Winners - Giveaway - Mix Shake Stir

And the three lucky winners (chosen by random.org) who will whipping up fabulous new drinks from the recipes in Mix Shake Stir this summer courtesy of The Hachette Book Group are:

1. Patti V
2. Christyrenee
3. Deborah

Thanks to everyone who shared their plans and memories of the summer! I've contacted the winners by email for your mailing addresses. Please respond within 48 hours. Check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!
**Updated June 05 - Kytaira just let me know she has already won a copy ( buy lottery tickets!) so the next on the list has been notified.**
** Updated June 07 - Really it shouldn't be this hard to give away a book...on to the next person, no reply from the above replacement...sigh..**

BBC Audiobooks America to launch an Audiobook Club.

For those of you who enjoy audiobooks, I came across this announcement the other day.

"BBC Audiobooks America is launching a book club, but not just any book club, an Audiobook Club. Catering to the iPod generation, this twenty-first century book club aims to introduce a new generation to the audiobook and to put a new spin on summer “reading.”

The audiobook club itself is virtual, and open to anyone in the United States and Canada. The club will moderate an open discussion at the end of the month which will take place online and will be hosted on the BBCAA’s Facebook Group’s page, giving the club a web 2.0 boost. To join the discussion one just needs to “become a fan” now and check back between June 24-28 to participate in the moderated discussion.

Launching in June, which just happens to be Audiobook Month, the club’s first “read” will be Peter Benchley’s classic, Jaws, as they hope to engage beachgoers and shark enthusiasts. The audiobook is available by CD or for digital download and can be purchased through the audiobook club’s Facebook page."

(About BBC Audiobooks America: BBC Audiobooks America is a leading publisher of distinctive single-voiced and full-cast dramatized audiobooks in the United States and Canada. They are part of BBC Audiobooks, one of the most prolific publishers of complete and unabridged audiobooks in the world today. BBC Audiobooks America publishes and distributes audiobooks to consumers on CD and MP3CD, and though online downloads under two imprints or brands: BBC Audio and BBC Radio. In addition to titles available online and through retailers, they have more than 3,000 titles for sale to libraries and institutions under our Sound Library, BBC Radio Collection and Chivers Audio Books institutional imprints.)

Interview AND Giveaway with Jill Mansell!!

I am so excited to welcome Jill Mansell to A Bookworm's World for an interview! She was kind enough to answer my many questions! Her latest North American release Miranda's Big Mistake has just landed on bookstore shelves. (My review)


Luanne: I'm thrilled that Sourcebooks is releasing your titles in North America! With twenty titles, is there one that is your personal favourite or that holds a special place for a reason?
Jill: Hi Luanne, I’m thrilled too! I love all my books of course, but I have to confess I do have an extra-soft spot for Big Mistake, and I’m not just saying that because it’s the one just coming out. The scenes outside Wimbledon tennis tournament are my favourite. I’ve never camped outside there on the pavement, but never say never. Who knows, I may get to give it a go this year!

Luanne: I've heard about the Harley Davidson pen (not sure if everyone has!) - but are there other routines you follow when writing? Same time? Same place? Or can you write anywhere?
Jill: I only really write in two places – in my bedroom, in bed, with a great view over the sports fields behind our house (Lovely sportsmen…). Or downstairs in our living room, with the TV on and lots of snacks to keep me going. I’ve just discovered the Ellen de Generes show and watch it every afternoon on cable while I’m working. I still write by hand, with my gorgeous H-D fountain pen, and my seventeen year old daughter types up my work for me, in between studying for her school exams.

Luanne: How do you plan your novels? Do you map out the entire plot at the beginning or does the book evolve as it progresses?
Jill:A bit of each. I’ll start off with one plot idea, then basically keep adding to it as the characters come to life and start doing things for themselves. I usually know what’s going to happen in the next twenty or thirty pages- after that it all gets a bit of a blur, although we do of course know that there will eventually be happy endings for those who deserve them!

