TinasBookReviews: January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

February 1, 2010 by HarperTeen

Hardcover, 440 Pages

Review Copy

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Review

Love is what makes the world go round. It heals hearts, cures the sick and defeats the impossible. In Lena’s world, love is the disease that makes people rebel, be bitter, start wars and breeds foolish determination that result in total debauchery. In this society..there is a solution: love can be eliminated with a little thing called lobotomy-- and with a little piece of the brain removed people cant form their silly little attachments. If they cant love then they cant hate and if they cant hate then no war, no misdeeds, no crime, no divorce…no danger. The society has it down to the T, that is if they can catch the disease before 18. And what happens to a miserable one riddled with Amor Deliria? They get thrown into the Crypts where slavery and imprisonment take on new meaning- where hard work physically drains them and the love they cant escape eats away at them until theres nothing left.

Lena is fast approaching the date of her surgery. She’s picked a life-mate, a career and his no plans to go against the rules. She doesn’t want to be infected with disease, she wants normal, stoic, predictable. Lena wants to sit in her house, with her job and her snifflely picked mate not worrying about living life the way her mother did. She has a plan and that plan is not to be toyed with...but Lena wasn’t planning on a big metal wrench getting thrown at her head. She wasn’t expecting her heart to race, her body to sweat, her mind to melt and her stomach to flip when she fell in love with Alex. She didn’t realize societies disease brought with it exquisite pleasure, love bursting through her and fear that she never knew could exist. As Alex and Lena fall in love, they both know the outcome is going to be devastating.

Alex has some secrets about the outside world and wants to escape with Lena, but her mind is so rooted in the society’s laws its hard for her to disconnect from everything inside her. Even being in-love and risking getting caught doesn’t compare with trying to escape. As Lena gets closer to the date of her surgery, summer love and carefree days become to short and the nights begin to slip away, fear begins to creep in and the pain of having to lose Alex almost overwhelms her. Lena knows that a choice is going to have to be made and soon.....can she still settle for the mediocre, society run life? Can she live without Alex and take a chance on being sent into the Crypts or will her surgery be her death sentence?

Delirium offers a fantastic dystopian world that sets the background stage for a moving love story which seemed written with flawless effort. It was beautiful, haunting and powerful and I haven’t been this effected by a YA book in a very long time. I think perhaps a little “amor deliria” has hit me and her name is Lauren Oliver! I will be buying my own lovely hardback copy tomorrow....

Rating

Delirium is recommended to mature teens and contains: Violence, sensuality, language, underage drinking, teen party's, brainwashing, suspense and............Love!

5/5- YA Dystopian-Romance

Copy from ARC Tours

Random Magic- Vive L'Amour Tour

Its time for the Random Magic Vive L'Amour Tour. This month I will be a part of the Romantic Reading Circle and sharing my five favorite romantic books that will make your heart swell.

Check out the Tour Dates

Random Magic Tour: Vive L’Amour

Feb. 1-14, 2011
About: Random Magic

Tour organization: Lyrika Publicis

Contact the tour: @RandomMagicTour

Feb. 1
Book Soulmates

Twitter: @BookSoulmates

Top Five: Most romantic flowers

Feb. 2
Books, Sweets and Other Treats

Twitter: @lindsiking

Top Five: Tempting sweets and treats

Feb. 3
The Bookworms

Twitter: @TawniBookWorm

Top Five: Vintage Valentines and quotes

Feb. 4
Romantic Reads - Reading circle

Discover some wonderful stories about love,
handpicked by a great group of international bloggers.

This Miss Loves To Read

Twitter: @MissIrenne

My Love Affair With Books

Twitter: @Misha_1989
A Reader’s Adventure

Twitter: @ReaderAdventure

Tina’s Book Reviews

Twitter: @BooksAtTinas

Feb. 5
Fiction Folio

Twitter: @taramq

Top Five: Delightful dishes

Feb. 6

The Reading Lassie

Twitter: @ReadingLassie

Top Five: Romantic places

Feb. 7
The Fluidity of Time

Top Five: Aphrodisiacs
Feb. 8
A Reader’s Adventure

Twitter: @ReaderAdventure

Top Five: Fictional lovers

Feb. 9
My Love Affair With Books

Twitter: @Misha_1989

Top Five: Most romantic movies

Feb. 10

The True Book Addict

Twitter: @truebookaddict

Top Five: Most unconventional couples

Feb. 11

Elbit Blog

Twitter: @MeriGreenleaf

Top Five: Mojo magic

Feb. 12

This Miss Loves to Read

Twitter: @MissIrenne

Top Five: Historical lovers

Feb. 13

vvb32

Twitter: @vvb32reads

Top Five: Most romantic poems

Feb. 14

He Said/She Said: Musical blog hop

Romance, flirting, mad passion,
melancholy regret and bitter heartbreak…
Find songs that share every nuance of love
from male and female points of view,
on this sweet musical blog hop!
Music hop menu (courtesy vvb32)
vvb32 Reads

Twitter: @vvb32reads

Tina’s Book Reviews

Twitter: @BooksAtTinas

Elbit Blog

Twitter: @MeriGreenleaf

This Miss Loves To Read

Twitter: @MissIrenne

The True Book Addict

Twitter: @taramq

The Bookworms

Twitter: @TawniBookWorm

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Christian Fiction Book Club- Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes

The January book club pick was Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes. Participants read the novel and chose one or more discussion questions from the back of the book to address in a blog post. This month's host is Lydia from The Overweight Bookshelf. To join our discussion, link up your post at her website.

Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes

May 2010 by Tyndale House

Paperback, 384 Pages

Own-Previous Review Copy

Jenny Lucas swore she’d never go home again. But being told you’re dying has a way of changing things. Years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter, Isabella, must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank–toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella’s dad . . . who doesn’t yet know he has a daughter. As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love and its ability to change everything—to heal old hurts, bring new beginnings . . . even overcome the impossible.

Review- Originally posted on May 13, 2010:

When Jenny ventures home to reconcile her relationship with her father, little does she know the journey her life will take. Her ultimate goal is to seek the forgiveness of her dad, she wants him to accept her and Bella. Knowing Bella will have a home and a family to take care of her is the last step in Jenny's plan so she can go in peace. She can't ignore the fact though, that David, Bella's father must be told about his daughter. She figures on waiting until the last minute but seeing how in life nothing ever go's according to plan, David finds out and all of Jenny's "planning" are thrown out the window. Now facing death that wont let go and facing a battle to fight for her daughter, Jenny is shocked to find love, hope and forgiveness along the way.

Truly exquisite writing, I connected with Jenny so deeply that I felt every emotion she felt, I cried when she cried, I was angry and frustrated when she was and I was angry that she was dying. The talent of a true author is when you can take the most painful story and showcase an entire circle of human emotion. Jenny with losing hope and feeling stuck in a desperate situation, Jenny's father with his anger and bitterness and Mama Peg with her strength and humor. Although Jenny's past began with mistakes, you see the goodness that came out of them. She was an amazing strong character, a woman who faces anger, death and deep resentment but also is able to forgive, heal and incredibly put others before her own desires. I wrapped myself around these characters like a warm fuzzy blanket and enjoyed every minute with them.

A tremendous, heart breaking story that brought tears to my eyes throughout almost every chapter. Many books have the ability to make me cry, but this story literally had me sobbing by the end. After I finished Crossing Oceans I would just think about it and start crying again. Goodness Ms. Holmes, you broke my heart a thousand times and then put it back together again.

5/5- Christian Fiction

Book Club Discussion Questions
~May contain spoilers~

Was Jenny right to keep Isabella’s existence a secret from David? How might things have been different if David had known about Isabella from the beginning?

Obviously Jenny should have told David she was pregnant before disappearing. Perhaps David would have had a change of heart…perhaps he never would have married Lindsay…..hmm then again maybe not. I guess ultimately Jenny needed to get away and sort through her feelings, although I think she kept Isabella a secret for way to long. Its always a tricky game when you hide from people or a problem, sometimes that- I need a little break- from this person/situation becomes the crutch that you use to never repair or resolve the relationship and that’s when you welcome bitterness into your life.

Describe the way Jenny’s feelings for David change throughout the story. Do you think she was ever really in love with him?

I think Jenny goes from bitterness, to resentment, jealousy, to extreme anger and then ultimately forgiveness and grace. I couldn’t help but feel all these emotions with her. In the beginning David made me extremely angry and I wanted David and Lindsay to mind there own business. It was so emotional for me as the reader because I felt everything Jenny did. I wanted to smack him…trying to remind him…yeah well buddy you’re the one who dumped her so deal with it….I thought he was impatient and at times rude and heartless. When Jenny finally reached the forgiving point and the complete sacrificial deeds she did at the end I was almost done for…I realized I had been very harsh on David and needed to forgive his character as well.

I think David and Jenny’s relationship was one of teen romance and desire more so than love. Jenny may have been in love with the idea of David, but not David himself. I think David was scared of Jenny and what loving her would mean to his status. He was all about..."David" and Jenny didn't fit into that perfect life he had envisioned for himself. Not until the very end did I see a little spark of change.

If you were in Lindsey’s position, how would you have reacted to Jenny’s return? What would have been the most difficult thing for you to come to terms with?

I think as a woman…my immediate reaction would have been fear. Lindsay had to have had a spilt second where she thought, is this woman trying to steal my husband….or will my husband leave because of his daughter? I think the hardest thing for Lindsay to accept is that Jenny gave David the child she had been unable to do…talk about insecurities……

Overall Jenny’s death, even though tragic and tremendously sad, brought goodness. David changed, him and Lindsay received a child, one they desperately wanted. Jenny found true love and her father healed immensely. The story was about returning home, forgiveness, second changes and love.

Saturday Spotlight- Kurt Frenier and Mega Giveaway

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature hosted by me and is all about author love. This week I have the pleasure of introducing you to:

KURT FRENIER

~Q&A~

Hi Kurt and welcome to the blog. I have some questions for you to stimulate readers minds and find out lots of fun stuff about your book The StudyTrain, oh and to get the scoop on you! So first things first....

How did you come up with the idea for The StudyTrain and what inspired you to write it?

KF: I've always wanted to write a series. I conceived the idea for The Studytrain a few years back. It was a concept, scribbled on a piece of paper. No more than a few lines really: what if there would be a flying train that would take average teenagers on board, show them the world and turn them into world leaders?

The reason why I was so passionate to write it stems from my own life-experience... I have traveled a lot thanks to my job. It taught me that all cultures in the world are valuable, however big or small; and that people are more alike than we think. It is my firm believe that when youngster pick this up (by traveling around the world) it will make the world a better place.

This is in itself a heavy and "loaded" idea, so I packaged it in a magical fiction story, filled with adventure, spread over various volumes. And it turned out good if I may believe the reviews I got so far.

How long have you been writing?

