LitFuse Blog Tour, Reviews & Giveaway: Nothing But Trouble & Double Trouble by Susan May Warren

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Welcome to the next stop on Susan May Warren's LitFuse blog tour, promoting her two novels, Nothing But Trouble and it's follow-up, Double Trouble.  Included in this post are my reviews of each book and information on how you can win the copies sent to me by LitFuse Publicity Group.  So here we go...

Part One- Reviews

Book 1 - Nothing But Trouble

Publisher Introduction from Nothing But Trouble:

           

It's not fair to say that trouble happens every time PJ Sugar is around, but it feels that way when she returns to her home town, looking for a fresh start. Within a week, her former teacher is murdered and her best friend's husband is arrested as the number-one suspect. Although the police detective investigating the murder—who also happens to be PJ's former flame—is convinced it's an open-and-shut case, PJ's not so sure. She begins digging for clues in an effort to clear her friend’s husband and ends up reigniting old passions, uncovering an international conspiracy, and solving a murder along the way. She also discovers that maybe God can use a woman who never seems to get it right.




Sent to me for review by LitFuse Publicity Group, Nothing but Trouble is written by the prolific Christian writer, Susan May Warren.  It's the first installment in her new PJ Sugar series, begun in 2009.  My original assignment was to read the next book in the series, Double Trouble, but LitFuse was very gracious in sending me Book 1 per my request.  As this is to be a series, I wanted to get to know Warren's characters from their inception.

When we meet PJ Sugar, she has been away from home for 10 years, following a fiery incident in her past.  A new Christian, she is having trouble with her current boyfriend, a seminary student who can't quite see her as "pastor's wife material".  When the relationship abruptly ends, PJ is given a good reason to head on home-- her sister Connie's wedding.

As the story unfolds over the next three weeks, we learn about PJ's life, the life-changing incident that drove her out of town, and the people who surround her.  Mother Elizabeth, who adopted PJ as an infant, always seemed distant and aloof to her daughter.  Sister Connie, born to Elizabeth mere months after the adoption, was always ahead of PJ, excelling everywhere that PJ didn't.  And then there's the ex-boyfriend Boone, who was the cause of PJ's exodus in the first place.

When PJ returns home for the wedding and to help care for her nephew David, a murder is committed that shocks the entire town of Kellogg.  Between trying to care for Davey and wrestling over her still-alive feelings for Boone, she works to solve the crime before the wrong man is framed for it.

I found Nothing but Trouble to be a fun, light read.  It's a simple murder-mystery story, but the themes of redemption and romance round it out nicely.  Many of Warren's readers will probably relate to PJ, as she struggles with insecurities and real failings.  Christians (and those interested in the faith) will also appreciate her new-found relationship with Jesus, as she learns to comprehend her identity and reconciling that with her new life. 

Warren occasionally includes brief mentions of scripture in her story, including them in a way that isn't too obtrusive and that complements the character development.  On a number of occasions a passage in I Peter is cited, one that PJ uses to try to understand her new identity in Christ.  She really wants to know that God has truly changed her, that she's not the same screw-up she's always been.  Could she make a difference in the world? Is she worthy of God's love and the love of others?

While these are deep issues to ponder, the book also entertains with the murder-mystery theme, fairly chaste moments of romance and frequent sprinklings of humor.  Nothing but Trouble would make a good choice for a day at the beach or a gift to a new Christian woman.  Susan May Warren continues her run of successful storytelling.  When I completed this novel, I looked forward to the next installment in the series, Double Trouble.

Book 2 - Double Trouble

Publisher Introduction from Double Trouble:

"I'm on the case, Jeremy.  A great PI follows her instincts."

PJ Sugar has finally found something she's good at.  Now she's trying not to mess it up.  Her first official case as a private investigator-- well, technically a PI's assistant-- is house-sitting for a witness in protective custody.  No danger involved, assures her boss Jeremy Kane, much to PJ's disappointment.


"Marry me, PJ."

At least PJ can take the next ten days to figure out the rest of her life...especially whether or not she should accept Detective Boone Buckham's marriage proposal.  But one break-in by a late-night prowler is enough to put Boone's request on hold and send PJ's sleuthing skills into overdrive.  Clearly this witness is hiding something...and it may cost PJ her life.


Double Trouble picks up not long after Nothing But Trouble ends.  PJ is still involved with her high school sweetheart Boone, whose feelings for her have never wavered, even during the decade she was away from the town of Kellogg. In fact, he even asks for her hand in marriage.  At the same time, PJ has begun working with her new Private Investigator friend Jeremy, whom she met after returning to town.  She feels a romantic attraction to him as well, but this matter becomes complicated as she works to become a PI herself and as she wrestles with her feelings for Boone.

Amidst all of this lies a witness protection case with which Jeremy and PJ have become involved.  PJ disguises herself as the crazy-clothes-wearing, softball-playing Dally, who is set to testify in an important, potentially lethal court case.  As Dally's safety is at risk, PJ takes on Dally's life while Jeremy squirrels this endangered witness away to safety.  She lives in Dally's home, meets her friends, plays in her softball games, and tries to car for her collection of chinchillas for less than two weeks.  PJ once again has some exciting adventures.  She grows into her role as a PI, tries to make a difference in the world around her, and makes an important decision regarding her love life.

