The Little Giant Of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

Truly Plaice has been dealt a difficult hand in life. Born as the biggest baby ever seen in Aberdeen, her mother dies in childbirth. Truly is left with her father and her sister, Serena Jane, who is the town beauty. Truly definately is not the town beauty. She remains large and gets bigger all the time, well out of the normal scheme of growth. She is shunned by other children and mocked by most she meets. When Truly is eight, her father also dies. The children are separated. Serena James goes to live with a wealthy family, but Truly is sent to live with a poor farmer and his family.

This early start doesn't improve much as Truly becomes an adult. Serena Jane gets pregnant and marries the town doctor, a coldhearted man who treats all around him with contempt. After eight years of marriage, Serena runs off, leaving behind a note to find Truly to come watch her son, Bobbie. The husband, Dr. Robert Morgan, finds Truly and blackmails her into coming to live with the family as an unpaid housekeeper. This is her life for the next fifteen years.

But all is not bleak. Faced with overwhelming pain, Truly still finds a way to make life better for those around her. She becomes a substitute mother to Bobbie, and watching him grow is a wonderful gift. She has two friends. Amelia Dyerson is the daughter of the farm family where Truly grew up, and is like a sister to her. Marcus was the smartest boy in town, but after going to Vietnam, came back wounded physically and emotionally, and now contents himself with being a gardener. He has always loved Truly, and is at the periphery of her life still, giving her kindness. Truly continues to grow and grow, identifed by the doctor as having acromegaly, or giantism.

There is another gift waiting for Truly. The doctor's family can be traced back to the first Robert Morgan, a doctor who came to town and married the town "wisewoman", who had treated the ills and sicknesses of the townspeople with herbs and remedies. This woman, Tabitha Morgan, is still talked of as a local legend, with stories that her spell book was left behind, still to be found. That has never happened. All that is left of her is the marvelous quilt she embroidered and left behind. Truly falls in love with the quilt when she moves into the Morgan house, and takes it for her own. Over time, she comes to realise that the quilt is actually the missing spell book. Truly begins to experiment with the herbal remedies, and soon is helping the townspeople, both with common ailments, and when all hope is gone of a cure, with an early release from life.

This is one of the most original and definately one of the best books I've read this year. Truly, whose life seems one of unmitigated misery, instead finds a way to shine and inspire those around her. The book moves at a fast pace, and the reader falls in love with Truly and is drawn to find out what life has to offer this amazing woman next. I will remember Truly for a long time. This book is recommended for all readers.

The Adventuress by Audrey Niffenegger

The Adventuress is a graphic novel by Audrey Niffenegger. It tells the story of a girl created by an alchemist. She goes through many adventures. She is kidnapped by an older man, forced into marriage and escapes by burning down the house. Jailed for this crime, she weaves a cocoon and spends a winter in it, becoming a moth. She flies away and ends up with Napoleon Bonaparte. When he leaves to go to Russia, she finds she is pregnant. After having the child, she leaves when she finds out she has been betrayed in love. She ends up in a nunnery, where she dies.

This is an interesting book. I didn't realise that Niffenegger regards herself as a graphic artist. In fact, this was her first book, created during her college years when she studied graphic art. My only exposure to her before this was the wildly successful, The Time-Travelers Wife, which I enjoyed immensely.

The artwork is reminiscent of Gahan Wilson, who is one of my favorite cartoonists, and one of the reasons I subscribed to the The New Yorker magazine for many years. Niffenegger's scenes have the same spare style, that suggests much more going on behind the scenes. I enjoyed this look into her other talent. This book is recommended for fans of graphic novels.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

In Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout has written interconnecting short stories that give us insight into the town of Crosby, Maine, and the people who make their homes and lives there. Olive is a retired math teacher. She is married to Henry, the local pharmacist, and they have one son, Christopher.

Each story delves into the life of one of the town's residents. Each has some connection to Olive, although sometimes it is tangential. We read of marriages, divorces, death, affairs, theft, children who bring joy and children who grow up and are not part of their parent's lives.

One of the book's themes is the changing nature of love throughout the years. Many of the characters portrayed have long term marriages and Strout writes of how these relationships change over the years. First blush love becomes a stronger relationship as the years go by. Sometimes the relationship falters and the spouses are tempted to look elsewhere for fulfillment. Yet many remain married and often find a renewed love in their later years.

Yet, Strout also writes of the sadness of love. Great love relationships usually mean one participant is left behind when the other dies. How does one regroup and go on, facing the lonliness that is often the result of old age? She also writes of the parental-child relationship and how hard it is to get that fine balance of raising an independant child right. Tip on one side of the balance and the child is left dependant and unable to function; tip on the other side and they are so independant that they often move away to live totally separate lives. This is another grief that many face as they age.

Olive Kitteridge won the Pulitzer Prize, and readers of the book won't be surprised. This book draws the reader into contemplation of how lives work out, and the importance of love and family. This book is recommended for all readers.

A Darkness Forged In Fire by Chris Evans

In A Darkness Forged In Fire, Chris Evans starts his Iron Elves series. The Iron Elves, a renowned battalion, has been disbanded when the leader kills the country's Viceroy. The assassin is banished to the forest, and the battalion is broken up and sent to various undesirable posts. As the story begins, the reader meets up with this assassin, Konowa, and learns that there was a reason for his actions. The Viceroy had stopped serving the rightful Queen and had become an agent of the Empire's enemy, The Shadow Monarch.

Now, an event foretold in ancient tales, is occurring. The Red Star, which heralds the return of ancient magic, has fallen. Various groups engage in battles and strategies to become the possessor of this heralded icon. There is the reunited Iron Elves battalion. The Queen's son, Prince Tykkin, has joined the battalion as it's titular commander, although he leaves the actual battle strategy to Konowa, who has been reinstated as the Iron Elves commander. There are the elfkynan, who see possession of the Red Star as the mechanism to throw off Empire rule. There is also the agents of The Shadow Monarch, who will stop at nothing to extend her rule. They bring back extinct beasts who were renowned for their evil, and have corrupted various Empire government agents as well.

The reader meets the main characters of the series. There are elves, dwarves, witches; all manner of magical folks. Each group is suspicious of the others, but learn to fight together for a common goal. Some of the main characters include Visyna who is a royal maiden but also a witch. Rallie is a journalist who seems to be unexpectedly involved in all action. There are gallent fighters such as the dwarf Yimt and the elf Alwyn. There are also elves of the forest such as Chayii Red Owl who come to help the Iron Elves.

Evans has created a magical land, populated with interesting characters and a plot that makes the reader determined to read more in the series. This book is recommended for fantasy lovers looking for a new series to transport them far away.

The Light Of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans

Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in this second epic fantasy adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans. As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves' perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry elf witch, the Shadow Monarch, takes on greater urgency.

