35 Miles From Shore : The Ditching and Rescue of ALM Flight 180 by Emilio Corsetti III

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Odyssey Publishing (April 28, 2008)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0977897109

ISBN-13: 978-0977897100

To purchase, click here.

Excerpt from the back of the book:

On May 2, 1970, a DC-9 jet with fifty-seven passengers and a crew of six departed New York’s JFK international airport en route to the tropical island of St. Maarten.  The flight ended four hours and thirty-four minutes later in the shark-infested waters of the Caribbean.  It was at the time, and remains, the only open-water ditching of a commercial jet.  The subsequent rescue of survivors took nearly three hours and involved the Coast Guard, Navy, and Marines.  In this gripping account of that fateful day, author Emilio Corsetti puts the reader inside the cabin, the cockpit, and the rescue helicopters as the crews struggle against the weather and dwindling daylight to rescue the survivors who have only their life vests and a lone escape chute to keep them afloat.

I have never been on a plane.  I don’t have a fear of flying, but my husband and I are the types of people who like to plan our vacations so we have enough time to drive and enjoy the sights along the way.  When I read books like this about aircrafts that have had incidents that have caused them to abort their mission (for whatever reason), it makes me glad that we usually take the time to drive.  I know, I know, driving in a car is a lot more dangerous than flying, according to the statistics.  But I can’t imagine the horror that must overcome passengers of an airplane when they realize they will not be landing as planned.

Emilio Corsetti has done an excellent job of researching the events, and being a pilot has the ability to enlighten readers as to the events that took place to cause the crew to have to “ditch” this plane.   He has done an excellent job of helping the readers understand the decisions that the crew had to make in lieu of the technical difficulties and mistakes that were made on this fateful flight.  He also does a great job of putting us in the shoes of the passengers, and helping to portray their emotions before and after the “ditching”.  This is the only open water ditching of a commercial airliner to date, pretty amazing considering how many flights take place daily. 

If you want to read a VERY interesting review of this book, please click here to read a review written on Amazon.com by an observer on one of the Marine Corps CH-46 helicopters that took part in the rescue – this was an eye opener to say the least.  What really happened?  I guess we will never know for sure.

This was an excellent read and really intrigued me to do some more research and see exactly what may have happened.  I had never heard of this incident before, so am glad I took the time to read this and gain this knowledge.

Thanks again to Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the opportunity!

One Foot Outside the Door by Vina St. Fran

Paperback: 244 pages

Publisher:Zam Publishing (May 12, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0615137970

ISBN-13: 978-0615137971

Click here to purchase.

Excerpt from the back of the book:

On the mean streets of Los Angeles, Rodney King once asked the question, “Can’t we all get along?”

Unfortunately when it comes to realtionships pertaining to matters of the heart between men and women the answer is most likely no.  The problem is, you’d have a hard time convincing Cyndarella Worthy this is the case.  You see, this beautiful, 30-something African-American woman, has finally gotten it right.  Professionally, life couldn’t be better.  She is the owner of Peachtree Productions, a successful minority advertising agency in Southfield, Michigan.  The same is said for her love life thanks to Cyndarella’s Prince Charming, Thad Mitchell, a handsome African-American gentleman who sweeps her off her feet.

 Cyn, as she is affectionately called, is adored by her family and three lifelong friends from childhood.  However, will it be enough?  Cyndarella has a blas from the past in the form of her high school sweetheart and first love, Bashar Bazzi, and Iraqi, Chaldean (Christian Arab) American who left abruptly ending their four year relationship without explanation.  The devastation fueled her drive to have it all, and finally she does.  Within months of her upcoming nuptials to Thad, Cyn is forced to confront the past when a secret is exposed.  The stakes are high to beomce Mrs. Thaddeus Mitchell, but when Bashar resurfaces, all hell breaks loose.  Will Cyndarella ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after, or will she find herself back in circulation on Detroit’s competitive and vicious dating scene?  I dare you to turn the first page and read on to find out.

Haven’t we all had a rough relationship?  One that leaves us more heartbroken than we ever thought possible?  For Cyndarella Worthy, that relationship was with none other than Bashar Bazzi, her first true love.  Granted, his parents never really approved of her but Bashar made up for it by giving her everything he had, and more.  So when he decides to leave the country for some famiy business she is upset…she doesn’t want to be separated from him and really doesn’t understand why he feels the need to go.  But when he doesn’t return and she is brushed off with no explanation as to what happened from his family, and no contact from Bashar himself, she swears off relationships all together.  When she finally does open up her heart it is to Thaddeus Mitchell.  She is hesitant to get too involved too quickly, but when he passes all of her criteria for what make a “good” man she decides to give in to his proposal of marriage.  She is excited at the prospect of moving on with her life and finally getting married, unfortunately, fate may not let it come to be. 

