Review: A Date You Can't Refuse

Summary: Serial dater and greeting-card artist Wollie Shelley goes undercover in a media-training company suspected of video piracy, but when a dead body appears on the company’s property, she’s caught up in a conspiracy that goes way beyond some stolen DVDs.

Wollie Shelley isn’t happy about taking the job as a “social coach” at MediaRex, but the FBI makes her an offer she can’t refuse. If she agrees to infiltrate the company, they’ll guarantee that her schizophrenic brother will have a home at the federally subsidized halfway house he’s come to love. So Wollie launches into teaching three foreign celebrities how to cope with the customs of Beverly Hills, improve their English, and become Oprah-ready. And when a coyote-chewed corpse appears in the MediaRex compound, Wollie realizes that her colleagues are concealing some serious secrets of their own. -- Broadway

This might sound a little weird, but I wanted to read A DATE YOU CAN'T REFUSE by Harley Jane Kozak because I remember watching Ms. Kozak on Guiding Light (many years ago.) I was addicted to the daytime soap and I just loved her character Annabelle. Ms. Kozak went on to star in many other movies including Parenthood, The Favor and Arachnophobia, but I'll always remember her best for her role on Guiding Light. When I learned that she was an author (and supposed to be a good one at that), I just knew I had to read one of her books.

I absolutely loved this book! I haven't read a lot of mysteries the past year or so, but A DATE YOU CAN'T REFUSE has convinced me that I shouldn't have stopped reading that genre. This book was terrific. This novel is the fourth book in the Wollie Shelley series and I am so excited that there are three more books out there for me to read.

This book hooked me in right from the start, and I think it's because I adored Wollie. She is not your typical detective, crime-solving character -- she's actually a greeting-card artist. She does not consider herself to be overly adventuresome, yet she finds herself in very strange circumstances with very strange people. I thought Wollie was hilarious. The book was told from her point-of-view, and I can't even tell you how much I laughed at her antics.

I also thought the mystery aspect of this story was wonderful. The storyline kept me guessing and I was pretty surprised when all was resolved at the end of the book. There were many twists and turns, and I found myself questioning characters that I thought I trusted (so did Wollie.) If you enjoy the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich, then I'm betting that you will love this novel too!

As you can tell, I am absolutely sold on this book and dying to read the rest of the books in this series. Ms. Kozak's first book in the series DATING DEAD MEN won the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. The big question I keep asking myself is why I've never read any of these books before! Ms. Kozak has a terrific website, and she also writes for the grog (a group blog) The Lipstick Chronicles. If you aren't following this grog, you really should! Ms. Kozak along with her five best writer friends take turns blogging on a variety of subjects. I love reading all of the posts, and find myself smiling a lot of the time.

A big thanks to Alisha from the Crown Publishing Group for sending me this book.

Hello...You Won The School of Essential Ingredients

Congrats to Alyce from At Home with Books. She has won a copy of THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS by Erica Bauermeister. Alyce submitted the idea of a lemon filling to go with the white cake and vanilla icing. You can't go wrong with lemon especially in the summer months. In the words of Ms. Bauermeister, it is "so delightfully sweet and tart at the same time..."

Make sure you keep your eyes open for more recipes -- Ms. Bauermeister will be appearing all over the blogosphere with more guest posts and book giveaways. And, she plans to eventually post all of the recipes on her website too!

Mailbox Monday: March 30, 2009

Here's my list this week! You'll notice that a lot of these books are wins. It seems like I've been on quite the winning streak lately!

OUTCASTS UNITED: A Refugee Team, and American Town (ARC) by Warren St. John

I WAS TOLD THERE'D BE CAKE by Sloane Crosley - I won this one from a website called Style Substance Soul.

I LOVED, I LOST, I MADE SPAGHETTI (ARC) by Giulia Melucci

MATING RITUALS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN WASP (ARC) by Lauren Lipton

THE ROMANOV BRIDE by Robert Alexander -- I won this book from Author Buzz!

MISTRESS OF THE SUN by Sandra Gulland

KNOW YOUR POWER: A Message to America's Daughters by Nancy Pelosi with Amy Hill Hearth

FLOURISHING WITH FOOD ALLERGIES by A. Anderson

UNACCUSTOMED EARTH by Jhumpa Lahiri

STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova -- This book was a win off of twitter from @glue_genie. If you aren't following him, you're really missing out!

What did you get last week?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Review: Countdown to My Birth

Summary: "Countdown to My Birth" is a Mom's Choice Awards - Gold recipient for 2009

This award-winning pregnancy countdown calendar is completely written by ME - your baby-to-be! Tired of all the technical medical jargon and reading about all the things that can go wrong during pregnancy? This book will keep everything in perspective and remind you daily that you are creating a little miracle. I'll tell you what is happening each day of your pregnancy as I develop from conception to birth.

Just flip one page a day and find out when my heart begins to beat for the first time, when I can hear your voice, or when I reach the length and weight of a hot dog roll. You'll know every little thing that's happening.

You'll also be able to track how many days remain until your due date, and will have room to write your thoughts or notes each day. You also get free stickers to mark my first kick, hiccups, and other memorable pregnancy events.

How to use this calendar:
- Follow along every day to see the progress of your very own little miracle
- Have Dad be in charge of flipping the page each day to make sure he feels included
- Wrap up a copy for each of my grandparents-to-be to announce your pregnancy. Trust me - they didn't know this stuff when you were born and will love being part of the miracle of life again.

Give a copy to any friends who are pregnant - they will love you for it! -- Motherly Way Enterprises

I don't know if you saw my review yesterday for a terrific activity book for a future big brother or big sister called MAKING ME, but author Julie B. Carr has done it again. Her pregnancy journal COUNTDOWN TO MY BIRTH: A Day-By-Day Account from Your Baby's Point of View is another wonderful idea for someone who is expecting a baby. I sure wish I had had COUNTDOWN TO MY BIRTH when I was pregnant.

COUNTDOWN TO MY BIRTH is a daily account of a pregnancy as told by the unborn baby. It actually looks like one of those flip calendars, but it is also a journal (it even includes cute little stickers.) The premise is similar to MAKING ME -- you countdown the 40 weeks of your pregnancy by changing a page each day. Each page give you a little hint about what is happening with your baby on (or around) that day. It's especially cute since it's written from the baby's point of view. There is also a place for today's date, how many weeks and days you are into your pregnancy, and how many days are left. I also like that it has small section for the expectant mother to take notes. I like that you could capture your thoughts and feelings about your pregnancy using this calendar.

I would have loved it if someone had bought this journal for me when I was expecting. Truth be told, I probably would have bought it for myself had it been available. It makes a wonderful gift for the pregnant woman in your life, but it also would be a wonderful present for the expecting grandparents too! Check out the author's website Unique Pregnancy Gifts for more great gift ideas!

A big thanks to Julie B. Carr for sending me a copy of COUNTDOWN TO MY BIRTH.

Review: Making Me

Summary: "Making Me" is perfect for step families, large families, or any family with a 5+ year difference in their children's ages.

CONGRATULATIONS! You're going to be a big brother or sister!

I want to teach you about me, the baby-to-be, and make this pregnancy as fun as possible for you. Every day, from the time I'm just a single cell to the day I'm born, I will let you know what's happening with me. I'll also have something fun for you to do each day, whether it's coloring, counting, measuring, jumping, journaling, or something else. Wow! Learning *and* having fun. What a concept.

You have probably noticed that most big brother/big sister books are written for toddlers - but this one is designed just for the 5-10 year old.

You'll be able to see how big I am with the Mighty Measuring Tape and can track the days to my due date with the cool Countdown Car on every page.

Bonus features!
- Includes 4 colored pencils to help you write, color, and draw.
- Includes the 24" Mighty Measuring Tape to track my growth.
- Hard cover, 286 pages -- Motherly Way Enterprises

Oh how I wish MAKING ME: The Pregnancy Activity Book for My Big Brother or Sister! by Julie B. Carr was available when I was pregnant with my little guy. My daughter was almost 5 years old (just a few days shy) when I delivered him, and she would have loved this activity book. Actually, I would have loved it too and I am not sure who would have had more fun with it!

The idea behind this book is terrific. This book is actually a hardcover binder filled with tons of activities for the future big brother or sister to complete. It even comes with a ruler and colored pencils in its own plastic pocket (gotta love that it's all self-contained.) Ms. Carr does a wonderful job explaining how to use this book for both the mother and the big brother/sister. Based on the mother's due date (or conception date), you fill in the date on each page and there is a fun activity a day (for nine months) to get your child excited about the new baby.

I think it's absolutely adorable that this book is written in first person from the unborn baby's point of view. The first page of the book is actually a little note from the unborn baby to the big brother/sister asking for your child to explain a little bit about him/herself. From that point on, there is a countdown until the baby's birth and loads of fun (and easy) activities. I personally think the "Measure Me!" pages are adorable. On these days, the child is supposed to take the ruler provided and see how big the baby is. There are also jokes, search-a-words, coloring, measuring, weighing, etc. I think it's terrific that these activities are fun while not being time-consuming!

This book is geared towards children who are around five years old and up, but I think my four year old could do most of the activities. Some of the activities actually relate directly to the stage of the pregnancy. For example, there are some weighing activities that show the child approximately what size the baby is. There are also pages that have the child color an object that is about the size of the baby, or an activity to color a body part that is developing.

My favorite part of the book is the part on each page where a little baby is holding a sign with the age of the baby. There is also a little description from the baby's point of view saying something about its development -- like comparing the size to ordinary household objects, telling when the baby's body parts grow (fingernails, ears, etc.), and what the baby can do (move eyes, taste, etc.) I think most mothers-to-be would enjoy reading these daily status reports too.

I can't recommend this book enough for a future big brother or sister. I think this book is wonderful because it includes the sibling in the entire pregnancy process. MAKING ME makes the perfect gift for a child from the unborn baby, but remember it should be bought early in the pregnancy! Check out the author's website Unique Pregnancy Gifts for other terrific baby gift ideas for babies, parents, grandparents, siblings, etc.

A big thanks goes out to Julie B. Carr for sending me a copy of MAKING ME!

Review: The Only True Genius in the Family

Summary: From the author of The Last Beach Bungalow: a portrait of a family—in all its heartbreaking complexity.

Though she lives in the shadow of her legendary landscape photographer father, and is the mother of a painter whose career is about to take off, Claire has carved out a practical existence as a commercial photographer. Her pictures may not be the stuff of genius, but they’ve paid for a good life.

But when her father dies, Claire loses faith in the work she has devoted her life to—and worse, begins to feel jealous of her daughter’s success. Then, as she helps prepare a retrospective of her famous father’s photographs, Claire uncovers revelations about him that change everything she believes about herself as a mother, a daughter, and an artist… -- Berkley

THE ONLY TRUE GENIUS IN THE FAMILY by Jennie Nash is a wonderful novel. I have seen some incredible reviews out there and knew I really wanted to read it. I requested a copy from a Shelf Awareness ad and was so glad when I received a copy. I devoured this book in just a few hours because I couldn't put it down.

The writing is this novel is just beautiful. I have not read a book by Jennie Nash before THE ONLY TRUE GENIUS IN THE FAMILY, but I definitely want to go back and read her first novel THE LAST BEACH BUNGALOW. I love how she developed all of the characters in this novel, and I thought all of the characters were very believable (even Claire's father who was kind of a tyrant.) I really think Ms. Nash has a talent for writing about family relationships. I was so impressed with not only how she portrayed the the mother-daughter relationship, but I also thought her portrayal of Claire's marriage and the relationship with her father were extremely well done. Like the characters, these relationships were extremely complex and very deep on so many levels.

THE ONLY TRUE GENIUS IN THE FAMILY really made me think, and I love finding books that make me do that. I was naturally troubled with Claire's father and his treatment of her; however, I was particularly intrigued with Claire and her daughter's relationship. At times, Claire found herself jealous of her daughter's artistic talent. I thought I'd be upset with her for having those feelings -- I mean a mother is supposed to want the best for her daughter, isn't she? But I surprised myself because I actually felt compassion for her and even understood her feelings. Claire desperately wanted to be a "genius" and feel worthy of her father to the point that it almost destroyed her. I couldn't imagine wanting something so badly and then having to watch my daughter and my father have what I always desired. I found this part of the story to be so tragic, and I even questioned how (or if) I would be able to handle it.

I think I most enjoyed this book because I loved how Claire's character learned not only about her father and his talent, but also about herself. After her father's death (which just had to happen at the worst possible time), Claire really began to question her relationship with her father and even started questioning her artistic abilities. I'm sure that dealing with the loss of a parent is difficult in the most normal of circumstance, but Claire has led her entire life feeling as if she wasn't "good enough" for her father. (Now in all fairness to Claire, her father didn't exactly do anything to make her feel worthy of him.) I found Claire's feelings to be extremely destructive, not only to herself but to those she loved; and I found myself hoping that she didn't ruin the good relationships in her life because of her pain. I really liked Claire, despite her shortcomings, and wanted her to find some peace and happiness.

THE ONLY TRUE GENIUS IN THE FAMILY is the perfect book to discuss, especially if your book club enjoys stories about family relations. There are so many topics to talk about including father/daughter relationships, mother/daughter relationships, marriage, "true genius," passion, jealously, etc. I think it would be fascinating to discuss what actually constitutes a "genius". I definitely think that talent is derived from both genes as well as environment, but I would love to hear my friends' opinions. I also think it would be interesting to talk about all of the family dynamics. A Readers Guide is included in the back of the paperback version of the book; however, I unfortunately wasn't able to find a link to the questions.

A big thanks to Berkley for sending me a copy of this book.

Guest Review: The Crimes of Paris & Giveaway

Guess who's back? Booking Pap Pap! This time he has written a terrific review for THE CRIMES OF PARIS by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler. He came to visit me a few weeks ago and saw this book sitting on my desk. He grabbed it right up and said he wanted to read it -- I didn't really request it with him in mind, but... I think you'll be able to tell how much he really enjoyed this book.

Summary: Turn-of-the-century Paris was the beating heart of a rapidly changing world. Painters, scientists, revolutionaries, poets--all were there. But so, too, were the shadows: Paris was a violent, criminal place, its sinister alleyways the haunts of Apache gangsters and its cafes the gathering places of murderous anarchists. In 1911, it fell victim to perhaps the greatest theft of all time--the taking of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. Immediately, Alphonse Bertillon, a detective world-renowned for pioneering crime-scene investigation techniques, was called upon to solve the crime. And quickly the Paris police had a suspect: a young Spanish artist named Pablo Picasso.... -- Little, Brown and Company

THE CRIMES OF PARIS by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler is a true story account of several sensational crimes that occurred in Paris in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The authors introduce the book by describing Paris during that time as the cultural center of the world as well as the epicenter of modernism, the revolution that was changing the way people looked at the world. For the first time people were seeing technological advances such as movies, automobiles, telephones, airplanes and railroads, among others.

