Between Interruptions : Thirty Women Tell the Truth About Motherhood edited by Cori Howard
Published by Key Porter Books
Pages: 328
Buy It: Amazon Kindle | Author’s Website – Print Copy
Publishers Summary:

Most mothers don’t have time for long conversations. They may want them, crave them, begin them again and again, but they are constantly interrupted by kids, partners, work and the day-to-day of busy lives. Between Interruptions is a remarkable collection of original essays by Canadian writers that explores what is unspoken, cut off or lost in those interrupted conversations. Between Interruptions asks what becomes of us when our children’s lives interrupt our own. What prayers, what cries, what taboo thoughts are suddenly left unspoken? Marina Jimenez struggles with her decision to return to her job as a journalist—in a war zone. Carrie-Anne Moss lets us into her home during her self-imposed, forty-day seclusion after the birth of her first son. Chantal Kreviazuk learns to surrender to the limitations of motherhood. Joanna Streetly struggles to find a balance between protecting and letting go. Elizabeth Renzetti and Karrina Onstad search for friends in mommyland. And Estee Klar-Wolfond finds perfection in autism. Provocative, funny and honest, Between Interruptions highlights the differences and similarities between mothers today and generations past. It is, without a doubt, a conversation worth having.

Life after children is often something that takes most women completely by surprise. No matter the classes attended, books read and advice from friends nothing ever fully prepares you for those days of self-discovery. In Between Interruptions mothers from all walks of life share their honest and open experiences about this ever changing territory. Their stories range from hilarious to introspective, but their overarching theme remains the same…motherhood is an undiscovered country with a constantly changing environment that requires no less than what each mother has to offer, individually, for their own children and family.

Between Interruptions was a book I picked up because, well, I’m a mother. It goes without saying that I had an immediate interest in relating to other mothers who may have potentially been in my very shoes. As the publishers summary states, “most mothers don’t have time for long conversations”, and perhaps that’s part of the reason why I read so much. Reading is easily accessible, easy to stop and pick up, and it’s something I enjoy promoting to my children. That being said I love the opportunity to gather with friends and fellow mothers to chat about anything from our children to politics (yes, politics). So Between Interruptions was a no-brainer for me and I’m glad I picked it up.

Though I didn’t relate to or even connect with all or many of the mothers in the book I was still able to appreciate each of their stories individually. Before having children I think I was as naive as most of the women in the book, thinking that parenting would be a breeze. I’d simply tote along kiddos to whatever function or I’d get a sitter when needed. Well, surprise surprise my children completely changed the landscape of my life. The Turkeybird, though delightful and one of the two greatest blessings I’ve ever received was/is much more difficult than I could have imagined. He didn’t sleep through the night until almost nine months old, at eighteen months devoured books like candy leaving me at a loss as to how to stimulate him and certainly wasn’t interested in interacting with other children let alone a sitter. His medical diagnosis of Hyperlexia seemed to only bring more questions than answers. All of this aside, I became and am still becoming a different person than I ever thought I’d be. Though it’s been the most difficult transition of my life, motherhood is something I’m growing into and allowing myself to swim in.

Many of the stories that I connected with the most in Between Interruptions were much like my own. For example Carol Shaben’s story and how she related her life to the birth of her son by C-Section was inspiring. She quotes the words of famous American artist Charles DuBois toward the end of her essay:

“The important thing is this: To be able at any moment be able to sacrifice what we are for what we want to be.” (p. 59, Between Interruptions by Cori Howard)

It’s not the first time I’d read the quote, but in the context and feeling connected to this other mother I’ve never met before it became something more. It was stories like Carol’s that gave me that feeling that I’m not alone in this effort, which most of the time is all we need as mothers. A kind word, a phone call, an email or a short story from someone who knows the complexities surrounding the world we live in today as mothers. Now, obviously not all of these stories were like this and some of them quite honestly irritated me. Many of the writers were former journalists either in print or television media of some sort and many lived a life I only dreamed about. That being said, another thing I’ve learned since becoming a mother is to be less judgmental, to know that no one’s experience is the same and certainly of no less value than my own. Though perhaps I didn’t connect with all of the mothers I did connect with quite a few and I absolutely learned something from each one.

Between Interruptions by Cori Howard is a wonderful collection of essays that sheds light on the often difficult but joyous experiences of motherhood. With the demands we place on each other in this day and time mothers need connection, a shoulder to rest on and a listening ear. Each of the stories contained in Between Interruptions will leave readers with a sense of understanding and a feeling of peace knowing they aren’t alone in their experiences. As a mother who is still on her journey to becoming, it was wonderful to find these connections I have with fellow women for one reason or another and I’d certainly recommend Between Interruptions to friends and fellow mothers.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Perfect for mothers with children of all ages. You’ll laugh and reflect on your own experiences as you read about the lives of these incredible mothers.

