Retrospective Wednesday: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Retrospective Wednesday is a meme designed to give bloggers a chance to go back and highlight a book published in previous years and readers a chance to pick up a book that may be off the radar but is certainly worth the read.

Today's highlighted book, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, does not require much of a look back since it was just published last year. It also was a wildly popular book having spent at least eight weeks as #1 on the NYT bestselling books.

Gone Girl is a psychological mystery. The book begins on the fifth wedding anniversary of Nick and Amy. He gets up to find her in the kitchen making crepes humming the theme song to M*A*S*H*, Suicide is Painless. That should have been our clue that something creepy and sinister was just about to happen. Nick and Amy are both out-of-work writers and have a very difficult and unhappy marriage. They have moved to Missouri, Nick's hometown, from New York City. Neither are happy as we find out as the story unfolds. When Amy goes missing later that day and it looks like it could be murder, Nick is the prime suspect. We find out bits and pieces about our characters through alternating chapters told in their voices or through diary entries.  Both Nick and Amy are good liars.  They not only lie to each other and to the police, they also lie to us.  If ever there was a book with unreliable narrators it is this one. We are trapped, right along with the characters, in all the deceptions and lies right up to the very end of the story. It made me think of the line from the poem:

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive." - Sir Walter Scott

We are reading Gone Girl as a  book club selection for next month. One of the gals in the club read it early and announced that she hated the book, which of course had a chilling effect on my wanting to even start it. My husband and I listened to the audiobook version read by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne during our latest road trip to the Canadian Rockies and back. It was actually a very fun book to listen to with another person. Every evening we would discuss what we thought would happen next and speculate about the plot. As bits and pieces of the story were revealed we'd moan or laugh depending on what we thought ahead of time. I liked Gone Girl for that very reason.  I never really had it figured out. It kept me interested and guessing to the end.  But I must say, if you only like books if you like the main characters, stay away from this book because you won't like either of them.  Both Amy and Nick are so flawed you'll find yourself rooting against them.

Now for the disclaimer: since my blog is mainly about YA lit I need to add a note of caution. This is an adult book with plenty of sexual scenes and references. I think older teens would enjoy this book but I do not think it is appropriate for younger teens.

30 books this Summer Reading Challenge

17 / 30 books. 56% done!

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Top Ten Tuesday...favorite first lines

Top Ten First Lines

Author	Title	First Line
Anderson, M.T.	Feed	"We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck."
Dickens, Charles	David Copperfield	"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show."
Marchetta, Melina	Jellicoe Road	"My father took one hundred and thirty two minutes to die. I counted."
Barrie, J.M	Peter Pan	"All children, except one, grow up."
Eugenides, Jeffrey	Middlesex	"I was born twice: first as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petosky, Michigan, in August of 1974."
Robinson, Barbara	The Best Christmas Pageant Ever	"The Herdmans were the absolute worst children in the history of the world."
Gaiman, Neil	Anansai Boys	"It begins, as most things begin, with a song."
Lewis, C.S.	Voyage of the Dawn Treader	"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."
Austen, Jane	Pride and Prejudice	"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
Roach, Mary	Stiff: Curious Lives of Human Cadavers	"The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of the time is spent lying on your back."
Tolstoy, Leo	Anna Karenina	"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
Snicket, Lemony	A Series of Unfortunate Events: A Bad Beginning	"If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book."

Last day to sign up for my blogoversary giveaway.
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Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd is a gripping horror story inspired by the H.G. Wells classic book, The Island of Doctor Moreau, which shocked and horrified readers over 100 years ago when it was first published in England.

We first meet Juliet Moreau living alone in London working as a maid and barely making ends meet. She is forced to live this way since her mother died of consumption and her father, once a famous surgeon, left town in disgrace. Then, by chance, she meets Montgomery, her father's assistant, and learns that her father is alive and living on an island in the Pacific. Juliet insists that Montgomery take her to her father. He begs her not to come, but she would rather risk the unknown than become destitute on the streets of London. Enroute she and Montgomery renew their childhood friendship and Juliet believes that her father will be happy to see her when they finally arrive. One day, as the ship nears the island, they discover a small boat floating in the ocean with a man aboard. His name is Edward and is just barely alive. Juliet and Montgomery nurse him back to health. Edward and Juliet seem drawn toward each other and soon a bit of a love triangle emerges. But this does not in any way make this a romance book.  It is a thriller all the way.