She is given information about her past love that may bring down the new love that she has been so happy and willing to embrace.  Bashar didn’t just leave her and not contact her for no reason, as a matter of fact he had an excellent reason and it was something that was well beyond his control.  After Cyn finds out, she is not only shocked but is also outraged at his family for not informing her.  Will she crumble and leave Thad to be with her first love?  Or is it too late?  You’ll just have to read to find out.

About the author:

Vina St. Fran is the author of One Foot OUtside the Door, her first novel published by Zam Publishing.  She lives in the Midwest part of the United States.  Vina has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and a MBA in Strategic Management.  She discovered and started writing at the tender age of seven.  Writing is her passion and she is currently hard at work on her second novel that will be a follow-up to One Foot Outside the Door as part of a three series trilogy.

For more info, visit http://www.vinastfran.com

Thanks once again to the wonderful ladies at Pump Up Your Book Promotion for another great opportunity!

 

Embittered Justice by Michaela Riley

Paperback: 197 pages

Publisher: PublishAmerica (November 19, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1424197678

ISBN-13: 978-1424197675

To Purchase, click here.

Excerpt from the back of the book:

Jennifer Campbell is a beautiful, talented woman with ambition and drive to succeed in corporate America.  Moving to Virginia into the tightly knit community of Norfolk was a dream come true, with a house on the beach, family and security for the first time in many years providing the comfort and serenity Jennifer has searched for. 

All is well, until the fateful day Jennifer received a telephone call.  “Jennifer, go someplace and hide; don’t trust anyone.  You can’t trust the police or internal affairs.  Just go somewhere you can’t be found.  I’ll call you in a few hours.”

 Jennifer thinks she has it all, a new fiance, a house on the beach, and a new career.  Sure, the house needs a little TLC, and the previous owners have caused her nothing but grief (to say the least) but she is finally able to start her new life.  That is, until a UPS package arrives on her doorstep.  After opening it, and seeing that it is filled with guns, she is riddled with doubt on what she should do.  Contact ATF?  Contact the police?  After conferring with her fiance, he tells her to just sit tight and wait for the rightful owner to claim it.  Seeing as how she has no experience in these types of things, she takes his advice and sits tight.  But, why would the homes previous owner be receiving guns at his old address?  And why did he refuse the shipment when it was delivered to his new home in California?  Just to set her up for a major headache?

What ensues is terrifying to say the least.  You just have to read this one to find out all of the gory details, but let’s just say you may be leary about opening letters or packages that you aren’t expecting, you just never know what path they may lead to.

Michaela Riley has written a legal thriller that is able to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, waiting to find out which additional twist is waiting for poor Jennifer, the innocent victim in all of this.  Unfortunately, I do believe that the events in this book, although fictional, could very easily happen.  Clients are misrepresented in the legal system all the time, and plea deals are reached in which innocent people are too afraid to stand trial, and instead plead guilty to crimes they didn’t commit in hopes of receiving a reduced sentence.

About the author:

Michaela Riley was born in 1960 and grew up in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia in a town that borders the Ohio River and is surrounded by beautiful rolling hills. 

As a child Riley would spend most of her time reading every book she could carry home from the school library. She admits, “Being a writer was a fairytale for someone else’s life. Then I found a story that needed to be told.”  

Riley left West Virginia to join the Army in 1981 and quickly realized that the quiet life of West Virginia was very different than the screaming platoon sergeant. She decided early in her military career that she would go to college and that law was her first career choice.  

During her college years and after completion of her active duty tour during the Gulf War, she supported herself in a variety of healthcare positions. She plans on retiring from the Army Reserves this year and smiles as she says, “It was the best job and career I have ever had. I love my country.”

Nearly twenty six years later Riley has completed a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in nursing and a Master of Business Administration degree. She has been practicing as a Registered Nurse for almost twenty years and is the CEO of her own Professional Development Company.

Riley began to pursue writing when she had the misfortune of spending time in a local court room. Research revealed increasing rates of plea bargaining and malicious prosecution. “I have always been an advocate for people in need. When your right to speak for yourself is prevented, something has to be done. The story must be told, everyone has a story. Writing has become something I am passionate about and I am working on two other fiction novels.”

Riley lives near the Eastern Shore of Virginia. She has a son (born in 1977) and a Labrador retriever.  When not writing, Michaela gardens, cooks, and enjoys the outdoors with her family. Her favorite pastime is spent reading, going to movies or walking on the beach.

Thanks again to Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the chance to read and review this book.

Emotionless Souls by David S. Grant

ISBN: 978-1-43484-828-4
100 Pages
Brown Paper Publishing – www.brownpaperpublishing.net
To purchase, click here.

