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BBAW 2009 Mahbod Seraji, Rooftops of Tehran Giveaway

September 18, 2009 by

Everyone knows I’ve been raving about Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji (click on the link for my review). I even had the pleasure of interviewing Mahbod Seraji as well.

There’s been some exciting news about this debut novel. From Broward Community College to the Villanova One Book Program, the book is making its way into students hands across America. Rooftops was selected as Indie Fall and Winter 2009-2010 Book Group favorites, Santa Cruz’s Community selection for October, and a September pick for LiteraryMatters.

Rooftops also is being published in nine different languages, and most recently selected for translation into Italian.

Of course, you’re probably wondering what all this has to do with you, except that another fantastic author is making readers everywhere happy.

Well, Mahbod Seraji has decided to join the Book Blogger Appreciation Week celebration and offer copies to 3 lucky readers of Savvy Verse & Wit.

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post.

2. If you purchase any of the books, using my Amazon affiliate links this week (Sept. 15-19), that’s 5 extra entries (just send me an order #/invoice).

3. Tweet, blog, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway for additional entries, just leave me a comment about it.

Deadline to enter is Sept. 20, 2009, at 11:59PM EST.

Double your chances and Check out the BBAW Sponsored Giveaway for this book too.


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events, giveaway Tagged With:

It’s Time for a TBR Confession

September 17, 2009 by

Sept. Stack

OK, it’s confession time. I have a towering stack of books I had to read this month, but due to BBAW and other commitments (not to mention the library books I was reading), I am not going to get to many of these books. This was just part of my September stack. As you can see, I didn’t do very well.

Since we are making confessions today, how about I show you all the books I have not read. These are not all ARCs or books from authors. Many of these are books passed to me from my mother, books I bought, and books I’ve had forever. Not to mention books I received from all the wonderful book blogger giveaways out there.

Shelves Overflow

I know, many of you have gasped. It’s OK. I do it to every time I look at this corner of my living room. Just imagine how many more books I would have if I got all the ones on my to-read list on Good Reads?!

What does your TBR pile look like?

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events Tagged With:

An Open Letter to Bloggers from Paul Samuelson

September 17, 2009 by

Dear Bloggers,

Pardon the group email, but I just heard some fantastic news and since it is Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I wanted to share. I am happy to report that Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse, by debut middle grade novelist Kaleb Nation, has debuted on the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association bestsellers list in the #10 spot for Children’s Interest!

For those of you unfamiliar with the list, this indie group is one of the largest in the country, and includes stores such as BookPeople & Blue Willow (TX), Tattered Cover (CO), Changing Hands(AZ) and King’s English (UT), among many others. These are some of the biggest and best indies in the country.

What does this have to do with your blog?

Because the focus of publicity efforts for this title have been primarily online—it is YOU we have to thank for this phenomenal success. For a 20 year old first time author to debut on this list, before he has even begun his cross-country tour, can only mean that word-of-mouth generated by all of you in the book blogging community (and masters of the twitterverse) has had a significant impact on the sales of this book—a direct contradiction to the controversial interview on the All About Romance blog which stirred up so much controversy four months ago.

But I didn’t even review Bran Hambric?!

It doesn’t matter! As part of the larger book blogging community you are an integral part of an ever-growing online literary conversation that exists to discusses books based on merit and for the love of reading. It is through your work that debut novelists can now get discovered and shared throughout the world—and our thanks goes out to you for making this possible.

As you all know, there are many types of book bloggers—teen fan blogs, vlogs, kidlitosphere blogs, homeschool blogs, mommy blogs and the established book blogs we all know and love—and it has been remarkable to bear witness to how so many different types of readers have all come together to discuss and review Bran Hambric in an ever-growing online reading community.

A sincere “thank you” from Sourcebooks for helping us bring a little bit of magic, fantasy and adventure into the lives of readers everywhere.

We’d like to show our appreciation by offering autographed posters of Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse (cover art by Brandon Dorman!) to any blogger to use as a giveaway (plus one for you to keep, if you’d like!). Feel free to pass this letter to other bloggers who might be interested in either the giveaway or the words of appreciation! As always, contact me if you’d like a poster!

Sincerely,

Paul Samuelson

Sourcebooks, Publicity

@psamuelson01

Paul and Sourcebooks are offering 5 copies of the autographed poster to readers of Savvy Verse & Wit in honor of BBAW. U.S./Canada only.

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post.

2. If you purchase any of the books, using my Amazon affiliate links this week (Sept. 15-19), that’s 5 extra entries (just send me an order #/invoice).

3. Tweet, blog, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway for additional entries, just leave me a comment about it.

Deadline to enter is Sept. 20, 2009, at 11:59PM EST.



Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events, giveaway, sourcebooks

EReader + EBooks = Environmental Preservation

September 17, 2009 by

If you’ve been reading Savvy Verse & Wit right along, then you know I’m passionate about saving the environment. I’ve offered tips in the past about how to take part in the movement, and I’ve reviewed books about doing your part or how others have done their part.

While I love the smell and feel of books in my hand, lets face it, trees are used to make those books. Are there books made from recycled paper? Sure. But only 0.23 percent of publishers are committed to increasing the number of books made on recycled paper, according to Eco-Libris. Moreover, only about 5 percent to 10 percent of paper used by book publishers is recycled.

(I snagged the above logo from Goodworks Blog.)

Meanwhile, the Book Industry Environmental Council announced that it was committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the publishing industry by 20 percent or to a 2006 baseline by the year 2020, and an 80 percent reduction by 2050.

This process is going to take a long, long, long time, and even then it may be too late. As avid readers, it is our job to make demand meet the need. We need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we need to increase the use of recycled products. We all can make small changes.

For those of us with the means, we can do something more than buy only books made from recycled paper. We can purchase convenient and useful eReaders, like the Amazon Kindle, the Sony eReader, or the upcoming IREX eReader.

Some features I would like in an eReader are:

  • the ability to download books wirelessly and without connecting to a computer;
  • is easy-to-use interface and functions;
  • won’t hurt the eyes;
  • something that is compatible with other documents, like pdfs and newspapers;
  • allows you to make notations or mark sections for future reference;
  • is compatible with MAC and PC;
  • is energy-efficient;
  • has a large enough screen so people who wear glasses don’t have to squint;
  • is compact to fit in a bag, purse, or carry-on luggage;
  • has significant built-in and expandable memory;
  • is light to carry;
  • can operate in a variety of languages;
  • and wouldn’t it be great if it came in different colors?! Or had some great styling accessories?!


IREX Technologies has offered to give one book blogger participating in Book Blogger Appreciation Week an eReader, click on the link for details.

Book bloggers are some of the most avid readers, and while we are encouraging others to get in on the joy of reading, wouldn’t it be great if we also stepped up and did our part for the environment too?

I, for one, would love an eReader even if it was simply for travel purposes. I take flights to visit my parents at least once a year, and I know that I would use an eReader more often than not. Imagine all the trees I could be saving, let alone all the trees the bloggers I know, who review books, could be saving too.

The only troublesome part has been the cost of these devices, particularly for me. While I hope that I win the IREX eReader, I know that whoever wins it will put it to good use. I just hope I opened some of your eyes to the damage we unwittingly cause to the environment by buying books that do not use recycled paper. If you would like to offset your book purchases, please check out Eco-Libris’ plant a tree program to offset those purchases.


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events, save the environment

Book Bloggers Influencing Book Bloggers

September 17, 2009 by

Today’s Book Blogger Appreciation Week task is to talk about books I’ve read that I read solely because other book bloggers recommended them.

I actually try to mention when I read books because bloggers recommend them, but I figured I would highlight some of my reviews for books that were highly recommended by other book bloggers.

1. Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
2. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

While I am making a concerted effort to remember who recommends books that I end up reading, I have been incredibly terrible about it. I promise to do better in the future.


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events

Ru Freeman’s Writing Space

September 16, 2009 by

As part of the TLC Book Tour for Ru Freeman’s debut A Disobedient Girl (Click on the link for my review), Savvy Verse & Wit got her to talk about her writing space or should I say spaces.

Without further ado, please welcome Ru to Savvy Verse & Wit.

I should have known better than to say I would write a guest post about my writing space, considering that I write everywhere! I used to believe in the absolute necessity of a “room of ones own” in order to write, until I discovered that the real space that any writer needs is inside ones own head.

No perfect vista, no clear surface, no computer or quill really has the power to draw an idea forth if the writer herself has not cleared room in her mind for the work at hand.

I realized that I wrote everywhere. In my car when I am a passenger and sometimes – shh! – when I was driving; but only at stop lights. I wrote while waiting for one of my daughters to get ballet out of her system. I wrote while the same daughter took her piano lessons. In fact, a few good short stories and the end of this novel was written in those half hour bursts when I had to sit at the Bryn Mawr Conservatory of Music, waiting, waiting.

Some of the time I write without writing at all.

I “write” as I absorb the things that are happening around me, tucking away details that strike me in some corner of my brain, trusting that they will come forth and report for duty when the need arises down the line!

Other times, I jot down a thought on a scrap of paper – the usual bills and sundry lists and paraphernalia that stick to women in particular like we are comprised of a magnetic substance particularly attractive to such things – and stash it in an old cigar box that I picked up for the sweet price of $1.50 at the store down the street.

I confess that there was a time when I insisted upon a separate space for my writing.

The reason for that lay not so much in my need for a place to set up my computer and associated totems, but rather that I needed the other people in the house – primarily daughters – to recognize that I was “working” and that I had a “work space,” which was impregnable and sacred.

This was more a fantasy than a reality; children do not take kindly to existing in the margins and the heart of a mother is far too permeable to allow them to do so anyway! But it did help that there was a specific place I could go to, where I could say, this is my room, my study.

Now, in a much more chaotic household in Philadelphia, where I live the life of a juggler who gives a fairly good imitation of being proficient at the task, I travel to various places with my computer. To the dining table, in my bedroom, to the couch downstairs, and the car. What I take is an image of serenity, the memory of a place that has meant everything to me in terms of affirming my writing life: a screensaver which depicts the Bread Loaf campus. This alone is enough.

Check out a photo gallery of Sri Lanka. Please also check out Ru Freeman’s blog and this Amazon.com video with Ru Freeman.

I also have a guest post over at Ru’s blog. Check out my post on writing and photography.

And of course, my review of A Disobedient Girl.

In honor of this being my 600th Post and Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I’m going to giveaway my gently used copy of A Disobedient Girl to anyone in the world.

1. Leave a comment and tell me what your “private” space looks like where you go to relax and read.

2. Tweet, blog, Facebook, or what have you to spread the word for another entry.

3. Remember, this week only I’m offering 5 additional entries for those who purchase books through my Amazon.com Affiliate links. All you have to do is email me an invoice or order #.

4. Comment on the Review for another entry as well.

5. Leave a comment on my guest post at Ru Freeman’s blog for another entry.

Deadline is Sept. 19, 2009, at 11:59 PM


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: giveaway, guest post Tagged With: ,

A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman

September 16, 2009 by


Ru Freeman’s A Disobedient Girl is set in Sri Lanka and is narrated by two women, Latha and Biso, in alternating chapters. Each of these women struggles with their station in society, the desires they have to improve their lot in life, and the journey they find themselves on after making pivotal decisions. Readers also catch a glimpse of Thara and Leela’s lives and struggles.

“Earrings are not decorations. They are a statement of legitimacy, of dignity, of self-worth. Ask any woman, and she would tell you that she would pawn everything she has before she gave up her earrings. Even her wedding band. For what is a wedding band worth except to say that a man coveted your children and wanted to claim them for his own? A wedding band can come from any man, just like children. Earrings, a real pair of earrings, come only with love.” (Page 121)

Sri Lanka is in the midst of civil unrest when we meet Biso for the first time, but when we meet Latha, she is in the prime of innocence. Biso has lived a hard life, though she is not jaded by the loss of her greatest love or the abuse of her husband. Latha, on the other hand, is resentful of her station as a servant girl in a high-class home and straddles precariously between the world of a upper class girl, like her mistress’ daughter Thara, and that of a servant. Class struggles, political unrest, and danger permeate the pages of A Disobedient Girl.

“No, I had lain there, my arms around his dying body, the blood from his wounds flowing into me along with his passion, his body shuddering until there was nothing left except the blood that came over his body and included me in its embrace. I had stayed like that until he slipped out of me, and then I had stood. I had walked into the ocean and let the salt water wash my skin, the churning sands scrubbing my exterior of his blood even as the night air hardened my pain into a fist inside my chest.” (Page 149)

The narration begins slowly and builds to a crescendo, though readers may have a tough time with the broken and interrupted thoughts because it can detract from the atmosphere that Freeman attempts to create. Latha’s chapters reflect her naivete and her impulsive nature, while Biso’s chapters reflect a mature woman who is methodical in her actions and chastises herself for self-indulgence when she must care for three children.

