Review: The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger

Review by Shellie of The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger.

Shellie’s quick take: A dramatic and messy high-profile divorce is told via documents which are facilitated by a twenty-something female attorney.

Shellie’s description:   Sophie Diehl is a young criminal defense lawyer who gets drawn into a high profile divorce case because the other lawyers who would normally cover family law are out of town. The wife from the wealthy couple seeking the divorce chooses Sophie even though the woman knows Sophie has no experience in family law. And the firm’s senior partner keeps Sophie on the case because the divorcing wife is the daughter of a favored and major client for the firm.

Told through emails, legal documents, personal correspondence, office memos, articles, and notes, the messy divorce, internal office politics, romantic entanglements and the main character’s personal growth dramatically unfolds.

Shellie’s thoughts:   This is one of those intellectual chic-lit books which was very compelling for me because I love epistolary novels and enjoy legal aspects in my fiction reads. This may be a problem for some readers since the book is in part told via a number of legal documents, which for some may become tedious and boring. For me, contrarily, it was a book that I found difficult to put down (even including the legal documents) and I devoured it in a few sittings.

It gets predictably messy between the divorcing wife and the husband, with egos and revenge working in the emotional soup from the fall-out of the break up and the fight for legal custody of their daughter. It’s one of those stories that features a train-wreck-and-I-can’t-look-away aspect for the reader. But what becomes a key theme for the story is the internal workings inside the main character’s mind as she works on the case. She begins to question her own relationships and experiences growth in unexpected ways. This gives the book its traditional chic-lit connection.

A fun read although I am not normally a chic-lit reader. I would imagine that the book is not going to be enjoyed by many typical readers of the genre. And from looking at the reviews available for the book it looks like it’s a book that the reader either really liked or hated. I am from the former camp, it was a 3.5 star read for me. I liked it a lot.

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Crown/Random House | March 18, 2014 | Pages: 480 | ARC ebook via Edelweiss

Review: The Golden City by J. Kathleen Cheney

Review by Shellie for The Golden City by J. Kathleen Cheney

Shellie’s quick take:  A complex and fantastical historical mystery and romance set in a make-believe gas-lit Portugal. It contains dark magic, mermaids and Selkies.

Shellie’s description:  Oriana Paredes is a spy. She is also a maid for a local female Aristocrat in The Golden City, which is located in Portugal during the very early 1900’s. She is a “Sereia”, a siren or mermaid of sorts, which she hides from almost everyone since her species has been banned from the city by the current King.

When Oriana finds herself sinking, upside down, in the city’s river inside a room-sized-box with her human employer, she is understandably the only one who manages to survive. She realizes that there is fowl play and perhaps something a bit more sinister and magical, so she becomes determined to find the killer of her employer and friend.

She also begins to realize that the murderer may have killed others too, since the room-sized-box is not the only one anchored in the city’s river waters; there is in fact an installation of them. They are a miniature replica of the Aristocratic houses of The Golden City, placed there as an underwater art show in a representation called The City Under the Sea.

Shellie’s thoughts:  I enjoyed this novel – quite a lot actually. It’s a great first effort for the author since it has a complex plot, an intriguing mystery, and good romantic tension, so it keeps the reader interested and moving along. The author has an intelligent and detailed writing style which makes the novel thought provoking. All these are elements always welcome in a good story. 

I liked that the story is also set in a familiar world, so it’s easier to read than some fantasies where the location and character names can be vastly different than what we are accustomed to. It’s also easier to sink into this almost realistic world because of its well-known paranormal creatures – water-related beings such as Sereia, Selkies and water Nymphs. All the above are nice aspects for a first novel.

However, I had issues with some of the editing. The story left me with a number of dangling questions about some of the author’s mythology around the fantastical creatures -  especially the Selkies. I also had an issue around the uses of the names “The Golden City” and “The City Under the Sea”; both are so similar and became confusing. Lastly, I found myself rereading a number of sentences that did not make complete sense. I generally take responsibility for confusions such as this, however, it happened often enough that I was forced to take note. Regardless, I ended up ignoring and skipping over these parts so that the flow and enjoyment of the story would continue.

I’d recommend this to anyone interested in historical fantasy, and those who enjoy steampunk (it’s set during the gaslamp era), readers who like mermaids or Selkies, dark magic, or paranormal romance. I will definitely read the next book in the series since I would like to know what happens to the characters and still have questions about the Selkie and Sereia mythology. All in all I rate this debut novel a 3.5 star. A good first effort and start to a series.

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384 pages | 05 Nov 2013 | Roc | 18 - AND UP

For the publisher’s information on The Golden City see our Incoming Books post that includes the book – November 8, 2013.

Review: The Salt God’s Daughter ~ by Ilie Ruby

Review by Shellie for The Salt God’s Daughter ~ by Ilie Ruby

A lyrical, “stream of consciousness” styled novel about three generations of strong and independent women and their relationship to the sea and a “salt-god”.

