Thursday, April 16, 2015

Shelf Life Audio + Giveaway

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~




Synopsis: Publishing: An industry of out-of-control of egos, unrealistic expectations, and books with the shelf life of milk. This is Kate’s world, but for how long?


When one of Kate Mitchell’s star authors is carted away in handcuffs, she thinks it’s only the beginning of her troubles. As her world crumbles around her, Kate desperately looks for anyone to hold on to but finds that happy endings are truly works of fiction. When her career and love affair hit their expiration dates, Kate sets off on a new adventure....

Starting over in California is easy, but Kate soon learns that leaving her old life behind isn’t. Nicholas Lavigne is eager to help her forget, but two things still own her heart: the dream of discovering the next great American novel and MacDermott Ellis. As Kate tries to rebuild her life, she finds a surprising gift that reboots her career in a new and unexpected direction. Suddenly her name becomes synonymous with one of the biggest best sellers publishing has seen in ages, and she's welcomed back with open arms. At the height of her success, the ghosts of her past come back to remind her of the world she'd been trying to forget and the man who never let go of her heart. Behind the book there’s always more to the story.



One (or more) Sentence Summary: I have read Shelf Life and loved it.now I have listened to Shelf Life and loved it more.  The characters were brought to life not just through the story but through audio.  I absolutely love these series.  It doesn't matter if you start with the first one or with the second one (Shelf Life), but I would recommend you experience them both.  

Kate is such a strong person and got through so much in a short period of time. I love Kate with Mac and I love Kate with Nick.  The problem is I can't decide which team I would be on.I like them both for different reasons.  Kate has to make so difficult choices as the story twists and turns.  Shelf Life is just too good!

Favorite Character(s):  Besides Kate, I keep going back and forth between Nick and Mac, so I will stick with Grace!  Grace is the type of friend we should all have; honest, there for you no matter what, looks out of you, caring, and much more.

Setting:  NYC to LA to NYC

Fast listen/slow listen:  Sat in my car in the garage not wanting to stop listening, kind of fast listening!

Audio Thoughts: I am a HUGE fan of Audiobooks and Audible.  I wish they were less expensive.

What Others Are Saying:  Check out other reviews on iRead Book Tours!
April 13 - Eargasms Audiobook Reviews - book spotlight / giveaway
April 14 - XoXo Book Blog - book spotlight / giveaway
April 15 - Back Porchervations - review of Shelf Life / giveaway
April 16 - Seaside Book Nook - review of Shelf Life / giveaway
April 17 - For Life After - review  of Shelf Life/ giveaway
April 17 - Laura's Interests - review of The Publicist
April 20 - The Book Fairy - review of Shelf Life/ giveaway
April 20 - T's Stuff - review of The Publicist / giveaway
April 21 - Library of Clean Reads - review of Shelf Life/ giveaway
April 22 - Brooke Blogs - review of Shelf Life/ guest post / giveaway
April 23 - T's Stuff - Review Shelf Life
April 24 - Green and Glassie - review / giveaway
April 27 - A Soccer Mom's Book Blog - review / giveaway
April 28 - Girl With Camera - book spotlight / review
April 29 - Laura's Interests - review of Shelf Life


Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  No doubt about it. I love Christina's books and would be thrilled to read any book by her!


Christina George has worked in publishing for twenty years (give or take). Here’s what this book isn't. It’s not a slam against publishing (though it is broken) and it’s not a slam against authors (though some of them are crazy). This book is not autobiographical though many of the stories are true. No you won’t know which ones, cause it’s more fun to guess, right? George continues to work in publicity and helps authors because at the end of the day she does love books, she loves publishing, and she loves authors. She hopes you’ll enjoy this romp through Kate’s world as much as she enjoyed creating it.  

Connect with Christina: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~ Goodreads

Audible


Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card. (Open Internationally) Ends May 8

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Bridges of Paris and Giveaway

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~



Synopsis: Bridges of Paris is a large-format coffee-table book, with over 350 original color photographs, which casts new illumination on the City of Light. The 37 bridges over the Seine River emerge as beautiful, historic destinations rather than unnoticed thoroughfares. The book features stunning portraits of each bridge as well as intimate riverside moments. Once you’ve experienced this river tour, you will never see Paris the same way again.