Excerpt from the back of the book:

Disaffected tourists idle through the streets and bars of Paris and Dublin.  Office workers suspect each other of stealing cocaine at the Christmas party.  Human Rewousrce officers interview the stripper they frequent for a position in the firm (at least they think it’s that stripper).  Pickpockets get pickpocketed.  Nobodies stage emergencies to come save the day.  Mediocre porn stars murder their co-stars to increase DVD rentals.  Executives drop Ecstasy during the board meeting and realizes their affection for the touch of their supervisor’s shirt.  Comics drop shrooms into the restaurant’s sauce to get laughs from even the roughest of Monday night crowds.

 There were a few stories in here that I didn’t care for, but for the most part they all were pretty intriguing.  I LOVED the fact that they all were short (running on average 3 pages), writing a short story and holding your readers attention is not an easy thing to do.  I also enjoyed the fact that all of the stories focused on aspects of the “real” world that we all can relate to.  If asked to pick a favorite, I would probably have to go with Homeless CEO, a story of a homeless man who find a way to enrich the lives of pedestrians passing by.  He is eventually offered a partnership, does well, makes money, but just as quickly loses it all and ends up back on the streets where he started.  Thus is the world of business, cut-throat and a neverending spiral.  This is my first book by this author but I would like to read his some of his others, including Corporate Porn and The Last Breakfast.

About the author:

David S. Grant is the author of Corporate Porn, written in 2005 and published by Silverthought Press in 2006.  David’s first novel Bleach and sequel titled Blackout are now available through Offense Mechanisms, and imprint of Silverthought Press in 2008.  Also, newly published in 2008 the novel The Last Breakfast and short story collection Emotionless Souls through Brown Paper Publishing.  David lives and works in New York City.

This book was another from the great ladies at Pump Up Your Book Promotion – have I said thank you lately?

 

Checkmate by Jean Hackensmith

ISBN 10:1-59466-116-2
To purchase a copy, click here.

Excerpt from the back of the book:

Caryn Deaver’s husband tried to kill her and their children seventeen years ago.  He went to prison for the crime, but he’s out now and determined to finish the job.  A period of sadistic stalking is a prerequisite to the final “Checkmate”.  Each progressive stalking incident includes  note: “Checkmate – nine moves,” “Checkmate – eight moves”…If Dan has his way, the last move will ensure Caryn’s death, and the death of the new man in her life, Cheyenne Fire Chief, Zach Riker.  Zack is just as determined to thwart Dan’s “game” and will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves…or die trying.

I love being able to review books like this, especially when they have just been published and released to the public.  I must admit that there are times when I try to be polite and not hurt the authors feelings when describing their book, but not this time.  Checkmate started fast, and the tension and pace just kept going.  From the opening pages, you get a sense for how sadistic Dan Hamilton is.  After tying his wife and two small children up, he locks them in the family bathroom and starts the home on fire.  He does this, not because they are disobedient, but just because he considers it fun.  Being a cop has it’s advantages, and he thinks he has found the perfect way to get away with his crime, that is until Caryn and the children escape and testify against him.

Eighteen years have passed and Caryn and the kids have moved on with their lives.  Caryn is involved with a wonderful man, Zach Riker.  Zach is the Fire Chief and is also someone who has helped keep Dan behind bars, and been a support for Caryn for the past 2 years.  But he is about to become so much more, because Dan is being released from prison, and even they aren’t prepared for the cruel and twisted game he has in mind – a game they may not be able to win.

I don’t want to give away to much of the plot on this one, but let me just say that it was very hard for me to put this one down.  Jean has an incredible way of writing that makes you want to grab this book every chance you get, which I did.  She is looking for insight on the book and whether readers would like to see more in the “Stalker” series.  I for one say, PLEASE continue!

About the author:

Proud mother of three and stepmother of two, and the even prouder grandmother of ten, I have been writing longer than I sometimes care to remember.  My writing career began unofficially back in 1982 when I was talking with my mother on the phone.  I was always a doodler and, the next thing I knew, the line, “Jenny McCall awoke with a scream on her lips” appeared on a piece of scratch paper. 

Hmmm…I thought.  That would be a pretty cool first line for a book!  I had been an avid romance reader for years, but did I have what it took to be a romance writer?  Well, there was only one way to find out.  The first thing I had to do, of course, was figure out why Jenny McCall awoke with a scream on her lips.  I thought about it for a few days, came up with what I hoped was a good plot idea, and then went to work.  I had filled at least a dozen spiral notebooks before my husband finally realized I was serious about wanting to write a book and bought me an electric typewriter.  That’s right…no computer, no word processor.  A typewriter…but it did have a correction ribbon!  I can’t tell you how many times I retyped that first manuscript, trying to polish it as well as any first time novelist could on her own.  That book was followed by a second, and a third.  I now had a trilogy.  So, what do I do now?  Try to get an agent, right?  Actually I did acquire a literary agent a short time later.  She believed in my work, saw the potential…and actually came to stay at my home for a week and help me polish it.  Then it was off to the publishers, and the waiting game that would continue for over 10 years.

