Blog, Page 389

Mailbox Monday #56

November 16, 2009 by Serena

It’s Mailbox Monday again, which is sponsored by Marcia at The Printed Page. I’m happy to share with you my review copies, my giveaway wins, and the books I purchased this week.

I hope you see something you might enjoy and hope you’ll check out the reviews as they are posted. Ok, here we go:

1. 2 copies of The Michael Jackson Tapes by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach from Vanguard Press and FSB Associates for review and one to give away.

2. The Body in the Sleigh by Katherine Hall Page from Harper Collins.

3. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters from FSB Associates and Quirk Classics.

4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith from FSB Associates and Quirk Classics.

5. Five Kingdoms by Kelle Groom from the poet for review; check out my interview with her at 32 Poems Blog.

6. The Ghost Writer by John Harwood, which I purchased at Wonder Books, a newly discovered used bookstore found by my husband!

7. Kitty and The Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn, which I won from Book Chick City during her All Hallow’s Eve celebration.

8. Almost Home by Pam Jenoff, which the author sent to me for review.

9. The Vampire’s Assistant by Darren Shan prize pack, which I won from Babbling About Books and More.

What did you receive in your mailbox?

Psst…Anna at Diary of an Eccentric has a birthday today!

Clicking on titles and cover images will bring you to my Amazon Affiliates page; no purchases are necessary.

Filed Under: mailbox monday

21st Virtual Poetry Circle

November 14, 2009 by Serena

I think we all know the routine by now, but just in case you don’t, here’s the spiel again.

OK, Here’s a poem up for reactions, interaction, and–dare I say it–analysis:

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock’s books suggested. Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don’t like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.

Today, its a return to classic poet. John Keats’ Ode on a Grecian Urn is one of my favorites from the romantic period in poetry.

Ode on a Grecian Urn
by: John Keats

Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness,
Thou foster-child of Silence and slow Time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both,
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?
What men or gods are these? what maidens loth?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d,
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
Though winning near the goal–yet, do not grieve;
She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,
For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!

Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;
And, happy melodist, unwearied,
For ever piping songs for ever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
For ever warm and still to be enjoy’d,
For ever panting, and for ever young;
All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy’d,
A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.

Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
To what green altar, O mysterious priest,
Lead’st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,
And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?
What little town by river or sea shore,
Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,
Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
And, little town, thy streets for evermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
Why thou art desolate, can e’er return.

O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede
Of marble men and maidens overwrought,
With forest branches and the trodden weed;
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity: Cold pastoral!
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st,
‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty’–that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

Let me know your thoughts, ideas, feelings, impressions. Let’s have a great discussion…pick a line, pick an image, pick a sentence.

I’ve you missed the other Virtual Poetry Circles, check them out here. It’s never too late to join the discussion.

Filed Under: virtual poetry circle

Green Books Campaign Recap

November 13, 2009 by Serena

I read an enjoyable work of fiction for Shaila Abdullah (click here for my review) for the Green Books Campaign on Nov. 10 when 100 bloggers joined hands to post 100 reviews on the same day.

But I wanted to highlight some of the other great reviews from the campaign and some of the great books I found.

Air Pollution Revolution Campaign reviewed Greening Your Small Business by Jennifer Kaplan, and here’s what captured my attention about the review and the book:

“This encyclopedia of green tips should be found in the desk drawer of every entrepreneur looking to reduce his business’ carbon footprint and/or trying to appeal to an environmentally concerned clientele.”

At Home With Books reviewed Art and Upheaval by William Cleveland, and here’s what Alyce had to say:

“If you would have asked me those questions prior to reading Art and Upheaval I would responded hesitantly, saying that art is beautiful, but I’m not sure if it is something that can change lives. After reading this book though, I have been convinced of the importance of art and its power when it is used by citizens of a community to communicate ideas that will foster healing and unity.”

LilianaLand! reviewed The Dead Can’t Dance by Pam Calabrese MacLean, a collection of poems, and here’s what she had to say:

“You’d have thought that it’d be weird reading stories written in the form of poems, but it’s not. They evoke such contrasting emotions in the different stories: joy and amusement, and in the next instance, sorrow.”

