Fall Giveaway Winner

Thank you to all who participated and who helped make this giveaway a big success.  It was great fun!

I used Radom.org to help me choose a winner and the lucky one is . . .

 

number 86.

Congratulations to Rachelle.  I have sent an email to you.  Please respond within 48 hours.

Things to be happy about #3

 

I got the inspiration for this blog post from the book called14,000 Things to be Happy About.: Revised and Updated edition by Babara Ann Kipfer.  I will be doing a regular post adding things from my everything life.  Here is some of the things that make me smile.

16.  A puppy with her face stuck in a shoe.
17.  Knowing people that knows computers. :)
18.  Having a weekend away from everything.
19.  Hearing nothing but farm noises when you wake in the morning.
20.  The cutest doggy clothes!

    
21.  The smell of frying onions (especially if hubby is making the food!).
 

You might also wanna look at the website called Things to be happy about.  Some more things to be smiling about.

Random Stuff #4

We went away this past long weekend had a wonderful, relaxing time.  We stayed on a farm owned by a friend – he transformed one of the houses into a little guesthouse and a group of us went to re-charge our batteries.

Off course Friday was National Braai (barbeque) day in South Africa, so breakfast started with a braai (bacon, sausages and eggs :)  For supper we had two legs of lamb on a spit.  Yummy!

          

Rain has been very scarce in the area, so we though we would take my Jeep for a little spin in the dry riverbed.  Oops . . . look out!  Mud!!

 

 

Before we knew what happened, my Jeep sank up to the doors into the mud. 

 

 

 

Then the digging started.  If you look closely, you will also see the Landrover in front of us that also got stuck trying to pull us out :) 

By this time we sent some of the children to fetch the farmer and the tractor – lol

After about two hours, we were out and it didn’t stop hubby to want to go and play further in the dunes (which we did).  Luckily we did not get stuck again.  He thought that the getting stuck part was the best part!  :)

A very fun weekend!

Blogger Interview: Edgy Inspirational Romance

Please meet Joy from Edgy Inspirational Romance.  Joy, thank you for letting us be nosey and asking you a few questions :)

Why did you start blogging?  And how long has it been? 
I am still a newbie at this blogging business.  I launched mid May and I've been at it only four months.  I started my book blog because I'm an aspiring Christian romance author who needs a web presence.  Authors need to begin building a platform (that's a fancy word for a fan base) about a year before their book releases. Do I have a book on the horizon?  Unfortunately, no.  But since I also love to read Christian romance,  I'll build a community of fans around that genre, and keep my fingers crossed that one day I'll have something for my followers to read other than my blog. 

How much time and energy do you put into your blog? 
If I had to guess, I'd say I put in about ten hours a week.  But this past summer while I was off from work (I teach elementary school) I put in much more time.  It was a great opportunity to learn the ins and out of Blogger.

Do you enjoy doing memes?  Which ones can be found on your blog?
I do like memes, but I don't do them every week. On occasion I'll do In My Mailbox/Mailbox Mondays, On My Wishlist, It's Monday, what are you reading?, Thursday Thirteen, and Top Ten Tuesday.  I also do the Friday book blog hops.

How would you describe your review style? 
I spend a couple of paragraphs talking about one important aspect of the book.  I don't do a sweeping overview of the story.  I usually pick one element or impression I had and focus on that.  Then I add the back cover blurb and my rating scale.  I also lead with my review and put the story summary at the end, because when I'm reading book reviews I always scroll past the summary anyway.

What advice would you give new book bloggers out there? 
Be consistent with your posting, even if it's only a couple of times a week, and respond to your comments. 

This has been fun! Thanks for interviewing me! :)

THANK YOU, Joy for being the first of my blogger interviews. I love your blog and feel honored that you allowed me this interview. For more on Edgy Inspirational Romance, you can click on the blog button featured at the top of this post.

Welcoming the Fall Giveaway

Welcome to this awesome blog hopping giveaway event hosted by Good Choice Reading.  A whopping 58 blogs are joining in the fun, so be sure to check them all out.  There is lots of prize to be won!  (I have added the list below to make it easy to find everyone.) 
All the giveaways will run from September 22nd – 29th September 2010.  I will draw a winner and let him/her know by email shortly thereafter. 
My giveaway is open worldwide.  I thought long and hard and have come to the conclusion that that the easiest way to allow everyone to enter, is to give away a gift card, so . . .