To make an already long story a little shorter, those first three books went nowhere.  They didn’t deserve to.  The stories were good, but the writing was atrocious.  They served their purpose, though.  They infected me with a writing “bug” that forced me to hone what I was told was a raw talent.  Other than a few creative writing classes in high school, I had never had an “formal” education in the writing field.  Everything I knew came from reading literally hundreds of romance novels.  I had good teachers, though…Kathleen Woodiwiss, my idol, among them.  (She would later review one of my books, by the way, and called it “exceptional.”)

Anyway, by this time, the agent was long gone and I was getting ”personal” rejection letters from publishers on my own.  That’s right.  I had gotten past the “form rejections” and editors were actually telling me what I needed to do to improve my work.  I took that advice to heart, applied everything they said, and kept on trucking.  Finally, in July of 1999, I published my first book, “Wagons To The Past” and I was on my way. 

To view a promotional trailer for this book – please click below:

And yet again, I must thank my good friends at Pump Up Your Book Promotion for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book – you guys ROCK!

Janeology by Karen Harrington

ISBN-13: 978-1-60164-020-8

Hardcover, 246 pages

Published by Kunati Inc.

I was intrigued by this book.  I am the mother of two young children, and know the stress that is involved with raising them and still trying to find “me” time and time for myself and my husband as a couple.  I will admit that it can seem overwhelming at times but I try my best and think that I do ok – I’m not a perfect person, mother, or spouse, but I accept that and make the most of every day, whatever it may bring.  Every time I hear the stories on the news about mother’s who take the lives of their child/children I shudder.  I personally can’t imagine what would make someone reach this level…don’t get me wrong, I am trying not to judge these individuals because obviously they do suffer from some sort of mental illness, I am just saying that I can’t imagine it.  A perfectly innocent child who usually wants nothing more than some love and affection.  But, I am going on and on when I really should be reviewing the book.  So, here goes.

Since the birth of my daughter 4 years ago, I have realized that the worst thing that can happen to an individual is to lose a child.  For Tom Nelson the pain involved is even more intense- his wife, Jane, drowns their son and tries to drown his twin sister, who survives the attack.   This book revolves around the trial against Tom – should he spend time in jail for failing to realize that his wife was “ill” and not helping to prevent this tragedy?  Isn’t he suffering enough knowing that he may have missed some obvious signs of distress that may have saved the lives of his dead son, and institutionalized wife?  Where do we draw the line when it comes to liability?

There are many aspects of this book that I liked.  I am always interested in the genetic aspect of things and this book does a wonderful job of exploring these possibilites.  Was Jane predisposed to do an act like this, due to her genetic makeup?  After reading this book, you may change your mind on how much the gene pool may influence our behavior patterns.  Then again, you may not.  It is something that could cause some heated discussions, and thought provoking as well.

I also was intrigued by Mariah, a relative of Jane’s who is clairvoyant.  She is able to touch objects in a trunk that belongs to Jane and help piece together the missing parts of Jane’s past – parts that may help us understand her personality, and what may have caused her to commit this horrendous act.  The writing of these events was wonderfully done – I loved the way the author used different “voices” to represent the different family members and time frames.  Very well done.

About the Author:

 

Karen Harrington was born and raised in Texas, where she still lives with her husband and children. She received a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Karen’s first writing gigs were in corporate America as an editor and speechwriter. Her fiction writing has been recognized by the Hemingway Short Story Competition and the Texas Film Institute.

She authored and published There’s A Dog In the Doorway, a children’s book created expressly for the Dr. Laura Schlessinger Foundation’s ”My Stuff Bags”.

“My Stuff” bags go to children in need who must leave their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.

Karen also supports and advocates the proliferation of Crisis Nursery Centers designed to provide free child-care to families in emergency situations.

To view a trailer for this book, please click below:

 

 

Once again I need to thank my friends at Pump Up Your Book Promotion for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

 
 

West Across the Board by Andrew Jalbert

ISBN – 978-0-595-42194-7

170 pages

www.iuniverse.com

To purchase click here.

Excerpt from the back of the book:

What are the elements of friendship that last a lifetime – the mysterious connection that can outlast great distances and long periods of separation to bring friends back together?  For Lazaro, a salty Cuban mariner, and Dominic, a sophisticated Chicago engineer, the answers can be found in the game of chess.

I have to admit that I wasn’t sure what to expect when reading this book.  First novels can be a bit choppy and poorly edited at times, showing that the author has some growing to do before the true quality of their work shines through.  Such is not the case when it comes to Andrew Jalbert.  I was delighted not only by the story, but by the way the characters were formed and the ability of the author to separate two different eras in the same book, while still allowing the story to flow smoothly – something that is not an easy task.

The friendship between Lazaro and Dominic is one that we all hope to have.  When tragedy strikes Lazaro he flees the Keys and decides to start over, never looking back.  His friend Dominic writes faithfully at first, but Lazaro just wants to close that part of his life so he packs the letters away with the infamous chess board.  He does think of his friend often, but it is too painful to think of everything that has happened so he immerses himself in the lives of his wife and son.  But when tragedy strikes again, he starts to rethink the separation and writes Dominic, keeping it very informal and just full of information about what has been going on in his life.  Dominic writes back but also keeps it impersonal.  This continues until Lazaro receives a phone call which beckons to his heart to go back to the Keys to see his long-time friend, something he should have done long ago.

This story is sure to tug at your heartstrings and make you realize that sometimes it is better to face your fears and keep living, without giving up the things that truly matter.  Very well written and easy to read!

On a side note, I was THRILLED to have Manitowoc mentioned, as this is my hometown.  And, my husband is from Two Rivers.  During World War II, Manitowoc built 28 submarines, and we still have one on display.  I have been through it a bunch of times, and it is truly amazing to think that people actually functioned on these vessels.   

 Thanks to everyone at Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the opportunity to read this!

Behold Your Mother by Heidi Hess-Saxton

ISBN 978-0-9800483-0-8

71 Pages

www.bezalelbooks.com

To purchase a copy, click here.

Let me first start out by saying that I am not Christian.  I was raised Catholic so I am familiar with the teachings, I have just found that it wasn’t for me.  But, the one aspect of the Christian faith that I always loved was Mary.  My grandmother has ALWAYS prayed to Mary, in fact when I told her about this book she asked me to let her read it.  She loves speaking to Mary as one mother to another.  She asks Mary to go to her son and ask for whatever she is in need of. 

In this devotion to the Blessed Mother, author Heidi Hess Saxton shares her personal reflections and how she came to develop a meaningful relationship with Mary, at first thinking Jesus might not approve.  The book then includes 48 powerful meditations beginning with scripture and ending with a short prayer.  I loved how following each line of scripture she interpreted what Mary may have thought at that time in her life.

Really a very interesting book for Christians and non-Christians alike. 

About the author:

Heidi Hess-Saxton converted to the Catholic faith in 1994, after spending 30 years actively participating in a variety of Christian traditions.  Having pursued graduate studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan, Heidi lives with her husband and family in southern Michigan.  She is editor of Canticle magazine, and adoptive parent columnist at www.CatholicExchange.com and www.CatholicMom.com

Thanks to everyone at Pump Up Your Book Promotion for allowing me to review this!

Busy week

I haven’t had a reading week like this in a LONG time!  I am not sure what made it possible for me to read so many books this week, but I am glad that I did.  There are some weeks where it seems like I struggle to get one book read – this week I finished one and started and finished 5.  They are:

Checkmate by Jean Hackensmith – finished May 5

Emotionless Souls by David S. Grant – started and finished on May 5

Embittered Justice by Michaela Riley – finished on May 6

When a Man Loves a Woman by LaConnie Taylor-Jones – finished on May 8

35 Miles from Shore by Emilio Corsetti III – finished on May 8

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult – finished May 10

(Reviews will be coming on all of these in the very near future)

One of the things I think helped is the fact that we actually had some decent weather.  I then take the kids outside, hang some wash on the line and bring a book to read.  But, my hubby lost his job on Friday (which really sucks as he is the sole income in our household) so this week I will be busy helping him look for work.  This couldn’t have come at a worse time, but it will all work out, somehow.

For our Weekly Geek theme this week, we are supposed to write down some fond memories of childhood books.  I guess it all depends on how you define childhood.  When I was quite small, before I could read, my favorite and I mean all time favorite books were any by Dr. Seuss.  Ok, who am I kidding, these are probably still my favorites.  It sounds so cliche because he is such a favorite for so many people, but with good reason.  If asked to pick a favorite book I think it may be Horton Hears a Who, but I really hope I never have to truly pick.  I know the one my mom liked to read to me the most was Green Eggs and Ham.  They are all such classics and each (for the most part) also have some lesson to be learned.  True Genius!

Having two little kids myself I enjoy reading Dr. Seuss to them as well.  There aren’t too many authors nowadays that I like as much, although I also enjoy reading the Sandra Boynton books to them as well.  There are some others but I can’t think of any right now.  Oh well, what can you do?

So, off to enjoy my Mother’s Day.  Happy Mother’s Day to all of you and enjoy your Sunday!

