Summer Reading Giveaway: Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Two great books have gone to two fabulous blog readers so far this summer. First was Karen White's Sea Change, then The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier. This is the third Summer Reading giveaway for 2012, and it is a fantastic piece of fiction. Is is also dramatically different from the other two novels. The first was set on an island in Georgia and incorporated sections of historical fiction. The second was set in the year following September 11, on an island off the coast of Massachusetts.

Elizabeth Haynes' Into the Darkest Corner is also set on an island -- if you consider England an island (it is, or at least Great Britain is). The similarities between it and either of the other two Summer Reading Giveaway titles ends there, though. I read and reviewed Into the Darkest Corner at the beginning of June as part of its TLC book tour, and through a fluke of my moving halfway through its arrival, ended up with two copies of the novel. Thus, my sharing one of them with you!

You can read dozens of excellent reviews of the novel by visiting TLC's page for the novel. Into the Darkest Corner has received rave reviews all around the web, and was Amazon UK's Best Book of the Year for 2011 (the book published earlier there than it did in the U.S.).

Here is a quick summary from the author's website:

Catherine has been enjoying the single life for long enough to know a good catch when she sees one. Gorgeous, charismatic, spontaneous – Lee seems almost too perfect to be true. And her friends clearly agree, as each in turn falls under his spell. 

But there is a darker side to Lee. His erratic, controlling and sometimes frightening behaviour means that Catherine is increasingly isolated. Driven into the darkest corner of her world, and trusting no one, she plans a meticulous escape. 

Four years later, struggling to overcome her demons, Catherine dares to believe she might be safe from harm. Until one phone call changes everything.

Trust me when I say that this is the one novel of suspense you must read this year. To enter the giveaway, fill out the form below. It's that easy! This giveaway is open to those with U.S. mailing addresses only. The contest ends Thursday night at 11:59 pm  CST, and I'll email the winner on Friday!

Summer Reading Giveaway: The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. by Nichole Bernier

Last week, I brought you a great piece of southern literature, and a great summer read, as a Summer Reading Giveaway. This week, I have a very different novel to give away, but one that is every bit as enjoyable.

The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. is also set on the coast, but a bit further north than last week's Sea Change, which took place on St. Simons Island, Georgia. This week's giveaway novel, by debut author Nichole Bernier, is set on Great Rock Island, most likely a fictionalized version of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

My review will post later in the week, but here is a summary of the novel from the author's website:

Summer island vacation with her family was supposed to be a restorative time for Kate, who’d lost her close friend Elizabeth in a plane crash. But when she inherits a trunk of Elizabeth's journals, they reveal a woman far different than the cheerful wife and mother Kate thought she knew. The complicated portrait of Elizabeth — her upbringing, her marriage, and journey to motherhood — makes Kate question not just their friendship, but her own deepest beliefs about loyalty and honesty at a moment of uncertainty in her own marriage. When an unfamiliar man’s name appears in the pages, Kate realizes the extent of what she didn’t know about her friend — including where she was really going when she died. 

Set in the anxious summer after the September 11th attacks, this story of two women —their friendship, their marriages, private ambitions and fears — considers the aspects of ourselves we show and those we conceal, and the repercussions of our choices.

Although it just debuted last week, The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. has garnered praise from many sources. Authors Jenna Blum, Randy Susan Meyers, and J. Courtney Sullivan all hailed the novel as one that stays with you long after you read the last page. It has earned 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and 4.2 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. The book has also received positive reviews from the book blogs Devourer of Books and S. Krishna's Books.

To enter the giveaway, simply fill out the form below. The contest runs through Thursday night. I will email the winner on Friday, then send your contact information to the publisher so they can get you your free book!

Summer Reading Giveaway: Sea Change by Bestselling Author Karen White

Since my summer break started a week ago, I have been a reading machine. Although reading is not all I've done, I've read almost a book a day! I've been pleased, as all of them have been page-turners and delights to read.

One of my favorites has been Karen White's newest book Sea Change, which will be released tomorrow. I read several books with hints of ghosts and spirits, and this one is no exception. Look for my review of the book on Friday, but until then, I happen to have an extra copy for one lucky reader!

