Martha's Bookshelf *** Friday Pick Giveaway March 4, 2011

Happy March everyone! I got to greet March in bed with a cold. Yuck...I may not be up at 10pm to pick winners and I have court hearings in another county at 8:30 tomorrow. So I won't be back to the office to post winners until noon time.  March makes me think of spring and tress so we have some interesting tree bookshelves. :-)

modern bookshelves inspired by nature at urbanlifestyledecor.com

2/19/11 Book Group #18- Pairs!
Not all of these are two from a series but several are.  Each pick gets two books.

Robert Parker:
Rough Weather (Spenser Mysteries)
Sudden Mischief (Spenser)

Patricia Cornwell:
Cruel and Unusual
At Risk (Win Garano)
John Grisham
Bleachers
The Last Juror
Jack Higgins
Touch the Devil (1983 Signet Edition)
Thunder Point (Sean Dillon)
Judith McNaught
Something Wonderful (note this is an older 1988 Pocket Romance edition; torn binding and mark across front) - but wonderful romance
Almost Heaven (also an older 1990 edition with one mark across front)
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Match Me If You Can
This Heart of Mine
Sandra Brown
Words of Silk
Fat Tuesday (torn cover at binding)
Fern Michaels
Final Justice: Sisterhood Series #5
The Jury: Sisterhood Series #4 (Revenge of the Sisterhood)

I have finally updated the intro and Entry paragraphs here:

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books!  And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

So far I have posted 18 groups of 16 books to find new homes!

I am continuing to include the full list updated with chosen books crossed off until I get around to deleting the crossed off books.  You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!  I am happy to say that so far about 145 books have found new homes! YAY. I have to update my print out to check the correct number sent out.

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.
I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to far away places runs between $5.00 and $6.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00.  If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy. :o)

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.   
CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY  NIGHTS AT 10:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up past midnight to do the winner post!
I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings before the next Pick post. 
WINNERS PLEASE CHECK THE WIN POST ON FRIDAYS AND E-MAIL ME YOUR ADDRESS at mesreads@gmail.com.  I will confirm receipt of the addresses.  If I have the winners e-mail I will send a reminder in a week or so.... 

Thanks for helping these books find new homes!!

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

1/14/11 New List 
#17

Scavenger by David Morrell
The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger
Wicked Prey by John Sandford
Moonfire by Judith Redman Robbins
In Silence by Erica Spindler
Night Sins: A Novel by Tami Hoag
Dead as a Doornail: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel by Charlaine Harris
Four to Score (Stephanie Plum, No. 4) by Janet Evanovich
No Ordinary Man by Suzanne Simmons
1022 Evergreen Place (Cedar Cove) by Debbie Macomber
Time to Run (Navy SEALs, Book 3) by Marliss Melton
Malice Domestic: An Anthology of Original Traditional Mystery Stories
Taboo by Susan Johnson
Turbulent Sea (Drake Sisters, Book 6) by Christine Feehan
Saving Faith by David Baldacci
Michal: A Novel by Jill Eileen Smith

12/3/10  Book Set:
#16

Adam by Ted Dekker
Best Of Enemies by Taylor Smith
The Proposition by Judith Ivory
Cold As Ice by Anne Stuart
Veils of Silk by Mary Jo Putney
Sleep Softly by Gwen Hunter
Comanche Woman by Joan Johnston (part of a great series!)
Barefoot: A Novel by Elin Hilderbrand
Sleight of Hand by Robin Hathaway
Blueberry Hill by Marcia Evanick (small tear on cover)
Through the Grinder (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 2) by Cleo Coyle
Forever, Ashley  by Lori Copeland
She Loves Me Not by Wendy Corsi Staub
Cornered Tigress  by Jade Lee
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Uneasy Alliance (Famous Firsts) Jayne Ann Krentz (slightly worn)

List #15

Double Exposure (Brio Girls) by Kathy Wierenga

Wicked Widow  by Amanda Quick

A Little Magic by Nora Roberts

Imitation in Death by J. D. Robb

A Heart Speaks by LaVyrle Spencer

The Texas CEO's Secret (Silhouette Special Edition) by Nicole Foster

Almost Forever (Sarah) by Linda Howard

Silver Falls by Anne Stuart

Deadly Gamble by Linda Lael Miller

List #14

The Cobra Event by Richard Preston

Proof of Intent: A Charley Sloan Courtroom Thriller by William Coughlin, Walter Sorrels

Blood And Glory (Soldiers Of War) (Soldiers of War, Book 1) byLarson Reed

Off Season by Jack Ketchum

The Color of Law: A Novel by Mark Gimenez
Atlantis by David Gibbins
Depraved Indifference by Joseph Teller
Lines of Defense by Barry Siegel
Must the Maiden Die (Seneca Falls Historical Myster) by Miriam Grace Monfredo
Gospel Truths by J.G. Sandom
The Summons by John Grisham - Audio CDs

Here is set #13 of Used books!

Flamingo Diner by Sherryl Woods
Death Cruise (St. Martin's True Crime Library) by Don Davis
The Angel by Carla Neggers
Anansi Boys by Neil Gairman
The Hellion by LaVyrle Spencer
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Pearl Beyond Price by Claire Delacroix
The Outside Man by Richard North Patterson

This is a group of books I have had for several years but not gotten to read.  Since it doesn't look like I will get to read them for another year (or more!) I am passing them on. Although as I type them part of me still says "But you may want to read that some day!"  Yes, yes; along with the other 700 books I am housing! Must Let goooooo.....
Group #12
The Ripple Effect by Lynn Erickson
First King of Shannara (Shannara Trilogy, Prequel)  by Terry Brooks
Seal Team Oneby Dick Couch
Motion to Suppress by Perri O'Saughnessy
Presumption of Death by Perri O'Saughnessy
Pandemic by Daniel Kalla
Lethal Practice by Peter Clement
The Undertaker's Widow by Phillip M. Margolin
The Burning Man by Phillip M. Margollin
Double Jeopardy by William Bernhardt
The Genesis Code: A Thriller by John Case
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1) by Stephen King

Group #11
Cat's Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown
Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods - CD Audio
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Snow in April by Rosamunde Pilcher
Looking Back by Belva Plain
The Ring on Her Finger by Elizabeth Bevarly
Rainmaker by John Grisham - Audio Tapes

List #1 Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo
Almost Single by Advaita Kala

Pick #2
Breaking Point by Suzanne Brockmann
The Crush by Sandra Brown
The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross

Pick #3
One Eye Closed by Karen Whiddon
Isle of Palms by Dorothea Benton Frank

Pick #4
Talking God by Tony Kellerman
Everything to Gain by Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Sixth Sense
The Shadow by Shelley Munro (PA)
The Forgotten by Faye Kellerman
Swear by the Moon by Shirley Busbee
Montana Bride by Barbara Clark (A)

Pick #5
See Jane Lead by Lois P. Frankel
Jake's Return by Liana Laverentz (A)
The Jester by James Patterson - Audio Tapes
The Daddy Spell by Patti Ann Cole
Misfortune by Nancy Geary
False Prophet by Faye Kellerman
Cold Hit by Linda Fairstein - Audio Tapes
A Kiss of Fate by Mary Jo Putney (SC)

Pick #6
Tin Man by Dale Brown
The Marshall Takes a Bride by Renee Ryan *PA*
On Bear Mountain by Deborah Smith
The Edge of Town by Dorothy Garlock
The Healer by Dee Henderson - Audio Tapes
Elusive Love by Catherine Lanigan
Mistletoe and Mischief by Patricia Wynn

