Book Review: Prologue: The Brothers by Chris Stewart

Before the Great War, before so many sons of God turned away from their Father and walked knowingly into the dark, there was a choosing, a sifting, a contest of ideas and a battle for souls. Brother fought brother. Families were torn apart. Some fought to protect their homes, their freedom and peace. Others fought to destroy everything they had once held so dear. And as the battle between good and evil came into each home, all God's children had to chose which side they were on, which principles would they fight for, and what price would they pay.


In this contest before the Great War, each of us learned the first lessons of life. The great ones may fall. The wicked can change. The weak and the foolish can be made the strongest of all. And when the contest was over, we also had learned the greatest secret of all: the children of God can defeat their adversary, for they have fought him before.

Prologue: The Brothers is the first book in the Great and Terrible series by Chris Stewart. I picked this book up several years ago when it first came out but never got further than the first few pages. A friend recently recommended this series to my husband so I started on this book again. This time I found myself fascinated with this book.

The Brothers is a fictitious account of the War in Heaven and our life before coming to earth. I was intrigued by the author's take on what pre-earth life might have been like. It's something I have never thought much about. At times I found myself with chills as certain elements of this story rang true. Admittedly the author took many liberties in this book but I found it to be thought provoking, entertaining and enlightening.

I'm definitely reading the rest of the series.

Content: Clean

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Source: Borrowed from a friend

Interview & Book Giveaway: Author Antony John - Five Flavors of Dumb

Welcome to Author Antony John!

I recently read, reviewed and LOVED the book Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John.  I'm thrilled that Antony agreed to do an interview and giveaway on my blog!

Bio:
Antony John was born in England and raised on a balanced diet of fish and chips, obscure British comedies, and ABBA's Greatest Hits. In a fit of teenage rebellion, he decided to pursue a career in classical music, culminating in a BA from Oxford University and a PhD from Duke University. Along the way, he worked as an ice cream seller on a freezing English beach, a tour guide in the Netherlands, a chauffeur in Switzerland, a barista in Seattle, and a university professor. Writing by night, he spends his days as a stay-at-home dad—the only job that allows him to wear his favorite pair of sweatpants all the time. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

Interview:
- If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
Future, definitely. My wife (an infectious diseases physician) says that going into the past is tantamount to suicide. Besides, I'd really like to see the twenty-eighth generation iPad.

- If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?
1. My family
2. My laptop (with, conveniently, an inexplicable and free source of wifi)
3. Sunblock

- What is the last book you read?
I got hold of an ARC for WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman (the sequel to IF I STAY). What can I say? Gayle is a beautiful writer, and the book is great. There are definitely overtones of the movie "Before sunrise," but that's hardly a bad thing, right? And I read it in just two days, which is a sure sign that it's compelling. A definite (and strong) recommend. (Oh, I should add that it doesn't come out for another six months - sorry about that. But hey, you could win it if you visit my website!)

- When you were 12 years old what did you want to be when you grew up?
Easy: Film composer. I was obsessed by music and movies. And yes, I really do mean *obsessed*. In fact, I don't think there was any doubt in my mind that that's what I'd be. (Clearly I was a somewhat delusional pre-teen.)

- What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
By "favorite," you really mean "favorites," right? In which case: pralines and cream; pistachio; coffee . ... actually, this list is about to get really long. I think I should stop right here.

- What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
I always start the day with a rather awesome combo of Trader Joe's O's mixed with a smattering of their Super Nutty Toffee Clusters. Yum!

- How many books do you read a week/month?
Okay, confession time: I am a SLOW reader. And I don't mean, like, not very fast. I mean, jaw slackening slow. Positively glacial. Paint dries faster than I read, etc etc. All of which means that I'm lucky if I average a book every couple weeks. I LOVE reading YA, I really do, but every book is a big time commitment for me, so I have to be choosy. On the bright side, I've developed a knack for getting a lot out of every book I read, which is some consolation, I guess. (Aside from the sheer joy of reading, I mean.)

- If you could re-write the ending to a book written by someone else, what would it be?
MOCKINGJAY. And I'd rewrite the whole book. No offense to Suzanne Collins, but I was terribly disappointed by that novel. The first two are perilously close to genius--THE HUNGER GAMES is the literary equivalent of crack, you know?--but that finale . . .
Still, I'm sure that the Hollywood screenwriters entrusted with bringing the books to the big screen are already thinking up alternative endings. And theirs might be quite wonderful. Or far worse. We'll see!

- What is your least favorite movie that came from a book?
THE GOLDEN COMPASS. How is it possible to take such exquisite source material and screw it up so badly? Even now, a part of me wants to believe that film couldn't have been as bad as it was. And what was the director's (Chris Weitz's) punishment for butchering one of the greatest literary works of the last couple decades? He was promptly handed the reins to TWILIGHT: NEW MOON. Oh yeah, and then he massacred that as well. (Although, let's be honest, the source material was, uh . . .somewhat different.)

- What do you do when you are in-between books?
Ever since I started writing about five years ago, I've never been between books. I'm always overlapping books. It's a nice problem to have.

- Where is your favorite place to read/write?
To read: the couch in our sunroom.
To write: a local coffee shop. I swore I wouldn't get proprietary about the table I usually write at, but now the baristas warn me if there's someone at "my table." It's kind of cute.

Thanks for having me along today, Kathy, and a happy holiday season to all your readers!

To learn more about Antony & his books please visit his WEBSITE.

We'll be hearing more from Antony in just over a week during Best I've Read 2010 where I'll be featuring him & his book Five Flavors of Dumb as one of my favorite reads of 2010.

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John:

THE CHALLENGE: Piper has one month to get a paying gig for Dumb—the hottest new rock band in school.

THE DEAL: If she does it, she'll become manager of the band and get her share of the profits, which she desperately needs since her parents raided her college fund.

THE CATCH: Managing one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl who is ready to beat her up. And doing it all when she's deaf. With growing self-confidence, an unexpected romance, and a new understanding of her family's decision to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, Piper just may discover her own inner rock star.

Giveaway Details:
Antony is offering to send a copy of his book Five Flavors of Dumb to a follower of this blog.  Giveaway is open to those with a US or Canadian mailing address.  Giveaway is open until December 19, 2010.  To enter you must fill out the form below.

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Visit Antony's Blog and make a comment on one of his posts.
+1 Like Antony on Facebook.

Comments are appreciated but to enter please fill out this form:

Giveaway Winners: The Brave by Nicholas Evans

Congratulations to the Winners of my
Audiobook Giveaway for The Brave by Nicholas Evans

The Random Number Generator has spoken!

The Winners are:

Laura Henderson

Debbie Lester

Winners have been contacted and will receive their books from the publisher.

Less than 2 weeks until Best of 2010 Event!

Check out this fabulous giveaway list for Best I've Read #BIR2010

Giveaways: 

• Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Weathered Too Young & Windswept Flame by Marcia Lynn McClure
• Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry
• Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
• Heavenly, Penitence or Absolution by Jennifer Laurens (Open Internationally)
• Beautiful Darkness by Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia
• The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The amazing thing is that this is just ONE day's worth of giveaways on just my blog!  This event runs for 9 days and there are 9 blogs participating.  Each day of this nine day event will include a similarly awesome list of giveaways on my blog and tons of giveaways on the other blogs as well.

Best I've Read 2010 is one event you won't want to miss! 
December 6th to 14th.

Interview & Book Giveaway: Author Alicia Buck

Welcome to Young Adult Fantasy Author Alicia Buck.  I recently met Alicia at a book signing and approached her about doing an interview or giveaway on this blog.  Alicia graciously agreed to do both.

Interview:

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
That is a tough one. I've thought over and over about this question because there are so many awesome powers to choose from. If I only got to have one though I think I would go with telekinesis. All sorts of amazing things would be possible if I could move any object simply by willing it.

When you were 12 years old what did you want to be when you grew up?
I actually wanted to be a writer. I've always loved stories. Creating and reading good stories has always given me a thrill. I often have one foot on earth and the other immersed in a world of imagination.

Which fictional character would you most like to meet?
I would love to meet Harry from "The Blue Sword" by Robin McKinley. She is such an interesting person with hidden depths and strength. Okay. To tell the truth, I'd rather be Harry, though her nickname, Harry, and her real name, Angarad, are both really unfortunate.

How many books do you read a week/month?
I go through phases. Sometimes I read a book a day for several weeks, then I'll go on book fasts and do something else for awhile, hardly reading at all until the hunger for books strikes me again.

