Burton Book Review - Leafing through history

Apr 20, 2009

Mailbox Monday

BurtonReview Monday, April 20, 2009

Happy Monday!! Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week. And I am adding what I purchased.. bad, bad girl...
Here's what I received during the last week:
From a Surprise Giveaway from My Friend Amy : A box of chocolates & goodies for Easter woo hoo and oh yeah:

Etta: A Novel by Gerald Kolpan (Fictional account on the life of Etta Place, outlaw and paramour of William Sundance Kid Longabaugh)

The Glister by John Burnside (An abandoned chemical plant is slowly poisoning its rapidly declining population. Greed and indifference in a coastal town.)

From Paperbackswap.com:
The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. (Book 1 in the Trilogy) by Sandra Gulland
The Last Great Dance on Earth (book 3) by Sandra Gulland
Niccolo Rising, book one by Dorothy Dunnett
"Mary Tudor: The Spanish Tudor" By H.F.M. Prescott

"The Blue Notebook" by James Levine (Requested from ShelfAwareness) A haunting yet astonishingly hopeful story of a young Indian prostitute who uses writing and imagination to transcend her reality.

From Hachette Books to Review:
"Boneman's Daughters" by Ted Dekker
"Follow Me" by Joanna Scott (April 27 Blog Tour Book, got here a bit late!! But I'm halfway done)

Apr 19, 2009

Sunday Short: Giveaway Alerts etc.

BurtonReview Sunday, April 19, 2009

Hello All!

It's the end of the 24 Hour ReadAThon, and I am impressed with those that really were able to put their all into it! Maybe next time I can really participate but with little kids around that is doubtful. My measly progress was entered here on yesterday's post.

The Giveaway for Laura Rider's Masterpiece ended yesterday, and I put the list of names into the Randomizer.. The winners have been emailed and they are: Gwendolyn, Heidi, and CarolSue. Congratulations to you all, and Thank you to everyone who participated.

Speaking of Giveaways, go on over to So Many Precious Books, So Little Time to check out her post on Giveaways Galore!

Theere is also a Book Giveaway at Popin's Lair that ends April 22nd, for "The Lost Hours" by Karen White.

Visit Alaine's Reading Blog to see how she did on the 24 Hr. ReadAThon (she had so much fun!), and then check out her giveaway for the first two books in Christine Feehan's Drake Sister Series. Ends April 28th.

Gwendolyn is hosting her FIRST Giveaway EVER at "A Sea of Books" for Made in The USA by Billie Letts; ends May 10th.

Teddyree at The Eclectic Reader is hosting a giveaway for "The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne, ends April 28th.

Drey at Drey's Library is celebrating Earth Day (April 22nd) with a major giveaway of 6 books total for 5 sets! Enter Here, ends April 30th.

Things to look forward to here at The Burton Review:
"The Unlikely Disciple" Giveaway ends April 25th
"The Noticer" Project Book Review & Giveaway will launch April 27
Blog Tour of "Follow Me" by Joanna Scott, April 27th (giveaway)

Guest Authors:
C.W. Gortner "The Last Queen" visits May 5th to promote his paperback release.
During the week of April 20th, Robin Kaye will answer your Questions that you submitted previously.. (my review to precede of "Too Hot To Handle")

Kendra Leigh Castle will visit May 12th, and giveaway for an ARC of her lastest Paranormal romance.. (My review to precede of "Wild Highland Magic")

I hope to see you visiting, and I will be visiting you!

Apr 18, 2009

Review: "The Girl She Used To Be" by David Cristofano

BurtonReview Saturday, April 18, 2009

"The Girl She Used To Be" by David Cristofano
FICTION
3/19/2009
Price: $22.99/$25.99
ISBN: 9780446582223
Pages: 256
The Burton Review = 3.5 Pretty Good!

This is a debut novel by David Cristofano and he really did very well; it is a suspenseful page turner with threats of violence and romance. Melody is a 26 year old woman who has been in the Federal Witness Program since she was a child. She lost her parents and has no one who knows who she is or who she was except for the bad Mafia guys. Full of psychological issues as she is trying to conform to what the Feds try to identify her as, she wants to fill the void and feel real. She has been assuming the made-up identity since she was six and fleeing from one place to the next for most of her life.

Then she meets one of the sons of the feared Mafia family, Jonathan, who is promising to help her. She is then torn between feeling alive and the reality of the situation. Should she trust him? Should she be swayed by his power, his good lucks or just the fact that someone is paying attention to her?
This is well written and fast paced; the sarcasms that Melody imparts are understandable and believable. The fact that Melody gives credence to one of the bad guys is a bit difficult to swallow regardless of how sheltered she has been, but the author tries very hard to convey the desperation that Melody was feeling. With a rush of Billy Idol and the Scorpions and a red convertible Audi, Melody is searching for the freedom to live as she never has before.

The finish of the book wasn't the predictable happy ending but was satisfying; I enjoyed it as a quick read and I would recommend it for those in search of a general fiction fix.

24 Hour Dewey Spring Read A Thon

BurtonReview Saturday, April 18, 2009

http://24hourreadathon.com/

The First Meme for the Read A Thon:

Where are you reading from today?

"The Girl She Used to Be" by David Cristofano;"The Noticer Project" by Andy Andrews; "Follow Me" by Joanna Scott

3 facts about me …
How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? 3
Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? I've got a family to attend to and laundry so I can't go all out and JUST read.. but I'll do my part :) If I can read those three books that would be awesome and to create their reviews.
If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time? I am doing this for the first time.

The Burton Review Progress:

Book One "The Girl She Used To Be"

It's is 9:33am, I am on Book one, page 121 of 241.

10:30 AM After starting a load of laundry and a Cocoa Puff Debacle I am on page 174.

12:00 PM Finished! Have to check in on everyone, and write the review.

12:47 PM finished Review, the laundry.. the kids are a little stir crazy, but I hope to start Book Two at 1:00

3:25 pm ummm Not doing too good on the reading, but I am on page 48 of "The Noticer Project" book two. April 27th is the Virtual kick off for this book so check back then! (giveaway alert!)
8:34PM Finished "The Noticer", my book #2 and Review is written and scheduled to post 4/27/09.

SO Two Books Read aka roughly 410 pages

8:53 pm, about 14 hours after I picked up the first book, I am about to begin the third (Follow Me, by Joanna Scott)

UPDATE: I read to page 96, and fell asleep around 11:00 PM.. :) I knew there was NO WAY I could keep myself awake regardless of all the Tea I drank. So I'll just continue reading "Follow Me" today but I am not even in the mood to feel rushed through this one. It is a very good story so far, and a thick 420 pages. This is also the Blog tour scheduled for April 27. That's a big day for me (The Noticer Project) and of course I am being audited that day at work.

Others doing the ReadAThon:

S. Krishna at S. Krishna's Books; Alaine from Alaine's Reading Blog; TeddyRee at The Eclectic Reader

Are You Participating?

Apr 17, 2009

COOL BLOGS!! Why I blog..

BurtonReview Friday, April 17, 2009

Okay so I just wanted to my two cents in. I was doing my normal meandering around my blogosphere of fellow book junkies and read My Friend Amy's Post in reaction to another post.. I started writing this really long drawn out comment to that on her post, and I felt maybe I should do a post here myself. (I wonder if long comments on other's blogs are appreciated or irritating?)
And then as I do this post, I hope Amy doesn't think I'm stealing.. LOL.. so everyone go over to Amy's blog and comment OVER THERE too.. (Amy is COOL though so she won't mind)!

The issue is the fact that Blogs are at risk at becoming everything that implies a social network. This means the geeks, the jocks... lol... Can you imagine?! So amongst Book Bloggers, are we all nerds? Perhaps. Do we care how we are specifically labeled? Not really. Most book bloggers I "know" are simply here to be a book blogger. Some have goals, like Amy. Some are just doing it to pass the time and enjoy a brighter life because of it, like me.

So there is a discussion over there at ExLibrisBB about whether or not certain Bloggers are idolized regardless of their quality... I haven't really seen it happen that way though. People visit the blogs they want to. I do not see it as being a form of idolization. (Is that a word?) This actually is not high school, this is internet browsing pleasure and to try to conform a wide group of individuals is foolish.
Things that make you go hmmm..
As far as Bethany's question about reviews not being any better than anyone else's: Let me just say that I know I am certainly not one of the bloggers being idolized, I also know I do not have such fantastic reviews either. I am not a writer, I am a woman of opinions. Therefore I blog about books and how I reacted to them. Then if I can throw in a giveaway, woo hoo that's fun for everyone. If I write a review that makes someone learn something about a book, then I've done my job as a book blogger in my opinion. And I didn't intentionally start my blog as a BOOK Blog, if you look in the beginning of my posts you'll get some odd struggles for a start of a general blog. Then I found it easier to write a book review instead of a personal post, and that's how it evolved. No one in my family was interested in my personal thoughts .. boo hoo.. so I scratched that whole thing altogether.

So if I want to be serious about my blog.. which I am aiming to be seriously entertained by it, let's say my goal is to make as many friends as possible yet not feel stressed about maintaining a blog. And actually the way I am making friends is through commenting on OTHER people's blogs, so it wouldn't really matter if I had a blog or not, would it?
Am I cool? (Only when I want to be) Do I have a cool blog? (It works for me, so yes; I enjoy my playlist all day long)..
Are you cool? (Probably!) Does anyone really truly care? (Not really)

So I just wanted to do a SHOUT OUT TO ALL YOU BOOK BLOGGERS OUT THERE!! GET YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!! AND SING IT!!
"I'M COOL... I'M COOL" (shake your hips..)
You go girl..

The End.

