GIVEAWAY: ARCs of The Chosen One and Into the Beautiful North

Well, I have a growing collection of books to be given away, and I thought that I would start with a couple of ARCs that I have. These are both gently read, and in very good condition.

From Booklist
Taking a story “ripped from the headlines,” Williams looks inside a polygamist cult and the dangers it poses for one girl. Kyra and her father, three mothers, and 20 siblings live in an isolated community under the thumb of a prophet, who controls every aspect of his apostles’ lives. The most shocking intrusion of all comes when the prophet decrees that Kyra is to become the wife of her 60-year-old uncle. A secret patron of a local mobile library, Kyra knows there’s a world away from the compound she might escape to, but first she pins her hopes on her father’s ability to change the prophet’s mind. Instead, her family is threatened, and the stakes for her refusal to marry are raised. The clandestine relationship Kyra is having with one of the compound’s teenage boys is a romance more convenient than convincing (everyone is carefully watched except this duo, it seems). Contrivances notwithstanding, this is a heart pounder, and readers will be held, especially as the danger escalates. Williams’ portrayals of the family are sharp, but what’s most interesting about this book is how the yearnings and fears of a character so far from what most YAs know will still seem familiar and close. Grades 7-10. --Ilene Cooper

See my review of The Chosen One here. I didn't rate this book as well as most others have. It wasn't that I didn't like the story or the writing style-- both were quite good. I am just personally uncomfortable with reinforcing stereotypes, and this did feed on the media stereotyping of polygamist groups like the Mormon off-shoots. So it tempered my enjoyment of the book and left me concerned that it would foster prejudice against a whole class of people based on a fictional story.

Synopsis

Nineteen-year-old Nayeli works at a taco shop in her Mexican village and dreams about her father, who journeyed to the US to find work. Recently, it has dawned on her that he isn't the only man who has left town. In fact, there are almost no men in the village--they've all gone north. While watching The Magnificent Seven, Nayeli decides to go north herself and recruit seven men--her own "Siete Magníficos"--to repopulate her hometown and protect it from the bandidos who plan on taking it over.

Filled with unforgettable characters and prose as radiant as the Sinaloan sun, INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH is the story of an irresistible young woman's quest to find herself on both sides of the fence.

You can see my review of this book here.

GIVEAWAY: Win either The Chosen One or Into the Beautiful North.

Rules (don't you just hate rules?):

• You must be 18 years or older
  
• Open to US and Canada residents only
  
• To enter, just comment below. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment, or have it visible in your profile.
  
• For extra entries, follow my blog and/or blog about this contest. One extra entry for each that you do, but a max of only one extra entry for blogging regardless of how many times you blog it. Sidebars are okay.
  
• Leave a separate comment for each entry.
  
• That's a total of 3 possible entries!
  
• Those who don't follow the rules risk being disqualified.

Also, for this contest please be sure to note whether you have a preference for The Chosen One or Into the Beautiful North. If you don't specify one, you will be entered for both.

Deadline is August 9th.

Good Luck! Ready, Set, Go!