The Not so Closet Geeks reviewed Only Milo by Barry Smith, check out these comments:

“Completely unpredictable, Only Milo is a highly shocking and enjoyable read. The novel is simple to read, but has enough surprises and thrills to keep any reader enthralled. Readers gain insight into the twisted mind of a murderer through a riveting and brilliantly executed plot.”

Bookstore People reviewed From Green to Gold by Harold Enrico, a book of poetry:

“This poetry collection is not only printed in a green manner, the poems themselves evoke an awareness of the beauty of nature and life. . . . Even more poignant for me was “Marston-Bigot, Somerset” which describes the antics of WWII soldiers on New Years Eve at a temporary encampment juxtaposed with the animals (badger, mole) that will continually be present in an ongoing cycle of life.”

Click on the above links for full reviews. There were so many great books reviewed during the campaign, but if you missed it, you can always check out the list of over 100 reviews, here.

What books did you find during the campaign? And have you entered my giveaway for Saffron Dreams by Shaila Abdullah?

Filed Under: announcements, Green Books Campaign

Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea (Audio)

November 13, 2009 by Serena

Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea on audio was a delight, especially with the voice and passion of Susan Ericksen. Nayeli is a young girl working in a taco shop in Tres Camarones, who continues to idolize her father that left her and her mother many years ago.

Her home is under attack from bandits and drug dealers, but many residents have been abandoned by other men seeking the opportunities found in America. While watching The Magnificent Seven with Yul Brynner, Nayeli and her friends — Tacho, Yolo, and Vampi — decide they are going to make a trek to America to bring back the seven they need to save their town.

The audio brings to life the accents, the culture, the beauty of each scene and the playful sparring between these characters and their new surroundings. Ericksen’s passion for these characters and this story is clear, illuminating the innocence of Nayeli and her friends and the hardships they face.

From the colorful personalities of Nayeli’s gay boss, Tacho, to her vampire/Goth girlfriend Vampi and perky and whiny Yolo to the matriarch of the village Nayeli’s Aunt Irma, Urrea paints a mosaic of Mexico and the struggles of illegal immigrants and those seeking a better life. Readers will by far enjoy the quirky Atomico a warrior from the dump outside Tijuana the most as he seeks to defend the four from the ills of the world.

My husband and I were riveted when the audio rolled us to work every morning. Atomico was my husband’s favorite character because he was like a comic book character; “I AM ATOMICO.” While the border crossings were the most exciting aspects of the novel for my husband, the end of the novel fell flat; he considered it an open ending as if there were more to come — that the journey had not ended. Urrea’s writing is passionate and tangible, capturing the reader instantly and weaving a tale that envelops them completely.

Into the Beautiful North is one of the best novels I’ve read in 2009, but I plan to read this in hard copy as well. As an aside, Anna of Diary of an Eccentric and I were able to meet Luis Alberto Urrea and Susan Eriksen at Book Expo America in May, thanks to the kind dragging of Kathy of Bermudaonion, Julie of Booking Mama, Amy from My Friend Amy, Miriam of Hachette Book Group. Thanks gals!

Filed Under: audiobooks, fiction, Read in 2009, review copy, reviews Tagged With: Into the Beautiful North, Luis Alberto Urrea

Daniel X: Watch the Skies by James Patterson & Ned Rust

November 12, 2009 by Serena

I’ve been a bit busy reading, but I have some reviews from my mom, Pat, to share. Today, my mom is going to share her thoughts on the latest young adult book from James Patterson. Please give her a warm welcome.

James Patterson and Ned Rust’s Daniel X: Watch the Skies is the next book in Patterson’s young adult series. In this book, the aliens are taking over the town of Holliswood. With the prevalence of televisions, computers, and portable devices, its easy to be in the face of every resident and document their downfall.

Daniel X, his sister Emma, and two brothers are still searching for who killed their parents. This family must face the good and bad in this action-packed book. Readers will speed through the drama to reach its conclusion. It’s a page-turner and a five-star, must read.

Please check out the book podcast.

My mom would like to thank Hachette Book Group for sending her a free review copy. Clicking on title links and coverage images will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; no purchase required.

We’ve since passed along this book to Anna at Diary of an Eccentric‘s girl and maybe she’ll come back and give us her perspective.