Living as a Parisian for a year, author Michael Saint James left his American lifestyle and spent his days and nights capturing images from over, on, beside and under the bridges of Paris. With over 30 years experience as a photographer, educator and world traveler, Michael immersed himself in French culture to search out his authentic artist self. The result is a visual treasure to share with everyone.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: I was very interested in reviewing Bridges of Paris to learn more about Paris.  The book has so much more to offer.  There is a lot of culture, history, and interesting stories behind each section.  After reading A Photographer's Perspective at the beginning of the book, I realized there is so much more to a bridge than connecting one piece of land to another.  It took me back to my hometown, when "the Bridge (on Bridge Street)" was deteriorating and needed to be torn down.  The town picked a new site for the bridge (not anywhere near the original one) and the towns people were in an uproar.  After a long debate, the new bridge was constructed right next to the old bridge.  I never realized what a bridge could mean to a community until that time.  

My girls and I would read a section of Bridges of Paris and would discuss our favorite parts, pictures, and what we learned.  We had a blast.  My favorite was learning about the Love Locks.  Pont de L'Archeveche and Pont des Arts are the two bridges where lovers write their name on a lock and attach it to the bridge.  I absolutely love that, however, I don't like that the weight of the locks are putting a strain on the structure of the bridges.  


One of my girls really liked the Passerelle Leopold-Sedar-Senghor bridge.  She loved the bridge under the bridge and that there was a statute of Thomas Jefferson on the bridge.  She thinks it would be fun to walk the bottom bridge with all the steps….I have to say, I agree.  


My other daughter's favorite bridge
was Pont de Grenelle.  She thought it would be amazing to see the statute "Liberty Enlightening the World" and the Eiffel Tower.  The photos are so amazing.  I too would love to experience crossing the Pont de Grenelle.  So much history in one place.

Bridges of Paris is more than just a "coffee table" book, there is so much you can learn about a historical city in this beautiful book.  


Fast read/slow read:  Bridges of Paris was a very easy book to read and is organized by bridges/areas around Paris. This makes it very easy to read and view all the differences in each bridge and the history behind each one.  

Cover:  Absolutely beautiful.


What Others Are Saying:  Makes sure you check out what others are saying about Bridges of Paris on the iRead Book Tour.

April 13 - Readers' Muse - review / giveaway
April 13 - Girl With Camera - review
April 13 - Library of Clean Reads - review / giveaway
April 14 - Bound 4 Escape - review / author interview / giveaway
April 14 - Seaside Book Nook - review / giveaway
April 15 - Breath of Life - review / guest post / giveaway
April 15 - Bluerose's Heart - review / giveaway
April 16 - Bless Their Hearts Mom - review / author interview / giveaway
April 16 - 3 Partners in Shopping - review / giveaway
April 17 - Roughseaseinthemed - review / author interview
April 17 - Deal Sharing Aunt - review / giveaway
April 20 - Lavish Bookshelf - review / giveaway
April 20 - Minnesota Girl in the World - review
April 21 - My Life. One Story at a Time - review / giveaway
April 21 - Hello, my name is Alice - review / author interview
April 22 - She Treads Softly - review
April 22 - Life With Katie - review / giveaway
April 23 - Posting for Now - review / giveaway
April 23 - View From the Birdhouse - review / giveaway
April 24 - Rockin' Book Reviews - review / guest post / giveaway
April 24 - Working Mommy Journal - review / giveaway
April 27 - Psychotic State Book Reviews - review / guest post / giveaway
April 27 - TW Brown on zombies, Border Collies, and the Indie Writing Scene - review / author interview
April 28 - Griperang's Bookmarks - review / guest post / giveaway
April 29 - Chic Toronto - review
April 30 - Reading Authors - review / giveaway
May 1 - The Bookish & The Romantic - review / author interview / giveaway
May 1 - Thoughts in Progress - review / giveaway
May 4 - Ivory Owl Reviews - review / giveaway
May 5 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - review 
May 5 - Impressions in Ink - review
May 6 - One Frugal Girl - review / giveaway
May 7 - Words and Peace - review / giveaway
May 7 - BooksatVioletCrush - review
May 8 - Create With Joy - review



Michael Saint James’ artistic pursuits include award-winning book design, film editing, and sound recording, as well as his first love, photography. Saint James is a world traveler, having visited more than 50 countries - doing everything from photographing penguins in Antarctica to trekking the Himalayas.

As an educator with California teaching credentials, he has taught media production and technology arts as well as photography, art history and visual storytelling. He is an expert speaker on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. Indeed, he walked in Vincent Van Gogh’s footsteps through the Netherlands, Belgium, and France in order to immerse himself in that troubled master’s vision.

The father of two grown children, Saint James once owned a café in Berkeley, California. He has bicycled from Las Vegas to Washington, D.C. and is rumored to play a mean blues harmonica.



Connect with Michael:  Website Twitter  ~  Pinterest

Amazon |  Author's Website


Win one of 15 print copies of Bridges of Paris. (Open Internationally) Ends May 16
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Monday, April 13, 2015

Inside the O'Briens

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~


Synopsis (from Amazon): From the New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice Lisa Genova comes a powerful and transcendent new novel about a family struggling with the impact of Huntington’s disease.

Joe O’Brien is a forty-four-year-old police officer from the Irish Catholic neighborhood of Charlestown, Massachusetts. A devoted husband, proud father of four children in their twenties, and respected officer, Joe begins experiencing bouts of disorganized thinking, uncharacteristic temper outbursts, and strange, involuntary movements. He initially attributes these episodes to the stress of his job, but as these symptoms worsen, he agrees to see a neurologist and is handed a diagnosis that will change his and his family’s lives forever: Huntington’s Disease.

Huntington’s is a lethal neurodegenerative disease with no treatment and no cure. Each of Joe’s four children has a 50 percent chance of inheriting their father’s disease, and a simple blood test can reveal their genetic fate. While watching her potential future in her father’s escalating symptoms, twenty-one-year-old daughter Katie struggles with the questions this test imposes on her young adult life. Does she want to know? What if she’s gene positive? Can she live with the constant anxiety of not knowing?

As Joe’s symptoms worsen and he’s eventually stripped of his badge and more, Joe struggles to maintain hope and a sense of purpose, while Katie and her siblings must find the courage to either live a life “at risk” or learn their fate.


One (or more) Sentence Summary: WOW!  Lisa stuns me again with another amazing book.  I was not aware of Huntington disease before reading Inside the O'Briens. It was very eye opening and reminded me not to judge people…I am not walking in their shoes.  Lisa has that ability to put us right in the middle of the family and go through exactly what they are dealing with during the story.  Just like Still Alice, I am left in awe and Inside the O'Briens is one of those books that will stay with me for a very, very long time.

Favorite Character(s):  Katie and Joe.  Their relationship was so special.  We learn so much about Katie and her struggles.  We learn and "feel" the progression of the disease through Joe and his family.  It all comes together through their relationship.  What a strong father and unbelievable daughter.  She is willing to put her own happiness and future on hold for her family.

Setting:  Boston! Loved it!

Fast read/slow read:  So, so fast. I was hooked to Inside the O'Briens from page one.  I couldn't get enough or read fast enough.  Once I was finished with the book, I wanted more.  I have to know more about the O'Briens.  Lisa is one to write sequels, but this s a PERFECT story for a sequel (Please Lisa….consider it).

Cover:  It says, home and family to me!

What Others Are Saying:  "This heartbreaking book tells the whole story of how a major illness affects a family. Genova’s gift is to show that things do work out, in a sense. Her very human novel teaches us to keep living, to lean on each other and be there to be leaned on.” (Matthew Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of WE ARE NOT OURSELVES)

"This novel of siblings rocked by their father's Huntington's disease is a total tearjerker, but ultimately it's a tribute to family love." (Glamour)

"An intimate, heartbreaking look at life with Huntington's disease." (Marie Claire)

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: I always do.  My first Lisa Genova book was Still Alice (still need to see the movie), Left Neglected was my second and Love Anthony was my third.  I can't wait for her fifth book!


Lisa Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of Inside the O'BriensLove Anthony,Left Neglected, and Still Alice. Her first novel, Still Alice, has been adapted into a film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She travels worldwide speaking about Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury, and autism. She has appeared on Dr. OzThe Diane Rehm Show, CNN, Chronicle, Fox News, and Canada AM and is featured in the Emmy Award–winning documentary film To Not Fade Away. She lives with her family in Massachusetts.