Find Between Interruptions : Thirty Women Tell the Truth About Motherhood edited by Cori Howard at the following spots:
Amazon Kindle | Author’s Website – Print Copy | Goodreads

Follow the TLC Tour for other fantastic reviews and giveaways of Between Interruptions:
Monday, January 2nd:  A Musing Reviews
Wednesday, January 4th:  Acting Balanced
Monday, January 9th:  Seaside Book Nook
Wednesday, January 11th:  Overstuffed
Thursday, January 12th:  Just Another Mommy Blog
Monday, January 16th:  Juggling Life
Wednesday, January 18th:  Get Healthy with Heather
Monday, January 23rd:  Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Tuesday, January 24th:  From Tracie
Wednesday, January 25th:  Red Headed Book Child
Thursday, January 26th:  There’s a Book

Thank you so much to the author and publisher in connection with TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of this book for review and giveaway! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl
Published by Chronicle Books
Pages: 336
Ages: Middle Grade
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summary:

Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. As in her debut novel, Prisoners in the Palace, MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure.

Galloping into the air much like the horses she later trained, Beryl Clutterbuck Markham was a young women coming of age in a time not prepared for her vivaciousness. Growing up the only daughter of a successful farmer and horse trainer, Beryl turned to the native Nandi people in her East African home to teach her discipline and survival. Every day was an adventure filled with lions, leopards, a “step-mother”, a governess and eventually school in the city. Beryl grew from each of her experiences to become a woman revered by many, but her youth was filled with not only skepticism but danger at every turn.

Generally speaking I’m not a huge reader of historical fiction, particularly fictional stories based in reality. What I’ve loved about book reviewing has been the opportunity to stretch myself and discover something I never knew existed or that I would not normally have given a second glance. Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl was one of those such books. Initially, the thought of a middle grade novel about a young girl growing up in Africa based on the true events of Beryl Clutterbuck Markham’s life simply didn’t grab me. What I’ve discovered though is that not only was I wrong, but that I would have missed out greatly on Michaela MacColl’s writing had I passed this novel by.

Beryl was a young wild girl and were it not for her father’s concern for her future well-being as well as that of the reputation of their family she may have grown up as one of the Nandi she so loved. Her adventures of lion hunting and leaping in the air above her own head were the things most young children only dream & read about. What was fascinating was Beryl’s headstrong behavior with nearly everyone she came in contact with. It was this determination and no-nonsense sincerity that finally landed her in the cockpit of an airplane ride across the Atlantic in 1936. The story is actually told in alternating parts between her youth (around age eleven) and her adulthood centering around her actual trip. As I read both the pieces of her life slowly fell into place and it became an incredible adventure I thoroughly enjoyed.

Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl isn’t only a story about a young girl with a strong personality, but it’s a coming of age adventure most middle grade readers will thoroughly enjoy. Beryl Clutterbuck Markham’s life was an adventure a minute. She ran to the African tribe of the Nandi, had a terrible governess who beat her so much that she had to escape, she chased down and hunted wild animals, trained gorgeous horses and eventually landed in the pilot seat of a small plane. Her life inspired many and will continue to through the wonderful words of Michaela MacColl. As I said, historical fiction is not normally my cup of tea, but in the case of Pomise the Night I’m grateful I made an exception because I truly would have missed out on so much.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 9 and up. A beautifully written historical fiction novel based on the life of Beryl Clutterbuck Markham. An adventure a minute that will teach young readers the importance of perseverance and discipline.

Promise the Night

Find Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Thank you so much to the publisher, Chronicle Books, for providing this book for review and giveaway! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

Today I’m beyond thrilled to have a favorite author of mine stop by to share a little bit more about an amazing novel of hers. Don’t Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala is hands down one of my favorite YA reads ever! After reading Tell Me A Secret, Holly’s debut novel, I simply didn’t think she could keep up the amazing work, but she more than accomplished that in Don’t Breathe a Word. So, without much more rambling on my part I’m going to hand things over to Holly Cupala to tell you a little more about her brilliant book, Don’t Breathe a Word…

Thank you, Danielle, for hosting me today and for being a part of the Don’t Breathe a Word tour!

Danielle invited me to tell you a little about the street life of Joy and her friends, so I thought I would tell you a bit about their street powers…

In Don’t Breathe a Word, Joy runs away from home because of a secretly abusive relationship and escapes to the streets of Seattle, where she meets up with a band of homeless kids who teach her about existence, family, and love.

Early on, as Joy thinks about the power her boyfriend Asher has over her family, she realizes that to survive on the street, she’ll need her own power:

My friends and family didn’t know the kind of power Asher had over me in the real world, or the way his words singed even my thoughts. I would need to be strong if I was going to make it out here. Superpowers would come in handy, but I would settle for street powers. My street power would be invisibility. I would hide in plain sight.

