Goodreads Giveaway Wins!(and future reviews)

 Goodreads Giveaways=Free Books!

Who doesn't love free books?

I have been using Goodreads Giveaways for years! I love that there are always so many listed for you to enter to win. There are print and ebook formats that you can choose from. You can narrow down your search by genre, and/or when the giveaway ends.

Or, like me, you can scan through the list and enter just about all of them. 

These books are posted/sponsored by either the author, or a publishing company;i.e. Random House.

There is no purchase necessary, and the only "rules" are agreeing to the terms of each giveaway.

For example, you must give your mailing address if you win a physical book in order for it to be sent to you.

You must agree to Goodreads terms and conditions, which basically says you cannot hold them responsible for anything. Once you enter the giveaway, it is solely under the author or publisher's terms and agreement.

I'm pretty sure we've all read similar before, but it is always a good idea to read through the rules, and make sure you understand them.

Goodreads has been such a wonderful website that supports all types of authors, readers, and reviewers. I have never had any issues with receiving a book I have won. I will add, there have been times, it has taken over a month to receive the book (physical), but, honestly, it's a free book!

I'm sure you have something to read while you wait. 

Each giveaway will show how many copies of that book are available to win. That can be anywhere from 1 to 100. It all depends on who is posting the giveaway. Usually, it will also show how many entries there are for each giveaway.

I will say, I have won a book where there were only 20 copies available, and maybe 2,000 entries.

I've also lost when there were 100 copies and only about 900 entries. It's all about luck.

My advice is to look through them often, and enter as many as you want.

Here are the 4 that I have won just in the last two months!

Hereafter: The Telling Life of Ellen O'Hara by Vona Groarke

Description:

(copied from Bookshop.org)

A lyrical portrait of a young Irish woman reinventing herself at the turn of the twentieth century in America

Ellen O'Hara was a young immigrant from Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century who, with courage and resilience, made a life for herself in New York while financially supporting those at home. Hereafter is her story, told by Vona Groarke, her descendant, in a beautiful blend of poetry, prose, and history.

The Nurse's Secret by Amanda Skenandore

Description:

(copied from Bookshop.org)

A thrilling historical novel of the dark side of gilded age New York City.

Based on Florence Nightingale's nursing principles, Bellevue is the first school of its kind in the country. Where once nurses were assumed to be ignorant and unskilled, Bellevue prizes discipline, intellect, and moral character, and only young women of good breeding need apply. At first, Una balks at her prim classmates and the doctors' endless commands. Yet life on the streets has prepared her for the horrors of injury and disease found on the wards, and she slowly gains friendship and self-respect.

Just as she finds her footing, Una's suspicions about a patient's death put her at risk of exposure, and will force her to choose between her instinct for self-preservation, and exposing her identity in order to save others.

On the Way to Christmas:Three Stories by Sheila Roberts, Melissa Ferguson, and Amy Clipston

Description:

(copied from Bookshop.org)

A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts

Darby doesn't want to go home for the holidays, but a career fail sends her slinking back to the small town she always wanted to escape. No one there is especially glad to see the former mean girl--especially not her sister, Erica, or childhood best friend, Gregory. Darby is working hard to be a better person, but has she eaten enough humble pie to make amends?

Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson

When Willow's boyfriend of seven years dumps her on the eve of a romantic getaway, she decides to take the two-week train trip on The Christmas Express alone. Hurt as she feels, she can't anticipate how the hilarious rebound ride with conductor Oliver, elf Ian, and aging world adventurer Clarence will heal her heart--and renew her sense of worth.

A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston

Kacey adores the metropolitan life, but when she gets away to help her sister during a family crisis and run her bakery, she falls in love with former classmate Drew. The problem: he's a small-town man, and she's a big-city woman. Is their love big enough to overcome such a major difference?

