's aunt.

Big Girl Panties marks Stephanie's debut.

Holly Brennan is a young widow who has fed her sorrow with food through the years of her husband's illness and death. While returning home from finalizing some of his accounts, she is bumped from a first class plane ticket to coach. She knows the seats are smaller and of course hers is beside the most gorgeous man.....Who turns out to be personal trainer Logan Montgomery. Who on a whim, offers to takes Holly on as a client. And Holly, surprising herself, accepts.

It turns out that Holly is a natural in the gym. And she starts to see results. And Logan starts to see Holly in a different light.....

Holly is a very likable character - of the four main players, she is the one I enjoyed the most. Evanovich's basic premise isn't new, but I'm not sure how I feel about a character's self worth being based on their physical appearance. Scratch that - I am sure - I didn't like it.  Holly does rediscover, remake and redefine herself. Some of it is emotional, but most of it is based on and from her physical changes. Although she and Logan start off with friendship, Logan's interest turns physical when he realizes she is quite attractive - and other men are noticing. Again, this jaded old reader didn't find him to be of a catch...yes, he's physically attractive and apparently has a voracious sexual appetite, but his being ashamed to be seen with Holly (when she's down to only 20 pounds overweight) was enough to cement my opinion. Further efforts to redeem himself didn't wash with me.

And maybe I'm just reading way too much into what is meant to be a fun, light-hearted read. We start off with what looks to be exactly that, but it quickly moves into mommy porn territory. We're introduced to Logan's best friend Chase and his wife Amanda, who enjoy a spanking good time together - literally.Evanovich does attempt to explain this sexual choice, but I truly grew tired of it by the end of the book. I'm one of the few people on the planet who did not read Fifty Shades - it's a genre that really doesn't grab or hold my interest. Holly's sexual reawakening is generously covered by Evanovich in Big Girl Panties with much description. Fans of this genre will most certainly enjoy it. Me - I choked on my tea at some of the descriptive passages....'willing wet cavern' was a memorable one.

Evonovich does include several solid pieces of advice regarding weight loss, reasons for overeating and some strategies as well. See the clip at the of Evanovich discussing the inspiration behind Fat Girl Panties.

An interesting debut - but a planned second book - "... the backstory to the secondary characters in Big Girl Panties. I think they're deliciously fun and was thrilled when my editor agreed. Think Prince Charming with a kink finding his princess", won't be on this reader's TBR list. But here's an excerpt of Big Girl Panties for you to peruse.

"Stephanie Evanovich is a full-fledged Jersey  girl from Asbury Park who began writing fiction while waiting for her cues during countless community

theater projects. She attended New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts, performed with several improvisational troupes, and acted in a few small-budget movies, all in preparation for the greatest job she ever had: raising her two sons. Now a full-time writer, she's an avid sports fan who holds a black belt in tae kwon do." 

 

You can find Stephanie Evanovich on Facebook and on Twitter.

 See what others on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

The Curiosity - Stephen P. Kiernan

I'm always been fascinated by discoveries of the past such as Franklin's Expedition or Shackleton and the Endurance. My curiousity is piqued - what can we glean from artifacts found? Can we tell what happened on these ill fated journeys?

Curiosity- definition: A strong desire to know or learn something. A strange or unusual object or fact.

Stephen P. Kiernan's  explores both of those definitions in his debut fiction novel The Curiosity.

The Lazarus Project is working on 'reanimation' of life forms frozen and trapped in hard ice. They have so far managed to bring small creatures, such as krill and plankton, back to life. While on their latest search in the Arctic, Dr. Kate Philo and her team come across a fully frozen man - dressed in a suit. This is a staggering find - this reanimation will be the company's biggest triumph. (Much of this is based on fact - read the idea behind the book.)

The Curiosity is told from four points of view - that of Dr. Kate, the frozen man - Judge Jeremiah Rice, the owner of Lazarus - Erastus Carthage and Daniel Dixon, a journalist.