When they finally arrive at Dr. Moreau's island Juliet is unprepared to the horrors that await her there. And so was I.  Having never read HG Wells tale, I was unprepared for what awaited our characters as they started their new lives on this remote island.

Teen readers should flock to this book, especially those who like reading thrillers or the horror genre. Making it additionally more attractive to some readers, it has a lot of adventure and mystery, and, as I said before, a touch of romance. The Madman's Daughter is the first book in a planned trilogy by Shepherd. The second book, Her Dark Curiosity, set to be published in January 2014, is inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Madman's Daughter has already been optioned for movie rights.

My team of librarian friends and I had dismissed The Madman's Daughter from our list of potential Mock Printz books without reading it. But I am now placing it back in the consideration pile.  It think this book has too much to offer teen readers and is certainly worthy of book awards.

I consumed The Madman's Daughter in the audiobook format. Lucy Rayner was the narrator and she did a remarkable job. I do love listening to audiobooks so much!

Please feel free to sign up for my Blogoversary giveaway. All you need to do to be eligible to win is to become a follower of this blog, sign up on rafflecopter, and make a comment on this blog post. You only have one more day to enter. I'll be announcing the winner of August 1st.

30 books this Summer Reading Challenge

16 / 30 books. 53% done!

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Sunday Salon...July 28

Bumper crop of blueberries this year.

We're home: we just got home from a three-day camping trip to the Washington Coast with other church families.  We have been participating in this church campout for over 25 years. It is a very special time for our family and a time for us to bond with others in our church. Even though it was pretty warm at the time of our departure from home, by the time we arrived at the campground the temperature was 20 degrees lower. I spent the whole week-end in my sweatshirt including while in bed at night in the tent. Ha!

Last week: My husband and I vacationed in Canada, mainly in the Canadian Rockies (Banff and Lake Louise.) We really had a wonderful vacation and the scenery was so LOVELY. We put over 1400 miles on the car for this round-trip and we still like each other after so much time together! I highly recommend it as a vacation destination.

Blueberries: We have the smallest, spindliest blueberry bush you have ever seen. In past years it has yielded maybe ten berries.  Today, after we returned from the beach, I peeked at it and was shocked to see our bumper crop. (Pictured above.)

Books: I have found it hard to get any concerted reading time this past week on the road and vacationing, but my husband and I did listen to one and a half audiobooks enroute:

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn...a mystery about a married couple before and after she disappears and he is accused of murdering her. We had fun discussing what we thought would happen next. The audiobook was read by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne.
• Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: the Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis by Timothy Egan...a nonfiction book about a Seattle man who set about photographing Native American tribes in the early 1900s before their way of life was extinct. We are over 3/5th of our way through this fascinating book by one of our favorite authors. now that we are home from vacation, we will have to take turns finishing it up.

Blogoversary Giveaway: Please answer my question in the comment section and fill of the rafflecopter form below.  July is coming to an end and so is your chance to sign up.

• Question: What is the title of a book that made you really want to visit where it was set?
• My answer: The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt is about Venice. I really wanted to visit that city before the book but was doubly interested in a visit after.

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Summer weather in Seattle area

Mt. Rainier with a view of Myrtle Falls just and hour and half drive from Tacoma.

For years I have been telling folks that the best summer weather in the USA is the the Puget Sound region of Washington State. Turns out, I'm right.  Out of the whole nation Seattle is ranked as the best place to spend a summer (Portland, Oregon is #2.) Cliff Mass is a professor at the University of Washington who studies weather and also reports on it for our local PBS station. Here is a post from his blog about the summer weather in the Seattle area.  After you read it, get out your planning books and plan a vacation to the Pacific NW for this or next summer.

Cliff Mass Weather Blog

May I summarize:

• low humidity
• few thunderstorms
• little or no rain, we are dry here in the summer
• cool evenings, even if the day is hot, temperatures drop at night
• twilight, plenty of time to do things in the evenings after work 
• Pacific Ocean has a moderating effect, even if it gets hot these spells never last for long
• close proximity to other climes: Washington Coast (cool) and over the Cascade Range to Central Washington (hot and dry)

Commencement Bay, part of the Puget Sound. There is a miles long walk, perfect for a summer evening.

Be sure to sign up for my blogoversary giveaway. You can fill out the form once a day.
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Feature and Follow Friday, July 26

Feature and Follow Friday gives me a chance to meet new blogging friends and for them to meet me.  This week's featured blog is ParaDays. Congratulations. Poe is very popular among my student readers.  I really must read more of his work.

This Week's question: What do you do with your books after you're done reading them? 

My Answer: I usually donate them to my library, but I should add, I very rarely buy books. I check them out from the public library, or my library if I can get the book without deterring a student from reading it.

Please join my blogoversary giveaway.  Answer my question in the comments below and fill out the form of rafflecopter.  It is easy and fun!

Today's blogoversary giveaway question: I like books that include animal characters. What is a book you have enjoyed that included memorable animals?

My Answer: Where the Red Fern Grows is one of my all-time favorite books with memorable dogs, Lil' Anne and Big Dan. I am also crazy about the book Racing in the Rain where the narrator is a dog,  Enzo.

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Lake Louise...Exquisite

Lake Minnewanka 

We are ending our Canadian vacation today after a one night stay at Lake Louise, the prettiest spot on earth.

Don built this Inukshuk to commemorate our presence this day. 

We took about a million pictures and I'm sure that none of them will even do a bit of justice to the gorgeous setting but here they are.

Herd of bighorn ewes and calves

I love Canada and I love Canadians!  For all my blog readers to the north, take note!  You are a special people and have an extraordinary country. Your national park system is superb. The scenery is some of the best in the world. And your restaurants and service are excellent.  Last night we had tapas at the lounge here at the Fairmont Hotel at Lake Louise...salmon and crab rolls; lamb meatballs; and expensive drinks. Everything was top-notch. We've taken lovely hikes, even encountering a baby bear, which freaked us out because we wondered where mama bear was. We interacted with a herd of bighorn sheep. Lovely. Lovely. Lovely.  If I have one small criticism, however, I might mention the MOSQUITOES. We started with some "good-for-you" bug spray to keep them away and ended up purchasing the strongest stuff available with 25% Deet. One hike we went on we probably got double the amount of exercise due to all the slapping and dancing about trying to avoid those dive-bombing, blood-sucking fiends. Small inconvenience to pay for all this beauty.

Lake Louise taken in the early morning during our hike.

We have to leave th room and check out now.  On the road again today!  Bye!

Be sure to sign up for my giveaway.  But you'll have to go back a few posts to find the sign up!

Block quote practice

My hubby and I were all encouraged because he figured out how to center my blog header.  On the heels of that success I decided to once again attempt to change my block quote to something a little more distinctive.  Well, I think I've done it.

Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place. -Mark Twain

Of course this isn't very bold or demanding, but then, neither is my blog.

Congratulations to American Astronaut Shannon Lucid, she now holds the American record for most time in space. Of course, the old record was held by Jerry Garcia."
- Spaceballs (Dark Helmet) 

My children always quote funny lines from movies.

If you teach your children nothing else, teach them the Golden Rule and "righty-tighty, lefty-loosey."  ~Robert Brault

No one taught me righty-tighty, lefty-loosey until I was in my 40s. Believe me it is a mantra around the house now!



 

Sunday Salon from Banff, Alberta

Canadian Rockies

Good morning. We are in Banff, Alberta in Canada.

Yesterday: We arrived in Banff around 6 PM after a very beautiful, scenic drive from Kelowna, British Columbia. We even saw some bighorn sheep, in the wild, along the way. This is my first visit to the Canadian Rockies. Spectacular. Bow Falls was our first scenic stop in Banff.

Quick photo stop enroute. We are traveling light with the top down on the S2000.

Bighorn sheep; fencing was part of a road project, they were not fenced in.

