Book Giveaways in Blogworld (05-29-10 edition)

Note: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:

My Book Views is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 29. US/Canada only.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away South of Broad. Deadline is May 29. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Men and Dogs. Deadline is May 29. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of Pocket Therapist. Deadline is May 30. US/Canada only.

At Home with Books is having their monthly giveaway. Four gently read books are up for grabs. Deadline is May 30. US only.

Must Read Faster is having a blogoversary giveaway! 5 books up for grabs! Deadline is May 31. US only.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of 101 Things I Learned in Culinary School. Deadline is May 31. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of The War Lovers. Deadline is May 31. US/Canada only.

Library Girl Reads is giving away your choice of 10 gently read books. Deadline is May 31. US only.

Bookhounds is giving away a mystery box of three books. Deadline is May 31. US only.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 1. US/Canada only.

The Cajun Book Lady is giving away $50 for CSN Stores. Deadline is June 1. US/Canada only.

Just Jennifer Reading is giving away 3 copies of The War Lovers. Deadline is June 2. US/Canada only.

Savvy Verse and Wit is giving away 4 copies of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Deadline is June 2. International!

Froggaritas Bookcase is giving away 2 copies of the audiobook The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 2. US/Canada only.

Babbling Flow is giving away 5 prize packs. Deadline is June 3. US/Canada only.

A Journey of Books is giving away a copy of Wicked Becomes You. Deadline is June 3. US only.

Thoughts from an Evil Overlord is giving away Leaving Unknown. Deadline is June 4. US only.

The Tome Traveler is giving away My Name is Mary Sutter. Deadline is June 4. US/Canada only.

Lori's Reading Corner is giving away The Stormchasers. Deadline is June 4. US only.

Readaholic is giving away a copy of The Devlin Diary. Deadline is June 4. US only.

The Tome Traveler is giving away a copy of My Name is Mary Sutter. Deadline is June 4. US/Canada only.

Butterfly Book Reviews is giving away 2 ARC's of Faithful. Deadline is June 5. US only.

Jo-Jo Loves to Read is giving away 3 copies of The Bride Collector. Deadlines is June 5. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of Men and Dogs (audiobook). Deadline is June 5. US/Canada only.

Bookhounds is giving away an audiobook of The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 6. US/Canada only.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 3 copies of Good to a Fault. Deadline is June 6. US only.

Jo-Jo Loves to Read is giving away a copy of The Last Bridge. Deadline is June 8. Us/Canada only.

Just Jennifer Reading is giving away 3 audiobooks of Deliver Us from Evil. Deadline is June 9. US/Canada only.

Frogaritta's Bookcase is giving away 2 audiobooks of Deliver Us from Evil. Deadline is June 11. US/Canada only.

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away War. Deadline is June 11. US/Canada only.

Martha's Bookshelf is giving away 3 copies of Alex Cross's Trial. Deadline is June 11. US/Canada only.

A Journey of Books is giving away 3 audiobooks of The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 12. US/Canada only.

Butterfly Book Reviews is giving away your choice of 4 bookcases. Deadline is June 12. US only.

Beth's Book Review Blog is giving away 3 copies of The Secrets of Newberry. Deadline is June 12. US/Canada only.

Quinoa and Corn Chips is giving away the cookbook Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express. Deadline is June 13. US only.

A Journey of Books is giving away a copy of Play Dead. Deadline is June 15. US only.

Freda's Voice is giving away 5 copies of Alibi. Deadline is June 15. US/Canada only.

At Home with Books is giving away $100 to CSN stores! Deadline is June 15. US/Canada only.

Martha's Bookshelf is giving away 3 audiobooks of The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 18. US/Canada only.

Consumed by Books is giving away a hardbound copy of Pride and Prejudice and a DVD of Bridget Jones's Diary. Deadline is June 18.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 5 copies of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Deadline is June 19. US/Canada only.

Bookin' with Bingo is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Fever Dream. Deadline is June 20. US/Canada only.

Bella's Novella is giving away a copy of Sizzling Sixteen. Deadline is June 22. International!

A Journey of Books is giving away a copy of The Devlin Diary. Deadline is June 27. US only.

Queen of Happy Endings is giving away your choice of 1 of 3 books. Deadline is June 30. International!

A Journey of Books is giving away 5 copies of Knight of Passion. Deadline is June 30. US/Canada only.

Libby's Library News is giving away 7 gently read books for her 500 follower contest! Up to 3 winners if she gets even more followers! Stop over and wish her a Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary! Deadline is June 30. US only.