As with Nothing But Trouble, I found this second installment to also be a fun, light read.  The story begins with an exciting stakeout and continues with many interesting situations for PJ to deal with.  The cast of characters is very different-- there's much more time spent away from her family and with the new life PJ adopts as a stand-in for the witness Dally.  There are serious moments of trepidation as she encounters several perilous situations, sometimes even risking her life for the sake of this case.  While there isn't as much humor sprinkled in this installment, it's still there, frequently showing up when 4-legged, furry creatures are involved.  And while there certainly is a romantic element to the story, it's far less prevalent this time.  PJ spends more time developing as a person, trying to decide the direction her life is going to take.

As with Nothing But Trouble, Double Trouble would make a great choice for teen girls, as the material is very clean and deals with many of the identity struggles that adolescents face.  PJ is an inherently nice girl, although she can be mischievous and get herself into some harrowing scrapes from time to time. She's also committed to her new life as a Christian, and this is reflected in the choices she makes in her love life.

I think my only quibble with the story is the amount of time spent on the softball field, a venue that PJ takes on in Dally's stead.  The game is important to PJ's client, so I can understand why she went to stand in for her at some important games.  However, the story got bogged down a bit during the pages of content discussing PJ's work on the ball field.  This of course is a minor issue and will not keep me from reading more PJ Sugar novels!

Warren's next volume is coming out later this year, and it's tentatively titled Licensed for Trouble.  I look forward to seeing where the story takes PJ.   She's a fun character, and I can especially relate to her struggles as an imperfect person.  Like her, I need to remember that I can draw to God's throne of grace to find help in my times of need, because we all have them, don't we?

These titles were provided for review, free of any obligation by LitFuse Publicity Group. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

Part Two- Win My Copies!

While I enjoyed both of these novels, I want to share them with you!  So you can be up to speed on PJ Sugar, I'm offering Nothing But Trouble and Double Trouble  to ONE winner!  Here are the contest rules-- be sure to read them carefully!

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, March 13th
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure your posted comment includes your email address. 
• I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 14th.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will not hit your spam folder, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries (Please make note of your bonus entries in your comment(s)):

• Follow the blog by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL to this contest in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and March 13th.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.  Here's a sample tweet that you can use:

@litfuse blog tour of @SusanMayWarren 's PJ Sugar series. Stop by The Calico Critic 4 reviews & a double giveaway! http://4193a405.qvvo.com 

And here's what the direct URL looked like, which you can find on your Twitter account by clicking on your time code under your tweet:

http://twitter.com/lhartness/status/9578105499

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to the contestants!

Teaser Tuesdays - February 23 - Angel & Apostle

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

The voice of Pearl, bastard child of Hester Prynne, the adulteress of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, imagining her mother's experience during her time on the scaffold, facing her public condemnation of her sin, with newborn Pearl in her arms:

"I've attended my share of public stripings and shamings-- idle bond servants, Antinomians, vagrant Indians turned lewd by the white man's spirits--and could well picture the greedy masses milling at her feet, snickering over apples and gnawed cheese rinds.  What I couldn't see was my own small self wailing in her arms with no history, no memory."

pg. 10, Angel & Apostle
by Deborah Noyes

Feel free to leave a comment here with any thoughts you have about Angel & Apostle.  If you have a teaser of your own to share, post it here or give us your link!  And while you're at it, share your link on MizB's site as well.  Happy reading!

In My Mailbox - February 21st

Welcome In My Mailbox on The Calico Critic!  This weekly post reports the books and related materials that have found their way into my collection this week.  This meme is sponsored by The Story Siren and The Printed Page ("In My Mailbox"/"Mailbox Monday").  Thanks to any fellow participants who stop by The Calico Critic!  I'll do my best to get around to as many of your sites as I can this week. 

I haven't participated in this meme in well over a month!  I've had so many cool things come in, I couldn't not post today.  I'm not going to share a whole month's worth of deliveries, but here's what has arrived since February 7th:

Monday, February 8th -Sent over from Random House/Doubleday, The Man from Saigon by Marti Leimbach was made available via the Shelf Awareness email.  Supplies are available while they last.  You can click on the link below and order an ARC.  Hopefully they still have copies left:

http://www.randomhouse.com/quizzes/index.cgi?DDArcSaigon

On January 22nd I won a copy of The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey from the publisher Center Street in a giveaway on Twitter.  It arrived today!

Tuesday, February 9th - World Without End by Ken Follett arrived, which I won from Michelle at The True Book Addict.  She sent the library binding version, which is great!  Nice and sturdy.  Thanks Michelle!

Wednesday, February 10th - The following were sent by Sourcebooks
to read and review for their upcoming promotions:

The Man Who Loved Pride & Prejudice by Abigail Reynolds

A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware

A Woman of Influence by Rebecca Collins

I'm really looking forward to these.  I've been meaning to get into Rebecca Collins' series, and I have aspirations of reading the other 9 books before Woman of Influence, although I think I might be kidding myself with that idea.

