Blog Tour: 86. The Orphan Sister by Gwendolen Gross...

Today's tour is for Gwendolen Gross' latest, The Orphan Sister...

About the author:
Dubbed the reigning queen of women's adventure fiction by Joanna Smith Rakoff in Book Magazine, Gwendolen Gross grew up in Newton, Massachusetts. She graduated from Oberlin College, where she studied science writing and voice performance. She spent a semester in Australia with a field studies program, studying spectacled fruit bats in the rainforest remnants of Northern Queensland.

After college she moved to San Francisco, then San Diego, and worked in publishing, as well as performing with the San Diego Opera Chorus. Through the San Diego Writing Center, she was selected for the PEN West Emerging Writers Program.

Gwendolen received an M.F.A. in fiction and poetry from Sarah Lawrence College. Her poems have been published in dozens of literary magazines, including Salt Hill Journal, Global City Review, The Laurel Review, and Hubbub, where her poem was selected for the 1999 Adrienne Lee Award.

Find Gwendolen online at her website, www.gwendolengross.com.

About the book:

An original, timely, and touching novel about a set of triplets—two identical and one fraternal—who find their alliances suddenly shifting when a dark family secret comes to light which forces them to redefine their roles and their identities.

As the fraternal triplet to her identical sisters, Olivia and Odette, Clementine Lord has always struggled to forge her own way alongside a matched pair, always feeling like the unmatched shoe. When their father, a prominent neurosurgeon, disappears for a week and returns with a shocking family secret, the crack in the three women’s tight relationship threatens to unhinge them all. As Clem attempts to sort out her family history and come to terms with her future, she reflects on the tangled relationship she’s had with her father, her mother’s stubborn loyalty, the tragic death of her college boyfriend, and her complicated feelings for her best friend, Eli. Ultimately she discovers that love—both familial and romantic—is more resilient and adaptable than she ever thought possible.

Remiscent of Sarah Pekkanen’s The Opposite of Me, the issues of sibling rivalry, identity, and moral responsibility combine in this poignant and compulsively readable novel of three sisters caught in the crosshairs of adulthood and family intrigue.

Title: The Orphan Sister
Author: Gwendolen Gross
ISBN-13: 9781451623680
Paperback: 283 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2011
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Pocket Books

drey's thoughts:
Gwendolen Gross' The Orphan Sister tells the story of one of a triplet set who's not like the other two, and how that affects their relationship and interactions--with each other, with their family, friends, with strangers.  It is also the story of a family that falls apart when the father disappears--telling only one child where he went--and of secrets that can tear your life apart if you let it.  It is a story of grief and yearning and loss when a loved one dies young. And last but not least, it is a sweet romance between two best friends who (finally) take that step that has been waiting for them for so very long...

The emotions are tangled and complicated, the characters are easy to like, and the story is compelling.  The mystery surrounding her father's disappearance throws Clementine for a loop, especially when her mother's reaction isn't quite what she expects, and one of her sisters' is openly hostile.  He is not a person you would care for, and yet I almost felt bad for the consequences of his past--I guess that's the mark of a good author!  I enjoyed Clementine tremendously--she's been a third wheel all her life, and yet she's the strong one for her family in its time of need.  She's loyal and true, she's steadfast even when confused, and she's the one who tries to hold the family together. 

drey's rating: Excellent!  Pick this one up for your summer reading.

Giveaway!
Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of The Orphan Sister for you! US residents only, please (no PO Boxes). To enter, fill out the form below before 6pm CST July 20th. Good luck!

July's FEATURED AUTHOR: Say "Hello!" to Kelly Meding!

Well lookee here, it's July already.  Did anyone else feel like they blinked, and June was gone?  o.O   But, it's July, and today we meet July's Featured Author, Kelly Meding!  Kelly's Dreg City series is awesome, and Another Kind of Dead comes out this month.   Say Hello!

drey:  Welcome to drey’s library, Kelly! I love your Dreg City books, and am so excited for the release of Another Kind of Dead this month!

Kelly:  Thanks so much for inviting me! I’m very happy to be here!

drey:  Tell us about yourself in 10 sentences (or thereabouts)...

