The Smurfs Graphic Novel(s) Giveaway!

Giveaway Closed: Thanks for entering!

It's a Smurf Giveaway! 

Enter to win one of these two graphic novels! 

 (2 winners)

To view my review of The Smurfs and the Magic Flute click here.

Review of The Purple Smurfs click here.

Product Descriptions From Amazon.com:

The Purple Smurfs 

When a strange fly bites one of the Smurfs, a full-on epidemic develops in the Smurf Village! After being bit, a Smurf turns purple and his vocabulary is reduced to one single word: “gnap!” The purple Smurf runs around the Smurf Village biting other Smurfs on the tail, causing them to turn purple and act crazy too! Soon enough, there are more purple Smurfs than blue Smurfs in the village. It’s up to Papa Smurf to find a cure and save the Smurf Village before all of the Smurfs lose their minds for good!

The Smurfs and the Magic Flute

This graphic novel presents the first comics in which the Smurfs ever appeared! In Medieval times, a court jester named Peeweet who lives in a King’s castle discovers a flute that makes those who listen to it dance until they collapse from exhaustion. When a thief steals the flute, Peeweet must search out the makers of the flute, the Smurfs, to make an even more powerful flute to combat the thief in this wildly funny tale that introduced the Smurfs to millions.

 

I have one of each book to giveaway!  There will be 2 winners.  To enter please see the rules below.  You must comment/enter on this post only.  Be sure to tell me which book you would like to win.  

Good luck!!!

A BIG Thank You to Antonia at Lissy Peace & Associates for making this giveaway possible!

RULES

• Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite smurf episode or memory. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as abc.reads AT gmail DOT com or abc.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

**You can earn an extra entry by doing each of the following. Each entry must be a separate comment to qualify.**

1. Be or become a follower or subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.
2. Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.
3. Post a link to this contest on facebook and provide me with the link (leave a separate comment) for another entry.
4. Create an html banner and post it as many places as you can. 1 entry for each post. (you must provide the link to the post(s) in a separate comment).

____________________________________________
• Winners must provide a U.S. street address.
• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, September 30, 2010.
• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.
• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

The Momnificent Life

Lori Radun
978-0-9743832-4-8
Wyatt MacKenzie Imprint


The Momnificent Life; Healthy and Balanced Living for Busy Moms, is a guide for all moms no matter what activities you balance. Whether you juggle your home life with work, school, church, sports, or charities, every mom has a busy and hectic life that can easily be encouraged, advised, influenced and supported by this book. The author lays a careful plan and guideline to help moms in areas such as time, managemnt, financial intimacy, personal development, career and health among many others. The goal is to help moms discover themselves aside from, yet in tune with, their children and families. It’s a book of how to manage life and stress, showing how you can have it all. It is about balance and how to take a nurturing approach to motherhood.


The book starts off with an introduction that shares the eight components to having a “Momnificent” life. Each component is summarized and later expanded on throughout the book. I found this overview very useful to the rest of the book. There is a wealth of knowledge in The Momnificent Life. The first time you read it will not be your last. I found myself re-reading specific chapters that dealt with my own needs as a mom and going back to it as a guide and re-fresher. The author carefully explains life as a balance process. If it is tipped to much in one direction it can easily burn us out. No one activity is good all the time, they are better in a balance with other activities, just the same as our health and eating habits. She clearly states that a balanced life is different for everyone because balancing is personal and in regards to what is important to you. She gives charts and assignment suggestions throughout the book help the reader to better understand themselves.


I really enjoyed this book! It is by far a wonderfuly useful tool to me as a mother. I am constantly busy. I have my own two children, one in school and the other potty training and generally a very curious child, which means I cannot take my eyes off her. In addition I baby-sit my nephew full time and work a full time job. I rarely have time for myself and have known I am burning out quickly for a while. The book has helped me prioritize where I didn’t know how, examine areas I didn’t think to examine, and encouraged me in area I have already started changing and working on. It is not a book that is a one time read for me, but rather one I go to to help remind me, encourage me and give me advise. One of my favorite parts of this book was “zap the mommy guilt” something every mother deals with on multiple levels and many different areas. I also personally enjoyed the chapter on friendships and stress. These two are two problem areas for me, my friendships are not being tended to properly and the stress comes in large amounts that are not healthy. With great attention to detail and the aspects of a moms life, Lori Redun provides a wonderful guide on how to be Momnificent!

Reviewed for Review-the-book
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Along Came Ziro

Townie (Stephen Townsend)
978-0-615-32516-3
Townie Tales, a division of  18 Grey Media LLC

“In a barn on a farm

On a hill not so high

The animals looked up

Something flashed in the sky!”

Enter Ziro! The cute creature from another world is here to visit these farm animals. The world is his to roam, discover and report on. Ziro has little fear and a huge appetite for curiosity and adventure. This flows throughout the pages of this children’s book. When Ziro lands at the farm, the animals are at first scared and then charmed. They leave with him on an exciting adventure through the galaxy but not before a small farm adventure takes place! The farmer and his dog are left in awe, the reader is left with the impression to dream and dream big!

Here is what my 4 year old daughter said about the book:
The best part was when Ziro Came! He broke the fence. The animals were scared, but soon they were happy. It was great! They went to outer space!

Along came Ziro is a refreshing and unique children’s book. It reads in a rhyme style that flows easily. The words are sometimes interactive as they take on a different font, color, size and style in order to reflect their meaning. Along with the very interactive text are vivid and colorful illustrations that were just as fun and unique as the story itself. The illustrations give a visual representation of the story presented in a manner that makes the reader feel they are viewing it through the eyes of the characters.

I really enjoyed reading this children’s book on my own as well as with my daughter. It was cute, imaginative, colorful and entertaining. The story was funny due to the barnyard animals and the settings. I would suggest this book for children ages 4 - 8. I would not limit this book to the age group previously stated as I highly enjoyed this book myself.

Reviewed for Bookpleasures
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"Her Fearful Symmetry" Winners!!

Six years after the phenomenal success of The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger has returned with a spectacularly compelling and haunting second novel set in and around Highgate Cemetery in London.
When Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two American girls never met their English aunt, only knew that their mother, too, was a twin, and Elspeth her sister. Julia and Valentina are semi-normal American teenagers--with seemingly little interest in college, finding jobs, or anything outside their cozy home in the suburbs of Chicago, and with an abnormally intense attachment to one another.

The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders Highgate Cemetery in London. They come to know the building's other residents. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword puzzle setter suffering from crippling Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Marjike, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including--perhaps--their aunt, who can't seem to leave her old apartment and life behind.

Niffenegger weaves a captivating story in Her Fearful Symmetry about love and identity, about secrets and sisterhood, and about the tenacity of life--even after death.
(Product description from Amazon.com)


I have been authorized by Regal Literary to giveaway 2 copies of "Her Fearful Symmetry" by Audrey Niffenegger.  To enter please see the rules below.  You must comment/enter on this page only.  Once you have entered make sure to head over to Regal Literary(http://www.regal-literary.com/hfs) and enter for the chance to win the BIG prize pack!  (Trust me, you want to enter!)   Good luck!!!

A BIG Thank You to Leigh Huffine at Regal Literary for making this giveaway possible!

Congratulations to entry # 4 and  #10 as chosen by random.org!!
Chelsea & Jenn have 48 hours to contact me with their address or I will choose another winner!

Thanks to all who entered my first giveaway!!  Check back soon.. Another starts September 1st!

RULES

• Leave a comment on this post telling me you want to win or why. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as abc.reads AT gmail DOT com or abc.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!
**You can earn an extra entry by doing each of the following. Each entry must be a separate comment to qualify.**
1. Be or become a Follower of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.
2. Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.
3. Post a link to this contest on facebook and provide me with the link (leave a separate comment) for another entry.
____________________________________________

• Winners must provide a U.S. street address.
• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, August 28, 2010.
• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.
• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Blog Hop Friday!!

I created a special page just for Blog Hop Friday!  I would love for you to look over my reviews and my blog but if you want to find my blog hop page (where my answer to this weeks question is safe and sound.....) Click Here.  Don't forget to stop by my giveaway page!  There is a convenient link at the top as well as on the top right hand side of my blog above the followers!  Thanks for Hoppin!

Simple Secrets

Nancy Mehl
Barbour Publishing Inc
44683978-1-60260-512-1

Grace Temple feels her life is going according to plan; she is living in Wichita and works for a midsize adverting firm that is looking to grow. As a successful graphic designer, Gracie is confident her artistic abilities and knows she has what it takes to help make the firm great. Everything is going smoothly until her father calls with news that her Uncle Ben, whom she has never met, has died and left his entire estate to her. Gracie is confused, but decides to take a two week leave from work and heads to the small town of Harmony, Kansas to retriever her family heirlooms and to sell her uncles' estate. Gracie plans to get this over with as soon as possible. Harmony has been the source of pain and trouble for her family in the past. She arrives to find the town alive, refreshed and completely different, yet there is still a darkness looming over the town. In a letter left to her by her late uncle, Gracie learns the terrible secret that held her uncle captive in this town. The secret revealed throws Gracie into a twist and turn of events. Her simple visit is now dangerous and full of mystery. Determined to find the truth and clear her family name, Gracie discovers bits and pieces at a time with the help of Sam Goodrich. Sam and Gracie find themselves falling in love, but know that Gracie is only in town for two weeks. Both are forced to rely on their faith in God in order to decide what’s important before it’s too late, for someone else knows Gracie’s uncle’s secret and is determined to run Gracie out of town.


