Scranton - The Electric City - Alyssa Amori

When I hear "Scranton" I immediately think of the television show The Office - set in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

But Alyssa Amori's photographic essay, Scranton The Electric City, gives a face to the name. It is those who live in a community that really see and know it the best and are able to show us the beauty of their surroundings.

I am always fascinated by architecture - it gives you such a wonderful glimpse into the history of a city or town.

Amori has covered it all, featuring shots covering the downtown area, new additions, parks and recreation, religion, statues, sports, the annual St. Patrick's Day parade and much, much more. Some of my favourites (go figure) were the Albright Memorial Library and the Lackawanna County Children's Library. Both are older, distinguished buildings, promising a suitable home for books! I was surprised by some of the pictures - great ski resort - who knew? And impressed by others - The David J. Wenzel Handicapped- Accessible Treehouse was a marvel. Scranton has a rich coal mining history as well.

There are over 100 full colour, glossy photographs. All are labeled, but I wish there was some text included. I would have liked to read the history behind some of the photographs.

"Alyssa Amori first became interested in photography while living in Redondo Beach, CA during the early 1980s, having been inspired in large part by the region's abundant natural beauty. Returning to Scranton, she eventually showed off the best of her California work in a show at the Lackawanna County Courthouse. In late 2006, Amori returned to photography taking over 3,000 photos of the Northeast Pennsylvania area with a Cannon XTI digital camera. Currently, Amori is taking courses through the New York Institute of Photography in addition to her career at Moses Taylor Hospital as a certified pharmacy technician."

What I found interesting was Amori's goal - "Alyssa’s ultimate hope is to get the book into the hands of as many Scranton service men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as possible. The book is designed to provide the troops with a much welcome glimpse of home. Amori is looking for individuals or groups willing to either provide addresses or donations to finance the printing and mailing of the books to the troops." And her publisher - Tribute Books - is also donating a portion of every book sold to another cause close to Amori's heart - The Jakub Fund - a memorial fund for the son of the late Sgt. Jan Argonish of Peckville, PA.

Email Alyssa or visit Alyssa's web site . You can find Alyssa on Facebook as well.

Want a sneak peek? Click here.

Scranton the Electric City was a General Photography finalist in the 2008 USA Book News awards.

Winners - Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

And the two lucky winners (chosen by random.org) of the first three books in the series - bound in a special movie release edition and a Vampire's Assistant locker mirror are:

1. Mama Hill

2. Beth (BBRB)

I've contacted you by email for your mailing addresses. Please respond withing 48 hours. Thanks to all who entered and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways.

Too Close to the Falls - Catherine Gildiner

Well, I took books with me on vacation, but for the most part they never got opened. Eeek! Thank goodness someone's been reading. Resident guest blogger Julia is back with here review of Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gildiner.

"We are always told that truth is stranger than fiction. This book proves that statement again. Too Close to the Falls is a memoir, written by Catherine Gildiner, a psychologist living in Toronto. It is hard to believe than anyone could have had the childhood described in such vivid detail in this book – unless, of course, you think about your own childhood and realize we all have amazing stories to tell.

Catherine grew up with parents who encouraged her inquisitive mind, and found unique ways in which to harness her energy. From the age of four she worked in her father’s pharmacy. Mc. Gildiner relates her experiences through the eyes of that four-year old, and through the eyes of a much older, wiser, eight and nine-year old, re-examining the situations and beliefs of the four-year old. The stories are funny, and touching. We feel for Catherine as she learns some of the harder lessons of childhood.

The beauty of this book is that Ms. Gildiner is able to take the reader on a journey through her childhood, evoking memories of what it was like to be a child growing up in a confusing world. Catherine questions Catholicism and her role in a world ruled by Catholic absolutes. She asks questions about aboriginals and their place in her world. And who has not been in a situation where you felt “different” or did things in a way that was not the norm for your community? The stories about how Catherine and her mother ate out for every meal, and how Catherine consequently had no real idea of what a kitchen was for, are funny, but I also felt empathy for Catherine when she was criticized for her lifestyle.

