Breakfast at Sally's - Richard LeMieux

~ Subtitled - One Homeless Man's Inspirational Journey ~

Richard LeMieux had it all. He had been a successful sportswriter and owned a small publishing company. He had raised three children and travelled extensively with his partner of seventeen years. He lived the 'good life', eating out, spending lots on material goods. Until the bottom fell out - his business failed, his partner left and his adult children and former friends wanted nothing more to do with him. On Christmas Day 2002, despondent and suffering from severe depression, LeMieux attempted suicide. Thankfully he was unsuccessful.

For the next year and a half, he lives with his faithful companion Willow (the Wonder Dog) in his van. Taking many of his meals at the Salvation Army, (hence the title) we meet many of the other homeless and working poor that populate the city of Bremerton, Washington.

Drawing on his writing background and a donated typewriter, LeMieux begins to write a book about his journey. Families living in church parking lots in their cars, camps of young people living peacefully on the outskirts of town, the mentally ill, the addicted. But it is the caring and compassion shown by these downtrodden to each other that strikes such a chord with me. In particular a man only identified as C, who is so responsive to the needs of those in his neighbourhood. There are many, many other stories within this book.

With the economy the way it is, I am sure there will be many more people forced into situations that they would never have forseen or imagined. I am always inspired by memoirs such as Breakfast at Sally's. Not just by the authors, but those who choose to make a difference.

Winners - Sundays at Tiffany's Giveaway

Okay I am absolutely blown away by the number of entries for this giveaway! (Over 250!) There are lots of James Patterson fans out there!!

The five winners of a copy of Sundays at Tiffany's, courtesy of Hachette Books (chosen using random.org)are:

Kim, Anya, Larkspur and Janice. One of the winners already had a copy so the next person in line is Molly.

I will be contacting you by email. If I don't hear from you within 48 hours, I will have to go to the next name on the list. (Just a reminder to make sure you either leave a contact email or have it listed on your blog or website. I had to skip a number of people who left no way for me to contact them!)

Thanks to all who entered and congratulations to the winners.

Freeman Walker - David Allan Cates

"When I was a boy I had little interest in freedom, but my father did, so when I was seven years old he freed me, and I was sent across the sea with a change of clothing in a little black maw and a rolled-up copy of the Declaration of Independence that I could not read".

I was hooked by this opening line in David Allan Cate's third novel from Unbridled Books.

Jimmy Gates is sent to England for an education and to escape the racial constraints of the States. However when his father dies, he is sent to the workhouse. He passes some years in the company of thieves and prostitutes. He listens to the speeches of an Irish revolutionary named O'Keefe and dreams of returning to the States as a warrior himself, to find and rescue his mother.

The young Jimmy Gates is an innocent, completely unaware of slavery and what the colour of his skin means to some. He is a gentle, thoughtful boy. As he grows into a young man, his personality changes and he displays a violent, calculating, angry demeanour. At this point I didn't like him very much.

Upon his arrival back in the States, he is surprised to find himself held in such low regard, even though he is a free man. Violence, anger and intolerance is visited upon him. He ends up 'enlisted' in the Civil War, still hoping to find his mother.

He crosses paths with the Irishman O'Keefe again. Their futures seem to be inextricably intertwined. Jimmy Gates renames himself Freeman Walker.

I had expected this novel to be more historical in tone. Although it certainly uses historical events and attitudes, they are simply the vehicle. It is the characters and their dreams, ideas and passions that drive the novel. Freeman Walker is a memorable protagonist, discovering the harsh price paid for freedom.

However, I found my interest waning in the latter part of the novel. An element of magic, faeires and ghost armies is introduced which I felt detracted from what I had already read. I was looking for more about the search for his mother. This is reduced to almost a footnote at the end of a chapter.

The ending is satisfying though.

"Yet out here there was nobody left to see me, nobody left to name me but me."

Giveaway - Change Your Life - Brook Noel

Here's a great giveaway from Sourcebooks.....

This Year: Change Your Life!Brook Noel’s Free Seminar can help you keep your Resolutions for this year and Beyond!

"Known for the interactive experiences she creates for program members, Brook will kick off a virtual tour starting next Mon., Jan. 26, with a free, week-long workshop that will help women manage their time, get organized, decrease stress, live by their priorities, and get 2009 off to a balanced and exciting start."

For more info and to register for the free program, go to http://www.maketodaymatter.net/tour.htm.

To sign up for the free seminar, you can visit Brook’s Facebook page: http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54952104896&ref=nf.

Additionally, anyone who buys her book at Target or Costco stores nationwide can submit their receipt and in exchange they’ll receive a free month-long membership to Brook’s Make Today Matter Life Coaching System!

Leave a comment for the chance to win a copy of Brook’s book, The Change Your Life Challenge! What you think of your own resolutions, or what has helped you change your own life over the years? One lucky commenter will win a copy of Brook’s book, and can jumpstart the challenge to make today matter!

Giveaway closes on Friday January 30/09 at 6 pm EST. Open to both Canada and the U.S.

The Chalk Circle Man - Fred Vargas

~Translated from the French by Sian Reynolds ~

I always enjoy discovering the first in a new series. The Chalk Circle Man is the first Adamsberg novel.

Commissionaire Adamsberg has recently been posted to Paris. His new Inspectors are not quite sure what to make of him. Quite frankly no one is. He always seems distracted, constantly doodles and often just sits there staring into space. And yet -

"...he had solved , one after another, four murders in a way that his colleagues had found uncanny..."

The local press has taken note of chalked blue circles that are popping up accross the city. They encircle discarded rubbish- hats, lighters, whatever seems to be lying around. Adamsberg has a feeling about these circles and instructs his team to photograph and note all of them. His premonition is proven right when a woman's body is found circled in blue chalk.

A local oceanographer and her lodgers - a blind man and an older woman obsessed with personal ads seem to have some connection to the mysterious circles, but they are less than forthcoming. And this is where the character of Adamsberg shines. He waits for things to happen, for connections to show themselves, all to the consternation of his Inspectors.

The Chalk Circle Man is populated by odd and unsettling characters whose minds operate in distinctly non linear fashion. The conversations between these characters is nimble and thought provoking. I was captivated throughout the entire novel. Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg is a delightful, quirky, outside the lines sleuth. I will be waiting for the second in this series.

Oh, and Fred Vargas is an award winning female author!

Giveaway - A Long Stone's Throw - Alphie McCourt

A Long Stone's Throw is the autobiography of Alphie McCourt. He's the youngest brother of Frank (Angela's Ashes) McCourt and Malachy (A Monk Swimming) McCourt. Both older brothers have written memoirs detailing their impoverished upbringing in Ireland and immigration to the United States and Alphie adds his voice to the memories.

You can listen to an excerpt here and read my review here.

Courtesy of Hachette Books, I have three audiobook copies to giveaway! Simply comment to be entered! Extra entry for linking. Open to both Canada and the US - no po boxes please. Ends Monday Feb. 9/09 at 6 pm EST.

A Long Stone's Throw - Alphie McCourt

Who is Alphie McCourt? He is the youngest brother of Frank McCourt, Pulitzer prize winning author of Angela's Ashes and Malachy McCourt, a New York Times bestselling author.

Both older brothers have written memoirs detailing their impoverished upbringing in Limerick, Ireland, their emigration to the United States and the success they both found.

I listened to this in audio format. It was read by the author. It opens with-

"I often don't talk much. There is a rhythm to talk, a definite beat, sometimes my mind wanders and I lose the cadence of the conversation."

During the first disc I found McCourt's manner and rhythm of speaking to be slow and dull with little inflection. However, McCourt's Irish lilt is pleasant and I was soon caught up in his tale. He often breaks into song as well.

He begins telling his story when he is in his twenties and living in New York. The tale heads back to Ireland for childhood memories and then back to the U.S. Much of the childhood was something I had heard before, having read his brothers' memoirs.

I found some of the stories to be so detailed that I wondered if McCourt had kept comprehensive journals or diaries or he was embellishing his memories. Although interesting, I found some of the minutiae to be a bit boring at times.

Alphie McCourt struggled with alcohol through much of his adult life. He worked a variety of jobs, eventually finding success in the restaurant and bar business.

You can listen to an excerpt here. Want a chance to own your own copy? Enter the giveaway here!

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker

This debut novel from Tiffany Baker is newly released from Hachette Books. What a stunning first novel!

Covers are often enough to make me want to read a book. I loved this one. But the opening paragraph cinched the deal...

"The day I laid Robert Morgan to rest was remarkable for two reasons. First, even though it was August, the sky overhead was as rough and cold as a January lake; and second, it was the day I started to shrink."

We know the ending, but what led to this point?

The entire town is gathered outside her parent's home the day Truly Plaice is born. Her mother had grown so big, bets were being laid on the size of what would surely be a strapping boy. The local doctor Robert Morgan delivers a girl and she is abnormally large. Her mother dies in childbirth. Her father isn't quite sure what to make of her - she is much different from her delicate sister Serena Jane. Truly continues to grow and grow. She is teased and scorned and just never 'fits'. She does make two friends - others who don't fit the mold either - Marcus and Amelia

This Dr. Robert Morgan is the fourth in his family to be the town's doctor. He is descended from Tabitha Dyerson, who was the town's original healer. Her book of cures is mythical in the town and never was found. Without giving away too much of the plot, circumstances lead to inextricable intertwinings between the Morgans and the Plaices.

The book is written from Truly's point of view - detailing her hurt, anger and desires. Although this led me to know Truly very well, it only gave one viewpoint of events and other characters. I would have enjoyed hearing what Marcus, Amelia and Serena Jane actually thought, not Truly's take on things.

The tone of this book is almost magical and fairy tale in feel. Baker has a gift with words, painting vivid descriptions.

"Even his narrow prowling walk told you he was a man of limitless appetite- hungry all the time and yet never filled all the way up."

I started this book and really could not put it down. It's unique and captivating. Baker is a fresh new voice on the fiction front. I look forward to her second novel.

Love and Other Natural Disasters - Holly Shumas

Gotta love Miriam at Hachette Books - she picks the absolute best books for our Early Bird book tours!

This month, the selection is Love and Other Natural Disasters by Holly Shumas.

At a family Thanksgiving dinner, eight months pregnant Eve goes to check on her husband, who been on the phone for quite awhile. She overhears him "speaking to someone with great tenderness." When she questions him on who it was, he replies....just a friend. Eve ends the dinner and pursues the question further. Her husband Jon admits that he has been emailing and talking on the phone almost daily to a woman for almost a year, but there has been no physical intimacy. She asks him to leave.

" Did I believe that Jon loved me? Yes. But the value of his love - our love - changed that night. And what do you do with devalued love?"

Her family and friends are all relieved that he hasn't had sex with this woman - surely it's not so bad then?

What an interesting question. Is a physical affair worse than an emotional affair? How can they be compared or measured? Both are betrayals.

I found myself greatly disliking the husband at first, immediately branding him the wrongdoer. It was cut and dried as far as I could see. Eve goes through many stages. Some of them I had difficulty with, especially at the end, which left me somewhat conflicted. I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters, especially the brother Charlie, who moves in with Eve and faces his own growing pains. Eve's friends are somewhat predictable, but are used to present both sides of the equation.

Shumas, who is a practicing family and marriage therapist, has created believable characters faced with real life dilemmas. She explores the anatomy of a marriage. What led up to this emotional affair? Can this perfidy be forgiven? Can a marriage survive this? Would you want it to? Thought provoking and sure to engender discussion, this would be a great choice for a book club.