This wide variety of views allows Kiernan to explore all the avenues that such an event might open. Is Rice an experiment or a man? Who gets to direct his life? Is the company playing God? Is it real or an elaborate hoax? Where and what would such an event lead to next?

The four main characters are all clearly drawn and elicited distinct reactions from this reader. Kate is the clam, cool, empathic lead who sees Rice as a man and not a lab rat. Her - I liked. Carthage is a caricature of a power hungry egomaniac who sees himself as brilliant and untouchable. He refers to himself in the third person. Him - didn't like. Dixon seems to be written in a foil for both camps - he rides the middle line, but is a distinctly unlikable character. Which brings us to Judge Jeremiah. I was quite interested in his reawakening and his views on the world 100 years later. Kiernan provides many well-thought observations, but this is not the main thrust of the book.

There are many ideas and stories running through the novel. Ethical and moral considerations are presented, but the main storyline is the relationship between Dr. Kate and the Judge. Although we are aware of the outcome from the opening chapters, I was captured by 'what would happen next'. Indeed, you might say curious. "With this man's curiosity at my side, life possessed a newness, a richness. Jeremiah Rice gave me back the world."

There were a few threads that I wish had been taken further - notably descendants of Jeremiah. This is touched on, but not explored as fully as I would have liked.

Although The Curiosity raises some qood food for thought (there is a reading guide available), at it's heart, it is satisfying entertainment reading for the summer deck. Science fiction with a healthy dose of romance. Read an excerpt of The Curiosity.

"Over two-plus decades as a journalist Stephen Kiernan  has won 40 awards, including the Brechner Institute’s Freedom of Information Award, the Gerald Loeb Award for financial journalism (two time commentary finalist) and the George Polk Award. He has taught at Middlebury College and the New England Young Writers Conference, and has worked on the staff of the Breadloaf School of English and the Breadloaf Writers Conference. He chairs the board of the Young Writers Project, served on the Vermont Legislative Committee on Pain and Palliative Care, and joined the advisory board of the New Hampshire Palliative Care Initiative. Stephen travels the country speaking to a wide variety of audiences about improving life’s last chapters, restoring America through volunteerism and philanthropy, and using the power of creativity to transform lives." You can find Kiernan on his blog and on Facebook.

See what others on the TLC Book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

The Silent Wife - A.S.A. Harrison - Review and Giveaway

The Silent Wife marks A.S.A.Harrison's fiction debut.

I love psychological thrillers and Harrison has written a doozy. (Don't you love that word!?)

Jodi and Todd are one of 'those' couples. Successful, well to do and leading a seemingly perfect life together. Oh, there are a few little bumps, but this is the life Jodi has created and she likes things just so. And yes, Todd wanted children, but over their twenty year relationship, it's been accepted that there won't be any. Well, yes he might cheat once in a while, and Jodi is somewhat aware of it. Todd knows she knows, but it's not spoken of and life goes on.

"At forty-five, Jodi still sees herself as a young woman. She does not have her eye on the future but lives very much in the moment, keeping her focus on the everyday. She assumes, without having thought about it, that things will go on indefinitely in their imperfect yet entirely acceptable way. In other words, she is deeply unaware that her life is now peaking, that her youthful resilience - which her twenty-year marriage to Todd Gilbert has been slowly eroding - is approaching a final stage of disintegration, that her notions about who she is and how she ought to conduct herself are far less stable that she supposes, give that a few short months are all it will take to make a killer out of her."

That's the second paragraph in the book - and I was hooked. Harrison explores this marriage in alternating chapters - Her and Him.

Harrison is a talented wordsmith who skilfully depicts the disintegration of not just a union, but of the individuals as well. Jodi's chapters are eerie and disturbing as she maintains a perfect, cool, calm exterior, keeping to her routines in her spotless home. Just as disturbing is the self centred, pleasure seeking Todd, who can explain away and justify any of his behaviors and actions.