Pick #7
In Her Defense by Stephen Horn - Audio Tape
A Perfect Gentleman by Barbara Metzger (slightly creased)
Scarred by William Heffernan (spine creased)
Prey by Michael Crichton - Audio Tape
The Path to Her Heart by Linda Ford (Personally Autographed)
X-Men 2
Hunted by William W. Johnstone (spine frayed at top)
Man of My Dreams by Johanna Lindsey (spine frayed a bit at bottom)
Princess Charming by Jane Heller (slightly creased)

Pick #8
(sc) = slightly creased on binding otherwise all in good shape
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
The Jury by Steve Martini - Audio Tapes
Stormy Weather by Carl Haasen - Audio Tapes
Midnight Come Again by Dana Stabenow (sc)
Into the Forest by Jean Hegland - Audio Tapes (box creased but tapes good)
No Safe Place by Richard North Patterson - Audio Tapes
Vertical Run by Joseph R. Garber (sc)

Pick #9
Spyder Web by Tom Grace - Audio Tapes
The Closers by Michael Connelly
Three Weddings and a Kiss - Anthology
Final Appeal by Lisa Scottoline (spine creased)
The Lost World by Michael Crichton - Audio Tapes
Evil Whispers by Owl Goingback
On Treacherous Ground by Earl Murray
Darkfall by Stephen Laws
Runaway Heart by Stephen J. Cannell
Guardian by Dee Henderson - Audio Tapes
Time to Hunt by Stephen Hunter - Audio Tapes

Pick #10
The Third Twin by Ken Follett (spine creased)
Double Blind by Ken Goodard
Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief by Dorothy Gilman - Audio Tapes
The Trouble with Mary by Millie Criswell
Dreams Gather by Kathryn Collins (sc)

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: My Love, My Enemy by Jan Cox Speas

This book contains wonderful descriptions, characters and an interesting plot.

My Love, My Enemy by Jan Cox Speas

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402255772
• ISBN-13: 978-1402255779

     Genre: Historical Fiction
     My Rating: 3.5 but please note my comments in the review.

Product Description

Casablanca Classics presents this runaway bestseller, a swashbuckling historical romance by a beloved author

A passion for adventure...

Beautiful, naïve, and impulsive, Page Bradley inadvertently rescues English spy Lord Hazard in Baltimore during the tumultuous War of 1812. Now she must put herself at the mercy of her country's enemy.

An aptitude for deception...

Lord Hazard is no stranger to the atrocities of war, but he never imagined the beauty that could come of it until he meets the fiery and irresistible Page. Now he finds himself questioning every loyalty he's ever felt for King and Country.

Amidst the turmoil of war and the peril of the high seas, these two sworn enemies are destined to discover that denying love may be worse than treason.

Review: As I prepare this review I must acknowledge that the elements to this story are wonderful.

In the summer of 1813, during the War of 1812, 18 year old irrepressible Page sneaks out from her family home on the Chesapeake for a stolen day in town. As she is returning to meet the Captain of the sloop she stowed on, she rescues an Englishman from an angry mob. Lord Hazard and his gentleman’s gentleman, join MacDougall and Page to head back to Bradley House where the gentlemen will pick up their horses and be on their way.
 
But fate has other plans. The sloop is cornered by British ships. Lord Hazard is able to take responsibility for Page, although he may not be able to stop the British Captain from impressing MacDougall into service. Lord Hazard assures Page that, even though she is surrounded by enemies, he will get her home safely.  Later they are overtaken by a Union ship. This is just the start of Page’s misadventures which are to include several more boat transfers, storms at sea, and  travels from Bermuda to France to London.

Lord Hazard is always quietly, but surely, in control and asserting his interest over Page although he doesn’t express his feelings for her until late in the story. Can Page set aside her loyalty to her family and country to accept that she loves an enemy spy?  The characters are developed with a nice subtlety that allows you to see depths from their reactions and words. It is interesting to think how the lines of country loyalties are challenged by personal friendships and relationships.

I believe the normal quote is “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts".  But that didn’t work for me with this book. Although I enjoyed the descriptions, the characters and the plot line, the story seemed very slow to me.  It seemed driven by descriptions rather than action and I really didn't feel pulled into the story until the last 50 pages. Where I might rate the individual parts as 4.0s, the overall effect was less to me.

I want to share just one scene as the descriptions of scenery and ship life and  swashbuckling are wonderful. The author places you in the setting and it seemed the author had first hand experience with all things related to ship travel.

The Caprice, like all Baltimore schooners, was a wet ship, her deck awash with green fingers of water that swirled about Page’s feet; but she ran before the storm like a gull, heeling gracefully to the gusty squalls that marched across the sea in the wake of white flaring lightning and rolling thunder, surging through the water with all the joyful abandon of a porpoise.  From the crew, batting to take in more sail, came a tattered shred of laughter blown on the wind, and Daniel Mason’s face as he walked toward Page was exhilarated rather than apprehensive.  p 127.

The romance is lovely and sweet. I do recommend it. Just be prepared for a lot of descriptive detail even though the story travels with storms and sea battles.

xxx

Thank you to Sourcebooks for this book to read and review.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

1. Tell me if you have had this experience with a book where you liked the elements but it was a slow or difficult read which you didn't expect it to be.
Please leave your e-mail!

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

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

(Four total entries possible.)
It is not necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* This contest is open to US and Canada only.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on March 18, 2011. The winner will be randomly selected from all entries

Guest Post: Digging for Gold. Choosing the People I Want to Write About by Elizabeth Chadwick

Please welcome Elizabeth Chadwick to Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf as a Guest Blogger today. 

Many thanks to Martha for inviting me onto her blog to talk about how I choose my characters.

Digging for Gold. Choosing the people I want to write about.

I was eleven years old and on the family summer holiday at an English Coastal resort called Hunstanton in the county of Norfolk.  It stands on a shore line known as The Wash, notorious in legend for being the treacherous stretch of sands, mud and quicksands where King John lost his treasure when his baggage train was caught out by the tide while taking a short cut.  My father, with a twinkle in his eye said: ‘You know, if you dig in the right place, you might come across King’s John’s lost treasure.’

That was it.  I spent every spare minute at the beach, digging holes all over the place, searching for the missing gold – without much luck it has to be said.  The land has been reclaimed from the sea in this area, and what was the original tidal crossing for King John’s baggage train, is now somewhere several miles inland.  Nevertheless, I did find treasure of sorts in a couple of ways, because that incident led to two novels and a slight change in my career path.

Down the years, I often thought about that holiday in Hunstanton, and wondered what had happened to the treasure.  What if some of it was washed up the next day, or rescued at the time?  We know that one of the items lost around the time was a crown that King John’s grandmother, the Empress Matilda had brought from Germany.  I began asking myself what would have happened if someone had found the crown.  What would they have done with it?   It’s not the sort of item you can easily sell, display round the house or wear. You could melt it down, but at that time, you would have to be a person of rank to have access to gold and jewels and you would immediately arouse suspicion.  It would be difficult for other than the king or an aristocrat, to do anything with such an item.  I was fascinated by the idea of an ordinary person coming into possession of the crown and sundry other bits of the treasure and decided to explore the ramifications in a novel.  The book became The Marsh King’s Daughter.  The hero and heroine were imaginary, but the historical background was real and most of the historical incidents.  While writing, I needed to find out about a person called Eustace the Monk who had really lived and in his day was a mercenary pirate and the scourge of the English Channel.  I discovered what I was looking for in a book titled Two Medieval Outlaws: Eustace the Monk and Fouke FitzWaryn by Glyn Burgess.  It was a translation of two medieval chronicles/tales about these men who had turned outlaw.  Being as I had the book anyway, I read Fouke’s story too and realised that here was a tale bursting to be told.  Fouke, or Fulke FitzWaryn, was a Shropshire baron who rebelled against King John, and with his small band of men, ran rings around the king for several years until John finally made peace with him, buying him off with privileges and a great heiress to wife.   Some scholars say that this is where the Robin Hood tales originate.  Up until this point I had never written about real protagonists, but I was keen to write Fulke’s story and taking a chance, dipped my toe in the water.  The result was a novel titled Lords of the White Castle, which wound up being shortlisted for The Best Romantic Novel of the Year Award in the UK.  Another author on that shortlist was Philippa Gregory with The Other Boleyn Girl.  The readers seemed to like my new direction; I certainly did.  Writing Fulke’s story had given me a taste for finding out about people who had actually lived in the middle ages and for bringing their forgotten life stories to modern readers.

My subjects are usually chosen from something that sparks my interest about them, and it usually happens as a ‘ping’ moment when I am writing the previous novel.  My books about the Marshal and Bigod families have all worked in this way.  The Greatest Knight, which begins the series came about because I had heard so much about William Marshal’s rags to riches story while working on research for my other 12th century novels.  I thought he might be interesting to write about, but when I began delving into the research, I realised that beyond just a good story, what a great man he truly was.  He made Fulke FitzWaryn’s life look like a staid social picnic.  William’s life was so full, that I needed 2 books to tell his tale, and even then I had to leave bits out.  Further on, For The King’s Favor and To Defy A King grew out of the two novels I had written about William Marshal.  I became very interested in his eldest daughter’s story. Rather like my curiosity about King John’s lost crown, I started asking questions about Mahelt Marshal.
What was it like to be a girl growing up within the rigid social structure of the aristocratic Middle Ages?  How would it feel to be married to someone you barely knew when you were 14 and he was 25?  How would you cope if your family saw you married to this man and then went abroad and left you with your in-laws?  What would you do if your family was threatened and you had a way to help them out but knew if you were caught, the consequences would be terrible?  What would you do if your husband left you and the enemy showed up beneath your walls and took your child away from you?  Who would you blame and how would you deal with the aftermath?

Behind every historical event, behind every dry fact in a history book, there are people with feelings, emotions and motivations.  That is what I seek to bring to the fore.  Their hidden histories, told as fiction.  All I need is that first spark of interest, and I’m away with my bucket and spade!

**************************

Elizabeth Chadwick

Elizabeth Chadwick lives near Nottingham with her husband and two sons.  She is the author of novels such as The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, A Place Beyond Courage, and For the King’s Favor. Much of her research is carried out as a member of Regia Anglorum, an early medieval re-enactment society with the emphasis on accurately re-creating the past.  She won a Betty Trask Award for The Wild Hunt, her first novel. 
To Defy a King is a brilliant story of a vibrant woman in a tyrant’s world.

Please see my review and giveaway and announcement about a sale for the ebook!

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick

A powerful character portrayal in a wonderful historical fiction.

To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (March 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402250894
• ISBN-13: 978-1402250897

Genre: Historical Fiction
My Rating:  4.75 of 5.0

Synopsis

The privileged daughter of one of the most powerful men in England, Mahelt Marshal’s life changes dramatically when her father is suspected by King John. Her brothers become hostages and Mahelt is married to Hugh Bigod, heir to the earldom of Norfolk. Adapting to her new life is hard, but Mahelt comes to love Hugh deeply; however, defying her father in law brings disgrace and heartbreak. When King John sets out to subdue the Bigods, Mahelt faces her worst fears alone, knowing neither she, nor her marriage are likely to survive the outcome. A story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel.

Review: This is wonderfully rich.
Mahelt is eldest daughter of the powerful Marshal family who has allies in England and Ireland.  The story opens with 10 year old Mahelt trying to play soldier with her brothers. They ridicule her but then consent to let her pretend to “protect the keep.” When they attack she manages to defeat them. Immediately the reader sees the determination and stubbornness of this fiery girl. 