About:  This story is set in the coastal areas of Southern California, where it catalogs the lives, difficulties and connections to the ocean of three generations of women. Starting in the 1970’s - two young sisters struggle with their mother, her addictions, and their homelessness and its dysfunction. Later Ruthie, one sister, depicts her coming of age and tells of falling in love and the subsequent birth of her child – Naida. Then Naida tells her tale.

Ilie Ruby includes Jewish mysticism, Celtic folklore, environmental themes, women’s issues, and more into this complex and emotional story. It’s women’s fiction that has some mythical aspects and can be viewed as slightly “paranormal” in nature.

Thoughts:   Ilie Ruby has an unusual style of writing that is mostly linear yet meanders back and forth in time in a sort of “stream of consciousness” writing style - the reader is taken into the thought processes of the characters as they move through their lives, resulting in a complex mix of happenings, memories and emotions. It’s definitely a literary styled book, definitely women’s fiction, and is character driven. This may not suit some readers, however, others are going to adore it.

I enjoyed this book and plowed through it fairly quickly, mostly because it reminded me that as women, all of us will experience the difficulties exemplified in the book’s pages. Ruby addresses issues of single motherhood, addiction, homelessness, rape, bullying and more. Issues that we are familiar with and have experienced directly or through our children, sisters, friends, or mothers. Sadly they are life events that we cannot deny but wish to ignore. Kudos to the author in addressing them in this second novel.

Feeling for the difficulties of the characters and the natural progression of their lives, loves, and failings, I recommend it for readers who enjoy character-driven stories, literary styled writing, women’s fiction (including feminist issues) and readers who like a touch of the mystical or folklore in their books. I give The Salt God’s Daughter 4 stars. It’s a lovely and heartfelt read.

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Soft Skull Press, Inc. 9/4/2012 352 pages.

More about Ilie Ruby and her books can be found at her website: http://www.ilieruby.com/ 

And on one issue she focuses upon in The Salt God’s Daughter  see Ilie Ruby’s article at Shape.com “The Sad Truth About Bullying”.

Happy first day of November!

Review: The Book of Summers ~ by Emylia Hall

Review by Shellie for: The Book of Summers ~ by Emylia Hall

It’s a poetic trip to Hungary for the reader, with a bittersweet ending. A coming-of-age story that is tied to the decisions one can make in anger, and the regrets about those choices, but ultimately leading to forgiveness and maturity.

About:  Beth (Erzsi - her Hungarian name) is now in her thirties and lives in London. She has repressed anger which comes out toward her father who lives miles away in Devon. When her father calls to visit she becomes excited, but then angry because she finds it’s only to bring her a letter and a handmade book from Hungary. It’s a lovely book in which her trips to the country have been cataloged lovingly by Marika, her Hungarian mom.

Perusing the book, she has no choice but to take a trip back to the wonderful summers she spent there with loved ones. As Erzsi reminisces while looking at her childhood pictures from each summer spent in Hungary, the reader follows her back in lolling experiences, which culminate in a heartbreaking choice made by the main character.

Thoughts:  This is a lovely novel with long poetic depictions of Hungary. It’s definitely women’s fiction, but having the flow of literary fiction since the characters are well developed. The accounts of Erzsi’s visits take up most of the book’s content, which is important to remember when choosing this book to read, since this may make or break the book for some readers.

It’s a book which I think would be an excellent choice for a woman’s book group discussion since it will evoke strong emotions in many readers. It involves the choices made in anger, at an age when maturity has not set in, also it reveals the emotions around secrets kept and shared too late, regret, and ultimately forgiveness. Recommended for anyone wanting a summer trip to the area, for readers who like to savor lengthy descriptions, and bittersweet endings. I give this story a 3.5 stars, it’s a good book for a vicarious summer trip.

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Mira; 363 pages; (May 29, 2012); US cover top; UK cover bottom.

For more about the author see Emylia Hall’s blog: http://emyliahall.blogspot.com/

Review: The Girl Below ~ by Bianca Zander

Review by Shellie for: The Girl Below ~ by Bianca Zander

A “post-adolescent coming of age” story where  the “lost” main character finds herself through a series of events, some paranormal in nature.

About:  Told in the first person and mixing the past with the present,  the narrator Suki Piper is a young English woman who has just moved home to London from an extended stay in New Zealand.  She has come back to her old neighborhood where she lived prior to her mother’s death from cancer.  The problem is that Suki can’t seem to get her life together.  It’s one bad situation after another. Worse is that she is having flashbacks or delusions, which are clouding  her ability to make decisions.

Fumbling through her muddled life, she accidently discovers the answers to the questions that are haunting her - questions that seem to be linked to a night in the past, where her mum, dad and family friends drunkenly explored a defunct air raid shelter after a party. It’s here that something which transcends time occurs.

Thoughts:  I enjoyed this layered story with the author’s descriptive writing which is often dryly humorous. There is nothing like the British sense of humor for a good snicker, so expect some giggles. I also liked that it was a vicarious trip to London, New Zealand, Greece and slightly back in time. Set during summer it creates an enjoyable read for the warmer months.  Lastly, with its light paranormal element there is an unusual twist to the story, creating it’s sweet ending.  All wonderful elements for a story.