Friday Fill-In & Books & Jean Plaidy

BurtonReview Friday, April 17, 2009

Friday Fill-In is hosted by Janet

1. Join me in reveling in the fact that it is FRIDAY! The ReadAThon is Tomorrow! (Although I'm not officially participating but I'll be cheering you lucky ones on..)
2. Put a little comic relief in your day!
3. Happiness is coming home after a long day at work to a doorstep littered with packages of books.
4. Dazed (the obvious word to go with) and confused.
5. I'm waiting for the mail-lady to leave a nasty note regarding all the books lately.
6.A new ARC is hard to resist.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading St. Thomas's Eve, tomorrow my plans include finishing St. Thomas's Eve and Sunday, I want tostart a NEW book, probably "The Girl She Used to Be" by David Cristofano !

I am about halfway through with St. Thomas's Eve by Jean Plaidy (re-released as Kings' Confidante this year) and if you have read it go on over to Royal Intrigue to participate in the discussion about it around May 1st.

Even if you don't want to participate this time around, we are going to discuss a new one each month and we'd love for you to stop by.

Have a Great Weekend, and let me know if you're participating in the Read A Thon so I could check in on you!

Apr 15, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday

BurtonReview Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Apr 14, 2009

Teaser Tuesday

BurtonReview Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should be Reading:

Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendatons if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

Just began this one last night: "St. Thomas' Eve" aka "King's Confidante" by Jean Plaidy
from p.86:
The men and boys were condemned as traitors, but only one of them was executed in the terrible manner - hanging, drawing and quartering- which was the lot of traitors. This one was to prove an example to the people; as for the rest, they provided the King with an opportunity to stage one of those little plays which he so loved, the ending of which was supposed to be a surprise, but which all except the most simple of men knew to be the inevitable."

Apr 13, 2009

Mailbox Monday

BurtonReview Monday, April 13, 2009

OH MY WHAT A HAUL!!!! TEN BOOKS! Thank goodness we are including a library to the house we are going to build sometime in the near future.

Happy Monday!! Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week. And I am adding what I purchased.. bad, bad girl...

Here's what I received during the last week:

For future reviewing pleasure (watch for these reviews in June):
"Partners" by Dave McGowan "Thomas Brash is trying to escape but knows he never will. Pursuing him is the memory of the family he lost to cholera. Perhaps he believes that traveling alone in a wild, dangerous land will end all his memories; there is no doubt he wishes to be alone. Whatever his intentions the appearance of Frank Clement and the circumstances of that meeting upset those plans. Brash views Clement as an uneducated child who requires fatherly protection and guidance. Clement views Brash as a tenderfoot and can not understand how anyone who knows so little could live so long. These two loners are joined by others and they all become partners. Having achieved relative sanctuary and surrounded by civilization their wilderness past comes back to haunt them."

"Nine Lords of the Night" by E.C. Gibson "I sensed that the world was a labyrinth from which it is impossible to flee." Jorge Luis Borges So begins E. C. Gibson's novel The Nine Lords of the Night... Set against the background of the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, Mexico in 1993 and 1994, the novel explores the antiquities trade and how it affects a group of archaeologists. Betrayals, disappearances, murders, and a labyrinth-like conspiracy reaching from academia to Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico, gradually unravel as the protagonists apply their professional skills to solving larger mysteries."

"The Last Queen" by C.W. Gortner; Paperback releases May 5 from Random House, and the AUTHOR WILL BE HERE for a Guest Post also on May 5th! The story of Queen Juana la Loca, aka Juana the Mad, who ruled Spain from 1506-1509 after her mother’s death, but was then imprisoned for insanity for the rest of her life.

Ordered and received from Thriftbooks.com: (It's a new month so I allow myself one small purchase)
Royal Murders byDulcie Ashdown "A study of the murders of, and by, members of Europe's reigning families which covers a thousand years of history and considers the motives, means and consequences of such crimes"

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom "It is 1537, and Thomas Cromwell is charged with protecting the newborn Church of England. So when one of his commissioners is murdered in a monastery, he sends his sharpest lawyer to investigate. A debut from (you guessed it) former lawyer Sansom." I've had his last installment "Sovereign" for awhile, but have been waiting for this one to read first.

Bought from my local used bookstore (gotta keep 'em in business, so I'm doing a service here)

# 6 & # 7 in the Niccolo series by Dorothy Dunnett (So I'm buying it backwards):

Volume VI: To Lie With Lions

Volume VII: Caprice and Rondo

From Sourcebooks to review in June:

"My Lord John" by Georgette Heyer Set in the last days of the reign of Richard II, just before Henry V succeeded him to the throne, the eponymous hero is Henry's brother, John, Duke of Bedford.

From Shelf Awareness to review:
"The Wish Maker" by Ali Sethi "The unforgettable story of a fatherless boy growing up in a household of outspoken women, The Wish Maker is also a tale of sacrifice, betrayal, and indestructible friendship. Zaki Shirazi and his female cousin Samar Api were raised to consider themselves “part of the same litter.” Together they watched American television and memorized dialogue from Bollywood movies, attended dangerous protests, and formed secret friendships. In a household run by Zaki’s crusading political journalist mother and iron-willed grandmother, it was impossible to imagine a future that could hold anything different for either of them.But adolescence approaches and the cousins’ fates diverge. Samar’s unconventional behavior—in which Zaki has played the role of devoted helper—brings severe consequences for her, while Zaki is sent out to discover the world for himself. It is only after years of separation from Samar that he is forced to confront the true nature of happiness, selfhood, and commitment to those he loves most.Chronicling world-changing events that have never been so intimately observed in fiction and brimming with unmistakable warmth and humor, The Wish Maker is the powerful account of a family and an era, a story that shows how, even in the most rapidly shifting circumstances, there are bonds that survive the tugs of convention, time, and history."

Did you notice my Noticer Project post?

I also received 3 of the "The Noticer" by Andy Andrews.

That means 2 of you lucky readers will get a chance to win one, during the April 27th kick off of the book! Yay for you!

And now I must officially slow down on the requesting of the books!! (slaps hand..) Step away from the computer, Marie... and go read all these books...
:) Oh and I have finally given in to Paperbackswap.com BAD BAD GIRL so I should be getting a couple more...

Apr 12, 2009

Happy Easter!

BurtonReview Sunday, April 12, 2009

I had taken an awesome picture on my iPhone of the eggs we colored today. I was so impressed at the quality, at least how it looked on the phone, I had to share. And since it is a special day I thought I would do a special post and post a pic of the brats that run my life. My mom had come over today for Easter and she had brought those pics of the kids over with her. They came out so good since the brats had a Real Smile and not a Smile For The Camera Smile.

Easter is always going to be a little extra special for me since 2 years ago the youngest brat was brought home on the Easter weekend after he was born.

Oliver, age 2, (God Help Me)

Crimes of Paris Winners!

BurtonReview Sunday, April 12, 2009

Thanks to everyone who commented for the giveaway and became followers. I hope you come back every now & then :)
The top 5 on the Randomizer List that are now Winners are:

Okibi
Eidolons
Alyce
Annie
Darby's Closet

I will work on emailing them in a few moments.. please respond promptly, or the next on the list will take your place!

Congratulations, and Happy Easter!

Apr 11, 2009

Giveaway Alert!

BurtonReview Saturday, April 11, 2009

OK folks. Let's get some linkage going on. Here are some Book Giveaways going on for April!
First off: We have three Giveaways over here at The Burton Review!

"Laura Rider's Masterpiece" ends April 18th
"The Unlikely Disciple" by Kevin Roose Ends April 24th

Vera is giving away "A Lucky Child" at Luxury Reading, ends 4/12

Booking Mama is giving away 3 copies of The Crimes of Paris, ends April 15th.

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away 5 copies each of the following: "Do Over" by Robin Hemley and "Jantsen's Gift" by Pam Cope, ends April 24th.

Teddy Rose at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time also has 3 copies each of the audiobooks Drood by Dan Simmons and Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman, ends April 17th. Enter here.

Smiling Sally is giving away "Journey" by Angela Hunt at Book Critiques, and she has two other giveaways going on there as well.

Dar at Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 5 Copies of "Girls in Trucks" by Katie Crouch, ends April 26th.

Greta is hosting a Giveaway for her ARC of "Riding on Instinct" by Jaci Burton at the longest website address you've ever seen.

Amy is giving away "Clutter Free Christianity" by Robert Jeffires at My Friend Amy's Blog

Luanne is giving away copies of How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp at A Bookworms World, ends May 1st.

Alyce is giving away "Girls with Trucks" at At Home With Books, ends April 15th

Visit "West of Mars" to see another huge list of Giveaways!
*Bumping up :)

Apr 10, 2009

Friday Fill-In

BurtonReview Friday, April 10, 2009

Friday Fill-In is hosted by Janet

"Last week, Anonymous left this comment: "*sighs* The last two of these have sucked royally...I love this thing, but now I'm having to go back in the archives and find ones that aren't totally ridiculous and moronic...". This week, I'm dedicating #1 to Anonymous :-) And...here we go!"

1. Anonymous...go take a flying leap.

2. Having a toddler is a detriment to my health.

3. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, and show you who wins.

4. The flowers blooming is what I look forward to most about Spring.

5. Who needs therapy when you can read all the self-help books you want.

6. The Chocolate Bunny MUST go into the Easter Basket! (But I'm afraid my kid will destroy the house with it)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to kissing the kids night night, tomorrow my plans include gosh darned laundry from hell and Sunday, I want to have a nice family gethering without any tantrums. (Keep dreaming)

Happy Easter to those that celebrate it!

Apr 9, 2009

Booking Through Thursday

BurtonReview Thursday, April 09, 2009

Suggested by Barbara:

Here’s the question:
Some people read one book at a time. Some people have a number of them on the go at any given time, perhaps a reading in bed book, a breakfast table book, a bathroom book, and so on, which leads me to…
Are you currently reading more than one book?
If so, how many books are you currently reading?
Is this normal for you?
Where do you keep your current reads?

