Brenda Youngerman: Author Interview and 3 Book Giveaway

Welcome to Author Brenda Youngerman. Brenda is the author of 5 Books: Hidden Truths, Sorrowed Souls, Private Scars, Public Lives and her newest book Restored Hope. In 2011 she will release her 6th book Disrupted Lives.

I had the chance to ask Brenda some fun get to know you questions. She's also offered to send a copy of one of her books to 3 lucky winners.

First some fun interview questions:

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
Oh.....definitely the past.....I think we have become WAY to dependent on technology and have forgotten the art of communication!

What is one book everyone should read?
Gone with the Wind. It has it all - from birth to death - unrequited love - war, peace - politics - Everything! Huge sigh!

What is the last movie you saw?
Alice in Wonderland.

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
I would love to have the power to annihilate abusive people. Just walk right up to them, point my finger at them and make them disappear.

When you were 12 years old what did you want to be when you grew up?
A second grade teacher!

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Chocolate Chip

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Abraham Lincoln

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Chocolate Chip Ice cream (tee hee hee)

Who is the target audience for your books?
Target audience.....anyone 15-99 - - - I don't really think these books are gender specific. - - BUT Restored Hope might be more female specific.
I would really like to get all of my books into the hands of 14-18 year olds, and have them realize that there is a whole world out there that they need to be aware of, but from a very fictional point of view these books are a good ride for anyone from 15-99.

For more information about Brenda Youngerman visit her website or stop by Pinnacle Promotions.

And now... The Giveaway Details:

Brenda has generously offered to allow me to offer my followers 3 of her books.
3 different followers of this blog will receive a copy of either Sorrowed Souls, Hidden Truths or Restored Hope.

Sorrowed Souls by Brenda Youngerman: Lives Can Change in an Instant! Hungry tired, and alone Bryan Tines not only had no idea how he got there or who he was, but he discovers an entire new world. His journey sheds light on what is important in life. But is it too late to do anything about it?Follow the journey and see if there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Hidden Truths by Brenda Youngerman: A bolt of lightning shatters his dreams and six-year-old Billy Foster finds himself blamed for his mother's death.Gwen Nelson is an unwanted child who never gives up hope despite people letting her down, time after time.Follow their journeys, as well as their brother and sisters as the world around them overlooks the crying of a child.

Restored Hope by Brenda Youngerman: Peter and Tara Miller are the image of perfection. They have three beautiful children, live in a wonderful neighborhood, and are still each other's best friend. When their world completely disintegrates within a short period of time, their daughter must survive the aftermath. Creating a new persona, Samantha finally breaks free and discovers that the real world is not much kinder than her dysfunctional family. Emotionally shattered, the solace of the ocean, and a loving dog, carry her on her way. Samantha meets Timothy Bleak, who was raised in a seemingly kind, loving family, but is virtually invisible to them. His voice goes unheard, his needs are unmet, and his emotions are squashed. Timothy summons the strength to leave his family, and discovers Samantha in his journey. Restored Hope follows these two bereft young people as their lives intertwine and they face the challenges of life, love and happiness together.

Giveaway open until October 31st. To enter you must be at least 13 years old, be a follower of this blog and have a US or Canadian mailing address.

4 Extra Entries are available:
+1 Become a GFC follower on Brenda's Blog
+1 Follow Brenda on Twitter
+1 Friend or Become a Fan of Brenda on Goodreads
+1 Share this giveaway - blog, link to, tweet, FB, etc. (leave direct link)

This Giveaway is Now Closed.

Restored Hope by Brenda Youngerman

Peter and Tara Miller are the image of perfection. They have three beautiful children, live in a wonderful neighborhood, and are still each other's best friend. When their world completely disintegrates within a short period of time, their daughter must survive the aftermath. Creating a new persona, Samantha finally breaks free and discovers that the real world is not much kinder than her dysfunctional family. Emotionally shattered, the solace of the ocean, and a loving dog, carry her on her way. Samantha meets Timothy Bleak, who was raised in a seemingly kind, loving family, but is virtually invisible to them. His voice goes unheard, his needs are unmet, and his emotions are squashed. Timothy summons the strength to leave his family, and discovers Samantha in his journey. Restored Hope follows these two bereft young people as their lives intertwine and they face the challenges of life, love and happiness together.