I did have several problems. One is that I did need to do some skimming to understand the plot, due to its literary nature - the author goes in depth about the characters and their experiences rather than the plot; not a bad thing for many readers.  I also had a hard time relating to the damaged main character.  She has an outlook that life probably could not get any worse, which is not the type of character I normally identify with.  Suki was a series of car wrecks, understandably because she did have some tough events to digest.

In the end, beyond my niggles, I would say that this is a promising début from a talented author. I give it a 3.5 star rating. Recommend for Anglophiles looking for a story with a magical twist, a positive ending, and summer settings in Europe.

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June 19th 2012; William Morrow Paperbacks.

Author Bio:   British-born Bianca Zander has lived in Auckland, New Zealand, for the past two decades. An established journalist, she has written for numerous publications, including The Listener, the Sunday Star-Times, and the Dominion Post. She has produced radio shows and written for film and television, including writing the dramatic short film The Handover, which screened in competition at the Chicago Film Festival. Bianca holds an M.A. in creative writing from Victoria University, Wellington. The Girl Below is her first novel.  Facebook page and a Twitter account.

 

This book is part of a book tour. To find other reviews link to our host’s page via the badge to the left. It will take you to the designated page for The Girl Below.

Thanks for reading.

Guest Post: Molly Harper author of ~ The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf

 

Guest Post ~ author Molly Harper.

Molly Harper’s ~ The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf and its predecessor How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf have both been recently released.  The latest on March 29th and the first February 22.

Both are humorous paranormal romances published by Pocket Books. They are purse sized, and fun for light reading.

Earlier this year we posted a piece by Molly about the creation of this series – which happened during an ice storm. It’s an interesting and funny post (you can link to it via the previous text), since you never know when you’ll get an idea for a book series. Though today’s post is is a bit warmer, as is the title of her latest book, it revolves around actual wolves and their true nature, as opposed to those in fantasy stories, and Molly’s comparisons of them with several of the characters in her recent novels.

This is a cute and educational snippet, especially if you’re an animal advocate. Enjoy!  (photo credit: Memories by Chris/Chris Meyer/Georgetown, KY)

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When I was little and came running into the house, sweaty and caked in dirt, my mom would cry, “What the- have you been rolling around with wolves?”

Well, here I sit, sweaty, caked in various layers of dried mud.  And I have indeed been playing with wolves. While promoting the release of my Naked Werewolf romance series, I visited the Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge in Nicholasville, KY.  Wolf Run, a state- and USDA-licensed non-profit educational facility, provides a safe, loving and permanent sanctuary for 23 adult wolves and wolf-dog hybrids. The refuge is also home to two full-grown lions, deer, goats, sheep, monkeys, and other exotic wildlife. And Rowdy, the most obese raccoon I have ever seen. 

Most of the animals are former pets that were either confiscated by or surrendered by their owners. Because it turns out, wolf hybrids do not make great house pets.

As Savannah Massey, director of animal care and education at Wolf Run told me, “These animals are gorgeous, appealing and unique. But they’re also aggressive, destructive and territorial. This is not an animal you want in your home.  Wolf genetics do not go away. And it’s not just that they could tear up your furniture or hurt one of your other pets- you are physically in danger when you’re around them.”

Just what you want to hear when you’re sitting right next to one, and he’s been licking your face.

Honestly, Boone, a 10-year-old grey male, could not have been nicer during my visit and our subsequent photo shoot. He was a dignified statesman compared to raucous Razz, a three-year-old tan specimen who seemed to think my make-up was bacon-flavored. (Note to Sephora, wolf-oriented face powder may be a niche market you haven’t considered yet.)

I learned a lot during my visit to Wolf Run. I was happy to find there are some definite similarities between actual wolves and the characters in How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf and The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf.

For instance, a wolf will pee on whatever it wants, whenever it wants, to make sure you know that thing belongs to them. It is now your tree, Boone, we understand. Thank you for not choosing my shoes.

Wolves have to date.  There are five packs at Wolf Run, each with three to five pack members. New wolves are matched to potential packs based on temperament when they arrive at Wolf Run. If the initial matches don’t work, they are moved to different packs until they find a good fit. Some wolves, like Boone, don’t fit well with any group and end up being loners. (Which, I think, makes him a bit like Cooper.) 

Wolves struggle over the Alpha position.  Large males jockey for the position and it can lead to inter-pack tension. Unlike Boone, who was an Alpha contender, Razz, just seemed to want to play, which made me think of Samson. I did not see a real-life counterpart for Maggie, which was probably a good thing given her penchant for biting people on the butt.