As part of the giveaway ( still open until January 29th!) for copies of Love and Other Natural Disasters AND Holly's first book Five Things I Can't Live Without, readers were invited to leave a relationship question for Holly to answer. Holly has graciously answered three questions below.


Q & A:

Q: What would be the warning sign of a spouse having an 'emotional affair'? the same or different from regular flavor affair? I think maybe it would be harder to detect since there wouldn't be 'physical' evidence.

A: That’s a really good point. There is a lack of the traditional, film-noir kind of evidence (lipstick on the collar, the smell of perfume, etc.) I think that’s part of why the person who’s having an emotional affair can deny to himself or herself that anything is going on. They can point to other people and say, “Now that’s an affair.” But I think some of the more subtle signs are the same: Your partner seems unusually distracted, and it’s gone quieter between you. There might be changes in your sex life—either more sex, because the other person might be nursing a fantasy of someone else, or less sex, because there’s a sense of disconnection between you. There’s just a different level of intimacy. Intimacy is hard to define, but you know it when you feel it (or when you’ve stopped feeling it.) It’s important to go with your gut, and be communicative.

Q: I seem to be terribly critical of lots of things hubby does that are really petty. For example, how he loads the dishwasher. What should I do to get over these incredibly stupid things?

A: Start by asking yourself if the stupid things are an indicator of some bigger complaint you have about him. Does the way he loads the dishwasher remind you of something about his character that’s really bothersome to you? (Just as an example, if he’s sloppy with that, do you feel he’s often sloppy about things that are truly important to you?) If that’s the case, you’d want to address the underlying stuff with him, figure out what he needs to change and what you need to accept (it’ll usually be some of both, but acceptance comes easier when you see the other person trying.)
If a dishwasher really is just a dishwasher, then you’d have to look within yourself. Do you feel a strong desire to control your environment, or the people in it? Or are you dissatisfied with other things about your life and you’re just taking them out on him? It seems like you need to dig around for the root cause so that you can decide what to do about it.

Q: What are the most effective communication tools/skills in a marriage?

I think trust is an often overlooked aspect of communication. When we trust our partner to take us seriously and to have our best interest at heart, we speak and listen differently. It’s the foundation for a productive conversation. So that’s the first thing to consider. The best tool in my mind is a classic: the “I” message. Instead of saying, “You did x wrong,” you say, “I felt x when you did y.” That way, you take responsibility for your reaction, instead of just blaming. Good skills to practice are: being able to articulate feelings besides just anger (beneath the anger is usually disappointment, hurt, or some other pain), not backing down from something you really care about or pretending it’s okay when it isn’t, and truly listening and not just waiting for your chance to talk again. So much of effective communication comes down to owning our feelings, stating them respectfully, and respecting the other person’s perspective. Easy to say, sometimes hard to do. But it gets easier the more you practice.


Check out some of the other stops on the tour!

Write for a Reader
Bermudaonion's Weblog
What Have I Read Lately
Cafe of Dreams
A Blog of BooksFor You
A Circle of Books
At Home With Books
My Friend Amy
The Tome Traveller's Weblog
Booking Mama
2 Kids and Tired Book Reviews
S. Krishna's Books
Enroute to Life
A Novel Menagerie
The Printed Page
Cindy's Love of Books
Bookopolis
Books Ahoy
B & b ex libris
Jenn's Bookshelf
MarjoleinBookblog
Linus's Blanket

Roads to Quoz - William Least Heat-Moon

Roads to where?

Quoz - n. - referring to anything strange, incongruous or peculiar, at it's heart is the unknown, the mysterious. Rhymes with Oz.

I've had this book for a little bit now, but it isn't one you want to race through at all. It's a fairly hefty book at 550 pages plus, but you need to stop and savour each and every tale.

William Least Heat-Moon landed on the New York Times bestseller list in the early 80's with his first book Blue Highways. Heat-Moon had lost both his job and his wife and decided to travel the back roads of America to see who he would meet and what he would find.

Heat-Moon is discovering hidden gems again with his female companion, Q, in Roads to Quoz - An American Mosey from Hachette Books.

"If you leave a journey exactly who you were before you departed, the trip has been much wasted, even if it's just to the Quickee-Mart."

This journey begins in Arkansas following the path of the Ouachita River. Heat-Moon's inherent curiosity about anything and everything is infectious. What are the origins of such placenames as Smackover, Hog Jaw and Possum Grape? I drove through a small town I'd never been to before the other day and found myself wondering how it came to be named Harmony. That's the captivating thing about Roads to Quoz - once you read of Heat-Moon's travels and interactions you look at things just a little bit differently - and from my point of view, that's a good thing.

This book covers a series of trips taken to various states. The history of each town or place is discussed in fascinating detail. But it is the human stories that captured me the most. Meeting Jean Ingold, with whom he has corresponded by letter for many years. Jean lives in a home of 117 sq.ft. She supports herself minimally, restricting her carbon footprint as much as possible. Her philosophy of life is engrossing. Travelling to the town where his great grandfather was murdered. The Goat Woman of Smackover Creek, who lived for fifty years in a 6x20 travelling medicine show truck. Meeting the caretaker of Jack Kerouac's original scroll manuscript of On The Road. The everyday people who stop in a diner and share part of their lives with him. There are numerous other stories, all equally compelling.

How does he find these tales? He opens himself to 'letting himself be found.' Heat-Moon's gift is his view of life and the ability to put to paper and share his curiousity.

I haven't read Blue Highways, but will be seeking it out after reading this book. And taking the lesser travelled road a little more....

Giveaway - Cross Country Audio Book - James Patterson

Let's start off the week again with another giveaway!

I have three copies of James Patterson's latest - Cross Country- in audio format to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books!

I enjoyed both the book and listening in audio format. You can read my review here!