I can only keep up with one book at a time. I like to focus on the one book and get involved in it. I think if I tried to read more than one book at one time then I would end up neglecting the lesser worthy read. So that one book goes with me to work, and to the living room after work, and finally to bed with me.. hoping for a chance to read. Which sometimes doesn't happen.

Apr 8, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday

BurtonReview Wednesday, April 08, 2009

The trick is to narrow down a book you are anticipating, to just one. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

"The Queen's Mistake: In the Court of Henry VIII" by Diane Haeger

To be released November 2009.

The thing about this that drives me crazy is I cannot find any information on it. Not even on the author's website. It still has Haeger's "The Secret Bride" featured on the What's New page.

So which Queen? Because most could be considered to make mistakes, except Jane Seymour, she died too soon and couldn't control that. Lots of discussions could go on here!

Apr 7, 2009

Teaser Tuesday

BurtonReview Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should be Reading:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given! Please avoid spoilers!

The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer

p.134
"Miss Trent agreed. She also thought that Courtenay's disgust was considerably stronger than Lindeth's, but this she did not say."
Okay, so not a great sentence but I'm pressed for time. I am enjoying the book though!

Review: "The Unlikely Disciple" by Kevin Roose (*Giveaway)

BurtonReview Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Published March 26th 2009 by Grand Central Publishing
Hardcover, 280 pages
isbn 044617842X
The Burton Review Rating = 3.5

The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University

Brief Synopsis: "No drinking. No smoking. No cursing. No dancing. No R-rated movies. Kevin Roose wasn't used to rules like these. As a sophomore at Brown University, he spent his days drinking fair-trade coffee, singing in an a cappella group, and fitting right in with Brown's free-spirited, ultra-liberal student body. But when Roose leaves his Ivy League confines to spend a semester at Liberty University, a conservative Baptist school in Lynchburg, Virginia, obedience is no longer optional."

The storyline is simple: regular guy (ie. secular) goes to a strict religious school. The author Kevin Roose is indeed a young guy, and the way he writes the book makes it an enjoyable read although his language gets a bit crude at times. He also tends to characterize people by describing someone as a celebrity. (Jamie Lee Curtis for example. What does that mean exactly? Is she still considered hot? Forty years from now one would REALLY wonder what Kevin is driving at.) There are certain opinions he expresses that others may not agree with which may make this a harder read for them. I chose to ignore some of those types of things so I could get to the bigger picture. Truthfully, I learned a lot from Kevin's book because I am also a 'regular' girl. I grew up going to Catholic Church on Sundays, I even taught a little after-school religion myself before I moved out of NY. But honestly, that's as far as I got. This is a great look at how the 'other half' lives.

The book does not set out to convert anyone, it is just a view on the college he attended for that semester and how it affected him. (Kevin himself returns to Brown the next semester). Even so, it has inspired me to have more of a spiritual opening for God. I empathized with Kevin while he tried to fit into the mold of the college, but I also understood the viewpoints of the students at Liberty University. Everything from joining the choir, learning the coursework for his classes, the mindset of the students and Kevin's personal beliefs are laid out in this book like a mini-memoir. Kevin explains the beliefs of the religion while writing of the reasonings behind them and why it clashes with what he has been brought up to believe, such as Creationism vs. Darwinism. Certain things like Global Warming does not exist, homophobia and all the things on the 46 page code of conduct at Liberty were all very interesting. We learn some of the background of Jerry Falwell, Liberty's founder, and sit in on some of his lectures. (Sermons?) It is a very thorough book detailing the day to day activities of Kevin during his time at Liberty. After reading this book, I wouldn't mind sending my kids to Liberty University, but just for a semester. The rules are strict as far as morals go and that's always a good thing in my book.

For Kevin's writing endeavor I give him a 3.5, it was well written for a beginner. A very good topic though, and has already won lots of rave reviews.

An interesting detail about how he actually has to take notes on his experiences is that he has to duck into bathrooms for privacy. His classmates thought he had a bladder problem! Kevin has more information "Behind The Book" on his site, and read an excerpt here from Hachette.
I was very interested in learning how his classmates felt once they realized that "their friend Kevin" was actually there to just be a journalist.

Or you can enter to Win the Giveaway courtesy of Hachette!

The rules:
1. For your First entry, Follow Me, AND leave a comment with your email address. If you are already a follower, let me know that too.

2. For Two Extra Entries, Blog This Contest. Leave me the link to your Blog post.

3. For One Extra Entry, Twitter about this Contest. Leave me your Twitter name so I can check up. (I am BurtonReview on Twitter) URL http://tinyurl.com/ddw9g6

You do not need to leave separate comments, all in one comment is fine. I will use Randomizer to select the winners. You must be 18 years of age or older to enter. The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only. NO P.O. Boxes. One winner per household/IP address. I will email the winners and they must respond within 72 hours. This giveaway will end on Saturday April 25th Midnight E.S.T.
**Giveaway NOW CLOSED**

Apr 6, 2009

The Noticer Project

BurtonReview Monday, April 06, 2009

TheNoticerProject.com is calling on people everywhere to "notice" five people who have made a positive impact on their lives. Who were the most INFLUENTIAL people in your life?
The concept is based on the new book "The Noticer" (Thomas Nelson, April 28, 2009) by Andy Andrews. (The Noticer Project on Twitter) which I am scheduled to review on April 27.

