Carol's Notebook

Thanks to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday. I got a couple in the mail this week.       City of Refuge by Valerie Farber Received from publicist for review. Bat-Shachar, a teenaged girl gifted with beauty and intellect, languishes in the household of her father, a prominent Israelite scholar. Intimidated by Bat-Shachar's coming of age, her father grows aloof. He scrutinizes her actions, and his discipline is heavy-handed. Her father's rages drive Bat-Shachar from home. In the company of the family's Canaanite maidservant, Bat-Shachar happens upon pagan rituals. The visions she sees shake her to the core of her existence. Tzuriel is a metalworking apprentice. Upon seeing the agony of his people butchered by marauders, he vows to equip his nation for battle. After infiltrating enemy territory to acquire the forbidden skills of crafting iron weapons, Tzuriel faces an awesom fate, borne of a fleeting indiscretion. The paths of Bat-Shachar and Tzuriel intertwine when they are expelled from their tribal villages. They race towards...

I thought I’d let you know some of the giveaways I ran across this week. As always, my current giveaway is listed on my sidebar and make sure you check out West of Mars- Win a Book! where there's always a ton of links to great contests, interviews and guest posts. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, at Bookish Ruth (ends September 3, US and Canada) Water Witch by Deborah LeBlanc, at Jenny Loves to Read (ends September 8, US and Canada, no PO boxes) National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010 and a backpack full of school supplies, at Booking Mama (ends September 8, US and Canada) The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick, at A Reader's Respite (ends September 10, US and Canada) The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick, at Booking Mama (ends September 10, US and Canada, no PO boxes) The Widow's War by Mary Mackey, at The Tome Traveller's Weblog (ends September 12, US) The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathie...

I found this over at Walking on Sunshine and it looked like fun. Using only books you have read this year (2009), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title. It's a lot harder than you think! Describe Yourself: I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Guilia Melucci How do you feel: Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox Describe where you currently live: The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts Your favorite form of transportation: She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb Your best friend is: The Dragon of Doom by Bruce Coville You and your friends are: Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde What's the weather like: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett Favorite time of day: Lie by Moonlight by Amanda Quick If your life was : Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton What is life to you: The Mystery on Stage created by Gertrude Chandler Warner Your fear: A Night at the...