Open to both the US and Canada - no po boxes please. Simply comment to be entered, an extra entry for linking. A third for becoming a follower ( let me know if you already are!) Giveaway runs til Monday February 2nd, 6 pm EST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.!

Cross Country - James Patterson

I've read all of the Alex Cross series, but this was the first one I listened to in audio format. It was different in that it was narrated by two readers - Peter J. Fernandez, who has been the voice of Alex on many titles and Dion Graham, who is the voice of the Tiger. I had an idea in my head of what Cross should sound like. It's pretty much Morgan Freeman who played Cross in the movie adaptation of Kiss the Girls. And Fernadez's voice fit the image I had. Also interesting was the use of music to underscore tension and action scenes. I thought it added to the audio book.

Cross Country finds Detective Cross called in to a home invasion where the entire family was murdered, butchered really. It is someone from Alex's past. And then the unthinkable - it happens again..... There are rumours of a shadowy figure called the Tiger who is systematically targeting entire families - all who seem to have a connection to Africa. Most frightening is that the Tiger's gang is made up of teenage boys. Alex follows the Tiger to Africa. Cross is completely unprepared for what he finds. Pulling from today's headlines Patterson has detailed atrocities that are all too real.

Cross Country stays true to Patterson's trademark short chapters with cliff hanger endings. They are numerous - I found myself predicting how many the narrator would announce by the end of the book ( 150 something!) I enjoyed listening to this book in audio format and would most likely choose to do it again. It made the drive to work go faster!

Want a copy for yourself? Enter the giveaway here!

Balls Out - DVD Review

I took up the offer to watch and review this DVD based on some of director Danny Leiner's previous work - Harold and Kumar go to White Castle and Dude, Where's My Car? Not necessarily my taste, but that of my husband and older teenage son. Looking at the cover gives you an idea of the type of movie it's going to be. So they watched it without me with the warning that I would be asking them what they thought. Lots of laughter from both of them from the other room. Not so articulate in review material. They did think the lead guy- Sean William Scott- was pretty funny. Actually I do too - he was the son in Mr. Woodcock. So I watched it too, screening the Canadian version. Randy Quaid is also featured, but not long enough.

Gary is a washed up tennis player. He lands in a small Nebraska town and ends up as the high school janitor. He joins Randy Quaid as a tennis coach and attempts to take a team of misfits to the state championships.

This is definitely not a family movie. There are lots of sexual jokes, drug use, bathroom humour, some nudity and completely un-politically correct dialogue. But if you're looking for a totally irreverant, raunchy adult version of Bad News Bears, you'll find some laughs here.

Thanks to Serena at Savvy Verse & Wit, Kaye at Pudgy Penquin Perusals and Kelly at Enroute to Life for awarding me the Butterfly Award! Incredibly thoughtful of you all and much appreciated!

(I do have this mad urge to try and change the wording
...I've ever known, I ever knew ... I wonder where this originated?!)

Anyway this is a “meme” award, so it gets passed on. The rules for passing it on are:
1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Award up to ten other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message for your awardees on their blogs.

And trying not to duplicate, I'm passing on to:

Ruth at Bookish Ruth
Lauren at Shooting Stars Mag
Cindy at Cindy's Love of Books
Jeanne at Necromancy Never Pays
Book Maniac at A Blog of Books

And I'm going to stop at 5, because it seems to be everywhere I go already! Spread the bloggy love!

The Friday Night Knitting Club - Kate Jacobs

I listened to this in audio format. I'd heard lots of good things - it hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list. Carrington MacDuffie is the reader.

Georgia Walker is a single mother to a biracial child - Dakota. She has a successful little knitting store. The Friday Night Knitting Club is the stories of many of the women who come theoretically to knit, but more for the companionship and support. At first I thought this would be too saccharine for me, but was soon caught up in everyone's story. There is a sequel out as well - Knit Two - that I think I'll listen to in audio as well. I did enjoy the reader's voice, but found her child's voice a bit annoying and the Scottish granny was at times East Indian or Irish it seemed. All in all one of those feel good hen lit novels. Oh, and I now have a mad desire to knit something.....

Giveaway - Sundays at Tiffany's - James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Let's start the week off right - with a new giveaway!!

I have five copies of Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books!

"As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him. Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they've really been reunited.SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love."
You can browse inside the book here.

Just comment to be entered. An extra entry for linking and a third entry for becoming a follower! (Let me know if you already are!) Open to both US and Canada, no po boxes please. Giveaway ends Monday January 26th at 6 pm EST. Please make sure I have a way to contact you!

The Charlemagne Pursuit - Steve Berry

I read Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code when it came out and enjoyed it. But then I discovered Steve Berry and haven't looked back. As far as I'm concerned he's the master of this genre, combining historical fact with suspense, intrigue and non stop action.

Berry's recurring character is Cotton Malone, a 'retired' government agent. His father Forrest died in a submarine accident in 1971. For years he has tried to find out details, but has been stymied by the Navy. He pulls in a favour and gains access to highly classified documents - his father's sub was on a secret mission to the Antarctic. When he is contacted by the German family members of another of the doomed submariners, he agrees to embark on a search for the truth. And that truth is a shocker. The other family holds documents that show the submarine was out to prove the existance of a 'First Civilization' - a culture that evolved long before history as we know it. There seems to be evidence that Charlemagne had knowledge gained from this advanced culture. The Nazis looked for it in 1938 and the Americans went back in 1971.

The Charlemagne Pursuit is a thrilling read. The plot is intricate and involved, with many seemingly disparate stories converging at the end in a gripping climax. Berry's research is intriguing. I found myself stopping and actually looking up some of the events and history he refers to. One example is the Piri Reis Map. Much of it is true and thought provoking. There is a writer's note at the end indicating what is fact and what he has taken fictional liberty with.

Cotton Malone is an engaging character, one I've enjoyed following the previous six novels. The supporting characters are also well written, but I did find the German sisters a bit over the top at times.

