You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover #77

- You can't judge a book by its cover - which is very true.

 But you can like one cover version better than another.....

US cover

UK cover

I usually listen to David Baldacci's books on the drive back and forth to work. His newest Will Robie thriller releases mid November on both sides of the pond. The US cover is on the left and the UK cover is on the right. It's interesting that the US cover features a forest path and a man on foot, while the UK cover features a hardtop road and a vehicle. Hmm, I'm sure that both will factor into the plot somwhere along the line. Which cover do you prefer this week? I'm going with the UK cover.
 Do you plan to read The Guilty?
You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover is a regular Saturday feature
at A Bookworm's World.

Open Heart, Open Mind - Clara Hughes

You can find me glued to the television during national and world sports coverage - especially the Olympics. I remember watching Clara Hughes race over many Olympics - she is a six time Olympian with six medals to her credit - in two sports - speed skating and cycling. She has numerous other accolades and victories.

But what you don't see on television is what's going on behind the scenes, what it takes for an athlete to rise to this level, the obstacles they've met, the obstacles overcome and who they are besides being a public figure and athlete.

Clara Hughes' newly released memoir, Open Heart, Open Mind, lays all of that bare. Hughes' father was a verbally abusive alcoholic, Clara drank, did drugs and skipped school. When she did start to channel her energy into competitive sport she landed with a coach who was results driven, caring little about her mental health. Hughes has suffered from depression for most of her life. In 2010, she put her own struggles in the public eye when she became the national spokesperson for the Bell Let's Talk mental health initiative - "A wide-reaching, multi-year program designed to break the silence around mental illness and support mental health all across Canada."

I am always appreciative of reading someone's memoir - the bravery in sharing your life with the public. Hughes shares both professional and personal. I was fascinated by the behind the scenes look at a professional athlete's training and performance. Clara's athletic accomplishments are extraordinary. But it is her personal triumphs that are outstanding. Hughes has taken that same energy and drive that she used in sports, applied it to her mental well being and advocating for others through numerous projects, such as Right to Play.

The title? Hughes participated in a Squamish First Nations brushing-off ceremony in 2010....

...."Another elder addressed each of us in turn, opening our hearts to the energy of the flame and brushing away negativity. He told us, I cannot heal you of your pain. Only you can heal yourself with your open heart and your open mind."

Wise words. Great read. Amazing and inspiring woman. Read an excerpt of Open Heart, Open Mind.

Over the Counter #287

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? Well, this week to acknowledge Hallowe'en, I found two new 'coming soon' books that I thought would be appropriate......Zombies and ghosts...

First is The Walking Dead: The Pop-Up Book by David Hawcock, Sally Elizabeth Jackson, S. D Perry, Becca Zerkin.

From the publisher, Insight Editions:

"Based on AMC’s The Walking Dead, this blood-curdling pop-up book brings the hit TV series to life like never before. Lurking within its pages are more than twenty ingeniously crafted pop-ups that add a horrifying new dimension to the series. Experience the terror of “Bicycle Girl” reaching out with her decaying arms; the ravenous walker hordes crowding the streets of Atlanta; Michonne’s deadly katana skills; and the horror of a walker feeding frenzy. Plus, go inside some of the most memorable locations from the television series and discover the battle-torn West Georgia Correctional Facility, Hershel Greene’s doomed farm, and the gut-wrenching secrets of Terminus. Featuring ten pages packed with exclusive pop-up illustrations and blood-drenched action, AMC’s The Walking Dead: The Pop-Up Book is a uniquely terrifying way to experience the walker apocalypse."

And here's a new look at a classic - Ghostbusters: TheUltimate Visual History by: Dan Aykroyd, Ivan Reitman, Daniel Wallace.

Also from Insight Editions:

"Who you gonna call? The Ghostbusters saga has been thrilling fans around the world for over three decades, from the original movies to the animated shows, comics, video games, toys, and other collectibles. For the first time, Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History takes a comprehensive look at the entire franchise, telling the complete story behind the creation of a true pop culture phenomenon.

Beginning with an in-depth look at the original film, Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History delves into the archives to showcase a wealth of never-before-seen concept art and photography that will take fans into the production of a true classic. Also featuring a large section on Ghostbusters II, the book brings together exclusive interviews with the key players from both films, including director Ivan Reitman; stars Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver; and producers Michael C. Gross and Joe Medjuck.

The book also explores the creation of The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters animated shows, featuring interviews with the writers, animators, and voice artists, plus previously unseen sketches, animation cels, and other stunning visuals. With additional sections on Ghostbusters comics, video games, merchandise, and fandom, Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History is the last word on one of the most popular franchises of all time.

Also includes incredible items that will thrill Ghosbusters fans, including: ---Peter Venkman’s business card ---Sedgewick Hotel storyboard booklet ---Rare concept art sketches of ghostbusting gadgets ---Stay Puft Marshmallow Man package sticker ---Production notes ---A schematic of the Gozer temple miniature"

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)

Giveaway - Robot Universe - Ana Matronic

Good morning pop culture and sci-fi fans! I've got a great giveaway for you today - Robot Universe: Legendary Automatons and Androids from the Ancient World to the Distant Future by Ana Matronic.

This book releases Nov. 10/15 and I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!

From Sterling Publishing:

"Explore the Robot Universe, and discover the hundred most epic androids and automatons from myth, through popular culture, to modern-day machines. Robot aficionado Ana Matronic—vocalist with world-famous band Scissor Sisters—explores their creation, design, purpose, and how they have comforted, fascinated, or terrified us across the ages and galaxies, profiling key sidekicks, servants, saviors, murder machines, cyborgs, and others in every genre. In-depth features cover special focus topics, such as robots in art and fashion, video games and comics, and music.

This richly illustrated collection deftly shows how we have defined and redefined robots, why they capture our imagination, and why they’re here to stay, ending with a look at real-life robots from early prototypes to what lies in our robotic future."

"Ana Matronic is a musician, performer, radio presenter, DJ, and visual artist best known as the female lead of the internationally acclaimed band Scissor Sisters. A lifetime of loving robots inspired her stage name as well as the bionic circuitry tattoo on her right arm. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, Seth Kirby, and her cat, Izzy."

If this is a book you'd like to own, enter for a chance to win a hardcover copy using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends Nov 7/15.

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A Place Called Sorry - Donna Milner

I read Donna Milner's debut novel, After River, back in 2008. In re-reading my review, I see that I described Milner's writing as "quite simply, beautiful."

Her newest book, A Place Called Sorry, has just released - and Milner's writing has only gotten better.

1930's British Columbia. Young Addie Beale makes her home on a cattle ranch in the bush in British Columbia. Sorry is " a scanty little settlement located twelve hard bush miles from our ranch....the place where a number of side roads, not much more than widened paths, converged onto the trail that once led to the Cariboo goldfields."

Addie loves the land as much as her grandfather and father. Her grandfather has only ever hinted at the life he led before the ranch. As age creeps up on him, he slowly begins to reveal his secrets to Addie as she reads him the journals he wrote as a boy. Milner employs a then and now narrative that moves the story forward until past and present intersect. I quite enjoy this story within a story style.

I loved Milner's characters - I became so invested in them and their lives. The gentle wisdom of Addie's father and grandfather, the interactions between the three, the burgeoning friendship between Alan and Addie, hurt and heartache and joy. There is one exception - Mrs. Parsons the malicious, vitriolic schoolteacher. I simply wanted to rip her from the pages and throttle her.

It took me over a week to read A Place Called Sorry. Why? Because I became so emotionally involved in the book - I was so angry at the prejudice and so saddened at the injustice and treatment of the First Nations people. I became completely caught up in both the past and the present lives of Chauncey and Addie and found myself many times with tears running down my face. I was so tempted to flip ahead to the last pages and assure myself of the ending. But instead, I put the book down and walked away, returning to unfold the story as Milner wrote it. The ending? Couldn't have been better. "Loving someone does not require their presence in your life. Sometimes forgiveness is simply remembering that love."

Milner herself makes her home in British Columbia. Her descriptions of the land painted vivid mental images for me. Her exploration of the past was simply outstanding, blending fact and fiction together. "We're the newcomers here. There's something to be said about our European arrogance of believing it's our God-given right to go wherever and however we please. "The Chilcotin War was real -  and the reverberations have echoed across the decades. The B.C. government only last year apologized to the Tsilhqot’in people.

Readers will know of my love for book covers - this one is absolutely perfect for the story. As is the book itself - A Place Called Sorry was a five star read for me - absolutely recommended!

"Donna Milner is the author of four novels, including Somewhere In-Between, A Place Called Sorry, the internationally acclaimed After River, which was published in twelve countries and translated into eight languages, and The Promise of Rain, which was a Globe and Mail top 100 pick for 2010. Born Donna Jonas in Victoria, British Columbia, Donna spent her childhood in Vancouver. As an adult she relocated to the town of Rossland in the heart of BC’s West Kootenay, and ten years later moved to the central interior city of Williams Lake. She now lives in an off-the-grid, eco-friendly lakeside home in the Cariboo woods with her husband, Tom, and their dog, Beau." You can connect with Donna Milner on her website and find her on Facebook

Giveaway - Paper Towns on Blu-ray/DVD

Yes, you read that right! Fox Home Entertainment has just released Paper Towns on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD.........and I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!!

"After the phenomenal success of The Fault in Our Stars, author John Green returns with another heart-warming tale in PAPER TOWNS, available on Blu-ray™ and DVD October 20th. The story focuses on Quentin (Nat Wolff), a high school senior who has been in love with his enigmatic neighbor Margo (Cara Delevingne) since childhood. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears–leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Q must find a deeper understanding of friendship–and true love."

PAPER TOWNS BLU-RAY™ SPECIAL FEATURES:
**Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Jake Schreier and John Green**MinivanMargo Leaves Clues **Be Yourself**Teenage Rebellion**Alternate Scene: “Shake It Off”**Paper Towns: The Making Of Playing out the Strings**Building a Paper Town**John Green on Set**John and Nat: Lightning Round John and Cara: Lightning Round**Gag Reel**Promotional Featurettes: Van Chats,Memorable Moments,Coming of Age,Road Trips,Lurlene**Audio Commentary by Jake Schreier and John Green**Gallery,**Theatrical Trailer.

 

Enter to win using the Rafflecopter form below.
Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends November 14/15

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Paper Towns - Review And Giveaway

I have a great fondness for 'teen' movies. And movies made from great YA books. Paper Towns is the second John Green book to make it to the big screen. "

"The story focuses on Quentin (Nat Wolff), a high school senior who has been in love with his enigmatic neighbor Margo (Cara Delevingne) since childhood. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears–leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Q must find a deeper understanding of friendship–and true love."

I thought Wolff played a great 'geek', an innocent just discovering the first of many things in the countdown to the end of high school. Delevingne has a lovely gravelly voice and a manner about her that suggests a mystery. They were great choices for the lead character. There was a fun cameo from Ansel Elgort too!

When I first read the book, I was fascinated by the idea of Paper Towns - yes it's a real thing, not a catchy made up title. There are a few differences from book to movie, but none that detract at all.

And although Green is a young adult writer, there are lots of truths in his books for anyone and everyone....

"You have to get lost before you find yourself." "Maybe we all won't win the lottery or marry royalty or make that last minute shot. But that doesn't mean we won't have amazing adventures, meet exceptional people and make indelible memories."

I had fun making some memories by scrap booking and watching the movie today!
 #PaperTownsMemories  @FHEInsiders  @FoxHomeEnt  @PaperTownsMovie
#PaperTownsInsiders

And if it sounds like a movie you'd like to own, enter to win a copy using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada, ends November 14/15.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover #76

- You can't judge a book by its cover - which is very true.

But you can like one cover version better than another.....

US cover

UK cover

Okay, don't get all excited - well maybe a little bit. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn isn't a full book, but a reprinted short story that originally appeared as 'What Do You Do?' in George R. R. Martin's Rogues anthology. Still, I would like to read it. So, the US cover is on the left and the UK cover is on the right. Hands down the UK cover this week! I much prefer that dark mysterious look than the third eye of the US cover. What about you? Which cover do you prefer? Have you read this short story already?
You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover is a regular Saturday feature
 at A Bookworm's World.

Over the Counter #286

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? Well, this week it's two books I spied on some new release lists.....and I was missing my old border collie who passed away this summer.

First up is The Dogist: Photographic Encounters with 1,000 Dogs Hardcover by Elias Weiss Friedman.

From the publisher, Artisan Books:

"The Dogist is a beautiful, funny, and inspiring tribute to the beloved dogs in our lives. Every page presents dog portraits that command our attention. Whether because of the look in a dog’s eyes, its innate beauty, or even the clothes its owner has dressed it in, the photos will make you ooh and aah, laugh, and fall in love. Photographed by Elias Weiss Friedman, aka The Dogist, every portrait in the book tells a story and explores the dog’s distinct character and spirit. Themed sections include Puppies, Cones of Shame, Working Dogs, and Dogs in Fancy Outfits, giving every dog lover something to pore over."

Next up is My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts by by Laura T. Coffey (Author) and Lori Fusaro (Photographer).

From the publisher, New World Library:

"No Dog Should Die Alone” was the attention-grabbing — and heart-stirring — headline of journalist Laura T. Coffey’s TODAY show website story about photographer Lori Fusaro’s work with senior shelter pets. While generally calm, easy, and already house-trained, these animals often represent the highest-risk population at shelters. With gorgeous, joyful photographs and sweet, funny, true tales of “old dogs learning new tricks,” Coffey and Fusaro show that adopting a senior can be even more rewarding than choosing a younger dog. You’ll meet endearing elders like Marnie, the irresistible shih tzu who has posed for selfies with Tina Fey, James Franco, and Betty White; Remy, a soulful nine-year-old dog adopted by elderly nuns; George Clooney’s cocker spaniel, Einstein; and Bretagne, the last known surviving search dog from Ground Zero. They may be slower moving and a tad less exuberant than puppies, but these pooches prove that adopting a senior brings immeasurable joy, earnest devotion, and unconditional love."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)

The Great Christmas Knit-Off - Alexandra Brown

You might just be saying to yourself - Christmas books already Luanne?! Well, I've had snow at my place already. And yes, I'm going to say it.....only nine weeks 'til Christmas. I absolutely adore reading Christmas stories in the weeks leading up to the 25th.

And here's one feel good read you absolutely need to put on your Christmas reading list - The Great Christmas Knit-Off by Alexandra Brown.

Sybil's life has unraveled - she's been jilted, left at the alter by her ex-fiancee - who took off with her twin sister - at work, she may be the one responsible for a large amount of missing money, transferred with a mistaken key stroke - and more. When her bestie takes over running a wee little pub in the village of Tindledale, Sybs decides to visit and get away from her life for a weekend.

Uh huh, you know what's coming don't you? Warm, wonderful, friendly, quirky characters inhabit the village of Tindledale and Sybs is immediately welcomed. When she discovers a wool shop, she knows she's found a kindred spirit in Hettie, the aged owner. But Hettie's nephew is determined to put her in a home and take over her property. Oh, and did I mention the handsome (single) village doctor?

Sybil is a character the reader is immediately drawn to - she's someone you'd love to have as a friend. The reader can't help but cheer her on as she starts to reclaim her life and move forward. There's a lovely sense of community as the residents work together to save Hettie's store. Romance of course figures into the plot - with the requisite missteps, mistakes and miscommunication. Good and bad (that nasty nephew) battle and there are many poignant moments with Hettie as her past is explored and revealed.

Me? I'd love to be part of the knit and natter group. (There's also a pattern included at the back of the book for one of Sybil's projects.) Or settle in for a pint at the Duck and Puddle and catch up on the latest. Make yourself a warm cup of tea - or better yet a cup of cocoa - and settle in for a perfect, heartwarming Christmas read. (This is the first book in Brown's new series set in Tindledale.) Read an excerpt of The Great Christmas Knit-Off.

Alexandra Brown began her writing career as the City Girl columnist for the London Paper. She wrote the weekly column—a satirical diary account of her time working in the corporate world of London—for two years before giving it up to concentrate on writing novels and is now the author of the Cupcakes at Carrington's books. Set in a department store in the pretty seaside town of Mulberry-On-Sea, the series follows the life, loves and laughs of sales assistant Georgie Hart. The Great Christmas Knit-Off is Alexandra's fourth book and the first in a new series set in the fictional village of Tindledale, following the lives of all the characters there. Alexandra lives in a real village near the south coast of England with her husband, daughter and a very shiny black Labrador retriever. Find out more about Alexandra at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. See what others on the TLC book tour thought - full schedule can be found here.

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn - Kristi Belcamino

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn is the fourth book in Kristi Belcamino's Gabriella Giovanni series.

Belcamino's choice of lead characters opens up a world of possibilities in terms of  plots. Gabriella is a crime reporter in San Francisco and her partner Sean Donovan is a police detective.

The past plays a large part in Blessed Are Those Who Mourn. Belcamino provides enough back story that this first time reader didn't feel at a loss at all.

Someone is murdering women - and leaving taunting clues - bible verses - that mirror those left decades ago when Ella's sister was taken. And then the unthinkable - Ella and Sean's daughter Grace is snatched. And nothing will stop Gabriella from getting her back......

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn is an emotional, desperate, fast paced, action filled race to the final pages.

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn is written in first person from Gabriella's view. It is her thoughts, her actions and her feelings that drive the book. Family, love and loyalty play a large part. Gabriella is a member of close knit Italian famiglia. Those relationships are explored and filled out, again providing fodder for other stories in the future. Religion and bit of mysticism also factor into Ella's life.

The 'bad guy', although despicable, never really jumped off the page for me. I thought his reasons for his action a bit far-fetched. But then again, who am I to say what crazy does?

Belcamino has written what she knows - she herself was a police reporter, comes from an Italian family and worked in the Bay Area setting she has chosen for her book. Her first  Macavity and Anthony Award-nominated book - Blessed Are the Dead - was inspired by her dealings with a serial killer during her life as a Bay Area crime reporter.

Read an excerpt of Blessed Are Those Mourn. Fans of Tami Hoag and Iris Johansen would enjoy this series.

Kristi Belcamino is a writer, photographer, and artist. In her former life as a newspaper crime reporter in California, she flew over Big Sur in an FA-18 jet with the Blue Angels, raced a Dodge Viper at Laguna Seca, watched autopsies, and interviewed serial killers. She is now a journalist based in Minneapolis and the Gabriella Giovanni mysteries are her first books. Find Kristi on Facebook or on Twitter @KristiBelcamino as well as her website.

Giveaway - Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise - Oscar Hijuelos

Good morning historical fiction fans! I've got a wonderful giveaway (3 copies!) for you today - Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise by Oscar Hijuelos.

From Grand Central Publishing:

"Twain Stanley Enter Paradise, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos, is a luminous work of fiction inspired by the real-life, 37-year friendship between two towering figures of the late nineteenth century, famed writer and humorist Mark Twain and legendary explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley.

Hijuelos was fascinated by the Twain-Stanley connection and eventually began researching and writing a novel that used the scant historical record of their relationship as a starting point for a more detailed fictional account. It was a labor of love for Hijuelos, who worked on the project for more than ten years, publishing other novels along the way but always returning to Twain and Stanley; indeed, he was still revising the manuscript the day before his sudden passing in 2013. The resulting novel is a richly woven tapestry of people and events that is unique among the author's works, both in theme and structure. Hijuelos ingeniously blends correspondence, memoir, and third-person omniscience to explore the intersection of these Victorian giants in a long vanished world.

From their early days as journalists in the American West, to their admiration and support of each other's writing, their mutual hatred of slavery, their social life together in the dazzling literary circles of the period, and even a mysterious journey to Cuba to search for Stanley's adoptive father, Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise superbly channels two vibrant but very different figures. It is also a study of Twain's complex bond with Mrs. Stanley, the bohemian portrait artist Dorothy Tennant, who introduces Twain and his wife to the world of séances and mediums after the tragic death of their daughter.

A compelling and deeply felt historical fantasia that utilizes the full range of Hijuelos' gifts, Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise stands as an unforgettable coda to a brilliant writing career.

Oscar Hijuelos (1951-2013), was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and recipient of the Rome Prize. He also received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation. His nine novels have been translated into more than 30 languages."

Entertainment Weekly has listed Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise as one of its "13 blockbuster novels to look out for this fall".

"An extraordinary feat of imaginative historical re-creation." - Booklist

And if it sounds like a book you'd like to own and read, I have three copies to giveaway. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. 

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Ends Oct. 31/15.

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You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover #75

- You can't judge a book by its cover - which is very true.

But you can like one cover version better than another.....

Patricia Cornwell releases the 23rd Kay Scarpetta novel, Depraved Heart, in late October on both sides of the pond. The US cover is on the left and the UK cover is on the right. It looks like a tunnel with a light at the end plays a significant role in the novel. I think I'm going to go with the UK cover this week. I just like their tunnel picture better. The US type is too large for me. Are you planning on reading Depraved Heart? Which cover do you prefer? You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover is a regular Saturday feature at A Bookworm's World.

Film on Friday #43 - Woodlawn

Woodlawn releases in theaters everywhere today. (October 16/15) I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek - and it's definitely a movie worth seeing.

"Woodlawn is  based on the true story of how love and unity overcame hate and division in early 1970s Birmingham, Ala. Tony Nathan (newcomer Caleb Castille) lands in a powder keg of anger and violence when he joins fellow African-American students at Woodlawn High School after its government-mandated desegregation in 1973. The Woodlawn Colonels football team is a microcosm of the problems at the school and in the city, which erupts in cross burnings and riots. Coach Tandy Gerelds (Nic Bishop) is at a loss to solve these unprecedented challenges with his disciplinarian ways.

It’s only when Hank (Sean Astin), an outsider who has been radically affected by the message of hope and love he experienced at a Christian revival meeting, convinces Coach Gerelds to let him speak to the team that something truly remarkable begins to happen. More than 40 players, nearly the entire team, black and white, give their lives over to the “better way” Hank tells them is possible through following Jesus, and the change is so profound in them it affects their coach, their school and their community in ways no one could have imagined." Also starring Academy Award winner Jon Voight.

Wow. The opening scenes of Woodlawn are gut-wrenching. Historical news footage of 1973 Birmingham, the desegregation of schools and the violence surrounding this time only served to underline and emphasize the setting and time frame of the movie. This isn't an imagined story - this is real. And not so very long ago. Birmingham? It was the most thoroughly segregated city in the US. And had the sad nickname of Bombingham, due to the over 50 racial bombings that occurred in the city beginning in 1947. In 1963, then governor George Wallace declared that schools would never be desegregated.

Unbelievable right? But this is the part that is even more unbelievable - that a racially charged sports team and school accepted Hank's message of faith  - and that message spread.

Every actor did a phenomenal job, but props go out to newcomer Caleb Castille - I thought he was really good. I was glued to my screen the entire film, caught up in this recreation of actual events. Just incredibly well done from the actors, to the set, recreating time and place, the football games - and the inclusion of historical footage.

And as I watched, I was outraged, I cried, but I also laughed and I felt a sense of hope. If this could happen in that time and place.....just maybe it can happen again - and again and again.

This is a fantastic film with an uplifting, powerful message of belief, faith, hope and of change. Check out the trailer below. And don't forget to enter to win a Woodlawn prizepack here.

From Director Andy Erwin: "Woodlawn is a special movie with a perspective that America – believer and nonbeliever alike – needs to hear today. “I’m passionate about the truth that the only way to overcome hate is by a greater law – and that’s love and forgiveness. And Jesus is the ultimate way to receive and give both love and forgiveness."

Over the Counter #285

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? A little more serious this week - two memoirs that deal with mental illness and mental health.

First up is Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

From the publisher, Flatiron Books:

"In Furiously Happy, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea.But terrible ideas are what Jenny does best.

As Jenny says: "Some people might think that being 'furiously happy' is just an excuse to be stupid and irresponsible and invite a herd of kangaroos over to your house without telling your husband first because you suspect he would say no since he's never particularly liked kangaroos. And that would be ridiculous because no one would invite a herd of kangaroos into their house. Two is the limit. I speak from personal experience. My husband says that none is the new limit. I say he should have been clearer about that before I rented all those kangaroos.

"Most of my favorite people are dangerously fucked-up but you'd never guess because we've learned to bare it so honestly that it becomes the new normal. Like John Hughes wrote in The Breakfast Club, 'We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it.' Except go back and cross out the word 'hiding.'"

Furiously Happy is about "taking those moments when things are fine and making them amazing, because those moments are what make us who we are, and they're the same moments we take into battle with us when our brains declare war on our very existence. It's the difference between "surviving life" and "living life". It's the difference between "taking a shower" and "teaching your monkey butler how to shampoo your hair." It's the difference between being "sane" and being "furiously happy."

Lawson is beloved around the world for her inimitable humor and honesty, and in Furiously Happy, she is at her snort-inducing funniest. This is a book about embracing everything that makes us who we are - the beautiful and the flawed - and then using it to find joy in fantastic and outrageous ways. Because as Jenny's mom says, "Maybe 'crazy' isn't so bad after all." Sometimes crazy is just right."

Next up is Fast Girl: A Life Spent Running From Madness by Suzy Favor Hamilton.

"The former middle distance Olympic runner and high-end escort speaks out for the first time about her battle with mental illness, and how mania controlled and compelled her in competition, but also in life. This is a heartbreakingly honest yet hopeful memoir reminiscent of Manic, Electroboy, and An Unquiet Mind. During the 1990s, three-time Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton was the darling of American track and field. An outstanding runner, a major sports apparel spokesperson, and a happily married wife, she was the model for an active, healthy, and wholesome life. But her perfect facade masked a dark truth: manic depression and bipolar disorder that drove her obsession to perform and win. For years after leaving the track, Suzy wrestled with her condition, as well as the loss of a close friend, conflicted feelings about motherhood and her marriage, and lingering shame about her athletic career. After a misdiagnosis and a recommendation for medication that only exacerbated her mania and made her hypersexual, Suzy embarked on a new path, and assumed a new identity. Fueled by a newfound confidence, a feeling of strength and independence and a desire she couldn’t tamp down, she became a high-priced escort in Las Vegas, working as “Kelly.”

But Suzy could not keep her double life a secret forever. When it was eventually exposed, it sent her into a reckless suicidal period where the only option seemed out. Finally, with the help of her devoted husband, Suzy finally got the proper medical help she needed. In this startling frank memoir, she recounts the journey to outrun her demons, revealing how a woman used to physically controlling her body learned to come to terms with her unstable mind. It is the story of a how a supreme competitor scored her most important victory of all—reclaiming her life from the ravages of an untreated mental illness. Today, thanks to diagnosis, therapy, Kelly has stepped into the shadows, but Suzy is building a better life, one day at a time. Sharing her story, Suzy is determined to raise awareness, provide understanding, and offer inspiration to others coping with their own challenges."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)

A Line of Blood - Ben McPherson

A Line of Blood is Ben McPherson's debut novel.

Alex Mercer and his eleven year old son Max are trying to retrieve their cat when it runs into a neighbour's yard and then through his backdoor. Hesitating, Alex calls out. When there's no answer he enters and chases the cat upstairs. Mistake. The neighbour is home and in the bathtub. But - he's dead - an apparent suicide.

However, the police have questions and decide to open an investigation. And as they question Alex, his wife Millicent and even Max, it appears that each member of the Mercer family is keeping secrets.

There is a unsettling tone in the dialogue and actions of the main characters. Something is decidedly 'off' with this family. The reader is kept off kilter as pieces of the past are revealed. McPherson uses foreshadowing to great effect. The current story is just as unpredictable and well, jarring. I was caught up in the uncertainty of what had really happened to the neighbour. I had my suspicions.....

This is the kind of book I love - twisty, turny psychological thrillers. But....I (really) didn't like the characters at all. Now, I know this is not a prerequisite to enjoying a novel. But as the story progressed, I truly questioned whether a couple would tolerate each other's behavior in order to preserve 'their little tribe.' And if they should even be allowed to keep their child. That being said, the publisher's blurb includes the following - "A Line of Blood explores what it means to be a family—the ties that bind us, and the lies that can destroy us if we're not careful." Still, I thought it stretched credulity.

But I never considered putting the book down. That off kilter uncertainty kept me turning pages to the end reveal. My suspicions on 'whodunit' were proven correct - it's fairly well telegraphed. But I was left with my own uncertainty - I enjoyed the book, but not as much as I wanted to. I think I went in expecting more suspense, less character study. Still, I would pick up McPherson's next book. Read an excerpt of A Line of Blood.

Ben McPherson is a television producer, director, and writer and for more than ten years worked for the BBC, among other outlets. He is currently a columnist for Aftenposten, Norway's leading quality daily, and lives in Oslo with his wife and two children. Find Ben on Twitter and Facebook. See what others on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

The Guise of Another - Allen Eskens

The Guise of Another by Allen Eskens is the follow up to his award winning debut novel The Life We Bury.  And he's crafted another great read!

There's a clever tie in connecting the two books. Detective Max Rupert was the homicide cop in The Life We Bury. But it is his younger brother Alexander who takes the lead role in The Guise of Another. Alexander is also a cop, but one demoted down to the Fraud Squad, pending the outcome of an internal investigation. A possible identity theft case that crosses his desk is much more involved than it appears on first glance.

"That night, James Erkel Putnam - a man who walked in daylight, but lived in shadows, a man who thought he had all the time in the world to seek forgiveness for his many sins - never stood a chance."

Alexander dives in, determined to salvage his reputation and his job by solving the case. And this reader also dived in and didn't look up 'til the wee hours of the morning! I desperately wanted to know who this man was and why he was living under another name. What did he do?

Eskens' first book was lighter in tone with innocent protagonists. This time, it's darker, with a decidedly noir feel to the story that I quite enjoyed. Is Alexander truly the innocent he proclaims? His self destructive behavior leaves the reader wondering.

I was kept on my toes the entire tale, not sure where Eskens was going to take his story. Throw in a nasty hitman, something quite valuable that everyone wants to get their hands on, more than one duplicitous woman and the plot thickens. But amongst all that, Eskens explores the relationships between the two brothers, between Alex and his wife and a few others.

The title is quite apt, applying to the dead man, but also to almost every other character, most who seem to be hiding something. Even 'good' brother Max Rupert, who is hands down my favourite character. I'd love to see him in another book, even in a peripheral role.

Another excellent page turner from Eskens. I highly recommend his books. Eskens is firmly on my must read list - I'll be eagerly awaiting his third novel. Read an excerpt of The Guise of Another.

You can connect with Allen Eskens on his website, follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook.

Giveaway - WOODLAWN - prize pack

I love movies - but the ones I enjoy the most are those based on true stories.

Woodlawn is one of those true stories - and it's an amazing one. The movie releases in theaters everywhere on Friday, October 16/15. To celebrate, I have a Woodlawn prize pack to giveaway to one lucky reader!

But let me tell you why Woodlawn is such an amazing film.... Here's the synopsis:

"From Pure Flix (God's Not Dead, Do You Believe?), Roma Downey and Mark Burnett (The Bible, Son of God) and the Erwin Brothers (Mom's Night Out, October Baby) comes Woodlawn, an exhilarating high school football drama and remarkable true story of how love and unity overcame racism and hate in early 1970s Birmingham, Alabama. Starring Academy Award winner Jon Voight, Sean Astin, Nic Bishop and newcomer Caleb Castille, Woodlawn depicts the spiritual awakening that captured the hearts of a team and unified an entire city."

"A gifted high school football player must learn to boldly embrace his talent and his faith as he battles racial tensions on and off the field in Woodlawn, a moving and inspirational new film based on the true story of how love and unity overcame hate and division in early 1970s Birmingham, Ala. Tony Nathan (newcomer Caleb Castille) lands in a powder keg of anger and violence when he joins fellow African-American students at Woodlawn High School after its government-mandated desegregation in 1973. The Woodlawn Colonels football team is a microcosm of the problems at the school and in the city, which erupts in cross burnings and riots, and Coach Tandy Gerelds (Nic Bishop) is at a loss to solve these unprecedented challenges with his disciplinarian ways.

