Just in time for the long weekend:  another book review and giveaway.  (Closed, winners of these and the previous giveaway announced soon!)

Celebrity Status: A Kate Huntington Mystery
As you can see, it’s a mystery.  In the author’s own words: “My stories are mysteries because that is the genre I love to read most. But there is some crossover with the genre of women’s fiction because I place a lot of emphasis on developing the characters’ relationships with each other. This one, in particular, is focused on the stress that unwanted media attention can create for a couple.”

The story focuses on the main character, Kate, who is a psychotherapist married to Skip, a private investigator.  It seems that despite many previous personal tragedies, Kate is very happy in her life with Skip. (I found out after reading that this is actually the 4th book in the series about Kate.  The book stands alone but I definitely got the sense there is much more to her story and I’m glad to learn I can read about it as well.)

A celebrity pop singer asks Skip for help because she is being sent threatening letters and wants to find out who sent them while being protected.  Skip recommends she talk to Kate as there are some underlying psychological issues.  They have no idea how crazy things will get—before they know it the paparazzi are hounding Kate and Skip about various rumors involving romantic links between Skip and the singer, and Kate and her good friend, Rob.  As if things couldn’t get worse, then it appears the stalker is trying to kill Kate!

I found the book to be a good read (I’d say a quick read, but most books are a quick read for me, so that’s probably redundant) and I’d recommend it.  Like I said before, this is book 4 of the series and I’m told book 5 will be out in the spring.  I was thinking as I read it how many “best selling books” aren’t as well written and entertaining.

The author is giving away one copy of the book to a lucky reader!  It can be a paperback book for US residents only, or a digital copy (epub or mobi file, works great for kindle and other e-readers, nook and such) for anyone in the world.  Leave a comment below to win.  For an additional entry, tweet “I’m entering to win a copy of Celebrity Status by @kassandralamb from @hannahviolin and you should too! http://wp.me/p2S7vz-2r3” and leave a comment saying you did so. Contest runs through Sunday, January 6 at 10 pm CST.  Winner will be notified via email.

As you might notice, I’ve gotten more into book reviews.  I’ve always loved reading and I’ve learned that another awesome thing about blogging is that you can get FREE books to read (without going to the library, which I used to do as a child, but I get so lazy about libraries these days) just by promising to review the book for them.  And often I get to give YOU a chance to win a free copy as well, which I think is pretty cool, because all you have to do is read my blog 🙂

I was sent “The Painted Bridge” by Wendy Wallace.  The book takes place in 1859 outside of London, at Lake House, a private asylum for “genteel women of a delicate nature.”

The main character, Anna, has been locked up in the asylum by her husband for having “hysterics” and “mania.”  I found the book difficult to read, not because IT was difficult to read, but because of the idea that a woman could be locked up indefinitely for “hysterics”, in other words, for being emotional or opinionated—if those opinions were different than her husband’s.  The author did a wonderful job bringing us into the world of Victorian England and the “psychiatry” of the time.  I kept reading the book and then putting it down again.  I became very frustrated for Anna, because she seemed to want so badly to prove she was sane, but then things would happen that would seemingly make her seem insane, and it was just very frustrating.

It’s worth reading if you are interested in the way mental health used to be back then, because I can tell it is a very well researched book.  It has a lot of minor story lines that were harder to follow, and a few minor characters that weren’t as well fleshed as one might hope, but overall it was an interesting read, and the ending has a few twists that I didn’t see coming but wrapped everything up very nicely.  (I often hate a book with loose ends—call me immature, but I want stories to finish and be wrapped up at the end of a book.)

I like to read for a variety of reasons:  to be entertained, to learn something new, to learn something I already know, or to be taken to a whole new world.  This fell into the second two categories.  As an opinionated and emotional woman, it’s frightening to think that 150 years ago I could have been locked up for being myself!  (Or more recently that that…or if I lived in a different country than I do now even.)  I’m lucky to be where I am and with the man I’m with, and reading The Painted Bridge makes me feel even more so.

Want to win a free copy (may be more than one winner!)?  Leave a comment here telling me something that makes you feel lucky.  Giveaway runs through 10 pm CST Sunday, December 16.  U.S. residents only. Winner(s) will be notified by email.

I was given a free copy of the book but was otherwise not compensated for my review.  All opinions are my own.