Simple Secrets is a thrilling, twisting and turning journey as the reader discovers the secret of Harmony and the darkness of the path that has kept the town from moving on completely. The town is plagued by the past, a secret buried alive that wants to find its way out. Only the truth can finally bury this secret once and for all. The main character, Gracie Temple is forced to uncover the secrets’ truth. With help she does this, but the reader will be confused and unsure until the end. There were multiple times I thought I knew what happened, only to discover a few chapters later that I was wrong. I was baffled until the end. The author does an amazing job of weaving her story throughout the town and the book without giving away the mystery. It was truly refreshing.


This novel was wonderful! The authors’ writing is easy to follow, easy to read, intriguing and suspenseful. I was completely satisfied at the end of this book, yet ready to read the next installment in the series. I am very interested in how the author will develop the series along with the characters. Simple Secrets is a book about family, love, friendship, forgiveness and overcoming the hurt and pain of the past. It was touching. I really enjoyed reading it and learned quite a few things throughout the book. I would suggest this book as a must read, it has a little of everything and will renew your faith in God and others.

Reviewed for Readerviews

The Skinny On Real Estate Investing

Jim Randel
978-0-9818935-6-3
RAND Publishing

Written by Jim Randel who has been an active real estate investor for thirty years, The Skinny On Real Estate Investing is the first of a three part series on the subject and is meant to help the reader decide if real estate investing is right for him. His credentials range from single family homes to multi-family properties and include retail centers and other commercial spaces as well as land. The advice comes from his success and failures along with his extensive knowledge on the subject. The goals of the book are simple; introduce the subject to the reader enabling them to better understand the job of a real estate investor and to “disabuse the notion of real estate investing as a get rich quick scenario”. This book is not for those who are thinking quick and easy money, but rather for the serious hard working person who has a sincere interest in the subject matter or it looking to further their knowledge.

The book is set up according to Randel's easy to read guide. Its’ comic book style enables the reader to learn about the subject of real estate investing through Billy and Beth, as previously seen in “The Skinny On” series. Billy and Beth enable the reader to learn in an interactive, fun and easy style. The book can be read in about an hour for the average reader. In this short amount of time the reader is given a wealth of useful and practical knowledge on the subject of real estate investing. It was very easy to understand and follow. The book tells the truth about the topic and does not try to persuade a person to start the path of real estate investing without the full knowledge of how it works and what you will get yourself into. The book uses humor, wit and practical knowledge to get important topics and points across to the reader. It is a very quick and enjoyable read that is totally worth the investment.

As previously stated, the book is the first of it’s’ series on the topic. It is designed for readers who want to know if real estate investing is right for them. It is also useful as an overview for readers committed to the three part series as it sets a foundation for key investment strategies in preparation for a life time of investments. It is a must have for anyone interested in the topic of real estate investing or buying their own home. Do not start your journey without the proper research! This book is a great start and has plenty of suggestions for further education and reading on the topic. The book even comes with a handy bookmark outlining key terms the reader will need to understand.

Reviewed for Bookpleasures

The Skinny On Credit Cards: How to Master the Credit Card Game

Jim Randel
978-0-9818935-4-9
RAND Publishing

The Skinny On Credit Cards starts with an overview of credit cards and the history of credit cards. This enables the reader to understand the background in hopes of better understanding the subject matter, not that you need it because Randel very clearly explains credit card terms and topics so that any reader can understand. The book continues by explaining limits, charges, APR’s, default % rates, compound interest and more. It gives the reader the knowledge needed to figure out how long it will take them to pay their credit cards off at their current rates and balances. The book takes a direct and simplistic approach in explaining credit cards and all they encompass, leaving the reader with knowledge and power. This is the stuff credit card companies will not take time to explain to the consumer, primarily because they don’t want you to know.

This book was a wonderful tool. It not only explains credit cards and quickly removes false thinking or myths; it gives the reader a plan or strategy to get themselves out of debt. Once the book explains “The Skinny On” credit cards it starts to discuss the positive steps needed to move forward and resolve the debt, enabling the reader to avoid the pitfalls a second time around. The book does not miss a beat; it covers every aspect of credit card use, misuse and debt. Advice is given to parents and college students in regards to the use of credit cards. It is equipped with the most up to date information, laws and regulations.

“The Skinny On Credit Cards” is a must have for all consumers. It is designed with the reader in mind. Simplistic and easy to understand, it is explained efficiently and is comical as well as interesting. All of these factors keep the reader interested and intrigued while only taking about an hour of their time. The story is told through the lives of Billy and Beth in a comic book style set up. There is no reason to not read this book. If you have a credit card, want a credit card, or have every though about a credit card, this book is full of knowledge that you as a consumer should have. I personally learned a lot fro myths book. Some I was aware of, other bits of information I had been misguided and misinformed on. I am happy to say that is no longer the case thanks to “The Skinny On Credit Cards”.

