Wednesday Contest Report - March 31st

Even though I'm writing this on Thursday, I'm going to call this my weekly Wednesday Contest Report! Every Wednesday I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere for that week.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Take a look!

• Today's Adventure is celebrating one year!  The accompanying giveaway is really nice! Lots of books, and even a Harry Potter blu-ray DVD!  Deadline is April 30th.  Here's the link:

http://ultimatebookhound.blogspot.com/2010/04/blogoversary-giveaway.html

• Book Love Affair is celebrating 250 followers with a giveaway! The winner will be able to choose one of 10 book options, which are all books that have been found to be amongst the most creative in BLA's review history.  There's also a Book Depository choice option.  Deadline is May 8th.  Here's the link:

http://www.bookloveaffair.com/2010/04/250-follower-giveaway.html

• Tynga's Reviews is celebrating 600 followers with a free book under $10 from The Book Depository, and a really cute necklace to the winner!  Deadline is 4/24.  Here's the link:

http://tyngasreviews.blogspot.com/2010/04/600-followers-giveaway.html

• Caitlin at the Written Word Review is hosting a Heist Society giveaway.  1st prize is a signed copy of Ally Carter's Heist Society.  2nd & 3rd place winners win signed 8x10 photos of Heist Society.  The deadline is April 12th.  Here's the link:

http://www.writtenwordreview.com/blog/2010/04/01/giveaway-heist-society-by-ally-carter/

Book Review: Brigid of Kildare by Heather Terrell

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I was initially drawn to Brigid of Kildare because of the amazing cover art.  I’m a lover of all things Celtic, and the design of this one was just amazing.  However, we should never judge a book by it’s cover, should we?  Upon reading the plot description, I was hooked.  As a Christian with Irish heritage, this was right up my alley.

Brigid of Kildare combines truth from documented history, mysterious speculative fiction as seen in The Da Vinci Code and just a hint of romance.  Those interested in early Christian history would find this story fascinating.  I know very little of 5th Century Christendom, but reading this has shown me how much has evolved and remained the same over the centuries. 

Changing perspective every chapter or so, the story is told in three motifs:

• Brigid: the Life is told from the narrator’s point of view, in 3rd person present tense.  These chapters witness Brigid’s time as a child, her baptism by the beloved Saint Patrick and her decision to live a life in service to God.  Eventually her story line merges into the same timeline as:
  
• The Letters of Decius, Roman priest and artistic illuminator of scripture.  His encounter is detailed in his personal writings over the course of a couple of years, beginning in 470 A.D.  These pages are later discovered and are a part of the research found in:
  
• Present Day:  Told from the narrator’s point of view, in 3rd person past tense.  Alex Patterson, while appraising relics for the Catholic Church, becomes intrigued with the story of Brigid and goes on a quest to determine if a particular relic is the mysterious Book of Kildare, predating the famous Book of Kells.

While this novel was not a thriller a la The Da Vinci Code, I found it to be very compelling.  Terrell’s writing enabled me to feel like I’d stepped back in time 1,500 years.  The struggles, beliefs and perspectives of each main character moved the story along, causing me to want to learn more and to see where the plot would lead. Each motif was told in a different voice and style, and I found myself constantly changing my preference for one over the other. 

Kildare moves along and winds up the tale in less than 300 pages.  The plot and characters were well developed and I enjoyed my time with them.  There were some (but not all) elements of spirituality with which I could relate, drama in the plot that kept the pages turning, and a very small sprinkling of romance as well.  And while I may not agree with some of the more heretical beliefs of this abbess, I enjoyed meeting her and discovering the world she inhabited.  If what this book postulates is true, the Christian Church (Catholicism in particular) would have been very different today if Brigid of Kildare had not factored into its history.

This book was provided by Amazon.com as a part of their Vine reviewers program. No other compensation for this review was given. Per Amazon's rules, I am not permitted to offer this book in a giveaway.  :(

Contest Announcement - Winner of The Wives of Henry Oades

Well, my contest instructions did say that only one entry could still make you a winner!  Congratulations to Karen K, who is our Wives of Henry Oades winner!  At right:  The Random.org draw with Sarah's #18 at the top of the list.  You can also view it on Twitpic.  Thanks to everyone for their support, especially Sarah who tweeted like crazy!  Stay tuned for my next giveaway, where I"ll be giving away $20 to spend at Barnes & Noble!