The Iron Elves, shunned by their own people for bearing the mark of the Shadow Monarch, and desperately wanting to forever erase this shame, became legendary for their prowess on the battlefield as the Calahrian Imperial Army's elite shock troops. But when their commanding officer, Konowa Swift Dragon, murdered the Viceroy of Elfkyna, he was exiled, and these brave elves were banished to a remote desert outpost, doomed and leaderless, their honor in tatters.
Recalled to duty to reform his regiment from the dregs of the Imperial Army, Konowa thwarted the plans of the Shadow Monarch at the Battle of Luuguth Jor -- ensuring that the fabled Red Star, a source of great natural energy, did not fall into Her hands.

Now Konowa must cross storm-tossed seas to seek out the lost elves and the prophesied return of another Star somewhere in a desert wasteland roiling with mysterious power, infernos of swirling magic, and legends brought back to life in new and terrible ways. And the fate of every living creature will come to depend on a small band of ragged and desperatesoldiers, whose very loyalty to the Empire they have sworn to serve is no longer certain. When death is but a temporary condition, a terrifying question arises: who is the true ally -- and fearsome enemy -- in a growing conflict that threatens all?

This is the second book in the Iron Elves series. I read this one and the first back to back, and I'm throughly entranced. The characters are well-defined, and the plotlines intricately woven into the narrative. This series stands out not only for the adventure, but for the humour interlaced with the hardships. I'm very glad I discovered this series. It is recommended for all fantasy/sci-fi fans.

GIVEAWAY!!!! $20 A GALLON by Christopher Steiner

Imagine an everyday world in which the price of gasoline (and oil) continues to go up, and up, and up. Think about the immediate impact that would have on our lives.

Of course, everybody already knows how about gasoline has affected our driving habits. People can't wait to junk their gas-guzzling SUVs for a new Prius. But there are more, not-so-obvious changes on the horizon that Chris Steiner tracks brilliantly in this provocative work.

Consider the following societal changes: people who own homes in far-off suburbs will soon realize that there's no longer any market for their houses (reason: nobody wants to live too far away because it's too expensive to commute to work). Telecommuting will begin to expand rapidly. Trains will become the mode of national transportation (as it used to be) as the price of flying becomes prohibitive. Families will begin to migrate southward as the price of heating northern homes in the winter is too pricey. Cheap everyday items that are comprised of plastic will go away because of the rising price to produce them (plastic is derived from oil). And this is just the beginning of a huge and overwhelming domino effect that our way of life will undergo in the years to come.

Steiner, an engineer by training before turning to journalism, sees how this simple but constant rise in oil and gas prices will totally re-structure our lifestyle. But what may be surprising to readers is that all of these changes may not be negative - but actually will usher in some new and very promising aspects of our society.Steiner will probe how the liberation of technology and innovation, triggered by climbing gas prices, will change our lives. The book may start as an alarmist's exercise.... but don't be misled. The future will be exhilarating.

Giveaway Rules

1. The giveaway starts Saturday, July 25th and ends on Wednesday, August 5th at midnight.
2. There will be five winners, who will be chosen with a random number generator.
3. For one entry, leave a comment. Your email MUST be in the comment to be included.
4. You can get another entry by doing any or all of the following; follow this blog, twitter about this giveaway and post the twitter in your comment, or link to the giveaway on your blog.
5. Winners will have three days to respond with mailing addresses after email notification.
6. Winners must live in the U.S. or Canada, and have a street address. Hachette doesn't mail to P.O. boxes, sorry.

Good luck!

Ravens by George Dawes Green

The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars in the Georgia State lottery. It's going to be the worst day of their lives.

Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko pull up at a convenience store off I-95 in Georgia, their only thought is to fix a leaky tire and be on their way again to Florida-away from their dull Ohio tech-support jobs. But this happens to be the store from which a 318,000,000 million dollar Jackpot ticket has just been sold -- and when a pretty clerk accidentally reveals to Shaw the identity of the winning family, he hatches a ferociously audacious scheme: He and Romeo will squeeze the family for half their prize. That night, he visits the Boatwright home and takes the family hostage, while Romeo patrols the streets nearby, prepared to murder the Boatwrights' loved ones at any sign of resistance.

At first, the family offers none. But Shaw's plot depends on maintaining constant fear-merciless, unfaltering terror-and soon, under the pressure, everyone's sanity begins to unravel . . . At once frightening, comic, and suspenseful, RAVENS is a wholly original and utterly compelling novel from one of our most talented writers.

Stunning is the only word that comes to mind after finishing George Dawes Green's novel. It lures you in immediately and the reader cannot tear themselves away from the story. Not only is the plot suspenseful, but the characters are so well done that the reader will imagine that they are reading about their own neighbors. Seeing what is behind the crime for the criminals, how the family starts falling into Stockholm syndrome, and the heart-stopping resolution makes this one of the best books I've read this year. It is the kind of book that once the last page is read, the reader will rush out to find anything else that Green has written. This book is highly recommended for suspense readers.

A Deadly Habit by Andrea Sisco

Penelope Santucci has a problem. Separated from her husband, she went to get some belongings and found him murdered. Now the police are circling around ready to arrest Penelope, or Pen as she's known, as they think she had the best motive and opportunity. But that's not all the problem. There's the hundred thousand dollars she found that happens to belong to the local mob boss. He's not amused when she doesn't give it back to him. There's her mother-in-law, who tells everyone that Pen is guilty and tries to bar her from the funeral. Finally, there's Pen's mother, the typical helicopter mom who can't give up hovering even after the kids are grown.

But Pen has help on her side also. She has gone to her childhood priest, and soon has him and her sister, who is a nun, helping her investigate. The priest knows one of the best defence attorneys in town and convinces Marco to be Pen's lawyer. All three try to rein in Pen's impulsiveness as she attempts to find out who killed her husband, to varying degrees of success.

There are lots of suspects. Paul, the ex-husband, was the attorney for that mob boss, and it was a stormy relationship. There were rumors of him blackmailing court personnel and maybe even buying off judges in order to win cases. His business partner was dissolving the partnership due to Paul's shady business practices. Paul wasn't one to remain idle and had started a relationship with a local beauty, Stephanie. The problem was that he didn't stop playing the field with Stephanie, and she wasn't happy to have the relationship end.

Andrea Sisco has done an impressive job in her debut novel. Penelope Santucci is a heroine who the reader will not soon forget; an infectious, exasperating, lovable character. The other characters in this novel are also well-drawn. The tone is comedic, and the reader will find themselves laughing out loud over and over. This book is recommended for mystery readers who are looking for a light-hearted read.

Reviewed for Book Pleasures

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

In Unaccustomed Earth, Jhumpa Lahiri has written eight stories about relationships. Each story draws on the Indian immigrant experience, or that of being an immigrant parent's child. The stories explore many different types of relationships. The first, Unaccumstomed Earth, explores the relationship between a grown child and a parent as the parent grows older and loses a spouse. Lahiri delicately explores the disparity between what the child imagines the parent feels and wants, and what those desires are in reality. Other stories explore relationships between husband and wives, between those immigrant children who choose nontraditional partners who aren't Indian and their families, or sibling relationships.

The last three stories share a common thread. Two Indian families are friends. One returns to India for several years, and when they return to America, stay with the other family for several months. The returning family has a teenage boy while the host family has a daughter just entering her teen years. In Once In A Lifetime, this story is told and the distant relationship between the children is discussed. In Year's End, we hear the son's story as he enters adulthood. His mother has died and his father has remarried, giving him stepsisters. In the book's final story, Going Ashore, we hear the story of what has occurred to the young girl of the host family, and then, these two meet again and become lovers.

Unaccustomed Earth is a New York Times Best Book Of The Year. I enjoyed this book, and I'm often not a fan of short stories. Each story related another dimension of human relationships, often exploring topics I'd not considered. Lahiri has an innate understanding of the myriad human relationships, and the skill to write about her understanding in a way that provokes thought. This book is recommended for all fiction readers.

The Gate House by Nelson DeMille

John Sutter's life changed dramatically ten years ago. That's when his wife, Susan, shot and killed the local Mafia don at the end of their affair. Now, John is back in town and Susan wants to reunite and remarry. There are two problems with this plan. One is the disapproval of her parents, who are millionaires and who support Susan and happen to hate John. The other is the son of the murdered Mafia don, who is interested in seeing Susan back in town and wants revenge.

Over the years, I think I've read most of DeMille's books, and always found them to be exciting page-turners. I'm sorry to say I didn't have the same reaction to this one. It missed the mark for me. The majority of the book was spent going over and over the relationship with Susan's parents. The resolution of that issue seemed rushed and unlikely to me.

I'm sure I'll be lined up to read DeMille's next, but won't really recommend this one to many readers.

Last Light Over Carolina by Mary Alice Monroe

With a warm voice that brings the South to life, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe writes richly textured novels that intimately portray the complex and emotional relationships shared among family, friends, and the natural world. Here, in Last Light Over Carolina, Monroe tells the haunting and touching story of a longtime shrimp boat captain and his wife of thirty years the day he is injured at sea.

On an otherwise ordinary day, in a small shrimping village off the coast of South Carolina, a boat goes missing. The entire town rallies as all are mobilized to find the lost vessel. Throughout the course of one day, flashbacks of Bud Morrison, the captain on board, and Carolina, his wife, reveal the happier days of a once-thriving shrimping industry juxtaposed with the memories of their long term marriage.

Through her wonderfully evocative storytelling and keen insights into the human heart, Mary Alice Monroe has yet again delivered an exceptional and engaging work of fiction. Pat Conroy once said that “every book that Mary Alice Monroe has written has felt like a homecoming to me,” and Anne River Siddons wrote that “Monroe’s voice is strong and true.” Now, once again, Monroe brings the South to life with a lyrical and evocative story about past mistakes and second chances.

I really enjoyed this book, since I am from this area of the country. I know exactly the kind of town this book portrays. At the beach in lower North Carolina and upper South Carolina, families for years have gone to the town of Calabash. Calabash is a town with around 40 seafood restaurants, and they serve shrimp right off the boats. It is one of my favorite memories of growing up.

It is sad to see how this industry is changing. Cost of diesel fuel, dumping of shrimp on the market from overseas, the hard work involved, all these factors are leading to the end of a way of life. Monroe captured that life, and I enjoyed reading about it. Her characters rang true, and again, I've grown up with each type portrayed in the book. This is a wonderful portrayal of a slice of Southern life. It is recommended for all who love Southern fiction.

GIVEAWAY!!!! OFF SEASON BY ANNE RIVERS SIDDONS

Acclaimed novelist Anne Rivers Siddons's new novel is a stunning tale of love and loss.

For as long as she can remember, they were Cam and Lilly--happily married, totally in love with each other, parents of a beautiful family, and partners in life. Then, after decades of marriage, it ended as every great love story does...in loss. After Cam's death, Lilly takes a lone road trip to her and Cam's favorite spot on the remote coast of Maine, the place where they fell in love over and over again, where their ghosts still dance.

There, she looks hard to her past--to a first love that ended in tragedy; to falling in love with Cam; to a marriage filled with exuberance, sheer life, and safety-- to try to figure out her future. It is a journey begun with tender memories and culminating in a revelation that will make Lilly re-evaluate everything she thought was true about her husband and her marriage.

Giveaway Rules:

1. The giveaway starts Saturday, July 11th and ends on Wednesday, July 22th at midnight.

2. There will be five winners, who will be chosen with a random number generator.

3. For one entry, leave a comment. Your email MUST be in the comment to be included.

4. You can get another entry by doing any or all of the following; follow this blog, twitter about this giveaway and post the twitter in your comment, or link to the giveaway on your blog.

5. Winners will have three days to respond with mailing addresses after email notification.

6. Winners must live in the U.S. or Canada, and have a street address. Hachette doesn't mail to P.O. boxes, sorry.

Good luck!

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other.

But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy's closest friends for what will be revealed.

Once again, Hilderbrand masterfully weaves an intense tale of love and loyalty set against the backdrop of endless summer island life.

I enjoyed The Castaways quite a bit. It was the perfect summer read, although I found the premise that four couples who are in a group could commit the adultry that Hilderbrand had her characters commit, and still have their lives go on as before. Hilderbrand created believeable characters outside of this issue, and all of the plotlines were satisfactorily resolved. This book is recommended for those readers ready for a book that entertains.

Probability Angels by Joseph Devon

Matthew is a new probability angel. He is still learning how he became one, what it all means, and what he can now do. A person becomes a probability angel when they give their life so that another can live. Matthew did that when he chose to be shot during a robbery, saving his wife. Probability angels work individually with humans, pushing them in life situations. They have photographs of all the probabilities that a situation's outcome could have, and the angel pushes the human towards one. As the book opens, Matthew is working with a priest at a wedding, who is sobbing in the bathroom. His crisis? He is in love with the bride. Matthew pushes him, and the priest leaves to resolve the issue and confront the bride.

There are many other angels. Epp is one of the most influential. Born a slave thousands of years ago, he has worked with so many people and has so many skills that he serves as a resource and leader for newbies. Kyo is a former samurari. He has also been an angel for many hundreds of years, but is different in some ways, as he refuses to push humans. There is Mary, a former nun who is now a gorgeous woman. There are many others, and they all know each other and work together in a loosely organized way.

But all is not perfect. Probability angels get life energy from pushing humans. There are those who get tired of the work and stop pushing. They turn into zombie-like creatures, who eventually start to eat angels for energy. There is conflict and positioning for power in the angel structure. Hector is the leader of these dissidents. He wants to be the probability angel leader and starts a war targeting Epp and those close to him. His army is made of the zombies and some angels who are loyal to him. There is an epic battle for leadership of the angels and how their work will be structured for the coming centuries.