Bow Falls

Kelowna, British Columbia- Less than 300 miles from our home in Washington State I had never heard of Kelowna, B.C. before but now I know about it and want to go back for a much longer stay.  It is located on the beautiful and large Okanagan Lake. It is a city unlike any I've ever been to before. It is a little like Chelan, WA or Sand Point, ID because of the lake and the warm weather associated with this part of the country and the associated water sports/boating. It is a bit like Boulder, CO because it is so artsy and has the feel of a college town (young hippie types everywhere.) It has a vibrant downtown with little shops and lots of restaurants which reminded me of the Capitol Hill area of Seattle where everyone walks about and visits on the streets. Lastly, I thought of Venice, Italy because it actually has canals where people can park their motor boats right in front of their homes or condos. In fact, the town had a bit of the Mediterranean feel because of it's warmth and resort-feel. We only had one evening in Kelowna and we spent it listening to a free concert in the park and walking the boardwalk around the waterfront park. Lovely. The dolphin fountain is located at the entrance of that park.

Kelowna, BC, Waterfront Park

Dinner last night was at Bear Street Tavern where we visited with a newlywed couple from U.K. We each ordered a small pizza and then only ate half.  That was silly, we should have only ordered one! Guess what we will have for lunch today? Cold pizza.

Today: we will take a few hikes and check out the local shops.  Tomorrow we hope to take the gondola up for sweeping view of the mountains.

Audiobook: We are listening to Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn in the car. It is a long book, 15 CDs with over 17 hours of listening. The book, a mystery, has lots of plot twists and turns.  So far we are enjoying it and find ourselves discussing what we think will happen.

Books finished this week:

• The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd---a horror novel which takes HG Wells' novel The Island of Doctor Moreau from his daughter's point-of-view. Very well done ad creepy.
• What We Saw at Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard---a suspenseful mystery. I will do book reviews of both these books soon.

Both book clubs met this past week: 

• We discussed Saving Cee-Cee Honeycutt at my SOTH club. Everyone LOVED the book and the discussion questions were fabulous, very personal. 
• Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver was the RHS Club selection of the month.  It provided a lot for us to digest and discuss though a few gals weren't completely crazy about the book like I was. I was the hostess of this meeting and made a Chocolate Carrot cake for dessert with a chocolate cream cheese frosting. Yum.

Breakfast:

We just returned from our hotel-provided breakfast. The highlight was homemade granola and yogurt. Delish! Now we are off to explore.

Don't forget: You can sign up for my blogoversary giveaway once a day.  I have a new question today prompted by my vacation:

• Question- What is a book that you read during a vacation that really stands out in your mind?
• My Answer- a few years ago my whole family met at the Oregon Coast for a few days. While there I read Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. It was a good vacation book because it was essentially little short stories or vignettes where the main character, Olive Kitteridge, played a main or bit-part in each segment. I think that short stories work well on vacations because you can finish one story in a sitting and not have to focus on complicated plots.
• Your turn. Reply in the comment section and fill out the rafflecopter to enter.

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Feature and Follow Friday and Giveaway information

Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The purpose is to meet new people and gain more followers in the book blogging community.

Featured Blog: Guiltless Reader. I love your eclectic list of favorite books!


Here’s this week’s question: Where is the best destination reading spot for you? (Where do you like to go to read other then your home)

Hmmm...I can pretty much read anywhere-at my desk during lunch; in the doctor's office waiting for an exam; on a train, plane, or bus heading toward or from a destination; I also enjoy listening to audiobooks while I'm driving in the car; but my favorite would be sitting in a deck chair at the beach, lake, or Puget Sound.

July is my Blogoversary.  Please help me by participating in my giveaway.  All you have to do is answer the following question in the comment section, follow me, and sign up on rafflecopter.

Today's Question: What is the best biography that you remember reading?

My answer: Schindler's List is a fiction book about an actual man: Oscar Schindler. It was excellent.

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Retrospective Wednesday: A Horse and His Boy

Retrospective Wednesday is a chance to look back at great books published in previous years, some decades ago. All are worthy of a second (or first) read.

The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis is the 5th book in the Chronicles of Narnia. This is the only book in the Narnia series that looks at a story within a story. It takes place during the reign of Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy. It could be book 1 1/2 placing it somewhere before the ending of The Lion, the Witch , and the Wardrobe. But it was published 5th in the series by Lewis and the story is mentioned in the 4th book as something you will be told later, so it is 5th.