Filed Under: Hachette Books, Pat review, review copy, young adult fiction Tagged With: Daniel X Watch the Skies, James Patterson, Ned Rust

Veteran’s Day: Dr. Chris Coppola on Writing and Publication

November 11, 2009 by Serena

In honor of our veterans this Veterans Day, I’ve got a special guest post from Dr. Chris Coppola, author of Coppola: A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq.

Book Description:
Title: Coppola: A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq
Author: Dr. Chris Coppola
Trim: 5.5 x 8.5, Hardcover, 265p.
Published: November 1, 2009 (Online) & February 1, 2010 (bookstores)
Publisher: NTI Upstream

I hope you will give him a warm welcome as he talks about his book and his writing experiences.

I continue to tell people “I am not a writer” even as my book Coppola: A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq was published Nov. 1, 2009. I am a doctor, a father, a veteran, but in no way do I consider myself a writer. The truth of the matter is that I wrote my book out of necessity, to survive a very stressful passage in my life.

During medical school I had committed to military service, and in 2003 I started work as a staff surgeon at a military hospital in Texas. Shortly after, we invaded Iraq, and it wasn’t long before I found myself serving as a trauma surgeon in a combat support hospital just north of Baghdad.

I was well fed, housed, and protected, but still I felt groundless and lost witnessing the daily onslaught of blown up patients entering the hospital doors. One bed held a twenty-year-old soldier with his legs blown off. In the next was an elderly grandmother in a black burka with eviscerated intestines; and nearby her, a child of two with burns covering the majority of her body. During the day, the frantic pace of work kept me fully occupied. But late at night, alone in the Spartan trailer that served as my quarters, I could not sleep.

Part of my difficulty arose from the fact that I was far from the comforting embrace of my wife and children, the salve that would usually ease my troubles. They couldn’t come to me, but I could tell them my worries, so I wrote: long detailed letters in which I poured out the painful images that deprived me of sleep. Sometimes I wrote until dawn. Once unburdened of these difficult memories, I felt relieved and ready to face the meat grinder of war once again. I could rise, head back to the network of canvas tent that formed our hospital, and again do my best to help the soldiers, detainees, and civilians who had the misfortune to be among the thousands injured in the war.

My wife and I shared my letters with family and a few close friends. Friends asked to share with other friends, and soon I was writing for over 100 readers. I found myself carefully choosing words that would be read to my son’s fourth grade class and in the operating rooms of my hospital at home. I did my best to match photographs that would compliment the letters’ content. I was surprised to find that readers were actually eager to receive the updates—if I was too busy to write for a week, I got worried emails inquiring if anything had happened to me.

Once home, I was relieved to be back with my family, but I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that I wasn’t doing anything to support our troops who were still at war so far from their families. I gathered my letters, and crafted them into a book as a tribute to the troops and a benefit for Fisher House, a home away from home for families of injured troops. Again, I was writing to serve an emotional need.

Now that Coppola: A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq is written, I feel like the story of so many brave children, parents and soldiers has been preserved. I saw such moving acts of bravery and strength from so many ordinary people that I felt the rest of the world should know, in some way, what I witnessed. Now that these events have been set to paper, I believe they have enduring reality and meaning even as they happened in the senselessness of war. 

About the Author:

Dr. Chris Coppola was sworn in as a second lieutenant in 1990 as part of the Air Force’s Health Professions Scholarship Program, agreeing to perform six years of active duty service in exchange for a free education at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. As part of the program, Dr. Coppola would spend one month of each year serving as a clerk in a military facility. Later, while completing his surgery residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, he conducted research on birth defects and went on medical missions in Haiti and the Amazon.

10 Percent of each book sale will benefit nonprofit organizations like War Child Canada and War Kids Relief.

For more on this author, please check out the first part of my interview with Dr. Coppola on my D.C. Literature Examiner page.

Thanks to Dr. Coppola for providing this guest post and answering my interview questions.

Clicking on some title and image links will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; no purchases are required.

Filed Under: guest post Tagged With: Dr. Chris Coppola

Green Books Campaign: Saffron Dreams by Shaila Abdullah

November 10, 2009 by Serena

Welcome to the Green Books Review Campaign, sponsored by Eco-Libris — logo was created by the talented Susan Newman. 100 bloggers, 100 books, 100 reviews — today at 1 PM EST.