Three's a Crowd is a new blog trying to reach 50 followers. Win Silver Borne. Contest ends when 50 followers is met.


*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration.

REVIEW: Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure and Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman

Synopsis

The hero, Zan-Gah seeks his lost twin in a savage prehistoric world, encountering suffering, captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes: survival, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, nature's wonders and terrors.






Synopsis

The prehistoric saga continues in Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, the sequel to the award winning Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure. In this story, Zan’s troubled twin brother, Dael, having suffered greatly during his earlier captivity, receives a ruinous new shock when his wife suddenly dies. Disturbed and traumatized, all of his manic energies explode into acts of hostility and bloodshed. His obsession is the destruction of the wasp men, his first captors, who dwell in the Beautiful Country. When he, Zan-Gah, and a band of adventurers trek to their bountiful home, they find that all of the wasp people have died in war or of disease. The Beautiful Country is empty for the taking, and Zan’s people, the Ba-Coro, decide to migrate and resettle there. But the Noi, Dael’s cruelest enemies and former tormentors, make the same migration from their desert home, and the possibility develops of contention and war over this rich and lovely new land.

About the Author

Artist, teacher, author, and historian Allan Richard Shickman was an art history professor at the University of Northern Iowa for three decades. His first novel, Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure won an Eric Hoffer Notable Book Award and was a finalist for the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award.

My Thoughts

Zan-Gah is a young "prehistoric" boy just becoming a man, and on the path to becoming a hero of his people. He sets out on a quest to find his missing twin brother. In the sequel, Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, Zan-Gah leads his people to the "Beautiful Country" to begin a new life.

This is a good adventure story that I think I would have have been interested in around the age of 12. It would be good for the "tween" group-- appealing to the Judy Blume sect and middle-schoolers. Zan-Gah is an admirable character, but some of the content is probably too advanced for younger kids.

Filled with drama and adventure, it was a light and fun read for me as an adult. It may be more intense for the younger crowd.



My Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (05-22-10 edition)

Note: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 22. US/Canada only.

My Book Views is giving away 3 copies of Forbidden Passion. Deadline is May 22. US/Canada only.

Radiant Light is giving away 3 copies of Changes in Altitude. Deadline is May 23. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 5 copies of Montana Destiny. Deadline is May 24. US/Canada only.

Falling Off the Shelf is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Bride Collector. Deadline is May 25. US/Canada only.

Pure Imagination is giving away a Nancy Drew 80th Anniversary collection. Deadline is May 25. US only.

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away Deliver Us from Evil. Deadline is May 28. US/Canada only.

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away up to 3 copies of The War Lovers. Deadline is May 28. US/Canada only.

My Book Views is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 29. US/Canada only.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away South of Broad. Deadline is May 29. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Men and Dogs. Deadline is May 29. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of Pocket Therapist. Deadline is May 30. US/Canada only.

At Home with Books is having their monthly giveaway. Four gently read books are up for grabs. Deadline is May 30. US only.

Must Read Faster is having a blogoversary giveaway! 5 books up for grabs! Deadline is May 31. US only.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of 101 Things I Learned in Culinary School. Deadline is May 31. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of The War Lovers. Deadline is May 31. US/Canada only.

Library Girl Reads is giving away your choice of 10 gently read books. Deadline is May 31. US only.

Bookhounds is giving away a mystery box of three books. Deadline is May 31. US only.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 1. US/Canada only.

The Cajun Book Lady is giving away $50 for CSN Stores. Deadline is June 1. US/Canada only.

Just Jennifer Reading is giving away 3 copies of The War Lovers. Deadline is June 2. US/Canada only.

Savvy Verse and Wit is giving away 4 copies of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Deadline is June 2. International!

Froggaritas Bookcase is giving away 2 copies of the audiobook The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 2. US/Canada only.

Babbling Flow is giving away 5 prize packs. Deadline is June 3. US/Canada only.

A Journey of Books is giving away a copy of Wicked Becomes You. Deadline is June 3. US only.

Thoughts from an Evil Overlord is giving away Leaving Unknown. Deadline is June 4. US only.

The Tome Traveler is giving away My Name is Mary Sutter. Deadline is June 4. US/Canada only.

Lori's Reading Corner is giving away The Stormchasers. Deadline is June 4. US only.

Butterfly Book Reviews is giving away 2 ARC's of Faithful. Deadline is June 5. US only.

Jo-Jo Loves to Read is giving away 3 copies of The Bride Collector. Deadlines is June 5th. US/Canada only.

Bookhounds is giving away an audiobook of The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 6th. US/Canada only.

Jo-Jo Loves to Read is giving away a copy of The Last Bridge. Deadline is June 8. Us/Canada only.

