BOOK BIRTHDAY: Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman + Giveaway!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to the place that aims to please the bookish side of you with reads that will speak to your mind and your heart...Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

So, it's the day after the holiday (Memorial Day to be precise); also known as first-day-back-to-work-after-a-3-or-4-day-weekend for many (even me this time, woo-hoo...or not?).  *sigh*  How is it that weekends, time off, or vacations never seem to be long enough?  I mean, it is a curiosity is it not?  The moment we step out of our daily routines to enjoy some "freedom", Father Time seems to kick it up a notch.  *glares at Father Time*  Oh well.  At least I got in some good reading, some fun time with the family, and some much need relaxation; here's hoping you scored much of the same (or more!) as well.  Now, speaking of reading...

It's Tuesday and we in the bookish world know what THAT means...NEW RELEASE DAY!  This week is no stranger to the MUST WATCH/READ titles hitting store shelves.  From a Anna Banks' latest YA lit title, Of Triton (which by the way, rocked!  Oh, and did you know she has a BOOK SIGNING coming up THIS FRIDAY? Yep, sure does...) to today's featured selection, we're all over the board with bookish goodness, and ready to increase your wish list pronto...starting with today's featured title.  

It's a book that I've been excited about for quite some time not only because the author is a doll (no really, she's so nice!  If you haven't connected with her on Twitter yet, I highly suggest you do... ^_^) or even simply because her first book (Saving CeeCee Honeycutt) was fabulous, but because the synopsis of it sounded interesting, the cover image was enchanting and the title was curious.  Yep.  I was drawn in by the outside and my knowledge of what had been with high hopes for what's to come...and I was not disappointed.  May I introduce you to today's BOOK BIRTHDAY celebrant and book of choice...

Looking for Me

by

Beth Hoffman

About the book...

Teddi Overman found her life’s passion for furniture in a broken-down chair left on the side of the road in rural Kentucky. She learns to turn other people’s castoffs into beautifully restored antiques, and eventually finds a way to open her own shop in Charleston. There, Teddi builds a life for herself as unexpected and quirky as the customers who visit her shop.  Though Teddi is surrounded by remarkable friends and finds love in the most surprising way, nothing can alleviate the haunting uncertainty she’s felt in the years since her brother Josh’s mysterious disappearance. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi is drawn home to Kentucky.  It’s a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family—and to find herself at last.  But first she must decide what to let go of and what to keep.

This is a book that you can sit back, grab your favorite reading requirements, and sink into the beauty of it all.  There's heartbreak that haunts those still actively seeking life.  There's sorrow that the progression of time delivers in the form of souls lost along the way.  There's dreams broken, aspirations squealched and feelings trampled upon...but through it all, there's hope.  There's hope that those lost to us will return one day in some way or another.  There's hope for a better understanding to be grasped of why those we love did the things they did.  There's hope for a future we thought was just out of our reach thanks to the kindness of a stranger and the open arms of a friend.  There's chance and circumstance all dripping with the hopes of a spirit stronger than it appears on the outside and filled with a heart of gold that refuses to let go of anyone or anything.  As I said, it's quite a beauty.

Teddi is an endearing character and a wonderful narrator from start to finish.  She is welcoming in voice and nature as well as easy to identify with.  Her connection to things of the past is remarkable and I loved how she could find the heart of things long overlooked, bring it to life once again, and allow it to find a new beginning.  In life and with furniture, she was a soul that was often handed the chipped edge of the dish but was smart enough to turn it a quarter ways to avoid being cut.  I loved her choice in friends from Olivia the eccentric collector and best gal pal a girl could ask for (she's not shy about pretty much anything and will call you out when it needs to be done) to Max  the strong silent workman who can work magic with wood in almost any stage of life (and knows when to get into things versus keeping his silent persona...good man!  ^_^), from Stella, her mother's lifelong friend to Grammy, a vital spirit raring to go on life's next adventure, the list goes on and on and even still, mentioning them all would not do them justice.  You need to read about them to fully make their acquaintance and enjoy their company.

Now, I'm not going to tell you that it's all sunshine and flowers, it has its emotional roller coasters and darker aspects aplenty.  The mystery of just what happened to Teddi's brother so many years ago is just one of many unfinished tales to finish.  Some lead to endings you didn't see coming such as the deeper connection Teddi finds with her mother even when it seems past the time for doing so, while others lead to new beginnings filled with just as much wonder and surprise as the latter, such as the wildlife rehab facility granted existence thanks to TWO kinds hearts; either way, they are moments you'll want to remember first hand.  Now, back to that darker side of things..there are also memories of a heart touched by evil that displayed itself violently in her youth and the effects it had on those kind spirits in its proximity.  It does not shy away from things we wish man were incapable of, but it does turn them on their ear offering us a "hero" in some form or another.  Just try not to chuckle or fist pump too much when you discover these moments or "victories"...you might get a few strange looks depending on where you are.

In short, for fans of the author's previous work, you won't be disappointed.  For fans of Fiction draped in Southern hospitality (and at times, a lack thereof), you won't be disappointed.  For those fans of Women's Fiction or Chick-Lit if you prefer because you like the style of story that is generally presented with female leads and hearts beating just below the surface, you won't be disappointed.  Even those that are simply looking for a moving story with an unexpected version of happily-ever-after and feelings to spare, you won't be disappointed.  Full of heart and unexpected moments of mirth (literally laughed out loud several times), it reminds us that our familial bonds are what help shape us but need not fully define us in the end.  We are free to follow our dreams and seek out our own paths towards happiness.  Sometimes we'll succeed and sometimes we'll fall on our faces, but that's life.  We roll with the punches, have a few laughs along the way, pick ourselves with the help of those positive influences in our lives and move on to see a new day brimming with the possibility of what if.  So, what's your dream?  Got it in your heart of hearts?  Good.  Now, make the next step towards it with purpose because you never know just what might be waiting around the next corner of your life...

Author Beth Hoffman

ARC courtesy of author Beth Hoffman (wrapped in pink tissue with a polka dot bow and a personal note...see, I told you she rocked! ^_^).  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as her first and future releases, be sure to visit her official site, like her on Facebook or follow along on Twitter.  Don't forget to check out her upcoming tour that kicks off TOMORROW; the scheduled to which can be found right here.  This book is celebrating its book birthday TODAY via Pamela Dorman Books - Viking/Penguin.  To discover all the bookish worlds the publisher has to offer, click on through to their sites as you desire via the links above, or feel free to check them out on Facebook and Twitter respectively. A trip to the bookstore not in your schedule today?  For shame!  (Just kidding!)  Here's a few online options to get you started...Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Indiebound, and Penguin Publishing.

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Now, I have an EXTRA special treat for you today thanks to Catherine over at Viking/Penguin (THANK YOU!).  Can you guess what that is? ^_^  Yep.  You got.  Your chance to win a copy of this JUST RELEASED title STARTS NOW!

Just click HERE 

.....and fill out the Google Form and presto changeo, you're in to win!

The rules are simple...open to US residents only, no P.O. Boxes please.  The contest will run from TODAY through midnight CST on Monday, June 3rd, 2013.  The winner will be drawn and contacted by Wednesday and have 48 hours to respond with their full name and mailing address which will be passed on to the publisher for prize send out.  If a response is not received in the time frame listed, a new winner will be chosen.

So there you have it!

A happy book birthday celebration for both the author AND us in more ways than one.

Until next time...GOOD LUCK...and happy reading!