Giveaway - Three Copies The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

"This book reeled me in from the first pages and kept me moving forward to unravel the mystery."
Three books available to win! THANKS TO HACHETTE AND VALERIE for the opportunity to give away this extremely engaging book.

The Castaways: A Novel by Elin Hilderbrand
 

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. For your main entry check out the Author's Website and tell me something you found interesting there.OR

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

4. For TWO extra entries comment on the review post.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

(Five total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL! Five winners!

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons
* This contest will close Midnight (Central) on August 20, 2010. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

Review - The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

This book sped by and was a very engaging read.

The Castaways: A Novel by Elin Hilderbrand

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Back Bay Books; 1 edition (June 8, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316043907
• ISBN-13: 978-0316043908

Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Product Description
Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy's closest friends for what will be revealed.

Review:  This book reeled me in from the first pages and kept me moving forward to unravel the mystery.
You learn about the characters and their intricate and intimate relationships through a rotation of chapters from the current perspective and reminiscences of each of the six surviving friends.

Greg and Tess appeared to be a perfect couple but there was some rocky times. Greg is a school teacher but is known for playing with a local band and being the sexy “rockstar” type who could get any girl he wants. Tess is a small bundle of sunshine and loved by everyone. She was the girl who said “no” and eventually caught Greg. When they die on their twelfth wedding anniversary they tragically leave behind young twins.

The Chief, Ed, is the steady, sturdy police chief. He is married to Allison who was Tess’s older cousin and best friend. She watched out for Tess as a child and helped her in all things.  The Chief approaches the deaths as a mystery while Allison reacts with guilt and despair at Tess’s death. Although their own children are almost out of the house, Allison insists that they should raise the twins.

Allison was the first girlfriend of Jeffrey, who is married to Delilah. Jeffrey is the reliable, hardworking farmer; stalwart and dependent. Delilah is more the party girl who chose the secure spouse but wonders if there might be more fun with someone more lively, like sexy Greg. She wants the twins who are close to her own children and she is jealous of Allison.  Delilah finds it difficult to deal with her grief without exposing her secret fantasy.

Addison is the busy, wealthy businessman with Phoebe, the trophy wife. Phoebe was a perfect socialite wife and hostess, happily expecting their baby when tragedy struck. Phoebe’s twin brother died in the 9/11 attacks and Phoebe collapsed, losing the baby. She fell into a deep depression and Addison eventually secretly fell in love with someone else in the group. They react to the death of Greg and Tess in opposite ways.

I really liked how the character remembrances and interrelationships reveal the personal and group history. I can't say any more about the involved relationships without risking spoilers. The characters were wonderfully developed and the story was intriguing. I am generally not a big fan of drama but I found this to be a remarkably interesting read and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Hatchette and Valerie who made this book available for review and giveaway.

On-Line Conference for Book Bloggers and Authors!

Book Blogger and Author On-Line Conference - August 6 & 7, 2010!

Goals of the Conference

Authors and Bloggers are both working together online to reach out to readers and spread the word about the books we read and love.  We all face challenges with online promotion that can be alleviated by working together.  By streamlining the process of co-operative work between Authors and Bloggers we can move forward using social media and online outlets to expose more readers to more books.

I attended the Bloggers and Publishers online conference earlier this year.  I learned helpful information and also had fun chatting with other bloggers,  authors and publishers.  If there are authors out there looking for tips for online promotion you may find some help here.

Giveaway - Three Copies of Audio Book Private by James Patterson

Once again a big THANK YOU to Hachette and Anna for providing the Audio CDs for this giveaway.
Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for the AUDIO CD:

1. I'll give you a choice for the entry Comment: you can do any ONE or all if you wish - it will only count as ONE entry.

a) Check out the Author's Website and tell me something you found interesting there;  OR
b) Watch the trailer or listen to an excerpt and leave a comment about that; OR
c) Tell me who is your favorite Private Investigator character.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

4. For one more entry, comment on my review.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Four total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL!

THERE WILL BE THREE WINNERS!

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on August 18, 2010. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

Review - Private (Audio CD) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Three mysteries at once keep this moving along at a very fast clip.
Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (February 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607886901
• ISBN-13: 978-1607886907

Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Product Description
The police can't help you

Former CIA agent Jack Morgan runs Private, a renowned investigation company with branches around the globe. It is where you go when you need maximum force and maximum discretion. The secrets of the most influential men and women on the planet come to Jack daily--and his staff of investigators uses the world's most advanced forensic tools to make and break their cases.

The press will destroy you

Jack is already deep into the investigation of a multi-million dollar NFL gambling scandal and the unsolved slayings of 18 schoolgirls when he learns of a horrific murder close to home: his best friend's wife, Jack's former lover, has been killed. It nearly pushes him over the edge. Instead, Jack pushes back and devotes all of Private's resources to tracking down her killer.

Only one place to turn: Private

But Jack doesn't have to play by the rules. As he closes in on the killer and chooses between revenge and justice, Morgan has to navigate a workplace love affair that threatens to blow the roof off his plans. With a plot that moves at death-defying speeds, Private is James Patterson sleekest, most exciting thriller ever. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review:  This is fast paced and entertaining.  I really enjoyed the three mysteries winding in and out amidst some personal storylines.

Jack Morgan, the intense head of Private, is focused on his work. Jack isn’t one to reflect on or express his emotions and although he has a personal relationship it seems something of convenience instead of commitment.  There is an interesting line of background history woven into the story.that explains Jack's character.  We learn about Jack’s relationship with his criminal father, his jealous twin brother, his suppressed memories from the war and his rather shallow love affair.

Each Private team member has their own skills and quirks: The tough guy, short tempered interrogator, the geeky computer guy, the driven and beautiful profiler and others. Breaking rules and doing things not quite by the book may work for Private’s team, but at least one hot temper gets them into a major scuffle with mob thugs - not a good idea. Another comes close to making key evidence inadmissible and risking law suits for brutality and wrongful arrest.  The multi-million dollar lab and equipment go a long way to helping solve these cases more easily than normal police procedures would.  I thought the three mysteries each had interesting elements and some good twists even if they were not completely unique.

The narrator did a good job with voice changes and keeping the pace moving. I also liked that this was a quick audio book with only 6 discs instead of 18. I recommend this as a quick, easy read for mystery fans.

Thank you to Hachette for providing the audio book for review and giveaway of three copies.