Here is my criteria for loving a book: I don't want it to end so I drag out reading the last few chapters. That was the case with my most recent read, The Means that Make Us Strangers, Christine Kindberg's debut novel. The book caught my attention when a friend tweeted that it had won the 2020 Christie Award… Continue reading THE MEANS THAT MAKE US STRANGERS: A YA Debut Novel Review and a Giveaway- Part I
Congratulations to Monica O' Quinn who won A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord. Thanks to so many of you for entering; this was a popular giveaway. And here's another! Last week you heard how Ohio author Kathy Wiechman, the self-proclaimed "poster child for perseverance" attended workshops and critique groups for years before stepping into the… Continue reading You Heard it Here First: Kathy Wiechman's Path to the Grateful American Book Prize- Part II
Congratulations to Linda Andersen for winning a copy of Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling. ********** When I recently completed reading John Bemis' first book in the Clockwork Dark Trilogy, The Nine Pound Hammer, I considered reviewing it here. But then I found this excellent review and figured I couldn't do any better. Instead, John agreed to answer questions about how… Continue reading The Nine Pound Hammer: An Interview with John Bemis and a Giveaway
Sometimes titles of books are difficult to come up with. But when I consider, Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling (PenguinRandom, 2014) I think, Lucy Frank, this title is perfect. Written out of Ms. Frank's own battle with Crohn's disease, this novel-in-verse is simultaneously beautiful and earthy. The premise is simple and as alluded to by the… Continue reading Two Girls Staring at the Ceiling: A Review and a Giveaway!
Congratulations to Kathleen Burkinshaw who won Miriam Franklin's ARC, Extraordinary. Random.org didn't know they are both Sky Pony debut authors--but I did! Look for a review and giveaway of Kathleen's book, The Last Cherry Blossom next fall. ******* How many of you have heard of pellagra? Before reading Red Madness, I was unfamiliar with the disease. But reading… Continue reading Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat