Back to Books Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Buried in Books! This hop runs from September 1-7.

For this giveaway, one winner will be able to choose one book of their choice from The Book Depository, up to $10(USD). Open INT, you are eligible to win as long as The Book Depository ships free to your country (check HERE). Just fill out the handy dandy Rafflecopter below and move on to the next blog on the linky! 

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Review: After the Fog by Kathleen Shoop

Title: After the Fog
Author: Kathleen Stoop
Publication Date: May 8, 2012

From Goodreads:

The sins of the mother... In the steel mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, site of the infamous 1948 "killing smog," headstrong nurse Rose Pavlesic tends to her family and neighbors. Controlling and demanding, she's created a life that reflects everything she missed growing up as an orphan. She's even managed to keep her painful secrets hidden from her loving husband, dutiful children, and large extended family.When a stagnant weather pattern traps poisonous mill gasses in the valley, neighbors grow sicker and Rose's nursing obligations thrust her into conflict she never could have fathomed. Consequences from her past collide with her present life, making her once clear decisions as gray as the suffocating smog. As pressure mounts, Rose finds she's not the only one harboring lies. When the deadly fog finally clears, the loss of trust and faith leaves the Pavlesic family-and the whole town-splintered and shocked. With her new perspective, can Rose finally forgive herself and let her family's healing begin?

My Thoughts:

After the Fog takes place in 1948 and is the story of Rose, a community nurse who is not only trying to better the lives of her patients, but also her family's. She lives in the steel mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, where half of the town's population works in the mills. Her husband, Henry, and gambling brother-in-law, Buzzy, work in the mills at night while rose does her nursing during the day. When weather forces all of the mill's gasses to fill the valley, Rose has to work harder than ever before. Unfortunately, this also happens to be the same week that Rose's past comes back to haunt her. She has been keeping secrets her entire marriage and now they are threatening to come to light. Henry and the children also seem to be holding onto some secrets of their own, and when all is revealed, Rose's life will never be the same.

Rose Pavlesic was a very strong character. She worked hard, took care of herself and others and didn't take drama from her patients. As much as I wanted to connect with her, I just couldn't at first. It took me a long time to feel something other than annoyance with her. Perhaps it was because her life takes place in a different time than my own and living was much different then. She put up with things that I would never stand for. For example: she lives in a home with her husband, two children, aunt, uncle, brother and sister-in-law and nephew. The brother-in-law is a chronic gambler and Rose and Henry constantly have to bail him out of trouble. I found it hard to believe that she would allow this to continuously happen, especially when she is trying to save for a house and not even sure if she will have a job in the very near future. I personally would have told him to leave and if I had to, I'd give my husband an ultimatum. But as I said before, I think the reason I had trouble with this was because things were much different back in 1948 and making a living was harder.

Aside from Rose's nursing, she worked very hard to make sure her children, Johnny and Magdalena, had every opportunity that she didn't. Growing up in an orphanage, life was very difficult and it took a lot of hard work for Rose to get where she was today. She insists that both children go to college and become strong and independent. Because of her background, perhaps she pushed the children a little too hard and they start to retaliate. They love their mother, but they want to make their own lives. I could understand this, of course, but I also understood where Rose was coming from. She just wanted them to be successful and not struggle like she had.

What I found most interesting about this book was that parts of this story actually happened. Donora is a real place and the "killing smog" unfortunately did get trapped in the town in 1948. The author clearly did her research into these events and it gave the story an eerie quality. Even though Rose and the other characters were fictional, I still couldn't help thinking about what it must have been like for the real citizens who lived through such a scary event.

There was definitely not a lack of drama in this story. There are many secrets just aching to be told and every time you think you have this story figured out, something new comes to light that puts you right back in the guessing game. The author does a fantastic job of keeping the pace and fusing fact with fiction. The slow accumulation of smog is the perfect backdrop for Rose's story and the dramatic events about to unfold.

I recommend After the Fog for all historical fiction fans, lovers of Chick Lit and even those looking for something new and interesting to curl up with.