When she meets Creed, Santos, and Asher—street-wise teens who have secrets and talents of their own—Joy thinks of them as having street powers. May has the power of disguise. Santos can talk his way out of anything. Creed can see into people’s souls. But will street powers be enough to survive?

As I started researching teens living on the streets of Seattle, I found out a lot of surprising things—that within 72 hours, most runaways have been approached or assaulted. That kids banded together for protection and family, had pets and weapons, and had a code of loyalty that could stare down that of any adult. My characters fit right in, and their street powers could very well be the difference between making it and becoming another statistic.

So readers, I have a question for you: If you were forced to live on the streets, what kind of street power would you want to have?

Please comment! And stop by the rest of the DBAW tour for more chances to win signed books and other swag—thank you to Danielle for inviting me to There’s A Book, and I hope readers love Don’t Breathe a Word!

Thank you so much Holly for taking the time to stop by and share this amazing side of Don’t Breathe a Word!

Please, readers, do make sure to comment! Also, don’t forget to take a look at my review as well as enter the giveaway being offered for a chance to win a copy of Don’t Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala!

Find Don’t Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Giveaway!

As part of the Don’t Breathe A Word tour readers have an opportunity to win a copy of this brilliant new novel by Holly Cupala once a day during the tour! It’s even open internationally! Take a look at the details:

• There will be one book given per day, drawn weekly. Everything entered by Saturday night of that week will be put into a drawing on Sunday.
• The points DO accumulate, meaning entries put in for week one will count for the drawings in weeks 2 and 3.
• There will be up to ONE international winner a week. If the winner is international, a copy will be shipped from The Book Depository.
• Only US/Canada copies will be mailed from Holly and those copies will be signed.
• The final drawing will held Sunday, January 15, and will include all entries through midnight CST Sat, Jan 14.
• No purchase necessary.

That’s it! So many copies of Don’t Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala are up for grabs that I’m positive you won’t want to miss this one! You can gain additional entries as well, but you will have to complete the form for each entry you submit. Here is a rundown of all of the possible ways to accumulate additional entries:

• One automatic entry for the first initial filling out the form.
• For every post you comment on during the tour you gain one entry. You must fill out the form and link to the blog post for each comment.
• Tweet, facebook, do a blog post or somehow include the tour on your blog. Only one entry per option, no additional entries for tweeting/posting daily.

This giveaway is put together thanks to The {Teen} Book Scene Tour and Holly Cupala. Thank you! To enter click on the following link and complete the form for each entry you wish to submit. Good luck!

Entry Form for the Don’t Breathe A Word Tour Giveaway

Thank you so much to the author, Holly Cupala, for providing a copy of this book for review and sponsoring the giveaway! Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to the Mid-Winter’s Eve Giveaway Hop at There’s A Book!
I’m thrilled to be taking part in this wonderful event for the second year and am looking forward to seeing what everyone else has planned in these last few days of the year!

Because the days of 2011 are numbered and by the time this giveaway closes all of those gift giving holidays will most likely have come to an end I thought what better to giveaway than the opportunity to pick up that last book for the year? Did your favorite and most-anticipated book not make your holiday loot? Well, maybe with this giveaway you’ll be able to pick it up yourself! So, what’s up for grabs? Take a look…

Two $15 USD Gift Cards to Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

Details: Two winners will be chosen at random after the contest closes. You MUST fill out the entry form, comments will not count alone as entries. Only one entrant per household. No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open Worldwide.

I’d highly recommend also taking a look at the Giveaways page while you’re here as we have number of giveaways currently going on (some worldwide). And be sure to take a look at our Reviews page to get any help you might need in last minute shopping for yourself or others! That’s it! Thank you again for stopping by There’s A Book, we hope you’ll come back again soon and make sure to stop by the rest of the Mid-Winter’s Eve Giveaway Hop for more great giveaways! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

Nosy Crow is an absolute favorite publisher of ours and we’re thrilled to be able to feature some of our top picks in a giveaway sponsored by Nosy Crow! Firstly, thank you to Nosy Crow for giving us this opportunity! Now, take a look at some of what’s up for grabs during this month’s Book Publishers 101 feature:

Nosy Crow is being incredibly generous and offering two prize packs including the following:

Grand Prize Winner – One Nosy Crow bag, two pins, one Bizzy Bear book, one Mega Mash-Up book, one Pip and Posy book, one Noodle book, and one copy of Dinosaur Dig by Penny Dale.

Runner Up – One Nosy Crow bag with two pins, and one Nosy Crow book of their chosing!

(Also, if for some reason the winner happens to be international (and because shipping might be a bit much for us right now) we will have the option for an international winner to win the Nosy Crow book of their choice up to $15 USD from Book Depository.)