Restored Hope is a family drama that follows the life of Camilla Miller. Born into what appears to be an idyllic family, with parents who are deeply in love with each other, it would seem that her like would be a peaceful one. The reality is things are not always as they appear. When tragedy and the resulting dysfunction strike, Camilla's world is thrown into turmoil. With the disintegration of her family a part of Camilla dies. She refuses to be called Camilla and takes on the name Samantha.

While reading Brenda Youngerman's novel I found myself wondering how I would respond if faced with similar tragedies. Would I shatter and break as some individuals in this book did or would I be able to put the tragedies behind me and start again? I found myself drawn into this story and rooting for Samantha to find peace and love in her life.

Ultimately this book has a message that we all need. We are not responsible for the actions of others, we can move on after tragedy and we should never stop hoping.

Content: Just a couple mild expletives but otherwise clean.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Giveaway Winner - The Forest of Hands of Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Congratulations to the Winner of the

Welcoming the Fall Giveaway!

The Random Number Generator has spoken:
The Winner is:


Samantha Morrison



A copy of The Forest of Hands and Teeth is headed your way

as soon as I receive your mailing address.

Got Great Giveaways 9/30

Got Great Giveaways is a weekly feature hosted here on I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

I love book giveaways. They often have low entries which means I actually win them. I'm always on the lookout for book giveaways and have become frustrated by not having one place to find them all. So I started hosting my own Book Giveaway Linky.

Each week I search for great book giveaways and link them up here. However I can't possibly find them all so I need your help!

Do you have a book giveaway on your blog or website? Scroll down and add it to the linky list.

Have you found a great book giveaway you want to share? Please add it.

Stop by each week and link up book related giveaways.

Many of the 120 book giveaways listed on last week's Got Great Giveaways are still open.

To help bloggers easily find giveaways they are interested please fill out the Linky like this:
Genre or Category - Title, Author, website, ending date.

So your Link Title should look something like this:
Romance: Luck of the Draw by Rachael Renee Anderson @ I Am A Reader ends 10/3

Catergory: Adult, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Picture Book
OR
Genre: Mystery, Romance, SciFi, Fantasy, Nonfiction, Christian, etc.

Please link directly to the giveaway.

BOOK & BOOK RELATED GIVEAWAYS ONLY - others will be deleted.

Bookmark this site and stop back by in a couple days for more giveaways because new giveaways get added all week long!

The next Got Great Giveaways Linky will be posted on Thursday 10/7. If you have a giveaway you want me to add to next week's linky just FILL OUT THIS FORM, or you can stop back next week to add it.

Childrens Book Wednesday - Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed

Can one good deed from an ordinary girl change the world?

It can when she's Ordinary Mary-an ordinary girl from an ordinary school, on her way to her ordinary house-who stumbles upon ordinary blueberries. When she decides to pick them for her neighbor, Mrs. Bishop, she starts a chain reaction that multiplies around the world. Mrs. Bishop makes blueberry muffins and gives them to her paperboy and four others-one of whom is Mr. Stevens, who then helps five different people with their luggage-one of whom is Maria, who then helps five people-including a man named Joseph who didn't have enough money for his groceries-and so on, until the deed comes back to Mary. It's a feel-good story that inspires and celebrates a world full of ordinary deeds!

What a cute children's picture book with a great message.

Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson introduces the ideas of "Pay It Forward" and "What Goes Around Comes Around" in a fun, inspiring way.

Mary does the simple good deed of dropping off some berries on her neighbor's doorstep. The neighbor then makes muffins and shares them with 5 people. Those 5 people do something nice for 5 other people and so on. A great book to use to teach children about the impact we can have by serving other and being kind to them.

Ironically this book reminded me of a conversation my son and I had just yesterday. He asked me if his allowance could be a penny doubled everyday for a month. I think not! I'd only owe him $5,368,709.12.


Childrens Book Wednesday is a feature started by The Crazy Bookworm. Since I adore children's picture books I'll be joining The Crazy Bookworm by sharing at least one picture book each week.