Mary Kindred, CEO of Wolf Run, calls the animals her babies. When she walks around the yard, any effort to distract the wolves is futile, because a) she is mom and b) she has Pupperoni in her pocket. Kindred noted that the sanctuary receives no outside funding, and all expenses, such sturdy fencing, food, veterinary care, and upkeep of the grounds, are paid through donations. The facility welcomes volunteers. And despite the love and effort Mary and her staff devote to the sanctuary, both she and Savannah look forward to the day they’re no longer needed.

“These animals shouldn’t be here,” Savannah said. “The lions should be in Africa. The wolves should be in the wild. Our goal is to rescue animals and educate the public, until a facility like this is no longer needed.”  

To learn more about the wolf sanctuary that Molly visited link to Wolf Run, or contact Mary at ceoatwrwrhope@aol.com.

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How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf ~ US|UK|Canada. February 22, 2011

The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf ~ US|UK|Canada.  March 29, 2011

Link to check out the trailer for the Naked Werewolf series.

About Molly:   Raised in Mississippi and Kentucky, Molly Harper graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor's degree in print journalism. She worked for six years as a reporter and humor columnist; Molly lives in western Kentucky with her husband and daughter. Her books are published by Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.  For more on Molly and to connect via her website, twitter, and facebook link to the publisher’s website.

This article was sent via the publisher, Simon & Schuster, to share with our readers!

A Writer’s Characterization: Laurel-Rain Snow tells about one of hers from ~ Chasing Stardust

 

NaNoWriMo is half way to the finish line ~ and as a segue we have author Laurel-Rain Snow here to chat about one of her characters. All in the hope that it may help those who are working on their own. 

Laurel is the author of a number of books and is currently working on another via her first try at NaNoWriMo.

Here she tells us about Merrilee,  from her women’s fiction book Chasing Stardust. Her main character, like herself, is a product of the 1950 and 60s and is what makes the story an excellent example of a female experience in the era.

Having recently reviewed this book as well as hosted an interview around her writing and self publishing process (linked below), it is a pleasure to have her here again. Lets welcome Laurel! 

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In Laurel’s Words:

Merrilee Hennessey, our lead character in Chasing Stardust, is like many young adolescent girls as she grows up—rife with fantasies and illusions. But unlike some of her generation, she also bears the burden of budding addictions. Growing up with alcoholic parents, (even though functional), her view of life is already distorted. Throw Elvis and James Dean into the mix, and you have a hopeless romantic, questing for love in all the wrong places.

We first meet Merrilee as she looks back upon her life and as she yearns to provide stability for her granddaughter.

Then the story begins and takes us through the yearning, the rejection, and the ongoing challenge that is her life. She struggles to provide a home as a single parent while building a semblance of a career. She hopes for love, despite every rejection and despite every obstacle along the way. She clings to these “hopelessly romantic” ideals long past their shelf life and despite every failure along the way. And she discovers, finally, that even after she apparently won an earlier battle with eating disorders, an alcohol dependency crops up to challenge her yet again.

In the end, she learns that taking care of herself brings the most satisfaction. And then, almost as a side effect, she discovers love in the most unexpected of places.

When I wrote this book, several things were going on in my life. After twenty-seven years as a social worker, I had retired from the local child welfare agency, and then took on a job with a private foster family agency, where I would then work for an additional three years. My children were all grown, I had bought a home in the foothills, and hoped to settle down into my writing career with relatively little angst. Little did I know what would be around the next bend. My youngest son, his partner, and their newborn preemie baby moved into one of my guest rooms and proceeded to add major drama to my life.  

Hence, some of the characters in this book grew out of that experience. I would awaken each day, early, before heading to the office, and write pages for this book. When we see how Merrilee, a single parent, moves into the next phase of her life, with her troubled son, it is no accident that some of my personal stuff found its way into the book. There was more than a slight resemblance between her son Colin and my own youngest son. They both shared a tendency to make impulsive choices, with long term consequences.

My four year old granddaughter would visit, too, during this time; she would lean over my shoulder while I wrote and ask questions about what I was doing. Thus, her sunny personality imbued itself on the character Brandi (Colin and Carly’s child), which is why I dedicated this book to her.

But before any of these events took shape, I had created the story idea based on many of my experiences with impulsive clients, so they also form the core of some of the characters. And then I borrowed liberally from some of my own youthful experiences of listening to Elvis and dreaming about romance. Some of Merrilee’s early jobs also took a page from my own resume.

Many aspects of my own life, the lives of clients, and the day-to-day stuff of my children’s lives make their way into my books. When I mix up the characteristics and embellish the situations, they are transformed into fictionalized versions. Therefore, I have no qualms about calling these creations fiction.

But I never forget that without life’s moments, I would not have the opportunity to create any of my characters.

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Once again thank you Laurel!

About Laurel:   Laurel Rain Snow is the pen name for Lorraine Frost Sandone, who was born in California's Central Valley. She earned her MA in counseling from California State University of Fresno in the seventies. Ms. Snow, now retired from social work, lives in Fresno, CA, and is the mother of four grown children and proud grandmother of seven.

Since retiring, Ms.Snow turned to an old dream---writing---and has published five novels. The author weaves three decades of experience into her novels, which sets them apart and lends authenticity to the characterizations.