I will be giving away an $10 Amazon Gift card.

It is easy to enter.  Here’s the steps:

Leave a comment below and be sure the following are included:
- FULL NAME
- Google Friend Connect NAME (you must be a follower)
- e-mail

Extra Entries (Not a Must) +1 for each (no links, no extra entries)
- Follow me on Twitter (please leave your username)
- Blog post (please leave link)
- Shared on Twitter (please leave link)

It’s that easy.  Good luck!

EDIT:  Thank you to everyone for participating - this giveaway is now closed.

Things to be happy about #2

I got the inspiration for this blog post from the book called14,000 Things to be Happy About.: Revised and Updated edition by Babara Ann Kipfer.  I will be doing a regular post adding things from my everything life.  Here is some of the things that make me smile. (You can click here to see my previous post)

• 11.  You can only receive bad news once.
  
• 12.  Cupcakes
  
• 13. Lazy weekends just for myself
  
• 14.  Little puppy snores and big jaw-breaking yawns when she wakes up.
  
• 15.  Having helpful and friendly blogger buddies.

You might also wanna look at the website called Things to be happy about.  Some more things to be smiling about.

Totally off topic

I found this on a new blog I am following, called List of the Day, and since this is one of my all time golden oldie favourites . . . I can just see Rocky running up those steps.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to the winners!!

 

  Congratulations to our three winners!  Emails have been sent, please respond with your mailing  addresses as soon as you can.

Edit:  Jill, Candace and Charlie responded to my email and I have sent their addresses to the publisher. Congratulations again girls!

If you were not one of the winners but would like to read the book, it is available from Amazon.  Here is a link:

                                                            

Review: Fire burn and Cauldron Bubble by HP Mallory

1.  

 

Title:  Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble
Series:  Jolie Wilkins #1
Author: HP Mallory
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publication date:  July 2010

 

 

 Blurb:
A self-deprecating witch with the unique ability to reanimate the dead. A dangerously handsome warlock torn between being her boss and her would-be lover. A six hundred year old English vampire with his own agenda; one that includes an appetite for witches. The Underworld in a state of chaos. Let the games begin.

My thoughts:
This is the first book in the Jolie Wilkins series.  We are introduced to Jolie, a psychic who owns a small shop together with her best friend, Christine.  She lives a quite life outside of the spotlight.  But what Jolie doesn’t know yet, is that she is also a very powerful witch. 
When the handsome Rand walks into her store, Jolie is immediately attracted to him (although she has sworn off men for the last six months).  After a few sessions, she accepts a job from him and this is where her whole life changes. 
We are quickly introduced to the magical world Rand lives in, including all the different creatures – vampires, werewolves and fairies.  We are also introduced to the evil Bella and her associates that are setting up the war between herself and her allies and Rand and his.  

This was a light, fun and easy read, ideal for when you need a break between those heavy and involved storylines.  I enjoyed the humour and the romantic tension between Rand and Jolie.  Jolie is a likeable character and easy to identify with.  I would recommend this book for the urban fantasy lover.

 I received this book for review from the author.  The opinions expressed are my own and I wasn't compensated or influenced in any way.  This review was also added to GOODREADS, BOOK BLOGS and AMAZON.com.

Simple Sunday Twitter Hop

Do you want more Twitter followers?
Looking for more twitterers to follow?
Great, then join me at the Simple Sunday Twitter Hop hosted by Survey Junkie, Between the Lines,
Its Me Melbie & Crazy Daisy.
This weeks Guest Host is Heather from Acting Balanced .
The Mr Linky and all the rules can be found at the hosts’ websites.

Come and join the fun!

Random Stuff #3

Another week gone by and another chance for my weekly post filled with some randomness. This is the little random things that is not big enough for a post of their own but still worth talking about.  BUT BE WARNED, these posts might contain really silly stuff :)

1. BlogFest was this past weekend - I felt like a child in a candy store.  I have not been able to enter so many international competitions . . . ever!  But I thought I had square eyes for a few days.  So much blogging . . . and nothing else.  Was heaps of fun!  I won two (yeah you read it!) eBooks :)  Am very excited.  Will post reviews when I am done.