I would love to meet this author. Anyone with this much imagination, who can write such a sustained fantasy, must have a unique mind and would be fascinating to talk with. This book is recommended for fantasy and sci-fi readers, as well as readers looking for an offbeat read. Devon has created an alternate world and made it come alive. His characters are well developed and believable. The reader is taken to another world and lives in that possibility while reading. This is an interesting book that I won't soon forget.

GIVEAWAY!!!! HOW SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE THINK by John Maxwell

The perfect read for today's fast-paced world, How Successful People Think (derived from Maxwell's previous book, Thinking for a Change) will teach listeners the 11 secrets successful people know. Arranged in an easy-to-follow format, America's leadership expert, John C. Maxwell, will teach listeners how to expand their thinking and achieve their dreams.

The 11 keys to successful thinking include:

Big-Picture Thinking - seeing the world beyond your own needs and how that leads to great ideas

Focused Thinking - removing mental clutter and distractions to realize your full potential

Creative Thinking - thinking in unique ways and making breakthroughs

Shared Thinking - working with others to compound results

Reflective Thinking - looking at the past to gain a better understanding of the future.

Thanks to Hachette, I'm able to give away five copies of this book. Rules of the giveaway are:

1. The giveaway starts Saturday, July 4th and ends on Wednesday, July 15th at midnight.

2. There will be five winners, who will be chosen with a random number generator.

3. For one entry, leave a comment. Your email MUST be in the comment to be included.

4. You can get another entry by doing any or all of the following; follow this blog, twitter about this giveaway and post the twitter in your comment, or link to the giveaway on your blog.

5. Winners will have three days to respond with mailing addresses after email notification. Good luck!

6. Winners must live in the U.S. or Canada, and have a street address. Hachette doesn't mail to P.O. boxes, sorry.

Good luck!

COMPLETED GIVEAWAY!!!! NIGHT GARDENER BY GEORGE PELECANOS

From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Pelecanos (Drama City) delivers a dignified, character-driven epic that succeeds as both literary novel and page-turner. In 1985, the body of a 14-year-old girl turns up in a Washington, D.C., park, the latest in a series of murders by a killer the media dub "The Night Gardener." T.C. Cook, the aging detective on the case, works with a quiet, almost monomaniacal, focus. Also involved are two young uniformed cops, Gus Ramone, who's diligent, conscientious and unimpressed by heroics, and Dan "Doc" Holiday, an adrenaline junkie who's decidedly less straight.


Fast forward 20 years. Detective Ramone, now married with kids of his own, investigates the murder of one of his teenage son's friends. The homicide closely resembles the earlier unsolved Night Gardener murders. Holiday, now an alcoholic chauffeur and bodyguard, follows the case on his own and tracks down Cook, long retired but still obsessed with the original murders. While the three work together toward a suspenseful ending, Pelecanos emphasizes the fallacy of "solving" a murder and explores the ripple effects of violent crime on society.

Thanks to Valerie at Hachette, I'm able to give away five copies of this book. Giveaway rules are:


1. The giveaway starts Saturday, June 27th and ends on Wednesday, July 8th at midnight.

2. There will be five winners, who will be chosen with a random number generator.

3. For one entry, leave a comment. Your email MUST be in the comment to be included.

4. You can get another entry by doing any or all of the following; follow this blog, twitter about this giveaway and post the twitter in your comment, or link to the giveaway on your blog.

5. Winners will have three days to respond with mailing addresses after email notification. Good luck!

Shimmer by Eric Barnes

Meet Robbie Case: the 35-year-old wunderkid CEO of Core Communications. In just three years, based solely on a technology no other campany has been able to replicate, Robbie's taken Core from a relatively unknown, family business into a $20 billion company with more than 5,000 employees. And, in the process, he has become a rock star, worldwide, for his vision, leadership and wealth. The only problem? Robbie is living a lie. The technology is a scam, the financials are built on a Ponzi scheme of stock sales and shell corporations and Robbie is struggling, everyday, to keep his company alive...to protect the friends who work for him and all they've built. The game is coming to an end. And Robbie is the only one who knows the truth. Or is he?

In a debut that could have been ripped from today's headlines but was, in fact, imagined years earlier when the author came to recognize through his own business dealings that "people believe what they want to believe", Shimmer is the story of a high-tech crusade nearing it's end--a novel that charges the atmosphere with suspense and delivers complex characters you want to believe in--in spite of their flaws.

Eric Barnes is the publisher of the Daily News in Memphis and The Memphis News. He was formerly COO of a communications corporation, a reporter, and an editor. He grew up in Washington and Alaska, working construction and in the fisheries. Eric has an MFA from Columbia University and his fiction has appeared in The Portland Review, The Northwest Review, The Greensboro Review, and Other Voices. His website is http://www.ericbarnes.net/.

As a CIO in real life, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Barnes has done several things extremely well. He captures the ambiance of a technology company spot-on, and his characters are familiar to anyone working in a technology field. The character of Perry, the inscrutable guru who knows all but isn't quick to share his insights, was quite well-drawn. Further, the chapter describing how a technology company works during a crisis felt immediately familiar to me and captured the crisis mode and how each person on the team works through to solve the crisis trigger. I had some problems with the premise that the best technology gurus in the world wouldn't have discovered the essential flaw in the programming sooner, but that point probably wouldn't be noticed by most readers outside the industry. Shimmer was a read that kept my attention throughout and I hated closing the cover when I finished. This book is recommended for readers who enjoy current fiction or technology issues.

Do Ants Have Assholes? by Jon Butler and Bruno Vincent

In this satire book, Jon Butler and Bruno Vincent have created a parody of pop science collections. Psuedo editors of a newspaper called The Old Geezer, the book proports to be the 'Questions and Answers' page of the newspaper. In this column, earthshattering questions such as "What If There Were No Hypothetical Questions?" or "Is Honesty The Best Policy?" or "Is It True That A Horse Was Once Pope?" are posed. The answers are satire at their best, with eccentric recurring characters, and semi-serious answers.

This book is recommended for fans of shows such as Saturday Night Live or The Daily Show, or of magazines such as Mad magazine. The humor either hits the reader's fancy or not. Some readers will love this book while others might be offended. This is a great book to dip into when you have a few minutes or want a quick laugh.

The Elegance Of The Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

In an apartment building for the very rich, things are about to change. Several inhabitants will find their life and viewpoints changed with the death of a long-time tenent, and the appearance of a new one. The concierge, Madame Michel, has held that position for twenty-seven years. Twenty-seven years in which she has lived a lie. Self-educated, she spends her days hiding behind the assumptions about her class and wants the tenents of the building to think her ignorant. She interacts with them as little as possible, and holds no illusions about how they think of her.

Paloma Josse is a twelve-year old schoolgirl, who is dissatisfied with her family, it's pretensions and life in general. She has decided that she will commit suicide on her next birthday, as she sees nothing worth living for. She loves art, literature, and music, and cannot abide the everyday hypocrisy she sees everywhere around her. She too, like Madame Michel, hides her intelligence and personality, letting no one see her true self.

