Blue Monday and a Book Giveaway!

Joining Smiling Sally today for her Blue Monday meme! My blue things
involve book covers. The covers of the two books that I am going
to giveaway this month! I will draw that winner on the last day of June.


From Publishers Weekly
Veteran television writer Stepakoff breathes new life into a familiar plot and setting in his debut novel. Lily Davis Woodward, once a headstrong, independent dreamer, acquiesced at age 17 to her wealthy parents' wishes and married Paul Woodward, the perfect high society Atlanta husband. Two weeks later, Paul ships out to serve on the European front, and Lily tends the home fires until the summer of 1945, when Lily, about to see her husband for the first time in three years, meets Jake Russo. The pyrotechnics man, who's planning the fireworks for the local July 4 celebration, spurs Lily to wonder whether her life is what she really wants. Sparks predictably fly, and after several passionate days, Lily is torn between what's expected of her and the chance to pursue an exciting and adventure-filled life. For sure, forbidden love's been done to death, but Stepakoff's spellbinding descriptions of Jake's unusual line of work and the lush countryside of northern Georgia, the unexpected plot twists, and a surprise ending give this story plenty of oomph. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Publishers Weekly
Meissner's The Shape of Mercy was a PW best book for 2008, but her newest doesn't measure up. The Janvier family takes into their Southern California home the abruptly homeless Tally Bachmann, 16-year-old daughter of Bart Bachmann, Amanda Janvier's ne'er-do-well brother, who has gone to Poland to unearth a family mystery. The Janviers are to be understood as an ideal family who slowly come to confront urgent and threatening secrets in their past; problem is, several family members—the emotionally detached dad in the woodshop, for one—are as stereotyped as the titular symbol of idealized family values. Tally and 17-year-old Chase Janvier, around whom much of the story revolves, are nicely realized; Meissner has a sure touch with their characterizations. But plotting problems undermine intended emotional impact: the Polish connection is not credibly presented, a Holocaust connection is likewise hard to believe, and some of the plot resolution is more mechanical than organic. Meissner can write, but here she has overreached. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Just leave me a note if you would like to win either book. There will be two winners!
Now off to read the other Blue Monday posts!