2.  I am very excited because I have decided to join the FALL GIVEAWAY.  This will be a blog hop on a smaller scale than Blogfest but heaps of fun.  I hope you will come back and visit from 22 September.  I think there might be openings still, so you can send an email to GoodChoiceReadin@aol.com if you want to join the games but you will have to hurry!

3.  I started another blog called Everythings just peachy today where I am posting links to (mostly book) giveaways I find.  So feel free to hop on over. 

4.  Had a painting class again yesterday after such a long time.  Here is where I am now – got some way to go still.

 

And please enter my first ever giveaway - you can find it here. You will have to hurry - closes tonight.

Follow Friday memes

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list (the Mr Linky is on Parajunkee's blog)
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://baileysbookreviews.blogspot.com
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thingie (again on Parajunkee's blog).
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can.
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Welcome to Fun Follow Friday hosted by Simply Stacie and My Wee View.  Click on Stacie's link to play along and find Mr Linky.

Here is what they say about the meme.

The goal of this hop is to get new Google Friend Connect Followers for your blog and be introduced to new blogs to follow! We wanted to keep it fun and easy so all you have to do is add your blog link and start blog hopping and following away! You aren’t required to write a post for your blog for Fun Follow Fridayunless you want to (but we really appreciate it if you do to help get the word out).
When you visit a blog that you like and want to follow, leave them a comment with your link telling them you are following from the Fun Follow Friday. Of course, we would love for you to follow both hostesses blogs, Simply Stacie and My Wee View, but it isn’t mandatory. If you do follow us, just leave us a comment and we will follow you back.
The main goal is to have fun and follow the blogs that interest you!
There are a few fun things that Fun Follow Fridays does each week:
1.  Each week 1 winner will be randomly drawn for the #3 Spot, this week it’s #82 Mom’s Misc Adventures.
2. Each week 1 winner will get Premium ad space for 1 week on both Simply Stacie and My Wee View.  To enter, you have to blog about Fun Follow Friday! This week’s winner is Milking the Issue. (You can still participate in Fun Follow Friday without making a blog post about it. However, to participate in this special giveaway, you need to write a post about it)
Happy hopping along!

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPIN.  (If you click on the logo, you will get to the site with the "Mr Linky")

This week's question is: 

In honor of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, let's take time this week to honor our favorite book bloggers and why we love them!

I enjoy Danielle's site.  She is super friendly and always have a few minutes to chat if it is by email or on twitter.  We also mostly have the same taste in books and I enjoy her reviewing style.



One of my other favourite blogs are SPINSTER STITCHER.  Although hers is not a book blog, she leaves me giggling almost every time I visit.  She writes about her and her little doggy, Stewey's, day-to-day adventures.  :) If you need a smile fix, visit her.

Only four more days for my giveaway!

There is only four more days left to enter my first ever giveaway - go here for details to win Pearl in the Sand
by Tessa Afshar.

CLOSING DATE:  19 September 2010

Things to be happy about #1

I got the inspiration for this blog post from the book called14,000 Things to be Happy About.: Revised and Updated edition by Babara Ann Kipfer.  I will be doing a regular post adding things from my everything life.  Here is some of the things that make me smile.

1.   A cold puppy nose snuggling in my neck.

2.  Double chocolate Oreo cookies (four just isn't enough!)

3.  That new car smell (hubby got the new BMW X1).

4. A large cup of coffee with lots of foam before I start another ("crappy") day at work.

5.  A 200g "Ouma se fudge" slab chocolate all for myself.

6.   A LARGE piece of chocolate cheesecake (gone in a moment - he didn't stand a chance!).

7.  Nando's Take-away, Lemon-and-herb chicken – yay for not having to stand in front of the stove!

8.  Warm, freshly popped, flavored popcorn.  Love the TNT microwave popcorn - no mess, no fuss.

9.  A workday is ONLY eight hours long (thank goodness). 

10.  Not being in a hurry when you are stuck in traffic.

You might also wanna look at the website called Things to be happy about.  Some more things to be smiling about.