This book will make you laugh, and it will tug at your heart. The writing is beautiful, and the story is compelling. This is one that I did not want to put down."

What a great review - thanks Julia!

Giveaway - The Gate House - Nelson DeMille

Alright - another giveaway thanks to the generous folks at The Hachette Book Group!

This month, the offer is for Nelson DeMille's The Gate House.

From the publisher:

"#1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille delivers the long-awaited follow-up to his classic novel The Gold Coast. When John Sutter's aristocratic wife killed her mafia don lover, John left America and set out in his sailboat on a three-year journey around the world, eventually settling in London. Now, ten years later, he has come home to the Gold Coast, that stretch of land on the North Shore of Long Island that once held the greatest concentration of wealth and power in America, to attend the imminent funeral of an old family servant."

"Nelson DeMille is also the author of Wild Fire, Night Fall, Up Country, The Lion's Game, Plum Island, The Charm School, Word of Honor, The Talbot Odyssey, Cathedral, and By the Rivers of Babylon. He lives on Long Island, New York."

You can become a fan on Facebook. Or read an excerpt of The Gate House.

Five copies to giveaway - open to US and Canada, no po boxes please. Closes Monday Nov. 30th at 6 pm EST. Good luck and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

Winners - Run for Your Life Giveaway

And the five lucky winners (chosen by random.org) and thanks to the generosity of The Hachette Book Group, of a copy of Run for Your Life are:

1. Hotsnotty2
2. Jon_Lefkove
3. Leslie
4. FrankSandy
5. SeaHorseLady

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

Real Simple Solutions - Editors Real Simple Magazine

~Tricks, Wisdom, and Easy Ideas to Simplify Every Day~

Ahh, this is the kind of book that grabs me and seduces me. Heavy, glossy stock, colourful photographs and yes, the lure of organizing and simplifying my life!!

This is a compilation of lots of ideas from the magazine Real Simple. I want to own those little spice jars and put my thumb tacks and pins neatly away in them, find eight new uses for coffee filters and plastic sandwich bags, how to clean and put my home and life into order!!

Alas, for me it is but a dream. I am a packrat, my attention wanders and I just don't have the time. But it doesn't stop me from dreaming and drooling....someday......

But seriously, this would actually make a nice bridal shower or house warming gift.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind - Phillip Done

Phillip Done has been a primary teacher for over twenty five years. In Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind, he takes us on a month by month journey through the school year of his third grade.

The book opens in August with the rush to buy school supplies - the teacher, not the students. I had to laugh out loud when he said teachers love school supplies. This is sooo true. My daughter is a teacher and I've been stuffing her stocking with school supplies for years.

There are some fun lists for new teachers with essential pointers. (First graders like to be first in line, love glue and will know more dinosaur names than the teacher.)

Each month is filled with anecdotes from his classroom and the funny things children come out with. Having chaperoned and helped in classrooms, I found stories so true to life. Done's tale of a student losing a shoe in the bear cage on the zoo field trip, the helpful mom who used tanning lotion rather than sunscreen on the kids, yard duty antics , the teacher's most embarassing moment and so much more put a smile on my face so many times throughout my reading.

"Third graders look like little jack-o'-lanterns. Half my kids are missing some of their front teeth."

Done's love of teaching and dedication shines through in every story he tells. He has been nominated for a Disney Teacher of the Year Award, and has won Teacher of the Year honours in California.

My only criticism would be his tendancy to use endearments with female students, such as sweetheart and honey. The opposite is not true of the male students - no interactions using sport, pal or buddy.

One line that stayed with me was in his introduction.

" ... a child may forget what you taught her - but will always remember how you made her feel"

So very true - what teachers do you remember?

In Color - Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams is perhaps best known for his stunning black and white nature and landscape photography.

During his lifetime, Adams never fully embraced color photography as he did the black and white. Part of that reason was the poor quality of color reproductions at the time. He did save thousands of transparencies though.