Thursday, February 11th - The Twilight Gospel: The Spiritual Roots of the Stephanie Meyer Vampire Saga by Dave Roberts.  This was sent over by LitFuse Publicity for it's upcoming blog tour in April.  I've actually never read Twilight, and now that I have this title, I'm looking forward to reading both.


 

 Friday, February 12th - Kimberly Pauley hosted a giveaway on YA Books Central for those signing up for her newsletter.  When I won, she chose to send me the book Tempo Change by Barbara Hall.  As a former musician (French Horn), I think this'll be a fun one!

Tuesday, February 16th - Macmillan was giving away free copies of The Girl Who Could Fly through their Macmillan Kids e-newsletter, so I signed up to receive this novel by Victoria Forester.  It seems to be getting great reviews.  I'm hoping that my 9 yr-old will read it after I've had a chance to check it out.


                    

I received Darcy's Story by Janet Aylmer in a Goodreads Swap.  Thanks, Lucy--it looks practically brand-new!   ;)
               

Jennifer Donovan at 5 Minutes for Books sent me Godmother by Carolyn Turgton after a contest win.  I love Cinderella stories, so this tale of the Fairy Godmother looks intriguing.  Thanks, Jennifer!

Friday, February 19th - This Laura (me) was thrilled to receive The Swan Thieves audio book from another Laura, who was hosting a giveaway at her blog, The Book Tree.  My print version of Thieves looks a little intimidating, and audio books always help.  I also have a long drive from Vero Beach to Charleston, SC next weekend, so this will be coming with me. Thanks, Laura!

 
Saturday, February 20th - From a giveaway at Boof's Bookshelf comes an ARC of Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin.  I must say, I was highly influenced by the wonderful cover art on this one. And of course the subject matter looks interesting, too.  I'm honored to be one of Boof's winners in her first-ever giveaway.  Thanks, Boof!
                   
 

Before Thanksgiving last fall, I won a copy of Decoding the Lost Symbol by Simon Cox from Sandy at Lil' Maddies MeeMaw.  Due to a mix-up with the publisher, it took a little while to get here.  Thankfully, Sandy was willing to stick with me and it eventually came through!  I look forward to reading this in conjunction with Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.  Thanks, Sandy!





Whew!  That was a great couple of weeks.  Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.  Keep your eyes open-- whenever I get these read & reviewed, most of them will go up for giveaway!

Weekly Contest Report - February 17

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Every Wednesday I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out!

• Rebecca at Number One Novels is giving away a copy of N. K. Jemisin's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.  Deadline is 2/28.  Here's the link:

http://numberonenovels.blogspot.com/2010/02/n-k-jemisin-hundred-thousand-kingdoms.html

• Jami at YA Addict is celebrating her 50+ followers by giving away 1 of 5 YA books to her winner!  She will announce the winner on March 12th.  Here's the link:

http://yaaddict.blogspot.com/2010/02/50-followers-and-pick-your-lit-contest.html

• Simcha at SFF Chat is giving away a copy of One Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin.  Deadline is February 28th.  Here's the link:

http://blog.42scifi-fantasy.com/2010/02/book-giveaway-hundred-thousand-kingdoms.html 

• Choco at  In Which a Girl Reads is hosting a giveaway celebrating her 400+ followers! The winner gets to choose any book from The Book Depository under $20.  Deadline is March 6th at 11pm EST.  Here's the link:

http://inwhichagirl.blogspot.com/2010/02/400-followers-giveaway-international.html

Hook & Jill Contest results

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Thursday, February 18th Update:  

I never heard from our contest winner, so I've drawn another name.  Our new winner is Michelle Sherman of Literarily Speaking!  She was assigned entry numbers 20 & 21, and number 20 came up at the top of my list in the Random.org draw.  Congrats to Michelle, and thanks to all who participated!

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 Sunday, February 14th

To those of you checking in, I have chosen the winner for the Hook & Jill giveaway and have emailed the winner.  I'm waiting to hear back from them before I post the results.  So be sure to check your email box to see if I've written you.  The winner has until Wednesday, 4:30pm EST to send me their mailing information.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to not only enter the contest, but to also offer their opinions about this novel.  It's the first negative review that I've written, but I've enjoyed the interaction with those who hold different sentiments than mine.  Thank you for submitting your thoughts.

To the contest winner:  If you have a blog, I would love to read your thoughts after you finish the book.  And if you don't have a blog, feel free to come back here to share your review. 

Thanks, everybody!

Laura

Weekly Contest Report - February 10

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Every Wednesday I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out!

