BLOG TOUR: A White Room by Stephanie Carroll - Review, Interview + Giveaway!

Hi there!

Welcome back to the place that aims to feed the bookish beast in you...Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

So, I teased you yesterday with my Taste Testing Tuesdays selection and made you wait today for the creme de la creme....but I promise, it was WELL worth the wait.  Then again, I never try to put words in your mouth or settled ideas in your head, so why don't we get right to the heart of it all....the book!  It's a step into Historical Fiction, a place I seldom dwell for it can be quite stuffy in there, but brimming with so much life (AND death) that one can't help but take notice.  Once I began, I felt I was on one journey, but as it continued to unfold it became SO much more.  Allow me to introduce, today's book of choice....

A White Room

by

Stephanie Carroll

Unhinged Books

9780988867406

About the book...

At the close of the Victorian Era, when women were still expected to behave and just beginning to rebel, Emeline Evans dreamed of becoming a nurse.However when her father dies and leaves the family destitute, Emeline sacrifices her dreams to marry the elusive John Dorr, a man who can provide for her family.
He moves her to the small Missouri town of Labellum and into a bizarre house where remorse and mourning cause Emeline to come unhinged. The furniture twists and turns before her eyes, people stare out at her from empty rooms, and the house itself conspires against her. The doctor and Emeline’s husband say it’s hysteria, but the cure only fuels the house’s authority over her.
Emeline cannot shake her tormentors until she pursues an opportunity to secretly nurse to the poor despite her husband, whose employer actively hunts down and prosecutes unlicensed practitioners. Although women are no longer burned at the stake, at the turn of the century psychological frailty is the new witchcraft, and women who step out of line are severely punished.

This is the story of what happens when life hands you lemons and you make lemonade not by choice but by forced hands.  Though the hands may have been guiding and loving, the instructions and outcome meant to spare not spear, it still created the "monster" within that left a lasting impression, influencing everything to come with its ghostly presence.  The hardness part about ghosts?  Recognizing them for what they are before it's too late.

My statements above are accurate in rereading them, and yet they don't even begin to skim the surface.  From the moment we meet the Evans family to the turn of the final pages on the Dorrs, the pages are filled with characters to remember for better AND worse, events that will both inspire and sicken, and a creeping madness that will make you second guess the sanity of many, including your own.  It's THAT riveting.  It's THAT enthralling.  It's THAT well written that you become involved in everyone's life by book's end and you'll never see where everything is creeping to...never.  That my friends is DEFINITELY a good thing. Why?  Well certainly not because the ending isn't satisfying, because it surely is, but simply because it keeps twisting just out of your grasp but without showing you that the twist is about to happen.  It leads you to believe one thing will occur with your full self and then WHOOSH, a believable yet completely unexpected little something shifts and you're bound to the page once again.

I promised myself I wouldn't get as wordy with my reviews (I know, attention spans can be short) but I would be extremely remiss if I didn't at the very least do a role call of sorts for a handful of the persons you meet within.  First up....Emeline.  She is by far stronger than the whole lot of those present...and she doesn't even know it.  Take away her prestige, her fancy things, even her chance to make choices that fit her not the whole and guess what you have?  Still Emeline...and that is certainly a wonderful thing to be.  Over the course of the pages, it is her mind, her eyes that we travel behind but that doesn't dull the secondary characters who often step to the forefront.  We have Lottie, her on again off again on again "servant" who wears the title of friend and confidant before book's end; James, Emeline's brother who despite his limited appearance in the actual events unfolding, has an enduring presence

In simplest terms, this was a remarkable read.  Set in a time that many women of today would despise for its oppression and yet filled with women strong enough to carry the weight of the world on their corseted shoulders; it's hard to imagine many of us today surviving in their shoes.  No really.  Could you imagine having to hold your tongue at every turn, fearing the wrath of your husband or society when a dinner party didn't go EXACTLY as planned, or feeling like a prisoner in your own life for the sake of your family?  Okay....so perhaps some of those same fears are still represented in today's society in other ways but at least we can speak our minds, share a smile with whomever we wish, and getting by without a man is not something to be made an outcast for.  They may be simple and not rid the world of its problems but they are in a word...freedom.  Enjoy it ladies (and gents), for all it's worth.

Recommended read for historical fiction fans and even those in the "non-fan" category.  Trust me, whether you seek accuracy in time period, actions and events or not (definitely in the not category), you will find a home with this story and al the twists and turns it has to offer.  ARC for review received courtesy of Anita at Smith Publicity, Inc and interview access courtesy of author Stephanie Carroll.  (THANKS ladies!)  For more information about this title as well as their other promotions, be sure to stop by their official site.  To read more about the mind behind this amazing story, seek out the author's page, or follow along on Twitter.  This book is available now via Unhinged Books so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf near you.  Be sure to check out the other stops on this fabulous tour including yesterday over at Hazel the Witch and Friday's stop at Lost to Books!

Now, it is my extreme pleasure to acquaint you with the author behind the work as she submitted to my quirky questioning ways....  ^_^  ... Ms. Stephanie Carroll!

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW:  Stephanie Carroll

Hi there!  Thank you for joining us today, Ms. Carroll.  Any relation to Lewis Carroll by chance?  No?  Eh, no worries. (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.   ^_^)  Anywho, let’s dive right in and get to know the real you more fully…

Thank you so much for having me on your awesome blog, and I love the Lewis Carroll reference – he wrote about some crazy Victorians too!

I noticed in your bio that you have degrees in both history and social science; interesting choices.  Tell me, do you feel that those educational paths, those shown/known interests, led you in choosing Historical Fiction as your genre or did you just happen upon it?

It’s so funny because I didn’t immediately go for historical fiction. My entire life, I knew I was writer, but I was told from an early age that it wasn’t something anyone could realistically pursue, so I considered it a hobby. I must have compartmentalized my creative side and my pursuit of history because all throughout college, I had a science fiction novel brewing in my head. As soon as I graduated I set out to finally write it. I got six or so chapters in and came up with the idea for A White Room and I just couldn’t let it go.

Tell us about the moment Emeline really came to life in your mind…

Emeline started out as a whiny brat. For some reason I was writing a very unlovable version of Scarlett O'hara. It was a very important part of the novel’s growth when a reader finally told me this. After that I looked into how to make Emeline a likable character, and she really started to take on a life of her own.

The setting of the novel is right at the end of the Victorian era.  You gotta love the time period for its gorgeous structures and eloquent attire at the very least.  Given the chance, what era in time would you travel back to and why?

I often think that I would enjoy certain aspects of a classic era, especially between 1890-1920 when men and women dressed nice every day, there was etiquette and chivalry, everyone wore hats. Even some of the inequalities seem like they could be enjoyable, like not having to have two incomes, women only having to focus on hobbies and not overstressing themselves. At the same time, I’d go crazy if I couldn’t work or get out of the house. I would probably turn into Emeline – go mad, pursue my dreams anyway – make the most of it.

Your synopsis of the book is to the point but attention getting, the ideal combo if you will.  I especially noticed the line about “disobedience is a symptom of psychological defect, and hysterical women must be controlled”.  Opinion time!  How do YOU feel about the way strong willed women were viewed?  If you could go back in time and share a piece of your mind with them, would it be warm apple pie or week old boysenberry cake?

The “Cult of Domesticity” was not something society made up to suppress women and let men rule the world. It wasn’t that they believed women should be submissive, domestic, pious, and virginal. It was believed that they were those things naturally. Any woman who acted outside of this nature through say rebellion or promiscuity wasn’t seen as acting out. She was behaving abnormally, outside of her human nature.

We make these conclusions all the time today. If some guy showed up at the local mall stark naked, you’d probably think he was nuts. Technically, he’s not hurting anyone, but he’s going against what society has determined to be appropriate. Having a woman want to work and remain single at the turn of the century was viewed in a similar light.

My point is, it was just a different time and giving a piece of my mind to anyone would be fruitless and nonsensical to them. I’d probably just be committed.

… Okay, okay, I might say a little something to whoever came up with the idea that a women’s uterus wandered the body aimlessly until it drove women hysterical. Come on! Seriously!  

John, Emeline’s husband, seems like a nice enough fellow, but this “employer” he works for walks the line of truth or farce with an iron stance.  Tell me, why do you think he is so hard fast to his beliefs?  Is it simply common for the age or something more?

John’s employers represent the movement to professionalize medicine and eradicate midwives and abortionists at the turn of the century. The movement was to get rid of con-men and unprofessionals who were hurting people, but the methods were in many ways comparable to the witch trials.

Doctors who treated women who had complications after an abortion could be held accountable, so many women may have died from neglect. Doctors were expected to report, and investigators would question everyone involved and insist upon receiving graphic explanations of what occurred, which in a time when people didn’t even speak directly about pregnancy, was a humiliating process. Investigators would push the woman who had the procedure to talk even if it would be her final words because her testimony could be used in a court of law as live testimony and not hearsay even if she died. This was called “the dying confession.”

John’s employers were passionate about protecting people from untrained and dangerous practitioners, but they were also unsympathetic to the harm they were causing, which isn’t unrealistic because much of the harm came to the lower classes. Their good intentions are undermined by the fact that the reader sees them through Emeline’s eyes, and she has been directly exposed to the harm whereas they have not because they don’t interact with the lower classes the way Emeline does.

Now, I’m not usually a historical fiction reader myself, but I found myself captivated by your work.  For those readers that like things short, sweet and neat, DESCRIBE YOUR BOOK IN TEN WORDS…and go!

Victorian heroine marries stranger, goes mad, confronts injustice, finds meaning.

That was an awesome challenge!

Quid pro quo…

…favorite color?  Purple

…favorite food?  Chocolate cake – the kind my husband makes.

…favorite outdoor activity?  Fire spinning – say wha? Yep, I’m a fire spinner and dancer. I spin poi and do fire fan dancing. You can see it for yourself at www.twistedembers.org or on Twisted Embers’ Facebook page. I perform as Ravyn.