For more about Kathleen Shoop or After the Fog, check out her website here.

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Interview and Giveaway: The Secret Life of Copernicus H. Stringfellow by Lorin Barber

You may remember that recently I read and reviewed The Secret Life of Copernicus H. Stringfellow by Lorin Barber and enjoyed it quite a bit. (You can read my review here). I am very excited that today Lorin has stopped by the blog to answer a few questions and has also generously agreed to host a giveaway of his book for one of you lucky readers! 

From Goodreads:

Copernicus H. Stringfellow, a.k.a. Nick, is not your run-of-the-mill genius. His mind is so powerful it can stop a speeding automobile or stem internal bleeding. As Nick goes about quietly doing good, he discovers that his powers are greatly enhanced by the nutrients present in Twinkies. Follow Nick on his amazing adventures in this humorous and exciting action-packed book for all ages.

{Interview}

Q: CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOURSELF AND THE SECRET LIFE OF COPERNICUS H. STRINGFELLOW?

A: I’m nearing 60 years old. I've been married for 38 years and my sweetheart has born me 7 children, one deceased. I currently have 8 grandchildren and hope for a few more. I speak Japanese. I have traveled much of the world. I prefer the country to the city and the simple to the technical. My sister told me that when she read the book she could hardly follow the story because she just kept seeing me in the writing.

“The Secret Life” is a story of a guy that has all of the qualities I wish I had and enough supernatural powers to do a lot of things that I would enjoy doing. My hope is that people will be entertained and will laugh occasionally. Life is better when we laugh.

Q: HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THIS BOOK?

A: I had written 3 previous novels which had met with rejection. I knew I could do better so I set out to come up with a character and a story that would help me succeed. I knew a tall skinny nerd like Copernicus once. I chose the name Copernicus to connote intelligence. The name Stringfellow I got off the side of a bus while I was conjuring the story. I think the character’s name really framed the story in my mind, a super-intelligent, tall, skinny, funny guy. I wove in a few subplots because my native brevity requires a lot of content to create a novel length piece of work.

Q: COPERNICUS, OR "NICK", GETS HIS FUEL FROM TWINKIES. IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON WHY YOU CHOSE TWINKIES TO PLAY THIS ROLL?

A: I chose Twinkies because they are a much abused and under-appreciated nutritional item. I was actually told as a child that they contained enough preservatives that they could sit on a shelf for 400 years and still taste fresh. That is definitely not true. I've had stale ones. I have no particular preference for Twinkies as a treat. I just thought they would be a humorous catalyst for super powers.

Q: THE CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK ARE QUITE AN ECLECTIC MIXTURE OF PERSONALITIES. WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR INFLUENCES BEHIND THE PERSONALITIES? ARE ANY OF THE CHARACTERIZATIONS BASED ON PEOPLE IN YOUR OWN LIFE?

A: I can’t say that I based any characters on acquaintances of mine. They are composites of people I've known. I wanted and eclectic mix to show that Nick held no prejudices and in fact had a bias towards people of smaller means but greater character.

Q: I SEE THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON A SEQUEL, BUT WILL THERE BE MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES TO FOLLOW AFTER THAT?

A: I have 4 more in the Copernicus series planned. The next will be a chronological sequel. I plan one called “Little Nicky” about his childhood. I have one about Nick’s honeymoon in Japan that will be built around him finding a dead woman washed up on a beach (It actually happened to me in Japan). The last one will be Nick running into an Evil mind the equal of his own.

Q: DOES THE IDEA YOU START WITH AS INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WRITING EVER TURN INTO SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY WHEN YOU ARE DONE?

A: I couldn’t say things change entirely, but maybe dramatically.

Q: WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE WRITING CHALLENGES YOU HAVE FACED? WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE ON THE ROAD TO PUBLICATION?

A: My 1st book was turned down at least 50 times. My wife didn't even like it. She didn’t like my 2nd, but kind of liked my 3rd. Copernicus is my fourth. Learning to write is a process for me. I’m not a natural, though I think my imagination comes naturally. Each of my books has been increasingly better written and I intend to continue to improve.