I am a sucker for a good “chick-lit” book.  I’m partial to those with plots that take place in London, but New York is acceptable, and I will consider other cities.  Some of my absolute favorite authors include Elizabeth Young, Marian Keyes, and Anna Maxted.

I was recently given the opportunity to read and review a book by Lisa Verge Higgins called “One good friend deserves another.”

(From the back):

“Dhara, Kelly, Marta, and Wendy have been the closest of friends since college.  So close, that after a series of romantic disasters, they bond together to create Rules of Relationships to keep their hearts safe.

Years later, the rules seem to have worked…until Marta discovers that her hot boyfriend is married, Kelly begins a risky love affair, Wendy inches closer to a pre-marital infidelity, and most shocking of all, Indian-American Dhara suddenly agrees to an arranged marriage.

Hearts are about to be broken and the bonds of friendship are tested.  Is it possible to find true love, when you’re breaking all the rules?”

I thought the book was a good read.  It’s not overly dramatic or emotional but it’s fun and the characters are generally likeable and relatable.  I especially appreciated that the author kept us up on all the characters by using the third person rather than the oh-so-popular-and-gimmicky FIRST PERSON with different chapters for each person.  (Just finished the most recent Emily Giffin and was totally annoyed by that—am I alone in this?)  I don’t want to spoil the plot or anything, but I enjoyed the book and will likely re-read it.  The characters were fairly well-fleshed and the ending wrapped up nicely and believably.

The author has another book coming out in March called “Friendship makes the heart grow fonder.”  In fact she has written 15 novels according to her facebook page, so I will have to read some more of them!

Okay, giveaway time (perfect for Black Friday, right?):  One lucky reader will win a free copy of the book “One good friend deserves another.”  Open to US/Canada residents only.  Contest runs through Tuesday night 11/27 at 10 pm CST.  Winner will be notified via email.

Three ways to enter (leave a separate comment for each, up to three chances): (Edited:  Contest is closed.  Winner announced soon!)

(You must leave a comment here on the blog!)

1. (Mandatory) Leave a comment and tell me what genre or author you love to read.  (Bonus points for sending me a copy of your favorite book for Christmas…just kidding…)

2.  “Like” Lisa Verge Higgins (the author) on facebook and leave a comment telling me you did.

3.  “Like” Hannahviolin on facebook and leave a comment telling me you did.

I was provided a review copy of the book free of charge, but all opinions are my own. 

It’s getting to be chapped lips season, isn’t it?  Personally I use lip balm all year round, but as the weather gets colder and the air gets drier, I need more than usual.  So when Eco Lips offered to give me a few free tubes of balm in exchange for a review, I said “absolutely!”

I picked a few different flavors.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the coconut one.  I lent Chris the mint and he is a big fan of that one as well.  I haven’t actually tried all the kinds yet because I didn’t want to have a whole bunch of opened tubes (is that weird, does lip balm go stale?) but I know I will get to them eventually, and I imagine they are good too.

(If you’re asking, huh, what sort of review is this, she didn’t try all the tubes? Get over yourself.  THE COCONUT IS REALLY GOOD.)

What makes Eco Lips different than other companies?  Well…

I loved that from the website!  Anyway, their products are organic and not tested on animals, if that’s important to you (as I know it is to many people.)  And did I mention I love the coconut flavor so much!

Okay, giveaway time!  One lucky reader, chosen at random, will win an EcoLips Gold Balm (this is the most serious balm, for the most serious of chapped lips, think Cleveland winters, and yeah, sorry it’s not the coconut but I’m sure you’ll like it too!) on an Eco Clip (similar to what is pictured above, I believe.)  U.S. and Canada addresses only.

How to enter:

First: Like “Eco Lips” on Facebook or Follow them on Twitter (you can do both but you don’t get bonus entries for this giveaway.)  Second: leave a comment telling me you did this AND tell me your favorite flavor of lip balm.

That’s it!  Super easy, one chance per person.  I’m making this a one and done giveaway to keep it simple. Contest ends Monday night, November 5 (around 10 pm CST, but I’ll close the comments when it’s over so you’ll know!)

(sorry, had to close it early–my blog is moving to be self hosted in a few hours and I needed to get this closed and figure out the winner in case everything goes wrong!!)

(To Clarify, ONE comment is all you need/can have—one chance per person 🙂 )

Good luck!