…favorite author/book of the moment?  Janet Fitch’s White Oleander or Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Fitch does things with words, metaphor, and simile that is just beautiful and Niffenegger’s characterization is impeccable. I feel like I know her characters better than I know some real people! I aspire to write like them.

…when not writing, I can be found…  Spending time with my husband, reading, researching, dancing, or lighting stuff on fire. =) I also write two blogs The Unhinged Historian and Unhinged & Empowered Navy Wives – wait that’s writing! =)

…if I wasn’t a writer, I would have been…  In reality, probably a community college teacher. In fantasy a movie director.

Something I wish I knew then that I surely know now…   Bad posture is a writer’s quiet enemy. While writing my novel, I pulled muscles in my back five times in four years. I now have to stand while I type. I have scoliosis, which was a major contributor, but I learned a lot of people pull muscles from sitting at desks for hours on end with bad posture. Writers aren’t athletes, but we can get hurt doing our job. Be kind to your spine. =)

Final thoughts/comments…

Thank you again for having me. I truly hope your readers enjoyed this interview as much as I did. They can feel free to post some questions of their own in the comments. I’d love to answer them. =)

I also hope your readers keep an eye out for my future work. My next novel, The Binding of Saint Barbara, will revolve around the prison warden’s family who lived in Auburn Prison during the controversial first death by electrocution in 1890.

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About the author....

As a reporter and community editor, Stephanie Carroll earned first place awards from the National Newspaper Association and from the Nevada Press Association. Stephanie holds degrees in history and social science. She graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Fresno.

Her dark and magical writing is inspired by the classic authors Charlotte Perkins Gilman (The Yellow Wallpaper), Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden), and Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights).

Stephanie blogs and writes fiction in California, where her husband is stationed with the U.S. Navy. Her website is www.stephaniecarroll.net.

A White Room is her debut novel.

Find Stephanie Carroll

Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

www.stephaniecarroll.net

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*knock knock*

Still there?

Yay!

Now, here's the chance you've been waiting for....YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Just fill in the form below and you're in it to win it!
Entries accepted through July 17th, 2013 at midnight CST.  US entries only; no P.O. Boxes please.

Easy peasey.

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

Taste Testing Tuesdays

Good morning (or whatever time it is where you are), everyone!

Welcome to another installment of Taste Testing Tuesdays here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers! Taste Testing Tuesdays was inspired by 'Teaser Tuesdays', a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

On the menu this week...a sneak peek of the book I'll be featuring tomorrow along with an interview with the author herself!  Ready for a taste?  Here goes...

A White Room
by
Stephanie Carroll

I rushed to the beach by the river.  The fog had lifted, leaving frail traces of mist here and there.  I dipped myself into the frigid Mississippi, submitting to the sharp chill in the current.  I scrubbed the blood off my skin.  I rinsed off what I could from my nightgown, bit it faded into a salmon color.  The blood felt slick between my fingers.  I don't know why I didn't feel ill.  My sisters always grew nauseated at the sight of blood.
-- pg 149

Wow.  Okay, so where I'm at right now in the book (or at least when I wrote this...hehe), is just after the newly wed couple Emeline and John have moved into this grand new home in Labellum, Missouri....except that the grand portion of it has seen better days, it's overrun by knick-knacks and nature representations, and it's distinct lack of light is really pulling on the fragile nerves of our leading lady.  From the sound of this passage, adventures are certainly ahead....even if they are frowned upon in her time.

Curious to learn more?
Stop back tomorrow for my review and an interview with the author!

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

So...what book are you lost in this week?

Oh come on...just a little tease?

^_^

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read 

*Open to a random page 

*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

*Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

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Until next time...happy reading!

Tallent & Lowery: 13 by Amy Lignor

HI guys!

Welcome back to the place that knows the true value of the printed page and appreciates that you do as well....Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Happy Monday everyone!  Here's hoping your weekends were highly enjoyable, utterly entertaining, and filled with so much fun and good spirits that you're bursting at the seams with joy...well, not literally bursting because THAT would be painful.  *-*  My weekend...well, it was work filled with several shades of stressy but we did manage to have an impromptu movie night last night courtesy of Redbox.  Rented Beautiful Creatures and all in all, it was good; of course, it simply added another series to my reading wish list too....hehe.  Cie la vie, books definitely make the world go round...and people fo round the world like in today's selection.

Today, we are featuring a title I read last month and fully intended on sharing but alas, I ran out of days!  *darn life getting in the way and all that*  Never fear, good reading waits for ANY man, woman, and/or child but once you read about this one, it may not be waiting around on your "to read" list for long.  Exciting times ahead...and bookish ones too!  Ready to read all about it?  Here we go!  Today's book of choice is...

Tallent & Lowery, Book 1:

13

by

Amy Lignor

About the book....

