Winners have 48 hours to respond to email, or a new winner will be chosen. Thanks to Sourcebooks for sponsoring this fabulous giveaway! The winners are:
Andie - Confirmed
ChristyJan - Confirmed
Congratulations!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Waiting on Wednesday
Release Date: August 1, 2010
From Amazon: Desperate to improve their visibility to colleges, two girls hatch a scheme to make them stand out from the crowd. The plan is simple; its execution, less so. Chloe would take off on her horse, which would then return home without her, signaling her disappearance. Meanwhile, Finn, her best friend, would hide Chloe in a basement, see that she had food, and then “discover” Chloe as she stumbled out of the woods 11 days later. The girls had counted on the psychological challenges of Chloe’s loneliness and Finn’s lies. What they hadn’t anticipated are the plans’ unexpected repercussions, which result in the destruction of another life and the compromising of their souls. Corrigan has crafted a complex, heart-wrenchingly plausible YA thriller.
What are YOU waiting on?
Winner - 12 Rooms With a View
As usual, winner has 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen. There are alot of book giveaways currently running, so make sure you click the giveaway tab and get yourself entered!
The winner of Twelve Rooms with a View (randomly chosen by contestmachine) is MARGIE!
Congratulations!!
CONFIRMED
CONFIRMED
Roseflower Creek by Jackie Lee Miles
From the first lines, I was captivated.
"The morning I died it rained. Poured down so hard it washed the blood off my face."
Roseflower Creek is told from the perspective of Lori Jean. The only thing she remembers of her dad is the dust his truck raises as he's driving away. She is raised by her grandma and her mom, and she's just devastated when her grandma passes away. But when she does, her mom wastes no time is marrying Ray. Grandma told Lori Jean that Ray was no good, but her mom doesn't listen. Ray makes her happy, except when he's beating on her.
Lori Jean is poor, but she doesn't let it bother her much. She and her best friend Carolee spend their time making mud cookies down at Roseflower creek and talking to their invisible friend. Carolee's dad wants to help out Lori Jean's family when Ray loses his job at the mill, so he and other's from town give him odd jobs so he can put food on the table. But when Ray keeps the money instead of putting new parts in a tractor he was supposed to fix, all goes downhill from there. That tractor ran over and killed Carolee, and Lori Jean is just heartbroken.
Then, Ray decides to steal the payroll from the mill, but Lori Jean finds it, and she is bound and determined to return that money so she hides it away from Ray. But when he finds out about it, it's a real tradegy for Lori Jean. All she wanted was a real family, maybe one of those chevrolet cars like she saw on TV, and a birthday party. But what transpires is heartbreaking.
Lori Jean hardly ever complains, she see's life in a simple way. And it makes no sense to her when folks do what they shouldn't. She's very forgiving and always wants to do what is right. Roseflower Creek is haunting, memorable, inspirational, and uplifting. God has a reason for everything, and Lori Jean does her darndest to figure out why some things that are bad happen. Definitely a keeper for me!
Jackie Lee Miles is going to be here on Thursday, July 8th for an interview and a giveaway opportunity. Make sure to stop in and chat!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Blog Tour: Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer w/ Giveaway
Olivia Grace has secrets that could destroy her. One of the greatest of these is the Earl of Gracechurch, who married and divorced her five years earlier. Abandoned and disgraced, Grace has survived those years at the edge of respectability. Then she stumbles over Jack on the battlefield of Waterloo, and he becomes an even more dangerous secret. For not only is he unconscious, he is clad in an enemy uniform.
But worse, when Jack finally wakes in Olivia's care, he can't remember how he came to be on a battlefield in Belgium. In fact, he can remember nothing of the last five years. He thinks he and Olivia are still blissfully together. To keep him from being hanged for a traitor, Olivia must pretend she and Jack are still married.
To unearth the real traitors, Olivia and Jack must unravel the truth hidden within his faulty memory. To save themselves and the friends who have given them sanctuary, they must stand against their enemies, even as they both keep their secrets.
Barely a Lady is the first in a new series, Drake's Rakes. A thrilling historical romance with complex characters and passionate romance. A suspenseful plot and seamless writing all painted against a rich background. Romance and historical lovers won't want to miss this one!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
Eileen is an addicted traveler, having sung in some of the best Irish pubs in the world, and admits she sees research as a handy way to salve her insatiable curiosity. She counts film producers, police detectives and Olympic athletes as some of her sources and friends. She's also trained in forensic nursing and death investigation, although she doesn't see herself actively working in the field, unless this writing thing doesn't pan out.
Friend Eileen on Facebook
Follow @EileenDreyer on Twitter
Visit EileenDreyer.com
GIVEAWAY
Hatchette books is sponsoring a giveaway for five of my readers.
USA and CANADA only. No PO Boxes
You must be a Minding Spot Follower to enter: Either Google Connect, Twitter, or Networked Blogs
Winners will be chosen by randomizer.org on July 18th.
THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED.
THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED.
The Keening by A. LaFaye
Lyza Layton lives in a small town in Maine
Her mom makes their money by sewing, and her dad carves faces into stone. Beautiful carvings that are very lifelike. The townsfolk call her dad crazy because he forgets to eat, clothe or clean himself unless her mom reminds him.
When the flu takes her mother's life suddenly, Lyza doesn't know what to do. The town wants to admit her father into the asylum farm but she will do anything to make sure that doesn't happen.
When she finds a notebook in her mom's keepsake box addressed to her, she finds the name of a man she must find, a man who will ensure that her dad will remain out of the asylum.
But on Lyza's journey to the big city to find him, she finds out something about herself. She does have a talent besides letter carving, and she understands her dad now in a way she never did before.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
In My Mailbox
I received a few fabulous reads this week, all in a different genre!
For Review
From Amazon - Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...
For Review
From Amazon - When the former NYPD homicide detective looks into the suicide of an Iraq war veteran, he discovers that several members of the soldier's unit have also killed themselves and that they may have been involved in smuggling looted treasures into the U.S. Parker begins to fear that the returning soldiers have brought back more than their own personal demons. As he races to find an antique golden box before it falls into the wrong hands, Parker discovers that he's being shadowed by the enigmatic Collector, a repulsive killer whose nature is as problematic as that of Parker himself.
For Review
From Amazon - Ana le Roux was an average thirty something mother who served God, her husband and her two children, the youngest barely three-weeks-old. But on January 5, 2003 one instant sealed her fate in an unimaginable chain of events. Le Roux was involved in a violent head on collision after she instinctively and selflessly sacrificed her life in an attempt to save the lives of her children. The impact occurred with such force that the seat belt fastened around her waste literally cut her in half! After a seemingly endless dialogue with God, she struggled indecisively to make the choice to live or to die. So, she did the only thing left to do; she relinquished her freedom of choice to God Almighty.
For Review
From Amazon - She knows she’s smart, but she’s bored. When Sophie meets “Sam,” a pre-Internet police detective who depends on her professional skills at the Dorado Bay Public Library, she decides to retire and go freelance. He’s reluctant to hire her as a consulting researcher until she beats him to the murder scene and knows the victim. They awkwardly proceed to solve the crime with opposing techniques, uncovering a decades-old killing corporation and a religious cult, all in the same dysfunctional family.
SOPHIE REDESIGNED is the first in a series of Sophie and Sam collaborations to solve crimes committed under Sophie’s sharp nose for trouble. Elder issues drive the plots while family ties are tested, including Sophie’s relationship with her son Robin, who thinks “active retirement” should not mean sneaking around the country for clues. Then there’s the problem of growing warmth between two senior citizens who are past their romantic prime. Or are they?
What did YOU get?
The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
Dr. Rebecca Ward is Maya’s sister. She works in a lot of relief areas and is married to her career. But lately, ever since Maya lost the last baby, Rebecca keeps dreaming of one of her own. But, the man who loves her has asked for her hand in marriage, and Rebecca can’t find it in herself to say yes.
When a hurricane hits the coast of North Caroline, Rebecca and Adam fly down to help. But there are so many injured children, and with Maya being a pediatrician, Adam convinces her to fly down to help. She knows their marriage has been rocky since the last miscarriage, so she agrees. Anything to smooth the waters between them.
But when a young boy is shot, he must be flew to a hospital as soon as possible and Maya is urged into the chopper to help care for the patients on the flight. Unfortunately, the plane crashes. After many days of searching, Adam and Rebecca fear Maya is dead. They use the time to comfort one another and become close.
But Maya is not dead and she has her own demons to battle on the island she is deserted on. When she returns, will all the lies she and Rebecca kept from one another over the years be exposed? And if so, what will it do to their relationship? Especially now that her sister desires her husband; a sister that can carry a baby to term.
The Lies We Told is a magnificent page turner. Two sisters who’s take on life is completely opposite of one another, yet they both ultimately desire the same things. Love, acceptance, and hope are key elements in the story, with complex characters and a background story that gives clues to the present day story. Diane Chamberlain is a master of her craft. A terrific paced story with suspense, romance, and a heart-pounding ending.
One Season of Sunshine by Julia London
Asher Price is a very, very busy man. A partner in an Ad company, he is constantly flying around the world. But, Asher has two young children at home. His wife died in a car crash about a year and a half ago, and Asher still can’t find a suitable nanny for them. He knows the children need some stability in their life. Young Levi is wetting the bed, and pre-teen Riley spends all her time alone.
Jane knows she needs a job if she wishes to stay in Cedar Springs. Fortunately, she’s offered the position of nanny for the Price children. She’s very unhappy with Asher, even if he is great on the eyes. He is never around for the kids, and though she knows why, she thinks he has his priorities screwed up. The two immediately bump heads, and Asher is taken aback at Jane’s boldness. He really fancies her but knows she has someone back home
Jane’s search leads her to dead end to dead end, and she also can’t fight her attraction to Asher anymore. The children have absolutely blossomed under her care and she cares deeply for them. But when her search for her birth mother reveals a secret that is devastating to them all, Jane turns tail and runs. Asher and the children, once lost without a mother, now try to find their own way once again without Jane. Can the two of them put the past behind them to build a future?
One Season of Sunshine is a wonderful, page turning story. Heart breaking, heart-warming, and romantic, with splashes of suspense and humor. I enjoyed seeing the children blossom under Jane’s care, losing a parent is so devastating, and she shows them all how to move on with their lives. The romance between Asher and Jane blossoms and flourishes, leaving you breathless with wonder until the final satisfying climax. Romance, Mystery and women’s fiction readers won’t want to miss this one. Ms. London writes a refreshing novel and is marvelously gifted!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Nursing a Grudge by Chris Well
Jenny Hutton is a college student and a firm believe in God. She is bound and determined to help Earl and what better way then to get him out of his apartment and meet new people; make new friends. Earl really doesn't want to, but Jenny is determined to have her way.
When the two of them meet some folks in the recreation room, they are immediately invited to a secret chili party. Secret because they can't let on to the nurses what they are eating or drinking; it's against their special dietary needs. Earl takes an immediate shine to Gloria Logan, but he acts like he doesn't care for anything.
But one of the men has an attack of some sort at the party and sometime later that night, dies. Earl knows someone murdered him, but it's been listed as natural causes. After all, it is a retirement community. But Earl is determined to get to the bottom of it, and with Gloria and Jenny's help, he starts his own investigation.
Nursing a Grudge is an entertaining mystery. I really enjoyed the antics of the folks in the retirement home and I really liked the character of Earl. The mystery itself was pretty easy to figure out, but not to the characters. To watch them try and figure it out was enjoyable and at times laugh out funny. The author has a great talent and I look forward to reading more.
The Thrill of it All - Chris Well's blog
Friday, July 2, 2010
The Impostor's Daughter by Laurie Sandell Giveaway
Laurie Sandell grew up in awe (and sometimes in terror) of her larger-than-life father, who told jaw-dropping tales of a privileged childhood in Buenos Aires, academic triumphs, heroism during Vietnam, friendships with Kissinger and the Pope. As a young woman, Laurie unconsciously mirrors her dad, trying on several outsized personalities (Tokyo stripper, lesbian seductress, Ambien addict). Later, she lucks into the perfect job--interviewing celebrities for a top women's magazine. Growing up with her extraordinary father has given Laurie a knack for relating to the stars. But while researching an article on her dad's life, she makes an astonishing discovery: he's not the man he says he is--not even close. Now, Laurie begins to puzzle together three decades of lies and the splintered person that resulted from them--herself.
Note: This is a graphic memoir, not a comic book.
Hatchette books is sponsoring a giveaway for five of my readers.
You must be a follower to enter: Either Google Connect, Networked Blogs, or Twitter
USA and CANADA only. Sorry, NO PO Boxes.
Winners will be chosen by randomizer.org on July 18th.
Be a follower and leave your email to enter!
THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED.
THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED.
Book Blogger Appreciation Week
So it is that time again, and before we know it, September will be here. Time just flies!! This year's appreciation week is slated for September 13-17th.
(copied from the BBAW Blog)
What: Book Blogger Appreciation Week is a week long festival celebrating the community of book bloggers and their contribution to preserving a culture of literacy through book reviews and recommendations, reading reflections, and general bookish chat. BBAW also includes an awards component. For more information on the BBAW 2010 Awards and how to participate, please visit the BBAW 2010 Awards Blog. BBAW events include daily blogging topics, blogger interview swaps, special guest posts, and so much more!
Who: If you self-identify as a book blogger, this festival is for you! We have been excited to welcome participants from all over the world for past BBAWs.
When: September 13-17, 2010.
Where: Right here at the Book Blogger Appreciation Week blog. You can participate in the comfort of your own home and the convenience of your own time zone.
Why: Because book blogging is a fun and time intensive hobby that has created communities around books and played a crucial role in the continuing evolution of what books mean in our society.
So, this year I've decided to throw my name in the hat for the ecletric blog. I review a variety of books, so not just one niche is going to cover it all. I was nominated for romance last year but I feel I review more than romance. Anyways, I need to link to five posts that I feel reflect what happens here at the Minding Spot. I'm sure there are better ones out there, but that is what I strive to do; improve. Anywho, here are the ones I have chosen, and they are different genres.
This is Why You're Fat by Jackie Warner - Review
The Missionary by William Carmichael & David Lambert - Review
Wild Blue Under by Judi Fennell - Review
Author Interview with Carol Snow, Just Like Me, Only Better
Play Dead by Ryan Brown - Virtual Book Tour
Make sure you register today so you get your own blog included in the Book Blogger Directory!
Interview with Loucinda McGary and a giveaway
- What inspired you to write The Wild Irish Sea?
It wasn’t one particular thing but a combination of things that eventually synthesized inside my brain. First, my editor asked me to write another book set in Ireland
I thought it would be fun to write about a set of twins, set it on the Donegal coast, and throw in my own take on selkie legends. After mixing those ingredients around in my head for awhile, The Wild Irish Sea took shape.
- Do you match your characters to real ones? If so, who do you see as Amber and Kevin?
As a matter of fact, I named a very minor character in The Wild Sight after my son, and another character in The Treasures of Venice after a dear friend who happens to have a very cool Italian name. They were both quite pleased when they found out. However, my niece’s husband (father of the twins) told me he wanted to be included in one of my books. So as a joke, I named the unfortunate man who is murdered in the prologue of The Wild Irish Sea after my nephew-in-law! I’ll bet he never asks to be in one of my books again.
I do like to find pictures (usually celebrities since their photos are readily available) of people who resemble the image I have in my head of what my characters look like. I actually had a difficult time finding matches for Kevin and Amber (Parker was much easier). I finally found a couple of pictures of Christian Bale that looked like I imagined Kevin (even though Christian is not Irish). After much deliberation, I chose Gemma Arterton, whom I’d seen as a redhead in Quantum of Solace (and no, she’s not Irish or American either), as the model for Amber.
- What book is currently on your nightstand?
It’s not exactly on my nightstand since it is an e-book, but I’m reading Marie Force’s Fatal Affair, a terrific romantic suspense sent in Washington DC
- Have you ever been to
Yes, my DH has relatives who live in Northern Ireland (his grandmother came to America in 1912) which is why I set my first book, The Wild Sight, in Northern Ireland Ireland , I decided to go north again, but this time I set it in the Republic of Ireland
- What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I’m always writing! Okay, I guess it only feels that way.
