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Tuesday, June 05, 2012
When the Butterflies Came Cover Reveal: Isn't it Pretty?
7:33 AM
One of the things I like best about my "job" as a book blogger is that it gives me the chance to know and work with some wonderful authors. Kimberley Griffiths Little happens to be one of my favorites. Not only is she incredibly sweet and personable, but she's also a very talented writer. She's published several middle grade novels, two of which (The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets) I've raved about recently here on the blog. Her next, When the Butterflies Came, will be available in April 2013. Forbidden, her first YA novel, also releases in 2013.
When I saw Kimberley in May, she gave me a sneak peek of the beautiful When the Butterflies Came cover. I'm excited to be able to share it with you now:
Isn't it pretty?
The story sounds intriguing, too, don't you think?:
Everybody thinks Tara Doucet has the perfect life. But in reality, Tara’s life is anything but perfect: Her dear Grammy Claire has just passed away, her mother is depressed and distant, and she and her sister Riley can’t seem to agree on anything. But when mysterious and dazzling butterflies begin to follow her around after Grammy Claire’s funeral, Tara just knows in her heart that her grandmother has left her one final mystery to solve.
A strange butler shows up to take Tara and Riley to Grammy Claire’s house, where Tara finds a stack of keys and detailed letters from Grammy Claire herself. Note by note, Tara learns unexpected truths about her grandmother’s life. As the letters grow more ominous and the keys more difficult to decipher, Tara realizes that the secrets she must uncover could lead to mortal danger. And when Tara and Riley are swept away to the beautiful island of Chuuk to hear their grandmother’s will, Tara discovers the most shocking truth of all — one that will change her life forever.
In conjunction with the big cover reveal, Kimberley's also hosting a giant giveaway on her blog. She's giving away THREE autographed copies each of The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets. Also, if you're a blogger with a significant following of your own, you can enter to win one of THREE When the Butterflies Came ARCs. Awesome, right? Visit Kimberley's blog to throw your name into the hat.
Even if you don't win, you definitely want to check out Kimberley's books. The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets are both beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric (they're set in the bayous of Louisiana)—they're excellent stories for readers of any age.
Monday, June 04, 2012
Depressing Hoarding Novel A Ho-Hum Read
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Trish Dietrich, a divorced mother of two boys, knows she has a clutter problem. She also knows it isn't that bad. After all, she's the daughter of a hoarder—she's only too well aware of what a real problem looks like. It's true that her husband, Ron, left partly because he could no longer stand Trish's mess. And that her oldest son, 17-year-old Drew, bunks at his girlfriend's house since his own bed disappeared under his mother's piles a long time ago. So, okay, maybe Trish is a tad untidy, but what single working mom has time to keep a spotless house?
It's only when a social worker shows up on Trish's doorstep demanding that she clean up her act (literally) or lose her 7-year-old son, Jack, that Trish begins to realize just how serious her hoarding has become. Jack is the only one who still loves Trish unconditionally—she can't lose him. But cleaning up her home is a huge, overwhelming project, the very thought of which causes Trish to tremble with anxiety. How can she let go of so many treasures, so many memories? She can't. And yet, in order to keep her son, she must.
Trish isn't thrilled about accepting help from anyone, especially not her self-righteous younger sister. Neat, meticulous Mary can't abide hoarding—she fled their mother's packed-to-the-rafters home when she was only 15 and she hasn't set foot in Trish's house in rural Michigan for almost 20 years. But Trish is desperate. So—in her own way—is Mary. As the two dig their way through Trish's mess, they'll uncover more than just years worth of junk. They'll unearth the anger, the hurt, the bitterness and the dark family secrets that drove them apart in the first place. Can caustic Trish and sensitive Mary put the past behind them long enough to create a healthy home for Jack? Or will the attempt be the very thing that tears them apart forever?
Here's the thing about hoarding: it's depressing. Fascinating, but depressing—a phrase that could also describe Keepsake by Kristina Riggle (available June 26). Only the author's fourth book is more of the latter, less of the former. The story definitely kept me reading, but I struggled to really empathize with the characters, most of whom are unlikable. Trish, especially, is so confrontational and whiny that it's difficult to feel much for her. Even Mary, with whom I identify much more than Trish, isn't particularly warm or sympathetic. Because of this, I had a tough time really getting into this novel, even though I find the themes it explores (not just hoarding, but sister/sister relationships as well as the effects of parental obsessions/addictions on children) interesting. So, yeah, I'm kind of ho-hum on this one.
(Readalikes: Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu; parts of Keepsake also reminded me of The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler)
Grade: B-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language and intense situations
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Keepsake from the generous folks at William Morrow (an imprint of Harper Collins) via Netgalley. Thank you!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Bumpy Prose Aside, The Good Father Makes For A Compelling Read
7:22 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Travis Brown never planned on becoming a father at 18, let alone a single one, but ever since his daughter's birth four years ago, Travis has had only one goal: to do right by Bella. And he has. It hasn't been an easy life or a glamorous one and yet, Bella's growing into a smart, healthy, sweet little girl. Travis couldn't ask for anything more.
Travis Brown never planned on becoming a father at 18, let alone a single one, but ever since his daughter's birth four years ago, Travis has had only one goal: to do right by Bella. And he has. It hasn't been an easy life or a glamorous one and yet, Bella's growing into a smart, healthy, sweet little girl. Travis couldn't ask for anything more.
Robin Saville shouldn't even be alive, but here she is, about to become the wife of the next mayor of small town Beaufort, North Carolina. She should be thrilled about it all—her upcoming society wedding, her powerful in-laws, her new position as one of Beaufort's elite—it's more than her weak little heart could have taken. Thank goodness for her heart transplant and the hope it's given her for a long, happy life. Only, ever since her 17-year-old sister-in-law to be gave birth to a baby girl, Robin's felt unsettled. Old emotions are rising to the surface, reminding Robin that, not so long ago, she brought her own newborn daughter into the world ...
Erin Patterson, a pharmacist in Raleigh, can't get over her own loss. Four-year-old Carolyn was her light and her life, the sunshine that lit her entire universe. When the little girl died, she might as well have taken her mother with her. Torn up by her grief, Erin feels too paralyzed to work, to talk to her husband, or to move on with her life. Then, Bella Brown walks into Erin's favorite coffee shop and all that starts to change.
When tragedy strikes, Travis doesn't know where to turn. Construction jobs are difficult to find in a struggling economy and Travis is having no luck finding anything else. With less than $20 in his wallet, he's hit rock bottom. He can get by with nothing, but he's not about to let Bella starve. Then, an opportunity in Raleigh presents itself. Travis knows it's not exactly legit. He also knows he can't take a child along on such a risky "job." So, he does something crazy, something that goes so horribly awry that Travis could lose everything, including the only thing that really matters to him—Bella.
As a desperate father tries to save his daughter, Robin and Erin are pulled into the mess, a catastrophe that will change all of their lives forever.
The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain grabbed me from the first line, even though the sentence "It was nine-forty when I woke up in the back of the van" is only marginally intriguing. It wasn't really the writing that got me, anyway, but the characters of Travis and Bella. Their plight tore at my heart right from the start. The rest of the story moves swiftly—although the writing and editing are a little bumpy—leading to a can't-put-it-down-until-you-know-how-it-ends conclusion. The book definitely kept me entertained, although the story often feels contrived and the writing could have been much tighter. Still, I enjoyed the read. Because I liked it, I browsed through summaries of Chamberlain's other books and, let's just say, The Good Father won't be the last book I read by this author. Her prose may not be perfect, but, oooh, a compelling premise will get me every time!
Grade: C+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, some sexual content and mature themes
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain from the generous folks at Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. Thank you!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
iPad v. New LDS Children's Book—My 3yo Makes the Ultimate Choice (With a Giveaway!)
1:00 AM
(Image from Deseret Book)
I don't review picture books very often, but I Believe in Jesus Too by Mark S. Nielsen kept catching my eye. The last time I hit Deseret Book, I almost bought it. When I saw it in DB's latest catalog, I circled it, planning to request it from the publisher. But, then, a miracle occurred—out of the blue, I got an email from the author asking if I would be willing to review it. I was, of course, thrilled with his request. Even better, Mark happens to live very close to me and was able to deliver the book in person. He's a nice man, it's a lovely book and, really, I couldn't be more excited to gush about it all to you. 
The book begins with these lines: "Latter-day Saint children everywhere in the world believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus too." It then goes on to describe things that LDS kids do to show their devotion to their Savior. Through the text as well as soft, gorgeous illustrations (by the incredibly talented Craig Stapley), readers can see children in 19 different countries doing things like attending church, saying their prayers and reading the scriptures. The words and pictures work together to make an important point—no matter what culture, country, or background LDS people come from, they are united by their faith in Christ. 
Admittedly, I'm not the best judge of picture books. My kids, however, are experts. All of them (well, okay the 13-year-old didn't show a lot of interest) loved thumbing through I Believe in Jesus Too. My 3-year-old listened with wide eyes as I read it to her and kept gazing at the pictures saying, "Look at all the people!" Not surprisingly, she—being bi-racial—loved the illustrations of little girls in Africa. "That's me!" she kept saying. My 7-year-old's favorite part was the map that sprawls across the front and back covers, showing where each of the kids in the book lives. And, if you need any more evidence of what a wonderful book this is, let me just say that when (in the middle of Sacrament Meeting, mind you), I offered my little girl a choice between coloring on the iPad and reading I Believe in Jesus Too for the second time, she chose the latter. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I'm not sure what is!
If you're LDS, or know someone who is, definitely consider purchasing this one (you can find it in-stores or online at Deseret Book as well as online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble). The book is sturdy, of great quality, and would make an excellent gift for a baptism, a birthday, or some other special occasion. It's a nice everyday book, too, one that I will be toting to church to entertain my own kids as well as the
Now for the exciting part ... if you want to enter to win your own copy of I Believe in Jesus Too, simply make a comment on this post. Easy cheesy, right? If you'd like to earn more entries, you can do one or all of the following:
Become a Follower of Bloggin' 'bout Books (+1)
Like Bloggin' 'bout Books on Facebook (+1)
Like Mark S. Nielsen on Facebook (+1)
Blog about, Tweet about or mention this giveaway on Facebook/other social media (+1)
*Initial comment on this post = 1 entry
Simple. Just let me know in the Comments section how many entries you earned. The giveaway will end at midnight on June 12 and is open internationally. In addition, the author will autograph and/or personalize the book for the winner, if they would like. Good luck!
(Readalikes: Um, I can't really think of anything)
Grade: A
If this were a movie, it would be rated: G
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of I Believe In Jesus Too from the generous Mark S. Nielsen. Thank you!
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