In 1902, in a dark room on the fifth floor of Carnegie Hall, thirteen people came together to continue a tradition that had been set in stone thousands of years before. In 2012, Leah Tallent is Head of Research at the New York Public Library. Stoic and stable, brilliant and cynical, she has forever enjoyed her existence among the book stacks. But even with her unparalleled intellect, there was no way to know that on the historic steps between America's famous lions, she would become involved with a crazy man on a fanatical quest. Gareth Lowery has spent his life searching for the ultimate artifact that he is certain exists. His life's pursuit has been to retrieve twelve keys hidden by men whose job it was to protect the single biggest secret ever kept. To find the keys he must enlist the help of an unwilling guide who, unfortunately, knows much more than he bargained for. From the first page to the last word, this fantastic duo become immersed in a whirlwind treasure hunt with historical and passionate repercussions. From the strange and eerie Winchester House to the blustery darkness of Loch Ness, Gareth and Leah will quickly learn that the theory of duality is correct: For every bad there is a good and, for Heaven, there most assuredly exists...Hell.

If the author's name sounds familiar, you are quite correct.  I've featured her a time or two before with her Young Adult series, The Angel Chronicles (check out my review of book one here).  This time around, she delves into the land of adult fiction feet first and let you tell you....it was definitely worth the wait!

Leah Tallent is living the life, well the life many of of bookish folks would endeavor to lead anyway.  With her head in the books and stacks of the New York Public Library, she starts every day greeting Patience and Fortitude and every night with a city landmark in her rear view.  *sigh*  The particular day that we meet Leah, she's been graced with guiding a group of bright young minds around her beloved sanctuary....except that they're more the mouthy-stick-gum-behind-the-statues-ear-and-pay-attention-to-no-one variety.  *grr* Thank goodness they're chaperon, Mr. Gareth Lowery is there is assist.  *ahem*  Let's just say he is certainly swoon-worthy but I ADORE how Ms. Lignor wrote Leah's character AND her reactions.  While Gareth pours on the charm, Leah sees right through him...perhaps even more so than they BOTH might think and for reasons yet to be uncovered.  So builds the mystery as to why these two forces seemingly set on destroying each other by nature, must work together to solve a riddle that's as old as the world itself...to reveal the very gates of Heaven....or Hell.  *dun dun dunnnnn*

Do they reach their goal?  Mum's the word on that subject.  Do they entertain, delight, butt heads and raise a general ruckus worth following page after page?  You betcha!  It reminded me of the movie series The Librarian (starring Noah Wyle...if you haven't seen them, you should...you REALLY should!) only with an even more balance as the lead is shared by both Tallent and Lowery.  No one is more important than the other.  Each holds the fate of the world in their hands and each can make the choice whether it sees another day or crumbles like dust in the wind.  The ties ins to real life events and places makes it that much more tangible and the creepy aspect of some locales visited, even more alluring (can definitely see some road trips planned after reading this book).  I mean if I was in New York right now, I would be investigating that locked door that leads to....well, somewhere pretty darn awesome and hopefully still after Lowery got done with it.  *-*  Moving forward...

While the story is believable with touches of reality, fantasy, and the spiritual world on all its levels, the characters were just as central to everything meshing into one big "happy" read.  From our leads who should not be locked in a roomful of fireworks to say the least (*ahem*) to the supporting cast whom you've yet to meet, they each have a role to play and play it well they do.  Perhaps the second biggest player after our duo would be Donovan.  ~shudders~  Okay, let's just say that he may be dashing to some but to others (*raises hand*) he's just plain creepy.  Aside from his tendency to pop up without anyone noticing his arrival, not like he's a small man either, he just gives off a bad vibe.  Sorry, Gareth.  I don't care how much he means to you and your sister, the very air he breathes smells sinister even through the pages.  *shakes head* Speaking of sisters, we only meet Gareth's in passing, but the impression is memorable.  I'm curious if we get to know her more in future books...well, if she MAKES it that it.  *gulp*

As the story is balanced, so must my review be; though the drawbacks are VERY limited..no, really.  There was really only ONE thing that left a mark for me to mention and it was, the cover.  I know direction in that area is such an objective thing but for me, had I not been approached by the author or recognized the name in passing from previous reads, it honestly would not have captured my attention.  For me, it looks too abstract, too Sci-fi/Fantasy and sadly, though we try not to judge by the cover, I would have had to...thank goodness THAT didn't happen!  I would have missed out on SUCH a good time!  So, word to the wise....don't let the cover fool you; the story within is definitely worth cracking the spine.

In conclusion, a fascinating read of Fiction lead by a duo so different from each other and yet so perfect (sorta) that takes us around the globe and back again on the adventure of a lifetime.  Friends will be made (some closer than others), secrets revealed (big, dark, evil ones!) and atrocities relived (history fans, here's your meat and potatoes!), leading us to the ultimate test of judgement and the discovery of what really matters in the end.  It's an edge of your seat adventure filled with bookish fun that any treasurer of the written word can get behind and should most definitely be on your wish list. Recommended for older teen readers and beyond.

Review copy courtesy of author Amy Lignor.  (THANKS!)   For more information on this title as well as her other works and works-in-progress, be sure to friend her on  Facebook or follow her Twitter feed.  To discover more about the Tallent & Lowery Adventures, stop by the series site or check out the book trailer.  This book is available now via Suspense Publishing so be on the look out for it on a bookstore shelf near you or seek thee out your favorite online retailer.  Good news for fans of this duo, they're BAAAAAACCKKK!!  That's right!  Book 2 hit shelves just last month so you might want to add The Sapphire Storm to your wish list, I know I will be....along with book 3, The Hero's Companion (coming soon) AND book 4, The Charlatan's Crown (currently in the works)!  Ah yes, much good reading ahead by friends....can't wait!