A brief synopsis of the book, from Karen White's website:

For as long as she can remember, Ava Whalen has struggled with a sense of not belonging, and now, at thirty-five, she still feels stymied by her family. Then she meets child psychologist Matthew Frazier and thinks her days of loneliness are behind her. After a whirlwind romance, they impulsively elope, and Ava moves to Matthew's ancestral home on St. Simons Island, off the coast of Georgia. 

But after the initial excitement, Ava is surprised to discover that true happiness continues to elude her. There is much she doesn't know about Matthew, including the mysterious circumstances surrounding his first wife's death. And her new home seems to hold as many mysteries and secrets as her new husband. Feeling adrift, Ava throws herself into uncovering Matthew's family history and that of the island, not realizing that she has a connection of her own to this place--or that her obsession with the past could very well destroy her future.

To enter to win a copy of this deliciously southern, slightly spooky book, just fill out the form below. The contest ends on Thursday evening before my review posts on Friday!

Winning! And a New-to-Me (And Maybe You) Must-Read Author

Although it may seem like it, I have not forgotten about last week's giveaway! The winner is Amy Curee. Congrats, Amy! Be looking in your mailbox for a package from Penguin...

This isn't the last you've heard from Ellen  Meister's The Other Life. I'll keep you updated on news from its production for HBO.

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

In other news, I have a book you must read (or add to your Christmas list). Back in the summer, I started seeing book bloggers post about author Lisa Unger, a name I had never heard. I finally bought her book Fragile from Audible a month or two ago when they were running a special where you got $10 of credit if you purchased four audiobooks. It was amazing (I listened to the hours-long audiobook in just a few days), and so I immediately-after purchased the audio version of its sequel, Darkness, My Old Friend, which was published in August.

A full review will come soon, but until then, I urge you to look up Unger and these books. She has apparently written a few other novels, which will soon be on my to-read list, as well.

Enjoy the last half of your week, and happy reading!

Monday Giveaway: Ellen Meister's The Other Life (Optioned by HBO as Upcoming Series)

I, like many other Americans, love me some Sunday night HBO. This is the night that begat Sex and the City, The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, and many more favorites. When a book has been optioned by HBO, you know that a) it must be pretty good and b) it must get all kinds of crazy at some point. In this case, yes, it is; and yes, it does.

Ellen Meister's The Other Life is a little bit like The Time Traveler's Wife, but without most of the lovey-dovey moments. In fact, Meister's form of time-and-space travel is not so much time travel as it is parallel universe travel. That's right -- I said "parallel universe."

Before you instantaneously tune out and click over to another website, hear me out. You'll hear the whole story tomorrow, when I post my review, but suffice it to say: this gal (not a sci-fi/ fantasy fan) loved this book. Like, read-it-on-the-elliptical-at-the-gym loved it. And that is not easy. It may look easy, but sweating it out while balancing a book on a half-inch shelf is not simple. It takes enormous balancing and holding skills. It takes want-to (as in, you really have to want to read that book in order to do it).

Berkley Trade, a division of Penguin, is offering readers of the blog a chance to win a copy of Meister's The Other Life. In the novel, protagonist Quinn Braverman faces multiple life-altering choices. A quick look at the book from the author's website:

Quinn Braverman is keeping two secrets from her loving husband, Lewis. One is that the real reason she chose him over Eugene, her neurotic, semi-famous ex-boyfriend, was to prove to her mother that she could have a happy, stable relationship with the guy next door.

The other is that Quinn knows another life exists in which she made the other choice and stayed with Eugene. The two lives run in parallel lines, like highways on opposite sides of a mountain. There, on the other side, the Quinn who stayed with Eugene is speeding through her high-drama, childless life in Manhattan. Here, the Quinn who married Lewis lives in the suburbs, drives a Volvo, and has an adorable young son with another baby on the way.

But the important part of the secret—the part that terrifies and thrills her—is that she knows it's possible to cross from one life to the other.

That does have the ring of an HBO series, doesn't it?
 
In order to enter the contest to win a copy of The Other Life, fill out the form below. In addition to the usual name, email, and address questions, I'm also asking you to weigh in on the book's theme. Obviously, parallel universes aren't reality. But what if they were? What would you choose? The life you're living, or one you regret giving up? Tell me about your life choice, and I may share it on the blog when I announce the winner.