You can connect Laurel and find more about her books via Goodreads, Twitter, Website, and her blog specific to her book Chasing Stardust – Stardust Dreams. 

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For more about Laurel’s self publishing experience please link to Layers of Thought’s interview with her around her publishing process.

For more information about Chasing Stardust please see Layers of Thought’s review and/or preview for the book. Amazon purchasing links for Chasing Stardust are US/UK/Canada and from the Book Depository.

Thanks for reading!

Review by Shellie: Hothouse Flower ~ by Margot Berwin

 

A “trip” into the realistic yet magical where an urbanite discovers herself in the rain forest of Mexico. It’s city girl goes jungle Jane with consciousness altering plants.

About:  Lila is from NYC. She is in her thirties and cynical as well as wounded from her recent divorce. She has sworn off men and most attachments - “no pets, no  plants, no people, no problems”.  However she breaks her rule when she decides to buy herself a bird of paradise plant from the hunky greenery vendor around the corner from her studio. This starts her adventures and discovery about the mythical 9 plants of desire.

This humorous story, with its self- depreciating main character, takes the reader to the rain forests of Mexico. Where Lila is propelled by her quirky yet mystically oriented friend Armand to search for the illusive plants in order to repay a debt. As they enter into foreign territory into a place where fantastical elements are the norm, Lila herself makes a mildly hallucinogenic ride into self discovery and more.

Thoughts:  Funny, fluffy and a very easy read, it was a needed break from the heavier stuff I have been recently reading. It was a foray into the magical. A chick lit escapist read with some mild romance which includes a gorgeous Huichol Indian from the mountains of Mexico.

As Lila gets to know these plants with their anthropomorphic attributes, we get an interesting mix of fact and fun fiction about each, where all of the short chapters are headed with a plant (and a few critters) and their description. I think my favorite section was on the chocolate plant, native to Southern America, where the author includes a recipe on how to make chocolate from the actual pods. Fun stuff!

I think this book will be perfect for any woman recovering from a recent break up or for anyone needing a light yet magical read. My mom is going to love this book being a plant person extraordinaire – me, the black thumb of the family killing cactus in the desert, enjoyed it just as much. I even found a few new books to add to my tbr list within the text of the novel - The Sheltering Sky by Philip Bowles and one by Carlos Castaneda. I love that. I give this fun book 3.5 stars. It was a blast.

For more information on the book please see the preview and giveaway post for Hothouse Flower. This giveaway is available in the US or Canada until October 3rd.

There are more reviews on Hothouse Flower, giveaways, interviews and guest posts so take a look at the tour host list from TLC Book Tours. A big thanks to Trish for including Layers of Thought in this tour!

Review by Shellie: Chasing Stardust ~ by Laurel-Rain Snow

 

About a persistent woman who holds onto her dreams. It is about her life during the sexual revolution, developing feminism, and the war in Vietnam.

About:   A contemporary story about the life of  Merrilee Hennessy, a woman born in the US during the late 1950’s. It extends through her life experiences into the early 2000’s. With an omnipresent narration we see her life and what she feels and thinks, as a strong and driven woman, at first in her late teens and then into her middle age. With the historical back drop of the Vietnam war, the sexual revolution and the growth of feminism, it is a look inside a woman, her beliefs and the myths of her life and the generation.

Thoughts:   Chasing Stardust starts out slowly, almost like a diary, with the issues being resolved through the main character’s ability to hold on to her dreams through pure perseverance and positive thinking - an important perspective for understanding the character and her life during that time. As she struggles with her dreams of a romantic ideal, akin to the romance novels she devours, she is strengthened by the ideals (held internally and supported culturally) of the perfect home and family. While things are not quite right for her, she perseveres by pushing the acknowledgment of her difficulties out of her consciousness; a key element for the story.

Some significant themes within the novel are - contrary to our internalized myths about motherhood, at times and even with a woman’s best efforts, bonding with one’s child is not a possibility; the love of a woman’s life is not necessarily a romantic love, but can be the love of a child; issues related to drug and alcohol abuse; the US legal system and its methodology for placing children from neglected and abusive homes.

My recommendation for the reader is to be aware that the first part of the novel moves along with Merrilee with her ups and downs just a bit slowly – as readers we are sometimes accustomed to the “drama and trauma” contained in the very beginning of books. It is, however, important for understanding this character. The story significantly picks up about a third of the way through and becomes heart wrenching and insightful where the consequences of the main character’s choices are made clear.

Highly recommended if you enjoy women’s fiction, strong female characters, this recent era in period fiction, and/or if you like stories with addiction and recovery as a theme. It is a wonderful self published and edited novel, amazingly without any errors in syntax as well as spelling. I give this excellent effort and book 4 stars.

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For more information about the book and the author – please see the preview of Chasing Stardust, and for an interview with Laurel around her experiences about writing a self published novel click on the live links within the text. Also coming next week will be a guest post about the Laurel’s take on her main character - Merrilee.

This review will be included in a number of challenges - New Author, Woman Unbound, and War Through the Generations.

Thanks for reading Layers of Thought.

Preview and Giveaway ~ Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Berwin

  

We have a preview  and a giveaway for Hothouse Flower  ~ Its apparently romantic with a slight paranormal edge with perhaps a bit of magical realism? It sounds fluffy and fun and what a gorgeous girly cover.

About:  Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire is one woman’s journey from the modeling and advertising world of New York City to the rain forests of the Yucatan Peninsula. From the hot and steamy plant dealers in the Union Square Green Market, to the curanderos, herbalists and shamans of Southern Mexico.

Lila Nova is a 32-year-old advertising copywriter who lives alone in a plain white box of an apartment. Recovering from a heartbreaking divorce, Lila has a simple mantra: no pets, no plants, no people, no problems. But when she meets David Exley, a ruggedly handsome plant dealer, a country-sexual, as she calls him, her lonely life turns into something far more colorful. From the harsh streets of Manhattan to the verdant jungles of the Yucatan, Hothouse Flower is the story of a woman who travels beyond sense and comfort to find out what she really wants.

To purchase via Amazon ~ US/UK/Canada.

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Author Bio: MARGOT BERWIN won a merit scholarship for creative writing from the New School and earned her MFA in 2005.

Her stories have appeared on Nerve.com, essaysandfictions.com, The New York Press, and in the Anthology The Future of Misbehavior. She lives in New York City.

To connect with Margot here are a few links:

• Website
• on Twitter – @MargotBerwin
• on her Facebook fan-page
• on her regular Facebook page

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This book is part of a blog tour from TLC Book Tours. For reviews, guest posts, other giveaways, and more information on Hothouse Flower and more please click on the badge for current links.

 

The Giveaway:

Since the book will be sent by the publisher - you do not need to be a “reader” for this giveaway. Anyone can enter, but the book is only available for mailing inside the US and Canada.

Contest Info:

To enter you must:

• comment
• include in the post your email so that I can contact you

For optional extra points you can do any, or all of the below for 1 entry point each: (All entries may be included in one single comment.)

1. Be a subscriber of Layers of Thought – google or facebook. (I need to be able to see you – to get updates in facebook feed and add me as a friend otherwise it does not count.)
2. Blog it - side bars are great - please provide links
3. Tweet it – provide links please
4. Friend on Twitter
5. Friend on Goodreads
6. Friend on Book Blogs
7. Friend on Glue  - new to glue? have questions? let me know.

As stated above, this giveaway is for the US and Canada only.

Contest ends Sunday October 3, 2010 at 12 pm US Pacific time. Winner will be posted and notified on Friday October 8, 2010.

Review coming on September 22. If in the case you cannot wait - here is the purchasing info for Hothouse Flower from Amazon ~ US/UK/Canada.

Please note unlike other posts we do not respond to comments for giveaways. If you have a question or concern (like a typo or bad link) please email me via my profile – Shellie.

Thanks for entering and good luck!

Glue Guru Wins: The Language of Secrets; Bloodroot; Seven Days in the Art World; and I Am Martin Eisenstadt

 

Would You like to Win Books?

Check out Glue’s Guru Program:  Since I have been blogging and “Glue’ing” I have won over 60 books. All within a little over a year. That's around one book per week – amazing right? You should see our shelves… they are exploding!

The four books listed below, I won via Glue’s Guru program, where if you are designated a guru of a book, they will send you another that is similar, which they hope you will read and then share your thoughts about via Glue, your blog, or more.

Glue is an add on where a tool bar is visible at the bottom of your computer screen. When you visit a site for a specific product or subject – like a Wikipedia site, the avatars of previous viewers subscribed to glue appear. By scrolling over their icons you will get their thoughts, blog posts, or a thumbs up or down on the topic. It is all a way for you to find recommendations, other’s thoughts, and more about books, movies, products, and subjects. You too can “like” a product, comment, “dislike”, and become a guru too. Which will then help you win stuff – like me here.

These are the book Previews listed below:    (A note on Previews: They are the blurbs provided by the publisher on the books – which are different from our Reviews which contain our thoughts opinions. My hope is that you will not have to go to several sites to find what you would like to know about a book, an author, or how much it costs. And besides, authors, publicists, and publishers love it.)

Here are the books listed within this Preview:

• The Language of Secrets ~ by Dianne Dixon
• Bloodroot ~ by Amy Greene
• Seven Days in the Art World ~ by Sarah Thornton
• I Am Martin Eisenstadt ~ by Martin Eisenstadt

 

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The Language of Secrets ~ by Dianne Dixon

From a fresh and exciting new voice in women's fiction, The Language of Secrets unflinchingly examines the lifelong repercussions of a father's betrayal.

