My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni Feature and Giveaway

TLC Book Tours is hosting My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni. Stop on by their website to check out some fellow blogger's reviews. If interested, enter our giveaway to win a copy for yourself!

Robert Dugoni’s bestselling legal thrillers have earned him comparisons to John Grisham, Scott Turow, and Nelson DeMille, among others. In MY SISTER’S GRAVE (Thomas & Mercer; October 14, 2014), Dugoni returns with the powerful and poignant story of a homicide detective determined to avenge the murder of her beloved younger sister – regardless of the cost.

Seattle cop Tracy Crosswhite was a high school chemistry teacher when her teenaged sister Sarah disappeared one night on her way home to their small town of Cedar Grove. A young ex-con, Edmund House, was quickly tried and convicted of her murder. Twenty years and a career change later, Tracy has dedicated her life to questioning whether the right man went to jail. When Sarah’s remains are uncovered from a newly-exposed lake bed, new evidence seems to support Tracy’s theory that the original prosecution was deeply flawed.

Working with a childhood friend, now an attorney, to exonerate House and find Sarah’s true killer, Tracy begins to uncover long-held secrets that point to a shocking – and potentially catastrophic – truth about what happened to her sister on that long-ago night. Somewhere in Cedar Grove, a killer is waiting, and Tracy must summon the strength to confront the past in order to save her future. (TLC Book Tours)

If you are a fan of thrillers, you should sign up to win a copy in our giveaway.

Please leave an email address.

Winner will be picked on November 23.

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

TLC Book Tour: The Year she left us by Kathryn Ma

"The Kong women are in crisis. A disastrous trip to visit her “home” orphanage in China has plunged eighteen-year-old Ari into a self-destructive spiral. Her adoptive mother, Charlie, a lawyer with a great heart, is desperate to keep her daughter safe. Meanwhile, Charlie must endure the prickly scrutiny of her beautiful, Bryn Mawr–educated mother, Gran—who, as the daughter of a cultured Chinese doctor, came to America to survive Mao’s Revolution—and her sister, Les, a brilliant judge with a penchant for ruling over everyone’s lives.

As they cope with Ari’s journey of discovery and its aftermath, the Kong women will come face-to-face with the truths of their lives—four powerful, intertwining stories of accomplishment, tenacity, secrets, loneliness, and love. Beautifully illuminating the bonds of family and blood, The Year She Left Us explores the promise and pain of adoption, the price of assimilation and achievement, the debt we owe to others, and what we owe to ourselves. Full of pathos and humor, featuring a quartet of unforgettable characters, it marks the debut of an important new voice in American fiction."

My Review: 

I was really looking forward to this book because I have enjoyed stories about Chinese culture, history and the role of women within all of that in other novels. The author clearly had an understanding of Chinese women with how vivid her descriptions of them were. International adoption was also fascinating to me and the stereotypes of  well to do Americans adopting Chinese girls was explored as well in this story and seemed like something the author knew well. 

Because this was about three very different women and three very different perspectives, it helped that every chapter had a different voice. Sometimes that can get confusing or redundant but in this case, it helped flesh out the characters a bit more. and Ma did it quite well. Gran, yet quite a stinker, was a character I liked the best. Charlie was a bit wishy-washy but overall she was what she was. Ari was the one you were supposed to feel for. Unfortunately, my opinion overall was the book lacked depth. The author obviously was knowledgeable  about international adoption and what it is like to be Chinese living in an American culture.

I hoped for more. I hoped to enjoy it more. Overall, it was written with an obvious understanding for these characters. I just wished for a bit more depth.

See the stops below for more opinions, which is what reading is all about!

For other opinions...

Tuesday, May 13th: Books in the City
Thursday, May 22nd: A Bookish Way of Life
Tuesday, May 27th: River City Reading
Wednesday, May 28th: A Patchwork of Books
Monday, June 2nd: Drey’s Library
Tuesday, June 3rd: BookNAround
Monday, June 9th: BoundbyWords
Tuesday, June 10th: red headed book child
Wednesday, June 11th: Olduvai Reads
Thursday, June 12th: Book-alicious Mama
Friday, June 13th: From the TBR Pile
Friday, June 13th: Turn the Page
Tuesday, June 17th: Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Thursday, June 19th: The Infinite Shelf

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

TLC Book Tour: Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates

My husband snagged this one before I got to it so I am going to let him review since he seems to have a knack for reviewing.

Description

One game. Six students. Five survivors.

It was only ever meant to be a game.

A game of consequences, of silly forfeits, childish dares. A game to be played by six best friends in their first year at Oxford University. But then the game changed: the stakes grew higher and the dares more personal, more humiliating, finally evolving into a vicious struggle with unpredictable and tragic results.

Now, fourteen years later, the remaining players must meet again for the final round. (TLC Book Tour website)

Sean's Review:
Do you think you know what it means to play games with somebody? Sometimes the game involves winning at any cost, perhaps even the players themselves are but pieces in another, more sinister game. This is the premise of Black Chalk. I found the book an excellent read, if at times a bit dark and twisted.  The main characters meet in school and when signing up for extra-curricular activities, find a mysterious trio billing themselves as 'Game Soc'. Exactly how far the games get is quite the psychological and moral dilemma as the players each become more entrenched. I would call this a good introspective psychological thriller. I found it to be a fun but dark read.

Thanks Sean for your review!

Author Info:

Christopher J. Yates studied law at Wadham College, Oxford from 1990-93 and initially pursued a career in law before he began working in puzzles, representing the UK at the World Puzzle Championships. Since then he has worked as a freelance journalist, sub-editor and puzzles editor/compiler. In 2007 he moved to New York City with his wife, and currently lives in the East Village.

For more information on Christopher, please visit his website, christopherjyates.com.

Stops on the Tour:

Monday, March 31st:  A Bookworm’s World

Tuesday, April 1st:  My Shelf Confessions - guest post

Tuesday, April 1st:  My Shelf Confessions - review

Tuesday, April 1st:  Books and Movies

Wednesday, April 2nd:  Chaotic Compendiums

Thursday, April 3rd:  Joyfully Retired

Thursday, April 3rd:  Bibliotica

Friday, April 4th:  Not in Jersey

Monday, April 7th:  Jenn’s Bookshelves

Monday, April 7th:  Tiffany’s Bookshelf

Tuesday, April 8th:  Booksie’s Blog

Wednesday, April 9th: Booksie’s Blog  author guest post

Wednesday, April 9th:  Reading Reality

Thursday, April 10th:  Read. Write. Repeat.

Friday, April 11th:  Book Journey

Monday, April 14th:  Book Dilettante

Monday, April 14th:  Daily Mayo

Tuesday, April 15th:  Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Wednesday, April 16th:  No More Grumpy Bookseller

Thursday, April 17th:  October Country

Friday, April 18th:  Daily Mayo – author interview

Monday, April 21st:  Kritter’s Ramblings

Tuesday, April 22nd:  Redheaded Book Child

Wednesday, April 23rd:  Sarah’s Book Shelves

Thursday, April 24th:  My Bookshelf

Friday, April 25th:  Between the Covers

Thursday, May 1st:  Books a la Mode

Friday, May 2nd:  Books a la Mode – guest post

The publisher has also agreed to do a giveaway! If any of you lovely readers are interested in reading this great title, please leave your email in the comments below.

Winner will be picked Saturday April 26.

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

TLC Book Tour: Brady Needs a Nightlight by Brian Barlics

This book is the first of a series entitled Fundamentales. Through colorful and personable characters, these books will give life to the exciting discoveries and challenges that children face. Through catchy rhymes, each lovable character of each book shares his or her story and provides a brief escape from the real world, a few laughs, and best of all, a fundamental lesson in each tale.  The series includes books about facing fears, being yourself, sharing, safety, eating right and staying active, doing chores, responsibility, and much more! (TLC Book Tours)

Brady Needs a Nightlight is a Mom’s Choice Awards Silver Honoree!

I am always on the look out for new children's books to read. My son is now 6 and is reading himself but we still read three books together every night. I look for all sorts of things; illustrations, writing, message, etc. I'm not always so heavy handed with it but overall, my son likes to read books that he can learn from. He ALWAYS asks questions these days. I love it! So this book spoke to me when it came on board for a tour and like the busy mom that I am, I promptly forgot to review it on time. Not even close...like a month later, here I am. :) (nervous laugh)

Anyway, this book is sweet and delightful. We enjoyed it when it first was introduced. I know my son likes a book when he requests to read it multiple times. Brady is afraid of the dark, a pretty common fear for children at some point during their childhood. How he deals with it is sweet and endearing. The illustrations are pretty simple; bright and colorful.

I'm intrigued by this Fundamentale series and will definitely look into other books with 

different scenarios to learn from.

About Brian Barlics

Brian was born and raised in New Jersey and currently lives in Northern California. He is a Pediatrician with a strong love for children and is dedicated to their health and well-being. He believes not only in the physical health of children but also in the enrichment of their minds and building of their character. He is a strong advocate of the well-supported idea that reading to your child encourages a strong parent-child bond, promotes literacy, and helps them tap into their seemingly endless imaginations. He has recently started a new venture as an author of children’s books. 

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

TLC Book Tour: The Supreme Macaroni Company by Adriana Trigiani

For over a hundred years, the Angelini Shoe Company in Greenwich Village has relied on the leather produced by Vechiarelli & Son in Tuscany. This historic business partnership provides the twist of fate for Valentine Roncalli, the school teacher turned shoemaker, to fall in love with Gianluca Vechiarelli, a tanner with a complex past . . . and a secret. 

A piece of surprising news is revealed at The Feast of the Seven Fishes when Valentine and Gianluca join her extended family on a fateful Christmas Eve. Now faced with life altering choices, Valentine remembers the wise words that inspired her in the early days of her beloved Angelini Shoe Company: "A person who can build a pair of shoes can do just about anything." The proud, passionate Valentine is going to fight for everything she wants and savor all she deserves-the bitter and the sweetness of life itself.

Romantic and poignant, told with humor and warmth, and bursting with a cast of endearing characters, The Supreme Macaroni Company is a sumptuous feast of delights: a portrait of a woman and the man she loves, her passion for craftsmanship, and the sacrifices it takes to build and sustain a family business while keeping love and laughter at the center of everything. (Goodreads)

I have been eagerly awaiting this conclusion to the Valentine books. I read Very Valentine and Brava Valentine almost back to back a few years ago and absolutely loved them. It took a sec to catch up with Valentine and where she was again in her life but after a few chapters, I was once again comfortable and familiar with her and her interesting Italian/New York family.

The one thing I really like about Trigani's books is her description of the Italian family; the relationships, the history, the drama and the FOOD and fashion. I just get so wrapped up in those little things because you feel so at home. Obviously Trigiani pulls from her own life and her own history. It just makes it a much more personable read.

Valentine is at a different place at the beginning of this book. She is about to get married. Her business is doing well. But there are a lot of what ifs. I enjoyed it all. It was an easy yet still a bit emotional read. I will always enjoy her books and miss Valentine and her family.

I would recommend starting at Very Valentine and enjoying the whole series, if you can call it that. It's necessary to see the evolution of the characters to feel more involved.

Tour Stops:

Monday, November 11th: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books

Tuesday, November 12th: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

Wednesday, November 13th: Becca’s Byline

Thursday, November 14th: Kritters Ramblings

Friday, November 15th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Monday, November 18th: Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Tuesday, November 19th: Peeking Between the Pages

Thursday, November 21st: Always With a Book

Monday, November 25th: Broken Teepee

Tuesday, November 26th: bookchickdi

Wednesday, November 27th: Bibliophilia, Please

Friday, November 29th: Lesa’s Book Critiques

Monday, December 2nd: Book Addict Katie

Tuesday, December 3rd: Alison’s Book Marks

Wednesday, December 4th: Ageless Pages Reviews

Sunday, December 8th: Lavish Bookshelf

Monday, December 9th: Joyfully Retired

Wednesday, December 11th: Love at First Book

Thursday, December 12th: A Book Geek

Thursday, December 12th: A Chick Who Reads

Friday, December 13th: Books and Movies

Tuesday, December 17th: Lisa’s Yarns

Wednesday, December 18th: Col Reads

Friday, December 20th: Drey’s Library

Wednesday, January 1st: The Lost Entwife

Wednesday, January 1st: Tiffany’s Bookshelf

Thursday, January 2nd: Book-alicious Mama

Monday, January 6th: Reflections of a Bookaholic

Tuesday, January 7th: A Bookish Way of Life

Wednesday, January 8th: Time 2 Read

Wednesday, January 8th: Stephany Writes

Thursday, January 9th: Walking With Nora

TBD: Booktalk & More

TBD: Seaside Book Corner

TBD: Good Girl Gone Redneck

TBD: red headed book child

Author Website:
Adriana Trigiani

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

TLC Book Tour: Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini

In Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, novelist Jennifer Chiaverini presents a stunning account of the friendship that blossomed between Mary Todd Lincoln and her seamstress, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Keckley, a former slave who gained her professional reputation in Washington, D.C. by outfitting the city’s elite. Keckley made history by sewing for First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln within the White House, a trusted witness to many private moments between the President and his wife, two of the most compelling figures in American history.

In March 1861, Mrs. Lincoln chose Keckley from among a number of applicants to be her personal “modiste,” responsible not only for creating the First Lady’s gowns, but also for dressing Mrs. Lincoln in the beautiful attire Keckley had fashioned. The relationship between the two women quickly evolved, as Keckley was drawn into the intimate life of the Lincoln family, supporting Mary Todd Lincoln in the loss of first her son, and then her husband to the assassination that stunned the nation and the world.

Keckley saved scraps from the dozens of gowns she made for Mrs. Lincoln, eventually piecing together a tribute known as the Mary Todd Lincoln Quilt. She also saved memories, which she fashioned into a book, Behind the Scenes: Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House. Upon its publication, Keckley’s memoir created a scandal that compelled Mary Todd Lincoln to sever all ties with her, but in the decades since, Keckley’s story has languished in the archives. In this impeccably researched, engrossing novel, Chiaverini brings history to life in rich, moving style. (Goodreads)

I went though a bit of a CIvil War and Lincoln kick last year when the movie came out. I started to read Team of Rivals by Goodwin, watched the Ken Burns documentary on the War and of course, saw the movie Lincoln with Daniel Day Lewis. I'm still intrigued with that time period and that is why I signed on to do this tour. Mary Todd Lincoln is a pretty intense figure in her own right and I was curious to read a bit more about her, confident in Chiaverini's writing to depict her as close as research will offer.

It read pretty quickly. You get swept up in the political time and the relationships between all the characters. I loved reading about the dressmaking as well and how intricate and beautiful it was.

Keckley proved to be just as an interesting character as Mrs. Lincoln. I knew nothing about her before this and it was intriguing to read about her role, as a dressmaker and as a freed woman. 

This story brings just as much warmth, detail and character as does Chiaverini's quilt books. I recommend for fans of her and also historical fiction fans.

Author Info:

Jennifer Chiaverini

Other Stops on the Tour:

Monday, November 18th:  BookNAround

Tuesday, November 19th:  Always With a Book  **book spotlight and giveaway

Thursday, November 21st:  Bibliotica

Friday, November 22nd:  Books are the New Black

Monday, November 25th:  A Bookworm’s World

Tuesday, November 26th:  Red Headed Book Child

Wednesday, November 27th:  Lit and Life

Friday, November 29th:  Tiffany’s Bookshelf

Monday, December 2nd:  Book-alicious Mama

Tuesday, December 3rd:  Peppermint Ph.D.

Wednesday, December 4th:  Must Read Faster

Thursday, December 5th:  The Daily Mayo

Friday, December 6th:  West Metro Mommy Reads

Monday, December 9th:  Ageless Pages Reviews

Tuesday, December 10th:  Lavish Bookshelf

Wednesday, December 11th:  Bookchickdi

Thursday, December 12th:  Broken Teepee

Tuesday, December 17th:  Kritter’s Ramblings

TBD:  A Chick Who Reads

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

TLC Book Tour: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (Guest Review)

I was a bit overwhelmed by the new Stephen King to take on his son's novel, NOS4A2, so I enlisted my husband, the reader who can chomp through a thick book like this in two days, to do the honor.

I started listening to Heart-Shaped Box a few months back and it was pretty eerie. I know I will definitely embrace Joe Hill's work more at some point. 

Sean's Review:

While I may not have as much time to read, what little I get is sometimes infused with great writing. This book was actually pretty good. He has his fathers penchant for the overly descriptive scenes which I happened to grow up on, so of course it grabbed me immediately. I would say any reader of Stephen King would similarly enjoy this story. As always, I could do without the "Chester the Molester" type character but who else could better play the 'devil' than that!? Really, the book stands alone without having to ride the old man's coattails too much, even with Stephen's winking reference to his son's book in "Dr. Sleep" ; he only references the Charlie Manx (antagonist) once, but it does tie in to that twisted reality that belies the genre. Over all, I found the book quite haunting, and intend to follow future publications by this author. Thumbs up.};^)>

About Joe Hill

The author of the critically acclaimed Heart-Shaped Box, Joe Hill is a two-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award and a past recipient of the Ray Bradbury Fellowship. His stories have appeared in a variety of journals and Year’s Best collections. He calls New England home.

Find out more about Joe at his website and follow him on Twitter: @joe_hill.

Joe’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, October 22nd: A Bookish Way of Life

Thursday, October 24th: The Best Books Ever

Monday, November 4th: Bibliophilia, Please

Tuesday, November 5th: The House of Crime and Mystery

Thursday, November 7th: Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity

Friday, November 8th: Drey’s Library

Monday, November 11th: Entomology of a Bookworm

Tuesday, November 12th: The Book Bag

Wednesday, November 13th: The Reader’s Hollow

Thursday, November 14th: red headed book child

Monday, November 18th:  The Road to Here

Tuesday, November 19th: Olduvai Reads

Wednesday, November 20th: The Scarlet Letter

Thursday, November 21st: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World

Thursday, November 28th: My Shelf Confessions

TBD: Ageless Pages Reviews

Thanks Sean!

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

TLC Book Tour: The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell (Guest Reviewer)

The Death of Bees by Lisa O’Donnell

From the website: http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780062209849

Today is Christmas Eve.
Today is my birthday.
Today I am fifteen.
Today I buried my parents in the backyard.
Neither of them were beloved.

Marnie and her little sister, Nelly, are on their own now. Only they know what happened to their parents, Izzy and Gene, and they aren't telling. While life in Glasgow's Maryhill housing estate isn't grand, the girls do have each other. Besides, it's only a year until Marnie will be considered an adult and can legally take care of them both.

As the New Year comes and goes, Lennie, the old man next door, realizes that his young neighbors are alone and need his help. Or does he need theirs? Lennie takes them in—feeds them, clothes them, protects them—and something like a family forms. But soon enough, the sisters' friends, their teachers, and the authorities start asking tougher questions. As one lie leads to another, dark secrets about the girls' family surface, creating complications that threaten to tear them apart.

Written with fierce sympathy and beautiful precision, told in alternating voices, The Death of Bees is an enchanting, grimly comic tale of three lost souls who, unable to answer for themselves, can answer only for one another.

Cheryl’s review

I heard a review of this book on NPR (http://www.npr.org/2013/01/05/168558333/death-of-bees-captures-a-grim-gory-coming-of-age?sc=17&f=1032) last January and added it to my list of books to read. The opening is attention-grabbing and peaked my interest to read the book.

The book is told from three different voices: Marnie, Nelly, and Lennie. The perspectives change quickly, most are only a few pages (or less) but this doesn’t detract from following the story. Sometimes the same event is told from all three perspectives but generally the story continues to progress when the voice changes.

The Death of Bees is a tragic story and O’Donnell aptly captures the “coming of age” story. Marnie vascillates between her desire to act and be seen as an adult while longing to remain someone’s child. Both Marnie and Nelly constantly search for guidance and parent-substitutes, which they sometimes find unexpectedly and sometimes even in each other.

The story seemed to spiral downward by continually creating more challenges and obstacles for the characters to deal with. As the premise of the book started in a tragic way, that wasn’t surprising and I read wondering how the story would be resolved. The ending was abrupt and went in an unexpected direction, which was a bit jarring. Overall, it was an interesting read. It was tragic and sad but the characters were determined and resourceful. They all had the goal to survive as best as they could and also learned from each other. What perhaps they learned most was about who they really were and the meaning of family.

Author Info:

Visit Lisa at her website, connect with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

Lisa’s Tour Stops

Wednesday, October 23rd: Peppermint PhD

Friday, October 25th: Booksie’s Blog

Monday, October 28th: she treads softly

Wednesday, October 30th: Book-alicious Mama

Thursday, October 31st: Olduvai Reads

Monday, November 4th: Love at First Book

Tuesday, November 5th: A Bookish Way of Life

Wednesday, November 6th: red headed book child

Thursday, November 7th: From the TBR Pile

Tuesday, November 12th: Peeking Between the Pages

Thursday, November 14th: guiltless reading

TBD: BoundbyWords

Thanks Cheryl!

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child