Into these lives, and the lives of the other tenents, comes the change of a new tenent. He is a wealthy Japanese man named Monsieur Ozu. Courted by all the other tenents who wish to impress such a powerful man, he does not choose to spend time with them. Instead, he discerns the true nature of Madame Michel and Paloma, and befriends them both. Soon, Renee Michel is coaxed out of her shell, and visits his apartment and restaurants with him, and they become fast friends. He also interacts with Paloma, who he sees in a grandfatherly way.

The Elegance Of The Hedgehog is about the joys of life that are encountered when least suspected. It challenges the class assumptions that are still rampant in society today, regardless of talk about equality. It skewers false intellectualism and shows the true joy of exploring the meaning of life. It is about finding true friends wherever they are hiding instead of only looking in the expected places. It is a gem of a book, and I'm very glad I read it. This book is recommended for all fiction lovers. It is an inspiring, life-affirming book without taking the easy way and rolling in sentimentality.

The Whole Truth by David Baldacci

Shaw has a huge problem. A good problem in a way, but a problem nonetheless. He has just proposed to the love of his life, Anna, and she has accepted. The problem? Shaw works for a secret agency of the government, and they don't want to let him leave. The work he does is very dangerous, and finding a replacement with his skills would be nearly impossible. Yet, married life is not a possiblity while he works for them in a job that means any day could be his last.

As Shaw works through this issue, he catches the interest of Katie James, a two-time Pultizer-winning journalist. Katie is involved in the story of "The Red Menace", an expose of Russia's treatment of dissidents that is ramping back up the Cold War, and bringing China into the mix this time. Anna, who works for a think tank in London called the Phoenix Group, is also investigating this story. The Phoenix Group is brutally attacked by the organization behind the "Red Menace" story, and that attack brings Shaw and Katie together. They find what the reason behind the attack on the Phoenix Group, and the reason behind the entire Red Menace scenario is, and attempt to put the man behind the entire plot out of business.

David Baldacci has written numerous thrillers, and The Whole Truth is another hit. Shaw is a strong figure who could easily turn into a character that an entire series could be written about. The plot is fast and furious, and the reader quickly comes to care about the characters. It grabs the reader by the throat and releases them, satisfied, once they finish reading the ending. This book is recommended for readers looking for an exciting read with lots of twists and turns.

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Magician's Nephew is the pre-quel for the Narnia books. In this book, a boy named Digory and his next-door neighbor and friend, Polly, are sent on adventures by use of magic rings given to them by Digory's uncle, Andrew. Andrew, an older man, is as afraid as he is enchanted by magic, and tries to use others to try out the various spells and incantations he discovers. He send Polly off with a magic ring, and then Digory must go after her and bring her back.

In this book, many of the touchstones of the later books are revealed. Narnia is actually created in this book by Aslan the Lion, and Digory and Polly are there for the creation. The backstory of the witch in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is told, and Digory's part in bringing her to life and setting her free in Narnia, not through intent but through accidental happenings. The reader learns how Digory is involved in the later events of the Chronicles. Even the wardrobe's creation is related here.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The more I listen to The Chronicles of Narnia, the more convinced I am that this is truly a classic of children's literature. This book was narrated by Kenneth Branagh, which added a great deal to the audio book. This book is highly recommended for anyone who has a child, or wishes to recall the magic of their own childhood.

GIVEAWAY!!! I HATE PEOPLE! BY JONATHAN LITTMAN & MARC HERSHON

The rest of the title of I Hate People! is Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get what You Want Out of Your Job. The authors have experience with working outside the corporate frame and bringing innovative methods to their work. Jonathan Littman has written books about innovation and also about computer hackers, a group that personifies this concept. Mark Hershon is a branding expert that has named such products as Blackberry, Pentium, Swiffer and Dansani.

Face it, whether your company has 10 employees or 10,000, you must grapple with people you can't stand in the office. Luckily Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon have written I HATE PEOPLE!, a smart, counter-intuitive, and irreverent turn on the classic workplace self-help book that will show you how to identify the Ten Least Wanted--the people you hate--while revealing the strategies to neutralize them. Learn to fly right by the "Stop Sign" (nay-sayer) and rise above the pronouncements of the "Know-it-None." I HATE PEOPLE! will teach you how to carve out more time for yourself by becoming a "Soloist"--one of those bold individuals daring to work alone or collaborate with a handful of other talented people....while artfully deflecting the rest.

Thanks to Valerie at Hachette, I'm able to give away five copies of this book. Giveaway rules are:

1. The giveaway starts Saturday, June 20th and ends on Wednesday, July 1st at midnight.
2. There will be five winners, who will be chosen with a random number generator.
3. For one entry, leave a comment. Your email MUST be in the comment to be included.
4. You can get another entry by doing any or all of the following; follow this blog, twitter about this giveaway and post the twitter in your comment, or link to the giveaway on your blog.
5. Winners will have three days to respond with mailing addresses after email notification. Good luck!

Drood by Dan Simmons

Drood opens with the account of a horrific train accident in England in which many people are killed. One of those who escaped with their lives is the famous novelist, Charles Dickens. As he recounts the story of this life-changing event to his good friend and writing collaborator, Wilkie Collins, he tells him something he keeps from everyone else. While he was helping to rescue the other victims, he was accosted by a strange man. This man hissed as he spoke, had no nose or eyelids, filed teeth and most curiously, no one else seemed to have seen him. He seems to know who Dickens is without being told and suggests that Dickens come visit him in his underground lair in London.

Dickens is revolted yet compelled to track down this figure, who seems to be well-known to various members of the London police force. They believe he is an overlord of a cult which is responsible for hundreds of deaths over the years. As Dickens investigates, Drood's story seems to be that he grew up in Egypt, the abandoned son of an English lord who was there in the military. As he grew, he was raised by those adept in the mysterious Egyptian arts of mesmerism and the other skills of priests from the times of the Pharoahs. He came to England to find his father, and became the leader of a mysterious group who live in an underground city and who control the country's opium trade.

The book then follows Dickens and Wilkie's attempts over the years to find and fight this evil figure. It covers the last five years of Dicken's life and is narrarated by Wilkie. Besides the Drood storyline, the reader learns of English life in this time period, the working life of authors, the opium trade and how it took over lives, how the police force worked and how both the rich and the poor lived.

I've loved every book I've read of Dan Simmons's work, and Drood was no exception. This is a long book at over 700 pages, but the reader will be entranced from the first chapter. I enjoyed the inside look at Dickens' life, and how the publishing business worked. Simmons builds the suspense skillfully, and there are horrific scenes that will remain with me for a long time. This book is recommended for suspense and thriller readers.

COMPLETED AUDIO GIVEAWAY!!!! Losing Mum And Pup by Christopher Buckley

“I had more or less resolved not to write a book about my parents. But I’m a writer, and when the universe hands you material like this, not writing about it amounts either to waste or a conscious act of evasion.”So begins award-winning satirist Christopher Buckley in the most personal and transcendent work of his life, the tragicomic true story of the year in which both of his parents died.