Wednesday Contest Report Continued

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The last post was pretty long because of the NLT contest, so I thought I'd start another so the posts didn't get too long.  Here are some more contests going on around the blogosphere:

• Reggie at The Undercover Book Lover is hosting a multi-publisher book giveaway.  She's got 7 sets of 3 books-- the winner gets their choice of prize pack.  Tentative deadline date is April 22nd unless she decides to extend it.  Here's the link:

http://theundercoverbooklover.blogspot.com/2010/03/pick-your-publisher-contest.html#

• Jess at Book Reviews by Jess is having a 400 Followers giveaway, and you get to pick your book prize! Deadline is 3/28 at Noon EST.  Here's the link:
  

http://bookreviewsbyjess.blogspot.com/2010/03/400-followers-giveaway-love.html

Wednesday Contest Report - March 24th

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Every Wednesday I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere for that week.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out - this first one's pretty sweet!

Visit www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation

Click on the tab that says “Sweepstakes.”
Fill out a simple form, take a quick Bible clarity survey, invite your friends to join and you’ll be entered to win one of our exciting prizes.  With each fan number milestone a new prize will be given away.

Grand Prize

Apple iPad 64G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fifth milestone
Retail Value: $829.00

2nd Prize  - Already awarded

32G iPod Touch and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fourth milestone
Retail Value: $300.00

3rd Prize – Will be awarded when fan count hits: 3500

Kindle DX and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the third milestone
Retail Value: $489.00

4th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD

Apple iPad 16G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the New Living Translation Fan Page hits the second milestone
Retail Value: $499.00

5th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD

Apple iPad 32G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the first milestone
Retail Value: $599.00

Prize Eligibility

Sweepstakes participants and winner(s) can be U.S. residents of the 50 United States, or residents of any country that is NOT embargoed by the United States, but cannot be residents of Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India.  In addition, participants and winner(s) must be at least 18 years old, as determined by the Company. 

Sweepstakes Starts

March 17, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

Sweepstakes Ends

April 30, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

 



Wait, there’s more!

Visit http://biblecontest.newlivingtranslation.com/index.php for a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii!

Here are the details - Choose one of six passages of Scripture from the New Living Translation and consider:

• How do these verses encourage you to know God better? 
• What is God teaching you in this passage? 
• How does this passage apply to your life?

Submit your answer and you’ll be entered to win.

Just for signing up: Everybody Wins! Win a Free .mp3 download from the NLT’s new Red Letters Project. It’s the dynamic, new presentation of the sung and narrated words of the Gospel of Matthew. You win the download just for entering! Or choose to download the NLT Philippians Bible Study, complete with the Book of Philippians in the NLT.

Every day, one person will win the best-selling Life Application Study Bible!

The grand prize: One person will win a fantastic trip for two to the crystal clear waters of the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore in beautiful Hawaii.

Visit http://biblecontest.newlivingtranslation.com/index.php for your chance to win!

Good luck!

DVD Review: A History of Christianity

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Sent to me for review by TBB Media, A History of Christianity is a 6-part DVD series produced by the BBC.  The program's host is Diarmid MacCulloch, Oxford scholar and lifelong student of Christian history.  I watched Disc 1, which details the earliest years of Christianity, beginning with Paul's taking the Gospel from Jerusalem to Rome.

Diarmid is certainly well-educated, and his knowledge of Christian history seems to be quite vast.  And while he has his book knowledge, he seems to be genuinely excited about the subject he's discussing.  He presents the first years of Christianity in a factual way, in a manner that's enthusiastic but doesn't belie his own personal beliefs.  For all we know Diarmid could be a Buddhist, such is his presentation of the facts.  He seems excited, but not showing a certain bias either way.

As a Christian, I found this production to be very interesting.  It really gives a glimpse at the breadth and scope of my faith's evolution and constancy over time.  This faith is shown in all it's glory and with it's warts as well.  Despite all the challenges we've had over the centuries, Christians have survived and flourished, even in the most unlikely places.

This program would be excellent for academics, but I think it would also be helpful to many laypersons to see that Christianity is not a "Western" or "American religion".  True, western society and America have added their flavor to many beliefs and traditions, but at it's core, it all goes back to Jesus and the disciples.  And they weren't from Chicago, Illinois.  They were from the Middle East.

As the BBC frequently does, the program has high production values and excellent cinematography.  In the disc that I viewed, there were no extra graphics, dramatizations or the like.  Only shots of things you would see today were shown.  Facts, simply facts.  No speculation, just showing the viewer what is out there for anyone to discover today.

The next 5 discs have the following themes:

• Program 2: Catholicism: The Unpredictable Rise of Rome
• Program 3: Orthodoxy: From Empire to Empire
• Program 4: Reformation: The Individual Before God
• Program 5: Protestantism: The Evangelical Explosion
• Program 6: God in Dock

I think my only quibble with the production is for the lack of more than one set of subtitles.  Spanish is available, but I enjoy my English subtitles and find that I usually learn more by having them on.  They would also prove to be useful for the hearing impaired.  And those of other languages would probably appreciate their texts as well-- maybe add French?

Overall, a big thumbs up to the BBC, and I hope to have the opportunity to view the remaining programs in this series.

Book Review: Angel and Apostle by Deborah Noyes

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 Over the last few years I've become enamored with and entertained by the many Jane Austen sequels, spinoffs and retellings that have flooded the market.  When a pseudo-sequel of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter came my way in the form of Deborah Noyes' Angel and Apostle, I was eager to discover where this story would lead.  No, Nathaniel Hawthorne is not Jane Austen, but like Jane he's a beloved 19th Century author who wrote multiple classic works.  An expansion on his vision was an intriguing concept to me.

My initial reaction to Deborah's writing was that of enjoyment and admiration.  She adeptly captures the flavor of Nathaniel Hawthorne's style, yet without trying to totally mimic it or copy it.  Her writing is rich, poetic and is sometimes worth a pause to read again for savoring.  This is no Chick-Lit spinoff novel.  This is written in the style of literature.

As many spoilers could be given in the summarization of this novel, I'll take care in what details I reveal. Suffice it to say, the entire tale is told from the perspective of Hester Prynne's illegitimate child, Pearl.  The story begins near the time period that ends The Scarlet Letter, 1649.  At it's conclusion, Pearl is a grown woman with an impish child of her own.

I felt that Noyes' vision of what may have transpired in Pearl's life both during and after the conclusion of Letter was believable.  Characters and plot devices continue on paths that are either well-worn or are reasonable to assume.  Hester wallows in her shame and self-condemnation, transferring much disdain to Pearl.  Men are frequently callous, cruel and self-serving.  Hardship and death seem to be around every corner.

While I admire Noyes' writing style and agree with the decisions she made in crafting the story, the book was hard to complete.  The plot was frequently dour, and there are few moments of mirth or levity to be found.  This may be true to Hawthorne's original work, but I didn't find it enjoyable or enticing.  In general I give Noyes high marks, but in the end I was glad to be done with this title and ready for something moderately optimistic.

In the near future I'll be reading another book of this type, Hester by Paula Reed.  Both it and A & A will be offered in a Scarlet Letter prize pack giveaway after I post my review.  I hope Hester is a more enjoyable experience.  Regardless, in the meantime, my next read will be decidedly more lighthearted than Angel & Apostle.

Wednesday Contest Report - March 17th

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

• Catie at Book Bound is giving away a Princess for Hire prize pack:  The book, candy necklace and bookmark.  Deadline is April 21st.  Here's the link:

http://meow-mix85.blogspot.com/2010/03/lindsey-leavitt-signing-at-kings.html

• Lisa Desrochers is hosting a March Debut giveaway of debut YAs on her blog. The deadline is March 26th.  The books in the giveaway include: 
  
  Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
  Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
  Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White
  The Line by Teri Hall
  The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
  

Here's the link:

http://lisadesrochers.blogspot.com/2010/03/march-debut-contest.html

• The Bookologist is holding a Mega International & Fantastic YA Box Contest.  A dozen YA books are up for giveaway.  Choose 1 set of 4 books out of 3 groups.  Deadline is April 26th.  Here's the link:

http://the-bookologist.blogspot.com/2010/03/mega-international-and-fantastic-ya-box.html

• Beth at Maybe Tomorrow? is hosting a March giveaway.  The winner gets to choose a title from The Book Depository, worth up to $10 Canadian (~$9.89 US).  Deadline is March 31st.  Here's the link:

http://xxbetty.blogspot.com/2010/03/march-giveaway.html

TLC Book Tour Stop & Giveaway - The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran

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Welcome to the next stop on the TLC Book Tour for Johanna Moran's The Wives of Henry Oades.   Recently Johanna made an appearance at an independent retailer in my area, The Vero Beach Book Center.  Approximately 40 people were in attendance for the event, and we had a wonderful time getting to know Johanna.   Her lovely sister Karyn introduced her, describing Johanna when she was a child and her transition from flight attendant to published author.   Before taking questions, Johanna spoke for a few minutes, sharing with us her thoughts behind Oades, yet without offering any spoiler material.

For the better part of an hour we peppered her with questions about her life, career, Oades and her next novel.  Among other details, she shared that she has a wonderful husband who brings her breakfast in bed every day, they exercise together in the morning, and then she spends much of her time doing research and writing.  Unlike some writers, she really enjoys the research process.  For her latest work, she is currently researching the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

While she doesn’t usually have a Words Per Day goal as she’s writing (usually in bed, on the laptop), Johanna tends to finish a scene before taking a break from her manuscript.  For example, if a family in her novel is having dinner, her goal might be to get the meal finished and the characters ready for the next scene.  Sometimes she writes quite a bit in one day, and on other occasions she might only get one page written.  She doesn’t consider herself to be a prolific writer and likes to take her time with her craft.

There are no current plans for a movie adaptation of Oades, but Johanna hopes that one day this might happen.  “From your lips to God’s ears,” she said in response to an attendant’s hope for a film.  I asked her who would have the lead role of Margaret, and she felt that Nicole Kidman would make a good casting choice.  If I remember correctly, Colin Firth would be her choice for Mr. Oades.

After the Q&A time Johanna stayed for a little while, signing books and discussing things further with individuals.  She was very welcoming and kind, and I was pleased to meet her and accept her generous compliments regarding The Calico Critic.

**CONTEST CLOSED - Winner: Karen K!!**

While I was there I had her sign my ARC of The Wives of Henry Oades.  If after reading my review you’d like to have this copy, here are the instructions to enter my giveaway contest.  Be sure to read them carefully!

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, March 27th
• 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 28th.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, 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 27th.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.

For more information on The Wives of Henry Oades, visit Johanna's website for more historical details, a reader's guide and more!

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

In My Mailbox - March 14th, Plus Contest Announcement!

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Announcing the winner of the Double Trouble Giveaway:  Our follower Bhumi!   We've chatted in email, so their package will be mailed out soon.  Thanks to all the participants, and also to litFuse, which provided the complimentary copies of the books.

If the Mailbox Monday post is not visible below, Click on Read more » to see this post in full-length form...

Wednesday Contest Report - March 10th

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

• La Femme Readers is having a huge YA Giveaway.  The deadline is April 15th.  Here's the link:

http://lafemmereaders.blogspot.com/2010/03/ya-contest-that-will-blow-u-away.html

• Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here & Read is hosting a 25 Followers Giveaway, although she's up over 100 now!  One winner gets to pick a Book Depository title, another winner gets to pick from her book pile.  Deadline is March 26th at 12pm EST. Here's the link:

http://ijustwannasithereandread.blogspot.com/2010/03/25-followers-your-choice-giveaway.html

• Stephanie at Curling Up by the Fire is celebrating her 50 followers (now over 70!) and is giving away any Book Depository title worth $20 or less.  Deadline is March 31st.  Here's the link:

http://curlingupbythefire.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-first-giveaway.html

• Amelia at Imagination in Focus  is celebrating her 75+ followers and is giving away any Book Depository title worth $20 or less.  Deadline is March 16th.  Here's the link:

http://leaveyoureyesbehind.blogspot.com/2010/03/its-time-for-giveaway.html

• Khy at Frenetic Reader is giving away a copy of Incareron by Catherine Fisher.  I'm not sure what the deadline date is, but here's the link:

http://www.freneticreader.com/2010/03/incarceron-giveaway.html

In My Mailbox - March 7th

Welcome to 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-- leave a link!

Here's what has arrived since February 28th:

Sunday, February 28th - This came in the mail the day before, but as I'd been out of town, I received it today.  From The B&B Media Group came Good Game: Christianity and the Culture of Sports by Shirl J. Hoffman.  While I wouldn't consider myself to be a sports fanatic, I am a Christian who enjoys watching them from time to time.  It'll be interesting to see how many of Hoffman's conclusions I agree with.  My college hoops-fan husband is going to take a look, too!





Tuesday, March 2nd - Thanks to the folks at Jane Austen Today, I won Marsha Altman's Pride and Prejudice Continues series, a three-book set. When they arrived, I was surprised at how substantial they were.  These are not slim titles that I could finish in one sitting.  I can't wait to dive in!

Wednesday, March 3rd - Portal and matching bookmark, sent to me by author Imogen Rose.  I'm a sucker for time shift/alternate dimension stories.  This one is going to be fun!

Brigid of Kildare by Heather Terrell for the Amazon Vine reviewers program, in a plain-Jane galley, sans this gorgeous cover art.

The Devil and Sherlock Holmes - Galley from Random House/Doubleday

Thursday, March 4th - Angelology by Danielle Trussoni for the Amazon Vine reviewers program.  I'm SO glad this one is in the "must read" pile, because I really want to get to it!  I have to review it for Amazon, otherwise it would just be in the "want to read" pile!

Friday, March 5th  -Thanks to the folks at MomStart.com, I won a copy of the BBC's  Emma on DVD.  When it aired recently, I taped it on my scratchy old VCR and I was going to watch it soon.  I'm so glad to have the superior DVD instead!

 An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor is a book I requested through my daily Shelf Awareness email.  I'd actually forgotten about it, so it was a treat when it came in.  The binding of the book was really nice for a paperback, which included a lovely card stock cover sleeve to slide over it, just like alot of DVD covers have these days.  So nice!

Saturday, March 6th - I found a copy of The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley in The Vero Beach Book Center's used book section.  Jane Greensmith turned me on to this title last year after she kept tweeting quotes from it.  After checking it out from the library several times, I decided that it was time to have my own copy.  Now, to finish it!



Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday Contest Report - March 3rd

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

• Laura at Laura's Reviews is giving away Helen Hollick's trilogy, The Kingmaking, Pendragon’s Banner and Shadow of the King.  The deadline is March 26th.  Here's the link:

http://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2010/03/helen-hollick-guest-blog-author-of.html

• Lions & Men is giving away a copy of Gregory Maguire's Son of a Witch.  The deadline is March 19th.  Here's the link:

http://scififantasyhorror.blogspot.com/2010/03/giveaway-son-of-witch-by-gregory.html

•  Tiger at All Consuming Books has a weekly giveaway, and this week she's giving away Heist Society and Battle Royale.  Winners will be drawn on March 9th.  Here's the link:

http://tigersallconsumingbooks.blogspot.com/2010/03/turnaround-tuesday-giveaway-4-heist.html

• Lucy at Enchanted by Josephine is hosting a giveaway for Shadow of the King.  Deadline is March 13th.  Here's the link:

http://enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com/2010/03/fantastic-king-arthur-giveaway.html

My First Guest Blogging Gig

Well folks, no big posting for today.  I'm in the throes of getting all the products for this website posted, and it's taking a while.  I haven't read my books in days!

However, I did manage to get a posting written this weekend, and it's up on Peace Love & Pat.  My first guest post!  If you're a geeky bookaholic like me, you might like this one.  If not, you'll think I'm just a geek/dork/odd bird.

Since the post is technically a review (of 3 bookstores), I'm going to link it up with Cym Lowell's weekly meme.  So, Cym Lowell visitors, stop by Peace Love & Pat!

While you're here, take a sec to enter the double-book giveaway we're running right now!

Have a great week...

Laura

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

*
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

*
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!

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

*
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