KF: I started writing at young age. First lyrics (I played guitar in various bands as of the age of 13), the poems (or what I thought was "poetry" at the time; to express my emotions). When I was 16 I wrote short stories, philosophical essays, and some children's fantasy novels. I continued writing until I was in university but didn't really do much with it.

Just kept it all in a drawer. It wasn't until my second wife and life-partner motivated me to pick it up again. What really turned out to be the pivotal point in my writing was the birth of my first daughter. All of a sudden it seemed like a great idea to one day have her read my stories. It also gave me a lot of creative ideas. That is now 4 years ago.

Ever since, I've been writing regularly. I consider writing my #1 hobby. So I write whenever I can. And I gathered my courage to look for publishers. It was painful at first, but after a while I found some people in The Netherlands that believed in me. And so, my life as an author started; in 2008.

Are your characters in StudyTrain based off any real life people?

KF: I've build all the characters as fictional persons. Of course, you can't avoid bringing in some characteristics of people around you in some of them. But in essence it remains a full fictitious story.

The StudyTrain is filled with magic, drama, adventure; aiming at young adults age 13-16. (But adults like the story too).

What authors inspire you? What books changed your life?

KF:This is a wonderful question. There are so many books that shaped my life, thinking and writing. The most important ones are:

Animal Farm

Animal Farm is an extraordinary novel by George Orwell, published in England in 1945. I had to read this in school and hated it. Now, while reading old classics again I discovered the greatness of this work. What a WONDERFUL story. Only now do I realize the analogies in the book : the Stalin era with all its actors. This is a book you can really enjoy as an adult. I read it in one single day! Swallowed it so to speak.
You'll discover a lot of truths in it.

The Count of Monte Cristo

Now here's a book I loved as a kid. An intriguing story. Hero-to-zero-and-back! One of my favorite re-reads. The story covers France, Italy, the Mediterranean and Levant in the early 1800s. The plot is amazing. As a reader you swing past hatred and hope, vengeance and mercy, forgiveness, love and death. Amazing. It is one of Alexandre Dumas' greatest books (he is also the author of Three Musketeers)

Don Quixote

Who doesn't know the famous expression "fighting the windmills"? Well Cervantes, in his book Don Quixote is the one that launched it. I actually read it in old Dutch... what a delight! The adventures of self-proclaimed knight Don Quixote and his loyal but stupid servant are just hilarious. Brilliantly written!

The Celestine Prophecy

Nothing less than life-changing, eye opening. This was a book that completed my "search" for the meaning of life, 10 years ago. Everything in this well-written novel makes sense! It makes you think. And it actually makes you appreciate

The Warrior Inside

I don't necessarily admire legendary Kung Fu founder Bruce Lee for his martial arts skills, but rather for his philosophies. His biography "The Warrior Inside" is one of my all-time-high books; I reread it every year.

What are you currently reading?

KF: I just re-read "THE LITTLE PRINCE" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Now, here's a book I haven't read in like 20 odd years. What a marvel. What a marvel. It has real depth, speaks so well to the imagination, and is powerful by the sheer simplicity. It's a book that has warmth and it really touched me. What strikes me most about it, is the things that we DON'T see anymore as adults. This idea is beautifully being brought forward. I was really thrilled to re-discover this piece of art - because that's what it is. Next on my list is Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. In all honesty, I'm not dying to read it; I really just want to find out for myself what all the fuss is about around this book.

WOW- that was a very impressive list!! Thanks Kurt for sharing your thoughts and books with us, best of luck with your new book The StudyTrain and have fun reading The Hunger Games Trilogy.

**More on Kurt's writing and books on: http://www.kurtfrenier.webs.com/ and he welcomes email at Reviews for the StudyTrain can be found on:

Amazon

Shelfari

Goodreads

Giveaway

Thanks to Kurt's generosity he's giving away one copy of The StudyTrain to one of my readers. Along with that he is offering 4 E-book copy's!!! To enter please just leave a comment and link to email. Winners will be contacted via email on Feb 5th, 2011.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Fridays Finest & Blog Hops 1-28

Fridays Finest is a meme hosted by A Bookful of Thoughts....Quotes with feeling....

"How right that the body changed over time, becoming a gallery of scars, a canvas of experience, a testament to life and one's capacity to endure it."

Kind of sums up life in a nutshell.....this is one of my favorite books and is saturated with quotes like this one. Not taking into account a physco mother, living in foster homes and being emotionally crippled- White Oleander is basically a woman's thoughts on growing, men and living life....

Its also time for the book blogger hops, this week at Jennifer's hop the question is "What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why are you anticipating that book?"

There are so many....!! Im really looking forward to:

Forbidden by Tosca Lee and Ted Dekker

At Parajunkees hop the question is

What is/was your favorite subject in school?

My favorite was Advanced Composition, due to the fact that I loved to read and write.

Have a splendid weekend friends.....

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough-Ruth Pennebaker

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough by Ruth Pennebaker

January 4, 2011 by Berkley Trade

Paperback, 320 Pages

Review Copy

Joanie’s ex-husband is having a baby with his new girlfriend. Joanie won’t be having more babies, since she’s decided never to have sex again. But she still has her teenaged daughter Caroline to care for. And thanks to the recession, her elderly mother Ivy as well. Her daughter can’t seem to exist without texting, and her mother brags about “goggling,”-while Joanie, back in the workforce, is still trying to figure out her office computer. And how to fend off the advances of her coworker Bruce.

Joanie, Caroline, and Ivy are stuck under the same roof, and it isn’t easy. But sometimes they surprise each other-and themselves. And through their differences they learn that it is possible to undo the mistakes of the past.....(TLC Site)

Review

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough centers around three generations of women-Joanie, Ivy and Caroline, who all live together and are trying to deal with life and each other. Joanie a late forties divorcée who has sworn of men and sex is dealing with life without her husband and the fact that he left her for a twenty something girl who is in the process of having a baby. Caroline is Joanies teenage daughter, who is trying to move past her parents divorce and failing horribly. She hates her mother, she hates her father and basically just hates everything except for a few of her friends. Ivy is Joanies elderly mother who has moved in recently due to her age, finances and needing care. Though Ivy is moving towards eighty she still has plenty of spunk and independence along with a very opinionated mouth, which causes a lot of friction between the women.

My first reaction to WVNB was how well it was written, Ruth's writing was engaging and very funny in spots. Told through the women’s three shifting perspectives, they teeter on the edge of making the right choices for their life and when the actual “breakthrough” hits at the end while anti-climatic it felt that the women were finally able to see eye to eye or at least try to deal with each other. The character I thought I would relate to was Joanie, due to her struggles however the way she treated her mother was irksome and turned me off from her pretty quickly. Ivy wasn’t a saint but I could feel more emotion for her circumstances than any other character in the book.

Its no wonder Caroline was so disrespectful to her own mother she had a first hand account of how Joanie felt about Ivy, she witnessed how much her grandmother irritated her mom and the disrespect that flowed easily in the relationship. There were times when Joanie would try and talk to Caroline and she would be pretend texting. I don't understand that at all, if I'm paying your cell-phone bill and you wont even acknowledge when I speak to you, then easy solution...I the payer of bills shall take the teens cell phone from her hands and throw it out the window!!! Caroline and Joanie both had severe issues with their mouths and lacked some serious communication skills. Teen angst can only go so far before you just have blatant disrespect, both mom and daughter needed some vinegar squirted in their mouths. On the other hand Grandma lacked the sense of when to keep her opinions to herself, most of which came across as judgment even though in her own thoughts she’s wanting to help. Daily interactions for them were yelling, swearing at each other, accusing and pointing the finger. Ivy gets depressed, Joanie has some office sex and Caroline acts out like a rebellious teenager.

Despite the harsh attitudes at home, the women, especially Joanie really grow throughout the novel and actually make some very mature and surprising decisions. I was most excited to see Joanie finally break free of her divorce and take into account how special her mother was and how important it was to release Caroline. Over-the-top…a little... problems pretty trivial- mostly, overall though just a funny read about real life and conflicting personality’s in family.

Rating

This book is recommended to adult readers and contains: Sexuality, language, family dynamics, divorce, dialog on pregnancy, sex, birth control, miscarriages, abortion and odd google topics. Touches on the effects of stress, depression, anxiety and broken relationships.

3/5- Women's Fiction-Humor

Thanks to publisher via TLC for review copy

Shelf Cravings (4)

Shelf Cravings is a weekly feature hosted by me, inspired by tons and focuses on new release books, just discovered and cant wait to reads...This week Im excited for... ~Coming Soon~

You are my Only by Beth Kephart

Fall 2011 by Egmont

Thanks Amy for the heads up!!

Emmy Rane is married at nineteen , a mother by twenty. Trapped in a life with a husband she no longer loves, Baby is her only joy. Then one sunny day in September, Emmy takes a few fateful steps away from her baby and returns to find her missing. All that is left behind is a yellow sock. Fourteen years later, Sophie, a homeschooled, reclusive teenage girl is forced to move frequently and abruptly from place to place, perpetually running from what her mother calls the “No Good.” One afternoon, Sophie breaks the rules, ventures out, and meets Joey and his two aunts. It is this loving family that opens Sophie's eyes, giving her the courage to look into her past. What she discovers changes her world forever. . .

**Please note: Synopsis taken from author website. I cant say enough how excited I am to read Beths new book...arggghhh!!

Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield
February 22, 2011 by Luna

The world’s gone. Worse, so is her daughter.

Awakening in a bleak landscape as scarred as her body, Cass Dollar vaguely recalls surviving something terrible. Having no idea how many days—or weeks—have passed, she slowly realizes the horrifying truth: Ruthie has vanished. And with her, nearly all of civilization. Where once-lush hills carried cars and commerce, the roads today see only cannibalistic Beaters—people turned hungry for human flesh by a government experiment gone wrong.

In a broken, barren California, Cass will undergo a harrowing quest to get her Ruthie back. Few people trust an outsider, let alone a woman who became a zombie and somehow turned back, but she finds help from an enigmatic outlaw, Smoke. Smoke is her savior, and her safety. For the Beaters are out there. And the humans grip at survival with their trigger fingers. Especially when they learn that she and Ruthie have become the most feared, and desired, of weapons in a brave new world.

Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate
February 1. 2011 by Bethany House

Adventure is the last thing on Andrea Henderson's mind when she moves to Moses Lake. After surviving the worst year of her life, she's struggling to build a new life for herself and her son as a social worker. Perhaps in doing a job that makes a difference, she can find some sense of purpose and solace in her shattered faith.

For new Moses Lake game warden Mart McClendon, finding a sense of purpose in life isn't an issue. He took the job to get out of southwest Texas and the constant reminders of a tragedy for which he can't forgive himself. But when a little girl is seen with the town recluse, Mart and Andrea are drawn together in the search for her identity. The little girl offers them both a new chance at redemption and hope--and may bring them closer than either ever planned.

Operation Bonnet by Kimberly Stewart
February 1, 2011 by David C. Cook Publishing

Twenty-year-old Nellie Monroe has a restless brilliance that makes her a bit of an odd duck. She wants to be a private investigator, even though her tiny hometown offers no hope of clients. Until she meets Amos Shetler, an Amish dropout carrying a torch for the girl he left behind. So Nellie straps on her bonnet and goes undercover to get the dish. But though she’s brainy, Nellie is clueless when it comes to real life and real relationships. Soon she’s alienated her best friend, angered her college professor, and botched her case. Operation Bonnet is a comedy of errors, a surprising take on love, and a story of grace.

~Just Discovered~

The Hybrid Saga: The Coven by Matti Snook
June 2010 by Old Line Publishing

"I never imaged how it would feel to kill somebody." Adam Price has been having strange dreams and a sudden acceptance to Edward University doesn't help any. To top it all off, somebody wants him dead! He's about to discover that Edward University holds a secret that will link him to a past he's never known; a secret that is far more dangerous than he could ever realize. Everyone knows the answers to his questions, yet nobody is telling him anything. The only ones who can help him are a discreet group of students known as The Coven. Surpassing betrayal and dangerous encounters, The Coven begins the ultimate adventure. Adam and Shadow's unconditional love has to overcome Shadow's haunting past, but even then, it could be the death of them both. The great vampire war has just begun, but they are going to need more than just pure luck to survive what is to come. Are you ready to fight for The Coven?

~Cant Wait to Read~

The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen

April 2011 by Crown

When a bird flies into a window in Spring Green, Wisconsin, sisters Milly and Twiss get a visit. Twiss listens to the birds’ heartbeats, assessing what she can fix and what she can’t, while Milly listens to the heartaches of the people who’ve brought them. The two sisters have spent their lives nursing people and birds back to health.

But back in the summer of 1947, Milly was known as a great beauty with emerald eyes and Twiss was a brazen wild child who never wore a dress or did what she was told. That was the summer their golf pro father got into an accident that cost him both his swing and his charm, and their mother, the daughter of a wealthy jeweler, finally admitted their hardscrabble lives wouldn’t change. It was the summer their priest, Father Rice, announced that God didn’t exist and ran off to Mexico, and a boy named Asa finally caught Milly’s eye. And most unforgettably, it was the summer their cousin Bett came down from a town called Deadwater and changed the course of their lives forever.

** Wow!! Be still my heart, what great selections this week, I cant wait to get my hands on all of these great books that will surely keep me reading way after midnight.

~All Synopsis Taken from Goodreads~

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Book Spotlight and Giveaway- Rhythm of Secrets

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

The Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy

January 31, 2011 by Kregel Publications

Sheila Franklin has masqueraded as the precocious daughter of avant-garde parents in colorful 1940s New Orleans, a teen desperate for love and acceptance, and an unwed mother sent North with her shame.

After marrying Edward, Sheila artfully masks her secrets, allowing Edward to gain prominence as a conservative pastor. When one phone call from a disillusioned Vietnam veteran destroys her cover, Sheila faces an impossible choice: save her son and his beloved…or imperil Edward’s ambitions.

Inspired by a true story, The Rhythm of Secrets intermingles jazz, classical, and sacred music in a symphony trumpeting God’s grace.

About the Author: Patti Lacy, Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw. She has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal, Illinois, an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. For more information, visit Patti's website at www.pattilacy.com, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites.

Giveaway

Thanks to Kregel Publishing and the Cfba I have along with my beautiful copy a copy to share with one of my readers. Everyone is welcome to enter, just leave a comment with link to email. Winner will be posted February 8th along with my review. Thanks and happy reading......

If you would like to read an excerpt of Rhythm of Secrets, go HERE.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Banished by Sophie Littlefield

Banished by Sophie Littlefield

October 12th 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Hardcover, 302 Pages

Borrowed Compliments of Library

There isn’t much worth living for in Gypsum, Missouri—or Trashtown, as the rich kids call the run-down neighborhood where sixteen-year-old Hailey Tarbell lives. Hailey figures she’ll never belong—not with the popular kids at school, not with the rejects, not even with her cruel, sickly grandmother, who deals drugs out of their basement. Hailey never knew her dead mother, and she has no idea who her father was, but at least she has her four-year-old foster brother, Chub. Once she turns eighteen, Hailey plans to take Chub far from Gypsum and start a new life where no one can find them.

But when a classmate is injured in gym class, Hailey discovers a gift for healing that she never knew she possessed—and that she cannot ignore. Not only can she heal, she can bring the dying back to life. Confused by her powers, Hailey searches for answers but finds only more questions..........(Partial Synopsis from Goodreads)

Review

Wow- that synopsis really sums it up. Leading to the discovery of her special powers Hailey has never felt right. Shes an outsider (a dirty, scrubby outsider) who never fits in yet is drawn to a certain group of kids called the Morries who live in Trashtown along with Hailey. The Morries even with their equal outsider status in school and the community have made it clear they want nothing to do with Hailey. The Tarbell's are a breed of their own and no one gos near them, even though many of the families buy drugs from Alice, Hailey's disgusting Grandmother. The Morrie kids have been instructed to keep away and while Hailey is intrigued by them and needs a friend to talk to, she really just wants to escape, she plans to graduate and leave town with her foster brother Chub who is a four year old special needs child.