Any of his books can be read alone. Read one and I guarantee you'll be looking for others in the series!

Scarpetta - Patricia Cornwell

Okay so I really didn't like Cornwell's last novel The Risk. But it was a different character and I was willing to give the Scarpetta character another chance. It's certainly much thicker than her last offering - 500 pages.

Anyone that hadn't read the last novel - The Book of the Dead - would be lost starting to read this novel. It pretty much picks up where that one left off. There are numerous allusions but no real recap for new readers.

Scarpetta had given up the South and moved to New York City to work as a consultant for the NYPD. She is asked to examine a patient at Bellevue who will only see Scarpetta. The police suspect him of murdering his lover, but he denies it. He claims there is someone electronically tracking him. Another storyline is abruptly inserted - a web administrator of an online gossip page that seems to be out 'to get' Kay Scarpetta.

I found the first half of the book to be disjointed and awkward. As much as I love forensic novels, I think Cornwell just tries too hard too blend personal stories of the characters with sensational crimes. It never seems to find balance and neither is overly well done.

I did finish it, but was disappointed with the ending and loose ends not really incorporated or dealt with.

Giveaway - Holly Shumas - Love and Other Natural Disasters AND Five Things I Can't Live Without

Well it's January 1st...Did you make any resolutions? Any involving love or relationships? What does this have to do with a giveaway you're saying....?

On January 15th I'll be part of the Love and Other Natural Disasters Early Birds blog tour.

"A witty yet poignant story of a woman in her early thirties who discovers that her seemingly devoted husband has been having an emotional affair for the past year. "

The author, Holly Shumas, is also a licensed relationship therapist

"As a practicing marriage and family therapist, the issues of emotional intimacy and fidelity are close to my heart. I’m convinced that one of the toughest things in the world is remaining emotionally connected to another person for the long haul, and it’s a subject that I love exploring in my writing, in my practice, and in my life."

Do you have a relationship question you'd like Holly to answer? Or a comment on relationships or love? That will be your entry for this giveaway!

So, here's your chance to win not just her new book, but also her first novel, Five Things I Can't Live Without! Three pairs of books to be won, courtesy of Hachette Books, open to US and Canada, no po boxes please. Make sure I have a way to contact you! Giveaway contest runs until midnight January 29th.

Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year to all of my fellow bloggers, my readers and those who stop by once in a while!!
I wish you all the best for the coming year. Health and happiness foremost. This is the time of year when we all swear off excesses, but books are the one excess I have no interest in swearing off! See you all next year!!

The Almost Archer Sisters - Lisa Gabriele

I knew I had a doctor's appointment after work the other day, so I quickly stuck The Almost Archer Sisters in my bag to take with me. My doctor is invariably behind, so an hour and a half later, it was my turn. But honestly, I was so engrossed in this book, I really didn't notice how much time had passed. (I was in a much better place than those stuck reading outdated Sports Illustrated)

Releasing tomorrow from Random House Canada, this second novel from Lisa Gabriele is one of those books that is a found gem - one you have to let your friends know about.

It tells the story of two sisters who were raised on a farm in Ontario. Beth is a wild child who pushed the boundaries of everything growing up and continues to do so as an adult. She fled the farm and moved to New York to pursue a successful career. The other sister Georgia, but known to all as Peachy, stayed at home. She got pregnant and married before she finished her social work degree. Her husband, Beau, was Beth's first lover. Their father, Lou, a draft dodging hairdresser, also lives on the farm in a trailer.

Beth's life seems be unravelling and she is coming home to the farm for more frequent visits. Peachy's life is stressful as well. Her son Sam has severe epilepsy. Her focus lately has been on his health, not on her other son and husband.

Things come to a head during one Beth's visits. Peachy gets up in the night and walks in on her sister and Beau - and they're not playing cards.

What could have precipitated such a betrayal? Can any relationship - the siblings, the husband and wife, the father and daughters - ever recover or be rebuilt after such perfidy?

Gabriele's writing is at turns funny and poignant but above all else it is real. I was captivated by the characters and could not put the book down. It was Peachy who captured my heart - she's someone you would love to really know. The ending isn't cut and dried, leaving you to form your own conclusions. This would be a great selection for a book club. And I have another wonderful Canadian author to put on my favourites list!

Happy, Merry, Joyful....

However you celebrate, I wish you all a wonderful, joyful time with family and friends!

Merry Christmas!!

The Spy Who came for Christmas - David Morrell

David Morrell is best know for thriller/suspense writing. He created the Rambo character and is the co founder of the International Thriller Writers Organization. Creepers and Scavenger were New York Times bestsellers.

Look closely at the cover - that is a hand holding a gun inside a Christmas ornament. Paul Kagan is an undercover agent for the US government. He has infiltrated the Russian mob and has become a trusted member. Their latest job involves kidnapping a baby. This baby is the son of a world leader who advocates peace. Kagan foils the kidnapping, takes the baby himself and goes on the run. He finds shelter at a home with a woman and her son - the bad guys hot on his heels. Kagan relates "the spy's version of Christmas" to the woman's son.

Lots of big name endorsements on the back cover. Myself - I found it to be another easy cheesy Christmas read - and the last one this year!

A Christmas Grace - Anne Perry

The second in my stash of Christmas tales is Anne Perry's A Christmas Grace. Perry is a very successful historical fiction writer. She has three series on the go. Charlotte and Thomas Pitt (25 books), the William Monk series (15 books) and A World War One series (5 books). I couldn't get into the World War One series, but love the Monk and Pitt series. All are set in England in the 1800's and are mysteries. Perry's dialogue,depiction of society and life and research is impeccable.

For the last 6 years she has put out a Christmas novella, featuring one of the series' characters in a mini mystery at Yuletime.