The first edition of In Color was published in 1993. With the advances and evolution in computer and digital technology, this new version is just released. The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust has entrusted Little, Brown and Company as the only authentic publisher of Adams' works, since 1976.

Included in this book are fascinating essays by Adams, espousing his views and struggles to accept and master color photography. Personal notes and letters give us an intimate view of this iconic photographer.

What captured me the most of course were the photographs. I'm not much of a photographer, but I was enthralled by his eye. Each of the pictures deserves and demands to be spent time with, to fully appreciate his talent.

My favourites were Tree Barn Hills C. 1950 and Sunset, Alaska C. 1948. There is one city landscape included that I really enjoyed as well - View From Beaumont and Nancy Newhall's Apartment 0n 56th Street, New York, new York , C. 1942. The facades of upper windows in a straight line amidst all the business behind captured me. There are over 50 stunning prints reproduced.

In 1983 Adams wrote " I don't like photographic color. If anyone thinks there is "hope" for my transparencies, let them fuss with them."

I am glad that someone 'fussed.' The genius of Adams shines through, color or not. A wonderful 'coffee table' book that any art or photography lover would enjoy. The photographs are timeless and remind us of how beautiful our world is.

Crossed Wires - Rosy Thornton

Resident guest blogger Julia is back with her review of Rosy Thornton's Crossed Wires!

"Crossed Wires is a sweet little book, a story about two single parents raising their daughters and living their altogether “normal” lives. I love reading books set in England, and Rosy Thornton does a good job setting the stage: everything from a sister who is “squatting” in a run-down house, to the incessant cups of tea, “pudding” for tea, and trips on the motorway.

Essentially the story is about Mina and Peter who strike up a telephone friendship and look forward to their weekly telephone calls. When Mina’s daughter goes missing, Peter comes to help but brings his research assistant in the car with him. Hence the “crossed wires”, when Mina gets the “wrong end of the stick” and thinks Peter is already involved with someone.

The book is filled with the every day trials and tribulations of parenthood, and in particular, single parenthood. It is about the things that bring people together, the different ways of being “family”, and about basically good people trying to do the right thing.

If I have one criticism of the book, it is that it takes too long to develop the story of Mina and Peter. You know it is going to happen early in the book, but it takes a good half of the book for anything significant to happen. Or maybe this is how real life is? Crossed Wires is one of those “nice” books that I like to read from time to time. No major trauma, no nail biting cliff-hangers, just real people dealing with real life joys and sorrows. A good book to curl up with on a Sunday afternoon, with a cup of tea and the cat on your lap."

Thanks Julia!

Work related, but very fun...

Ha! How cool is this? Friday, (my last day of work before holidays) I attended a library conference on reader's advisory skills and tools. And the guest speaker at lunch? None other than Kelley Armstrong! She read from her first book The Summoning in the young adult Darkest Powers series. It is so neat to hear an author read their own words. (And I got an autographed, personalized copy)

Also, George of Bookninja, a wonderfully acerbic (his words) blog packed with news of the publishing world, was a featured speaker. Very entertaining and again, great to 'meet' the face associated with the words. You really have to check out this Canadian blogger.

And lastly I got to meet fellow blogger Melanie of The Indextrious Reader. Again, how wonderful to put a face to the words! She had terrible train luck though, delayed an hour and a half. In the rush to get the train back, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. Hope you had a better trip home Melanie. (She was delayed an hour and a half on the train on the way in!)

Was it worth getting up at 430 am for? Absolutely!

Vacation Time - Again!?

Ummm, yes! My wonderful son in law pointed out this HUGE quilt show that's happening near their home and suggested I come down. Fabric makes me drool almost as much as books! And I get a chance to be a celebrity reader in my daughter's grade one classroom. So I am on my way for a week! I've got posts set to go, but hope to take a vacation from the computer as well!! Now I just have to get through the flight.....See you in a week or so!

Another Faust - YA writing contest

This is a neat series for young adults, retelling the classics in a format that will appeal. And Dina and Daniel (authors of Another Faust) are happy to open the doors to their very first “retelling” contest!

"Hi everyone. Dina and I are about to kick off a month-long tour for our book, Another Faust, and we want to do it by announcing a contest! We are looking for the most promising writers out there (that’s YOU). And then we want to showcase their work, so that all of the Internet can bask in their awesome writing might (and, you know, give them prizes).

HERE’S HOW IT GOES.
We want you to write your own short story, re-imagining of the Faustian Bargain. (For inspiration, check out Bedazzled, Simpsons “Tree House of Horrors IV,” and The Little Mermaid). It can be about anything you like (but let’s keep it PG-13, and under 3,000 words), and it’s open to everyone. All you have to do is send your entry to dviergutz@gmail.com before January 31.

Rules and details can be found here:http://www.danielanddina.com/site/2009/10/writing-contest-create-another-another-faust/ Make sure to read them so you don’t get DQed.

And the winner gets all kinds of sweetness:
A signed copy of Another Faust
A handwritten deleted scene
A featured article & interview on our site
An author’s galley of the sequel Another Pan

Though we’ll feature the top five on our site for comments, the judging WON’T happen by popular vote (so basically, we don't care which contestant has the most friends). Dina and I will personally read them.

Good luck!
D&D"

Brother-and-sister team Daniel and Dina Nayeri present Another Series: classic works re-imagined at the elite Marlowe School, where characters of the past take on new life, in a modern New York.

Winners - Giveaway - Detectives Don't Wear Seatbelts

Thanks to the generosity of The Hachette Book Group, the five lucky winners (chosen by random.org) of a copy of Detectives Don't Wear Seat Belts by CiCi McNair are:

1. Cheryl
2. Aliya
3. Diane Baum
4. Kathy
5. Robyn

I've contacted you by email for your mailing addresses. Please respond within 48 hours. Watch for my review coming next month!

No Impact Man - Colin Beavan

~The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process~

It is an unseasonably warm day in winter in New York City - it should be 30 degrees but it's 70. Colin Beavan has been thinking about the state of the world but " I didn't feel I could do anything about world problems. After all, if the government wasn't doing anything, what could I do?" But he suddenly realizes "that my problem might not actually be the state of the world. My problem was my inaction." "Is it true that a guy like me can't make a difference?"

And so No Impact Man is 'born'. His goal? "To find a way to encourage a society that emphasizes a little less self-indulgence and a little more kindness to one another and the planet." With his wife and young daughter he vows to live for a year creating and causing as little environmental impact as possible.

No Impact Man chronicles a year in which Beavan and his family forgo making any trash, eat only locally produced food, reducing their carbon footprint - no planes, trains or automobiles, not buying anything new and finally doing without electricity.

It's a fascinating look at what our lifestyles are doing, to both the planet and ourselves. Do we really need all that stuff? When the simpler things in life make us happy, why do we not pursue them more?

Beavan succeeded in reducing his impact, but also discovered the simple joys of family and friends all over again, without the distraction of television. Eating together, board games, books and spending time outside replaced hours spent in front of the television. " The rhythm of our lives is changing." " I cannot stop wondering, since life is so precious, whether we all share a tendency to waste our lives - and therefore out planetary resources - on things that just aren't important."

Although the book chronicles his experiences, it is backed up with tons of facts and figures to support his ideas - some of it quite eye opening. The appendix is especially packed with resources.

His experiment caught the eye of world media and ended up being a documentary film as well. Is he still at it? What concessions, if any, were made after the year was up? Well, you can check out his blog, find him on Twitter and on Facebook.

No Impact Man was published on "100% post-consumer recycled without chlorine and certified by both the Forest Stewardship council and EcoLogo. The cover boards are also made from 100% recycled and FSC-certified materials, the book is bound with cloth made of FSC-certified paper and the printer itself is FSC-certified.