In this story a slave boy, Shasta, and a horse, Bree conspire to run away together to Narnia. Bree, a talking horse, wants to return to his homeland and Shasta wants to avoid another horrible master. On their journey they join up with a girl and another talking horse, Hwin, also heading for Narnia. Along the way they discover a plot by the son of the Tisroc to overthrow Narnia. Thus begins a race to see who will get to Narnia first, the children and the horses, or the son of the despot. Along the way they encounter Aslan, the great lion of Narnia. He has wise things to say to everyone and guides them, even when they don't know they are being guided.

Of the seven book in the Chronicles of Narnia series this is probably my least favorite, but it is only a notch down from the others. Aslan's interactions with the horses and children are so touching. When they ask him questions about others, Aslan replies that he only talks to us about our stories. He deals with everyone on a personal level. C.S. Lewis explained that Aslan represents Christ. Knowing this a head of the reading makes these passages and interactions even more precious.

Reading A Horse and His Boy together on the Puget Sound.

My daughter and I are reading the series together aloud this summer. Even though this is at least the fourth time I've read the series, so much of it seems new, like I'd never read it before. I delight in books that have something new to say to me every time I read them. I hope you consider reading The Chronicles of Narnia someday, too.  

30 books this Summer Reading Challenge

15 / 30 books. 50% done!

Please take part in my Blogoversary Giveaway. Answer the question on my comment section, follow me on this blog or twitter and fill out the Rafflecopter form.  Easy!

Question of the Day: What is your favorite children's book that you think every parent should read to their children?

Answer: I have two. The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood and Jamberry by Bruce Degen. I never tired of reading both of these books to my children.

Your turn.

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Weekly Update...July 7-14

I missed Sunday Salon yesterday because I was visiting the beautiful Mt. Rainier National Park with my daughters.  But I have a lot that I want to share so here is a weekly update.

Sunset over the Puget Sound from Jack Hyde Park on Ruston Way. 

Mt. Rainier and Puget Sound...
Friday evening we took a picnic dinner to Jack Hyde Park on the Puget Sound. The weather was perfect for it. We sat on our blanket munching down on our a sub sandwich, fruit, and chips. Everything seemed idyllic until the automatic sprinklers turned on and we had to dash for it to avoid getting wet. We set everything up on a picnic table but that appeared to be threatened  by the sprinkler, too. Eventually we ended sitting on a log on the beach and read aloud to each other from The Horse and His Boy from the Chronicles of Narnia series. It really was quite humorous. We are so blessed to live near enough to the Puget Sound that we can jump in the car on a whim for a last-minute picnic.

Our picnic spot before the sprinklers

Reading The Horse and His Boy together.

The next morning my daughters and I drove up to Mt. Rainier National Park as early as we could. It was an absolutely lovely day. We hiked as far as we could. The trail we were on became covered with snow and none of us had on boots so we turned around. While viewing Myrtle Falls we encountered a Blue Grouse who was attempting to attract a mate. As he drew closer and closer to us we were able to see all his finery very clearly. The wildflowers are just beginning to bloom. They should be in full glory in about two weeks. On our way home we stopped by Northwest Trek to view more animals and nature. It was a tiring but wonder-filled day.

Daughters and Mt. Rainier

A blue grouse strutting his stuff.

Avalanche lilies were the most common wild flower we saw on Mt. Rainier

The scarlet paintbrush are just getting ready to bloom everywhere but we found these already open.

Carved onto the stairway leading to a hiking trail is a message from John Muir about the beauty of Mt. Rainier and it's wildflowers.

Around the house...
There are lots of things to do in the yard this time of year. I even picked up a few more annuals to place in the yard and in pots. In the kitchen we made roasted cauliflower with parmesan and balsamic vinaigrette.

Vacation ahead...
Don and I leave for a week long vacation to Banff, Alberta. I am so excited.  I've never been to the Canadian Rockies and I understand that it is LOVELY.