Waiting On Wednesday: The Pirate Ruse by Marcia Lynn McClure

The cover for The Pirate Ruse by Marcia Lynn McClure was revealed on Monday. I love it and cannot wait for this book. I adore Marcia and her books.

An instant before the sea swallowed her, Cristabel Albay gasped her last breath. She was certain it would truly be her last breath… Yet, mere moments later, her head broke the surface of the sea and she exhaled the breath she had been holding—the one that had not been her last—gasping for another.

“Do you swim, woman?” the pirate Navarrone growled.

“Y-yes,” Cristabel stammered. Her thoughts were muddled—for panic was her only ally. Yet, she was cognizant enough to know that her life was still in danger—not from pirates perhaps—but from the sea.

“Then swim!” the pirate growled. “If you want to live to see another sunrise, then swim for The Merry Wench.”

…She glanced up to the Chichester where pirates and British sailors yet battled. The Screaming Witch was already sailing, and Cristabel would rather have died than be the victim of the atrocities that would have met her aboard it.

Yet, to abandon one pirate ship for another? It was madness! Still, she could not fathom drowning—for drowning terrified her more than any other fate of death. Her only hope in surviving was to do as the pirate ordered. …She had heard tales of The Blue Blade Navarrone—tales of mercy. …Perhaps he would take pity on her… Thus, with no other venue to follow, Christabel began to swim—to swim for The Merry Wench and whatever fate awaited her there.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted on Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Big Book of Boy Stuff by Bart King

There's this boy. Let's say he's somewhere between nine and thirteen years old or so. You'd like to see this kid get creative. You'd like to see him get some exercise. You'd like to see him get out from in front of the television. And you'd love for him to be motivated enough to find some stuff to do on his own. This boy NEEDS The Big Book of Boy Stuff!

The Big Books of boy Stuff is filled with hours of entertainment and enlightenment for adventure-seeking boys. Bart King interviewed hundreds of wise guys and smart alecks for the awesome content found in The Big Book of Boy Stuff. Boys can learn how to: Make lightning; Fool friends with practical jokes; Build and launch a water rocket; How many mosquitoes does it take to suck all the blood out of a person?

Gibbs Smith Publishing sent me a copy of The Big Book of Boy Stuff by Bart King to review. My 8 year old son promptly claimed the book as his own. When I told him he couldn't have it because I needed to read and review it he was very upset. I told him I'd let him have the book if he would review it for me. Here is what he has to say.

The Big Book of Boy Stuff has everything that boys are interested in.
It's really good. It has rockets, animals, insults, tricks and funny
jokes. I found $1.36 by doing the Treasure Hunt in the couch. My
favorite parts are all of it. I like the dumb directions on products
and the practical jokes. I learned how to make a cool airplane.

I like the insult "You're so ugly, when you were born, they put tinted
windows on your hospital room." I want to make a Match Rocket.

So there you have it. My 8 year old thinks this book is great. We've had the book for a week and I've seen him reading it every single day. In fact his sister and all her friends have been reading it too. They've been laughing hysterically, doing experiments and having a great time reading this book.

If you are looking for a book for your son, grandson, nephew, neighbor, friend or any other boy ages 8-12, The Big Book of Boy Stuff is sure to be a hit.

Content: This is a clean read although some of the subject matter is the slapstick, goofy, slightly crude stuff boys love.

Rating: 5 Stars

Source: From publisher for review

Giveaway: Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks (Audiobook)

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

I love Nicholas Sparks. I've read everything he's written and can't wait for my copy of Safe Haven to arrive.

A huge thanks to Anna at Hachette Books for allowing me to host this giveaway.

3 Followers of this blog will win an audio version of Nicholas Spark's newest book Safe Haven.

Entry rules:
Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win.
No PO boxes, please.
Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule. If you win the same title in two or more contests, you will receive only one copy of the title. Books will be sent directly from the publisher.
Giveaway ends October 18, 2010

To enter you must be a follower of this blog.
3 Extra entries are available:
+1 Share this contest - Tweet, Blog, FB or Link(leave a direct link)
+1 Be a Friend on Goodreads
+1 Follow on Twitter

This Giveaway is now closed.