Letter of Love from China by Bonnie Cuzzolino

ISBN 1-4243-0236-6

For children ages 4-8

To purchase click here.

This book hit me in a way that was unexpected.  I am not an adoptive parent, but my best friend was adopted and I was with her when she found out (her parents didn’t tell her right away, which devastated her).  I can’t imagine what some of these mothers must feel when they wrap their little newborn up for their last goodbye.  I know that somewhere in their hearts they know that they are doing the right thing by giving their child the life that they deserve and that won’t be financially possible for their biological parents.  But it must just about tear your heart in two.

On the other side are the parents that are looking to adopt.  How wonderful that these women realize that they can’t offer their children the life they believe they should have and make the ultimate sacrifice by putting them in anothers care.  I can just imagine the feeling that must overcome these new parents when they lay eyes on their new child/children..your heart must be just about ready to burst with the love that is inside waiting to start your new life together.

This book is great for any parent, but is truly essential for anyone that is thinking about adopting or has adopted.

Beautifully illustrated by Jax Bennett

About the Author:

 Award winning author Bonnie Cuzzolino and her family live in New Jersey.  Bonnie and her husband Ray are the parents to a beautiful daughter adopted from Hubei, China in November of 2001 at 12 months old.  She and her husband are now waiting for a referral for their second daughter from China through Holt International Children’s Services.  Bonnie has had a lifelong passion to write children’s books.  This book is her first and is dedicated to her daughter, Jillian Mei.

I believe that we are given the gift from God to love.  For some peopl there are circumstances in their lives that interfere with this ability.

Our daughter’s birth mom chose to leave her in a place that she could be found quickly and cared for, in a bamboo basket, wrapped warmly in blankets with a note of her birthdate and a small amount of money.  A decision that many of China’s birth moms who relinquich their children make.

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the chance to review this book!

The Pink Forest: A Woman’s Intimate Confessions by Dana Dorfman

ISBN 13: 978-0-9798592-0-5

311 Pages

Banderae Publishing

www.danadorfman.com

Excerpt from the back of the book:

The Pink Room is flying silk and a canvas of lace.  It is a magic gleam and a twinkling eye.  It is playful glances, soft pecks upon the lips, and swirls of eye-catching smiles.  It is endless stretches of bed ruffles and flowing satin shets strewn across a candle-lit floor.  It is thick pillows, the coolness of moonlight, and giggle-strewn chatter in the mist of rose-silk petals.

But more than anything, The Pink Forest is about one woman wishing upon life for the courage to feel her enchanted self.  Caught in the gusts of emotion, her small draped figure lands on the tree of possibility where she become an amorous creature.  Glistening with intimate confessions, she blushes the earth and wanders into The Pink Forest.

 I have to be totally honest.  I really wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book.  But the author drew me in with her lyrical writing and descriptions that left little to the imagination, and I truly had a hard time putting this book down.  After all, it isn’t every day that you get to delve into the most personal and intimate confessions of a woman searching for her enchanted self. 

This book was able to evoke so many emotions in me as I traveled with her on her journey to find her enchanted self and the revelations she makes on the way.  Prepare yourself for a book that presses the boundaries of your imagination and sensual side to see what it might take to find and release your enchanted self, after all, who says your conscience ALWAYS has to be your guide. 

About the author:

 Dorfman was raised as an only child and has been writing since the age of four. She graduated from the University of Southern California and considers herself a “life writer” who is able to tap into the blush of the earth.

Dorfman resides in Los Angeles with her mystical spirit.

The Pink Forest is available at www.amazon.com , www.barnesandnoble.com , www.atlasbooks.com  www.danadorfman.com  and bookstores everywhere.

Web Sites: www.DanaDorfman.com  and www.WishUponLife.com

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the wonderful opportunity to review this book, and to Ms. Dorfman for her willingness to share her wonderful book!

 

To purchase a copy of this book, click here.

A copy of this book is going to be raffled of on Friday, May 16.  For your chance to win, please comment on this post.  For an additional entry, just post about this giveaway on your blog or website and leave me the link in your comment.  Thanks again for all the support!

Southern Reading Challenge

These great challenges just keep popping up, and I am having a hard time resisting them (as you can probably tell by now).  This one is only 3 books, but I am still having a hard time picking. 

The rules are easy: 3 Southern Setting books by Southern Authors in 3 months beginning May 15 and ending August 15.  Not too hard, right?

I am still not POSITIVE what my 3 will be.  But, I am thinking they are:

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson

Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

and

The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue

Granted, this could change but I think I will stick with these three.  Interested in signing up?  Visit Maggie Reads for more details.