In twelve months between 2007 and 2008, Buckley coped with the passing of his father, William F. Buckley, the father of the modern conservative movement, and his mother, Patricia Taylor Buckley, one of New York’s most glamorous and colorful socialites. He was their only child and their relationship was close and complicated. Writes Buckley: “They were not — with respect to every other set of loving, wonderful parents in the world — your typical mom and dad.”

As Buckley tells the story of their final year together, he takes readers on a surprisingly entertaining tour through hospitals, funeral homes, and memorial services, capturing the heartbreaking and disorienting feeling of becoming a fifty-five-year-old orphan. Buckley maintains his sense of humor by recalling the words of Oscar Wilde: “To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness.”Christopher Buckley offers consolation, wit, and warmth to those coping with the death of a parent, while telling a unique personal story of life with legends.

Thanks to Hachette, I have three copies of this book in audio format to give away. Rules are:

1. The giveaway starts Saturday, June 13th and ends on Wednesday, June 24th at midnight.

2. There will be three winners, who will be chosen with a random number generator.

3. For one entry, leave a comment. Your email MUST be in the comment to be included.

4. You can get another entry by doing any or all of the following; follow this blog, twitter about this giveaway and post the twitter in your comment, or link to the giveaway on your blog.

5. Winners will have three days to respond with mailing addresses after email notification. Good luck!

Secrets To Happiness by Sarah Dunn

Holly Frick has just endured the worst kind of breakup: the kind where you're still in love with the person leaving you. While her wounds are still dangerously close to the surface, her happily married best friend confesses over a bottle of wine that she is this close to having an affair. And another woman comes to Holly for advice about her love life--with Holly's ex!

Holly decides that if everyone around her can take pleasure wherever they find it, so will she. As any self-respecting 30ish New York woman would do, she brings two males into her life: a flawed but endearing dog, and a good natured, much younger lover. She's soon entangled in a web of emails, chance meetings, and misguided good intentions and must forge an entirely new path to Nirvana.

From the author of The Big Love, Secrets to Happiness is a big-hearted, knife-sharp, and hilariously entertaining story about the perils of love and friendship, sex and betrayal--and a thoroughly modern take on our struggle to be happy.


This was a very enjoyable read. Fast-paced and interesting, you won't be able to put this one down as you follow the threads of each of the characters, especially Holly in her quest for love. We all probably know a Holly Frick even if our Holly days are far behind us. This is a great summer read and recommended for anyone navigating the shoals of love and relationships.

COMPLETED AUDIO GIVEAWAY!!!!! THE SCARECROW BY MICHAEL CONNELLY

Forced out of the Los Angeles Times amid the latest budget cuts, newspaperman Jack McEvoy decides to go out with a bang, using his final days at the paperto write the definitive murder story of his career. He focuses on Alonzo Winslow, a 16-year-old drug dealer in jail after confessing to a brutal murder. But as he delves into the story, Jack realizes that Winslow's so-called confession is bogus. The kid might actually be innocent. Jack is soon running with his biggest story since The Poet made his career years ago. He is tracking a killer who operates completely below police radar--and with perfect knowledge of any move against him. Including Jack's.

I love Michael Connelly. His book, The Poet, was one of the best detective books I've ever read. Ten years later, I still can't bring myself to let this book go and it retains a place of honor on my shelves. I'm very excited that Hachette is letting me do a giveaway of the audio version of Connelly's latest, The Scarecrow. Please read below for the rules and good luck!

1. The giveaway starts Saturday, June 6th and ends on Wednesday, June 17th at midnight.

2. There will be three winners, who will be chosen with a random number generator.

3. For one entry, leave a comment. Your email MUST be in the comment to be included.

4. You can get another entry by doing any or all of the following; follow this blog, twitter about this giveaway and post the twitter in your comment, or link to the giveaway on your blog.

5. Winners will have three days to respond with mailing addresses after email notification. Good luck!

Last Night In Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel

As this book opens, Lilia has just disappeared from Eli's life. Without a hint, she has walked out of their life together and moved on. He knows she has left for good because that is her life strategy. Lilia was kidnapped by her father when she was seven, and spent her childhood traveling all over the United States with him, one step ahead of law enforcement. These years of traveling have made her unable to stay anywhere or with anyone for long.

Eli is crushed, but a few weeks later, he gets a mysterious postcard from someone named Michaela who tells him that Lilia is now in Montreal. Eli immediately drops everything and goes to Montreal to attempt to find out who Michaela is, and where Lilia is now. It turns out that Michaela is the daughter of the detective who worked on the case of Lilia's kidnapping. He became obsessed and ended up deserting his own daughter and family while attempting to find Lilia.

It is difficult for me to believe that Last Night In Montreal is Emily St. John Mandel's debut novel. It is a stunning book, easily one of the best I've read lately. The themes of traveling and inability to commit to a relationship, the lure of just stepping out of one life and starting another, and family secrets and obsessions are written about in a compelling fashion. I highly recommend this book to all readers, and I'm thrilled to have discovered it.

COMPLETED AUDIO GIVEAWAY!!! Cemetary Dance by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Thanks to Hachette, I'm giving away 3 copies of the audio version of Cemetary Dance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. This is an unabridged copy with 12 CD's, read by Rene Auberjonois. Here's a quick synopsis:

William Smithback, a New York Times reporter, and his wife Nora Kelly, a Museum of Natural History archaeologist, are brutally attacked in their apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Eyewitnesses claim, and the security camera confirms, that the assailant was their strange, sinister neighbor-a man who, by all reports, was already dead and buried weeks earlier. While Captain Laura Hayward leads the official investigation, Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta undertake their own private-and decidedly unorthodox-quest for the truth. Their serpentine journey takes them to an enclave of Manhattan they never imagined could exist: a secretive, reclusive cult of Obeah and vodou which no outsiders have ever survived.

Rules of the giveaway:

1. The giveaway starts tonight, May 31st, and runs until midnight, Wednesday, June 11, 2009.

2. Winners MUST leave their email addresses in their comments to be eligible.

3. Hachette rules say that winners must live in the United States or Canada and have a mailing address that isn't a PO Box.

4. Winners will be selected by a random number generator, and winners have up to three days to respond before new names will be drawn.

5. One entry for a comment, another if you are a follower, a third if you post an entry on your blog or twitter about the giveaway.

Good luck! I'll be doing other audio book giveaways this month, so check back later.

The Madonnas Of Leningrad by Debra Dean

Debra Dean tells the story of Marina and Dmitri, Russians caught up in WWII, in The Madonnas of Leningrad. They become engaged just as Dmitri is called up to fight the Germans. They are separated for three years after that, with no idea if the other was dead or alive. While Dmitri is off at war, Marina, a tour guide at the Hermitage Museum, lives in the cellar of the Museum to avoid the daily bombing of Leningrad by the Germans. Hundreds of others live there also, and as the months go by, they slowly start to die off from starvation.

Marina gets through this time by continuing to walk through the nearly empty museum each day. The majority of the artwork has been shipped elsewhere for safety. In her mind, she builds a memory building, where she correctly places each piece in its former location. She spends hours a day living in her memory.

After the war, the lovers are reunited and make their way to America, where they raise two children. Now, sixty years later, the children are trying to decide how to take care of their parents. Marina, who lived by her memory, is now a victim of Alzheimer's disease, and every day a bit more of her memory is taken from her. The book's climax occurs when Marina wanders off and gets lost, as many Alzheimer's patients do.

This was a wonderful book. Besides the compelling relationships, the reader is treated to a glimpse at the gorgeous artwork of the Hermitage, a place where very few Americans will ever view in person. This added dimension provides the framework on which the story is structured. This book is recommended for everyone.

The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles Of Narnia, C. S. Lewis' seven-book series, is one of those that we often think we know about, as it is being made into a series of movies and is discussed in general culture. I had never actually read it, though, and this year, my daughter and I decided to read this together. We just finished The Lion, The Witch And the Wardrobe and I'm very glad we've decided to do this.

Four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, have been sent to the country during WW II to get them out of London, as were hundreds of children since London was being bombed by the Nazis on a daily basis. Once there, they are housed in an old mansion owned by a professor. Left on their own to entertain themselves, they explore the house and discover a passageway to another land, Narnia.

The book explores the relationships between the children and their involvement in an epic battle going on in Narnia between good and evil. The White Witch is in control and rules through fear and total control. Yet there are rumors that the rightful king of Narnia, Asland the Lion, has returned and will save the country.

This is a wonderful book even if read only on the surface level of a fantasy adventure. There are obvious Christian overtones, especially involving a Christ-like sacrifice so that others can be saved. I'm looking forward to the other books in this series. This book is recommended for all readers, and is a great family activity to read together.

The Mating Rituals Of The North American Wasp by Lauren Lipton

Peggy Adams is comfortable in her New York life, until she makes an unusual agreement with Luke Sedgwick, the last scion of an old New England family. The deal: Stay married for a year, and the two will inherit the Sedgwick mansion in New Nineveh, a quaint, preppy Connecticut town. But entering Luke’s world isn’t easy. Peggy must quickly learn how to pass herself off as a proper Connecticut wife and a perfect WASP.(Hint: At parties, nobody actually eats the food.) To make matters worse, she finds herself falling in love with the man she’s married to—despite that he seems to have no feelings for her.

I found this book a fun read. Peggy has just ended a seven year relationship with a shallow man who couldn't make a commitment, while Luke has drifted through life, not sure what he wanted. The repartee and love story between these two was entrancing. This book is recommended for all who believe love will find a way.

The author's website is http://www.laurenlipton.com/, and she is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle editor at ForbesWoman magazine. I'll be watching for her next book.

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

Wow, just wow. This is easily the best book I've read this year. Rushdie never disappoints. When I read one of his books, I think, "Alleluia, how the angels sang, Alleluia, how it rang!" Opening a Rushdie book is like stepping into a raging stream; you have to trust to fate and let go and enjoy the ride.

Saleem Sinai is born on midnight on August 15, 1947, the exact moment when India becomes a free country. His life parallels the life of India. Along with Saleem, one thousand and one other children are born in the hour of midnight to one a.m. They are the convention of Midnight's Children, and Saleem is their mentor and guiding force. Their gifts and strengths are both a threat and a promise of India's young country's path to freedom.

Along the way we learn about Saleem's family and the milestones that make up his life. His sister, nicknamed Monkey, the witch he marries, his relatives and their life stories, his friends, his enemies; Rushdie writes of it all. Saleem believes that his life causes momentous events in the life of India and Pakistan. The entire book could be read as an allegory of independance, government control and the straining of people for independance.

The writing, as always in Rushdie's books, is glorious. Streams of words, torrents that rush over the reader and carry them along and somehow come together to pull disparate plotlines into resolution. This book is recommended for all readers; one of my favorites ever.

Beat The Reaper by Josh Bazell

Dr. Peter Brown has a huge problem. It's not bad enough that he gets mugged on the way to work. It's not bad enough that the hospital is controlled chaos with nurses never there and patients who can't go anywhere else for help. No, things are about to get much worse. A former Mafia hitman who has become a doctor in the witness protection program after testifying about his former bosses, Peter is recognized by a patient who knew him in his former life and plans to share that knowledge with the people Peter is being protected from.

Peter Brown is an unforgettable character. It's hard to imagine having sympathy for, and even liking, a Mafia hitman, but Josh Bazell succeeds in making the reader do both. Brown is a true original. The reader learns his motivation for becoming a hitman, some history of his crimes, how the Mob is organized and works and about the love of his life. By the middle of the book, the reader is on Brown's side, drawn into his world and compelled to read more to find out what happens.

I started this book not sure I'd like it. The language is rough and I couldn't imagine having any interest in the character. But it wasn't long before I couldn't wait to find out more. This book is highly recommended for suspense readers. It is a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writer's award winner, and quite deserving of the prize. I enjoyed it immensely.

COMPLETED GIVEAWAY!!!! THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING BY JOSHILYN JACKSON

Thanks to the great folks at Hachette, I'm giving away five copies of The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. Rules are the standard ones; your address must be in the United States or Canada and it can't be a P.O. Box. The contest starts May 17th and ends May 27th at midnight. For one entry, post a comment; for two, subscribe or follow this blog, for three, post about this giveaway on your own blog. All comments must have an email address in order to be counted so I can contact the winners for addresses. Good luck!

Lauren Gray Hawthorne needs to make things pretty, whether she's helping her mother keep family skeletons in the closet or sewing her acclaimed art quilts. Her estranged sister, Thalia, is her opposite, an impoverished actress who prides herself on exposing the lurid truths lurking behind middle class niceties.While Laurel's life seems neatly on track-- a passionate marriage, a treasured daughter, a lovely suburban home-- everything she holds dear is threatened the night she is visited by the ghost of her 13-year-old neighbor Molly. The ghost leads Laurel to the real Molly, floating lifelessly in the Hawthorne's backyard pool. Molly's death is an unseemly mystery that no one in her whitewashed neighborhood is up to solving. Laurel enlists Thalia's help, even though she knows it comes with a high price tag.Together, they set out on a life-altering journey that triggers startling revelations about their family's haunted past, the true state of Laurel's marriage, and the girl who stopped swimming.

COMPLETED GIVEAWAY!!!! THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN

Thanks to the great folks at Hachette, I'm giving away five copies of The Richest Man In Town. Rules are the standard ones; your address must be in the United States or Canada and it can't be a P.O. Box. The contest starts May 17th and ends May 27th at midnight. For one entry, post a comment; for two, subscribe or follow this blog, for three, post about this giveaway on your own blog. Good luck!

Randall Jones, founder of Worth magazine, talked to 100 of the wealthiest individuals in a 100 towns and communities across the country. Remarkably, during his research, Jones found that these successful people were not so different from each other - they all had the same traits in common: The 12 commandments of wealth. Now he shares them with you.

The Four Corners Of The Sky by Michael Malone

Annie Peregrine Goode has a dilemna. What does an adult child owe to their parents, especially when those parents were bad ones? Annie's father, Jack, dropped her off with her aunt when she was seven and didn't come back. Jack is a major con artist, wanted by the police in several states and countries. Annie was raised by Sam, her aunt, and Clark, her aunt's best friend. She grew up and became one of the top pilots in the Navy. After a failed marriage, Annie returns home for a visit only to find out that her father is dying and asking for her help. Should she go to his rescue?

Not sure if Jack is even really dying, Annie goes to find out what is going on. Jack is in the midst of what he considers his crowning con. He claims to have a sixteenth-century golden Madonna, which was lost in a shipwreck and now worth millions. The Catholic Church is interested, but so is the local mob in Miami, which Jack has crossed. Add in the fact that Cuba wants the statue as a national treasure, and it seems that the cross-currents and loyalties are so tangled that they may never get unwound.

Annie also has another reason for going to see Jack. He has always refused to tell her who her birth mother was, and it is the final piece of her history that Annie needs to make peace with her life. How she helps Jack, finds love, and discovers the true meaning of family is the crux of this wonderful novel.

I really enjoyed this book. Malone is one of my favorite authors, and this book does not disappoint. I loved Annie's strong character. Subordinate characters such as her ex-husband, her new love, her best friend, and even a nursing home adminstrator are well thought out and portrayed. Characterization is Malone's strong point, but there is plot and subplot aplenty. As a Southern woman myself, I can attest that he gets the ambiance of the South dead on. This book is recommended for anyone wanting a great read or interested in family relationships.

Review of Will Marry For Food, Sex, and Laundry by Simon Oaks

Simon Oaks has crossed the line and is giving out secrets in the battle of the sexes. In Will Marry For Food, Sex, and Laundry, he tells women what men are looking for in a lasting relationship. He states that men will marry when their basic needs are met, and he defines those as food, sex and someone to care for them.

The book takes a relationship from the first date to a more serious dating relationship to possibly marriage. Along the way, Oaks reveals how men look at various situations common in male/female relationships, and tells how women can use this insight to their advantage when attracting and holding on to the man of their dreams. He lists some of the top reasons why relationships don't work out. He talks about what is appealing to a man, and the reasons why different behaviors will make a man loyal to a woman.

One of my favorite chapters was the one about food, where the author categorizes men into groups such as gourmet, vegetarian and carnivore, and gives menu suggestions for meals for each category. Simon explores the age-old argument about who does more chores and has an interesting insight. If the woman is best at domestic tasks, why not do them? Often a woman doesn't appreciate the tasks that the man performs, as they tend to be less routine. He suggests that the couple exchange tasks for a while to gain a new appreciation of what each brings to the relationship. Another interesting chapter explores the man/mother relationship, and talks about how a woman can replace the mother as the primary woman in his life.

This book is recommended for younger women who are in the dating world and not quite sure what men think or what is appealing to them. Another group that would probably enjoy this book is men themselves, as it gives quite an insight into typical male thought patterns and reactions.

COMPLETED GIVEAWAY!!!! TESTIMONY BY ANITA SHREVE

I'm giving away five copies of Testimony by Anita Shreve, thanks to the great folks at Hachette.

At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

Winners are limited to Canada and the United States and Hachette cannot mail to a PO Box. To enter, leave a comment for one entry. If you're a follower or become a follower, tell me that for a second entry. You can cross-post this giveaway on your blog for a third entry.

I'll need your email address in order to notify you if you win, and contact you for your mailing address. The contest starts Saturday, May 9, 2009 and ends on Wednesday, May 20th at 5 p.m. EST. Good luck!

Spook by Mary Roach

In Spook, Mary Roach examines the scientific evidence of whether or not we survive as conscious souls after death. She visits scientists who are doing research on brain waves, near death experiences and other physical phenomena. She visits libraries to read about the earliest experiments and investigations of mediums. But this is not all dry science. She also visits actual mediums and goes to medium school, where the sponsers claim to be able to help anyone discover their psychic talent. She even researches a case in NC where a court set legal precedent by admitting evidence that it said was revealed to the plantiffs after death, when a father "returned" and told his sons about a will that redistributed his estate.

I found this book fascinating. Roach strikes the right balance between dry science and more interesting personal antedotes. It is evident that the book is well researched and written. I enjoyed it quite a lot except for one thing. I listened to this on audio and the reader had such a mocking tone at times that it detracted from the book. I think this one would be better read than listened to. This book is recommended for nonfiction readers curious about the scientific explainations of life.

The Wonder Singer by George Rabasa

Mark Lockwood has a problem. He has been working for over a year with Merce Casals, the famous opera singer, on her memoir. As the book opens, Ms. Casals has passed away in her bathtub, leaving Lockwood with a dilemna. This is the biggest project of his writing career; the project that will make him a household name. He has hundreds of interview tapes, but no manuscript. Now the agent representing both him and Ms. Casals wants to give the project to an established author who will write it quickly to capitalize on Merce's death. Mark decides that he can't do that. Instead, he takes all the tapes, holes up in first a motel and then back home and spends up to twelve hours a day writing in a race with the other author to finish. The first book should make significant money, but an also-ran book will be a fiscal failure.

George Rabasa has done a nice job of telling Ms. Casals's story. She is sold as a little girl in Spain by her father in a poker game to a talent agent. This talent agent paid for her singing lessons and started her career. Casals becomes a legendary diva, her every move followed by fans. She marries another singer, Nolan Keefe, but they have a tumultuous relationship with many infidelities. She leaves him at one point for over five years and has a tabloid-delighting relationship with a jetsetting Prince, but finally returns to Nolan. I found the Casals's story the most absorbing part of the book.

There are also many secondary characters who are important to the plot. Perla, Casals's nurse, becomes part of Lockwood's team while he is writing the book. He fancies himself in love with her, but she puts him off. His wife, Claire, has left him as he becomes more and more obsessed with finishing the project. Casals's husband, Nolan, moves from his retirement home to the apartment where "the team" has assembled. Then there is Orson, a Casals's fan who routinely spends entire days dressed as her in tribute, who moves in to cook for the team and to be close to the story of his idol. This strange group of people come together to pay final tribute to the life of Merce Casals.

Readers who enjoy historical fiction will enjoy this book, although it is not based in fact. Rabasa has created believable characters, each interesting and finely drawn. I enjoyed the look into both the world of opera and into how a book is actually written and how an author goes about his work. This book is recommended for those ready for a good, sink-into-and-forget-the-world experience.