Two Reviews And A Giveaway

‘Variety’s the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavour.” ….William Cowper, THE TASK (1785)

That’s what I enjoy about books, there’s so much variety to select from. And that’s what I’m offering today - a variety of genres to whet your reading appetite. I have 2 reviews and a giveaway, all from different genres.

First up, let’s head west and take a look at a western romance novel with a slight twist.

COWBOY FEVER by Joanne Kennedy

COWBOY FEVER is your typical western romance with sexy cowboys, horses, and damsels in distress. However, this story has a couple extra layers that might surprise you and give you a different take on the genre.

Teague Treadwell has been the typical ‘bad boy’ cowboy growing up. But when a person he loved went away to better themselves, Teague decided it was time to get his act together. Taking over the ranch from his alcoholic father, Teague turned it into a profitable business raising rough stock (bucking horses and bulls). In addition, Teague has taken on the role of caring for his older brother, Troy, who has Down Syndrome.

The typical ‘girl-next-door,’ Jodi Brand enjoyed being a tomboy but used her good looks to become Miss Rodeo America. From there Jodi went East to model for six years. During that time she also studied and got a degree in special education.

Jodi returns to her hometown determined to leave the glam life behind and build a successful therapy riding program for disabled children. Troy wanting his independence inspired her.

While Jodi and Teague are drawn to each other from their childhood friendship, there are several obstacles in their way to happiness. One in particular is Courtney Skelton, a spoiled, rich want-to-be cowgirl who wants Teague all to herself.

The caring and concern Teague and Jodi feel for each other give the story depth. Author Joanne Kennedy gives a new layer to the story when she addresses the issue of children with disabilities. She shares how therapy programs work to give these individuals more independence. COWBOY FEVER is a tender love story with a lot of heart, emotion and inspiration.

Author Joanne Kennedy’s website is http://joannekennedybooks.com/

Cowboy Fever by Joanne Kennedy, Sourcebooks Casablanca, @2011, ISBN: 978-1-4022-5141-2, Paperback, 416 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Next we take a trip to see what evil underworld creatures are up to in a paranormal romance with a dose of humor.
 

DEMONS ARE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND by Linda Wisdom

Working in law enforcement is hard work especially when the criminals are nefarious creatures.

But Maggie O’Malley is good at her job. She’s well trained and is a member of The Hellion Guard, a secret branch of law enforcement. Not to mention, she’s a 700-year-old witch.

Declan is the sexy owner of the Damnation Alley bar. It’s his responsibility to keep the creatures from coming through the bar’s portal and creating havoc for humans. He’s also a half fire demon.

Maggie and Declan must join forces to help protect Courtney, a teenager who is number one on the Maylan human sacrifice list. If Courtney is sacrificed, a major bad guy will be freed. While dealing with the teenager and trying to keep her safe, Maggie and Declan have to also deal with their growing feelings for each other. Fire demons and witches don’t mix well.

DEMONS ARE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND is a delightful read with witty and eclectic characters. My favorite is Ella, the diamond encrusted Black Widow Spider with ruby eyes who doubles as Maggie’s tattoo.

Author Linda Wisdom has done a wonderful job of creating a fantasy world with lovable characters you’ll want to visit again and again.

Author Linda Wisdom’s website is www.lindawisdom.com

Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend by Linda Wisdom, Sourcebooks Casablanca, @2011, ISBN: 978-1-4022-5439-0, Paperback, 384 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

We end our journey today with a look at a fiction thriller that will be released on May 5 and is up for a giveaway.

TABLOID CITY by Peter Hamill

I’m able to giveaway 2 copies of Peter Hamill’s newest release, TABLOID CITY, thanks to Anna and the good folks at Little, Brown and Company.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the book:
In a stately West Village townhouse, a wealthy socialite and her secretary are murdered. In the 24 hours that follow, a flurry of activity circles around their shocking deaths: The head of one of the city's last tabloids stops the presses. A cop investigates the killing. A reporter chases the story. A disgraced hedge fund manager flees the country. An Iraq War vet seeks revenge. And an angry young extremist plots a major catastrophe.

The City is many things: a proving ground, a decadent playground, or a palimpsest of memories-- a historic metropolis eclipsed by modern times. As much a thriller as it is a gripping portrait of the city of today, TABLOID CITY is a new fiction classic from the writer who has captured it perfectly for decades.

Pete Hamill is a novelist, journalist, editor, and screenwriter. He is the author of 20 previous books including the bestselling novels FOREVER and SNOW IN AUGUST and the bestselling memoir, A DRINKING LIFE. He lives in New York City.

Click on the following link to hear an excerpt and/or video of TABLOID CITY - http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780316020756.htm

To enter this giveaway, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Tabloid City.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. In addition, Hachette advises winners that they will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title in the mail. (Winners here have always be great about letting me know if they have already won the book somewhere else so another winner can be selected. However, this announcement is something that has to be passed along from Hachette). And, just so you know, I don’t share the mailing information or use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter the giveaway for a chance at 1 of 2 copies of  TABLOID CITY (ISBN: 9780316020756), a 288 page hardcover editioin, is 8 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, May 7.

Do you like variety in your reading?

