Saturday, June 2, 2012

Fun Younger Kids Titles for the Summer!

Thanks to Amulet Books for these advanced readers for kids:
Jinxed by Kurtis Scaletta 
       For young baseball fans!  The adventures of the Pine City Porcupines!  Fun chapter books to enjoy over the summer. 

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger
       Disguises and very short robbers, hmmmmm!!!  Can Lenny stop Casper before it's too late?  Get your laughter on for the summer!

These were read, recommended and enjoyed by some enthusiastic young book fans!!

From Scholastic Press (thanks!):
 
Capture the Flag by Kate Messner
On bookshelves beginning July 1!  Just in time for Independence Day!

I read this one and loved it!!  High adventure at the airport with plenty of hijinks!  A piece of history could be destroyed, so Anna, Henry and Jose are on a mission to make sure that doesn't happen:)  Will they figure out the mystery in time?




172 HOURS ON THE MOON by Johan Harstad

Read this book!

Interestingly informative, dark and addictive!  Three lucky teenagers picked by a lottery to go on a mission back to the moon for a 172 hour stay in the name of research and publicity of course.  Signs, warnings and an old-man's memory aren't heeded.  What is this mission really about and can it be stopped before it's too late?

I ended up practically sunk into the corner of the couch as I finished this book.  Labeled a young adult book but wouldn't recommend for anyone younger than high school age.  And if you, even you adults, have any interest in space exploration, our moon or conspiracy theories, definitely read!

Friday, June 1, 2012

CONTEST! Signed Copy of The Beach Trees by Karen White


WINNER - DORITA BATES!!! THANKS TO ALL THAT ENTERED:)
I had the privilege to meet Karen White along with several other fine, southern women authors at the UCF Book Festival earlier this year.  I have read and very much enjoyed Karen White's novels and while I have not read The Beach Trees (on the list), I have complete faith that the lucky winner of this contest will love this book!  If southern writing and strong woman characters are your forte, I'd add Karen White to your list of authors to read!

***Three ways to be entered to win this signed book:  1. Leave a comment on this blog post  2. Leave a comment on Tales & Ales Books Facebook Page  3.  Follow me on Twitter - @TalesAlesBks  (accepted comments are :  Hi!  Hiya!  Howdy!  Whatchareading? How's the weather? Red or white wine?  Milk or Dark Chocolate? and the like!)  Contest ends at 11:00 a.m tomorrow morning, June 2, 2012.
From the back cover:
Julie first knew loss at the age of twelve, when her younger sister disappeared from a local park—never to be found. As her once close-knit family grew apart, Julie’s mother obsessively searched for the girl, and when her mother died, Julie took up the search. Even as she went on with life, discovering a love for art that she attributed to her painter grandfather, she never let go of the hope that she might find her sister.

Then, working at an auction house in New York, Julie meets Monica Guidry—a struggling artist and single mother who reminds Julie so much of her sister that she can’t help feeling drawn to her, and even a bit protective. Monica paints a vivid picture of her southern family through stories, but never says why or how she lost contact with them. And she has another secret: a heart condition that will soon take her life.

Feeling as if she’s lost her sister a second time, Julie inherits from Monica an antique portrait—as well as custody of her young son. Taking him to Biloxi, Mississippi, to meet the family he’s never known, Julie discovers a connection of her own. The portrait, of an old Guidry relative, was done by her grandfather—and unlocks a surprising family history…

Quick Takes - Paris and Dark Places

Now, I'd normally not lump these two together but they are the next in my pile, so why not?

French Lessons by Ellen Sussman
This book has been out for a little less than a year and I received an advanced copy back in May 2011, thanks to Ballantine Books but it took me until a month ago to get to.  

What would you do in Paris for the day?  (I'd go to the Louvre again and of course drink more wine.)
Three Americans with varying reasons for being in France hire French tutors for varying reasons.  Three short stories with some intertwining and one with intertwining of limbs;)  My favorite part(s) of this book are that Sussman created fulfilling stories and characters with enough depth and heart that you didn't realize that they were short snip-its in these peoples lives.

A good read with a glass of wine, crusty bread and lit candle.  I recommend the bath tub or hot tub if you've got one!


DARK PLACES by Gillian Flynn

The first Gillian Flynn novel I read was Sharp Objects about 3 or 4 years ago and I read during UCF football tailgating.  To say I was shocked, is putting it lightly.  But shocked and hooked in a good way.

Dark Places did the same.  It sucked you in on page one and you were fighting with Libby the whole way.  You wanted to believe in her and keep her from falling down in despair or self-destructing.  The murders were horrible and no little girl should have to live through that.  Her brother, Ben, is in jail, convicted of those murders and there are those who believe in his innocence all these years later.  Libby is grown and her memorial fund money is running out.  She resorts to selling memorabilia of her brothers and the murders.  And when those that believe in Ben's innocence approach her offering money to get her to help prove he didn't commit the murders, she hesitatingly accepts.  Libby might not like what she finds out though and her life is back in danger, even more than it was on that night when she was a little girl.

I'm looking forward to reading Flynn's third novel, Gone Girl, in bookstores beginning June 5.  Awesome reads, but not for the faint of heart.






When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

In what could be a not so distant future, the government and people of the U.S. have gone to the extreme.  Microchroming those who have committed crimes - changing the criminals skin color to match the category of crime.  Hannah Payne is now a Red.  Red for murder.  Her crime, falling from grace and loving too intensely the right but wrong man, and then there's . . . .  She will not shame her lover so her sentenced is extended to live 16 years as Red.  She doesn't know where to turn or who to trust, not even the God of her upbringing.  You hold your breath as she stumbles through the first few days as a Red and sneer at those that sneer at her, that force her into submissiveness and ridicule her.  Judgment has been meted out on earth.  Hannah runs and falls with Kayla, a fellow Red, as they try to outrun their own skin.  The government and the Fist (vigilantes) can track their every move.  Did I not mention, the microchips?!  Comforting, right?  

This book holds a phenomenal story, one that might sound familiar to those who have read The Scarlet Letter, but brings that tale to date and embarks deeper into human nature, faith and spirit.  I want to say I really loved it, but it left me depressed.  That's not to say don't read it, I think you should and see what opinion of us humans you form.  Where are we going?  Faith or no faith, is this how we are really supposed to treat our fellow man?