tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25842630819811524352024-03-17T01:52:59.234-04:00BookBoundA blog about books of course!Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.comBlogger444125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-9173097725245570042013-10-22T21:56:00.000-04:002013-10-22T21:56:09.164-04:00Featuring: The Pool Theory by Alexa Nazzaro and Shredded by Karen Avivi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Introducting The Pool Theory, a young adult novel. From author Alexa Nazzaro's <a href="http://www.thepooltheory.com/">website</a> the description reads:<br />
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<i>If you asked Kye Penton what his greatest accomplishment </i><i>is, he'd probably say surviving years of bullying with </i><i>nothing but his only friend Anthony and movies like The </i><i>Godfather to get by. </i></blockquote>
<i>But at fifteen, things are finally looking up. By some miracle, </i><i>Claudia in English likes him, and Julian is both his new </i><i>friend and a super cool guy in general. It looks like Kye's </i><i>days of being an outcast are ancient history - until Annie </i><i>Cooper shows up: pregnant and claiming the baby is his. </i><br />
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<i>A young adult contemporary novel that tackles teen </i><i>pregnancy, bullying and social anxiety head-on, The Pool </i><i>Theory is an honest depiction of what it means to live out the </i><i>so-called best years of your life when all you want to do is </i><i>disappear off the face of the earth.</i></blockquote>
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The description of Shredded from Karen Avivi's <a href="http://www.karenavivi.com/">website</a> reads:
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<i>A contemporary young adult novel
Drop into the world of rule-breaking, gravity-defying girls who shred riding freestyle BMX
“I would have preferred handlebars in the gut.
At least when that happened I definitely saw it coming.”
Shredded by Karen Avivi is more than a girls’ sports book or a BMX biking book. The motivating push-your-limits story takes on feminism, friendship, sexism, and sibling rivalry.
Josie Peters thinks she’ll do anything to ride in the Ultimate BMX freestyle event the summer before her senior year. To hit the qualifying events in the Midwest, Josie and her friends take off on a summer road trip where late-night parties, an intimidating mega ramp, and the lure of sponsorships spark friction between the girls. When Josie’s best chance for success depends on her relationship with flashy rider R.T. Torres, she has to decide what she’s trying to win and how much she’ll sacrifice.
Even readers unfamiliar with BMX or extreme sports will be caught up in the adrenaline rush of Josie’s tricks, wipeouts, and wins. Hints of romance provide extra conflict without overtaking the main plot. Ideal for fans of realistic young adult fiction, Shredded features a strong female lead character who goes after what she wants by taking action.</i></blockquote>
Both these authors will be at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/home/">Chapters</a> (6321 Transcanada Highway, Pointe-Claire, H9R 5A5) from noon until 4 p.m. on November 2nd to sign copies of their books. Drop by to see them if you can!Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-77839185436737918152013-03-21T06:00:00.000-04:002013-03-21T06:00:05.182-04:00Congratulations to a new author on a first publication!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nftu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/3e66db54a039422d90b3d036606f6c0e5a226b7f_m-300x201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.nftu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/3e66db54a039422d90b3d036606f6c0e5a226b7f_m-300x201.jpg" /></a></div>
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My friend, <a href="http://www.lindamc.com/">Linda Nguyen</a>, has published her first short story! I met Linda through her and we'd often meet with other bloggers to share insight, experiences and even a trip to New York for the annual BEA convention. She would talk about writing and share some of her stories with her fellow bloggers. With this publication, Linda is now well on her way! <a href="http://www.nftu.co.uk/2013/03/18/the-blind-side-of-control-by-linda-nguyen/">The Blind Side</a> is the title of Linda's first published story. Congratulations, Linda!Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-45581142397853358382013-03-15T06:00:00.000-04:002013-03-15T06:00:10.231-04:00Review: A Murder of Crows by David Rotenberg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The second book in the Junction Chronicles, <a href="http://www.davidrotenberg.com/">A Murder of Crows</a> by <a href="http://www.davidrotenberg.com/">David Rotenberg</a> continues
the story of Decker Roberts, acting professor and discerner of truths.
Decker is a synaesthete – a person who has with the rare sensory ability
to perceive if someone is telling a truth. Though A Murder of Crows
does bring Decker’s story further, you can still read this book without
having read The Placebo Effect, the first novel in this series.<br />
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I
enjoyed this novel for its story line as well as the main character.
I’m a fan of Decker’s wit and his true-to-life persona. The author knows
his characters well and writes them with consistency. They are not all
good or all bad but a mixture of both. I know I’m reading a good book
when a likeable main character admits to an unlikable trait.<br />
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The
story has twists and turns and enough suspense that I wanted to keep
reading to find out what happens. In this second novel, there are more
explanations of the synesthete ability and what happens when someone is
using it - though it could be I just picked up more on the effects of
using this sensory ability in this book than I did in the first,
nevertheless, it rounds out the story and leaves the reader with the
impression that more will be revealed in the next novel.<br />
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A
Murder of Crows is a polished, well-written novel that explores what
happens when a person is born with a gift that can be used for both good
and evil. I like to think that if I had this special gift, I would use
it only for good, but the temptation to serve one’s heart desire must be
great. Decker faces this dilemma and more in this great series. I
highly recommend it for anyone who likes a mix of genres. Give it a try!Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-37359875693586299672013-02-26T06:00:00.000-05:002013-02-26T06:00:08.293-05:00Tuesday Teaser: The 100-Year-Old Man by Jonas JonassonTuesday Teasers is hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a>.