Author Joanne Kennedy Guest Blogs

Please join me in welcoming award-winning author Joanne Kennedy back to Thoughts in Progress as the special guest blogger as she makes a stop today on her virtual book tour.

Joanne’s latest release, COWBOY FEVER, is the third installment in her cowboy romance series. Here’s a brief synopsis of the book: She Thought She Had It All…

A modeling contract with Wrangler got this Miss Rodeo Wyoming a first-class ticked out of town, but somewhere along the way Jodi Brand lost her soul. When she gets back to her hometown, her childhood friend Teague Treadwell’s rugged cowboy charm hits her like a ton of bricks…

He Believed He Wasn’t Good Enough…
Teague is convinced Jodi’s success lifted her out of his reach. Now he’s got to shed his bad boy image to be worthy of the girl next door…
But whoever heard of a beauty queen settling for a down and dirty cowboy…

Thanks to Joanne and Danielle at Sourcebooks, I have 2 copies of COWBOY FEVER to giveaway to those commenting on Joanne’s post. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Visitors have until 8 p.m. (EST) on Friday, April 15, to comment on this post. Be sure to include your e-mail with your comments if it isn’t included in your profile.

Joanne is here to talk about trading places with one of her characters, who it would be and why. She’s decided she shoulda been a cowgirl.

I want to be a rodeo queen. I’m a little past the proper age, and I don’t really have the skills required—but if I had my life to live over, I’d be one of those quintessential cowgirls with the sparkly hat and big hair.

At the start of every rodeo, the rodeo queens come out and gallop around the arena at top speed, waving flags and goading their horses into complicated formations. They wear sparkly shirts and tight jeans, and they ride like they were born in the saddle. It’s all part of the patriotic pageant of rodeo, as American as any apple pie.

To the uninitiated, rodeo queens might look like all the other pretty pageant princesses – but these women are skilled riders and great representatives for their communities. That’s why I made the heroine of COWBOY FEVER a former rodeo queen. When she arrives in her old hometown at the beginning of the book, Jodi Brand has already led a charmed life. With a modeling contract for Wrangler and a college scholarship behind her, she’s come home to keep the promise she made in her Miss Rodeo Wyoming victory speech: she’s going to make her hometown a better place.

But the real reason I envy this particular heroine is the way she intends to do it. Jodi has a degree in special education and she’s a certified equine therapist. She gets right down to work, building a wheelchair-friendly mounting ramp, finding calm, well-trained horses to use, and collecting a small string of clients that includes Russell, a wheelchair-bound boy who worships cowboys; Dorsey, a little girl with autism who finds confidence and joy in the saddle; and Constance, a child with Asperger’s whose determination to reach perfection in everything she does is both charming and challenging.

The scenes with these kids are based on my experiences with the Cheyenne Therapeutic Equestrian Center (CTEC) where I volunteer. Anita LaFond and her staff of teachers, horses and volunteers are truly an inspiration. If I can’t be Jodi Brand, I want to be Anita when I grow up. Not only does she help her clients gain strength, self-confidence and focus; she also uses rescue horses in the program—so everybody wins.

When I first started working with CTEC, I did it for the horses. My friend’s daughter is a rider there, and I went along as a side-walker, a volunteer who trots alongside the horses and makes sure the client doesn’t fall. I thought that would be a great excuse to mess around with animals.

But I stayed for the children. It is truly inspirational to watch these kids face a bewildering world and find joy on horseback. Faces light up. A child who rarely speaks learns to say “walk on” to get their horse to go. And best of all, a little boy who seemed isolated in his own private world gives you a big, affectionate hug. There are challenges, of course, and some sessions go better than others, but the rewards far outweigh anything else.

Of course, there is one other big reason I’d like to be Jodi Brand, and that’s Teague Treadwell. Teague is a bad boy with a good heart—not the kind of man a rodeo queen is supposed to get mixed up with. But he’s spent the last five years transforming his father’s played-out ranch into a first-class roughstock operation, raising bucking horses and bulls and striving to mend his reputation and be worthy of the town’s golden girl.

I also envy Jodi for her Wyoming roots. Her hometown has its share of busybodies and gossips—but it’s also filled with people who know her and care about her. I grew up in a small town, and I still see it as an idyllic place. I think many of us love small-town romances because we miss that sense of community.

Writing romance novels—and reading them—gives you a chance to make all your wishes come true, and COWBOY FEVER definitely answered some of my prayers. My heroine is the women I want to be, and Teague is the kind of man I love. And although they face a lot of challenges throughout the book, in the end Jodi and Teague stay true to themselves—and to each other.

Joanne, thanks for guest blogging today. It’s always fun to get background on a story. But I especially enjoy learning more about the Cheyenne Therapeutic Equestrian Center (CTEC) and the wonderful work they do.

Now for a bit of background on Joanne. She has worked in bookstores all her life in positions ranging from bookseller to buyer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and won first place in the Colorado Gold Writing Contest and second place in the Heart of the Rockies contest in 2007.  Joanne lives and writes in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she is working on TALL, DARK AND COWBOY (Releasing in November 2011). For more information on Joanne and her writing, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/.

What are your thoughts on being a rodeo queen? Have you heard of the CTEC  or similar programs that help youngsters through riding?