Thanks to everyone who entered the drawing for Don't Know Much About ... Anything Else by Kenneth C. Davis. Random.org chose the winner - it is:

Patrick from Mammoth Advertising sent me an extra copy of Blindness by Nobel Prize-winning author Jose Saramago. The movie will be coming out on Wednesday, and it looks excellent. You can watch trailers and get more info on the movie's official website. Since I haven't had time to read the novel yet, I'll give you the blurb from the back of the book:

A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" that spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations and assaulting women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides seven strangers - among them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tears - through the barren streets, and the procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing. A magnificent parable of loss and disorientation and a vivid evocation of the horrors of the twentieth century, Blindness is a powerful portrayal of man's worst appetites and weaknesses - and man's ultimately exhilarating spirit.

Kind of gives you goosebumps, huh?

The second book I'm giving away is J. Scott Savage's Farworld: Water Keep, the first in a new YA fantasy series. Many of you have reviewed this one, so it probably doesn't need much of an introduction. Basically, it's the story of two unlikely heroes who embark on a dangerous quest to unite the elements of water, fire, land and air - all in an effort to save two very different, but very connected, worlds. I really enjoyed the read. My review will be up today or tomorrow. I'll also be interviewing the author in the near future, so watch for that. Scott is giving away a signed ARC of his book, so if you haven't won a copy yet, you're going to want to enter.

*Both contests are open only to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Publishers won't ship overseas. Sorry :(

As always, there are more reviews and giveaways to come, so stay tuned!

Okay, I realize I SOOO should not have made any announcements (however veiled) on this blog. LOL. I have been telling my husband not to spread the news around, because it is not certain and adoptions can always fall through, but here goes: we have found our baby. It's going to be a closed adoption, so I feel like I shouldn't say much about the circumstances. Suffice it to say, the birthmom is due December 16 and we are VERY excited. The lawyer's office is working on drawing up a contract that is comfortable for everyone involved. Once it's perfect, we will sign and pay 10% of the fees. It's exciting, but nerve-wracking. We're trying not to get our hopes up too high, because the birthmom can always change her mind. Nothing is ever sure with adoption, so we're keeping our fingers and toes crossed that this will work out for us. Wish us luck :)

Speaking of adoption, Stephanie (who adopted a beautiful girl from China and was very generous with advice) is holding a giveaway on her blog. Click here for info on how to win Keeping the House by Ellen Baker.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway - today is the last day! The link is here.

- Don't forget to comment here if you want to win a copy of Don't Know Much About ... Everything Else by Kenneth C. Davis. The contest ends tomorrow at midnight, so be sure to get your name in for the drawing.

- Also, I am completely overbooked with reading challenges, so I'm bowing out of all of them. Yep, I'm wiping the slate clean. I don't know what I was thinking when I committed to reading 200 books this year! Because I'm addicted, I will probably sign up for more in 2009, but the rest of 2008 will be reading challenge-free for me. Sorry to the hosts - I just have too much going on (including potentially GREAT news that will have me very busy around December 16, not to mention the rest of my life). I'm considering deleting my current challenge blog, and creating another one in Wordpress, but who knows??

- As always, I have a humungous stack of ARCs to get through. Authors/Publishers/Publicists: Hang in there - I'm getting to them as fast as I can.

Happy reading, everyone!

August 29, 2005 - We all watched in horror as Hurricane Katrina pummeled New Orleans and surrounding areas. The news ran endless video of people stranded on rooftops, corpses floating in filthy floodwater, homes flattened, and despair etched on every face. Many of us watched the devastation from afar, hearts aching for the desperate residents of Louisiana.

Katrina's survivors have told their stories in every possible medium. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been moved to tears upon hearing their words. Those who are able have spoken, assuring that their heartbreak and courage will never be forgotten. But what of those who can't speak? Who will tell their stories?

When authors Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery heard about Bobbi and Bob Cat, two Katrina survivors, they knew they could act as mouthpieces for the courageous duo. Two Bobbies is the heartwarming result of their collaboration. The picture book recounts the true story of a "wisp of a cat and one puppy" who were left behind to face the storm's wrath on their own. Tethered by a length of chain, Bobbi (the dog) was unable to leave his porch. Bob Cat stayed by his side. When Bobbi finally broke free, the pair wandered the soaked streets of New Orleans looking for food and shelter. Gangs of rabid dogs roamed the streets as well, claiming all scraps for themselves. Bobbi and Bob Cat grew thin from hunger. Finally, four long months later, the pair were rescued by the Best Friends Animal Society. When the shelter's volunteers placed the animals in separate rooms, Bobbi howled in protest, barking and pacing until Bob Cat was once again by his side. Their devotion to one another touched everyone's hearts, and efforts were made to find someone who could care for both Bobbi and Bob Cat. Leaving their damaged city behind, the duo found a home in Oregon, where they could finally be at peace - together, as always.

Two Bobbies tells a sweet, simple story about friendship and survival. It discusses Katrina in a way that is more hopeful than scary, informing kids about disaster while focusing on the courage and love shown by the animals. The characters, illustrated in soft, gentle colors, will grab the reader's attention and steal their hearts clean away. It's impossible not to root for this brave pair and the friendship that saved them both from the ravages of a deadly storm.

I'm the first to admit that I'm no picture book expert. I have my favorites, of course, and they are those that offer unique plots, engaging language, and stories that make me laugh, cry or shout with joy. While I enjoyed Two Bobbies, I didn't quite get the A+ feeling I glean from the masters (Kevin Henkes, Patricia Polacco, Dr. Seuss, etc.), but I still think it's a touching book that beautifully celebrates that most valuable of human and animal treasures - a friend.

Grade: B+

(To learn more about the remarkable friendship that inspired Two Bobbies, be sure to visit the book's website. You can download color pages, read about the real Bobbi and Bob Cat, learn how to protect pets during natural disasters, and find out more about the authors [real-life best friends] and illustrator.)