A Christmas Grace sees Charlotte Pitt's sister Emily off to Ireland to care for a dying aunt who has been shunned by her family. There is secrecy and an unsolved murder in the small village and Emily finds herself involved. Again, redemption is a theme - but hey it's the season. Another good read for a couple of hours on a snowy day.

Got one to add?

'Tis the Season - Lorna Landvik

I usually stockpile a few Christmas books to read at this time of the season. None of them are heavy or deep or particularly long, but are perfect for an hour or two of escapist, feel good reading.

Lorna Landvik's best known novel is Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons chosen by many a book club. It's on my bookshelf, but I haven't read it yet.

'Tis the Season is written in a series of emails and gossip column articles. Rich girl Caroline Dixon's drinking is out of control and the gossip rags are having a field day with it. Can she find her way and who will help her? Totally cheesy but perfect for a couple of hours on a snowy day.

Anyone else have one to add?

Flirting With Forty - The Movie

I just watched the movie of Jane Porter's Flirting With Forty. It's always interesting to see a movie after you've read the book. It's never quite the same....
I thought Heather Locklear was a good choice to play Jackie. (She looks wonderful and she's almost 50 - it wasn't a stretch to imagine her at 40 at all.) I found the kids a bit stilted. I really did not like the group of friends. Some changes from the book in this aspect. I did enjoy the movie, but one plotline that I thought was important in the book was completely left out of the movie. I know that it's hard to pare down an entire book into a two hour movie, but this is why I rarely watch a movie after reading the book. I find myself talking to the screen ... hey that's not right....she doesn't do that etc. I did enjoy it, but enjoyed the book more. What did you think?

Blindspot - Jane Kamensky & Jill Lepore

Blindspot, just released from Spiegel and Grau, is an wonderful piece of historical fiction. Wonderful just isn't enough - it's ribald, witty, charming and oh, so much more.

Jane Kamensky and Jill Lepore are both renowned history professors. They've joined together to produce this novel.

Blindspot tells the tale of young Fanny Easton, a 'fallen' woman from a good family. She has been working in the Manufactory in Boston in 1764, barely surviving. When she spies an advertisement for an artist's apprentice, she sees a slim chance to escape her life of poverty. She disguises herself as a boy and applies to Stewart Jameson as Francis Weston. She does possess artistic ability and is taken on. Unbeknownst to her, Stewart Jameson has fled to the colonies from Scotland, where he is wanted for debt evasion. His debt was incurred trying to buy the freedom of his friend, the brilliant, black Dr. Alexander. Boston in 1764 is resisting the heavy hand of England and it's taxes. Slavery is an issue being hotly debated and political unrest is rampant. When a death (or could it be murder) occurs, the three are deeply involved.

Kamensky and Lepore have skillfully woven historical fact with literary license to create an engrossing, clever tale. It is told in alternating viewpoints. Jameson is writing his take on things to "Dear Reader"in his journal, while Fanny (Weston) is writing letters to a childhood friend. I was captured by the language and tone of the book - the puns, plays on words, language used and the social fabric of Boston in 1764. The depth of historical fact woven in adds to an already rich story. Blindspot is a love story as well. Some readers may be offended by some of the sexual scenes, but they are integral to the book.

The authors have created an excellent website for the book as well, providing further insight. Although the book is 500 pages long, it never flagged for me. The storyline was compelling right to the last page. However, I wonder if there will be a sequel? The ending has been left open for one. I hope so!

Fans of Emma Donoghue would enjoy this book.

Winners - Giveaway - Flirting with Forty

And the three lucky winners, chosen using random.org, of a copy of Flirting With Forty, courtesy of Hachette Books are:

Stephanie , Ramya and Wrighty

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you by email for your mailing address.

A totally non book related post...

....and I know there aren't many of them... But I wanted to share the other thing I love (almost) as much as reading. And that is quilting.

Ignore the date on the photo - I did just finish it this week. (Apparently if you change the batteries in the camera you're expected to change the date and time as well...) And the colour is a bit off - it's actually darker. (Hint - do not shoot into direct sunlight)

So my dear husband complains that everyone else has been a beneficiary of a quilt but him. So this is his very own couch quilt and he'll be toasty when he falls asleep in front of the television. He totally avoids the sewing room, so it should be a surprise on Christmas Day!

Winners - Giveaway - I Like You

And the lucky three winners (chosen using random.org) of a copy of Amy Sedaris's I Like You, courtesy of Hachette Books are:

Mo, Neverwithoutabook and Kalea_Kane

Congratulations! I will be contacting you via email for your mailing addresses.

The Bodies Left Behind - Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver is one of my favourite thriller/suspense authors.

He is the author of the successful Lincoln Rhyme series, about a paralyzed detective who solves crimes based on the evidence gathered by his protege Amelia Sachs. This was made into a successful movie staring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.

But I digress. The Bodies Left Behind is a stand alone novel. Deputy Brynn McKenzie is just home for the night with her family when her boss asks her to check out a house on a sparsely populated lake. It could be nothing, but there was a 911 call that got cut off. Maybe it was a misdial. She heads up to the lake, finds the house and walks into a horrific crime scene - and the perpetrators haven't left the area yet. They're still looking for the female houseguest that escaped the carnage. Brynn finds her first and they're on the run into the State Forest that surrounds the lake with the killers hot on their trail. The killers have also called the 911 in as a false alarm. There will be no police help on the way for Brynn and Michelle.

This is a nail biter of a novel, with lots of twists and turns that you don't see coming. Deaver's characters are always more than two dimensional. The bad guys aren't cardboard cut outs - their personalities are developed as much as the protagonists. You'll be turning pages to get in just one more chapter before you turn off the light.

If you like Harlen Coben, John Sandford or Linwood Barclay you'll love Jeffery Deaver.

