Book Mama Blog

Ballantine Books is giving one lucky reader a print copy of

Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber

US only

Monday, December 21, 2015

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.

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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

Open internationally

Friday, December 18, 2015

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:

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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Goodreads

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

US Only

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

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:

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.

Connect with the author at:

Website * Twitter

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

The Violinist of Venice by Alyssa Palombo

US/Canada Only

Monday, December 14, 2015

The Word Game - Review #FRC2015

Blurb:

For overprotective parent Alyson Ward, any time her daughter, Lyla, is out of sight is reason to panic. So it’s a big step for her when she lets Lyla attend a sleepover at her cousin’s house. Comforted by the knowledge that her sister, Tricia, is the chaperone, Alyson does the one thing she never thought possible: she lets go and trusts that her daughter will be safe.

But Alyson’s sense of peace is short lived. When Lyla comes home the next morning, she reveals something that could tear apart not only their family but also the entire community. Now, Alyson and Tricia must confront their painful shared past as they come together to help a little girl who they fear might be harboring terrible secrets similar to their own. Will the sisters be strong enough to face their demons in order to protect the child, even if it means telling their most private truths?

Review by Marlene Engel

Alyson is the ultimate definition of “helicopter mom.” Hovering over her daughter and anticipating trouble in everyone’s lives because of the experiences she’s had in her past. It surprises many when she agrees to allow Lyla to attend a sleepover at her sister’s house. But when she returns home the next morning and tells of the happenings the night before, Alyson realizes that her fears were confirmed. The information that Lyla discloses will change the course of their lives forever, while also dredging up painful memories of the past.

A true page-turner, the author adds the perfect elements of suspense and emotion to this must-read book. Told by the perspective of three women, this touching book is seen through the eyes of both adults and children and shows that when family bonds are strong, there’s nothing one wouldn’t do to keep the ones they love safe!

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About the Author:

Steena Holmes is the bestselling author of Finding Emma, her debut women’s fiction novel. Finding Emma tells the story of one mother’s journey to find her missing daughter and Steena has partnered with the Missing Children’s Society of Canada, a national charity for missing children, to donate proceeds from the sales of Finding Emma to help bring missing children home.

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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Do You Believe In Santa? - Promo & Giveaway

Do You Believe in Santa?
Evergreen Lane #1

By: Sierra Donovan

Released September 29, 2015
Zebra

Blurb

Miracles don’t just happen on 34th Street. They can happen right in your living room—if you’re willing to believe…

What grown woman claims to have seen Santa Claus? Mandy Reese, for one—on a very special Christmas Eve when she was eight years old. These days, Mandy works at a year-round Christmas store in Tall Pine, California, where customers love to hear about her childhood encounter with Saint Nick. But when Jake Wyndham arrives in town—charming, gorgeous, extremely practical—Mandy faces a dilemma. Deny what she saw, or let Jake think she’s sugarplum crazy?

Jake scouts hotel locations all over the country, but he’s never met anyone quite like Mandy before. Her warmth and sparkle are irresistible, but…meeting Santa? Really? Jake’s no Scrooge but he’s definitely skeptical. Then again, there are all kinds of things Jake never experienced until he came to Tall Pine. Like autumn snow. Mind blowing kisses. And the magic of falling head-over-heels, madly in love…

Buy Links:

Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

About the Author:

Sierra Donovan is a wife, a mother of two and a writer, though not always in that order. Her greatest joy is helping people find true love on the printed page. She is a firm believer in Christmas, classic movies, happy endings and the healing power of chocolate. Sierra’s first novel, Love On The Air, was a Holt Medallion finalist. Her 2014 Kensington debut, No Christmas Like The Present, won the Golden Quill Award for Sweet Traditional Romance. Her 2015 novel, Do You Believe In Santa? marks the beginning of Sierra's new Evergreen Lane series. You can email Sierra at sierra_donovan@yahoo.com, or visit her website at www.sierradonovan.com.

Author Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Enter to win one of three paperback copies of

DO YOU BELIEVE IN SANTA?