Crazy-for-Books.com

"Waiting On" Wednesday: March 10, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:00:00 +0000

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection this week is:

The Lake Shore Limited by Sue Miller

Publication Date: April 6, 2010

Four unforgettable characters beckon you into this spellbinding new novel from Sue Miller, the author of 2008’s heralded best seller The Senator’s Wife. First among them is Wilhelmina—Billy—Gertz, small as a child, fiercely independent, powerfully committed to her work as a playwright. The story itself centers on The Lake Shore Limited—a play Billy has written about an imagined terrorist bombing of that train as it pulls into Union Station in Chicago, and about a man waiting to hear the fate of his estranged wife, who is traveling on it. Billy had waited in just such a way on 9/11 to hear whether her lover, Gus, was on one of the planes used in the attack.

The novel moves from the snow-filled woods of Vermont to the rainy brick sidewalks of Boston as the lives of the other characters intersect and interweave with Billy’s: Leslie, Gus’s sister, still driven by grief years after her brother’s death; Rafe, the actor who rises to greatness in a performance inspired by a night of incandescent lovemaking; and Sam, a man irresistibly drawn to Billy after he sees the play that so clearly displays the terrible conflicts and ambivalence of her situation.

How Billy has come to create the play out of these emotions, how it is then created anew on the stage, how the performance itself touches and changes the other characters’ lives—these form the thread that binds them all together and drives the novel compulsively forward.

A powerful love story; a mesmerizing tale of entanglements, connections, and inconsolable losses; a marvelous reflection on the meaning of grace and the uses of sorrow, in life and in art: The Lake Shore Limited is Sue Miller at her dazzling best.

What is your "Waiting On" pick this week?

Giveaway Winners: Try Darkness by James Scott Bell

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:39:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who entered the TRY DARKNESS contest! If you weren't selected as a winner, you can still purchase your copy of the book at Amazon.com!

Without further ado, the 3 winners are:

Wendy H.

Natalie W.

Ryan G.

You have 48 hours to respond to my verification email (sent through contestmachine.com) or another winner will be selected!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Traveling through Tuesday - A new Meme!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:40:00 +0000

So, yesterday, I posted about book settings/locations and asked if there was interest in a meme. Well, the response was YES! So, the fantabulous Lori of Lori's Reading Corner has generously offered to host this weekly event!! Thank you, Lori!! So, head on over to her site and get all the details!

Do you like to read books that set in a certain city, state, or country? Well here is the place to spotlight the location in the book you are currently reading!

I am currently reading Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris which is set in the fictional town of Shakespeare, Arkansas, which Goodreads calls "a Southern town brimming with charm and a definite touch of noir." Shakespeare is one of those little towns with lots of secrets. I really like these types of books where everyone knows everyone, but they all have secrets, too! This is the second book in the Lily Bard series and I’m definitely looking forward to the rest!

Where is your current read taking you this week?

Update on the Book Blogger Hop!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:56:00 +0000

I sit here in stunned amazement! A spur-of-the-moment idea about connecting book blogs currently has 90... yes, I said NINETY... links! Holy smokes!! If you haven't been back, make sure to head on over and check out all the blogs!

I will be making this a weekly Friday meme with a graphic currently being designed..stay tuned!!

See you all this Friday for another Hop! This is a great way for book bloggers to connect and make new friends and a way for readers to find some new blogs! It's a home run for everyone! I'm so glad for the awesome participation! Thank you!

I will admit that I am a bit behind on checking out blogs. I got through the first 50 or so links, but I will visit you all before the next Hop begins!

See you on Friday!

Traveling through Books...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:43:00 +0000

Do you like to read books that set in a certain city, state, or country?

I love to read books that are set in Maine. I've never been to Maine, but I REALLY want to vacation there someday. So, anytime I discover a book is set there, it makes me want to read it that much more. Books like Not My Daughter, The Secret of Joy, and Eternal on the Water are a few that come to mind that are set in Maine. Can you recommend any others?

I also love reading books set in coastal North Carolina (i.e. Nicholas Sparks). We have vacationed to the Outer Banks every year for the last 17 years and I just love it there. I'm not a big "lay on the beach" girl, but I love the sound of the ocean and waves crashing on the shore. I love the feel of the cool sand on my feet in the evening and watching the moon's light reflecting off the water. But, I digress...

Another place that is my dream destination is Ireland. I haven't read too many books that are set there, so if you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them!

What are your favorite settings in books? What location would you love to visit?

I actually just had an idea! Would anyone be interested in a "Traveling Through Tuesday" meme where we would spotlight the setting of the book we are currently reading?

2010 Jodi Picoult Reading Challenge - Link Reviews Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:11:00 +0000

For those of you participating in the Jodi Picoult Reading Challenge, I made a graphic, featuring my Picoult TBR stack! LOL! Feel free to grab it to use on your blog!

This is the post to link to your reviews once you read the books. Sorry for the delay in getting this up!

Interested in participating in this easy challenge? Get the details HERE. I'd love to have more people participating!

Here's MckLinky! Just enter the TITLE of the Picoult book and YOUR BLOG NAME in parenthesis after it! For example: "Handle With Care (Crazy-for-Books)"

Review: Scandal Sheet by Gemma Halliday

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:58:00 +0000

Scandal Sheet by Gemma HallidaySeries: Hollywood Headlines, Bk 1Genre: Mystery with a touch of RomanceISBN: 978-0-505-52805-6288 pages My Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:

Gossip columnist Tina is stopped in her tracks when she learns one of the celebrities she's reported on wants her dead. Teamed with an oversized bodyguard, a bubbly blonde, and an alcoholic obituary writer, Tina sets off to find out which juicy piece of Hollywood gossip is worth killing over.

My Thoughts:

This book is the first in Gemma Halliday's new Hollywood Headlines series, featuring star gossip columnist, Tina Bender. Tina reports all the Hollywood dirt she can get her hands on. But when she gets a death threat, she's determined to find the culprit among Hollywood's stars. Her boss, Felix, who we first met in the Maddie Springer series, hires a bodyguard named Cal to watch over her. Do you see where this is going? There is a romantic spark between the two, but the romance is very PG rated. The book is focused more heavily on the mystery aspect than on the romance between Tina and Cal.

For those of you who are fans of the Maddie Springer series that Halliday penned, you will be happy to see a familiar face (Marco!). This story is laugh-out-loud funny, but a bit cheesy and outrageous! I loved all the characters, especially Tina's octogenarian aunts, Sue and Millie. Sue is hard-of-hearing and has memory problems and Millie has visions problems. Paired together, these two are a laugh riot!

This is a cute and light mystery that, overall, I enjoyed. I thought the ending was ridiculously cheesy and outrageous. I was actually shaking my head as I was reading it. I mean, where do authors come up with this stuff?! It's definitely funny, but WAY beyond my level of believability! If you are looking for a fun mystery with just a touch of romance, I'd recommend this one! I'll be looking forward to reading more in this series - even if they are filled with crazy plotlines!

For the Love of.....BOOKS!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:04:00 +0000

Remember the FOL Sale I went to last month? Well, I kinda forgot to post my goodies on my blog! Oops! I ended up with 69 books:

I've already read some of them, but grabbed them for others to read! I made out pretty darn well, I think!! I just have no clue where to put them since my bookcases are packed full as it is!! Maybe I can make a table out of them for now?? ;)

I just asked my dearest hubby where to put them and he said he'd get me a couple of garbage bags! The horror!! I think he might be a wee bit upset with me at the moment. He thinks that for every book I get in, I should get rid of one! Will someone tell him that it doesn't work that way?!

Oh, well. I'm off to find a place for my new goodies! And this doesn't include the stacks sitting on my dining room table that came in the mail this week! Oops... ;)

Book Blogger Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:21:00 +0000

Hey book bloggers! Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on!

Now, I follow a lot of blogs and I haven't seen this feature yet, so if someone else is doing a Book Blog Hop, please let me know!! I don't want to step on any toes or anything!

So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this, sign MckLinky below, and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!!

I'll try to make a nifty graphic to go along with this, but give me another week to get that done! :)

Instructions: Add your BLOG NAME in the Title with a link to your book blog Since this is just getting started, spreading the word would be awesome!!!

Searching This Way and That Way and All the Way to Sunday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:46:00 +0000

Yes, it is time for another 2010 Blog Improvement Project Task. This week it's all about tags and organization.

The task this week is to improve the way the posts on your blog are organized by ensuring that all your categories and tags (wordpress) or labels (blogger) are meaningful. It is important that your posts are placed into groups with similar themes, so that anyone browsing your blog can quickly find the information they are looking for. If they like a certain kind of post then it can also help them to find similar ones.

This is a long-term project for me. I recently had my blog redone, so I have a menu bar at the top of the page where readers can search my reviews by author and title. It is a work in progress, though, so bear with me! I still need to go back to my older posts and tag everything correctly. I'm also considering a tag for genre, but I'm not sure about that one yet! I'd also like to have my reviews searchable by my star rating.

Your categories/labels should be displayed on your sidebar and act like short guide to your blog – allowing readers to quickly visualise the contents of your site.

I'm not sure I want to do this. I don't really want to clutter up my sidebars more than I have to, so I am hoping that by keeping all this information searchable in the menu bar that it will be sufficient for readers to find what they are looking for. What do you think? Would you prefer sidebar links also?

Finally!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:53:00 +0000

My final design is here, for good or bad! LOL I hope you like it and it's easy to navigate and visually appealing. Let me know if you have any constructive criticism...or feel free to rave! haha :)

"Waiting On" Wednesday: March 3, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:56:00 +0000

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection this week is:

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

Publication Date: May 11, 2010

Tessa Russo is the mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Despite her own mother's warnings, Tessa has recently given up her career to focus on her family and the pursuit of domestic happiness. From the outside, she seems destined to live a charmed life.

Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie--a boy who has never known his father. After too many disappointments, she has given up on romance--and even to some degree, friendships--believing that it is always safer not to expect too much.

Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, the two have relatively little in common aside from a fierce love for their children. But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined.

In alternating, pitch-perfect points of view, Emily Giffin creates a moving, luminous story of good people caught in untenable circumstances. Each being tested in ways they never thought possible. Each questioning everything they once believed. And each ultimately discovering what truly matters most.

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:04:00 +0000

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
ISBN:
550 pages

My Rating: 5 stars isn't enough!

How do I, as a book blogger, review a book that is wrought with so much emotion and so much angst and turmoil that I was sobbing by the end of the book? How can I adequately put into words how much of an impact this book had on me as a human being? I honestly don't know if it is possible to review this book effectively, but I'll give it my best shot!

First, here's the synopsis from Amazon:

"It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist – books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul."

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, especially of events in and around World War II. The Holocaust was an absolutely horrifying event in our world's history (and horrifying is putting it mildly), but I am, for whatever reason, drawn towards these types of fictional and non-fictional accounts of WWII. I don't know why. I break down crying every time I read a book about this time period, but I continue to seek out more of it. I wish I could explain it.

The Book Thief is a unique story in that it is narrated by Death. I was a bit leery at first because I wasn't sure how this type of narration would play out through the entire novel. I have to say that it worked wonderfully and I can't imagine the book told in any other way, without losing the power and overall feeling of the story. From the very first page, Death hooks the reader with His (Her?) account of his many visits to Germany during WWII. But, this story isn't just about Death, even though he was around quite a bit during that time. It is a story about a young German girl named Liesel Meminger, otherwise known as The Book Thief. It is a story about how books can help a person survive in a period of utter despair. It is a story of relationships; of love; of friendship; and of the power of the written word.

I've written and re-written this review many times. I've decided not to go into any details because I don't want to give away the magic of the novel. It is spellbinding, but heart-wrenching. It is a book that must be experienced first-hand. No review could possibly do it justice.

I will leave it at that.

But, please tell me, fellow readers - do you want more details about the book? Or does this review sufficiently spark your interest? I could go on and on and give away details of the story, but I think the magic of this book is in the details and a reader should experience it without knowing anything ahead of time. What do you think?

Blogsplash: THAW by Fiona Robyn

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

http://read-thaw.blogspot.com/

Ruth's diary is the new novel by Fiona Robyn, called Thaw. She has decided to blog the novel in its entirety over the next few months, so you can read it for free.

Ruth's first entry is below, and you can continue reading tomorrow here.

*

These hands are ninety-three years old. They belong to Charlotte Marie Bradley Miller. She was so frail that her grand-daughter had to carry her onto the set to take this photo. It's a close-up. Her emaciated arms emerge from the top corners of the photo and the background is black, maybe velvet, as if we're being protected from seeing the strings. One wrist rests on the other, and her fingers hang loose, close together, a pair of folded wings. And you can see her insides.

The bones of her knuckles bulge out of the skin, which sags like plastic that has melted in the sun and is dripping off her, wrinkling and folding. Her veins look as though they're stuck to the outside of her hands. They're a colour that's difficult to describe: blue, but also silver, green; her blood runs through them, close to the surface. The book says she died shortly after they took this picture. Did she even get to see it? Maybe it was the last beautiful thing she left in the world.

I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to carry on living. I'm giving myself three months of this journal to decide. You might think that sounds melodramatic, but I don't think I'm alone in wondering whether it's all worth it. I've seen the look in people's eyes. Stiff suits travelling to work, morning after morning, on the cramped and humid tube. Tarted-up girls and gangs of boys reeking of aftershave, reeling on the pavements on a Friday night, trying to mop up the dreariness of their week with one desperate, fake-happy night. I've heard the weary grief in my dad's voice.

So where do I start with all this? What do you want to know about me? I'm Ruth White, thirty-two years old, going on a hundred. I live alone with no boyfriend and no cat in a tiny flat in central London. In fact, I had a non-relationship with a man at work, Dan, for seven years. I'm sitting in my bedroom-cum-living room right now, looking up every so often at the thin rain slanting across a flat grey sky. I work in a city hospital lab as a microbiologist. My dad is an accountant and lives with his sensible second wife Julie, in a sensible second home. Mother finished dying when I was fourteen, three years after her first diagnosis. What else? What else is there?

Charlotte Marie Bradley Miller. I looked at her hands for twelve minutes. It was odd describing what I was seeing in words. Usually the picture just sits inside my head and I swish it around like tasting wine. I have huge books all over my flat; books you have to take in both hands to lift. I've had the photo habit for years. Mother bought me my first book, black and white landscapes by Ansel Adams. When she got really ill, I used to take it to bed with me and look at it for hours, concentrating on the huge trees, the still water, the never-ending skies. I suppose it helped me think about something other than what was happening. I learned to focus on one photo at a time rather than flicking from scene to scene in search of something to hold me. If I concentrate, then everything stands still. Although I use them to escape the world, I also think they bring me closer to it. I've still got that book. When I take it out, I handle the pages as though they might flake into dust.

Mother used to write a journal. When I was small, I sat by her bed in the early mornings on a hard chair and looked at her face as her pen spat out sentences in short bursts. I imagined what she might have been writing about; princesses dressed in star-patterned silk, talking horses, adventures with pirates. More likely she was writing about what she was going to cook for dinner and how irritating Dad's snoring was.

I've always wanted to write my own journal, and this is my chance. Maybe my last chance. The idea is that every night for three months, I'll take one of these heavy sheets of pure white paper, rough under my fingertips, and fill it up on both sides. If my suicide note is nearly a hundred pages long, then no-one can accuse me of not thinking it through. No-one can say; 'It makes no sense; she was a polite, cheerful girl, had everything to live for', before adding that I did keep myself to myself. It'll all be here. I'm using a silver fountain pen with purple ink. A bit flamboyant for me, I know. I need these idiosyncratic rituals; they hold things in place. Like the way I make tea, squeezing the tea-bag three times, the exact amount of milk, seven stirs. My writing is small and neat; I'm striping the paper. I'm near the bottom of the page now. Only ninety-one more days to go before I'm allowed to make my decision. That's it for today. It's begun.

*

Continue reading tomorrow here...

February Wrap-up!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:12:00 +0000

Blog News:

My new design was installed! Wahoo!! What do you think? I'm still tweaking and I think the tweaking will be ongoing until the end of time, but that's okay! I installed some social media buttons at the top of the right sidebar yesterday - aren't they cute? I just love them and I figured it out all on my own! LOL I'm trying to work on my menu bar and organizing my reviews, too!

Books Read:

The Sign for Drowning by Rachel Stolzman (4/5)
Still Alice by Lisa Genova (5+/5)
The Red Thread by Ann Hood (5/5)
The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer (4/5)
Willow by Julia Hoban (4.5/5)
Not My Duaghter by Barbara Delinskey (4/5)
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers (4/5)

Author Interview:

Julia Hoban, author of WILLOW

Blog Posts:

I had some great discussion over my blog post: Am I ashamed to be a book blogger? Feel free to read and continue the discussion!

I began participating in the 2010 Blogger Improvement Project! I've already started working on some things, so hopefully you all will like them!!

Current Contest:

There's still time to win 1 of 3 copies of TRY DARKNESS by James Scott Bell!

ARC Mail!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:12:00 +0000

I'm so excited! I received four ARCs in the mail this week and wanted to share! I can't wait to dig in! They sound like amazing reads!

The 9th Judgment by James Patterson

Publication Date: April 26, 2010

Hachette Books

"The most personal

A young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. There are no witnesses, and Detective Lindsay Boxer is left with only one shred of evidence: a cryptic message scrawled across the windshield in bloodred lipstick.

The most dangerous

The same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling is woken by a cat burglar who is about to steal millions of dollars' worth of precious jewels. In just seconds there is a nearly empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria.

The most exciting Women's Murder Club novel ever

Lindsay spends every waking hour working with her partner, Rich--and her desire for him threatens to tear apart both her engagement and the Women's Murder Club. Before Lindsay and her friends can piece together either case, one of the killers forces Lindsay to put her own life on the line--but is it enough to save the city? With unparalleled danger and explosive action, The 9th Judgment is James Patterson at his compelling, unstoppable best!"

Men and Dogs: A Novel by Katie Crouch

Publication Date: April 12, 2010

Hachette Books

"When Hannah Legare was 11, her father went on a fishing trip in the Charleston harbor and never came back. And while most of the town and her family accepted Buzz's disappearance, Hannah remained steadfastly convinced of his imminent return.

Twenty years later Hannah's new life in San Francisco is unraveling. Her marriage is on the rocks, her business is bankrupt. After a disastrous attempt to win back her husband, she ends up back at her mother's home to "rest up", where she is once again sucked into the mystery of her missing father. Suspecting that those closest are keeping secrets--including Palmer, her emotionally closed, well-mannered brother and Warren, the beautiful boyfriend she left behind--Hannah sets out on an uproarious, dangerous quest that will test the whole family's concepts of loyalty and faith."

My Sister's Voice by Mary Carter

Publication Date: June 1, 2010

Kensington Books

Virtual Book Tour in April

"What do you do when you discover your whole life was a lie?...

At twenty-eight, Lacey Gears is exactly where she wants to be as an up-and-coming, proudly Deaf artist in Philadelphia. Then she receives a letter that begins, "You have a sister. A twin, to be eact..."

Learning that her identical, hearing twin, Monica, eperienced the normal childhood she was denied resurrects all of Lacey's grief, and she angrily sets out to find Monica and her biological parents. But the truth about Monica's life, their brief shared past, and the reason for the twins' separation is far from simple..."

Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life, and Everything in Between by Theresa Brown

Publication Date: June 1, 2010

HarperStudio

"At my job, people die, writes Theresa Brown, capturing both the burden and the singular importance of her profession. "Critical Care" chronicles Brown, a former English Professor at Tufts University, on her first year as an RN in medical oncology and the emotional ups and downs she encounters in caring for strangers. In contrast to other medical memoirs that highlight the work of doctors, this book focuses on the critical role played by nurses as health care providers. Brown walks readers through the rigours of chemotherapy, reveals the odd things that can happen to people's bodies in hospitals, and throws in some humour with her chapter titled, Doctors Don't Do Poop. During her first year on the hospital floor, Brown is seriously injured but her recovery allows her to take a new perspective on the health care system, giving her a better understanding of the challenges faced by her patients. Ultimately, "Critical Care" conveys the message of learning to embrace life in times of health and sickness. The antidote to death, Brown says, is life. Brown writes powerfully and honestly about her experiences, shedding light on the issues of mortality and meaning in our lives."

Review: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:43:00 +0000

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Genre: Young Adult

Where I Got It: Around the World Tours

ISBN: ARC 978-0-312-57380-5

246 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

My Thoughts:

Wow - what a powerful book! I read it almost in one sitting! If you've ever wondered about bullying and it's effect on teenagers, this is a book you should pick up. I'm sure many of us have dealt with bullying in one form or another (emotional/physical), so this book is very current in that regard. The book centers around Regina, part of the "Fearsome Fivesome", who is the right-hand of Anna, Queen of the clique. Whatever Anna says to do, the rest of the Fivesome do it. When Regina finds herself as the designated driver at a party, she's not very happy. The night turns worse when something happens that changes the course of her high school life. She becomes ostracized from the Fivesome and soon suffers the consequences of her supposed "betrayal" the night of the party. She is emotionally and physicallly harrassed by her former friends, for something she didn't even do! It was so frustrating to read this book because the reader knows the truth, but Regina is unable to get her former friends to understand. They laugh it off and say she's lying! Very aggravating!! Especially about a very serious situation!

Regina manages to find an unlikely ally in Michael, a boy she used to bully herself. This relationship is a bit odd and awkward, but Regina and Michael are able to help each other in ways we'd never think of. I really enjoyed the scenes with Regina and Michael. The unlikeliness of their friendship pulls you in and you just want them both to find peace and healing.

I wasn't sure if I would like the main character, Regina. She used to be a big-time bully herself, but reading about her "fall from grace", the author was actually able to make me sympathize with the character and her situation.

This is a very fast read and you won't want to put it down once you start! It's a hard book to read since it is about bullying, but I would definitely recommend it.

Review: Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky

Genre: Women's Fiction; Contemporary Fiction

ISBN: 978-0-385-52498-8

338 pages

My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis:

"When Susan Tate's seventeen-year-old daughter, Lily, announces she is pregnant, Susan is stunned. A single mother, she has struggled to do everything right. She sees the pregnancy as an unimaginable tragedy for both Lily and herself.

Then comes word of two more pregnancies among high school juniors who happen to be Lily's best friends-and the town turns to talk of a pact. As fingers start pointing, the most ardent criticism is directed at Susan. As principal of the high school, she has always been held up as a role model of hard work and core values. Now her detractors accuse her of being a lax mother, perhaps not worthy of the job of shepherding impressionable students. As Susan struggles with the implications of her daughter's pregnancy, her job, financial independence, and long-fought-for dreams are all at risk.

The emotional ties between mothers and daughters are stretched to breaking in this emotionally wrenching story of love and forgiveness. Once again, Barbara Delinsky has given us a powerful novel, one that asks a central question: What does it take to be a good mother?"

My Thoughts:

What if your 17 year old daughter announced that she was pregnant? How would you react?

What if two of your daughter's best friends also announced that they were pregnant? That the three of them formed a "pregnancy pact" so their children would be best friends like they are and like their mothers are. What would you do?

This novel explore that very issue. Set in the small town of Zaganack, Maine, Susan Tate is the school principal and a respected member of the community. She has come a long way from her youth, when her parents basically disowned her when she become pregnant at 17. Susan has worked very hard to be a good mother to her daughter, Lily, and to make something of her life. When Lily announces that she is pregnant and will not reveal the father, Susan is dumbfounded. "Good" mothers don't let their daughters get pregnant! As Susan struggles with the aftermath of Lily's announcement, we learn that Lily's two best friends, Mary Kate and Jess, are also pregnant. The three well-respected, high achieving, college-bound girls, all decided to get pregnant at the same time so they could raise their babies together.

Yep - a pregnancy pact among 17 year old high school girls. Scary to think about, isn't it?

Told primarily from Susan's point-of-view, we also get brief passages from Susan's best friends, who are the mothers of the other girls who are part of the pregnancy pact. As principal, Susan is under fire from the community, with her job and reputation on the line; her morals questioned; and her parenting under a microscope. This story is about mothers and daughters and what defines a "good" mother.

I really enjoyed this book. It will drive you crazy. The reasons the girls gave for wanting to get pregnant together were just silly. They never considered any of the outcomes of that decision and the effect it would have on their lives and the lives of their families. The ending was tidied up quite nicely, but a bit predictably. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of women's fiction.

Author Interview: Julia Hoban

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Yesterday, I reviewed Willow by Julia Hoban. This book chronicles the life of seventeen year old Willow, who is trying to cope with the tragic death of her parents through the self-destructive behavior of cutting.

I was lucky enough to have the author, Julia Hoban, answer some questions about the book and about writing in general! Without further ado, here it is!

What inspired you to write WILLOW?

I wanted to write a book for all of us with self destructive urges, a book that would take one person from a place of self harm to a place of healing, and in doing so possibly make people question their own damaging behaviors. I chose to make Willow a cutter because it is a very dramatic and obvious form of self injury, but it could just as easily have been a book about overeating or doing drugs, or even something as innocent as watching too much television.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?  

In fact there is, and if you don’t mind, I’m going to quote a reviewer who said it better than I ever could: “The essential and uplifting message of WILLOW is that not every problem can be solved, but there is no bad situation that cannot be improved.” That’s really what WILLOW is about. I like to say it’s not a book about cutting so much as it is a book about healing, about redemption, and about coming to terms with tragedy.

What was the hardest part of writing WILLOW?

The part that I found most difficult may sound a bit surprising. I didn’t really struggle with the cutting scenes at all. As I have said in other interviews, while I have never been a cutter, I have certainly felt that sense of despair, that isolation, that absolute inability to process feelings in the correct way. With that in mind, the hardest scene for me to write, by far, was the one where Willow finally lets go and allows herself to feel the emotional pain that she has been blocking throughout the novel.

Did you learn anything from writing WILLOW? What was it?

Well, really, I would say what I learned working on WILLOW was how to be a writer, how to apply the discipline and work ethic I had in other areas. Prior to writing WILLOW I went to grad school in physics and philosophy. I don’t know that pondering those subjects helped me much with WILLOW. But, I do believe that doing an independent study in quantum mechanics was a huge breakthrough for me as a writer and as a person. Now when I was in grad school I wrote romance novels under a pseudonym. I had a certain facility for that type of book. I needed it too, as many of them were written under deadlines of a few weeks. However, as much as I loved doing them, and as good a training as they were for more serious writing, they were things that I just tossed off in a rather cavalier manner. I didn’t work at them as assiduously as I should. In fact I didn’t really work very hard at anything until quantum mechanics. That was probably the most challenging thing I ever did, and while I don’t know how much I really took in as regards quantum, I can say that I really learned how to work. The way I worked on WILLOW was vastly different than the way I had worked on my romances, and I couldn’t have done it without struggling through quantum mechanics first. So even though I’d written many romances, WILLOW was really a breakthrough in the writing process.

Are you currently working on another novel? Can you share any details with us?

I am working on something else, thank you for asking! I’m way too superstitious to share many details, but I can tell you two things: one) it is as different from WILLOW as could possibly be imagined, and two) the other day after completing three thousand words, and reaching a climactic point in the story, my computer went crazy and jettisoned the entire days work. I’m surprised I have to tell you, as I assumed that everyone in the known universe heard my screams!

When and why did you begin writing?

1) I don’t know that I ever sat down and said “I want to be a writer.” It’s more that the time came when I could no longer avoid making that choice. I’ve been writing since I could hold a crayon, and in fact submitted my first “professional” effort at the age of eight. I entered a poem in a contest --- and came in 39th out of a field of 40. But although I always wrote and always wanted to write, I had several detours on the way to working as a professional. As I said earlier, I went to grad school in physics and philosophy, which although fascinating was not the most direct route towards becoming a writer…. I tell you all this to encourage those among your readers who themselves are considering a writing career, but who haven’t yet made the jump. That’s OK! Not everyone is able to pursue their dreams right away. Sometimes life gets in the way, practical decisions have to be made, or the idea of following an unconventional path seems too daunting. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t ever be able to make that choice, and in fact, sometimes the paths that you take on the way to that choice (in my case physics) will be of greater use to you than you realize.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Any day now…..

Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?

Everything! But really I would say the most difficult thing for me is sticking with it when things aren’t working. Gertrude Stein had a wonderful line about a young writer, she said “he has the syrup, but it doesn’t pour.” We (I) may have the syrup, the inspiration, but that doesn’t mean that the details are always forthcoming, that I know how to get from A to B, it’s being willing to stare at the bare screen and working through those points that are the most challenging.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

So many people write to me and tell me that they want to write, but that they’re too afraid, they don’t feel like their thoughts are worthy of being put down on paper. You know what I say to that? EVERYBODY feels that way, everybody who has something worthwhile to say, that is! I’ll give you an example: Van Gogh wrote to his brother that he didn’t think he was worthy to paint in oils. Van Gogh! The man who forever transformed oil painting! I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you’re discouraged, if you’re beset by self doubt, don’t let it get you down. You’re in good company!

What book are you reading now?

I should try and impress you and come up with some really advanced work on Quantum Mechanics, but the fact is when I’m working on a book, I can only read the cheesiest most embarrassing romances!

Finally, if you were to interview yourself what question would you ask, and how would you answer it?

Q) You say that you wrote WILLOW for those of us with self destructive urges, that it is a book about the redemptive power of love. All well and good, but do you really think that a book, any book, can help someone with such severe problems?

A) Absolutely. I can tell you from personal experience that I count many books as good and trusted friends, that there are books that have helped me through the deepest despair and through intense loneliness. Now WILLOW may not be a book that speaks to everyone, but if someone is able to learn from it, to question why they might treat themselves as less than they should, then this author will have truly done her job.

Thank you for your time and I am looking forward to reading more books from you in the future!

WILLOW is now available in paperback, so be sure to pick up your copy!

Review: Willow by Julia Hoban

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:50:00 +0000

Willow by Julia Hoban

Genre: Young Adult

ISBN:

xxx pages

The paperback edition was just released this week!!
Click here to get your copy!

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Synopsis:

"Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen-year- old Willow’s parents drank too much wine and asked her to drive them home. They never made it—Willow lost control of the car and her parents died in the accident. Now she has left behind her old home, friends, and school, and blocks the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when Willow meets Guy, a boy as sensitive and complicated as she is, she begins an intense, life-changing relationship that turns her world upside down.

Told in an arresting, fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her."

My Thoughts:

I'm not quite sure where to begin with this review. This book is about a teenager named Willow who feels responsible for her parents' tragic death. To cope with the emotional pain, Willow begins cutting herself. Cutting is a topic that I know very little about. Before reading this book, I couldn't understand why someone would want to mutilate their body by cutting themselves. It seemed more like suicidal behavior than anything else. After reading this book, I have a greater understanding of the emotional pain and turmoil that leads someone to cutting -- and it's not suicidal behavior at all.

Willow was behind the wheel when a tragic accident took the lives of her parents. Stumbling through life post-accident, Willow becomes estranged from her older brother, David, whom she finds herself living with after the accident. Feeling that he blames her for their parents' deaths, Willow retreats into herself, trying to deal with the emotions the best way she knows how -- through cutting.

One day at her job at the library, Willow meets Guy. He soon discovers her secret, but instead of running the other way, he does everything he can to help her. The development of this relationship is very sweet and I really enjoyed reading it. Through this relationship, we see the healing power of love.

This book is so much more than a young adult novel of teenage angst. It is not an easy book to read. It is raw and emotional and the cutting scenes were hard to read (for me, anyway!). I know this review isn't doing the book justice, but I just don't know how to describe the emotions this book brought out in me. It's definitely a book I would recommend.

Giveaway Winner: The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer (signed)

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:13:00 +0000

The randomizer has spoken! Congratulations Cheryl Free!!!

Please respond to my notification e-mail from Contestmachine within 48 hours!

Thank you to everyone who entered!! And, again, thank you to Michael Palmer for providing a signed copy for giveaway!

Last day to enter to win a signed copy of THE LAST SURGEON!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:22:00 +0000

My giveaway for a SIGNED copy of THE LAST SURGEON by Michael Palmer ends TODAY!! Click HERE to get your entry!!

Book Giveaway: Try Darkness by James Scott Bell

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:29:00 +0000

Try Darkness by James Scott Bell

Follow on Twitter:

@jamesscottbell

@centerstreet

Ty Buchanan is living on the peaceful grounds of St. Monica's, far away from the glamorous life he led as a rising trial lawyer for a big L.A. firm. Recovering from the death of his fiancée and a false accusation of murder, Buchanan has found his previous ambitions unrewarding.

Now he prefers offering legal services to the poor and the under-represented, from his "office" at local coffee bar The Freudian Sip. A mysterious woman with a six year old daughter comes to him for help. She's being illegally evicted from a downtown transient hotel, an interest represented by his old law firm and former best friend, Al Bradshaw. Buchanan won't back down. He's going to fight for the woman's rights.

But then she ends up dead, and the case moves from the courtroom to the streets. Determined to find the killer and protect the little girl, who has no last name and no other family, Buchanan finds he must depend on skills he never needed in the employ of a civil law firm.

Enter for your chance to win 1 of 3 copies!!
The contest is open to residents of US or Canada only!
No PO Boxes!

The contest will end on March 7!

Thank you to Hachette Books for offering this great giveaway! Just fill out your name and e-mail address in the form below and you are entered! That's it! Good Luck!!

And the Emmy goes to.....

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:59:00 +0000

Ok, so it's really not an Emmy, but it's the book blogger version of the Emmy, right?! That's what I'm telling myself! LOL

The Prolific Blogger Award

Thank you so much to Laura from Library of Clean Reads for honoring me with this award! Blogging is a huge commitment and I really enjoy sharing my love of reading with others. I'm so glad you enjoy my little part of the blogosphere!

So what is this award all about? Hazra from Advance Booking, who came up with this award, says it is for "all those prolific bloggers, who read voraciously, blog tirelessly and have made the blogging community such a vibrant place. This award is in recognition of their achievements and their enthusiasm. They are the people who keep me going!"

A Prolific Blogger is one who is intellectually productive… keeping up an active blog that is filled with enjoyable content.

Here are the rules:

1. Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers. Spread some love!

2. Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award.

3. Every Prolific Blogger must link back to the original post, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.

4. Every Prolific Blogger must add his/her name in the Mr. Linky, which is found on the original post so that we all can get to know the other winners. (Click here for the Mr. Linky page.)

I'm not sure how to choose just 7 bloggers, but here goes!!

My 7 awardees are.... ((drumroll please))

1. Marce of Tea Time with Marce (pssst.. while you are there, check out her 100 follower contest!)

2. Diane of Bibliophile by the Sea (enter to win Chris Bohjalian's new book, Secrets of Eden!)

3. Michelle of Red Headed Book Child

4. Shellie of Layers of Thought

5. Steph of StephtheBookworm

6. Jenny of Take Me Away Reading

7. Lori of Lori's Reading Corner (enter to win The Red Thread by Ann Hood - 5 star book!)

"Waiting On" Wednesday: February 17, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books)) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:07:00 +0000

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection this week is:

The Season of Second Chances: A Novel by Diane Meier

Publication Date: March 30, 2010

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.

Genre: Women's Fiction, General Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

"A world of possibilities opens up for Joy Harkness when she sets out on a journey that’s going to show her the importance of friendship, love, and what makes a house a home

Coming-of-age can happen at any age. Joy Harkness had built a university career and a safe life in New York, protected and insulated from the intrusions and involvements of other people. When offered a position at Amherst College, she impulsively leaves the city, and along with generations of material belongings, she packs her equally heavy emotional baggage. A tumbledown Victorian house proves an unlikely choice for a woman whose family heirlooms have been boxed away for years. Nevertheless, this white elephant becomes the home that changes Joy forever. As the restoration begins to take shape, so does her outlook on life, and the choices she makes over paint chips, wallpaper samples, and floorboards are reflected in her connection to the co-workers who become friends and friendships that deepen. A brilliant, quirky, town fixture of a handyman guides the renovation of the house and sparks Joy’s interest to encourage his personal and professional growth. Amid the half-wanted attention of the campus’s single, middle-aged men, known as 'the Coyotes,”and the legitimate dramas of her close-knit community, Joy learns that the key to the affection of family and friends is being worthy of it, and most important, that second chances are waiting to be discovered within us all."

What is your Waiting On pick this week?