The Customer is Always Wrong - Jeff Martin (Editor)

~~~~~~The Retail Chronicles~~~~~

Well this seems like an appropriate time to post this review. The countdown is on ...only twelve shopping days left until Christmas......

The Customer is Always Wrong, from Soft Skull Press, is an eclectic collection of essays penned by writers who have done time in the retail jungle. I think most of us have "served the public" in a retail capacity at some point in our lives - your first job, putting yourself through university or an extra part time job to make ends meet. For some people it's a fantastic fit, for others - well, it's not. As Jeff Martin says in his introduction, "If this book can help shed a little more light on the often-disregarded retail experience, then we have done our job and done it well."

I was hooked from the first story - a college age student's summer job in a large department store chain, the descriptions of the rah rah manager and the attitudes and antics of the staff had me laughing out loud. The tales cover the gamut - from an upscale spa, a video store, home improvement, coffee shop, porn warehouse plus more. One of the best was Wendy Spero's tale of door to door knife sales, preying on friends and family. The saddest was the porn store, though not for the reasons you might think. The most fascinating was Elaine Viets. She writes a series called The Dead-End Job Mysteries. She actually takes on retail jobs to research her characters.

Having worked in a large retail chain for many years myself, I could appreciate many of the crazy, imperious and downright odd demands made by customers. I often said to the staff that we could write a book based on the almost daily occurrences. However there was good as well, but there aren't that many of those kind of stories in The Customer is Always Wrong. My only complaint - it wasn't long enough! I devoured it in one sitting. Martin himself works in a bookstore - I'm sure that that's a book waiting to be written.......

The As It Happens Files - Mary Lou Finlay

~~~Radio That May Contain Nuts~~~

I first got hooked on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)radio when I met my husband over twenty years ago. The wealth and diversity of programming provides something for every listener. The second longest running show - 4o years - is "As It Happens"; on five nights a week at 6:30 p.m. They are an outcall show, broadcasting interviews conducted by telephone, seeking out the 'story behind the story'. It runs the gamut - from talking with world leaders to offbeat human interest stories. Mary Lou Finlay was the co-host of the show from 1997-2005.

The human interest stories are the ones that stand out for Finlay - the 96 year old who took 75 years to get his university degree, brain surgery on pet goldfish or the man who spent twenty years building a bear proof suit. Human interest stories from England have been popular as well - the woman who has a garden gnome sanctuary with over 2000 restored gnomes generated lots of feedback.

But the serious touch us as well. 9/11, the Air India crash, natural disasters and inside interviews from Darfur and Iran to name a few.

The book includes transcripts from many of these interviews.

Reading and remembering some of the stories from over the years just reminds me why this show is a Canadian icon - and why I love it.

You can peek inside this new release from Random House here.

Winners - Giveaway - Katie Brown Celebrates

Just in time for seasonal celebrating! The three winners (picked using random. org) of a copy of Katie Brown Celebrates courtesy of Hachette Books are;

Julie, Anna and Jeanette J.

I'll be contacting you by email for mailing information. If I don't hear from you in 48 hours, I will go to the next name on the list. Sorry Stephanie you were one of the original three but you didn't leave an email address and your blog doesn't seem to list one either......

Congratulations! Check the sidebar for other great giveaways!

Dating da Vinci - Malena Lott

Thirty five year old Ramona Elise has been widowed for two years. Her two young sons have been the reason she keeps getting up every day. Ramona teaches English to new immigrants. She impetuously offers to rent the studio behind her home to a young new student from Italy named Leonardo da Vinci.

"La vita allegra. Joyful living. His eyes danced with excitement and awe and insatiable curiosity. Not just for America. For life. I ached to feel that again."

Lott's depiction and characterization of a grief stricken family still coming to terms with the loss of their husband/father is realistically written and sensitively portrayed.

Da Vinci becomes more than just a tenant. He becomes friends with the boys and closer and closer to Ramona. Is she ready to act on the attraction she feels towards this younger man? Or would it be a betrayal of her love for her husband Joel? She has unanwered questions about Joel's relationship with an old flame that still haunt her as well.

"I wished I could wear red lipstick, but much like the red suit, you have to have the red inside of you to wear it on the outside."

I had the idea that this would be a 'chick lit' book when I first picked it up. I found it to have more depth than just a beach read. Lott has also done her research - I found the origins of words and love fascinating as well as the details of an Indian wedding ceremony. As I interact with immigrants on a daily basis, I appreciated her positive outlook towards new citizens.

The book is populated with some fun supporting characters. I found the best friend Anh particularly appealing. The sister and mothers are a bit stereotypical and overdone, but fulfill their role in the book quite well. I did find that taking da Vinci into her bed when her boys home a bit rash. Quite honestly she put up with a bit more than I would have. (the new mattress story springs to mind)

Although the ending of the book is predictable and neatly wrapped up, it was an enjoyable journey to get there. I was happy to discover this new (for me) author. Check out Malena's website for contests, recipes and reading group guides. One of my favourite new authors, Jess Riley, just posted a great interview with Malena here.

Dating da Vinci was just released last month from Sourcebooks.

Flirting with Forty - Jane Porter

Flirting with Forty tells the story of Jackie. It's her second year as a divorced woman. Her two kids live with her and she loves them to death, but there's something definitely lacking in her life. It's bad enough that her husband left her for a younger woman, but her fortieth birthday is looming. Her friend Anne takes decisive action - she books them into a resort in Hawaii for a getaway. But when the time comes, Anne can't go. Jackie takes a deep breath and decides to going alone.

"I remember loving my husband and children. I remember loving them, and somewhere I must have stopped loving me... "

After sitting by the pool alone and watching movies in her room, she makes a decision.....

"I want more. More happiness. More love. More laughter. More sex. More of everything. I want to be everything I know I am.

It is at a surfboarding lesson that she meets Kai - a young, sexy, muscular, laid back, surfer kind of guy. She is very attracted to him, but he's younger and lives life to a different rhythm. What would he see in her?