 

Free Books, Anyone? Summer Reading From My Mailbox to Yours

Photo from Eric Doeringer.com.

I am shamelessly and unabashedly engaging in robbery this morning. It's all for a good cause, though -- free books for you! Kay at My Random Acts of Reading posted a unique giveaway on Friday, and because I believe that imitation is the highest form of flattery, I'm stealing imitating her giveaway today!

What makes it unique? You don't have to win. It's a first-come, first-serve free-for-all. The first person to claim each book gets it! The only rule is that it has to be shipped within the continental U.S. So, if you want one of these books, leave a comment telling me which one. Then, email me at awornpathbooks at gmail dot com with a mailing address. After that, it's yours!

Catfish Alley by Lynne Bryant (click here for my review):

"Roxanne Reeves defines her life by the committees she heads and the social status she cultivates. But she is keeping secrets that make her an outsider in her own town, always in search of acceptance. And when she is given a job none of the other white women want - researching the town’s African-American history for a tour of local sites - she feels she can’t say no.

Elderly Grace Clark, a retired black schoolteacher, reluctantly agrees to become Roxanne’s guide. Grace takes Roxanne to Catfish Alley, whose undistinguished structures are nonetheless sacred places to the black community because of what happened there. As Roxanne listens to Grace’s stories, and meets her friends, she begins to see differently." (Synopsis from the author's website)

 The Crimson Rooms by Katharine McMahon (my review):

"Evelyn is a young woman who has defied convention to become one of [England]'s pioneer female lawyers. Living at home, Evelyn is still haunted by the death of her younger brother James in the First World War. Therefore, when the doorbell rings late one night and a woman appears, claiming to have mothered James's child, her world is turned upside down.

But then two cases arise that make Evelyn realize perhaps she can make a difference. The first concerns woman called Leah Marchant whose children have been taken away from her simply because she is poor. The second, Stephen Wheeler - a former acquaintance of Daniel Breen, her boss - has been charged with murdering his own wife." (Synopsis from the author's website)

My Wife's Affair by Nancy Woodruff (my review):

"Actress Georgie Connelly is thrilled to leave her stifling suburban existence behind and move to London with her husband and three young sons. Almost immediately, she lands her dream role, playing 18th century actress and royal mistress Dora Jordan in a one-woman show. Dora Jordan, a real life figure, was the most famous stage actress of her time. Dora's story, Shakespeare's Woman, unfolds as a play-within-the-novel, and as Georgie rehearses her part she feels a growing connection to Dora.

As the play opens to great acclaim, Georgie also finds herself increasingly drawn to the playwright, Piers Brighstone, and when they leave London for a short run at a countryside theatre, she and Piers begin an affair. The novel is narrated by Georgie's husband Peter, a failed writer turned businessman whose discovery of the affair leads to harrowing consequences that none of them could possibly foresee." (Synopsis from the author's website)

Out of the Shadows by Joanna Rendell: 

"Thirty-four year old, Professor Clara Fitzgerald has been living in the shadows of her fiancé for too long. While her career seems stalled, his scientific research is on the cusp of a major breakthrough. His fight against cancer in the laboratory doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for Clara anymore.

But when Clara stumbles on an old copy of Frankenstein and remembers her mother’s claim that they are related to the nineteenth-century author, Mary Shelley, everything changes. Clara begins a search for the author’s long lost journals and letters. This search reveals surprising facts about the passionate young woman who wrote Frankenstein." (Synopsis from the author's website)

The Wishing Trees by John Shors: 

"Almost a year after the death of his wife, Kate, former high-tech executive Ian finds a letter that will change his life. It contains Kate’s final wish – a plea for him to take their ten-year-old daughter, Mattie, on a trip across Asia, through all the countries they had planned to visit to celebrate their fifteenth anniversary.

Eager to honor the wife and mother they loved, Ian and Mattie embark on an epic journey that retraces the early days of Ian’s relationship with Kate." (Synopsis from the author's website)

Leave a comment claiming your book, email me your address, and free summer reading material will miraculously land in your mailbox. Who says nothing in life is free?

The Bake-Off Giveaway and Secret Sisterhood Szarlotka Recipe

Last week I reviewed Beth Kendrick's novel The Bake-Off. It is a perfect mixture of women's lit and foodie writing, as it is kind of the equivalent of Food Network's Challenge mixed with a book about sister relationships. Alexandra Israel, a publicist at NAL (a division of Penguin) has offered two amazing things for my readers: the szarlotka recipe from the novel and a chance for two readers to win copies of the book.

Here is the fabulous (and funny) recipe, with the form for the giveaway at the bottom. Bake it up, and let me know how it turns out! And be sure to enter to win a copy of The Bake-Off!

Secret Sisterhood Szarlotka

from Beth Kendrick’s The Bake-Off

INGREDIENTS:

For the crust:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup ultrafine sugar (also known as “baker’s sugar”)
¼ teaspoon salt
14 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
3 egg yolks
3 Tablespoons sour cream

For the apple filling:
6-7 (3 pounds) large apples—mostly Granny Smith, with one or two Fuji thrown in for variety
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Crust:
Watch a few hours of the Food Network and/or “Top Chef”. Say to yourself, “How hard can this really be? It’s just pastry.”

Cut the butter into small cubes and store in the refrigerator. The key to light, flaky pie crust is to keep the butter as cold as possible throughout the prep and rolling process. Whenever the dough starts to get warm and difficult to handle, pop it back in the fridge—or even the freezer—for a few minutes.

Using a fork, beat the sour cream into the egg yolks. Blend just enough to combine—it’s fine if the mixture is still streaky. Put the egg mixture aside in the fridge for now.

Food processor method:
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine the dry ingredients. Add the cold butter and pulse in quick spurts until the mixture reaches the “small pea stage”—that is, there are visible pea-size pieces of coated butter surrounded by tiny, mealy crumbs.

Add the egg yolk mixture and pulse a few more times to combine the dry and wet ingredients. **Do not overprocess.** The dough should still look mealy and clumpy, but should stick together when you squeeze it in your hand. If the dough does not stick together and instead feels crumbly and dry, try adding another tiny dollop of sour cream.

Stand mixer method:
What’s that? You say Martha Stewart doesn’t live at your house and you don’t own a food processor? No problem! Julia Child used to make pie crust with a stand mixer, and if it’s good enough for Julia, it’s good enough for me.

If you’re using a stand mixer, you’re going to combine the ingredients in the same order as described above, but you’re going to use the flat paddle attachment for your mixer, and you’re going to use the very slowest setting on the mixer—“stir”. Again, be careful not to overmix—you should aim for about 1-2 minutes to reach the “small pea” stage, and maybe another 1-2 minutes after you add the wet ingredients.

Both methods:
Once the dough has been mixed, pour it onto a cutting board or sheet of wax paper and form a large ball. Knead it by pushing down in the center, then pushing in from the sides, about 5 times. Separate about 1/3 of the dough from the rest, form the two sections into thick disks, wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Apple Filling:
Peel, core and cut up the apples into cubes. Cubes should be about 1-inch square, but there’s no need to get all obsessive and precise—it’s supposed to be rustic.

Place the apple chunks into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle on the lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Go ahead and use your hands—Martha Stewart doesn’t live here, remember? Sprinkle on the sugar and mix again.

Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large, deep sauté pan. Add the apple chunks and cook for 12-15 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. The apples should get soft and tender, but not smooshy (that’s a technical term). After 15 minutes, take the pan off the burner, sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice on top of the apple chunks and stir. Set aside to cool. Now would be a great time to check your email and your favorite celebrity gossip blog.

Putting it all together:
Preheat the oven to 400.

No more stalling--it’s time to roll out the crust. Gather your materials: a sturdy rolling pin or dowel, a small bowl of all-purpose flour, a long offset metal spatula, a glass pie plate (about 9 inches in diameter), a cheese grater, and a large cutting board or clean countertop. Resist the urge to break out the pre-made crust you bought at the grocery store under cover of night, and remember: there’s no crying in pie-baking.

Retrieve the larger dough disk from the fridge and dust your work surface with flour. Starting from the center of the disk, roll the dough into a circle large enough to cover the entire pie plate and drape over the sides.

Place the crust into the pie plate. You could try rolling it onto your rolling pin like wrapping paper and then “unwrapping” it into your pie plate. Or you could scrape it up with the offset spatula, fold it in half lengthwise and then into quarters, and unfold it in the pie plate. Trim off any excess dough hanging over the rim of the plate.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apple chunks from the sauté pan and into the crust. Discard any leftover liquid in the pan—do not pour it into the pie. Use the spoon to press down on the apple chunks and pack them in tightly.