Books...
     Completed this week:

• A Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis- the sixth book in the Chronicles of Narnia series
• Diego Rivera: An Artist for the People by Susan Rubin-a junior book that looks at the life and works of this famous Mexican muralist.
• Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner-a dystopian YA novel set in the 1950 surrounding a moon walk. this book won the Carnegie Medal this year in the U.K.
• Yellowcake by Margo Lanagan- Ten short stories by this award-winning author.
• Emancipation Proclamation by Tonya Bolden-a treasure trove of primary documents leading up to the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln during the Civil War.

     Currently reading:

• A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty- two worlds and a scrap of white between.
• The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd- this is my audiobook selection right now and I'm just a good creepy part. This is a continuation of HG Well's book, The Island of Doctor Moreau.
• The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis. Carly and I are reading aloud the series this summer. 

July is my blogoversary month...
Sign up for the giveaway below.  Be sure to follow this blog and answer the question on the comment section below, too. Good luck.

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Review: Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty

After watching the excellent movie Lincoln last winter I was eager to read more about Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation. This book, The Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty by Tonya Bolden, is an absolute treasure trove of primary documents from the time period. These documents are the type that make Social Studies teachers and librarians alike salivate because they are so interesting and vital to understanding what led to the Emancipation Proclamation in the first place.

Tonya Bolden has written over 20 history books for children and adults, most about African-American contributions to American history. All of them are meticulously researched. Surprisingly she reported in a 2009 interview with Book Links, that as a child she hated history. "It was presented in such an uninteresting way," she said. About the research process she said, "I just start reading and immerse myself in the time period." It is really obvious that she did just that with this book. She highlighted the contributions by African-Americans to the anti-slavery efforts in addition to the white Americans we have always heard so much about. There are wonderful paintings, photos, and documents to pour over and digest. Not being a big scholar on the Civil War myself, I will appreciate what Bolden brings to the subject.

Even though my public library has this book classified as a Junior book it works for older students and adults. The text is written in simple language, but the captions on the documents are small and plentiful, thus the book can't really be read quickly if the reader is to gain value from it.

I will be purchasing this book for my library.

30 books this Summer Reading Challenge

14 / 30 books. 46% done!

Sign up for the giveaway

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In order to be eligible to win the giveaway you must be a follower of this blog and answer the following question in the comment section, as well as signing up on Rafflecopter. You can sign up everyday and answer a new question.

Today's question: What is the first book you remember reading to yourself?
My answer: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

 

Blogoversary Giveaway

July is my Blogoversary. I began blogging four years ago. My mission: to communicate with my readers about books I recommend, especially YA literature. Since I began blogging many friends have told me that they read my blog and look forward to the reviews of the books I recommend. Those kind of comments make me feel like my efforts are worth it. I have noticed, however, that fewer people are writing comments on my blog posts. I'm hoping to remedy this through a Blogoversary Giveaway.

Here's how to enter:
1.  Must be a  follower of my blog
2.  Must make a comment somewhere on my blog.  The winner will be awarded a $20 Amazon Gift Card. International entrants welcome. The prize will be awarded on July 31st.
3. Fill out the Rafflecopter Giveaway form.  You can do this once a day. I will try to change the question everyday but I'm new to this whole rafflecopter thing so I'm not sure I know how to do it. Good luck.

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Feature and Follow Friday AND Book Beginnings

Alison Can Read

Feature and Follow Friday, July 12.  Featured Blog: Girl in the Woods. Congratulations.  I like your blog and your picture.

Q: Activity: PHOTOBOMB!!!! Photobomb a picture with your favorite book. Share it of course.

Not very creative since this photo is used on my blog but there is no one home to take a recent photo of me with a favorite.  However, all four of the books pictured are in my top books: Pride and Prejudice by Austen; Harry Potter by Rowling, Whistling Season by Ivan Doig, and Bean Trees by Kingsolver.

Book Beginnings at Rose City Reader:

"Madeleine Tully turned fourteen yesterday, but today she did not turn anything. Oh wait. She turned a page." -From A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

I feel like Madeleine lots of times. Like I am nothing special and the only thing I have to do is read.

Please participate in my blogoversary giveaway. Come back often for more chances to win. See details here:

Click here

And click here to enter.  This is my first time with Rafflecopter so I hope I got it right.  If not, go back to the Happy  Blogoversary link (Above) and sign up with your email and make a comment.

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