Kelly:  I don’t know if there’s that much to tell about myself (although I suppose that counts as a first sentence, so only nine to go!).  I’m a self-professed geek who loves all things science fiction, fantasy and horror.  I’m also a coffee junkie, a home-body (although most people who know me don’t believe that I’m generally a shy person), and a cat lover.  I’ve been an avid reader and storyteller since I was very young, but I didn’t get serious about writing until college, where I actually focused on screenplays, rather than prose.   I live fairly close the majority of my family, here on the Eastern Shore.  Since I grew up in a beach resort area, you’ll find me spending my vacations inland, somewhere in the mountains (even better if there’s local white water rafting).  Okay, so it isn’t ten sentences, but those seem like the most interesting things about me right now.

drey:  How long have you know that you were meant to be a writer?

Kelly:  I didn’t really consider myself a writer until college, when I started writing in earnest and considering the idea of making money from it.  But I never thought I was “meant to be” because I was never honestly sure I could do it.   I don’t think it ever felt possible until that phone call when my agent told me we had an offer and I knew I was about to sell my first novel.  At that moment, it was finally real.

drey:  What was your first story about?  What did you do with/to it?

Kelly:  Oh boy.  The first real story I remember writing was when I was in seventh grade.  It was bad.  It was like awful “Sweet Valley High”/Beverly Hills, 90210 fan-fiction, only with original characters.  I thought it was amazing, of course.  So amazing that I gave the notebook I’d handwritten it in to my then-best friend  so she could experience it.  A few weeks later we had a huge (and stupid) fight. She tore it up and flushed it.  Which is all well and good, in hindsight, since it was crap anyway.   *grin*

drey:  I cannot believe SVH fan-fic was flushed!!  o.O 

What’s your writing space?

Kelly:  I have my own office in my apartment, with a decent sized desk and lots of bookshelves.  I use a laptop with an optical mouse.  The wall above my desk is covered with Post-Its and little notes written to myself--story ideas, character ideas, plot points, inspirational sayings, etc...  It’s kind of a collage now.  I also have a coffee mug warmer, so I never have to worry about cold coffee.

drey:  What are the top 10 songs on your iPod/other music player?

Kelly:  Mostly I listen to music on my laptop, through a program called Rhapsody.  But I think my Most Played songs right now are (in no particular order): “Little Lion Man” by Mumford & Sons, “Raise Your Glass” by The Warblers, “Broken” by Seether (with Amy Lee), “Losing Your Memory” by Ryan Star, “It Ends Tonight” by All-American Rejects, “Hate Me” by Blue October, “Seasons of Love” by Jonathan Larson, “Lose Yourself” by Eminem, “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood, and “Ambition” by Doves.  Eclectic, I know.

drey:  Nothing wrong with eclectic at all, you should see my playlists... *grin* 

What inspired Evangeline Stone’s story?

Kelly:  Partly, it was a desire to write a full-on urban fantasy novel. I’d dabbled in novels with supernatural elements in the past, but had only just recently discovered the UF genre, and I wanted to give it a go.  The rest of the inspiration was a scene I’d had stuck in my head for a while, of a woman in Purgatory asked to go back to Earth and “do something” in order to atone for her own sins.  I took the idea of the heroine coming back to life and ran with it, and as the world of Dreg City began to coalesce in my mind, Evy began to grow out of it.  Why did she die?  Why was she brought back?  Why her specifically, and not someone else?  Who did it?  What’s their agenda?

I had so many questions to answer, and a lot of fun figuring them out.  Everything just sort of grew together.

drey:  Smackdown: Evy’s in the ring.  Who’s the opponent, who wins, and why?

Kelly:  Any opponent?  (drey: yup, any opponent)  The really evil side of me would love to see Evy and Wyatt go at it in the ring.  Boxing, maybe, just for some tension release.  Plus Wyatt taught Evy everything she knows, so seeing them fight would be so much fun.  But I think the fight would end in a draw, because they compliment each other so well.   One person’s weakness is countered by the other’s strength.

drey:  What’s your favorite non-writing activity?

Kelly:  Crafts. I don’t do many, but I do have a lot of beads and items for jewelry making, so I like to create earrings.  I also like to put together art projects for my apartment, especially when I’m in the mood to redecorate.  It’s another creative outlet, but it let’s me use a different side of my creativity than writing does.

drey:  What’s up next for you (besides more Evy Stone)?

Kelly:  The fourth Dreg City book comes out January 31, 2012.  (drey: yay!!)  I hope there will be more after that, but sales will tell.  In October, I have a new series coming out with Pocket.  TRANCE is the first in the MetaWars series, which follows a group of original superheroes as they deal with a world that hates and fears them.  The second book in that series releases in 2012.   I have a few other balls in the air with additional projects, but nothing I can report on yet.

drey:  And last (but not least!), the quickie-5:

1. Twilight or The Hunger Games?
   Hunger Games by a mile (drey: I knew I liked you...)
2. Fondue dip: Cheese or Chocolate?
   Chocolate
3. Scent: Fruity or Flowery?
   Fruity
4. Plane, Train, Bus, or Car?
   Car
5. Chocolate mousse or chocolate truffles?
   Mousse

Thank you so much for visiting us this month, Kelly!  I am sooooooooooooo looking forward to Another Kind of Dead, it's not even funny.  I just hope July slows down enough for me to get all my reading in!

Everyone, find Kelly online at her website, her blog, facebook, twitter, and goodreads!

More goodies:  Kelly is giving away a copy of Another Kind of Dead to one of you lucky ducks (US only, please)!!  To enter, fill out the form below, and ask Kelly a question (or more) in the comments!  Do it before 6pm CST July 29th.  Good luck!

Winner: To Be Sung Underwater!

I didn't forget!! I have two winners to pick for Tom McNeal's To Be Sung Underwater, and they are...

Irene Yeates!!

Tiffany Drew!!

Congratulations, y'all!! Email's on its way, please reply with your mailing information before the end of day Friday. And thanks so much for stopping by!

**UPDATE**
Well, apparently Tiffany is a twice-lucky duck, she's already won a copy from another blog... SO. Randomizer went back to work, and the new lucky duck is...

Brooke!!

Review: 85. The Color of Heaven by Kim Dong Hwa...

I couldn't wait to finish Kim Dong Hwa's Color of Earth series...

Title: The Color of Heaven (The Color of Earth #3)
Author: Kim Dong Hwa
ISBN-13: 9781596434608
Paperback: 310 pages
Publisher: First Second, 2009
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Waukesha Public Library

drey's thoughts:
Ehwa is now seventeen, and waiting for Duksam to return--he is off fishing, to make money so he can come back and marry her. While he's away though, she's beset by doubts--will he really come back for her? And as she's maturing into womanhood, her relationship with her mother also matures. After all, they're both waiting for their men to come back.

I loved watching Ehwa growing up and learning about life and love in this beautifully drawn series from Kim Dong Hwa. The cultural traditions and nuances are right up my alley, and the emotions are not unfamiliar to anyone who's ever had a crush or been in love.

drey's rating: Excellent! Definitely pick this series up for the beautiful artwork and the lyrical storytelling.

Happy 4th of July!

Enjoy the fireworks, cookouts, etc. Don't blow off any limbs. And remember your sunscreen!

July's NOOKbook Spotlight: Michael Connelly's The Black Echo is $0.99!

Wow, it's July already!! How did that happen?? Anyway. B&N's NOOKbook special for July is Michael Connelly's The Black Echo, the first Harry Bosch book! Another one I've just added to my collection... Now to find time to read it!

(click on image to head on over to B&N)

Paperback copies also available at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

Review: 84. Quintspinner: A Pirate's Quest by Dianne Greenlay...

This was a title from June's Featured Author, Dianne Greenlay, and I was slow in getting to it. Sorry, Dianne!

Title: Quintspinner: A Pirate's Tale
Author: Dianne Greenlay
ISBN-13: 9781450233972
Paperback: 324 pages
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc.
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Dianne Greenlay

drey's thoughts:
Quintspinner: A Pirate's Quest is a tale chock-full of adventure and (yes, you guessed it) pirates.  The heroine--Tess--is a sixteen-year-old physician's daughter who witnesses the death of a seer.  Well, she doesn't actually see who did the deed, but still.  And that's when she's bestowed with a spinner ring, and told of her unique abilities.

Then her father takes a new position that requires them to move, and they set sail on the high seas.  The seas are infested with pirates & sharks, there's a budding romantic interest and a fiance with ulterior motives, and her mother is battling postpartum depression. 

And that's just Tess' side of the story.  The hero is a farmer's son who's press-ganged into service, and his experiences on that ship.  Then the pirates pay a visit, and William has to keep his wits about him to save those he can.

The characters are likable--well, except for the bad guys.  The heroine is a bit bratty at times, but she's only sixteen.  The hero is almost too good to be true.  And the supporting cast is as colorful as the language.  The plot's interesting enough, and the storyline flows smoothly.  I thought there were a few too many twists and turns, but it kept just to this side of believable.  All in all, Quintspinner is a fun read.

drey's rating: Pick it up!

TLC Book Tours: 83. Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson...

Today's a tour day, hurrah! Please help me welcome S.J. Watson, who's touring with TLC Book Tours for his debut novel, Before I Go to Sleep!

About S.J. Watson:
S.J. WATSON was born and educated in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the National Health Service for a number of years. Before I Go to Sleep, his first novel, has been sold in thirty-one countries and has also been optioned for film by Ridley Scott.

Find S.J. Watson online at his website, www.sjwatson-books.com, and on twitter.

About the book:

S. J. Watson makes his powerful debut with this compelling, fast-paced psychological thriller, reminiscent of Shutter Island and Memento, in which an amnesiac who, following a mysterious accident, cannot remember her past or form new memories, desperately tries to uncover the truth about who she is—and who she can trust.

Every morning, Christine awakens beside a stranger in an unfamiliar bed. She sees a middle-aged face in the bathroom mirror that she does not recognize. And every morning, the man patiently explains that he is Ben, her husband, that she is forty-seven-years-old, and that an accident long ago damaged her ability to remember.

In place of memories Christine has a handful of pictures, a whiteboard in the kitchen, and a journal, hidden in a closet. She knows about the journal because Dr. Ed Nash, a neurologist who claims to be treating her without Ben’s knowledge, reminds her about it each day. Inside its pages, the damaged woman has begun meticulously recording her daily events—sessions with Dr. Nash, snippets of information that Ben shares, flashes of her former self that briefly, miraculously appear.

But as the pages accumulate, inconsistencies begin to emerge, raising disturbing questions that Christine is determined to find answers to. And the more she pieces together the shards of her broken life, the closer she gets to the truth... and the more terrifying and deadly it is.

Title: Before I Go to Sleep
Author: S.J. Watson
ISBN-13: 9780062060556
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins, 2011
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Harper Collins

drey's thoughts:
Wow. Just wow. I cannot believe that Before I Go to Sleep is a debut.  This page-turner will have you mesmerized until you flip over the very last page...  Christine Lucas wakes up every morning not knowing where she is, or even who she is.  No matter what she learns during that day, she'll forget it as she sleeps.  So every morning is a discovery, and she goes through this routine over and over and over...

When the doctor she begins to see suggests that she keep a journal to chronicle her daily "discoveries," Christine does so.  And begins to wonder why Ben is lying to her--is he truly lying, or is he keeping things from her so she doesn't have to re-experience the pain every day? And does she truly trust him?

Before I Go to Sleep has a tightly woven plot with a sympathetic character, and will keep you guessing, even as Christine keeps guessing. You feel her confusion, and self-placating certainty, as she travels that valley between sanity and chaos. And the twist at the end will have you holding your breath till you get through it.

drey's rating: Outstanding! Definitely needs to be one of your summer reads if you love thrillers!

More stuff!

Before I Go to Sleep by S J Watson - US Trailer from S J Watson on Vimeo.

Before I Go to Sleep on facebook!

Giveaway!
There's one copy of Before I Go to Sleep up for grabs, US/Canada only (no PO Boxes, please). To enter, fill out the form below before 6pm CST July 13th. Good luck!

Winner: Quintspinner!