For all the progressive aspects of Paris there was a dark side which included constant changes in the form of government, the violence of anarchism and the threat of common street criminals. Because of the Paris citizenry’s fascination with crime, the focus of newspapers, theatre and fictional writings was on this dark side of Paris. The authors do a good job of taking the reader through the development of fictional detective stories which often mirrored real life crime situations. Often the heroes of these books were the criminals. Sometimes the stories utilized current police methods and sometimes the writings created ideas that were later utilized by the police.

The Hooblers give detailed accounts of several real-life crimes to portray the continuing battle between criminals and the scientific advances used to solve crimes. In these historical accounts the authors chronicle advances in scientific crime solving methods such as toxicology, finger printing, body part identification methods, disguises and crime-scene investigation techniques. They record the first use of the automobile as a getaway car and the first police use of the car as a crime solving tool. Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler also utilize some of the crimes to describe the Parisian’s attitude toward female criminals during this time.

The most sensational of these crimes was the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911. Ironically, the crime was not solved by the Paris police despite applying all the new scientific techniques. Interestingly, Pablo Picasso was considered a suspect in the case.

Although the book started off slowly for me the action picked up as the authors began to describe the crimes. The detailed discussion of the Mona Lisa theft was well done and left me with a good understanding of the crime and the surrounding historical perspective. The other cases were excellent examples of how police work changed during this short time. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who has interest in crime solving, suspense novels or early twentieth century history.

A big thanks to Hachette for sending me this ARC and to Booking Pap Pap for his review. THE CRIMES OF PARIS will be available on April 27th.

Does this sound like a book that you'd like to read? I just happen to have three copies of THE CRIMES OF PARIS to share courtesy of Hachette Book Group. For one entry, just leave a comment with your e-mail address telling me why you want to read this book. For an additional entry (or two), you can blog about this contest with a link back to this post and/or mention it on Twitter. This contest is open until April 15th at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will pick the winners randomly and announce them the following day. This giveaway is open to those of you with U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. Good luck!

Review: The Teashop Girls

Summary:
The Official Rules of the Teashop Girls

1. Teashop girls are best friends forever.

2. Tea is held every week, no matter what.

3. All tea and scones must be split equally at all times.

Annie, Genna, and Zoe have been hanging out at the Steeping Leaf since elementary school. The Teashop Girls do everything together -- at least they used to. With the end of eighth grade approaching, Genna's too busy with theater, Zoe's always at tennis, and Annie feels totally left out. What happened to tea every week, no matter what?

When Annie convinces her grandmother to give her a job as a barista at the Leaf, things begin to look up. In between whipping up chai lattes for customers, and attempting to catch the attention of her Barista Boy crush, Annie is finally beginning to feel as grown-up as her best friends. But an eviction notice spells trouble for the Leaf and unless they can turn the business around, the teashop will have to close its doors forever.

Fresh, honest, and sweet, Laura Schaefer's debut novel is sure to resonate with readers everywhere. -- A Paula Wiseman Book/Simon and Schuster

Some of you might know that I'm addicted to Twitter! I love "talking" with all my blogging friends and even meeting new ones. I also love that I can learn something new almost every day. I especially like it when I hear about a new must-read book like THE TEASHOP GIRLS by Laura Schaefer. This book came highly recommended, and I'm so very thankful I picked it up. I loved this book so much and Booking Daughter did too. In fact, she is desperately hoping that this book becomes a series!

THE TEASHOP GIRLS is geared towards ages 8-14, and I can't think of a young girl who wouldn't adore this book. The story is told from the point-of-view of Annie, an 8th grader who loves all things tea and has always wanted to work in her grandmother's tea shop. On her very first day, she discovers that her grandmother is having financial difficulties; and Annie decides that she is going to "save" the store with the help of her two best friends, Genna and Zoe.

I loved Annie! She was such a wonderful character and a terrific role model for young girls. She had all the traits you would want in a young woman -- honest, hardworking, conscientious, sensitive, loyal, ambitious, caring, etc. Her friends Genna and Zoe were also terrific characters. Both of these girls were Teashop Girls along with Annie, yet they were each dealing with their own set of parent problems. All of the girls learned important things about themselves in this novel that made them grow into better (and stronger) young women. I have no doubt that any young girl who reads this book will relate to at least one of these characters.

There is a great deal of humor in this novel that I also enjoyed. Annie has just enough quirkiness and insecurity around boys that was adorable. I also thought the author's portrayal of Annie's family was very funny (probably because it was so true.) Some of the scenes with Annie's classmate (and nemesis) Zach reminded me so much of some boys in my childhood. There are just so many scenes that I found positively adorable!

One thing I really appreciated about this book were the little extras that were thrown in -- they were so cute and added a lot to this book. At the end of each chapter, there was always something to look forward to such as recipes, old tea advertisements, stories written by Annie, and some of Genna's drawings. I found so many of these tidbits to be very interesting. I also thoroughly enjoyed all of the "Annie-isms" in this book. She was constantly making lists (something I can relate to) like: to-do lists, how to save the shop, and even reasons why she should be hired to work at the tea store. The author also included Annie's reports on Japanese tea ceremonies and the history of tea as well as a newspaper article that Annie wrote for the student paper.

I think THE TEASHOP GIRLS would be a wonderful selection for our mother-daughter book club. We just have to wait until it's our turn to host to select it. How adorable would it be to discuss this book over tea, cucumber sandwiches and some of the desserts mentioned in this book? If you think you (or a young girl in your life) might be interested in reading this book, you can read the first chapter here.

If my review isn't enough to convince you to read this wonderful book, then Booking Daughter 's thoughts definitely will:

I loved this book! It might be one of my favorite books ever, but it's definitely in the top three range. My mom told me that the author liked the Baby-Sitter Club series; and I love those books too. I always read them at school and nothing else because my teacher has lots and lots of them.

If I had to pick one thing to be my favorite part from this book is would be hard. It was all so great. But there are three things I really enjoyed about this book. First, I liked the friendship between Genna, Zoe and Annie. Even though the friendship changed throughout the story, you could never guess what was going to happen next. I also liked the way Annie cares for the tea shop. She really worked hard to save the tea shop. Finally, I liked the ending. It was nice the way everything worked out. I know you will enjoy this book.

Reviews: Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand and Kitty Raises Hell

Summary: HONEYMOON IN VEGAS?

Already the alpha pair of Denver's werewolf pack, Kitty and Ben now plan to tie the knot human-style by eloping to Vegas. Kitty is looking forward to sipping fru-fru drinks by the pool and doing her popular radio show on live TV, but her hotel is stocked with werewolf-hating bounty hunters. Elsewhere on the Strip an old-school magician might be wielding the real thing; the vampire community is harboring a dark secret; and the irresistible star of a suspicious animal act is determined to seduce Kitty. Sin City has never been so wild, and this werewolf has never had to fight harder to save not only her wedding, but her very life. -- Grand Central

Summary: Sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas.

Kitty and Ben flee The City That Never Sleeps, thinking they were finished with the dangers there, but the sadistic cult of lycanthropes and their vampire priestess have laid a curse on Kitty in revenge for her disrupting their rituals. Starting at the next full moon, danger and destruction the form of fire strikes Kitty and the pack of werewolves she's sworn to protect.

She enlists the help of a group of TV paranormal investigators - one of whom has real psychic abilities - to help her get to the bottom of the curse that's been laid on her. Rick, the Master vampire of Denver, believes a deeper plot lies behind the curse, and he and Kitty argue about whether or not to accept the help of a professional demon hunter - and vampire - named Roman, who arrives a little too conveniently in the nick of time.

Unable to rely on Rick, and unwilling to accept Roman's offer of help for a price, Kitty and her band of allies, including Vegas magician Odysseus Grant and Kitty's own radio audience, mount a trap for the supernatural being behind the curse, a destructive force summoned by the vengeful cult, a supernatural being that none of them ever thought to face. -- Grand Central

KITTY AND THE DEAD MAN'S HAND and KITTY RAISES HELL by Carrie Vaughn and books five and six in the Carrie Vaughn werewolf series. If you've been following my blog for the past few days, you already know that I have thoroughly enjoyed this series (and I have to admit that I wasn't sure werewolf books would appeal to me.) I found these two books to be very entertaining and consistent with the other books in the series.

I thought it made so much sense to send Kitty to Las Vegas in KITTY AND THE DEAD MAN'S HAND. Kitty and Ben decide to get married and head to Vegas so they don't have to deal with all the hassles of planning a wedding. I can't think of a place more perfect for weirdness and quirky characters than Las Vegas. I liked how the author brought the vampire community and other freaky lycanthropes into this novel through the various shows and magical acts -- it was such a creative way to develop the characters. Although, I will admit that some parts of this story did get pretty far out for me, I still love Kitty and enjoyed her Vegas experience; however, I was happy to see that she was returning home for the next book. I like that the author left the reader with a big cliffhanger at the end of KITTY AND THE DEAD MAN'S HAND, and I was personally glad that I already had my copy of the next book in the series and didn't have to wait to read it!

In KITTY RAISES HELL, Kitty picks up right where she left off with a mysterious message from her encounters in Las Vegas. It's clear that she is dealing with a power unlike anything she's ever experienced before. I thought the premise of this novel was interesting because it included a lot more of the supernatural and paranormal. I enjoyed learning about these types of creatures and some of the remedies for fighting them. I also like that the author introduced some characters from a reality based television show. I thought a few of them were terrific supporting characters, and I liked how they worked with Kitty to solve this mystery.

I haven't read a lot of books that quality as the fantasy genre, so I really don't have anything to compare the Kitty books too; however, I was very impressed with this series -- I had so much fun reading these six books. Miss Vaughn has created very memorable characters and definitely has the ability to tell a great story. I am guessing that there will be more Kitty books in the future because I'm pretty sure that Kitty will manage to get herself into some more trouble. I consider myself a fan of Kitty and I'm looking forward to reading about more of her antics.

Last month, I was fortunate enough to participate in the BlogTalk Radio show with Ms. Vaughn. It was a very interesting interview and it definitely made me want to read this entire series. You can listen to a recording of the show here. Ms. Vaughn has also written a some essays that you might enjoy -- Books are Friends and An Ode to Kafa. You can take a look at the author's website and her blog if you still want to learn a little more about her.

Check out this video for KITTY RAISES HELL:



Participating sites:
http://booksamyreads.blogspot.com/
http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/
http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/
http://acircleofbooks.blogspot.com/
http://amateurdelivre.wordpress.com/
http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com/
http://confessionsofaromancebookaddict.wordpress.com/
http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
http://stephaniesbooks.blogspot.com/
http://www.bookthoughtsbylisa.blogspot.com/
http://www.bananas4books.blogspot.com/
http://www.chikune.com/blog
http://www.foreigncircuslibrary.blogspot.com/
http://www.jennsbookshelf.blogspot.com/
http://www.msbookish.com/
http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
http://www.writeforareader.edublogs.org/
http://www.amberstults.com/
http://literaryfeline.blogspot.com/
http://confessionsofaromancebookaddict.wordpress.com/
http://www.wrightysreads.blogspot.com/
http://bookzombie.blogspot.com/
http://fictiontofruition.blogspot.com/
http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/darbyscloset
http://inbedwithbooks.blogspot.com/
http://thisbookforfree.com/
http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/
http://www.grammasreads.blogspot.com/
http://samsbookblog.blogspot.com/
http://bookseriesreviews.blogspot.com/
http://www.booksbytjbaff.blogspot.com/
http://unmainstreammomreads.blogspot.com/

If you haven't been following my little blog tour, here are the links to the first three books in the Kitty Norville werewolf series:

KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR - review
KITTY GOES TO WASHINGTON - review
KITTY TAKES A HOLIDAY - review
KITTY AND THE SILVER BULLET - review

A big thanks goes out to Hachette Book Group for allowing me to participate in this very fun book blog tour!

Review: Deep Dish

Summary: After years of hard work, Gina Foxton, chef extraordinaire and former runner-up Miss Teen Vidalia Onion, is hosting her own show, Fresh Start, on Georgia public television. She's also dating the producer. But when Fresh Start goes bad—and her boyfriend is caught in flagrante delicto with the boss's wife—Gina decides it's time to pursue bigger dreams. Namely a gig on national television.

Gina knows she's destined to be the Cooking Channel's next superstar. But the execs also have their eyes on Tate Moody, Mr. "Kill It and Grill It" himself, host of the hunting, fishing, and cooking show Vittles. The ultimate man's man, Tate is a tasty side of beef with a large, swooning female fan base. Gina's loyal devotees consist of her free-spirited college-dropout sister and her mother . . . who calls every single day.

When the smoke clears there can be only one TV chef standing, and Gina and Tate are ready for the cook-off of their lives. -- Harper

When Book Club Girl announced that Mary Kay Andrews, author of DEEP DISH, was going to appear on her BlogTalk Radio show, I jumped at the chance. I try to never miss one of her shows because I absolutely love them; and I remember reading one of Ms. Andrews books a few years ago and thoroughly enjoying it. Plus, I've read some very positive reviews about DEEP DISH.

I am so happy to say that I really liked DEEP DISH and I found it so very entertaining! This book was such a light, fun read and I really felt like I was escaping from the grind of my daily life when I read it. Because I read so much and I read a lot of intense books, sometimes it's just nice to sit back and be entertained. That's exactly what DEEP DISH did for me. I found myself laughing (a lot) at the characters' antics; and I really think Ms. Andrews is a master of this type of book.

I thought all of the characters were wonderful, but I absolutely loved Gina and Tate! I thought the author did a great job of showing the competition between the two while also showing their softer, more human sides. I loved how Ms. Andrews was able to keep the tension in their relationship by showing the back and forth nature of love/hate relationship. It was so much fun rooting for both of them, not only in the food competition but on the romance front as well.

My book club is already talking about our summer picks, and I think DEEP DISH would make a terrific selection. It is a light book with great characters as well as lots of humor and romance. I can't think of a better book to read while lounging around the pool. There is a reading guide available which lists some very fun questions to discuss with your friends. And, just imagine all the wonderful dishes you could prepare since the book is about food and cooking shows. There are even a few recipes listed in the back of the book -- I especially think Tate's Grilled Ginger Peachy looks awesome, but you might prefer Reggie's Simply Sinful Tomato Soup Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

I can't wait for the radio show tomorrow evening (March 25th at 7:00 p.m.) I already read an interview with Ms. Andrews, and I can tell that she's going to be a lot of fun. Even if you haven't had the chance to read any of her books yet, I still think you'll enjoy listening in on this interview.

A big thanks to Jennifer/Book Club Girl and Harper for sending me this book!

Also reviewed at:
Redlady's Reading Room

Review: Kitty and the Silver Bullet

Summary: Kitty's radio show is as popular as ever and she has a boyfriend who actually seems to understand her. Can she finally settle down to a normal life? Not if this is just the calm before the storm. When her mother falls ill, Kitty rushes back to Denver--and right back to the abusive pack of werewolves she escaped a year ago. To make matters worse, a war is brewing between the city's two oldest vampires, threatening the whole supernatural community. Though she wants to stay neutral, Kitty is again drawn into a world of politics and violence. To protect her family, her lover, and herself, she'll have to choose sides. And maybe become what she hates--a killer. -- Grand Central

KITTY AND THE SILVER BULLET by Carrie Vaughn is the fourth book in the Kitty Norville werewolf series, and it was another enjoyable read. While I can say that I definitely liked this book, it probably wasn't my favorite in the series. This book had a lot more of the werewolf and vampire politics as well as more violence; and I seem to like the books that focus more on Kitty and her life.

One thing that I have really liked about this entire series, but particularly this book, is the way the author handles Kitty's family relationships. Because Kitty was a normal 20 something before she was attached by a werewolf, she still tries to maintain as normal a relationship as possible with her parents and sister. It is clear throughout all of the books that Kitty deeply loves her family and doesn't want to involve them in any of the werewolf parts of her life. In KITTY AND THE SILVER BULLET, Kitty has a lot more contact with her family. I think it's just wonderful how supportive Kitty's family is of her situation. And, I really liked how Kitty rushed to her mother's side when she got sick even though her life was in danger.

As I read this book, I could definitely tell what direction the story was going to take. Both the vampires and werewolves in Denver were battling for control, and I knew there was going to be a big battle before things were resolved. I felt like this book was a little more violent than the first three; however, I think the author does a great job of keeping the fighting and gore in check. It's natural that a werewolf book would include a lot of violence, but I do think, relatively speaking, that Ms. Vaughn handles these scenes in a pretty "clean-cut" way.

If you haven't been following my little blog tour, here are the links to the first three books in the Kitty Norville werewolf series:

KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR - review
KITTY GOES TO WASHINGTON - review
KITTY TAKES A HOLIDAY - review

Please stop by tomorrow when the "official" Kitty book blog tour is taking place. I will be reviewing books 5 and 6 in the series -- KITTY AND THE DEAD MAN'S HAND and KITTY RAISES HELL. Plus, I'll have lots of other interesting tidbits about these very exciting books!

Mailbox Monday - March 23, 2009

Oh my gosh -- did I have the most awesome book week or what? Check out these goodies!

LOVE MERCY by Earlene Fowler

DEAD EVEN by Brad Meltzer -- audio book

BOUND SOUTH by Susan Rebecca White -- I won this book from Michele at Reader's Respite.

CURSE OF THE SPELLMANS by Lisa Lutz -- I won this book from Free Book Friday.

THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS by Jillian Cantor

THE MIDWIFE by Jennifer Worth

FREDERICA by Georgette Heyer

THE CONVENIENT MARRIAGE by Georgette Heyer

THE STAY-AT-HOME SURVIVAL GUIDE: Field-tested strategies for staying smart, sane, and connected while caring for yur kids by Melissa Stanton

THE CRADLE by Patrick Somerville

THE HOUSEHOLD GUIDE TO DYING: A Novel About Life (ARC) by Debra Adelaide

WATER GHOSTS (ARC) by Shawna Yang Ryan

RAIN VILLAGE by Carolyn Turgeon

EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL (ARC) by Katherine Center - I think the neighbors could hear my squeal when I got this one from Library Thing Early Reviewers!

DOGFESSIONS: Secret Confessions from Dogs compiled by Nikki Moustaki - I won this a few months ago from Harper Collins Children Books.

NUTTY TO MEET YOU by Alan Venable - My son and I read this one immediately after we opened it. I hope to write up the review very soon.

TAKE ME WITH YOU WHEN YOU GO by Alan Venable

SIMPLE WISHES by Lisa Dale - I won this book from Fresh Fiction!

THE LOST HOURS by Karen White

FIX-IT AND ENJOY-IT! HEALTHY COOKBOOK by Phyllis Pellman Good

What did you get last week?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Review: Kitty Takes a Holiday

Summary: After getting caught turning wolf on national television, Kitty retreats to a mountain cabin to recover and write her memoirs. But this is Kitty, so trouble is never far behind, and instead of Walden Pond, she gets Evil Dead. When werewolf hunter Cormac shows up with an injured Ben O'Farrell, Kitty's lawyer, slung over his shoulder, and a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes starts sniffing around the cabin, Kitty wonders if any of them will get out of these woods alive... -- Grand Central

Today is Day 3 of my "unofficial" book tour for the Kitty Norville werewolf series by Carrie Vaughn. KITTY TAKES A HOLIDAY is the third book in this series, and right now I'd have to say that it is my favorite. I am going to admit that I read these books out of order because I was concerned that I wouldn't get all of them read before the "official" book blog tour date. (I read the first book and then books 5 and 6. Then I went back an read books 2, 3, and 4.) This book definitely cleared up a lot of major things mentioned in books 5 and 6 that I was dying to know; however, I really wish I had read this series in order because I think this book would have knocked my socks off!

I felt that KITTY TAKES A HOLIDAY was kind of a misleading title for this book. Kitty decided to take some time off from her radio show to sort things out in her life and write a memoir. She goes away to a secluded cabin; however, in typical Kitty fashion trouble follows her. I thought that this novel was actually a little darker than the first two books (although these books deal with werewolves and other supernatural creatures so they are dark by nature), and it definitely had a lot less humor.

There are two major things that happen in this novel, and it's hard to review this book without mentioning them. But I don't want to come close to giving them away because they are terrific surprises. Suffice it to say that both of these occurrences are life-altering for Kitty and her two close friends. Due to unforeseen events, Kitty and her friends are forced to evaluate their lives and their actions. I felt that this book was definitely the most insightful into the thoughts and feelings of Kitty as well as the actions of werewolves.

If you haven't been following my little blog tour, here are the links to the first two books in the Kitty Norville werewolf series:

KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR - review
KITTY GOES TO WASHINGTON - review

Make sure you stop by tomorrow when I'll be reviewing Book 4 KITTY AND THE SILVER BULLET.

Review: Kitty Goes to Washington

Summary: Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen. So when she's invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of supernaturals, and her face gets plastered on national TV, she inherits a new set of friends, and enemies, including the vampire mistress of the city; an über-hot Brazilian were-jaguar; and a Bible-thumping senator who wants to expose Kitty as a monster. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone's itching for a fight. -- Grand Central

KITTY GOES TO WASHINGTON by Carrie Vaughn is the second book in the Kitty Norville werewolf series, and I think I enjoyed this one as much as KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (my review.) This series is very readable, the characters are very interesting, and the storylines definitely hook me in. I am a little surprised with how much I am liking these books.

Once again, I found myself liking Kitty and her antics; however, I did find myself getting frustrated at times with her promiscuity. I don't want to come across that there were a lot of sexual scenes in this book because there really weren't many details. In fact, I am actually kind of pleased with how Ms. Vaughn handles the sex that takes place in the first two books -- she could have been so much more graphic. I am thankful that it's not a major focus of these books, but I was still disappointed that Kitty chose to go home with someone she met at a bar.

I also enjoyed that the majority of the book took place in Washington, DC -- a town that I lived in for over ten years. I thought it was interesting to have Kitty visit the normal "touristy" spots, and I really appreciated how she got emotional when talking about Arlington Cemetery. Even though Kitty is a werewolf (and by the way, how funny is it that "Kitty" is a "werewolf?"), she still comes across in these books as very human. I found in interesting in this book that Kitty existed in her human state for the vast majority of this book rather than her werewolf state. Maybe that's one of the reasons that I liked this book so much -- more people and less animals!

I felt that the author did a better job with building suspense in this book that the first one. There were quite a few odd characters that Kitty met, and there were also a handful of mysteries that Kitty was trying to figure out. By now, I've pretty much realized that if trouble doesn't follow Kitty, she'll manage to find it herself. I also thoroughly enjoyed the vampire aspects of this story, and I love the complex relationships between the werewolves and the vampires.

Make sure you stop by tomorrow because I will be reviewing book three in the series -- KITTY TAKES A HOLIDAY.

Review: Kitty and the Midnight Hour

Summary: Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station and a werewolf in the closet. Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it's Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew? -- Grand Central

I am going to preface this review by saying that KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR by Carrie Vaughn is not a book that I would normally read. However, I decided to "go a little crazy" and sign up for the March Book Blog tour for the Kitty Norville werewolf series. As part of touring books five and six, Hachette sent me all six books in the series. I have to admit that I was a little concerned about reading all six books if I didn't like the premise. I shouldn't have been worried because I am thoroughly enjoying this series.

I am so glad that I went out of my comfort zone and picked up this book -- I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR is Book 1 in this series, and it does a great job of setting up the story and the characters. The book was a very quick read for me, and (much to my surprise) I found that I didn't want to put the book down. I actually read this book in less than a day! I can't remember ever reading any werewolf books before, but I have to say that I am hooked.

One of the things that I really liked about this book were the characters. I thought Ms. Vaughn did a fantastic job of portraying Kitty. The book is told in first person narrative by her, and I loved learning her feelings and insecurities about being a werewolf. I was very surprised by how much I liked Kitty and how normal she seemed (except for her ability to change into a werewolf.) I also thought Ms. Vaughn showed Kitty's internal conflict about her werewolf nature in a very convincing way.

Since my intent is to post a Kitty book review a day until the blog tour, I'm going to end my review here -- I know you're thinking that it might be my shortest review ever! I need to save some of the things I like about these books to discuss in my future reviews.

Review: A Reliable Wife

Summary: Rural Wisconsin, 1909. In the bitter cold, Ralph Truitt, a successful businessman, stands alone on a train platform waiting for the woman who answered his newspaper advertisement for "a reliable wife." But when Catherine Land steps off the train from Chicago, she's not the "simple, honest woman" that Ralph is expecting. She is both complex and devious, haunted by a terrible past and motivated by greed. Her plan is simple: she will win this man's devotion, and then, ever so slowly, she will poison him and leave Wisconsin a wealthy widow. What she has not counted on, though, is that Truitt — a passionate man with his own dark secrets —has plans of his own for his new wife. Isolated on a remote estate and imprisoned by relentless snow, the story of Ralph and Catherine unfolds in unimaginable ways.

With echoes of Wuthering Heights and Rebecca, Robert Goolrick's intoxicating debut novel delivers a classic tale of suspenseful seduction, set in a world that seems to have gone temporarily off its axis. -- Algonquin Books

I have been reading so many incredible reviews about A RELIABLE WIFE by Robert Goolrick that I finally decided to see what all the fuss was about. I absolutely devoured this book and completely agree with what all the critics are saying -- A RELIABLE WIFE is an amazing book. I highly recommend this novel and suggest you add it to your must-read list.

When I first read the book description for A RELIABLE WIFE, I thought it sounded intriguing. A wealthy widower has purchased an ad looking for "a reliable wife." The book begins with him impatiently waiting at a train station for his future wife to arrive. He is shocked when a beautiful woman gets off the train because she doesn't match the picture of the "plain" woman he was expecting. I immediately knew that Catherine wasn't the woman she was pretending to be and had a very questionable past -- she actually was planning on killing her new husband and taking all his money. Catherine's actions were a big indication to me that things in this story might be a little more complex than they first appeared. And, it was the first sign that this book would be filled with many twists and turns.

I absolutely love how this story unfolded! I felt as if I was always discovering something new about these incredibly complex characters. What I found odd about this book was that I didn't actually like any of the characters, yet their lives and actions had me completely mesmerized -- I usually enjoy books more when I can relate to the characters. All of the main characters were coping with a great deal of baggage, and as a result, were very damaged and flawed. I'm sure I was attracted to their stories because they were so sordid, but I have to admit that I found them fascinating.

A RELIABLE WIFE is Robert Goolrick's first novel and I have to say that it's a very powerful debut. I cannot rave enough about this book -- it's riveting. Mr. Goolrick is an extremely gifted writer, and I was blown away by the way he told this story. I'm not exactly sure how to describe his writing style, but to say it's almost understated. Every word was carefully chosen for a reason and to evoke a particular feeling. His descriptions of the Wisconsin countryside and the town's inhabitants are just perfect -- I could visualize the desolate, snow-covered countryside and even understand how some of the people in this town went mad. This book would without a doubt make an incredible movie, and I wasn't surprised that the film rights to A RELIABLE WIFE have already been purchased by Columbia.

A RELIABLE WIFE should be on your book club's list of books to read because it would make a fantastic discussion book. It has already been selected as one of The April 2009 Indie Next List Great Reads. Just last week, Reading Group Guides blog had a terrific guest post written by three librarians about A RELIABLE WIFE. I especially enjoyed reading their most talked about discussion questions at the end of the essay. The themes in this book aren't unique to this story, but they are told with an entirely new slant. Some of the topics your club might discuss are lies, deceit, loneliness, forgiveness, madness, violence, and revenge. You could probably just talk about the psyche of the characters for an entire evening. This book really is that interesting.

A RELIABLE WIFE comes out on March 31st. You might just want to pre-order it to make sure you have it right away! A big thanks to Algonquin Books for sending me an ARC to review.

Review: The Girl She Used to Be

Summary: When Melody Grace McCartney was six years old, she and her parents witnessed an act of violence so brutal that it changed their lives forever. The federal government lured them into the Witness Protection Program with the promise of safety, and they went gratefully. But the program took Melody's name, her home, her innocence, and, ultimately, her family. She's been May Adams, Karen Smith, Anne Johnson, and countless others--everyone but the one person she longs to be: herself. So when the feds spirit her off to begin yet another new life in another town, she's stunned when a man confronts her and calls her by her real name. Jonathan Bovaro, the mafioso sent to hunt her down, knows her, the real her, and it's a dangerous thrill that Melody can't resist. He's insistent that she's just a pawn in the government's war against the Bovaro family. But can she trust her life and her identity to this vicious stranger whose acts of violence are legendary? -- Grand Central Publishing

In high school, I used to read a lot of books about the Mafia. Chalk it up to the influence of The Godfather movies and RAGE OF ANGELS, but I couldn't get enough of them. Since that time, I can't say that I've read very many fictional Mafia books (I have read a few non-fiction ones) but THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE by David Cristofano looked kind of interesting to me. I was drawn to it because 1) it was a story with some Mafia references, and 2) the main character was a woman. I thought it was a unique premise for a novel.

I found THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE a very readable novel. I definitely had some issues with Melody because I really didn't like her very much. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the book -- I'm just saying that I found myself getting upset with her and thinking that she needed to grow up. I tried to feel sympathy towards her, and at times I did; but she was a complex character that had a great deal of self-pity. While I can never relate to the traumas that Melody experienced in her life, I did understand the difficulties of starting over (and fitting in) that she felt. As a child, I moved every few years; but at least, I was always able to be me. I can't imagine having to start a new identity and not being able to discuss my past.

Despite not feeling a great deal of compassion towards Melody, I couldn't put this book down. Melody gets caught up in whirlwind of activity going back and forth between the federal government and the son of a mafioso -- she doesn't know who to trust. And to be honest, I didn't know either. The action in the book became much more frantic, and I found myself reading at a faster and faster pace because I couldn't wait to find out what happens. This book definitely has its fair share of twists and turns and it kept me guessing until the last few pages.

THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE is Mr. Cristofano's first novel, and I think it's a very impressive start. While I was interested in this book because the main character was a woman, I was a little surprised by the author's decision to write this book from a woman's point of view. I was so happy to stumble upon this essay where Mr. Cristofano writes about this very idea. I really appreciate how he thinks writing in a female voice gives him additional insight into the women in his life. I definitely didn't relate to Melody at all (mainly because I can't imagine hiding out for twenty years with different identities), but I think he did a pretty good job of creating a memorable female character. There is also an interview with him that sheds some light on the novel.

I wasn't so sure that I was going to recommend THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE for a book club selection; however when I read the discussion questions, I changed my mind. These questions will definitely help keep your discussion on track; and they cover a lot of interesting issues. I especially like the questions having to do with Melody's state of mind and her inability to trust and form relationships.
Thanks to Miriam at Hachette Book Group for sending me this book!

Review: Godmother & Giveaway

Summary: Lil is an old woman who spends her days shelving rare books in a tiny Manhattan bookstore and lonely nights at home in her apartment. But Lil has an intriguing secret. Tucked and bound behind her back are white feathery wings–the only key to who she once was: the fairy godmother responsible for getting Cinderella to the ball to unite with her Prince Charming.

But on that fateful night, something went terribly and beautifully wrong. Lil allowed herself the unthinkable: to feel the emotions of human beings and fall in love with the prince herself, going to the ball in place of Cinderella in her exquisitely gorgeous human guise. For her unforgivable mistake, she was banished to live among humans, far from her fairy sisters and their magical underwater world. But then one day she meets Veronica–a young, fair-skinned, flame-haired East Village beauty with a love of all things vintage and a penchant for falling in love with the wrong men–and suddenly it becomes clear to Lil that she’s been given a chance at redemption. If she can find a soul mate for Veronica, she may right her wrong and return to the fairy world she so deeply longs for. . . . -- Three Rivers Press

I have to admit that the description of the book GODMOTHER: THE SECRET CINDERELLA STORY by Carolyn Turgeon intrigued me. I know books that re-tell fairy tales are popular right now, but I haven't read a lot of them. For some reason, this one really appealed to me probably because the fairy godmother character worked in a bookstore and the book takes place in the present. Whatever the reason, I am so glad that I picked up GODMOTHER -- it was a fabulous book.

This book is a must read if you enjoy fairy tales. The book is a wonderful re-telling of the age-old Cinderella story but it is filled with some twists. Suffice it to say that in GODMOTHER, the Cinderella story that we all know and love isn't the real story. I love how the author created this new version; and while it is drastically different, I love how it still fits with the original story. GODMOTHER is at times funny, dark, touching, and even surprising; but above all, it is just a magical story!

Ms. Turgeon is an amazing writer! Not only did she come up with a new Cinderella story in this novel, but she also made up another storyline that is extremely creative. I love how she told this story by going back and forth between present day when Lil is trying to work a little fairy godmother magic and her past when she was Cinderella's fairy godmother. I absolutely adored how Ms. Turgeon wove these two stories together -- it was seamless. I was drawn into Lil's story from the very start; and I couldn't put the book down until I found out what happened to her.

Lil is a wonderful character and the perfect choice for narrator of this book. There is much more to Lil than I first thought when I started this novel -- she is an extremely complex and interesting character to say the least. After Lil botched her role as the fairy godmother in the Cinderella story, she was forced to live as a human (rather than a beautiful fairy) and deal with her mistakes. Lil, now an older woman working in a used bookstore, receives a few clues that maybe she is being given a second chance. She decides that if she can just make a match between her new friend and her boss, she just might redeem herself and return to the fairy world. My heart went out to Lil because it was obvious that she was living with a great deal of loneliness and guilt. I certainly found myself rooting for her and hoping that she was getting a second chance.

The entire time I read GODMOTHER, I kept thinking that it would make the perfect movie. Stories that re-tell fairy tales with some twists have such a huge audience right now, and this one would most certainly appeal to a lot of people. As I read this novel, I could almost picture the scenes as a movie, especially the ones with Cinderella and the other fairies. So I wasn't surprised when I read that the book has been optioned for film by Random House Films/Focus Features. I really hope this movie gets made because I think it has the potential to be wonderful.

After I read this book and enjoyed it so much, I decided to check out Ms. Turgeon's website and learn a little more about her. I was so excited to see that she's written another book RAIN VILLAGE which I am now dying to read. I also learned that she's a Penn State graduate (like me) and even lives in Central PA (also like me!) I love how she mentions that her New York friends refer to her as a hillbilly now because my DC friends said the same thing when we moved here! If you'd like to learn more about Ms. Turgeon, you can also check out her blog. There is also a great article about the magic of books clubs that she wrote for Reading Group Guides -- you can read it here.

Speaking of book clubs, I think GODMOTHER would be a really fun pick for a future book club meeting. It's a terrific read and there's actually a great deal to talk about. The book contains a reading guide in the back which will help direct your discussion. I would love to hear my friends opinions on the ending of the story, as well as their thoughts on the themes of loss, friendship, redemption, loneliness, and beauty. There are so many issues which a book group could delve into and analyze.

Does GODMOTHER sound like a book that you'd like to read? I just happen to have an extra, autographed copy to share with one lucky reader. To enter the contest, just leave a comment with your e-mail address telling me why you want to read this book. To double or even triple your chances, blog about this contest with a link back to this post and/or tweet about it. The contest will be open until Friday, April 3rd at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will announce the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. or Canada mailing addresses only. Good luck!

A big thanks goes out to Alisha from Crown Publishing for sending me this wonderful and enchanting novel!

Also reviewed at:
Melody's Reading Corner
The Written Word

Hello...You Won Standing Still

Congratulations to Julie from Girls Just Reading! You won an autographed copy of STANDING STILL by Kelly Simmons. Please e-mail me with your name and mailing address so I can forward them to the author.

Make sure you check out my other giveaways:

GALWAY BAY

THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS

GODMOTHER

Review: Galway Bay & Giveaway

Summary: Here at last is one Irish family's epic journey, capturing the tragedy and triumph of the Irish-American experience. In a rousing tale that echoes the myths and legends of Ireland herself, young Honora Keeley and Michael Kelly wed and start a family, inhabiting a hidden Ireland where fishermen and tenant farmers find solace in their ancient faith, songs, stories, and communal celebrations. Selling both their catch--and their crops--to survive, these people subsist on the potato crop--their only staple food. But when blight destroys the potatoes three times in four years, a callous government and uncaring landlords turn a natural disaster into The Great Starvation that will kill one million. Honora and Michael vow their children will live. The family joins two million other Irish refugees in one of the greatest rescues in human history: the Irish Emigration to America. Danger and hardship await them there. Honora and her unconventional sister Maire watch their seven sons as they transform Chicago from a frontier town to the "City of the Century", fight the Civil War, and enlist in the cause of Ireland's freedom. The Kelly clan is victorious. This heroic story sheds brilliant light on the ancestors of today's 44 million Irish Americans. -- Grand Central Publishing

Happy St. Patrick's Day! And I can't think of a better way to celebrate than talking about GALWAY BAY by Mary Pat Kelly. I love that the bloggers voted for GALWAY BAY to be the March Early Birds Blog Tour book -- it is just so timely. Since I'm not Irish and don't really enjoy green beer, I never feel like I am "worthy" to celebrate this holiday; however, after reading this book, I definitely feel like an honorary Irishman this year!

As many of you know, I am always drawn to historical fiction books. GALWAY BAY was a wonderful read. I haven't read many books about Ireland and its history (and it's been a very long time since I've read Leon Uris' TRINITY), but I've always been very interested in the Irish people. Unfortunately, neither my husband nor I have any Irish blood in our veins; and I have to admit that I don't know much about Ireland's history beyond the potato blight in the mid 1800s. I think that's one of the reasons that I enjoyed GALWAY BAY so much was that it contained so much of Ireland's fascinating history.

When I first started this book, I was a little concerned about all of the native Irish words that were referenced. Most I could figure out from the sentences' context, but some had me wondering. I'm not sure if there were eventually less Irish words in the book or I got used to them, but by page 100 I wasn't having any issues with the language and I was totally caught up in the story. It wasn't until I had about 100 pages to go that I noticed there is a glossary in the back of the book. I felt so dumb and I do think it would have enhanced my reading experience had I used the glossary from the start.

GALWAY BAY is based on the life of Mary Pat Kelly's great-great-grandmother, Honora Kelly. I love that she wrote this entire novel based on some stories about her great-great-grandmother. I can't imagine how fascinating the entire process of writing this book would have been for her. She not only learned about Ireland's history and the beginnings of Chicago, but she also got to "know" her relatives. You can read more about what an honor it was for her to write this book here; and Ms. Kelly has also written a letter which explains some of the the things she discovered about her ancestors while researching this novel. If you still want to learn more about Ms. Kelly, check out her blog.

This book covers the life of Honora Kelly from the time she was a teenager until she was an older woman. She is a wonderful character that captured my heart from the very start; and I won't easily forget her. She was an incredibly loyal wife and mother (and grandmother) and was definitely the force behind her entire family. While she did eventually come to America because it was the best for her family, she still told all the old Irish folk stories and lore that she had learned from her grandmother. I thought these stories were a terrific addition to this book because I wasn't familiar with any of them. I also appreciated how the author wrote about the beginnings of Chicago, the fight for Ireland's freedom, and even some events in the Civil War. This book was an amazing blend of fiction and history -- there really is something for every reader in this novel.

Honora Kelly, as was her sister Maire, were without a doubt survivors and an inspiration to women everywhere. I am mind boggled by the hardships they endured throughout their lives. Even though my family isn't of Irish descent, I still related to the characters in GALWAY BAY and was touched by their plight. My relatives came over with nothing from Germany, Poland and Italy to make a home here and find a better place for their families. I think this novel speaks to people everywhere whose ancestors took humongous risks and immigrated to the United States.

I am just thrilled that Ms. Kelly is going to be interviewed today (March 17th) at 11:00 a.m. EST on Blog Talk Radio. Based on her bio, Ms. Kelly sounds very interesting. I was so impressed with not only her ability to tell a wonderful story, but also the amount of research she conducted to write this novel. I can't wait to hear her talk about her family and their Irish traditions; and I'm very anxious to learn more about what inspired her to write their story.

I highly recommend GALWAY BAY for book clubs. The only issue would be the length of the book (over 550 pages); however, it is well worth the extra time you'd spend on it. There is a reading guide in the back of the book that has some excellent discussion questions. There are so many wonderful topics such as family relationships, surviving hardships, endurance, love, religion, adapting to new environments, customs and traditions, etc. You could talk about this book for hours. And if you really want to make your meeting special, this is the perfect book to discuss over a variety of Irish foods and drinks!

Check out these other blogs participating in the GALWAY BAY tour:

http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/
http://athomewithbooks.blogspot.com/
http://book-thirty.blogspot.com/
http://readersrespite.blogspot.com/
http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com/
http://www.acircleofbooks.blogspot.com/
http://www.corinnesbookreviews.blogspot.com/
http://lorisbookden.blogspot.com/
http://www.bookthoughtsbylisa.blogspot.com/
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/
http://libraryqueue.blogspot.com/
http://allisonsatticblog.blogspot.com/
http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/
http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com/
http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/
http://enroutetolife.blogspot.com/
http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/
http://www.marjoleinbookblog.blogspot.com/
http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/
http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/
http://jennsbookshelf.blogspot.com/
http://thebookczar.blogspot.com/
http://www.writeforareader.edublogs.org/
http://linussblanket.com/
http://booksbytjbaff.blogspot.com/
http://www.caribousmom.com/
http://hiddenplace.wordpress.com/
http://www.chikune.com/blog
http://librarygirlreads.blogspot.com/
http://diaryofaneccentric.blogspot.com/
http://savvyverseandwit.blogspot.com/
http://www.kayespenguinposts.blogspot.com/
http://writebyfaith.blogspot.com/
http://www.frommipov.blogspot.com/
http://booksiesblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.bookbargainsandpreviews.com/reviews/history/galwaybay.htm
http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com/
http://www.thisbookforfree.com/
http://abookbloggersdiary.blogspot.com/

Are you feeling lucky? I have three copies of GALWAY BAY to share with you. To get one entry, leave me a comment with your e-mail address telling me why you want to read this book. To double or even triple your chances, blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post and/or tweet about it! The contest will be open until Tuesday, March 31st at 11:59 p.m EST. I will announce the winners the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. and/or Canada mailing addresses only.

A huge thanks goes out to Miriam from Hachette Book Group for allowing me to partipate in this book blog tour!

Guest Blogger: Erica Bauermeister & Giveaway

A few weeks ago, I was raving about a beautiful book called THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS by Erica Bauermeister -- you can read my review here. I have been recommending it to everyone I meet because I think it is a book that all types of people will love.

I am just thrilled that Erica has taken time from her very busy schedule to write a guest post for Booking Mama. And this guest post is extra-special because it includes a recipe from a dessert in THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS. I think this book would make an excellent book club pick and you could even pair it with this cake for a most memorable meeting!

When I was writing The School of Essential Ingredients, my idea was to pair each character with a food that would help them - evoke a memory, spur a life change, heal a sorrow. Sometimes this match was obvious, easy, but for a long time I didn’t know what Carl’s food should be. I tried bread, omelettes, salt – nothing quite fit. And then I thought of cake, and I heard the click, the sound in your head that lets you know you have put just the right pieces together in a work of fiction.

The only problem was that at the time I could have easily won a prize as the worst cake baker in the world. In that regard, Helen and I were soul mates. I have a sister-in-law who makes extraordinary cakes – lofty, light, sculptural in their decoration – but mine were more like those scrawled cards a toddler gives you, full of love but cringe-worthy in production.

But Carl and Helen needed a cake – and a white one at that, when everyone in my family is a chocolate fanatic – so I had to figure it out. In the process I learned chemistry and patience and magic. And if I may say so, this cake is delicious. Even the chocolate lovers agreed.

I’m including the recipe below, but Lillian wants to make sure I say that you should mess with it. If you are in a book club, consider trying this for your next get-together....

Carl and Helen’s Cake
2 2/3 cups sifted cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
3 tsp vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 8" cake pans.

Separate eggs, set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter until soft. Add sugar; beat several minutes (until fluffy!). Add one egg yolk at a time, beating after.

Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Flour-milk-flour-milk-flour.

Beat egg whites. When peaks are soft, add sugar. Beat until peaks are stiff, but don't overbeat!
Add egg white mixture to flour mixture and pour into cake pans.
Cook 20-25 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter
4 cups confectioner's sugar (plus more if necessary)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

Beat butter until soft. Add sugar gradually, along with vanilla and milk/whipping cream.

What flavor would you add to the frosting or filling if you weren’t making a white cake?

That's a hard question for me, but I'm going to go with peanut butter (if my son's not around.) No...wait! How about raspberry? Or, maybe almond like my wedding cake. I'm not a huge chocolate fan, so I love white cakes with different fillings.

Are you interested in receiving a copy of this wonderful book? Send Erica your ideas and she’ll choose one entry to receive a signed copy of THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS. Email your entry to bookgiveaway@ericabauermeister.com. Make sure you say you came from Booking Mama. Deadline to enter is Friday, March 28th. Good luck!

Mailbox Monday - March 16, 2009

Another fabulous book week! I think there was only one day when I didn't receive some books in the mail. I think you'll notice that I received more ARCs than usual this week. It's so exciting to get books before they are published!

MIRANDA'S BIG MISTAKE (ARC) by Jill Mansell

LOOK BOTH WAYS (ARC) by Jacquelyn Mitchard - I won in a contest from Kids Book Club Book.

EITHER YOU'RE IN OR YOU'RE IN THE WAY (ARC) by Logan and Noah Miller

LIFE SENTENCES (ARC) by Laura Lippman

SECRET SON (ARC) by Laila Lalami

FAULT LINE (ARC) by Barry Eisler

THE BALLAD OF WEST 10TH STREET by Marjorie Kernan

DEEP DISH by Mary Kay Andrews - This book is from Book Club Girl for her Blog Talk Radio show on March 25th.

LONG LOST (ARC) by Harlan Coben

STERN MEN by Elizabeth Gilbert - This was a "win" from the 24/8 Book Club -- you have to check out their site and blog!

ONE TRUE THEORY OF LOVE (ARC) by Laura Fitzgerald - Another "win" from the 24/8 Book Club.

BUFFALO LOCKJAW by Greg Ames - I'm reading this for the Everyday I Write the Book March Book Club

THE CANARY SANG BUT COULDN'T FLY by Edmund Elmaleh

INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH (ARC) by Luis Alberto Urrea

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS BOXED SET by Rick Riordan - These books were part of my Amazon order and include our Mother-Daughter book club pick for next month.

LUXURY YARN ONE-SKEIN WONDERS by Judith Durant - Another Amazon goody that I've been wanting to get. I checked it out of my library a few weeks back and noticed that Trish's crocheted baby hat was in it. After tweeting with her, I need I had to get it -- this book is gorgeous!

What did you get last week?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Review: The Red Leather Diary

Summary: For more than half a century, the red leather diary languished inside a steamer trunk. Rescued from a Dumpster on Manhattan's Upper West Side, it found its way to Lily Koppel, a young writer, who opened its tarnished brass lock and journeyed into an enthralling past. The diary painted a breathtaking portrait of a bygone New York—of glamorous nights at El Morocco and elegant teas at Schrafft's during the 1920s and '30s—and of the headstrong, endearing teenager who filled its pages with her hopes, heartaches, and vivid recollections. Intrigued, Koppel followed her only clue, a frontispiece inscription, to its now ninety-year-old owner, Florence Wolfson, and was enchanted as Florence, reunited with her diary, rediscovered a lost younger self burning with artistic fervor.

Joining intimate interviews with original diary entries, The Red Leather Diary re-creates the romance and promise of a remarkable era and brings to life the true story of a daring, precocious young dreamer. -- Harper Perennial

I'm not sure if you've heard about THE RED LEATHER DIARY: RECLAIMING A LIFE THROUGH THE PAGES OF A LOST JOURNAL by Lily Koppel. I have seen the book featured on a quite a few blogs lately and knew I had to read it based on the background story alone. Lily Koppel, a journalist, was walking past her apartment when she saw a huge dumpster filled with old suitcases. She jumped right into the dumpster and started going through the trunks. Among the goodies she found was a red leather diary that belonged to Florence Wolfson. She eventually tracks down Ms. Wolfson (now Howitt) who is living in Florida and returns the diary to her. They immediately feel a connection, and the result is this book! How UNBELIEVABLE is that?

While I admit that I decided to read this book based on the story surrounding this diary, I was immediately caught up in the diary's contents and the life of Ms. Wolfson. She was a most incredible young lady who happened to maintain a diary on a daily basis for five years (from the time she was 14 until she was 19.) That in itself is amazing to me because I can never stick to journaling on a regular basis. She led an extremely interesting life, encountering tons of fascinating people, while also being an intriguing young woman in her own right.

This book definitely make me "feel" and "see" New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. Ms. Koppel's descriptions of the various places in the diary were incredible -- I think she captured the essence of the city perfectly. The photographs that were included in the book also enhanced the wonderful descriptions. I really could imagine New York and it was as alive as any character in this story.

Ms. Koppel is more interesting than most fictional characters that appear in books. She was an extremely bright and mature young woman who was way ahead of her time. I was fascinated not only by her relationships, with both men and women, but also by her insights into life. She was an especially creative person and met so many diverse individuals. She wasn't afraid of anything! I have to admit that I was a little surprised (definitely not disappointed though) that she settled down and got married just a few years after her diary ended.

There is no doubt that this story is amazing -- both Ms. Koppel's finding of the diary as well as Ms. Wolfson's life; however, I am very touched by the friendship that was forged between the two women. It's apparent to me that Ms. Koppel was passionate about telling Ms. Wolfson's story and that she feels a definite affinity with her. What I also loved about this story is that it made me really think about the women in my life. I now find myself wondering what my grandmothers and great-grandmothers were like before they became wives, mothers, and grandmothers. I immediately wanted to pick up the phone and ask my grandmas (I'm still fortunate enough to have both of them plus one grandfather) to tell me about their younger selves.

THE RED LEATHER DIARY is an incredible book. It is filled with so many interesting and thought-provoking things to talk about. I do think it would make a wonderful book for your next book club meeting. There is already a reading guide with some terrific topics for discussion. In addition, there is a website devoted to the book. You can link to Ms. Koppel's blog, read an excerpt, and even invite Ms. Koppel to your book club discussion.

A big thanks to author Lily Koppel and Amy from Harper Collins for sending me this incredible book! I definitely recommend it to everyone!

Review: Picking Cotton

Summary: Jennifer Thompson was raped at knifepoint by a man who broke into her apartment while she slept. She was able to escape, and eventually positively identified Ronald Cotton as her attacker. Ronald insisted that she was mistaken-- but Jennifer's positive identification was the compelling evidence that put him behind bars. After eleven years, Ronald was allowed to take a DNA test that proved his innocence. He was released, after serving more than a decade in prison for a crime he never committed. Two years later, Jennifer and Ronald met face to face-- and forged an unlikely friendship that changed both of their lives.

In their own words, Jennifer and Ronald unfold the harrowing details of their tragedy, and challenge our ideas of memory and judgment while demonstrating the profound nature of human grace and the healing power of forgiveness. -- St. Martin's Press

I don't know if any of you watched 60 Minutes this past Sunday, but there was a fascinating feature on the reliability of eyewitness testimony. I was especially interested in this story because I had just finished reading PICKING COTTON: OUR MEMOIR OF INJUSTICE AND REDEMPTION by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo. The 60 minutes story covered a lot of the same information in PICKING COTTON; however, while I appreciated hearing the victims interviewed, I thought the book was much more informative and, of course, more thorough.

I found this book to be an amazing story. The story of Ms. Thompson's rape and the prosecution and imprisonment of Mr. Cotton was quite interesting, but I was blown away by the eventual friendship that developed between these two people. The first section of the book told Ms. Thompson's story of the crime and the second part told Mr. Cotton's. The book then went back and forth between these two to explain the story of Mr. Cotton's eventual release from prison and their unlikely friendship.

You can't help but be affected by this book. My heart went out to both of them because they were both victims of this crime. I felt so bad for Ms. Thompson and her error, and I can't imagine how strong she must be to deal with her guilt. My favorite part of this book was when Mr. Cotton and Ms. Thompson actually met after his release and became very close friends. I am completely and utterly amazed by Mr. Cotton's ability to cope with this travesty of justice and his willingness to forgive -- he is truly an inspiration to us all.

One thing that the 60 Minutes story delved into more than the book was demonstrating how our memory isn't always credible. There were some experts on memory that showed how our mind can play tricks on us. I knew the story and what the experts were going to say about memory and I still fell for all the tricks. One can easily see how someone like Ms. Thompson, with the very best of intentions, could be confused into thinking Mr. Cotton was her actual rapist. It's completely mind-boggling to me how our minds and memory work.

As a result of what happened to both of them, Ms. Thompson and Mr. Cotton have become quite outspoken about the flaws with eyewitness testimony and they want to educate the public about their story. They work closely with The Innocence Project -- "a national litigation and public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent further injustice." It's just incredible to see how many men were wrongfully convicted based on eyewitness testimony that have since been released with DNA evidence.

Take a look at the book trailer for PICKING COTTON. I watched this after I read the book and found myself crying. I just found this to be an amazing story in so many ways.


Thanks to Anna from The Book Report Network for sending me this incredibly powerful book.

Hello...You Won Aesop's Fables & Drood

Wow! I had huge responses to these two giveaways, and I'm just thrilled because both of these books are terrific. So without further ado, here are the winners:

AESOP'S FABLES, retold by John Cech and illustrated by Martin Jarrie:

Anna

Serena

Wendy

Debs Desk

Danielle

DROOD by Dan Simmons:

Red Lady - Bonnie

scottsgal

traymona

nhertel85

Carolyn

Thanks to all of you who entered! Please check out my other giveaway for an autographed copy of STANDING STILL by Kelly Simmons.

March 2009 Book Club Meeting

Summary: Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.

Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. -- Harper

Last night, The Preschool Moms Book Club met to discuss THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein. I absolutely loved this book (you can read my review) and everyone in our group agreed. It was a definite favorite! And I wasn't alone with my tears at the end of the book -- most of us admitted that we shed a few tears.

We all adored Enzo, especially those in the group with dogs; and I think we all appreciated how the author was able to make Enzo so insightful and wise while also keeping his dog traits. We also agreed that the comparisons between living your life and driving in the rain were brilliant. I think every one of us mentioned someone special in our lives with whom we want to share this book. That's a pretty strong endorsement for this novel coming from eight women!

Next month, we will be reading THE TEN YEAR NAP by Meg Wolitzer. The reviews for this book are all over the map, and one member actually read it last night (I'm not sure it was her favorite book but she does think there is a lot to discuss.) I think it's a wonderful pick because so many of us gave up our careers to stay at home with our children. I'm betting that not all of us are going to love this pick, but I have no doubt that our conversation should be interesting.

Summary: From the bestselling author of The Wife and The Position, a feverishly smart novel about female ambition, money, class, motherhood, and marriage-and what happens in one community when a group of educated women chooses not to work.

For a group of four New York friends, the past decade has been largely defined by marriage and motherhood. Educated and reared to believe that they would conquer the world, they then left jobs as corporate lawyers, investment bankers, and film scouts to stay home with their babies. What was meant to be a temporary leave of absence has lasted a decade. Now, at age forty, with the halcyon days of young motherhood behind them and without professions to define them, Amy, Jill, Roberta, and Karen face a life that is not what they were brought up to expect but seems to be the one they have chosen.

But when Amy gets to know a charismatic and successful working mother of three who appears to have fulfilled the classic women's dream of having it all-work, love, family-without having to give anything up, a lifetime's worth of concerns, both practical and existential, opens up. As Amy's obsession with this woman's bustling life grows, it forces the four friends to confront the choices they've made in opting out of their careers-until a series of startling events shatters the peace and, for some of them, changes the landscape entirely.

Written in Meg Wolitzer's inimitable, glittering style, The Ten-Year Nap is wickedly observant, knowing, provocative, surprising, and always entertaining, as it explores the lives of these women with candor, wit, and generosity. -- Penguin

Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain

Summary: Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.

Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. -- Harper

I was so excited when our book club selected THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein. I have read so many raving reviews for this book, and I have been desperately wanting an excuse to read it. I almost never read my book club book until a day or two before the meeting, but I just couldn't wait any longer to pick it up after I heard my good friend (who wasn't looking forward to reading it) gushing about how wonderful it was. She was right -- I absolutely adored this book. I loved the story, the characters; and the novel made me laugh (a lot) and even cry (a little.) It was such a pleasure to read!

After reading THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, I desperately want a dog. Anyone who knows me is laughing right now because I am so not a dog as a pet type of person -- my son and I both are very allergic to dogs, and I'm kind of a freak about dog hair! Actually, I think I want an Enzo. Even though (or maybe because) he is a dog, he is definitely one of my favorite narrators in recent memory. Not only was he the most loyal and loving of companions to Denny and his family, but he was also extremely insightful into the basic nature of humans.

As I read this book, I was a little worried that I'd be let down or saddened by the ending of this book. I could pretty much see what was coming and knew that it was going to be a heart breaker, but I just enjoyed the book so much that I was concerned the ending wouldn't live up to the rest of the book. While I admit that I did shed some tears, I loved the last few chapters of this novel! Overall, I felt such joy and hope about life; and I have Enzo to thank for his wisdom and life-affirming messages.

I have never read any of Mr. Stein's previous novels, but I have to say that I'm now a huge fan. If you would have described this book to me -- a story told by a dog about his race car driving owner and his family, I would have never picked it up. But somehow Mr. Stein was able to tell this story in such a way that really captured my heart. I was so impressed with the way he incorporated symbolism into this novel. And I especially appreciated how he was able to relate the art race car driving (especially in the rain) to living life with its many ups and downs. Check out this interview with Mr. Stein for some additional insight into his writing of this novel. I loved his answer to the question "What answers can we all learn from Enzo?"

As far as I'm concerned, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is a perfect book for book clubs everywhere. The book is extremely readable (I read it in less than a day), and the story captures your attention as well as your heart in the first few pages. I would be absolutely shocked if all the members didn't adore this book and its messages. I love the questions in the reading guide and look forward to discussing this endearing novel with my friends this evening.

Check out the book trailer and you'll see why I desperately want an Enzo for my family. Is he not the most adorable thing?

Guest Review: The Silent Man

I am so excited to welcome back Booking Pap Pap! Since he's now retired with some time on his hands, he has agreed to help me with some of my TBR pile! I thought THE SILENT MAN by Alex Berenson would be a good fit because he enjoys suspense/thriller type books.

Summary: From the #1 New York Times– bestselling author comes another remarkable novel of espionage today— and right around the corner.

Alex Berenson’s The Faithful Spy was declared “one of the best spy stories ever told” (The Wall Street Journal), and The Ghost War “mesmerizing . . . an extraordinary achievement. Wells is a complex blend of smarts, scars, cynicism and wile. And the book’s imaginings seem not so much ‘ripped from the headlines’ as eerily destined to be set in type for tomorrow’s” (The News & Observer). Berenson’s third novel, however, is his most masterful yet.

It isn’t easy to steal warheads from the heart of Russia’s nuclear complex in Mayak. It requires a great deal of money, coordination, ingenuity, and sleight-of-hand, and just a touch of luck. But if you’re determined enough, anything is possible.

It’s been a rough few years for CIA agent John Wells. The undercover work in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the attack on the United States, the Chinese plot that could have led to war. Wells is exhausted, and his nights filled with disturbing dreams. But he knows he has no time for that. He has made many enemies, and the world won’t stay quiet for long.

Nevertheless, Wells is not prepared for what is about to happen. He and his colleague—and fiancée—Jennifer Exley are driving into work when traffic comes to a standstill, due to accidents on both bridges into Washington. A pretty big coincidence, he thinks, beginning to get a bad feeling—a feeling that only gets worse when he spots the red motorcycle zooming up between cars toward him. Before the day is over, several people will be dead or severely injured, Exley among them, and Wells will be a man possessed.

The attackers are Russian, and it is to Russia that Wells must follow the trail. He finds what he’s looking for—but also a great deal more. A plan of almost unimaginable consequences is in motion, and Wells has no idea if he has discovered it in time. The last few years have been rough indeed, but the next few weeks will be much, much worse.

Real-world threats, authentic details, a scenario as dramatic as it is chillingly plausible, Alex Berenson’s new novel is another “timely reminder of the extremely precarious way we live now” (The Washington Post). -- Putnam Adult

Spy thrillers are one of my favorite reading subject matters and The Silent man by Alex Berenson doe not disappoint. Berenson uses the age-old formula of a wily, intelligent federal agent, his relationship with a beautiful woman and a complex world crisis as a setting for his novel.

What makes this book unique is Berenson’s ability to take this formula and put it into a realistic modern day scenario of a “new” Russian cold war, Islamic terrorism and the threat of nuclear weapons getting into the wrong hands. Berenson’s uses his knowledge of the Arab world and his significant attention to detail to make the story a plausible real life adventure.

Berenson’s hero, CIA agent John Wells, is an experienced agent who doesn’t always follow the rules. After he and his fiancée are nearly murdered, he seeks revenge despite the objection of the CIA and his fiancée. He soon discovers that his hunt for his assailants leads him into a sinister plot to harm America. Wells’ finds it necessary to put his personal vendetta aside in order to prevent the terrorist plot. Wells uses a combination of cooperation with his agency (highly unusual with these “hero” type agents) and his own intuition to finally solve the case.

Two issues stood out for me while reading The Silent Man. First, Berenson’s book is nearly absent of profanity and detailed sexual encounters. It’s nice to know a book can be exciting and intense without shocking the reader with overused sex and language issues. Second, even though there are a significant number of killings, the author avoids going into the gory detail of each one.
The book had a nice personal touch for me because of the inclusion of Penn State University, my alma mater.

By the way I think you’ll have to read Alex Berenson’s next John Wells novel to find out if he gets the girl.

Thanks for the great review -- I think I'm going to have to read this one soon. And thanks to Anna from FSB Associates for sending me this book.

Review: Mrs. Perfect

Summary: As a young California girl growing up in a blue collar neighborhood, Taylor Young dreamed of being popular, beautiful, and acquiring a wardrobe to die for. Not to mention marrying a handsome, successful man and living happily ever after in a gorgeous house with three wonderful children. Now, at 36, Taylor has reached the pinnacle of her dreams, but is it all about to unravel? As the new school year approaches, Taylor prepares herself for playing the perfect alpha mom: organizing class activities, fund-raising, and chairing the school auction. But the horror! Her archrival, bohemian mom Marta Zinsser, is named Head Room Mom of Taylor's daughter's fifth grade class. As tensions rise at committee meetings and school activities, the two rivals seem to be destined for a final confrontation. But as Taylor plans her next move, she is floored by a more serious blow at home-her husband has been secretly unemployed for the past six months. With her posh lifestyle crumbling, Taylor struggles to maintain her alpha image-but could Marta, who cares little about appearances, be her only true friend? -- 5 Spot

When I found out that Amy from My Friend Amy and Marcia from The Printed Page were hosting By the Chapter and the book was MRS. PERFECT by Jane Porter, I decided to drop everything and read it right away. I really wanted to participate in her discussion. Plus, I've had the book sitting on my shelves for a few months and was looking for a good excuse to read something fun. I totally enjoyed this novel!

I read and reviewed FLIRTING WITH FORTY a few months ago and knew I liked Ms. Porter's writing. While I enjoyed FLIRTING WITH FORTY, I actually enjoyed MRS. PERFECT even more. I think it's because I could better relate to this story. I am a stay-at-home mother who lives in a community with tons of moms who devote their lives to their kids. I do a little volunteering at my kids' schools, and I've definitely encountered my fair share of "Taylor's." In fact, this book could have been about some of the women that I socialize with.

When I first started this book, I couldn't stand how shallow Taylor was. She drove me crazy with her opinions about her self worth, her appearance and her material possessions. And then as I read more, I realized that a lot of her issues were her insecurity. Of course, I became much more sympathetic towards her character; and there were even a few things about her that I could actually relate to -- as scary as that is. By the end of the book, I really liked Taylor and was hoping that everything would work out for her.

I consider MRS. PERFECT to be grown-up chick lit, but I'm not embarrassed to say that I like reading books like this. I loved how this book pulled me right in, and I was immediately caught up in Taylor's life. I found this book to be so readable -- I carried it with me everywhere including the gym (although I did get some funny looks from a few of the male members.) I admit that I did enjoy reading about all the clothes, travel and interior design (I guess I am somewhat shallow); yet I also liked seeing how Taylor matured and grew to appreciate her true self. While the book was a quick, fun read that caused me to laugh quite a few times, it did touch on some very serious issues that are very pertinent in today's society; and the characters were much deeper and complex than I first thought.

I would definitely recommend MRS. PERFECT for a book club selection, especially if you want a lighter read. And it would be absolutely perfect if your book club knows (or includes) women like Taylor and her friends. I think it would be so entertaining to sit around and discuss this book -- I'd be especially interested in hearing what some of my friends say about the characters. There is a reading group guide available with some terrific discussion questions. Even though the book is a fun read, there are actually quite a few serious issues to talk about such as marital problems, financial concerns, what defines a friend, how society perceives us, etc. If you think you might be interested in this book, you can read an excerpt of the book here.

Thanks to Miriam from Hachette Book Group USA for sending me this book.

Mother Daughter Book Club Meeting #10

Summary: Annabelle Doll is eight years old -- she has been for over a hundred years. Not a lot has happened to her, cooped up in the dollhouse, with the same doll people, day after day, year after year . . . until the Funcrafts move in! Now Annabelle has a friend. Sure, she’s made entirely of plastic and she‘s living in the scariest room in the house, but she’s an adventurer, and after a hundred years of boredom, that’s just what Annabelle needs. When a secret diary surfaces, these two unlikely friends venture into the exciting and dangerous world outside the dollhouse to unravel an age-old mystery. This masterfully plotted adventure by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin is illustrated throughout with remarkable black-and-white drawings by Brian Selznick. -- Hyperion Books for Children

For our March meeting, our Mother Daughter book club read THE DOLL PEOPLE by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin, and illustrated by Brian Selznick. The vast majority of the girls absolutely loved the book, but I have to be honest in saying that it wasn't my favorite. I guess it wasn't written with me in mind, but it did seem to strike a chord with the nine year old girl crowd. This month, we were able to find "real" discussion questions which definitely helped the girls focus their talk on the book. In addition, a few of the girls brought their own questions which were a great addition to the conversation.

I couldn't believe how long the girls discussed this book because I thought it was more entertaining than thought provoking. I was definitely wrong -- I guess that's why it's a good idea that the mothers let the girls pick the books. My favorite part of their discussion was when they talked about which doll family they would prefer to live with -- the antique china set or the newer plastic set. For the most part, they agreed that they liked the older doll set better because there lives seemed more stable. I was sure that at least one or two girls would want to be part of the chaotic, but fun, plastic family.

Next month, we will be reading THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan. It's the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. It's by far the biggest book that we've ever read for our Mother Daughter book club, but I'm hoping that it won't be a problem because it's supposed to be terrific. We've given the girls an extra week or two to read it so hopefully they won't feel too much pressure.

Summary: Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse -- Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon, a mystery unfolds and together with his friends -- one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena -- Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. -- Hyperion Books for Children

Mailbox Monday - March 9, 2009

I am very excited about so many of the books that I received this week --I've already read one of them! Every single one of these books looks awesome, and I can't wait to dig in!

FRENCHMAN'S CREEK by Daphne DuMaurier

THE TERROR by Dan Simmons - I won this book from a contest at Bermuda Onion!

GODMOTHER: THE SECRET CINDERELLA STORY by Carolyn Turgeon

A DATE YOU CAN'T REFUSE by Harley Jane Kozak

PALACE CIRCLE by Rebecca Dean - I requested this one from Shelf Awareness

THE ONLY TRUE GENIUS IN THE FAMILY by Jennie Nash

MAKING ME: THE PREGNANCY ACTIVITY BOOK FOR MY BIG BROTHER OR SISTER! by Julie B. Carr

COUNTDOWN TO MY BIRTH: A DAY-BY-DAY ACCOUNT FROM YOUR BABY'S POINT OF VIEW by Julie B. Carr

What did you get last week?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Guest Blogger: Elizabeth Flock

Yesterday, I reviewed a wonderful book called SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT by Elizabeth Flock. I have read a few of Ms. Flock's books, and I consider myself a big fan. Anna from FSB Associates sent me this essay; and I liked it so much that I wanted to share it with you. I think you'll agree with me that Ms. Flock is a very talented writer.

My Mother's Bed
By Elizabeth Flock,
Author of Sleepwalking in Daylight

The bed is already crowded when I crawl into it. The cats have arranged themselves neatly around my mother and they are not happy when I climb aboard and upset their cozy set-up.

I fit easily into my father's mattress indentation, he's begun his day but the covers have kept his spot warm. My mother is just awake, still soft from sleep. And that is perhaps what I like best about this infrequent ritual, the intimacy of lying close to the yawns and stretches of a fresh day.

I live out of town and cannot visit as often as I would like. Time skitters by far too quickly on these trips. Days become filled with friends, family squeezed here and there in between. So although I am certainly far too old to be crawling into my parents' bed I relish the private time with my mother. Not to mention the youthful implication of climbing into one's parents' king size bed.

Our talk can be about our sleep the night before ("I had the strangest dream"), our meal the night before ("I love the atmosphere but the salmon was overcooked"), plans for the day ahead ("Is that store still here? The one on the corner behind the bank? Let's go there for sure"). Then we meander to meatier topics: ("is [insert family friend's name] happy? It seemed like they were strained when we ran into them yesterday"). Meatier still are the questions about my life, my marriage, my choices.

Truth is, my life is nothing like what I thought it would be. Pretty much every friend I have says the same thing. My friend Kathy is fond of saying "if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans." God must be laughing big time right about now.

I'd always imagined a storybook marriage, kids, home, friends. I thought the big dilemma would be how many children to have . . . four, to make it even? Two, to make it affordable? Of course this was back when I thought forty was ancient, and eating an entire bag of Doritos wouldn't show up on my fit body which would, by the way, always stay effortlessly fit.

At thirty-five I visit, we lie in bed looking up at the ceiling and I ask my mother if everything's turned out the way she thought it would. She seems surprised at the question and answers "It's better than I thought it would be. Different but better. Why, honey? Are you okay?"

And so, there in my mother's bed, I tell her. I tell her I cannot have children of my own. We talk about the fertility clinics, the failed procedures and the soul-crushing reality that it is not in the cards for us. For me, that is. My husband has two daughters and if it weren't for them I think I might have withered up and floated away. They are my girls, pure and simple.

At forty I visit, we lie in bed looking up at the ceiling and I ask my mother how she and my father have stayed married for four decades and counting. And I tell her. I describe the heartbreaking realization that my marriage will not continue. Wait did I fail to mention that it was my second divorce? Yeah, no, it was. Though the circumstances were far different each time. That's something, right? It should mean something, really mean something, that I've managed to stay close to my second ex-husband, shouldn't it? At least I pulled that off. I may have failed miserably at marriage but post-marriage, well, I've nailed that. My friends say we're the coolest divorced couple they know.

Lying next to my mother at forty-one, I felt a hand on my wrist, a delicate bird-hand I know as well as my own, as I wondered aloud what the hell happened to my life. My mother listening, staring at the ceiling knowing it's easier to talk that way, like when you're in a car.

"I've made a mess of my life, Mom," I say, my eyes fighting back tears, following instead a hairline fracture in the ceiling paint, probably from the house settling. "I've pretty much fouled up every single aspect of it."

Her hand gives a light squeeze. My mother knows -- she always knows -- I need to keep talking so she remains quiet.

"Two divorces? Two? What the hell is wrong with me?"

Do I tell her how hard I worked -- how hard we worked -- to keep it together? Do I confess that I am mostly to blame? Will she smile knowingly if I admit I'm a handful, I'm difficult to live with and I have such impossibly high standards no one not even Barack Obama could meet them? (Well, he could).

Most of my friends wonder why I walked away. "Lots of marriages become stagnant," they say. "That's what happens. It doesn't mean you just walk away. You don't just throw in the towel, Liz," the word just implying an infuriating haphazardness. The decision to leave my marriage was not arrived at impulsively. And it certainly wasn't easy. It was agonizing, painful, and so deeply wounding a part of me died in the process.

"Nothing is wrong with you, Liz," her voice shakes me out of my litany of misery. "Life tries to break us apart sometimes and you didn't break. You bent, yes, but you are not broken. You just need to heal. You'll pick yourself up, honey. You will."

At forty-one, we lie in bed, looking up at the ceiling and she asks me how I am and I tell her. I tell her I am finally happy.

While her questions sometimes make me squirm I am grateful they are asked. I may not tell her this but I am also grateful for the advice that follows. For with age comes acknowledgment of our own limitations, our own ignorance. Our parents' life experiences are seen in a new and more favorable light (finally, they will surely say). So if we have any measure of maturity we will recognize our parents as people who just may know what they are talking about. At the very least we can appreciate their journeys.

The cats have readjusted themselves at different angles beside and on top of my mother. I feel her stroking my hair and reflexively I say: "I know, I know. I need a hair cut."

"I was just thinking your hair is beautiful," she says.

A comment I could not have taken in as an awkward teen, a brooding twenty-something or an independent thirty-year old. But I am forty-three and so I smile. I am grateful for her words.

I am grateful for my mother. And I am grateful for my mother's bed.

Copyright © 2009 Elizabeth Flock author of Sleepwalking in Daylight

Author Bio: Elizabeth Flock, author of Sleepwalking in Daylight, is a former journalist who reported for Time and People magazines and worked as an on-air correspondent for CBS before becoming a full-time writer. The New York Times bestselling author of But Inside I'm Screaming, Everything Must Go and Me & Emma -- a Book Sense Notable title and Highlight Pick of the Year -- Elizabeth hails from Connecticut and currently lives in New York City. For more information, please visit website.

Hello...You Won The Red Leather Diary

Congrats to Ti! You won a copy of THE RED LEATHER DIARY by Lily Koppel. Please send me your name and mailing address so I can send it right out to you!

I am overwhelmed by how many of you entered this giveaway, and I wish I had more than one copy to share. I actually read this book last week and I will be posting my review in the very near future -- it was a fascinating book!

Check out my other giveaways:

AESOP'S FABLES

DROOD

STANDING STILL

Review: Sleepwalking in Daylight

Summary: Once defined by her career and independence, stay-at-home mom Samantha Friedman finds that her days have been reduced to errands, car pools and suburban gossip. What was an easy decision for Sam years ago has become a nagging awareness that this life was her choice. Now she deals with a husband who shows up for dinner but is too preoccupied for conversation, and a daughter swathed in black clothing and Goth makeup who won't talk at all.

Believing she's an adopted mistake, seventeen-year-old Cammy has fallen into sex and drugs and pours herself into a journal filled with poetry and pain. On parallel paths, mother and daughter indulge in desperate, furtive escapism—for Sam, a heady affair with her supposed soul mate, fueled by clandestine coffee dates and the desire to feel something; for Cammy, a secretive search for her birth mother punctuated by pills, pot and the need to feel absolutely nothing. -- Mira

I consider myself a pretty big fan of Elizabeth Flock. I have read a few of her books, and I was absolutely blown away by ME AND EMMA. (Just ask my friends because I couldn't stop talking about the ending.) So when I found out that she had a brand-new novel coming out, I just knew I had to read it. Ms. Flock's latest book is called SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT; and it's already been featured on the March '09 Indie Next List.

I enjoyed SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT very much, though I hesitate to use the word "enjoy." I loved this story and the writing, but I have to warn you that this book is not exactly upbeat. Anytime I read about a teen that is having issues or a couple that is struggling to stay together, I admit that I find the book to be a bit of a downer. Having said that, do not let that deter you from picking up this book. SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT is an extremely well-written book with well-developed characters. I couldn't put it down!

When I read the description for SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT, I figured Samantha's story was going to be like so many of my friends' lives -- she was frustrated with her marriage, resenting her husband, not feeling fulfilled as a mother, wondering if there is more to life, etc. It wasn't until I delved further into this novel that I discovered that she was actually much more troubled and confused than the typical stay-at-home mom in her early 40s. And her daughter Cammy....I don't even know what to start. Like her mother, she was definitely confused and troubled; but my heart just went out to her. She was such a pitiful teenager who was in so much pain.

SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT is narrated by two characters -- Samantha, the mother and her adopted teenage daughter Cammy. I loved how the author chose this way to tell the story because I feel that the reader gets a better understanding of both of these characters. I also think it made me much more sympathetic towards Cammy, who at times was very hard to like. I thought it was terrific how the author juxtaposed these two characters' with their narratives while showing how actually similar they were. Even though both characters were quite different on the outside, they both were struggling with many of the same internal issues such as trying to find themselves.

I think Ms. Flock did an excellent job of developing the characters in this novel, especially Samantha and Cammy. I also think she did a fabulous job of portraying a dysfunctional family and a failing marriage. I thought all of the characters in this novel were heavily flawed, yet very human. There were times in this novel where I just wanted to shake some sense into the characters. I could see that so many of the characters were heading for a potential train wreck, and I was frustrated at their selfishness. What amazed me was that even though I didn't necessarily like many of the characters, I was able to understand them and feel compassion towards them.

I highly recommend SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT (love the title too!) and I think it would make a most excellent book to discuss at your next book club. There are some excellent discussion questions which touch on the many themes that occurred in this novel such as adultery, family dynamics, mother-daughter relationships, depression, drugs, teenage sex, finding one's self, etc. I guarantee that you won't be at a loss of issues to talk about.

A big thanks goes out to Anna from FSB Associates for sending me SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT.

Hello...You Won The Italian Lover & Gods Behaving Badly

I just love being able to giveaway books that I enjoyed reading! Here are the five winners of THE ITALIAN LOVER:

Kristen
Jayme
Linda
Michelle Kuo
Marie




And here's the winner of GODS BEHAVING BADLY:

Indigo

Winners, please make sure you e-mail me with your addresses so we can send these books right out to you. Thanks to everyone who entered to win!



I still have a few more giveaways you can enter:

DROOD

AESOP'S FABLES

THE RED LEATHER DIARY

STANDING STILL

Review: The Mighty Queens of Freeville

Summary: Millions of Americans know and love Amy Dickinson from reading her syndicated advice column “Ask Amy” and from hearing her wit and wisdom weekly on National Public Radio. Amy’s audience loves her for her honesty, her small-town values, and the fact that her motto is “I make the mistakes so you don’t have to.” In The Mighty Queens of Freeville, Amy Dickinson shares those mistakes and her remarkable story. This is the tale of Amy and her daughter and the people who helped raise them after Amy found herself a reluctant single parent.

Though divorce runs through her family like an aggressive chromosome, the women in her life taught her what family is about. They helped her to pick up the pieces when her life fell apart and to reassemble them into something new. It is a story of frequent failures and surprising successes, as Amy starts and loses careers, bumbles through blind dates and adult education classes, travels across the country with her daughter and their giant tabby cat, and tries to come to terms with the family’s aptitude for “dorkitude.”

They have lived in London, D.C., and Chicago, but all roads lead them back to Amy’s hometown of Freeville (pop. 458), a tiny village where Amy’s family has tilled and cultivated the land, tended chickens and Holsteins, and built houses and backyard sheds for more than 200 years. Most important, though, her family members all still live within a ten-house radius of each other. With kindness and razor-sharp wit, they welcome Amy and her daughter back weekend after weekend, summer after summer, offering a moving testament to the many women who have led small lives of great consequence in a tiny place. -- Hyperion

THE MIGHTY QUEENS OF FREEVILLE: A MOTHER, A DAUGHTER, AND THE PEOPLE WHO RAISED THEM by Amy Dickinson is sure getting a lot of attention. I've seen so many great reviews of this book, and I'm glad that I can now say that I've read it. I found this memoir to be extremely readable, and I instantly felt an affinity with Ms. Dickinson and her story. It's kind of hard for me to explain why since I really don't have anything major in common with Ms. Dickinson, it's just that her story is so real. I think that's the beauty of this book -- it is about normal people and every reader will relate to parts of Ms. Dickinson's life.

I can't say that I pick a lot of memoirs (I usually stick with fiction), but I find that I really enjoy them when I do. For some reason, I guess I like getting glimpses into other people's lives! While I have enjoyed many of the recent best-selling memoirs, so many of them are filled with stories about horrific childhoods and other shocking tales. I found THE MIGHTY QUEENS OF FREEVILLE to be such a refreshing change. This book didn't cause my jaw to drop, but rather it was a heart-warming story about a single mother and her daughter and how they managed to live their lives despite being thrown a few curves along the way.

I loved getting to know Ms. Dickinson and her daughter and watching them adapt to all the changes in their lives. I especially enjoyed those parts of the book where they returned to Freeville. I loved how her story showed the importance of family in our lives and how family can help us get through even the most difficult situations. In addition, I thought this book definitely featured the importance of women in society and how incredibly strong women are. I not only fell in love with Ms. Dickinson and her daughter, but I also enjoyed "meeting" all of their female relatives back in Freeville.

I found this book to be so enjoyable on so many levels. Ms. Dickinson has the unique knack of telling her story where it seems as if she is talking to me and me alone -- I feel as if I know her. My heart went out to her and her daughter many times as they faced challenges, and I found myself rooting for them. I did find this book very touching, especially the chapters about her divorce and her cat. However, I also found myself laughing out loud many times. The chapter where Ms. Dickinson describes her dating experiences and the chapter about "dorkiness" were hilarious. This book is filled with so much wisdom and will just make you feel good about life!

One thing I really enjoyed about the memoir was how the author decided to tell her story. Rather than writing the book in chronological order, each chapter covered a specific theme in Ms. Dickinson's life. I loved following each story from beginning to end, I thought that each chapter read as if they were separate essays. I especially appreciated the chapter entitled "The Marrying Man" which explained the strained relationship between the author and her father.

I highly recommend THE MIGHTY QUEENS OF FREEVILLE! It's just a feel-good book that celebrates women! I think it would make the perfect gift for any special woman in your life!

A big thanks to Hyperion Books and MotherTalk for allowing me to participate in this book tour!

Review: The Miracles of Prato

Summary: Italy, 1456. The Renaissance is in glorious bloom, an age of unbridled creativity, commerce, art, and innovation. One of the most colorful men of this astonishing time is Fra Filippo Lippi, equally revered as a painter and reviled as a rogue. A great artist, he serves Cosimo de' Medici and the Catholic Church, creating masterpieces in celebration of God and His glory. A Carmelite monk, he acts as chaplain to the nuns of the Convent Santa Margherita—and it is here, behind the cloister walls, that he encounters the greatest temptation of his life.

Penniless and beautiful, young Lucrezia Buti has been driven to Santa Margherita more by poverty than piety. Mesmerized by Lucrezia's flawless features, Lippi sees in her face the inspiration for countless Madonnas. With the help of his powerful friends and an unscrupulous prioress, he draws upon favors that will lead to dangerous consequences, and brings the young woman to his studio to serve as his model.

Painter and muse are soon united in an exhilarating whirl of artistic discovery. As weeks and months pass, a passionate love develops between the irascible artist and the young nun, resulting in a scandalous romance that threatens to destroy them even as it fuels some of Lippi's greatest work. Their affair sparks anger, envy, and vengeance . . . and it will take a miracle of undying faith, unsurpassed beauty, and unfathomable love to save all that Lippi and Lucrezia cherish.

A gorgeous novel that brings together real and imagined characters from Italy's rich history, The Miracles of Prato is a moving and unforgettable tale of desire and devotion, both sensual and spiritual, set in an extraordinary time and place when beauty, faith, and art were celebrated above all. -- William Morrow

In keeping with my love fest of books that take place in Italy, I just read another terrific one called THE MIRACLES OF PRATO by Laurie Albanese and Laura Morowitz. This book was definitely right up my alley because it was a historical fiction novel that took place during the Renaissance and told the story of a famous painter. I love these types of books -- ones where authors take real-life figures who we know little about and create an entertaining story about them. I so enjoy seeing how the authors come up with stories that fill in those missing details.

I definitely enjoyed reading THE MIRACLES OF PRATO! I feel like I learned a lot of things while also getting to read an entertaining story. But, isn't that why I just love historical fiction? I had never heard of the Sacred Belt of the Virgin Mary, which is today housed in the Cathedral of Prato; and I actually found myself doing a little Internet research on the subject. In addition, I don't know much about many of the Renaissance artists, so I appreciated the incredible descriptions of artwork and cathedrals. I must get to Italy (soon, hopefully) and see all of these things which are described so beautifully in this novel!

I thought the authors did a wonderful job of developing the characters. While there were a few fictitious characters in this novel who were integral to the story, most of the characters were real-life historical figures. I can't even begin to imagine the type of research that must go into writing a novel like THE MIRACLES OF PRATO while staying true to the facts. I also enjoyed reading the authors' note at the end of the book because it gave further details about many of the figures in the novel.

I also appreciated how the authors chose to portray Lippi and Lucrezia. Since there wasn't a huge amount of factual information about them, the authors were able to take the liberty to create their romance as well as an intriguing story about the time they spent together. Lippi was a fascinating man because he was a monk who fell passionately in love with Lucrezia, a young woman who was in training to be a nun. I found him to be quite a "character" and almost comical in the way he kept breaking promises, missing deadlines, and spending his money. I also liked how he painted Lucrezia (his muse) in many of his paintings, and I thought it was especially funny how he incorporated his enemies' faces into his frescoes. Lucrezia was much more likable to me -- a young woman who fell head over heels in love with the older artist; and I was able to sympathize with her a great deal. While their relationship was definitely considered wrong, they held true to their love in spite of the pressures and eventually had two children together.

One thing that I found fascinating about this novel was that it was co-written by two best friends (who also in a book club together.) I can't imagine writing a novel nevertheless writing one with another person, so I am quite impressed with this endeavor. I am actually amazed that this novel was penned by two people because it reads very smoothly and flows extremely well. I think it probably helps that both women are writers who have published books. I'm sure they had an incredible time researching this novel, especially visiting all the paintings and sites in Italy. If you'd like to learn more about their collaboration, check out this interesting interview.

I am definitely going to be recommending THE MIRACLES OF PRATO to all my friends. I also think it would make a great book club discussion book especially if your group enjoys historical fiction like mine does. There is a reading guide available with quite a few stimulating discussion questions. I think it would extremely interesting to discuss the role of women in this time period as well as the importance of "beauty" in this novel. I can also see many groups discussing spirituality and the role of the Catholic Church during this time period.

Thanks to Aurora from William Morrow/Harper Collins for sending me this wonderful book as well as all the interesting articles!

Guest Post: Kelly Simmons & Giveaway

Yesterday, I reviewed a terrific book called STANDING STILL by Kelly Simmons. In my review, I mentioned that I thought it would make a great book club discussion book and that Ms. Simmons is very gracious about meeting with book clubs.

I am so glad that Ms. Simmons has stopped by today and is sharing with us some of her more "entertaining" visists with book clubs!

Five Awkward Book Group Moments

For the most part, visiting book groups to discuss my debut novel, STANDING STILL, has been immensely pleasurable, even after nearly a hundred visits. People have been warm, welcoming, intelligent and fun. I have, in turn, tried my best to be prepared, intelligent, energetic, and entertaining. But . . . .there have been a few missteps on both sides.

Awkward Moment Number One: The Early Bird. I didn’t mean to be so prompt – but there wasn’t any traffic and there was no coffeeshop nearby to kill some time, so I thought, what the hell, I’ll arrive exactly on time. So what, right? Promptness is next to cleanliness which is next to Godliness, right? Wrong. No one was there. The food wasn’t there. Even worse, the wine wasn’t there. Horrors! Oh well, there were three dogs for me to pet.

Awkward Moment Number Two: The Scofflaw. Often, people want to buy autographed books for their friends and relatives. (I don’t want to come across like an Avon Lady so I keep them in my car unless someone asks.) And since I don’t take credit cards, I often end up with a check or two. And once . . . . yeah, you got it, Insufficient Funds. Add in the bank fees and the money order fee and that poor woman ended up re-paying me nearly $70. Hope she liked the world’s most expensive book!

Awkward Moment Number Three: The Loose Lips. It’s inevitable that the discussion veers away from books, and one night at a group a few hours from my home, a woman said, “Oh, I knew a girl from college who lived in your town. She went to some snooty high school called ______. Do you live near it?” Gulp. That’s, uh, where my oldest daughter, um, goes to school, uh, actually.

Awkward Moment Number Four: The Secret Ingredient. Oh, it’s delicious, you have to try it, have some of these too, Donna makes them from scratch and they are addicting, here take one! Wow, is that, uh, green pepper hiding inside? Cuz I’m allergic but no my throat won’t close up I’ll just uh, hey, is that the powder room over there by any chance?

Awkward Moment Number Five: The Dissertation. Once, just as I was putting on my coat to leave, a woman came up to me and handed me a manila envelope. “I will probably regret giving this to you, but so be it,” she said. I assumed it was a manuscript she wanted feedback on, and was too afraid to ask. I smiled and tucked it into my book bag, always happy to help a fellow writer. The next morning I was stunned to find a ten-page paper chastising me for all the grammatical errors in the book, and citing all the applicable grammar and usage rules that applied. Ouch!

Everybody puts hors d’oeuvres in their mouth at reading groups – but sometimes we also put our foot there. Have you?

STANDING STILL is now in paperback, and Kelly’s on the road visiting book clubs when she can -- and offering an exclusive Book Group DVD when she can’t. For more information, see her website: http://www.bykellysimmons.com/, or email her at kellysimmonswrites@yahoo.com.

I am thrilled to announce that Ms. Simmons has agreed to send one lucky reader an autographed copy of her novel STANDING STILL! Please leave a comment with your e-mail address telling me why you'd like to read this book for one entry. To double or even triple your chances, you can blog about this contest with a link back to this post or tweet about it! This contest is open until Wednesday, March 18th at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will announce the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. mailing addresses only. Good luck!