Guaranteed to engender lots of thought! There's also a reading group guide.

Review and Giveaway - Angels - Chuck Fischer

I always loved pop up books when I was younger. They were 'special' books, kept on a separate shelf. I still love them today and Angels by Chuck Fischer is destined for a separate shelf as well. An adult shelf though, this one's not for kids to play with!

Angels or celestial spirits appear in many languages and traditional religions including Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Angels covers the history and origins of angels including biblical, secular, arts and music, the zodiac and much more.

Fischer has created absolutely gorgeous artwork and paper engineer Bruce Foster has taken that art and produced some of the most intricate pop ups I've ever seen. The colours are rich as is the detail. But it's not just pop ups, it's pull outs and fold outs too, little booklets within the book. I tried to take a picture to show you one of the pop ups, but it just didn't do it justice. My favourite was of the archangel Gabriel. The text is a fascinating collection of historical fact and lore relating to angels.

Turning each page is like unwrapping a present. You really have to stop and savour each page and look at all the detail. Although I must admit, the first thing I did was open every pop up and then I went back to read each page! This would make a phenomenal Christmas gift that could be enjoyed over and over again throughout the year.

Fischer has produced previous pop up books, including Christmas in New York, Christmas Around the World and In the Beginning. All are equally as stunning. Become a fan of Fischer on Facebook.

Thanks to Anna and the generous folks at the Hachette Book Group, I have one beautiful copy of this book to giveaway. To be entered, simply leave a comment. Open to both Canada and the US, no PO boxes please. Ends Saturday November 14th at 6 pm. EST. Good luck and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways

Alibi - Teri Woods

Teri Woods was an author new to me. I 'read' Alibi in audio format.

It's 1986 and two young men plan to rob a stash house belonging to one of the biggest drug kingpins in Philadelphia. When things go wrong, one of the robbers needs an alibi. And that alibi is provided by Daisy, a stripper desperate for money. But when the FBI and the drug lord start investigating, it looks like providing that alibi was the worst thing Daisy could have done. Who will get to her first?

The story is graphic and seems to overly delight in parlaying gritty, down and dirty details. Daisy is drugged, raped and sodomized by more than one person, yet when she wakes up toddles off to work at the massage parlour where she dispenses sexual favours for money? Because she needs the money so badly? Woods is a former legal secretary/paralegal in Philadelphia, who has taken up writing. Alibi almost feels like she cobbled together details from a number of cases and put it out as a book. Tangents, such as the long, long description of Daisy's mother's life (really she's just a bit player in the book) feel like filler. Not an author I will seek out again.

Paula Jai Parker-Martin is the reader. She has a wonderful voice, rich and throaty. Male and female characters are easily differentiated and possess distinctive voices. I did find the music at the beginning of the disc a bit overpowering and had to rewind a bit to re listen to the opening chapter as I found her voice a bit quick at the beginning. Her voice seemed to accurately capture street cadence, tones and language. An excellent reader.

You can listen to an excerpt of Alibi.

Others had some differing opinions. Check out what Crystal at My Reading Room and Pat from Here and There thought.

Nine Dragons - Michael Connelly - Review and Giveaway

I really, really, really (spellcheck keeps telling me to fix that but it's true) - enjoy Michael Connelly's writing. I've read everything he's written and enjoy the books featuring some of his other characters, but Detective Harry Bosch is my hands down favourite. Bosch is back in Nine Dragons.

Harry is called to investigate a shooting at a liquor store in a rough L.A. neighbourhood. The case seems to have gang overtones, so a detective from the Asian Gang Unit is brought in to help. The case is bigger than just south L.A. though with tendrils reaching to the triads in Hong Kong. Hong Kong.....where his daughter lives.

Harry has always operated at the far end of the law, doing what he sees as right and pursuing justice on his terms. His single minded pursuit of justice has, for the most part, worked well for him in the past. But things change with this case. It's gotten personal for one thing. And that may be clouding his judgement. His current partner is no help, he doesn't know if he can trust the gang detective, he doesn't understand the language or customs and he's going way too fast. Mistakes could be very costly.

Harry has always been a flawed character, but in this latest book, we get to see a different side of Harry. One that isn't always sure of himself and a bit more of his personal life. There is a shift in his focus and priorities. It's great that Connelly continues to grow and change Harry, that he isn't a stagnant character, repeatedly doing the same thing.

Break neck action, an intricate plot and some great twists in the ending all add up to an unputdownable read. Really, really, really.

You can become a facebook fan as well.

Want a visual of Nine Dragons? Check out this video!

And thanks to the generosity of Miriam and the Hachette Book Group, I have FIVE! copies of Nine Dragons to giveaway. To be entered, let me know if you've read any of Connelly's books before. Open to both US and Canada, no po boxes please. Closes Wednesday Nov 18th at 6 pm EST. Good luck and check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways!

The other stop on the tour today is at Bookjourney.

Mathilda Savitch - Victor Lodato

Sometimes when you see a cover, you come away with an idea that turns out to be completely different from what's hidden inside. Looking at the cover of Mathilda Savitch and scanning the cover blurb containing the word "hilarious", I was expecting a somewhat 'light' novel.

Mathilda Savitch is told entirely from Mathilda's point of view and in her voice. She lives with her parents. She had a sister, Helene, but she was killed by a unknown man who was never apprehended.

"I have a sister who died. Did I tell you this already? I did but you don't remember, you didn't understand the code....She died a year ago, but in my mind sometimes it's five minutes. In the morning sometimes it hasn't even happened yet. For a second I'm confused, but then it all comes back. It happens again."

The first anniversary of that death is approaching. Nothing has been the same since Helene's death. Mathilda's mother is fading away, self medicating with alcohol and cigarettes. Her father keeps up appearances, but he too is lost, simply going through the motions.

"Lately I've noticed Da is starting to disappear. He's basically following Ma, but where is she even going?" "People are funny around us, Ma and Da and me. They don't want to get too close to the curse of the Savitches."

Mathilda decides that the solution is to simply catch the murderer.

What follows is the heartbreaking story of a young girl trying to put her family back together after an unthinkable tragedy. It is also a coming of age story and much more. This is Victor Lodato's first novel. But what a first novel! Mathilda is by turns a quirky, prickly, angry and yes - funny little girl struggling with feelings and situations bigger than herself. I am amazed by the voice Lodato has given Mathilda. She fairly leapt off the page. Lodato's description of a grief stricken family and their anguish is gut wrenching. A very different novel and highly recommended.

A Circle of Souls - Preetham Grandhi

A Circle of Souls is a debut novel for author Preetham Grandhi.

It opens with a violent scene in which a 'slaaf' (a word never really defined, but that I took to mean slave) makes a sacrifice to his master. I must admit that this opening prologue did turn me off a bit. A young girl has gone missing in the town of Newbury.

FBI agent Leia Bines, who specializes in child cases, is called in. She herself is fighting some demons, having failed to secure the rescue of a child in her last case.

Dr. Peter Gram is a child psychiatrist at the local hospital. A young girl is brought in suffering from what seems to be horrible nightmares. But her nightmares start revealing facts about the missing girl's disappearance - something she would have no way have knowing.

The book diverges from the standard crime novel and explores reincarnation and destiny as part of the plot. The details of Indian culture and beliefs definitely added much to the novel.

Grandhi has created an excellent, believable character in Gram. As Grandhi is a child psychiatrist himself, this characters's actions and dialogue and settings ring true. Agent Bines is a character I would like to see again - I think she could be developed further. The whodunit became obvious to me about three quarters of the way through, but didn't detract from the read at all. I did find the ending went on a little longer than necessary, almost as an added aside to try and develop the 'personal' part of the story between Peter and Leia.

Not my usual style of crime thriller, but all in all, a solid debut crime novel with some paranormal aspects. A second novel is planned featuring Dr. Peter Gram.