Review: Dream House

Have you read Dream House? I had been waiting to read this book for a few weeks.  I read it in just one day, while on vacation.  Thank you Valerie for a wonderful, well written story.

I have one copy of Dream House to giveaway in a book drawing.

To Enter:
- Leave a comment with your email address to enter, it’s that simple!
- Sorry....this giveaway is open to US and Canada addresses only
- The winner will be picked at random on Thursday evening, February 18th.

This book is on book tour this month with TLC Book Tours (Feb 2010).  Be sure to visit their website to read what others are saying.

About the author: Valerie Laken was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, I majored in English and Russian at the University of Iowa, then worked and studied in Moscow, Prague, Krakow, and Madison, before moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan. There, I received an MA in Slavic Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, where I taught for several years. In 2006 I moved to Milwaukee and taught for two years as the Writer in Residence at Carthage College before joining the faculty at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, where I teach in the Creative Writing program.

Synopsis: Dream House is a riveting debut novel that tells the story of a domestic drama that will forever change the lives of two families. One terrible night. One outraged act. What price will people pay to hold their homes and dreams together?

When Kate and Stuart Kinzler buy a run-down, historic house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, they're looking for a decent remodeling investment and a little space in which to rekindle their troubled marriage. Instead they discover that their home was the scene of a terrible crime many years ago—a revelation that tips the balance of their precarious union.

When a mysterious man begins lurking around her yard, Kate—now alone—is forced to confront her home's dangerous past. Hers is not the only life that has crumbled under this roof. But the stranger who has returned to this house—once his own childhood home—is in search of something Kate may never fully understand.

Featuring a diverse cast of characters and building to an unforgettable climax, Dream House embraces the volatile issues of race and class to chart the concentric effects of one fateful decision—a moment of rage that will echo forever within these four walls.

Type: Fiction, 336 pages, Trade paperback

Quick take: I really liked this novel. I was able to connect to the characters and loved how flawed everyone was in the book. Most of us know a family like Kate's.  It ends perfectly.  Chapter 25 was really difficult for me to read – I can’t tell you why or I will ruin the story.  If you have read the book, you will know what I’m referring to. Read it – it’s a very good story! 

Source: Review copy

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Escaping is so good!

I should be upstairs packing… It’s almost 10pm Friday night but I feel the need to caught up with everyone before we leave tomorrow… at 4AM! I have been clicking on blogs and websites – thanks to everyone for such great book reviews this week, I have added about 5 books to my library list (this is where I keep my TBR list, assuming they have a copy of the book).

I have added a book to my stack to travel with, I decided to read Come Sunday and I received the April MMBC selection today, The Yellow House. This will leap to the top of the list, I like to read/review the books before announcing the giveaway.

Congratulations to Kim I (Colorado) - you are the winner of The Summer We Fell Apart.  I will get this in the mail next week.  I hope you enjoy it!

Here’s my to-do list while traveling:
- Write two articles for Omaha.net
- Read a few books
- Catch up with friends in Boston and NYC
- Tuesday in NYC: meet Nicole from Linus's Blanket, lunch with Kim (Amazing Race Kim), meet and greet with Miriam and an early dinner with my Mom before heading back home on an 8PM flight. WHEW!

New Blogs to check out: I have two new blogs that I would love to share with everyone.
-  Seaside Book Nook: Kim is a Manic Mommy and reads with the MMBC. She and I have been emailing this week and she started a blog. She and I have to same dream job so I know she will love blogging.
-  PeetSwea: Kristi is also a Manic Mommy and reads with the MMBC – She blogs about a life, motherhood and books.

Please stop by, say hello and welcome these ladies to our community.

The dryer just finished so it’s time to sign off and start packing.  Here's hoping we have a good travel day tomorrow (there are storms everywhere tonight).

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Review: Labor Day

After reading the synopsis, I couldn’t wait to read this book and was blessed to win a copy from a book drawing last fall.

From authors website: Joyce Maynard first came to national attention with the publication of The New York Times cover story, “An Eighteen Year Old Looks Back on Life”, in 1973, when she was a freshman at Yale. Since then, she has been a reporter and columnist for The New York Times, a contributor to the CBS program “Spectrum”, a syndicated newspaper columnist whose “Domestic Affairs” column appeared in over fifty papers nationwide, a regular contributor to NPR.

Synopsis: With the end of summer closing in and a steamy Labor Day weekend looming in the town of Holton Mills, New Hampshire, thirteen-year-old Henry—lonely, friendless, not too good at sports—spends most of his time watching television, reading, and daydreaming about the soft skin and budding bodies of his female classmates. For company Henry has his long-divorced mother, Adele—a onetime dancer whose summer project was to teach him how to foxtrot; his hamster, Joe; and awkward Saturday-night outings to Friendly's with his estranged father and new stepfamily. As much as he tries, Henry knows that even with his jokes and his "Husband for a Day" coupon, he still can't make his emotionally fragile mother happy. Adele has a secret that makes it hard for her to leave their house, and seems to possess an irreparably broken heart.

But all that changes on the Thursday before Labor Day, when a mysterious bleeding man named Frank approaches Henry and asks for a hand. Over the next five days, Henry will learn some of life's most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect piecrust, the breathless pain of jealousy, the power of betrayal, and the importance of putting others—especially those we love—above ourselves. And the knowledge that real love is worth waiting for.

Type: Fiction, 256 pages, Hardcover

Quick Take: If the description for this novel mentioned a weak mother who let a convict (on the run) stay with her and her son… I probably wouldn’t have signed up for this book giveaway, I think this an important fact to share – it’s not the type of book I would purchase on my own (it creeped me out a bit). The reviews are very good on BN.COM (4.5 of 5 stars) so I wouldn’t shy away from it but I will tell you that I wasn’t able to connect with the characters solely on the 'creep out' factor.

I enjoyed the authors writing style and would read another book of hers. I just wasn’t able to get past a few things in the book (maybe that makes it a great book, it stirred up emotions).  The end is good, the story wraps up nicely but leaving you thinking about the characters and what will happen next.

Just this week I listened to an old show on That's how I Blog, Labor Day was the book selection.  I appreciate this book a bit more after listening to the discussion.

Source: Book Giveaway from Book Club Girl

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