The rules are as follows:
Grab your current read and let the book fall open to a random page.
Share two sentences from somewhere on that page and the title of the
book that you’re getting the teaser from. Please avoid spoilers! Read
the official <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/new-teaser-tuesdays/">Tuesday Teaser Rules</a>.<br />
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My teaser is from The 100-Year-Old Man by Jonas Jonasson. From page 73:<br />
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<i>While the company commander sat in his foldable military field chair and ruminated upon whether Allan's immediate future was employment or execution, one of the platoon leaders whispered in his ear that the young sergeant who so unfortunately had just been shot to bits had previously affirmed this strange Swede's abilities as a master in the field of explosives. </i></blockquote>
Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-21553298818048929552013-02-12T06:00:00.000-05:002013-02-12T06:00:13.607-05:00Tuesday Teaser: Case Histories by Kate AtkinsonTuesday Teasers is hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a>.
The rules are as follows:
Grab your current read and let the book fall open to a random page.
Share two sentences from somewhere on that page and the title of the
book that you’re getting the teaser from. Please avoid spoilers! Read
the official <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/new-teaser-tuesdays/">Tuesday Teaser Rules</a>.<br />
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I received Case Histories by Kate Atkinson from LibraryThing's Secret Santa event. The teaser is from page 83:<br />
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<i>Her complaint, the reason she had originally engaged Jackson's services, was that someone was stealing her cats. Jackson couldn't work out whether cats really did go missing or whether she just thought they went missing. </i></blockquote>
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<br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-30244308948075142572013-02-05T06:00:00.000-05:002013-02-05T06:00:12.870-05:00Tuesday Teaser: World War Z by Max BrooksTuesday Teasers is hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a>.
The rules are as follows:
Grab your current read and let the book fall open to a random page.
Share two sentences from somewhere on that page and the title of the
book that you’re getting the teaser from. Please avoid spoilers! Read
the official <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/new-teaser-tuesdays/">Tuesday Teaser Rules</a>.<br />
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My teaser this week is from World War Z by Max Brooks. From page 118:<br />
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<i>'I thought I heard something, a sound from the other bank...that sound, you know, when they are all together, when they are close, that...even over the shouts, the curses, the honking horns, the distant sniper fire, you know that sound.' </i></blockquote>
Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-11316804699717123132012-11-28T16:53:00.000-05:002012-11-28T16:53:13.005-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://magnusflyte.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cover_City_of_Dark_Magic1-184x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://magnusflyte.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cover_City_of_Dark_Magic1-184x300.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://magnusflyte.dreamhosters.com/">City of Dark Magic</a> by <a href="http://magnusflyte.dreamhosters.com/the-man/">Magnus Flyte</a> was released yesterday to great reviews! I am really looking forward to reading this novel. The description of this book reads: <br />
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Prague: once a city of
alchemists, astronomers, heretics, and--it’s even been rumored--portals to
hell, and now the destination of every disaffected, beer-loving kid in a
backpack. But when musicologist Sarah Weston accepts an invitation to
spend the summer at Prague Castle cataloging Beethoven’s manuscripts for the
wealthy Lobkowicz family, she discovers a city filled not with ex-pats, but
with dark magic, where the fabric of time is thin and danger lies around every
corner.</div>
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Soon after Sarah arrives, strange
things begin to happen. Her predecessor may have been murdered, and Sarah
finds herself at the center of escalating and dangerous mysteries spanning
several centuries. Who is killing off the academics at the museum?