Inserting yourself into Hailey's world isn't hard for the reader, think of a mature, lonely foster teenager with beautiful hair and dirty fingernails, one who has a load of responsibility on her shoulders and has absolutely no support system. She lives with her foster parent (in Hailey's case her grandmother) who chain smokes, lays around the house all day, is dirty, smelly, abusive and collects the state checks to pay for her cigarettes. Hailey takes care of her brother Chub and wants to meet his needs even though he should be in a special school and be receiving special care. She cooks, cleans and trys to escape her grandmothers slaps not to mention the douche-bags that grace the house almost every night to buy drugs. Hailey's character is one you want to get to know and see things get better for her. Just when you know something bad is coming for her (sexually) and things are going to get even more terrible, Hailey's long lost Aunt Prairie arrives and the story shifts dramatically and really takes off into an action packed suspenseful journey.

During the journey we learn that Hailey is a member of the Banished and the reader gets the history behind all of the families. Why the Morries are attached to Hailey's life but yet stay away. Why shes so drawn to them yet scared at the same time. Haileys development was surely the anchor in this story, as she grew the story grew however my favorite aspect of the novel was learning about the history of the Banished. I really wanted more of the historical story and I'm hoping Littlefield explores this in future installments.

A surprisingly very well written and intriguing YA novel. I loved every minute of this fun and mysterious story except for the ending that felt so rushed it came across very abrupt. I realized I was going to be sitting with a lot of unanswered questions which left me a bit annoyed. I'm predicting certain things to come and was for sure shocked with a few paranormal revelations in the plotline, it left on such a cliffhanger its hard to wait for the continuation.......please sequel come soon......!!

Rating

Banished is recommended to mature teens and adults. Content includes: Violence, rape situations without actual rape scenes, drugs, drinking, suicide, death, language and mild sensuality-mostly dialog.

4.5/5- YA-Paranormal (Healers and something I cant share without ruining the book)-Suspense and is it just me or does the eyeball on the cover kind of stare at you and make you feel a little creepy....

Book Giveaway- Tandem

GIVEAWAY

Tandem by Tracey Bateman

October 2010 by Waterbrook Press

As obsession and loss become dark partners, how far must the people of Abbey Hills go to survive?

Six months ago, brutal murders shook the small Ozark town—murders that stopped after a house fire reportedly claimed the killer’s life. Lauryn McBride's family auction house has taken responsibility for the estate sale of one of the victims—the enigmatic Markus Chisom. Submerging herself in Chisom’s beautiful but strange world, Lauryn welcomes the reprieve from watching Alzheimer’s steal her father from her, piece by piece. She soon realizes that centuries-old secrets tie Abbey Hills to the Chisom estate and a mysterious evil will do anything to make sure those secrets stay hidden. Even the man who grew up loving her may not be able to protect Lauryn from the danger.

When Amede Dastillon receives an unexpected package from Abbey Hills, she hopes it might be the key in tracking down her beloved sister, long estranged from her family. Visiting Abbey Hills seems the logical next step in her search, but Amede is unusually affected by the town, and when mutilated carcasses begin turning up again in the small community, the local law enforcement isn’t sure if they are confronting a familiar evil or a new terror.Two women brought together by questions that seem to have no answers. Can they overcome the loss and darkness threatening to devour them—or will their own demons condemn them to an emotional wasteland?

Thanks to the publisher I have one brand new copy of Tandem to giveaway to one of my readers. Open to all, please leave a comment to enter and link to email. Winner will be drawn Feb 25, 2011.

Book Giveaway- Love on Assignment

GIVEAWAY

Love on Assignment by Cara Lynn James

January 2011 by Thomas Nelson

While Charlotte is focusing on uncovering sordid information on columnist Daniel Wilmot, her heart leads her into uncharted territory.

During the summer of 1900 Charlotte Hale, a native Newporter and secretary for the Rhode Island Reporter, accepts an undercover assignment as temporary governess to Daniel Wilmont's children in order to secretly gather evidence against him. As he helps her rediscover God, Charlotte learns that Daniel is an honorable man.

They unexpectedly fall in love despite their different backgrounds and social positions. Charlotte soon realizes she must defend Daniel against the forces set against him-a willful student with a romantic crush and the newspaper editor determined to destroy his reputation.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson I have one brand new copy of Love on Assignment to give to one of my readers. This is open to US and CA residents only and is coming directly from publisher. To enter just leave a comment with link to email. Winner will be drawn on Feb 7, 2011.

Book Giveaway- Love on a Dime

GIVEAWAY

Love on a Dime by Cara Lynn James

June 2010 by Thomas Nelson

In age of elegance and excess, Lilly Westbrook longs for a love both true and eternal.

Newport, Rhode Island, 1899, is a place of shimmering waves, sleek yachts, and ladies of leisure. Of opulent mansions that serve as summer cottages for the rich and famous. Home of railroad magnates and banking tycoons--dashing young men and the women who aspire to marry them. But it's not the place for lady novelists. Especially not those who pen disreputable dime novels. This poses a problem for Lilly Westbrook, because that's exactly what she does. No one in Lilly's social set knows she pens fiction under the nom de plume Fannie Cole. Not her family or the wealthy young man about to propose to her. And especially not Jackson Grail, the long-lost beau who just bought her publishing company...and who stirs her heart more than she cares to admit.

But Lilly must put aside her feelings and follow the path that will maintain her family's social stature and provide the financial security that everyone is depending on. Now Lilly faces a double dilemma. Can she continue to protect her secret identity? And will she have the courage to choose the man who will risk it all just to win her heart?