Reviewed for Bookpleasures

The Smurfs and the Magic Flute

Yvan Delporte and Peyo
978-1-59707-208-3
NBM Publishing (Papercutz)


The Smurfs and the Magic Flute starts off with the King, Johan and Peewit at the castle. The King and Johan are attempting to hide from Peewit, who is playing his musical instrument and is quite horrible. They flee to the courtyard in time to meet up with a merchant who is specifically looking for Peewit. After sending a servant to find Peewit, they discover the merchant is selling instruments so they rush him to leave before Peewit arrives. The escape is narrow! Once Peewit arrives the King notices a flute on the cobblestone that was left behind. In attempts to get rid of it before Peewit notices a series of hilarious events occur ending in the flute being thrown into the Kings’ fireplace. Soon the plan backfires when smoke is seen coming from the Kings bedroom. Peewit finds the flute, which was never burned, when he helps to put the fire out. The flute turns out to be magical and Peewit finds it hilarious until he discovers its hidden potential. Here is where our “bad guy” enters. A local thief who knows of the flutes power follows Peewit and Johan around in attempt to steal the flute, which he eventually does by outwitting naive Peewit. This sends Peewit and Johan on their adventure to recover the magic flute and in the process meet the Smurfs and save the day! The adventure is about to begin.


This Smurfs and the Magic Flute was wonderful and easy to read! It will delight Smurf lovers everywhere. It is the first actual comic book I have read about the Smurfs. I really enjoyed it and I’m not a comic book reader. I was impressed with the books binding and pages. Unlike most comic books or graphic novels, this book was bound and the pages are glossy. My experience with comic books has been in a paper, non-bound and un-glossed format. This book was clearly built to last.


This hilarious graphic novel is great for readers’ ages eight and up. It is equipped with vivid and colorful pictures along with an amusing and interesting story line. If you have fond memories of the Smurfs this will be a great trip down memory lane with enough enjoyment and ease to read multiple times. I would suggest this to Smurf lovers, comic lovers, and anyone who has never read a graphic novel. It is a great first comic and a wonderful read for all.

Reviewed for Bookpleasures
**Giveaway of this book & another Smurf novel starting September 1st!**

Summer House

Nancy Thayer
978-0-345-49821-2
Ballantine Books

The novel Summer House follows three generations of strong willed Wheelwright women as they wrestle with decisions that will change their lives. The story starts off with the youngest of the three generations. Charlotte Wheelwright has always wanted to impress her father and make him proud, but so far she feels she has failed. Charlotte did not enjoy the family business of banking, and has spent much of her adult life afloat, hopping from one place to the next. Ashamed and punishing herself for her most recent mistake, Charlotte takes of to Nantucket Island and the family summer home in search of answers. What she finds is a passion for gardening and a love she never expected. Helen Wheelwright is the mother of Charlotte and a Wheelwright by marriage. Helen has spent her married life doing things the Wheelwright way and putting aside some of the things she loves, for her husbands family. When Helen discovers a deep betrayal she is heavy hearted and forced to face her deepest fears. She is confronted with her sense of self and what she wants out of life, a decision that could drastically change her life as she knows it. Nona, Anne Wheelwright, celebrates her ninetieth birthday and is confronted with memories of her past along with the state of her family in the present. As she wrestles with these memories, she will be forced to reveal a shocking family secret that will change everyone’s outlook on life and family. The novel confronts the subjects of family, friendships, love, betrayal and secrets. The characters each holding true to themselves, make life changing decisions for better or worst, each finding that the path taken may twist and turn, but it always finds a way back home.

Summer House is a simply beautiful story of family and the ties that bind. The novel switches from each woman’s story to the next, easily guiding the reader throughout its woven paths. There was never a moment where part of the book didn’t make sense or wasn’t interesting. The more you read, the more you are hooked, wanting to find out more about each character, their story and their family. It is easy to lose track of time while reading this novel. The book makes you feel at home, it harvest the essence of family and brings about the emotions that go along with it.


I absolutely loved this book. It was original and exciting with a raw magnetism of emotional understanding. I really enjoyed Nona’s memories because they gave insight into how each of these women has arrived where they are in the present. It shed light onto the Wheelwright family as a whole, giving the reader a broader and more developed picture of the family. It was easy to envision myself on Nantucket Island and with this family throughout the novel. It has a wonderful mix of past and present with a glimpse of the future that enables the reader to feel fulfilled throughout the novel. I would highly recommend this book to any reader. It is warm, heartfelt, smart, and witty and a perfect example of family in all its crazy wonderfulness. It will definitely be part of my permanent library and I look forward to reading it again.