What secrets of time travel was a sixteenth-century alchemist hiding? Who
was Beethoven’s Immortal Beloved? What Communist-era intrigue is a powerful
American politician willing to kill to cover up?</div>
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In <b>CITY OF DARK MAGIC, </b>Prague
comes to life with cinematic scenes filled with excitement and intrigue. With
the turn of each page, you could find murder, paranormal time travel, a handsome
prince in search of the Golden Fleece or a 400-year-old dwarf who holds a
golden key that will unlock the city. Rollicking, sexy and wildly
imaginative, <b>CITY OF DARK MAGIC </b>could be called a rom-com paranormal
suspense novel—or it could simply be called one of the most entertaining novels
of the year, which will leave you anxiously awaiting the sequel.</div>
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Have a look at the book trailer:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/E0z2JXHedLg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-81270899051114485982012-10-22T06:00:00.000-04:002012-10-22T06:00:00.853-04:00Mailbox Monday October 22, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My <a href="http://mailboxmonday.wordpress.com/">Mailbox Monday</a> for this week features a book I received for review called <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Murder-of-Crows/David-Rotenberg/9781439170137">A Murder of Crows</a> by <a href="http://www.davidrotenberg.com/">David Rotenberg</a>. I read and reviewed the first book in this series and I'm really looking forward to enjoying this one too.<br />
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The description from <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Murder-of-Crows/David-Rotenberg/9781439170137">Simon & Schuster's</a> website reads:<br />
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Since Decker Roberts’ last run in with the NSA, he’s been trying to remain off the radar, searching for his estranged son. His synaesthetic abilities, once a lucrative gift, are increasingly becoming a liability.<br />
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When a vicious attack wipes out the best and brightest of America’s young minds, devastating the country’s future, Decker is forced to step out of the shadows and help track down the killer. And as the hunt brings him in contact with other people of “his kind,” Decker begins to realize that there may be depths to his gifts that he had never even imagined.<br />
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Meanwhile, several parties are secretly tracking the progress of Decker’s son, Seth, trying to determine if he has the same unique gift as his father. Decker is determined to go to any lengths to find his son, but along the way he will have to face down enemies, both old and new, as well as struggle with whether his son even wants to be found.<br />
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David Rotenberg’s thrilling sequel to The Placebo Effect is full of suspense, and will challenge what you think you know about people who have special “gifts.” From rural Africa to downtown Toronto, the paths of Rotenberg’s colorful characters intertwine as they move towards a conclusion that none of them can see coming.Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-70990890368654882662012-10-09T22:48:00.000-04:002012-10-09T22:48:29.672-04:00Review: Stealing Mona Lisa by Carson Morton<a href="http://carsonmorton.weebly.com/uploads/4/2/2/0/4220653/1959248.jpg?247" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="http://carsonmorton.weebly.com/uploads/4/2/2/0/4220653/1959248.jpg?247" width="247" /></a><br />
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I picked this up at the library because I was attracted by the cover but I kept reading because of the story. In this charming novel by <a href="http://carsonmorton.com/">Carson Morton</a>, it seems the bad guys are the good guys and the really bad guys are bad.<br />
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From the title, the plot centers around the theft of the Mona Lisa and the gang of thieves who concoct the plan to take it from the Louvre. This book has a lot going for it - humour, romance, intrigue and a style of story-telling that is slightly reminiscent of years past that blends nicely with the time setting - 1925. The place settings - mostly the US and France - are wonderful backdrops to the story line.<br />
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People who like the the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King may like this book.<br />
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-50296705018843671512012-06-11T06:00:00.000-04:002012-06-11T10:47:13.970-04:00Mailbox Monday<a href="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 331px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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In June, Mailbox Monday is being hosted by <a href="http://www.burtonbookreview.com/">Burton Book Review</a>.<br />
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I purchased The Dewey Decimal System by Nathan Larson because I won the first book in this series through LibraryThing's ER program. The following is taken from the book's inner flap:
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<i>After a series of large-scale terrorist attacks and the total collapse of Wall Street, New York City is reduced to a shadow of its former self. As the city struggles to dig itself out of the wreckage, a nameless, obsessive compulsive veteran with a spotty memory, a love for literature, and a strong if complex moral code has taken up residence at the main branch of the New York Public Library on 42nd Street.</i></blockquote>
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Dubbed "Dewey Decimal" for his desire to reorganize the library's stock, our protagonist (who will reappear in the next novel in this series) gets by as bagman and muscle for New York City's unscrupulous district attorney. Dewey takes no pleasure in this kind of civic dirty work; he'd be perfectly content alone amongst his books. But this is not in the cards, as the D.A. calls on Dewey for a seemingly straightforward union-busting job.</i></blockquote>
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What unfolds throws Dewey into a bloody tangle of violence, shifting allegiances, and old vendettas, forcing him to face the darkness of his own past and the question of his buried identity. With its high body count and delightfully irreverent dialogue, the Dewey Decimal System pays respects to Chandler, Hammett, and Jim Thompson. Healthy amounts of black humor and speculative tendencies will appeal to fans of Charlie Huston, Nick Tosches, Duane Swierczynski, and Jonathan Lethem.</i></blockquote>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-59106307909179115842012-06-06T06:00:00.000-04:002012-06-06T06:00:00.661-04:00Review: The Reckoning by Alma Katsu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Reckoning/Alma-Katsu/9781451651805">The Reckoning</a> by <a href="http://authors.simonandschuster.ca/Alma-Katsu/73879637/author_revealed">Alma Katsu</a> is part two in The Taker Trilogy – a series that tells the story of Lanore, a young woman with the unique gift of everlasting life. The first novel, <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Taker/Alma-Katsu/9781439197059">The Taker</a>, describes how she acquired this gift and the people whose lives intersected and intertwined with hers. The Taker was mostly set in the early 1800’s – The Reckoning picks up the story of Lanore two hundred years later as she struggles to evade the attention of the one person to whom she owes her life and who also happens to be the one who she dreads to meet again. Yes, Adair is back and he is one of the scariest characters I’ve ever read!<br />