Giveaway: The Red Leather Diary

Summary: For more than half a century, the red leather diary languished inside a steamer trunk. Rescued from a Dumpster on Manhattan's Upper West Side, it found its way to Lily Koppel, a young writer, who opened its tarnished brass lock and journeyed into an enthralling past. The diary painted a breathtaking portrait of a bygone New York—of glamorous nights at El Morocco and elegant teas at Schrafft's during the 1920s and '30s—and of the headstrong, endearing teenager who filled its pages with her hopes, heartaches, and vivid recollections. Intrigued, Koppel followed her only clue, a frontispiece inscription, to its now ninety-year-old owner, Florence Wolfson, and was enchanted as Florence, reunited with her diary, rediscovered a lost younger self burning with artistic fervor.

Joining intimate interviews with original diary entries, The Red Leather Diary re-creates the romance and promise of a remarkable era and brings to life the true story of a daring, precocious young dreamer. -- Harper Perennial

I was going to wait to do a giveaway for THE RED LEATHER DIARY: RECLAIMING A LIFE THROUGH THE PAGES OF A LOST JOURNAL by Lily Koppel until I finished reading and reviewing it. Then I thought, what the heck? It is the week of the Book Giveaway Carnival! (I promise that I will be reading it and sharing my thoughts with you in the very near future.)

For one entry, leave a comment with your e-mail address telling me why you want to read this book! For an extra entry (or two), you can blog about this contest with a link back to this post and/or tweet about it! This contest is open until Saturday, March 7th at 11:59 p.m. I will announce the winner the following day! This contest is open to those of you with U.S. or Canada mailing addresses only. Good luck!

Review: Standing Still

Summary: Journalist and suburban mom Claire Cooper suffers from panic disorder. Most of her anxieties seem irrational, nothing that can't be fixed with the help of some Xanax. But late one stormy summer night, when her husband, Sam, is away on one of his frequent business trips, Claire's fears come to life. She discovers an intruder has broken into her young daughter's bedroom. She watches helplessly as he picks up her sleeping child from her bed. Desperate to protect her family, Claire puts herself in the line of fire and utters the plea that will undo her: "Take me instead."

As she drives away in the kidnapper's car, Claire fears for her children, but not for herself. And she can't help noticing the reversal in her marriage -- for the first time in ten years, Sam will not know where she is.

For the next week, Claire is tied to a bed in a strange motel room, the intruder her only companion. She is forced to lie still and contemplate the reasons for this assault on her family. Is this just a random crime, or something more sinister? Has the shadowy past that she tried so hard to leave behind finally caught up with her? Day after day, she goes deeper into herself, reevaluating her marriage and her role as a mother, and unburying the source of her crippling anxiety. In seven days she will step out to the very brink of her soul -- perhaps never to return.

A riveting debut novel that will appeal to fans of Sue Miller and Janet Fitch, Standing Still is a powerful exploration of the darker side of mother-hood and marriage. -- Washington Square Press

I first heard about STANDING STILL by Kelly Simmons when I read a Philadelphia Inquirer article about authors who visit book clubs. I immediately thought it was a book that I would enjoy and added it to my humongous TBR list! You can imagine my joy when Ms. Simmons contacted me about reading her novel -- I immediately jumped at the chance. I was even more excited when I received the book and saw that she signed it with a personal message!

I read STANDING STILL in less than 24 hours! I found it to be a very intense read and couldn't put it down -- I just had to find out what happened to Claire. The story begins with Claire, a mother of three who finds an intruder in her home. The stranger plans to kidnap her daughter, but Claire asks to be taken instead. The reader is immediately thrown into the story of her abduction. (See, I told you this book was gripping!)

As I read the first few chapters, I often found myself questioning Claire's thoughts and actions. It wasn't until I read more and truly began to learn about Claire's past that I started to understand and eventually sympathize with her. The author threw in flashback chapters that gave the reader a glimpse into Claire's past. I loved how these scenes gradually gave me insight into Claire and some of the reasons for her anxiety disorder. As the book came to a close, so many of the mysteries in this story were explained; and I found myself totally sympathizing with Claire.

Claire was a fascinating character to say the least! While many of her feelings towards being a mother and wife definitely fall into the category of normal, it became clear that Claire was suffering from a panic disorder which had a major impact on her life. This story is told by Claire in first person narrative, and I thought Ms. Simmons did an excellent job getting inside her head. Claire wasn't without her fair share of flaws, but I really enjoyed how she eventually assessed her life and the people in it and even gathered perspective about what's important.

Another interesting part of this novel was Claire's reaction to her kidnapper. The more time they spent together, the closer they became. Despite being locked into a hotel room, tied up and even abused, Claire still felt a bond with him. I am familiar with the term " Stockholm Syndrome," but I never really understood how it could be possible. I mean how could you actually start liking the person who abducted you? Despite my preconceived notions about this situation, I thought Ms. Simmons did a great job of making their relationship very believable and in keeping with Claire's personality.

I think many female book clubs would thoroughly enjoy discussing STANDING STILL especially those clubs like mine which are made up of suburban moms. While I'm not sure that there are a ton of women who will totally relate to Claire, I'm pretty sure that there are many of us who will see parts of her personality that exist if not in ourselves then definitely in someone we know. There are so many themes and issues to discuss, and I think there might even some differing opinions within your group (and maybe even a little bit of controversy.) There is an excellent reading group guide available in the back of the paperback version which will give your group some direction for its discussion. And if you really want a special book club meeting, I'm sure Ms. Simmons could be persuaded to call in and chat with you.

Make sure you come back and visit tomorrow because Kelly Simmons will be stopping by with a guest post. You will definitely want to read it and maybe there will even be a special treat - hint, hint...

Guest Blogger: Booking Daughter

As part of Booking Daughter's language arts assignment, she had to write a persuasive piece. She selected as her topic the benefits of reading. I was thrilled when she brought home the finished product for me to read. Keep in mind, she's only nine years old.

Of course, her essay captured my heart; and I thought I'd share it with all of you! I'm such a proud mommy!

Dear Non-Book Lovers,

Read more. Why? You become a better speller, become more interested in books, and you go on magical adventures. Books are fun. So let's read more!

You become a better speller. You can look at a word and memorize it because you remember reading about it in a book. You get smarter and get better grades. You get a bigger vocabulary because you comprehend more words. Don't you want those things? If you do, read more.

It is better than TV. You probably don't believe that but it is true. You don't become a couch potato and you learn more. It doesn't waste electricity and TVs cost way more than a book. The books are way more interesting. TV is good but books are wonderful.

You can go on magical adventures in places that you can't imagine. You can let your imagination go anywhere. If you want to go anywhere, find a book. You'll be there in a few seconds (and it doesn't cost as much as a trip). You can go on adventures anywhere, anytime.

Read more books. You can become an awesome speller, don't watch TV as much, and go on magical adventures. It is great and it involves a lot of learning.

Books:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

American Girl series
Kaya
Felicity
Josefina
Addy
Samantha
Kit
Molly
Julie

Amazing Day of Abby Hayes books

Baby-sitters Club books

Sweet Valley Kids/Twins/High books

Genres
Biographies
Autobiographies
Informational
Historical Fiction
Poetry
Realistic Fiction
Fantasy
Science Fiction
Traditional Fiction
Mysteries

Book Giveaway Carnival

The Book Giveaway Carnival, hosted by Book Room Reviews, has officially begun! I am so excited to be giving away loads of books. Here's a list of the fantastic giveaways that I am currently running:

THE ITALIAN LOVER by Robert Hellenga - 5 copies

DROOD by Dan Simmons - 5 copies

AESOP'S FABLES retold by John Cech - 5 copies!

I just happen to have an extra, brand-new copy of GODS BEHAVING BADLY by Marie Phillips that I want to give away to one lucky reader! I thought this book was hilarious -- you can read my review here.

I'm going to make this easy. If you'd like to win this book, just leave a comment here. If you'd like to double to triple your chances, you can blog about this contest with a link back to this post and/or tweet about it! The contest will be open until Friday, March 6th at 11:59 p.m. I will announce the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. or Canada mailing addresses only. Good luck!

Mailbox Monday - March 2, 2009

I am in awe of all the good books that I received this week! I already read two of them -- the reviews will be posted later this week. I can't wait to read the other ones too. Hopefully, I'll read one or two more of them this week!

THE CRIMES OF PARIS (ARC) by Dorothy Hoobler and Thomas Hoobler

STANDING STILL by Kelly Simmons

THE RED LETTER DIARY: RECLAIMING A LIFE THROUGH THE PAGES OF A LOST JOURNAL by Lily Koppel

THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE by David Cristofano

MURDER IN THE LATIN QUARTER by Cara Black

THE MIGHTY QUEENS OF FREEVILLE by Amy Dickinson

LAURA RIDER'S MASTERPIECE (ARC) by Jane Hamilton

B AS IN BEAUTY (ARC) by Alberto Ferreras

ADMISSION (ARC) by Jane Hanff Korelitz

FOLLOW ME (ARC) by Joanna Scott - This book was selected as the Early Birds Blog Tour book for April.

WELCOME TO THE DEPARTURE LOUNGE: ADVENTURES IN MOTHERING MOTHER by Meg Federico - I won this book from Lisa at Books on the Brain!

Booking Pap Pap did okay too! I delivered these to him on Saturday, and I can't wait to see his reviews.

AFRAID (ARC) by Jack Kilborn

ANGEL OF WRATH (ARC) by Bill Myers

FIRST FAMILY (ARC) by David Baldacci

THE 8TH CONFESSION (ARC) by James Patterson

What did you get last week?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Weekly Geeks - March 1, 2009

Political and Social Issues

This week we are going to rewind to May 2008 when Dewey picked one of my favorite Weekly Geeks themes: Political and Social Issues. Since we have many new members to the Weekly Geeks Event, I thought it might be fun to revisit this fantastic theme.

Here is how to play:

1. Choose a political or social issue that matters to you. If you were a Weekly Geek last May and already did this theme, pick a different theme than the one you did at that time.

2. Educate readers about your topic by telling us a little about it and any involvement you've had in this issue.

3. Find books addressing your issue; they do not necessarily have to be books you’ve read. They can be non fiction, fiction, poetry, etc...Give a little synopsis of the book or a link to the description.

4. Use images which you feel illustrate your topic. You can be as creative as you like - have fun with the theme and show us your passion!

I have to admit that I found this week's Weekly Geeks topic to be extremely difficult for me to write about. I've discovered that I'm not very passionate (and definitely not very knowledgable) about any major social issue! Of course I do have my fair share of opinions on some pretty important (and controversial) social issues; however, I'm not entirely sure I feel comfortable talking about them here.

At this point in my life, I find that I tend to focus on "micro" issues rather than the "macro" ones -- I am much more involved with the needs and issues of my family and friends. The first thing that popped into my mind that I could actually write about is children with life threatening food allergies. Because I have a child with life-threatening food allergies, this subject is very near and dear to my heart. It is something that is always on my mind and a major part of my life.

However when I checked the link to social issues, I saw that food allergies wasn't listed (no big surprise there.) I decided that I was going to "pretend" that it was one anyway because it is important to a heck of a lot of people, especially our family and friends; but my husband laughed at me and suggested I talk about something else. As I write this post, I keep telling myself that I need to talk about breast cancer because that is another subject that I feel touches every one's life, but I keep coming back to my food allergy issue.

So, I'm going to write a little bit about food allergies; and I apologize if I'm not playing entirely by the rules this week, but it's the best I can do!

My son was diagnosed with food allergies when he was just a couple of months old. To make a long story short, he had terrible eczema so I took him to an allergist and we discovered that he was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts. A few years later, we discovered that he was not only allergic to the foods listed above, but he was also allergic to shellfish and loads of environmental things such as dogs, trees, dust mites, etc. I started to read everything I could find about food allergies and just prayed that he would eventually outgrow some of them. While the allergist could tell me that he was very allergic to these items, she couldn't tell me exactly what his reaction would be. We kind of had to assume the worst and carry an epi-pen everywhere.

It was only a matter of time until we discovered that he had life-threatening allergies to tree nuts and dairy (and we still don't know what else because he hasn't been exposed to them.) I can't express how scary it is to see your child having an allergic reaction and have to rush them to the hospital. I understand that a lot of people think all the rules about peanut-free schools and airplanes are an over-reaction, but I doubt they've ever seen a child whose eyes swell shut, or one who stops breathing, or one who starts to violently throw up just to get the allergen out of their system -- it's terrifying!

Food allergies are becoming a huge problem in our society, and it is beginning to touch every one's lives. For some (largely unknown) reason, children with life-threatening food allergies are on the rise; and I would be surprised if you didn't know at least one person living with this problem. What's even more worrisome to me is that researchers are finding that children are not outgrowing food allergies like they once thought. Schools are being forced to address this growing concern -- some schools (like my son's preschool are totally peanut-free) while other schools have separate areas for "allergy kids" to eat. Either way, schools are now being required to have written plans for handling this situation. Daycare providers, babysitters, and parents who have these children over for play dates must also be aware of the severity of this condition. And even other young children must understand that something as simple as a peanut butter cookie or a glass of milk can be deadly to their friend.

I feel fortunate that there are so many wonderful resources out there as well as support groups for people who want to learn more about food allergies. One website I recommend is Kids With Food Allergies. This website provides allergy alerts, recipes, forums, other allergy links, etc. to help educate people.

I have reviewed a few books on this blog which deal with with food allergies. All of these books are helpful and I highly recommend them:

Cookbook - WHAT ELSE IS TO EAT? THE DAIRY-, EGG-, AND NUT-FREE FOOD ALLERGY COOKBOOK by Linda Coss -- review
Summary: "What Else is to Eat?" features recipes for foods that everyone can enjoy, whether they have food allergies or not. Main dishes, side dishes, breakfast foods, and baked goods are all included. With an emphasis on fast and easy recipes that use "normal," easy-to-find ingredients, this book is designed for today's busy lifestyles. -- Plumtree Press

Novel - MATTERS OF FAITH by Kristy Kiernan -- review
Summary: At age twelve, Marshall Tobias saw his best friend killed by a train. It was then that he began his search for faith—delving into one tradition, then discarding it for another. His parents, however, have little time for spiritual contemplation. Their focus has been on his little sister Megan, who suffers from severe food allergies.

Now Marshall is home from college with his first real girlfriend, but there is more to Ada than meets the eye—including her beliefs about the evils of medical intervention. What follows is a crisis that tests not only faith, but the limits of family, forgiveness, and our need to believe. -- Berkley

Children's Book - THE PEANUT PICKLE by Jessica Ureel - review
Summary: Your child has a peanut allergy. Now what? Coping with severe food allergies can be overwhelming, especially for a young child. Find out how Ben learns to take control of his peanut allergy in school, at parties, with friends, at t-ball practice and during holidays. Kids will learn to speak up about their allergy and how to deal with difficult and awkward situations that inevitably arise when a child has a life-threatening food allergy. -- Barnes and Noble