• The folks at Movie Room Reviews are giving away a copy of the BBC's Emma on DVD.  The deadline is 8pm EST on February 13th, so hurry!  Here's the link:

http://www.movieroomreviews.com/emma-dvd-giveaway?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MovieRoomReviews+%28Movie+Room+Reviews%29

• Brodi Ashton is giving away books that she scored at Authorpalooza. You get to pick from quite a few!  I don't know when the deadline is, but here's the link:

http://brodiashton.blogspot.com/2010/02/having-passion-for-writing-why-ill.html

• Louise over at Mom Start is giving away a copy of the BBC's recent version of Emma on DVD.  Deadline is February 22nd.  Here the link:

http://momstart.com/2010/02/bbc-america-presents-emma-mini-series-on-dvd-giveaway/

• The Undercover Book Lover  is having a birthday bash, celebrating Reggie's 15th birthday.  She's got a big selection of 10 books she's offering.  Deadline is 3/10.

http://theundercoverbooklover.blogspot.com/2010/02/birthday-bash-contest-international.html

Teaser Tuesdays - February 9 - Double Trouble & a HUGE Giveaway!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

"Here's the score, pal: I'm hungry; I smell like two-day-old gym socks; I live with my newlywed sister adn her Russian in-laws, a goat, and my nephew, Davy, who wakes me every morning with a mind-jolting jig on my bed.  My bedroom is located next door to the newlyweds, I have all of twenty dollars to my name, and I've just sacrificed my favorite uninsured car for the cause of justice."

pg.22, Double Trouble
by Susan May Warren

In celebration of the release of Double Trouble, LitFuse Publicity Group is hosting a super giveaway.  Click on the button below to enter!

***About the Contest***

Be sure to enter the Double Trouble Prize Package Giveaway by clicking on the "Double the Sass” button above or in the left hand sidebar!  ENTRIES NOT ACCEPTED HERE on The Calico Critic-- Click on the button!  Susan’s giving away an iPod prize package that is anything but troubling.  Check it out!

Prize Details

Double Trouble, the brand new PJ Sugar novel by Susan May Warren, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, she's running a HUMDINGER of a contest!!

One Grand Prize winner will receive a $150 SUPER SLEUTH prize package that includes:

• A brand new iPod Shuffle (perfect for those all-night stakeouts)
• A $10 iTunes gift card (we recommend the ALIAS soundtrack)
• A $10 Amazon gift card (why yes, they do sell spy pens)
• A $10 Starbucks gift card (for fuel, obviously)
• A pair of designer sunglasses (be stealthy AND super chic)
• A gorgeous scarf from World Market (can also be used as a blindfold, and/or for tying up bad guys)
• AND signed copies of both Nothing But Trouble & Double Trouble. (romance! danger! intrigue! sooo much better than Surveillance for Dummies!)

The super sleuth winner will be announced on March 1st.  Good luck!



http://www.susanmaywarren.com/contest.html

Calico Critic Upgrade - We've Got New Pages!

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Thanks to Rebecca at Lost in Books, I learned of a new feature in our Blogger software.  We can now add internal pages, separate from our regular blog posts.  For now, The Calico Critic has it's regular Home Page, plus five new ones:

• Book Reviews - An alphabetical listing of all the book reviews on The Calico Critic.  Each book title is linked back to the original review posting.

• Film/DVD Reviews - An alphabetical listing of all the film and DVD reviews on The Calico Critic.  Each title is linked back to the original review posting.

• Giveaways - This will show all our current, active contests in progress on The Calico Critic.  Deadline dates and links back to the giveaway posts will be included.  Below those will be a listing of our previous contests and their winners.

• Swaps - I enjoy the Goodreads.com Swap program.  This page will be used to list all the books I have available for this.  If you see titles that you want, click on their respective links to go to Goodreads to participate.  I also have a link to my Goodreads Wishlist, should you dare to wade through it!

• Contact / Policies - In addition to my contact information, this page details my review policies and giveaway rules. 

I'm sure there will be more pages to come in the future, but for now I'm excited to branch out in these new ways.  Thanks again, Rebecca!

Weekly Contest Report - February 3 - Maze Runner Winner Announced and Listing Contests of the Week

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Every Wednesday I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out!

• Katy at A Few More Pages is hosting a really cool Alice in Wonderland-themed giveaway, with several items included in it.  Deadline is 2/28.  Here's the link:

http://fewmorepages.blogspot.com/2010/02/few-more-pages-in-wonderland-giveaway.html

• Jackie at My Ever Expanding Library has a goal of reaching at least 100 followers, and is hosting a giveaway. She's offering up Hush Hush, Beautiful Creatures, and maybe even a treat from The Book Depository!  Here's the link:

http://everexpandinglibrary.blogspot.com/2010/02/help-me-reach-100-contest.html

• Lisa at A Life Bound by Books is holding a 150 follower giveaway.  Two gifts from The Book Depository!  Deadline is 3/15.

http://alifeboundbybooks.blogspot.com/2010/02/contest-to-celebrate-150-followers.html

• Grace at Books Like Breathing is offering up Marsha Altman's The Darcys and the Bingleys Trilogy.  You must enter via her special form, and the deadline is 2/12.  Here's the link:

http://bibliophile23.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/the-darcys-and-the-bingleys-trilogy-giveaway/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog

• Marie at The Burton Review is hosting a giveaway for the re-issued and now full length edition of The Island of the Swans. Deadline is "around February 12th."  Here's the link:

http://www.theburtonreview.com/2010/02/giveaway-ciji-ware-interview-author-of.html

Below is the announcement of  the winner of The Maze Runner giveaway! 