Justin Fisher has a successful career as the manager of a luxury hotel, a lovely wife, and a charming young son. While all signs point to a bright future, Justin can no longer ignore the hole in his life left by his estranged family. When he finally gathers the courage to reconnect with his troubled past, Justin is devastated to learn that his parents have passed away. And a visit to the cemetery brings the greatest shock of all—next to the graves of his father and mother sits a smaller tombstone for a three-year-old boy: a boy named Thomas Justin Fisher.

What follows is an extraordinary journey as Justin struggles with issues of his own identity and pieces together the complex and heartbreaking truth about his family. With great skill and care, Dianne Dixon explores the toll that misunderstandings, blame, and resentment can take on a family. But it is the intimate details of family life—a mother's lullaby for her son, a father's tragic error in judgment—that make this novel so exceptional and an absolute must for reading groups everywhere.

The Language of Secrets is the story of an unspeakable loss born of human frailty and an ultimate redemption born of human courage.

Bio: Dianne Dixon is a television writer who has won the prestigious Humanitas Prize for Excellence in Screenwriting, has been twice nominated for an Emmy, and regularly receives glowing reviews of her work from producers and programming executives.  The Language of Secrets is Dixon’s first novel. She currently lives with her husband in California.   For more information on Diane Dixon you can visit her website.

Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

 

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Bloodroot ~ by Amy Greene

Named for a flower whose blood-red sap possesses the power both to heal and poison, Bloodroot is a stunning fiction debut about the legacies—of magic and madness, faith and secrets, passion and loss—that haunt one family across the generations, from the Great Depression to today.

The novel is told in a kaleidoscope of seamlessly woven voices and centers around an incendiary romance that consumes everyone in its path: Myra Lamb, a wild young girl with mysterious, haint blue eyes who grows up on remote Bloodroot Mountain; her grandmother Byrdie Lamb, who protects Myra fiercely and passes down “the touch” that bewitches people and animals alike; the neighbor boy who longs for Myra yet is destined never to have her; the twin children Myra is forced to abandon but who never forget their mother’s deep love; and John Odom, the man who tries to tame Myra and meets with shocking, violent disaster. Against the backdrop of a beautiful but often unforgiving country, these lives come together—only to be torn apart—as a dark, riveting mystery unfolds.

With grace and unflinching verisimilitude, Amy Greene brings her native Appalachia—and the faith and fury of its people—to rich and vivid life. Here is a spellbinding tour de force that announces a dazzlingly fresh, natural-born storyteller in our midst.

Bio: Amy Greene was born and raised in the foothills of East Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, where she lives with her husband and two children. You can connect with Amy on Goodreads where she is a subscriber there.

Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

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Seven Days in the Art World ~ by Sarah Thornton

A fly-on-the-wall account of the smart and strange subcultures that make, trade, curate, collect, and hype contemporary art.

The art market has been booming. Museum attendance is surging. More people than ever call themselves artists. Contemporary art has become a mass entertainment, a luxury good, a job description, and, for some, a kind of alternative religion.

In a series of beautifully paced narratives, Sarah Thornton investigates the drama of a Christie's auction, the workings in Takashi Murakami's studios, the elite at the Basel Art Fair, the eccentricities of Artforum magazine, the competition behind an important art prize, life in a notorious art-school seminar, and the wonderland of the Venice Biennale. She reveals the new dynamics of creativity, taste, status, money, and the search for meaning in life. A judicious and juicy account of the institutions that have the power to shape art history, based on hundreds of interviews with high-profile players, Thornton's entertaining ethnography will change the way you look at contemporary culture.

Bio: Sarah Thornton is a freelance writer who contributes to The New Yorker, BBC-TV, and Artforum.com. She has degrees in art history and sociology. She lives in London. For more on Sarah Thornton here is here website.

Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

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I Am Martin Eisenstadt:  One Mans (Wildly Inappropriate) Adventures with the Last Republicans ~ by Dan Mirvish and Eitan Gorlin

In the days after the 2008 presidential election, we heard that Sarah Palin thought Africa was one big country. We heard that the leak came from Martin Eisenstadt, a McCain policy adviser. And then, within forty-eight hours, we heard that he was a fraud, a fake, and that Martin Eisenstadt doesn’t exist.

Maybe he doesn’t. But in a world where ‘news’ can spread like wildfire on the Internet and a hoax can tell you more about politics than the facts, Martin Eisenstadt—whose blog and think tank fooled the world—has something to tell us. With the savviness of Primary Colors and the playfulness of Forrest Gump, his book is a mix of political intrigue, campaign-trail escapades, and cyberspace detective work. From debate preparation with Sarah Palin to his mother’s basement (yes, he still lives at home), from Liberation of Iraq softball games to Saturday Night Live; from his campaign for casinos in the Green Zone to happy hour in Washington, we follow a neocon pundit on his travels. This is his version of the election campaign.
Martin Eisenstadt: American hero? Con artist? You decide.

Bio:    Martin Eisenstadt is political strategist and conservative analyst you can find out more about him on his blog. Award-winning filmmakers Dan Mirvish and Eitan Gorlin co-wrote the satirical novel I Am Martin Eisenstadt: One Mans (Wildly Inappropriate) Adventures with the Last Republicans  from Farrar, Straus, Giroux. Mirvish co-founded the Slamdance Film Festival and directed the real-estate musical Open House, and Gorlin was nominated for an IFP Spirit Award for his feature film The Holy Land. Eisenstadt became famous as the faux McCain adviser who claimed Sarah Palin didn't know where Africa was.

Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

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Want to win free books on glue? Then GetGlue where you can Find Your Next Favorite Thing -  http://getglue.com  If you do sign up add me as a friend – Glue.  (New to glue? have questions? click on the live link or let me know, I am almost always happy to help.)

I am thinking I would like to read Bloodroot (magical realism) and Seven Days in the Art World first. Which of these titles interests you?

Thanks for reading Layers of Thought. 

Preview: Chasing Stardust ~ by Laurel-Rain Snow

 

About the Book:  Laurel-Rain Snow, author of An Accidental Life, Miles To Go, Web of Tyranny, and Embrace the Whirlwind, now tells her most triumphant story yet in Chasing Stardust. Compassionate and wise, this novel examines life, love, and parenting in the modern world. Once again, the author creates wonderfully flawed characters that readers will find impossible not to love for their dogged misdirected affections. In this tale, a single mother will learn to love herself after years of defeat, humiliation, and self-loathing and figure out what makes her happy as a parent, as a professional, and as a woman. With her hands full at home and at the office, love comes late in more ways than one. It's not exactly the love she was looking for, but finally, for once, love comes to stay and she's no longer chasing stardust, she's dancing in it.

Author Bio:  Laurel-Rain Snow is the pen name for Lorraine Frost Sandone, who was born in California's Central Valley, attending community college in Modesto, CA, after which she transferred to San Francisco State University in the sixties. She transferred again and graduated from California State University in Sacramento, with a BA in psychology.

Ms. Snow moved to Fresno, CA, in the early seventies, where she then worked in the social work profession for over thirty years, specializing primarily in child welfare cases. She earned her MA in counseling from California State University of Fresno in the seventies.

Ms. Snow, now retired from social work, lives in Fresno, CA, and is the mother of four grown children and proud grandmother of seven. After retiring from the social work profession, Ms.Snow turned to an old dream – writing, and has published five novels, available on Amazon.com.

The author weaves three decades of experience into her novels, which sets them apart and lends authenticity to the characterizations.

For more information about Laurel you can connect with her on her Goodreads page, Twitter, and her Web Page, and one of her blogs (she has so many I have lost count!).

Amazon purchasing links US/UK/Canada and at the Book Depository in Euros.

 Amazon Book Stats:

Paperback: 408 pages

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (October 10, 2007)

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Chasing Stardust was sent to Layers of Thought by the author for review. Thank you Laurel!

Preview: The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel

• The Recipe Club - A Tale of Food and Friendship
  By Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel
  Published by Polhemus Press
  October 2009; 978-09823492-0-5

Book Info:

Lilly and Val are lifelong friends, united as much by their differences as by their similarities. Lilly, dramatic and confident, lives in the shadow of her beautiful, wayward mother and craves the attention of her distant, disapproving father. Val, shy and idealistic -- and surprisingly ambitious -- struggles with her desire to break free from her demanding housebound mother and a father whose dreams never seem to come true.

In childhood, "LillyPad" and "Valpal" vow to form an exclusive two-person club. Throughout the decades they write intimate letters in which they share hopes, fears, deepest secrets -- and recipes, from Lilly's "Lovelorn Lasagna" to Valerie's "Forgiveness Tapenade." Readers can cook along as the girls travel through time, facing the challenges of independence; the joys and heartbreaks of first love; and the emotional complexities of family relationships, identity, mortality, and goals deferred.

But no matter what different paths they take or what misunderstandings threaten to break them apart, Lilly and Val always find their way back together through their Recipe Club . . . until the fateful day when an act of kindness becomes an unforgivable betrayal.

Now, decades later, while trying to recapture the trust they've lost, Lilly and Val reunite once more -- only to uncover a shocking secret. Will it destroy their friendship, or bring them ever closer?

Author Bios:

 

Andrea Israel is a producer/writer for ABC's Focus Earth. She was a producer/writer on Anderson Cooper 360, Dateline, and Good Morning America (which garnered her an Emmy Award). Her story In Donald's Eyes was recently optioned for a film. Ms. Israel is the author of Taking Tea. Her writing has appeared in many publications.

Nancy Garfinkel is co-author of The Wine Lover's Guide to the Wine Country: The Best of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino (Chronicle Books, 2005). A creative strategist, design consultant, writer, and editor for magazine, corporate, and non-profit clients, she has won a host of graphic arts and editorial merit awards. She has written extensively about food and graphic arts.

To access the authors’ website please click here.

For Amazon purchasing information links are listed as follows US/UK/Canada:

The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship/ The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship /The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship

Thank you to Caitlin from FSB Associates for sending Layers of Thought this book for review!

Review coming soon!