     One of my biggest challenges in writing is my impatience. It’s true also when I read. I want to skip through all of the descriptive nonsense and character development and get to the exciting conclusion. I suffer when I read, and have learned as I write to say to myself “make them suffer, make them suffer”. I have to consciously work to be descriptive, develop characters and mostly to build suspense, in other words to make my readers suffer before they finish the story. 

Q: IF YOU COULD WRITE A BOOK FROM ANOTHER AUTHOR’S SERIES, WHICH WOULD IT BE?

A: I like the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz.

Q: WHAT WAS THE BOOK THAT MOST IMPACTED YOUR LIFE AND WHY?

A: Scripture has most impacted my life, but aside from that a series of biographies on America’s founding fathers has shaped my world view.

For more about Lorin Barber and The Secret Life of Copernicus H. Stringfellow, check out his website here. You can also connect with him on Facebook or Goodreads.

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Thank you again to Lorin Barber for stopping by today and for the generous giveaway!

Waiting on Wednesday (48)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Revolution 19
Author: Gregg Rosenblum
Expected Publication Date: January 8, 2012

From Goodreads:

Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars abandoned the battlefields. Then they turned their weapons on us.

Nick, Kevin, and Cass have spent their whole lives in a community in the wilderness, hiding out from the robots that have enslaved mankind. But when the bots discover their location, they barely make it out alive — only to discover that their home has been destroyed and everyone killed or captured. Now, the siblings must risk everything to save the only people they have left in the world.

First of all, I really don't even need to know what this book is about. Just looking at the cover tells me that I need to read it. Reading the blurb is just a bonus. However, the cover and blurb together tell me that this is going to be AWESOME! Robots? Sign me up!

What about you? What are you waiting on this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come ch ck it out.

Teaser Tuesday (48)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This Week's Teaser Is From:

India's Summer by Therese

"Adam glanced in India's direction. "Why dismiss the possibility?" he said. "I'm open-minded. Sometimes you do have an instant connection with people. You feel like you've known them before."  page 37

Showcase Sunday (18)

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

For Review:

Perception by Lee Strauss

Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hmmer

The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard by Robert Bryndza

Embryo by J.A. Schneider

I received some fantastic looking books for review this week, yay! Each one seems quite different from the other which is awesome because I love switching things up :)

Won:

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - Thank you, That Hapa Chick!

Goodbye For Now by Laurie Frankel - Thank You, Doubleday!

Every Day by David Levithan - Thank you, Random House!

Lancaster House by Taylor Dean - Thank you, Clean Romance Reviews!

Devil's Wake by Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due

The Lost Angel by Javier Sierra 

Ten Girls to Watch by Charity Shumway 

- Thank you, Atria Books, for this fantastic summer reading bundle!

While I didn't buy any books this week (which I plan to make up for next week), I was pretty lucky in wins and also received some pretty awesome looking review books that will keep me reading for the next month or two. With all the review books I have received lately, all other books will be hanging out on my shelves waiting for their turn. I'm so anxious to read them, especially Every Day. I've been waiting months for this one! Maybe I can squeeze it in somewhere :) As always, thank you so much to the authors, publishers and bloggers who have provided me with these books, you rock!

What came for you this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

On My Wish List (47)

On My Wish List is a fun weekly event hosted by Workaday Reads and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Author: Jenny Han
Publication Date: May 5, 2009

From Goodreads:

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

I feel like one of the last people to read this series. In my defense, I just started reading Young Adult in 2010 and have been trying to read both new releases and get caught up on oldies too at the same time. Plus I read a ton of adult so I just haven't gotten to these yet. They look pretty awesome though, so hopefully I can get my hands on them soon. Have you read them? How are they?

What is your heart's desire this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

Cover Feature and Excerpt: Perception by Lee Strauss

If you can't tell by the name of my blog, I am a little obsessed with book covers. I *love* them. I will buy books simply because the cover called to me. I will buy multiple copies of the same book if it gets a makeover just so I can see all those pretty covers together on my shelf. When I was contacted by Lee Strauss about a possible cover feature and review for her upcoming release, Perception, one look at this cover told me that oh yes, I had to have it. 

Isn't it awesome? I love the color scheme and the design, especially the water spots! It is a beauty. Unfortunately, there are many times when I see a cover and the synopsis just doesn't do it for me. But thankfully, the contents inside this book look equally as amazing as their cover:

From Goodreads:

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans.

Her brother Liam is missing.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically.

Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn. She’s in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.

PERCEPTION is a ( SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes place in the not too distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions—both financially and philosophically. It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or ally us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there’s room to fall in love.

Science fiction, mystery and romance all in one? Yep, sign me right up! And if the cover blurb isn't enough to convince you, here is a little something extra. The first chapter!

Chapter One:

I balanced on my surfboard, right thigh burning and salt water stinging my eyes, while the best wave of the early morning carried me like a goddess on a pedestal to shore. My older brother Liam and I shared a friendly competition, and it gave me a certain, blissful satisfaction to catch the same wave and to get to shore first.

“Beat ya!” I shouted over the noise of the crashing surf. 

Seagulls flocked and circled over us, squawking loudly, adding to the cacophony.

The sun glistened off Liam’s damp blond curls as he shook them out. His eyes sparkled as his lips tugged up into a grin. “I let you win.”

“Did not!” I smacked him playfully on the arm. “One more ride?”

Liam unzipped his wetsuit letting the top half fall down past his waist. He was in fine form, and I understood why all the girls raved about him. He was responsible for a long list of broken hearts. 

“I gotta get going,” he said, lifting his board.

I fell into stride beside him, my feet sinking into the cold, wet sand. “So soon?”

He nodded, the glint leaving his eyes. My lips tightened into a frown “You’re taking off with Jackson again?”

Jackson was my boyfriend but lately he’d been spending more time with my brother than he had with me. It was starting to tick me off.

Liam stared straight ahead. “Lab stuff.”

“What are you working on?” I rushed to keep up with my brother’s long, strong strides. He flicked his head, tossing the hair out of his eyes but didn’t answer.

“Come on,” I knocked into him sideways. “Tell me!”

“It’s just stuff.”

“Just stuff? Like what? Top CIA stuff? I know you’re smart but I think the government has been doing a good job without your help.” 

I meant it as a joke, but Liam huffed. “It’s just stuff, okay? So leave it.”

I stopped short shocked that he’d snapped at me. 

He turned around and exhaled, “Zoe, I’m sorry.”

“Fine. If you can’t tell me, you can’t tell me.”

We resumed our trek along the beach, and I pushed back my frustration. Liam used to include me in everything. It was always him and me against everyone else. Him and me against Alison and Paul, aka our mom and dad. Him and me against the surf. We were a team. When did we start keeping secrets from each other? Rather, when did he start keeping secrets from me? 

I re-adjusted my board under my arm. Maybe I could get Jackson to unzip his lips. Especially if I helped him. He could be easily persuaded if I poured on the charm. I hated to go behind my brother’s back for information, but something about all this--this, whatever it was that Liam was doing--made me uneasy. I couldn’t pinpoint why, it just did.

We reached our home, a massive glass box with two floors of windows facing the Pacific Ocean. It was built after the San Andreas Fault shifted and triggered the Big Quake that, along with the subsequent tsunami, wiped out ten miles of shoreline.

A nearby white-stucco storage shed housed all our water toys. We stopped there to hang up our wetsuits to dry.

“Thanks for surfing with me today.” Liam said, smiling at me, back to his jovial self. “I know it was a sacrifice for you to get up so early.”

I smiled in return. “No problem. It was fun.” Surfing with Liam was one of my most favorite things to do.

“You’re back for dinner?” I asked. 

Liam didn’t know it, but once he left, I’d be spending the rest of the day preparing for his surprise birthday party. He’d turned twenty-one yesterday and had celebrated at a bar with his friends. I couldn’t go because I was underage, and it irked me that Jackson went and that he and Liam had once again shared a significant moment without me. I took consolation in the fact that Alison and Paul gave me free reign to plan this party. My heart beat with excitement, and I couldn’t wait to see his face when he got home and found the house full of his friends.

“Yeah, I’ll be there,” he answered.

I bit my cheek to keep my voice even. “Good.We’ll see you, then.”

Our property tiered twice before connecting with the sandy beach. Three glass doors slid open disappearing into the corner and creating a wall-less view of the stone patio that encased an eternity pool. Its waters slipped over the far edge into a waterfall that was collected again on the second tier. 

Liam strode into the house, through the living room and down the hall to his bedroom at the back, his wet shorts dripping on the glossy white tiles.

I tightened the towel around my waist and climbed the open-slat staircase to my room.

As I passed the maid, Saundra something, her brown face blanched. She stumbled slightly before grabbing the rail and catching herself. 

“Excuse me,” she said softly at my astonished look.

The woman really didn’t look well, and I was thankful for my enhanced immunization. I was glad I didn’t have to worry about diseases brought in from the outside.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

She nodded weakly, and proceeded to clean the rails. I’d requested extra staff to get the house ready for Liam’s party. 

A trill of anticipation reclaimed my thoughts. I couldn’t wait for tonight.

The door beside my bathroom opened into a second room, a walk-in closet big enough to house another bedroom set. Racks of clothes and shoes lined the walls, a well-lit mirror station was located near the sky light and a cushioned leather bench was placed in the middle for sitting. I stood in my closet and stared at the rows of sundresses, blouses and shorts.

What to wear?

I settled on a lace blouse and cotton shorts, then went to take a luxurious shower, rinsing the sea water out of my long, blond hair. I leaned into the built-in seat that was designed specifically for my body height and shape. Laser lights mapped my head and twenty-eight silicon fingers reached out to massage my scalp while shampooing and conditioning my hair. Most days I had to watch or I’d doze off, but today I was excited. I commanded the water to turn off as soon as the rinse was done. 

When I was dressed and my hair combed out and tied back, I slipped my platinum Communication Ring onto my left middle finger. I tapped it which produced a holographic image of my phone apps on my palm. I touched the clock icon and holographic digital numbers appeared in the air.

Ten already? Where did the time go? That was the thing with summer holidays; every hour ran languidly into the next.

I imagined the cook and her crew were busy preparing for the party in the kitchen. I’d requested fresh sea food and simulated roast, fresh fruit and vegetables, an assortment of fancy chocolates and baked items plus a three-tiered, surfer-themed birthday cake.

I skipped down the stairs to check on the progress, but in my hurry to the kitchen, I slammed into a body.

“Sorry,” a male voice said.

I stepped back agitated. I recognized the dark-haired boy wearing the white tunic my mother made the male staff wear. He was the maid’s son and I guessed he was part of the extra staff. He held a wet mop in his hand, and I figured he’d been cleaning up Liam’s spotty water trail.

He stepped politely out of the way, but the expression on his face was stoic. Even though he was clearly from the outside and the help, I still expected some small sign that what he saw when he viewed me was pleasing. A twinkle in the eye, a slight upturning of the lips. These were the responses I got from all the boys. The straight ones, anyway.

He wasn't especially attractive but I didn't see people with his appearance very often. He had eyes the color of imported coffee beans and skin like caramel candy. His nose was wide and his jaw-line sharp. I was suddenly intrigued by him and surprised myself by thinking he looked exotic. 

“Excuse me, what was your name again?” I asked.

“Noah.”

Right. I remembered now. I waited for him to say something, but he stayed quiet.

Footsteps echoed from the hall above. My parents spoke together, their muffled voices floating across the high ceilings.

“Do other maids send their sons to do their work?” Alison's voice had a brassy tone that carried through the cavernous space. 

I felt a flare of red creep up my neck when I realized Alison was talking about Noah. My eyes darted to his, but he kept his averted.

“He does a good job,” Paul responded. “That's the main thing. Besides you know they need the money.”

“So we're charity now?”

“What's wrong with a little charity? Besides, they're not just anybody.”

“I don't care. I still don't trust him.”

I was mortified. My feet felt cemented to the floor and I didn’t know what to say. Anything would come off as trite since nothing I could say could undo what Noah had heard.

“Did you know the Pikes have a household robot now?” Alison, again. “Apparently it’s very efficient, and at least Mary doesn’t have to worry about things going missing.”

Noah’s jaw tightened and he turned his back to me. He attacked Liam’s dried and dusty water spots aggressively and soon had disappeared around the corner. 

“Zoe?” Alison click-clacked down the wooden stairs. She wore a pale yellow pant suit and high heels even though it was Saturday. She was in-between careers now, having spent the last fifteen years in law. She barely looked thirty years old and with lots of time ahead of her, she could do anything. Probably several things.

“Mom! You have to keep your voice down. How many times do I have to tell you your voice travels in this glass box?

“Oh.” She looked mildly shaken. “No matter. Is everything coming together to your satisfaction?”

“I’m just checking in on things now.”

“Your father and I are meeting people for lunch. What time is the party again?”

I blew a frustrated breath. She could at least pretend she cared enough to remember details I’d told her a dozen times already.

“Seven.”

“Right. We’ll see you at seven.”

Things proceeded throughout the day as planned and I was pleased with my ability to pull off an event like this on my own.

The decorators showed up at 1:00 as promised. 

The band arrived to set up at 3:00. 

I got dressed at 4:30, having bought a thigh-length mini-dress that sparkled with tiny crystals just for the occasion. 

My hair and makeup girl arrived at 5:00.

I tapped my ring and called Jackson at 5:30.

“Where are you?” I said to the three-inch holographic image of him that popped up above my palm. “You said you’d help.”

“Sorry, Zo. Got tied up at home.”

“Are you okay? You don’t sound so good.” 

It was odd. No one in Sol City ever got really sick, but it wasn’t unheard of to get run down if you pushed yourself too hard. Jackson had been working a lot lately.

“I didn’t sleep well last night. Uh, spent most of the day in bed.”

I felt a little panicky. “You’re still coming, aren’t you?”

“Of course. I’ll be there soon.”

Alison and Paul arrived at 6:30 along with all of mine and Liam’s friends. 

I hushed everyone at 6:55, giving instructions on when to shout “Surprise!”

It was all a wasted effort.

Liam never showed.

Awesome, yes? I can't wait to sit down with the rest of it. Perception is scheduled to release on September 12th, just a few more weeks!

If you would like to learn more about Lee Strauss or Perception, check out her website here. You can also stay up to date by following her on Facebook or Goodreads.

Remember to come back in a few weeks to check out my review of Perception!

Feed Your Reader Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Feed Your Reader Giveaway Hop, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Books: A True Story! This hop runs from August 23rd to the 29th.

For this giveaway, one winner will be able to choose one EBOOK of their choice from Amazon, up to $10(USD). Open INT, you are eligible to win as long as you are able to receive ebooks from Amazon. Just fill out the handy dandy Rafflecopter below and move on to the next blog on the linky! 

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Waiting on Wednesday (47)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: 34 Pieces of You
Author: Carmen Rodrigues
Expected Publication Date: September 4, 2012

From Goodreads:

There was something about Ellie…Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance—and kept watch.

     Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are thirty-four clues she left behind. Thirty-four strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. Thirty-four secrets of a brief and painful life.

     Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they confront the past, they will discover not only the darkest truths about themselves, but also what Ellie herself had been hiding all along….

