Audiobook Week 2012 Giveaway

Note: images may be slow to load since there are so many in this post.
This Giveaway is to Celebrate Audiobook Week 2012 - which started 6-25 so I am jumping in at the end of the week.

I try to listen to at least two books a week on my MP3, on tape or on CD in the car.  I have had a subscription since 2006 at Audible.com that provides me two Audible picks each month.  I have a library now of 610  Even my DH, who is NOT a reader, will listen to certain Audible or audio books. Check out the great posts Sheila at Book Journey did rejecting excuses for not listening to audiobooks!  She has a giveaway too. :-)
Also check out the interesting Audio Drama Audiobook giveaway, other audio giveaways and discussion posts at the celebration host site: Devourer of Books.

For this Giveaway I am  GIVING AWAY THREE PRIZES:

#1:  Open Worldwide: An MP3 Player to get you started listening to Audios!!

For some reason this picture is fuzzy - you can see the real picture at this link.
The winner will get to pick either blue or red (I already have the players in my office.)

#2 Pick of a larger Audiobook - open to US only.

#3 Pick of a smaller Audiobook - open to Canada or International with the proviso that I reserve the right to award a $10.00 GC if the postage would exceed that amount.

TO ENTER: 

1.  Comment telling me about an audio book you love; or tell me why you have never tried audio but are ready to. :-)

2.  Plus extra entries - up to three - for any Audio, Audible or AudioBook Jukebox review you comment on. Let me know where you commented for extra credit. 

This giveaway ends July 6, 2012 10PM Central.

Note: Many of the CD audiobooks below have been review books. The others are from my own shelves. 

#2 Prize: US Only gets to pick from ANY of the Audio Books listed in this post.

These eight are larger CD Audiobooks:
Black Hills: A Novel by Dan Simmons

Absolute Power by David Baldacci

 

True Blue by David Baldacci

Hell's Corner (Camel Club)

by David Baldacci

What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures
by Malcolm Gladwell

Room: A Novel

by Emma Donoghue

Reversal
by Michael Connelly

Lothaire

By Kresley Cole

(Case is missing but all discs are good)

Note: These five are Audio Cassettes - not CDs:

The Cabinet of Curiosities (Pendergast, Book 3)
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

1st to Die (The Women's Murder Club)

by James Patterson

 

Kisscut: A Novel (Grant County)
by Karin Slaughter

Best Kept Secrets
by Sandra Brown

 

 

Hometown Legend
by Jerry B. Jenkins
This is a print pic as they didn't have the audio pic.

#3 Canadian or an international winner gets to pick from these 12 audio books (11 CD/One MP3). They are smaller so I hope the postage won't be too bad for international.

The Taste of Innocence CD (Cynster Novels)
by Stephanie Lauens -- CD


Don't Blink By James Patterson, Howard Roughan(A)/David Patrick Kelly(N) [Audiobook]

CD

The Postcard Killers
by James Patterson --CD


Whiteout
by Ken Follett -- CD


The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
by John Grisham -- CD


The Juror
by George Dawes Green -- CD

This pic is for cassettes but the version I have is CDs not cassettes.
Warning this book has very rough language.





Secular Sabotage: How Liberals Are Destroying Religion and Culture in America
by William A. Donohue -- CD


Marriage and Other Acts of Charity: A Memoir
by KateBraestrup -- CD


Right on the Money: Financial Advice for Tough Times
by Pat Robertson -- CD



The Snow Angel
by Glenn Beck -- CD

No Rest for the Dead
Multiple Authors -- CD

All Cry Chaos
by Leonard Rosen -- MP3

ENTER WITH THIS FORM

Book Review with Giveaway Link: Itineras (The Samsara Chronicles Book 4)

This book continues to define the lines of good and evil as action heats up for Aislinn and Dylan.

Itineras (The Samsara Chronicles Book 4)  

by Diana Kemp and Gabriella Bradley

• File Size: 144 KB
• Print Length: 67 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: eXtasy Books (May 25, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0086FP8US

Genre:  Science Fiction

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: May 25, 2012

Fleeing increasing danger after acquiring the skull, Aislinn and Dylan begin their journey by visiting her parents and meeting Aislinn’s soul sister Angelica.

No longer safe in Burnaby, Aislinn and Dylan are directed to visit her parents on Boxing Day where they meet an Italian orphan, Angelica. Aislinn recognizes her soul sister from her home world, Nirvana. Guided by an escort in the guise of an eagle, Aislinn and Dylan continue their quest to gather the talismans.

Review:

Once again this book picks up shortly after Book 3 with the expectation that the prior books have been read. This episode seems to have a few cliches in the writing, including the stereotyping of a Mandarin Chinese contact who has another artifact to give Aislinn. They didn’t bother me but I did note their existence knowing that might bother some people.

When Dylan and Aislinn meet with Li, as directed by the guiding voices, they are interrupted by five young thugs who are clearly looking for trouble. More than trouble, they are surrounded by the green aura of the Ellemental enemy and their goal is to attack Aislinn and Dylan.  Aislinn’s anger morphs into a strange trance under which she is extremely powerful - able to melt guns and throw bodies with just a gaze.

There is a second attack on Aislinn at Dylan’s apartment by men that are his partners and he thought were his friends. Again Aislinn morphs to a defensive ‘weapon’ leaving carnage in her wake.