We’re here to shed light on the publishers and books available on the market using recycled products and “green” practices. If you missed my initial post about the campaign, check it out now. For updates on the campaign, visit Eco-Libris’ blog.

Saffron Dreams by Shaila Abdullah is printed on 30 percent post-consumer waste and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified book paper. It is also one of the best books I’ve read in 2009. Stay tuned for giveaway information.

“Summer in Houston tastes like dirt, thick bellowing mounds of dust piling on and on until you can’t breathe anymore. Sometimes a squalling wind arrives, pressing its puckered lips to the window panes. Whooooo, it shrieks, whooooosh, and then it cavorts over the pile of dust, depositing it evenly in our miracle-less world. The rain that follows washes it all away, leaving behind an acerbic mustiness that lingers until September brings in the moldiness that I associate with loss, the dull snicker of an autumn past.” (Page 178)

A somber tone permeates Saffron Dreams from Arissa Illahi’s childhood to her present in 2006-2007, weaving in and out through her past and present. Abdullah’s narrative technique will hook readers and carry them alongside Arissa on her journey from Pakistan to America as she matures, marries, gives birth, and reconciles her culture and her religion with her new homeland — a homeland that has grown wary of Muslims following the 2001 terrorist attacks.

“With every horn or commotion guilt-ridden with sins they did not commit. They walked faster when alone. Some women took down their hijabs, afraid of being targeted, and adopted a conservative but Western style of dressing. Men cut their beards. Many postponed plans to visit the country of their origin any time soon. Those who did travel preferred to remain quiet during their journey and chose not to converse in their native language even among family members.” (Page 60)

Saffron’s bitter taste is present throughout the novel as Arissa is steeped in grief and guilt, but the fragrance of hay often associated with saffron lulls her character with memories. Ami, Arissa’s mother, was absent for much of her upbringing and her father allowed her to find love on her own terms. It is this family life that shapes her ideas about love, marriage, and family. Once married to Faizan Illahi, she finds happiness and revels in it, until her life is obliterated in 2001.

Abdullah delves deep into a wife’s guilt, particularly a wife who has adopted a nation as her home that would rather root her out and label her as the enemy. The dichotomy between religion and culture, mother and daughter, grief and survival are tangible and heart-wrenching. Some of the best elements in the story include parallels between art and writing and those two talents suffuse the narrative with a dreamlike quality.

Readers will get lost in Arissa’s grief and her confusion about starting anew. They will cheer her on as her determination takes over. Each chapter provides a date stamp to orient readers, but Arissa’s narrative shifts easily from past to present on more than one occasion as memories take over. Saffron Dreams is more than just an emotional journey of perseverance amid the most trying circumstances and tragic events, it is an evolution of one Muslim woman into a whole self, strong enough to stand alone and blossom.

Please check out the rest of the stops in the Green Books Campaign blog tour; there are a wide range of books from fiction to nonfiction and poetry to sustainable living guides.

I want to thank Shaila Abdullah and her publisher Modern History Press for sending along a free copy for me to review. Clicking on book titles and covers will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; no purchases are necessary.

Photo by Galina Stepanova

About the Author:

Shaila Abdullah was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1971. She has a bachelors degree in English literature and a diploma in graphic design. She also has a diploma in freelance writing. She has written several short stories, articles, and personal essays for various publications, such as Maybe Quarterly, Damazine, Women’s Own, She, Fashion Collection, Dallas Child, Web Guru, About Families, Sulekha, Pakistaniaat, and a magazine of the Daily Dawn newspaper called Tuesday Review, etc. She is a member of the Writers’ League of Texas.

Also, please view her literature blog, her art blog, and her design blog.

Giveaway information: 1 copy, autographed for U.S. residents only

1. Leave a comment about what books you’ve found during the Green Books Campaign that you would buy.

2. Spread the word about the campaign and the giveaway via Twitter, Facebook, Blog, etc., and leave a comment with a link.