What's your favorite music genre? Favorite artist? Song?
I love classical music, but I also really love traditional folk music from a lot of different countries. I enjoy when someone takes that traditional music and mixes it with modern music to create a whole new sound. For example, I like many of the songs from "Deep Forest". They often use elements of native songs melded into something new.

Is there anything you need in order to write? (ie Chocolate, quiet, music)
Quiet would be really nice. Unfortunately, with three little kids running around all the time, that doesn't often happen. I guess what I usually need the most is a swift kick in the pants to get to work.

One food you would never eat?
I avoid red and black beans at all costs. They are so horrible, and so many people think me a freak for not liking something so popular among the masses. Popular can go hang.

Pet Peeves?
I've always had a problem with the whole "pet peeve" thing. Someone cuddling and stroking an ugly habit of being bothered by things seems a little backward to me.

Paranormal or Normal?
My husband thinks I have a bit of the paranormal about me. I'm often reading his mind, and I've never been exactly what you would call normal, but I won't be sprouting fur or living forever.

To learn more about Alicia please visit her WEBSITE.

Thank you Alicia for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions.  Now for details about Alicia's book.

Flecks of Gold by Alicia Buck:
Mary's life has always been pretty normal--aside from the fact that her mom cycles through relationships like she's changing channels on the TV. But when one more bad break-up forces them to start over in another new town, Mary realizes that maybe this place won't be like all the others. There's something different about one of her new classmates, and it's not just the fact that he's incredibly cute.

What Mary doesn't know is that her attraction to Kelson isn't exactly...natural. And when Kelson suddenly kidnaps Mary's mom and takes her to his home world, Mary will have to rescue her by relying on something she never knew existed--magic.

Get lost in this spell-binding world where enchantments are commonplace and electricity unheard of. Flecks of Gold is a thrilling blend of fantasy, action, and romance that's a must-read for anyone who's ever believed in magic.

"Mary," she gasped, I turned and saw Kelson gripping Mom's arm fiercely. "Go! Get help," she said. Kelson tried to reach past her to grab me, but Mom twisted, hampering his movements.
He grabbed her tightly about the waist, her arms locked to her sides. "Fine, one then. I'll be back for you later, Mary Margaret." There was a flash of blue pattern, then blinding light. I looked away, shielding my eyes. When I looked back, both Mom and Kelson were gone.

Giveaway Details:
Alicia is offering up one signed copy of her book Flecks of Gold to a follower of this blog.  This giveaway is open to those with a US or Canadian mailing address.  To enter fill out the form below.  Giveaway ends 12/17/10.

Comments are appreciated but to enter please fill out this form:
This giveaway is now closed.

Giveaway Winners: Nearly New Books For You

Congratulations to the Winners of my
Nearly New Books For You Giveaway 

The Random Number Generator has spoken!

The Winners are:

Rhonda D - I Can't Wait to Meet You

Sarah Colbert - Recipes for a Beautiful Life

Melissa R. - Ghosts of Ashbury High

Leanne Nannette - The Gladiator

Winners have been contacted and will receive their books from me.

Interview & Book Giveaway: Author Craig Davis

Welcome to Author Craig Davis.

Craig is the author of the book The Job: Based on a True Story (I mean, this is bound to have happened somewhere).  Craig is a Memphis native who has been a resident of Jackson, TN, for nearly 25 years. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Missouri, and worked in newspapers for 20 years.

Craig has agreed to do an interview and then has 3 copies of his book to giveaway.

Interview:

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
I'm not so confident in the future, so I'd go back. I'd aim for 1550 so I could meet Michelangelo as a boy and Rembrandt as an old man.

If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?
Flannery O'Conner, Frederich Buechner, George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoevsky and a Russian interpreter.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?
I'd want my laptop, an electric generator that runs on coconuts (I'm pretty sure the Professor invented one of those) and a lifetime supply of cheddar cheese.

What is one book everyone should read?
Godric by Frederich Buechner

What is the last book you read?
The Brothers Karamazov
What is the last movie you saw?
The last "movie" movie I saw was Spartacus, which I must confess I was disappointed in, but since then I've watched documentaries on Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway.

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Harry Caray, for the baseball fan in me.
Which fictional character would you most like to meet?
Sydney Carton of "Tale of Two Cities." I like to think we have some things in common.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Tea and English muffin, lightly buttered.

How many books do you read a week/month?
Less than one. I'm a careful reader.

What's your favorite music genre? Favorite artist? Song?
I like almost all genres, although most country turns my stomach and hip-hop is beyond me. The Beatles are and will always be the best ever, but there's way too many songs to pick a favorite.

Is there anything you need in order to write? (ie Chocolate, quiet, music)
I suffer completely from mental tunnel-vision, so once I get into focus nothing else really matters.

Skittles or M&Ms?
Why yes, thank you.

Favorite Cartoon?
Animated-wise, I'm a sucker for classic Warner Bros. As far as newspaper comics go, Pogo strips from the 1950s can't be beat.
If you could go back in time and meet one author, who would it be and why?
Dostoevsky, to see if I really do understand what he meant.
What was the first book you read?
It was probably "Winnie the Pooh," still some of the best writing I've ever come across.
What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
College basketball works best on TV. My favorite sport is baseball, but that actually works better on radio if the announcers are good.

How do you react to a bad review?
How would I know? Never got one (yet).
If you were a bird, which one would you be?A whirlybird.

Which actors would you want to play the main protagonists in your book?Someone suggested to me a young Jack Lemmon, which was an excellent choice except that not only is he no longer young, he's no longer Jack Lemmon.

What is your favorite book that has been made into a movie?"To Kill a Mockingbird" - unique, huh? I actually prefer the movie.

What do you do when you are in-between books?Try to market the one before.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.The issues of suffering and the purpose of life have plagued mankind from the day he first opened his eyes - "The Job" offers insight into our universal condition.

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?"It Is Well"

What do you find so appealing about the genre you write for? Would you try writing for a different genre (if the author hasn't already)?Fiction based on Scripture offers a depth that no other foundation can, if it's done well. I've also written in Southern gothic, but my Judeo-Christian ethos still bubbles through.

What is your favorite quote?"I am what I am." -- Popeye

What is your guilty pleasure?Swedish pop groups

Write a haiku about your book.
I gather You like
The ocean with grasping hands
Left empty but wet.

The Job by Craig Davis:

Joe B. enjoys the sweet life as a vice president at a huge conglomerate, Universal Whirligig. But along with the Big Boss’ favor, he has also gained the notice of a bitter human resources manager, Luci Fernandez. Hateful of any success but her own, Luci manages to get him demoted to the mailroom! A rollicking comedy of errors follows as Joe B. tries to figure out what's happened to him, and attempts to get a meeting with the Big Boss.

Joe B.'s great expectations have taken an all-over twist. His family is forced to make a series of hard adjustments, and he gets only lame comforts from a string of the worst friends anyone could have. Will he finally track down the cause of his frustrations? Or will he only learn a lesson about what it is to be the boss, and that what is apparent is often only a shadow of a greater ongoing good?

For more information please visit The Job Facebook Page.

Giveaway:
Craig is offering 3 copies of his book The Job for giveaway.  3 Followers of this blog with a US or Canadian mailing address will each win a copy.
To enter be a follower and fill out the form below
Giveaway ends 12/16/10.

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Like The Job on Facebook
+ Follow TheJob on Twitter

This Giveaway is now closed.

Giveaway Winner: Laurie LC Lewis Book Giveaway

Congratulations to the Winners of my

Free Men & Dreamers Book Giveaway

The Random Number Generator has spoken!

The Winner is:

Anita Yancey - Dark Sky at Dawn

She will receive her book directly from the author.

Book Review: Slayed by Amanda Marrone

The Van Helsing family has been hunting vampires for over one hundred years, but sixteen-year-old Daphne wishes her parents would take up an occupation that doesn’t involve decapitating vamps for cash. All Daphne wants is to settle down in one place, attend an actual school, and finally find a BFF to go to the mall with. Instead, Daphne has resigned herself to a life of fast food, cheap motels and buying garlic in bulk.
But when the Van Helsings are called to a coastal town in Maine, Daphne’s world is turned upside down. Not only do the Van Helsings find themselves hunting a terrifying new kind of vampire (one without fangs but with a taste for kindergarten cuisine), Daphne meets her first potential BF! The hitch? Her new crush is none other than Tyler Harker, AKA, the son of the rival slayer family.
What's a teen vampire slayer to do?

After 5 months of blogging the day is finally here, my first 1 star review.  Most books that deserve this rating I stop reading and never actually review. Unfortunately this was the only book I had with me during an hour and a half long basketball practice so I kept reading it. I enjoyed the first couple chapters but the book went downhill fast after that. I should have just closed the book and watched the basketball practice.

There were some large plot holes I just couldn't buy such as Daphne's "overprotective" parents let her, their 17 year old daughter, go off slaying vampires alone?

I was going to go with 2 stars because the despite the objectionable content the story was entertaining - rival vampire slaying families meet rich wannabe-vampire-slayer ex-star.  It was entertaining and an ok book - at least until the last page when I was completely turned off.

This is a book I just should have closed about chapter 3.

Tons of language & crude, crass, skanky content not appropriate for me as an adult let alone for a teenager. Skip this one, I wish I had.

Rating: 1 Star

Content: Tons of objectionable material including lots of strong language, innuendo and other crass, skanky content.

Source: ARC Tour

Book Review: A Christ-Centered Christmas by Emily Freeman

Deepen the spirit that fills your heart and home this holiday season when you discover the meaning behind seven gifts of Christmas, each celebrated with an invitation from the scriptures and a simple tradition.

Each gift is based on a figure in a Nativity set, and the traditions can easily be combines with things you already do. This year as you prepare your home for the season, resolve to prepare your heart in a way that will lead you closer to Christ.

My husband and I had been discussing that we wanted to do something for Christmas this year to make it special. Our kids are getting a little older and only the youngest still believes in Santa Claus. We really wanted to focus less on getting and more on giving to others this year.

I have heard Emily Freeman speak at Time Out for Women and think she is a wonderful speaker and author so I was excited when I received a copy of her book A Christ-Centered Christmas to review.  As I started reading this book I realized this was the answer to what we needed to do to make this Christmas special. 

We have a nativity we set up each year but I opted to go purchase a new small nativity set that my children could handle without breaking to use in conjunction with this book.  There are 7 figures from the Christmas story that are used in this book.  Mary, Joseph, the Angel, the Lamb, the Shepard, the Wise Men & the Baby Jesus.  With each figure there is a song, story and activity/tradition to do to help keep the focus of the season on Christ.  The activities are simple and things that could easily be done or adapted to work in most families. 

We started tonight by talking about Mary.  Our 5 children were very receptive.  We now have a small nativity sitting on top of our TV with a the lone figure of Mary.  When we were done our 5 year old wanted to jump right in and start on the next figurine.

I'm looking forward to spending a little time each week from now until Christmas focusing on the Savior and the true meaning of Christmas.

Rating: 5 Stars

Source: From Publisher for Review

Book Review: The Babysitter's Survival Guide by Jill D. Chasse

This handbook is the ultimate babysitter’s helper, a go-to guide with smart advice on everything from finding clients and snagging the job to entertaining, feeding, bathing, and lulling children to sleep. There are kid-friendly recipes to tempt the picky eater, cool activities for all age ranges, suggestions for handling tears, tantrums, and emergencies, and enough practical information to make even new sitters feel confident about their skills.

With its chapter tabs, make your own business cards, handy pockets, and perforated emergency information cards, this beautiful package is a must-have for all babysitters.

The Babysitter's Survival Guide by Jill D. Chasse is a great book for tweens who are ready to start babysitting. I gave this book to my ten year old daughter to "review". She and 2 of her friends had a great time reading through this book. They each prepared a babysitting bag filled with some of the items this book suggested to entertain the children they will babysit. They made up a cute flyer to hand out to neighbors with young children to advertise that they were available to babysit.  I ended up with a ton of peanut butter playdough on my kitchen counter after the experimented with making and playing with it.  My daughter is thrilled that the book is now hers to keep.
 
Included in the book is everything from how to change a diaper to bathing a child and putting them to bed. Information on what to expect from different ages of children to how to deal with problems that may be encounter to safety is included in this how-to book.

This book is a great resource to share with your tween who is excited to start babysitting.

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: From Publisher for Review

Babysitter's Survival Guide on Amazon.com

Giveaway Winners: Oogy By Larry Levine

Congratulations to the Winners of my

Oogy Audiobook Giveaway

The Random Number Generator has spoken!

The Winners are:

Maureen Timerman

Nightprose

The winners have been notified and will receive their audiobook from the publisher.