Book Review: Living Hell by Catherine Jinks

Title: Living Hell

Author: Catherine Jinks

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Publication date: 12 April 2010

Blurb:

What happens when a single moment changes everything? For seventeen-year-old Cheney, life on earth exists only in history books. The life he and over one thousand other people know is aboard the Plexus spacecraft: self-contained, systematic, and serene. But that was before the radiation wave.
Now Plexus has suddenly turned on them, becoming a terrifying and unrecognizable force. As the crew dwindles under attack, Cheney and his friends need to fight back before the ship that’s nurtured them for so long becomes responsible for their destruction.


My thoughts: (warning - small spoiler alert)
I really enjoyed this younger YA book.  It is written with a younger audience in mind but I also enjoyed the feel of the story.  It wasn't too complicated and the end result of the conflict was straight forward and satisfying (although a bit quick).  

Our story centers around Cheney and the rest of the 1,000 crew who depend on Plexus for their daily survival.  If you love the technical know-how, you will love the descriptions of the micro organisms in almost all parts of the haul of the ship.  Ms Jinks has a wonderful imagination and I really enjoyed all the futuristic aspects that she brought to the pages.

Plexus is the only hope of survival for planet Earth.  We are never clear if earth is already beyond saving or if we are in search for another potential home.  What we do know, is that they have been searching for generations as Cheney and his friends were all born aboard the Plexus.

When a red alert sounds an approaching radiation cloud, the crew's calm and tranquil (and a little boring according to Cheney's friends) existence come to an end.  (spoiler alert) The ship suddenly transforms into a living, breathing entity trying to get rid of the foreign infection cells (read crew here).


From here on, it is a roller coaster ride of action and suspense while Cheney and the little band of children he finds himself leading, try to survive.  They are searching for his parents and other members of the crew after they get separated earlier in the story.  The conclusion was a bit easy but I understand that it is aimed at a younger audience.

I really enjoyed that there is a little epilogue at the end - it is nice to know how the story might have gone further.


I would recommend this book for a light and entertaining sci-fi read for the young-at-heart.

I received this book for review from the publisher.  The opinions expressed are my own and I wasn't influenced in any way.

This review was also added to GOODREADS, BOOK BLOGS and AMAZON.com. 

Simple Sunday Twitter Hop

Want more Twitter followers?

Looking for more Twitterers to follow?

Great, then join me at the Simple Sunday Twitter Hop hosted by Survey Junkie, Between the Lines, Its Me Melbie & Crazy Daisy. This weeks Guest Host is Kari from Shining 2 Save.

I only joined twitter two days ago but am having lots of fun so far :)

Random Stuff #2

Another week gone by and another chance for my weekly post filled with some randomness. This is the little random things that is not big enough for a post of their own but still worth talking about.  BUT BE WARNED, these posts might contain really silly stuff :)

1.  Saw SALT with Angelina Jolie this past week.  You can say what you want about her but she is one of the most beautiful women in the world in my opinion.  Even when the movie started and she had blond hair (blond hair!) she was still beautiful.  I enjoyed this action drama but hubby got up halfway to get us some tea and cookies.  Not a good sign when he watches a movie.  I think there was too little action for his taste.  We did guess who the baddy was early on but these days we expect that the writers are trying to fool us and always start  for looking for signs early on :)

2. Oh, the joys of potty training!  Poor little Roxy is just not getting it.  I can't remember having such a struggle with SPUD. I know it has only been two weeks but really - shouldn't she be getting it right some of the time?  I have now begun taking her outside every time she wakes up but still she has "accidents".  Don't know if it is really accidents - she seems to have quite a stubborn personality!  Maybe she just wants ro show me who is boss.  :)

3.  I have started a new cross stitch  project (shhh, don't tell hubby it's ANOTHER new start). It is something that doesn't have color changes and will just be a relaxing experience.  It is called The Bramble and The Rose.  Here is what it looks like:

 
4.  I think I have at last figured twitter out.  Well at least I got myself signed up and have made my first few tweets :)  I am sure there is a million things I don't know yet but at least I have started.

New giveaway's are posted on my BLOG CANDY tab.  Check it out here.  There are some wonderful books up for grabs.

I got the opportunity to host my first ever giveaway earlier this week.  yay!!  Please take a look and please enter  - you can find it here.

Blog Hop and Follow my Book Blog Friday

Hi and Welcome to my blog. If you are here for the first time on the BLOG HOP, I hope you enjoy your stay :)  My book reviews cover a wide variety of books, so I hope you will take a look around.  I also have a wonderful GIVEAWAY running for a change to win PEARLS IN THE SAND, so check that out here.  More competitions can be found on my BLOG CANDY tab at the top of the page.

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPIN.  (If you click on the logo, you will get to the site with the "Mr Linky")

This week's question:   Post a link to a favorite post or book review that you have written in the past three months.
This is a easy question for me this week.  My favorite review has to be the one I did for WILDTHORN - I just loved this book.  You can find it here.  It was such a simple book but just touched me in a strange way :)







To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list (the Mr Linky is on Parajunkee's blog)
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://readingangel002.blogspot.com
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thingie (again on Parajunkee's blog).
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can.
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!  

Parajunkee's question for the week:  eBook or Print
I live in South Africa, so it is really hard finding the book you want sometimes, so this was an easy choice for me.  LOVE my kindle :)  And buying with one click is way too easy for me :)

Happy Follow Friday!

*********

GIVEAWAY for Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar

Can a Canaanite harlot who has made her livelihood by looking desirable to men make a fitting wife for one of the leaders of Israel? Shockingly, the Bible's answer is yes. At the age of fifteen Rahab is forced into prostitution by her beloved father. In her years as a courtesan, she learns to mistrust men and hate herself. Into the emotional turmoil of her world walks Salmone, a respected leader of Judah. Through the tribulations of a stormy relationship, Rahab and Salmone learn the true source of one another's worth in God and find healing from fear and rejection.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

As this is my first book giveaway , I will keep the rules simple:

1.) There will be three winners, U.S and Canadian entries only (sorry). These will be sent out directly from the publisher.

2.) You must be follower of this blog.

3.) You must leave a comment on this post with an e-mail address where I can contact you.

4.) Deadline for this giveaway is: Sunday September 19th.  I will draw winners on the 20th of September 2010.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

+5 for being an old follower

+3 for being a new follower

+5 for spreading the word about this giveaway - posting to any other social media sites like your blog,

Twitter, Facebook or other social media sites (remember to leave your links)

Good luck!

 

Book Review: Perfect ONE-DISH Dinners by Pam Anderson

Title: Perfect ONE-DISH Dinners
Author: Pam Anderson
Genre: Cookbook
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date: 20 September 2010

Blurb:

In Perfect One-Dish Dinners, the New York Times best-selling author Pam Anderson shares her secret for having people over without breaking stride: Ma ...more

In Perfect One-Dish Dinners, the New York Times best-selling author Pam Anderson shares her secret for having people over without breaking stride: Make just one dish. Instead of a parade of offerings, she focuses attention on a single main course—a rustic tart, paella,grilled platter, or homey stew. Perfect One-Dish Dinners showcases about forty such meals, perfect for every season and occasion, all designed to wow guests, calm the cook, and relieve the dishwasher at the end of the night.

Stews for All Seasons

Worldly Casseroles

Roasting Pan Complete 

Big Summer Salads and Grilled Platters

But that’s not all. If the cook wants to make something extra, Pam provides a compatible appetizer, salad, and dessert for every one dish. And as a special bonus, she throws in “nearly instant” alternatives for each—more than 200 mixable, matchable recipes. Whether for a book group, church get together, birthday party, or family supper, Perfect One-Dish Dinners makes easy, shareable meals perfectly doable.  

My thoughts: 

What beautiful photos this cookbook has!  They are sparklingly clear - almost edible. I love that in a cookbook - I want to see what the finished dish will look like.  I have been swayed by a picture more than once when the ingredients have not jumped out at me.  The recipes are mostly simple and are written in a clear, straightforward way.  There are no strange ingredients that you will have to go in search of.  I just loved how Ms Anderson gives you options to vary the recipe and also suggestions for desserts or appetizers to go with the main dish.  That is a real help in my home.

I received this book for review from the publisher.  The opinions expressed are my own and I wasn't influenced in any way.

This review was also added to GOODREADS, BOOK BLOGS and AMAZON.com.

Random Stuff #1

I thought I would start a weekly post just filled with randomness . . . little random things that is not big enough for a post of their own but still worth talking about.  BUT BE WARNED, these posts might contain really silly stuff :)

1.  First of all come do a happy dance with me!  If you have been reading my blog for a bit, you would have gotten the idea that I LOVE my kindle and eBooks in general.  You would also have noticed my personal gripe with Amazon for having to pay that dreadful $2 fee on all books (yeah, yeah, they are quivering in their boots, I know).  So imagine my joy when I got a book for $0.00.  A free book that is actually free!!  And to top it off - it's a biography!  I am now rejuivenated to try and find more.  If you are also an international kindle user and you find a similar bargain - please share!  Here is the link to Cybill Disobedience.

                            

2. I recently joined another book review community called netGALLEY. What a wonderful site! Here you can request books from the publisher for review on you web or blog sites. I requested WILDTHORN and received it the very next day. So I had the oppertunity to write my first real review - you can find it here.  All very exciting.  I hope to do many more :)

3.  Laughter is watching your six week old puppy trying to reverse out of the bath while she is having her first bath.  If only I had another pair of hands, I could have taken a photo - it was priceless.   After giving my two babies a bath, I was soaked as well but now they are just coconut-ty fresh :)  I just love pressing my nose into their necks for that "just bathed doggy smell :)

4.  The first week of the September Spectacular Challenge is also past - one book down and three more to go :)  I got my book review submitted in time, so maybe . . . hey, I have to win something someday . . . just have to keep trying.  Anyway, I seem to be super unlucky when it comes to competitions - I have never ever won anything :)

5.  Talking about give-aways, I posted two new ones on my BLOG CANDY tab.  Check it out here.  There are some wonderful books up for grabs. 

Well enough for now.  Got some blog-visiting to do :)  Have a great Sunday!

Book Blogger Hop

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPIN.  (If you click on the logo, you will get to the site with the "Mr Linky")

This week's question:  Do you judge a book by its cover?
Yep, I guess I do.  A beautiful cover will always draw my eye and I will want to know what the story is about.  If I don't care for the blurb, I won't take it further but the cover will be what draws me to click on the title.
 

Book Review: Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Title: Wildthorn

Author: Jane Eagland

Edition: Paperback (my version was an eBook)

Genre: YA Paranormal History

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Publication date: 06 September 2010

Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...

My thoughts:
 I do not usually read YA novels but sometimes a story just calls to you no matter what genre it is. And this was the case with Wildthorn. Although it is not a true story, it could just have been. Young girls in the early 1800’s had no real rights and were at the mercy of the men in their families. It was not uncommon to hear of a "troublesome" girl put in Victorian insane asylum when her family did not want to deal with her or the “problems” anymore.

Our story begins with Louisa Cosgrave's journey to be employed at Wildthorn Estate as a companion to girl her own age – or so she thinks. She soon wakes up to the reality of her betrayal when she find herself at Wildthorn, but not the estate she hoping for.  But she is expected . . . and there is no employment waiting. And they insist on calling her Lucy Childs . . .

The story alternates between the present and flashbacks of certain events in Louisa's life. Throughout the book, we are kept in the dark. Are these really Louisa’s memories or is it just Lucy's mind playing tricks on her?

The descriptions of life in the asylum was hard to read although I don't doubt for a minute that it is true to life.  I have read a few historical novels but this was the first book where young women were thought crazy when they wanted to learn.  A scary idea.

The story constantly hints at the different people that might be responsible for sending Louisa to this terrible place but I have to admit that the true culprit was a surprise to me.

I really enjoyed this book - it was a quick and entertaining read and I would recommend it highly.

I received this book for review from the publisher.  The opinions expressed are my own and I wasn't influenced in any way.

This review was also added to GOODREADS, BOOK BLOGS and AMAZON.com.