More Than You Can See: A Mother's Memoir by Barbara Rubin

Description:

(copied from Bookshop.org)

Barbara Rubin writes this story of joy and sorrow mixed with humor and rage as both mother and advocate for her daughter Jenn. In this role, she witnessed firsthand the battles that come when a person is the most vulnerable, but she also saw the gift of human kindness and the difference it can make in another person's life. She hopes that her journey, lived through her daughter's injury, will help others understand the lessons that can be learned from tolerance and will give hope to families whose paths have also been darkened by tragedy. This is her first book. Barbara resides in Washington Crossing, PA.

Wow! I don't know which one to read first!

Each one appeals to me for different reasons.

I'm always a sucker for a good memoir, or historical fiction based on fact. On the other hand, maybe a cozy holiday book soon would work. Ah!

Help me choose!

Which one should I read first?

Watch for the reviews of these books later, too.

Have you entered any book giveaways lately?

Have you won any? I'd love to know!

Book Review: The Locked Door by Freida McFadden

 The Locked Door

by
Freida McFadden

Psychological thriller

audiobook/ 8 hours

Quote:" Dad always says that If you're going to do something wrong, at least be smart enough not to let anyone see you do it."

From the cover:

Some doors are locked for a reason...

While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her father was killing women in the basement.

Until the day the police arrived at their front door. 

Decades later, Nora's father is spending his life behind bars, and Nora is a successful surgeon with a quiet, solitary existence.

Nobody knows her father was a notorious serial killer. And she intends to keep it that way.

Then Nora discovers one of her young female patients has been murdered. In the same unique and horrific manner that her father used to kill his victims. 

Somebody knows who Nora is. Somebody wants her to take the fall for this unthinkable crime. But she's not a killer like her father. The police can't pin anything on her.

As long as they don't look in her basement...

My Review:

This is my fourth read by Freida McFadden. I so wanted to love this book as much as the first 3 I've read. Sadly, I did not.

The book started out pretty well, and I'll even say had good bones, but somehow it just fell short of my expectations.

I almost felt like this book was made in haste, possibly falling into the quantity over quality trap.

For me, Nora just seemed a tad off. Not in a daughter of a serial killer way, but off as in the writer never really figured out who she was supposed to be.

She seems to have had, at one time, similar traits to her father, but then insists she is nothing like him.

She cannot remember her ex-boyfriend, or why she broke up with him years ago, yet she feels safe enough to hop in the sack after their second meeting.

Furthermore, she makes reference over and over to her father's type, yet never mentions any similarities in the one around her with those features.

I loved the idea this story had going, but there were just too many times I was going, "What? That makes no sense!" 

Right up until the very end.

For the record, I will definitely continue reading McFadden's books! Everyone can have an off project.

It wasn't my favorite, but for the sake of author's name, the idea of the story, and a few well played scenes, I'm giving,The Locked Door a 3-star rating.

Fall Book List for Kids!

Fall Book List 

for kids

The first day of Autumn, already? It's hit right on time here in Ohio! 92F yesterday, and 70F today. Sounds about right. Honestly, I'm always one that desperately clings to every last scorching heat wave, and holding out for a big crazy storm. We got a fairly good downpour for about 10 minutes yesterday. And...then, nothing.

I really do enjoy Fall, I just never seem to look forward to Summer ending. All three of my daughters, on the other hand, are pulling out hoodies, decorations, and pumpkin spice latte recipes before Labor Day. It does give me a chuckle and help my mood. I crochet little pumpkins with cinnamon sticks down in them, and they are rapidly taking over our decor!

I also homeschool my youngest, so constantly having a reading list is always on the forefront.

This seems to be the time that we stockpile our books and prepare for long days of binge reading.

(No complaints from me!)

We seem to acquire books from a little bit of everywhere. We have them gifted or given, we do a ton of library trips, thrift stores, and Thriftbooks which is actually having a great sale on children and YA books. Buy any 3, and get 1 free. Plus free shipping! I've also recently found BookOutlet, and they have pretty awesome prices. 

No matter how you get your books, Autumn has such a diversity of book choices. It's a great time to incorporate learning and lessons throughout the season. There is gardening/harvesting, nature changing, animal habits and environments, books about giving, celebrating, tons full of Fall recipes to learn and share.