Sound great? We think so, and we’re really excited to offer these titles! All of these have been huge hits in our home and I have no doubt they’ll be happily welcomed into the homes of the winners. All of these are amazing books and authors that we will be featuring this month either in an interview or review so be sure to stay tuned!

Make sure to stop by these sites to connect directly with Nosy Crow!

Nosy Crow Site
Nosy Crow Blog
Nosy Crow on Facebook
Nosy Crow on Twitter
Nosy Crow Apps on Twitter
Nosy Crow on YouTube

Thanks go again to the publisher, Nosy Crow for providing this fantastic giveaway to our readers! The only requirement? Visit one of the above links and find something new you love!

Details: Two winners will be chosen at random after the contest closes, as outlined above. If the winner is international they will receive a Nosy Crow book of their choosing up to $15 USD from Book Depository. You MUST fill out the form below, comments will not count as entries. Only one entry per household. No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open WORLDWIDE. The giveaway will run from December 08, 2011 until December 31, 2011 Extended to January 31st 2012 at midnight EST.

Today’s post is part of our month long celebration of all things Nosy Crow. Make sure to stop by the Nosy Crow site for more information about this title and more. For more information about our Book Publishers 101 feature take a look at this month’s opening post.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Nosy Crow, for coordinating many of this month’s features and reviews! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.

The Cats in the Doll Shop by Yona Zeldis McDonough and Illustrated by Heather Maione
Published by Viking Juvenile
Pages: 140
Ages: 8-11
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository
Publishers Summmary:

When Anna spots a cat in the yard behind her parents’ doll shop, she is excited. Then she realizes the cat is about to have kittens-even better! And Anna has something else to look forward to: her cousin Tania is coming from Russia to stay with Anna’s family. Anna already has two sisters, but she and Tania are the exact same age-eleven-and she imagines they will get along perfectly. But Tania doesn’t respond to Anna’s friendly overtures, and her sisters don’t seem to like Tania at all. Luckily, Anna finds a creative way to use her love of dolls and cats to bring everyone together.

In a family of three girls the news of an addition to the family comes with mixed feelings. When Anna discovers her new cousin Tania is coming from Russia to spend the year with their family she’s thrilled, though their shared age seems to be the only similarity as of yet. Anna’s sisters find Tania’s quietness and the food she hides odd and instantly dislike her, but Anna quickly accepts her by offering her a new doll she created specifically for Tania. With the addition of Tania the last thing the family needs is a pet, but it may be just the thing to bring Tania out of her shell and potentially solve another problem altogether.

Charming. Absolutely charming and beautiful storytelling are found within the pages of The Cats in the Doll Shop by Yona Zeldis McDonough. Generally speaking I’m not incredibly fond of historically based novels & books for one reason or another, but this story was written so well that I couldn’t help but be taken in by the lovely Anna. Her parents are recent immigrants to the US and have found a way to provide for themselves by creating and selling a line of dolls to companies like FAO Schwartz. For a ten or eleven year old girl I can think of no better place to be than in a family that has a never ending supply of dolls to create and play with, making it the perfect setting for the intended audience.

Obviously Anna’s family is frugal though and the story isn’t simply about the dolls and the doll shop, but about their cousin Tania and the cats that accompany her arrival. Anna was so welcoming to her cousin and it was wonderful to read about not only her desire to make her feel at home but her thoughts about her two sister’s feelings about Tania. It’s the perfect message for a young reader, one of welcoming and comforting those who may be in need of a friend. In addition to Tania the compassion Anna shows toward a family of cats is heartwarming and in the end turns out to help not only the cats but Tania as well.

It would be a shame to fail to note the historical and religious aspects of the story in my review because both were handled incredibly well. In both cases they were so well written that they became more a part of the fabric of the story than an over-arching theme making it accessible for all varieties of readers. Anna and her family are of Jewish descent and there is even a short story about the history of Chanukah, but I never felt as though it was a boring history lesson or preachy in any way. Instead the story and the background shared throughout work to enhance Anna’s character and her family making it all the more enjoyable.

The Cats in the Doll Shop by Yona Zeldis McDonough is delightful historically based middle grade fiction novel. Not only would educators benefit from sharing it with their students, but young readers will thoroughly fall in love with Anna and her charm. Though it’s the second in the series it easily stands alone, but those who haven’t read the first will be clamoring to get their hands on Anna’s first story as well. The Cats in the Doll Shop is a story about kindness, acceptance, giving and friendship all told through the eyes of one delightful young girl who welcomes all with open arms.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 7 to 12. A charming historically based middle grade novel that young readers will enjoy and learn the importance of compassion from. Highly recommended reading for young readers and educators alike!

Find The Cats in the Doll Shop by Yona Zeldis McDonough and Illustrated by Heather Maione at the following spots:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Thank you so much to the publisher, Viking Juvenile, for providing a copy of this book for review and giveaway! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

©2012 There's A Book. All Rights Reserved.