Thanks to Thomas Nelson I have one lovely new copy to give away to my readers. Everyone is welcome just leave a comment and a link to email. Winner will be drawn and announced Feb 7, 2011.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Book Giveaway- Delirious by Daniel Palmer

Delirious by Daniel Palmer

Hardcover, 384 pages

February 1st 2011 by Kensington

Book Synopsis

One day, Charlie Giles is an up-and-coming electronics superstar. The next, he's a prime homicide suspect as his former employers are picked off one by one. Charlie watches his life unravel as his company and inventions are wrenched from his control, and his family is decimated. With nowhere else to turn, he enlists his schizophrenic brother to uncover the dark family secrets that lie at the heart of the unfolding terror. "Delirious" is a mind-bending story where the line between what is real and what is imagined twists and turns...an addictive literary puzzle that every reader will want to solve.

I have one brand new ARC copy of Delirious for one of my readers thanks to the generous Mr. Palmer. To enter please just leave a comment. Everyone is welcome to enter. I will draw a winner and post the info along with my review of Delirious on February 1. 2011.

Audio Challenge- Breaking Dawn

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Listening Library Unabridged Edition (August 2, 2008)

Duration: 20 hrs 29 Min

Narrated by Ilyana Kadushin and Matt Walters

Borrowed from Library

Synopsis:

Once upon a time in a highschool cafeteria, an average looking girl named Bella glances across the room and sees her future vampire husband........Oh snap thats Twilight......

Mini-Review

So who hasn't read or has not at least heard of this series? Probably not many of you. The love story of a human girl who falls in love with a vampire and has the ability to make young girls scream and older women go weak in the knees. I read this of course the night it came out along with half of the world...but thought listening to this would be a fun way to revisit Bella and Edward before the movie gets a hold of it and destroys everything I liked about the novel.

I loved the Twilight series and while I liked Breaking Dawn for what it was the one thing I hated was the feeling that Edward and Bella had become different characters. I still loved their romance and happy go lucky ending, I just felt Edward became the background wuss boy (um whats up with offering your wife up to laboring puppies....hmm and then Jacob considering, a little bigamy going on here.....) while Bella became the strong confident female that she never was in the previous books, even with necessary character growth she seemed different. So was it just me or did it seem that the pre-Breaking Dawn couple were completely different and was it just me again or was Jacob hung out to dry like a limp dog? However that being said, we all know what happens, we all know about the demon seedling that gets born and we all know the climax leads to a big fluffy rainbow that you either loved or hated, so I wont bore you or myself by writing a lengthy review.

Thoughts on Narration:

Breaking Dawn was spilt into two narrators, Ilyana Kadushin for Bella and Matt Walters for Jacob. I highly enjoyed Jacobs part, Walters did great voice tone, pitch and drama to the certain scenes and I felt the emotion, anger, disgust...all of it was read well and came across believable. Ilyanas Bella unfortunately gave me a massive headache, mostly due to the fact that my version of the written reactions were 180 degrees different than hers. Everything seemed so causal and her voice never changed it was a steady valley girlesque voice that never went dramatic, never went sad...the tone was very hard to match to the Bella in my head. Although Stewarts Bella in the movie is hard for me to see as well, I think we all have an idea of who our own Bella is and I guess her tone has never come across for me outside of the books.

The audio was tremendously almost painfully long..(20 HOURS) .I started listening to the cds the first of the month and just finished over the weekend, so due to tricky narration, flat dramatic spots and a lengthy time frame I would only suggest this to die-hard fans of the Twilight Series. You could probably read BD 20 times rather than listen to the audio version.

Rating

Breaking Dawn is recommended to mature teens/adults and contains: violence-including graphic pregnancy and deliver violence, action, suspense, sensuality and sexuality (told not shown), characters that get wussified and blissful romance.

Book Overall- 4/5

Audio Presentation- 2.5/5- Read it don't Listen to it!!!

Part of my Whisper Stories in my Ear Challenge

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Saturday Spotlight- James Garcia Jr. and Giveaway

Saturday Spotlight is a weekly feature hosted by me and is all about Author Love. This week I have the pleasure of introducing readers to:

JAMES GARCIA JR.

The Road to Vampires

by James Garcia Jr.

Hello. First I would like to thank Tina and all of the readers of TinasBookReviews for providing me this opportunity to take a few minutes of your time. With so many novels and so many writers out there vying for our attention, I really appreciate this.

Inevitably, upon hearing that I have written a book, I get asked what the book is about. I find myself pausing with the question. Why, you ask? Is it because I am uncomfortable with public speaking? Certainly not! I have had to step out into a spotlight of sorts since this past February when my debut was published as an e-book. My blogging caught the eye of other blogs, so I have been writing with others as well. A positive local magazine review caught the attention of a local on-line magazine, Kings River Life. The next thing I knew I was writing articles, too, which entailed my interviewing of various people. It has been an amazing year.

The reason why I find myself pausing is due to the fact that my novel involves vampires. The world needs another series on vampires like I need a hole in my head, right? Not only this, but there are Christian undertones in my novels. That’s a double-whammy!

I suppose you might be wondering why I decided to write about vampires in the first place, and not only that, but why anything to do with religion. Well, the truth is I didn’t. I started Dance on Fire twenty years ago when I was attending junior college. It was then that I began writing about two police officers getting violently attacked in the middle of town during the graveyard shift. I didn’t know why that was either, until I continued writing, and watched as it all began to enfold.

Later, after marriage, I had begun going to church and suddenly felt like an R-rated horror novel might not be what I should be doing. That lasted for a while until I came to the conclusion that I liked edge of your seat stories so much that I was going back to them. The difference was that I would keep the thrilling aspects, but would shy away from the graphic splatter-porn language and violence. There is some slight nudity, but I think that often less is more. There is blood and guts; however, I just am not interested in sitting there, wondering whether the poor guy is going to saw his own arm off or someone else’s. Finally, there is some language. After all, if someone is being chased by a crazed killer, they are not going to yell: “Shoot” and “Darn it”.

After marriage, came children and careers for both my wife and I, so my dreams of becoming a writer just ended up getting pushed onto the back burner, as they say. I attempted to jump start the mothballed project to no avail. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when I turned 38, that I really began to sense the profound regret that I was going to ultimately feel if I didn’t give it one last try. I then set my mind upon completing the novel

When Dance on Fire was as polished as I thought it could be, I set out to locate either an agent or a publisher. I will not bore you with the details, other than to tell you what many of you have already discovered. The process is long and it is difficult. The first query I submitted came back with a contract. The publishing house wanted it and I signed it. A day later I realized that it was all a fraud. I am so thankful that I was able to get out from beneath it the very next day. The high and devastating low of that ordeal was soon followed by a year and a half of wishing, praying and waiting. The good thing was I had immediately set about writing the sequel. I wrote the first two drafts of Dance on Fire: Flashpoint in a mere eight months.

Soon thereafter, I found Vamplit Publishing. By then I had realized that my crossover novel was not making it easy on me to locate a home for it. Vamplit, however, was not scared off. If the novel was about vampires, and it was a quality work, they wanted it. So there we stand. The e-book has been available for nearly a year, the paperback version has just been released as a Christmas present that I was not expecting but I happily accept, and sometime early next year should bring the release of the sequel in all formats.

That brings me to the end of this post. Before I leave you with the blurb about my novel; however, I would like to leave you with the following thought. As much as I would love you all to purchase a copy of my book and to find me on the web; for those of you who endeavor to be writers, I want to encourage you to do just that. If the most that happens is I end up being a minor celebrity in my hometown of which the novel is based, I will have no regrets. I tried. I wrote two books and spent all of 2010 attempting to get people to notice. If nothing else, I am content. I’ve been happily married for over twenty years and my two boys are healthy and as talented as hell!

For those of you who simply love to read, and I am one of you, Happy Reading. Thank you for taking the time.

About James: Born in Hanford, Ca. in 1969. Raised and still make my home in Kingsburg, Ca. Began writing in grade school, but ultimately had to put it away for a time. Have been employed at Sun Maid Raisin Growers of Calif. since 1989 and have been admin. since 2003. Started writing again and saw debut published February of 2010. Book two and sequel coming 2011. Find out more at http://www.jamesgarciajr.blogspot.com/

**Wow that was some great info about your novel, thanks for sharing and I wish you the best of luck with your novel and future works.....I know Im excited to dive in and check out the vampires in your novel.

GIVEAWAY

James has graciously offered a copy of his book Dance on Fire to one of my readers.....please note this is an e-book copy. To enter just leave a comment and a link to email or a way to get a hold of you. Winner will be drawn on Jan 27, 2011. This is open to everyone including international.

Dance On Fire: Each May, the Central California town of Kingsburg celebrates its Swedish heritage with the annual Swedish Festival: a weekend event where the town puts on its traditional dress, culminating with a dance around a Maypole on Friday, and a Swedish pancake breakfast and parade on Saturday. The town with a population of over 11,000 residents draws thousands more to the event. This year, two uninvited guests also converged upon the unsuspecting town.

Nathaniel is a vampire. He wandered into town, bothering no one; feeding upon stray cats and other vermin, wanting nothing more than to have a place to rest his head. Vincent is a second vampire, and the one responsible for making Nathaniel. He has been searching for his long lost “son” for well over two centuries. Vincent’s goal is to take Nathaniel home or kill him. Nathaniel has often wished for death, wondering why God ever allowed this punishment: to walk the earth undead and unable to be redeemed. Does God remember the little boy from Romania who watched his parents die, was raised by the murdering vampire, only to become one himself? What does God think of Nathaniel and could there yet be redemption for one outside of heaven?

Ten days before the start of the Swedish Festival the most tumultuous week in the history of Kingsburg has begun with two vampires leaving death and destruction in their wake. Kingsburg Police Detectives Mark Jackson and Michael Lopez, Barbara and the entire Lopez family find themselves drawn into something that threatens to destroy them all or leave them scarred forever. In a marriage of the classic horror story and the Christian themes of good conquering evil and redemption, Dance on Fire is the account of characters being drawn into the fire and the supernatural forces around them watching as they burn.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Fridays Finest

Fridays Finest is a weekly meme hosted by A bookful of Thoughts. Pick a quote from a book that moved you and elaborate.....

~The calamities of tragedy are no accident; they proceed from the actions of men. A true tragic hero falls from his own mistakes, contributing in some measure to his own downfall.

Pg. 57- Someone to Blame by C.S. Lakin

Not only is the story tragic and heartbreaking in this novel but that quote (which stems from a paper Casey is writing on Shakespeare) is an example of the beautiful prose and writing that this book encapsulates.

Pages

Monday, January 31, 2011

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Friday, January 28, 2011

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Monday, January 24, 2011

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Friday, January 21, 2011

Currently Reading.....