Just Jennifer Reading is giving away 3 audiobooks of Deliver Us from Evil. Deadline is June 9. US/Canada only.

A Journey of Books is giving away 3 audiobooks of The Bride Collector. Deadline is June 12. US/Canada only.

Butterfly Book Reviews is giving away your choice of 4 bookcases. Deadline is June 12. US only.

Beth's Book Review Blog is giving away 3 copies of The Secrets of Newberry. Deadline is June 12. US/Canada only.

Play Dead is giving away a copy of Play Dead. Deadline is June 15. US only.

Three's a Crowd is a new blog trying to reach 50 followers. Win Silver Borne. Contest ends when 50 followers is met.

Beth's Book Review Blog is having a follower giveaway. Winner will get a choice from her GoodRead Swap List. Deadline is when she reaches 300 followers.


*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration.

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (05-15-10 edition)

Note: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:

Books R Us is giving away a $60 gift certificate to CSN. Great for new lighting under which to read more books! Deadline is May 19. US/Canada only.

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away 3 copies of The Bride Collector. Deadline is May 21. US/Canada only.

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away 3 copies of Men and Dogs. Deadline is May 21. US/Canada only.

LaFemme Readers is giving away a copy of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else. Deadline is May 21. International!

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of Slip of the Knife. Deadline is May 21. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 22. US/Canada only.

My Book Views is giving away 3 copies of Forbidden Passion. Deadline is May 22. US/Canada only.

Radiant Light is giving away 3 copies of Changes in Altitude. Deadline is May 23. US/Canada only.

Falling Off the Shelf is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook The Bride Collector. Deadline is May 25. US/Canada only.

Pure Imagination is giving away a Nancy Drew 80th Anniversary collection. Deadline is May 25. US only.

My Book Views is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 29. US/Canada only.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away South of Broad. Deadline is May 29. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 3 copies of Pocket Therapist. Deadline is May 30. US/Canada only.

At Home with Books is having their monthly giveaway. Four gently read books are up for grabs. Deadline is May 30. US only.

Babbling Flow is giving away 5 prize packs. Deadline is June 3. US/Canada only.

Butterfly Book Reviews is giving away 2 ARC's of Faithful. Deadline is June 5. US only.

Just Jennifer Reading is giving away 3 audiobooks of Deliver Us from Evil. Deadline is June 9. US/Canada only.

Three's a Crowd is a new blog trying to reach 50 followers. Win Silver Borne. Contest ends when 50 followers is met.

Beth's Book Review Blog is having a follower giveaway. Winner will get a choice from her GoodRead Swap List. Deadline is when she reaches 300 followers.


*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration.

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (05-08-10 edition)

Note: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away a copy of The Queen's Pawn. Deadline is May 8. US only.

Chick with Books is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 8. US/Canada only.

Shannon Whitney Messenger is giving away 5 prize packs in here 500 follower contest! Deadline is May 8. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 5 copies of Forbidden Passion. Deadline is May 9. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 2 copies of Wicked Becomes You. Deadline is May 11. US only.

Chick with Books is giving away a copy of Silent Prey along with an ARC of Storm Prey. Deadline is May 11. US/Canada only.

A Sea of Books is giving away 2 copies of The Map of True Places. Deadline is May 12. US/Canada only.

A Journey of Books is giving away a copy of Firefly Rain. Deadline is May 13. US only.

Tales of Whimsy is giving away their gently read copy of Book of a Thousand Days. Deadline is May 13. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 14. US/Canada only.

One Person's Journey Through Books and Coffee is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 15. US/Canada only.

Reading for Sanity is giving away 7 books to a single winner! Deadline is May 15. US/Canada only.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away a copy of Daughters of Witching Hill. Deadline is May 15. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away a copy of Happy. Deadline is May 15. US only.

Three's a Crowd is a new blog trying to reach 50 followers. Win Silver Borne. Contest ends when 50 followers is met.

Beth's Book Review Blog is having a follower giveaway. Winner will get a choice from her GoodRead Swap List. Deadline is when she reaches 300 followers.


*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration.

I Wanna...Borderline by Bonnie Rozanski

Borderline by Bonnie Rozanski

For some time I had been interested in reports that obesity, attention deficit disorder and autism were all becoming more prevalent. Autism, in particular, seemed to be suspicious. This was the initial inspiration for Borderline. Assuming that human beings' genetic make-up remains essentially unchanged, then surely the environment must be complicit. Or is it?

Then I watched a documentary on the evolution of the dog. Dmitry Belyaev, a 20th century Russian scientist, conducted ingenious studies in which wild foxes were bred over generations. Over time, Belyaev, attempting to replicate the evolution of the dog from the wolf, bred the tamest foxes to the tamest foxes. Amazingly, in only ten to twelve generations, the foxes began not only behaving like dogs but looking like dogs, with floppy ears and curly tails. Clearly, this could not be explained by genetics alone: ten generations of foxes simply is not time enough for a species to evolve.

It appeared, as I read further, that Belyaev's results were due to epigenetics: those influences of the genes but beyond the genes. These can include turning gene expression on or off, RNA, regulator genes, and gene-environment interaction. The whole topic fascinated me. We are transforming our own environment and unknowingly changing ourselves in the process. I began to wonder about how to embed all this in a plot, and imagined a family obsessed with curing their autistic son; a desperate mother, a scientist father and an older brother who feels ignored; all set in our present-day world of shopping malls and antibiotics, global air travel, and high tech gismos.

MOVIE REVIEW: Twilight and New Moon

I'm signed up for the Read the Book, See the Movie challenge, and I have now read two books and seen two movies. However I never did post my "reviews" of the movies. Here is just a quick note on the movies.

First I read and reviewed Twilight and then watched the movie. The movie was pretty good, but it definitely fell short of the book. It was a much more simplistic version of the book, leaving out all of the complexities of the underlying emotions. There was no way in the movie to really relay the torment Edward felt, how he struggled, how gooooood Bella "smelled" to him. And it felt sort of rushed, as if everything moved at fast speed. Of course, the book sort of felt a similar way. Overall it was a pretty good movie, and even my boyfriend enjoyed it and was eager for me to read the second book so that I would get the second movie for us to watch.

So I read the second book in the series and reviewed it, and then got the movie New Moon. Like the book, I liked this movie a little less than the first. I liked Jacob. The movie didn't leave me as frustrated as the book did, as with the book I was so frustrated with Bella's "damsel in distress" and obsession with Edward. She is weak in so many ways, and sickens me a little. And once Edward is back, Jacob is just kicked to the curb. The second book and movie both just left me a little unsatisfied and frustrated, and a little disgusted by Bella and Edward.

I am now ordering the third book in the series, and we'll see how that one goes!

Book Giveaways in Blogworld (05-01-10 edition)

Note: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.

Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away 2 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 2. US/Canada only.

Library Lounge Lizard is giving away a copy of The Body Finder. Deadline is May 3.

Libby's Library News is giving away 3 copies of the audiobook Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. Deadline is May 5. US/Canada only.

SMS Book Reviews is giving away Sex, Drugs and Gefilte Fish. Deadline is May 5. US/Canada only.

Rayment's Readings, Rants and Ramblings is having a huge follower giveaway! Deadline is May 5. US/Canada only.

Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf is giving away an entire boxed set of Harry Potter paperbacks! Deadline is May 6. US only.

A Few More Pages is giving away a signed hardcover copy of Riddle of Berlin. Deadline is May 7. International!

SMS Book Reviews is giving away Guide to Getting it On. Deadline is May 7. 3 copies US and 1 copy international!

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away 101 Things I Learned in Culinary School. Deadline is May 7. US/Canada only.

Steph Su Reads is having a huge giveaway. 7 books and tons of swag to three winners! Deadline is May 7. International!

Simply Stacie is giving away 5 copies of Forbidden Passion. Deadline is May 7. US/Canada only.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away a copy of The Queen's Pawn. Deadline is May 8. US only.

Chick with Books is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 8. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 5 copies of Forbidden Passion. Deadline is May 9. US/Canada only.

Readaholic is giving away 2 copies of Wicked Becomes You. Deadline is May 11. US only.

Chick with Books is giving away a copy of Silent Prey along with an ARC of Storm Prey. Deadline is May 11. US/Canada only.

A Journey of Books is giving away a copy of Firefly Rain. Deadline is May 13. US only.

Tales of Whimsy is giving away their gently read copy of Book of a Thousand Days. Deadline is May 13. US/Canada only.

One Person's Journey Through Books and Coffee is giving away 3 copies of The Cradle. Deadline is May 15. US/Canada only.

Reading for Sanity is giving away 7 books to a single winner! Deadline is May 15. US/Canada only.

Three's a Crowd is a new blog trying to reach 50 followers. Win Silver Borne. Contest ends when 50 followers is met.

Beth's Book Review Blog is having a follower giveaway. Winner will get a choice from her GoodRead Swap List. Deadline is when she reaches 300 followers.


*Courtesy Note: Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration.