HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY BOOK #4

Congratulations to Charlotte! Winner of Holiday Countdown Book #5 With Just one Click by Amanda Strong!!!


How the giveaway will work. Each Monday over the next five weeks I will count up from 5 listing my top 5 choices for books that I believe would make great gifts. Each Monday you will be able to enter for your chance to win a copy of that week's book plus by entering you are also entered into the grand prize giveaway for all five books. For every week you comment you get an additional entry for the grand prize giveaway. So if you comment on all five books, you get your name listed five times into the drawing for the grand prize. Good-luck!

Narrowing down all the books I read to a list of five was no easy feat. I wanted five books I enjoyed and books I felt would be a great gift to give or receive for a large number of people.

So what is book #4?

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY BOOK #4

THE FIRST HUSBAND

By Laura Dave

Here is my review from earlier this year:

 Annie Adams has spent her entire life moving around. It’s no surprise when she lands a job traveling the world writing a syndicated travel column. She is living with good looking long term boyfriend, Nick and their dog. Nick’s career as a film director is about to take off. They seem to have it all…or so Annie thought. Nick pulls the rug under her when he reveals he has reconnected with an old flame and needs to see where it leads. Reeling over his announcement, her best friend Jordan tells her to go have fun. He’ll be back! Feeling as if she has no idea how to be fun, Jordan tells her to be the opposite of herself…and she does exactly that.

Three months later, Annie is living in a small Massachusetts town married to Griffin. She took her friends advice all right. Suddenly, Annie is in a world she has never known. Her brother-in-law and his twin sons live with them, her new mother-in-law appears to wish Griffin had chosen his once upon a time long term girlfriend that oops Griffin forgot to mention how long they dated! Could their marriage really just be a rebound relationship for both of them?  Jordan thinks so and so does Nick who comes back to claim the women and the life he wants back.

All this sends Annie moving, the only thing that feels safe to her. She has to ask herself who is the man she is really meant to spend her life with.

The story itself was not all that different than other books I’ve read. But what this book has is the protagonist, Annie do some self exploring. She asked herself some tough questions and looked for real answers. She had a best friend giving her advice counter to what I would have said to her—something I can’t say I’ve seen a lot of. Usually the best friend acts as an agent of the readers, I found this completely refreshing! This is a book that has everything a good book should have and more.

I have heard fabulous things about Laura Dave. This was my first Laura Dave book, and it did not disappoint. This was such a great book and I know I’m going to be reading Laura Dave’s books from here on out. Not only am I going to recommend this book, but I’ll go one further and say if you can’t get your hands on a copy of this book read one of her others! This isn’t just a good book this is a good author.

Make sure to comment below with your email address for your chance to win a copy of Laura's book. The Holiday Countdown Giveaway is for US residents only. Sorry!

****This giveaway will close on December 4 midnight EST. I will announce the winner and notify them on Monday. The winner will have 48hours to respond with their address or a new winner will be chosen.By commenting below you will also be entered for your chance to win all 5 books in the Holiday Countdown Giveaway.****

ESCAPE by Barbara Delinsky

Emily Aulenbach is a New York attorney. She and her lawyer husband are paying their dues working long hard hours until they can move up the ladder. Emily had dreams of becoming a lawyer to help people, but is now working for a firm helping a corporation. She begins one morning just like any other morning when suddenly it’s all just too much. She feels she is more connected to technology than she is to the people in her life and she has had enough. She has enough and leaves work one day, goes home and packs a bag. As she is getting ready to go out the door she stops to pick up a letter, it’s a letter from her former lover, Jude. The letter tells her he is coming back to Bell Valley, after ten years of being gone. She walks out the door and gets in the car.

When Emily leaves she isn’t sure where she is going, but she knows she needs to get away. She loves her husband, James, but feels very disconnected from him lately. She finds herself headed back to Bell Valley where she escaped years ago. It’s a reconnection with her old college roommate, Vicki that gives her a safe place to reevaluate what she wanted and still wants out of her life. Jude true to his word suddenly shows in Bell Valley, but Jude isn’t the only one who shows up there. Can Emily reclaim the idealism she and James seemed to have lost along the way? Or will unfinished feelings for Jude reclaim Emily?

I found myself having a hard time really getting into Escape. The story moved slowly and I thought I knew where it was headed. I had a hard time believing a sensible attorney with a full time job, bills, and a husband could just pack her things and take a break from reality. I also found it hard to believe how accommodating her husband seemed. Don’t get me wrong I can get behind the idea of escaping, it’s just the doing. Once the story moves beyond that and Emily settles into the routine of life in Bell Valley I found myself enjoying the story more. I could appreciate the sentiment of the story and felt there is a lesson to be learned here.

Overall, I enjoyed Escape. I would recommended it and would look at reading more by Barbara Delinsky.

Can can connect with Barbara

Facebook

Twitter

http://barbaradelinsky.com/

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY BOOK #5

How the giveaway will work. Each Monday over the next five weeks I will count up from 5 listing my top 5 choices for books that I believe would make great gifts. Each Monday you will be able to enter for your chance to win a copy of that week's book plus by entering you are also entered into the grand prize giveaway for all five books. For every week you comment you get your an additional entry for the grand prize giveaway. So if you comment on all five books, you get your name listed five times into the drawing for the grand prize. Good-luck!

Narrowing down all the books I read to a list of five was no easy feat. I wanted five books I enjoyed and books I felt would be a great gift to give or receive for a large number of people. Book #5 was really between two books. I ended up making my choice because I felt the book would appeal to a larger group of people due to it's content.

So what is book #5?

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY BOOK #5

WITH JUST ONE CLICK 

by Amanda Strong

Here is my review written earlier this year.

The lives of three women are drastically changed after they decide to sign-up for the social networking site, Facebook. Amanda Strong explores the ‘what if’s’ most people have thought about as they enter the social networking world, but never succumb too. The lives of Chloe, Morgan and Brynn explore what happens when your past friend requests your present life.

Chloe, an up and coming movie reviewer in New York, surrenders to her roommate and good friend Bianca and finally creates a Facebook profile. Slowly gaining the all important friends and enjoying stalking their lives she receives the most shocking friend request. Kyle Woodward. Kyle, her first love, the teenage boy she gave her virginity to, the boy who broke her heart. To accept or decline was the question. Chloe accepts his friendship request and Kyle comes back into her life. Chloe opens those old wounds as the relationship goes from highs to lows.

Morgan, stay-at-home mom of two little sweethearts enjoys posting with the instant feedback of friends and ability to post pictures of her family on Facebook. She convinces her husband to sign-up for Facebook too. After he does, his ex-girlfriend Julie makes her way onto his friend list and she just loves to post semi-suggestive comments. When Morgan presses her husband to delete her, he doesn’t and red flags are raised. She finds herself stalking him and hacking into his account causing him to defriend his own wife.

Brynn is also a stay-at-home mom. Her kids are in high school and no longer need her as much and the distance between her and her husband seems to be growing. After finding Facebook, she gets a friend request from her bad boy ex-boyfriend from high school. Slowly little comments, turn into online chats, until ex-boyfriend Timothy asks her to meet him for coffee. He’s been nothing but a respectful and supportive friend as she tries to decide what’s next. She begins relying on his online semi-real friendship more than her real life friends.

To know me is to know I love Facebook. Strongs’ exploration of taking the Facebook what if’s and really allowing those stories to be explored, was fascinating to me. The three stories are separate (or are they). I was completely engrossed. I enjoyed reading each of these women’s’ stories.

I felt Chloe’s story was slightly predictable, but suddenly as the book was drawing to a close I was no longer sure it would end the way I wanted it too. I related mostly to Morgan. I could see myself becoming the crazed stalker wife and my husband would respond similarly to her’s. Now I had a hard time relating to Brynn. I actually am very careful, not to look backwards. I kept waiting for her to realize she was headed for trouble. I believe the combination of the three stories together showed how easily and innocently Facebook or any social networking site can, without a doubt change everything about your real life with just one click. 

I loved this book. It was funny, witty, and touching. I didn’t want to put this book down. I thought the ending was perfect. I am a fan of Amanda Strong and I highly recommend her book.

Make sure to comment below with your email address for your chance to win a copy of Amanda's book. The Holiday Countdown Giveaway is for US residents only. Sorry! 

****This giveaway will close on November 27 midnight EST. I will announce the winner and notify them on Monday. The winner will have 48hours to respond with their address or a new winner will be chosen. By commenting below you will also be entered for your chance to win all 5 books in the Holiday Countdown Giveaway.****

Love on the Big Screen By William J. Torgerson

Zuke believes he has a grasp on how love works, he has watched and studied just about every 80s movie flick out there. Zuke is a sophomore at a Nazarene college, on the basketball team—albeit a bench warmer, and English major. You would think as an English major he loves reading/writing…well no a beautiful girl named, Abby is an English major and so Zuke signed up for the same major in order to get to know her better—it’s what Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything would do.

With his good friends, the Brothers in Pursuit, they seek God, Knowledge, compassion and most importantly women. Through the ups and downs of relationships, love and the intricacy of life Zuke learns everything he learned in the movies is nothing like real life.

I couldn’t help but like Zuke. He was so much the everyman underdog character. In those great 80s movies growing up (yes yes I just aged myself) I always loved the Farmer Ted/Lloyd Dobler’s of the movies. I couldn’t help but feel like I was getting a rare glimpse into the male psyche, while reading Love on the Big Screen. This book would have sure helped when I was in high school!

All joking aside, I did enjoy reading Love on the Big Screen. For me, I thought it had a slow start, but the more I got to know Zuke and his friends the more I enjoyed it. Once Zuke, started waking up and realizing how love in the movies is very different than real life I liked him even more. More than anything I really enjoyed the ending. The ending was all about being real and not a ‘movie’ type ending. The only real negative was a guy humor. Not really my thing, but that might be because I’m a girl. A definite lighthearted read.

Get to know William Torgerson by visiting him
Website: William J. Torgerson
Facebook: Love on the Big Screen

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN

Happy Holidays

I don't know about you, but I've been noticing Christmas music playing in the stores and I am suddenly feeling the rush to start buying! I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving already and I have yet to buy a turkey! My sister and her family are planning a trip here for Thanksgiving and I can't wait to do some black Friday shopping! I've been slowly putting together some Christmas lists and you know the closer it gets to the holidays the list of who to buy for grows! All those last minute gifts to buy especially when you are just out of ideas or when people ask you what you want and you just stare at them thinking, "I just want to be done". Well I was thinking I'm sure I'm not alone in need of ideas, so I thought I'd make a list of a few books I've reviewed that I think would make good gifts. A fun countdown till Christmas?

I want the giveaway to get us almost to Christmas, because I want you to have time to still shop or order these books.

Then I thought, I'd love to giveaway each book I list in the countdown, the week I listed it.

Then I thought wouldn't it be great to also do one big giveaway with all 5 books I list...

So I talked to the five lovely authors whose books are going to be on the list, and they have said they'd LOVE to be apart of such a giveaway!!!

So come back Monday to find out find out what book #5 is, and to enter for your chance to win a copy of it!!!

THE FIVE W’S Of Terri Giuliano Long + Giveaway

I am so excited to have Terri Giuliano Long joining us here on A Novel Review today! Terri is the bestselling author of the award-winning novel In Leah’s Wake. In August of this year, In Leah's Wake  hit the Barnes & Noble and Amazon bestseller lists. Please join me in getting to know:

The 5W's of Terri Giuliano Long

Who?

First, I’m a wife and mom. I enjoy nothing more than hanging out with my family. They make me laugh, they bring tremendous joy to my life and they teach me so much! I also love walking, hiking, and skiing. True to my Italian-American heritage, I love cooking. For an amateur, I can hold my own in the kitchen.

Professionally, I lecture at Boston College, where I’ve taught creative and nonfiction writing for 16 years. I’ve also written copy for marketing, advertising and public relations, edited technical articles for trade journals, and edited a small trade magazine. In Leah’s Wake is my first novel. I’m currently at work on a psychological thriller called Nowhere to Run. I hope to finish this year.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?

I’m a passionate traveller and foodie. My husband, Dave, and I have had the good fortunate of visiting many beautiful, interesting places. I love ethnic foods and I’m fairly gutsy when it comes to trying new dishes. In Beijing, a few years ago, we went to a tiny restaurant with two students. The restaurant was a local spot, as opposed to a tourist trap, the menu written in Chinese, so they ordered for us. When the steaming bowl arrived, I dipped my chopsticks into the stew – and pulled out a frog. The head had been removed, thank goodness, but the body was fully intact. I realize that a lot of people eat frog; this was actually green. I thought Dave would gag when I ate it. To his credit, he didn’t.

I were not a fiction writer and teacher, I could see myself an international food writer.

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always been a writer at heart. As a child, I entertained myself by making up stories and acting in my own improvisational plays. In high school, the majority of my hobbies and activities somehow involved writing. One day, brazenly, I walked into the editor’s office at the town paper and asked for a job. For a while, I covered sports and general high school news. Eventually, the editor gave me my own column. I was sixteen. That column was my first paid writing job. I earned about a dollar a week – and I knew then that writing was the only job I’d ever want.

WHERE? Where do you write?