Without further ado my picks for the most Positive People in my life:
1)My mother.
She has shown me that strength, perserverance and love are qualities that will make me a better person, and mother. She has always weathered the storm with grace and I applaud her for making her own decisions and showing me that it is all right to do so. I love you, Mom.

2) My Aunt Nancy.
Of course this is my mom's little sister, because the fortitude and independence runs in the family (please may it drip this way)! My Aunt Nancy has always been there for me emotionally whenever I needed her to be. Growing up she always put a lot of thought into our Christmas gifts as well, which seems shallow to mention but I do so in efforts to show how thoughtful she was even back then. Fast forward a few years and she still has been very generous with me when the needy time came, and I will never forget the gestures she made to me, even when I was miles away. I know that if I called her right now and told her I needed something, she would help me in any way she could. It is such a comfort to know that even though we may be far apart and do not visit often enough, that her love for me never wavers. She has also told me her opinions when I was going in the wrong direction and has helped me to overcome certain obstacles. (Oh yeah and I had my first wedding reception at her house too.. which was the only good thing out of that marriage!) Thanks, Aunt Nancy!

3) My fourth Grade teacher, Mrs. Randall, wherever you are.
Right from the start, Mrs. Randall at Oxhead Road School bonded with me due to the simple fact she also taught my older brother. Mrs. Randall was very kind and so very encouraging. She helped my passion for reading and even for writing. I wrote some of my best stuff in 4th grade!! We wrote poems, mysteries, and even paranormal! She introduced to different genres of books and explained the process for writing. She went the extra mile to make her teaching personal and individual. I always wished I could do 4th grade over again. I will never forget her.

4)My best friend, Mary
Through thick and thin this girl has stood beside me. We were the M&M Twins in High School, dressing alike and always hanging out together. She was one of the few positive things in my life when things seemed so bad.. and she was always encouraging and patient even though I was probably a bit insane at times. She put up with a lot to be my friend and I will always be glad to have spent such wonderful years with her. The only regret is that we are now 1500 miles apart. She needs to come boot stomping in Texas!

5) My best friend, Mary's Mom, Marilyn
Along with Mary, there was always her mom. She was kind and open-hearted and always willing to share her home with me. She even did my laundry for me! She cooked meals for me, she drove me to work, and she cared about me. Having her in my life when I felt that all grown-ups were against was a wonderful thing to have. I will also never forget the love and faith that she had in me, regardless for me being a reckless teenager. I have always termed Marilyn as my second mom.

Each of these 5 people deserve more then just "a notice" that they are special to me, but these are the 5 that I nominate for The Noticer Project. I wish to thank them for all of their love and support; I want them to know that I will never forget their love and generosity.

Mailbox Monday

BurtonReview Monday, April 06, 2009

Mailbox Monday Happy Monday!! Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week. Here's what I received during the last week:

From a Giveaway hosted on BookCritique: Work in Progress by Kristin Armstrong (I love giveaways!)

To review from Hachette: "The Girl She Used to Be" by David Cristofano

To Review from Picador: "The Housekeeper and the Professor" by Yoko Ogawa (Awesome book!! My review has been posted!)

From Hyperion Books, courtesy of Every Woman's Voice WOOHOO:

"The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane" by Katherine Howe which I whined about in my Waiting on Wednesday post.. Schwing I got it on Thursday! YAY

"The Fuhrer Virus" by Paul Schultz, from the author to review

I need to catch up on my reading!!! I am falling behind because of work and kids. How dare they? :)

Apr 4, 2009

REVIEW: "The Housekeeper and The Professor" by Yoko Ogawa

BurtonReview Saturday, April 04, 2009

REVIEW: "The Housekeeper and The Professor" by Yoko Ogawa
Picador Published: February 2009
ISBN-10: 0-312-42780-8 192 pages

"He is a brilliant math Professor with a peculiar problem--ever since a traumatic head injury, he has lived with only eighty minutes of short-term memory.
She is an astute young Housekeeper, with a ten-year-old son, who is hired to care for him.
And every morning, as the Professor and the Housekeeper are introduced to each other anew, a strange and beautiful relationship blossoms between them. Though he cannot hold memories for long (his brain is like a tape that begins to erase itself every eighty minutes), the Professor’s mind is still alive with elegant equations from the past. And the numbers, in all of their articulate order, reveal a sheltering and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her young son. The Professor is capable of discovering connections between the simplest of quantities--like the Housekeeper’s shoe size--and the universe at large, drawing their lives ever closer and more profoundly together, even as his memory slips away.
The Housekeeper and the Professor is an enchanting story about what it means to live in the present, and about the curious equations that can create a family."

