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Act Regency right with ‘The Jane Austen Handbook’ (giveaway)

/ Meg / 1 Comment

Jane Austen HandbookIn honor of our dear Jane Austen and Pride & Prejudice’s 200th (!) anniversary, I have a special giveaway from our friends at Quirk Books today: three copies of Margaret C. Sullivan’s The Jane Austen Handbook.

With advice as varied as “how to ensure a good yearly income; how to behave at a dinner party; how to ride sidesaddle; and how to indicate interest in a gentleman without seeming forward,” Sullivan’s fun collection “offers step-by-step instructions for proper comportment in the early 19th century. … Full of practical directions for navigating the travails of Regency life, this charming illustrated book also serves as a companion for present-day readers, explaining the English class system, currency, dress, and the nuances of graceful living.”

Sound like your type of tea and crumpets? I thought so. To enter, simply fill out this form by 12 p.m. on Tuesday, January 15. Three random winners will be selected and contacted for their mailing addresses by yours truly. Giveaway is open to U.S. entrants only, please (sorry, international friends). Comments have been closed to avoid confusion. Good luck!


Edit on 1/15: Out of 47 entries, the lucky winners are Anita, Donna and Alexandra — who will soon be strutting in Regency style! Ladies, I’ve emailed you.


Literary Giveaway Blog Hop: ‘The Lost Wife’ by Alyson Richman

/ Meg / 6 Comments

This giveaway is part of Leeswammes’ Literary Giveaway Blog Hop, happening now through Feb. 22! Visit for other great giveaways.


Sometime last fall, I began seeing reviews for Alyson Richman’s The Lost Wife. A longtime fan of both love stories and historical fiction, reviewers seemed to be enamored with this work focused on the fate of first love in war-torn Prague.

When I signed up for a blogger gift exchange at Christmas, I eagerly placed The Lost Wife on my list — and was delighted when it appeared in my mailbox! Sadly, I’ve yet to mention a little . . . well . . . quirk of mine: I’m shockingly impatient. Forgetting I’d placed the book on my wishlist, I’d bought my own copy days before.

But no matter: my mistake is your gain! I have one new paperback copy of The Lost Wife to give away to one lucky reader in the U.S. As the prize is coming from me, I’m sorry to say I must limit entrants to those in America.


Description from Goodreads:

“In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there’s an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit — and the strength of memory.”


Comments on this post are welcome, but will not count as entry. Winner will be randomly selected at 12 p.m. Feb. 22 and emailed for their mailing address. Your information is confidential and will be viewed only by me. Good luck!


EDIT on Feb. 22: Congrats to Hannah B., entrant No. 49! Random.org selected her as our winner. Thanks to all who visited and entered — check back soon for another giveaway.


Audio book giveaway: Amy Kathleen Ryan’s GLOW

/ Meg

As I’ve recently taken a shine to audio books and recently finished my first one, I have an exciting giveaway to announce — and for a book I really enjoyed!

Amy Kathleen Ryan’s Glow is a quick, thought-provoking dystopian novel centering around the lives of Waverly and Kieran, two teenagers born aboard a vessel bound for New Earth. Though their peaceful existence hasn’t been without some turbulence, nothing can prepare them for the arrival of a sister ship — and its passengers’ devious plans. Alone in deep space, everything for the Empyrean’s habitants is about to change.

Courtesy of the publisher, I have one audio book copy of this exciting novel to share with a lucky winner! If you’ve been interested in dipping a toe in the world of audio books, this might be your chance. Before you enter, take a listen to a sample.

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only through 12 p.m. (noon) on Wednesday, Oct. 26. A winner will be randomly selected using Random.org and emailed by yours truly.


To enter, simply fill out this form!

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop: Lynne Griffin’s ‘Sea Escape’

/ Meg

When I read Lynne Griffin’s Sea Escape last summer, I was profoundly moved by this story of mothers, daughters, fathers, sons — family, really, in all its vast and complicated forms.

Griffin’s language drew me into the seaside setting where Laura Martinez looks in on her aging mother, Helen, a woman still “cloaked in the past,” I wrote, and dwelling on the life she once shared with Joseph, her enigmatic but aloof husband. Sea Escape is a moving novel that fluctuates between the past and present, and we’re told the story of Helen and Joseph’s courtship through a series of letters — notes jotted between lovers that Laura never saw until she reached adulthood.

Though not always a cheery tale, Griffin’s Sea Escape was still an enchanting family drama — one I thoroughly enjoyed. And now I’m happy to share it with one of you!

As part of the Literary Giveaway Blog Hop, up for grabs for one reader in the U.S. only (sorry, international friends!) is a new copy of Sea Escape, just released in paperback this month.

To enter, simply fill out this form before 12 p.m. (noon) EST on Wednesday, June 29. Winner will be chosen at random via Random.org and emailed for their mailing address. The information you submit via this form is confidential and will be seen by my eyes only.

UPDATE: Congrats to Sarah (sarahthehobbit), the winner of Sea Escape! Thanks to all for entering and visiting, and hope you had fun with the Literary Giveaway Blog Hop.

Win Libba Bray’s ‘Beauty Queens’

/ Meg / 5 Comments

If you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud, hilarious and action-packed young adult read this summer, you’ll want to peer a little closer at this post — because Libba Bray delivers. Her new novel Beauty Queens, a satirical look at a beauty contest that begins with a plane crash, is too witty and fun not to be discussed.

With vivid characters, a unique premise and a shameless skewering of American pop culture and politics, it’s an intelligent and compulsively readable book that I’ll be sharing often this summer — including with all of you! A little more about the novel:


The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream Pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and complete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eye liner.

What’s a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program — or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan — or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Your tour guide? None other than Libba Bray, the hilarious, sensational, Printz Award-winning author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Going Bovine. The result is a novel that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way again.


Two copies of Beauty Queens are kindly being shared by the publisher; just fill out this form for entry. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only from Thursday, June 23 to Tuesday, June 28, when I will randomly choose and email two winners. Comments on this post are welcomed, but will not count as entry.

NEW: Congrats to Erin of Erin Reads and Allison M., lucky winners of Beauty Queens! Ladies, I’ve emailed you for your addresses.

Giveaway: ‘Clarity’ by Kim Harrington

/ Meg / 3 Comments

What’s the first thing you notice about Kim Harrington’s novel Clarity?

If you’re me, it’s that bokeh. Little circles of light — so interesting, so delicate . . . I love it. And that cover.

And what I’m here to offer today — after a busy, busy weekend — are two copies of Harrington’s debut young adult novel!

What’s it about?

Clarity “Clare” Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It’s a gift. And a curse. When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare’s ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case — but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare’s brother, who has supernatural gifts of his own, becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

I’m halfway through this one now and really enjoying it. Different and imaginative, it’s not a genre I’d usually consider . . . but as I said, I’m powerless against the pull of bokeh. It’s very suspenseful and well-drawn, and I can honestly say that — at page 165 — I have no idea where this is going . . . or how the mysteries will be solved.

Clarity’s publisher has kindly offered two copies of the book for two winners in the U.S. To enter, please fill out this form between March 7 and 12 p.m. (noon) EST on March 11. Winners will be randomly selected by yours truly and notified by email that they’ve won. Comments on this post are welcome but will not count as entries.

Still curious? Check out the book’s trailer on YouTube or Harrington’s website, with links to her blog and Twitter. You can also add Clarity to your Goodreads wishlist.

EDIT on March 11: Congrats to Melissa Vasquez and lisa, our randomly-chosen winners! Ladies, I’ve emailed you both for your mailing addresses. Thanks all for entering!

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop: ‘The Weird Sisters’ by Eleanor Brown

/ Meg / 13 Comments

Eleanor Brown’s The Weird Sisters is certainly making the blogging rounds lately — and for good reason. Her debut novel about three adult sisters coming home is poignant, memorable and just plain good writing. I really enjoyed it and know other literary fiction readers will, too.

As part of Leeswammes’ Literary Giveaway Blog Hop, I’m happy to pass along my gently read ARC (softcover advance reading copy) of The Weird Sisters to one winner in the U.S.! To enter, simply fill out this form with the required information. Giveaway will close at 12 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Feb. 23 Thursday, Feb. 24 (see edit below), and I’ll randomly choose one winner two winners and notify them by email.

Comments on this post are welcome and appreciated, but will not count for entry. To enter the giveaway, you must fill out this form!

EDIT! on Feb. 22: Eleanor Brown has very kindly offered a signed hardcover copy of The Weird Sisters to one lucky write meg! winner. So I’ll now choose two fortunate folks: the first will receive the hardcover from Ms. Brown; the second will find my ARC in their mailboxes. In that spirit, I’m extending the giveaway until 12 p.m. (noon) on Thursday, Feb. 24. Good luck, everyone!

WINNERS! on Feb. 24: Congratulations to Jill Wiesner and Deanna, my two randomly-selected winners! Each entry was filtered into a Google spreadsheet and assigned a number.

At Random.org, I asked for a random sequence of numbers ranging from 1 to 149, the total number of entries; numbers 109 and 140 were the top two integers chosen. So Eleanor Brown’s signed hardcover will go to the first pick — Jill — and my softcover ARC is headed to Deanna. Thank you, everyone, for entering — and thanks again to Eleanor Brown for contributing the signed hardcover.