Aislinn and Dylan flee town and return to her parent’s farm as directed by the Antiquitas’ bubbles.  There they meet the innocent child, Angelica, from Italy, who appears almost as an angel. She stirs ‘deja vu’ memories in Aislinn and Dylan, in addition to giving Aislinn another talisman for her mission. Once leaving

I enjoyed the scene at the parents farm and the implications of the society’s dichotomy of either selfish hoarding or generous sharing. Once leaving the farm Aislinn and Dylan are led to the next encounter where Aislinn receives a fifth tool for the journey.  It is clear that each gift is important although the purpose of the items s has not yet been explained.

I believe the authors are trying to show the depth and growth of evil influences in both attack groups. The language becomes offensive and the actions are lewd and bordering on pandering.

I spotted what seemed inconsistencies in the actions, i.e. Dylan cuffed faced down on the floor yet the next paragraph has the cuffs in front of him.  I think I would pass over this sort of detail when reviewing a full length book but it seems easier to key in on errors when it is a shorter work.

I am still enjoying the action, the growing relationship between Aislinn and Dylan and the developing story. I am becoming more curious about the myths or mysticism that seems attached to the talismans that are being gathered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An nice turn of phrase:

“Humanity’s frozen tears,” she said, gazing at the leaden flakes drifting from the sky.  Location 484.

EBook provided by the authors for review as part of Pump Up Your Book tour.

I am reviewing this series for the authors through Pump Up Your Book Blog Tours.

~ ~ ~ KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

Pump Up Your Book and The Samsara Chronicles are teaming up to give you a chance to win a Kindle Fire!

Here’s how it works:

Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour.  If your blog isn’t set up to accept the form, we offer another way for you to participate by having people comment on your blog then directing them to where they can fill out the form to gain more entries.
This Kindle Fire promotion will run from June 1 – August 31. Winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, contacted by email and announced on September 1, 2012.
Each blogger who participates in The Samsara Chronicles virtual book tour is eligible to enter and win.
Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog for the duration of the tour.
If you would like to participate, email Dorothy at thewriterslife(at)gmail.com. Last day to sign up is July 27. What a great way to not only win this fabulous prize, but to gain followers and comments too! Good luck everyone!

Click on the graphic below to find out how you can win!

[If the picture link doesn't work, go to this page].

~ ~ ~WIN $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE ~ ~ ~

One lucky person who comments the most on The Samsara Chronicles’ blog stops will receive a $50 gift certificate. The blog host who receives the most comments through the tour will also receive a $50 gift certificate!

Book Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth E. Wein

I found this story quite engaging and remarkable and am very glad I picked it up through NetGalley.

Code Name Verity  

by Elizabeth E. Wein

• File Size: 904 KB
• Print Length: 354 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0385676549
• Publisher: Disney Hyperion (May 15, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007Y7UVHE

Genre: Historical Fiction
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: May 15, 2012
When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? 

Review:
As the book editor intro says: This is a story about friendship, hope and survival.  The book is designated as reading for 9-12 grades and I would say it would be wonderful for those grades but it is wonderful for adults too.

The story is about two young women who are best friends during World War II. “Verity” is a Scottish aristocrat, aka Queenie, and she and her brother, Jamie, are part of the war effort. Maddie is from the working class and has a knack for mechanics and navigation. Verity is a WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) wireless operator and Maddie is a part of the civilian Air Transport Auxiliary.  Maddie is an excellent amateur pilot with more experience than many of the young boys going off in the RAF. Women are not yet accepted as war or night time pilots although those around Maddie quickly realize that she is better than many of the official pilots. They indulge her and in fact challenge her to fly several dangerous missions in spite of her great fear of guns and bombs.

The remarkable thing about this story is that it is told through journal entries. Verity is to be flown at night into France for a crucial mission. Her pilot fails to arrive and Maddie is pulled in to make the flight. They are hit by gunfire and Verity has to bail before Maddie attempts a crash landing. Verity is caught almost immediately and begins a series of confessions to stay alive in the German headquarters at Oramie, located in the once beautiful hotel known as the Chateau de Bordeaux.

The first half of the book is Verity’s written confessions, revealing wire operator codes, airplanes and air field locations woven through her description of how she met Maddie, how their friendship developed and how it came about that they crashed. Verity’s writing efforts, between torture and threats, are overseen by a German doctor, Fraulein Engel, who translates the papers for the leader, Captain von Loewe. At points Verity’s entries are rambling, sometimes bold and abusive regarding her enemies and captors, sometimes self-deprecating, bemoaning her own cowardice, and sometimes despairing her own fate and that of Maddie.

The second part of the book are Maddie’s journal notes. She describes her crash, how she is hidden with a resistance family and how the mission is handled once they learn that Verity has been captured. There are surprises, twists and unexpected connections.  The story espresses joy in loyal friendships, bravery in times of duress and strength through tragedy.

The writing style is easy to read. Although torture and atrocities are implied there are only a few truly brutal descriptions; nothing that older students couldn’t handle. The first few pages took a bit to orient but once I realized where Verity was and what she was doing I was completely engaged.  There is emotion and excitement that move at a good pace. I appreciated the literary technique used by Ms. Wein as well as the visual portrait of the war and resistance dangers she is able to paint in words.

I haven't read a lot of fiction or nonfiction about WWII and this book is a good step into that era, especially as it relates to female involvement in perhaps peripheral (not front line battles), but still very important, war efforts. You do not have to be a 'war buff' to enjoy this story which is more about personal dreams, losses and relationships in a war-time setting.  Definitely worth the reading!

I selected this to review through NetGalley.
I will add this to my TBR and New Author reading challenges.