The book reads as if the Housekeeper is retelling the story of how she (with her son) came to work in the Professor's little home and the way the three interacted. The Professor's mind is stuck in 1975, with only a plethora of numbers to keep him occupied, and the housekeeper and her son try not to disturb the professor with the reality of the present day, 1992. The trio connect through mathematics and baseball, and the housekeeper herself soon finds comfort in numbers as the book relays the formulas and equations with a poetic thrust that even those who dislike mathematics gain a respect for a number's own mystery.

I had no idea how much of an impact this simple story of being a housekeeper could make. I adored this book, and as I finished this I immediately thought, "5 stars! New favorite!" This is a quick read about the relationships and bonds that are formed even when one loses his memory after eighty minutes. Surprisingly I did not want to put it down, and barely did I have to. Full of sweet nuances of whimsy, hope and friendship the story is so poignant I cannot do justice to the book with my words alone. This is a keeper.

Read an excerpt here at Macmillan.
(which is Copyright © 2003 by Yoko Ogawa; English translation copyright 2009 by Stephen Snyder. All rights reserved.)

Again, I give this book 5 stars, I enjoyed it so much.

Author, Robin Kaye.. Interview & Giveaway Alert!

BurtonReview Saturday, April 04, 2009

Robin Kaye is a romance author, most recently a fan favorite was "Romeo Romeo" last year, which received 4.5 stars on Amazon. Her follow-up to that book comes out in May 2009 called "Too Hot to Handle".

I've been offered the ARC of the book to review, and also have a chance to do an interview with her, and wanted to give YOU, my fellow bloggers/readers/lurkers, the chance to ask Robin some questions too and entering for my gently read copy of "Too Hot To Handle". Robin's website is here.

We are having the interview in late April, so I'll need your questions in by April 5 to make sure everyone has enough time.

*NEW* Robin has very generously offered two Signed Copies as well!! So this giveaway is for One Copy of my ARC, and Two Signed Copies from Robin herself!! WOOHOO**

Comment on this post with your questions and the person with the most interesting questions will be personally chosen as the winner of my Advance Readers Copy.

Have fun.. Get thinking.. Get commenting..to win this Book Giveaway ♥
(I'll be reposting this as needed to bump it up)
CLOSED..
I have emailed
DebsDesk, MorbidRomantic and Florida982002 to get your mailing addresses :)
Congrats to the three of you, and Thanks to everyone for participating!
I do not know if Robin has her copies yet to mail, but My ARC will go out to the first person who responds to my email. Please respond in 72 hours! Thank you!

Apr 3, 2009

REVIEW: "Laura Rider's Masterpiece" by Jane Hamilton

BurtonReview Friday, April 03, 2009

April 9th 2009 by Grand Central Publishing

Hardcover, 224 pages

isbn 0446538957

Synopsis: "Married for 12 years, Laura and Charlie Rider have come to share almost everything: their nursery business, their love for their animals, and, most especially, their zeal for storytelling. And though they no longer share a bed, they are happy enough continuing along in their pleasant, platonic routine. Then Charlie begins an email exchange in earnest with Jenna Faroli, the host of a popular radio show, and, according to Laura, "the single most famous person in the town." Seeing her opportunity, Laura cannot resist using Charlie’s new connection to promote her writing skills, and together, the couple crafts florid, strangely intimate messages that entice Jenna into their game. "The Project," as they come to call it, quickly spins out of control. As the lines between Laura’s words and Charlie’s feelings become blurred, Jenna finds herself effected in ways most disturbing, while Laura is transformed into an artist of the highest caliber—in her own mind. The end results are hilarious and poignant, and for Laura Rider, beyond even her wildest imagination."

It had a rough start, some of the writing towards the beginning forced me to reread a sentence or two to get to their meaning. Too many words and emotions in one sentence? Once we get to the point where we are introduced to all the characters, it flows simpler.
I loved the packaging of this little book, it was quite adorable. A cute little hardcover with a vintage cover, but I had mixed feelings about the contents. I could not bring myself to empathize with any of the main characters; and the subject matter was pretty shallow, or convoluted. I can't make up my mind. It is good that it was an 'easy read'; I am glad to not have spent a lot of time on it. I do not think I enjoy reading about flippant infidelity or trying to find something sensible or positive to possibly come from it. Once I finish a book I would like to come away with a lesson learned, or a sense of accomplishment, but I didn't quite get any good feelings from the book. The subject matter was just not something that could offer a positive take on it. Such as the synopsis warns of disturbing events, but I certainly disagree with the idea that Laura was transformed into a high caliber artist. Humph!

I did enjoy the imagery of the gardens that the Riders had created, I would love to visit such a place. The story was interesting when imagining what in the world was Laura Rider thinking; is she a little off her rocker? All this sinning and emotional upheaval just to learn how to write a romance novel? But for those who don't mind the silliness of the premise then it could be a fun adventure, it is so strange it could be witty. And as I said, it is a quick read therefore if you do decide to read it this is not a book that will take a lot of time, so you won't be mad at it for that. So you decide, do you want to give it a shot? Read the excerpt through the widget below, and if you do want to give it a try come back here and tell me so and I'll enter you in the giveaway courtesy of Hachette books. (I'll give it 3 stars, bordering on 2.5; but everyone has their own tastes!)