I have a winner to announce, and this one's for Dianne Greenlay's Quintspinner: A Pirate's Quest! The lucky duck is...

Krystal Larson!!

Congratulations, Krystal! Email's gone out, please respond and confirm your email address. Thank you for stopping by and entering the contest!

Review: 82. Demons Prefer Blondes by Sidney Ayers...

Today's review is for the first in a new series from Sidney Ayers...

Title: Demons Prefer Blondes (Demons Unleashed #1)
Author: Sidney Ayers
ISBN-13: 9781402251740
ARC: 392 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2011
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Sourcebooks

drey's thoughts:
Demons Prefer Blondes is a paranormal romance that is quirky and funny. The heroine is a newly-aware succubus who happens to be succubi royalty. The hero is a tortured demon who cannot believe he’s being sent to Earth to retrieve an antique chest. And once Lucy and Rafe meet, all Hell breaks loose. Literally. So what else is there to do but fight?

On the bad side: A big bad demon who’s intent on getting his hands on an antique chest that Lucy’s bff bought from an antique store. He wouldn’t mind getting his hands on Lucy, too, especially once he finds out who her father is. Oh, and he has Rafe’s sister in his thrall.

On the good side: Rafe. His posse: BFF Nic, clean-up maestro Kalli, talking ape-imp Squeaky, Lucy’s guardian angel, and her salon employee-slash-friend Frankie.
Who do you think wins? Why, love of course. After all, this is a romance novel. And in the helter-skelter from the first page to the last is a ton of humor.

With all that said, I do wish I liked this book more than I do. It was an ok read for me--there was so much chaos from so many characters, so nobody really stood out--not even Rafe and Lucy. And their story seemed a bit rushed into, and yet they’re pledging undying love and all that jazz. But still, it’s a fun romp, so give it a whirl if paranormal romance is your thing.

drey's rating: Ok.

Review: 81. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold...

I've been meaning to pick this title up for a while now, and finally got around to reading my 2-year-old copy...

Title: The Lovely Bones
Author: Alice Sebold
ISBN-13: 9780316044400
eBook
Publisher: Little, Brown, & Co., 2009
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: Purchased

drey's thoughts:
Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones is the story of fourteen-year-old Susie Salmon in heaven, watching over her family and friends on earth as they deal with her disappearance and subsequent presumed death. It is a heartbreaking story of devastating loss and eventual healing.

This is an emotional read, and Alice Sebold does a masterful job at deftly tugging yours along. I was immersed in the Salmon family's falling apart as they try to negotiate this reality that they so don't want. And I felt Susie's calm as she's navigating Heaven and learning to let go.

The characters are real. The plot is simple. And the storytelling superb. I'm going to add the movie to my Netflix queue now.

drey's rating: Excellent, even if I didn't like the lack of a final resolution.

Winners! Twice a Spy and The Hypnotist...

Sheesh, I'm late. I should just push out the contest deadlines and call it even, huh? BUT I'm here now, and these are the lucky ducks getting books in the mail (yay!)...

Two copies of Keith Thomson's Twice a Spy will go to new homes:

rhonda laney!!
Meredith Miller!!

And Mimi Avila will receive a copy of M.J. Rose's The Hypnotist!

Congratulations, everyone! Emails have gone out, please respond with your mailing information. And thanks for stopping by!

I was on Scene of the Blog!!

I am so embarrassed! I was scheduled to appear on Kitling: Books' Scene of the Blog on Wednesday (yes, two days ago), and completely forgot to post about it!! o.O I am usually not that rude, Cathy!

Scene of the Blog is a weekly feature on Kittling: Books that spotlights the creative spaces of book bloggers around the world. Originally limited to photographs showing desks, kitchen countertops and the occasional comfy chair, this feature has blossomed into showing sidewalk cafes, converted garage spaces, bookshelves and pets.

Head on over and see my messy spaces!  (And my apologies again to Cathy for forgetting to post about this...)

Sourcebooks ebook deals!

Sourcebooks has the following eBook titles available for $1.99 until Monday! Check them out at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Sony | All Romance eBooks | BooksOnBoard | Books-A-Million | iBooks