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Showing posts from June, 2008

Hottest Guy of Book Publishing 2008

Gawker wants you to vote for the Hottest guy of Publishing 2008! The winner will receive the "Gawker Hottest Straight Guy of Book Publishing 2008" title for an entire year. ( Last year's winner? Luke Janklow !) These are all men who work in the publishing industry and are Gawker's picks for the top ten. Unfortunately my pick isn't the top contender or even among the top three. Whom did you vote for? .................................................................................................................. Want Free books ?! Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins (3 books to win) . Ends June 30.

Winners of Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins

As always, thank you readers for great participation. Your enthusiasm was contagious! And many thanks to the sponsor, St.Martins Minotaur , for generously providing these wonderful books as prizes. They have so MANY good reads and my wish-list and to-read list will never be the same again. Three books, three winners. Picked impartially by Random.org. But in my book, you're all winners! Don't worry if you didn't win, I'm starting a NEW GIVEAWAY TOMORROW. Many other exciting events are also in the pipeline, including more giveaways, guest author posts,  fantastic excerpts etc. So, Subscribe by Email  and have new posts sent directly to your inbox. That way you won't miss anything! Here are the lucky winners: Don't Tell a Soul by David Rosenfelt Winner:  cpullum who commented "I like to read Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain" In the Heat by Ian Vasquez Winner:   Malteny who commented " I would like to read I Shall Not Want by Juli

Innovative Monday - Edition One

Poor Monday, it is universally hated. And Monday is also the one day of the week I have the most trouble getting to the computer on time and frankly thinking of what to post. It seems all my brain cells are still on weekend time, and so I have to think really hard to find something interesting to post. And that's when I came up with this brilliant (lol) idea! How about a beautiful bookish innovation to bring joy to your pages... I mean, hearts? I'll try to make it a regular feature. So if you see something that you think fits in this category, then please do let me know. Being a die-hard book fan, I'm always on lookout for book storage and furniture. Unfortunately either my wallet falls short or the design does. Here's an example of where both meet. Behold the : Book Staircase London-based Levitate Architects came up with this ingenious solution to a book storage problem and created a loft-like bedroom nestled under the roof of the top-floor apartment. Inge

Movie of My Life

Saw this fun thing over at C.J.'s blog Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com Should I get Jennifer Ehle to star, I wonder. lol If you try this, then leave a link in the comments so others can see the movie of your life as well! .................................................................................................................. Want Free books ?! Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins (3 books to win) . Ends June 30.

Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins

********** STICKY POST. SCROLL DOWN FOR NEWER POSTS ********** With Father's Day just around the corner, here are some *macho* book giveaways for our male readers! (you can always sneak away the book later, ladies :) Are you ready?! Here goes... St.Martins Minotaur has generously donated 3 stellar books to A Book Blogger's Diary for this giveaway! Don't Tell a Soul by David Rosenfelt "Can you keep a secret? A really big one?" On New Years Eve, a stranger confesses to killing a girl and then walks away, saying “it’s your problem now.” In the Heat by Ian Vasquez Boxer Miles Young thinks he’s got one more shot in him before it’s time to hang up the gloves for good. He may be the only one who thinks so. Severance Package by Duane Swierczynski Some days, you could just kill your boss. Guess what? The feeling is mutual in the new thriller by the acclaimed author of The Wheelman and The Blonde . There will be 3 winners, one book per

Book Review - As Good As It Got by Isabel Sharpe

As Good As It Got Author: Isabel Sharpe Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Avon A (June 24, 2008) Synopsis  Ann Redding has taken every lousy thing life has thrown at her and handled it very well, thank you very much. All she wants is to get her life back on track...but that won't happen till she makes her worried family and friends back off by spending two weeks at Camp Kinsonu, a retreat for suddenly single women. Now she's stuck sitting around a campfire, singing "I Am Woman" with a bunch of sandal-clad, makeup-boycotting women. If she doesn't get out of there soon, they'll be sizing her for Birkenstocks. Kinsonu, an idyllic retreat on the coast of Maine, is supposed to be a place for new hope and new beginnings. But Ann doesn't belong in an estrogen Eden, she belongs in a corporate boardroom. Still, the camp has its compensations—she's grudgingly befriended some other "inmates," including Cindy, who honestly believes she&

Book Giveaway - Sex and the City: The Movie

Book to win -Autographed copy of Sex and the City: The Movie Deadline - July 30, 2008 (5:00 p.m. EST). How to enter - Fill form Eligibility - Open to all legal residents of the United States, 18 years of age and older Don't want to wait to read this book? Buy it from Amazon and help support this blog. Host Blog/Site - Harper Collins Note - This giveaway is not being held on this blog. Please go to the Host Blog/Site to enter.

Friday's Finds - News and Giveaways

Here are Book News / Giveaways galore for this weekend. I'm always happy to promote books, authors and other book bloggers. So if you have something to share (news, reviews, giveaways etc), just let me know via the contact form (link above in the menu bar, above the header) or email me at abookblogger at gmail dot com with the details. I'll be back on Monday with more (or earlier if I find something I must share :). Happy book-end! - o ------------ O ------------- o - Globe and Mail : Two 21-year-old women have landed a book deal after writing a book together online in only 18 days. Danielle Bennett, from Victoria, and Jaida Jones, from New York, managed to attract the attention of a major publishing house with a fantasy novel featuring flying metal dragons, magicians and an all-out battle between warring rivals. Their 400-page hardcover book, Havemercy released this week to great reviews. Two Rowlings in the making?! Booking Mama has a copy of The Memory

Booking Through Thursday : Definition

This week, Booking Through Thursday asks: What, in your opinion, is the definition of a “reader.” A person who indiscriminately reads everything in sight? A person who reads BOOKS? A person who reads, period, no matter what it is? … Or, more specific? Like the specific person who’s reading something you wrote? My answer would be all of it. Simply put, anyone who reads is a reader. However, there are different types of readers. Magazine readers, school readers, fiction readers, non-fiction readers, self-help readers, plane readers, manuals readers, etc etc. Whatever a person reads, as long as they read with dedication, then in my book, they're a reader. But I can't call it a true classification. Whether they would like to be called one or not shows whether they consider themselves a reader or not, which is the true indicator in my opinion. For example, I love it when people call me a bookworm. I'm sure Paris Hilton will hate it if someone says that of her based on a photo

Book Review - The Spanish Bride by Georgette Heyer

The Spanish Bride by Georgette Heyer Paperback: 496 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Synopsis Based on the true story of Brigade-Major Harry Smith and the very young Spanish noblewoman he met and married during the Peninsular Wars, when the Duke of Wellington’s forces fought Napoleon’s army in Spain and Portugal. After marrying Harry Smith when she was 14 years old, Juana Smith “followed the drum,” marching at the back of the troops along with the other wives and the officers’ servants. Juana became a camp favorite, charming all with her youthful enthusiasm. In spite of the danger, Juana thrived on military life and her passionate, if somewhat stormy, relationship with Harry. Review If you're looking for a 'love conquers all' kind of read, then this has your name all over it. But if you're looking for a light, fluffy read, this ain't it. By the end of this novel, I had mixed feelings about it. It's a Heyer novel, that alone should have guaranteed I would love

Thursday Thirteen - Edition Two

Thirteen Classic Books I'd love to re-read 1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 3. Malgudi Days by R. K. Narayan 4. The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens 5. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling 6. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain 7. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott 8. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 9. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson 10. Nirmala by Premchand 11. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe 12. King Solomon's Mines by H.Rider Haggard 13. Night Train at Deoli And Other Stories by Ruskin Bond Your turn now! Don't forget to leave your list or the link to your Thursday Thirteen post in the comments. Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your

Books and More Books

The summer is here and it's the summer of Good, even Great reads as I can say from experience thanks to the books I've been consuming for the past some weeks. And more are arriving every day! I'm also slowly becoming active on Goodreads (yes, I know, a long time coming!) and am hearing of new books there as well. My id is ' callmeabookworm ' if you want to friend me. And there are tons of book giveaways happening that I must share with you all. So here goes : Books I've read, am reading or plan to read: ............................................................................ Left To Die by Lisa Jackson This Zebra publication is releasing July 29 , and my recommendation is to put it on your buy-list. I just loved it. Review coming later, closer to release date. But take my word for it, it's a doozy! And it's the start of a trilogy, I think. The Night Villa by Carol Goodman Another terrific read. It&

Wiki Wednesday - Edition One

I read this over at Planet Books who in turn got it from Verbatim . It's a neat concept. Here's how Verbatim explains it : Wiki Wednesday Time to learn something! 1. Go to Wikipedia . 2. Click on "Random article" in the left-hand sidebar box. 3. Post it! Neat-o! Here's what I got : Yseult Island Yseult Island ( 66°44′S, 140°56′E ) is a small rocky island 0.7 miles (1.1 km ) east of Tristan Island and 0.4 miles (0.6 km ) north of the east point on Cape Jules . Photographed from the air by U.S. Navy Operation Highjump , 1946-47. Charted by the French Antarctic Expedition under Barre, 1951-52, and so named because of its twin relationship with Tristan Island. Yseult is the French spelling of Isolde, legendary heroine incorporated into Arthurian legend and later popularized by Richard Wagner 's opera Tristan und Isolde . Now I did not know that! Live and learn. So, if you're also doing a Wiki Wednesday, copy the explanation above and include that in you

Book Review - The Flirt by Kathleen Tessaro

The Flirt Author: Kathleen Tessaro Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Avon Synopsis Hughie Venables-Smythe is a charming and handsome out-of-work-actor who's in love with an older woman, jaded lingerie designer Leticia who doesn't believe in love, just sex. Just when things are getting desperate both money and love-wise for Hughie than he gets hired - as a Flirt by a company that specializes in flirting with women, neglected wives in general, on behalf of their menfolk. It's the role of a lifetime for Hughie until he decides to adopt his professional flirting techniques into his personal life as well. That's when things rapidly go haywire, with some delicious and fun consequences. Review From reading the synopsis on Amazon and other sources online, I had formed quite a different image of this novel, a sort of sexual treasure hunt. Turns out this story is a little different, much better and vastly more enjoyable. In fact it reminded me irresistibly of the movie

Book Review - Mail Harry to the Moon

Mail Harry to the Moon by Robie H. Harris (Author), Michael Emberley (Illustrator) # Reading level: Ages 4-8 # Hardcover: 40 pages # Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (June 1, 2008) Synopsis For parents expecting a second child or even thinking of having another kid, this book is a must-read. Must read for their older child or children, that is! But even the parents will get a kick out of reading this book that feels more like a fun comic than a book. Mail Harry to the Moon is the story of a big brother upset over the noise and intrusion, chaos and confusion created by his new sibling, Harry. From taking a bite of his banana to sitting in his Grandma's lap, baby Harry is everywhere and in everything, taking up space and attention that was once only the irked and somewhat bereft older brother's. With each successive antic of Harry's, the big brother gets more and more upset, until he finally roars ' Mail Harry to the Moon '. The next day, Harry is nowhere to be

Book Review - Midsummer Moon by Laura Kinsale

Midsummer Moon Author: Laura Kinsale Mass Market Paperback: 496 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Synopsis There's a war going on and Merlin Lambourne, a zany and absentminded inventor has something the French want badly. Ransom Falconer, the Duke of Damerell, is sent by the British government to retrieve whatever it is before the French get to it. Intrigued with her intelligence, beauty, utter innocence and stumped by her stubbornness, His Grace resorts to kidnapping Merlin together with an in-the-making flying machine, assorted servants and paraphernalia to his estate where he proposes to her again and again.... in vain. Scatterbrained and innocent she may be, but Merlin is no fool. She quickly comes to realize the attractive and arrogant Duke is used to ruling everybody and will ban her flying machine for life if she succumbs to temptation and marries him. As passion soars and intrigue deepens, both Merlin and Ransom will have to face some deadly peril while simultane

Erotic Book Giveaway?

Hey all, I wanted to put a question to you. I'm going to be reviewing an erotic book here in the near future. The author is willing to give away a copy as well. I want to know how many of you are interested in winning a book of that nature. Let me know via the poll on the sidebar, ok? .................................................................................................................. Want Free books ?! Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins (3 books to win) . Ends June 30.

Friday's Finds - News and Giveaways

Here are Book News / Giveaways galore for this weekend. I'm always happy to promote books, authors and other book bloggers. So if you have something to share (news, reviews, giveaways etc), just let me know via the contact form (link above in the menu bar, above the header) or email me at abookblogger at gmail dot com with the details. I'll be back on Monday with more. Happy book-end! .................................................. I'll start off with mine :) Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins (3 books to win) . Ends 6/30. According to BBC News , an appearance by Sir Sean Connery at Edinburgh's International Book Festival in August has sold out within an hour of going on sale. The event, which will launch his autobiography Being a Scot , coincides with the veteran actor's 78th birthday. The 2008 book festival programme is the biggest ever, with more than 800 authors appearing in Charlotte Square Gardens. Other highlights include appearances from Salman Rush

Booking Through Thursday : Flavor

Think about your favorite authors, your favorite books . . . what is it about them that makes you love them above all the other authors you’ve read? The stories? The characters? The way they appear to relish the taste of words on the tongue? The way they’re unafraid to show the nitty-gritty of life? How they sweep you off to a new, distant place? What is it about those books and authors that makes them resonate with you in ways that other, perfectly good books and authors do not? That's a good question. I like to read various genres and my list of favorite authors is ever-growing. Why I like a particular book is a combination of various factors. But one thing I can say with certainty - a book has to speak to me, connect with me and make me, in turn, connect with it - either through its story or characters or its execution etc - for me to love it and through it, its author. To put in another way, the author's story must resonate with me on some level. Humans are very complex b

Thursday Thirteen - Edition One

Thirteen Books on my To-Be-Read List 1. Rites of Spring (break) by Diana Peterfreund 2. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran 3. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris 4. Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum, No. 14) by Janet Evanovich 5. The Host by Stephenie Meyer 6. The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie 7. The Beach House by Jane Green 8. One Silent Night (Dark-Hunter Novels) by Sherrilyn Kenyon 9. Odd Hours by Dean Koontz 10. Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer 11. The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 1) by Julia Quinn 12. Dangerous Secrets by Lisa Marie Rice 13. The Sisters Grimm (Love Spell) by Minda Webbe Your turn now! Don't forget to leave your list or the link to your Thursday Thirteen post in the comments. Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comm

Book Giveaway - Kerouac, Gilman and More

Book to win - Maggie Cassidy by Jack Kerouac and The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (and Yarn!) Deadline - June 30 Conditions - Comment or email entry. Comment - Specify the prize you want to win. You can also enter to win both. Host Blog/Site - Diary of an Eccentric Note - This giveaway is not being held on this blog. Please go to the Host Blog/Site to enter. .................................................................................................................. Want Free books ?! Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins (3 books to win) . Ends June 30.

Book Giveaway - Stephanie Meyer

Book to win - Enter to win one of FIVE copies of The Host but a GRAND PRIZE of the entire Stephenie Meyer collection! Deadline - June 30 Eligibility - US & Can Comment - Multiple ways to enter. Host Blog/Site - Maw Books Blog Note - This giveaway is not being held on this blog. Please go to the Host Blog/Site to enter. Don't want to wait to read this book? Buy it now and help support this blog. .................................................................................................................. Want Free books ?! Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins (3 books to win) . Ends June 30.

Book Giveaway - Nefertiti

Book to win - Nefertiti by Michelle Moran Deadline - June 23 Conditions - Leave a comment. Comment - Blog it to get an extra entry. Host Blog/Site - The Written Word Note - This giveaway is not being held on this blog. Please go to the Host Blog/Site to enter. Don't want to wait to read this book? Buy it now and help support this blog. .................................................................................................................. Want Free books ?! Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins (3 books to win) . Ends June 30.

Book Giveaway - The Wednesday Sisters

Book to win - The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton Deadline - June 21 Conditions - Leave a comment with your email. Comment - Blog it to get an extra entry. Giveaway is accompanied by an interesting interview with the author. Host Blog/Site - Booking Mama Note - This giveaway is not being held on this blog. Please go to the Host Blog/Site to enter. Don't want to wait to read this book? Buy it now and help support this blog. .................................................................................................................. Want Free books ?! Father's Day Giveaway - St.Martins (3 books to win) . Ends June 30.

Pen-itance

One of my fondest wish as a reader/reviewer has been that all books came with an extra blank space on each page for me to note down my thoughts. And an even fonder wish is that each book came with a P en attached. For there is nothing worse than thinking up the perfect phrase which ( in my mind, that is ) captures the essence of a book or a scene or a character, only for it to evaporate into thin air by the time I've hunted down P en and P aper. Fox-hunting ( all you animal lovers out there, please don't jump down my throat. I'm only using it as an example. The only thing I've ever hunted down are books. Books and an active toddler, that's all, I swear! ) has nothing on the enthusiasm... make that desperation - with which I hunt for a P en and something to scribble on. On a sidenote here - don't grab the first empty page you come across as it's quite possible your hubby has written some VERY IMPORTANT stuff there to be faxed, on the other side. Where I didn&