Reviewed for Author Exposure
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Nanny Returns

Authors: Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
ISBN: 978-1-4165-8568-8
Publisher: Washington Square Press


Nanny Returns is the sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel, The Nanny Diaries. In this installment, Nan returns to New York after living abroad with her husband, Ryan Hutchinson, for twelve years. Nan is excited to be back in the city with her family and friends, and her new projects, including the renovation of Nan and Ryan’s new “high potential” home in an up and coming neighborhood. In addition to the renovations, Nan has started her won consulting business and soon finds herself involved with Jarndyce, a high school for rich kids, that has an impossible board of directors and wonderful teachers, neither of which see eye to eye for their visions of the school. When Nan and Ryan are sent to close on his parents’ apartment on the Upper East Side, Nan finds herself shrinking away, trying to go unnoticed as she is forced to re-visit the neighborhood and apartment building she has been trying to avoid since arriving back in New York. The visit catapults a series of events which draws Nan back into the bizarre and twisted world of Mrs. X. The new tale is an extension of the old that will give readers everywhere closure to its predecessor.

In this novel Nan is confronted with her deepest regret, leaving Grayer all those years ago without saying good bye, without explanation, and without a loving parental figure. Nan also struggles with the decision of having her own children due to memories of those years past. When Grayer shows up on Nan’s doorstep, her world is brought back to the crazy, money and power driven world she didn’t want to return to. For a sequel this book impressed me. The authors did a wonderful job of weaving the original characters back into the story, along with new people and places. Nanny Returns enabled readers of The Nanny Diaries to continue Nan’s story in an enjoyable and realistic approach. The novels are alike yet different. Readers are able to read either novel without the other, yet if they choose, they can also read both for a complete extended story. I didn’t feel the novel was needed in order to help fulfill a void from The Nanny Diaries. Both books were alike and woven together, but are also able to be read on their own as individual novels. A reader would not need to read The Nanny Diaries first in order to understand and enjoy Nanny Returns.

Nanny Returns was light, comical and interesting. The reader is able to see Nan as an evolved and older version of herself, with the same snap and pizzazz of her younger self. The book was interesting, but didn’t quite hook me. I found myself putting it down more often than I like to with a book. Overall it was a good book, completely worth the read, but not entirely necessary as a second novel to its predecessor. For readers who liked The Nanny Diaries, I would suggest Nanny Returns as an extension of the story, if you are curious. If you’ve never read either, I suggest you do! Although the reader does not need to read these in order to understand the books, I would suggest reading them in order to obtain the full effect.

Reviewed for Bookpleasures

Blog Hop Friday!

I created a special page just for Blog Hop Friday!  I would love for you to look over my reviews and my blog but if you want to find my blog hop page (where my answer to this weeks question is safe and sound.....) Click Here.  Don't forget to stop by my giveaway page!  There is a convenient link at the top as well as on the top right hand side of my blog above the followers!  Thanks for Hoppin!

Amy’s Travels

Author: Kathryn Starke
Publisher: Creative Minds Publications
ISBN: 0-9769737-0-7

Amy has lived on five of the seven continents and in this book, introduces children to each of the seven continents that make up our world. Amy gives insight through the eyes of a child and makes geography interesting and fun! The continents are discussed in regards to topics such as, who lives on the continent, what animals may be found there, what language is spoken and what is interesting or unique about the continent. Below is what my four year old daughter had to say about the book.

“It was super fun! The whole thing. I wish I would live in Australia, where you might see a kangaroo! I liked the game. I told mommy what was above or below, left and right on the map with the places. I want to send it to the other kids; well I’m going to keep it. Maybe they can get their own.”

I really enjoyed seeing my daughter enjoy this book! It was great to see her thoughts of sharing the book with others, as long as they didn’t take her copy because she isn’t willing to part with it! Amy’s Travels comes complete with a map of the continents along with a lesson plan guide for each elementary level, kindergarten through fifth grade. The lesson plans are wonderfully intuitive. I doubted that my daughter, who is only in pre-school, would want to participate in the “school” part of this book. I was pleasantly surprised to see that she not only wanted to participate, she enjoyed it! She has asked to play the game as well as quizzed me on my knowledge, in the car, in McDonalds and in many other places where we are able to talk and communicate but are not able to run around or be wild. This really excited me and gave me an additional appreciation for Amy’s Travels.

Overall, the book is wonderful for kids of all ages. I would highly suggest the book to parents and elementary school teachers. The book would be wonderful for use in the classroom as well as a fun learning tool at home. It has a unique edge because it is written to children from a child’s perspective, which I feel disguises the learning aspect of the book. The author, who is currently working on her masters to become a reading specialist, proves she is capable and reading to do the job. She did a wonderful job with this book and I cannot recommend it enough.

Reviewed for Bookpleasures

Hollywood Savage

Author: Kristin McCloy
ISBN: 978-0-7432-86473-3
Publisher: Simon and Schuster/Washington Square Press


Hollywood Savage explores one mans journal entries, in which, over the course he obsesses over his wife’s assumed affair with his protégé. Right before leaving New York, for a business trip to Hollywood, Miles hears a message from Conner, his protégé, on the answering machine. The 4 simple yet implicating words are “Meet me at five”. Miles is well aware Conner does not intend the message for him. After hopping on his flight to Hollywood, Miles slowly records his ever increasing convictions that his wife Maggie is having an affair. Pained and hurting by this turn of events, Miles is unable to concentrate on writing his screen play and temporarily finds relief in drugs and soon finds intoxicating comfort in his own affair. The book is a raw look at one mans thoughts, feelings and confusion over his marriage. It tells the tale of two, husband and wife, and their secrets, which are revealed to each other yet never confirmed.


The author skillfully writes this book from a mans perspective. Miles is an enraged and jealous husband who finds comfort in revenge or basically the idea that “anything you can do, I can do better”. His affair is passionate and full of love unlike his marriage, yet he is unsure if it is true or just because of his wife’s affair. This is the first book I have read by Kristin McCloy but her ability to write from such a psychotic, disturbed, raw view was astonishing. It was really refreshing to see a novel approach the subject of an affair from the husband’s point of view.


While I appreciate the authors writing ability, this book was not for me. I was unable to connect or attach to the character and found myself bored throughout most of the book. I would need to read another book by Kristin McCloy to find out if it was just this book or her writing style in general that did not agree with me. I found the story to be depressing, overbearing, melodramatic and sad. The novel left me ready to read a happy upbeat book that doesn’t drag on. It was as if a fog was lifted from me when I completed the novel, because I knew I did not have to return to it. Overall, I appreciated the author’s talent and skillful writing in this novel, it just wasn’t for me. I’m sure there are many readers who will appreciate this novel and enjoy it. I wish I could say I did both; however this particular novel was not an enjoying read for me personally.

Her Fearful Symmetry Giveaway!

Six years after the phenomenal success of The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger has returned with a spectacularly compelling and haunting second novel set in and around Highgate Cemetery in London.

When Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two American girls never met their English aunt, only knew that their mother, too, was a twin, and Elspeth her sister. Julia and Valentina are semi-normal American teenagers--with seemingly little interest in college, finding jobs, or anything outside their cozy home in the suburbs of Chicago, and with an abnormally intense attachment to one another.
The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders Highgate Cemetery in London. They come to know the building's other residents. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword puzzle setter suffering from crippling Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Marjike, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including--perhaps--their aunt, who can't seem to leave her old apartment and life behind.

Niffenegger weaves a captivating story in Her Fearful Symmetry about love and identity, about secrets and sisterhood, and about the tenacity of life--even after death.

(Product description from Amazon.com)

I have been authorized by Regal Literary to giveaway 2 copies of "Her Fearful Symmetry" by Audrey Niffenegger. To enter please see the rules below. You must comment/enter on this page only. Once you have entered make sure to head over to Regal Literary(http://www.regal-literary.com/hfs) and enter for the chance to win the BIG prize pack! (Trust me, you want to enter!) Good luck!!!

A BIG Thank You to Leigh Huffine at Regal Literary for making this giveaway possible!

RULES

• Leave a comment on this post telling me you want to win or why. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as abc.reads AT gmail DOT com or abc.reads [at] gmail [dot] com
• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!
**You can earn an extra entry by doing each of the following. Each entry must be a separate comment to qualify.**

1. Be or become a Follower of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.
2. Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.
3. Post a link to this contest on facebook and provide me with the link (leave a separate comment) for another entry.
____________________________________________
• Winners must provide a U.S. street address.
• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, August 28, 2010.
• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.
• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

To enter this giveaway CLICK HERE

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song

Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Jo-Ann Geffen
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC
978-1-935096-40-5


The Story behind the Song is a compilation of one hundred and one classic and popular well known songs. Spanning across decades of music, each chapter gives the artist or writers story along with the full lyrics. The book is packed full of interesting information and emotions attached to some of our favorite songs. If you have ever wondered how a song came to be, or if the lyrics mean anything personal to the artist, this installment of Chicken Soup for the Soul is for you.


The book is divided into chapters by each individual song. Each chapter has the artist picture, name and song title, followed by the written by and recorded by details. From here the narrative starts on how the song came to be or the story behind the development of the song. Immediately following the artists’ comments are the full lyrics to the song. There is no doubt that you will want to go find your old forgotten CDs or your new and favorite CDs to hear these songs. If you don’t have the songs on CD you will probably end up finding yourself on the internet like I did, searching for the song so that you can listen to it and be reminded of its’ tune and passion while you read this book. I also used the internet to search for the songs I was not as familiar with or had not heard before, though they were few and far between. It was amazing to hear the song after learning more about how it came to be.


Due to the setup of the chapters, the book leaves the reader with options on how they would prefer to read it. I started off reading cover to cover but quickly switched my tactic. I was finding each entry very intriguing and found myself wanting to read about some of my favorites first. It is very easy to read this book out of order. After grabbing a pencil and making a small mark next to the chapters I had read, I went through and chose the order I wanted to read in, making sure to mark each chapter on the table of contents page after reading it. One of my favorite stories was from Gavin Rossdale who talks about his song “Love Remains the Same”. I found that this story was one that every reader would be able to connect with. It is a beautiful song with beautiful lyrics and an honest story behind it. There were many great stories in this book that it is hard to choose just one favorite. I also really enjoyed Liz Phair’s “Divorce Song”. I was unfamiliar with this song, but it was great to read and then listen too. It is always great to find new music and new artist.


The Story behind the Song is a delightful look at generations of music and lyrics. It is heart warming and at times comical. The reader is given a glimpse at the blood, sweat and tears along with heartache, pain, enjoyment and pay off that goes into the writing process and success! I would love to see Chicken Soup for the Soul come out with a second installment of this book, or maybe even one about authors and their creative process or story behind their books. It was a fresh and new perspective to the Chicken Soup series.


reviewed for Bookpleasures

The Last Song

Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
ISBN: 978--446-57097-8

The last thing Ronnie Miller wants is to spend her summer with her dad in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. She has successfully avoided him since her parents divorce, refusing to talk to him or visit with him. Now, at seventeen, Ronnie cannot believe her mom is making her spend her summer away from New York City and all her friends. She is sure her mom is just trying to punish her, after all they haven’t been getting along lately and she is only a few months away from turning eighteen. Forced to spend the summer with her father and little brother, Ronnie is miserable. She has no friends and the small town has nothing to interest her, not to mention she has to share a room with her little brother. While still trying to overcome the pain and hurt of her parents divorce, Ronnie meets Blaze, Marcus, Will and Pastor Harris, each of who contribute to her summer making it one she will never forget. Ronnie will learn faith, trust, forgiveness and unconditional love along with truth. She will grow up and blossom, never leaving the summer behind.

The Last song is a beautifully written story of a father’s love for his daughter. Steve Miller knows his daughter is hurting and wants a chance to ease her pain and make things right. Despite his own sufferings, Steve shows unconditional love, support and sacrifice for Ronnie. Ronnie is intent on not letting her father in but slowly lets her guard down as she starts to understand her father and feel his love. Through events of the summer Ronnie remembers who she is and who she loves. Her fathers unwavering love and acceptance tears down her walls, allowing her the relationship she has needed all along. Ronnie meets will, and discovers true love like never before. As in every relationship, love does not promise things will be easy. Ronnie’s summer is equally full of trial and blessings as her life changes and she grows into a young woman and leaves the teenage girl in her behind.

Sparks does a wonderful job of writing this novel. It is easy to read and captures the readers interest from the start. Written from the view points of each main character, the book is divided into chapters by the character in focus. I personally love when books take this approach. It enables the reader to see all different angles and viewpoints of the story. The story feels like real life because three chapters could be happening in the same time frame, just to different characters and in different places. The novel is one for any age reader. It is sweet, heart warming and honest. It reminds the reader of the truly important things in life. It gives the reader a look at love, joy, peace, patience and kindness while urging against their opposites. While I would really like to see Nicholas break out of his comfort zone with his next novel, this novel was wonderful and did not let me down. I would highly suggest it for others to read. It was charming and insightful. A truly emotional novel on many levels.

Reviewed for Author Exposure

Dingle: The Very Helpful Ice Cream Cone Delivery Dog

Author: Audrey Kinsella
ISBN: 978-1-4490-8362-5
Publisher: Author House


Aunt Reeny is disabled and in a wheel chair. She agrees that service dogs are helpful, but just aren’t for her. She can already do everything she needs, it just takes time. Dingle, the family dog wants to help! When an idea comes to him, he starts on the path to being a helpful dog. With Help from his friend, he gathers all the tools he will need. Soon Roddy, Aunt Reeny’s nephew, discovers Dingles plan and starts helping Dingle with his secret surprise. The day finally comes when Dingle can help Aunt Reeny and the family! It is a hot day and the family goes out for ice cream. The line is long and Aunt Reeny is tired and hot. Dingle surprised everyone by bringing ice cream in the pouches he carries. Dingle has become the helpful ice cream cone delivery dog.

What my daughter had to say: (age 4)
“It is kinda funny because it was a doggy who wanted stuff to help. He delivered ice cream. That’s funny.”

I really enjoyed the moral of this story. The author portrays Aunt Reeny as a woman who can still do things on her own, it just takes more time. Her family helps, but Dingle wants to help also. He doesn’t want just pats and the comment “good dog”. The story is about persistence, planning and being helpful which makes a great lesson for any child. While I really liked the story itself, I didn’t like the set up and delivery of the story. It is not set up in a fashion that is easy for younger kids to understand. The sentence structure is more of a thought rather than a complete sentence. While I feel that “bubble” thoughts are not great for kid’s books, the author does a good job of putting all the thoughts into the sentences also. The problem is the sentence structure is awkward. They read like staggered thoughts instead of complete thoughts. For example, instead of using phrases like “Aunt Reeny said” or “Dingle thought” the individual speaking or thinking just states a thought or part of a thought and the difference between individuals speaking is signaled by a change in font color. For younger children this set up does not work. They aren’t able to understand a color change as they are not reading it, so the reader must add lib to the child know who is speaking. It wasn’t a very enjoyable format to read, even though I understood it. As a result I would suggest this book for kids ages 7 – 10 who would better understand who is speaking based on pictures with “bubble” thoughts and the shift in font color. I would suggest the book for ages 3-7 based on the subject matter and interest level.

Dingle the Very Helpful Ice Cream Cone Delivery Dog is a short book full of potential. It teaches a wonderful lesson while approaching the subject of disabilities, something almost everyone is affected by whether on their own or because of a family member or friend. It is hard to pin point a target audience with this book, but was worth the read. I was able to discuss the book with my daughter and she did enjoy the dog delivering the ice-cream!

*Reviewed for Bookpleasures*

Forgive Yourself

Author: Allie Sager
ISBN: 9781419695162
Publisher: Booksurge


Forgive Yourself is a novel about a woman named Samantha. Sam has been having an affair with Conner because her husband Rich does not show her love. Rich grew up differently than Samantha and has never had the family closeness that Samantha had. The result ends up in a difficult marriage. Their marriage has been long and faithful until the affair, but Sam has always been lonely. To add to the marital issues, Sam harbors deep regret and secrets of her past. She has been torturing herself over these secrets. Conner, who is also married, has a secret life outside of Sam. It is a twisted and perverted life. As the story unfolds all the secrets and all the lies are revealed. Each of the characters in the story will go through hurt and pain only to free themselves and learn forgiveness. The story is guided by Samantha’s dead grandmother, who reveals herself in spirit and helps Sam forgive herself once and for all.

Forgive Yourself is a short novel. While it doesn’t take long to read, it is taxing on the reader. The novel is devoid of substance and repeats it self time and time again. While the novel is full of drama and intertwined stories, they are short. The novel is extremely twisted and disturbing. It is written in a narrative style by an unrelated character. The story is guided by and happens due to Samantha’s dead grandmother, Mamie. Mamie, who visits from the other side of the moon, has intentions that are pure and simple. She wants to help her granddaughter forgive herself and move on with her life. While that moral is good, the rest of the story is twisted and overwhelming. Everything is linked together at points by Mamie and Samantha.

I did not enjoy this novel. I was unprepared for what the novel really represented. I felt the synopsis could have been better preparing for the reader when choosing if this book was for them. The books narrative style works well, but the sentences are short, making the reader feel they are reading small statements one after another. The novel repeats itself, sometimes adding a little more to the story. By the time you arrive at the end you are well aware of all the pieces to the story, but read them over and over again in each characters confession. The novel was part erotica, part fiction. The description of the novel did not prepare me at all for what I read. While I commend the author for writing a book, this novel was not for me. I would not be able to recommend this book to others based on my experience.

*Reviewed for http://www.bookpleasures.com/*

The Skinny on Networking: Maximizing the Power of Numbers

Author: Jim Randel
ISBN: 978-0984441815
Publisher: Rand Media Co


The Skinny on Networking takes a direct, fast and teachable approach to networking. It is written in comic book style, as all “The Skinny On” books I have read so far do. This unique style caters to the readers’ attention span, sharing useful and important information in a manner that captures your attention. The entire book takes about an hour to read and leaves you with a wealth of knowledge, sure to help you maximize your time, potential and your network!

The book has three main characters, the author as himself, along with Billy and Beth, a married couple. Billy and Beth are used as examples throughout the book to help drive home points and help the reader understand the current situation or topic being discussed. It is amazing how easy book makes learning. As the reader advances on in this book, he or she is enabled to become more interested and more open to the suggestions because of the authors’ style and direct easy to understand approach. The information is practical and full of common sense and useful learning techniques.

The only topic I wished to review in this book, that was not discussed directly, was networking for parents. The book states that the more time you invest in networking the better your network and intern career will be. The suggested time you spend per week is five to ten hours, as stated by leading experts. For single parents or parents working opposite shifts this is nearly impossible. I would have been very interested to read a few bubbles with tips for this specific group. As everyone needs a network, the amount of time you can spend largely deals with your lifestyle and family. I found the internet tips helpful in this area of concern.

Overall it is a wonderful, helpful and useful publication. It would be great to use in a college classroom or corporate workshop. I wish I would have had this book in college. I learned much more in one hour than an entire semester. Granted the internet has become even more useful in the art of networking since then. The book offers plenty of instruction and extra reading material on the topic for those readers interested in further exploration.


*Reviewed for http://www.bookpleasures.com/*