Teaser Tuesdays - February 2 - Nothing But Trouble & a HUGE Giveaway!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

"PJ didn't have to turn from her crouched position on the wet deck around the pool to recognize Director Buckham's voice.  She heard the derision in the nickname he'd bestowed upon her-- Nothing but Trouble-- as if he'd sworn out the restraining order yesterday."

pg.49, Nothing But Trouble
(Large Print Edition)
by Susan May Warren 

Sound good?  Well how about the sequel?  Check out this great giveaway, celebrating the release of Susan May Warren's Double Trouble:

About the contest!

Be sure to enter the Double Trouble Prize Package Giveaway by clicking on the "Double the Sass” button above or in the left hand sidebar!  ENTRIES NOT ACCEPTED HERE on The Calico Critic-- Click on the button!  Susan’s giving away an iPod prize package that is anything but troubling.  Check it out!

Prize Details

Double Trouble, the brand new PJ Sugar novel by Susan May Warren, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, she's running a HUMDINGER of a contest!!

One Grand Prize winner will receive a $150 SUPER SLEUTH prize package that includes:

• A brand new iPod Shuffle (perfect for those all-night stakeouts)
• A $10 iTunes gift card (we recommend the ALIAS soundtrack)
• A $10 Amazon gift card (why yes, they do sell spy pens)
• A $10 Starbucks gift card (for fuel, obviously)
• A pair of designer sunglasses (be stealthy AND super chic)
• A gorgeous scarf from World Market (can also be used as a blindfold, and/or for tying up bad guys)
• AND signed copies of both Nothing But Trouble & Double Trouble. (romance! danger! intrigue! sooo much better than Surveillance for Dummies!)

She’ll announce our super sleuth winner on March 1st.  Good luck!



http://www.susanmaywarren.com/contest.html

Book Review and Giveaway: Hook and Jill by Andrea Jones

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The re-telling and re-formulating of classic tales have been a part of literature and entertainment  for many years.  Victor Hugo's Les Miserables was made into a popular Broadway musical.  Marvel comics recently produced a Pride and Prejudice graphic novel.  In the 1991 film sequel Hook, Robin Williams became a grown-up Peter Pan.  Popular narrative themes will always be recycled and reincarnated, and we frequently gobble up these tales.  They carry familiar characters that we enjoy, and we like returning to the world we traveled to in the first place.

I've been a fan of James M. Barrie's Peter Pan since I was a child.  Even before seeing the animated Disney film, I owned an illustrated book on tape that nearly became worn out from use.  I enjoyed Robin Williams' interesting take on the boy who finally grew up.  And I continue to enjoy the series of books that Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have written for children in their Peter and the Starcatchers series.  So, I am certainly not a Pan purist.  Playing with the mythology a bit can be fun.

When Andrea Jones' Hook & Jill arrived for my review, I was more than eager to fly back to the Neverland and spend some time with Peter Pan, Wendy and Captain Hook.  The beautiful cover art was very enticing, promising a lush, exciting adventure.  I expected some twists and turns with the mythology of the story, and this book certainly delivered.

Jones is clearly a well-educated and experienced writer.  This may be her first book, but she exhibits much experience in her craft.  However, I found this book a bit of a challenge to get into at first.  I found Andrea's writing to be lush, but at the same time I was frequently disoriented, not understanding some of the narrative leaps in the story.  This may be due to my weaknesses as a reader, as opposed to any fault in her writing.

Hook & Jill's characters are all the ones we've come to love in the Neverland, but they all develop in ways that I never expected.  Evil characters become decidedly less evil, heroes become murderers.  Attraction blooms in surprising places.  In short, much of the world of Peter Pan is turned upside-down.  Jones does show her respect and admiration for Barrie's source material, but she just develops the characters in ways that he may not have done himself, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, I came to dislike this book immensely.  I did have one particular night when I got caught up in the story, was enjoying it and had hopes for the rest of the novel. In fact, I stayed up too late reading!  However, for the majority of my read I was in states of confusion, disbelief and even revulsion.  There were many times when I wanted to put the book down and walk away.  But as a reviewer, I felt obligated to finish in order to provide an honest, complete critique.

Having said all this, my qualms with the book come mostly from my own personal preferences and weaknesses.  Jones' writing is rich and colorful, almost poetic at times.  My frequent inability to follow her train of thought probably stems from inexperience on my part.  Seasoned readers will probably enjoy her style of writing more than I did. 

Addressing my personal preferences:  There's quite a bit of sexual content in this.  I'm not adverse to romance, but I think I enjoy the likes of Jane Austen and other writers who don't feel the need to spell out every tawdry moment in lusty, explicit detail.  If you're into saucy, steamy tales that get you hot under the collar, this one's for you.

I've read several reviews of Hook & Jill, and in many ways I agree with the positive opinions expressed in them.  Jones is a talented writer who clearly has a love for James Barrie's Neverland.  Her upcoming sequel, Other Oceans, will certainly be well-reviewed by many.  If you're up for a tawdry, magical adventure in Neverland, the world of Hook & Jill is for you.   I enjoy a fun, magical adventure.  But in this case I would have preferred more romance over H&J's explicit sexual content.  There are better ways to address the hints of romance that have always been inherent within Peter Pan.  For me, this was just wasn't it.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Publishing Works, Inc. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.  Publishing Works was launched in 2003 as an independent press specializing in regional titles. Since then, the company has grown dramatically to embody a list of titles that spans diverse genres, age levels, and subject matter. Please visit them at their website, www.publishingworks.com, or view their catalog for a complete list of titles.