I’m easily distracted, so I need a quiet place to write, preferably with no Internet access. On the Internet, I tend to fall into a rabbit hole and I can lose the entire day I’d hoped to spend writing.

Oddly enough, I write well on planes. With children living on both coasts, my husband and I frequently travel cross-country. On a long flight, you’re trapped; to maintain space, most people disappear into their own world – watch TV, read, work on their iPad – so, in a sense, though surrounded by people, you’re alone. I relax and my mind opens up  - I’ve come up with a lot of good ideas, and written quite a few first drafts on planes.

When conditions are less than perfect – for most of us they often are – I read. Reading relaxes me enough to write. For others, walking, meditating, listening to music can help.

WHY? Why do you write?

I write because I’m curious. I have an itch that needs scratching or a problem I need to resolve. I observe someone or something, an event, and I want to figure out what happened or why.

In my creative work, I write almost exclusively about family. Families fascinate me. While my stories differ—I’m currently working on a psychological thriller with a historical twist—they always tie back to the family, the ways we love, yet often hurt one another, the grief, the sorrow, the revelation, the joy. Most readers connect with these stories. Many readers – some I’ve met in person; others I’ve never met – have said In Leah’s Wake feels real, the problems complex. They’ve been there – as a parent or a teen. They feel as if they know these characters and they care about them. I think of writing as a dialogue between author and reader. For me, this ability to reach out and connect with people is the most important reason for writing.

I can’t imagine not writing. Writing transports me; I lose myself in the process. 

here is the trailer to In Leah's Wake

You want to read it now, don't you? I know I do! Well how cool is this,Terri has offered to giveaway two signed books with bookmarks and three ebooks! And this giveaway is International! Giveaway is open until November 29, midnight EST. Number of chances to win a copy!

+1 leave your email address in the comment post--make sure you mention if you only want to be in the drawing for a hard copy!!!

+1 be a follower (put this in a second comment post)

+1 subscribe to A Novel Review by email subscription (put this in an additional comment post)

+1 if you are friends with A Novel Review on facebook (put this in an additional comment post)

+1 if you follow A Novel Review on Twitter (put this in an additional comment post)

+2 if you post about this giveaway on your facebook (put this in an additional comment post)

+2 if you post about this giveaway on twitter make sure to @anovelreview1 (put this in an additional comment post)

Good luck everyone!

Want to get to know Terri more?

Website: www.tglong.com

Blog: www.tglong.com/blog

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tglong

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tglongwrites

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

The year is 1942 and the country is at war. Twenty-one year old, Anne Calloway is about to marry a man she has known all her life. As Anne prepares to walk down the aisle, she begins to question the life set before her. Her best friend Kitty announces she has enlisted to serve as a nurse and is headed to the Pacific island of Bora-Bora to serve. Anne believes this is her chance to make sure she is about to choice the right life for herself. So Anne heads to Bora-Bora with Kitty.

Shortly after arriving, Anne meets a handsome soldier named Westry. Anne and Westry find an abandoned bungalow on the beach and they begin the processes of repairing it. While repairing the bungalow, they would leave each other little notes in and over time their friendship turns to romance. Then one evening everything changes when a shocking crime occurs. Anne’s tour is over and Westry is being redeployed. Yet the mystery of what happened that night is still lingering. Will they find each other again, was their love the sort of love that stands the test of time and war? You need to read it yourself to find out, but I promise you will be glad you did.

 I’m not sure about anyone else, but when I read I see the story in my head. Some books are more real than others. Sometimes they are even a little hazy and I get moments of focus. For me, The Bungalow was an old black and white movie straight out of my grandparent’s generation. I was swept away by Jio’s vivid descriptions and I loved every minute of it. I honestly could visualize the entire book! Once again, I couldn’t put Sarah’s book down! Thank goodness I mostly read after the kids went to bed because I was so engrossed in the story I lost track of time. I finished The Bungalow in a day.

When the story was over, I was left with a few questions. At first this really bothered me, but truthfully it makes the whole story more realistic. When in real life is everything tied up nice and pretty? Almost never. When the story ended, I was sad. I wanted more—I didn’t want to leave these characters. I will now have to sit on my hands and wait for Jio’s next novel to be published.