It is one of those actions that starts the beginning of the end......

There is no overt gore or violence in The Silent Wife. Rather there is the slow, building journey to a conclusion I couldn't predict. Along the way, we learn more about Jodi and Todd's childhoods.The Silent Wife is a fascinating exploration of both a damaged relationship and its affected inhabitants. I really enjoyed the building tension as the chapters alternate and the layers and the civility are peeled away. Its impossible not to read just one more chapter...

Read an excerpt of The Silent Wife. Sadly, A.S.A. Harrison passed away earlier this year in Toronto, Canada and did not live to see her book release last month.

Thanks to the generous folks at Penguin Books, I have a copy to giveaway. Open to US only, no p.o. boxes please. Simply leave a comment to be entered. Ends August 3/13.

Just what kind of mother are you? - Paula Daly

I just love reading suspense novels - you know, the ones that put ordinary people in extraordinary situations and keep you madly turning pages.  Well, here's the first of this year's summer hammock reads - the done in a day, read in the sun ones.

Just what kind of mother are you? is Paula Daly's debut novel.

Lisa Kallisto is overwhelmed, overworked and overtired, but she tries really hard to do it all - work, wife and mother. But sometimes, things slip. Not enough time with her husband Joe, a forgotten item one of the kids had to have for school, picking up supper on the run, getting kids to where they're supposed to be and more. But this time, her distracted ways may have deadly results.....Her best friend Kate's daughter Lucinda was supposed to spend the night at Lisa's house with her daughter Sally. But Lisa forgot. And Kate thought she was safe with Lisa. And no one can find Lucinda.......

We know there is a creep out there - the opening prologue is a chiller. And one young girl has already been abducted in the area. Could Lucinda be another of his victims? Or has she just done a runner? Daly intersperses this person's thoughts throughout the book. We know more than the characters and this just heightens the tension.

Lisa is horrified at what's happened - she is determined to do anything she can to help. But with Lucinda's disappearance, resentments and secrets come bubbling to the surface. It seems that the quiet little Cumbrian village they all live in has many skeletons in the closets.

The Detective Constable charged with the investigation was an excellent supporting character. I really liked her and her personal storyline. I am wondering if Daly will return to this character in the second book she has in the works - The Day Before You Came.

I love British novels - the tone and the language of this one reminded me of Coronation Street - a British show we Canadians love.

Daly's portrayal of a frazzled Lisa was excellent - I think we've all been there at one time. The author's note at the end shed light on Daly's inspiration for the book - a horrible case of a forgotten infant left to die in a hot car. And an encounter with "one of those women who'll subtly put you down, put your children down, too, given half a chance. Suddenly it struck me: what if you were to lose her child? What if you were so overwhelmed with work and life that you took your eye off the ball, and it was her child who went missing?"

Daly's plotting was excellent - at one point I suspected each and every character, with no idea who was telling the truth. Daly keeps us wondering with each new twist she adds. Some discoveries and devices were a bit fortuitous, but didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book at all. And I really enjoyed it!

Looking for a page turning summer thriller? Pick up Just what kind of mother are you?  You can find Paula Daly on Twitter.

The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker

The Golem and The Jinni is Helen Wecker's debut novel.....and oh boy, what a debut!

We're quite used to books about 'supernatural' beings - vampires, werewolves, witches and more. But Wecker's two protagonists aren't as 'famous'.

Otto Rotfield wants a wife to take with him when he emigrates to America. But, he wants her to fit the mold he has imagined. To that end, he approaches a man steeped in mystery and asks him to create a Golem - a creature made entirely of clay and destined to serve its master's every command. She is a masterpiece. When Otto falls ill on the boat journey, he manages to  animate the Golem before he dies. And so this creature lands in New York City in 1899, uninformed as to the ways of the world, how to behave, what to expect and how she will hide among the humans. It is her good luck that an old rabbi recognizes her for what she is - and takes her in.

