The Center of the World - Review & Giveaway

Review by Marlene Engel

What would you do if you received a letter stating that the life you knew was all a lie?  For fifteen year old Sofia, who was born in Mexico and adopted at a young age by her mother Kate, it happened after the passing of her stepfather, Martin. 

Martin was also adopted and learned the truth of his birth parents only when his mother was on her death bed.  Knowing the pain it caused him, he vowed that as long as he was alive, he would keep the secret that Kate was hiding.  But instead chose to write a letter outlining the events of her past, that were unknown to most, and give it to his attorney to deliver upon his passing.  A past that included her real birthplace of Guatemala and the extreme measures Kate took to give this child the life she deserved and Kate the child she desperately desired.

Upon learning the truth, Sofia’s trust in Kate is broken.  Kate knows that she must bring Sofia to the place she was born, the place where violence ran high, the place where Kate found love in such devastation.  Until Sofia learns the truth of her past, she won’t be able to understand the sacrifice and impossible decisions Kate made in smuggling her into the country.  But is it too late to undo the damage and move forward?  And will Kate be forced to return Sofia to her place of birth now that her secret has been revealed?

In a moving and heart-wrenching book about love, heroism and the measures one will go to for the sake of a child, the author gives us a first-hand perspective of a war-torn country and the lives effected.  I found myself emotionally involved in the story, crying one minute and rooting for the characters another.  This was my first novel by Jacqueline Sheehan, but certainly won’t be the last. 

Purchase the book at:

Amazon * Barnes&Noble

About the Author:

Jacqueline Sheehan, Ph.D., is a fiction writer and essayist. She is also a psychologist. She is a New Englander through and through, but spent twenty years living in the western states of Oregon, California, and New Mexico doing a variety of things, including house painting, freelance photography, newspaper writing, clerking in a health food store, and directing a traveling troupe of high school puppeteers.

Jacqueline teaches workshops at Grub Street in Boston and Writers in Progress in Florence, Massachusetts. 

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Kensington Books is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

The Center of the World by Jacqueline Sheehan

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All the Rage - Review

Review by Darcie Czajkowski

Romy Grey was raped. A tragic, scaring event that was made worse because of who the perpetrator was.

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner.

No one believes Romy. That’s her father’s fault. A drunk who mouthed off to the sheriff’s wife.

Romy has no credibility. Why would anyone believe the girl from the wrong side of the tracks?

One year later, Romy is still the outcast. Shamed by all. Friend to none. Except for Leon, the boy who works with her at the diner. But under the weight of shame and embarrassment, Romy has trouble letting him in. It’s hard for her to believe he wants her, despite the fact that when she says, “stop,” he does. Does he see the real her, though? Would he still care if he knew what happened to her?

Further complications arise when Romy’s former friend, Penny Young, disappears after a party, and Romy was there but can’t remember a thing. She’s questioned countless times about the night but has no answers. Is Kellan Turner responsible? Did he rape and kill her? And if he did, will anyone believe it?

Brilliantly written, Courtney Summers tackles an incredibly difficult topic. As a victim of sexual abuse as a child and rape as an adult, this book hit close to home. It was tough to read, largely because Summers nails it with her descriptions of how girls feel when they are violated. Girls and women are afraid to come forward, as they fear that they, like Romy, won’t be believed. They fear that nothing can be done. They fear that they will be blamed, or that they will be told that that they brought it on themselves. Society still has a long way to go in protecting girls and women from these types of offenses. But when authors like Summers are brave enough to raise the issue, let the world know and talk about the injustices that surround it, she is standing up for everyone who has been in Romy Grey’s shoes. Myself included.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon * Barnes&Noble

About the Author:

Courtney Summers was born in Belleville, Ontario in 1986 and currently resides in a small town not far from there. At age 14, she dropped out of high school to pursue her education independently and spent those years figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. At 18, she knew she was meant to write.

To date, she has authored five novels. Her first novel, Cracked Up to Be, was published when she was 22 and went on to win the 2009 CYBIL award in YA fiction. Since then, she’s published four more books–2011 YALSA Top 10 Quick Pick and White Pine Honour book, Some Girls Are, 2012 YALSA Quick Pick, Fall for Anything, and 2013 YALSA Top 10 Quick Pick and White Pine Honour book This is Not a Test and All the Rage as well as an e-novella, Please Remain Calm (a sequel to This is Not a Test).

When she is not writing, Courtney loves playing video games, watching horror movies and obsessing over the zombie apocalypse. Her favorite color is green and she’s a total feminist.

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1000 Blog Members Giveaway

1000 Blog Members Giveaway!

We’re getting closer to 1000 blog members, but still have a little way to go.  Once we get to 1000 we’ll be having a HUGE giveaway that will be open internationally!  Included will be:

Grand Prize:  Kindle Paperwhite or a $120 Amazon gift card

2^nd Prize:  Kindle or an $80 Amazon gift card

3^rd Prize:  $25 Amazon gift card

 I will also be making all giveaways international once we hit 1000 members!!!

There will be no Rafflecopter with this giveaway.  I will use a random draw with all of the blog members to choose the winners.  If you’re not a Book Mama Blog Book Buddy, what are you waiting for?  All you have to do is go to the right-hand side of the blog page and under BOOK BUDDIES click on the blue tab that says “Join This Site.”  Feel free to share this post.  The sooner we get to 1000 members, the sooner we get to give away these amazing prizes!

Thank you to all for supporting this blog and allowing my passion for books to be shared with the world. 

Marlene xoxo

Dashing Through the Snow - Review & Giveaway

Review by Marlene Engel

Ashley’s Christmas wish is pretty simple, she just wants to spend Christmas with her mother in Seattle.  But things aren’t looking too good.  At the airport ticket counter, she’s informed that there are no more flights available and the man standing behind her isn’t making things any better. 

Dashiell is a former Army officer also needing a flight to Seattle.  After both are denied tickets, they meet up again at the car rental office where, as luck has it, there is only one car available.  Reluctant to give up hope to spend the holidays with her mom, Ashley agrees to share the car ride with him.

There’s no doubt that Dash is handsome, but he seems to be the complete opposite of Ashley.  Where she is outgoing and friendly, he is serious and tends to lack people skills.  But the more time they spend, the more he finds Ashley chipping away at his well-constructed wall.  There’s just something about her that intrigues him.  But, as they embark on their road trip, they have no idea of the adventure that awaits them. 

When it comes to fun Christmas books, Debbie Macomber never disappoints.  So, grab a mug of hot cocoa and a cozy blanket and curl up with this fun, feel-good story with a cast of characters you won’t soon forget.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon * Barnes&Noble

About the Author:

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 750 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Eight of these novels hit the number one spot.

Macomber owns two businesses in Port Orchard, WA, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series. These include the Victorian Rose Tea Room, featured in the Cedar Cove series, and A Good Yarn Shop, introduced in her popular Blossom Street novels. They are located on the Village Square campus, which also serves as Debbie’s corporate headquarters.

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Ballantine Books is giving one lucky reader a print copy of

Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber

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The Admissions - Review & Giveaway

Review by Darcie Czajkowski

Is there such a thing as having it all? It seems like there is for the Hawthorne family. The leader of the clan, Gabe Hawthorne, is a partner at a management consulting firm. His wife, Nora, is a prominent real estate agent in a well-to-do region of San Francisco. Their children are thriving as well: the eldest, Angela, has a stellar GPA and an accomplished list of extra-curricular activities; the middle child, Cecily, is the star of her Irish dance class; and the youngest, Maya, is a happy, well-adjusted seven-year-old.

But beneath the patina of idealistic suburban life are secrets, lies, and a family struggling to keep up with fast-paced, do-more mentality of modern society. Will the Hawthorne family fall apart at its seams, or will they all bind together when dreams are crushed, long-buried secrets come to light, and acts of desperation threaten careers?

                                                                                                                      

Meg Mitchell Moore in The Admissions offers up several questions for reflection: Is more always better? Is the rat race worth it? Is there only one route to success? Is it acceptable to live by our own definition of success or should we abide by society’s rubric?

The Admissions tackles age-old issues with a fresh, contemporary perspective.  It’s humorous, lively, and on-point in sharing sentiments that we all face in modern America. To be better. To amass more money. To attend the best colleges. To raise the brightest, happiest, most well-rounded children. To be the most successful at our jobs. These things, in and of themselves, are not unworthy goals, but when our lives become consumed by comparative living and working ourselves to the bone, the payout becomes less sweet. We lose sight of the things that matters most, the aspects of life that we hold closest to our hearts. In the end, it’s not the material things that matter, or the diplomas we’ve mounted on the walls that keep us warm at night. When we are gray-haired and wizened, it’s those who are sitting next to us, those who have enriched our lives along the way, and the experiences we’ve shared with family and friends. Those are the memories that will confirm that we’ve lived a life that will leave behind a legacy that we can be proud of.

Mitchell’s novel is a highly enjoyable read, one that will stick with you long after you’ve read its final page.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon * Barnes&Noble

About the Author:

Meg Mitchell Moore began writing as soon as she figured out how the cursive 'T' and 'F' were different and hasn’t stopped since. Her debut novel, The Arrivals, was published in 2011 by Reagan Arthur Books, then an imprint of Little, Brown. Her second novel, So Far Away, was published in 2012 and was named one of the year’s best adult novels for young adults by Booklist.  Her third novel, The Admissions, is due out in August 2015 from Doubleday. Before turning to fiction Meg worked as a freelance journalist for a variety of business and consumer magazines, where she often managed to pitch stories involving dogs. Before that she worked on the staff of a family of technology magazines. (Despite all of her time there, she is still trying to figure out what a server is.) Meg received a B.A. from Providence College and a master’s degree in English Literature from New York University. The daughter of a naval officer, Meg moved around every few years as a child, including a move her senior year of high school, which she is totally and completely over. Totally and completely: no scars. In 2012 Meg, her husband, their three children and a beloved border collie moved from Massachusetts to northern California. Despite California’s many charms (including the settings that inspired much of The Admissions), they lasted exactly one year and returned to the beautiful coastal town of Newburyport, Massachusetts, where they now live.  The characters in The Admissions have many juicy secrets, but Meg’s own secrets are not so newsworthy. (Or are they?) 

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Doubleday is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

The Admissions by Meg Mitchell Moore

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Buster: The Military Dog Who Saved A Thousand Lives - Giveaway

About the book:

Barrow’s first deployment with Buster was to Afghanistan.  While putting Buster through preliminary training sessions, Barrow quickly saw that Buster was, indeed, an expert.  He was methodical and super-steady, which meant he didn’t expend too much energy as he worked.  This would be vital in the extreme heat of the desert.  But, even more than that, Barrow found Buster to be flawless in all the trials he set up for him.  Buster located every test “find, going straight to the hidden arms and explosives.  In short, Barrow found him amazing and put his complete trust and confidence in the spaniel.

During their deployments together, Buster would save Barrow and his comrades many times.   He would be by their side during Taliban ambushes, dangerous night searches, and hunts for roadside bombs.  On one particularly harrowing patrol, Buster tracked down several suicide vests, and the would-be bombers were arrested.  But, not only did Buster protect Barrow and his fellow soldiers in life-and-death situations, he also proved to be a valuable asset in many other ways as well.  Besides being able to detect explosives, he could detect when Barrow and other soldiers needed cheering up.  He would often sense a soldier’s emotions, sit down by him and give him comfort.  Also, when Barrow and his team would be on patrol, Buster acted as a diplomat, entertaining the locals and the children he would meet.

From the start of their working relationship, Barrow and Buster worked as a team protecting the lives of their fellow comrades on the warfront with heroic feats, like sniffing out explosive vests that led to the arrest of two suicide bombers. Not only was Buster a professional on the field, he also knew how to follow emotions, from comforting a grieving solider to providing relief in times of stress. A best friend in dog's clothing, a RAF dog with his mossy feet firmly on the ground, Buster is truly a dog in a million.

Buster, uniquely, has served five tours of duty in three theatres of war (Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan)—more than any other military dog.  He also won the prestigious Crufts Friends for Life Award in 2012, and has gone on to become the official lifetime mascot of the RAF Police, the only dog in history to have been honored in that manner.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon * Barnes&Noble

About the authors:

RAF Police Flight Sergeant MICHAEL "WILL" BARROW joined the RAF at 18. He then specialized as a Drugs Detection Dog Handler and an Arms and Explosives Search Dog Handler, and has served in the Falkland Islands, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

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ISABEL GEORGE is an international bestselling author who writes with a passion and respect for animals in war. Her father's enchanting stories of mascots adopted by Royal Navy warships sparked an interest that has grown over the past 20 years into numerous features for national newspapers and periodicals in the UK, as well as books available all over the world.

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Thomas Dunne Books is giving 1 lucky winner a print copy of

Buster:  The Military Dog Who Saved A Thousand Lives

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The Violinist of Venice - Promo & Giveaway

Like most 18th century Venetians, Adriana d'Amato adores music-except her strict merchant father has forbidden her to cultivate her gift for the violin. But she refuses to let that stop her from living her dreams and begins sneaking out of her family's palazzo under the cover of night to take violin lessons from virtuoso violinist and composer Antonio Vivaldi. However, what begins as secret lessons swiftly evolves into a passionate, consuming love affair.

Adriana's father is intent on seeing her married to a wealthy, prominent member of Venice's patrician class-and a handsome, charming suitor, whom she knows she could love, only complicates matters-but Vivaldi is a priest, making their relationship forbidden in the eyes of the Church and of society. They both know their affair will end upon Adriana's marriage, but she cannot anticipate the events that will force Vivaldi to choose between her and his music. The repercussions of his choice-and of Adriana's own choices-will haunt both of their lives in ways they never imagined.

Spanning more than 30 years of Adriana's life, Alyssa Palombo's The Violinist of Venice is a story of passion, music, ambition, and finding the strength to both fall in love and to carry on when it ends.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon * Barnes&Noble

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ALYSSA PALOMBO has published short historical fiction pieces in Black Lantern, Novelletum, and The Great Lakes Review. She is a recent a graduate of Canisius College with degrees in English and creative writing, respectively, as well as a trained classical musician. The Violinist of Venice is her first novel. She lives in Tonawanda, New York.

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St. Martin’sPress is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

The Violinist of Venice by Alyssa Palombo

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