It’s only when Hank (Sean Astin), an outsider who has been radically affected by the message of hope and love he experienced at a Christian revival meeting, convinces Coach Gerelds to let him speak to the team that something truly remarkable begins to happen. More than 40 players, nearly the entire team, black and white, give their lives over to the “better way” Hank tells them is possible through following Jesus, and the change is so profound in them it affects their coach, their school and their community in ways no one could have imagined."

Get a sneak peek - watch the trailer below. I'll be watching - look for my review.....

The prize pack includes: 

• A Woodlawn football tee-shirt
• Woodlawn by Todd Geralds, on which the movie is based:
• Touchdown Tony, by Tony Nathan, the autobiography of the superstar player on whose life the film is based
• When God Shows Up, by Robert Noland, a 40-day devotional tied to the themes of the film

Enter to win, using the Rafflecopter form below. US only. Ends Oct 24/15.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover #74

- You can't judge a book by its cover - which is very true.

 But you can like one cover version better than another.....

US cover

UK cover

Ben McPherson's debut novel - A Line of Blood- is on my ever growing TBR list. The US cover is on the left and the UK cover is on the right.  "A father and son discover their dead neighbor while searching for their missing cat. At first glance, it appears to be a suicide, but the police investigation suggests it may have been a murder. There are multiple suspects, each with a damning motive." Right up my alley. I'm going with the US this week. The UK is too realistic and almost lurid. I prefer the colours and blurred picture on the US cover. Do you plan to read A Line of Blood? Which cover do you prefer? 

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover is a regular Saturday feature 

at A Bookworm's World.

The Life We Bury - Allen Eskens

I only discovered Allen Eskens when I read a synopsis of his forthcoming second novel, The Guise of Another. His first book is The Life We Bury - and this is what I found when I went to read about it....

"The Life We Bury, winner of the Rosebud Award for Best First Mystery Novel, has been named a finalist for five additional awards including the prestigious Edgar® Award for Best First Novel. It was chosen by Suspense Magazine and MysteryPeople as one of the best books of 2014, and called a "masterful debut" in a starred review by Publishers Weekly." How did I miss this book?!

Joe Talbert is trying to make a life for himself. He's escaped his manipulative, dysfunctional mother, moved away and is working hard to put himself through college. His only regret is that his autistic brother is still with his mother. A routine English assignment asking students to interview and write about someone 'with an interesting life' leads Joe to a nursing home.....and to inmate Carl Iverson, who is dying of cancer.

Carl is infamous - he has spent thirty years in prison for raping and killing a young girl - all the while proclaiming he didn't do it. As Joe digs deeper with the help of his enigmatic neighbour Lila, he begins to have doubts about Carl's conviction as well.

What an excellent read! I really liked Joe as the protagonist, rather than a 'formal' detective. I appreciated the depth Eskens has given to his lead character. I was just as interested in the secondary story line involving his mother and brother as I was in the mystery. And it wasn't just the lead player who had a 'full' story. Carl's life is uncovered, bit by bit, as Joe investigates. Carl's background is unsettling and had me firmly in his corner as I too began to doubt his conviction.

Eskens deftly combines his mystery with excellent character studies and an exploration of many themes - family relationships, war, obligation, love, abuse and more.

The Life We Bury was a fitting title. Every character, 'good' and 'bad' has something in their lives they choose to hide, buried beneath the light of day. Read an excerpt of The Life We Bury.

Such a great debut! And an intriguing, satisfying read. Eskens is now firmly planted on my must read list. I'm off to start The Guise of Another - watch for my review. You can connect with Allen Eskens on his website, follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook.

Over the Counter #284

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? Two new non-fiction titles - from down on the farm. 'And on this farm he had a pig...and a cow.'

First up is Pig Tales: An Omnivore's Quest for Sustainable Meat by Barry Estabrook.

From the publisher, W.W. Norton:

"An eye-opening investigation of the commercial pork industry and an inspiring alternative to the way pigs are raised and consumed in America.

Barry Estabrook, author of the New York Times bestseller Tomatoland and a writer of “great skill and compassion” (Eric Schlosser), now explores the dark side of the American pork industry. Drawing on his personal experiences raising pigs as well as his sharp investigative instincts, Estabrook covers the range of the human-porcine experience. He embarks on nocturnal feral pig hunts in Texas. He visits farmers who raise animals in vast confinement barns for Smithfield and Tyson, two of the country’s biggest pork producers. And he describes the threat of infectious disease and the possible contamination of our food supply. Through these stories shines Estabrook’s abiding love for these remarkable creatures. Pigs are social, self-aware, and playful, not to mention smart enough to master the typical house dog commands of “sit, stay, come” twice as fast as your average pooch. With the cognitive abilities of at least three-year-olds, they can even learn to operate a modified computer. Unfortunately for the pigs, they’re also delicious to eat.

Estabrook shows how these creatures are all too often subjected to lives of suffering in confinement and squalor, sustained on a drug-laced diet just long enough to reach slaughter weight, then killed on mechanized disassembly lines. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Pig Tales presents a lively portrait of those farmers who are taking an alternative approach, like one Danish producer that has a far more eco-friendly and humane system of pork production, and new, small family farms with free-range heritage pigs raised on antibiotic-free diets. It is possible to raise pigs responsibly and respectfully in a way that is good for producers, consumers, and some of the top chefs in America.

Provocative, witty, and deeply informed, Pig Tales is bound to spark conversation at dinner tables across America."

Next up is Cowed: The Hidden Impact of 93 Million Cows on America's Health, Economy, Politics, Culture and Environment by Denis Hayes and Gail Boyer Hayes.

Also from W.W.Norton:

" From leading ecology advocates, a revealing look at our dependence on cows and a passionate appeal for sustainable living.

In Cowed, globally recognized environmentalists Denis and Gail Boyer Hayes offer a revealing analysis of how our beneficial, centuries-old relationship with bovines has evolved into one that now endangers us.

Long ago, cows provided food and labor to settlers taming the wild frontier and helped the loggers, ranchers, and farmers who shaped the country’s landscape. Our society is built on the backs of bovines who indelibly stamped our culture, politics, and economics. But our national herd has doubled in size over the past hundred years to 93 million, with devastating consequences for the country’s soil and water. Our love affair with dairy and hamburgers doesn’t help either: eating one pound of beef produces a greater carbon footprint than burning a gallon of gasoline.

Denis and Gail Hayes begin their story by tracing the co-evolution of cows and humans, starting with majestic horned aurochs, before taking us through the birth of today’s feedlot farms and the threat of mad cow disease. The authors show how cattle farming today has depleted America’s largest aquifer, created festering lagoons of animal waste, and drastically increased methane production.

In their quest to find fresh solutions to our bovine problem, the authors take us to farms across the country from Vermont to Washington. They visit worm ranchers who compost cow waste, learn that feeding cows oregano yields surprising benefits, talk to sustainable farmers who care for their cows while contributing to their communities, and point toward a future in which we eat less, but better, beef. In a deeply researched, engagingly personal narrative, Denis and Gail Hayes provide a glimpse into what we can do now to provide a better future for cows, humans, and the world we inhabit. They show how our relationship with cows is part of the story of America itself."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)

Pretty Girls - Karin Slaughter

A few weeks ago, I blogged about a short story by Karin Slaughter - Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes. (review here) That story was a prequel to her just released stand alone novel - Pretty Girls. The short story had me riveted, unable to stop reading until I finished.

The book? I truly couldn't put it down...... Let me fill you in.....

"More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teen aged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that's cruelly ripped open when Claire's husband is killed.

The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago . . . and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it."

Claire and Lydia are well drawn characters. I was immediately drawn to Lydia, but never overly liked Claire. But, the relationships between the main characters is believable. Excerpts from their father Sam's journals are heartbreaking as he details his attempts over the years to find the missing Julia. The aftermath and effect of a crime on a family is deftly explored.

The premise is dark and disturbing, but it is Slaughter's writing that sucks the reader in and just never lets up. There's an undercurrent thrumming beneath the surface of Slaughter's prose, ominous and seriously frightening. No spoilers - but OMG - the twists and turns that she throws in are crazy. Who is telling the truth? Who can Lydia and Claire trust? Can they rely on each other? And the bad guy? Terrifying. Slaughter's portrayal of a psychopath had me looking sideways at library patrons all week.....

Lock the door, turn up the lights - and be prepared to stay up late.  Fair warning to gentle readers - this one is not for you - there is graphic violence depicted as well as some very disturbing situations. Read an excerpt of Pretty Girls.

"Karin Slaughter is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including the Will Trent and Grant County series and the instant New York Times bestseller Cop Town. There are more than 30 million copies of her books in print around the world." Find out more about Karin at her website and connect with her on Facebook. I've read every book Slaughter has written and she is absolutely one of my favourite crime writers. See what others on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

Get Crafty With DK Canada

I love making things. Most times they turn out - and sometimes they don't. Either way it's just fun to try different crafts. And I've tried many!

But the one I return to time and time again is quilting. I'm not an expert, but I think the recipients of my quilts have been happy!

DK Canada has put together some suggestions for those of you looking to 'get crafty' in their Craft Boutique.

The one thing a quilter can't have is enough fabric. But the next best thing? Uh huh - quilting books!

Quilting: Patchwork and Appliqué is now happily living on the book shelf in my sewing room.

The basics are included to get a new stitcher started - information on tools, fabrics, design, techniques and more. The next section has a small block gallery and the techniques needed to put the pieces together. (Hand piecing is included, but I'm a die hard machine quilter) And even though I've already quilted, I found a few good tips. I've avoided hexagons but think I'll  them a try using the set in seams outline on page 101. Paper piecing is another technique I've avoided - but there is a good tutorial on this as well. DK books always have clear instructions accompanied by great detailed colour photos that make it easy to follow along. Most of the demonstrated techniques have a project included to practice the skills from that section - pillows, coaster, bags etc.

I only started appliquè last year, but have found I really enjoy it. Applique is a technique where a shape is cut out, applied to another fabric and decorative stitching binds the two. There are various ways to apply the two fabrics and again, all the instructions are detailed with colour photos. (and projects!)

What about the quilting itself? Again, many techniques and ideas included. Both machine and hand quilting instructions are detailed. There are patterns for many different full size quilts at the end of the book. There's a sailboat quilt that I am absolutely going to make - it would make a great baby gift.

Beginners will find Quilting: Patchwork and Appliquè an invaluable resource. And seasoned - or somewhat seasoned ;0) - quilters will love adding this book to their collection!