Nearly New Books For You Giveaway

I love to receive free books in the mail.

Unlike most avid readers I don't have a huge personal library.

I believe books should be read and then shared instead of sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

This unique belief could mean free books for you.

Each week I will be hosting a Nearly New Books For You Giveaway. At least 3 books will be offered each week. The winner of the giveaway will get to choose which book they want. All books are in excellent condition.

Adult:
The Devil Amongst the Lawyers (this book is new)


Young Adult:
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer (this book has been read once)


Middle Grade:
Hurricane Mia: A Caribbean Adventure (this book has been read once)


Giveaway is open only to those over the age of 13 with a US mailing address. Must be a blog follower to enter. Giveaway closes 10/11/10. Winner will be chosen from all eligible entries by the Random Number Generator.

This week's extra entries:
+1 Become an email subscriber - the box to enter your email is on the right column of the blog under current giveaways.
+1 Follow this blog via Networked Blogs - link can be found in the right column near the bottom of the page.

This Nearly New Books For You Giveaway is now closed.

Book Blogger Meme List

I've been trying to decide which weekly book related memes to take part in.
Currently I take part in In My Mailbox and Book Blogger Hop/Follow My Book Blog Friday.

I'm trying to find some new ones for other days of the week.

What are your favorites?

Which book memes do you take part in each week?

I know there are tons of them out there. I'm just having trouble finding all of them. I found a list on one site but most of them had died off.

Do you host a book related meme each week? Do you know of a great book related meme hosted by someone else that you'd like to share? Please link them up so I can stop by and check them out.

In My Mailbox

WOW! My mailbox loved me this week!!

Won in a giveaway on The O.W.L.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

From Author For Review:

Legend Destiny by Nance Bulow-Morgan

From Booksneeze for Review:

The Nativity Collection by Robert J. Morgan

Won in a giveaway on One Book At A Time

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

The following 8 Books are from the publisher Gibbs Smith for Review:

The Big Book of Boy Stuff by Bart King


The Big Book of Girl Stuff by Bart King


Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed


The Bracelet by Miriam de Rosier


I'll Always Be Your Daughter by Carol Lynn Pearson


Girlfriend! by Carol Lynn Pearson


The Lesson by Carol Lynn Pearson


What Love Is by Carol Lynn Pearson

Won in a giveaway on JenniferLaurens.com

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

From Author for Review

Restored Hope by Brenda Youngerman

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

The idea behind IMM was not only to put new books on your radar but to also encourage blogger interaction. IMM explores the weekly contents of my mailbox & books bought.

Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library

The Devil Amongst the Lawyers by Sharyn McCrumb

In 1934 all the national publications sent their star reporters to remote Virginia to cover the trial of Erma Morton: a beautiful 21-year-old year old mountain girl with a teaching degree, accused of murdering her father--a drunken tyrant of a man.

Eager for a new cause celebre to capture the public's imagination, they were counting on reports of horse-drawn buggies, run-down shacks, children in thread-bare clothes--all of the stereotypes of mountain life. But among them is Carl Jennings, an 18-year-old mountain boy on his first job. An eager, honest journalist, he reports accurately--describing telephones, electricity, gas stations, and coal company executives.

So when their reports conflict, Carl is condemned, while the seasoned journalists perpetuate the myths of country life--and Erma Morton's guilt or innocence is literally sold to the highest bidder--a wronged woman on trial sells papers. Soon, it is not the murder that is of interest: but the vultures attracted by the deaths. In the midst of all this, Carl continues to search for the truth, relying on his younger cousin, Nora--gifted with the "sight"--for help.

A stunning return to the lands, ballads and characters upon which she made her name, Devil Amongst the Lawyers is a testament to Sharyn McCrumb's lyrical and poetic writing.

The Devil Amoungts Lawyers is not a book I would have ever picked up on my own. I won a copy of this book by Sharyn McCrumb in goodreads giveaways way back in May. It's been sitting on my to be read shelf since then making me feel guilty that I hadn't started it. I found an audio version of it on Overdrive and downloaded it to listen to it.

Although this isn't the kind of book I usually read I ended up enjoying it. This historical fiction book follows the account of the trial of a school teacher charged with murdering her father and the reporters who come to town to cover the case. The "Devil" in this story is obviously the journalists who cover the story and the way they manipulate public opinion.

The book is based upon the trial of Edith Maxwell who was accused of murdering her father in 1935.

Content: This book was a clean read.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Nativity Collection by Robert J. Morgan

Step into the wonder-filled world of Christmas with this endearing collection of original stories. Even though he has two million copies of books in print, Robert J. Morgan writes only one short story each year-an original work to share with his church on Christmas Eve. These Christmas stories are now available in one beautiful volume for your own enjoyment. You'll meet a shy, bookish boy who finds himself center stage in the Christmas pageant, a Pennsylvania family whose car disappears on December 24th, and a mountain man trapped in a blizzard with his grandson on Christmas Eve. From six different settings, you'll meet characters you feel you've known your whole life, who'll make you laugh one minute and cry the next. So this year, and the years to follow, gather your family and experience the true spirit of love at Christmas through this timeless gift of story.

Robert J. Morgan is a Nashville, Tennessee pastor. Each Christmas he writes a new fictitious Christmas story and reads them to his congregation on Christmas Eve. This beautiful gift book is a collection of six of those stories accompanied by beautiful photos.

Of the six stories in The Nativity Collection, the first story "Ollie" is my favorite. In this story a family's car filled with their gifts and Christmas feast disappears from a parking lot leading to a memorable Christmas Eve spent with a lonely elderly lady.

Content: Clean and uplifting.

Rating: 4 Stars

Giveaway Winner: The Aristobrats by Jennifer Solow

The Random Number Generator has spoken:
The Winner is:


EM from Love YA Lit

A copy of The Aristobrats is headed your way as soon as I receive your mailing address.

Blog Hop & Follow

Thanks for stopping by!


When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?
Always when I am done reading the book. Sometimes I'll mark a page or write a note about something I want to remember.


My question for you guys, what is your high fashion book? --- translation --- best book cover ever.
Let me think... Of the books I've most recently read I loved the cover of Paranormalcy.


While you are here take a minute to enter my current giveaways:

The Aristobrats by Jennifer Solow ends Today 9/24

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan ends 9/29

Luck of the Draw by Rachael Renee Anderson ends 9/30

The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Givewaway ends 10/3.

Escape From Rwanda by John Yves Bizimana ends 10/10

Gift Books by Carol Lynn Pearson ends 10/10

Visit my Got Great Giveaways Linky to enter over 50 book giveaways. If you have a giveaway on your site that isn't listed please add it to the linky. Book related giveaways only please!

Are you a book blogger?
Join up to take part in Gratitude Giveaways - A Book Blog Follower Appreciation Hop.



I always follow back so if you are a new follower be sure to leave me a comment on this post with a link to your site so I can stop by your blog and follow you back.

Hope you are having a fabulous Friday!

Gift Books by Carol Lynn Pearson Book Reviews & Giveaway

Carol Lynn Pearson has created some beautiful gift books. If you are looking for a gift for a spouse, a friend, your mother/daughter or someone who is struggling with a trial look no further. These elegant gift books are the perfect answer. Each book has a touching message to share with someone you love.

What Love Is by Carol Lynn Pearson
What Love Is tenderly unfolds the beauty of a marriage, from love's first kiss to growing old together. This lyrical book will be treasured by couples of all ages.

I have always loved the song The Last Touch by Lex de Azevedo & Carol Lynn Pearson. This book although different than the song has the same feel.

The Lesson by Carol Lynn Pearson
In this fable that unravels the story problems of life, readers will find joy, peace, and understanding in the true meaning of living and loving others. Perfect as a gift for graduation, the death of a loved one, or any time.

A touching story of a boy facing and conquering one problem in life after another.

Girlfriend! by Carol Lynn Pearson
In Girlfriend! celebrate the joy of true friendship, with all its ups and downs, sorrows, surprises, and triumphs. Taking you through the milestones of life, Girlfriend! is a celebration of the women who are always there for each other.

Where would we be without our friends. This book reminded me of one of my favorite quotes by Marjorie Hinckley - "It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other.”

I'll Always be Your Daughter by Carol Lynn Pearson
This fable of two trees beautifully chronicles a daughter's journey to adulthood and the everchanging, complex, and powerfully loving relationship between a mother and daughter.

A beautiful book about the evolving relationship, friendship and love between mothers and daughters.


Giveaway Details: One winner will receive their choice of one of these fables by Carol Lynn Pearson. To enter you must be a follower of this blog. Giveaway open only to those with a US mailing address. Open until 10/10/10. Winner will be chosen by the Random Number Generator.

Extra Entries are available:
Become friends with Carol Lynn Pearson on Facebook
Follow Gibbs-Smith Publishing on Twitter
Like Gibbs-Smith Publishing on Facebook
Follow this blog on Networked Blogs

This Giveaway is now closed.

Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz

Alex Rider has been through a lot for his fourteen years. He's been shot at by international terrorists, chased down a mountainside, and stood face-to-face with evil. Twice, young Alex has saved the world. And twice, he has almost been killed doing it. But now Alex faces something even more dangerous. The desperation of a man who has lost everything he cared for: his country and his only son. A man who just happens to have a nuclear weapon and a serious grudge against the free world. To see his beloved Russia once again be a dominant power, he will stop at nothing. Unless Alex can stop him first.
The phenomenon that is the Alex Rider series returns with pulse-quickening action as, for the first time, Britain's MI6 and America's CIA unite forces. Be glad Alex is on our side.

Skeleton Key is the third book in the Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz.

At age 14 Alex Rider is the youngest MI6 agent. Think James Bond but without the women and with lower tech gadgets like bubble gum, games boys and action figures that do amazing things.

My children enjoy this series and for me it's the perfect kind of book to listen to on a busy day. It's a simple, easy to follow story so I can blog, clean and run errands while listening to it.

Content: Basically a clean read, one instance of profanity and a few people do get killed.

Rating 3.5 Stars

Got Great Giveaways?

Got Great Giveaways is a weekly feature hosted here on I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

I love book giveaways. They often have low entries which means I actually win them once in a while. I'm always on the lookout for book giveaways and have become frustrated by not having one place to find them all. So I started hosting my own Book Giveaway Linky.



Each week I search for great book giveaways and link them up here. However I can't possibly find them all so I need your help!

Do you have a book giveaway on your blog or website? Scroll down and add it to the linky list.

Have you found a great book giveaway you want to share? Please add it.

Stop by each week and link up book related giveaways.

Many of the 99 book giveaways listed on last week's Got Great Giveaways are still open.

To help bloggers easily find giveaways they are interested please fill out the Linky like this:
Genre or Category - Title, Author, website, ending date.

So your Link Title should look something like this:
Romance: Luck of the Draw by Rachael Renee Anderson @ I Am A Reader ends 10/3

Catergory: Adult, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Picture Book
OR
Genre: Mystery, Romance, SciFi, Fantasy, Nonfiction, Christian, etc.

Please link directly to the giveaway.

BOOK & BOOK RELATED GIVEAWAYS ONLY - others will be deleted.

Bookmark this site and stop back by in a couple days for more giveaways because new giveaways get added all week long!

The next Got Great Giveaways Linky will be posted on Thursday 9/30. If you have a giveaway you want me to add to next week's linky just FILL OUT THIS FORM, or you can stop back next week to add it.

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

His son, that's who.

Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.

Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City: a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner.

When your dad is the wolf who killed little red riding hood, life is no picnic.

So many of the young adult books that I read are so similar. Shortly after finishing them I can't remember which story went with which title or which characters belonged in which book. This is not the case with Dust City. I'm giving a huge shout out to author Robert Paul Weston for creating such an original story. Dust City definitely scores points for creativity.

Henry Whelp is the son of the big bad wolf who killed Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. Unfortunately there was no woodsman with an ax to rescue them thus landing the big bad wolf in jail for committing brutal murder. Henry ends up at St. Remus a home for wayward youth. Beginning to suspect that his father may have been framed for the murders leads Henry to set out on a quest to uncover the truth about what really happened the night Red Riding Hood and her grandmother died.