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The others are there too – Alejandro, Tilde, Jude – plus a couple of new ones. I find it impressive how the author manages to bind them all with the same gift, yet make each character distinct from the other by imbuing them with very different personalities.<br />
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The story thrums along quickly and the more I read the more suspenseful it became. Lanore is in danger and the excitement caused by her predicament builds chapter by chapter. I also find the story line taking place in present times really interesting. As one character finds himself thrust into the modern day world and adjusts to this reality, the contrast between the past and present is a fascinating one. How can it be possible to fly? How can people use ‘plastic’ to buy things? I love to imagine what it would be like to suddenly wake up in a world far into the future and wonder at all the things that would be different – faster, easier, and hopefully better.<br />
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I’m enjoying this series for several reasons. The story is good, exciting and fast-paced. The characters, though they are as different from each other as they could possibly be, are not perfect. Even Lanore faces difficult choices – should she do the right thing by someone else and thereby put herself in danger or take the easy road?<br />
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I don’t think it’s necessary to read The Taker to enjoy The Reckoning (though it is fun to read what took place before the events in The Reckoning) but it is worth it to read them both. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys strong characters with mystery and fantasy mixed in with a bit of intrigue.Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-11275010702696329522012-05-31T06:00:00.000-04:002012-05-31T06:00:09.800-04:00Spotlight on As You Were by Gerry Fostaty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>A hot new book now available is <a href="http://gerryfostaty.com/about-the-book/">As You Were</a> by <a href="http://gerryfostaty.com/">Gerry Fostaty</a>. The following description is taken from the author's website:</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>Six teenaged boys died and fifty-four were injured in an
explosion on a Canadian Forces Base in Valcartier, Quebec. A live
grenade inadvertently made its way into a box of dud ammunition, and its
pin was pulled during a lecture on explosives safety. One hundred and
forty boys survived, each isolated in their trauma, yet expected to
carry on with their lives.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>Thirty-four years later, Gerry Fostaty, who was an 18-year-old
sergeant that summer and one of the first on the scene after the
explosion, received an unexpected e-mail from his former sergeant-major,
triggering a journey into memory, a quest for a true picture of what
had happened on that day. In </i><i>As You Were, Fostaty pieces together the story of how a series of preventable mistakes led to tragedy.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>The only full account of an event that received minor attention at the time, </i><i>As You Were
is the story of a normal day turned horrific; how duty, responsibility,
and honour make ordinary people take extraordinary measures; and how
the military did their best to ignore this devastating incident.</i></blockquote>
<br />
Published by Goose Lane Editions. Visit the publisher’s website<a href="http://www.gooselane.com/" target="_blank" title="Goose Lane Editions"> here</a>. You can find more information about this book and the author at the following sites:<br />
<br />
<pre>CBC Quebec AM interview
<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/quebecam/2011/04/07/as-you-were-by-gerry-fostaty/" target="_blank">http://www.cbc.ca/quebecam/2011/04/07/as-you-were-by-gerry-fostaty/</a>
</pre>
<pre>CBC The Current interview
<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2011/05/24/valcartier-part-one/" target="_blank">http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2011/05/24/valcartier-part-one/</a></pre>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-85655801751678194682012-05-29T06:00:00.000-04:002012-05-29T06:00:10.070-04:00Review: The Watchers by Jon Steele<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jonsteele-author.com/uploads/1/0/6/5/10658529/2935939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="367" src="http://www.jonsteele-author.com/uploads/1/0/6/5/10658529/2935939.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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I have a short list of books that I love and always keep a copy of. It includes The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, Drood and The Black Hills, both written by Dan Simmons, and The Lord of the Rings. These books are characterized by great story-telling abilities by the author. They are not the kind of books (that shall remain nameless, the worst written by an author also with the first name of Dan) that have a cliff hanger at the end of a two page chapter. They are the sort that weave a story so cleverly and rich with story that it takes the reader into another world that is not soon forgotten, long after the characters names can’t be recalled. <a href="http://www.jonsteele-author.com/">The Watchers</a> by <a href="http://www.jonsteele-author.com/about-jon-steele.html">Jon Steele</a> is now on my list.<br />
<br />
I loved this book from the first beautifully written and haunting chapter to the last heart-pounding one. Its exotic locale (Lausanne, Switzerland), its clever plot twists and turns and the revelation about two-thirds of the way in of what exactly is going on. Though it’s a relatively large book at more than 570 pages, I devoured it in just a few days.<br />
<br />
I was besotted with Jay Harper, one of the main characters. I think it was his sense of humor (that gets me every time) and his sure-fire way of seeing through to the heart of any matter. His relentless pursuit of the bad guys didn’t hurt either. Another main character, Marc Rochat, tugged at my heart and I cheered for him the whole book through. This book isn’t for the faint-at-heart, however. There are a few scenes that are difficult to read so if you don’t like to read anything violent, I suggest you skim those few short paragraphs and keep reading – it’s worth it!<br />
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It was a happy surprise to discover that The Watchers is just the first book in a new trilogy. It’s definitely a must-read for the literary thriller crowd and just about anyone who enjoys great writing and a fabulous story. For more on The Watchers you can see the author speak about his book <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwFQYHIzPsY">here</a>.Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-54101893386640827062012-05-22T06:00:00.000-04:002012-05-22T06:00:07.679-04:00Tuesday TeaserTuesday Teasers is hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a>.
The rules are as follows:
Grab your current read and let the book fall open to a random page. Share two sentences from somewhere on that page and the title of the book that you’re getting the teaser from. Please avoid spoilers! Read the official <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/new-teaser-tuesdays/">Tuesday Teaser Rules</a>.