Not far away in Little Syria (Lower Manhattan) a local woman brings a battered copper flask to the neighbourhood metalworker for repair. When he erases one of the intricate designs that encircle the flask......you guessed it - a Jinni is released. The Jinni faces the same challenges as that of the Golem - he has been trapped in the flask for thousands of years.

And chance being what it is, these two beings - one of earth and one of fire - meet, and each  recognizes that the other is not of this world.  Their lives are entwined in ways they could not imagine....and someone else is watching them...

Oh, where to start! The setting is beautifully brought to life by Wecker. The lives of immigrants, the wealthy, the tenements, daily life, night life, attractions such as Central Park and more provide a rich and detailed background for Wecker's novel.

The Golem and the Jinni are both mythical creatures, but Wecker's writing made them very real and 'human'. I found myself so caught up in their story, rooting for them and hoping they would find happiness. The supporting cast of characters is just as well drawn and equally compelling.

This was such a unique and different idea for a novel.  Middle Eastern mysticism mixed with Jewish folklore and dipped into New York City's rich history. And under Wecker's skillful pen, it really works.

But such is the stuff of magical stories -  dastardly villains, good vs. evil, sacrifice, love won and lost, fast friendships and more. And this is the feeling that Helene Wecker's novel gave me - that I was sitting in a beautiful silk tent somewhere in the desert, reclining on pillows and listening to Scheherazade spin one of her 1001 tales. I was enthralled from first page to last. Read an excerpt of The Golem and The Jinni. Wecker has truly woven a magical debut. Highly recommended.

"Helene Wecker grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, a small town north of Chicago, and received her

Bachelor’s in English from Carleton College in Minnesota. After graduating, she worked a number of marketing and communications jobs in Minneapolis and Seattle before deciding to return to her first love, fiction writing. Accordingly, she moved to New York to pursue a Master’s in fiction at Columbia University. She now lives near San Francisco with her husband and daughter." You can find Helene Wecker on Facebook.


See what others on the TLC  book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - Robin Sloan

Robin Sloan's debut novel, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, is one of those titles I wouldn't normally have picked up. But there has been lots of buzz about this debut, so I wanted to give it a try. The publisher's blurb intrigued me...

"A gleeful and exhilarating tale of global conspiracy, complex code-breaking, high-tech data visualization, young love, rollicking adventure, and the secret to eternal life—mostly set in a hole-in-the-wall San Francisco bookstore."

And it was the hole-in-the-wall bookstore description that clinched the deal. I love used bookstores! There are treasures just waiting to be found on every shelf.

Clay Jannon is downsized from his web design job and in order to pay the rent, he takes a job as a night clerk at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. There aren't many customers and the ones he does serve are decidedly...different. They have an agreement to borrow books - old, obscure volumes on towering shelves accessible only by ladder. Being a curious sort (and with lots of time on his hands) Clay decides to try and figure out what these 'customers' are doing. Is the bookstore a front for something else?

I chose to listen to Sloan's book and I'm glad I did. For me, some books are just better enjoyed listening and this was one of them. The reader was Ari Fliakos. His voice was perfect for Clay - young, kinda hip and engaging. He provided different voices for all the supporting characters as well. The old and female characters were believable. Fliakos's interpretation of Sloan's prose was excellent.

Listen to an excerpt of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore.

How to describe the book? It's an adult adventure story with fantasy elements I would say. There are lots of 'bookish' references that had me running to check facts online. (And funnily enough, Google does play a part in the book.) Lots of fun, quirky characters let us play out that 'what if you really discovered a secret code in a dusty, mysterious bookstore' game with Clay and his pals. An enjoyable, entertaining listen for this reader.

Read an excerpt of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore.

The Dog Stars - Peter Heller

Peter Heller is an acclaimed adventure writer, but The Dog Stars is his debut fiction effort.

Hig is one of the few who survived the flu that devastated the earth. He also escaped the blood sickness that followed. Not many did - Hig's wife and unborn child perished. His dog Jasper survived.

And now, Hig, a pilot, lives in an airport hangar with Jasper and a weapons obsessed loner named Bangley. Hig flies the perimeter of their staked claim every day, ready to defend against all intruders. But, what if it isn't enough to just be safe. Isn't there more to being alive? Once, about seven years into this new world, Hig heard another voice on the airplane radio - just briefly. And that staticky voice stays with him - until he decides to leave and fly until the point of no return.....however far the gas tank on the plane will take him.

I love post apocalyptic fiction and Heller has done a fantastic job with his imagined outcome. Heller's novel explores what it takes to stay alive and what physical lengths his characters will go to. But, it is much more than that. Heller also explores the emotions of the few characters that populate his novels - grief, sadness, loneliness, hope, joy and what it means to be human.

I chose to listen to The Dog Stars. The reader was Mark Deakins. I've listened to him before and he was somewhat 'overdone' in his interpretation. This time he was a perfect choice. His voice reflected all the emotions of the writing. Heller chose a first person narrative style that absolutely worked for the audio version.  I think some of the short, fragmented sentences would have annoyed me on paper.  But, in the audio version they simply seemed like an extension of Hig's thoughts. Listen to an excerpt of The Dog Stars.

If you liked The Road, you'll love The Dog Stars. Not as bleak, but just as moving. And a testament to the human spirit. Read an excerpt of The Dog Stars.

Kept in the Dark - Penny Hancock

 Kept in the Dark is British author Penny Hancock's debut novel.

Forty something Sonia lives in a beautiful home on the Thames River in England. She is being pressured by her family to sell the house now that her children are grown, but she is quite resistant to this idea. Their constant pressure seems to have widened a crack in Sonia's psyche.

Fifteen year old Jez comes to the door of River House to take up an offer from Sonia's husband to borrow some music. He's not home, but Sonia invites him in anyway......and decides that he won't be leaving. He is a beautiful boy and she decides she will be the one to protect him and keep him safe. So she drugs him and locks him in the music room.....

All of this happens within the first few chapters of the book. So, we know the crime early on. The question is will Jez escape? And why is Sonia doing this? We get little glimpses into her past as the book progresses, revealing more and more of a relationship that was distinctly unhealthy.

What drove this book for me was Sonia's rationalizations and thought processes. Hancock has written wonderful dialogue for Sonia. She is able to completely twist the situation around in her mind - she is truly only doing her best to help this poor boy - completely obliterating the fact that she is the one putting him in danger. She can't understand why Jez is not more grateful. The crime Sonia has committed is horrifying, but is Sonia herself who is gave me that creepy, unsettled feeling in my stomach as I read. There is a twist at the end, that I did suspect was coming a few chapters before.

Hancock employs a first person narration style for Kept in the Dark. It's unusual as the entire book is told from the criminal's point of view and we never really get to know the victim at all. We know Jez wants to escape, but only from what Sonia tells us. Readers looking for an action packed book won't find it here. Instead the book moves at a slower pace as Hancock deliberately and deliciously builds the story bit by bit.

Read an excerpt of Kept in the Dark.

Hancock has penned an interesting debut. I would pick up another book by this author - her next is scheduled for the first half of 2013.  You can find Hancock on Twitter and on Facebook.

Y - Marjorie Celona

 Y is Marjorie Celona's newly released debut novel.  I think you're going to be hearing lots more about this author and title.

"Y. That perfect letter. The wishbone, fork in the road, empty wineglass. The quetion we ask over and over. Why?"

And the Y is where the story begins as well - the YMCA in a town on Vancouver Island. The Y is where Shannon's mother Yula leaves her when she is a day old, wrapped in a dirty sweatshirt with a Swiss Army knife as her legacy.

As a baby Shannon is shifted through various foster homes until she lands with Miranda and her daughter Lydia-Rose. It is with Miranda that she finally finds some stability and safety. But it is here that she also begins to act out, to question, to search, to need and to want to find her parents and answers.

"I want to know who my real family is, who I really belong to, why I look this way, why I feel this ay. I want to know these things more than anything in the world." "I don't need my mother to be a good person. I just want to know who she is."

Celona has chosen an unusual narrative style for her book - but it's one that absolutely works. Young Shannon recounts her life and that of her mother as an almost disinterested third party observer, then switches to current day. The story goes back and forth, past and present, between Shannon's story and that of her mother Yula. Each woman's tale is so addicting and absorbing that I could not find a place to stop. I had to keep reading, to discover the why of Yula's decision, to discover if Shannon finds her way, her place, the answers she needs and if it is enough.

Celona's prose flow easily and seamlessly, drawing the reader deeper and deeper into the story. Both Shannon and Yula's narratives are powerful and poignant. Although Yula's story is no less compelling, it was Shannon I wanted to hug and comfort. Their lives are not easy to read about, but impossible to turn away from.

I was thinking about Y long after I turned the last page. Did I like the ending? What if....? What is the right thing to do? Who can judge? What is love? And that's the mark of a good book - one that keeps you thinking about it after the last page is turned. Definitely recommended.

Read an excerpt of Y. This would be a great selection for a book club. A reading group guide is available.

Marjorie Celona received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was an Iowa Arts Fellow and recipient of the Ailene Barger Barnes Prize. Her stories have appeared in Best American Nonrequired Reading,Glimmer Train, and Harvard Review. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, she lives in Cincinnati.

See what others on the tour thought:

Aug. 28 Michele @ Just a Lil Lost
Aug. 29 Evie @ Bookish
Aug. 30 Sarah @ Just Another Story
Aug. 31 Nicole @ Nicole About Town
Sept. 3 Corrine @ Lost For Words
Sept. 4 Luanne @ A Bookworm’s World
Sept. 5 Zoe @ In The Next Room
Sept. 6 Christy @ Home of Ohm
Sept. 7 Sharonne @ Tales of a Ranting Ginger
Sept. 10 Maria @ Bored Mommy
Sept. 11 Sarah @ Workaday Reads

The Orphan Master - Jean Zimmerman

 Jean Zimmerman is the published author of many non fiction books, but The Orphan Master is her fiction debut.

Zimmerman's previous works have focused on the 'changing role of women in America.' In The Orphan Master she takes us back to 1663 and the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam - what we now know as Manhattan. Her protagonist is Blandine van Couvering, a young, beautiful woman who is also a successful trader. Blandine has been an orphan since the age of fifteen and the colony's local orphan master has helped her and hundreds of other parentless children find their way over the years. But when orphans start disappearing and rumours abound, Blandine is one of the few to take notice. Could it be the orphan master himself? What about the whispers of the Witika - a creature known to crave human flesh? Could it be the Native peoples? What about the Englishman newly landed in New Amsterdam? Or the wealthy family in town who control just about everything - except one of their own?

Zimmerman has successfully combined history and mystery with some romance thrown in to create a engrossing read. The descriptions of life in that time and place, the politics and the amount of historical detail woven into the tale made for made for fascinating reading. The characters were all strongly drawn, with Blandine being the standout for me. She was strong, fearless and made her own way in a time period where women were usually slated as supporting characters. Although I enjoyed the character of Drummond, the Englishman, he didn't grab me as much as I expected. Instead I was drawn to secondary characters, such as Blandine's friends and protectors Kitane, Antony and Raeger.

Although the identity of the perpetrator is known half way through the book, (and wasn't too hard to suss out) I never lost interest. The only part that felt awkward to me was the romantic getaway between Blandine and another character. It felt clumsily inserted and out of place. Fair warning to delicate readers - the crimes are quite gruesome. But all in all,  Zimmerman is a good storyteller and this first foray into fiction is quite commendable.  Film rights for The Orphan Master have been sold already. Read an excerpt of The Orphan Master.