Until next time...happy reading!

Toby the Flying Cat by Yvonne Belshaw

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the place to be when bookish is not just a word, but an attitude.  ^_'

Today, we're taking it easy as you should be too, it is Saturday after all.  We're heading to the land of the ebook with a Children's title that's both a storybook AND a picture book all in one, extending the audience to the wee little ones as well as those old enough to truly enjoy the story content.  Cat fan?  You're in luck!  It stars a mighty cute kitty cat that has a very special talent too.  Ready to meet him?  Here we go!  Today's ebook of choice is...

Toby the Flying Cat

by

Yvonne Belshaw

Illustrated by

Tamia Sheldon

An adopted cat has a very special secret. No one believes Toby's owner when she says he can fly, but when a little kitty is in trouble, will Toby save the day?

Okay, well any book that starts out with a character named Maryrose (nice name!) that lives in a nice, excuse me VERY nice house in a neighborhood like that and loves books, is on the right track for me.  (^_^)

Maryrose wakes up one morning determined to solve her loneliness with the addition of a feline friend. Her first stop, her local animal shelter.  Bonus points to the author for including this in their story; every furry friend deserves a chance at a forever home whether it is their first or last.  I definitely felt for her when selecting her new bestie.  Have you ever been to a shelter?  It's SO HARD to just pick one.  Luckily for her as with most "new fur baby mom's to be", a little gray cat made his presence known.  A few papers later and a trip to the store for supplies and Maryrose was no longer a lonely lady, for she had a friend.

Ah, but as so often seen after a time, her new friend was more than he seemed...not in a bad way mind you, but in an unusual way.  Toby could fly, or so it seemed.  I mean, have YOU ever seen an elephant...I mean a cat, fly?  Me neither, but Maryrose felt certain about what she saw.  When the time comes to show his true colors, Toby doesn't hesitate for a moment proving that the size of the heart doesn't matter when a "hero" is needed, but what's done with that heart is what really counts.

My only less-than-positive mention comes in with the illustrations.  While I loved the inanimate objects representation as the lines were clean, and the color palette appealing, and even the feline friends were adorable, the human elements needed a bit of refining for my taste, even in the abstract.  Perhaps even a slightly shut eye effect, such as that  used with her neighbor at the Cat Society meeting, would assist in making her appear less doll-like with eyes that never blink.

Overall, a read I can certainly see little ones getting behind with its feline hero while older readers will appreciate the lesson in second chances (the shelter) and open minds.  Will your cat start flying around your house any time soon?  Perhaps not...but that doesn't mean in your eyes he/she is anything less than a SUPERSTAR.

Ebook for review courtesy of Calee at Xist Publishing.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their growing catalog, be sure to check out their official site, friend them on Google+, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.  This ebook is available now so be on the look out for it at on online retailer near you.  Need a few pointers?  No problem...you can purchase directly from the publisher's site, or stop by Amazon or iBooks.

Until next time...happy reading!

BLOG TOUR: Absent by Katie Williams - Giveaway!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the place that rain or shine, it's books ALL the time.  After all, what better way to escape a rainy dreary WEEK with flash flood warnings here and there than in a good book?  That's what I thought.

No seriously.  The weather has been less than ideal here, even had it pile up so bad yesterday that people were wading in the store parking lot and playing frisbee...and yes, that's actual "footage" as it were.  Cars stalled, an actual lake was in not only the lot but the main roads....crazy stuff....and of course, it's still raining today.  Oye.  Thank goodness for being off at least though it does put a small cramp on the job hunting front (yay internet!).  But enough about my worries, that's not what brought you here today now is it?  That's what I thought.  ^_^ Let's bring on the bookish...

Today, we play host to the final leg of a Chronicle Books tour for an exciting new YA lit title that celebrated its book birthday this past May.  From the author that brought us The Space Between Trees (another great read...check out my review here), comes....

Absent

by

Katie Williams

When seventeen-year-old Paige dies in a freak fall from the roof during Physics class, her spirit is bound to the grounds of her high school. At least she has company: her fellow ghosts Evan and Brooke, who also died there. But when Paige hears the rumor that her death wasn’t an accident—that she supposedly jumped on purpose—she can’t bear it. Then Paige discovers something amazing. She can possess living people when they think of her, and she can make them do almost anything. Maybe, just maybe, she can get to the most popular girl in school and stop the rumors once and for all.

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Can you imagine?

I mean, people think what they will of someone's passing but to be a spirit stuck there hearing it day in and out...that's got to grate on your nerves, real or semi-corporeal.  Let us not forget also that it puts an entirely different spin on things for her friends and family too.  Sad...and yet curious.  Will she succeed in getting the truth across to the land of the living or will she be the subject of rumor mill lies and suppositions for the length of her afterlife?  Only one way to find out.....read the book! 

Oh...and I have JUST the way for you to do it.  ^_^  Sample time!  Check out the excerpt below for a taste of this wish-list-book-in-the-making...

Absent by     ChronicleBooks                     

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Sounds good, right?

Well, now that you're hooked.  Keep reading...

Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Chronicle Books, YOU have the chance to win not only a copy of this title but a SIGNED copy of this title!  Don't believe me?  Well, they sent proof!

See?  The author is actually SIGNING them!

Woo-hoo!

Now, here's how to enter....

...fill out the form below for your chance to win!

Open to US residents only, no P.O. Boxes please.  Entries will be accepted today through Friday, July 12, 2013.  Winner will be contacted no later than Monday, July 15, 2013 and have 48 hours to respond with their full name and mailing address to be sent to the publisher for prize send out.  If not received in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.  Wanna cut down on the chance of missing out?  Include your mailing info with your entry....but remember, it's not required, simply and option.  ^_^

That's it!

Easy peasy.

Ready, set, go!

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Special thanks to Lara at Chronicle Books for the opportunity to participate in this tour.  (THANKS!)  For more information about this title as well as their full catalog of bookish wonders, be sure to stop by their official website, pin them on Pinterest, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.  Now remember, this IS a blog tour so there were other stops before my own.  For another chance to win, stop by Stack of Hardbacks, and to check out an interview with the author herself, pay a visit to Cracking the Cover.

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

Let freedom ring and feel the...Ocean Breeze: Wind Chime Point by Sherryl Woods

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the place that is celebrating the red, white, and blue today the best way I know how....bookishly.  ^_^

Here's hoping most of you are off enjoying the day with family and friends, perhaps having a barbecue and attending one of the many firework shows that will be popping to life as the sun goes down.  As for me, I have to work...le sigh, right?  Well, yeah of course but also no.  You see, my night crew and I are planning a little celebration of our own.  Yep.  Thanks to team spirit and dear old Mom, we're having our own barbeque affair (hot dogs, chips, the usual) and then when all the work is said and done, a few fireworks of our own.  It's gonna be good...and it's "invite only" so just those of us "stuck" at work will be partaking.  Hehe.  Sneaky but fun.  ^_^  Anywho...let's get back to the books!

Today's selection may seem like an unusual choice but it's appropriateness will become clearer as my review progresses.  I'm trying to adjust my style a smidge and cut back just a bit on the length of my posts not only as a time saver for me but in the hopes that it will allow you, my readers, a chance to stop by more frequently, snag a new read or two for your own lists and share your thoughts on the book at hand.  Sound good?  ^_^  Let's get to today's book of choice then this Fourth of July....

Ocean Breeze, Book 2:

Wind Chime Point

by

Sherryl Woods

Harlequin MIRA

ISBN: 9780778314424

About the book...

Facing a personal crisis, ambitious and driven Gabriella Castle retreats to the welcoming arms of her family. Everything she's worked for has been yanked out from under her, and she seeks the serenity of her grandmother's home on the North Carolina coast. With difficult decisions to make about her future, the last thing she wants is an unexpected love.
Wade Johnson fell for Gabi the first time he saw her. It's not the only time he's found himself in the role of knight in shining armor, but Gabi isn't looking for a rescuer. To get her to stay, Wade will need a whole lot of patience and gentle persuasion…and maybe the soothing sound of wind chimes on a summer breeze.

The tie in with today's holiday is all about FREEDOM.  Freedom to choose what we do with our lives no matter what circumstances we are presented with or how situations change.  Freedom to change our mind if the initial decision made no longer fits our needs.  Freedom to help others out of the kindness of our hearts in lieu of what it will net us in the end.  Freedom in its many forms, with all the colors that life can throw at it, creating a beautiful masterpiece because really, that's what this book is.

Book one found us falling in love with...no, not some hot guy, though Boone was definitely a sight for sore eyes, but with Sand Castle Bay and more distinctly, the Castle family.  We followed Emily and Boone on their journey from once-upon-a-time romance to something to see in the here and now with enough presence and life to fill a lifetime.  Good thing too considering their nuptials are coming soon....dum DUM dum dum.  ^_^  This time around, we get to know the middle sister, Gabriella aka Gabi.  Where Emily was the one to fly the coop and run far and wide with dreams of a grander life sparkling in her eyes, Gabi was content to follow in her Dad's footsteps (to some degree) though you'd have never known that he even noticed.  Let's just say he wasn't the doting father the girls needed, thank goodness their mother was in the picture (rest her soul) and they had the influence of one Cora Jane.  Grandmother extraordinaire doesn't even begin to describe her.  She's a force to be reckoned with in the best way possible and I've said it before but everyone needs someone like her in their lives.  Read the book, you'll see what I mean.  Moving on...

We open with Gabi's life being completely turned upside down...don't believe me? Try finding out your pregnant, your employer taking less than a shine to your condition and the father-to-be pulling the old "I'm-an-arse-that-can't-handle-this-situation".  Like I said, COMPLETELY upside down, especially for someone that loves life nice an orderly.  She's got a few lessons to learn, that's for sure and where better to learn them than among family and friends...and perhaps someone that may be something more.  No guys.  It's not that kind of book.  She doesn't jump ship from one place to land in the bed of someone else with bigger issues to deal with (on both sides of the fence...*ahem*).  This is another FANTASTIC story about life in all it's messiness, family that's there for you always, love that comes not always when anticipated or in the form expected, and things turning out alright on the other side.  A few of those lessons hit home for me as I'm sure they will for many of you as Ms. Woods' characters are so infused with life it's impossible not to feel as if you're a part of the family.

So make some time in your holiday schedule to head on down to Sand Castle Bay.  Whether you've read the first book and are anxious to read more or you're a newbie to the Ocean Breeze series entirely, this is one read once begun you won't want to put down and not for the reasons you might initially expect.  You'll feel for the characters as they make their way through situations both heart breaking and heart stopping.  You'll wonder at the endless possibilities of just where Gabi's journey will take her next. You'll gasp as some situations turn ugly and others turn into rainbows of beauty as if the sun itself were taking time out of its endless climb to shine a little light on two souls with so much potential.  It's a beauty in cover but a wonderful in content and I'd highly recommend it to teen readers and beyond.

Special thanks to Amy at McAllister PR for introducing me to this author’s work as well as the ARC Wind Chime Point for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as the projects on the horizon for this group, stop by their official
 site, or check out Amy’s Twitter feed and Facebook page!  To discover more about the Ocean Breeze series as well as uncover the complete works of the author, be sure to stop by her official site or like her on Facebook.  This title was released April 30th via Harlequin MIRA and book three, Sea Glass Inn is also in stores now.  Be on the look out for the ENTIRE trilogy on a bookstore shelf near you!


Until next time...HAPPY FOURTH...and happy reading!

READ ALL ABOUT IT: For Those in Peril on the Sea by Colin M. Drysdale + Giveaway!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to another day another post here on Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we are playing host to a BOOK BLAST with Pump Up Your Book Promotions to allow you a chance to READ ALL ABOUT a new to you title AND get yourself entered to win a $25 GC!  Sound good?  I thought it might... ^_^ ...and if I do say so myself, the book sounds pretty nifty too.  So, first things first, let's read up on the title we're celebrating today....

For Those in Peril on the Sea

by

Colin M. Drysdale

After a six week voyage across the Atlantic, they couldn't wait to get to shore. When they got there, they found the land would never be safe again...

 

There was nothing to suggest it would be anything other than a routine delivery. Four people thrown together by chance, sailing a newly-built catamaran from South Africa to Miami. But while they were away, something happened, something none of them could ever have imagined. When they get back to civilisation, they find it no longer exists. The land is no longer safe. Their only option is to stay on the boat and try to survive.

 

Join Bill, Rob, Jon and CJ as they travel around their frightening new world. One where they must struggle against the infected that now rule the land, the elements and each other.

AMAZON    |    B&N    |    BAM   |   INDIEBOUND

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About the Author:

Colin M. Drysdale is a marine biologist and author. Under his real name, he has published numerous academic papers and articles, as well as writing a number of technical books. However, when writing fiction, he has chosen to write under the pseudonym Colin M. Drysdale to distinguish between these two very different areas of his written work.

His first novel, 'For Those In Peril On The Sea', was published by Pictish Beast Publications in the UK in January 2013, and internationally in March of the same year. This book was selected as one of only five finalists in the ForeWord Firsts winter 2013 competition for debut novels. In 'For Those In Peril On The Sea', Colin M. Drysdale draws on many of his experiences working on and around the sea to tell the story of four strangers thrown together by chance on a yacht when civilization is brought to a sudden and unexpected end. Face with a new world where it is no longer safe to go ashore, they must work together to find a way to survive everything it has to throw at them.

While he still works as a marine biologist, he is currently writing a sequel that is set in the same world as 'For Those In Peril On The Sea', but that will introduce his readers to a new cast of characters.

SITE    |    BLOG    |    TWITTER    |    FACEBOOK

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Special thanks to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book for the chance to host a stop in this promotion.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this BLAST, check out the official page.  To discover what others bookish tours are forth coming, stop by their site, add them to your circles in Google+, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.

Until next time...good luck...and happy reading!

Taste Testing Tuesdays

Good morning (or whatever time it is where you are), everyone!

Welcome to another installment of Taste Testing Tuesdays here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers! Taste Testing Tuesdays was inspired by 'Teaser Tuesdays', a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

On the menu this week...a peek inside my current read-in-progress from a genre I don't usually indulge in but for this author, well this series at the very least, I am SO glad I did!  Ready for a taste?  Here goes...

Ocean Breeze, Book 2:
Wind Chime Point
by
Sherryl Woods

Once again, she paused in the yard to listen to the wind chimes and was charmed by them.  She was actually laughing out loud at the sheer joy of that sound as she walked into the studio.

