So it seems that the gods are telling me that it's time to give back, time to keep karma balanced. I've won two books lately! The first was Marked by PC and Kristin Cast from Eva and the second was an ARC of Colleen Gleason's new book (not due until February 2008) The Bleeding Dusk! So I'm doing one of my favorite things to do, a book giveaway! But not just one, not just two, but three book giveaways! Here's the scoop:
I went to Borders tonight and picked up very nice trade paperback copies of my two favorite books. I figured it would be fun to share my favorite books with other people. All I ask is that in return you share two of your favorite books with me! That's the rules. In order to be entered for the drawing, tell me two of your favorite books in the comments. You can even write your own post about it if you'd like and post your link in the comments...it'll be fun to share our favorites with each other. I broke this into 3 separate giveaways because I figured some people may have one or two of these books already, so just let me know which titles you want to be entered for. Feel free to enter for all 3!
The first book up for grabs is Orson Scott Card's Speaker For the Dead. This book is truly amazing and is my favorite book ever written. It's the sequel to Ender's Game, so you may want to read that one first, but you could read it as a stand alone...it'll work. This book won the Hugo and the Nebula and really defines what a great book is to me. Card created a completely new world with two alien races that co-mingled with the human race. Both alien races have amazing cultures and the traditions of the pequininos or "piggies" is just beautiful. Here's the great thing about Card: This book is sci-fi...definitely classified as sci-fi, but it will appeal to anyone. It's main aesthetic is based in the relationships of the characters and the book is deeply philisophical. This is really a beautiful book and I hope that whoever wins it finds a special place for it like I did!The second book up for grabs ranks right up there with Speaker for the Dead. It's Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Words can't describe this book. It blew my mind the first time I read it and it still does each time I go back to it. Anyone who reads my blog knows my love for Gaiman. His writing is just wonderful and has a certain dark charm to it. American Gods is just one of those once in a lifetime perfect books where all the cards line up right. It's a modern dark urban fantasy set against the background of the sprawls of America as it becomes a battle ground between the ancient gods and the gods of modern society. And that's to put it VERY simply. Beautiful book.
The last book is definitely NOT a favorite of mine...in fact it's a total opposite, but well...I can't just throw a book away, now can I :p Scar Night... I wanted to like this book so bad. In fact, I've already bought the prequel, Lye Street, from Subterranean Press because of the Dave McKean cover. The premise of this book is really cool. There's a city suspended by chains, angels, heaven, hell, murder, magic...sounds great, right? I just can't get into it! I gave it like 5 nights worth of reading and only got about 140 pages into it. It'll be the first "did not finish" of the year. Amazon reviews are decent though so maybe someone else will like it. Please take it so it's not abandoned! As incentive to take this one, I'm including a little Lisa Snellings-Clark hand bookmark (the ones that come packaged with poppets).
So leave a comment with your two favorite books and let me know which of the three books you want to be entered for! If you don't own any of them, enter for all 3 drawings! Even if you do own it, it may make a great gift...so let the entering begin! Drawing will be next Sunday, November 4th at 12:00 Noon US Central time. Drawings open to everybody anywhere in the world :) Spread the word.
40 comments:
I'll toss in for all three! :) Two favourite books...
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (duh!)
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie King (the first in a mystery series featuring Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell, an intelligent but prickly young American)
and just for good measure:
Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers (my favourite of the Lord Whimsy/Harriet Vane mystery series-set at a women's college in Oxbridge)
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (you've probably heard of this one)
Shalimar the Clown by Salman Rushdie (a sprawling epic covering mainly Kashmir, WWII occupied France, and America with a hint of magical realism; looks at how a terrorist is born)
I love sharing books!
Eva, Got ya in for all 3! I have The Eyre Affair sitting on my bookshelf and have it in line for a challenge in 2008...so I should finally join the rest of the world in having read that one! I've heard great things about The Beekeeper's Apprentice as well. I'll have to put that one on the wishlist. Shalimar the Clown sounds really cool. Haven't heard of that one before but just checked it out on Amazon and it's on the wishlist now too ;)
What a great thing to do, Chris! I'm going to write a post about my favourites later and then post the link here. One of them is Middlesex for sure, but the other... the question is which Neil Gaiman book to pick :P
oh gawd Chris.. did you have to open that particular can of beans?!!! (favorite books).. I'll surely have to think on that and maybe do a post.. the list is waaay toooo loooong! I'll try to come up with a post and link it.. so ..mmmm, i think you told me I might like American Gods?? if that's the one than put me in that drawing..but I will say my TBR pile is such that it could be a year before I get to it, should I win!!
I will say that of the NEWER books I've read the past few months that The Thirteen Tale is up there for a favorite! It was a shock to me since it's not what I normally read but I know I will reread it one day!
ps: EVA.. I am jealous! I've been on the hunt for The Beekeeper's Apprentice!! I read the Moor and really liked it. I don't think I want all the series she did, but I truly want to read Beekeeper to see how it "all began"..
Okay, I've already won 3 books from various sources this month, but I can't stop myself - I'd love to win either the Gaiman or Card book. Whether or not I win this one, I PROMISE to do a book giveaway on my blog. (DH and I were categorizing our credit card bill - did I really spend almost $300 at Borders last month?? Holy cow. He says we need to move farther away from the mall and closer to the library.)
Anyhoo...I have a hard time picking favorites, but I love Peace Like A River by Leif Enger. In the oldies, but goodies category, I have to go with Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind and L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.
hm. I think I will just enter for Scar Night. The only reason I would want the other two is because you have nicer copies than I do. :)
My favourite books... It's hard to name only two. So, my two top reads of 2007 were "Wolf of the Plains" by Conn Iggulden for fiction and "28: Stories of AIDs in Africa" by Stephanie Nolan for non-fiction. There were several more favourite reasds of the year, but I limited it to two. :)
Oh, what fun!
Enter me for the Card book. My favorite is The Stand. Picking a second favorite is much harder...there's just too many! So can I tell you Annie's favorite instead, since I'll be sharing the book with her if I win? Or is that cheating? Her favorites are the Warriors series and His Dark Materials.
This is such fun reading what everyone's favorites are!
Nymeth, Middlesex is on my immediate TBR pile...you know, every time I go to the bookstore, I pick that one up and then put it back down. I don't know why! I know I'm going to read it sometime soon though. It'll be my first read for the Pulitzer Project which I should definitely start sometime soon! Ah, the age old question "which Neil Gaiman to pick?" lol! Which books you want to be entered for?
Deslily, You know, you popped in my head when I was writing this and I had a smile on my face because like me, your true favorites list is probably a mile long! lol...I'll put you down for American Gods. You want in on the other ones too? I loved The Thirteenth Tale. It'll definitely be on my list of favorites for this year. Just a great book all around. I found The Beekeeper's Apprentice on Amazon and added it to my wishlist. It sounds great! I remember you reading another book from that series and giving it a good review...that one sounded good too!
Susan, Congrats on your wins! Good luck on these too :) I know the feeling with seeing your credit card bills :/ lol! I look at my TBR shelf and wonder why I continue to buy books?? I have enough to read for 2 years at least! Peace Like A River...I've never heard of that one, but just looked it up on Amazon and it sounds like a beautiful book! I'll have to check it out. I think I'm one of the few who hasn't read Anne of Green Gables! It sounds like a wonderful book and everyone's loved it...I'll have to get around to it.
Kailana, I know how you feel! I was tempted to keep them for myself, because they're nicer copies than I have of the books, LOL! Wouldn't you know that the only copies I have of my two favorite books are Mass Market Paperbacks :p Anyway, I'm glad someone finally entered for Scar Night! I remember you talking about Wolf of the Plains! That book sounds awesome! I have it on my list of books to read...it's the Genghis Khan book right?
Debi, That's not cheating at all ;) It's hard to pick two! I just happened to have 2 distinct favorite books, so I made everyone else pick 2 :p I'm reading The Stand next year for the Cardathon Challenge! Finally! I've heard so many great things about that one and I love Stephen King, so I'm really looking forward to it! Annie has such great taste in books, so I'm sure I would enjoy both of those! I've been wanting to check out His Dark Materials, I've heard so much about them. Good Luck!
LOL.. the other book by King is called The Moor. It is basically a Sherlock Holmes book but more about his wife who helps him. The Beekeeprs Apprentice is a book on how they met and started working together.. so.. if you like sherlock holmes, my bet is you will like those books.
I hope you set enough of your paycheck aside to eat! *cracking up here*
nah.. just the one contest is enough lol..
Hi Chris. What a generous and fun thing to do! I would love to be entered for Speaker for the Dead and American Gods please.
Two favourite books. Well, it's hard to keep to two but I absolutely adore Grass by Sheri S. Tepper. Apart from being an excellent sci fi novel it has the most amazing sense of menace running all the way through. There's something you don't know and you know it's horrible but it's ages until you find out and you're continually wondering what it is. We had a trip to London while I was reading it and I was so into it I had to take it with me, I couldn't leave it behind. Another wonderful book by her that I love is Gate to Women's Country.
Book two, would be The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. I'm sure you know all about this one so I won't bore you with details. But I loved this to bits, which is unusual for me as I don't always go for the more popular books.
Cath, Grass sounds great. I've never heard of that one before, but I love those books that really grab you! I'm one of the few people who haven't read The Book Thief! That's another one that I've been meaning to read and I've heard nothing but good about it. It's on the list for 2008!
Hmmm, that's hard. I'll be like Eva and post a bunch:
The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My Antonia by Willa Cather
Desiree by Anne-Marie Selinko
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Short story collections:
About Time by Jack Finney
The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy
. . . Can't remember the title, but there's an out-of-print collection of stories by Vladimir Nabokov that blew me away.
Memoirs:
Stand Before Your God by Paul Watkins
The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini
To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
I could go on. Throw me in for the Gaiman drawing. I've read Speaker for the Dead and the other one doesn't look like my thing. :)
How's your head?
Bookfool, Oh Lord, your making my wishlist grow like crazy! LOL! I've hear a lot of good reviews of The Count of Monte Cristo this year. If there's another classics challenge next year, I'll have to read it. I'm LOVING Rebecca! Such an incredible book...I'm sure I'll be picking up more Du Maurier after this one. The Book Thief is on my list already for a challenge next year...I think it's the Cardathon Challenge. And of course, you make me proud with Ender's Game on your list ;) My head was better this morning and then I came down with yet another splitting headache this afternoon. October's been horrible for migraines! How've your headaches been?
Congratulations on your wins! Will you give us a hint about the third Gardella Chronicle when you read it, or is it locked up like Harry Potter? :) My two favorite (what, only two?) are Anna Karenina and Possession. Talk about chic lit! No fantasy, here. No darkness, unless you count sticking your head under a train because you've ruined your life by having an affair...I have no preference, necessarily, except I already read American Gods. No offense. :)
Chris,
Mine have been pretty bad. Today, I did essentially nothing. I fought a migraine all morning and mid-afternoon we went to look at cars. Hubby had to stop to get me a Mt. Dew for the nausea, then we went straight home and I took a nap. Still have the stupid migraine, but it's not as bad at the moment. Yurggh. I hate migraines! Sorry yours came back.
Coversgirl (at Between the Covers) reminded me of another favorite: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. Love it, love it, love it. So glad you're enjoying Rebecca. It's such a terrific read.
Okay...I typed this once, hit submit, and automatically went to close this only realizing too late that I screwed up the damn word verification. So here goes again. Urg!!!
Two favorites...that isn't as easy as it sounds. Limiting it to two, that is. Here are a couple that aren't ones we usually discuss:
#1. Something Fresh by P.G. Wodehouse. I don't think I've ever read a Wodehouse that I didn't love, but this is still my favorite. The quirky, comical, farcical romance in this book is terrific. Wodehouse was a comedic genius, and you cannot help but falling for his characters. This is the book I recommend for first time Wodehouse readers.
#2 Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel. Told in narrative form from the actual surviving letters between Galileo and his daughter, a cloistered nun, this book had me rivited the first time I read it. I have always been fascinated with the stars, and this biography of one of the men who had so much to do with our knowlegde of the heavens is fascinating. The story focuses on his discoveries and how these enhanced his faith, but caused division amongst the Catholic Church because of their interpretation of the scriptures. Both Galileo's faith and his scientific endeavors were important to him and the struggle with not wanting to dishonor his faith by standing against the church is part of what this book is about. Galileo eventually had to stand before the Holy Order of the Inquisition. It is a gripping book for those interested in this sort of thing.
You can leave me out of the AG drawing, of course, because I already have it.
I'd be interested in Speaker. I've read most of Ender's Game (not finishing yet isn't an indictment on the book, just a sign of my bad reading habits). I too ordered the other book with the McKean cover, so put me down for Scar Night as well. If I win I'll give it the old college try like you did.
Great idea Chris!
Well...I have to say American Gods ranks right up there as one of my favorites as well!! But you can definitely put me in the running for the other 2. I'm really looking forward to reading Card soon!
Hmmmm...it's really hard to break it down by favorites cause I love so many!! But I'd have to say To Kill a Mockingbird....and maybe The Count of Monte Cristo. Both are Classics and totally deserve the title. (Of course, American Gods is going to be a Classic too!)
Of course, I can't finish the post without mentioning The Stand by Stephen King. It is such a good book and truly one of my very favorites!!
Bellezza, I've been sworn to secrecy :/ She told me that I can of course write a review, but I can't release it until after the first of the year...but she always has some kind of contest going on her blog to win an ARC, so if you stop by there you may win one! Or since you read the books for the RIP Challenge you may win one there! Isn't Carl giving away an ARC? I'm going to try to read Anna Karenina this year! I read The Death of Ivan Ilyich earlier this year and fell in love with Tolstoy's writing. So I may join the Russian Reading Challenge eventually..or I may just unofficially do it. Either way, I plan on reading more Tolstoy and this sounds like the one to read! Got you in for the drawings :)
Bookfool, Sorry to hear about your headaches :( I hope they're better today. It sounds like October is just a bad month all together for migraine sufferers. I've heard so much goodness about Remains of the Day...I'll have to read that one sometime. Why do I do giveaways like this, lol...It just makes my wishlist grow longer and longer and longer!
Carl, I've done that so many times on other peoples blogs! That's why I hated to put word verification, but the spam got ridiculous...sorry :( Just when I think I have your reading tastes down, there you go! You're one eclectic reader. Those both sound like incredible books. I've never heard of Wodehouse before, but I just read the blurb on Amazon on Something Fresh and it sounds like something I'd enjoy...I'll check it out. Galileo's Daughter sounds amazing! I'm glad you told me that book is out there. I love stumbling upon little treasures like that. It feels almost magical to peek into the personal letters of someone like Galileo.
Stephanie, Ok, that's two votes already for both The Count of Monte Cristo AND The Stand! I guess that's a sign that I should read those, huh? I already have plans for The Stand next year, and if there's another Classics challenge I'll be sure to sign up for The Count of Monte Cristo. Glad to find another American Gods lover ;)
Hi Chris. Sorry to bother you, but I've got a question for you if you don't mind. Annie really wants to host a reading challenge of her own. I've been trying to figure a few things out, but I'm a total technological moron. Looked into Mr. Linky, and frankly, I was totally baffled. So I thought I would just have her post her challenge with a sticky post, and I would just add links to any participants (if there are any!) and to the reviews right in her post. But I don't have a clue how to make the post a "sticky post". Is it difficult? If it's not too big of a pain to explain, would you mind e-mailing me?
rdagmstevens (at) frontiernet (dot) net
Thanks, Chris! And if it's too much of a hassle, I honestly do understand!
Today's better, thank you; yeah, October seems to be a bad migraine month for everyone. And, I wholeheartedly agree with Carl. Wodehouse never, ever lets a reader down. I haven't read that particular title, but give him a go. His writing is fabulous.
Count me in for all three! My faves (like everybody else's) are Jane Austen and P.G.Wodehouse. I also love Jeffrey Archer. His "Not a penny more...." is one of the best novels I've read. More recently, Naomi Novik's Temeraire series captured my imagination.
Debi, So cool! No problem at all, just sent you an email :)
Abookworm, You're in! Wodehouse! I have to read this guy...Can't believe I've never heard of him, everyone seems to enjoy his stuff. I've heard great things about Temeraire..I'll be checking that out as well. Thanks for sharing :)
I cannot possibly pick one favorite book,or even 2 but I have to say that I LOVE American Gods. It was the first Neil Gaiman novel (non-graphic form,I mean) I read and I was hooked.It is indeed a beautiful book
Rebecca, You don't have to name your two absolute favorites, just two books that you love, and you named one, American Gods...so one more and you can toss in for the drawings ;)
Oh, gee, I'd like to win the 2nd in the Ender's series.
My most favorite books of all: Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, Jane Eyre by charlotte Bronte, The Scarlet Pimpernel by Barons Orckzy, The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak and both my husband and I love Anne of Green Gables. There's more, but this gives you the cream of the crop.
Booklogged, Got you in for Speaker for the Dead! I think I'm going to go ahead and joing Joy's YA challenge and sign up for The Book Thief. I've heard so many wonderful things about that book and I'd really like to read it! I'd also like to read Anne of Green Gables..It seems to be a favorite of many. And as sad as it is, I've never read Jane Eyre :/ I should probably do that some time too!
ooh wow! what a cool idea!
hmmm... i'll be making a post about the books, but you don't have to enter me in for the draw. while i am very curious about speaker, and will be reading it in the not toooooo distant future, i simply can't take on any more books at the moment.
i am DETERMINED to take down my tbr pile. and i do mean "take down". it sounds militaristic, and it is!
ooh! and i meant to say, great choice on american gods. what a book!
what a book!
(have to say it twice)
not THAT is the way to draw a reader in...
its one of the few books that i want to reread one day.
JP, I totally understand wanting to take down the TBR pile. Mine is ridiculous right now! I should really give away more than just 3 books! American Gods really is a phenomenal book. That's definitely saying something for the book that people want to reread it seeing how long it is!
JP, I totally understand wanting to take down the TBR pile. Mine is ridiculous right now! I should really give away more than just 3 books! American Gods really is a phenomenal book. That's definitely saying something for the book that people want to reread it seeing how long it is!
I finally got around to writing my post: here.
I already have American Gods, so please enter me for the other two :)
You're in Nymeth :)
Oh gee, I just stumbled into this. It's November 4 already tomorrow! Hahaha! And believe it or not, it's hard to narrow down two favorite books but here's two:
I absolutely prod my friends to read Small Gods by Terry Pratchett. It's funny. It's not preachy. And it's set in Discworld. It's such an easy read but is not shallow at all.
And to go the other way I've read Possession by A.S. Byatt countless of times. And each time is always a pleasure. It's a love story but not quite. Most friends told me they found it absolutely boring. Maybe there's something wrong with me for liking it so much.
And obviously I could go on and on and on. I see you love Gaiman as well so I won't add anything to that. But the two books I mentioned are lovingly placed on my shelf and reread every so often. Which somehow reminds me I need to reread them again. I hear Brutha (from Small Gods) calling me. Hahaha!
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Oh and if I'm still part of the draw you can enter me in the Speaker for the Dead book. Or even the Scar Night. I've read Ender's Game a couple or so years ago. It's not a favorite, sorry. I guessed what's happening midway to the book already and that somehow spoiled it for me.
Lightheaded, Glad to have you in the draw! I've been wanting to read some A.S. Byatt for awhile now, so I'll read Possession in honor of you ;) I've heard quite a few people talk about how great of a book it is actually.
Sorry Ender's Game wasn't for you :( I've heard the same from others who guessed the ending during the middle. Speaker for the Dead is a totally different kind of book though, so hopefully you'll like that one! I've got you in both of the drawings!
Hey! If it's not too late, I'd like to toss my hat into the ring for Speaker of The Dead.
And thanks a lot, Chris. I broke down and bought Ender's Game and I really, really didn't need somethng to take my attention away from my writing.
cjh
CJ, It's not too late at all ;) Still have til noon tomorrow. I'll toss you in! Hope you enjoy Ender's Game, it's an amazing book!!
Two of my all time favourites..it is not easy to answer. There are simply too many books.
Still, I can always pick up these two any time:
1)Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome.
2)Alice in Wonderland.
Both are funny but for different reasons.
Well, as I already own American Gods, can I be entered for Orson Scott Card's Speaker For the Dead?
I love to win books!
:D
Gautami, I LOVE Alice in Wonderland. Such a great book and so quirky. I know exactly what you mean. I could pick that book up at any time. I love all the different artists who have done illustrations for it throughout the years too! Got you in the draw for Speaker! Good luck :)
You know, I'm going to do this! I've wondered a lot lately if I had anything that qualified as a "favorite book" anymore, grad school being what it is. And I'm not going to be boring and say Tolkien. So I'll take two of the books that I teach when I really need something that will make teaching fun for me: Huxley's Brave New World and Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. Especially Invisible Cities. When I describe it to people, I get goosebumps. Seriously. Calvino was nothing short of genius. So I'm going to throw my hat in for Orson Scott Card, because I've never read anything by him and because I'm very, very curious. And I promise that if I win it I will actually make the time to read it!! :)
N, Yay! So glad you're entering this one :) I really think you'd love Card. Particularly this book, it's just amazing. I've been wanting to read Invisible Cities for awhile. It's one of those books that just seems in a league of it's own. And to hear you praise it so highly, it must be good!
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