To purchase this book or any other book published by Publishing Works, visit their online store here. At checkout, include the Coupon Code BLOG for a 20% DISCOUNT, courtesy of Publishing Works, Inc. and their continued support of book blogging! Happy reading!

**CONTEST NOW CLOSED**

CONTEST TIME!

I may not have been enamored with this book, but I'm sure there are those out there who would love it.  If you'd like to have my copy, I'll ship it out to the winner of this giveaway.


Here are the contest rules:

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, February 13th
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure your posted comment includes your email address. 
• I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 14th.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will not hit your spam folder, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries (Please make note of your bonus entries in your comment):

• Follow the blog by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter; be sure to use @LHartness and an URL to this contest in your tweet. You may do this as much as every 8 hours a day between now and February 13th.  For each tweet, please come back and post the URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.    Here's an example of a Tweet, which I posted at about 11:30am on 1/30/10.  Feel free to copy any part of it to retweet:
  
  
  
  
  My review of Andrea Jones' "Hook & Jill" is up, and I'm offering my copy up in a giveaway. http://ead2afc1.qvvo.com
  
  
  And here's the direct URL to that specific tweet:
  http://twitter.com/lhartness/status/8416604315 

Hopefully that's not too complicated!  Thanks for stopping by the blog, and good luck to the contest entrants!

Contests of the Week - January 27th

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This is my weekly post, listing some of the giveaways I'm entering around the blogosphere.  Also, take note of the new button on the lefthand side of the Calico Critic.  The link to Prizey.net will take you to a full listing of all the contests that I'm currently running on the blog. Such convenience!

• Angela at Library Girl Reads is clearing house and giving away several books to make room for her April acquisitions.  Deadline is 2/24.  Here's the link:

http://librarygirlreads.blogspot.com/2010/02/february-2010-giveaway.html

• The long-awaited giveaways of Robin Maxwell's O, Juliet have begun!  Here are some of them:

Allie at Hist-Fic Chick is an O, Juliet giveaway participant.  Deadline is 2/13.
http://histficchick.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-and-giveaway-o-juliet-by-robin.html

Susie at All Things Royal is also participating.  Deadline is 2/13.
http://tudordaughter.blogspot.com/2010/01/o-juliet-by-robin-maxwell-giveaway.html

Lucy at Enchanted by Josephine is giving away a copy.  Deadline is 2/4.  Here's her link:

http://enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com/2010/01/book-review-robin-maxwell-giveaway.html

Lizzy at Historically Obsessed is giving away her ARC.  Deadline is February 4th.

http://historicallyobsessed.blogspot.com/2010/01/o-juliet-by-robin-maxwell-giveaway.html

• Teddy Rose at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away up to 3 audiobooks of The Swan Thieves.  The deadline is February 5th.  If you'd be so gracious as to mention that Laura Hartness of The Calico Critic sent you, I would be most grateful for the extra point!

http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2010/01/giveaway-swan-thieves-by-elizabeth.html

• Seductive Musings is hosting a guest blog post with Sharon Lathan and giving away the first 3 books in her Darcy Saga.  Deadline for the contest is February 6th.

http://seductivemusings.blogspot.com/2010/01/guest-author-giveaway-sharon-lathan.html

Giveaway Winners for "Blackout" and "The Gospel According to Lost"

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Well folks, I have the winners of the two book contests!  I was amazed at how many entries came in for Blackout, a total of 77!  So here's our winner of Blackout:

HOPE!! 

Congratulations, Hope! I assigned you entry numbers 14-47, and number 45 popped up at the top of my Random.org list.  Click here to see the results on TwitPic.


And the winner of The Gospel According to Lost is:

GAHome2Mom!! 

Congratulations! I assigned you entry numbers 3-5, and number 5 popped up at the top of my Random.org list. You can also click here to see the Random.org results on TwitPic.

Congrats to both of the winners!  I'll be emailing you to get your mailing information.  Thanks to everyone who entered the contest.  And don't forget about the other contest going on this week, a giveaway of James Dashner's The Maze Runner.  Click here to go to the contest post.

Contests of the Week - January 20

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This is my weekly post, listing some of the giveaways I'm entering around the blogosphere.  Also, take note of the new button on the lefthand side of the Calico Critic.  The link to Prizey.net will take you to a full listing of all the contests that I'm currently running on the blog. Such convenience!
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• Catherine at Olive Bites is giving away a lovely necklace from Rafya on Etsy.com.  I don't normally enter contests for items other than books, but this one looked really nice. Deadline is 1/31.

http://olivebites.blogspot.com/2010/01/giveaway-beautiful-rafya-initial.html

• Steph at Steph Su Reads is celebrating her blogoversary with a super giveaway! Deadline is 2/28.

http://stephsureads.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-blogoversary-giveaway.html

• Boof at Boof's Bookshelf is giving away 3 copies of  Alice I Have Been. Deadline is 1/31.

http://boofsbookshelf.com/2010/01/18/win-a-copy-of-alice-i-have-been-by-melanie-benjamin/