An absolute definite recommend! I recall after I read Sarah’s first book, The Violets of March, saying it was my favorite book. I think after reading The Bungalow I can say Sarah Jio is my favorite contemporary writer. 

http://www.sarahjio.com/

With a Little Luck By Caprice Crane + Giveaway

Berry Lambert is a late night DJ who is as superstitious as they come. She has rules upon rules of does and do nots when it comes to her life. And anyone who is superstitious knows bad things happen in threes, so when guy one and two are disastrous she is ready for guy number three to be a failure. Against her better judgment she falls for guy number three anyway. When out of the blue she meets a guy who seems absolutely ‘right’ for her, heck he even sports a tattoo of a four leaf clover! Berry finds herself not sure what to believe anymore and realizes maybe it’s time for a change. Will she take a chance on love or hold out on luck?

With a Little Luck starts off with the first few chapters letting you get to know how deeply superstitious Berry is and for me I started getting bored. I just wasn’t sure I was going to keep reading, but Crane is a very witty writer and was keeping me just enough entertained. I am so glad I did keep reading because once the story took off I was hooked! I really fell for Berry and all her little quarks and was routing for her the whole time. It seemed she was so aware of all her superstitions, but never really trusted her gut. Here is a sweet character who you can’t help but want to win at life.

This is a definite recommend! If you are looking for a great story with laugh out loud moments here you go! This was my first time reading Caprice Crane and I know I will book looking for her other books!

Are you interested in winning a copy of With a Little Luck? Well it’s your lucky day because I have an extra copy to send to one lucky follower! I’d love for you to share if you have any superstitions or anything you think is lucky! Or just say you want to win! This giveaway is for US residents only (sorry!) and will close November 14 midnight EST. Post  a second comment telling me you are following by email subscription for a bonus entry and let’s see…if you share this giveaway on twitter you can add another entry (please make sure to add @anovelreview1 when you share on twitter!). Good-luck!

I also follow Caprice on Twitter (@capricecrane) and her posts are great for a good laugh during the day! You can get to know more about her on her website http://www.capricecrane.com/

Q&A: THE FIVE W’S Of Jon Reiner + Giveaway

 Diagnosed with Crohn's disease, Jon Reiner suddenly found himself in need of emergency surgery when his intestines tore. The bad news for Jon didn't end there. The doctors told him he would need to be feed intravenously. For three months Jon couldn't eat or drink anything--not only did this change his relationship with food, but changed the way he looked at life.


 The Man Who Couldn't Eat --this is Jon's story.

“An engrossing and candid memoir…fearless and singular.”-Publisher’s Weekly

“I will never take eating for granted again. Wow! What a roller coaster. All I kept thinking was, you cannot be serious! But he was.” – John McEnroe

I am thrilled to have Jon join us here at A Novel Review! I’ve been reading a number of things about Jon lately and getting to know more about his book. When I was asked to host a Q&A with Jon I was excited to get to know more about Jon the man—the writer. The first thing I learned is Jon is a good sport! My apologies, Jon! And yes you are an exotic here!!

Welcome to A Novel Review, Jon! Now let’s get to know:

The Five W’s of Jon Reiner

WHO? Who are you as a writer, women, an idea of who is the man is behind the book?

First off, it’s an honor to be featured on your site.  I see that my gender makes me exotic, and that’s not something I get a lot of.  So, thank you.  I can’t answer the “Who are you as a woman?” question – my photo is a dead giveaway – but I might be able to come close.  I’m a stay-at-home dad for two boys who are 12 and 8 years old, and a husband to a woman who is ageless.  Much of my memoir, The Man Who Couldn’t Eat, focuses on the impact of food and my Nothing-By-Mouth status on my family, and it’s no accident that my editor’s summary comment on the first manuscript was, “More Susan!”  That wasn’t a difficult direction for me to take.  So much of who I am is determined by my wife and kids’ needs and schedules, and my identity as “Teddy and Finn’s dad,” or “Susan’s husband” has a prominent place on the page.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?

I love reading.  I’m a “methodical” (i.e. slow) reader, so I am always horrendously behind-the-curve in getting to everything I want to read.  I’m sure it will be impossible for me to ever catch-up, but I keep buying books.  Yes, I am delusional.  Another great pleasure is exercising.  Writing is so sedentary, after a day of work my spine and shoulders are like a twisty pretzel, and if I can exercise I’m able to feel like a human being again.  I walk, swim, lift weights, and stretch, but it usually requires a chunk of time I don’t have, so I’m always behind in getting to my routine, just like my situation with the books.  Fortunately, my gym has a very forgiving “freeze” policy.

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I can never remember not wanting to be a writer, but it’s taken decades to make good on that ambition.  Or, as Mark Warren, my Esquire editor said when “The Man Who Couldn’t Eat” first appeared in the magazine, “You almost had to die to get published.”  We all suffer for our art, but did mine have to be so literal?  My father is a storyteller, and I inherited the gene. I grew up with him telling us wild Baron Munchausen stories around the fire in Maine, and I've never forgotten them. I've been writing stories since I was a kid.

WHERE? Where do you write?

Often times, sitting up in bed, as I am right now.  If I’m working long stretches, I need to keep my legs elevated, and the bed or our living room couch are the only places to do that in our apartment.  We don’t have a study or spare room.  The bed is also a great workspace for spreading out notes and books.  Susan has tried to convince me that working in bed isn’t great psychologically – that the encroachment of work into our place of rest contributes to my occasional insomnia – but there’s a healthy precedent.  Look how productive Brian Wilson was in bed.  O.K., maybe that’s not the best example.  My other favorite place to write is the reading room of a library.  I love libraries, and if I’m traveling, I’ll find the local library and be quite at home, as I just did in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles during my book tour.  Much of The Man Who Couldn’t Eat was written in the reading room of the 42^nd Street Library in Manhattan.  Big room, big ideas, big words.

WHY? Why do you write?

Writing is instinctive for me.  If I make an observation or have a thought or if a phrase comes to mind, it’s always in the context of what I’m writing or thinking about writing.  Writing is how I make sense of the world.  And I’m not ashamed to admit I find it very satisfying.  When I’m writing, and I’m engaged in the work, I’m happy.  Sure, I have great fun lying on the beach, grilling outdoors, going to the movies, playing ball, and the life of leisure has its appeal, but, for me, that’s transitory.  Nothing compares to the enduring satisfaction of writing and of having written.  Facing a blank page is an exciting challenge with endless possibilities.  I find great hope in the creative process, and where there’s hope, there’s life.  

His Book (Goodreads):
Jon Reiner was middle-aged, happily married with two children, living on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and acclimating to his role as primary parent-caregiver when he suffered a near-fatal collapse due to complications from his chronic battle with Crohn’s disease. From that point, he was forbidden from eating food, fed intravenously, and denied the pleasures of taste, which, as an award-winning food writer, had been a central part of his life. In The Man Who Couldn't Eat, Reiner reinvents the foodoir, recounting what happens when a man obsessed with food cannot eat,and what happened to his family as a result. Coping with illness, unemployment, and financial ruin spun him into a deep depression, straining his relationship with his wife and children. It was this deprivation, ironically, that forced Jon to recognize what he’d been taking for granted.Eloquent and powerful, this is one man’s journey from deprivation and despair to ultimately acceptance and appreciation of what is truly important.




I am very excited to be able to give one copy of The Man Who Couldn't Eat by Jon Reiner away! If you have a US/Canada address just comment below to be entered into the giveaway. The giveaway will run until November 12 midnight EST.

You can buy your copy now:

Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Your local bookseller

Thank-you so much for joining us here on A Novel Review, Jon. To learn more about Jon you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter or on his website www.jonreiner.com 

Q&A: THE FIVE W’S Of Michele Gorman + Giveaway

I am very excited to introduce Michele Gorman to A Novel Review. Michele has written a new book Single in the City, a UK bestseller. The exciting news is Michele has brought this fantastic new chick lit novel here to the US! So please join me in getting to know:

THE FIVE W’S  Of Michele Gorman 

WHO?

I guess one of my most defining features is my optimism, because it translates into my writing as much as it does in other parts of my life. My stories have happy endings. This optimism is also what allowed me to write my second book after the first one didn’t find an agent, and the third book after the second one didn’t find a publisher, and the fourth book (Single in the City) which found a home with Penguin (UK) and was a best-seller in the UK.

It’s also what’s driving me to self-publish Single in the City in the US, because I believe the US publishers we approached are wrong. They were very nice about it but they said that chick lit fans can’t identify with a book set outside US borders. I have more faith in the book, and I have more belief in chick lit fans.

Humor also plays a big part in my life. I laugh a lot. Often I’m not even laughing at what’s actually happening. I’m laughing at what I imagine is happening. I realize this makes me sound insane, but it’s an excellent skill to have as a writer. I’ve never seen a situation that I haven’t been tempted to embellish upon retelling. So what my parents called lying I now get to call fiction writing!

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?

Relationships are most important to me, so much of my time is spent with my friends and boyfriend. I’m an avid reader, naturally, and while not overly sporty I do like to go for walks and cycle rides, and jogs around the park, and skiing in the winter. Because we have a big circle of friends, a fair amount of time is spent out enjoying London but I’m a homebody at heart. I love my food, so a night in cooking something delicious with friends is my idea of heaven.