3. Followers receive five additional entries and new followers receive three extra entries.

Deadline is Nov. 17, 2009, at 11:59 PM EST

Filed Under: fiction, giveaway, Green books, Green Books Campaign, Read in 2009, review copy, reviews Tagged With: Saffron Dreams, Shaila Abdullah

Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell

November 9, 2009 by Serena

I’m now a Jill Mansell junkie! Perfect Timing is an ironic title for this British chicklit novel because nothing is perfectly timed in this novel, from Poppy’s last minute decision to jilt her fiance hours before their wedding to finding her biological father after years of not knowing she wasn’t living with him.

“‘The thing is,’ Poppy prevaricated, ‘my room’s only tiny.’

‘And who am I, two-ton Tess? All I’m asking for is a bit of floor space.’ Dina was wheedling now. ‘I’ll sleep under the bed if it makes you happier. In the bath, even.'” (Page 106 of ARC)

Poppy Dunbar is a twenty-something mess of a girl, who thinks she has her life figured out until she meets Tom at a bar during her bachelorette party. After giving Rob the brush off, she packs up and moves from Bristol to London to start her life over and to find her biological father. She works two jobs, lands a room in a house with a famous painter Caspar French and a haughty socialite Claudia Slade-Welch, but seems content.

“‘Try patches. They worked for my agent and he was a twenty-a-dayman.’

Only a lifelong non-smoker, Rita thought affectionately, could think twenty-a-day was a lot.

‘I was a fifty-a-day woman.’ She looked depressed. ‘Anyway, why d’you suppose I’m wearing long sleeves? I’ve already got a week’s supply slapped all over me. Underneath this dress I look like Mr. Blobby.'” (Page 391 of ARC)

Mansell’s writing style draws readers quickly into the drama as they watch Poppy grow, mature, and find her center. The dialogue between Poppy, Caspar, Claudia, and Poppy’s boss, Jake, will have readers laughing out loud on their transit commutes, in their bedrooms, on their sofas, or wherever they happen to read.

Poppy is a disaster, but so are Caspar, Claudia, and Jake. It’s a wonder they ever get it together in this book. Some of the funniest scenes are when Jake leaves Poppy along to bid at auctions and estate sales. Readers will enjoy how easily Poppy takes leaps into the unknown and how blind she is to the love and family she has in front of her. Mansell has another winner with Perfect Timing.

Additionally, I would like to thank Jill Mansell and Sourcebooks for sending me a free copy of Perfect Timing for review. Clicking on title links will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page, no purchase necessary.

Filed Under: ARC, chicklit, Read in 2009, reviews, sourcebooks Tagged With: Jill Mansell, Perfect Timing

Mailbox Monday #55

November 9, 2009 by Serena

Mailbox Monday, sponsored by Marcia at The Printed Page, on Sunday seems to be a habit with me lately, but at least I’m still giving you a chance to check out my mailbox!

Ok, here’s the lo down:

1. The Guilt Gene by Diana M. Raab for review from the poet.

2. Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers by Thich Nhat Hanh, which I won from Bibliofreak.

3. The Desecration of Doves by Arlene Ang, which I won from BBAW.

4. The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde, which I also won from BBAW.

5. Hummingbirds by Joshua Gaylord, which I won from Booking Mama.

6. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, which I received from the publisher and TLC Book Tours for review.

7. Vampire Apocalypse [Fallout] by Derek Gunn, which I won from Good Reads.

What did you get in your mailbox??

Filed Under: mailbox monday

Winners . . .

November 8, 2009 by Serena

There’s been a number of giveaways going on here, and I wanted to take some time to acknowledge the winners.

First up is Jeanette of The Hen House, who won Night of Flames. I’ve emailed you twice for your mailing address, which needs to get to me by Nov. 13, or I’ll have to select another winner.

The 4 winners of the PrintRunner business cards were:

Ti of Book Chatter
Wendy of Wendi’s Book Corner
Jessica
Cara of Ooh . . . Books

The winner of John Amen’s More of Me Disappears is:

Mil

I’ve emailed everyone for their information. Clicking on title links or images will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page, but no purchases are required.

Filed Under: winners

Mailbox Monday #56

21st Virtual Poetry Circle

Green Books Campaign Recap

Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea (Audio)

Daniel X: Watch the Skies by James Patterson & Ned Rust

Veteran’s Day: Dr. Chris Coppola on Writing and Publication

Green Books Campaign: Saffron Dreams by Shaila Abdullah

Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell

Mailbox Monday #55

Winners . . .

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