My teaser this week is from The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen. From page 122:
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0399157891.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="211" width="140" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0399157891.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<blockquote><i>The bodywork was almost entirely burned away, and what remained had been charred black in the blaze. The thing was destroyed, but the Detroit police swore it was a a Ford and they figured it had probably been red once, too.</i></blockquote>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-58618555126217294662012-05-07T07:30:00.000-04:002012-05-07T07:30:09.323-04:00Mailbox Monday, May 8, 2012<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 331px;" src="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In May, Mailbox Monday is being hosted by <a href="http://marthasbookshelf.blogspot.ca/">Martha's Bookshelf</a>.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.simonestjames.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Maddy-Clare-Cover-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="200" src="http://www.simonestjames.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Maddy-Clare-Cover-200x300.jpg" /></a></div>
I had one book come into my house last week - <a href="http://www.simonestjames.com/books/">The Haunting of Maddy Clare</a> by <a href="http://www.simonestjames.com/about/">Simone St. James</a>. The book description reads:
<blockquote><i>Sarah Piper’s lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis – rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts – has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah’s task to confront her in death.
Soon Sarah is caught up in a desperate struggle. For Maddy’s ghost is real, she’s angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair’s assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance – before she destroys them all?
</i>
</blockquote>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-53763065915727579852012-04-26T06:00:00.000-04:002012-04-26T07:21:09.386-04:00Review: Midnight in Peking by Paul French<br />
<a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/static/covers/all/8/0/9780143121008H.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://us.penguingroup.com/static/covers/all/8/0/9780143121008H.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 265px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://us.midnightinpeking.com/">Midnight in Peking</a> by <a href="http://us.midnightinpeking.com/author/">Paul French</a>, based on a true series of events and set in 1937 Peking, explores the murder and subsequent
investigation of a young British woman. The horrific crime took place during a
period of political and cultural turmoil involving the Chinese, Japanese,
British and White Russians.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book begins by describing the political situation at the
time the murder took place. I was somewhat baffled at first. I often find
politics to be a complicated topic and even more so when it’s the politics of a
country not my own. But it turned out to be a quick summary and it wasn’t long
before I realized that this description had an important place in the story. The
investigation into the death of this young woman would require all the
diplomacy and tact possible by the British as well as the Chinese investigators
and to understand the subtleties involved the reader needs to have an idea of
the goings on at the time, and this the author provides.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Midnight in Peking
would read like a modern day fictional mystery except for the fact that the
crime actually did happen. The political figures, criminal investigators and newspaper
reporters are historical figures and therefore much is known about them. Hence,
the author has a rich resource of material to draw from. The book is also
accompanied by photos of the main players in this drama which helps to put a
human face to the descriptions of some of the behavior described.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The story is written in clear, concise script and told
chronologically. And though the author introduces quite a few characters, they
are not difficult to keep straight given that they are written with individual
personalities, positions and status within Peking
society. The book is well researched and documented and the author has made
more information available on <a href="http://us.midnightinpeking.com/extras/">his website</a> where you can find a map with points
of interest, photos of old Peking, original news
clippings – all sorts of fascinating data.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think this book would appeal to a broad spectrum of
readers: those who like mysteries, true crime, cultural history and politics.
Without giving anything away, I can safely say that Midnight in Peking is a
fascinating look at what can happen when diplomacy wins over justice…and when
it does not. Highly recommended.</div>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-9324986323857615792012-04-23T07:48:00.002-04:002012-04-23T08:00:35.198-04:00Mailbox Monday, April 23, 2012<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 331px;" src="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In April Mailbox Monday is being hosted by my friend Cindy at <a href="http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.ca//">Cindy's Love of Books</a>.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/static/covers/all/9/9/9780399157899H.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="http://us.penguingroup.com/static/covers/all/9/9/9780399157899H.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I didn't receive any books in the mail last week but I did buy one based on a review I saw on <a href="http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.ca/2012/03/professionals-owen-laukkanen.html">A Bookworm's World</a>. When I read what Luanne had to say about <a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399157899,00.html?The_Professionals_Owen_Laukkanen#">The Professionals</a> by <a href="http://owenlaukkanen.com/">Owen Laukkanen</a> it went straight on my to-buy list. The description of this book from <a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399157899,00.html?The_Professionals_Owen_Laukkanen#">Penguin's website</a> reads:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote>Four friends, recent college graduates, caught in a terrible job market, joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it's no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise-quick, efficient, low risk-works like a charm. Until they kidnap the wrong man.<br /><br />Now two groups they've very much wanted to avoid are after them-the law, in the form of veteran state investigator Kirk Stevens and hotshot young FBI agent Carla Windermere, and an organized-crime outfit looking for payback. As they all crisscross the country in deadly pursuit and a series of increasingly explosive confrontations, each of them is ultimately forced to recognize the truth: The true professionals, cop or criminal, are those who are willing to sacrifice . . . everything.<br /><br />A finger-burning page-turner, filled with twists, surprises, and memorably complex characters, The Professionals marks the arrival of a remarkable new writer. </blockquote></span>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-26841018193211733442012-04-10T06:00:00.000-04:002012-04-10T06:00:00.306-04:00Review: White Horse by Alex Adams<a href="http://pics.librarything.com/picsizes/5b/56/5b565107d6fc0c1593276796151434d414f4541.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 420px;" src="http://pics.librarything.com/picsizes/5b/56/5b565107d6fc0c1593276796151434d414f4541.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I had a certain idea of what <a href="http://alexadamsbooks.com/">White Horse</a>, by <a href="http://alexadamsbooks.com/about/">Alex Adams</a>, was going to be like before I started reading it. I thought the blurb sounded interesting and it reminded me of daydreams I had when I was a teenager about a movie, the title of which I’ve long forgotten, of a man who was one of the very few left in the world after a catastrophe wipes out humanity. What would I do in those circumstances? Well, from the blurb, White Horse sounded like my childhood daydreams but after the first page I knew I’d never imagined anything like this.<br /><br />Then it made me think of The Road by Cormac McCarthy, a book I was not very fond of. Fortunately I saw differences almost right away. Whereas in The Road, the idea of hope was conveyed with contempt, I sensed hope was the backbone of White Horse; every page is imbued with it even as events make it seem there’s nothing worth fighting for.<br /><br />This novel is so rich in detail and imagination that every page brought new surprises. Sometimes I found myself rereading a paragraph to decipher what the author meant and then it would hit me a paragraph or page later – ah hah! But it’s so cleverly written that if there had not been an ‘aha’ moment it wouldn’t have mattered. That’s the way this book is – it infuses the culture of a new world order around the reader so well that its meaning sinks in without realization.<br /><br />The main character is likeable so I rooted for her on every page. She’s brave, focused and honest. Even at the most cringe-worthy moments, it was difficult to put down. The only issue I would have with this book is the cover. Something about it gave me the idea that White Horse leans towards the YA genre. Wrong! Not YA at all. And of course the blurb does start off saying ‘thirty-year-old Zoe leads an ordinary life…’ which should dispel any the notion that it’s YA. But the cover threw me off.<br /><br />I will go so far as to predict that this book will become a huge best-seller. It certainly deserves to be.Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-80034740199134497372012-04-06T11:36:00.006-04:002012-04-23T17:34:21.625-04:00Mailbox Monday, April 9, 2012<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 331px;" src="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In April Mailbox Monday is being hosted by my friend Cindy at <a href="http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.ca//">Cindy's Love of Books</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://bl114w.blu114.mail.live.com/att/GetAttachment.aspx?tnail=0&messageId=1bf142a8-8d58-11e1-82f7-002264c20846&Aux=44|0|8CEEF7C064643F0||0|0|0|0||&maxwidth=220&maxheight=160&size=Att&blob=MHxDb3Zlci5NaWRuaWdodCBpbiBQZWtpbmcuanBnfGltYWdlL2pwZWc_3d"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 359px;" src="http://bl114w.blu114.mail.live.com/att/GetAttachment.aspx?tnail=0&messageId=1bf142a8-8d58-11e1-82f7-002264c20846&Aux=44|0|8CEEF7C064643F0||0|0|0|0||&maxwidth=220&maxheight=160&size=Att&blob=MHxDb3Zlci5NaWRuaWdodCBpbiBQZWtpbmcuanBnfGltYWdlL2pwZWc_3d" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I've already started reading the book I received last week. Written by <a href="http://www.midnightinpeking.com/author/">Paul French</a>, it's called <a href="http://www.midnightinpeking.com/">Midnight in Peking</a>. The description of this book (from Mr. French's website) reads:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote>January, 1937: Peking is a heady mix of privilege and scandal, lavish cocktail bars and opium dens, warlords and corruption, rumours and superstition – and the clock is ticking down on all of it.<br /><br />In the exclusive Legation Quarter, the foreign residents wait nervously for the axe to fall. Japanese troops have already occupied Manchuria and are poised to advance south. Word has it that Chiang Kai-shek and his shaky government, long since fled to Nanking, are ready to cut a deal with Tokyo and leave Peking to its fate.<br /><br />Each day brings a racheting up of tension for Chinese and foreigners alike inside the ancient city walls. On one of those walls, not far from the nefarious Badlands, is a massive watchtower – haunted, so the locals believe, by fox spirits that prey upon innocent mortals.<br /><br />Then one bitterly cold night, the body of an innocent mortal is dumped there. It belongs to Pamela Werner, the daughter of a former British consul to China, and when the details of her death become known, people find it hard to credit that any human could treat another in such a fashion. Even as the Japanese noose on the city tightens, the killing of Pamela transfixes Peking.<br /><br />Seventy-five years after these events, Paul French finally gives the case the resolution it was denied at the time. Midnight in Peking is the unputdownable true story of a murder that will make you hold your loved ones close, and also a sweepingly evocative account of the end of an era.</blockquote></span>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-5378664654871916782012-04-03T06:00:00.000-04:002012-04-03T06:00:02.739-04:00Tuesday Teaser: Wolf Hall by Hilary MantelTuesday Teasers is hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a>. The rules are as follows:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Grab your current read and let the book fall open to a random page. Share two sentences from somewhere on that page and the title of the book that you’re getting the teaser from. <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Please avoid spoilers!</span> Read the official <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/new-teaser-tuesdays/">Tuesday Teaser Rules</a>.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Evv-Q49UL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Evv-Q49UL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />My teaser is from <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/9209435">Wolf Hall</a> by <a href="http://www.librarything.com/author/mantelhilary">Hilary Mantel</a>. Wolf Hall won the <a href="http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/archive/44">Man Booker Prize</a> in 2009. From page 131:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote>When the sweat comes back this summer, 1528, people say, as they did last year, that you won't get it if you don't think about it. But how can you not?</blockquote></span>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-51662105893820790542012-04-01T07:58:00.007-04:002012-04-02T08:02:48.921-04:00Mailbox Monday, April 2, 2012<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 331px;" src="http://www.clipartguide.com/_small/0512-0701-2218-5173.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In April Mailbox Monday is being hosted by my friend Cindy at <a href="http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.ca//">Cindy's Love of Books</a>.<br /><br />Last week I received two books. The first is <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/12231370">A Winter Kill</a> by <a href="http://www.librarything.com/author/delanyvicki">Vicki Delany</a>. This book is part of a series called Rapid Reads and A Winter Kill is only 111 pages long. From the back:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1554699568.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 375px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1554699568.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote>Late one bitterly cold winter night, rookie constable Nicole Patterson comes across the body of a young woman lying in a snow-covered field on the outskirts of town. When the victim turns out to be a high school student with a less-than-sterling reputation, suspicion falls on her drunkard father. But Nicole soon discovers that all is not as it appears to be in her quiet little town. Though both underqualified and unauthorized, the young police officer is compelled to throw herself into the murder investigation.</blockquote></span><br /><br />The second book I received is <a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399158742,00.html?The_Watchers_Jon_Steele#">The Watchers</a> by <a href="http://www.librarything.com/author/steelejon">Jon Steele</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/static/covers/all/2/4/9780399158742H.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="http://us.penguingroup.com/static/covers/all/2/4/9780399158742H.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The description of this book reads:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote>Lausanne, Switzerland. In the cathedral tower lives a strange boy with a limp who talks to the bells. In a luxury penthouse lives a high-class prostitute who's in mortal danger. And in a low-rent hotel lives a private investigator who has no idea how he got there. Jay Harper finds himself in Switzerland on the trail of a missing Olympic athlete. A hard drinker, he can barely remember how he got home last night, let alone why he accepted this job. When he meets the stunning but aloof Katherine in a hotel bar, he quickly realises that he's not the only one in town who's for hire. She's a high-class hooker who can't believe her luck. Which is about to change. For the worse. In the meantime, Marc Rochat spends his time in the belfry talking to the statues, his cat and the occasional ghost. His job is to watch over Lausanne at night and to wait for the angel his mother told him he'd one day have to save. When he sees Katherine, he thinks his moment has come. Which indeed it has. But not in a good way...</blockquote></span><br /><br />These are exactly the kind of books I enjoy - I'm really looking forward to reading them!Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-81458766599576721872012-03-27T09:41:00.006-04:002012-03-27T09:58:15.332-04:00Tuesday Teaser: Headhunters by Jo NesboTuesday Teasers is hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a>. The rules are as follows:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Grab your current read and let the book fall open to a random page. Share two sentences from somewhere on that page and the title of the book that you’re getting the teaser from. <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Please avoid spoilers!</span> Read the official <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/new-teaser-tuesdays/">Tuesday Teaser Rules</a>.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://jonesbo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/bok_small_09.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 320px;" src="http://jonesbo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/bok_small_09.png" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This week my teaser is from <a href="http://jonesbo.com/#!/books">Headhunters</a> by <a href="http://jonesbo.com/">Jo Nesbo</a>. From page 128:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote>I was on my way into the house when I remembered. The alarm. I definitely did not want security men from Tripolis swarming around here now, nor live camera surveillance of me with a half-dead Ove Kjikerud.</blockquote></span>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-67285291686894228172012-03-19T09:03:00.004-04:002012-03-19T09:24:24.351-04:00Frank Delaney on Book Bloggers and the state of Literary CriticismThe following is part of a Tribune interview with Frank Delaney (author of several books including one that <a href="http://booksbound.blogspot.ca/2010/03/review-venetia-kellys-traveling-show-by.html">I reviewed</a>, Venetia Kelly's Travelling Show. You can read the complete interview on <a href="http://triblocal.com/algonquin/community/stories/2012/03/librarians-shelf-by-lisa-guidarini-an-interview-with-irelands-pre-eminent-storyteller-frank-delaney/">the Tribune's website</a>.<br /><a href="http://triblocal.com/algonquin/files/2012/03/frankdelaney3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 180px;" src="http://triblocal.com/algonquin/files/2012/03/frankdelaney3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Tribune: How strong is the pulse of literary fiction, criticism and serious examination of literature in the 21st century? Who are today's shining literary lights?<br /><br />Frank Delaney: "Great question! People have been saying for generations, “Oh, the novel is dead.” Well, it ain't – nor is that wonderful American invention, creative nonfiction, nor is biography, nor is political writing. And as well as the books, the commentariat is alive and well. <br /><br />In fact, there's an argument to be made that it's healthier than ever, because we now have this wonderful new creature, the Literary Blogger. I'm a massive fan of this gorgeous animal, with all its fur and feathers – for a number of reasons. My main complaint about the general direction of literary criticism over the last century has been – and Joyce is a case in point – that it tended, in its lofty tone and often impenetrable language (not to mention occasional vendetta behavior), to be antidemocratic, to keep certain areas of literature to itself, whereas my own passion is for as many people as possible to be reading as widely as possible. <br /><br />The Literary Bloggers have no axes to grind, they're not protecting their reputations, they don't fear being sneered at by other critics, they're reading what they want to read, writing what they want to write, and they don't want to keep what they enjoy to themselves. They want to share. They want to expand the constituency of reading. They want to hail and applaud good writing. To my mind this is a very significant development – uneven, I grant, here and there, but, dammit, not as uneven as the generations of formal literary critics, and the blogging intention is so good and so worthy of loud vocal support that you can call it truly a new and, to my mind, incomparably welcome development in the world of reading and writing."Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-65106623021310337302012-03-13T06:00:00.000-04:002012-03-13T06:00:03.682-04:00Review: Blue Monday by Nicci French<a href="http://blog.chron.com/bookish/files/2012/03/blue-monday-198x300.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 300px;" src="http://blog.chron.com/bookish/files/2012/03/blue-monday-198x300.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />If I belonged to a mystery/thriller book club, Blue Monday would be an excellent choice for the club read. There are so many things going on in this book that would lead to good discussions. Is such and such character really who they claim to be? What is the main character’s real motivation? What is she hiding? There are so many questions and it would be fun to get other opinions, so I’ll be reading other reviews aside from mine. I can’t imagine however that I will read a bad review!<br /><br />Blue Monday kept me awake until the wee hours on Sunday night and made me late for work (yes, I blame it on the book!) the next morning. Not because I slept in too late but because I picked it up again in the morning and just had to finish those last fifty pages!<br /><br />The premise is an interesting one: a psychotherapist suspects one of her patients is involved in the disappearance of a young boy. What the therapist does with her suspicions leads the reader on an ever-deepening mystery about what exactly is going on. Meanwhile, the boy is still missing. There are lighter moments too in the form of a builder from the Ukraine. He conveys a humorously solemn feeling to the scenes he is in.<br /><br />Blue Monday is a must-read for mystery and thriller fans and for those who haven’t tried that genre yet. This book has just the right amount of creepiness. It’s got what I call the ‘chill’ factor in spades: that feeling you get when you thought you knew what was going on but come to the slow realization that there was something else eerily creepy taking place right under your nose. This is an engrossing read and one I highly recommend.Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584263081981152435.post-70724538174162266622012-03-08T06:00:00.000-05:002012-03-08T06:00:07.848-05:00Review: The Book Club Cookbook by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp<a href="http://bookclubcookbook.com/images/BookClubCookbook_09-06-11.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 189px; height: 227px;" src="http://bookclubcookbook.com/images/BookClubCookbook_09-06-11.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I love cookbooks and obviously I love to read, so when the offer came to review <a href="http://bookclubcookbook.com/">The Book Club Cookbook</a>, I jumped at it. What could be more fun than to have available some of the recipes from the most popular book club books? And if it’s your turn to host your book club, well, this book will make choosing a dish so much easier.<br /><br />This book covers some of my favourite novels: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (Lisa See), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows), and The Help (Kathryn Stockett) as well as some I have yet to read but are on the top of my towering TBR list: Cutting for Stone (Abraham Verghese) and Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen). Actually, the list of books on my own TBR list overlaps quite a bit with the books featured in this cookbook. Each novel’s recipe is preceded by a description of the source book and some are followed by an explanation of the food, thoughts from the author and/or a book club’s take on the book itself and why they chose a particular food for their club.<br /><br />So far I’ve made two recipes (and I’m planning another for this weekend). Both are cookies – Chewy Oatmeal from the book <span style="font-style:italic;">Plainsong</span> by Kent Haruf and Chocolate Chip Shortbread from <span style="font-style:italic;">Bee Season</span> by Myla Goldberg. Both turned out great and were gobbled up by my family in no time. There aren't just cookies or sweets though – savory dishes are included as well. There is Zaytoon’s Chicken Shwarma from Jonathan Lethem’s <span style="font-style:italic;">Motherless Brooklyn</span>, Britta’s Crab Casserole from <span style="font-style:italic;">The Hours</span> by Michael Cunningham, Greek Rice Pudding and Tzatziki from <span style="font-style:italic;">Middlesex</span> by Jeffrey Eugenides. There are drinks in here too: Glögg from <span style="font-style:italic;">The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</span> as well as soups and salads. An ambitious book club could have an entire meal with several courses if they didn’t mind mixing their books!<br /><br />Another great thing about this book club cookbook is that the featured novels range from contemporary to classic, so that a club is bound to find something of interest. I would go further and say I could see using the cookbook itself for future club choice ideas. It would also make a great gift for an avid reader, book club member or not. I highly recommend it!Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16652392729923383591noreply@blogger.com1