The Complete Booker Challenge

I am so fortunate to have so many friends (online anyway) that love to read as much, if not more, than I do.  That said, I get a lot of different posts thrown at me every day thanks to my handy blogreader Bloglines.  Today I ran across another challenge that I will sign up for, reading all 41 books that have won The Man Booker Prize for Fiction.  The list is:

2007 – The Gathering (Enright)
2006 – The Inheritance of Loss (Desai)
2005 – The Sea (Banville)
2004 – The Line of Beauty (Hollinghurst)
2003 – Vernon God Little (Pierre)
2002 – Life of Pi (Martel)
2001 – True History of the Kelly Gang (Carey)
2000 – The Blind Assassin (Atwood)
1999 – Disgrace (Coetzee)
1998 – Amsterdam: A Novel (McEwan)
1997 – The God of Small Things (Roy)
1996 – Last Orders (Swift)
1995 – The Ghost Road (Barker)
1994 – How Late It Was, How Late (Kelman)
1993 – Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha (Doyle)
1992 – The English Patient (Ondaatje)
1992 – Sacred Hunger (Unsworth)
1991 – The Famished Road (Okri)
1990 – Possession: A Romance (Byatt)
1989 – The Remains of the Day (Ishiguro)
1988 – Oscar and Lucinda (Carey)
1987 – Moon Tiger (Lively)
1986 – The Old Devils (Amis)
1985 – The Bone People (Hulme)
1984 – Hotel Du Lac (Brookner)
1983 – Life & Times of Michael K (Coetzee)
1982 – Schindler’s Ark (Keneally)
1981 – Midnight’s Children (Rushdie)
1980 – Rites of Passage (Golding)
1979 – Offshore (Fitzgerald)
1978 – The Sea, the Sea (Murdoch)
1977 – Staying on (Scott)
1976 – Saville (Storey)
1975 – Heat and Dust (Jhabvala)
1974 – The Conservationist (Gordimer)
1974 – Holiday (Middleton)
1973 – The Siege of Krishnapur (Farrell)
1972 – G. (Berger)
1971 – In a Free State (Naipaul)
1970 – The Elected Member (Rubens)
1969 – Something to Answer For (Newby)

I have read NONE of these, that’s right, none of them.  But, thankfully, there is no time limit which is great.  I can fit these in between some of the other books that I am reading and finish as I go.  I am thrilled to start this one as it seems like there are a LOT of good books here. 

To join, visit The Complete Booker for more info.

Win The Baker’s Boy by Barry Kitterman

I have never heard of this book but the description has intrigued me.  For your chance to win, visit Carp(e) Libris Reviews for more details.  Hurry, offer ends May 6!

Sunday Salon & Weekly Geek all rolled into one

It’s been a busy week here, but I only got one book and review finished – Janeology by Karen Harrington.  I have been busy trying to organize my books and have made some progress, but am still looking for the best way to keep track of them online.  Any suggestions?  I hate flipping back and forth through the multiple sites that I frequent and don’t want to have to enter these in multiple places.

I am currently reading Checkmate by Jean Hackensmith and so far it is quite good.  I am about 100 pages in and since I seem to be suffering from insomnia today, I will pick it up again as soon as I am done with this entry, will probably get this done before the rest of the family is awake.

I also have a LOT of cooking yet to do today.  I am going to be doing Once A Month Cooking again – I purchased 6 weeks worth of dinners (and a few other odds and ends) for just under $240 and have already cooked and frozen some of the meals (view my blog Recipease for more info – will keep updating it with recipes and such).

We did go shopping to the Fox River Mall yesterday, and I didn’t buy a book!  Instead, I decided to get a fantastic tea infuser and some great loose tea from The Fava Tea Company (view my blog Ritual Madness for more info).  I think I will go and brew a cup of tea now (maybe some Carrot Cake) to drink while I read through some blogs.

This is the second week for Weekly Geeks and I am loving this one!  This week we were asked if we wanted to participate in posting links for other people that have reviewed the same books that we have.  As a book reviewer, I think that this one is so fantastic!  What better way to offer your blog readers a chance to read some different viewpoints?  I know that there are books that I wasn’t thrilled with that other people absolutely LOVE!  So this one is a real winner!  I just hope it isn’t too hard to figure out how to do, lol!

If you notice any books that I have read and reviewed and you have as well, for now just send me a link to your review and I will post it on the bottom of mine.  I may incorporate a Mr. Linky for this in the very near future though:)

Hope you all have a great Sunday, and will be stopping by some of you later to say hi!  Take care!

1% Well-Read Challenge

I am telling you – I am really enjoying signing up for these challenges.  It is helping me put a dent in books on my TBR list that have been on there for WAY too long.  This one is really great – here are the rules:

The goal of this challenge is to read 10 books in 10 months from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. For you non-math people, 10 out of 1001 is approximately 1%, hence the title. The challenge will run from May 1, 2008 through February 28, 2009.

You may change your list at any time and cross-posting to other challenges is permitted. The only requirement is that your ten book choices must be on the ‘1001 List‘. Another helpful tool is an Excel spreadsheet by Arukiyoma that is found here.

To sign up visit 1% Well-Read Rules and Signup.  Here are my 10:

1. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
2. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
3. Beloved by Toni Morrison
4. The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
5. The World According to Garp by John Irving
6. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
7. The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allen Poe
8. Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice
9. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
10. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Losing Kei by Suzanne Kamata

This was previously reviewed on some of my other sites, but I am unable to get it to post properly if I backdate it.  Also, a lot of you are new readers so it shouldn’t make much difference. 

There’s an old quote that says “A mother who is really a mother is never free”. This, as any mother knows couldn’t be more true and unfortunately Jill Parker finds this out the hard way in this wonderful book by Suzanne Kamata.

Jill is reeling from a bad relationship, and instead of traveling to Africa, the site of her now ex-boyfriend, she decides to take a fellowship to Japan for a fresh start. She falls in love with the culture, and soon with one of its residents, Yusuke Yamashiro. They have a whirlwind romance, and decide to elope to avoid conflict with his parents. After all she is an American and probably not someone they would approve of him marrying seeing as he is the sole heir to the Yamashiro estate.

Not long into the marriage, Jill finds out that she is pregnant. Even though she is thrilled at the thought of bringing a new life into this world, she is becoming less tolerant of her role in the Yamashiro household. She wants nothing more than to be able to move into a house of their own, but when a tragedy strikes the family it is soon evident that she will never be free.

When young Kei is born she focuses all of her energy on him, after all he is absolutely perfect and the only thing she needs to get her through her lonely days. With a domineering yet needy mother-in-law, and a workaholic husband, he is the only thing in her life that brings her ultimate joy. But soon it is not enough and she decides that her marriage to Yusuke must come to an end. If she was aware of the laws of Japan when it comes to custody of children, she may not have chosen to do this.

After doing some research I have found out some interesting facts:

-Joint custody is illegal in Japan
-Japanese courts do not recognize foreign custody orders
-Japanese court orders for custody are not enforceable
-Natural parents do not have priority in future custody changes
-Discrimination against non-Japanese in granting child custody
-Fathers of Children Born Out of Wedlock Have No Custodial Rights
-No system to register a foreign parent’s contact information
-Mothers granted child custody in 80% of court decisions
-Child abuse and other psychological factors are ignored in family court decisions
-Adoptions are permitted without approval of the non-custodial natural parent and without approval of a court
-Government officials refuse to help a parent find a child being hidden by the other parent

Unfortunately I was not totally shocked by some of these statements, I just know that I sympathized to my very core with Jill, knowing what kind of fight she was in for to try and get visitation, much less custody of a son born in her husbands native land.

This book is one I would recommend to anyone. It was thoroughly engaging, and gave you a glimpse of how different cultures handle something that is very common here in the US. Well done!

Questions for the author:

Are you a mother?

Yes. I’m the mother of eight-year-old twins – a girl, and a boy. I dedicated the book to my son.

What made you decide to move to Japan (I have always been fascinated with the culture myself)?

I think I originally became interested in Japan through literature. I fell in love with Heian court poetry when I was studying Asian history in college. I loved the idea that courtiers communciated via verse. I also read a couple of novels while I was in college – Equal Distance by Brad Leithauser and Ransom by Jay McInerney – that piqued my interest.

I had the opportunity to go to Japan for one year on a program sponsored by the Japanese government which invites young native speakers of English to assist in English classes in public schools. I renewed for a second year, and during that year I met my husband, who is Japanese.

Do you miss anything about the US?

I miss the wide open spaces, and I think that Americans are more tolerant of differences. I also miss libraries and bookstores full of books in English!

What advice would you give new authors?

Persistence is key! I wrote four novels before this one, and I’ve sent short stories out twenty times or more before getting them accepted for publication.

I also think it’s important to finish your work. At some point you might get discouraged and think that what you’re writing will never pan out, but if you don’t get it down, you’ll have nothing to work with.

Also, join a writing group. And read, read, read.

Chance to win free books…Yeah!

So, I was poking around Maw Books – one of my new favorite sites (see previous posts) and she did a cool blog entry about all of the people that had visited her blog in the last month (yours truly included of course).  I wish I would have found her sooner, but better late than never.  So, I clicked on her very first visitor listed and came across a book giveaway.  Honestly, this is one of the best parts about being in the world of blogging (at least for me).  So, without further ado:

For your chance to enter, just visit My Random Acts of Reading for more details.  Good luck, but not better luck than me:)