I’m also a champion nap-taker and unashamedly have a kip every day that I’m not working in an office (I work part time to fund my writing habit). 

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer. I decided one day that I wanted to get paid for what’s inside my head without having to go into an office. I figured (wrongly) that it would be easy, since I love to read. It took several years though for my ability to catch up with my ambition. So it was a process punctuated by ‘aha’ moments. I remember when I wrote The End on the last page of my first book. That’s when I knew I could do it, so that’s when I knew I could be a writer. It wasn’t till I finished my second book that I knew I would be a writer. That’s when I knew that I’d chosen writing as a career.

WHERE? Where do you write?

I have two favorite writing spots, both in my flat. One is on my squishy sofa, propped up with pillows, cup of coffee within easy reach. But when I want a really serious writing session, I take to my bed. I love my bedroom - it’s covered in swathes of rich fabrics and has huge windows that stream light. Again, I prop myself up on mountains of pillows and bang away on the keyboard.

WHY? Why do you write?

Because I have stories to tell, and hopefully they’re stories that people want to read. I’m not interested in winning the Booker Prize. I write to entertain. I’m lucky enough to have this perspective on the world, and it’s fun to put it into words. I guess that’s what it comes down to. I write because it’s fun. 

Thank-you so much for joining on us here on A Novel Review, Michele! It was great getting to know you! 


About the book:


What happens when you take one twenty six year old American, add to one two thousand year old city, add a big dose of culture clash and stir? Hannah Cumming and the population of London are about to find out.

To think Hannah ever believed that Americans differed from Brits mainly in pronunciation, sophistication and dentistry. That’s been the understatement of a lifetime. She lands upon England’s gentle shores with no job, no friends and no idea how she’s supposed to build the new life she’s dreaming of.

Armed with little more than her enthusiasm, Hannah charges headlong into London, baffling the locals in her pursuit of a new life, new love and sense of herself.

Single in the City was successfully published by Penguin in the UK and its commonwealth territories, debuting at number 8 in The Bookseller’s Fiction Heatseekers bestseller chart.

 Sounds great, doesn't it! Well how about a chance to win an ebook copy! Just leave a comment below with your email address! If you want an extra chance to win sign-up for A Novel Review email subscription! Please let me know in a separate comment if you are following by email. I will pick a winner using random.org. Giveaway ends November 7, midnight EST. Good luck!

Can't wait to read it?? Single in the City is available now in the US!

You can follow Michele on Facebook and Twitter

 http://www.michelegorman.co.uk/Welcome.html

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

I absolutely fell in love with Sarah's first novel The Violets of March and I can't wait for December because her newest book The Bungalow will be out. I just saw the trailer for it this morning and I had to share!!! Anyone else excited?

Starring in the Movie of My Life By Laurel Osterkamp + Giveaway

Starring in the Movie of My Life, goes back and forth between two females. At the beginning there doesn’t seem to be any connection between the two. Samantha and Melody are two very different characters. Samantha is a 35 year old married woman who works at a video store. She is a great friend, who would do just about anything to help someone out and has a fantastic relationship with her father. She is flawed when it comes to her lack of direction for her future and still seems to carry a torch for her ex-boyfriend, Collin-who just happens to be the manager of the apartment complex where her and her husband live.

Melody is a high school senior looking to escape her reality. Melody doesn’t have much going on in the friend department. The one friend she has is Kelsey and Melody really is more interested in using her ‘friend’ than being a friend. Her relationship with her mother is dysfunctional to say the least and as the novel progresses the more manipulative Melody becomes.

These two stories collide one night during a high school dance when Melody is almost raped. Her teacher Mr. Linden comes to Melody’s rescue and she now has her heart set on attaining him. The only problem is, he is married to Samantha.  Melody doesn’t seem to think that is going to be much of a problem once she enacts her five point plan to make him hers. As Melody chips away at making Nate Linden hers, Samantha is going through her own real life drama with her friend in an accident and her dad with a medical issue. Sam’s distractions and baggage makes Melody’s plan all the more easier to implement.

Starring in the Movie of My Life is a story of flawed characters looking to find happiness in their not so perfect lives. The book has dark moments and witty, fun moments. I never really connected to any of the main characters, but I could emphasize with their struggles. I loved how all the characters in the novel have flaws even one that I was expecting. Even the end was unexpected, in my mind. I didn’t always know where the story was going to go and I found it refreshing. Let’s be honest that is how real life works! I am definitely recommending Staring in the Movie of My Life! If you agree with me I have two chances for you to win a copy! Comment below telling me what the name of the movie about your life would be. I have one hard copy to send to someone in the US/Canada and I can offer one electronic copy to anyone (please add to your comment if you are a US/Canadian resident wanting the hard copy)!! The giveaway is open until November 2nd midnight EST. Don’t want to wait to try and win it, well the e-book price is only 99cents right now! Buy it!!!