Luanne: Your characters and plots are warm, witty and very funny. Where do you get your ideas/inspirations? Are any of the situations drawn from your life or those close to you?
Jill: My daughter tells me that my characters sound exactly like me and say the things I say – she finds it quite surreal! Some situations are made up, but others come from my own experiences, such as the paintballing scenario in the book. Do you have paintballing in the States? It was something I’d never done before and it left a big impression on me, so it would have been a big shame not to use it.

Luanne: What was the inspiration for Miranda's Big Mistake?
Jill: I think hair salons are fab places to spend time. The secrets! The gossip! The things people say that they wouldn’t say anywhere else! If it wasn’t for all those things, I’d never go – I’d just stay home and cut my hair myself!

Luanne: Can you give us a sneak peek into you're working on now?
Jill: I’ve just finished my next book, which is about a female limo driver and a gorgeous male sculptor who creates larger than life wire sculptures. And as it’s my birthday soon, I’ve commissioned a wire-sculptor to create me a piece for our garden! America-wise, my next book to be released is called Millie’s Fling. It’s set in Cornwall and features a best-selling author with a catastrophic love-life and a roller-skating Gorilla-gram…

Luanne: I would love to visit Great Britain some day. I'm a Canadian - have you ever been to Canada? Or any plans to come on a book tour?
Jill: I’ve never been to Canada, but would love to. It’s always a possibility, depending on how well my books sell.

Luanne: Many, many Canadians are die hard Corrie fans. (It's on 6 days a week on the CBC) What's your favourite television program? Or do you watch at all?
Jill: I watch heaps of TV and I love Corrie – I had no idea it was popular over there too! I also love ER, Oprah, America’s Got Talent and American Idol…if it moves, I’ll watch it!

Luanne: Any encouraging words for aspiring authors?
Jill: Never give up – it seems like such a cliché but it’s so true. I nearly gave up after my first book was rejected by agents. I’m so glad I didn’t. Also, write about characters you care about. Try and end each chapter with a bit of a cliffhanger. Oh yes, and never give up…

Luanne: What do you do to relax and have fun? Hobbies?
Jill: Eating out at nice restaurants is one of my favourite things. And shopping. And reading, of course.

Luanne: What's on your nightstand? (We're talking books here...)
Jill: Sarah Addison Allen’s Sugar Queen – I bought it yesterday and will start it tonight. Loved Garden Spells. I just finished Adriana Trigiani’s Very Valentine – good, but I preferred the Big Stone gap trilogy. There are so many Americanisms in VV that sometimes it’s hard to understand the story.

Luanne: I'm a nibbler when I'm blogging. What do you munch on for snacks?
Jill:Fruit gums. Crisps. (That’s potato chips.) Dried pineapple and mango. Fruit sticks. Coffee. Cheerios, straight from the packet.

Luanne: Do you have input into the cover art?
Jill: No, I leave that to the experts. I love my covers to bits.

Luanne: And this is a question that I'm hoping there is a short negative answer to - you have no plans to stop writing, do you!?
Jill: Never never never!

Luanne: Thanks so very much for stopping by! Can't wait to read Millie's Fling and find out what that gorilla-gram is all about!
Jill: Thanks Luanne. You have a great blog. I’m so happy you like my books. Love Jill x

And courtesy of Sourcebooks I have a copy of Jill Mansell's Miranda's Big Mistake to giveaway to one lucky reader! Leave a comment to be entered. Open to both US and Canada. Ends Thursday, June 25 at 6 pm EST.

Miranda's Big Mistake - Jill Mansell

Alright! The summer chick lit list just gets better and better. Make sure you add Miranda's Big Mistake! This is the second book from Brit author Jill Mansell that Sourcebooks is releasing in North America. (today in fact!)

Miranda is a hair salon trainee. She's constantly late, funny, kind to everyone - even that homeless guy who turns out to not be homeless... But I digress. She has great friends and loves her life, but is missing one thing - someone to love. When she meets Greg, she believes she's found The One.

Now Greg just happens to be the husband, yes husband, of Chloe. Chloe, who told Greg they were going to have a baby. Chloe, who Greg, upon hearing this wonderful news, promptly left.

Greg hasn't bothered to mention this little fact to Miranda. What would happen if fate intervened and Miranda and Chloe's lives crossed paths??? And that's as much as I'm going to give you!

Jill Mansell has penned yet another fresh, funny, warm story populated with people you really wish you had in your circle of friends. (Except for that Greg!) Miranda and Chloe are engaging protagonists, but the supporting characters are just as wonderful. I especially enjoyed Florence, the landlady who does her best to nudge things to go a certain way. Miranda's gorgeous boss Fenn, who surprises everyone, including himself. Danny the documentary maker, who captures Miranda on film in all her glory. Bev, her best friend constantly on the prowl for a husband.

A story of love lost and found, lost again and found again. Of friendships and the warmth of those relationships. You'll get a warm feeling from Miranda's Big Mistake. (especially if you're reading on the beach.) But seriously, an absolute romp of a read! Definitely recommended for those who love this genre. Or anyone else looking for a really great read!

And I'm excited that Sourcebooks will be bringing out more Mansell. In September - watch for Millie's Fling. Perfect Timing will be out in November.

Make sure you stop back tomorrow for an interview and giveaway with Jill!!!!!

Right of Thirst - Frank Huyler

Right of Thirst opens with cardiologist Dr. Charles Anderson saying good bye to his wife - as he assists with ending her life.

With her passing, Charles is lost, functioning but not really living. He attends a lecture by Scott Coles, who has started a relief organization to help earthquake victims in a third world country. On a whim, Charles offers to be the doctor of the refugee camp Coles is setting up.

"I suppose another world was what I wanted most."

Charles ends up in an unnamed third world country, high in the mountains, with Scott Cole's girlfriend as the other staff member as well as a resident cook and his nephew. In charge of the camp is military officer Captain Sanjit Rai.

But the refugees don't come. When they attempt to make contact with the local village, Rai discourages them. Anderson's skills are needed to help with a local child, but that is the extent of the use of his medical skills. They are visited by further military personnel, as there may be enemy action in the area, but still the camp remains empty of refugees.

Frank Huyler has created a powerful character driven novel. The interplay between the three main characters, each from a different world and their views on class, aid and life are compelling.

The title 'Right of Thirst' had me mystified in the beginning. It is explained part way through the novel and I think it is the catalyst for the entire plot.

"Our religion came from the desert. From Arabia. Water was very precious to them. And so one of our oldest laws is that we must give water to travelers. That is why we always give tea to our guests."

"Offering tea is an obligation?"

"Yes. In our scripture this is called the right of thirst."

Right of Thirst explores the obligation that Western countries and populace feel to provide aid to countries that they have deemed in need. What happens when that offering is not embraced? Charles has mixed feelings when he is at the camp. He is angry and annoyed at the local population for not being suitably impressed and thankful for what is being done for them.

"What is wrong with you people? Why do you do this? I'd like to know why I came all this way for nothing."

The reply make him even more unhappy.

"We did not ask you to come here. And now that you cannot be a hero, you are angry. You are trying to help yourself, not us."

Huyler's writing is beautiful. The detail and thought in every exchange and description is worth stopping, rereading and savouring. The juxtaposition between Western idealism and Third World reality is explored in this thought provoking and timely novel. Huyler himself is a physician and has lived in various countries. His work has a ring of authenticity. I found it especially interesting as I had just read and reviewed a memoir of a young doctor in a refugee camp.

Highly recommended. Read an excerpt of Right of Thirst, new from Harper Collins. A reading guide for book groups is also available. A portion of sales from this book are being donated to ProSorata by the author.

Winners - Giveaway - The Girl Who Stopped Swimming

And the five lucky winners (chosen by random.org) of a copy of The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, courtesy of The Hachette Book Group are:

1. John Ferris
2. Becky
3. lindaw
4. 07Violet
5. Amber

I've contacted you by email for your mailing addresses. Please respond within 48 hours. Congratulations and thanks to all who entered. Check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways.

** updated June 01- I never heard back from two of the original winners, so on to the next two on the list**

Giveaway - The Way Home (audiobook) - George Pelecanos

One more crime offering this week! Yes another George Pelecanos giveaway - this time in audio format.

Thanks to the generosity of The Hachette Book Group, I have three copies to giveaway.

What's this one about? From the publisher:

"Christopher Flynn is trying to get it right. After years of trouble and rebellion that enraged his father and nearly cost him his life, he has a steady job in his father's company, he's seriously dating a woman he respects, and, aside from the distrust that lingers in his father's eyes, his mistakes are firmly in the past.One day on the job, Chris and his partner come across a temptation almost too big to resist. Chris does the right thing, but old habits and instincts rise to the surface, threatening this new-found stability with sudden treachery and violence. With his father and his most trusted friends, he takes one last chance to blast past the demons trying to pull him back. Like Richard Price or William Kennedy, Pelecanos pushes his characters to the extremes, their redemption that much sweeter because it is so hard fought. Pelecanos has long been celebrated for his unerring ability to portray the conflicts men feel as they search and struggle for power and love in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving but can ultimately be filled with beauty."

Listen to an excerpt of The Way Home.

Watch a video trailer for the Way Home.

Read an excerpt of The Way Home.

For this giveaway, tell me why or what you like about an audiobook. An extra entry if you're a follower (let me know) Open to both US and Canada, no po boxes. Please ensure I have a way to contact you, either by email or through your blog. Giveaway ends Tuesday June 23 at 6 pm EST. Good luck and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

Winners - Giveaway - The G-Free Diet

And the three lucky winners ( chosen by random.org) of a copy of The G-Free Diet, courtesy of The Hachette Book Group are:

1. Stacie
2. Cindy
3. dolls123
4. Heather
5. KPort207

I've contacted you by email for your mailing addresses. Please respond within 48 hours. Congratulations and thanks to all who entered. Check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

Giveaway - Cemetary Dance (audiobook)- Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

If you have't discovered the writing duo of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child yet, here's your chance to listen to their latest - Cemetary Dance. Thanks to the generosity of The Hachette Book Group, I have three audiobook copies to giveaway.

Cemetary Dance bring back favourite characters (Pendergast!) from this ongoing series. (But they're great as stand alone reads as well!)

From the publisher:

"Pendergast-the world's most enigmatic FBI Special Agent-returns to New York City to investigate a murderous cult. William Smithback, a NY Times reporter, and his wife Nora Kelly, a Museum of Natural History archeologist, are brutally attacked in their apartment on the Upper West side of Manhattan. Eyewitnesses claim and the security camera confirms the killer seen leaving the building was their strange, sinister neighbor--a man who, by all reports, was already dead. Captain Hayward leads the official homocide investigation, while Pendergast, D'Agosta, and Nora undertake a private quest for the truth. Their serpentine journey takes them into a part of Manhattan they never imagined could exist: a secretive and deadly hotbed of Obeah, the West Indian Zombii cult of sorcery and magic. And it is here they find their true peril is just beginning."

Listen to an excerpt of Cemetary Dance.

Read an excerpt of Cemetary Dance.

To be entered, leave a comment. An extra entry if you are or become a follower (let me know!) Please ensure I have a way to contact you, either by email or through your blog. Open to both US and Canada, no po boxes please. Giveaway ends Saturday June 20th at 6 pm EST. Good luck and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

Giveaway - The Scarecrow (audiobook) - Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly is one of my all time favourite mystery/thriller authors.

And thanks to the generosity of The Hachette Book Group I have three audiobook copies to offer for giveaway!

What's it about? From the publisher:

"Forced out of the Los Angeles Times amid the latest budget cuts, newspaperman Jack McEvoy decides to go out with a bang, using his final days at the paper to write the definitive murder story of his career. He focuses on Alonzo Winslow, a 16-year-old drug dealer in jail after confessing to a brutal murder. But as he delves into the story, Jack realizes that Winslow's so-called confession is bogus. The kid might actually be innocent.Jack is soon running with his biggest story since The Poet made his career years ago. He is tracking a killer who operates completely below police radar--and with perfect knowledge of any move against him. Including Jack's."

Listen to an excerpt of The Scarecrow.

Read an excerpt of The Scarecrow.

Sounds great doesn't it? To be entered, simply leave a comment. And in a blatant attempt to increase my followers, an extra entry if you follow. Open to both US and Canada, no po boxes. Ends Friday June 19th at 6 pm EST.Please ensure I have a way to contact you, either by email or through your blog. Good luck and check back tomorrow for yet another giveaway!

Mating Rituals of the North American WASP - Lauren Lipton

Mating Rituals of the North American WASP is another great selection from Miriam at the Hachette Book Group for an Early Bird BlogTour!

Peggy has been living with her boyfriend Brock for seven years now. As she heads to Vegas for a friend's bachelorette party, she gives Brock an ultimatum - they need to be engaged within a year or she'll leave. Peggy has a great time in Vegas. Maybe too great. She wakes up the morning of departure to find herself (fully clothed) in bed with a nice looking man (fully clothed as well.) She has no idea who he is or what she did the night before. (Except maybe drink a little too much) She sneaks out of the room, meets up with her best friend and business partner Bex and they head back to New York.
Bex has no answer either when Peggy asks "What did I do!". But someone does. She gets her answer when she gets a call from someone named Luke - who informs her that they got married that night in Vegas! Luke is Luke Silas Sedgwick of the New Nineveh, Connecticut Sedgwicks. (said with a slightly nasal upper crust tone...) They both agree that an annulment would be appropriate. That is until Luke's great aunt makes them an offer neither can refuse. Stay married for a year and they'll inherit millions. Both need the money, so they agree to the terms.

And that's as far into the plot as I'm going to get. What follows is a tale of near hits/misses, he thinks/she thinks, missed opportunities and a fairy tale ending. Is there such a thing as love at first sight?

Lipton has crafted an entertaining read with likable characters. I especially enjoyed Aunt Abigail - a feisty 90 year old, who seems to know a bit more about Luke and Peggy than they do. The depictions of 'society' were quite funny. Bunny, Liddy, Topher, The Daughters of New England, the importance of wearing just the right clothes, not eating at get-togethers and painting your house white with black shutters provided a fun look at the 'upper crust'. Peggy herself was a great character, warm, funny and caring. Her boyfriend Brock is a perfect dolt. Luke is that fairy tale prince - poetry writing, sensitive and romantic.

None of the story will be a surprise, but Lipton has crafted a thoroughly entertaining feel good book. The movie What Happens in Vegas has a similar plot. Although, I could see Matthew McConaughey starring in a movie of Mating Rituals.

If you're looking for the perfect book to stick in your beach bag or read in the hammock (that's where I read mine!) then this is the book for you!

Want a sneak peek? Read an excerpt of Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp.

You can catch up with Lauren on her website, her blog or on Facebook.

Thanks to Drey for putting together a list of other stops on the tour for Mating Rituals fo the North American WASP.

Giveaway - The Night Gardener - George Pelecanos

Yes! Another great giveaway courtesy of The Hachette Book Group! Five copies of The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos to be won.

What's it about?

From Publishers Weekly - Starred Review.

"Pelecanos (Drama City) delivers a dignified, character-driven epic that succeeds as both literary novel and page-turner. In 1985, the body of a 14-year-old girl turns up in a Washington, D.C., park, the latest in a series of murders by a killer the media dub "The Night Gardener." T.C. Cook, the aging detective on the case, works with a quiet, almost monomaniacal, focus. Also involved are two young uniformed cops, Gus Ramone, who's diligent, conscientious and unimpressed by heroics, and Dan "Doc" Holiday, an adrenaline junkie who's decidedly less straight.Fast forward 20 years. Detective Ramone, now married with kids of his own, investigates the murder of one of his teenage son's friends. The homicide closely resembles the earlier unsolved Night Gardener murders. Holiday, now an alcoholic chauffeur and bodyguard, follows the case on his own and tracks down Cook, long retired but still obsessed with the original murders. While the three work together toward a suspenseful ending, Pelecanos emphasizes the fallacy of "solving" a murder and explores the ripple effects of violent crime on society."

Listen to an excerpt of The Night Gardener.

To be entered, simply leave a comment. Open to both US and Canada. No po boxes please. Please make sure I have a way to contact you - either by email or throught your blog. Ends June 27 at 6 pm EST. Good luck and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways.

Winners - Giveaway - The Calling

And the three lucky winners (chosen by random.org) of a copy of The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe, courtesy of McClelland & Stewart are:

1. Canadian Giveaways
2. Marie
3. Pissenlit

I've contacted you by email for your mailing addresses. Congratulations and thanks to all who entered. Check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

Crazy for the Storm - Norman Ollestad

Subtitled: A Memoir of Survival

I'm also going to reprint the small paragraph on the cover. It grabbed me and I'm sure it will do the same to you.

"On February 19, 1979, I was in a plane crash with my father, his girlfriend Sandra and the pilot of our chartered Cessna. Sandra was 30 years old. My dad was 43. I was 11. Just after sunrise, we slammed into a rugged 8,600-foot mountain engulfed in a blizzard. by the end of our nine-hour ordeal I was the only survivor."

Hooked? This is a stunning, yet heartbreaking memoir. Knowing the outcome of Crazy for the Storm in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the book.

Norman Ollestad had an unusual childhood. He literally grew up on the beaches of Topanga Beach in California, part of a surfing community. He also excelled at competitive skiing and most other areas he attempted. Behind him, encouraging him, driving him was his father, also named Norman Ollestad. The senior Ollestad was a child actor, appearing in the original "Cheaper by the Dozen" movie. He was an FBI agent, under Herbert Hoover, but quit after a year and exposed the dirty secrets of that administration in a book called Inside the FBI. He was also a successful lawyer. Ollestad himself describes his father as 'larger than life'. But he was what most people would see as a risk taker, living in and for the moment. He pushes his son to do the same.

This new release from Harper Collins Canada is told in alternating chapters. It opens with the horrendous crash and the realization of their plight. It then abruptly switches to the author's childhood. At first I found this disconcerting as I was caught up in one story or the other. But I quickly realized that this dual story telling leads us the climax, where both stories collide on the top of a mountain.

The author had what would be seen by many as an idyllic childhood. But after his parents divorced, his mother's boyfriend moved in. This man was physically and mentally abusive to both Norman and his mother, but his mother chose Nick many times over her son. Luckily young Norman has a surrogate mother in a family friend - Eleanor.

Author Norman has a difficult relationship with his father at times. He laments that he wants to be a 'normal' kid sometimes, hanging out in a neighbourhood with friends. His father instead encourages him to excel and that step beyond in surfing and skiing. It is on the way to a ski competition that the plane crashes. Some of the childhood tales are incredible. On the way to Mexico to deliver a washing machine to his grandparents, they are chased and shot at by federales. They end up living in a remote village with locals for a bit before rescuing the vehicle and continuing.

To me, this memoir seemed to be a way of honouring and making peace with his father and the loss of him after many years. It is a personal journey that we are privileged enough to share.

As an adult and parent Ollestad physically revisits his childhood home, the crash site and the people involved. He realizes that without his father pushing him all those years, he never would have survived the crash. And he can see what his father wanted him to see.

"Off the point at Topanga Beach I stared into the eye of a distant wave. Somewhere in the oval opening I grasped what Dad had always tried to make me see. There is more to life than just surviving it. Inside each turbulence there is a calm - a sliver of light buried in the darkness."

There are colour photographs included with the book - images of his father and candid shots of the family.

This is a memoir of survival - not just a plane crash, but of his life. A totally arresting read.

Read an excerpt of Crazy for the Storm.

Giveaway Winner - Follow Me - Joanna Scott

And the very lucky winner (chosen by random.org) of a copy of Follow Me by Joanna Scott, courtesy of the Hachette Book Group is:

Barbara!

I''ve contacted you via email for your mailing address. Please respond within 48 hours. Thanks to all who entered and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters

Sarah Waters is an amazing author. She has won many, many prizes for her previous novels. Her writing takes a different direction in this new release from McClelland & Stewart.

It is 1949. Britain is still feeling the effects of the war. In rural Warwickshire, Dr.Faraday is called to Hundreds Hall to check on the well being of a servant in the Ayres family home. As a child Dr. Faraday was in the house once. His mother was a nursemaid there when she was younger. He was captivated by the house, the family and their wealth. On this visit, he is dismayed by the decline of both house and family. Mrs Ayres lives there with her son Roddie, who was injured in the war and is struggling to keep the family home afloat. Daughter Caroline was called home to help when Roddie returned from the war and never left. The only live in servant left is a fourteen year old girl.

From that first visit, Dr. Faraday slowly becomes part of the family's life. He is called on often to treat Roddie. Something ails Roddie besides his physical injuries. The young servant girl insists there is something 'wrong' with the house. Caroline begins to wonder this as well, as more misfortune befalls the family.

" This house is playing parlour games with us, I think. We shan't pay it any mind if it starts up again."

She confides in Dr. Faraday and enlists his help.

" I don't know what's going on here, any more than you do. But I'd like to help you figure it out. I'll take my chances with the hungry house, don't worry about that."

This is a tale with a 'gothic' feel to it, a ghost story of sorts. But it doesn't involve overt frights or over the top scenarios. Instead it is all the more delicious for the subtle and insidious manner in which the story unfolds. Everyday items and occurrences suddenly take on a sinister bent.

The interplay between the characters is just as much a part of the story. Dr. Faraday is a bit of an enigma. He is from a lower social class than the Ayres. At times he is made painfully aware of this. At other times, the Ayres family seems to depend on him excessively. Is he there for himself, for personal gain or simply to be in the house again? The other main character Caroline is also a mystery. At times she is playful, other times aloof and practical. What does she really want from the good Doctor? Many of the other characters give us a glimpse into the social life and mores of the time period.

Waters is a master of building a story. The tension grows and we are left wondering if the house is indeed perpetrating these calamities or is it the residents of the house?

Has anyone else read this yet? I'd love to discuss the ending with you.

Read an excerpt of The Little Stranger.

Guest Post and Giveaway - Bill Surie (aka Holly Denham) Author of Holly's Inbox!

Well if you didn't read my blog yesterday, you missed my glowing review of what I think is one of the best chick lit books of the year! A Bookworm's World is thrilled to have the author of Holly's Inbox, Bill Surie (aka Holly Denham) guest posting today! I asked Bill where and how did he come up with the idea for Holly's Inbox.

"What’s grey and pink and bruised all over?”
I knew where this was heading; I just couldn’t see a way out. It was only 11 am but already his breath stank of whisky, his eyes danced and he bristled with anticipation. The director was getting ready to pounce.

I was temping there as a receptionist and couldn’t wait for the contract to end, it wasn’t so much his sense of humour, (we laughed at all his jokes, although none were funny) but being the only other male in the company he felt it necessary to wrestle with me. He would jump out at me from behind cupboard doors; and he was an elderly man (and my boss) so I never fought back.

For me temping proved to be very useful. It was able to show me just how badly you could run a company if you’re an ageing eccentric with a drink problem.
I liked temping though and finally I took a position as a recruitment consultant. A few years later I was married and along with my wife we set up our own temping agency which specialised in providing receptionists.

The idea for the site came one day when we had to trawl through an ex-employees work email account. The woman in question was single, extremely flirtatious and had always loved us to bits. We discovered she was married with four children, and couldn’t stand the sight of us. The life she was leading was so full of mystery, intrigue, romance (and many many lies) that it made me wonder what it would be like to read a story told in this way.

The basic plot had around two email exchanges a day and we launched http://www.hollysinbox.com/ . The site’s popularity spurred me on, but it soon became obvious I had grossly underestimated the amount of emails I needed each day to keep people on the site… so I began writing in real-time.

Not many people enjoy criticism, and I had always been particularly scared of receiving feedback. However Holly’s Inbox initially had a LIVE forum, where readers could immediately let off steam if they were unhappy, sometimes before I had even finished a sentence. If it wasn’t funny, they would say so (and the emails miraculously disappeared), if it was too obscure I’d make it clearer, too slow and I’d make it faster… basically they taught me to write and I will be eternally grateful to the fantastic forum fans. Holly still keeps in touch with them on Facebook and Twitter.

As the story reached it’s climax I began to panic. The site would be over and I had no idea what I was going to do next, so I began emailing as many agents as possible the web link; without knowing what I wanted from them. At last a wonderful fabulous woman replied and told me it would work in a book… and it did. Holly’s Inbox has now been translated into 6 different languages but the one place I had always dreamed about being published was of course the USA, and Sourcebooks have at last let me achieve this dream!!!! (Bill is British!)

The site has been re-launched and http://www.hollysinbox.com/ is now live with emails being sent and received by Holly Denham; I hope you like it."

Thanks Bill for stopping by! And readers - here's your chance to win a copy of Holly's Inbox, courtesy of Sourcebooks. Open to both US and Canada. Giveaway ends Tuesday June 9th at 6pm EST. Leave a comment on this post to be entered!

Winners - Giveaway - Made in the U.S.A.

And the five lucky winners (chosen by random.org) of a copy of Made in the U.S.A., courtesy of the Hachette Book Group are:

1. Little Eagle
2. Patti V
3. Angela
4. Renee
5. Sarah

I've contacted you by email for your mailing address. Please respond within 48 hours. Congratulations and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

* updated May 21 - Ladytink, Ashley and Cheryl kindly let me know they had already won a copy, so the next on the list have been notified.

Holly's Inbox - Holly Denham

Okay, get out your pen out and add Holly's Inbox to your must read chick lit list!

Holly Denham begins work as a receptionist at the banking firm of Huerst and Wright. It's a busy place, requiring two receptionists. Policy also forbids conversation unless it is business related. The next best thing? E-mail! The entire book is a series of emails from Holly's Inbox! We meet Holly's two best friends who both work at her last job - reception at a large hotel. Jason is incredibly funny, Aisha is a bit of a runaround. We get to live Holly's life vicariously through the corresponcence of these three. And really, doesn't everyone have a bit of peeping tom in them? We meet her meddling mother, her siblings (one who wants her to deliver some frozen rats to Spain) and her gran, who has just discovered the world wide web. She helps Holly out by signing her up for cheap flights and dating services.

But Holly doesn't seem to need the dating services. She begins to date one of the traders from the bank. But then.....

And that's where I'm going to stop. I don't want to spoil the story. And I could go on and on, as I couldn't put the book down. Devoured in two days! Reading it was like eating a bag of candy, one more piece, one more page until sadly the whole thing was done. Mind you, at almost 700 pages, it was satisfying!

This is an charming, amusing, entertaining read. One of the best chick lit books of the year for me. Holly's Inbox covers the first five months at her new job. I can only hope that it continues! If you'd like to check out Holly's Inbox online you can - at http://www.hollysinbox.com/. Really - it's her email account.

This was a phenomenal hit in the UK and Sourcebooks is releasing it in the US. I guarantee it will be a bit hit in North America too. Want a chance to read it yourself? Stop by tomorrow for a guest post by author Bill Surie. Who? Yes, Holly Denham is really Bill! Find out how he came to write Holly's Inbox and enter to win your own copy in tomorrow's post.

Happy Victoria Day!

WooHoo! Happy May 2 4 !!!

Or as it is formally known - Happy Victoria Day! Yes that is a picture of Queen Victoria on the left. And her birthday is a statutory holiday in Canada. Although we mark it as the beginning of summer!

Here's the official explanation:

"In Canada, the celebration of Victoria Day occurs every year on Monday, prior to May 25th. It is the official celebration in Canada of the birthdays of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. Victoria Day was established as a holiday in Canada West (Now Ontario) in 1845, and became a national holiday in 1901. Before Victoria Day became a national holiday, people had celebrated Empire Day, beginning in the 1890s as Victoria approached her Diamond jubilee in 1897. Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India was born on 24 May 1819. She ascended the throne after the death of her uncle King George IV in 1837 when she was only 18. She ruled for 63 years until her death in 1901 when her son Edward VII became King of England. "

Enjoy your day off everyone! I'm off to plant my veggie garden!