As everyone knows, I am a travel fanatic, so that is what I like to do most. At last reckoning, I have visited 47 states and 32 foreign countries. I am especially fond of cruises and living in California
The other thing I love to do is read, and I do more of that when I travel than when I’m at home. I used to crochet a lot, but haven’t had much time to do that lately. I really need to get back into it since another of my nieces is expecting her first baby in November and she wants a crocheted blanket from me.
- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know if this qualifies as a quirk, because it doesn’t happen with any great regularity and I don’t really control it, but I sometimes dream scenes from my books. When I am really in my writing groove, my work in progress stays on my mind all the time. So much so that sometimes, I’ll dream about my characters and what is happening in the book. Occasionally I’ll even dream about things that haven’t happened yet. That’s how I came up with the ending of The Treasures of Venice, I dreamed it!
- Are you currently working on another novel?
Of course (see above answer about always writing)! Remember all those cruises? Well, my current work in progress is set on a cruise ship. I plan for it to be the first in a series, but we’ll have to wait and see how that pans out.
THE WILD IRISH SEA BY LOUCINDA MCGARY – IN STORES JULY 2010
Drawn to a force he can’t resist…
Former police officer Kevin Hennessey is running from his past—choosing to battle smugglers instead of dealing with his personal demons. When a desperate, rain-drenched American woman appears on his doorstep with wild tales of danger, Kevin is drawn to helping her, despite his reservations...
She never saw him coming…
Amber O’Neill knew without a doubt that her brother was in mortal danger. Rushing heedlessly to the rocky shores of Ireland
The tumultuous sea, the intertwined fates of the coastal villagers, and unearthly tales of a hidden selkie prince bring Kevin and Amber together in a connection of mind, body, and soul that neither can deny...
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Loucinda McGary took early retirement from her managerial career to pursue her twin passions of travel and writing. She sets her novels in some of the fascinating places she has visited. She was a finalist in the 2006 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest in Romantic Suspense with the manuscript that eventually became her second novel, The Treasures of Venice. Her first book, The Wild Sight won the Best First Book category in the More Than Magic contest. She lives in Sacramento , CA
GIVEAWAY!!
Sourcebooks is sponsoring a giveaway for two readers!! USA or Canada only.
Please leave a comment with your email to enter (+1)
A question or comment for Aunt Cindy will get you an extra entry(+1)
Tweeting this will get you an additional entry! (+1)
3 entries max!
Winners announced on July 16th.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Wild Irish Sea by Loucinda McGary
Parker is in Ireland out on a boat, when he witnesses a murder and in turn, gets shot at. He knows the only way he can save himself is to dive overboard and swim to safety, but as he does so, he takes a shot to his side. As the dark water slides over his head, he shouts in his mind to Amber to help him.... even though she is half way across the world in California.
Amber teaches eight and nine year olds and is divorced and is very close to her brother. When she hears his call, she drops everything and rushes to Ireland. She gets the help of policeman Kevin Hennessy to help her find her brother.
Kevin is a recluse. He's had great sadness in his life and he's lived the past few years not getting close to anyone. He used to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but has been sober for quite some time. When Amber shows up at his door, she brings back feelings to Kevin he thought he would never feel again.
Over time, Amber and Kevin get closer and their romance blossoms into something beautiful. But also, they begin to mindspeak as well, and that could be a good thing or a bad thing, however you look it it. They also find Parker, but quickly realize that the fella's that shot at him, are still after him. Parker saw something that endangers his own lively hood and it will take all three of them to get to the bottom of it all.
Loucinda McGary is a master of her craft. The Wild Irish Sea is a beautiful romance, with suspense and a touch of magic that blend together perfectly. Her characters are true to life and the Irish dialogue is easy to read, yet lends authenticity to the setting. I highly recommend The Wild Irish Sea! Perfect for this summer!!
Loucinda McGary aka Aunt Cindy is going to be here tomorrow for an interview and a giveaway. Make sure to come and chat and join in the fun!!
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