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The blurb:
Eileen O'Neill will always remember the lazy summer day when she was just a girl. Her da brought home buckets of lucky yellow paint to celebrate that a hundred years ago to the day, his grandda had won their house in a game of cards from the wealthy Sheridan family. Though her practical ma thought it was a foolish extravagance, she soon joined in the laughter as the family painted the house a sunny color that could be seen from the summit of Slieve Gullion.

The joy of that day soon falls into shadow, however, as religious intolerance, personal tragedy, and devastating secrets seep into the O'Neills' lives and ultimately tear the family violently apart. Young but strong in body, spirit, and passion, Eileen makes her own way in the world, and she is determined to reclaim the Yellow House and bring her broken family back home. Eileen finds work at the local mill owned by the Sheridans - the Quaker family that once owned her childhood home - who are among the few employers in Ulster who don't openly discriminate against Catholics in favor of Protestants. Though her defiance of authority often brings her trouble, Eileen escapes repercussions when she catches the interest of the owner's son Owen, the black sheep in the family.

As civil strife is overshadowed by the advent of World War I, Eileen cannot separate the politics from the personal impact of the conflicts in her life. Her warrior's soul is further encouraged when she meets her friend's older brother, James Conlon. Attractive, charismatic, and a passionate political activist, James is determined to win Irish independence from Great Britain at any cost and by any means. But Eileen also finds herself increasingly drawn to level-headed Owen Sheridan, who believes that peace can never be achieved through violence. As war rages at home and abroad, Eileen finds her actions and choices will change the course of all their lives and give her a true understanding of herself.

Set in Ulster in the early twentieth century, The Yellow House brings to life the dramatic conflicts leading up to the birth of the border that divided the island of Ireland.

Review:
Patricia Falvey's first novel, The Yellow House, has been described as firmly and unapologetically on the side of Republican/Nationalist perspective. I didn't feel that this point of view detracted from the novel. Eileen O'Neill is strong-willed, determined, and often excessively stubborn, but these same traits help keep her sane as she faces amazing personal tragedies. The events in Eileen's life are tied to the growing hostilities and political unrest in Ireland. Eileen faces the loss of both her parents and the disintegration of her family and responds by trying to recover their old home, the Yellow House, which represents the life that the O'Neills once had. Eileen's political awareness and willingness to take risks leads her to greater tragedies and disappointments. As Eileen would jump headlong into dangerous situations, I would shake my head, just waiting for the inevitable pain and disappointment.

The Yellow House is the story of Ireland in the early 1900s - it's part historical fiction and part love story. It's a story of hardship, love, loyalty, and hope against all odds.

ISBN-10: 1599952017 - Hardcover $21.99
Publisher: Center Street; 1 edition (February 15, 2010), 352 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author, courtesy of the publisher:
Patricia Falv

Summary:
After an irregular childhood and traumatic personal event, Madeline Dare accepts a post at Santangelo Academy, a boarding school for disturbed teenagers. The school is notoriously expensive and experimental and set in gorgeous grounds in the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. Everyone on campus, teachers and students alike, must submit to the founder's bizarre therapeutic treatments and regimen.

Madeline responds to the demands and requirements with humor, cynicism, and good sense. While this doesn't endear her to everyone, it does make her a sympathetic and teacher and an interesting lead character.

When sudden violence erupts on campus, Madeline finds herself right in the middle of it. And as she tries to make sense of what happened and how to protect herself and her students, we get drawn into the mysteries and secrets going on in The Crazy School.

Review:
The Crazy School gives us the quirky, cynical Madeline Dare and her impressions as a new teacher in the dangerous and unusual Santangelo Academy. As a crisis emerges at Santangelo Academy, the story turns into a mystery thriller as Madeline and her students try to discover the truth behind the mysterious deaths. The Crazy School is accessible, engrossing and fun.

ISBN-10: 044619820X - Paperback $13.99
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1 edition (February 12, 2010), 352 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author, courtesy of the publisher:
Cornelia Read knows old-school WASP culture firsthand, having been born into the tenth (and last) generation of her mother's family to live on Oyster Bay's Centre Island. She was subsequently raised near Big Sur by divorced hippie-renegade parents. Her childhood mentors included Sufis, surfers, single moms, Black Panthers, Ansel Adams, draft dodgers, striking farmworkers, and Henry Miller's toughest ping-pong rival.