Does she or doesn't she? Does she find happiness? Or answers with heartache? What about her ex?- after all the kids want them to get back together. And her friends - what would they think? I had to force myself not to flip to the back of the book and read the last chapter midway through.

Jane Porter has put to paper many questions I think a lot of women have asked themselves at some point in their lives. Written with humor and empathy, Jackie's character is true to life. The idea for this novel came when Porter was on holiday in Hawaii. (Did I mention she's dating a surfer?) It's a delicious read combining chick lit, romance and some thought provoking ideas all in one. I loved it and I'm sure you will too. You can enter a giveaway for a copy here. You can also join Grand Central Publish Blog Talk Radio for an interview with Jane on Friday, December 5th at 1pm/ET. Join in here.

OR

You can watch the movie on Saturday December 6th at 9ET/8C on the Lifetime Channel. Yep - that's Heather Locklear as Jackie. Why not make it a girlfriend's movie night? With an island theme? Here's a recipe for Pineapple Upside-Down Cake from Amy Sedaris's book I Like You.(You can win a copy here!)

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
(reprinted with permission)

12 tbsp butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
5 whole pineapple rings
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt 4 tbsp of butter in the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch pan or ovenproof skillet. Stir in the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves. Take off burner and add your pineapple juice. Arrange the 5 whole pineapple rings in one layer in the pan. Set aside. Melt the rest of the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the ilk and egg, beating well. Add all the dry ingredients together in another bowl and add the milk mixture t that and beat until smooth. Pour overt the pineapple slices and bake for 35 minutes . Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and flip over onto a plate, pineapple side up. Serve with whipped cream.

Check out what my fellow Early Bird Bloggers - Amy, Kathy, Sharon, Carey , Marcia, Sally , Deborah, Allison, S.Krishna, Shana, Julie , Cheryl, Cindy , Tamara , Bethany , Sheri S , Wendi , Tracee, Carrie , Sherri, Toni , Book Maniac , Lisa, Kalea and Alyce thought of the book and some other recipes!

Giveaway - Flirting with Forty - Jane Porter

Here's your chance to win one of three copies of Flirting with Forty courtesy of Hachette Books. A great book and movie! You can read my review here.

Open to both Canada and the US. No PO Boxes please. Simply comment to be entered. An extra entry for linking. And a third entry for becoming a follower of this blog. Giveaway runs until Thursday December 18th at 6 pm/EST.

Thanks for stopping by. Check the sidebar for other great giveaways!

I Like You - Amy Sedaris

I had heard of this book when it spent twelve weeks on the New York Times non fiction bestseller list as a hardcover book in 2006. It has just been released as a softcover by Hachette Books in October this year.

I couldn't wait to open this one up and find the surprises inside that the cover seems to promise. I was not disappointed!

First - where did that title come from? Well, Amy's philosophy on hospitality is - "Hello, and I like you. This is what you're saying when you invite someone into your home."

I Like You is full of quirky, hilarious information couched in perfectly reasonable tones. The beginning of the book covers the basics - making invitations, accepting invitations, keeping a party log. It also covers the wacky - why not hold an indoor garage sale at your party to get rid of some stuff when you have a captive crowd? Put some marbles in your medicine cabinet so you know what guest is snooping when the marbles fall into the sink. Planning for auspicious occasions such as 'Blind Date', 'Rich Uncle Comes to Visit', and 'Lumberjack Lunch' (plus lots more) are all covered. Everything you need is provided - invitations, decorations, table setting and most important - a themed menu. All fun aside - the recipes are actually really good! (Loved the Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake!)

The book is chock full of kitschy photos using some funky dishes and props. Sedaris also has a predilection for googly eyes and they are featured throughout. A gift section at the end gives directions to duplicate many of her creations.

Amy Sedaris is a very funny woman, and so is this book! Want a chance to win a copy? Enter my giveaway here!

Giveaway - I Like You - Amy Sedaris

Here's a chance to win one of three copies of I Like You by Amy Sedaris courtesy of Hachette Books.

It's lots of fun - my review is here. Or you can have a peek inside here.

Contest is open to both Canada and the U.S., no PO Boxes please. Just leave a comment to be entered, an extra entry for a link. Contest closes Tuesday December 16th at 6 pm EST.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Winners - Confetti Cakes for Kids - Elisa Strauss

And the three lucky winners of copies of Confetti Cakes for Kids courtesy of Hachette Books and chosen by random.org are:

Christyjan, Allison and Trish

I'll be contacting you for your mailing information. Thanks for entering and check the sidebar for other giveaways!

Phraseology - Barbara Ann Kipfer

~The Definitive Compendium~

~Thousands of Bizarre Origins, Unexpected Connections and Fascinating Facts about English's Best Expressions~

Oh, Phraseology is a trivia buff's dream. Or anyone who loves words and language. My son is of the first persuasion. He loves books like this and promptly snagged it.

Phraseology is one of those books you want to share. I had just as much fun listening to him quiz me on phrases as he did reading it. Some I knew, but some were complete surprises.

Here's a few to whet your appetite -

"To skin a cat" - comes from removing the tough skin from a catfish prior to cooking.

"Fit to be tied" - refers to being insane and bound, as in a straight jacket tied to the body.

This is a great book to leave on the coffee table - it can be picked up and read at whim.

I enjoyed the origin phrases, such as those listed above, the most. Some entries read more like dictionary entries that most people would already know, such as lie detector and celery seed. Some of the facts I found a bit uninspiring - "Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants". Based on the subtitle, I was looking for entries that were more 'bizarre', 'unexpected' and 'fascinating'. Still, this is a fun book to have around the house.

Dr. Barbara Ann Kipfer has been a lexicographer and linguist for 25 years and is the author of more than 30 books. Word Nerd is also from Sourcebooks.