Mahelt is betrothed to another strong family, the earl of Norfolk,  with lands along the French borders. When her brothers are taken hostage by King John and her own father travels to Ireland to protect his interests there, the 14 year old Mahelt is wed to 25 year old Hugh with the promise that she will live with the family for a year before the marriage is consummated.

The author weaves the growth of friendship between Mahelt and Hugh and his mother. But also  Mahelt faces difficulties obeying the instructions of her strict Father-in-Law.  At every turn it seems that Mahelt is defying some rule and trying to add her input into the business of the men. She hates King John for taking her brothers and she chafes at the political balance that the two fathers try to maintain in their dealings with a cruel and faithless King who does not keep his promises.

Mahelt is a wonderful character growing from a spoiled girl to a proud (still spoiled) determined wife, mother and chatelaine.  She is not always a pleasant or easy woman or character. Hugh is a wonderful husband for her because he is more mature and he is a calming influence to her volatile and almost termagant personality.  Mahelt is prepared to defend the Bigod fortress against the King’s attack but as a woman she is too often powerless.  Her marriage is severely challenged when Hugh fails to keep his promise to always protect her and their children.  I loved the slogan that Hugh gives to Mahelt: "Ne vuz sanz mei, ne mei sanz vus" or "No you without me, nor I without you."

I expected this might be long to read but it flowed beautifully and moved at a very good pace. This was the time of the drafting of the Magna Carta and the noble rebellions against the King. I really enjoyed learning about the different approaches of the two families in their efforts to honor their commitment to the King and yet maintain their power and their relationship with other powerful noble allies.  It was refreshing to read a story where the spouses were faithful even though they were separated quite a bit.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves strong female characters and/or historical fiction. This is the first book I read by Ms. Chadwick -- I know it won't be my last.

Additional Review Note: I listened to this on Audible. Initially I did not like the narrator’s attempt to imitate a man’s low voice but after an hour or so I didn’t even notice that problem. The narrator does a good job evoking the emotions of tenderness, confusion and pain from the characters.

xxx

Thank you to Sourcebooks for this book to read and review.

Sorry but this giveaway is limited to US entries because of the weight of the book. 
BUT GOOD NEWS.

There is a special going on for Elizabeth Chadwick’s To Defy a King and Sarah Bower’s Sins of the House of Borgia. You can now pre-order/purchase the eBooks for only $2.99! This offer only goes until Monday March 7^th so hurry!

Click here for the links to purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and BooksOnBoard

P.S. To Defy a King is only available in the US & Sins of the House of Borgia is available in the US and Canada.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

1.Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you find there.
Please leave your e-mail!

2.  For two extra entries - comment on the Author guest post.

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

4. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

(Six total entries possible.)
It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* This contest is open to US only.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on March 18, 2011.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: 13, rue Therese by Elena Mauli Shapiro

This is a beautifully written and marvelously different read.
13, rue Thérèse: A Novel by Elena Mauli Shapiro

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books; 1 edition (February 2, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316083283
• ISBN-13: 978-0316083287

      Genre: Fiction
      My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

    Hachette Description:
    American academic Trevor Stratton discovers a box full of artifacts from World War I as he settles into his new office in Paris. The pictures, letters, and objects in the box relate to the life of Louise Brunet, a feisty, charming Frenchwoman who lived through both World Wars.

    As Trevor examines and documents the relics the box offers up, he begins to imagine the story of Louise Brunet's life: her love for a cousin who died in the war, her marriage to a man who works for her father, and her attraction to a neighbor in her building at 13 rue Thérèse. The more time he spends with the objects though, the truer his imaginings of Louise's life become, and the more he notices another alluring Frenchwoman: Josianne, his clerk, who planted the box in his office in the first place, and with whom he finds he is falling in love.

Review: This is a haunting, imaginative and lyrical story.

Trevor, an American scholar and translator, finds a box of mementoes belonging to a stranger. He proceeds to describe each article from the box as if placing a puzzle piece to form a picture. Yet, it is a life that he creates as he goes along.  There are photos of Louise and her father; photos of soldiers from WWI. Letters telling about the experience of the young man at war, including horrors and fears. There is a uniquely crafted gift made from the instruments of war and a silk handkerchief. Each has a story that Trevor shares - each a meaning in Louise’s life.

Don’t expect a romance as the love affair in the real time life of Trevor is merely a flash in the story. The portrayal of Louise is more a memoir then a simple romance.  There is love and pain and longing and guilt – lots of very normal emotions the reader can relate to. There is an early distance romance with a cousin who dies at war. There is sadness over never bearing a child. There is a teen girl, Garance, who Louise has been giving piano lessons to for years and who is a friend and an admirer. There is the sexy neighbor and sensuality and ultimately sin. There is Louise’s mischievous nature making false confessions and later making true confessions when the sins become real.

Trevor becomes so wrapped up in the story he creates for Louise that he enters her life in cameo, ghostly appearances. The life he (and the author) creates is such a real image that you have to remind yourself that it is all a fiction. It is interesting to think that the character created is presented from the view of a man imagining the longings and lustful thoughts of a woman. Although it is really a female author inside the mind of a man imagining the life of a woman.  Sort of a layered picture you could say.

I really enjoyed the clean, lyrical flow of the writing and the historical details and images that were revealed in the puzzle pieces.  The whole story portrays a slice of life in a time and in a country that I don’t read much of.  The author uses an unusual method of presentation through the objects found in the box of keepsakes.  I may not agree with the morality of the fantasy but still I found this to be a unique reading experience. I recommend that you read the print book because the pictures add impact and visual focus to make the life of Louise even more real.

The bullet pencil case:

Thank you to Regan Arthur Books division of Hachette for the book to read and review.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

1.Mandatory entry: Visit the author's website - you will see many of the pictures from the story!  Tell me a picture you like or tell me something of interest you find there. (Maybe you will listen to one of the French audio/video clips.)
Please leave your e-mail!

2. For an extra entry: Tell me what memento might be found in a box of your keepsakes. I have some foreign coins and some shells in mine even though they wouldn't mean anything to anyone but me.

3. For an extra entry: look at the reading guide found on the Hachette book page (you have to download the document) and tell me a question you liked or something you find in the interview there.

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

5. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

(Six total entries possible.)
It is not necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* This contest is open to US and Canada only. (So sorry this can't be international. The book is available at Book Depository though.)
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on March 18, 2011.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.

Help Me Pick March 2011 Next Reads

My Bad - In February I announced the winner for a book pick but forgot the international winner. Now some of you didn't say if you were international so hopefully I got everyone included.  Mariska gets the $5.00 GC for the February pick.

Here are my unscheduled review books for March.  Please help me pick the order I will read these in.


The Linen Queen by Patricia Falvey

The Healing Code: 6 Minutes to Heal the Source of Your Health, Success, or Relationship Issue by Alexander Loyd

Highland Heat by Mary Wine               Merely Magic by Patricia Rice


Taste Me by Tamara Hogans            Legacy by Jeanette Baker

Late Harvest by Suzanne Barrett - ebook reading for the author

Here's how this Giveaway works:

Make a comment picking the TWO books you want me to read next. I will read the book that gets the most votes, then probably (no guarantee) the book with the second most votes.  (I reserve the right to pick the second read from the remaining choices.)
I will do a random draw to select TWO commenters.
US or Canadian winner will get their choice of a book from the February Love Books for Giveaway OR from the back review and ARC lists. (Scroll down at that post to see those lists.)
International winner will get $5.00 Gift Card, PayPal or Book Depository selection. MAKE SURE YOU SAY IF YOU ARE INTERNATIONAL PLEASE.

Ends March 5th at 10pm Central cause I think I will be ready for the next book by then