At fifteen, Read returned east, attending boarding school and college on full scholarship. While in New York, she did time as a debutante at the Junior Assemblies, worming her way back into the Social Register following her expulsion when a regrettable tantrum on the part of her mother's boyfriend's wife landed them all on "Page Six" of the New York Post.

Today, her Bostonian Great-Grandmother Fabyan's Society of Mayflower Descendants membership parchment is proudly displayed at the back of Read's tiny linen closet in Berkeley, California. She continues to rebel against familial tradition by staying married to a lovely sane man who is gainfully employed. They have twin daughters, the younger of whom has severe autism. Learn more at Cornelia Read's website at http://www.corneliaread.com/

Would you like your own copy? Sign up for the giveaway - ending March 21, 2010!

Reading Group Guide:

1. Maddie is the only Santangelo Academy teacher who lives off campus. How does this affect her views of what is “normal”?

2. Wiesner tells Maddie she is “too whacked to maintain appropriate boundaries” and has issues with authority. Do you agree? Does anyone at Santangelo maintain “appropriate” boundaries?

3. Maddie claims she hates Mindy because she is so shallow. What does this assessment reveal about Maddie herself? How does the generally ne

Thank you to Valerie and Hatchette Book Group for sponsoring this giveaway of Cornelia Read's The Crazy School!



About the Book:
Recently settled in the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts, Madeline Dare now teaches at the Santangelo Academy, a boarding school for disturbed teenagers. But behind its ornate gates, she discovers a disorienting world where students and teachers alike must submit to the founder's bizarre therapeutic regimen. A chilling event confirms Maddie's worst suspicions, leading her to an even darker secret that lies at the academy's very heart. Now cut off from the outside world, Maddie must join forces with a small band of the school's most violently rebellious students - kids who, despite their troubled grip on reality, may well prove to be her only chance of survival.

About the Author, courtesy of the publisher:
Cornelia Read knows old-school WASP culture firsthand, having been born into the tenth (and last) generation of her mother's family to live on Oyster Bay's Centre Island. She was subsequently raised near Big Sur by divorced hippie-renegade parents. Her childhood mentors included Sufis, surfers, single moms, Black Panthers, Ansel Adams, draft dodgers, striking farmworkers, and Henry Miller's toughest ping-pong rival.

At fifteen, Read returned east, attending boarding school and college on full scholarship. While in New York, she did time as a debutante at the Junior Assemblies, worming her way back into the Social Register following her expulsion when a regrettable tantrum on the part of her mother's boyfriend's wife landed them all on "Page Six" of the New York Post.

Today, her Bostonian Great-Grandmother Fabyan's Society of Mayflower Descendants membership parchment is proudly displayed at the back of Read's tiny linen closet in Berkeley, California. She continues to rebel against familial tradition by staying married to a lovely sane man who is gainfully employed. They have twin daughters, the younger of whom has severe autism. Learn more at Cornelia Read's website at http://www.corneliaread.com/

Reading Group Guide:

1. Maddie is the only Santangelo Academy teacher who lives off campus. How does this affect her views of what is “normal”?

2. Wiesner tells Maddie she is “too whacked to maintain appropriate boundaries” and has issues with authority. Do you agree? Does anyone at Santangelo maintain “appropriate” boundaries?

3. Maddie claims she hates Mindy because she is so shallow. What does this assessment reveal about Maddie herself? How does the generally negative nature of Maddie’s worldview affect the outcome of this particular narrative?

4. Maddie wants to believe that Santangelo can “fix” her. What is broken in her life?

5. The school uses a lot of phrases such as “firing yourself ” and “doing a turn-in.” Many groups use language to create a shared sense of identity. When can this be beneficial, and when can this be dangerous?

6. What are the author’s views on therapy, as expressed by Maddie? Do you agree with her?

7. Why does Maddie stay on as a teacher at Santangelo? Is it only about the paycheck for her?

8. While he never appears in the novel, Maddie’s father is discussed twice during the course of the story. What impact do you think his mental illness has had on her development and on her issues with “authority”?

9. What might be different about this novel if Dean had a steady job? What do you thi

Welcome to the Book Blog Tour of Countess of Scandal by Laurel McKee organized by Anna and Hatchette Book Group! The first in a new and engrossing series of several beautiful sisters living in Ireland during tumultuous 18th century.


The blurb:
As children, Eliza Blacknall and William Denton ran wild over the fields of southern Ireland and swore they would be friends forever. Then fate took Will away to England while Eliza stayed behind to become a proper Irish countess.

Years later, Will finally makes his way home - as an English soldier went to crush the Irish uprising. When he spies the lovely Eliza, he is captivated by the passionate woman she has become. But Eliza's passions have led her to join the Irish rebel cause, and Will and Eliza now find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous conflict.

When Ireland explodes in bloody rebellion, Will's regiment is ordered to the front lines, and he is forced to choose between duty to the English king and his love for Eliza and their Irish homeland.

Review:
Countess of Scandal is a historical romance set in Ireland during a period of political upheaval. The rebellion against Britain brings out Countess Eliza Mont Clair's idealism and nationalism and adds tension and excitement to the plot. I hadn't read anything that captures this time in Irish history and enjoyed this aspect of the book.

I found the love story thoroughly engaging as well. Countess Eliza Mont Clair is daring, smart, and strong willed, and when she comes across Major Denton, we're immediately aware that their old attraction hasn't faded. Major Denton is honorable, thoroughly in love with Eliza, and faces some difficult choices. While Eliza and William are on different sides of the rebellion, they learn to balance their love for each other with the loyalty that they owe to Ireland and the Crown. Countess of Scandal is romantic, fun, and satisfying!

Countess of Scandal also lays the foundation for another love story - that of Eliza's sister, Lady Anna Blacknall and the mysterious Duke of Adair. I"m looking forward to the next in the series, Duchess of Sin.

ISBN-10: 0446544787 - Mass Market Paperback $6.99
Publisher: Forever; Original edition (February 1, 2010), 368 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author, courtesy of the publisher:
Laurel McKee lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a bossy miniature poodle, and loves dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network-even though she doesn't cook. Learn more at Laurel McKee's website at http://ammandamccabe.com/mckee/index.htm.

Listen to an interview with the author Laurel McKee.

CONTEST DETAILS:

To enter, tell us if you enjoy historical fiction. If so, please share which period you particularly enjoy reading about or a time period that you'd like to learn about. If you don't lik

After reading Elizabeth Kostova's first novel, The Historian, I was very much looking forward to her new novel, The Swan Thieves.

The blurb:
Robert Oliver, a renowned painter, has brutally attacked a canvas in the National Gallery of Art. What would compel an artist to destroy something he values beyond all else? From the confines of his hospital room, Oliver maintains a stubborn silence, offering only the briefest explanation before he stops speaking altogether: "I did it for her."

But who is she? Psychiatrist Andrew Marlow prides himself on his ability to make even a stone talk, but he gets nowhere with Oliver. Driven at first by professional courtesy, and then by a determination that disrupts his ordered, careful world, Marlow embarks on an unconventional pursuit of the answers his patient won't provide, and on a journey into the lives of the women Oliver left behind.

As these women paint a portrait of love, betrayal, an artistic obsession, Marlow is pulled deeper within the mind of a troubled genius. Carefully braiding the strands of a life undone, he finds surprising possibilities in a package of century-old love letters. The voices in these letters soon tell their own story, one of secret passions and heartbreaking treachery, and they bring France of the late 1800s blazingly alive. Does the key to unlock the mystery lie in a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism?

Richly told, beautifully imagined, The Swan Thieves takes us across centuries, from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from young love to last love. Elizabeth Kostova deftly explores the painter's universe - passion, creativity, secrets, madness - and, with the gift of storytelling that made The Historian an international sensation, conjures a world that lingers long after the final page has turned.

Review:
The Swan Thieves is another carefully crafted, complex and nontraditional mystery. When the book opens, we follow the narrator and psychologist, Andrew Marlow, as he tries to make sense of Robert Oliver's apparently irrational behavior.

While it is Robert Oliver that comes as the first mystery, his work and obsession lead Marlow and us readers to a tragic secret. As Kostova captures the world of France in the 1800s and transports us to the lives of artists of the time, we join Marlow as he uncovers clue after clue to reveal the true secret behind The Swan Thieves.

Masterfully done, part mystery and part love story, The Swan Thieves is an unusual and complex work.

ISBN-10: 0316065781 - Hardcover $26.00
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; First Edition edition (January 12, 2010), 576 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author, courtesy of the publisher:
Elizabeth Kostova graduated from Yale and holds an MFA from the University of Michigan, where she won the Hopwood Award for the Novel-in-Progress.

Thank you to Miriam and Hatchette Book Group for this review opportunity!

The blurb:
Introducing Truly Plaice, a woman of indomitable spirit whose heart is far larger than her giant exterior...

When Truly Plaice's mother was pregnant, the whole town of Aberdeen lined to bet on the weight of the baby who could stretch a woman to such epic proportions. Young Truly would pay the price of her enormity. Her father blamed her for her mother's death in childbirth and was totally ill equipped to raise either this giant child or her older sister and polar opposite, Serena Jane, the epitome of feminine perfection. His early death would leave Serena Jane to a life of privilege as the town's May Queen and Truly to an existence with an outcast family on a rattletrap, rundown farm.

While Truly's remarkable size makes her the subject of constant curiosity and humiliation, Serena Jane's beauty proves to be both a blessing and a curse. Being the prettiest girl in town will make her the obsession of Bob Bob Morgan, the youngest in a line of Robert Morgans, Aberdeen's family doctors for generations. And Bob Bob will set off a chain of events that change the destiny of all Aberdeen County.

As Truly grows older - and ever larger - she will become linked to Sarah Jane's fate. . .and in a different way from her sister's become a target of Bob Bob's intense interest. But when she uncovers the Morgan family secret, a centuries-old shadow book penned by the first doctor's witch-wife. Tabitha, she may have found the key to her own unique future

Armed with dangerous secrets from Aberdeen's past, Truly soon confronts life altering moral decisions about whether or how she should use her newfound knowledge. As she practices her herbal healing, she is drawn ever more tightly into the circle of the town until she learns of a betrayal so huge, even she is dwarfed by it. In the end, Truly will be forced to face her own larger-than-life demons, redefine mercy, and consider the possibility that love cannot be ordered to size.

A poignant story of friendship, love, and identity that is laced with magic and humor, The Little Giant of Aberdeen County breaks new ground with its larger-than-life heroine and her entrance into the ranks of modern literature.

Review:
If you enjoy John Irving's tales set in New England towns, especially A Prayer for Owen Meany, then Tiffany Baker's The Little Giant of Aberdeen County will likely appeal to you. Tiffany Baker gives us the same sense of fantastic when she recounts the town's history, events in Truly's life, and those of her closest friends.

This sense of fantastic is complemented by the close look into small town life. The most powerful and haunting parts of the book come from the insults, and unkindness that Truly and other "misfits" undergo and the quiet conversations between Truly and her friends as she makes sense of her world.

SPOILER ALERT!

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County is carefully crafted, funny, and haunting. As I read the book, I kept wishing that Truly would push back and teach the bullies a lesson. I am likely more bloodthirsty than your usual reader, and though I enjoyed The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, I would have loved scenes of revenge!

ISBN-10: 0446194220 - Paperback $13.99
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (January 25, 2010), 368 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

Welcome to the Book Blog Tour for Lone Star Legend by Gwendolyn Zepeda!

The blurb:
The night was always Abby Whitman's enemy. As a young girl she walked in her sleep, and one night, she started a fire that scarred her sister for life and left Abby with unbearable guilt...and a loneliness that echoes within her.

Now Abby has begun blacking out again-with apparently fatal results. A car accident has killed the son of a prominent family. Even though the evidence seems to exonerate her, Abby is plagued by doubts - and soon by mysterious threats. Psychiatrist Dr. Jason Coble is intrigued by Abby and offers to help her explore the dark recesses of her mind. Through this terrifying journey, Jason's interest turns to passion, and he yearns to give her the love she craves. But first, Abby must trust him - and shed light on secrets that will rock this Southern town and reveal a danger that threatens them both.

Review:
Susan Crandall's Sleep No More is part thriller and part romance. Abby has spent most of her life regretting and trying to make up for the effects of one painful night. Abby comes across as a sympathetic character because she doesn't fixate on the past, doesn't complain, but takes real steps to fight her problem and to keep it from harming other people.

When it appears that her sleep walking has returned and Abby finds herself questioning her sanity, Dr. Jason Coble steps in just in time. The romance between Abby and Jason adds to the excitement, making Sleep No More a fun and exciting romantic thriller.

ISBN-10: 044655684X - Mass Market Paperback $6.99
Publisher: Forever; Original edition (January 1, 2010) 380 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author, courtesy of her website:
Back Roads was Susan Crandall's first solo work, her first published work, and her first award winning novel, winning a RITA for Best First Book and two National Reader's Choice Awards.

Susan grew up in a small Indiana town, married a guy from that town, and then moved to Chicago for a while. She is pleased to say that she has been back in her hometown for many years and plans to stay. She and her husband have two grown children. "They make me proud every day," Susan glows. "My son, who has the heart of a poet, is also a writer. My daughter, who is both beautiful and brilliant, is about to take her first steps into the working world of science." Learn more on Susan Crandall's website at http://www.susancrandall.net/

Thank you to Anna and Hatchette Book Group for this review opportunity!

The blurb:
Lisa Mansfield has come a long way since transferring to Spencer Academy two years ago. She's made a great group of friends in Gillian, Carly, Mac, and Shani. She's strengthened and grown her relationship with God. She's even gotten over the Callum McCloud "incident" from her first term. Now she's set to graduate and experience college life!

But with the girls about to head in different directions, Lissa is faced wtih some of her biggest challenges yet. Her archenemy, Vanessa, has a shocking secret-one that could destroy her reputation forever. Can Lisa act on God's prompting and reach out to her foe when Vanessa needs a friend the most? And with college on the horizon, will Lissa and Kaz finally come to terms with their feelings for one another? High school may be ending, but the excitement has just begun!

Review:
The latest in the all about us series, the chic shall inherit the earth is a thoroughly wholesome and Christian YA novel spiced up by high school romance, mean girls, and a love of fashion and chocolate.

Set in Spencer Academy in San Fransisco, the chic shall inherit the earth takes us to senior year for Lissa, Gillian, Shani, Carly and Mac. This novel revolves around Lissa. College is just a few months away and while most of her friends have clear plans for the future, Lisa's less certain of what she wants. Secure in her abilities after having almost won the Hearst Medal, Lisa does know that she wants to be in California, remain in close contact with her best friend Kaz, and that she's not ready to fall in love anytime soon.

When her friends face crises of their own, Lissa works hard to patch things up for them. the chic shall inherit the earth is clearly a Christian novel: the appreciation of God and His presence in the young girls' lives is apparent. I'm not religious myself, so the references to the prayer circle and waiting to discover God's plan did not resonate with me. On the other hand, the emphasis on the importance of doing what is right over what is easy and the message of forgiveness were seamlessly woven into the story.

Overall, the chic shall inherit the earth is a wholesome and fun read. I'd highly recommend it for young Christian girls.

ISBN-10: 0446179647 - trade paperback $9.99
Publisher: FaithWords; 1 edition (January 7, 2010), 256 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author, courtesy of the publisher:
Shelley Adina is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. In between books, Shelley loves traveling, listening to and making music, and watching all kinds of movies.

Thank you to Miriam and Hatchette Book Group for this review opportunity!

In his recent editorial, The Tel Aviv Cluster, David Brooks of the New York Times cites Start-Up Nation: The Story of the Israel's Economic Miracle when he describes the innovation cluster of technology that has developed in Israel. Having just finished reading Start-Up Nation, I'm not surprised to read about it in the New York Times. Like the other books released by Hatchette Book Group's Twelve, Start-Up Nation stays with you long after closed its covers.

The blurb:
Start-Up Nation addresses the trillion-dollar question: How is it that Israel - a country of 7.1 million people, only sixty years old, surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources - produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada, and the United Kingdom? Drawing on examples from the country's foremost inventors and investors, geopolitical experts Dan Senior and Saul Singer describe how Israel's adversity-driven culture fosters a unique combination of innovative and entrepreneurial intensity.

As the authors argue, Israel is not just a country but a comprehensive state of mind. Whereas Americans emphasize decorum and exhaustive preparation, Israelis put chutzpah first. "When an Israeli entrepreneur has a business idea, he will start it that week," one analyst put it. At the geopolitical level, Senor and Singer dig in deeper to show why Israel's policies on immigration, R&D, and military service have been key factors in teh country's rise - providing insight into why Israel has more companies on the NASDAQ than those from all of Europe, Korea, Singapore, China, and India combined.

So much has been written about the Middle East, but surprisingly little is understood about the story and strategy behind Israel's economic growth. As Start-Up Nation shows, there are lessons in Israel's example that apply not only to other nations, but also to individuals seeking to build a thriving organization. As the U.S. economy seeks to reboot its can-do spirit, there's never been a better time to look at this remarkable and resilient nation for some impressing, surprising clues.

Review:
Dan Senor and Saul Singer's Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle is well researched and a fascinating read. The book is divided into four main parts:

• The Little Nation That Could
• Seeding a Culture of Innovation
• Beginnings
• Country with a Motive