• The Boston Bibliophile is giving away a bare-bones galley of The Passage.  Deadline is 1/31.

http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2010/01/friday-finds-and-something-for-you.html

• Book Lover Carol is hosting a nice giveaway, awarding the book of your choice if you're the winner.  Deadline is January 25th.

http://bookluver-carol.blogspot.com/2010/01/long-time-coming.html

Teaser Tuesdays - January 19 - Hook & Jill

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

Like a row of knives, each committed to slaughter, [the crocodile's teeth] triggered an uncomfortable memory of Peter's dagger, and his hands wiping a man's blood from it this afternoon.  The warmth receded, and Wendy felt much older than the girl she had been the night she arrived here.

p.18, Hook & Jill by Andrea Jones

This book was provided free of any obligation by Publishing Works, Inc. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

Publishing Works was launched in 2003 as an independent press specializing in regional titles. Since then, the company has grown dramatically to embody a list of titles that spans diverse genres, age levels, and subject matter. Please visit them at their website, www.publishingworks.com, or view their catalog for a complete list of titles.

To purchase this book or any other book published by Publishing Works, visit their online store here. At checkout, include the Coupon Code BLOG for a 20% DISCOUNT, courtesy of Publishing Works, Inc. and their continued support of book blogging! Happy reading!

Feel free to leave a comment here with any thoughts you have about Hook & Jill.  If you have a teaser of your own to share, post it here or give us your link!  And while you're at it, share your link on MizB's site as well.  Happy reading!

Book Review: The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran

I placed a request for an ARC of The Wives of Henry Oades purely based on a brief notice that I read in the Shelf Awareness daily newsletter.  In 1892 a man loses his wife in a fire, moves away and remarries years later.  Incredibly, she was alive all along (secretly abducted by local Maori tribesmen) and shows back up in his life.  What to do??

As I write all those plot details, please know that these aren't major spoilers-- the plot points are offered in the basic description on the novel's back cover.  While major incidents, there's more to this story than a simple separation-and-reuniting tale.  The characters take a journey that goes far beyond the massive number of miles they traverse.

Tales of the old American West have never appealed to me. It might be due to the fact that movies of this time period seem to be dusty, lawless and uncomfortable.  These films have influenced my view of the genre.  After receiving the ARC, I realized that much of the story takes place in the frontier, both in New Zealand and in the American West.  I hoped that the story of Henry Oades' family would rise above my usual low expectations of the venue.

From the first sentence, Moran's writing drew me in.  While this might be her first novel, she clearly has a firm grasp of the English language.  She takes us from Britain all the way down to New Zealand, finally ending in California.  We come to know and love the Oades family: Henry, the husband and father always determined to provide for his household.  Margaret, devoted wife and mother to his children.  She's willing to leave their life in England for her husband's career, and later she overcomes incredible odds to return to him.  John, the strong son who survives much in his young life.  Josephine, the daughter whom, like John, we see grow up over the course of the story.  Other family members follow, and over time things become very complicated.

I will stop there with the plot summary, lest I give away too much.  Suffice it to say, I was thoroughly satisfied with The Wives of Henry Oades, both with the style of writing and the compelling nature of the story.  Amazingly enough, it's based on the record of a series of court trials that truly happened.  Given everything that these individuals went through, it's an amazing bit of history.  Ms. Moran has fleshed out the court records in a manner that has brought these events to life in a compelling way.  Certainly, it's worth a bit of your own personal history to spend time with The Wives of Henry Oades.

*************************************************************


The release date for this title is February 9, 2010.  Johanna Moran will be coming to my town on March 11th for a book signing at The Vero Beach Book Center.  I will have her sign the book and will offer it up as a giveaway on The Calico Critic.  So check back here soon to win your own copy!

Flickster Friday - The Maiden Heist

In addition to book reviews, I enjoy critiquing movies as well.  Recently my husband and I watched The Maiden Heist.  Although I enjoyed it, Jonathan really loved the movie.  So he's going to be a guest reviewer this week!  So please welcome...the love of my life...Jonathan Hartness!
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I had never heard of this movie until my wife brought it home.  As the film had no advertising or press junket, we did not expect a great story.  We were pleasantly surprised.  I would not have put Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman, and William H. Macy together, but they really complement each other.  And Marcia Gay Harden fits her role perfectly.  Their characters are fleshed out in subtly humorous ways.

The plot follows three men living the quiet autumns of their lives.  They decide to support their passion for three works of art by planning an uncharacteristically bold art heist.  They slowly bumble through a security-busting plan, trying to prove to themselves that they can do it.

The nuances of this film make it a quiet charmer.  I recommend it for a low key evening at home.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Gospel According to Lost by Chris Seay

Title: The Gospel According to Lost
Author: Chris Seay
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-0-8499-2072-1
 
When the television show Lost made its debut in 2004, I quickly became a loyal viewer.  The storytelling was like none I had ever seen, and I was captivated by the mystery and intrigue.  Each character on the program had their own narrative, compelling in their own way.  The writing was intelligent and assumed that the audience would be, too.  And while some seasons have been stronger than others, I've seen every episode over the years.

Author Chris Seay, pastor and president of Ecclesia Bible Society has bought into the world of Lost as well.  So much so that he's written The Gospel According to Lost, his take on how the program's themes and characters are echoes and examples of Christian faith, theology and philosophy.

The initial chapters of Seay’s book reflect on Lost in general and begin to draw his first parallels between the show and his Christian faith. He discusses the power of television and how Lost is very different from other programs being produced today.  Major themes that will be discussed in the book are presented.  He discusses the tension of good and evil on the show, as well as in many epic stories.

Chapters 3 through 17 are each devoted to one or two of the show’s characters at a time.  He analyzes their histories, their struggles and how their development frequently can be compared to Biblical and Christian themes.  Each chapter opens with lovely artwork, portraits of the characters done by artist Scott Erickson.  His Epilogue gives recommendations on how to enjoy the upcoming final season in light of what he’s presented to his readers.

As a Lost fan and a Christian, this title was quite fun to read.  It was great preparation for the upcoming (and final) Season 6, debuting on February 2nd, 2010.  Many months have passed since I’ve seen a fresh episode, and going through all the major characters in this way was very enriching.  Not only do I have their story arcs fresh in my mind, but I now have a deeper medium to which I can relate them.

As a reader, though, sometimes I found Seay’s writing to lack a sense of identity.  In one moment he’s spouting high-end vocabulary words that seem out of place in his sentences.  In another moment he’s making parenthetical jokes that are from somewhere out in left field.  While I understood everything he’s presented, the style of writing was somewhat distracting at times.  By the end of the book Seay seemed to find his voice a little better and settled down a bit.  When he wrote from his heart, in language that he would use every day, he did well.  When he tried to sound like a college professor, it came off as stilted and inauthentic.

That being said, The Gospel According to Lost would make a great read for Christian fans of the program.  It’s not suited for people who are unfamiliar with the show, but that’s okay.  Those who read this can easily take the ideas that he presents and share them with others out there, even those who haven’t seen the show.  As he suggests in his Epilogue, use the show’s popularity and the concepts he shares to be a springboard to deeper discussion with those around you.  We are all searching, but in having faith in Christ, none of us are truly Lost.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Contests of the Week - January 13

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Now that we've all recovered from New Years, there are lots of contests going on that I'm entering.  Here are a bunch to share with you! 
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• Kristi at Books and Needlepoint is giving away a copy of the audiobook of The Swan Thieves.  Deadline is February 9th.

http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2010/01/swan-thieves-by-elizabeth-kostova.html

• The Review Broads are giving away a copy of The Swan Thieves.  Deadline is  January 19th-- pretty soon!

http://www.thereviewbroads.com/2010/01/book-reviews-giveaway-swan-thieves.html

       And here's their giveaway of a Winnie the Pooh Valentine's DVD.  It looks really cute!  Deadline is January 22nd.

http://www.thereviewbroads.com/2010/01/dvd-reviews-giveaway-winnie-pooh.html

• Margaret at Creative Madness is also giving away a copy of The Swan Thieves.  Deadline is January 18th-- hurry!

http://cherryblossommj.blogspot.com/2010/01/giveaway-swan-thieves-by-elizabeth.html

• Blog with Bite is giving away Beautiful Creatures.  Deadline is January 22nd.  Here's the link!

http://blogwithbitereviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/bwb-contest-beautiful-creatures.html

• Lori at Msslaydbug is giving away two Amazon.com gift cards. Come join her blog, now on Google Friend Connect!  Deadline of contest is January 25th.

http://www.msslaydbug.com/2010/01/giveaway-win-one-of-2-two-10-amazon-giftcards.html

• Cym Lowell is giving away a copy of his novel Riddle of Berlin. Deadline is January 25th.

http://cymlowell.blogspot.com/2010/01/role-of-emotion-in-riddle-of-berlin.html

• Melanie's Musings is giving away a fun Beauty and the Beast-themed gift back. Crazy Beautiful, Beastly and the DVD Belle and the Beast.  Deadline is February 15th.

http://www.melaniesmusings.net/2010/01/beauty-and-beast-giveaway.html

• Sheila at  Book Journey is giving away a copy of Nicholas Sparks' The Last Song.  Deadline is February 18th.

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/the-last-song-by-nicholas-sparks/#comment-11687

•  Eleni at La Femme Readers is giving away your choice of a 2010 book release (under $25). Deadline is February 15th, so it'll be a post-Valentine gift!
  

http://lafemmereaders.blogspot.com/2010/01/time-for-my-first-2010-giveaway.html

• Allie at Hist-Fic Chick has a wonderful guest post from Sharon Lathan as well as a giveaway of her first 3 novels in the Darcy Saga series.  Deadline is January 28th.

http://histficchick.blogspot.com/2010/01/three-book-giveaway-and-guest-post-by.html

• Monica at the Bibliophilic Book Blog is celebrating her 400+ followers with a generous giveaway.  Each of the three winners gets their book of choice or a $20 Amazon gift card. Contest ends January 30th.

http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2010/01/410-followers-giveaway.html

• Country Girl City Life is giving away a copy of The Lost Symbol. Deadline is January 23rd.

http://countrygirlcitylife.com/2010/01/the-lost-symbol-by-dan-brown-book-giveaway/