I just recently came across this one while cruising the blogosphere. It sounds very similar to 13 Reasons Why in synopsis and even the title. I loved 13 Reasons Why and I'm hoping that this doesn't turn out to be the same story with a few small changes. I'm going to give it a go and hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised :)

What are you waiting on this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

Review: Game of Secrets by Dawn Tripp

Title: Game of Secrets
Author: Dawn Tripp
Publication Date: July 5, 2011 

From Goodreads:

Jane Weld was eleven years old when her father, Luce, disappeared in 1957. His skiff was found drifting near a marsh, empty except for his hunting coat and a box of shotgun shells. No one in their small New England town knew for sure what happened until, three years later, Luce’s skull rolled out of a gravel pit, a bullet hole in the temple. Rumors sprang up that he had been murdered by the jealous husband of his mistress, Ada Varick. 
 
Now, half a century later, Jane is still searching for the truth of her father’s death, a mystery made more urgent by the unexpected romance that her willful daughter, Marne, has struck up with one of Ada’s sons. As the love affair intensifies, Jane and Ada meet for their weekly Friday game of Scrabble, a pastime that soon transforms into a cat-and-mouse game of words long left unspoken, and dark secrets best left untold.

My Thoughts:

Game of Secrets is the story of small town life and how one act can influence many generations. While the main story in the book is of Jane Weld, there are many other smaller stories happening at the same time that all come together. Jane was eleven years old when her father disappeared. Three years later, his skull was found with a bullet wound. While nobody knew for sure and nothing could ever be proven, it was believed that he was murdered by the angry husband of his mistress, Ada Varick.

Now many years later, Jane and Ada have formed a somewhat strange relationship. They meet every Friday for Scrabble and have bonded over their combined loss. At the same time, Jane's daughter, Marne, has started dating Ada's son, Ray. While Marne has loved Ray for years, things done in the past and family secrets are hard to forget and their relationship is strained and tested almost immediately. The story alternates between time and characters. We hear from Jane, past and present, as well as other members of her family and of Ada's. The story works back and forth to bring out the truth about Jane's father and the repercussions the two families have lived with since his death.

I'll be honest and tell you I had a hard time getting into this book. While it was somewhat short, less than 300 pages, it still took me a long time to get through it. I think this was due to the author's writing style. It was heavy, the words very deliberate and almost every sentence a clue with double meaning. Sometimes I had to go back and read them again to make sure I was getting every bit of information the author was trying to tell me. Because of this, the beginning seemed to really drag. It took me days to get through just seventy pages. I kept at it though, and things really started to take off in a much better direction. I got used to the style of writing and started picking up on the small clues hidden in those words that ultimately led up to a satisfying read.

Each character we hear from in this book had their own story to tell, each struggling with something they so desperately want to change or forget. Jane wants to know what really happened to her father all those years ago and she wants to know what Ada knows. Marne, Jane's daughter, is struggling with her feelings for Ray and the way she distances herself from her family. Her relationship with her mother is strained and she is unable to move past it.

Of all the characters, the one I found myself most intrigued by was Huck, Ray's brother and another of Ada's sons. He was just a young boy when Jane's father went missing, but he remembers the fighting between his parents and even his secret love for Jane, someone who doesn't even notice him. Marne seems to hold a deep hatred for Huck, although it isn't immediately clear why. As the story progresses, we hear more from Huck as a teenager and learn more about his life growing up in a difficult household. I felt sorry for him and wanted better for him even though I knew where his life was going.

Game of Secrets is not a book to breeze through. It is one that needs to be digested slowly, giving you time to connect those clues and really take in all those things left unsaid but somehow still known. There are many secrets hidden in these pages, secrets that have been buried deep for years and just may shock you once they come to light.

I recommend Game of Secrets to anyone who is in the mood for a good mystery, putting the puzzle together piece by piece until all is revealed.



To learn more about Game of Secrets or Dawn Tripp, check out her website here.

Purchase:

{Amazon}{Barnes & Noble}{The Book Depository}

*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Teaser Tuesday (47)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This Week's Teaser Is From:

After the Fog by Kathleen Shoop

"Rose shuddered. Growing up in an orphanage left her with painful memories so deep they'd shock her, and surface with a sight or smell or a feeling and invoke something she'd forgotten."  page 39