One of my favorite things about Dust City is the fairytale characters that make appearances. From Jack and his beanstalk to Snow White, from the Frog Prince to King Midas with the golden touch, twisted versions of these classic fairytale characters play a role in this story.

This imaginative story is one I would highly recommend.

Dust City will be released next week on 9/30/10.

Content: A handful of swear words and some violence, fairly mild compared to most YA books.

Rating: 4 Stars

Banned Book Week: Just My Opinion

There's a lot of blogger buzz right now about the upcoming banned book week. I'm not a big fan of controversy but to enter many of the banned book week giveaways there is a requirement to post about censorship and banned books. So I'm chiming in with my opinion.

My take on Banned Book Week: All books have their place, but not all books belong on every shelf.

I believe it's my responsibility as a parent to know what my children are watching, playing and reading. I don't allow my children to watch R rated movies. I'm selective on which PG-13 movies I allow them to watch. Rated "M" video games are not allowed in our home. Although books don't come with ratings I feel certain books are not appropriate for my children to read.

I believe in age appropriateness when it comes to books, movies and video games. Take the recent controversy over the book Speak. I'm a fairly conservative reader and I've read Speak. It's a well written, powerful book, but I wouldn't allow my children to read it at this point in their lives. It's not age appropriate for my 10 year old daughter. If asked I would object if it were on the library shelves at our elementary school. However I feel Speak is a book that would be appropriate on the shelves of a high school.

I do admit there are certain books that I personally will never be old enough to read. I'm not a fan of strong language, graphic sex and gory violence in books, movies or television. There are many books I have put down or decided not to read due to their content. I'm not saying those books should be removed from a public library, but I am saying it's my right as an informed reader to choose the books I will and won't read. That's not censorship, that's making a choice on what is right for me.

All books have their place, just not on my shelf.

Finally just a thought that keep going through my head.

Dear Book Banners,
If you don't want someone to read a book the worst thing you could do is try to get it banned. It draws attention to a book and it ends up being read by more people. I've seen at least a dozen giveaways for the book Speak in the past week. I'd never heard of Ellen Hopkins books until she was uninvited to the Book Festival.

This is just my opinion, if you disagree I respect your right to have your own opinion.

Welcoming The Fall Giveaway: The Forest Of Hands and Teeth

Welcome to my Fall Giveaway. I'll keep this short and simple. I'm giving away the book The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

To Enter you must be a follower of this blog and have a US or Canadian mailing address. Giveaway open until midnight on September 29, 2010. Winner will be chosen by the random number generator and announced on September 30, 2010.

3 Extra Entries are available but not required:
(+1) Follow me on Twitter.
(+1) Friend me on Goodreads.
(+1) Blog, Tweet or Link to this giveaway and leave a direct link.

This giveaway is now closed.

While you are here take a minute to enter my other great giveaways:
Luck of the Draw ends 9/30
The Aristobrats ends 9/24
The Maze Runner ends 10/3
Escape From Rwanda ends 10/10

Check out my Got Great Giveaways Linky to find dozens of giveaways.

If you are a book blogger sign up to take part in Gratitude Giveaways a Blog Follower Appreciation Hop.

Thanks to Good Choice Reading for hosting this hop!

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

The undead can really screw up your senior year ...

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

I'm a little hesitant to admit how much I enjoyed this book. But I've got to admit it - this book drew me in and I didn't want to stop listening to it.

Loved the humor! One of my favorite things were the letters Lucius wrote to his uncle with his views on life in America. Think arrogant Romanian blood drinking vampire who comes to live with a Vegan family. Hilarious!

Is this book for you? Hard to say. Some of my friends love it and others hated it. If the description sound appealing and you don't have issues with the content mentioned below I would recommend you overlook the cheesy book title & cover and give Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side a try. Although I think this book was originally written as a stand along and wraps up nicely Beth Fantaskey has written a sequel which will come out in 2011.

Content: This book pushes my personal limits. There is language throughout (no F word) and although there is no sex but has plenty of innuendo.

Rating: 4 Stars