Good-luck!

Other books by Laurel Osterkamp

Q&A: THE FIVE W’S Of Laurel Osterkamp

Today I'd like to introduce to you, Laurel Osterkamp. I will be reviewing Laurel's book Starring in the Movie of My Life on Tuesday with your chance to win a copy! Thank-you so much for joining us here at A Novel Review, Laurel! Now let's get to know:

THE 5 W'S OF LAUREL OSTERKAMP

WHO? I think so much of who are is defined by our relationships. For me, wife, mother, daughter, and friend are huge parts of who I am. I try to be loving and generous whenever I can. But apart from that, I like to spend my days doing things that matter – either to myself or hopefully to other people. I don’t want to be in my seventies someday and suddenly realize that I’ve been wasting my time.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Spare time … I wish I had more of it! I teach full time, and I have two young children, so my days are pretty busy. However, when I do a spare moment here or there, I enjoy exercise, cooking, reading, and watching movies.

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer? I actually majored in theater in college, and for a long time I wanted to be an actress. I wound up performing with several different comedy groups in Minneapolis, but soon I realized that I enjoyed writing the sketches more than I enjoyed performing in them! When I became a teacher and started a family I no longer had time to do any performing, so I switched to writing novels as my creative outlet.

WHERE? Where do you write? I used to have a room to myself that served as both my office and my closet. However, when my daughter was born we had to move my computer out of that room to make room for her crib. So I bought a lap top and now I sit and the dining room table and write. It’s not as private, but it will do.

WHY? Why do you write? It’s so much fun! I just really enjoy the process of creating characters and situations, and turning them into something I can be proud of. And, there’s nothing better than when readers enjoy and/or relate to what I’ve written.

I want to thank Laurel for joining us here at A Novel Review! Make sure to come back on Tuesday to see what I thought of Starring in the Movie of My Life and your chance to win a copy!!!

To get to know Laurel better you can visit her website at: http://laurel.pmibooks.com/

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I normally post book reviews on my blog, but I know in a number of my reviews I have mentioned how a book touches me or brings up feelings about my past. Today, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I would like to share a personal story with you.

Snow is falling and the sky is gray, hard to believe its April. I stand outside in the cold letting the snow fall on my face hoping somehow it’ll wake me up from the nightmare I am living. I want to breathe, but I can’t seem to remember how. A single tear escapes my eye. No. No, if I cry it makes the nightmare real. Somebody talk to me… anybody. My husband holds my hand and opens the door. I walk inside. There is faint organ music playing in the background, gloomy and depressing. I hate it here. I want to leave, but instead I walk into the small room where the rest of my family is. I smile. I am brave. I look straight ahead and walk. I walk forward and I see my mom. I go to her and rub my hand to her cheek and smile at her. I wonder if she is proud of me. I wonder if she knows how much I love her. My little nephew suddenly runs up to her and starts patting her shoulder, “Grandma, Grandma wake up” The world around me starts to crumble. I feel something inside of me waking up, but I don’t want to wake it up…I feel it trying to break free from my control. People start to arrive. Good. I have it under control again. I talk to people. I can’t get over how many people are here. It’s so nice. I smile I even laugh. Suddenly, we are ushered away into another room and we are being lined up. It feels like a wedding. We come back out to where my mom is waiting for us to take her into the sanctuary. I walk forward. Oh no. Oh no, they didn’t. What did they do? Why? Why? Why? They closed her in the box. She won’t be able to breathe in there!!! I move forward I want to stop this from happening, but it’s starting to crack. No. I can’t breathe it hurts to bad, nothing has ever hurt so bad. My heart feels as if it’s been pierced by a scalding hot knife. Someone screams. It’s the most agonizing scream I’ve ever heard…it’s pitiful and full of mourning, it’s my voice—I am screaming. My mom is gone. My beautiful mom, my best friend, my safe place. My mom is gone. I am empty. I am broken. I fall to the ground.

I can recall a number of conversations between myself and my mom about the importance of a yearly mammogram. She refused to get one. There is a small part of me which is still angry at her for not going in and having a mammogram done. I look at my girls and know I will not miss a mammogram.