-- pg 232 (ARC)



Now, this happens to be right around where we find out the meaning behind the title (love those moments!) but doesn't it just place you right there?  I mean, can't you hear the winds chimes tinkling in the morning breeze, inviting you to relax and enjoy the simpler things in life?
Well, I can...and from the sound of it, so can Gabi.
Can't wait to see how everything pans out in this story of much more than a possible relationship, but of family, friends, unexpected life choices and so much more.  Forgive me, I better draw this to a close...otherwise I might review it BEFORE I'm finished!
^_^

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So...what book are you lost in this week?

Oh come on...just a little tease?

^_^

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read 

*Open to a random page 

*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

*Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

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Until next time...happy reading!

Who you gonna call...CODE BUSTERS!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to another month here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the place where we always try to rock your world, bookishly that is.  ^_^

Today, we're heading to the land of Children's Fiction with the first two books in a planned series that has a MUCH broader appeal.  How so?  Well, every book deals in CODES just as much as mystery, characters, twists and surprise endings.  Sound good?  Trust me, it is and the fact that you get to play right along with story makes you THAT much more invested as a reader at any age.  Ready to brush up on your finger spelling and finally crack that Caesar's Cipher?  Put your thinking caps on because here comes author Penny Warner's fun-tabulous series...

The Code Busters:

The Secret of the Skeleton Key

Format:  Trade Paper, 240 pages

ISBN:   978-1-60684-390-1

Cody, Quinn, Luke, and M.E. may be really different, but they all share one thing in common: they love playing around with codes. In fact, they love codes so much, they have their own private club, with a super-secret hideout and passwords that change every single day.
When Cody and Quinn notice what could be a code on the window of a nearby house, the one owned by their strange neighbor, the guy they call Skeleton Man, the club gets to work. And it is a cry for help!
Now the Code Busters are on the case—and nothing will stop them from solving the mystery and finding the secret treasure that seems to be the cause of it all!

This was a GREAT introduction to the crew.  From page one we begin to develop a feel for the characters, their likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses.  You'll know them from the tips of their spiked hair (Quinn) to the fab wardrobe they confidently wear (M.E.) before this story is out and that's not even the HALF of the story you embark on!  The gang is pulled into a mystery of great importance to both the gentleman it involves and the safty of the neighborhood.  Good thing they are good at what they do because they are gonna need their combined strengths to riddle this one out.

For fans of riddles and codes, I have news for you.  Though the answers are at book's end, they are NOT on the actual page they occur, inviting you instead to solve the clues along with the crew.  They even give you the code keys in that end section to help you on your way and encourage further exploration with your new found skills.  I found it rather fun determining the chapter titles alone seeing as they are all spelled out in sign language.  Yep.  Put your finger spelling skills to the test or brush up on a usual skill as you unlock page after page of mystery and fun.  Now, on to book 2....

The Code Busters 2:

The Haunted Lighthouse

Format:  Hardcover, 208 pages

ISBN:  978-1-60684-163-1

When Cody and her friends get a mysterious e-mail hinting at a treasure on Alcatraz Island, they can't wait to get started on their clue hunt. Luckily, a class trip to the prison is the perfect cover to start their search.

During the tour, the club members learn that a jewel thief kept at Alcatraz may have hidden his biggest haul on the island and left a series of coded messages to find it. And solving puzzles is what the Code Busters do best!

This story picks up where the last one ends, with a mysterious challenge issued to visit a haunted lighthouse.  This time however, the adventures doesn't just take place in their own neighborhood but rather it stretches its reach to Alcatraz, you know the infamous prison of old, which wouldn't you know it, the kids just so happen to be visiting on an upcoming field trip!  Hmm...sounds fishy and yet the mystery grows oh-so-much-bigger than originally intended.  How so?  Well, let's just say that these kids nor the mysterious stranger leaving them messages are not the only ones that know how to use codes...but some have much more nefarious reasons for their application.  *gulp*  No worries, it's still totally kiddo friendly but there is definitely a more palpable risk factor in this story.


Overall, though short reads for my age range, enticing nonetheless.  The mysteries kept my interest,  the code busting skills I learned and utilized were WAY more fun than I bargained for, and I totally feel inducted into their little club.  I can imagine Middle Grade readers and beyond claiming this series as their own and I'd definitely mark it as one for the "male readers" list that can sorely use some more allies.  Hey, girls and boys alike LOVE a good mystery and code busting is for all ages...join the fun, if you dare.  ^_^

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About the Author
Penny Warner’s middle-grade mystery, The Mystery of the Haunted Caves, won an Agatha Award and an Anthony Award in 2002 for Best Juvenile Mystery.(...and most recently, book 2 of the Code Busters series won in 2012 for best children's/young adult!) Her books have received excellent reviews and have been printed in fourteen countries throughout the world.

Warner lives in Danville, California. Visit her online at www.pennywarner.com.

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Review copies received courtesy of Casey at Media Masters Publicity.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this series as well as their upcoming promotions, be sure to visit their official site.  Both titles are available now via Egmont USA so be on the look out for them on a bookstore shelf near you.  Already a fan of the series or about to become one?  Make a spot on your wish list because book 3, Mystery of the Pirate's Treasure is set for release November 2013!  Can't wait to see what the gang is up to next.  In the mean time, check out the official website where you can read up on the characters  and hone your code busting skills.

Until next time...happy reading!