I feel it is a great opportunity to get children interested in reading. There are so many choices to find their interests.

We like to have a little of everything. Here is a list I've put together. Some we have read, others are going on our list.

Fall Book List

for kids

The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger

Look! It's the Candycorn by Danielle McLean

The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin by Sonali Fry

Run, Turkey, Run by Diane Mayr

Friendsgiving by Nancy Siscoe

The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing

We're Going on a Goon Hunt by Michael Rex

How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor

Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy by Lisa Wheeler

Turkey Bowl by Phil Bildner

The Great Pumpkin Contest by Angie Rozelaar

Over the River and through the Wood by Emma Randall

Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo

Gobble Up, Snoopy! by Charles M. Schulz

Thanksgiving at Our house by P.K. Hallinan

Little Blue Truck's Halloween by Alice Schertle

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

Where Do Diggers Trick-or Treat? by Brianna Caplan Sayres

The Berenstain Bears Big Halloween Party by Mike Berenstain

Little Monster(Ten Minutes to bed) by Rhiannon Fielding

There's a Witch in Your Book by Tom Fletcher

Frankenstein Doesn't Wear Earmuffs by John Loren

Sparkleton The Haunted Woods by Calliope Glass

Popcorn by Frank Asch

The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by J. Elizabeth Mills

Let It Fall by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro

The Leaves on the Trees by Thom Wiley

Treemendous: Diary of a Not Yet Mighty Oak by Bridget Heos

The Pug Who wanted to be a Pumpkin by Bella Swift

On Our way Home by Sebastian Braun

Happy Halloween, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell

Wow! We've listed over 30 Titles! This is a great list for Fall, Autumn, and Halloween books!

Have you read any of these? Which is your favorite? Are there any I missed? I'd love you to add them in the comments!

Happy Reading! and Happy Fall!

Book Review: Brain Damage by Freida McFadden

 Brain Damage

by 
Freida McFadden

psychological thriller/crime

Kindle edition/398 pages

Quote:" And none of that hurt. The truth is, I didn't feel it at all. What hurt is everything that came after."

Brain Damage

From the cover:

After years of hard work, Dr. Charly McKenna finally has it all. Prosperous career as a dermatologist? Check. Spacious apartment overlooking Central Park? Check. Handsome lawyer husband? Double check.

Then one night, a bullet rips through the right side of her skull, and she loses everything.

As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her...before he finishes the job he started.

My Review:

This one definitely is getting mixed reviews. Maybe, even myself included.

Personally, I think some of the reasons other readers gave it lower ratings, were the reasons I loved it.

As it is tagged a psychological thriller, I can see some being disappointed, or disagreeing with it. If it had been placed as a medical mystery, it may have been rated differently. I feel some readers felt misled from the beginning. This is the fourth book I've read by Freida McFadden, and it honestly is one of my favorites. I know I seem to say that a lot lately; especially about McFadden's books. They really do just keep drawing me in. This one definitely gets bumped up due to the medical aspects. I've always been fascinated with learning about the medical field and human biology. Brain Damage definitely gives you that. While McFadden isn't a brain surgeon, she does actually work with brain injury patients and the recovery process. She actually knows her stuff, and it shows in her writing.

This book gives you the story of a woman who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head. It takes you through the mystery of solving the crime, but for me, it was so much more about Charly's journey through recovery. You get a behind the scenes look at the recovery process. All the stress, frustrations, repeating everything, and the struggles through memory loss. It is exhausting, mentally and physically, but Charly finally sees that it is all worth it.

Of course, no book is perfect, and there were a couple of things that I didn't agree with, but I didn't write the characters.

I will say there wasn't much suspense or thrill to the book, but I truly enjoyed the whole book.

I give it 5 stars!

Side note: A few years ago, I read  Left Neglected by Lisa Genova that I also enjoyed. These two books share the same brain injury but completely different stories. I definitely recommend checking them both out!