1. For your First entry, Follow Me, AND leave a comment with your email address. If you are already a follower, let me know that too.

2. For Two Extra Entries, Blog This Contest. Leave me the link to your Blog post.

3. For One Extra Entry, Twitter about this Contest. Leave me your Twitter name so I can check up. (I am BurtonReview on Twitter) TINYURL IS http://tinyurl.com/d44n3q

You do not need to leave separate comments, all in one comment is fine. I will use Randomizer to select the winners.You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only. NO P.O. Boxes. One winner per household/IP address. I will email the winners and they must respond within 72 hours.This giveaway will end on Saturday April 18th Midnight E.S.T.

Contest winners Are

1. Gwendolyn

2. Heidi

3. CarolSue

I'm emailing you now, please respond promptly with addresses!

CONGRATS!

Apr 2, 2009

The Zombie Chicken Award!

BurtonReview Thursday, April 02, 2009

This is such a Funny award, I am soooo honored for the nomination from Teddyree at the Eclectic Reader!! She has a great blog, go on over and check her out (I bet you already have!)

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all..."

LOL Do YOU believe in the Tao of the Zombie Chicken? At the risk of the wrath of the Zombie Chicken, I hope I choose wisely as I nominate the following blogs for this Award:

S. Krishna at S. Krishna's Books
Serena at Savvy Verse and Wit
Sheri at A Novel Menagerie
Anna at Diary of An Eccentric
Luanne of A Bookworm's World

Enjoy your Zombie Chickens, ladies!

Booking Through Thursday

BurtonReview Thursday, April 02, 2009

Suggested by Barbara:

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

Actually, just last year my local library was moved from an old, small building to a new $11 million dollar 52,000 sq. foot building around the block from where I work. That was an awesome thing in my little world. I even emailed my father about the progress of the library (and he lived 1500 miles away, RIP dad) that's how exciting it was. Unfortunately, it does not stock up on books on Royalty, the Tudors, or Medieval times. But I did use it for awhile there when it reopened and found a few books of enjoyment of course, namely Sharon Kaye Penman's Henry II series. They also had a couple of Anne Boleyn books. And I think they have some Starkey books and Antonia Fraser books so I didn't do so bad, I guess I did get a little lucky in that regard. They also have a used book area where they put donated books 'for sale', but it is really requesting a donation of your choice. I found some awesome books in that area, such as John Gillingham's Richard II, Norah Lofts' Rose of Virtue and a couple of older Edward (IV or V?) titles. I suppose these come from the patron's personal library and if you have the time to look through it you have a great possibility of the allusive find!

As far as my experiences with the Library as a child, ooooh there were many!!! Those days we had to do schoolwork that required research at the library, and I also used that as a quiet place away from it all. I discovered Judy Blume there, over and over again; Anne of Green Gables; Beverly Cleary etc. I also passed notes to boys in the local library as well, so it was not all just books books books. But I do remember biking the mile there and being happy to precariously ride home with an armful of books. The excitement and adrenaline of the new reads surpassed the dangers of falling off the bike.

I would prefer the less active, and quieter libraries but nowadays there are a lot of things going on at the library that prevent it from being the haven that it used to be. There are many computers for civilian use, there are computers for the kids, there are playzones in the kids areas.. all of which create more noise then the occasional 'shhhhhhhhh'. I remember my old library where I would most likely be the only one on the entire lower level and that was an awesome feeling.

Thanks for the awesome question to Booking Through Thursday, what fun to reminisce!

Apr 1, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday

BurtonReview Wednesday, April 01, 2009

The trick is to narrow down a book you are anticipating, to just one.
It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane Release date June 9, 2009

"A spellbinding, beautifully written novel that moves between contemporary times and one of the most fascinating and disturbing periods in American history-the Salem witch trials.
Harvard graduate student Connie Goodwin needs to spend her summer doing research for her doctoral dissertation. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she can't refuse. As she is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the family house, Connie discovers an ancient key within a seventeenth-century Bible. The key contains a yellowing fragment of parchment with a name written upon it: Deliverance Dane. This discovery launches Connie on a quest--to find out who this woman was and to unearth a rare artifact of singular power: a physick book, its pages a secret repository for lost knowledge.
As the pieces of Deliverance's harrowing story begin to fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of the long-ago witch trials, and she begins to fear that she is more tied to Salem's dark past then she could have ever imagined.
Written with astonishing conviction and grace, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane travels seamlessly between the witch trials of the 1690s and a modern woman's story of mystery, intrigue, and revelation. "

I tried to get an ARC copy of this but I guess I failed since it never showed *whimper whine*

And then Barnes & Noble has it as one of their "First Look" early reviewer program but I can't keep up with all these different boards and totally missed that too.

So enough of my whining, I'll find this eventually. What books are you waiting for?