However, Freeman has a gift for dramatic language and situations, illustrating how each woman faces tragedy and overcomes the suppression they feel because of their caste and decisions. A Disobedient Girl is not about a specific girl or woman, but about the rebellious part of human nature that desires to be free and in control of its own destiny.

Here’s a list of the other TLC Tour stops and a photo gallery of Sri Lanka. Please also check out Ru Freeman’s blog and this Amazon.com video with Ru Freeman.

I also have a guest post over at Ru’s blog. Check out my post on writing and photography.

Also Reviewed By:
Caribousmom

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: fiction, Read in 2009, reviews, tlc book tours Tagged With: ,

BBAW Reading Meme

September 16, 2009 by

Welcome to my attempt at the Book Blogger Appreciation Week Reading Meme.

Feel free to share your links to the meme or your own thoughts on the questions.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

I sometimes snack on Cheetos or goldfish crackers, but mostly I have a tall, cold glass of green tea, water, or ice coffee. There is that occasional glass of root beer near me, but that doesn’t last too long, and who wants to get up to get a refill every 15 minutes. 🙂

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I do not write in books anymore. I did for college courses and to prepare for exams. I have no reason to mark passages these days with ink when I can use my multicolored post-it flags.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?

I have bookmarks, receipts, pieces of notebook paper, and other random bits stuck in books, but mostly its bookmarks. I have dog-eared books in the past, but usually its a library book when I don’t have a bookmark or piece of paper handy. This rarely happens.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

I read just about anything, so long as it hold my interest. I really enjoy fiction and poetry most, however.

Hard copy or audiobooks?

I adore hard copies of books, but audiobooks often make the morning commutes fly by and gets my husband interested in characters and plots without him realizing it.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

I tend to finish a chapter before putting a book down, but if I’m commuting on a bus and have to get off at my stop, I may not have a choice.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

I tend to mark unfamiliar words with those post-it flags and refer to them later, but most often I can use context clues and other hints in the text to garner a rough meaning. Isn’t that what reading comprehension is about?!

What are you currently reading?

Currently, you can find out what I’m reading in my sidebar through the Good Reads widget. I’m writing this ahead of time, so I could be reading something completely different by the time this posts. But in case you are wondering, I am reading A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman and More of Me Disappears by John Amen.

What is the last book you bought?

OK, first check out this Mailbox Monday post for my library sale finds. However, I’m still waiting for Barnes & Noble to ship me the two books I ordered with my birthday gift card: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson and Vampire Haiku by Ryan Mecum.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

I generally have three or four books going at a time, but some will end up taking precedence at one time or another depending on my mood or time constraints. If I have a short amount of time or a hard time focusing, I generally will read some short stories or poems.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

I read mostly while commuting. Listening to audiobooks in the car as hubby drives us to work, reading a book on the subway and bus on the ride home, and reading books in the recliner or lying on the couch at home in the afternoons following work.

Generally, I love spending Sundays with a good book away from the Internet.

One place I don’t like reading is in bed; it makes me too sleepy.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

I don’t have a preference. I like series books as long as they are all well-written; I have a hard time starting a series and watching the quality decline. It makes me sad. Sometimes I want some stand-alone books to become series books.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

I really love recommending Tim O’Brien and Anita Shreve, but there are so many authors I’ve found myself recommending. I really like Suzanne Collins‘ writing, Michelle Moran, and many others. I even have a list of poets I will recommend over and over–Arlene Ang, Ted Kooser, Billy Collins, Kay Ryan, Yusef Komunyakaa, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and more.

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

My shelves are far from organized. I don’t have enough shelf space to be organized. Many of my books have no shelves at all and are in piles throughout the apartment. This is a sad state of affairs, but hopefully someday, the bookcase fairy will show up and remedy my problem.


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events

Interview With Emily Wilson of books, the universe, and everything

September 15, 2009 by

Last year, my favorite part of Book Blogger Appreciation Week was the interview swap, in which I get to check out a new-to-me blogger and ask them some questions so we can all get to know him or her better.

I signed up to participate again this year, and was given Emily Wilson of books, the universe, and everything. Check out her blog to see what she asked me.

1. What’s the story behind the creation of your blog–books, the universe, and everything?

I started my blog almost four years ago, a few months after moving to New York City.

I’ve been an avid reader and book lover my entire life, but it wasn’t until I moved to NYC that I became book obsessed: a bibliophile. I think that was caused by a combination of several things: all the wonderful bookstores in the city, all the fantastic book events in and around the city, and also finally having the time to read more (I had just graduated college and thus had no more homework to clog up nights and weekends).

When I wanted to start a blog, books were the natural core focus – I needed a place to talk as much as I wanted about my passion.


2. What kinds of books do you blog about, what parts of the universe are you discussing, and how much of everything makes it onto the blog?

I have pretty broad tastes in books – I definitely wouldn’t say I like everything, but I like a good variety: contemporary fiction, classics, biographies, food writing, cookbooks, fantasy, graphic novels, kid’s literature, kid’s picture books, non-fiction, poetry.

I mainly only blog about the books I buy and read, but occasionally I’ll post about a book that looks good or has something unusual or interesting about it. Sometimes it’s their covers – I love book cover design.

As for the Universe and Everything, I’d have to admit that I don’t discuss those as much as I used to. I like to post photos from travels or NYC related adventures, and I like to post photos and recipes from some of the things I bake. If I had to sum up my blog in three topics, those would be it: books, traveling, and baking.


3. I noticed some photography on your site and that you have a flickr page. What kind of camera do you use? And what would be your dream camera?

My camera is a Canon Powershot SD1000, which I bought mainly because it was super small. I wanted to have a camera I could always keep in my purse, so that I’m always prepared to take a photo.

For my next camera, I’d like to get a better camera. Even the newer models of Powershots take better photos, since they have image stabilization. I’m very much an amateur in every way, but I enjoy taking photos and am always trying to get better.

4. Of the books you’ve read in 2009, which books would you recommend to a friend or stranger and why?

For a stranger, I’d have to select books that I think would have a very wide appeal, so I think I’d go with:

Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl
Thank You, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet

Here’s a list of some of my favorite books read this year that I’ve been recommending to my friends consistently: (not including the books above, which I’ve also been recommending)

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenburg
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

5. Have you always been a reader? And what book do you think started you on this bibliophile journey?

I’ve been a reader my entire life. Both of my parents read to me when I was young, and during my entire childhood they helped keep me surrounded by all the books I could ever want, mainly through frequent trips to several area libraries, and they also bought me quite a few. I had all the Babysitter’s Club books. 🙂 There’s not a time in my life that I can remember not having a deep love for reading and books.


One specific book that had a huge impact on my love of books was Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. It was the first classic adult novel that I picked up on my own and decided to read for me, not for a class. I fell in love with it and it grew my passion for reading in general into a passion for good literature and authors. Not to mention it was the start of my love for everything Vonnegut. 🙂

6. In the book blogging community what are some of your favorite memes or weekly activities? What do you like best about them and what do you like least?

I’m not very good at keeping up with memes or weekly activities myself, but I do enjoy reading them on other people’s blogs. I like Booking Through Thursday, and really should try to participate more. I also like Library Loot.

7. Tell us one wacky aspect of your personality or about any obsessions you might have other than books.

One of my other obsessions is baking. I’ve been baking a lot this year and love to experiment to find the best recipes for my favorite treats.

I like to share photos and recipes of some of the best things I’ve made on my blog.

8. Write a six word memoir for yourself.

“Can’t go anywhere without a book.”

Did you enjoy this interview? Interested in winning Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro? Here’s what you have to do to enter:

1. Let me know what you liked about the interview.
2. If you purchase any of the books, using my Amazon affiliate links this week (Sept. 15-19), that’s 5 extra entries (just send me an order #/invoice).
3. Tweet, blog, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway for additional entries, just leave me a comment about it.

Deadline to enter is Sept. 19, 2009, at 11:59 PM EST


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events, giveaway, Interviews Tagged With: ,

FU, Penguin by Matthew Gasteier

September 14, 2009 by

FU, Penguin by Matthew Gasteier is not a book for those without a quirky sense of humor. FU, Penguin is a spinoff of the blog, which has about 900,000 unique visitors per day, and the brainchild of Watertown, Mass., resident Matthew Gasteier who views the attempts of animals to look cute as antithetical to their nature.

Chock full of photos of cute fuzzy animals in adorable poses accompanied by sarcasm, ridicule, and disdain, Gasteier has created what some would call a pop culture phenomenon. Some readers will chuckle at the accompanying essays, while others may shake their heads.

In some cases, readers could find that the photos stand on their own as ridiculous without the essays. Gasteier’s harsh language choices for the captions could put some readers off, but the captions are some of the funniest bits in this book. If calling moose the “biggest dorks ever” or stating “Is it me, or are baby animals really being dicks lately” are your thing, FU Penguin is for you. Gasteier has started the conversation, but the question is how will you finish it?

In honor of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I’m offering one lucky reader anywhere in the world my gently used copy of this book, which I received from Random House. This giveaway is international.

1. Leave a comment on this post about why you want to read this or tell me if you’ve ever been to Gasteier’s Website prior to this review.
2. If you purchase any of the books, using my Amazon affiliate links this week (Sept. 15-19), that’s 5 extra entries (just send me an order #/invoice).
3. Tweet, blog, Facebook, etc. this post and get an extra entry, just come back and leave a comment.

Deadline for entries is Sept. 19, 2009, at 11:59 PM.

As an aside, all BBAW 2009 posts are easily accessible on my navigation bar. So never fear, all the BBAW 2009 contests will be at your fingertips!


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events, giveaway, humor, random house, Read in 2009, review copy, reviews Tagged With: ,

My Favorite Blogs, Not on the Shortlist

September 14, 2009 by

Book Blogger Appreciation Week has kicked off, and all week long there are activities, scavenger hunts, and memes. Savvy Verse & Wit will be offering a ton of giveaways this week, and we hope that you will participate in BBAW, read reviews, enter giveaways, and other activities.

Today, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite book blogs that I read everyday. These are blogs that did not make the shortlists this year.

Let’s start with my nomination for Best New Blog: Book Chick City

She has a great color scheme and the sidebars and post sections are streamlined. Enough of aesthetics though, what I really love best are her reviews. I wanted to provide you with some of the best reviews I’ve read on her site, and I hope you will check them out and add Book Chick City to your reader.

1. She’s already started participating in the community here and here.
2. Passionate book reviews.
3. Insightful interviews.

Another blog that I feel should have been shortlisted this year is The Literate Housewife Review.

Jennifer’s blog has a great design for her blog with a unique representation of herself, and this blog is easy to navigate as well. I love her honesty and her anecdotes about her girls and family. You really feel at home reading her blog, like you’re sitting down to tea with her. Here are some of my favorite posts:

1. Her Dog Days of Summer challenge was exceptional.
2. Read her post about BBAW.
3. And she is creative in other ways, with her bookmark of the month club.

Have you checked out Bookgirl’s Nightstand?

Iliana is one of the most creative bloggers I’ve come across, and you can easily check out her journal-making skills at her Etsy shop or on her blog. Her blog has a great color scheme and nice set up, where you can easily find what reading challenges she’s joined and the progress she has made. Here are some of her latest, greatest posts:

1. A book review in pictures.
2. Her post on foreign bookstores.
3. Adventures in Bookbinding

You must have known I would talk about my buddy, Anna’s blog, Diary of an Eccentric.

She works hard on her blog and on our joint venture War Through the Generations (but we’re not talking about that because it is on the shortlist). Not only is Anna reviewing books, interviewing authors, and offering guest bloggers the spotlight, but also she shares her blog, on occasion, with her daughter, known as The Girl! Reading their joint reviews is fun, but let’s not forget her hidden talent, knitting. Ok, enough blabbing, check out her posts for yourself.

1. Review of He Was My Chief
2. Knitting–maybe I’m biased since those are my feet modeling the goods.
3. A review by The Girl

Finally, I wanted to highlight is Everything Distils Into Reading.

Gautami has phenomenal tastes in books and poetry, she even writes her own. Yes, we have another multitalented blogger on our hands. Everything Distils is a reimagination of her blog that was “disappeared” earlier this year, and it has been a hard road back, but she has never let that slow her down. I, for one, am glad she decided to keep her blog going and build it back up. Here are some great posts:

1. Can of worms?
2. Wait Until Twilight
3. Mermaids and poetry

What are some of your favorite blogs that didn’t make the shortlists?


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: BBAW, Events

Winners of Millie’s Fling

September 13, 2009 by

Out of 33 entrants to the Jill Mansell giveaway for Millie’s Fling, Randomizer.org selected #28 and #9:

Wanda and Amanda (aka fitz12383)

Congrats to the winners.

Stay tuned for future giveaways in honor of Book Blogger Appreciation Week.

All of the giveaways posted here on Savvy Verse & Wit this week will be international.

Also, I want to remind you that any purchases of books made through my Amazon.com Affiliate links will earn 5 additional entries into each giveaway (all you have to do is email me an order # or invoice).


Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: winners