Place the pie on a metal cookie sheet (bonus points if you put a silicone baking mat between the tray and the pie plate). Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

While the pie is baking, retrieve the remaining ball of dough from the fridge and grate it. Yes, really. Pretend you’re preparing a block of mozzarella for pizza topping.

After 20 minutes in the oven, take out the pie and sprinkle a layer of grated dough across the top of the apples. See? It really is just like making pizza. Try to cover all the exposed apples, and don’t forget the edges. Pop the pie back into the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes.

Try to restrain yourself long enough to avoid scorching your tongue, then grab a fork and dig in. Feign modesty when everyone in the house raves about your culinary genius. Imagine Martha Stewart writhing with envy. Realize that you have now used up everything in your refrigerator and go out for dinner. Your work here is done.

Now for the giveaway:

Tuesday Giveaway Winner!

According to Random.org, the winner of Laura Spinella's Beautiful Disaster is. . . (drum roll, please): Jessie Daniels! This is especially interesting because Jessie recently moved to Athens, Georgia. Some might think it fate for a new Athens citizen to win a copy of a novel set in Athens.

I've only been to Athens once, but it was a magical experience. My friend Jen & I went for a weekend away back in 2005 or 2006, especially to attend a Dashboard Confessional concert. We also shopped in all the cute little shops and ate in college-town diners while there.

Jessie, I will be emailing you shortly to get mailing info. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks to Erin Berkley/ Penguin for providing a copy of the novel for giveaway.

Tuesday Giveaway: Beautiful Disaster by Laura Spinella

I am excited to be offering a giveaway for a new release from Berkley Trade, an imprint of Penguin Books.  

Beautiful Disaster is a debut novel from author Laura Spinella set in both an urban New England city and the small college town of Athens, Georgia. Via flashbacks to her college days at the University of Georgia, protagonist Mia Wells recalls the feverish romance between herself and the mysterious Flynn. All of these memories force themselves back into Mia's life after Flynn is rushed to a nearby hospital following a car accident. In a twist of fate, Mia's long-time best friend treats Flynn and recognizes him from Mia's past.

Feelings Mia has repressed for years surface when she hears Flynn is in a coma. His return to her life calls into question everything she's done since -- from her career to her marriage. She sits by his bedside, waiting to hear why he disappeared all those years ago and yearning for a second chance.

Spinella's writing has been compared to that of Karen White, Jodi Picoult, and Kristin Hannah. Readers who enjoy novels full of romance with a little southern flavor will enjoy Beautiful Disaster.

Visit Spinella's website for more information about the author and Beautiful Disaster, as well as to read an excerpt from the novel.

One lucky reader will receive a copy of the novel, courtesy of Berkley & Penguin. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment that tells me about your favorite novel that includes a once-in-a-lifetime romance like Mia & Flynn's. Be sure to include your name & email so I can contact you if you win!

Contest will end at 12:00am CST next Tuesday. Winner will be chosen at random using Random.org or some other such internet-based generator. This giveaway is for readers in the continental U.S. only.

As always, happy reading!

I'm Famous! Well, Sort Of -- My "Getting Random With..." Interview on Reading with Tequila

Today Jennifer from Reading with Tequila: A bookworm with bite is featuring me and A Worn Path for her weekly "Getting Random With..." blogger interview. Past interviews have included random questions such as "What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?" and "When you were six years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?" For her unique-to-me questions and my (slightly crazy -- and for some reason, largely animal-related) answers, click on over. Readers can also enter to win a $15 Amazon gift card.

The Reading with Tequila book blog features Jennifer's opinions on an eclectic mix of reading material -- from Young Adult novels to mystery series to classic literature. Last week, she posted reviews on books as varied as 1st to Die from James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series, Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, and the newly released and bestselling vampire novel The Passsage by Justin Cronin.

Jennifer warns that she doesn't actually advocate for reading with tequila in a literal sense. Rather, she states that "reading with tequila means reading with a relaxed, carefree attitude. Reading is exciting, it's soothing, it's something to anticipate highly and it should always be celebrated." Reading with Tequila constantly offers books and book-related items for giveaway, and Jennifer is currently sponsoring a Read-a-long featuring Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, which goes through August 12th.

My sincere thanks to Jennifer for having me today. Don't forget to sign up to win that Amazon gift card!

Sneak Peek at the Giveaway Book

Don't forget to leave a comment to enter my first giveaway EVER! Here's a little bit more information about the book that's up for grabs -- C. A. Belmond's A Rather Charming Invitation:

Summary from Amazon.com:

Dateline: London, Paris, Antibes. It's time to get down to wedding planning. But while heiress Penny's distant relatives insist that the nuptials be held in their native France, Jeremy's kin won't have it anywhere but England. And either choice might just re-ignite the Hundred Years' War...

Then, in a family château high above the perfume fields of Grasse, Penny's French cousin offers her the loan of an ancient bridal tapestry. But Penny has barely begun to crack its perplexing imagery before a series of strange events unfolds, threatening to derail the wedding. From a secret chalet on Lake Geneva, to a nostalgic stop at the opulent Train Bleu, to a winner-take-all gamble in Monte Carlo, Penny and Jeremy are off on another romp...while the clock is ticking down until they say, "I do."

Click here to read an excerpt from the novel, available on Belmond's website. Enter to win a copy of your very own here. May the best man (or woman) win!

Inaugural Giveaway Monday: C.A. Belmond's 'A Rather Charming Invitation'

So I feel like I'm finally in the "real" book blogging world. Several exciting book-related things have been happening lately:

1. I've been getting positive responses from advanced reading copy (ARC) requests. So far, the authors and publishers I've contacted have been wonderful! They've replied with oh-so-nice emails, and I've received several books. You can read more about that in my new "Policy and Procedures" post (scroll down on the left until you see my profile link; it's directly above it). Anytime I'm discussing a copy I have received from the author or publisher or publicist, you'll notice the label "Review Copy" to distinguish it from library or bought books. It's pretty neat to be able to read & review books before they are released, and even better to be able to promote authors I really love.
2. I'm going to be participating in my first ever book club next weekend. I know, I know. How could I never have done this before now? What took me so long? My friend (and fellow reader) Caroline and I decided that it's because we know very few people in our everyday lives who enjoy reading as much as we do. Thus, if we had ever started a book club, it would have consisted of... Well, us. We'll work on that for the future, but until then, my cousin Jennifer has asked me to participate in a book club in the Nashville area. Suffice it to say that I'm pretty excited! The first selection for the group is Joshilyn Jackson's The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. I read this book last fall, but I'm revisiting it so that I can discuss it next weekend.
3. Michael Connelly is coming to Nashville next Saturday to speak at a local high school! He'll be discussing his newest Harry Bosch novel, Nine Dragons and (hopefully) signing, as well. He was one of my top writers to read in 2009; last year I read every novel he's ever written -- in order -- except for the two newest. And those (Nine Dragons and The Scarecrow), I purchased today at McKay Used Books in Knoxville. I can't wait to read them and to meet Connelly in person next Saturday.

And so, to celebrate all of these great things, I have a book giveaway -- my first! Megan Swartz at Peguin provided me with an extra copy for giveaway of C. A. Belmond's newest novel A Rather Charming Invitation. This is the third in a series about heiress Penny Nichols. I've begun the first book in the series, A Rather Lovely Inheritance, and I'm enjoying it immensely. So far, Belmond's writing reminds me of Meg Cabot, Helen Fielding, and Sophie Kinsella. Chick lit from a well-traveled, continental perspective.


How do you enter the giveaway for C. A. Belmond's A Rather Charming Invitation?

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry).
• Tweet about this giveaway & post link in comments (2 additional entries!)
• Post on your blog about this giveaway & post link in comments (3 additional entries!!)

The giveaway deadline is Monday, February 22nd at 12:00am (in other words, actually Sunday night). So comment, tweet, & blog this week for chances to win. The winner will be contacted next Monday via email so that I can get mailing address information. If you haven't replied within 24 hours, the first runner up will be contacted. Bear with me through any mishaps, since this is my first time doing a giveaway! (*Note: If you are an anonymous user, you will have to leave your email address in your comment, as there will be no other way for me to find you, should you win!)